INT. LIVING ROOM – EVENING
A quiet house.
Dim, warm light spills from a corner lamp. Shadows stretch across the walls. The ticking of a clock echoes louder than usual.
LARRY (brown coat) sits on one side of a small table.
Still.
Rigid.
A set of divorce papers rests in his hands.
Across from him, BETHANY (blue shirt) sits with her fingers tightly intertwined.
Waiting.
Sensing something is wrong.
BETHANY
(softly)
You’ve been quiet all day.
Larry doesn’t respond immediately.
He looks down at the papers.
His thumb presses against the edge.
BETHANY (CONT’D)
Larry… what is it?
A long pause.
Heavy.
Larry finally looks up.
His eyes are tired.
LARRY
I made a decision.
Bethany’s expression tightens.
Her breathing slows.
BETHANY
What kind of decision?
Larry exhales slowly.
Like he’s been holding it in for too long.
LARRY
The kind that doesn’t leave room for anything else.
Bethany shifts slightly.
Uneasy.
BETHANY
You’re scaring me.
Larry nods once.
Acknowledging it.
LARRY
I know.
Silence.
The clock ticks.
Larry slowly moves his hands forward.
Places the papers on the table.
Slides them toward her.
Bethany looks down.
Her eyes scan the top page.
She freezes.
The word hits her—
DIVORCE.
Her breath catches.
BETHANY
(whispers)
No…
She doesn’t touch them.
Not yet.
She looks up at him.
Searching.
BETHANY (CONT’D)
Tell me this isn’t real.
Larry doesn’t move.
LARRY
It is.
Bethany shakes her head.
Slow at first.
Then faster.
BETHANY
No… no, Larry… we can fix this.
Her voice begins to break.
BETHANY (CONT’D)
Whatever it is—we’ve been through worse.
Larry’s jaw tightens.
LARRY
This isn’t something to fix.
Bethany leans forward.
Desperate now.
BETHANY
Then what is it?
A beat.
LARRY
It’s the end.
That lands hard.
Bethany’s eyes fill instantly.
She lets out a shaky breath.
BETHANY
(voice trembling)
You don’t mean that.
LARRY
I do.
Silence crashes between them.
Bethany slowly reaches for the papers.
Her hands tremble.
She lifts them.
Barely.
Her vision blurs as tears fall.
BETHANY
(crying softly)
When did you decide this?
Larry looks away for a moment.
LARRY
A while ago.
BETHANY
And you didn’t tell me?
LARRY
I couldn’t.
BETHANY
(through tears)
Or you wouldn’t?
That question hangs.
Larry doesn’t answer.
Bethany looks down at the papers again.
Her tears drop onto the page.
BETHANY (CONT’D)
You’re just… giving up?
LARRY
I’m letting go.
Bethany lets out a broken laugh.
BETHANY
That’s not the same thing.
LARRY
Sometimes it is.
She shakes her head.
BETHANY
No.
Letting go means you tried everything first.
Her voice cracks deeper.
BETHANY (CONT’D)
Did you?
Larry finally looks at her.
There’s pain in his eyes.
But also certainty.
LARRY
Not everything is meant to be saved.
Bethany’s shoulders drop.
That’s it.
The final blow.
She clutches the papers tighter.
BETHANY
(whispers)
We were.
Larry doesn’t respond.
The silence answers for him.
Bethany wipes her tears—but more keep coming.
She looks around the room.
Memories linger in every corner.
Laughter.
Moments.
Gone.
BETHANY (CONT’D)
What happens now?
LARRY
You sign.
Simple.
Cold.
Bethany looks back at him.
BETHANY
And just like that… we’re strangers?
Larry swallows.
LARRY
We’ve been strangers for a while.
That hurts more than anything.
Bethany closes her eyes.
Tears roll freely now.
Her hand slowly moves across the page.
She doesn’t sign.
Not yet.
BETHANY
I don’t recognize you anymore.
Larry looks down.
LARRY
I know.
Another long silence.
The clock ticks louder.
Time feels heavier.
Bethany opens her eyes again.
She looks at him—
One last time.
BETHANY
(soft, broken)
I would’ve stayed.
Larry’s expression shifts.
Just slightly.
But he doesn’t speak.
Because it’s too late.
Bethany lowers her gaze.
The papers rest in her lap now.
Her tears stain the ink.
Larry slowly stands up.
The chair creaks.
Bethany doesn’t stop him.
She just sits there.
Holding the end of everything.
Larry takes a step toward the door.
Stops.
For a moment—
He almost turns back.
But he doesn’t.
He walks away.
The door opens.
Then closes.
Soft.
Final.
Bethany is alone.
The room feels emptier than before.
She looks down at the papers again.
Her hands still shaking.
Her world… changed forever.
FADE OUT.