The Anniversary Party

FADE IN: TIGHT CLOSE - JOE THERRIAN - MORNING He's in his mid-thirties, his face relaxed in sleep, childlike.Nestled soundly a tangle in the arms of his wife. THE CAMERA STAYS CLOSE.SLIGHTLY BLURRED, SOFT, SLOWLY SWINGS ROUND TIGHT CLOSE - SALLY THERRIAN She's in her mid-thirties, with large deep eyes.She watches her husband unguarded in sleep.Her pretty face, alert, she's barely breathing.Traces the just visible lines around his eyes, and mouth.Brushes fingertips against his eyelashes. TIGHT CLOSE - SALLY'S HAND PULLS THE BEDROOM SHADE. It retracts with a loud WHACK, sun, sky, trees. STEVEN (O.S.) And breath...and chataronga... EXT. POOL AREA - DAY We're in the middle of a yoga lesson.Joe and Sally stand on their mats.Steven, their instructor, wanders around the couple issuing soft- spoken instructions. A large room with hard wood floors, dominated by a huge fireplace.The dining room on one side, living room on the other.Floor to ceiling windows overlook the back porch garden pool... The house is classic Neutra.All GLASS and SMOOTH LINES. The calm is broken by the telephone.Joe and Sally ignore it until the answering machine picks up.They break their yoga poses and listen. The CAMERA hovers over the answering machine. LUCY (O.S.) (over answering machine; sweet, British, slightly desperate) Joe, it's Lucy.Remember me?It's the black sheep here.Bah...not funny. Haven't heard from you, need you, call me.Love you madly.Hi, Sally.Joe, I'd love to talk to you before I go...