Archipelago

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[Opening credits over bird sounds]

> Christopher paints on a hillside overlooking the cottages while birds sing. Close ups of his painting and paints. He loads the painting onto a bicycle and rides off, a helicopter coming in in the distance.

> Edward exits the helicopter, walking toward Patricia and Cynthia who stand by a fence with bikes.

Cyn:
Hey!

E:
Hi.

P:
Hi.

E:
Hi.

(Laughter & intermingled unclear chatter about Dad)

> Patrica and Cynthia ride bikes following a covered truck that Edward rides in, smiling at them.

> The cottage with the bikes on the side.

> Patricia, Cynthia and Edward standing on the landing between several rooms.

Cyn:
I haven't unpacked, so you can easily have that one if you want to. I just stayed there last night.

E:
I don't mind...

Cyn:
Well, choose.

E:
Honestly, I really don't mind.

P:
It's your trip.

E:
(Laughs) I don't mind. I-I'll tell you what, you-

Cyn:
Oh, come on; Just choose!

E:
You stay in there.

Cyn:
Don't be so nice!

E:
It's fine, it's fine. I'll, erm...

Cyn:
Really?

E:
Yeah. I'll go up there.

Cyn:
Sure?

E:
Yeah.

Cyn:
Okay.

P:
You're alright up there?

E:
Yeah.

> Edward walks up the stairs and hesitates before he sets his bag down, ducking through the too small door for his height and sighs. He sits, surveying the room. Regret on his face.

> Patricia and Cynthia in the very blue kitchen, glasses of wine in hand. Something sizzles on the stove.

P(whispered):
Baked apples.

Cyn:
With the blackberries?

P:
Yeah.

Cyn:
Mmm.

P:
I think that's a very good idea. Hmm, okay.

Cyn:
Oh, I love it when you do that. I think the...

P:
Sorry, darling. Can I just turn the oven on over here?There we are. Whoa!...Not sure which one. Oh, it's this one, I think.

E:
I'm just going to look after my eggs.

P:
Yeah, sorry. Remember, I used to do this when you were really small?

E:
Yeah.

(Laughter)

> An empty living room, Edward's back to us as he cleans up in the kitchen which appears to be the center of the cottage; nearly all dialog said off screen.

Cyn:
Mum, here's your hot water bottle.

P:
Thank you.

Cyn:
There you go. Turning this one out.

P:
Right.

E:
OK.

P:
Night, my darlings.

E:
Night, night. Go up, Mum.

Cyn:
Let's hope Dad's here tomorrow. You won't be seeing him again then, or...

E:
No, I will, I will. I'll see him that night, that one night I've got before I go.

> Edward on the landing again, knocking on doors and leaning into them.

E:
Night, C.

Cyn:
Night, night.

E:
Sleep well.

Cyn:
And you.

E:
Mum?

P:
Darling?

E:
Night-night.

P:
Sleep well.

E:
You too. See you in the morning.

P:
Yeah.

> Edward sitting on his bed, playing with a lamp, trying to get it set right. Tickets with the books on the little table, stood listening.

>A new day. Rose, smoking, anxious; staring off into the void. Edward watches her from the window; she catches him and sighs. She's stalling, unexcited to work for these people.

R:
(Sighs)

> Patrica and Edward sit together on a sofa across from Cynthia, once more drinking a glass of wine. The room is a pale blueish gray, even lighter where a large photo of some kind was previously hung, the wall bow discolored.

Cyn:
Must be quite a nice job, really. Coming away, family, free holiday. Nice bit of cooking. It's not very exacting.

R:
Is everything all right?

Cyn:
Yes, delicious.

R:
Can I get you anything else?

E:
I think we're fine. Thank you.

R:
Good.

Cyn:
Yeah.

E:
Have you come a long way, Rose?

R:
Erm, no. Well, sort of, Northamptonshire.

E:
Oh, that's quite far.

R:
Yeah, well, it's not Scotland, though.

(Laughter)

P:
No.

E:
Yeah. Whereabouts in Northamptonshire?

R:
Erm, sort of, quite near Silverstone.

E:
That is quite far. That's almost up to Cambridge, isn't it? Sort of on the way.

R:
On the way, yeah.

E:
Yeah

R:
I'd say Cambridge is probably an hour or so.

E:
So did you have to leave very early in the morning?

R:
Erm, yeah, quite early.

But it's fine. It's all part of the job.

E:
You're astonishingly ready for us. I'm amazed that you've managed to get things together in such a short space of time. It's really great, thank you.

R:
Well, it's a pleasure. It's what I'm here for.

E:
Hmm.

R:
It's a lovely house.

P:
Yes.

E:
Isn't it?

P:
We love it.

R:
It's really, really nice. Have you stayed here before, or...?

P:
Oh, yes. For many years.

E:
Yeah, we've been here... Yeah.

R:
Okay.

E:
Cynthia and I were here as children.

Cyn:
Yeah, it's lovely. Lots of lovely memories.

R:
Did there used to be a picture on that wall, or..?

(Awkward laughter)

P:
Yes, how clever of you!

R:
I've just noticed the colour difference in the... In the-

P:
Yes, it was rather horrible.

R:
Oh, right.

P:
And Cynthia and Edward very kindly took it down.

(Rose continues to awkwardly laugh)

E:
Yep.

R:
Oh, I see. Right. Well, I'd better get back, but, um, it won't be long.

E:
Great. Great, well, whenever you're ready.

P:
Great.

R:
Okay.

P:
Thank you.

E:
Thanks.

P:
Do you want to finish that for me?

E:
Mmm.

Cyn (whispering): You don't have to act so kind. You don't have to-

E:
What? I'm just-

Cyn (whispering): She's used to it. She can just go in there. That's what she does all the time.

P:
Darling, I don't think we need to whisper.

Cyn:
(chuckles) Oh, right, yeah. I'm a bit stiff from that walking.

P:
Mmm, yeah.

Cyn:
Yes. It's good.

> The family sits at the table- children on one side, mom on the other- eating dinner with more wine. Cynthia smiles, happy to have them both together, but there's tension between Edward and Cynthia, mostly on Edward's part as he angrily cuts his food.

E:
It's not a gap year, C.

Cyn:
Mmm.

E:
I really want you to understand that.

Cyn (intermingled with attempts to cut her off): No, I'm... It sounds great. I mean, of course, it's wonderful, what you're doing, it's really great. Just (Chuckles)...

E:
Well, I'm actu-

Cyn:
Perhaps you could have done it a few years ago-

P:
What?

E:
Well, It's quite- it's diff-

Cyn:
and you wouldn't be quite so out of step with your generation.

P:
Cynthia, he's doing it now.

Cyn:
And then you could just get on with getting a job and, um, working like the rest of us.

P:
He's had a job.

Cyn:
But I'm happy for you. You know, that you can be so cavalier with your future. It's a luxury. I think you're doing... Taking a wonderful, I mean, an excellent choice.

P:
Well, I think in Edward's defence, I'd have to say-

Cyn:
I just think, perhaps a little bit more awareness that it is a luxury, rather than-

P:
It's not a luxury, and it's anything but cavalier.

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