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I'm working on the fourth draft of a script. Thought I'd share a bit with you, and when I have it done I'll email it to anyone who would like to read it. Obviously, this is mine, don't copy it, I have it copyrighted and all that junk (well not this draft, but all three of the others, if it came down to a court case, I'LL WIN! lol. Hope you enjoy, this is by far my favorite thing I've ever written. The formatting will be messed up here Im sure. Also, It hasn't been screend for typos or anything, let me know if something doesn't make sense.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Open on a bedroom filled with orange light from an ancient lamp sitting on a long dresser. Also on the dresser, a handful of photographs, a couple in black and white, showing a happy couple, newer ones reveal the couple in more modern times. MARY ALICE DERRICK stands next to the bed, a small suitcase open in front of her. She's stuffing one last shirt in. She hears slow and heavy footsteps coming up the hardwood stairs, and zips the suitcase up quickly, just shoving it under the bed before her husband, JIM DERRICK enters.
JIM
I thought you were coming up to get
your nightgown on.
Mary Alice is fully dressed.
MARY ALICE
I was, I got to looking at all these
pictures.
Jim notices tears shining in his wife's eyes. They look to one another, silent. Jim turns.
JIM
Yeah. Well, I'm beat.
Jim exits and Mary Alice watches him walk down the hall and into the bathroom. He shuts the door.
INT. FAMILY ROOM – NIGHT
It's even later, and no lights are on throughout the house. In the family room everything is neat; everything is in it's place, but like the rest of the house it has the unmistakable clutter of lives long lived. The TICK TOCK of a large grandfather clock echoes through the room.
INT. FRONT HALL
Photos run along both sides of the wall. There are pictures of great grandchildren, grandchildren, and children. Professionally done, and taken in the backyard last summer.
INT. BEDROOM
Jim is asleep, snoring. Mary Alice is dressed, sitting on her side of the bed, her head down. Moonlight filters in through the window, falling perfectly on her. She stands and bends, pulling out her small suitcase.
INT. KITCHEN
Mary Alice stands in the doorway. She's 75, her hair white and thinning. Her hands are small and veined, one curled around the handle of her case, the other holding an envelope. She steps forward and places the envelope on the small kitchen table.
INT. FRONT HALLWAY – THE HARRINGTON HOUSE – NIGHT
A knock on the door. A beat. The doorbell rings. Another, louder knock. The hall light flicks on, and TONY HARRINGTON moves into frame. He's in his early 50's and tall, his thin body clad in a robe and pajama bottoms. A few steps behind him is his wife, JUDY. She's 56, four years older than her husband, with her hair dyed red.
JUDY
If Simon lost his keys somewhere
again...
TONY
No, he's home. Heard him about an
hour ago.
Tony reaches the door and slides the chain back, he opens it a crack, then steps back to reveal Mary Alice. Behind her, the sky is midnight black.
JUDY
Mom?
INT. JIM'S BEDROOM – MORNING
It's early in the morning, the sky outside the window still has that purplish hue to it. Jim Derrick awakens, a deep cough rising from his chest as he sits up. 77, Jim is still barrel chested and broad shouldered. His hair is hanging in there, kept short in a buzz cut. He notices his wife isn't in bed when he regains control of his throat.
JIM
Mary Alice?
Jim slowly stands at the side of the bed. Everything a man his age does is slow. He grabs an old terry cloth robe, tying it around himself.
INT. FAMILY ROOM
Jim turns the corner from the bottom step, calling out to his wife as he does so.
JIM
Mary Alice? It's early honey. Too
early for an old girl like you to
be up and about.
No one answers and Jim continues on, making his way to the kitchen.
JIM
I don't smell no coffee.
INT. KITCHEN
JIM (Entering)
Figured that's what got you up.
No one in the kitchen either. It takes a few seconds for Jim to see the envelope on the kitchen table. He sits at the table, sliding the envelope towards him.
INT. HARRINGTON KITCHEN
Judy sits at the kitchen table, the same purple morning sky framing her head. Tony sits across from her, spreading cream cheese on a bagel.
TONY
You've got to talk to her, Jude.
JUDY
I know, but what do I say?
TONY
Start with where she's going to be
staying. Is it going to be here?
JUDY
Well, no. But I'm not going to kick
Her out on the street, Tony. We can
figure out what's going on with her,
and while we do that, she'll need some
things. I'll have to go get them today,
and I have to bake a cake, and clean
up too. I think I'll call in today.
TONY
You're going to miss a day of work?
JUDY
She can't be here by herself.
SIMON HARRINGTON enters the kitchen. He's 21, living at home while he goes to college and works a part time job. He's wearing an University of Cincinnati sweat shirt and pajama bottoms.
SIMON
I saw Grandma leaving the bathroom.
TONY
Yeah, she's staying her for a little
while.
SIMON
Did grandpa die?
JUDY
No, grandpa didn't die. What a
horrible thing for your brain to jump
to right away.
SIMON
He's old. It happens. So what's the
deal?
JUDY
Mind your own business. What time
did you get home last night.
SIMON
I'm an adult, mind your own business.
JUDY
An adult living at home. You're always out
playing a gig, or drinking with your
friends.
TONY
Jude, he's right, he's an adult, and
judging from most of his friends, a damn
responsible one. He helps out a lot around here too. More than Derrick ever did.
JUDY
Why do men always stick together?
The phone RINGS.
JUDY
It's a little early for a call.
Tony grabs the phone and checks the I.D. Before handing it right over to his wife. She takes it and answers.
JUDY
Hello? Dad?
We hear Jim through the line.
JIM
My wife there?
JUDY
Dad, what happened? She showed up in the
middle of the night. She said she left.
SIMON
Oh shit!
JIM
She did leave. Nice enough to leave a note
though.
JUDY
Well, what happened?
JIM
She left. Keep up.
JUDY
I mean why, dad.
JIM
Your guess is as good as mine.
JUDY
Well, let me go see if she wants to talk.
JIM
Wants to? Put her on the damn phone.
JUDY
You can't get like that with her right
now. Let me go find her.
Judy takes the phone from her ear and moves out of the kitchen.
INT. HALLWAY
Judy stops outside of the door to the guest bedroom. She knocks softly.
JUDY
Mom?
There's no answer. She tries the knob and it opens.
INT. GUESTROOM
JUDY
Mom, it's dad.
Mary Alice is laying on the bed, completely dressed in what she wore last night.
MARY ALICE
I don't want to talk to him.
JUDY
Mom.
MARY ALICE
Not now. I'm tired.
Judy lifts the phone back to her ear.
JUDY
Dad, Mom said-
JIM
I heard her.
A CLICK, and the line goes dead. Judy turns the phone off and steps forward.
MARY ALICE
Judith, please, I'd like to go to bed.
JUDY
Okay. Well, I'm going to stay home today.
MARY ALICE
You don't need to do that.
JUDY
I do.
Judy steps out of the room, shutting the door.
INT. JIM'S FAMILY ROOM – MORNING
Jim sets his corded phone back on the hook and sits down in a well work chair. He picks up a framed photo from the small end table beside him. It's a wedding photo of him and Mary Alice. Jim runs his fingertips over his wives frozen youthful face.
INT. HARRINGTON LIVING ROOM – AFTERNOON
Judy sits on the couch, watching soaps while she mixes cake batter by hand in a large bowl. Mary Alice enters and sits next to her.
JUDY
Hey mom. You hungry?
MARY ALICE
No.
JUDY
You've got to eat. I had a sandwich,
I'll make you one.
MARY ALICE
I don't need you to do anything for me
that's not why I'm here.
JUDY
Mom, why are you here?
MARY ALICE
I had to leave. I had to get out of
there. Staying there was hurting me.
JUDY
Hurting you? Mom, Dad didn't... hit you
did he?
MARY ALICE
No, of course not. What a thing to think about your father. He's never raised a
hand to me or you girls his whole life.
JUDY
You said it was hurting you to stay.
MARY ALICE
I've been sick.
JUDY
You've just been struggling with pneumonia.
MARY ALICE
It's because of him. He's not a warm man.
JUDY
Dad loves you very much.
MARY ALICE
Yes.
JUDY
And you love him.
MARY ALICE
I used to.
JUDY
Mom, don't be ridiculous.
MARY ALICE
I don't love him. I don't. I can't anymore.
I can't live in a house with no feeling.
He's so cold he makes me sick. I feel it
physically.
JUDY
Mother, listen to yourself.
MARY ALICE
You think I sound crazy? I'm not.
JUDY
I know you aren't. But you do get
in your moods.
MARY ALICE
What moods do I get into? And how I
get is no concern for my daughter.
JUDY
Mom.
MARY ALICE
I mean it. This is between me and him.
JUDY
You showed up on my doorstop at midnight!
Don't tell me to keep out of it.
The two women sit quietly for a moment.
MARY ALICE
I only brought my pills and this outfit. I can't go over there though.
JUDY
I know. I'll go. But you need to talk to
him.
MARY ALICE
And what will I say? What will I tell him?
JUDY
Try the truth. Let me get this cake going,
and I'll go get some things.
MARY ALICE
Oh, Derricks birthday dinner. Honey, I forgot, I would have waited. We were going to come. Tell your father to come, I can
stay in my room.
JUDY
Dad will come, but you aren't hiding
in my guest room. You won't be able
to act like a child during all this.
MARY ALICE
How dare my own daughter speak to me
that way.
Judy simply looks to her mom and stands. She moves into the kitchen. Mary Alice crosses her arms and frowns.
INT. JIM'S FAMILY ROOM – AFTERNOON
Jim is still sitting in his easy chair, it doesn't look like he's moved all day. There is a knock at his door, he stirs from a day dream but doesn't get up. A few more knocks, and then the sound of a lock being undone and the front door opening. A voice calls from the hall.
JUDY
Dad? It's me.
Jim doesn;t answer as Judy appears in the doorway.
JUDY
Dad.
Nothing.
JUDY
Dad, mom needs some stuff.
Jim shrugs.
JUDY
Have you eaten today?
Nothing.
JUDY
Do you have stuff to eat?
No answer still, Judy turns and leaves the room.
INT. KITCHEN
She enters her parents kitchen. She checks the fridge, it's
fully stocked. The freezer is as well. Judy notices a recipe card sitting out on the counter.
INT. FAMILY ROOM
Judy returns to the room, sitting on the couch.
JUDY
It looks like mom was going to make
chicken alfredo. She's got the chicken breasts thawing in the fridge, try to
use them soon.
Nothing.
JUDY
Tonight is Derrick's birthday. We're
having them all over.
JIM
I won't be coming.
JUDY
Come on, you were going to, he's your
grandson.
JIM
He's a grown man, and he lives right
down the street and never visits.
He won't miss me.
JUDY
Dad.
JIM
Jude, that's it. Get your moms things
and leave me be.
Judy opens her mouth to speak and thinks better of it. She heads upstairs.
INT. BEDROOM
Judy enters her parents bedroom. She opens the closet and pulls out a big suitcase. She moves about the room piling clothes in the suitcase. In a smaller bag, she gathers her mother's make up. Judy finishes and zips both cases up. She sits on the end of the bed and begins to cry. Jim has been enters.
JIM
What's wrong with you?
JUDY
Mom left you!
JIM
Why are you crying? I'm not.
JUDY
You should be! Fifty something years.
HIM
Fifty–seven.
JUDY
Fifty-seven. Gone!
JIM
Them years ain't gone.
JUDY
You know what I mean. You can't just let
her do this!
JIM
I can't? This ain't me. It's her.
JUDY
Fight for her dad!
JIM
It's been a day, Judith. And I've
fought for her for years. And with her.
JUDY
You want this? You need a break?
Is that why you don't care?
JIM
I do care. If I didn't I wouldn't have
been here all these years. You know
how she gets, it ain't easy, and if
I didn't care it wouldn't be worth
it.
JUDY
She doesn't know you care!
JIM
Bullshit, Jude.
JUDY
Does she? Do you tell her?
JIM
Course I do.
JUDY
When dad? When is the last time you
said anything to her? Anything like
I love you? You never did. Not to
any of us! But us girls, we're stronger
than her. We knew our dad didn't say it.
We knew it didn't mean he didn't feel it.
She isn't as strong. You know it, damn you.
You know it, and knew it, and still
couldn't. Why not? What's so bad about
saying it? A man isn't a man if he
shows emotion? That's the bullshit dad.
That's the bullshit right there. My man
says it, and shows it, and his kids adore him. His wife adores him.
Jim is silent. Judy stands and grabs the bags.
JUDY
Come to dinner.
JIM
No.
JUDY
Fine.
Judy walks out of the room, and Jim listens to the front door open and close a minute later. He sits on the end of the bed.
INT. HARRINGTON KITCHEN
Judy stands at the kitchen counter, putting the finishing touches on a cake. It says HAPPY BIRTHDAY DERRIK in red icing. Tony stands behind her.
TONY
Lets start with the cake.
JUDY
I don't understand how you stay
so skinny.
TONY
I have good genes.
JUDY
So what do I have? Bad genes?
TONY
You dear, have fat jeans.
Tony sticks a finger through the belt loop of her Levis, pulling her towards him, she playfully slaps at him. They kiss as their doorbell rings.
INT. FRONT HALL
Tony opens the door. On the porch stands DERRICK HARRINGTON and his family. Derrick is 34 and good looking, broad shouldered and shorter than his father and little brother. His wife LAURA is cute and pixyish, her hair blonde and stylishly short. Their two sons, MILES and LINK stand beside them. Miles is 7, and Link, 5. Link stands holding his crotch and bouncing on his heels.
LINK
Hi Grandpa! I have to gooooo!
TONY
Don't let me stop you!
Link zooms past and to the bathroom.
TONY
Happy birthday son.
He hugs Derrick, and kisses Laura on the cheek.
TONY
Laura, when are we going to run away together?
LAURA
I'm ready when you are.
DERRICK
Funny.
Everyone moves inside, Miles hugs his grandpa.
MILES
Hi grandpa Tony
TONY
Hi grandson Miles.
Judy enters, licking frosting from her finger.
JUDY
Happy birthday
She hugs her son.
DERRICK
Thanks mom. Simon here?
Judy embraces her daughter in law.
JUDY
He went to pick up Lisa. I hope that's
okay.
DERRICK
That's fine, I haven't met her yet.
TONY
She's a great girl.
DERRICK
Yeah, he's told me about her. As long
as she doesn't have her nose pierced.
Grandma and grandpa went ape sh-
uh poop over that last one.
Miles snickers. Link appears further down the hall, Miles shoots off after him.
JUDY
Well, your grandfather won't be joining
us.
DERRICK
Is he okay? Grandma's car is out front.
TONY
Your grandparents have temporarily
separated.
DERRICK
Separated? Holy shit.
Miles and Link reappear at the end of the hall way.
MILES
Poop dad! Holy poop!
INT. DINING ROOM
Everyone is packed around a table, laughing and eating. LISA, Simon's girlfriend is the only one we haven't seen before. She's brunette and thin, a classically pretty girl. She sits beside Mary Alice, the only one unsmiling, and quiet.
DERRICK
So then, Simon throws one of his shoes
up.
SIMON
And it gets stuck in the tree too!
DERRICK
And then he throws his other shoe up.
LAURA
Let me guess. Stuck too?
SIMON
Totally.
LAURA
Simone was six Derrick, you were sixteen,
you should have known better.
DERRICK
He shouldn't have got my boomerang
stuck up there. And then my bat,
the baseball, the Frisbee, and all the
other stuff.
INT. JIM'S KITCHEN
Jim stands alone the hunger has gotten to him, and he looks over the recipe card. He fills a pot with water.
INT. DINING ROOM
Back at the Harrington's, everyone is chatting. A BEEP and Derrick pulls his cell phone from his pocket.
CELL SCREEN
I WISH I COULD SEE YOU
INT. DINING ROOM
Derrick looks to his wife, she's in conversation with his mother. He replies.
CELL SCREEN
ME TOO.
INT. KITCHEN
Jim is cutting the chicken into chunks. Beside him, the pot on the stove boils over, spilling scalding water to the floor.
JIM
Shit!
INT. DINING ROOM
Judy carries a cake into the room.
EVERYONE
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to
you, happy birthday dear Derrick (Daddy!)
Happy birthday to you!
Derrick smiles to his wife as he slides his phone in his pocket, and blows out the candles.
INT. FAMILY ROOM
Jim is sitting in his chair, the TV the only light in the room. On his lap, a Swanson TV dinner.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Open on a bedroom filled with orange light from an ancient lamp sitting on a long dresser. Also on the dresser, a handful of photographs, a couple in black and white, showing a happy couple, newer ones reveal the couple in more modern times. MARY ALICE DERRICK stands next to the bed, a small suitcase open in front of her. She's stuffing one last shirt in. She hears slow and heavy footsteps coming up the hardwood stairs, and zips the suitcase up quickly, just shoving it under the bed before her husband, JIM DERRICK enters.
JIM
I thought you were coming up to get
your nightgown on.
Mary Alice is fully dressed.
MARY ALICE
I was, I got to looking at all these
pictures.
Jim notices tears shining in his wife's eyes. They look to one another, silent. Jim turns.
JIM
Yeah. Well, I'm beat.
Jim exits and Mary Alice watches him walk down the hall and into the bathroom. He shuts the door.
INT. FAMILY ROOM – NIGHT
It's even later, and no lights are on throughout the house. In the family room everything is neat; everything is in it's place, but like the rest of the house it has the unmistakable clutter of lives long lived. The TICK TOCK of a large grandfather clock echoes through the room.
INT. FRONT HALL
Photos run along both sides of the wall. There are pictures of great grandchildren, grandchildren, and children. Professionally done, and taken in the backyard last summer.
INT. BEDROOM
Jim is asleep, snoring. Mary Alice is dressed, sitting on her side of the bed, her head down. Moonlight filters in through the window, falling perfectly on her. She stands and bends, pulling out her small suitcase.
INT. KITCHEN
Mary Alice stands in the doorway. She's 75, her hair white and thinning. Her hands are small and veined, one curled around the handle of her case, the other holding an envelope. She steps forward and places the envelope on the small kitchen table.
INT. FRONT HALLWAY – THE HARRINGTON HOUSE – NIGHT
A knock on the door. A beat. The doorbell rings. Another, louder knock. The hall light flicks on, and TONY HARRINGTON moves into frame. He's in his early 50's and tall, his thin body clad in a robe and pajama bottoms. A few steps behind him is his wife, JUDY. She's 56, four years older than her husband, with her hair dyed red.
JUDY
If Simon lost his keys somewhere
again...
TONY
No, he's home. Heard him about an
hour ago.
Tony reaches the door and slides the chain back, he opens it a crack, then steps back to reveal Mary Alice. Behind her, the sky is midnight black.
JUDY
Mom?
INT. JIM'S BEDROOM – MORNING
It's early in the morning, the sky outside the window still has that purplish hue to it. Jim Derrick awakens, a deep cough rising from his chest as he sits up. 77, Jim is still barrel chested and broad shouldered. His hair is hanging in there, kept short in a buzz cut. He notices his wife isn't in bed when he regains control of his throat.
JIM
Mary Alice?
Jim slowly stands at the side of the bed. Everything a man his age does is slow. He grabs an old terry cloth robe, tying it around himself.
INT. FAMILY ROOM
Jim turns the corner from the bottom step, calling out to his wife as he does so.
JIM
Mary Alice? It's early honey. Too
early for an old girl like you to
be up and about.
No one answers and Jim continues on, making his way to the kitchen.
JIM
I don't smell no coffee.
INT. KITCHEN
JIM (Entering)
Figured that's what got you up.
No one in the kitchen either. It takes a few seconds for Jim to see the envelope on the kitchen table. He sits at the table, sliding the envelope towards him.
INT. HARRINGTON KITCHEN
Judy sits at the kitchen table, the same purple morning sky framing her head. Tony sits across from her, spreading cream cheese on a bagel.
TONY
You've got to talk to her, Jude.
JUDY
I know, but what do I say?
TONY
Start with where she's going to be
staying. Is it going to be here?
JUDY
Well, no. But I'm not going to kick
Her out on the street, Tony. We can
figure out what's going on with her,
and while we do that, she'll need some
things. I'll have to go get them today,
and I have to bake a cake, and clean
up too. I think I'll call in today.
TONY
You're going to miss a day of work?
JUDY
She can't be here by herself.
SIMON HARRINGTON enters the kitchen. He's 21, living at home while he goes to college and works a part time job. He's wearing an University of Cincinnati sweat shirt and pajama bottoms.
SIMON
I saw Grandma leaving the bathroom.
TONY
Yeah, she's staying her for a little
while.
SIMON
Did grandpa die?
JUDY
No, grandpa didn't die. What a
horrible thing for your brain to jump
to right away.
SIMON
He's old. It happens. So what's the
deal?
JUDY
Mind your own business. What time
did you get home last night.
SIMON
I'm an adult, mind your own business.
JUDY
An adult living at home. You're always out
playing a gig, or drinking with your
friends.
TONY
Jude, he's right, he's an adult, and
judging from most of his friends, a damn
responsible one. He helps out a lot around here too. More than Derrick ever did.
JUDY
Why do men always stick together?
The phone RINGS.
JUDY
It's a little early for a call.
Tony grabs the phone and checks the I.D. Before handing it right over to his wife. She takes it and answers.
JUDY
Hello? Dad?
We hear Jim through the line.
JIM
My wife there?
JUDY
Dad, what happened? She showed up in the
middle of the night. She said she left.
SIMON
Oh shit!
JIM
She did leave. Nice enough to leave a note
though.
JUDY
Well, what happened?
JIM
She left. Keep up.
JUDY
I mean why, dad.
JIM
Your guess is as good as mine.
JUDY
Well, let me go see if she wants to talk.
JIM
Wants to? Put her on the damn phone.
JUDY
You can't get like that with her right
now. Let me go find her.
Judy takes the phone from her ear and moves out of the kitchen.
INT. HALLWAY
Judy stops outside of the door to the guest bedroom. She knocks softly.
JUDY
Mom?
There's no answer. She tries the knob and it opens.
INT. GUESTROOM
JUDY
Mom, it's dad.
Mary Alice is laying on the bed, completely dressed in what she wore last night.
MARY ALICE
I don't want to talk to him.
JUDY
Mom.
MARY ALICE
Not now. I'm tired.
Judy lifts the phone back to her ear.
JUDY
Dad, Mom said-
JIM
I heard her.
A CLICK, and the line goes dead. Judy turns the phone off and steps forward.
MARY ALICE
Judith, please, I'd like to go to bed.
JUDY
Okay. Well, I'm going to stay home today.
MARY ALICE
You don't need to do that.
JUDY
I do.
Judy steps out of the room, shutting the door.
INT. JIM'S FAMILY ROOM – MORNING
Jim sets his corded phone back on the hook and sits down in a well work chair. He picks up a framed photo from the small end table beside him. It's a wedding photo of him and Mary Alice. Jim runs his fingertips over his wives frozen youthful face.
INT. HARRINGTON LIVING ROOM – AFTERNOON
Judy sits on the couch, watching soaps while she mixes cake batter by hand in a large bowl. Mary Alice enters and sits next to her.
JUDY
Hey mom. You hungry?
MARY ALICE
No.
JUDY
You've got to eat. I had a sandwich,
I'll make you one.
MARY ALICE
I don't need you to do anything for me
that's not why I'm here.
JUDY
Mom, why are you here?
MARY ALICE
I had to leave. I had to get out of
there. Staying there was hurting me.
JUDY
Hurting you? Mom, Dad didn't... hit you
did he?
MARY ALICE
No, of course not. What a thing to think about your father. He's never raised a
hand to me or you girls his whole life.
JUDY
You said it was hurting you to stay.
MARY ALICE
I've been sick.
JUDY
You've just been struggling with pneumonia.
MARY ALICE
It's because of him. He's not a warm man.
JUDY
Dad loves you very much.
MARY ALICE
Yes.
JUDY
And you love him.
MARY ALICE
I used to.
JUDY
Mom, don't be ridiculous.
MARY ALICE
I don't love him. I don't. I can't anymore.
I can't live in a house with no feeling.
He's so cold he makes me sick. I feel it
physically.
JUDY
Mother, listen to yourself.
MARY ALICE
You think I sound crazy? I'm not.
JUDY
I know you aren't. But you do get
in your moods.
MARY ALICE
What moods do I get into? And how I
get is no concern for my daughter.
JUDY
Mom.
MARY ALICE
I mean it. This is between me and him.
JUDY
You showed up on my doorstop at midnight!
Don't tell me to keep out of it.
The two women sit quietly for a moment.
MARY ALICE
I only brought my pills and this outfit. I can't go over there though.
JUDY
I know. I'll go. But you need to talk to
him.
MARY ALICE
And what will I say? What will I tell him?
JUDY
Try the truth. Let me get this cake going,
and I'll go get some things.
MARY ALICE
Oh, Derricks birthday dinner. Honey, I forgot, I would have waited. We were going to come. Tell your father to come, I can
stay in my room.
JUDY
Dad will come, but you aren't hiding
in my guest room. You won't be able
to act like a child during all this.
MARY ALICE
How dare my own daughter speak to me
that way.
Judy simply looks to her mom and stands. She moves into the kitchen. Mary Alice crosses her arms and frowns.
INT. JIM'S FAMILY ROOM – AFTERNOON
Jim is still sitting in his easy chair, it doesn't look like he's moved all day. There is a knock at his door, he stirs from a day dream but doesn't get up. A few more knocks, and then the sound of a lock being undone and the front door opening. A voice calls from the hall.
JUDY
Dad? It's me.
Jim doesn;t answer as Judy appears in the doorway.
JUDY
Dad.
Nothing.
JUDY
Dad, mom needs some stuff.
Jim shrugs.
JUDY
Have you eaten today?
Nothing.
JUDY
Do you have stuff to eat?
No answer still, Judy turns and leaves the room.
INT. KITCHEN
She enters her parents kitchen. She checks the fridge, it's
fully stocked. The freezer is as well. Judy notices a recipe card sitting out on the counter.
INT. FAMILY ROOM
Judy returns to the room, sitting on the couch.
JUDY
It looks like mom was going to make
chicken alfredo. She's got the chicken breasts thawing in the fridge, try to
use them soon.
Nothing.
JUDY
Tonight is Derrick's birthday. We're
having them all over.
JIM
I won't be coming.
JUDY
Come on, you were going to, he's your
grandson.
JIM
He's a grown man, and he lives right
down the street and never visits.
He won't miss me.
JUDY
Dad.
JIM
Jude, that's it. Get your moms things
and leave me be.
Judy opens her mouth to speak and thinks better of it. She heads upstairs.
INT. BEDROOM
Judy enters her parents bedroom. She opens the closet and pulls out a big suitcase. She moves about the room piling clothes in the suitcase. In a smaller bag, she gathers her mother's make up. Judy finishes and zips both cases up. She sits on the end of the bed and begins to cry. Jim has been enters.
JIM
What's wrong with you?
JUDY
Mom left you!
JIM
Why are you crying? I'm not.
JUDY
You should be! Fifty something years.
HIM
Fifty–seven.
JUDY
Fifty-seven. Gone!
JIM
Them years ain't gone.
JUDY
You know what I mean. You can't just let
her do this!
JIM
I can't? This ain't me. It's her.
JUDY
Fight for her dad!
JIM
It's been a day, Judith. And I've
fought for her for years. And with her.
JUDY
You want this? You need a break?
Is that why you don't care?
JIM
I do care. If I didn't I wouldn't have
been here all these years. You know
how she gets, it ain't easy, and if
I didn't care it wouldn't be worth
it.
JUDY
She doesn't know you care!
JIM
Bullshit, Jude.
JUDY
Does she? Do you tell her?
JIM
Course I do.
JUDY
When dad? When is the last time you
said anything to her? Anything like
I love you? You never did. Not to
any of us! But us girls, we're stronger
than her. We knew our dad didn't say it.
We knew it didn't mean he didn't feel it.
She isn't as strong. You know it, damn you.
You know it, and knew it, and still
couldn't. Why not? What's so bad about
saying it? A man isn't a man if he
shows emotion? That's the bullshit dad.
That's the bullshit right there. My man
says it, and shows it, and his kids adore him. His wife adores him.
Jim is silent. Judy stands and grabs the bags.
JUDY
Come to dinner.
JIM
No.
JUDY
Fine.
Judy walks out of the room, and Jim listens to the front door open and close a minute later. He sits on the end of the bed.
INT. HARRINGTON KITCHEN
Judy stands at the kitchen counter, putting the finishing touches on a cake. It says HAPPY BIRTHDAY DERRIK in red icing. Tony stands behind her.
TONY
Lets start with the cake.
JUDY
I don't understand how you stay
so skinny.
TONY
I have good genes.
JUDY
So what do I have? Bad genes?
TONY
You dear, have fat jeans.
Tony sticks a finger through the belt loop of her Levis, pulling her towards him, she playfully slaps at him. They kiss as their doorbell rings.
INT. FRONT HALL
Tony opens the door. On the porch stands DERRICK HARRINGTON and his family. Derrick is 34 and good looking, broad shouldered and shorter than his father and little brother. His wife LAURA is cute and pixyish, her hair blonde and stylishly short. Their two sons, MILES and LINK stand beside them. Miles is 7, and Link, 5. Link stands holding his crotch and bouncing on his heels.
LINK
Hi Grandpa! I have to gooooo!
TONY
Don't let me stop you!
Link zooms past and to the bathroom.
TONY
Happy birthday son.
He hugs Derrick, and kisses Laura on the cheek.
TONY
Laura, when are we going to run away together?
LAURA
I'm ready when you are.
DERRICK
Funny.
Everyone moves inside, Miles hugs his grandpa.
MILES
Hi grandpa Tony
TONY
Hi grandson Miles.
Judy enters, licking frosting from her finger.
JUDY
Happy birthday
She hugs her son.
DERRICK
Thanks mom. Simon here?
Judy embraces her daughter in law.
JUDY
He went to pick up Lisa. I hope that's
okay.
DERRICK
That's fine, I haven't met her yet.
TONY
She's a great girl.
DERRICK
Yeah, he's told me about her. As long
as she doesn't have her nose pierced.
Grandma and grandpa went ape sh-
uh poop over that last one.
Miles snickers. Link appears further down the hall, Miles shoots off after him.
JUDY
Well, your grandfather won't be joining
us.
DERRICK
Is he okay? Grandma's car is out front.
TONY
Your grandparents have temporarily
separated.
DERRICK
Separated? Holy shit.
Miles and Link reappear at the end of the hall way.
MILES
Poop dad! Holy poop!
INT. DINING ROOM
Everyone is packed around a table, laughing and eating. LISA, Simon's girlfriend is the only one we haven't seen before. She's brunette and thin, a classically pretty girl. She sits beside Mary Alice, the only one unsmiling, and quiet.
DERRICK
So then, Simon throws one of his shoes
up.
SIMON
And it gets stuck in the tree too!
DERRICK
And then he throws his other shoe up.
LAURA
Let me guess. Stuck too?
SIMON
Totally.
LAURA
Simone was six Derrick, you were sixteen,
you should have known better.
DERRICK
He shouldn't have got my boomerang
stuck up there. And then my bat,
the baseball, the Frisbee, and all the
other stuff.
INT. JIM'S KITCHEN
Jim stands alone the hunger has gotten to him, and he looks over the recipe card. He fills a pot with water.
INT. DINING ROOM
Back at the Harrington's, everyone is chatting. A BEEP and Derrick pulls his cell phone from his pocket.
CELL SCREEN
I WISH I COULD SEE YOU
INT. DINING ROOM
Derrick looks to his wife, she's in conversation with his mother. He replies.
CELL SCREEN
ME TOO.
INT. KITCHEN
Jim is cutting the chicken into chunks. Beside him, the pot on the stove boils over, spilling scalding water to the floor.
JIM
Shit!
INT. DINING ROOM
Judy carries a cake into the room.
EVERYONE
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to
you, happy birthday dear Derrick (Daddy!)
Happy birthday to you!
Derrick smiles to his wife as he slides his phone in his pocket, and blows out the candles.
INT. FAMILY ROOM
Jim is sitting in his chair, the TV the only light in the room. On his lap, a Swanson TV dinner.
