Our scene begins with the camera focused on Hans ‘The Baron’ von Richtoven, attired as he was previously, seated and buckled in the driving seat of his McLaren 765LT Spider. The roof is up, the aircon is blowing a gentle breeze of cool air into the compartment and he’s engrossed in flicking the touch screen, navigating the options to find something to listen to that won’t offend neither his wife nor himself on the journey ahead. (Hans): Electric Callboy? Nein… maybe next time Matthew asks for a lift… Smirking, he keeps scrolling, glancing up to look at the side mirror, wondering where his wife is. He sees her on the phone, beginning to walk round the car towards her door. Unbeknownst to him, she’s been called by Erica Martinez. In the rearview mirror, Vanessa’s free hand goes to her mouth, stopping in her tracks. (Hans): Nein… nein… urgh… hmm… nein… Exhaling loudly, he throws his hands up in defeat. Turning to face the passenger door as it opens, any words he might have had to say end abruptly at the sight of his wife’s face, the tears streaking down her cheeks and the phone clutched in her hand so tightly that the colour has drained from her fingers. She throws herself into the McLaren, door slammed behind her, eyes looking ahead with a thousand yard stare, turmoil behind them. (Hans): Please tell me it’s not your vater or mutti mein schatz? A strangled choking sound comes from her, fingers grasping ever tighter to her phone. (Hans): Vanessa. What’s happened? No answer is immediately forthcoming, Vanessa falling limp and dropping what’s held in her hands, Hans bringing her into his shoulder, arm going round her back and steadying her as she sobs loudly. For the next few minutes, they remain like this, Hans beginning to gently circle in between her shoulder blades with his hand, gently whispering to her, the sobbing and heaving of his wife receding slowly in volume and frequency. (Vanessa): That… tha… that… (Hans): I’m here. You’re safe. What’s happened? She tries to pull herself together to speak, but still hasn’t found the courage to look her husband in the eyes. All manner of doubt now flooding her head forced in by Erica’s comments. (Vanessa): Do you…do you umm… The words are like she’s trying to chew on razor blades, but she chokes everything back. (Vanessa): Do you ever have any regrets about…about us? (Hans): Regrets? His hand drops from her chin slowly, his head drifting to the side as he takes in her questions. (Hans): Regrets about us? You and I? A moments pause, his answer preceded by an almost involuntary shake of the head. (Hans): Nein mein schatz, I've not had any doubts. She forces herself to look him in the eyes. Had she robbed him all these years of more? Did he desire more than what she had given like Erica suggested? (Vanessa): I mean, do you have any regrets about us… not having kids? We’ve… I’ve, never really talked about it since… you know, and you’ve never pushed or anything, but… Her thought trails off as she looks almost ashamed. (Hans): I… He reaches for her phone from where it’s fallen down into the footwell, placing it onto her lap, tapping it as he does. (Hans): Who were you speaking to meine göttin? (Vanessa): Does it matter? Is it true? Do you regret us not having kids? Her eyes look into his, so much hurt on her face as tears stream down. He was the most wonderful man in the world and if she’d diminished his life in any way by his being with her, she can hardly bare the thought. She sighs, resigning. (Vanessa): It was Erica, she called and said… it really doesn’t matter what she said… I just think there may be some truth to it, and if there is then, I feel ashamed. I’ve never meant to be inconsiderate to your wishes or… I just don’t know… (Hans): Diese kleine schlampe… Eyes going wide as he finally gets the full picture, he can’t help but let out his anger at Erica. (Hans): How have you been inconsiderate? My wishes? I… He blows another breath out of his lungs. (Hans): I've... we've... Leaning back into his seat, sighing, he takes his wife's hands in his, cradling them. (Hans): I married you as you were and still are the best thing to happen to me. I get to wake up each morning next to my best friend, my soul mate... I... don't regret… I don't... Stumbling for words, he makes a noise at the back of his throat in frustration. (Hans): Thane... you... Looking into her eyes he carries on. (Hans): Is having kids something you would be able to do safely? He trails off, not quite sure how the conversation has gone, his mind very much sideswiped by the events of the last few minutes. (Vanessa): So you do then! We’ve never talked about it. I’ve never asked, maybe I was too afraid to after everything I went through with Thane. I didn’t want to know because it just hurt too much, but that wasn’t fair to you. Just you asking now if I could even have kids validates everything. You do, don’t you? Not waiting for an answer Vanessa slams her first into the dashboard in frustration, her tears still flowing. (Vanessa): I’ve been so selfish, selfish and inconsiderate…I’m so sorry babe. I’ve seen you with kids at the charity events, the hospitals, all the event signings and PR work you’ve done…they light up when they see you and so do you. I’ve robbed you of the opportunity of having your own, our own. I don’t know if I can have kids, I never bothered to check after all this time. Another hit on the dashboard, Hans by this point taking her hands, stopping her from injuring herself. (Vanessa): Damn her! What does she want with you? What game is she playing at? She opens the glove compartment and pulls out some Kleenex that she wipes her eyes with, looking sorrowful at Hans. (Vanessa): I never meant to do this to you, you have to believe me. I’d never intentionally hurt you, but I think I have, I think I did. The Kleenex is useless as the tears just keep coming. (Hans): Nein, you've not... nein, mein schatz… A vein in his neck twitches, the noise at the back of the throat emerges again. Cold anger floods his veins as he realizes what is happening. (Hans): Dass sie teufel... Glancing around for something to lash out at, nothing presents itself so he's forced to choke back the hatred for what Erica has done to his wife and the ripples it's now causing to them both. (Hans): You've not hurt me my love, you never could. So I'm good with das kinder, I get to hand them back, jah? He trails off briefly, tears starting to trickle down his own cheeks as he forces out a small smile at his words. (Hans): Before our first date, I said to myself that I never wanted you to be reminded of Thane... A small laugh comes out at the memory flooding back. (Hans): It's what made me... you know... how we never went to... Knowing where he's going with this, Vanessa chimes in. (Vanessa): Art shows? Until... (Hans): Jah, until we were in Berlin and walking through the Lustgarten and you wouldn't take another step unless it was into the Pergamon museum... Squeezing his eyes shut briefly to force them clear, he blinks rapidly. (Hans): Then I knew you were ready to do that again... ich... I... it's what I've done all these years... I don't want to hurt you either... She forces a small smile, as the memories come back to her, certainly better times than this exact moment. She looks at him again, a serious look on her face and tears subsiding... (Vanessa): But you didn't answer the question my love. She searches his eyes for the answers she thinks she knows in her heart, it just had to manifest itself in words. (Hans): If I do, I want them to be ours, if we can't then, jah… ok, it's ok... but, scheisse, not if I lose you. The tears begin to flow again as she nods her head in acknowledgement. He wanted kids. He wanted a son or daughter, or both of their own and for years she’s avoided this subject. How much time had they lost because of her? (Vanessa): I don’t know what to say, I’m just so sorry for everything. I’m due for a visit, I can ask the doctor and see what our options are. I’m just…I’m so scared. And I hate her, how am I supposed to do my job with her leering at me, calling me, threatening and attacking me? I don’t want anything to do with her. What are we going to do? (Hans): We do what we do mein schatz, we take each day as it comes knowing we have each other… He pulls Vanessa in once more, cradling her. (Hans): I won’t let you be harmed, she won’t get away with this… The scene slowly fades out to black, silence reigning in the car.
Hans’ eyes are focused back on the screen before him though as he keeps swiping.
Connecting the dots with the limited information available, Hans reaches immediately for his wife, popping the seatbelt with his left hand and cradling the back of her head with the other.
Growing more concerned by the second, Hans leans in, gently turning her head to face his.
Hans swallows slowly, digesting what he’s hearing.
His worst fears, that it was something to do with his mother and father in law subsiding. In the pit of his stomach, something else was stirring however.
He breathes in and out slowly through his nose, processing his wife’s words, almost stalling for time as he grapples with what he’s just heard.
Hans sits there for a few seconds, drawing her in his chest once again as his own gaze goes into a thousand yard stare, cogs and wheels turning and slipping in his head.
Taking his wife's head in his hands, he stares into her eyes.
Hans is like a deer in headlights, heart going a million miles an hour and the roof of his mouth going dry.
A final swallow to try to fight that and then the words come tumbling out.
Message Thread
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