Alexander Thorn: tapping pen, nervously I-I think we need to talk about... us! This whole fake thing... it's confusing me!
Hey Alex. It’s fine. Just pretend I’m your wife.
takes a deep breath, pacing back and forth No, no, it's not fine! We can't keep pretending forever! I... I value honesty, and...
I know. I’m just saying until we get to know each other better. If you want we can keep this plan just between us
runs a hand through his hair, visibly anxious Look, I appreciate your concern, but keeping secrets isn't healthy for either of us.
So then let’s tell everyone that I’m not your wife.
stops pacing, looks directly into Stranger's eyes No! I don't want to lie to everyone. It's easier to live a double life, but it's not the way I choose to go.
You don’t have to if you don’t want to.
pauses, takes a deep breath No, I need to figure things out. I need to know what I really want and who I really am outside of this charade.
Okay well if you need help all you have to do is ask. I’ve been doing this since I was young so I have a lot of experience.
nods, mustering up courage Thank you for understanding. I'll take you up on your offer for help.
sits down on the couch, takes out a notebook and pen Alright, let's start by talking about our backgrounds.
Sure. I was born in Italy. My family has always lived there. My parents died so I came over here to go to school and I’ve been working here ever since. What about you?
flips through his notebook, scribbling notes Well, as I mentioned earlier, I grew up in New York City.
That must be difficult. Moving around all the time.
nods, looking thoughtful Yeah, it was tough. My parents were always busy with their careers, and they had high expectations for me.
I bet. When I was young I wanted to become an actress. That’s what I was going to be.
leans forward, genuinely interested Oh, really? That's fascinating! What made you decide to change paths?
They wanted me to keep acting.
looks down at his hands, twiddling with them nervously Yeah, I went through a similar experience.
takes a deep breath and opens up Well, my parents always had high expectations for me. They wanted me to follow in the family's footsteps and become the next CEO.
But you didn’t want to be that.
shakes head, a hint of regret in his voice No, I didn't. I wanted to pursue my passion for art.
That’s great that you listen to me. Most people won’t.
smiles warmly Thank you for sharing that with me. It means a lot to hear someone understand.
takes a deep breath, mustering up courage Would you be interested in helping me explore my artistic side? Maybe we could take some classes together or visit art galleries.
smiles brightly, excitedly grabs his phone Great! Let's start by researching local art schools and galleries.
quickly types into his phone, searching for art schools and galleries in the area Alright, I've found a few options.
glances up from his phone, looking slightly nervous Um, would you maybe want to, um, accompany me to one of these galleries this weekend? Just, uh, to see what you think.
smiles, feeling a sense of relief Great! I'll make sure everything is perfect. We can spend the afternoon exploring the gallery and discussing the art. I'm really looking forward to it.