Substitute Wife

The scene begins with a close-up of unseen hands carefully dressing a woman (Chanel Preston) on a bed, zipping up her dress and smoothing out any creases. The hands attach a bracelet to her wrist and apply lipstick to her lips with a gentle touch. The woman remains motionless and we don't see her eyes. The scene transitions to a first-person perspective shot from the bed, showing a man (Tommy Pistol) as he dresses the woman. He stands with his arms folded across his chest, looking down at her as he evaluates his work. After a moment's thought, he walks off screen briefly, returning with a pair of high-heeled shoes. The camera cuts to a close-up of him slipping the shoes onto her feet, then switches back to the first-person perspective shot from the bed. The man reassesses his work, appearing satisfied with the result, and smiles. 'If only you could hear me, love,' the man speaks tenderly, sitting on the bed next to her, taking her hand in his. After a pause, he continues, 'Actually, I KNOW you can hear me. I just need to say...I'm aware...that things haven't been...so good between us since your...accident and I...I could apologize a MILLION times, but I know it wouldn't change what occurred. The only thing we can do is move...forward. And I desperately want that. I am committed to making this work, to being...BETTER, devoted to... helping us through this.' After another moment of silence, he brushes her hair away from her face, his eyes welling up with emotion. 'I comprehend...the difficulty...the difficulty of this...TRANSITION for you and I..I WISH circumstances could be different, but if this is the only way we can be together, it's better than nothing,' he continues. A tense silence follows. 'Let's not dwell on the negative, let's focus on tonight. I'm going to make this a truly special evening for you, my love. You deserve it,' he promises, smiling. 'I love you...immensely,' he adds sincerely. The doorbell rings. He rises to exit the room. 'It must be her,' he says, his face lighting up in anticipation. CUT TO TITLE He opens the front door to find Amanda (Gianna Dior) standing outside, a form-fitting dress accentuating her curves as she spins a small purse on her fingers. Hi there, she greets him seductively. Responding with a nervous, polite smile, he invites her inside. As she confidently strides in, he shuts the door behind her. 'You look stunning tonight. Thank you for...dressing as I requested,' he compliments. She twirls around in response. It's his night, after all, plus...the dress is certainly her color, she replies with a chuckle. An awkward silence ensues. She glances around the house. Nice place, she comments, trying to break the silence. Oh thank you, he responds nervously. Does he live in this grand house ALL BY HIMSELF?, she inquires teasingly. Not...really, he answers, clearly anxious. Amanda notices his unease. 'Relax, honey, we're both consenting adults, I'll take good care of you,' Amanda reassures, tracing her hand along his arm. He apologizes for his nerves, explaining that it's been... a long time and he wants everything to be...ideal. She understands completely, Amanda agrees. He asks her if he can call her Bonnie. He can call her whatever he pleases, baby, Amanda assures. 'And what's your name, darling?' she asks him. Ron, he answers timidly, clearing his throat. Shall we...head to the bedroom?, he proposes. She thought he'd never ask, Amanda responds flirtatiously. He leads her to the bedroom. Upon reaching the bedroom door, he pauses. Before they enter the bedroom, he needs to prepare her. His wife is...inside, he reveals. Surprised, Amanda comments that she wasn't aware it was going to be a threesome. 'No, not exactly...it might be easier if I just show you,' he suggests, slowly opening the door. As the door creaks open, an inert woman lying on the bed comes into view — the woman Ron was dressing earlier. Upon seeing this, Amanda becomes instantly cautious. She's not sure what's happening here, but she thinks it's best if she leaves, Amanda suggests, backing away from the room. 'Wait, it's not what you're thinking. She's perfectly fine. Well, not fine exactly. She's...in a coma,' Ron explains sadly. Oh, Amanda responds softly. 'I'm...I'm sorry,' she says sympathetically. 'Me