Closure
Two and a half years into their renewed relationship, Tatum and Leighton discuss moving in together. They are the anti U-Haul lesbian couple.
Leighton: You don’t think we should move in together?
Tatum rubs the back of her neck: Um…I thought you liked living with Whit…
L: Oh I do. I love it actually. But I’d like a thing called privacy especially when my girlfriend and I are spending…quality time together.
Tatum grins: Oh I see, you want us to have a love nest? Sounds like a plan.
Tatum comes up behind Leighton and wraps her arms around her waist.
T: I love you so much, I want you to know that.
Leighton eyes Tatum: I love you too, babe.
T: I want to talk to you about something…
L: Okay? Your tone is telling me it’s serious.
T: It is. Tatum begins kissing the back of Leighton’s head.
Leighton can feel Tatum’s heart beating.
L: Baby, what is it?
T: You know what day it is?
L: Thursday
T: What’s the date?
L: February 23. Oh….
T: It’s been eight years since the incident.
L: Yes, it has been eight years. Do you want to talk about it?
T: What’s there to say?
L: You’re bringing it up for a reason.
T: Forget it.
L: No, I’m not going to forget it. We agreed to not do that, babe. Get it out in the open. Say what we mean and mean what we say.
T: I went to her grave Leighton.
Leighton turns to face her girlfriend.
Tatum nods.
L: How long ago?
T: About a month.
L: A month?! That weekend you said you were with Taron?
T: I didn’t lie, he was with me.
Leighton getting angry: But you omitted a very big part of the story!
T: This is kind of why I didn’t tell you. I knew you would react like this!
L: You went to the grave of your dead ex-girlfriend with your brother. Yes I’m going to react badly.
T: Babe! I could have been in the grave next to her! I almost died Leighton.
Leighton starts to get teary eyed; But babe you didn’t!
T: But I could have. I don’t regret for a second protecting you and I would do it again but I had to face my own mortality at 21. I have been carrying that around for eight years.
L: Is this why you need space? Is this why you actively avoid the conversation when I bring up moving in together?
T: Yes. Leighton, I want to marry you, raise children with you and build our life together but what if something goes wrong?
L: You’re scared something bad will happen if we do.
T: Something bad already did.
L: And you don’t think this affects me too? Do you know how much I worry when you leave my place if it’s the last time I see you again?
Tatum looks down.
L: Baby, I watched as the life left your eyes after she stabbed you. It haunts me to this day. I don’t ever want to go through that again. Okay, I want you, all of you. The good and the not so good. Are you listening to me?
T: Yes I’m listening.
L: Baby, it’s almost like you still don’t trust me. Why couldn’t you tell me you went to the grave?
T: I had stuff to say to her and since I’d never get the chance to do it in person, I had to get it off my chest somehow. I feel responsible for her lying in that chintzy grave with an unremarkable headstone.
L: Babe…
T: I know what you’re going to say and yes you’d be right. But I know how I feel. I did her wrong, Leighton. I treated her like she was disposable. Like she was nothing, something I could use to get my rocks off. I didn’t see her as a person. I was self centered and arrogant and only cared about what she could do for me. And she was in love with me, Leighton. And I didn’t love her at all, I barely even liked her. I did the same thing to her mom. I’ve done it to so many women…
L: And you feel like you don’t deserve happiness? Babe, this Tatum at 29 is not the Tatum at 21. Baby, I knew you back then, you weren’t the best in terms of attitude but you always treated me well. The shame is Stacey’s and Stacey’s alone in terms of the stabbing. She could not take the shame and the guilt and that’s why she ended her own life.
Leighton hugs her girlfriend who is in tears.
L: Tatum, I love you. I want to be your wife and mother to your children. And maybe we both need closure as it pertains to this. I want you to take me to the grave spot.
T: Babe…
L: Take me there, Tatum. First thing in the morning.
T: I…okay, my love. I’ll do it.
L: Just pick me up from my place at 9am tomorrow sharp.
Tatum nods…
The next morning, Tatum arrives at Whitney’s and Leighton’s home at 9am sharp. Whitney is at work outside of the home which is unusual but she picks two days out of the week to do this. Tatum chats with Jeff the doorman until Leighton comes down.
Leighton comes down, dressed in all black. Tatum, has a black blouse and dark gray slacks on. Tatum and Leighton kiss good morning.
Tatum opens the passenger door for Leighton. After all these years, Leighton still swoons when she does it.
The drive to the grave site is about an hour and a half. Tatum drives with her left and holds Leighton’s hand in her right for the entirety of the ride.
L: I want you to stay near the car while I do this. She did this to the both of us so I have things to say to her myself.
Tatum nods.
Tatum gets as close as she can so Leighton doesn’t have to walk that far. She gives Leighton a kiss and Leighton exits the car.
L: Where is it?
Tatum gets out of the drivers side: Down there to the right. There are pink flowers that are on the tombstone. No, I didn’t leave them.
L: Okay.
Leighton carefully walks to the grave. As she approaches it, her heart begins to race.
The tombstone reads:
STACEY CASSIDY MARTIN GOINS
NOVEMBER 10, 2003-MARCH 1, 2029
LOVING DAUGHTER
She turns back and can see Tatum by the car biting her nails.
Leighton looks down and sees the dying pink flowers Tatum had mentioned as well as freshly picked white ones, indicating someone had placed them there recently.
Leighton takes a deep breath.
L: You fucking bitch! You desperate, sadistic creature! I almost lost the love of my life because of you! You couldn’t take rejection, you couldn’t take the answer no and you could have killed the both of us. And you meant to do it! You meant to kill me. Your anger ran that deep against her that you would have killed me to make her suffer. And what do you think that would have accomplished? You think she would have gone back to you after killing me?
Leighton’s voice begins to rise:
You are a coward, Stacey Martin Goins. But see, you no longer have to live with what you have done. See, Tatum doesn’t know that I hear her wake up from nightmares. As recently as last week. How she refuses to put her back to the door at a restaurant. How she holds me tighter whenever we have to leave each others space. And yet, she is so afraid to move in with me for fear of when it happens, we are doomed. You put that fear into her. Oh sure she tries to hide it but I know her. I have known her almost ten years. I know her better than anyone aside from Taron. And what you have done to me! Every hotel I walk into, I check around corners, the sounds of knives coming out of cupboards or clinking together on a table send shivers down my spine. The sight of blood, even a speck makes me want to pass out. This is what you have done to us. All because Tatum told you no. What in the entire fuck! What in the Fatal Attraction hell was that? Even from your grave, you are destroying things. I almost lost Tatum physically eight years ago yesterday, I’ll be damned if I lose her mentally and emotionally today. No, fuck you to every pit of hell that exists! Fuck you with the fire of a thousand suns! You were a waste in life and will continue to be a waste in death.
Leighton is so overcome with rage, she spits on the grave.
Tatum notices Leighton gesticulating wildly and rushes over to her girlfriend.
L: Tatum, no! Go back! I have to do this!
Tatum abides by her girlfriend’s wishes and goes back to the car.
Leighton calms herself:
This is the beginning of our future life together. There are no longer going to be exes, living or dead, coming in between us. I will not have it. Tatum will not have it. No, when I leave here today, I will never think about you again. Ever. I can’t control what Tatum thinks or does, but as for you and I, Stacey Goins…we are through. May you rest in Hell.
Leighton turns on her heel and walks back to the car. Tatum is waiting for her. Leighton lets herself be enveloped by her lover. Leighton sobs heavily. It’s the hardest she has cried in eight years.
T: Let it out, baby. I got you.
They stand there for a good ten minutes as Tatum holds a sobbing Leighton. Tatum remains stone faced as she peers towards Stacey’s grave.
She mouths: Fuck you! And goodbye….
Leighton looks up at Tatum: Babe, let’s go home.
Tatum smiles and kisses Leighton’s tears and her nose: Let’s do it.