SCENE 1: LARRY CAN’T CONTROL HIS ANGER
The evening was supposed to be peaceful, but Larry’s mind was filled with anger and suspicion. For days, he had been watching Purnell spend more and more time with Jade. Their conversations had become unusually personal, and their growing closeness was beginning to make Larry uncomfortable.
What bothered Larry the most was the way Purnell looked at Jade. It was not the way a man looked at an ordinary friend. Larry had even heard rumors that Purnell was thinking about proposing to her.
Larry knew something about Jade that Purnell apparently didn’t.
And he was determined to make sure Purnell never forgot it.
LARRY: “You’ve got to be kidding me. This man is really trying to make Jade his woman?”
He zoomed in on the picture and shook his head.
LARRY: “If only he knew what happened between us. He wouldn’t be smiling like that.”
PURNELL: “What’s up, Larry?”
LARRY: “I need you to come over to my house. There’s something important I need to discuss with you.”
PURNELL: “What kind of something? Everything alright?”
LARRY: “Just come over. I don’t want to discuss it on the phone.”
Larry ended the call and threw his phone onto the couch.
LARRY: “Let’s see how serious you are about this relationship.”
SCENE 2: PURNELL ARRIVES WITH JADE
About twenty minutes later, Purnell arrived at Larry’s house. But Larry wasn’t expecting what happened next.
Purnell wasn’t alone. Jade stepped out of the passenger seat, adjusting her handbag before walking toward the front door.
LARRY: “What is she doing here?”
PURNELL: “She was with me when you called. I figured it wouldn’t be a problem if she came along.”
LARRY: “No problem. Come inside.”
But Jade noticed something unusual about Larry’s attitude.
JADE: “Is everything okay, Larry? You look like something is bothering you.”
LARRY: “I’m perfectly fine. I just need to have a conversation with Purnell.”
JADE: “Well, I can wait outside if you two need privacy.”
LARRY: “No, stay. Since you’re already here, maybe you should hear this too.”
Purnell looked at Jade, then back at Larry. Something about the situation didn’t feel right.
SCENE 3: LARRY CONFRONTS PURNELL
Once everyone settled down, Larry stood in front of Purnell with his arms crossed.
LARRY: “So, I’ve been hearing that you’re getting pretty serious about Jade.”
PURNELL: “Yeah, I like her. She’s a good woman, and I enjoy spending time with her.”
LARRY: “How serious are we talking?”
PURNELL: “Serious enough that I’ve been thinking about taking our relationship to the next level.”
Larry let out a sarcastic laugh.
LARRY: “Taking it to the next level? Are you talking about proposing?”
PURNELL: “Actually, yes. I’ve been considering it.”
LARRY: “You must be out of your mind!”
PURNELL: “What’s your problem, Larry? Why are you getting upset?”
LARRY: “My problem is that you’re sitting here talking about marrying somebody you don’t even know!”
JADE: “Excuse me? What exactly are you trying to say?”
LARRY: “I’m saying Purnell has no idea who he’s dealing with.”
PURNELL: “Then tell me! What am I supposed to know?”
Larry stepped closer.
LARRY: “You want to know why I’m telling you to stay away from her? Because Jade and I have history!”
PURNELL: “What history?”
LARRY: “A history you probably wouldn’t be comfortable hearing about.”
SCENE 4: THE FIGHT BREAKS OUT
PURNELL: “Larry, I need you to explain exactly what you’re talking about.”
LARRY: “You heard me. Jade and I were involved before you came into the picture.”
PURNELL: “Were you two actually together?”
LARRY: “Yes, we were.”
Purnell turned toward Jade.
PURNELL: “Is that true?”
JADE: “It was a long time ago. I don’t understand why he’s bringing it up now.”
LARRY: “Because you’re letting this man think he’s the first person you’ve ever had a relationship with!”
PURNELL: “Larry, that’s enough. Whatever happened between you two is in the past.”
Larry suddenly slapped Purnell. Purnell stepped backward in shock.
PURNELL: “Did you seriously just hit me?”
LARRY: “You should have thought twice before coming into my house talking about proposing to my former woman!”
Purnell tried to move away, but Larry pushed him down onto the floor. A heated struggle followed as Jade shouted for Larry to stop.
JADE: “Larry! Get off him! What is wrong with you?”
LARRY: “You think you’re going to take everything I’ve had and act like nothing happened?”
At that moment, the front door opened.
Bethany had arrived.
SCENE 5: BETHANY WALKS INTO A NIGHTMARE
Bethany entered the house carrying her handbag. But the moment she heard the shouting, she stopped.
BETHANY: “LARRY! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE?”
Larry finally stepped away. Bethany rushed closer.
BETHANY: “Purnell, are you okay? What happened?”
PURNELL: “Ask your husband! He called me here and then attacked me!”
BETHANY: “Larry, what is wrong with you?”
LARRY: “Bethany, stay out of this. You don’t understand what’s happening.”
BETHANY: “Then somebody better start explaining!”
Bethany noticed Jade standing quietly near the doorway.
BETHANY: “Jade, what happened? Why is everybody fighting?”
JADE: “I honestly don’t know. Purnell and I came here because Larry invited him. Then Larry started accusing us of things.”
BETHANY: “Accusing you of what?”
LARRY: “Bethany, you don’t need to hear this.”
BETHANY: “Don’t tell me what I need to hear! I’m standing right here!”
SCENE 6: JADE REVEALS THE SHOCKING SECRET
Bethany turned back toward Jade.
BETHANY: “I want you to tell me one thing. What exactly is your relationship with Larry?”
Jade looked at Larry. Larry shook his head slightly, warning her not to say anything.
JADE: “You want the truth? Fine. Larry and I used to be involved.”
BETHANY: “What did you just say?”
JADE: “Larry and I had a relationship for some time. We weren’t just friends.”
Bethany slowly turned toward Larry.
BETHANY: “Larry, is that true?”
Larry remained silent.
JADE: “And there’s something else you should know. Larry and I were intimate. He slept with me while we were involved.”
Bethany looked as though she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
BETHANY: “You slept with HER?”
LARRY: “Bethany, let me explain!”
BETHANY: “Explain what? That you’ve been hiding another woman from me?”
LARRY: “It happened before! You’re making it sound like something happened yesterday!”
BETHANY: “And when exactly were you planning to tell me? After I found out from somebody else?”
JADE: “Now you understand why Larry doesn’t want Purnell around me. He knows exactly what happened between us.”
BETHANY: “And you knew he was married?”
JADE: “I knew about Bethany, but that’s between Larry and me.”
BETHANY: “Oh, so you knew everything and still decided to get involved?”
JADE: “Don’t put all the blame on me. Larry was the one who came into my life!”
SCENE 7: BETHANY SLAPS JADE
Bethany’s anger finally boiled over. She stepped toward Jade.
BETHANY: “You have some nerve standing in front of me and talking like that!”
JADE: “Watch how you talk to me.”
BETHANY: “You knew he was married, and you still got involved with him!”
JADE: “And what are you going to do about it?”
Bethany suddenly slapped Jade. Jade stepped backward, completely shocked.
JADE: “DID YOU JUST SLAP ME?”
BETHANY: “YES! AND YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DISRESPECT ME IN MY OWN FACE!”
Jade’s expression changed immediately.
JADE: “You have absolutely no idea who you’re dealing with!”
Before anyone could react, Jade shoved Bethany. Bethany lost her balance and fell onto the floor.
LARRY: “BETHANY!”
JADE: “You really thought you could put your hands on me and walk away?”
BETHANY: “Get away from me!”
JADE: “You should have kept your hands to yourself!”
Another struggle began. Larry rushed toward them while Purnell stepped in, trying to separate everyone.
BETHANY: “LARRY! GET HER OFF ME!”
LARRY: “JADE! THAT’S ENOUGH!”
For a few moments, the entire living room descended into chaos.
SCENE 8: PURNELL MAKES A SHOCKING DISCOVERY
Eventually, Purnell managed to separate the women. Bethany stood up, visibly upset, while Larry tried to calm her down.
BETHANY: “Don’t you dare touch me, Larry!”
LARRY: “Bethany, please. Let me explain everything.”
BETHANY: “You’ve embarrassed me enough! First, you hide a relationship with Jade, and now you’re fighting Purnell because he wants to be with her?”
Purnell suddenly looked at Larry.
PURNELL: “Wait a minute. There’s something I need to ask.”
PURNELL: “Larry, when exactly did your relationship with Jade end?”
LARRY: “A while ago.”
PURNELL: “I’m asking you a simple question. When did it end?”
Jade suddenly laughed.
JADE: “That’s funny. Because that’s not what you told me.”
Bethany slowly turned around.
BETHANY: “What does that mean?”
JADE: “I have something that might help explain everything.”
Jade reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.
LARRY: “Jade, put that phone away.”
JADE: “Why? Are you afraid of what they’re about to see?”
She unlocked her phone and began searching through her messages.
PURNELL: “What are you looking for?”
JADE: “A conversation Larry probably wishes I had deleted.”
Larry suddenly stepped forward.
LARRY: “I said put that phone away!”
BETHANY: “Why are you so afraid of her showing us something?”
Jade finally found the conversation and held up her phone.
JADE: “This message is from Larry. And look at the date.”
Purnell leaned closer. Bethany’s eyes widened.
The message had been sent much more recently than Larry had claimed.
BETHANY: “Oh my goodness…”
Larry stood completely silent.
SCENE 9: THE FINAL REVELATION
PURNELL: “Larry, you told me this relationship was over a long time ago.”
LARRY: “It was complicated.”
JADE: “Complicated? You were still calling me and telling me you missed me!”
Bethany looked at Larry with disbelief.
BETHANY: “You were still contacting her?”
LARRY: “I made mistakes. I never intended for things to get this far.”
BETHANY: “You didn’t intend for me to find out. That’s the difference!”
Purnell shook his head.
PURNELL: “I was seriously considering proposing to Jade. I thought I knew everything about her. But apparently, both of you have been keeping secrets.”
JADE: “Purnell, what happened between Larry and me doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
PURNELL: “How am I supposed to believe that when you kept this from me?”
Jade lowered her phone. For the first time that evening, she had no immediate response.
BETHANY: “I’m done. I cannot believe I have spent all this time trying to build a marriage with somebody who was hiding another relationship.”
Larry followed her toward the door.
LARRY: “Bethany, please don’t leave like this!”
BETHANY: “You should have thought about that before you brought all these secrets into our lives!”
Then she walked out.
Purnell looked at Jade one final time.
PURNELL: “I came here thinking I was going to discuss our future. Instead, I found out I don’t even know my own relationship.”
He walked toward the door. Jade called after him.
JADE: “Purnell, wait! We need to talk!”
But Purnell didn’t turn around.
