The Love That is Never Smooth


By Nadine Maraldo



Scene: At the Mt Thomas Police Station
PJ is sitting in his office alone. He is still coming to terms with Maggie 
telling him that there would be no personal relationship between them only 
strictly professional. PJ thinks, hey at least I know she loves me.
Maggie is outside PJ's office, grabbing her coat. She is still trying to decide 
whether she did the right thing to tell PJ that she loves him and also that only 
strictly professional relationships from here on in. Maggie thinks, no I made 
the right choice.
Maggie is about to exit the police station when an urgent call is transferred 
from St Davids. Maggie picks up the radio, It is Constable Doyle here, what is 
the situation?
Radio:    We have a hostage situation at a farm which is situated
             about 1 km north of Mt Thomas, on the main highway.
Maggie:   How many people are involved?
Radio:    An ex-boyfriend is back to take his three-year old son and he 
             has a shotgun and we have been told there have been gunshots fired.
Maggie:   OK, we'll be right there.
Maggie quickly gets her hat and shouts out "PJ" and thinking she is still 
talking about before he screams sternly "What?"
Maggie:   We have a hostage situation on a farm outside Mt Thomas, an 
          ex-boyfriend has returned with a shotgun in hand to take his 
          three-year old son back from the boy's mother.  The 
          neighbours have heard shots being fired.
PJ:       OK.  Let's go!
PJ's car
PJ and Maggie are on their way to the farm.
PJ:       Call for backup, I think we are going to need it.
Maggie picks up the radio microphone
Maggie:   Detective Hasham and Constable Doyle need backup at the 
          hostage situation at the farm one kilometre north of Mt Thomas.
Radio:    We read you.  Backup is on its way.  Being sent is 
          Senior Constable Nick Shultz and Constable Adam Cooper.
Maggie puts the radio microphone down.
PJ seems to be ignoring Maggie and is concentrating just on the radio and 
nothing she is saying.
Maggie:   PJ, are you ok?
PJ:       About what?
Maggie:   About what we were talking about in the office,  everything.
PJ:       If you're fine, then I'm fine. (turns to her)
Maggie:   OK then.  If you want to talk about anything I'm here.
PJ:       OK.
PJ continues to drive towards the farm, in the distance the farm can now be 
seen. There is a sign out the front, it reads "Residence of Lisa and Paul 
Jones."
Maggie:   Lisa must be the ex and Paul must be her son.
PJ:       Looks like that way if you ask me.
The Farm
PJ drives the car to about 50 metres from the house. PJ and Maggie get out of 
the car and quietly tip toe to the side of the house. They can see through a 
window, a small boy who looks extremely scared and behind him there are a couple 
screaming at each other. The man has a shotgun in his hand.
PJ:       Where the hell is the backup?  (Maggie shrugs her shoulders)
Maggie:   They should be here any minute now.
PJ:       Well if they are not here in two minutes I'm going in.
Maggie:   You can't go in without backup.
PJ:       What do you mean.  I have backup.  You're going to be my backup.
Maggie:   No PJ.  I can't.  You need more than me as backup.
PJ:       You've done this a hundred times before, why is it different
          this time?
Maggie:   It isn't different I just think, under the circumstances,
          we should wait for backup.
PJ:       No Maggie, if we wait any longer that guy could shoot someone dead.
Maggie:   OK.  (hesitantly) OK.
PJ checks his watch and indicates to Maggie that he'll be knocking on the door 
in a minute from now. Maggie agrees she takes her position which is on the side 
of the house near where they were standing a minute ago.
PJ goes up to the door and knocks on it. Nobody answers at first, so he knocks 
again and shouts out "Police". Again nobody answers. So PJ indicates to Maggie 
that he will be smashing the door in to see what's happening.
Maggie is waiting for PJ after he kicks the door in to find out the full details 
of the situation. Right when he kicks the door in, two gunshots are heard. 
Maggie runs quickly to the front of the house, to find PJ laying on the floor. 
He has been shot twice, once in the arm and the other in the chest. Maggie 
starts to screaming into her radio, "Officer down, we need an ambulance to Jones 
property immediately, I repeat officer down."
Maggie goes to PJ and to check on his condition, he is breathing, just. She rips 
to see how serious his injuries were. PJ had one bullet in his upper right arm 
and the more serious one was the bullet which had entered the chest right near 
the heart. Maggie was in complete shock. She reminded herself she had seen worse 
everyday.
Maggie gets up from PJ and starts to check the rest of the house. She checks 
everywhere, with gun intact. All of the sudden she hears a noise coming from a 
back room. She enters the room and finds Lisa in there, she has blood coming 
from her head but it isn't serious. Then from behind a man appears with a 
shotgun. Maggie turns quickly.
Maggie:   Backoff, do you hear me Backoff.
Man:      What are you going to do shoot me?
Maggie:   Well you have already shot one person today, you don't
          want anymore charges to be laid against you, do you?
Man:      So what I don't care about shooting a copper.
Right when the man is about to release the trigger of the gun, Nick and Adam 
appear. Nick tackles the man and the man still releases the trigger, luckily the 
shot which was fired hit the window and nobody was hurt.
Maggie:   What took you guys so long?
Nick:     Had car trouble.
Maggie:   How's PJ?
Nick:     The ambulance is here, they say he is in a critical
          condition.  They don't know if he will make it.
Maggie:   Have they left yet?
Nick:     Nope.  
Maggie runs quickly into where PJ is, the paramedics are with him and are 
lifting him onto a stretcher.
Maggie:        Can I go with him in the ambulance?
Paramedic:     Are you family?
Maggie:        Sort of.
Paramedic:     What do you mean sort of?
Maggie:        Well we were dating.  (lies)
Paramedic:     Ok.  You can come in the van
PJ is stretchered into the van, Maggie also gets in and sits next to him. She 
whispers to him, "PJ, you can't die.
Mt Thomas Hospital
PJ is rushed into the hospital and straight to the operating room. Zoe is on 
hand and before she goes in she said she would tell Maggie about PJ's condition 
as soon as the operation is over.
Maggie sits down and just keeps thinking, why didn't I go in and not PJ, why 
didn't we just wait for backup. She is on the verge of crying because she is 
finally realising how much PJ means to her.
Two hours pass, Zoe comes back and explains to Maggie that they were able to 
extract both bullets from PJ. She also said that PJ is still in a critical 
condition and due to a large loss of blood she doesn't know if he will pull 
through.
Zoe takes Maggie to PJ's room. He has all tubes and machines around him. He 
seems to be connected to a life-support system. Maggie asks if it is and Zoe 
says as yes. Zoe leaves Maggie alone so she can spend some time with PJ. Maggie 
breaks down. She is now thinking is it too late to rekindle our longtime 
attraction.
Maggie:   PJ, can you hear me?  You have to hear me. I love you Patrick
          Joseph Hasham and I was stupid to say those things in the 
          office.  I want to be with you professionally and also
          romantically.  You are my best friend, I don't want to lose you
`         and I don't think I could live if you weren't around to tease 
          me.  Please you can't die.  I love you and even when I was with
          Sean and then Roman I couldn't stop thinking of you.  I was a fool
          before.  Please don't die.
Right at that moment the machine starts beeping loudly. Maggie runs out of the 
room to get Zoe. Zoe rushes in and as soon as she sees what the problem is she 
orders Maggie out of the room. Zoe starts to try and revive PJ. Zoe tells the 
nurse, we've lost his pulse. They try frantically to revive him. Maggie is 
standing at the window outside the room with tears falling from her eyes, she 
says to herself, "I love you PJ". She can't take it anymore so she goes outside 
because she doesn't want to be there when he dies.
Back in PJ's room, Zoe is still trying to revive PJ. It has now been 4 minutes 
since he went into a cardic arrest. Finally after their sixth attempt, Zoe gets 
a faint pulse. Maggie was not present when PJ's pulse returned. Zoe fixed up the 
machines and also wanted the nurse to check on PJ every ten minutes in case of a 
relapse.
Zoe walks out of the room to see Maggie crying about 20 metres away. Zoe goes up 
to her and explains that PJ is ok at the moment, but he isn't out of danger yet. 
Zoe also asks her, if she is ok. Maggie starts telling Zoe that she didn't think 
about how much PJ meant to her until he was shot.
Maggie then gets up and goes back to PJ's room. She sits down next to his bed 
and holds his left hand. She again says to herself, "I love you PJ.
The next day, Maggie is asleep in the chair, when Zoe enters. She has good news. 
It seems PJ can now get taken off the life-support system because of his vast 
improvement in the last ten hours (Maggie realises that is the time that she was 
there). Zoe tells Maggie she should go and get something to eat or drink. Maggie 
agrees so she heads outside to the coffee machine.
When she returns, she is shocked to find PJ opening his eyes and looking 
straight at her. Maggie can't believe it. She puts her coffee down next to PJ's 
bed and then sits down.
PJ:       Hi.
Maggie:   How are you feeling?
PJ:       Sore.  I've been shot.  Damn it.
Maggie:   Sorry about the reliable backup.
PJ:       It was my fault, I'm the one who wanted to go in without backup.
Maggie:   Listen, PJ about before.
PJ:       You know how I feel if you want to be friends, I'll be friends.
Maggie:   No listen, when you got shot, it made me realise just how
          important you are to me. I don't want to lose you and I love you.
PJ:       I already knew that before.
Maggie:   Yes but this time, I want to ask you something.
PJ:       What is it?
Maggie:   Do you love me?
PJ:       Yes, I do.  Very much.
Maggie:   Now isn't that funny, that is the same response
          I gave you.
PJ:       I can't help it if it is true.
Maggie:   Well I love you so much, that I realised I was a fool
          to say that we should just be friends.  PJ, I don't want
          to be friends, I want to be more than friends.
PJ:       Are you saying what I think you mean?
Maggie:   Yes I want to be with you.
PJ:       Well, since you love me I was wondering what a poor
          guy has to do around here to get a kiss.
Maggie:   Well what took you so long to ask.
PJ:       I thought I didn't need to ask.
Maggie leans over and kisses PJ. At first it is just a simple kiss, but then 
turns into a more passionate kiss like the one they experienced in the mine.
PJ:       Well Constable Doyle, what are we going to do now?
Maggie:   Well I don't know, let's wait till you get out of hospital
          then we'll see.
PJ:       I think that is a good idea.
Maggie:   OK.
Maggie kisses PJ again and as she is leaving she turns her head at the sound of 
PJ's voice. He shouts out, "I love you Mags."
A MONTH LATER
Maggie and PJ are in his office. He has been back at work for a week. They are 
investigating a case, Maggie informs him that the man who shot him was recently 
charged with attempted murder. His name was Gary James.
Maggie:   So what are you doing tonight?
PJ:       Well I knock off tonight at 5pm.  I was thinking of
          keeping my reservation at a nice little Italian restaurant 
          near my house. 
Maggie:   And who are you thinking of taking to this restaurant?
(Maggie is smiling as she asks this question)
PJ:       Oh.  I don't know, I was thinking about a young attractive lady 
          who seems to be spending alot of time with me lately.  She 
          seems to get jealous when I flirt with other woman.  Wonder who
          that could be?
Maggie:   I don't know (smirk on her face)
PJ:       I'll pick you up at 7pm.
Maggie:   I'll be waiting.
THE RESTAURANT
Maggie and PJ enter the small Italian restaurant. It is called L'Amore. It is 
owned by Chris's friend and it is very hard to get a reservation there. They are 
shown to their seats. For the evening, Maggie is dressed in a small red dress, 
while PJ is in a navy suit with a white shirt and a navy tie. The evening is 
going fine, they are waiting for the desserts to arrive. Maggie and PJ are 
reminiscing about the times they have shared together. PJ all of the sudden 
starts to get nervous, Maggie doesn't know why he is acting like this. She 
excuses herself to go to the bathroom. PJ starts thinking "Deep breaths, take a 
few deep breaths."
By the time Maggie returns the desserts have arrived. They have both ordered 
Tiramisu (which means Lift me up).
Maggie:   Isn't this dessert beautiful?
PJ:       Yeah, but not as beautiful as you?
Maggie almost spits the dessert out and she has a confused look on her face.
Maggie:   Huh?
PJ:       Well, I have known you for four years now and
          after what happened in the cave and also when
          I got shot, I realised you are the only person for
          me.
(PJ bends down on one knee and produces a ring from his pocket)
PJ:       Will you marry me?
Maggie:   I thought you weren't the marrying type?
PJ:       That changed when I met you.
(Everybody is watching to see what Maggie says)
PJ:       So, will you marry me?
Maggie:   Yes I will marry you.
PJ puts the ring on Maggie's ring finger and then kisses her, everybody in the 
room applauses them.
PJ and Maggie seem to be able to read each others minds.
PJ:       Waiter, cheque please.
PJ and Maggie then leave once the cheque had been paid.
FOUR MONTHS LATER
It is early in the morning and PJ is about to get up for work. PJ and Maggie are 
now living together at PJ's house. PJ and Maggie are on different shifts, but 
even when they announced their engagement Tom didn't separate them. When NIck 
was on leave, Maggie was assigned an extra shifts when PJ wasn't working.
PJ goes to the station and Maggie is there. He goes into his office, and as 
usual Maggie follows a few moments later. They shut the door and share a quick 
kiss.
PJ:       So you're finished in ten minutes.
Maggie:   Yep.  You're early.
PJ:       Wonder why?  (smiling)
They start kissing again until they hear someone ringing the bell at the front 
desk.
They open the door and find a tall attractive brunette woman, 
Maggie:   Can I help you?
Woman:    Is there a man called P.J. Hasham here?
Maggie:   Can I ask who's calling?
Woman:    Nadine.
Maggie:   Just a minute.

Maggie finds PJ and tells him that a woman called Nadine is at the front desk looking for him.

PJ goes forward to the desk.

PJ:       Hello
Nadine:   Hello PJ.
PJ:       Can I help you?
Nadine:   You probably don't remember me.  We met about four years
          ago in Melbourne.
PJ:       Yes?
Nadine:   During that time we slept together.
PJ:       Yes and I know we practised safe sex.

(Maggie is in the background listening in to find out what's going on).

At that moment a young boy comes in shouting Mummy.

Nadine goes up to the boy.

Nadine:   Well it didn't look as if we were safe enough. 
PJ:       What are you saying?
Nadine:   This is my son.  His is Patrick.  He is your son.
PJ:       WHAT!!!

In the background we see Maggie's jaw drop, PJ has gone completely white he is also shocked. He turns to see Maggie standing behind him. As soon as he looks at her, she runs off quickly.

THE END