Nocturnal Animals Page #3

Susan is washing the cut on her finger at the sink.

HUTTON:

Good morning.

SUSAN:

Good morning.

HUTTON:

What is that?

SUSAN:

It’s a manuscript that Edward sent

me. He wrote a novel.

HUTTON:

Edward who?

SUSAN:

Edward, my first husband. Remember

him?

7.

HUTTON:

I didn’t know he could write.

SUSAN:

Yes you did. He was writing a novel

when you and got together, you just

don’t remember.

HUTTON:

Have you even talked to him in 20

years?

SUSAN:

19. No. I tried calling him a

couple of times a few years ago but

he just hung up on me. I think he’s

teaching English at some prep

school in Dallas. It’s sad really.

He never remarried.

Hutton is not really listening. He is putting a Nespresso pod

into the coffee machine.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

Where were you last night? You

didn’t come by the gallery.

HUTTON:

I’m sorry. Really. By the time I

left the office I was late for my

dinner...

SUSAN:

It would have taken you 15 minutes.

15 minutes and it would have meant

a lot to me. (Pause) Never mind.

She turns away from him.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

You didn’t come to bed last night.

HUTTON:

I didn’t want to wake you up.

SUSAN:

Well, I wasn’t asleep. I was too

wound up from the opening.

8.

Hutton tosses his newspaper on the counter and begins to

read.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

It went well by the way.

Apparently.

HUTTON:

Good.

Susan crosses the room to Hutton.

SUSAN:

Look. Why don’t you and I go to the

beach. We can go tonight and come

back on Monday. Maybe if we just

spent some time, just the two of

us...

Susan glances up at him.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

Why are you wearing this blazer on

a Saturday?

HUTTON:

Because I have to go to the office

and then I have to go to the

airport and then I have to go back

to New York.

SUSAN:

You just came from there.

HUTTON:

Yes, I know. But I have to go if I

want to get this deal done. I don’t

want to have to sell anything else.

Hutton is ripping a packet of sweetener open and he spills it

on the counter.

HUTTON (CONT’D)

Sh*t.

Susan begins sweeping it away.

SUSAN:

It’s okay.

9.

Susan looks at crate in the hall.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

You know, the strange thing is that

I don’t really care about all of

this art.

HUTTON:

That doesn’t sound like you.

SUSAN:

I know. But it’s true.

HUTTON:

I care. It pisses me off.

SUSAN:

I know you do.

She pauses a moment.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

Don’t worry, I can fill the walls

with some new LA artists and people

will think we’re ahead of the curve

instead of going broke. You won’t

have to be embarrassed.

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