INT. DINNING ROOM –
NIGHT
Lights fade in with the sound of a
doorbell. A long dining room table is seen perfectly set for a large group. A chandelier
hangs above indicating the expense of the home. A maid is seen dusting around
the room.
SEBASTIAN – BUTLER
(Off stage) Good evening, Miss
Connors. Please, let me take your coat and I will lead you to the dining room.
ANDREA CONNORS
(Off stage) Oh Sebastian, I know
where the dining room is. I will lead myself.
SEBASTIAN – BUTLER
(Off stage) Yes, of course, Miss
Connors.
A young woman in a silky dress, walks
on stage looking around taking in the sight of the dining room. Noticing the
maid, she smiles and calls out.
ANDREA CONNORS
Ellie! How are you?
ELLIE – MAID
Oh Miss Connors! Has it been six
years already? My have you grown.
ANDREA CONNORS
Ellie, I told you to call me Andy. Six
years and you still haven’t changed. (chuckling)
ELLIE – MAID
Nor have you Miss Connors. Let me
offer my condolences now, my dear.
The doorbell rings and SEBASTIAN is
heard greeting the ringer.
ANDREA CONNORS
Why thank you, Ellie. I’m only glad
that sister was here, in this time of grief. My heart breaks at the thought of my
being held up in New York.
ELLIE – MAID
How very hard it must have been for
you to stay there with such circumstances back home.
ANDREA CONNORS
Very much so, but alas… The show must
go on, as they say.
The maid leaves as a man, seemingly
in his early 30’s and dressed impeccably in suit and tie, enters the dining
room. He gives off a strong vibe of authority and arrogance.
ANDREA CONNORS
Good day, sir. I am Andrea Connors,
Phillip Connors’ youngest daughter. And you are?
WILLIAM PORTANCE
William Portance, former CEO of
Connors Inc. Let me give my sympathies for your loss. May I assume you are the
very same Miss Connors to have invited me here?
ANDREA CONNORS
Not quite. The invitation extends
from my sister. Nevertheless, thank you for being here under the circumstances.
(Sitting herself) Please take a seat,
Mr. Portance. If I may ask, did you know my father well?
WILLIAM PORTANCE
Yes, miss, very well. He has mentored
me for the past four years. Your father, from the current looks of it, has even
given me his company with his passing.
The doorbell rings.
ANDREA CONNORS
Has he? My my, that company was my
father’s sweat and tears…
WILLIAM PORTANCE
One of the many reasons I am so
honored for the position.
An older couple walks in. The serious-looking
woman was in a long black dress, black boa around her arms. It is easily
spotted from her appearance and jewelry that she lives a lavish lifestyle and
cares much about how she presents herself. Her husband, on the other hand,
walks in with a large smile.
ANDREA CONNORS
Good evening, ma’am, sir. Please take
a seat. Ellie, the maid, should be in soon to take down our drinks.
The woman takes a seat without
speaking or addressing ANDREA CONNORS. She sits very rigid, causing ANDREA and
WILLIAM to share glances. MR. ROWELL comes over to ANDREA and shakes her hand vigorously
with enthusiasm.
MR. ROWELL
How do you do? Name is Ryan Rowell.
Lovely to meet you. Of course, not so lovely, under the circumstances, eh?
ANDREA CONNORS
Right. Well, let me say welcome. I am
Andrea Connors, and this here is Mr. William Portance. May I ask your name, ma’am?
MRS. ROWELL
You may call me Mrs. Rowell. (said shortly)
WILLIAM PORTANCE
Well, Mr. and Mrs. Rowell, how is it
you knew Sir Connors?
MRS. ROWELL
Personal. We were friends.
MR. ROWELL
Oh yes! Phillip and I went way back.
Such a shame to see him go. My very best friend in college, he was. We were roommates!
Hard to believe, all those years ago, but it’s true. Thought of Phillip like a
brother. Course haven’t heard from in quite some time, but I reckon true
friendship never dies. Even if the actual friends do. Ha!
ELLIE walks on stage taking note of
the stiff air in the room.
ANDREA CONNORS
Oh, Ellie! Yes, thank you! May I
please have a water?
WILLIAM PORTANCE
I’ll take a scotch, neat.
MR. ROWELL
Evening Ellie! Get me a whiskey
tonic. Can’t believe you are still here after all this time. Look at you,
taking drink orders! Hope you do remember me, though it’s been some time.
ELLIE – MAID
Yes, of course. And Mrs. Rowell for
you?
MRS. ROWELL
Sweet tea. Splenda.
ELLIE nods and walks of stage as the
doorbell rings. The room stays silent, as everyone waits for the most recent
guest to walk in. An older man walks in looking rugged. It is obvious his collared
shirt and dark jeans are the nicest clothing he owns.
ANDREA CONNORS
(getting up from seat) Uncle Harry! What a surprise to see
you here! How have you been?
ANDREA and HARRY hug.
HARRY CONNORS
Andy! My how you have grown! Last
time I saw you, you were about yay-high. Why you were only, what, eleven then?
ANDREA CONNORS
I believe so! My, I never thought I’d
see you again. Especially not in this house.
HARRY CONNORS
Well, neither did I. To be honest,
even with brother gone, I am surprised you invited me here.
ANDREA CONNORS
Oh well, I didn’t, actually. Sister
did. Though I’m sorry I can state my surprise of her welcoming your presence
here, as well.
The doorbell rings.
ANDREA CONNORS
I wonder just how many guests, sister
plans on having.
Two more men walk in. One still with
his jacket, the other without. The one with his jacket carried a briefcase in
one hand before placing it in the seat, side to the head of the table. The two
men begin shaking hands with the other guests.
DR. ERIC THATCHER
Good evening to you all. (walking towards ANDREA CONNORS) Pleasure
to meet your acquaintance. I am Dr. Eric Thatcher.
ANDREA CONNORS
Hello, doctor. Andrea Connors, youngest
daughter to Phillip Connors.
DR. ERIC THATCHER
My condolences, Miss Connors. I was
there in his passing. Let me assure you his death was painless.
ANDREA CONNORS
Thank you, Dr. Thatcher.
LINUS DUNN
Linus Dunn, your father’s lawyer.
ANDREA CONNORS
Pleasure to meet you.
LINUS DUNN
Sorry for your loss, Miss. I will
help in any way I can, and hope his will, can bring you comfort.
SEBASTIAN and ELLIE enter the room. ELLIE
entering with a tray of drinks and SEBASTIAN clearing his throat, stands to the
side.
SEBASTIAN – BUTLER
If all guests would take their seat,
Miss Connors will be down shortly and dinner will begin.
ELLIE goes around giving out glasses,
and taking the rest of the orders in silence, as another young woman enters the
room, stopping at the head of the table.
PENELOPE CONNORS
Thank you all for being here tonight.
My name is Penelope Connors, and I have invited all of you here for a lovely
dinner and to be present for the reading of my father’s will. We will start
with dinner.
ELLIE and SEBASTIAN come out with
plates of food and drinks.
ANDREA CONNORS
How lovely to see you, sister. My
apologies for only just arriving. Our show had only two more weeks left on
Broadway, therefore I was detained.
PENELOPE CONNORS
(monotone) Yes, well, the show must go on, mustn’t
it?
ANDREA CONNORS
(not taking note of her
sister’s tone) Just
what I had said to Ellie!
MR. ROWELL
Thank you, Penny, for thinking of me
in such a time. Your father was such a dear friend. Did he ever tell you about
our time in Uni together?
PENELOPE CONNORS
No.
MR. ROWELL
Right… Well we had such splendid times.
Of course it was your father that really went to make a name for himself! Not
that I have done bad myself. Enough for a home and to please my wife. Then
again there is no comparing to Phillip now is there. He was always such a
go-getter, even back then! Always top of the class, in charge of clubs,
organizations, you name it. Not to mention he was quite the mister with the
ladies, yeah?
PENELOPE CONNORS, annoyed with MR.
ROWELL, pushes her untouched plate of food, further in front of her and rings a
bell calling ELLIE and SEBASTIAN, and silencing the guests.
PENELOPE CONNORS
As I hope you are enjoying your
dinners, I must be frank in my having you here. I care not to hear my father’s
will. His possessions and earning mean nothing anymore.
WILLIAM PORTANCE
Then, why is it we are here? If not
to hear is final thoughts and wishes…
PENELOPE gives a glare to WILLIAM for
cutting her off.
ANDREA CONNORS
(with caution) Sister… Is everything alright?
PENELOPE CONNORS
Always so observant, little sister.
No everything is not alright. You each have been called here today in light of
my father’s passing, to right your wrongs. Every single one of you have
betrayed and, or deceived my father in some way. You will right your wrongs
here tonight or pay the consequences.
Getting up from her seat, PENELOPE
CONNORS exits stage. All guests look around in fear, guilt, and wonder. The
lights go out.
MRS. ROWELL
What is the meaning of this?
MR. ROWELL
No worries, dear. Just a little
electrical problem.
WILLIAM PORTANCE
Get those servants to turn the damn
lights back on.
ANDREA CONNORS
Sebastian, can you feel for the light
switch?
SEBASTIAN – BUTLER
The switch does not seem to be
working, Miss.
A blood curdling scream is heard. The
lights go back on.
ELLIE – MAID
Penelope!
ELLIE, ANDREA CONNORS, and HARRY
CONNORS run off stage towards where PENELOPE left. Another scream is heard,
followed by gasps and the start of crying. ELLIE, ANDREA, and HARRY return, visibly
shaken.
HARRY CONNORS
(holding on to ANDREA
as she cries) It’s
okay, hun. It will be okay.
DR. ERIC THATCHER
What in Sam Hell is going on?
ELLIE – MAID
Doctor… Penelope is dead.
