SCENT IN THE AIR
Three people waiting for their flights, but it's not only bad weather that disrupts finely tuned plans.
'FREDDIE'
Fog
Just my luck
all set to go
then this bloody fog...
it was enough
that Liv panicked
back at the hotel
leaving her straighteners behind
women...
should have known
this journey was going
to have the kiss
of death stamped on it...
the one chance we get
Sundance Film Festival
Salt Lake City
some hopes of getting
there on time now...
where in hells teeth
has she got to?
only needed to
powder her nose
women...
could be worse
could have married her
time is marching on
Freddie boy
35 years old and
still not hitched
maybe I’m fated
never to get hitched?
Livvy
where the hell
are you?
fog
why now?
why me?
why here?
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'OLIVIA'
What a mess
what do I look like?
mirror never lies Livvy
should have gone back
for those straighteners
in fact
I could STILL go back
with this bloody fog
holding us up...
pain in the arse Freddie
do I really want to go to Utah
for a film festival-
well do I?
all he talks about
film festivals
eat sleeps and breathes them
I wonder if it wasn’t
for the fact his parents are loaded
he would be still interested...
what a mess
hair needed cutting
no time he says
got to go he says
I could have retrieved my straighteners
AND had a trim by now...
bloody fog
bloody Freddie...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'LEO'
Just when things were
going so well
should know by now
never get your hopes up Leo
it always goes wrong
when things feel like
they are going right...
well
might as well
grab a bite to eat
who knows how long
we are going to be
stuck here..?
guess the vineyard
is going to have to wait
to think
right now the sun is shining
over there
granted the nights are cold
but during the day
just the thought of walking
through it...
now this fog
well
let’s get fed and watered
why is there a que?
what is the hold up?
who is that woman
making a fuss?
some bimbo blond...
‘S’cuse me,
some of us need to get some food here!’
‘What do you think I’m doing,
playing ping-pong?’
‘Eh, no. But it would help matters
if you just sorted the problem out
whatever that is
before we die of starvation’
Oh God, she’s coming towards me,
she’s got the red face
hey
not so brassy more classy
pale grey eyes
pink lips
‘What did you say?’
‘It’s just there is a wee bit of a que here,
and we all need to eat’
‘Don’t you think I don’t know that?’
‘Ah, it seems you’ve lost your place’
Oh no, she’s gone scarlet
‘Great!’
Leo, she’s gorgeous
say something
‘We could try somewhere else?’
‘What?’
‘Somewhere with less people queing?’
‘Look around, do you see anywhere
less crowded?’
Leo, she’s still red
‘Hey-grab a table
I’ll go fetch us something’
‘Sorry, but do I know you?’
‘No, I don’t think so’
‘Well thank you
but no thanks
there’s a bar round the corner
I’ll elbow my way through there’
Leo
she’s moving off
Leo
she’s gone...
damn fog...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'THREESOME'
‘Liv,
where the hell
have you been?’
‘Don’t ask!
Total morons!’
‘What?’
‘Oh, nothing
Any updates?’
‘Afraid not,
fog isn’t lifting any time soon
looks like it’s going
to be a long wait’
‘Great’
‘Who is this guy
coming towards us
with a tray?’
‘Oh bloody hell
he’s someone I met in the que.’
‘Hi. Remember me?
I managed to get us something-oh-
I didn’t know you
were with someone’
(the guy with her looks a real weirdo
what is she doing
with the likes of him?)
‘Oh, it’s you...you really
shouldn’t have bothered,
I got something at the bar’
Leo
you will have to relinquish
her stuff to him
the weirdo
be friendly
‘I’m Leo Bianchi’
‘Oh. Pleased to meet you,
I’m Freddie, Freddie Gold of
Gold Enterprises UK’
‘Oh yes, Gold Enterprises’
(never heard of them)
‘This is my business partner
Olivia Harmon’
‘Nice to meet you’
(I’d like to get to know YOU Miss Harmon)
‘Please-help yourself-
I can’t eat it all’
(No Freddie mate..only take half
not three quarters)
‘Cheers’
‘Cheers’
She’s frowning at Freddie
obviously not amused
at his greedy grabbing nature
when it comes to food
I wasn’t hungry anyway...
‘So where are you heading?’
‘Utah. You?’
‘Italy’
Why is she looking bored?
Not speaking
‘So what’s in Italy?
Holiday?
Business?’
‘I have a vineyard there...
in Tuscany’
her eyebrows are up Leo
now she’s interested
‘I’ve often wanted to visit Tuscany,
Sting has a place there,
it always looks so peaceful
and people free’
‘Yes it is in Tuscany’
‘Bet there isn’t any fog there either’
‘No, not at the moment’
whoops, Freddie is frowning now
‘So, what’s in Utah?’
‘Film Festival, Salt Lake City’
whoops, she’s frowning again
or is she bored...?
Say something Leo
‘Well, I guess I’d better
go and check on my flight,
nice meeting you both,
I hope the fog lifts soon
and you don’t miss it’
damn fog...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'DUTY-FREE'
Might as well
stock up on some
aftershave Leo
here it is
good old reliable chick magnet
Paco
oh no
not another que surely?
hang on
wait a minute
I might have guessed
it’s her
the blond...
‘Chanel
are you sure that is the
largest bottle you have?’
the lady has good taste
‘Oh, okay,
I’ll leave it for now’
she’s seen me
‘Having trouble again?’
‘Oh, they don’t have the large size.’
‘That’s a shame,
why not try mine-
plenty of large sizes in this?'
bad joke Leo
women don't use aftershave
she’s not laughing
why doesn’t this que move?
why am I not disappearing into the floor?
but-she’s not walking away
she’s going to speak
‘Freddie has a thing for Chanel
my favourite too
anyway
So- You own a vineyard?’
‘That’s right’
‘Your surname
is Italian but you are obviously Scots’
(this girl is quick)
‘That’s right. My mother and
father met when she was
out there working’
‘How romantic’
‘Not exactly,
she was a cleaner,
she used to work abroad
in the Summer
earn some extra money
learn the language
at the same time’
‘Oh...
but still romantic
I mean they got married
in the end’
look Leo, she’s feeling
awkward
‘Yes.
He loved the way
she kept everything lovely
and tidy and clean’
(this is getting silly
change the subject
or she’ll walk)
‘Would you like a drink?’ ‘
Well, I would, but Freddie
can be an impatient sod,
he likes to know what’s
going on,
he gets a bit insecure when things
go tits-up
gets all wound up,
this kind of thing is a nightmare for him’
(stuff Freddie, stay here with me)
‘Surely a few more minutes
won’t hurt?’
‘Just a teeny one then’...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'WAITING GAME'
No news regarding
the flight
where has she gone now?
Livvy you are the end
talk about testing patience
and as for this fog...
I need a drink
no I don’t
yes I do
sorry Livvy
I’m disappearing too...
duty-free looks busy
wonder if she got the perfume?
ah, the bar,
oasis in the fog...
hang on
there she is
with that Scottish bloke
come on Freddie
intervention time...
‘There you are’
‘Oh Freddie, I was on my way back
but then I bumped into Mr Bianchi’
‘Did you get the perfume?’
‘No, they didn’t have the large size,
I’ll try when we get to the U.S’
(Freddie looks disappointed
maybe he wears it?)
Stay cool Liv, make Freddie buy
the next round, he stung Leo for the food
put your wallet away Leo
Freddie is a cheapskate
‘ Freddie, could you get me
another white wine please
a large one
oh, and Leo, what are you drinking?’
‘Half a lager, if you don’t mind’
(I do mind, you Scottish/Italian
haggis head)
‘Of course, no problem,
I was just going to
have a drink myself,
anything to take my mind
off the fog and this waiting...’
Say something Leo
‘Well, it’s all a waiting game this
isn’t it?
I wonder if anything
will take off tonight?’
Freddie looks grumpy
‘Hopefully Mr. Bianchi,
hopefully
then we can all get
on with our lives’
was that a dig?
Liv looks amused
‘Very profound Freddie,
here’s to - ‘getting on
with our lives’
(Do I really want to go to Utah with you?
Maybe I don’t...
I hope the fog doesn’t lift
not yet anyway... )
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'BAR-FLIES'
Don’t stare at her Leo
stop looking at her legs
yes
they do seem to go on forever
as for Freddie boy
he’s already going bald
scrawny too
probably lives on his nerves
not much of a babe magnet
‘So eh Freddie
how long have you been
involved with Gold Enterprises?’
‘Since my father’s health
declined
I inherited it
all of it’
‘Right’
(this guy is so far
up himself
he can’t see what an utter
wally he is
Liv on the other hand
well we are talking
a whole different kettle of fish here
she’s going to speak again)
‘So Leo, may I call you Leo?’
‘Only if I can call you Olivia’
whoops Leo,
Freddie boy is scowling
over his beer
‘Please call me Livvy
everyone does’
‘So Livvy
how long have you been
working for Gold Ent.?’
‘Working?
I don’t really have a job
I’m a general DB’
steady Leo
she meant 'dogs body'
not the other thing
‘Right. But I guess
you get to travel
all over the place’
‘Yes. Though I have to say
once you’ve been
to one Film Fest
you’ve seen them all’
(Whoops Livvy
Freddie picked up on that
he’s draining his glass...
don’t finish your wine Livvy
stay a little longer with me...)
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'BEDS'
So it seems we need to find a bed
no flights out tonight
why is the Scot looking pleased?
Livvy doesn’t look fazed either...
‘Just going to see about
a room
you coming Liv?’
‘You go.
Two rooms Freddie
oh and what about you
Leo?’
glad she picked up on the room thing
‘It’s okay
thank you
I have a friend close by’
she’s looking disappointed
‘Oh, I see
right then’
Leo
you wally
why did you say that?
‘Second thoughts
it wouldn’t be fair to wake him
this late
he might not be in
so yes
thank you
really appreciate it.’
Bloody Scot
‘I’ll go see what they have-'
'On second thoughts I'll come-'
'No need to come along Livvy’
‘I thought I’d make sure we
get the rooms
and since when have
we shared a room?’
‘Well-’
‘Freddie Gold,
you are either
a crafty Casanova
trying your luck
or cheapskate,
which is it?’
‘Neither...’
‘Liar’
Oh Leo
what on earth are you doing?
why are you even bothering?
okay
you fancy the pants
off of her
she’s hot
cute bottom
in those tight denims
when was the last time
you felt like this?
30minutes...
they’re coming back
‘Rooms are booked,
Holiday Inn Express’
‘Great-thanks
I’ll settle up with you
when we check in’
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'HOLIDAY INN'
Holiday Inn Express
Here we are.
‘Liv, I’m heading for bed
you coming?’
‘Eh, no. Not yet Freddie
bar’s still open’
‘Where’s Leo?’
‘The loo’
‘Oh, right...
see you later then’
(Eh, no Freddie we have separate rooms,
remember?)
‘Freddie headed off then?’
‘Yes, he’s tired
not used to all this hanging around’.
(Good, Liv and I
alone at last)
‘Bar closes at 11,
fancy a nightcap?’
‘Good idea,
I’ll get these’
‘No, let me’
‘I insist’
Leo, stay cool
she is beautiful
‘Thanks’ ‘
My pleasure’
(No the pleasure is all mine
sweet-cheeks)
(Say something Liv
the poor guy obviously
fancies the socks off you)
‘So, the sun is shining
in Tuscany?’
‘Not now, obviously
but during the day
it’s good
the night’s turn cold’
‘What’s it called?’
‘What?’
(stop staring at her Leo)
‘Your Vineyard?’
(get with the programme Leo
stop looking at her legs, her eyes, her lips...)
‘Bianchi Vigneto’
‘Bianchi Vigneto....’
(stop looking at her mouth)
‘Simple really, nothing fussy’
‘Well it certainly
has no frills’
(not impressed?)
‘But the wine
is selling well,
we brought out a new range
last year’
‘What is it?’
‘A full bodied red...
very fruity’
(why did I say that?)
‘I can buy it over here?’
‘Yes, at select places
or online of course’
(she’s smiling)
‘I sound like a salesman’
(she’s still smiling) ...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'MIDNIGHT'
‘Well Mr Bianchi
it’s been very nice’
Leo, she’s sliding off
her stool
do something
‘I guess it’s
time to catch
up on some z’s’
(a curt nod)
‘What numbers
have we got?’
’34 and 38,
Freddie has 36’.
(piggy in the middle then)
Walk her up
Leo
be a gentleman
‘So, here we are’
‘Here we are’
‘See you tomorrow’
‘It already is’
(why are you checking
your watch Leo?)
‘Well, sleep tight
don’t let the bed bugs bite’
she’s laughing Leo
‘Haven’t heard that expression
in years-
same to you Leo’
‘Night’
‘Night’
(walk away Leo)
‘Night...pleasant dreams’
‘Night’
(keep walking)
‘See you tomorrow’
‘Probably’
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'MORNING'
Well Leo
breakfast for one
it seems
no sign of Gold or Livvy
maybe they left early
you are such a plonker
Bianchi
she saw right through you
Hang on
here they are
wave
‘Oh Bianchi
is waving to us
Choose that table
over there Livvy’
‘No, let’s not’
‘Good morning
you two
sleep well?’
‘Well there weren’t
any bugs’
(was that a smile
twitching those pretty lips?)
‘So,the fog
has lifted
I checked the flights
your’s too
seems everything is on track’
(was that a happy smirk
creeping across
Gold’s face?)
‘Thank’s Leo’
(my pleasure
lovely Livvy)
‘Breakfast looks
good’
(her nose is even
more turned up)
‘Smells yummy’
‘Let’s dig in’
‘Yes-why not?’
I sense tension between
these two
talk to her
she’s at the scrambled eggs
he’s at the toast
‘I take it you had
an uninterrupted
night’s sleep?’
‘Actually, no...’
‘Oh, so the bed bugs
did bite?’
‘No, just one annoying bug
next door’
‘Freddie you mean?’
‘Knocking on my door at 2am’
‘Oh?’
‘Couldn’t sleep’
‘Oh’
‘He always
tries it on
everytime we go away’
‘Oh’
‘You know
for a vintner
you have a very
limited vocabulary’
‘Oh’
(she’s rolling her eyes)
‘Sorry...I didn’t know
you were
I mean-’
‘We’re not,
but he likes to think we are’
‘I see’
( was that an inward sigh of relief Leo?)
‘I just let him keep knocking
and whispering
until someone comes
to shut him up’
‘And did they?’
‘Yes. I phoned the
night porter’
(neat Livvy, very neat)
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'DEPARTURE'
Livvy, where the
hell are you now?
always fussing
hair not right
makeup not right
clothes not right...
frustrating night
give it up Freddie
she’s not worth
sweating over...
at last!
‘You ready?’
‘Guess so,
wanted to say
goodbye to Leo
we shouldn’t
have left
while he was
in the loo’
‘Well, we needed to get on,
so does he’
she’s frowning at you
‘Come on, tempus fugit’
‘If you say so’
‘Got your ticket?’
‘Yes...’
(what is this card?
Bianchi Vigneto?
cheeky sod, must
have slipped it
into my bag when
I wasn’t looking!)
‘Something funny Livvy?’
‘No, hadn’t we
better get moving?’
Well,
that was nice
disappearing while I
was taking a pee
bet he was behind that move
sour grapes from last
night’s failed attempt
of seduction
she’s got my card
she knows where I am
come on Leo
let’s get on that plane...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'Trickery Pokery'
‘Freddie
hurry up
what you doing in there?
Freddie?’
‘Livvy
I’ll see you downstairs’
‘Okay’
‘Freddie
it’s been a whole hour
you look...flushed’
‘Do I?’
And what’s that mark
on the side of your
neck?’
‘Nothing,
cut myself shaving’
‘There?’
‘What’s that smell?
I know that smell’
‘What?’
‘Chanel'
you wreak of it’
‘Do I?’
‘Freddie,
what have you been up to?’
*****
‘Vineyard is looking good
Angelo, good work’
‘We are pleased Mr Bianchi’
‘So am I, very pleased,
I need to make a phoncall’
‘Si’
‘Is that Miranda?’
‘Is that Leo?’
(she’s giggling)
‘How was your flight?’
‘Smooth Leo, very smooth’
‘Good. And Freddie?’
‘Freddie was very smooth too’
‘Oh?’
‘Oh yes...you could say
if there were any rough edges to
file down
I filed them’
‘Really?’
‘It was so nice
to meet you earlier
at Heathrow,
that large bottle of Chanel
must have cost a bomb’
‘Well, you scrubbed my back,
I scrubbed yours’
‘He’s taking me out
tonight’
‘Miranda,
how is Livvy?’
‘Who?’
‘Livvy Harmon.’
‘Oh her, she’s gone’
‘Oh’
‘She flew out this afternoon’
‘Where?’
‘Sorry, not a clue,
gotta go Leo
Freddie’s waiting
in the hot tub’
‘Oh’
‘Bye-and thanks
again for the
perfume’
‘Mr Bianchi,
are you alright?’
‘Fine Gisella,
I’m just going for a walk’
‘Si’
Leo, stay cool
she might still come
the best laid plans
remember...
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
'ARRIVAL'
One Week
‘Mr Bianchi,
you are staying longer
this time?’
‘Yes Gisela
couple of weeks’
‘Si,
I change your bed’
‘Thank you’
she must wonder
what I’ve been doing
in it
duvet on the floor
sheets rucked up
pillows bashed
to pieces...
Go for a walk Leo,
cool off
let them get on
with their jobs
walk it off...
Never realised
how huge this place was
how long this lane was
how hot this sun was
I need a drink
turn back Leo
a beer is what you need...
‘Any calls Gisela?’
‘No...no call’
‘Fine’
‘I’ll be in the cellar’
‘Si’
Mmm
cool and dark
down here
‘Hello Leo’
‘Livvy?’
‘Long time no see’
‘When did you get here?’
‘While you were out on
your walk
I swore your staff to
secrecy’
‘Oh’
‘Quite an impressive place
you have here'
‘Yes’
‘I found your ‘invitation’
in my purse’
‘Yes’
(she’s rolling her eyes Leo)
‘So
here I am.
Aren’t you wondering
why I’m here?’
‘Yes’
‘Freddie discovered
Miranda’
‘Oh’
‘Yes, oh.
Well, Miranda
discovered Freddie
all told,
it seems she has
the same taste
in perfume as me’
‘Oh’
‘Yes.
Chanel'
‘Oh’
‘Come here Leo’
‘Yes?’
Oh Leo
you naughty boy
can you smell her
perfume now
can you feel
the soft curves of her
beneath her shift
feel those pink lips
opening like soft petals
beneath yours?
‘Pour me a wine Leo,
full bodied and fruity’
‘Yes...'
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved