12 and holding Page #12

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GUS:

No.

Gus catches a look of relief on Malee’s face.

GUS (cont’d)

I mean, yeah. You may be 13, but a

boy even three years older than you

is probably more “experienced”.

Boys can be impatient about that

sort of thing.

MALEE:

Are you impatient?

GUS:

No, but when I was a kid.

MALEE:

Why don’t you have a girlfriend?

GUS:

I did, but it didn’t work out.

MALEE:

How old was she?

GUS:

About my age.

MALEE:

See that, age wasn’t an issue, yet

you still wanted different things.

I don’t think it’s about age.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

73.

CONTINUED:
(2)

MALEE (cont'd)

I think when two people connect,

they connect for other reasons.

And since soulmates are eternal,

they have no age.

Gus is stumped.

EXT. LEONARD’S DRIVEWAY - NEXT DAY

Leonard watches Patrick and his sisters drive off in a

TAXICAB.

LEONARD:

(calling after them)

Have a good flight!

The taxicab disappears down the street.

As Leonard turns back around, he sees Grace, staring at him

from the window. They lock eyes for a moment and then Grace

disappears into the dark recesses of the home.

INT. LEONARD’S HOME - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Leonard descends the staircase and begins looking around at

the setting. Boxes of junk clutter the floor along with old

furniture and bicycles.

He crosses to the basement door, which leads out to the

backyard. As Leonard unlocks and opens the door, a mass of

cobwebs stretch across the frame like elastic bands. Leonard

grabs a nearby broom and starts wiping away the cobwebs.

INT. JACOB’S HOME - BEDROOM - DAYS LATER

Jacob sits at his desk, reading the PLASTIC SURGERY PAMPHLET

his parents had given him for his birthday last year.

The bedroom door opens and Ashley sticks her head in.

ASHLEY:

We’re home.

JACOB:

Hi.

ASHLEY:

Could you come downstairs for a

minute. We have a surprise for

you.

74.

INT. JACOB’S HOME - KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Jacob stands in front of KEITH GARDNER (10), African

American, sweet faced and dressed in a shirt and tie. He has

luggage with him.

Ashley and Jim stand behind the boys, beaming.

JIM:

This is Keith Gardner. You’re new

brother. Keith our son, Jacob.

Keith extends his hand.

KEITH:

It’s nice to meet you.

INT. JACOB’S HOME - BEDROOM - LATER

Jacob leads Keith inside.

JACOB:

You get top bunk.

KEITH:

I’m kind of afraid of heights.

JACOB:

Sucks to be you.

Keith lets Jacob’s attitude pass.

JACOB (CONT'D) (cont’d)

No offence, but I never thought my

future brother would be a... well,

a “brother”.

KEITH:

I never thought my future brother

would have a KOOL AID stain,

smeared across his face.

JACOB:

F*** you, it’s a birthmark!

KEITH:

We’re getting off on the wrong

foot.

(CONTINUED)

75.

CONTINUED:

JACOB:

When my parents said they were

taking in an orphan, I pictured a

baby. So what happened, your

parents die or something?

KEITH:

I was given up at birth.

JACOB:

You gonna try and find your mother

when you’re 18?

KEITH:

As far as I’m concerned, the fact

she had me was enough. I don’t

need to show up one day and disrupt

her life.

JACOB:

Oh, but it’s okay to just show up

one day and disrupt mine?

Off Keith’s hurt look

INT. LIBRARY - LATER

Malee stands at the card catalogue, flipping through the “S”

section. She comes to cards with the word SEX in the title.

INT. MALEE’S HOME - BEDROOM - EARLY EVENING

Malee enters her room, locks the door behind her and empties

her bag of SEX books on the bed. The first one she peruses

is the “KARMA SUTRA”. At first glance, Malee’s eyes go wide

in shock. She grabs her backpack and removes a number of

index cards. Malee starts taking notes.

INT. JUVY HALL - COMMUNICATION BOOTHS - NEXT DAY

Jacob is on the one way phone with Kenny.

JACOB:

He’s not some baby. He’s like 10.

KENNY:

You’re blaming me for this?

JACOB:

No. But can you believe it?

(CONTINUED)

76.

CONTINUED:

KENNY:

Maybe this is the only way they can

get over Rudy’s death.

JACOB:

He’s a person not a f***ing vase.

KENNY:

I know.

JACOB:

I gotta get out of there. I can’t

live in that house for one more

day. I want to go with you to New

Mexico.

KENNY:

No way. You’ve never even been

out on the road.

JACOB:

So.

KENNY:

It’s not easy. After first night

falls, you’ll be pissing yourself.

JACOB:

No, I won’t.

KENNY:

You don’t need me to run away from

home.

JACOB:

That’s not what this is about.

KENNY:

Yes, it is.

(beat)

And you want to come with ME of all

people. Are you forgetting, I was

the one who killed Rudy!

JACOB:

That was an accident.

Kenny appears stunned. Jacob has never accepted that truth.

(CONTINUED)

77.

CONTINUED:
(2)

JACOB (CONT'D) (cont’d)

I’ll be helpful. I can get

everything we’ll need together. As

soon as you’re released, we can go.

Kenny appears to be weighing the decision.

JACOB (CONT'D) (cont’d)

Please.

KENNY:

If this is what you want. Alright.

INT. MALEE’S HOME - KITCHEN - SAME TIME

Yacco is on the phone with her ex-husband.

YACCO (INTO PHONE)

... I’m not asking for much. Just

call her from time to time...

Because she needs to know her

father cares... Call collect.

Malee enters the kitchen.

MALEE:

Is that Dad? Can I talk to him?

YACCO:

Take some responsibility for

yourself and grow... Hello?...

Yacco slams the phone down.

YACCO (CONT'D) (cont’d)

He hung up.

MALEE:

Well, what do you expect? All you

ever do is yell at him.

YACCO:

Malee, you don’t understand.

MALEE:

He’s my Dad! I’m sorry if it

bothers you, but I love him. You

keep this up then one day, when I’m

old enough, I’ll leave here and go

and stay with him.

Malee runs out of the room, leaving a disappointed Yacco.

78.

INT. LEONARD’S HOME - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Leonard hammers a piece of wood over the basement door, which

is now entirely boarded up.

REVEAL the basement. Now clean. Boxes, furniture and trash

are piled neatly in a corner. Only a mattress remains on the

floor in the center of the room.

Leonard grabs a grocery bag and crosses to a bathroom at the

opposite end of the basement.

INT. LEONARD’S HOME - BASEMENT BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

Leonard turns on the light, revealing a shower, toilet and

sink. He removes toiletries from the grocery bag and places

them inside.

INT. LEONARD’S HOME - DEN - SAME TIME

Grace watches FAMILY FEUD while eating cake.

LEONARD (O.S.)

(screaming)

Help! Oh God, Ma! Help!

Grace drops her fork.

GRACE:

Leonard?

Grace jumps up and runs out of the room.

INT. LEONARD’S HOME - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Grace opens the door to the staircase, which leads to the

basement.

GRACE:

(screaming)

Leonard, what’s wrong?

LEONARD (O.S.)

It’s on top of me. I can’t get up!

Oh, there’s so much blood!

GRACE:

I’m calling 9-1-1!

LEONARD (O.S.)

Get it off me first! I’m bleeding.

(CONTINUED)

79.

CONTINUED:

GRACE:

If I go downstairs, I won’t be able

to make it back up. Let me call

9-1-1 first, okay?

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