INT. WILL'S APARTMENT. MORNING.
ISABEL: It's mean green juice. It'll help flush all that poison from your veins.
Will squints sharply blinded by the morning light cascading into his bedroom window. Isabel stood accurately upright, her arm extending a small glass of green mush to him. She smiled. Will's head was pounding like a jack hammer. He noticed the emptied bottle of 18 year old Glenmorangie and quickly grabs his head with his palm in efforts to catch it from lifting off of his shoulders.
He hadn't meant to have Isabel over, and he certainly didn't mean to waist a good bottle of Scotch on one of his Alicia pity parties.
ISABEL: Drink up.
Will waves his hand in rejection. He sits up in a leaning fashion and rubs his eyes.
WILL: What time did you get here?
ISABEL: I don't know… after you called me begging me to come over?
Will hated that. She said everything like it was a question.
WILL: Right.
ISABEL: You were pretty wasted when I got her though. Bad day at work?
WILL: What do you mean?
ISABEL: Well, you couldn't… so… we didn't…
WILL: What? Oh God…
Will paces to the bathroom anxious to hide his face from the conversation. He looks at himself in the wall length mirror. His eyes felt like marshmallows, puffy and gooey from too many tears. He never wanted Isabel to see that side of him, so he pushed the door closed just as she approached.
ISABEL: Are you alright?
WILL: No- yeah, it was just work. You know, really rough, uh… day.
ISABEL: Your phone's ringing. And you should drink this.
Will emerges quickly. With a sad face and a thumbs down to the green monstrosity in her hand he reaches for his phone.
ISABEL: Who is it?
Will was annoyed by her question, but he smirked, thankful that he had deleted the number from his phone. The ten digit code to the love of his life appeared on the screen as nothing more than numerical randomness.
WILL: I don't know… but I'll take this outside, could be a client.
He walked briskly to the door opening it and slamming it behind him in one motion. He pressed TALK.
WILL: Alicia?
He had answered just in time to hear END button click.
WILL: Damn it.
He started to call her back but the call log that appeared automatically after a call alarmed him.
WILL: Wait, wait…
There was the call he had just received from her, and then, there was the call that he made to her at 1:26am. He clicked on it timidly, searching for more information. The call had lasted for 7 minutes.
INT. ALICIA'S APARTMENT. SAME MORNING.
ALICIA: Great. No answer.
She muttered in disappointment, but then she remembered the anger in his eyes the last time they met in court. It was wiser, safer even, for her to just listen to the message, the pending revelation that stood on the other end of her voicemail.
She sighed in admittance of her apprehension. Only he could make her heart beat this fast. Well, that and the elliptical at the gym. She remembered how motivated to actually use the gym membership their affair had made her. She hoped for the best but expected the worst, and held the phone to her ear.
WILL (OVER THE PHONE): Alicia?
Her lips parted sweeping in a gasp at the sound of his voice. It was such a good voice.
WILL (OTP): Do you even know what you've done?
Her face shifted, frowning at the sound of his apparent inebriation, and what sounded like the moan of a ghost.
WILL (OTP): This could've been you.
ISABEL (OVER THE PHONE): Will?! What are you doing?!
The phone receiver over whelmed with their jerking motions. Alicia's eyes begin to well.
WILL: No no no no man, its fine. This … this Judas on the other line? That's who you're replacing.
He chuckles and Alicia can hear the smacking of their lips. Isabel whimpers wildly.
ISABEL: Ok, whoa… this stuff iss strong…
She belches.
WILL: She's a coward, she won't even answer the phone…
His voice distant, then suddenly so near it's slightly distorted over the receiver.
WILL: YOU WON'T EVEN ANSWER! FID...FIDUCIAAARY! You know what that means?! It means I trusted you!
Alicia blinks hers eyes clear of their tears. She cringes silently at his desperation. She never wanted him to be this hurt. She never wanted him to be with anyone else, let alone get over her. But here he was… trying. It was sad. And it was all her fault. She decided then she wouldn't endure another courtroom match. They couldn't continue to hurt each other like this. It had gone on long enough. She hung up abruptly. Her mind set that it was time to finally settle this debacle. She didn't bother to redial, this needed to be face to face.
INT. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. DAY.
ELI: Peter you have to fire her! I can't believe you're even thinking of not- Wait, this is your baby.
Eli stands squarely with Peter. His eyes wider than the spread of Marilyn's slutty legs.
PETER: NO. This is not my baby, I…
ELI: But you SLEPT WITH HER, didn't you?
Peter turns towards the window looking out at the hustle and bustle of Chicago.
ELI: I knew it! I told you it was a bad idea, and you didn't listen to me. You never listen! Peter, I am not staying on this sinking ship, you can deal with it your own.
PETER: Eli…
ELI: I mean it.
PETER: Eli, I-
He perks, alarmed by what he thought was Marilyn walking by his office. Eli jerks around in time to catch the same sighting. They march frantically after her.
INT. MARILYN'S OFFICE. SAME DAY.
MARILYN: Good morning! I'm sorry I'm running late, but this belly is getting increasingly hard to sleep with.
ELI: Not according to Peter! And what do you mean late, you're fired. Get out!
Peter looks at her graciously shifting his body and attitude away from Eli.
PETER: Now, hold on. Marilyn… why?
MARILYN: Peter, Eli was bound to discover it. Why didn't you tell him? Why are trying to keep this a secret.
She rubs her belly.
MARILYN: The more you try to cover it up, the more unethical you will appear to the public. The best thing to do is to meet it head on. Everyone knows your marriage is over.
PETER: My marriage is far from over, and that baby is not mine!
MARILYN: Oh. Are you sure about that?
PETER: We- I didn't- You were already pregnant.
ELI: Oh, jesus H christ!
MARILYN: This baby IS yours, Peter. And if you deny it one more time you'll have the most public paternity suit Illinois has ever seen in your hands.
Her eyes glisten with moisture but her posture means business.
PETER: Marilyn?!
He pleads.
ELI: This is stupid, you're fired. There. You want to keep your job, then you bury this, no lawsuits!
Marilyn doesn't break eye contact with Peter.
MARILYN: And if you don't want a public scandal, I will keep my job and the father to my child. The way I see it, you can fire me, and I will sue you, and then it becomes public. And fast. Or you can keep me here, and take ownership of this sweet baby like you should. Of course then, you'll probably have to step down from the governorship…
PETER: Is that what this is about? You want me, or do you want my governorship? Who put you up to this?
MARILYN: Or not, I mean… you, you can stay on office but you certainly won't be re-elected.
ELI: She's right. This is the end, no matter how you spell it.
MARILYN: It your choice, Peter.
Eli dismisses himself from Marilyn's office and walks briskly phone to ear.
ELI: Kalinda? I need you…. Yeah, meet me downstairs.
INT. WILL'S APARTMENT. AFTERNOON.
ISABEL: You're always leaving me… you're the boss, just take off.
Isabel straddles Will, pinning him down to the bed. He grabs her hips and lifts her off by force.
WILL: As much as I would like to partake in one your sex marathons, I'm late. And you're right, I am the boss. If I don't show up, things go wrong.
She nibbles and kisses him a last time, when a loud knock at the door startles them both.
ISABEL: You go get ready, I'll get it.
WILL: Uh…
Isabel darts to the door, opening it widely.
AUBREY GARDNER: I'm sorry, I'm looking for Will.
She inquires, steadily observing the lacks of clothes on Isabel's body.
WILL: Aubrey… hey, what are you doing here?
AUBREY: Well hey, I see your manners have been stolen by the sphinx wearing your shirt. Mind getting my luggage?
WILL: You're staying here? What happened?
AUBREY: Nothing silly, it's Christmas!
ISABEL: Christmas isn't for 3 days. Will, who is this?
Will motions for introduction, but too slowly.
AUBREY: I'm Aubrey, his sister. And you might be…?
ISABEL: Oh, I'm Isabel. You didn't tell me you had a sister.
She nudges Will, who maintains his immobile stance.
AUBREY: Actually, he has two sisters! Sara is...
WILL: On her way here?!
AUBREY: Yep. You don't remember? Christmas is supposed to be at your place this year. You can't back out now.
ISABEL: But Will, you said we would-
WILL: Sara's coming too, oh God… YOU INVITED HER?!
Aubrey: No… you did. You said, last year.
ISABEL: How are we all going to fit here?
WILL: Isabel, can you just… give us a minute…
He guides her shoulders back to the bedroom.
AUBREY: I can't believe you forgot! So I guess you didn't get me anything…
WILL: I can't, this… Aubrey, I'm very busy.
AUBREY: Nope. I'm staying. But please, by all means, get rid of the surfer. She won't make it through Sara anyway…
Will's mouth motions in quiet wisps,
WILL: Oooh, you're right.
He bites his fist in angst.
WILL: Hey, Izzy…?
Isabel comes out fully dressed, eyebrows flattened in embarrassment.
ISABEL: Don't worry, I'll be back later.
She walks swiftly to the door.
WILL: No, you know what? I'll- I'll call you.
He follows her to the door and kisses her cheek. He opens the door just in time for Sara to slide in past them.
SARA: Jesus, Will! Keep it in the pants much?
She half frowns at Isabel while struggling her luggage into the door and then closing it in Isabel's face.
SARA: Well, Merry Christmas!
Sara hugs Aubrey and then reaches for Will whose face is full of worry.
SARA: Oh, don't tell me. The hot shot lawyer forgot his little Christmas with his little family. C'mon!
WILL: No, I am just on my way out to get your gifts.
He kisses their cheeks.
WILL: It'll be fine. Me casa es su casa. But you'll have to stock the fridge.
He hastens back to his bedroom and reappears full clothed with a briefcase.
WILL: I've gotta go to work.
Aubrey and Sara plop down simultaneously. Sara showing her discomfort at his choice of sofa.
AUBREY AND SARA: Bye.