Page 62 of Holly Jolly July

Ext. Downtown Hemlock Grove Courtyard (Cont’d)

The businesspeople are bickering back and forth, arguing louder and louder, disturbing the party.

ANNIE

Enough!

Everyone stares at her.

ANNIE

As per section 626 line 42 of the Small

Business Association Code, so long as a

tenant is maintaining their property

and paying their rent, there is no

reason to remove them from their lease.

If you remove him based on grounds of

“lack of Christmas spirit,” I can guarantee

you’d have a lawsuit on your hands the

likes of which you’ve never seen before. Imagine the news headlines: Business

Association illegally harasses young

divorcé during holidays. Now, that would chase your customers away. Excuse us.

Annie grabs James by the hand and leads him away from the group.

Ext. Downtown Hemlock Grove Sidewalk - Evening

James stops Annie, turns her toward him.

JAMES

What you said back there...

ANNIE

Sorry for butting in, but I couldn’t

take them harassing you like that, especially

in front of everyone. Besides, according to

your lease, they have no case.

JAMES

You read my lease?

ANNIE

Sorry to interfere. After what I heard them

say that day on the sidewalk I had to look

into it myself. I guess being in a small

town and baking Christmas cookies doesn’t

turn off my inner lawyer, after all.

JAMES

Wow. Thank you. I have no idea what to say.

ANNIE

You don’t have to thank me. It’s the least

I can do, considering this time of year

is hard enough on you already. You don’t

need that extra stress on top of

everything else.

JAMES

What you said about me being divorced, I—

ANNIE

I’m sorry I had to bring that up. I

heard about what happened, about how your

wife left you on the night of the Christmas

party and that’s why you haven’t come back to it, and why you hate Christmas so

much.

JAMES

Who told you that?

ANNIE

I don’t mean to dredge up the past,

especially since we’re here together.

And aside from those businesspeople

harassing you I’ve had a great time.

JAMES

I’ve had a great time, too, but Annie—

ANNIE

I just hope that you can see how

Christmas can still be a great time of

year. I don’t know why your wife left

you, especially so close to Christmas,

but I do know that you have many

great years ahead, many more Christmas

memories to make with someone special.

If you choose to let them in.

James grips Annie’s shoulders, looking into her eyes.

JAMES

Annie, my wife didn’t leave me...

She died.