| 5.13-Woman |
| Ally's House-Victor is sitting on couch; Ally is sitting on another couch. Victor: Do you have to? Ally: Yea. Victor: Then, there you go. Ally: And, there you go again making everything seem so simple. Victor: If it's the right thing to do, it's the right thing to do. Ally: Well, that may empower me to do it, Victor, but, it's not gonna ease the pain on the other side. Maddie:(at the stairs) Are you sending me back? (pause) Ally: What? (Gets up) No. (Victor gets up) Maddie: What are you talking about? Ally:Oh, it's nothing, really. Maddie: Ally, if you're not gonna talk to me- Ally: It's about work, dear. Maddie: What about work? Ally: Well, it's just that I happen to like my colleagues. Well, before you, they were the closest thing I've had to a family. Maddie: And, this is a problem? Ally: Yea. It is now. (pause) Because tomorrow, I have to fire one of 'em. Law Firm Office-Conference Meeting-The lawyers are sitting around a table, as Ally comes in Ally: Sorry I'm late. (Ally imagines everyone sitting far away from her at a long table) Okay. Well, everybody knows that Richard now has extended partnership to me. And, I've accepted. And, he has also delicated to me the authority and the responsibility to make some tough decisions. Simply put, the firm is losing a lot of money and in order to survive we have to make some adjustments. And, some of them may seem rather brutal. (pause) So, I would like to schedule a meeting with all of u individually. First Jenny, then Coretta, then Glenn, then Richard, and finally, Nelle. But, before that, we do have a new case. Claire Otams; you all remember her. She was fired.Richard, u think u can take that? Richard: Me? Ally: Yes. Richard: Uh, Claire? Ally: Yes. Richard: I'm afraid of her. She's- Ally: You'll meet with the client when we finish here. Coretta, you'll second chair. Richard:Is there a reason you want me to do this? Ally: Yes.You're a litigator. (pause) Nelle: Look, I'd like to have my meeting first, just to get it over with. Ally: Sorry, I'm saving u for last. (pause) Richard, go meet with your client. Ally's Office-Ally is sitting at her desk as Jenny comes in and closes the door. Jenny: (Smiling) I'm here. Ally: Great. Sit. (Jenny sits down on a chair in front of Ally) Well, I know there's been rumors going around that somebody's gonna be let go. Jenny: Yea. But, I try not to pay attention to rumors. Ally: I see. (pause) It's you, Jenny. Jenny: What? Ally: Obviously- Jenny: Did you say me? Ally: Jenny, this isn't about your failing. This is about the firm's failure. And, the other lawyers have more clients, (Jenny starts to cry) and they have more experience. Uhm, (Ally takes out a tissue from her drawer) would you like a tissue? (Ally gives Jenny a tissue) (pause) Uh, Maybe a box. (Ally gives her a kleenex box) (pause) Jenny: But, Ally, (pause) you brought me in. Ally: I know. And you were the person I was most wanting to keep. Truly. But, I can't. (Ally imagines Jenny's head being chopped off and saying, ''Please, Ally, don't fire me.'') Uhm, (pause) if you are ameanable what I would like to do is loan you out. Jenny: What do you mean, loan me out? Ally: Well, there's this program. And, we can assign you to the district attorney's office and we would pay a portion of your salary and they would pay the rest. And, that way, we would gain financial relief. And, you would gain tons of trial experience. And, in a year or so, you could come back more-season, which would really help us build a criminal practice. Jenny: So, I'm not fired. I'm trained. Ally: Temperorily. Jenny: What if I said no? Ally: Well, then, you'd be fired.(Jenny cries even more) Tissue. Tissue.( Ally gives Jenny a tissue;Jenny blows her noise loudly) Glenn:(To Ally)You've become a power drunk bitch over night. |