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FADE IN; INT. AIRLINER, NIGHT JOHN thoughtfully watches a passing panorama of moonlit clouds as the wide ocean darkly sparkles far below. In his late forties, he seems a nice man, if a tad nerdy. Beside him sits JANE, a small elderly but alert lady in her eighties. John turns to her with a smile. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Are you comfortable there? We can swap * * * * seats if you want to enjoy the view. Jane shakes her head and returns the smile. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * No thanks, I am fine. Easier for an old * * * * girl to get to the toilets anyway. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * That's a Canadian accent! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Very good, you Aussies usually get it * * * * mixed up with the Yanks. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Not me, my lady is Canadian. She soon * * * * educated me! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Ya. We hate being confused for Yanks, * * * * same as Aussies and Kiwis. They chuckle together warmly. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Are you flying to meet her? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Yes. To Toronto. We have been * * * * physically apart almost four years. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Physically? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * We have had the phone, the internet, * * * * snail mail, photos, parcels and have * * * * talked almost daily. We have had * * * * everything except touch. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * You must love each other very much. He smiles wistfully. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Very much... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Why have you been apart? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * She came out to Australia to live and * * * * we planned a life together, but she had * * * * to go care for her sick parents while I * * * * had to stay for family reasons. We * * * * never expected it to be for this long. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Her parents have died? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * One has, the other keeps going. I * * * * realised my family don't need me * * * * anymore, and couldn't bear to be away * * * * from her any longer. So here I am. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Is she excited about you coming? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * She is scared to death! And I am too. They laugh together. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * If your love has stayed so strong, It * * * * will all work out well. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * She actually left on Valentine's Day. I * * * * gave her a card in the shape of a red * * * * heart and told her that was my heart * * * * and while she holds it I could never * * * * love another. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * And she has kept it safe? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Right next to hers. Jane smiles sadly and pats his arm. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * It will work out fine indeed. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * What about you? Flying home to family? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Yes. The opposite to you though, I have * * * * lost my love and now my family in * * * * Canada want me to be with them again. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * I am sorry. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Bill was my true love. He was a * * * * wonderful man. We did everything and * * * * anything together. Every moment * * * * counted. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * How long were you together? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Thirty lovely years. Through ups and * * * * downs, good and bad times, sickness and * * * * health... Life and death. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * He got ill? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Damned cancer. Bloody cigarettes. John pats her arm. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Your family will be pleased to see you? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * It will be interesting. A red-headed airline STEWARDESS stops by their seat. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * STEWARDESS * * * * Can I get you anything? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * When do we pass the international * * * * dateline? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * STEWARDESS * * * * In about five minutes time, then it * * * * will be Valentine's Day again! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Can we have a bottle of Champagne then? As the Stewardess departs, John turns to Jane. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Two Valentine's Days on the one * * * * journey! We must have a toast. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Yes, I leave my love on the old one and * * * * you return to yours in the new. The Stewardess returns with the Champagne and two glasses, opens it and pours for each. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * STEWARDESS * * * * Will that be all folks? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Thank you. John watches her depart. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * My love is a redhead. She is gorgeous. * * * * God. I have missed her so much, even * * * * though I remember everything about her * * * * as clearly as if it was yesterday. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Separation and pain, versus * * * * togetherness and happiness. Life is not * * * * all roses is it. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * We must take the good with the bad, * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Yes and time, distance or death will * * * * never diminish true love. John and Jane raise their glasses and clink them. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * To true love. They sit and sip and think for a few moments. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * How long since you lost Bill? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Ten years. I could never bring myself * * * * to leave our home till now. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Will you be going back? Jane looks down at her glass sadly. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * No, This is a one way trip. I will be * * * * joining Bill again in a little while. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Oh God. I am sorry. Jane laughs. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Bloody cigarettes. I told you we shared * * * * everything. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * This must be painful for you then. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Physically now, yes, but to be with him * * * * after makes it all ok. The Stewardess makes an announcement over the PA system. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * STEWARDESS * * * * Ladies and gentlemen, we just crossed * * * * the international date line. It is once * * * * again the fourteenth of February. Happy * * * * Valentine's Day to you all. John looks out the window and sits up, excited. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Look. A heart shaped cloud! Jane looks at the moonlit, perfectly shaped heavenly heart and so do others as the word is passed down the plane. There is a chorus of "oohs and ahs" and delighted laughter. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * Nice one Bill! John raises his glass to Jane. Both have tears in their eyes. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Happy Valentine's. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN * * * * To those who hold our hearts. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JANE * * * * Always and forever. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FADE OUT.