BEATRICE
He’s never going to let me go and nothing will change that. Could you spend your life this way, John? Never touching? Never being touched?

CONTI
No one could. It’s not how we’re made.

BEATRICE
Not all of us. It’s been an eternity here. And I see only an eternity beyond. This is my world.

CONTI
The world’s a much bigger place.

He produces a set of car keys, holds them out for her to see.

CONTI (CONT'D) Let me show it to you.

CONTI
(sings: COME AWAY WITH ME)

COME AWAY WITH ME
COME AWAY WITH ME
THERE IS NOTHING HERE NOTHING I CAN SEE
THAT IS HOLDING YOU DOWN

Beatrice shakes her head no, but it’s clear she’s charmed by this.

BEATRICE
Please don’t give me hope. It’s the one thing I couldn’t bear.

CONTI
COME AWAY WITH ME
JUST TAKE THE DAY WITH ME
YOU BEEN FAR TOO LONG
TRAPPED INSIDE THESE WALLS
SO LET ME SHOW YOU ‘ROUND
COME AWAY WITH ME...

BEATRICE (tempted)
For an hour, perhaps?

CONTI
An hour. For starters. And then...

BEATRICE
And then we’ll see.

At that, Conti steps to the vines covering the secret access.

Beatrice looks back, debating her options one last time, but only briefly. She steps through with Conti.

DR. RAPPACCINI (calling)
Beatrice! Beatrice?

Mrs. Gage appears on the balcony of Conti’s room. She calls to Rappaccini.

MRS. GAGE
They’ve taken my car.

SCENE
New Orleans. The Mississippi Riverwalk. Day.

On a small platform there is an ensemble of MUSICIANS playing the music we’ve been hearing. Piano, drum, bass, a horn section.

Conti and Beatrice stand at the edge of the river. Around them are TOURISTS, JOGGERS, and LOCALS enjoying the day in light summer clothing.

BEATRICE
That’s the Mississippi?!

CONTI
It runs down to the Gulf of Mexico. Beyond that, there’s the Caribbean, the Atlantic.

BEATRICE
And the smell in the air -- it’s like salt. And coconuts.

CONTI
Right, well, you should probably know some of that is sunblock.
(off her look)
UV rays. Sunburns.

BEATRICE
I didn’t know the sun could be this strong.

CONTI
Okay, I know you’ve seen the sun.

BEATRICE
Pieces of it, filtered through the trees. Nothing like this in...so long.

A COUPLE passes, hand in hand. Beatrice turns to watch, envious.

BEATRICE (CONT’D)
All these things I’ve missed. Or forgotten. And I’m finally out here among them. With you.

CONTI
Then it can’t end here. Let’s grab some beignets, get back in that car, and take off down the road.

Conti steps up on the platform with the musicians, going along with their groove.

CONTI
(sings)
‘CAUSE I’M THE PERFECT TOUR GUIDE DARLIN’
I’VE BEEN ON THE ROAD SO LONG
SO I’M IN THE KNOW ABOUT WHERE TO GO
I CAN SING EVERY SINGLE DRIVING SONG

He borrows a map from a TOURIST COUPLE who watch his antics, amused and charmed.

CONTI
JUST DOWN THE PIKE THERE’S BATON ROUGE
AND PAST THAT, LAFAYETTE
THEY GOT CREOLE FOOD AND A HAPPY MOOD
BUT THERE’S 49 STATES YOU NEVER MET

He hands the map back to the tourists, borrows a guidebook from a FOREIGN TOURIST, who is surprised, then delighted as well.

CONTI
WE’LL HAVE BBQ IN AUSTIN
‘CAUSE THAT’S THE TEXAS WAY
AND WE’LL PASS RIGHT THROUGH EL PASO TOO
‘CAUSE I KNOW THE WAY TO SANTA FE
WE CAN CALL IT LOVE IN COLORADO
GET SHY WHEN WE HIT CHEYENNE
RAISE HELL ENOUGH IN HELENA
F’R US TO HAVE TO HIT THE ROAD AGAIN

BEATRICE
John, what are you doing?

Conti sinks to his knees. More tourists and locals start paying attention to the developing story and the band follows Conti’s cues.

CONTI
COME AWAY WITH ME
COME AWAY WITH ME
THERE IS NOTHING HERE NOTHING I CAN SEE
THAT IS HOLDING YOU DOWN
COME AWAY WITH ME

TWO FEMALE LOCALS
GIRL, YOU SEE HIM DOWN ON HIS KNEES?

CONTI
COME AWAY WITH ME

TWO FEMALE LOCALS
GIRL, THE POOR BOY AIMS TO PLEASE

Conti plays to the gathering crowd for comic effect, but meaning it all the same.

CONTI
IF YOU LOVE ME, GIRL
LIKE YOU SAY YOU DO
THEN WHY DON’T WE SKIP TOWN?
COME AWAY WITH ME!

And with that, the Riverwalk becomes a huge production number, tourists and locals dancing and singing, brass band marching, drummers drumming, all devoted to convincing Beatrice to do as the song says.

CONTI
WE’RE GONNA SEE ALL OF SEATTLE

CROWD
SHO ‘NUFF!

CONTI
THEN PORTLAND AND EUGENE

CROWD
EUGENE!

CONTI
WE CAN DRIVE AND WE DRIVE OUT ON HIGHWAY FIVE

CONTI AND TWO LOCALS
THERE’S LOTSA REDWOOD, LOTSA GREEN

CONTI
LEAVE OUR HEARTS IN SAN FRANCISCO
BRING ‘EM ALONG DOWN HIGHWAY ONE
I DON'T LIKE TO BOAST BUT THE WESTERN COAST
IT’S THE PRETTIEST UNDER THE SUN

CROWD
SURE IS!

CONTI
AND WE'LL HAVE THE TOP DOWN AS WE GO
SO YOUR FACE CAN CATCH THE LIGHT

CAJUN FLOWER VENDOR
'cause you're pale, girl.

CONTI
AND WE'LL WEND OUR WAY TO THE END OF THE DAY
AND WE’LL BE HITTING L.A. IN THE COOL OF THE NIGHT

The MUSIC builds to a crescendo, the crowd adding their wordless VOICES to Conti’s plea.

CONTI
AND THEN MY LOVELY ANGEL
WE CAN SPREAD OUR AIRPLANE WINGS
AND GET GONE-AND-WENT TO THE CONTINENT
TO DO ALL THEM EUROPEAN THINGS

Beatrice wants to give in, to be swept up in the music, but something makes her put her arms up to stop the music.

BEATRICE
John, I can’t. I can’t go with you. I can’t leave.

CROWD
Awwww!

CONTI
(continues, hushed)
COME AWAY WITH ME
COME AWAY WITH ME
YOU’RE THE LOVE I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER FIND
SO BEFORE I’M OLD AND GRAY
COME AWAY WITH ME
FLY TO MARSEILLES WITH ME!

Beatrice shakes her head no, but it’s clear she’s charmed by this. Conti makes his final pitch.

CONTI (CONT’D)
YOU’RE THE ONLY GIRL
IN THIS WHOLE WIDE WORLD
TO WHOM I’VE EVER WANTED TO SAY:
COME AWAY WITH ME

The SONG ENDS quietly, filled with promise. The CROWD CHEERS. Conti and Beatrice look at one another with love and expectation. A long moment. Then:

TOURIST
Awww, c’mon. Now you gotta kiss.
(to the others) Right? Am I right?

He grabs Conti’s and Beatrice’s hands to pull them the last few inches together.

TOURIST
(reacting in pain)
What the--?!

*****

And all hell breaks loose.