INT. WHITE HOUSE - BALLROOM - NIGHT

A bipartisan event where dignitaries, socialites, the fabulously wealthy, influential types, and the press, intermingle, showing their importance or trying to hear important conversation.

The FIRST LADY holds a larger court than her husband. Her gaggle of former SORORITY SISTERS and their HUSBANDS still honor her in totality, listening with the intent of the newly saved.

• FIRST LADY
  Even in our sorority days, dear
  sisters, safety was always a concern.
  What can be more important than the
  passage of this historic landmark
  bill to finally level the playing
  field between the police and the
  criminal element, I ask you?
   
• DOROTHY (O.S.)
  Implementing it, I would suspect,
  dear sister.

• Dorothy and Cristhal come into the huddle as the sisters scamper back to make a path.

• DOROTHY (CONT'D)
  Everyone knows that arming a couple
  hundred thousand police officers
  nationwide with assault rifles, and
  concussion grenades is going to make
  our streets much safer. Especially,
  quieter.
• (looks at sisters)
  Hi, girls.

• They all look to the First Lady for approval, and she nods. All at once they clamor affection and adulation on Dorothy for everything from the look of her clothes, to her campaign. It lasts five seconds, until-

• FIRST LADY
  So, Madam Senator, thank you for
  accepting my invitation.
   
• DOROTHY
  The honor is mine, Madam First Lady.
   
• DOROTHY
  What an unexpected pleasure to see
  all my sisters gathered together,
  again, after so many years.
   
• FIRST LADY
  Oh, we all get together every year
  about this time. Have to keep up on
  the chit-chat, you know. It helps
  keep me in touch with the masses.
   
• DOROTHY
  I see what you mean. What a hybrid
  societal think-tank you've gathered
  around you. The upper class and the
  uber-wealthy.
   
• FIRST LADY
  Well, yes dear. It's nice to have
  respected friends around at a gala
  affair.
  (smiles at her minions)
  But, I see you've brought your work
  with you tonight.

• Cristhal finches and her mouth starts to open. Dorothy puts her arm around Cristhal's shoulders and gives her a hug.

• DOROTHY
  You are very right, esteemed sister,
  about friendship. But you know, it
  has everything to do with quality,
  not quantity.

• Most of the women are gape-mouthed, but a sudden smile spreads across the First Lady's face.

• FIRST LADY
  I have to hand it to you, Dorothy.
  After twenty years, you still are as
  sharp as broken crystal.
   
• DOROTHY
  I suppose that was metaphoric
  compliment.
   
• FIRST LADY
  Quite, so.

• The First Lady comes forward, seemingly off of an invisible pedestal, and takes Dorothy gently by the forearm, directing her away from the gathering. Dorothy nods assurance to Cristhal.

• FIRST LADY (CONT'D)
  You know, darling, we aren't children
  anymore, vying for prom-queen titles,
  and affections of football players.
  I think we've pretty much proved
  what we're capable of. What do you
  say we throw away our childish past
  and start fresh?
   
• DOROTHY
  My, you really sound convincing.

• FIRST LADY
  Why, I am, darling. Why wouldn't I
  be? After all, it has been twenty
  years since, since... well, you know.
   
• DOROTHY
  Since you slept with my husband?
   
• FIRST LADY
  Well, he wasn't your husband, yet.
  Besides, and I guess you have a right
  to know this by now. We never
  actually slept together.
   
• (stops walking)
  I mean, he tried. Sort of. But, he
  wasn't up to it.
   
• DOROTHY
  That's more information than I need
  to know. But, you know that.
   
• FIRST LADY
  Knowing what we all learned later-
  he was in a terrible fix. He was
  afraid I'd let on he couldn't do it,
  and he'd be ostracized. That's why
  he told you straight away that we
  slept together.
   
• DOROTHY
  I don't think he was afraid for
  nothing, Dominique.
   
• FIRST LADY
  Really, Dorothy. I'm trying to come
  clean to you, here. I wouldn't have
  said anything.
• (beat)
  At least, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't
  have.
   
• DOROTHY
  Listen, Dominique. For as long as
  I've known you, you've had a bug up
  your ass about me. You never cut me
  any slack in the four years at Brown,
  and I never heard a word, much less
  a nice word, about me come from you
  since. So, why don't we cut the
  crap and you tell me what's really
  on your mind and why you invited me
  to this shindig in the first place?
   
• FIRST LADY
  My, my. That's the Dorothy I
  remember, oh-so-well. OK, I will.
  Come with me. I want to show you
  something.

• INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

TWO SECRET SERVICE AGENTS are at the door.

• FIRST LADY
  Please, fellas. Could you wait
  outside a couple of minutes?
   
• SECRET SERVICE OFFICER #1
  Yes, Ma'am.

• The First Lady is quite at home and shows it. Dorothy is quite overcome with historical reverence.

• FIRST LADY
  Well, what do you think?
   
• DOROTHY
  Truthfully? I'm a little in awe.
  I've never been in here, before.
  The thoughts, the voices, the history
  that has taken place in here. It's
  mind-bending.
   
• FIRST LADY
  I mean, about the color?
   
• DOROTHY
  What? The color?
   
• FIRST LADY
  The wall color? What do you think?

• Dorothy looks around, but all she sees is a glorious past.

• DOROTHY
  It's... fine, I guess. What about
  it?
   
• FIRST LADY
  Darling, I repainted this imposing
  room in the most divine shade of
  peach. You can see it, yes? It
  took four years for the odor to wear
  off.

• Dorothy turns toward her with narrowed eyes.

• DOROTHY
  Your point being?
   
• FIRST LADY
  I need at least another four years
  to fully enjoy it.
   
• DOROTHY
  Hmmm. That leaves one with a couple
  of pondering thoughts, Dominique.
   
• FIRST LADY
  And what would those be, darling.
   
• DOROTHY
  Just whose office is this, really?
   
• FIRST LADY
  Why, Dorothy, you've always known
  the answer to that. What's the other
  one?

• DOROTHY
  How afraid you are that very soon,
  I'll be knocking on your front door.

• Suddenly, the door opens. The President pokes his head inside. A big smile breaks across his face as it leads in the rest of his body. He puts his hand out to Dorothy.

• PRESIDENT STRATHER PRESCOTT
  Hello, hello, dear Senator Lawrence.
  How nice to see you, again. Please
  let me congratulate you again, this
  time in person, for your continuing
  campaign.
   
• DOROTHY
  Thank you, Mr. President. That's
  very kind of you.
   
• PRESIDENT
• (glances at First Lady)
  Ah, checking out the place for a
  future potentiality, are we?
   
• DOROTHY
  Actually, Dominique was just showing
  me her snow job- paint job!
   
• PRESIDENT
  Yes. She says it calms her mind
  when she's contemplating.
   
• DOROTHY
  Interesting. And how does the color
  smell to you, Mr. President?