Off Camera
Emily Desmond is looking out the windows at Central Park but she’s not in her father’s apartment. In fact she’s four floors above his apartment looking at a vacancy that had occured and Chris had mentioned it to Emily. She wasn’t looking to rent, she had enough of that. Instead she’s thinking of buying the place, something that she can call her own. But she’s hesitant because she would be living so close to her father, and she’s afraid that her personal life would be taken over by Chris. He hasn’t said anything so far about how Sean Foster, SCW reporter, is living with her but then she’s not a hundred percent he knows. But she knows if she buys this place, he will eventually find out for certain. But the location and the price are next to impossible to beat. Finally Emily looks at the real estate agent.
Emily: How much they asking again?
Agent: They’re asking a million dollars.
Emily: I see…..
Sean Foster appears out of one of the bedrooms. He has a tape measure in one hand and piece of paper that he’s writing on in the other. He looks at Emily.
Sean: You want me to measure the guest room as well?
Emily: Please.
He goes into the bedroom and Emily turns her attention back to the real estate agent.
Emily: Look, I realize that Central Park is literally right outside the window but the flooring is in desperate need of being replaced, the appliances are far from being the top of the line, and I’m going to need for someone to come in and paint and deep clean. Nine hundred…..I don’t know.
Agent: But as you said, Central Park is right there.
Emily: Indeed……but…..
Sean comes out writing on the paper. He walks over to Emily and hands it to her. She smiles at him and reads the numbers, nodding her head at them. Sean can almost see the wheels turning in Emily’s head as she looks at the agent, who might be holding her breath.
Emily: I’ll offer them $800, and I can have it to them by tomorrow evening.
Agent: You have a mortgage ready to go?
Emily: Mortgage? Did I say anything about mortgage? I’m talking cash.
There are two gasps of surprise, one is the agent, the other is Sean.
Emily: What?
Agent: I….um….well……
Emily: What?
Agent: Umm If you can wait a few minutes, I can call their agent and…..
Emily: Oh come call them directly. I don’t want to drag this out for the next month.
The agent nods and she goes into the bedroom. Emily goes over to the sliding door and opens it. The chill of the wind nearly takes her breath away but she knows in better temperatures that this will be an excellent place to live.She’s on the southeast corner, with the bedroom looking onto another building, and the view out the living room being of Central Park. There is a wrap around balcony from the bedroom to the living room, and both have sliding glass doors. Right now there is a good bit of snow on the balcony as the apartment has been empty since Thanksgiving. Emily walks around in a circle and then realizes Sean is staring at her.
Emily: What?
Sean: What? THAT is all you have to say is what?
Emily: Um….ok how do you like it? I mean, I’m the one buying it but I presume you’re going to live here with me.
Sean: As long as your dad doesn’t try to chase me off.
Emily: Pfft, he’s past that. And if Mom tries throwing a fit I can remind her of a few things. So you do like it?
Sean: Yes and…..Em you just offered them CASH.
Emily: Yes I did. If they’re serious about selling it they’ll at least think about it.
Sean: CASH.
Emily: Sean, are you ok? You seem on the verge of having some attack.
Sean opens his mouth to say something but before he can, the real estate agent walks back into the room.
Agent: You were serious about the eight hundred…..right?
Emily signals Sean to hand her what appears to be a bag to carry laptops. He hands it to her and she unzips it while walking over towards the kitchen area where there is an island. She reaches in and pulls out of stack of something and sets it on the island, then repeats the action. Both the real estate and agent and Sean walk over to Emily and we can see the stacks are money. The agent looks from Emily to the stacks of cash, then back but seems to have been rendered a mute. Sean is trying to keep his eyes from popping out of his head, and come off totally at ease with the idea he’s looking at a small fortune.
Emily: There’s a hundred thousand in cash, as a show that I’m good for the rest by….end of tomorrow soon enough?
The agent just stares, not moving, not saying anything.
Emily: Hello? Do you need to call your clients?
Agent: What? Oh…..um yeah, excuse me.
The agent walks away from Emily while furiously dialing a number on her cell phone. Once she walks away Sean steps up to Emily.
Sean: Well you’re full of surprises today. What’s next? A rabbit out of a hat?
Emily: Please don’t fret. I’m only spending what is mind from my real mom. When Selena died, her life insurance policy was in my name, and it matured when I turned 18. I’ve been trying to decide if there was anything I truly wanted and it dawned on me that I want a place to call my own.
Sean: But what about Lynn?
Emily: What about her?
Sean: Well shall we start that she lives in Savannah? Or that she’s not going to like this? And what about Marie? Do you think she’ll understand that her sister wants to live in New York and not Georgia? And……
Emily: I know what I’m doing and…..
The agent walks back in the room, a slight sheet of sweat on her forehead.
Agent: I told her of your offer AND your cash down payment. All I need to know is when you would like to meet to sign the paperwork and make payment and then by Friday this will be all yours.
Emily: Do you think they would mind if we had some contractors and designers in to give me estimates on a few things I want to spruce up?
Agent: I don’t know why not. In fact I’m so sure……
The agent peels a couple keys off a keyring, then pulls out her organizer and pulls out what looks like a credit card. She hands all this to Emily.
Agent: The card will let you in the building, the keys are to the front door. I’ll let the doorman know you’re expecting people. Shall we meet here…..at say 6pm tomorrow evening? To sign the documents and complete the sale?
Emily: Certainly. Once you have the documents filled out send them to my lo lawyer…..
Emily looks in her own organizer for a card that she hands to the real estate agent.
Emily: I’ll tell him to expect it. As long as he has it by 3pm tomorrow, then we’re on. If there are any delays we can meet Friday. After that I’ll be unavailable until about this time next week.
Agent: I understand. And….congratulations.
She quickly writes a receipt for the cash, closes up her briefcase and organize and leaves, leaving Emily and Sean in the huge space alone. They both look around in a circle, turning until they nearly bump into each other.
Sean: So what are you thinking?
Emily: Hardwood floors, high quality throw rugs. We’ll need furniture cause what we have is about 2 steps up from thrift store, in the kitchen new oven and range, maybe put in a convection oven. New dishwasher, everything in stainless steel. As for paint…..what do you think?
Sean: Something…..neutral. Not just plain white but maybe a beige color, and definitely an accent wall in say……I don’t know, something warm.
Emily: Like an orange?
Sean: Orange……red, somewhere in that realm.
Emily looks at her phone to see the time.
Emily: Someone should be here soon. Maybe they can get most of this done while we’re gone.
Sean: Only if they’re supermen.
Emily: The money will be a huge motivator.
The doorbell sounds, and it’s been maybe all of fifteen minutes since the real estate agent left. Emily goes over and opens it to see an interior designer standing there. Emily smiles and lets him in. He looks around and Emily can tell from the look on his face that he has a lot he’s thinking about. Finally he looks at her and holds out a hand.
Man: Greg Williams. My office said to come right over here and now I see why.
Emily: As you can tell it needs some help, and I hope I don’t have to babysit you or anyone working for you. You’ll be running the show until it’s done.
Greg pulls out a legal pad and leans on the kitchen island. He makes a few notes then looks at Emily.
Greg: So sweetie….tell me what YOU want.
Emily starts telling him as Sean listens in and the camera fades to black as they discuss it.
On Camera
It’s late at night and Emily is sitting on a stool inside a white room, no curtains on the windows, no artwork on the walls, not even furniture or a throw rug. Just Emily and the stool next to a kitchen island. Emily is leaning forward on her hands, her elbows propped up as she seems lost in her thoughts. Finally she looks up, and straightens up, grabbing the water bottle next to her. She opens it, takes a drink, then replaces the lid and sets it down as she makes sure she has her thoughts about her.
Emily: So Paige Lewis the time has come since that moment you stuck your nose into the Alternative title for us to face each other. You know Paige it still makes no sense to me that the world champion of SCW would want to take on the Alternative champion. Now if you wanted to take me on, no titles on the line, to see if you could beat me? That would actually make a great deal more sense than this. I still remember that night when you were in that match, it felt like you expected to NOT be the world champion when you got this chance. And that would have made sense. But not ……not a world champion wanting a secondary title.
Now some may call me out on saying secondary, but it’s true, I’m the Alternative champion and I am NOT the top wrestler in SCW, you are. Yes I’ve held my title the longest, which hasn’t been simple, but see I was actually giving some thought to asking Neela if I could have a match for you, but it wouldn’t be for the Alternative title, it would be for the World title. Yes I know that you’ve been an incredible champion and hell you can boast something that not many around here can, and that is the fact you’ve beaten Jessica Tendonin. Not too many people, in or out of the fed, can say that. I’m not sure I’ve ever faced her one on one, only in tag action, so know that I won’t sit here boast about something that I haven’t done.
Emily leans forward, her chin resting on her hand as she thinks. She doesn’t straighten up just yet, but seems lost in thought just a bit.
I look over my time in SCW and …..I’ve accomplished a great deal. I’ve been champion since June of 2017. I’ve faced some of the toughest people there have been……Requiem, Johnathan MIlls, the man who I beat for the title …Priest. Even my own tag partner Alzy not once, but twice.
Emily straightens up.
If you think I’m saying all these names because I’m bragging, no I’m not bragging, I’m merely stating. Oh I looked at those who you took on and…..the list is a bit impressive. I mean…..Alzy? I know that my tag partner isn’t perfect, but I know he gave you a fight. Jessica? Paige she beat you, she proved that you do have chinks in your armor, chinks I’m going to expose even more. Yes you managed to beat her to get the title back but really Paige, you shouldn’t have lost it in the first place.
Then I look and seriously you beat Jacina…..wow. Please forgive me if I’m not impressed with that. Brian Kennedy? He’s so full of hot air I’m surprised he hasn’t just floated away. All Brian Kennedy cares about is himself and whatever titles he can get his mitts on.
So Paige if we look at who you beat, and then who I’ve beaten….I have a few more wins, wins against people who have some talent, while the only two people I’m pressed with on your list is Alzy, because….well duh, he’s my partner, and Drew, who is no longer with SCW. Oh wait add Jessica to that list but thats it Paige. You’ve been in SCW for nearly as long as I have yet…….
But still I will be facing you at Survival, and it will be in a casket match. I went back a couple years and there haven’t been any casket matches. See as the Alternative champion I can pick what I’ll defend my title in. I’ve done ladders, I’ve done weapons in a cage, submissions only, and a few others. But not even the gentleman who held this title before me, Priest, had done a casket match so I felt it was time to shake things up in SCW and do it. It’s pretty simple thing Paige. The first person to get the other into the casket AND get it fully closed wins. I know, you might be thinking “hell I can do that” but its not that simple. Have you ever……well this isn’t the perfect comparison but have you ever tried to give a cat a bath? That’s the type of fight you can expect from me if you try to put me in that casket. I will fight with everything I got so you better pretty much knock me out if you want a chance to get me anywhere near the casket. The other thing you have to contend with is that I’m not about to lose my streak. I’ve been champion since June 17,2017. And I actually sat down with a calendar and counted it out to be double sure of what I’m about to say…..I’ve been Alternative champion 584 days as of January 22, 2019. Impressive numbers to be sure, and I intend to keep that number alive.
Emily stretches her neck backwards, then side to side, as if she wants it to pop. She’s actually thinking about her next comments.
Now there are whispers backstage, but no one will ask me directly, but if I win will I ask for a world title shot. You know, I hadn’t even thought about it. I guess I figured it would be Paige Lewis as World champion, myself as Alternative champion. But now Paige is straying into my territory, something she should be careful about. Now as for will I ask for that title shot, I’m not one to get ahead of myself. I’m focusing on Paige in the here and now, not what might happen down the road. I will say this however, Paige you have a rather busy night at Survival, facing me and then Brian Kennedy. What I’m about to say is coming from deep inside me. Please do….not…..lose…..to…..Brian Kennedy. I am so serious it’s not funny. If you …..let him beat you, SCW could be facing its demise. Plus I don’t want him getting this bright idea that if hey, if I beat Paige I get both titles. Well that presumes first you’ll beat me, and two that Neela would let the Alternative title be defended at the very same time. But that’s definitely putting the cart way before the horse because you would have to defeat me. That won’t be happening so Kennedy can just quit thinking of my title, it’s not up for grabs. Not by nefarious methods of his, nor because I lost straight up to you. You may not like that, but I’m not one to beat around the bush.
So Paige, I sit here waiting. Oh I’m waiting on my interior decorator, on contractors, to make my new apartment mine, but I’m also waiting for you, to see what the woman who has managed to lead SCW for so long, has to say. Oh by the way I do hope after this pav per view you don’t go missing again. I don’t like bringing that up, but you seem to ….well vanish and then people are wondering will you ever return, and all that. Well I think you know who is after you, I have no one after me, at least to my knowledge, and that kind of distraction can also affect your game. So worrying about outside influences, worrying about what might happen after the matches, worrying about your next match of the evening, and so forth, that’s a lot to worry about. As for me? I have a simple, singular worry and that is defeating you, so that I remain SCW Alternative champion. I plan on retaining, and showing that I i can’t be beat, that even the great Paige Lewis couldn’t stop me. And I plan on keeping it that way.
Camera fades to black as Emily gets up and walks towards the camera that gets shut off.
