Miranda is about to elope with Michael….Will Gary stop Miranda and tell her how he feels about her? (This comes after series 3, episode 4.)
AT MIRANDA'S FLAT
"Well hello to you and welcome back! Such a pleasure to see you, especially you! You're just in time - I have an entire deluge of news to impart and it's very, very exciting! Things have been going brilliantly with Michael, he's so sweet. His father still avoids me, but I can live with that. Anyway, things are very secret squirrel at the moment, and no, I am not talking about first cousin Benjy, perish the thought. In fact, Michael and I are about to take a holiday together…. to Las Vegas! We fly out tomorrow! I know! It's so exciting! We haven't told anyone. It's almost killing me to keep it quiet. We've chosen rings and everything! But I must get going, Michael is coming over and I'm cooking us a romantic dinner. Actually, when I say 'cooking' what I'm actually doing, is reheating a casserole that Mum made earlier and I'm just off to the restaurant to pick up a Pavlova, ta ta for now!"
AT THE RESTAURANT
Gary – "Hi Miranda, your Pavlova's ready. What's the occasion?"
Miranda – "I really can't say Gary, it's strictly classified information…Oh go on then, you've forced me, (I HAVE to tell someone) you promise you won't tell Mum or Stevie or Tilly?"
Gary – "Course not."
Miranda – "Michael and I are going to Las Vegas tomorrow and we're getting MARRIED!"
Gary – "Oh my God…..Oh…..Oh… wow, umm, well, that's err, really…good…news."
Miranda – "Thanks for the Pavlova Gary; I'll see you in two weeks!"
Miranda gallops out with the Pavlova in a state of excitement, leaving Gary shell shocked.
AT THE FLAT
Miranda is lighting some candles on the table and the radio is playing softly in the background, when she looks up, Michael is standing at the front door.
Miranda – "Hi."
Michael – "Hi."
Miranda knows instantly that something is wrong.
Michael – "Miranda, I'm really, really sorry, but I just can't go through with this. Please forgive me, I never meant to hurt you, but I can't do this… bye."
Michael leaves.
AT THE RESTAURANT
Gary is sitting in the empty restaurant, still shocked at Miranda's news. He is working his way through a bottle of red wine, getting more and more depressed. He thinks back to all the moments when he should have made his move, all the mistakes he's made that have kept him and Miranda as 'just friends'. But there always seemed to be time to put things right before. Now everything has come crashing down around him and he can't see any way to change things.
AT THE FLAT
Miranda is upset, things always go wrong, and just when she finally thought she'd found someone to love her, he lets her down. She realises that she really ought to be more upset than she is though, perhaps then Michael wasn't meant to be. It doesn't change the fact that she's all alone… again. She pours another glass of wine and turns up the radio. 'Need You Now' by Lady Antebellum is playing. The words hit her like icy water "It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now…Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now…And I don't know how I can do without…I just need you now". Miranda reaches for the phone and dials the number for the restaurant.
Gary – "Hello?"
Miranda – "Hi."
Miranda comes to her senses and hangs up.
AT THE RESTAURANT
Gary – "Miranda? Miranda! Miranda!"
Gary runs out of the restaurant.
AT THE FLAT
There is an urgent knocking at the door.
Miranda gets slowly and a little unsteadily up from the sofa and opens the door. Gary is standing there and they stare at each other. Gary knows that this is it, the only chance he'll get, he knows now just how much he loves Miranda, how much he's always loved her, and how much he needs her. No words are spoken. Gary closes the door behind him. Still silence. Then, unable to speak or do anything else, he takes her in his arms and kisses her.
…To be continued…