FADE IN:
EXT. BALCONY OVERLOOKING ROMAN FORUM - SUNSET
MRS. ANSLEY and MRS. SLADE are sitting at a table on the restaurant balcony in silence. Behind them, a young couple and family of three are dining. MRS. ANSLEY flips through a VOGUE MAGAZINE, while MRS. SLADE scrolls through Instagram on her PHONE. MRS. SLADE looks up from her PHONE for a few moments before saying...
MRS. SLADE
You know, you scared me when you got sick that winter. That winter I was engaged to Delphin.
MRS. ANSLEY
Oh, is that so? I don't think you get scared easily.
MRS. SLADE
Not often, no. But I was easily scared because I was too happy. You know what I mean?
MRS. ANSLEY (gingerly)
Yes..?
MRS. SLADE
Well, at the time, I thought there was no more Roman fever, but I knew the Forum would be chilly at night. And the Colosseum is even colder.
MRS. ANSLEY
The Colosseum?
MRS. SLADE
That's right. It wasn't easy to get in back then, after they locked the gates at night. Still though, secret lovers met there when they couldn't anywhere else. You knew about this, I suppose?
MRS. ANSLEY
I'm not sure I remember.
MRS. SLADE
You don't remember? You're telling me you don't remember going out one night and catching a bad cold? You know, everyone always said that was what made you sick.
MRS. ANSLEY
I can hardly remember, it was all so long ago.
MRS. SLADE (cont.)
But you got better, so we forgot about it. But everyone knew this must've been the reason-- after all, you always took good care of your health. You had been looking for someone, hadn't you?
MRS. ANSLEY
Maybe I had. What made you think of this now?
MRS. SLADE thinks to herself for a bit before replying.
MRS. SLADE
Because I can't take it any longer--!
MRS. ANSLEY looks up from her MAGAZINE suddenly.
MRS. ANSLEY
Take what?
MRS. SLADE
I've always known where you were! This whole time, you thought I had no idea--
MRS. ANSLEY (unsettled)
What?
MRS. SLADE
--that you went out to meet the man I was engaged to! I know everything, including the letter that sent you there.
MRS. ANSLEY closes her MAGAZINE and gently sets it on the table. The couple and family of three have turned to look at them.
MRS. ANSLEY
Please don't...
MRS. SLADE (angrily)
No, no. Listen to this. "Grace, I can't go on like this. I need to see you. Come to the Colosseum tomorrow night, someone will let you in. You won't be caught by anyone, no need to worry." Sound familiar?
MRS. ANSLEY (nervous)
Yes. I know it by heart, too.
MRS. SLADE
Signed "D. Slade." That letter was the reason you went out that night, wasn't it? Don't you dare deny it.
MRS. ANSLEY
I don't know how you found out. I dropped it in the river as soon as I read it.
MRS. SLADE (rolls eyes)
Of course you did. I knew what was in the letter because I was the one that wrote it.
MRS. ANSLEY
You wrote it?
MRS. SLADE
Yes.
MRS. ANSLEY
Oh.
EXT. BALCONY OVERLOOKING ROMAN FORUM - EVENING
A long silence passes.
MRS. ANSLEY
I'm sorry... I wasn't thinking. In that moment, I only thought of myself and that that was the only thing I received from him. I know you were engaged to him but...
MRS. SLADE
You still went? I hated you, you know. I couldn't believe you had the audacity to meet him... You were always so quiet and sweet. So sweet. I just wanted to get rid of you. I was so enraged that I wrote that letter.
MRS. SLADE's face is red with jealousy.
MRS. SLADE (cont.)
I wish I didn't bring this up. I didn't think you remembered, or even cared. You did meet Horace a few months after and got married at Florence before any of us knew it. I guess that convinced me that it didn't mean anything to you.
MRS. SLADE (cont.)
I remember laughing to myself that night, imagining you waiting alone in the dark, trying to get into the Colosseum... Of course, I felt terrible when I found out how sick you'd become.
MRS. ANSLEY (looking up slowly)
I didn't wait though. He was there and let us in.
MRS. SLADE bursts up from her chair.
MRS. SLADE
What? You're lying! How--?
MRS. ANSLEY
Of course he was there, we--
MRS. SLADE
--how did he know you were there? You must be lying!
MRS. ANSLEY
But I replied to the letter. I told him when I'd be there. So he came.
MRS. SLADE stands in shock before shaking her head to herself.
MRS. SLADE
I can't believe it. You answered! I never thought of that...
MRS. ANSLEY grabs her MAGAZINE and stands.
MRS. ANSLEY
Well, it's getting cold. I should be going. I feel sorry for you.
MRS. SLADE
What? Why would you feel sorry for me?
MRS. ANSLEY
I didn't have to wait for anyone that night.
MRS. SLADE (scoffs)
Yeah, well, after all this time, I had him for twenty five years. You had nothing but a memory of a letter that he didn't write.
MRS. ANSLEY picks up her purse and laughs to herself. SHE pushes in her chair and looks right at MRS. SLADE.
MRS. ANSLEY
I had Barbara.
MRS. ANSLEY turns around and walks towards the exit, leaving a stunned MRS. SLADE behind her.
END.
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