Caleb
Layla, don’t hang up on me when I tell you the bad news…
Caleb
I can’t meet you for dinner tonight.
Layla
Again? What is it this time?
Caleb
My boss needs me to meet with a client who’s threatening to leave us.
Caleb
I have to be in their office first thing tomorrow morning, so I’m about to hit the road.
Caleb
I’m REALLY sorry about this, but—
Layla
I know, I know — the boss is making you prove your worth.
Layla
Just because you’re the new guy.
Caleb
Please don’t be mad about this.
Layla
I’m not mad at YOU.
Layla
It’s just that lately…
Layla
Well, it seems like I never see you because you’ve been putting in so many hours.
Caleb
I promise — I’ll make it up to you.
Caleb
And mean it, Layla.
A few heavy moments pass.
Layla
Just travel safely, okay?
Caleb
You know I’d rather be there with you, right?
Layla stares at the phone, not wanting to be the first to hang up.
It feels like this is the only connection she still has with Caleb.
And she doesn’t want to break it.
Their calls make her think of all the good times—
Cuddling with him in front of a TV…
Talking over pizza about the trip to Iceland they’ve been dreaming about…
Kissing on his fire escape while the city lights twinkle before them.
She looks back down at the phone.
Caleb hasn’t hung up either.
It’s as if both of them want to say something more but can’t find the words.
Keeping the phone connection open, Layla grabs her tablet.
She uses it to text her best friend Desmond.
Desmond
Caleb got roped in to more work and cancelled your night out?
Layla
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Caleb was trying to break up with me.
Layla
But I know he would never do that.
Desmond
True. He loves the hell out of you.
Desmond
You’re still headed for a happily ever after!
Desmond
Just because we graduated doesn’t mean anything has changed.
Layla
But something HAS changed.
Layla
Now that our real lives have begun, we’re obviously drifting apart.
Layla
It scares me to death, Des.
A sound comes from the phone on Caleb’s end.
He’s finally starting the car.
Layla almost reminds him that he hasn’t hung up yet, but then something odd happens—
He starts muttering to himself.
Layla
I think Caleb forgot he’s still on the phone with me…
Layla
He’s having a conversation with himself!
Desmond
What’s he saying?
Layla
He’s pretending to tell off his boss, haha.
Layla
He’s saying he shouldn’t have to do all this extra work just because he’s the new guy.
Desmond
See? Caleb is just as unhappy with this situation as you are.
Layla
Yeah, but there’s still a space between us that only gets wider every week…
Layla
OMG, wait — I didn’t know he was this silly!
Layla
He’s talking to his boss in an accent—
Layla
Like that Spanish swordsman in The Princess Bride!
Layla
MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA.
Layla
YOU KILL MY LOVE LIFE.
Layla
OMG, this is adorable.
Layla
But he would be MORTIFIED if he knew I was still listening.
Layla
I should really say something to him…
Desmond
Aren’t you even remotely curious about what he’ll do next?
Layla
Okay, now he’s singing some rage rock along with the radio.
Layla
No wonder he’s never done that in front of me because — oof — he CANNOT sing!
Layla
🤭 Now he’s laughing at himself like he knows he’s terrible.
Layla smiles, her heart glowing as she listens some more.
Layla
Des, I haven’t heard him laugh like this since we graduated.
Layla
It’s easy to forget that there were days when we used to laugh together all the time.
Desmond
Are you back to being sad?
Desmond
I was hoping The Caleb Show had cheered you up.
Layla
I just wish Caleb and I spent enough time together these days to discover new things about each other.
Layla
You know, face-to-face—
Layla
Not on a phone by mistake.
On the phone, Caleb starts wistfully singing a slower song.
Layla’s throat closes up with emotion.
Layla
Now he’s singing the song we danced to on the night we met…
Layla
The slow version of “Layla.”
Layla
I remember that night so clearly…
Layla
It was at that dive bar downtown — the one that still has the jukebox.
Layla
And I saw Caleb across the room. Our gazes connected…
Layla
He smiled and walked across the floor to me.
Layla
For the rest of the night, we talked and talked.
Layla
Then someone chose this song on the jukebox.
Layla
The moment Caleb took me into his arms, I knew he was my person.
Layla
I just never thought we’d lose that connection.
Desmond
Listen, even though you two haven’t been as in tune as you used to be…
Desmond
That doesn’t mean you won’t ever get back to where you started.
Desmond
Life always puts up roadblocks in any relationship. But you fell in love for a reason.
Desmond
Just listen to him.
Desmond
He’s singing his heart out to you and he doesn’t even know you’re listening.
Desmond
Trust me, the connection’s still there. Talk to him.
Desmond wishes her luck and stops texting.
Layla holds back tears as she listens to Caleb sing.
He finishes the song, and it’s totally silent except for a long sigh on his end.
It’s as if he’s feeling the distance between them too.
Layla’s heart aches so badly.
Layla
That was beautiful, Caleb.
Caleb
Crap, I had no idea the phone was still on.
Caleb
Have you been listening this entire time?
Caleb
Um…even back when I was…?
Layla
Pretending to tell your boss off in the voice of Inigo Montoya?
Caleb
Wow. I kind of feel like an idiot.
Layla
Don’t. I liked hearing this goofy, adorable, hidden side of you.
Silence fills the space between them again.
Caleb
Well, I guess it was inevitable that you’d find out about my inner dope sooner or later…
Caleb
After all, I’ve discovered more than a couple things about YOU over the past few months.
Caleb
Yup. I know you dance around the kitchen in your panties like you’re a ballerina.
Layla
Oh my God. You know that?
Caleb
Yup. You thought I was still in bed, but I wasn’t…
Caleb’s laughter fills the line.
Caleb
And I also hear you give those Academy Award speeches in the bathroom mirror—
Caleb
You always start crying when you thank your parents!
Layla
Caleb! Why didn’t you ever say anything??
Caleb
And ruin those moments?
Caleb
Seeing the unfiltered you just makes me love you even more, Layla.
Layla’s smile turns melancholy.
Layla
That’s how I feel about you too.
Layla
But it’s like we haven’t seen each other at all lately.
Layla
I’m feeling like there’re so much distance between us, and not just literally.
Moments drag by, mocking the weight of Layla’s heart.
Caleb
I can see why you’d feel that way. I know I’ve been working a lot.
Caleb
But you’ve got to know you’re always on my mind, even when I’m not there.
Caleb
I mean, that’s why I was singing that song. The first one we ever danced to.
Layla holds a hand over her heart as it thuds faster.
Caleb
We’re always going to have a connection—
Caleb
Just like we did that first night.
Caleb
And no matter what kind of ups and downs we go through…
Caleb
It’s never going to break.
Layla
But what if it does, even though neither of us wants it to?
Caleb
I’m in this thing with you.
Caleb
Just open your door. I’ll show you.
Confused, Layla walks to her door.
She opens it and gasps at the sight before her…
He puts down the phone and starts singing—
Badly, but so very sincerely.
Caleb
Like a fool, I feel in love with you…
Layla
You’re supposed to be on the road!
Caleb
Not after you caught me singing that song.
Caleb
I couldn’t get over the sadness I heard in your voice.
Caleb
So I turned around and started driving straight here.
Caleb
Will still be there in the morning.
Caleb
You’re more important than getting there exactly on time.
Caleb
And besides…I was hoping you might want to call in sick to work and hop into the car with me for a road trip?
Caleb
There’re so many things we’re going to discover about each other—
Caleb
So let’s start this new leg of that journey tonight, Layla.
He gives her a heart-melting smile as he grips her hands tighter.
And then he starts badly singing one more line of the song.
Caleb
Please don’t say we’ll never find a way…
Layla laughs and falls into his arms.
As they kiss, they start to sway together.
It’s as soulful and romantic as their very first dance…
And it definitely won’t be their last.
