Page 10 of Eva Reddy’s Trip of a Lifetime

I watch as the digital clock on the bottom of my screen turns from 11:59 to midnight. And with that, the curtain comes down on the worst day of my life.

From the journals and miscellaneous paperwork of Eva Reddy (Age 23)

January 26th, 1996—Australia Day

If I related everything that has happened to me this week to my fourteen-year-old self, she would be squealing and bouncing about our old bedroom with excitement.

In the space of just a few days, I have been given everything I have ever dreamed of.

And I mean absolutely everything. So much so that my proverbial cup is running over.

But if something overflows, some part of it is lost. That’s because even the most wonderful, magical dreams can struggle to coexist; a few dreams will slip over the lip of the cup.

And what if what is lost is what I want most?

And how do I figure out what is most important to me?

I don’t know the answer to that now. Let alone ten, twenty or even thirty years into the future.

It’s been a while since I’ve worked on my old screenplay. I guess it deserves a conclusion. A fairytale ending. Even if I don’t know if the fairytale ending is also going to be my happily ever after.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

Draft screenplay

by Eva Reddy

(The unexpected conclusion)

CAST:

Eva Reddy—Demi Moore

Jonathan Moore—Patrick Swayze

(Their chemistry is next level even when one of them is a ghost!)

FADE IN ON

1. AERIAL SYDNEY HARBOUR

Hundreds of boats are bobbing about on the harbour. You can scarcely see the blue of the water for all the white sails. It’s Australia Day and all of Sydney is out soaking up the sunshine.

CUT TO

EVA and JONATHAN perched on the bow of a boat, sipping champagne. Above them the RAAF acrobatic team, the Red Arrows, performs a series of heart-stopping manoeuvres. The scene is so perfect it could have been lifted straight from a Meg Ryan movie.

JONATHAN

(Positioning his body behind EVA and pulling her into his chest.)

How good is this? One day, you and I are going to own a boat just like this one and spend every weekend on the harbour. I can’t believe the boss actually let me take her out. Finally, that boat licence comes in handy.

EVA

(She leans back against JONATHAN and tilts her chin toward the sun.)

I have no problem at all believing your boss handed over the keys.

Nothing has changed for you since high school, you’ve just swapped the football field for a law firm.

You’re like some ancient god that everyone wants to please.

Even senior partners. You just have to smile and ask, and you get whatever you want.

JONATHAN

That’s how I got you. I smiled. I asked. And I haven’t heard any complaints.

EVA

(Rolling the stem of the champagne glass between her thumb and index finger.)

True. But I still wish I could bottle your charm. If you had my job, they’d be begging you to anchor the news before the year was out.

JONATHAN

I keep saying this, Eva, but you really do underestimate yourself. I thought your Australia Day preview was brilliant last night. Plus, you looked super hot.

JONATHAN kisses her neck and shoulders and jokingly attempts to undo the strings of her bikini top with his teeth.

EVA

(Swatting JONATHAN away.)

Stop that! Anyone can see.

JONATHAN

(Pouting)

So my charm does have limits.

EVA

Out here with hundreds of people watching—yes, your charm definitely has limits.

(EVA reaches for the ice bucket and pulls out a bottle of champagne. It’s French. This is clearly a special occasion.)

EVA

Let me fill your glass. I have some news and it’s worth a toast, especially seeing as you blew the budget on this champagne.

JONATHAN

(Holding out his glass as EVA pours.)

I have some news too. But you go first. And be warned, I plan to upstage you.

EVA

You can try. But my news is pretty big.

(EVA pauses dramatically.)

After last night’s bulletin, the news director pulled me aside and told me I’ll be covering the election campaign when Keating announces it, which should be any day now. My AP days are over. No more occasional weekend fill-ins. I’m joining the reporting ranks full time.

EVA looks at JONATHAN expectantly, her glass raised. But JONATHAN doesn’t meet her gaze. He is staring out to the horizon.

EVA

(Frowning)

What’s wrong? I thought you’d be excited for me. This is everything I’ve been working for.

JONATHAN

(Managing a weak smile as he grudgingly clinks EVA’s glass.)

I am excited. Really, I am. It’s just you’ll be away a lot. I’m allowed to miss you, aren’t I?

EVA

(Her shoulders relax.)

Of course you’re allowed to miss me. And I’ll miss you too. But I won’t be away very much. I’ll be the number four reporter, so I’ll be spending most of the time on the bench. There won’t be too many glamorous trips to factories and shopping centres for me.

JONATHAN

(Taking a sip of champagne and shrugging.)

Can I be happy for you and disappointed for myself at the same time?

EVA

I can run with that.

(EVA holds JONATHAN’s gaze, her face suddenly serious.)

But there is something I do need to discuss with you.

JONATHAN

(Looking uncertain.)

Okay.

JONATHAN puts down his glass and moves his body, so he is facing EVA square on.

EVA

(EVA is sitting cross-legged but she keeps changing position, trying to stop her legs from jiggling. She is obviously nervous. JONATHAN is completely still.)

The thing is, the boss says if I do a good job—and that is a BIG if—I’ll be offered the junior reporting job at Parliament House in Canberra.

There is a long and awkward silence. EVA waits.

There’s not much room on the bow of the boat but JONATHAN somehow manages to put distance between them.

They are sitting an arm’s length apart, as if they are coworkers rather than boyfriend and girlfriend.

JONATHAN’s eyes are ice cold. He tosses the contents of his champagne glass overboard.

As far as he’s concerned, the party is over.

JONATHAN

Why didn’t you tell me about this straight away? It might have been worth discussing before we came out on this bloody boat.

EVA

(A little angry now.)

I don’t understand what difference it makes when or where we talk about it.

But this is a big deal for me and it’s something I want to celebrate with you.

And with the harbour and the champagne, this felt like the perfect time.

Obviously, I was wrong. But Canberra isn’t that far away.

And it will only be for a couple of years.

JONATHAN

A couple of years! But what about us?

EVA

What about us?

JONATHAN

Do you even care? You’ve obviously made your decision. But I wish you’d told me about your grand career plans before I went to all the trouble of organising the perfect afternoon. So much for romance and a day that we’ll remember forever.

EVA

(EVA’s eyes widen. She is just realising that today was supposed to be a whole lot more than a bit of fun on the harbour.)

Jonathan, what is your news? You need to tell me this instant.

JONATHAN

(Pulling a ring box out from the pocket of his cargo shorts.)

Why do you think the boss offered to let me use his boat for the day? I was going to propose.

JONATHAN takes the ring and holds it between his hands. His head drops.

JONATHAN

I love you, Eva. I thought you loved me. I want to marry you. I thought we were going to build a life together. It never occurred to me that you didn’t want the same.

EVA

Hang on. Let me catch up with what is happening here. You’re asking me to marry you?

JONATHAN

Yes, I’m asking you to marry me. I just didn’t reckon on you going all Thelma and Louise on me.

EVA

But why can’t I be engaged to you and have a career at the same time? Think about it, Jonathan. I’m not moving to another country, I’m working down the road. And Canberra is a stepping stone. Not a dead end.

JONATHAN

You mean that? You think you can have it all?

JONATHAN shuffles closer to EVA and takes her face in his hands. He stares into her eyes, searching for the answer he is looking for.

EVA

I know I can have it all, if you’re willing to let me.

EVA and JONATHAN fall into each other’s arms and share a long, Hollywood-style kiss.

CUT TO LONG SHOT OF THEIR BOAT DRIFTING ON THE HARBOUR

EVA (AUDIO ONLY)

I love you. If any couple can make this work, we can.

FADE TO BLACK

THE END

That wasn’t how the day really went, of course. The scene didn’t resolve in real life anywhere near that cleanly and simply. Jonathan and I argued for the rest of the afternoon, but we eventually sorted it out. Kind of. He got his way as he always does, and I have a ring on my finger.

But the logic is simple enough. Jonathan wants to marry me.

I want to marry him. And we’ve just got to come up with a way to make it happen.

We’ve agreed on a long engagement. I’m going to get out of Canberra as soon as reasonably possible.

That’s presuming I get the job at all. We’ll figure out a way to make a long-distance relationship work.

And when we’re back in the same city and married, we’ll figure the rest out.

I suppose he’s right. We want to spend the rest of our lives together, so what does it matter when we get engaged?

My plans to get an overseas posting in the next ten years are looking a bit shaky now but if I set my sights on the London bureau, we might be able to make it work.

I can just imagine Jonathan charming the bowler hats off London’s legal elite.

And we’re not going to rush into kids. By the time that happens, I should be established enough that I can work on my own terms.

My career will survive just fine. It has to. Because let’s be honest, I’m not the housewifely type.