EMMA:
Today is the day I have been waiting for ever since Caroline Lee set her designer-shoe clad foot into this office. Yes, tonight is the Elton's engagement party where guests will travel from far and wide to celebrate a couple that is perfectly and utterly made for each other. For better or worse, until they die.
And I will celebrate never having to work with either of them ever again. Yes, there is an option for us to plan their wedding, and though it may be lucrative, I will easily say - I am Emma Woodhouse, and this wedding is not Emma Approved. (WINKS)

    TITLE CARD PLAYS

EMMA:
The irony in all of this is from a logistical standpoint, this was actually pretty easy. Caroline planned the whole thing herself.
She chose the venue, the theme, the menu, and did the seating charts. While I basically nodded, smiled, and complimented her accessories.
If all of my jobs were that easy... I'd run into oncoming traffic.
But enough talk, it's time to head over and take care of last-minute preparations.

    HARRIET ENTERS.

(GASPS) Who are you and what have you done with Harriet?

HARRIET:
Emma, it's me!

EMMA:
No! (LAUGHS) I know, but look at you! You're all grown up!

    HARRIET SITS DOWN NEXT TO EMMA.

HARRIET:
So you like it?

EMMA:
I love it! You are going to be the belle of the ball tonight.

HARRIET:
Good. (GRIMACES) I was worried it might be a bit... too much.

EMMA:
(LAUGHS) When it comes to attending the engagement party of a formers . . . whatever-he-was and his trophy wife, you need to dazzle - good work!

HARRIET:
Thanks! I've never done an up-do before! I had to watch three how-to videos this morning to figure it out.

EMMA:
I'm proud of you.

HARRIET:
Oh! It-It's really not that hard once you get it.
 
EMMA:
(LAUGHS) No, I'm proud of how you handled all of this.

HARRIET:
You are?

EMMA:
You've dealt with a lot and you've never let it get to you.

HARRIET:
Well, I-I'll admit it did get to me a little, I'm sorry.

EMMA:
Got to me too. But we remained as professional as we could be.

HARRIET:
It wasn't easy.

EMMA:
I will be honored to stand by you tonight as the event planning experts that we are.

    SENATOR ELTON ENTERS.

ELTON:
Good afternoon, ladies.

EMMA:
Senator Elton, uh, what are you doing here?

ELTON:
You seem repeatedly surprised at my presence, am I not a client again?

EMMA:
Oh course you are, I just thought you'd be getting ready with your fiancee.

ELTON:
We are, but (PAUSE) Caroline is missing one of her favorite earrings and thought it might be here.

EMMA:
Well, I haven't seen anything but perhaps the cleaners found something last night.

HARRIET:
I'll go check up front and see if they left something.

    HARRIET STANDS UP AND WALKS TO THE DOOR.

ELTON:
You look very nice, Harriet. What's the occasion?

HARRIET:
Oh, I'm working your party tonight.

ELTON:
(PAUSE) Yes but, I'm sorry, I was under the impression that the staff would be in the kitchen.

EMMA:
Uh, of course! We'll stay out of your way.

ELTON:
No, no. We sent two invites. One for you (BEAT) and one for Alex.
(AWKWARD PAUSE)
Once again I find myself in an uncomfortable situation with you both.

HARRIET:
No, no. It's fine.

ELTON:
It's only we have more guests coming than we previously expected and all of our tables are full. You know, Emma. You made the seating chart.

EMMA:
Actually, Caroline did. But I believe we all had seats.

ELTON:
(PAUSE) Oh, that's right. Caroline had to do some last-minute rearranging as some important colleagues are coming from Sacramento.

EMMA:
I understand, but I'm sure we could work something out.

ELTON:
There's just no room. (PAUSE) I'm very sorry Harriet.

    ALEX ENTERS.

ALEX:
Is everyone ready to go? Oh, hello Senator.

ELTON:
Good to see you, Alec.

ALEX:
Are we all going in my car, I just need to clear out the back --

    SENATOR ELTON CROUCHES DOWN TO EXAMINE THE FLOOR.

HARRIET:
Actually, I'm not going, the venue's full. I-I'll do my work from here.

EMMA:
Harriet --

ALEX:
Is going with me! I was hoping I could take her as my plus one - if that's okay with you, Harriet?

HARRIET:
Oh, uh, yes! Of course! Uh- I'm just going to shut down my computer.

    HARRIET LEAVES.

ELTON:
(STANDS) Well, the earring is obviously not here. I'll inform my fiance of the bad news.

EMMA:
If anything shows up, I will have Harriet send it over.

ALEX:
I do hope you enjoyed working with us again Senator --

ELTON:
Always an enlightening experience, Mr. Knightley.

    SENATOR ELTON LEAVES. ALEX SITS NEXT TO EMMA.

ALEX:
(SIGHS) What?!

EMMA:
Thank you.

ALEX:
She worked hard, she deserves to have a good time.

EMMA:
You were right about Senator Elton, he's always had an agenda.

ALEX:
You were right too. You chose better for him than he chose for himself.

EMMA:
Well, should I warn Harriet about your dancing?

ALEX:
Ha, there's dancing?

EMMA:
(LAUGHS) Come on, we're going to be late!

   EMMA STANDS AND LEAVES.

ALEX:
Wait, seriously, there's... dancing? Wait, hey, no! (STANDS AND FOLLOWS EMMA) No one said anything about dancing! Emma! I'm not dancing!