“A cynical columnist, a runaway bride, and a love story as chaotic as it is captivating.”
Watch the original version of Runaway Bride
Prologue:
In the raucous corners of O’Sullivan’s, New York’s most spectacular dive bar, the tales of the perilous and the peculiar reverberate amongst the half-empty glasses and the weary souls. It was the perfect place for Ike Graham, the renowned last-minute columnist. A man of grand gestures and an insatiable penchant for spot-on but hasty judgment, Ike often leaves his deadlines chasing him like a hound after its tail. His recipe for success, or disaster – depending on the perspective – was a golden mix of liquid courage, late-night desperation, and a keen ear for captivating stories.
One such stormy night, Ike found himself in a familiar position, facing his nemesis – a blank piece of paper. He had a deadline to meet, and the clock was ticking, but his muse was as elusive as a cat in the night. The soft murmur of the bar patrons, the sporadic laughter, and the clinking of glasses were slowly morphing into an orchestra of procrastination. Suddenly, amidst the cacophony, he heard a drunken slur, a intriguing tale about a strange woman from a distant town. The man’s words, muddled by whiskey, painted a picture of a captivating woman with an unusual knack for leaving grooms at the altar.
Chapter 1: “Captivating Carpenter”
The tale was all Ike needed to breathe life into his empty canvas. He could already imagine his readers sipping on their coffee, eyebrows arched, relishing his column. His pen danced across the page as he introduced the world to Maggie Carpenter – the charming heartbreaker, the woman with a phobia as peculiar as her beauty – commitment. Barely controlling his chuckles, he described her as a femme fatale of grooms, a massacre of matrimony, the perpetual runaway bride.
With each word, he constructed a vivid portrait of this mysterious woman. Her home, a quaint, picturesque town, the kind that city folk dream about for weekend getaways, was the stage of her comedic romantic escapades. He depicted Maggie as a siren, luring unsuspecting grooms to their doom, leaving a trail of broken hearts and jilted lovers, painting their small-town life in shades of agony and amusement.
Yet, as the ink still wet on paper, swirling rumors of her next escapade began to emerge. A wedding, bigger and grander than the last, was on the horizon, and the town was buzzing with whispers and bets on whether this time, Maggie would finally say “I do.”
As Ike concluded his piece, he couldn’t help but feel a strange tug. Perhaps it was the whiskey, or perhaps it was the unusual appeal of a woman, living miles away, causing such uproar.
Little did he know, his hastily written, unverified column would soon stir a whirlwind. A gust that would sweep him off his feet, hurtling him through a journey of laughter, love, and endless surprises. Unbeknownst to him, the column was merely the prologue to an unforgettable story – the comedy of errors that was about to unfold between him and the beguiling runaway bride, Maggie Carpenter.
Unaware of the unfolding drama set into motion, Ike submitted his column, full of delight and anticipation. He imagined the looks on his reader’s faces the next morning – the shock, the amusement, and the chatter his story would ignite. Oh, the pleasure of penning such a tale!
But the universe, with its uncanny sense of humor, was undoubtedly chuckling at Ike. For he might be the puppeteer of words, but in the grand comedy of life, he was just a puppet, about to be ensnared in the strings of his own making.
Chapter 2: “The String of Broken Hearts”
To the unfamiliar eye, Maggie Carpenter was a charming enigma wrapped in the allure of a small-town life. But if one dared to penetrate beneath the surface, a series of tales unfolded. Unfinished vows, incomplete ceremonies, jilted grooms—a legacy of failed weddings followed her like a mischievous shadow. Each story was like a string of a broken heart, woven into the complex tapestry of her romantic life.
Maggie’s first almost-wedding could only be described as a wild farce. Billy, her high school sweetheart, had been a charming rodeo rider. His swagger and good looks had ensnared her teenage heart. She imagined a life of excitement, a life far removed from the repetitiveness of their small town. But when the day arrived to turn this dream into reality, she, dressed in a grand gown with an overly eager groom at the altar, fled the church in a comedic frenzy.
The memory of her sprinting down the aisle, the choir singing an off-key version of “Here Comes the Bride,” and the minister gaping like a fish out of water painted a scene of poetic hilarity. The town chalked it up to cold feet, the excitement of youth. Little did they know, this was a sign of things to come.
The next groom-to-be, Ryan, was the town’s doctor—a stark contrast to Billy. Intellectual, calm, and collected, Maggie believed he was her ticket to stability. Their wedding was set to be a grand affair, the whole town buzzing with anticipation. As the big day drew closer, though, the spark in Maggie’s eyes dwindled. Paralyzed by the looming permanency of the “I do,” she panicked. Once again, the wedding guests were left in shock as Maggie ran from the chapel, her veil trailing behind her like the tail of a comet.
The vivid image of Maggie sprinting from the altar, Ryan’s discarded wedding ring on the pulpit, and the stunned faces of their guests would have made a fantastic scene in a screwball comedy. Maggie’s much-anticipated second attempt at matrimony was an encore of her first runaway act, and it served as a stark reminder of her all-consuming fear of commitment.
Ethan, Maggie’s third fiance, was a bold adventure-seeker, a man who lived for the thrill of the moment. He proposed to her amidst the adrenaline-rushing whirl of a hot air balloon ride. But even the dizzying heights couldn’t help Maggie overlook her fear. The spectacle of the day, the emotional high of the moment, could not keep her feet rooted to the church floor. In a mad dash that was becoming her signature move, Maggie fled from the altar, leaving another groom shocked and a congregation bemused.
Once again, the bewildering sight of a bride-turned-sprinter, a flabbergasted groom, and the cacophony of gasps from the crowd was a scene mirroring the climax of a classic theatre farce. The comical pattern of Maggie’s actions became a public spectacle, her romantic adventures the source of amusement and speculation.
Each of Maggie’s runaway acts was more dramatic than the last, the details more ridiculously entertaining. But beneath the comedy and laughter, a sense of confusion and uncertainty lingered. Each groom, each failed attempt at “I do,” added a layer to her enigmatic allure. But they also revealed the underlying fear, the palpable uncertainty—the comedic tragedy of a woman perpetually on the run from commitment.
With every failed wedding, every broken promise, Maggie Carpenter was slowly turning into the town legend—the enigmatic Runaway Bride. Her reputation might have been the fodder for Ike’s fiery column, but it was the story behind the laughter, the very real fear of commitment that shaped Maggie, which was waiting to unravel itself in the chapters to come.
Chapter 3: “Ike’s Twisted Adventure”
Ike Graham, the notorious New York columnist, was a man accustomed to weaving threads of tales from the comfort of his bustling city life. Venturing out into the ‘real world’, particularly to a small town that was miles away from his metropolitan bubble, was not something he had imagined. So, when he decided to dive headfirst into the unfounded rumors surrounding Maggie Carpenter, he had no idea of the whirlpool of comedic blunders that awaited him.
Peering over the Appalachians from his tiny airplane window, Ike pondered his decision. There was something incredibly ironic about a man who did not believe in romantic commitments going on an adventure to chase a woman who fled from them. The airplane jolted, shaking him out of his thoughts. Ike’s hand flew to the brown fedora on his head, an almost comedic gesture signaling the turbulent journey ahead.
Once he landed, the first hurdle came in the form of an obstinate rental car clerk who thought New Yorker’s were all high-brow elitists. Ike’s attempt to sweet-talk his way into renting a car led to a back-and-forth banter that was more entertaining than productive. The encounter ended with Ike, the smooth-talking city man, departing in a rusty old pickup truck, much to the amusement of the local townsfolk.
As Ike finally navigated the twisting country roads to reach Hale, the small town where Maggie lived, a comical series of misunderstandings unraveled. Locals mistook him for an investor, a visiting actor, and at one point, a lost participant of an extreme adventure race. His flashy city ways made him stand out like a sore thumb in the small-town settings, and yet, there was an odd delight in such misunderstandings.
In an attempt to blend in, Ike decided to participate in a local charity race. The sight of a metropolitan columnist, last seen behind a thick veil of cigar smoke and robust whiskey, now gasping for breath in middle of a marathon was a spectacle to behold. To add to the hilarity, he ended up sprinting down the wrong route and landing himself in a muddy pigsty.
However, it wasn’t just the laughter that made his time memorable. Getting embroiled in the town’s quintessential ways also allowed him to see the world from a perspective he had previously dismissed. The warmth of the townsfolk, the serene simplicity of the surroundings, and the unanticipated bonding that came from shared humorous mishaps; all of it began to make an unusual sense to him.
In the midst of this chaos, Ike found himself at the Carpenter house, the epicenter of his investigative quest. Welcomed by Maggie with a sarcastic wit matching his own, the stage was set for a showdown he had not anticipated. The comic turbulence of his journey, though far from over, had brought him face to face with the infamous Maggie Carpenter. Little did he know, the real adventure was just about to begin.
By the end of his day, Ike Graham, the snobbish New York columnist, was a muddy, disheveled, and hilariously misplaced city man in a small-town setting. What had started as an investigative mission was slowly unravelling into a comical adventure that left him questioning his previous convictions.
This chapter, bursting with humor, misunderstandings, and unexpected camaraderie, was just the comedic twist needed to propel Ike’s adventure, and the story, forward. It set the stage impeccably for the real encounter between Ike and Maggie, the runaway bride, and the surreal romance that was about to bloom amidst the chaos.
Chapter 4: “The Unexpected Alliance”
A moment of deafening silence followed as the visiting New Yorker, Ike Graham, and the notorious runaway bride, Maggie Carpenter, locked eyes in a quaint, small-town bakery. The tension was palpable, like a rubber band stretched taut, threatening to snap. Both had a hardened resolve; Ike, bent on salvaging his reputation, and Maggie, determined to prove her own autonomy.
Their first exchange was nothing short of a disaster. A clash of city cynicism and country naivety, a battle of wits, each trying to best the other. Ike was abrasive, and his sarcastic demeanor only made Maggie’s defiance burn brighter. Yet, somehow, beneath the mutual hostility, sparks of comedy flickered, fostering an air of levity within the thick confinement of their rivalry.
The alliance was proposed in an unassuming diner over a meal of apple pie, a setting as far from the skyscrapers of New York as one could imagine. Ike, pushing aside his ego, proposed the deal: he would write a kinder column about Maggie, one that would redeem her in the eyes of the public, if she promised to go through with her fourth wedding, proving him wrong. Maggie looked at him, her eyes a mix of resentment, amusement, and something surprisingly akin to curiosity.
Refusing to back down, she agreed to his terms, sealing the deal with a shake of her hand – a touch that sparked a wildly unexpected electric connection. It was a moment that screamed of comedic irony – the cynical columnist and the reluctant bride, thrown together by fate, each with their own agendas, now bound by a promise in a sleepy small-town diner.
The days that followed were filled with chaotic hilarity. Fierce debates, Maggie’s wedding preparations, Ike’s misguided efforts to fit into small-town life, all underlined by their seething tug-of-war. Yet, amidst their bickering, an odd sense of camaraderie began to take shape.
Ike found himself immersed in Maggie’s world, understanding her fears, her dreams, her idiosyncrasies. He saw beyond the runaway bride reputation, finding instead a woman of substance, a woman full of contradictions, a woman who was becoming harder to resist.
The chapter ended on a note of suspense. Maggie’s wedding loomed, Ike’s redemption column remained unwritten, their alliance fraying at the edges, bursting with unspoken emotions and burgeoning feelings. Would Maggie run again? Would Ike find his redemption, or something far more complex and confusing? As the New Yorker struggled to decipher his emotions and the local bride wrestled with her habitual fears, the stage was set for a showdown of hilarity and heartbreak. And amidst it all, the readers could only wait and wonder – would love, the most unexpected guest, arrive at the forthcoming wedding?
The setting, characters, and plot were now knitted together in a delightful tapestry of comedy and romance, a dance of perplexity and burstiness, where the steps were as unpredictable as the dance itself. The tale of the runaway bride and the cynical columnist was far from over, and the next chapters would only add more layers to their unexpected, comedic romance.
Chapter 5: “A Twist in Love”
As the days turned into weeks, Ike Graham found himself entrenched in the life and stories of the small town, more specifically around Maggie Carpenter. However, he was no longer just observing her as a writer or critic, but as someone genuinely interested, charmed by her energy and charisma. It seemed like the more he got to know her, the more he found himself drawn into the enigmatic allure that was Maggie.
Meanwhile, Maggie Carpenter, the infamous runaway bride of the town, found herself unquestionably intrigued by this city man, Ike. His piercingly sharp wit, his unabashed directness, and above all, his grounded honesty started to appeal to her. This wasn’t her plan. She was supposed to detest him, wasn’t she? After all, he was the one who’d written that offensive column about her. However, the more she got to know him, the more boundaries blurred and feelings melded.
The town was agog with the sight of them together, everywhere from the local diner to the park. There was laughter, lingering looks, and shared smiles. It was a romantic comedy come to life, replete with its leading characters unaware of what was silently brewing between them.
Ike found himself doing unusual things, like laughing at Maggie’s unabashed sense of humor, enjoying her company, and even going out of his way to spend more time with her. He realized, to his surprise, that he was falling for her, despite his best intentions not to. He liked her. He liked her spirit, her fearlessness, her unapologetic authenticity. He admired her capacity to make him laugh and to make him question his long-standing beliefs about love and commitment.
Maggie felt it too, the undeniable electricity whenever she was with Ike. It was different from what she felt with her previous fiances. With Ike, there was an ease, a comfort that made her feel like she was home. She found herself opening up to him, revealing parts of herself that she’d shut off from the world. She was falling for him, and she didn’t even realize it.
But this unexpected twist in their relationship wasn’t without its challenges. Ike struggled with his professional obligations, with the column he was supposed to write hanging over his head like an impending thunderstorm, while Maggie grappled with her fears and uncertainties about commitment. It was a comedy of errors, of missed signals and mixed messages, of things left unsaid and feelings unexpressed.
Then, there were moments of absolute clarity, like the time when Ike gave Maggie a ride home on his borrowed bike, their laughter echoing in the cool night air. Or the time when they danced together at a local festival, their bodies moving in sync as if they’d known each other forever. Those moments were magical, brimming with an intimacy that couldn’t be denied. They were falling in love, in the most unexpected, unscripted way.
Despite the chaos and confusion, there was an undeniable truth – Ike and Maggie were enamored by each other. The cynical columnist and the runaway bride, against all odds, found themselves tangled in the web of attraction, affection, and possibly, love. Their feelings were real, raw and beautiful.
And so, amidst the laughter, the banter, the bickering, and the whole town’s watchful gaze, a twist of love wrapped itself around Ike and Maggie. It was a romantic detour neither of them had anticipated, but one that they were increasingly finding hard to resist.
The stage was set for what was to be a life-changing realization of feelings, a thrilling ride of romance and an unforgettable journey into the depths of their hearts. Little did they know, this was just the beginning of their whirlwind love story, a story that was going to turn their worlds upside down in the most beautiful way possible. The twists and turns in their journey were yet to unfold, and the ride was about to get even more exciting, even more romantic, and even more comedic.
Chapter 6: “The Hilarous Showdown”
With the soft twang of the banjo and the muffled hum of friendly chatter, the chapter opens on a serene rural church, painted in pastel hues of small-town charm, awaiting the much-anticipated wedding. The community buzzes with excitement, speculation, and curiosity, forming a palpable current of energy that runs through every guest, every home, and every street.
Ike, our cynical New York columnist, finds himself amidst this vortex of anticipation and chatter. Outwardly nonchalant, his interior world is a tumultuous maelstrom of emotions. He’s about to disrupt a wedding, something he’s never done, and for what? For a woman who he started out despising, but has now, irrevocably and inexplicably, fallen for.
The church bells toll melodiously as Maggie approaches the altar, her white lace gown glimmering in the soft light streaming through the stained glass windows. A murmur of admiration ripples through the crowd, only to be interrupted by a sudden hush as Ike, in a hilariously inappropriate gesture, stands up just as the minister asks if anyone objects.
“Actually, I do” he announces, punctuation the expectant silence with his New Yorker accent and brashness. The audience gasps, a collective intake of breath that echoes his trepidation. Meanwhile, Maggie, the center of the spectacle, stands frozen, her eyes wide and fixed on Ike.
Ike, swallowing his nervousness, launches into a comedic rant about love, marriage, and most importantly, running away. He hilariously predicts Maggie’s imminent escape, leaving no stone unturned: from the escape route, the pre-wedding jitters, to the sprinting shoes hidden under her fluffy white dress.
The room reverberates with laughter, tension, and surprise. Each guest is enthralled, caught in the dynamic ebb and flow of Ike’s speech. Meanwhile, Maggie, caught between embarrassment and amusement, watches as Ike stumbles, metaphorically and physically, through his bold declaration.
As if on cue, when Ike finishes, a strange mixture of laughter and silence descends upon the church. The guests, taken aback by the audacity and hilarity of Ike’s prediction, are waiting with bated breath for Maggie’s reaction.
But just like Ike predicted, the beautiful bride bolts, disappearing down the aisle in a flurry of white, her sprinting shoes slapping the marble floor in a rhythm of rebellion. An uproarious laughter bubbles up from the crowd, filling the church with chaotic mirth and confirming the absurd truth: the “runaway bride” has lived up to her name once again.
The comedic crescendo of the chapter comes not from Maggie’s predictable escape but from Ike’s suddenly sober realization: he isn’t in New York anymore. He’s certainly not unscathed from this wild, whimsical adventure. He’s fallen, hard and fast, for a woman who has just proven his theory right by running away yet again- and this time, she’s running away from him.
As the laughter dies down, and the shock of the prediction-turned-reality sinks in, Ike is left standing in the middle of the chaos he created, a New Yorker adrift in a sea of small-town humor and romance. This hilariously unexpected showdown sets the stage for the final chapter, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, awaiting the climax of this whirlwind romance.
Chapter 7: “A Happily Chaotic Ending”
The first rays of the morning sun pierced through their opaque hotel room curtains, casting a tender glow on Ike’s closed eyelids. He stirred, slowly peeling away the remnants of sleep clouding his mind. The previous day’s events surged back into his consciousness like a riotous mob. The disrupted wedding, his impromptu confession, and the sight of Maggie, once again, running away, this time from him. His heart throbbed in his chest, a painful echo of his sorrow.
“I must be losing my mind,” Ike muttered, throwing off the cotton comforter. His self-pity was interrupted by a sudden rapping. Someone was knocking insistently at his door.
“Room service!” came a cheery voice from the other side, but something sounded familiar. Cautiously, he opened the door.
There stood Maggie, all disheveled curls and a ridiculously wide grin, clutching a breakfast tray laden with pancakes and coffee. “Surprise!” she chirped, barging into the room.
Her audacity knocked the wind out of Ike. “Maggie!” he sputtered, “What on earth…?”
She rolled her eyes, setting the tray on the table. “I wanted to clear the air, Ike,” Maggie responded, her tone serious. “And I know you can’t resist my blueberry pancakes.”
The morning was filled with laughter and heart-to-heart conversations. Maggie, always the runaway, admitted she was scared of her feelings for Ike. He listened, silently appreciating this woman who was bold enough to bare her fears. In the midst of the honesty and pancakes, a bond formed, stronger and sweeter than anticipated.
Their conversation was cut short by a sudden crash from outside the room. A man came storming in, red-faced and panting. Bob, the jilted groom from Maggie’s latest runaway incident. Amidst incoherent ranting and wild gesticulations, Bob challenged Ike to a ‘duel’ for Maggie’s heart.
“Yes,” Ike accepted, much to everyone’s surprise, including his own. They settled on a ridiculous contest of pie-eating, transforming the hotel lounge into a battlefield. Like the climax of a comedic play, the showdown was filled with flying pie crusts, riotous laughter, and cheering spectators.
Maggie watched, laughing, as the man who wrote an offensive column about her, literally took on a pie fight for her. The sight was so ludicrous, but it also made her heart flutter with a strange happiness. For the first time, she was not running away, she was being pursued. It was a delightful change.
Ike emerged victorious, covered in pie and beaming broadly. Amidst the raucous applause, he reached out for Maggie’s hand, pulling her forward. He was breathless, specks of pie adorned his hair and he smelled of blueberries, but he had never looked more appealing.
“I’m not sure what I’ve won exactly,” Ike confessed, his voice carrying a softness Maggie had never heard before, “But I hope it’s your heart, Maggie.”
And then, in a moment completely unlike her, Maggie Carpenter stopped running. She moved forward, throwing her arms around Ike in a passionate embrace. The room erupted in cheers as they shared their first public kiss, sealing their chaotic, comedic love story.
As the day wore out, the lovers basked in their newfound happiness. They were an accepted spectacle in the small town; the cynical columnist from New York and the elusive bride who couldn’t run away this time. They fit together in a way that was as perplexing as it was perfect. Thus ended a remarkable chapter in the lives of Maggie Carpenter and Ike Graham, promising many more bursts of laughter, love, and unexpected surprises.
Some scenes from the movie Runaway Bride written by A.I.
Scene 1
FADE IN:
INT. MUDDY’S BAR – NIGHT
IKE GRAHAM (40s, cynical, charming, a real New Yorker) sits at the counter, a notepad out in front of him, pen tapping rhythmically on the page.
BARMAN (50s, weather-beaten, friendly) pours him a glass of whiskey. A DRUNKEN MAN (60s, disheveled, rambunctious) stumbles in, slurring his words.
DRUNKEN MAN
Maggie Carpenter! The woman’s a runaway bride, I tell ya!
IKE
(raises a skeptical eyebrow)
Runaway bride?
DRUNKEN MAN
Yup! She’s left four blokes at the altar. She’s bewitching but a curse!
Ike’s eyes light up. He takes a quick gulp of his whiskey, grabs his pen, and starts writing furiously on the notepad. His lines full of wit, sarcasm, and ignorance about the subject.
CUT TO:
INT. IKE’S APARTMENT – EARLY MORNING
Ike stumbles in, still tipsy, he falls onto his desk chair, pulls his old typewriter close and starts writing the column. The title – “BEWITCHING OR BEWILDERING – THE MYSTERY OF MAGGIE CARPENTER.”
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 2
INT. SMALL TOWN BAR – NIGHT
The BARTENDER, a man in his mid-50s, pours a drink for MAGGIE (early 30s, wild-eyed, beautiful in a rustic way).
BARTENDER
(Smiling)
So, who’s the unlucky guy this time, Maggie?
MAGGIE
(Grins, playful)
Bob. You know, the mechanic?
BARTENDER
(Laughs)
Bob! That poor son of a gun.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE – MAGGIE’S FAILED WEDDINGS
1) Maggie dashing out of a chapel, a perplexed PRIEST in tow.
2) Maggie leaving her FIANCÉ at the altar of a beautiful beach wedding.
3) Maggie climbing out of a barn window in a wedding dress, pursued by a frustrated FARMER.
BACK TO:
INT. SMALL TOWN BAR – NIGHT
Bartender raises his glass to Maggie.
BARTENDER
(Toasts)
To Maggie, the heartbreaker!
Maggie chuckles and clinks her glass with his.
MAGGIE
(Mock serious)
And may the odds be ever in my favor.
FADE OUT.
Scene 3
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Ike (mid 40s, disheveled and cynical) is nursing a drink, his editor’s harsh words echoing in his mind. He scans the room, his gaze landing on an old ROAD MAP OF MARYLAND mounted on the wall.
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGHWAY – DAY
Ike, in a beat-up rental car, navigates the open road. His journey is comically fraught with GPS failures, wrong turns, and a flat tire.
EXT. MAGGIE’S SMALL TOWN – DAY
Ike’s car enters the quaint, picturesque town with a sign that reads: “WELCOME TO HALE, MARYLAND”.
CUT TO:
INT. LOCAL DINER – DAY
He steps into the diner, scanning the room. The WAITRESS (mid-30s, friendly) approaches.
WAITRESS
Can I help you, sugah?
IKE
I’m looking for a woman…Maggie Carpenter.
The Diner goes silent. A spoon CLATTERS to the floor.
CUT TO:
EXT. MAGGIE’S HOUSE – DAY
Ike, looking even more disheveled, knocks on a charming country house door. It swings open to reveal MAGGIE (30s, beautiful, strong).
IKE
Maggie Carpenter?
MAGGIE
The one and only. What can I do for you?
IKE
You can start by telling me why you’ve left three men at the altar.
Maggie LAUGHS. Ike’s adventure in the small town has just begun.
FADE OUT.
Scene 4
FADE IN:
INT. MAGGIE’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – DAY
IKE, a charming yet cynical man, stands awkwardly in the quaint room. There’s a certain charm to its dated decor that he’s unaccustomed to. MAGGIE, a lively and attractive woman, enters carrying a tray of lemonade.
IKE
(looking around)
Not exactly the ‘runaway zone’ I expected.
MAGGIE
(smirks)
What were you expecting, stilettos and a parachute?
They laugh awkwardly as she sets the tray down.
IKE
(operationally)
I have a proposition for you.
MAGGIE
(raised eyebrows)
This should be interesting.
IKE
If you go through with your wedding, I’ll write a promising column about you, to rectify my previous…misunderstanding.
Maggie guffaws, spilling some lemonade. Ike flinches, revealing his urban preciseness.
MAGGIE
(laughs)
Oh, you’re serious?
IKE
(business-like)
Dead serious.
MAGGIE
(apprehensive)
Alright, it’s a deal.
They shake hands but their eyes linger on each other a beat too long, hinting at the underlying tension between them.
FADE OUT.
Scene 5
INT. MAGGIE’S DINER – DAY
MAGGIE CARPENTER, 30s, a devilishly charming woman with a history of fleeing her weddings, sits across from IKE GRAHAM, 40s, a cynical but irresistibly witty New York columnist.
IKE is mid-bite into a burger. MAGGIE eyes him from across the table, a look of amusement playing on her face.
MAGGIE
You’re not at all what I expected.
IKE slows his chewing, eyebrow raised.
IKE
What, a burger-loving heartless columnist wasn’t on your bridal bingo?
MAGGIE chuckles. The banter is surprisingly comfortable between them. A beat.
MAGGIE
No…you’re more intriguing than you let on.
IKE is taken aback by the compliment, quickly masks it with a retort.
IKE
Intriguing? I’ll take that as a compliment coming from a serial runaway bride.
They both laugh. The chemistry is undeniable.
Suddenly, MAGGIE looks down at her untouched plate. She goes quiet. IKE is smart enough to note the shift in mood.
IKE
You okay there, Carpenter?
MAGGIE
Am I? I don’t know, Ike. I’ve never been this close to…to not running.
IKE studies MAGGIE’s face, his own softening.
IKE
Maybe it’s time you stop running, Maggie.
Her eyes meet his. In that moment, a spark ignites between them.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
In this scene, the stage is set for a romantic twist in the narrative. The comedic banter and unexpected attraction keep the viewer captivated and intrigued for what’s to come next.
