LARRY AND BETHANY — THE LAWYER CONFLICT
SCENE 1 — THE LIVING ROOM — EVENING
The house is unusually quiet.
The tension from the previous night still hangs heavily in the air. Bethany sits on the sofa, staring at her phone without saying a word.
Larry enters slowly.
He pauses when he sees her.
For a moment, neither of them speaks.
Larry takes a breath and decides to approach her calmly.
LARRY
I want to apologize for what happened last night.
Bethany looks up briefly. Her expression remains guarded.
BETHANY
Okay. I accept your apology.
Larry looks relieved.
But Bethany immediately returns her attention to her phone.
LARRY
That’s it?
Bethany doesn’t answer.
LARRY
You accepted my apology, so why are you still ignoring me?
BETHANY
Because accepting your apology doesn’t mean I’m suddenly okay with everything you did.
THE LAWYER CONFRONTATION
Bethany puts her phone down and turns toward Larry.
BETHANY
I’m talking about the lawyer.
LARRY
Bethany, we already talked about this.
BETHANY
No, Larry. We talked around it.
BETHANY
If you were going to bring a lawyer into this house, then why did you do it?
LARRY
Because I needed to.
BETHANY
You needed to?
LARRY
Yes.
BETHANY
Without talking to me first?
BROOKE BECOMES THE FOCUS
LARRY
This wasn’t about embarrassing you. It wasn’t about disrespecting you.
BETHANY
Then what was it about?
Larry looks toward the hallway. His voice lowers.
LARRY
Brooke.
BETHANY
Everything always comes back to Brooke.
LARRY
Because Brooke needs us right now.
A long silence follows.
BETHANY
And what about me?
LARRY
What about you?
BETHANY
Do you ever stop and think about how I feel?
LARRY
I do think about how you feel.
BETHANY
Then why do you keep making decisions without me?
LARRY
Because sometimes decisions have to be made quickly!
BETHANY
That’s not an excuse.
Larry takes a deep breath before turning back toward her.
LARRY
Bethany, look at Brooke’s situation.
LARRY
Look at what she’s going through.
“We’re going to fight for her.”
Larry continues, his voice firm.
LARRY
We’re not going to stand there and watch everything fall apart.
He points toward the hallway.
LARRY
She needs someone to stand beside her.
Bethany’s anger begins to mix with guilt. She looks down.
LARRY
I know you’re upset with me.
LARRY
And I know I haven’t handled everything perfectly.
LARRY
But this isn’t the time for us to turn against each other.
BETHANY
You make it sound so easy.
LARRY
It’s not easy. None of this is easy.
LARRY
But Brooke is depending on us.
SCENE 2 — THE HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS
Bethany walks toward the hallway. Larry follows a few steps behind.
LARRY
Bethany.
She stops but doesn’t turn around.
LARRY
I’m not asking you to forget what happened.
LARRY
I’m asking you to understand why I did what I did.
Bethany slowly turns.
BETHANY
And I’m asking you to understand why it hurt me.
Larry nods.
LARRY
Okay.
BETHANY
You really think bringing the lawyer here was the right thing?
Larry hesitates.
LARRY
I think protecting Brooke was the right thing.
BETHANY
Even if it caused problems between us?
LARRY
I never wanted that.
He pauses.
LARRY
But if I have to choose between keeping the peace and protecting Brooke, I’m going to protect Brooke.
SCENE 3 — THE LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER
They return to the living room.
Neither sits immediately.
The atmosphere is still tense, but the anger has cooled.
Larry finally sits down. Bethany remains standing.
LARRY
You don’t have to forgive me again.
LARRY
You already accepted my apology.
LARRY
But don’t punish me by pretending I don’t exist.
BETHANY
I’m not trying to punish you.
LARRY
Then talk to me.
Bethany takes a deep breath.
BETHANY
I’m scared, Larry.
LARRY
Of what?
BETHANY
Of what all of this is going to do to Brooke.
Larry slowly nods.
LARRY
Me too.
Bethany finally sits across from him.
BETHANY
I don’t want her to suffer anymore.
LARRY
Neither do I.
A quiet moment passes.
Larry reaches for the papers on the table.
LARRY
That’s why the lawyer is here.
LARRY
We’re going to figure this out.
Bethany doesn’t answer immediately.
Then she gives a small nod.
“For Brooke.”
LARRY
For Brooke.
THE FIGHT IS ONLY BEGINNING
The tension doesn’t disappear completely.
The wounds from the previous night are still there.
But for the moment, they have found something more important than their argument.
A reason to stand together.
The camera slowly pulls back.
Larry and Bethany sit in silence, staring at the papers between them.
Outside, the evening light fades.
Inside, the fight for Brooke is only beginning.