Keep Laces Tied On Moccasins

Masterpieces: Danny and Tess

TESS: Danny ...
DANNY: You're doing a great job curating the museum
.
She sighs, exasperated.
DANNY: The Vermeer is quite good. Simple
but vibrant. Although his work
definitely fell off as he got
older.
TESS: Remind you of anyone?
DANNY: And I still get Monet and Manet
confused. Which one married his
mistress?
TESS: Monet.
DANNY: Right. Manet had syphilis.
TESS: They also painted occasionally .
A beat.
DANNY: You don't know how many times I
played this conversation out in my
head the last two years.
TESS: Did it always go this poorly?
DANNY: Yes.
TESS: Sounds frustrating.
DANNY: You were never easy.
(as she shrugs)
Okay. I'll make this quick. I came
here for you. I'm gonna get on with
my life, and I want you with me.
TESS: You're a thief and a liar.
DANNY: I only lied about being a thief.
But I don't do that anymore.
TESS: Steal?
DANNY: Lie.
TESS: I'm with someone now who doesn't
have to make that kind of
distinction.
DANNY: No, he's very clear on both.
TESS: Nice. Work on that for two years, too?
DANNY: Year and a half.
A light smile from Tess.
TESS: Do you know what your problem is?
DANNY: I only have one?
TESS: You've met too many people like you.
I'm with Terry now.
DANNY: Does he make you laugh?
TESS: He doesn't make me cry.
--
TESS: See, the kind of people you steal
things from, they have insurance
to compensate them. They get made
whole again. I had to leave New
York to get away from what
happened. How do I get my five
years back, Danny?
DANNY: You can't. But what you can do is
not throw away another five years.
TESS: You don't know anything about --
DANNY: (leaning in) Listen, you don't love me anymore,
you want to make a life with
someone else? Fine, I'll have to
live with that. But not him.
TESS: Spoken like a true ex-husband.
DANNY: I'm not joking, Tess.
TESS: I'm not laughing, Danny.
(beat)
You have to admit there's a
conflict of interest when you give
me advice about my love life.
Danny exhales and leans back.
DANNY: Yes. But that doesn't mean I'm
wrong.
She looks at him, and maybe part of her knows that he
isn't. She looks down at his ring, somewhat wistful.
He sees her looking at it.
TESS: Do you remember what I said to you
when we first met?
DANNY: You said: you better know what you're doing
.