HUSBAND:

(HUSBAND’S HAND TURNS OFF ALARM) That’s your second snooze

HUSBAND:

Come on, you’re going to be late. Aren’t you presenting this morning?

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

(HUSBAND’S QUESTION SINKS IN, SHE SHOOTS UP IN BED.) Welcome to Monday. (FRANTICALLY THROWS OFF BLANKETS, THROWS OPEN CLOSET, BEGINS GETTING READY.) I promised Ken we’d meet downtown to rehearse for our 9:30 presentation. But I just could not get out of bed.

HUSBAND:

(LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS/NOISY KIDS IN BACKGROUND) Coffee’s on, kids are (HE TURNS OVER HIS SHOULDER IN THE DIRECTION OF WHERE EXCITED SCREAMING IS COMING FROM) …up. I think they’re a little excited about movie night tonight. Home on time, OK? Gotta run. Good luck.

VOICE IN HEAD:

(TRANSITION TO HER MOVING QUICKLY DOWN THE HALL) Blow drying my hair can wait, forget breakfast, I’ll do make-up in the car… (SCENE CONCLUDES WITH A MONTAGE OF HER TRYING TO RUSH HER TWO UNCOOPERATIVE CHILDREN THROUGH MORNING PREPARATIONS (Packing bags, lunches, getting them dressed, throwing dishes in the sink, etc.). (AS SHE KNEELS TO HELP HER YOUNGEST PUT ON HIS COAT, HER AURA BEGINS TO APPEAR. SHE PAUSES WHILE BUTTONING THE COAT.)

YOUNGEST CHILD:

Mommy, what’s the matter?

MAGGIE:

(HEAD SINKS)

YOUNGEST CHILD:

Mommy, what is it?

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

I couldn’t let it stop me.

(TAKES ASPIRIN WITH GLASS OF WATER. FINALLY, KIDS ARE READY, AND SHE USHERS THEM OUT THE DOOR.)

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

After dropping off the kids, I called Ken from the car to tell him I was running late.

THIRD-PERSON POV OF KEN IN THE LOBBY OF THE CLIENT

KEN:

Where are you?

MAGGIE’S VOICE (THROUGH KEN’S PHONE)

Stuck in traffic. And I think I’m getting a migraine.

KEN:

Well, take an aspirin, and pay attention. I’ll give you the changes over the phone. We begin in 15 minutes.

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

He started going into all the changes … he was going so fast.

(CUTAWAY SHOTS OF MAGGIE TRYING TO DRIVE/TALK/TAKE NOTES)

MAGGIE:

(MAGGIE’S PHONE GOES DEAD. IN THE SILENCE, A PULSE BEGINS … THE BEGINNING THROB OF HER MIGRAINE.)

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

I actually wondered if it could it get any worse.

OFFICE WORKER USHERS MAGGIE TO THE CLOSED DOOR OF THE PRESENTATION ROOM.

OFFICE WORKER:

I think they’ve started already. Just go ahead in.

(MAGGIE OPENS THE DOOR, SEES KEN SPEAKING, ALL EYES TURN TO HER.)

KEN:

Well, there she is. (Jokes) Nice of you to join us, Maggie (HE PATS HER ON THE BACK: SENSE OF TOUCH IS PAINFUL TO HER). No, you’re right on time, actually.

(TRANSITION TO HER TAKING THE PODIUM. SHE FINDS THE FLICKERING SCREEN PAINFUL, AND THE LIGHT FROM THE PROJECTOR WORSE).

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

The pain was so bad I could barely concentrate. But I wasn’t going to let it stop me.

[PERSPECTIVE SWITCHES TO THAT OF AN AUDIENCE
MEMBER … MAGGIE IS VISIBLY STRUGGLING. WHEN SHE RECOVERS, HER VOICE IS A MUMBLE.]

AUDIENCE
MEMBER #1:

(whispers to colleague) What’s wrong with her?

AUDIENCE
MEMBER #2:

(to colleague) I don’t know, I can’t even hear her.

AUDIENCE
MEMBER #2:

(FRUSTRATED) Excuse me, can you speak up?

AUDIENCE
MEMBER #1:

Yeah, I’m not sure I’m following. Your numbers don’t make sense with what you’re saying. (OTHER AUDIENCE
MEMBERS NOD IN AGREEMENT).

[PERSPECTIVE SWITCHES BACK TO MAGGIE’S AS SOMEONE ENTERS THE ROOM, WITH THE DOOR CRASHING LOUDLY BEHIND HER. AS SHE WALKS PAST, MAGGIE CATCHES A WHIFF OF STRONG PERFUME. KEN:

MAGGIE/ NARRATION:

The smell of her perfume was nauseating. Somehow, I managed to finish. But the effort finished me for the rest of the day.