Friendship

EXT. Street

JANET
Sharon?

SHARON
Janet?

JANET
Oh, Sharon! Wow, imagine seeing you here.

SHARON
I'm in town just for today for some work. I wanted to message you but… (getting slightly awkward)…you know how things can get.
(beat)
(excitedly)I can’t believe this. How long has it been? 10 years? We were inseparable in High School.

JANET
Oh, yes. How time flies!

SHARON
Do you have time to go get a cup of coffee? We could catch up.

JANET
I was just on my way home, but I can always spare an hour for an old friend!

SHARON
Great! Do you have a suggestion for a coffee place around here?

INT. Coffee shop

SHARON
This place is lovely. It’s just like that place we used to go to at the Mall.

JANET
I’ve worked in this area for about 4 years now. So, I am familiar with most of the coffee shops here. I thought you’d like this one.

SHARON
Aww. You still know me so well!

JANET
So, tell me all about you. Are you a lawyer now? How is Edward?

SHARON
Yes, I’m a lawyer now, but I have no idea about Edward. We broke up soon after you moved to California.

JANET
Oh! I'm sorry for bringing him up then? Are you with someone new now? Or should we bitch about Edward and his sorry excuse for a life?

SHARON
Oh Janet, I have really missed you. I’m dating this young partner at my law firm, Timothy. We are getting married next year, actually. Give me your address. I’ll send you an invitation. You must come. And, of course, you must bring Jack. Do you have children now?

JANET
Yes, two! Tia and Keith.

SHARON
Oh my God! I cannot believe that you are a mother of two. You look exactly like you did 10 years ago.

JANET
Now, Sharon! I thought you were my friend and wouldn't lie to me.

(both laugh)

SHARON
I’m so sorry. I know I kind of drifted away once you moved. I swear it wasn’t you. I was just a total mess.

JANET
Don’t even worry about it. This is so nice. Let’s not taint it by talking about unpleasant times.

SHARON
Yes, of course. You are right! So, tell me all about your children.

FADE TO:

EXT. Outside the coffee shop

JANET
Bye Sharon! Take care! This was really lovely.

SHARON
Oh, I’m so happy we ran into each other. I will send you an invitation as soon as I get home. Please do come. You must! Promise me you will.

JANET
It would take a pretty major catastrophe to keep me away from your wedding.

SHARON
Buh-bye my girl!

JANET
Buh-bye!

INT. Sharon’s apartment

TIMOTHY
So, how was your day in Chicago?

SHARON
Work went well. I ran into an old friend of mine from high school.

TIMOTHY
Oh, that's nice!

SHARON
Not really. I knew she lived there, but I didn't want to get in touch. She moved there to follow her boyfriend, now husband. She opened a hairdressers' salon. I looked it up last night. It's in Cicero. I was going to be in the Chicago Loop area, so I didn't think I'd need to worry about running into her.

TIMOTHY
Oh! So, then why was she in the Chicago Loop area?

SHARON
What I didn't know was that she's super successful and has a second salon just around the corner from the Goldman's offices.

TIMOTHY
Good for her!

SHARON
Are you listening to me? I was put in such an uncomfortable position having to explain why I didn't call her.

TIMOTHY
Oh, I'm sorry.

SHARON
Anyway, I had to offer to go have coffee with her because I felt guilty. And at coffee, I ended up telling her that we are getting married.

TIMOTHY
Was she happy for you?

SHARON
Of course, she was! She's kind of a nice person. It's the reason I didn't want to meet her. She always makes me feel like I'm a terrible person. I ended up telling her that I'd invite her to our wedding.

TIMOTHY
I'm glad you did. If this is an old friend who is nice, then maybe it would be good for you to have her at our wedding.

SHARON
No! You don't understand. I don't want her to come. I'm not going to send her the invitation. If we ever meet again, the postal service is going to get cursed a lot.

TIMOTHY
I hope you never find out that I'm nice too!

(both laugh)

INT Janet's house

JANET
I met Sharon today.

JACK
Oh, wow! Did you know she was in town?

JANET
No, I didn't. I was really surprised. At first, I was a tad bit hurt that she hadn't called me, but then I remembered how she always had trouble making herself vulnerable. So I let it go, and we had an absolutely lovely time over coffee.

JACK
I'm glad. I know that it sometimes hurts you that she just swoops in and out of your life when it suits her. But you know that I love you for being so selfless, right?

JANET
Never mind that.(looks at him with love-filled eyes and smiles)

JANET
So, anyway. Sharon is getting married next year. She said that she really wanted me to go. It is in New York. Do you think you could manage Tia and Keith if I go for a week?

JACK
Of course, honey. You absolutely must go! I'm sure Sharon will invite Cathy and Susan too. It will be a nice little reunion for you.

JANET
Great! I'm really looking forward to it then. Sharon said the "Save the date" should arrive in a few weeks.

INT. Telephone call between Susan and Cathy

SUSAN
I feel caught between those again. This is just annoying. We aren't in high school anymore, you know.

CATHY
What happened?

SUSAN
Sharon ran into Janet in Chicago and invited Janet to her wedding. But of course, she doesn't really want Janet to come. And equally obviously, Janet has no clue about Sharon's real feelings and is getting more and more excited about the wedding.

CATHY
(laughs loudly)

SUSAN
Are you finding this funny?

CATHY
Are you not? Come on, admit it. This is hilarious.

SUSAN
Not for me it isn't. Sharon believes that as her Maid of Honour, it is my duty to ensure that Janet isn't at the wedding.

CATHY
Why doesn't Sharon just tell Janet directly that she doesn't want her there

SUSAN
Because then she would have to tell her why?

CATHY
Actually, I'd really like to know why too. What happened between those two?

SUSAN
Don't you remember?

CATHY
No, I really don't. They were like the sisters, practically. And then, suddenly, Janet leaves for California and Sharon decides that she never wants to talk to her again.

SUSAN
It wasn't quite like that. Remember that play that both of them wanted to be in? The Princess of Travancore! They both practiced the lines together, and gave each other feedback, and helped each other to prepare for the audition. They had made a pact that each would be happy for the other if they got the part. They went for the audition together. And just before Janet got on stage, she had a fight with Ed. She lost focus and messed up the audition. Sharon got the part.

CATHY
That doesn't sound like Sharon has a reason to be upset with Janet at all. Quite the contrary, I would say.

SUSAN
I wasn't finished yet. So Janet took it like a sport, and was very happy for Sharon. Sharon began rehearsals and was praised by the entire theatre circuit for her stunning portrayals. And then, within 3 days, a position for a 3 month paid internship at Schultz & Partners opened up. Janet applied and got it. Sharon had wanted to work there ever since she had decided to become a lawyer. She couldn't even apply for the position because of her time commitment for the play.

CATHY
Are you done now? That still doesn't sound like Janet's fault. It was just bad circumstances. Besides, it was just a stupid internship. And Janet didn't even really want to be a lawyer or anything. She just wanted some extra cash. I remember her saying that.

SUSAN
That is exactly the point. Sharon was so angry that Janet would treat this HUGE opportunity as if it were just a way to make some extra cash. In fact, she is convinced that Janet messed up the audition, just to get Sharon out of the way for the internship.

CATHY
What? No way!

SUSAN
Well, best friends! What can I say?