SCENE 1 — BETHANY MAKES THE CALL

INT. BETHANY AND LARRY’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — AFTERNOON

The house is unusually quiet.

Bethany sits on the couch, holding her phone tightly in her hand. She looks exhausted and frustrated. For several seconds, she stares at Larry’s name on her phone before finally making a decision.

She takes a deep breath and calls her lawyer.

The phone rings.

After a moment, the lawyer answers.

LAWYER

Hello, Bethany. Is everything okay?

Bethany looks toward the hallway, making sure Larry is nowhere nearby.

BETHANY

No. Everything is not okay.

Her voice trembles with frustration.

LAWYER

What happened?

Bethany sits up straight.

BETHANY

I need to talk to you about Larry.

LAWYER

Okay. Tell me what’s going on.

Bethany wipes away a tear and tries to keep her voice steady.

BETHANY

I’m tired of the way he treats me. He doesn’t care about me anymore. I feel like I’m completely alone in this house.

The lawyer listens carefully.

LAWYER

Are you saying you want to take legal action against him?

Bethany pauses.

She looks down at her hands.

BETHANY

Yes.

BETHANY

I want to file a case against Larry.

There is silence on the phone.

LAWYER

Bethany, this is a serious decision. You need to make sure this is what you really want.

BETHANY

I’ve thought about it.

She looks toward the front door.

BETHANY

He doesn’t take care of me. He doesn’t listen to me. Every time I try to talk to him, he acts like my feelings don’t matter.

LAWYER

I understand. We can discuss your options, but you should avoid making decisions while you’re extremely angry.

Bethany shakes her head.

BETHANY

I’m not angry because of one thing. This has been building for a long time.

LAWYER

Then let’s sit down and talk about everything before you decide what legal step to take.

BETHANY

I want you to come to my house.

LAWYER

Today?

BETHANY

Yes. Please.

LAWYER

All right. I’ll come over.

Bethany ends the call.

She places the phone on the table.

For the first time in days, she feels like someone might finally listen to her.

But she doesn’t notice that someone is standing in the hallway.

LARRY.

He has heard enough.

SCENE 2 — LARRY HEARS EVERYTHING

INT. BETHANY AND LARRY’S HOUSE — HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS

Larry stands completely still.

His expression changes from confusion to disbelief.

LARRY

She wants to sue me?

He quietly shakes his head.

Larry walks toward the living room.

Bethany looks up.

Her eyes widen when she sees him.

BETHANY

Larry…

LARRY

How long were you planning to keep that from me?

Bethany stands.

BETHANY

Keep what from you?

Larry steps closer.

LARRY

Don’t do that, Bethany. I heard you talking to your lawyer.

Bethany folds her arms.

BETHANY

Then you heard exactly what I said.

Larry stares at her.

LARRY

You’re seriously trying to take me to court?

BETHANY

I’m seriously tired of being ignored.

LARRY

Ignored?

Larry lets out a frustrated laugh.

LARRY

You think I don’t care about you?

BETHANY

That’s exactly how you’ve been making me feel.

Larry looks away for a moment.

LARRY

You could have talked to me.

BETHANY

I have talked to you! Over and over again.

She points toward the hallway.

BETHANY

Every time I tell you something is wrong, you walk away.

Larry turns back toward her.

LARRY

Because every conversation turns into an argument!

BETHANY

Maybe because you never listen!

The tension fills the room.

Neither of them speaks for several seconds.

Then the doorbell rings.

Bethany looks toward the entrance.

BETHANY

That’s my lawyer.

Larry’s expression hardens.

SCENE 3 — THE LAWYER ARRIVES

INT. BETHANY AND LARRY’S HOUSE — FRONT DOOR — MOMENTS LATER

Bethany opens the door.

Her lawyer stands outside holding a folder.

LAWYER

Bethany.

He notices Larry immediately.

LAWYER

Hello.

Larry gives him a cold look.

LARRY

You need to leave.

The lawyer remains calm.

LAWYER

I’m here because Bethany asked me to come.

Larry steps aside slightly.

LARRY

Well, I’m telling you to leave.

Bethany becomes angry.

BETHANY

Larry, you don’t get to decide that.

LARRY

This is my house too.

BETHANY

And I’m your wife!

Larry looks at her.

LARRY

Then why did you call a lawyer instead of talking to me?

Bethany’s eyes fill with frustration.

BETHANY

Because talking to you doesn’t work!

The lawyer looks between them.

LAWYER

Both of you need to calm down.

Larry points toward the door.

LARRY

No. You need to go.

LAWYER

I’m not here to fight with you.

LARRY

Then leave before this becomes something bigger.

Bethany steps between them.

BETHANY

Don’t talk to him like that.

Larry looks at Bethany.

LARRY

Bethany, I’m warning you.

BETHANY

No. You listen to me.

She points toward the door.

BETHANY

I called him because I needed someone to help me understand my options.

LARRY

And I told you I don’t want him here.

The lawyer closes his folder.

LAWYER

Bethany, I think it would be better if we continued this conversation somewhere else.

Larry immediately responds.

LARRY

Exactly.

He opens the front door wider.

LARRY

You need to get out of here.

Bethany looks stunned.

BETHANY

Are you seriously throwing my lawyer out?

LARRY

Yes.

He looks directly at the lawyer.

LARRY

You need to leave.

The lawyer nods slowly.

LAWYER

All right. I’ll go.

He turns toward Bethany.

LAWYER

Bethany, call me later. We can arrange another meeting.

Bethany nods, still furious.

The lawyer walks outside.

Larry closes the door.

SCENE 4 — THE ARGUMENT EXPLODES

INT. BETHANY AND LARRY’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS

Bethany turns around.

Her face is filled with anger.

BETHANY

How dare you?

Larry takes a breath.

LARRY

I wasn’t going to stand there and listen to someone plan a case against me in my own house.

BETHANY

You didn’t even let me explain!

LARRY

I heard enough.

BETHANY

No, you heard what you wanted to hear!

Larry shakes his head.

LARRY

You called a lawyer because you think I’m the enemy.

BETHANY

Right now, you’re acting like one!

Larry looks hurt by her words.

LARRY

After everything we’ve been through?

BETHANY

That’s exactly why I’m angry!

She points toward him.

BETHANY

I keep trying to save this relationship, and you keep making me feel like I don’t matter.

Larry’s expression softens for a moment.

LARRY

Bethany…

BETHANY

Don’t.

She looks away.

BETHANY

I’m done begging you to care.

Larry takes a step toward her.

LARRY

I do care.

Bethany looks back at him.

BETHANY

Then show me.

Larry doesn’t immediately respond.

The silence says more than words could.

Bethany’s anger begins to turn into sadness.

BETHANY

That’s what I’ve been waiting for.

Larry looks down.

LARRY

I don’t know what you want from me anymore.

BETHANY

I wanted my husband to listen to me.

She wipes her eyes.

BETHANY

I wanted you to stand beside me instead of walking away every time things got difficult.

Larry slowly looks up.

LARRY

And you think taking me to court is going to fix that?

Bethany pauses.

BETHANY

I don’t know what will fix it anymore.

The room falls silent.

Larry walks toward the window.

Bethany remains standing behind him.

Neither knows what to say next.

SCENE 5 — AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

INT. BETHANY AND LARRY’S HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — EVENING

The sunlight fades through the windows.

Larry finally turns around.

LARRY

If you really want to take legal action against me, that’s your decision.

Bethany looks at him.

LARRY

But don’t do it because you’re angry.

Bethany takes a slow breath.

BETHANY

I’m not making this decision because of one argument.

LARRY

Then what is it?

Bethany looks down.

BETHANY

Because I’m tired.

Larry’s expression changes.

For a moment, his anger disappears.

LARRY

I never wanted you to feel that way.

BETHANY

But I do.

Larry sits down.

Bethany remains standing.

The distance between them feels larger than ever.

LARRY

Maybe we both need time to think.

Bethany nods slowly.

BETHANY

Maybe we do.

She picks up her phone from the table.

Larry watches her.

Bethany walks toward the hallway.

Before she disappears, she stops.

BETHANY

Larry…

He looks at her.

BETHANY

I wanted you to care before I needed a lawyer.

Larry has no answer.

Bethany walks away.

Larry remains alone in the living room, staring at the closed hallway door.

The house becomes silent again.

But this time, the silence feels different.

Their marriage has reached another turning point.

And neither of them knows what will happen next.