THE LOCAL CAFE "TINA'S" THE NEXT MORNING

Emma, sitting at the front stirs her coffee with a spoon, just staring at the coffee, Neil enters the cafe and sits next to her

NEIL: "Rough morning already?"

EMMA: Looks over and sees that it's Neil. "You could say that. More like a rough night which led into the morning."

NEIL: "Ah, your father again?"

EMMA: "How did you ever guess? He's making my life a living hell. Everything I do he somehow tries to make something more of it than it really is. He just won't leave me alone. It's like he's put on this earth to destroy whatever happiness that have, which isn't much to begin with."

NEIL: "Oh that's not true. Besides I'm sure he's not trying to deliberately do these things. Maybe he doesn't even realize it. Perhaps you should confront him about your feelings."

EMMA: "Ha! No way, that would only make things worse. I'm not going to wret over it because pretty soon I'll never have to worry about this again." She smiles and takes a sip of coffee.

LANFORD INDUSTRIES, JAMES' OFFICE

Joel knocks on the door

JAMES: "Come in."

Joel enters the office

JAMES: "Joel. What a surprise? What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you, was I?"

JOEL: "No, I just decided to drop on by. I hope you don't mind."

JAMES: "No, of course not. Why would I? How's everything in the sports agency world?"

JOEL: "Well it's going. Lately I've been working with a lot of the free agents. I have no complaints. How's business here?"

JAMES: "Souring. So, is there anything you came by to talk about?"

JOEL: "Well yes. I was going to beat around the bush about it but I might as well get to the point. I want to talk to you about Emma."

JAMES: Focused and interested. "What about Emma?"

JOEL: "Well I know we've had talks about this before and.."

JAMES: Interrupts. "I get it. This is about your feelings for my daughter. Is she still not giving in?"

JOEL: "I'm afraid not sir. She's still hung up on that Neil Strauss guy. He isn't even interested in her yet she still is fatuated by him."

JAMES: "Well my daughter isn't the brightest. Perhaps I should have a talk with her."

JOEL: "You'd do that?"

JAMES: "Why not? I think you'd be the perfect choice for my daughter and if she can't see it for herself than I'll just have to make her see it myself. Now go on, I'll take care of it."

JOEL: "Very well." Leaves.

LANFORD MANSION, IN THE KITCHEN

Claudia walks into the kitchen and sees that the maid Joan is there

CLAUDIA: "Joan, why don't you take a hour break."

JOAN: "Oh but I couldn't Ms. Doyle. There's so much to be done. And I still have to make those phone calls for you about your wedding plans."

CLAUDIA: "It's ok. That can be done later, now go."

Joan leaves with her duster.

Meanwhile Claudia takes out a packet from her purse, she takes a glass from the cabinet and fills it with water, meanwhile Will watches from the door, Claudia takes out a pill from the packet and swallows it, flushing it down with water, Claudia exits the back way of the kitchen

STREET PLAZA

Sarah is walking down the street with several shopping bags in her hand when she bumps into Neil, dropping all bags on the ground

SARAH: "Oh, I'm so sorry."

NEIL: "It's alright."

Neil helps get her bags and give them to her

SARAH: "I'm so sorry. I'm just in such a rush."

NEIL: "It's perfectly understandable. Have I ever seen you before? It's just that your face looks familiar for some reason."

SARAH: "I don't know. I don't believe that we've ever met before. I'd remember."

NEIL: "The Lanford party. Where you at the Lanford Gala two days ago?"

SARAH: "Yes I was. You?"

NEIL: "Yes. That's probably where I remember your face. I'm Neil Strauss, I own a law firm in town."

SARAH: "Sarah Caslin. I work at Lanford Industries."

They shake hands

SARAH: "Well I better get going. It was nice meeting you."

NEIL: "Likewise."

Sarah walks off with her bags

LANFORD MANSION, LATER THAT EVENING

CLAUDIA: "Emma, just the person I want to see."

EMMA: "Me? Why?"

CLAUDIA: "Well I would like to invite you to go along with me tomorrow to help plan the wedding. I have so many ideas and it'd be great to have someone there to help."

EMMA: "Well what about Michael? Won't he be there?"

CLAUDIA: "No, he'll be at the office all day long. Besides I want another woman's opinion. You're going to be my sister-in-law, you can thinking of it as sister bonding."

EMMA: Trying to say no without actually saying it. "I don't know if I'm the right person for this. Maybe you should get your mother."

CLAUDIA: "Oh come on Emma, it'll be fun. Please."

EMMA: "Fine, I'll do it."

CLAUDIA: "Thanks."

Emma walks into the living room and finds her father on the couch doing some work

EMMA: "You go to the office and work and then come home and keep working. You might as well live at the office. Infact I insist that you do."

JAMES: "And give you the satisfaction of getting rid of me. That's ok. I want to talk to you."

EMMA: "What is this? Everyone wants to talk to Emma day."

JAMES: "What?"

EMMA: "Nevermind."

JAMES: "Listen there's something that I want to talk to you about."

EMMA: Slightly confused. "Talk to me? About what exactly? We never talk. We argue."

JAMES: "Joel Pearson."

EMMA: Lets out a small laugh. "Let me guess he put you up to this. He just nevers gives up."

JAMES: "I understand that he has certain feelings for you yet you push him away."

EMMA: "I don't understand how this is any of your business in any way and frankly I'm not sure why you'd care at all."

JAMES: "You're my daughter and whether we get along or not isn't the matter. I still want you to have someone of deceny to be with."

EMMA: "Oh and what's your choice of deceny?"

JAMES: "Joel. He comes from a very successful family. The Lanfords and Pearsons have been friends for generations. You and Joel would be a great match."

EMMA: "Oh so now you're playing matchmaker now. Or are you just wanting me to be with Joel just so there'd be a Lanford-Pearson merger? Give it up. I've told him many times and I'll tell you. I'm not interested in him and I never will. End of discussion. Just because you can set up Michael with Claudia doesn't mean you can do that to me. And as far as you looking out for someone decent for me, bull! The only thing you see are the dollar signs that the Pearsons would bring. You'll never change."

Emma leaves the room

LANFORD INDUSTRIES

Michael is walking down the hall to his father's office, he opens the door and finds an empty room

MICHAEL: "He must have gone home already. That's not good. He has the files that I need for my presentation. If I don't get them tonight there's no way I'll be ready. Unless.... unless Bruce has them in his office."

Michael walks down some to Bruce's office and enters

MICHAEL: "Great, you're not here either. Guess it wouldn't hurt to just look around for it."

He sits in the chair and goes through several cabinets finding nothing

MICHAEL: "Please be in here somewhere."

He opens up a file cabinet and finds a folder marked "personal papers"

MICHAEL: "Personal papers? What could this be?"

Michael opens the folder and looks over the papers

MICHAEL: "Oh my God. No. What is this?"

Michael shuts the cabinet and takes papers and runs out of the office

PEARSON MANSION

MEREDITH: "Ah, Miss. Lanford. How may I help you?"

EMMA: "I wish to speak with Joel please."

MEREDITH: "I'm sorry but he's retired for the evening."

EMMA: "Well unretire him or I'm go up there and get him myself!"

MEREDITH: "I understand."

Meredith starts to walk upstairs but Joel is already coming down

JOEL: "What is all the yelling for?"Looks over and sees Emma. "Emma? What brings you over at a time like this?"

EMMA: "Will you excuse us Meredith."

Meredith goes off to her work

EMMA: "How dare you? Who do you think you are to go to my father to speak about me? As if it would make me like you any better."

JOEL: "I understand that you're angry but.."

EMMA: "Angry? No angry isn't the word for it. I'm pissed. You continue to test me but you never stop. Pretty soon I'm going to explode and when it happens, it won't be a pretty sight."

JOEL: "So what? You continue to lust after Neil who doesn't love you in the first place. Yeah, that's right Emma. Look at the truth. He thinks of you as just a friend, that's all. You'll never mean anything more to him."

EMMA: "I don't have to listen to this."

JOEL: "Fine, don't listen. Keep living in denial. But someday you're realize that the one person that actually cared for you was me."

EMMA: "I'd rather live in denial."

Emma opens the front door and leaves

EMMA INFORMS BRUCE OF AN UPDATED PLAN OF HERS

JAMES AND WILL GET INTO AN ARGUMENT

SARAH GOES OVER SOME DOCUMENTS ABOUT JAMES