The Skipped Scene written by Elshaday Tadesse

THE SKIPPED SCENE

Written by Elshaday Tadesse

FADE IN: INT. PETERSON HOUSE – NIGHT A windy night in Houston, Texas. David and Mr. Peterson are having a drink at Peterson house. Then suddenly the man started coughing and his face turned red.

DAVID (shouting) Sir, are you okay?! Sir. David trying to help the 64 year old man as he choked on his own blood.

MR. PETERSON I didn’t... do...it..its...it’s...lo...

His head falls to his right shoulder and he dies before he can finish his last words.

DAVID (hand shaking) What do I do know? Oh....Ok call the police....but NO NO...that`s stupid! Everyone is going to think I killed him. Ok David, THINK (nervously talking to himself) David started feeling dizzy and blurry. Suddenly he stops panicking and goes to his car and drives to his home without looking the dead body that was lying in the living room.

EXIT. BLACKNESS. The title of “The Skipped Scene” displays on the black screen.

3 YEARS LATER INT. SALINAS LOWFIRM COMPANY - AFTERNOON The secretary walks in the room.

SECRETARY Sir, your five o’clock appointment is here.

DAVID Send her in.

2.

Jacquiline walks in the office.

DAVID (CONT’D) Miss Jacquiline, it’s good to finally meet you. Everything we discussed on the phone seems enough. So let’s get straight to business.

JACQUILINE Mr. David I believe Friday’s core session should proceed as planned.

David’s eyes widened as her cold yet elegant way of speaking caught his attention.

EXIT. BLACKNESS. “A YEAR AND A HALF LATER” displays on the black screen.

INT. DAVID’S LEGAL FIRM - NIGHT David looking straight into Jacquiline`s eyes with immerse and deep thoughts.

DAVID Jacki, ever since you stepped into my office a year and a half ago, I haven`t been able to separate myself from you. Every cell in my body is in love with you. I can’t imagine what my life would be without you. I don’t want to live in this world without you because for me, you are my whole world.

So...

He gets down on his knees.

DAVID (CONT’D) Jaquiline Pererson, Will you marry me?

Jaquiline is speechless.

JACQUILINE YES! YES! YES! I will marry you! (crying) They kiss.

3.

JACQUILINE (CONT’D) David, there is something that I have to tell you. Ever since my father died, I haven`t been able to completely be myself. I am always distant from people as if there is a wall between us. (sigh) and I...

DAVID It’s okay Jacki, you got me now. We will get through this together.

JACQUILINE But I won’t!!(Frustrated!) You know me David, I can`t let go of what s in my right arm if I don’t know that I’m holding something in my left arm. (sigh) look, I want to start a new life with you and one day a family but I can`t do that unless I know who killed my father. And if I do, it`s going to be...(crying).

David holds Jacqiline in his arm.

DAVID Your concerns are my concerns, your fears are my fears, your troubles are my troubles. I will help you find your father’s killer and we will get past this.

JACQUILINE The best place to start our investigation is with Mr. Ronald Davis. He worked closely with my dad and he comes by to our house sometimes. He must have known who my father’s contacts were.

DAVID Okay, honey. I will have my assistant book an appointment for you.

INT. RONALD`S OFFICE - NOON. MR. RONALD Jacquiline!(surprise) what brings you by?! Is there something wrong?

4.

JACQUILINE Sir. I know I should have called before I came here but I`m here for a serious matter and I needed to see you.

MR. RONALD Well, let’s go over this matter of yours through lunch, shall we?

INT. AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT CALLED VERO MR. RONALD So,Jacki, how is your mother? I haven`t had the time to visit her.

I`ve been so busy with work.

JACQUILINE She is doing well.

MR. RONALD What did you want to talk to me about?

JACQUILINE Well, I had some questions about my father. I know you were really close with him and I just can`t wrap my head around how the police...

Mr. Ronald interrupts Jacqiline.

MR. RONALD NO! NO! jacki. Don’t do this to yourself. I know that losing your father was hard for you. It was for me too. And you can`t accomplish anything now besides opening up a closed wound. I hope you didn’t bring these matters to your mother also. She will be devastated.

JACQUILINE Well, it is still an open wound for me. I need you to tell me something. I don’t know if you had heard, but I`m getting married soon. I need to get closure. Please help me find my father killer so that I can move on with my life.

PLEASE! (MORE)

5.

JACQUILINE (CONT'D) Any information is valuable, maybe something the police didn’t know about my father.

MR. RONALD Look, I would like to help you, but I told the police everything I know. He was my dearest friend, and if I could help, I would but I don’t know anything. It happened all suddenly. But I will tell you something. His assistant Greg knows everything about him, maybe he can help you. Your family to me Jacki, and I have to tell you this. If your father was alive he would tell you to move on. Trust me!

JACQUILINE Thank you for the advice. I will keep in contact with you.

INT. DAVID`S APARTMENT – EVENING DAVID How come you have never showed me a picture of your father? I mean wouldn’t it be much easier if I at least know what he looks like.

JACQUILINE I wish I could, but I lost everything the night he died. The people who killed him also burned down our beach house in Florida. I have nothing of his to hold on to.(sad) David suddenly fills guilty. He holds her hand when he sees a sad look on her face.

DAVID It`s okay, honey. We will find your father’s killer soon.

Jacqiline leaves the house and after she leaves the door knocks. David opens the door and a man gave him a box then left. The box was addressed to Jaquiline from her mother.

DAVID (CONT’D) What is this? A box from Jacki`s Mom? Hmm(confused)

6.

David opens the box and found a classic album book. Looking at the pictures inside, something is triggered in his mind.

As he keeps flipping the book and suddenly started shaking.

David jerks back from the picture.

DAVID (CONT’D) NO! NO! NO! what have I done! All this year how can I not remember what I did? What am I gong to tell Jacki how can I tell her that I was the one who killed her father? (trembling with fear) He decides to leave. David writes a note to Jaquiline saying that he can’t go through the wedding and that he was sorry.

And then he drove away.

JACQUILINE Honey, I`m back. My mom said that she sent me a box, did you get it? She said it was a surprise.

No answer.

JACQUILINE (CONT’D) David, are you here? You would not believe what I figured about my father’s death. I know who got him killed.

Again, no answer.

Jaquiline steps into the bed room and finds a note. She reads the note with sadness and feeling confused.