Part I: The Apartment Came Through
June 2002

Scene 1 - Bo's Apartment: Gabrielle is on the phone.

Gabrielle: Really? [switches phone to other ear] It really came through? You--You're a miracle worker. Thank you. [Bo walks in] So when is this apartment going to be available? What? Do you mean I could move in today if I wanted to? Well, thank you. Thank you very much. [hangs up the phone and laughs] Wow. [Bo shuts the door and Gabs looks at him surprisingly]

Bo: (stunned) You're moving out?

Scene 2 - Bo's Apartment

Gabrielle: Bo, I finally got my own apartment. [smiling] Isn't it wonderful?

Bo: Oh, yeah, yeah, that's great, ah, congratulations.

Gabrielle: Now that almost sounded like you meant it.

Bo: I'm surpised, that's all.

Gabrielle: That somebody else would except me?

Bo: No, no, that---well you just hadn't mentioned moving lately.

Gabrielle: Yeah, well it's been very slim pickings. What with my arrest record and my credit rating nonexisting. And to be quite honest the places I've seen have been dumps. But apparently this landlord is willing to take a chance on me. [smiles]

Bo: Well, you deserve that---somebody that will, uh, take a chance on you.

Gabrielle: Thank you. [brief pause] You must be very relieved because you'll finally have some peace and quiet around here again.

Bo: Actually, I think it's going to take a little getting used to.

Gabrielle: Well, you'll be able to walk around in your shorts or whatever. [giggles] And you won't have to put up with all my jars and bottles of cream taking up all the bathroom shelves.

Bo: Yeah, but there's always room in there for my shaving stuff, so--I won't miss all the towels being used up all the time.

Gabrielle: [smiles; brief pause] I better pack my things.

Bo: Wait, wait---just---

Gabrielle: What?

Bo: Just wait a second. You don't want to forget this. [hands Gabrielle a mug]

Gabrielle: But this is your mug from the precinct. [Gabs takes it]

Bo: Well, yeah, but, uh, you drink your tea out of it every night. Has your lipstick on it, so---

Gabrielle: Bo, I couldn't take this with me.

Bo: Yeah, you can. Go ahead, take it. It's---think of it as a housewarming gift.

Gabrielle: (softly) Thank you. [Bo nods]

Gabrielle takes the cup and starts to make her way to bedroom, but stops and looks at Bo, who is turned away.

Scene 3 - Bo's walking through his apartment.

He thinks about his first kiss with Gabrielle and then he thinks about when he watched her rub the ice on herself. The phone rings.

Bo: (picks phone up) Hello. Yeah, she's here. Hold on, I'll get her. [Gabs came out of the bedroom with her suitcase in hand] Yeah, okay. Uh-huh, I'll take a message. Hold on. [pulls out a pen] Go ahead. [happy] The apartment fell through? I thought---no, no---okay. I'll make sure she gets the message. Thank you. Bye. [hangs up phone, crushes piece of paper with message and sees Gabby] That was the, uh, realtor, and, uh, this landlord rented your apartment to somebody else.

Gabrielle: I may be mistaken, but you seemed happy that my apartment fell through.

Scene 4 - Bo and Gabrielle are facing each other.

Gabrielle: You did seem happy that the apartment didn't work out.

Bo: Well, yeah, I was happy. I was happy that you didn't drag your stuff all the way over there and then have to turn right around, drag it all right back here.

Gabrielle: Oh, of course. That would be a real drag. [they both laugh] I'd better call those other real estate agents back and tell them that I'm still in the market---[she moves forward]

Bo: (stops her) Gabrielle, now, come on--

Gabrielle: What?

Bo: You're right. I'm happy that the apartment fell through.

Gabrielle: (smiles) Really?

Bo: Yeah. I don't want you to move.

Gabrielle: Why not?

***************************

Part II: The Apartment Fell Through/Asa Pays A Visit

Scene 5 - Gabrielle and Bo are still facing each other.

Gabrielle: Why don't you want me to leave, Bo?

Bo: Well, you can't because that place you wanted to rent fell through.

Gabrielle: [sighs] I'm sure there are other places. The market's not that tight.

Bo: Oh, now, come on. Why don't you just stay here? Unless you don't want to.

Gabrielle: I prefer to.

Bo: Oh.

Gabrielle: Much prefer to. I just don't want to cramp your style. I do need to know why you want me to stay. Is it really because you don't want me to be inconvenienced or is there something more?

Bo: Well...ehem. [brief pause] All right, I'll tell you why. Every time that door opens up and you walk in-- [knock on door]

Gabrielle: [smiles] Must be me now.

Bo: Yeah, well, let's see. [opens door]

Asa: Took you long enough. I hope I'm not interrupting [sees Gabs] anything important.

Bo: As a matter a fact, Pa, you are.

Scene 6 - Asa, Bo and Gabrielle are in the apartment.

Asa: Well, I guess I came at a bad time, didn't I? [Gabby gives Asa dirty look] Good, because I'm going to stay so things don't get any worse.

Bo: Pa--

Asa: Save it. I leave when she leaves.

Bo: [picks up Gab's luggage and places it next to her] Well, then--

Asa: Way to go, son. Toss out the baggage along with her suitcase.

Gabrielle picks up her suitcase and heads for the door.

Bo: Hey, whoa, whoa, where are you going?

Gabrielle: I'm sure there's a place out there for me.

Bo: Yeah, yeah, here.

Gabrielle: I don't understand.

Bo: Just take the bag into your room and just unpack it. You're not moving. And don't even think about looking for another place to live.

Gabrielle: [smiling] Thank you, Bo. [goes into the bedroom]

Asa: Unpack? She was on her way out the door. You're telling me you want her to stay?

Bo: That's right.

Asa: Bo, I will not let a jailbird live with you.

Bo: Hey, you don't have a say in this.

Asa: I tried to be subtle about this---

Bo: Yeah, you're about as subtle as a stampede.

Asa: But, see, you're not getting it, so I'm going to spell it out for you. That Gabrielle isn't just a tramp---

Bo: No, Pa, I'm warning you.

Asa: Wait a minute, did you forget something, huh? You forget? She was planning my funeral.

Bo: Yeah, no, I remember that.

Asa: Yeah, well, how do you know she's not sizing you up for a pine box?

Bo: Because Max was behind that. She's not with Max anymore.

Asa: Well, that's another thing. She was Max's woman. And every lowlife in this town wanted her. She is used goods, Bo. Used by Max and just about everybody else. Now, do you really want to be the last guy in line, huh?

Scene 7 - Bo and Asa in the apartment

Bo: If she's used goods, Pa, that's because you used her.

Asa: That's what she's telling you?

Bo: No, no, that's what I'm telling you.

Asa: Well, let me tell you---

Bo: You married her to get back at Max.

Asa: Well, I'm going to tell you it was a buisness deal. Pure and simple. Nobody put a gun to her head and forced her to say yes.

Bo: She couldn't say no. She was desperate for money. You knew that. So you used her to get back at Max. You were no better than he is.

Asa: Oh, hold it. You're comparing me to that phony con artist?

Bo: Well, it's easy enough to do. Max, uh, he knew that she was desperate for love, so he used her to get back at you. See? All the bad that you see in her was put there by men like you and Max.

Asa: Yeah, and I know the men who were with Gabrielle.

Bo: See? I'm not looking at her as used goods because I'm not using her.

Asa: So, what you're telling me, I'm too late. She's got her hooks deep into you, so the two of you are way beyond being roommates.

Bo: I don't know where we are right now, but I'll tell you, I like it.

Asa: Even though Max and I and Lord knows who else had her one way or the other, don't--don't you have any pride, boy?

Bo: Yes, I do, I have pride, and I'm proud that Gabrielle's my friend. She is nothing like the woman that you and Max were involved in [Gabs peaks her head out the door and listens]. To me, she's honest. She's good. And I'll tell you what, she's a whole lot kinder than a lot of people around here that are putting her down. I like having her around. I trust her. I trust her in my home, I trust her in my life. [Gabby smiles]

Asa: She's conning you, boy, playing you just like a fiddle.

Bo: For what, a place to sleep, because that's all I've offered her. Gabrielle's turned a corner, Pa, and I think that she has become one terrific person. [Gabs continues to smile and watch Bo] And everytime that door opens and I see her, I'm happy. Which is a lot more than I can say for you right now. In fact, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to leave. [opens door;Asa gets up and walks out and Bo closes the door]

Gabrielle enters the room and stands beside Bo.

Bo: Hey.

Gabrielle: [smiling] Hey.

Bo: Did you get unpacked?

Gabrielle: Yeah.

Bo: Good.

Gabrielle: A while ago.[brief pause] Bo, the things that , uh, you were saying--- I heard all of it.

Scene 8 - Bo and Gabrielle

Bo: Well, I would like to apologize for anything you heard pa say because, as usual---

Gabrielle: I don't care what your father said. I only care about what you said. And, Bo, I wish that I---

Bo: You know, Gabrielle, you don't have to say anything.

Gabrielle: Oh, but I do. I do. Bo, I only with that one day I will see myself [softly] the way you do. Thanks. [smiles]

Outside Bo and Gabrielle's Apartment...

Asa: I will take that little tramp down and show Bo what his roommate is really like.