Away from Her Page #13

KRISTY:

What did you say?

GRANT:

I took her up on it. I shouted yes.

Grant takes a deep breath.

GRANT:

I never wanted to be away from her.

She had the spark of life.

116 EXT PIER - 1961 116

GRANT’S MEMORY: The image of Fiona at 18 from the beginning

of the film. She looks at us. Right into our eyes. Over this

we hear:

KRISTY (V.O.)

You know. Nothing takes away what

happens to you. Where you’ve been,

what you’ve experienced. I don’t

think so. Even if it’s gone away

somehow, even if you can’t remember

it. It’s still there. It’s still

what you are.

117 EXT MEADOWLAKE -MARCH 2004 -DAY 117

Kristy watches him, sympathetic.

68.

GRANT:

It’s curious.

KRISTY:

What’s curious?

GRANT:

All that. The “madly in love” part.

The beginning. When I hear myself

tell the story, it sounds

so...crucial. And it was I suppose.

But compared to what we ended up

with it seems very...superficial

somehow.

118 EXT LAKE HURON BEACH - APRIL 2004 -DAY 118

Grant walks along the beach, up and down the metal barricades

as he did with Fiona. 36 fps.

*

120 INT CONSERVATORY- DECEMBER 2004 - EARLY EVENING 120 *

Grant watches as the residents play Bingo. Eliza plays bingo *

with her daughter. They sign to each other. Her daughter *

looks absolutely joyous as she plays with her mother, and she *

describes to her the game in sign. Fiona, wearing that *

bright, tacky sweater helps Aubrey play. Kristy takes a seat *

beside Grant. *

GRANT *

They never sorted out the clothes. *

KRISTY *

Oh. They...tried to. She’s become *

very attached to that sweater. *

Grant nods. *

69-71.

121 INT DINING ROOM 121 *

*

Meadowlake is decorated for Christmas again. A badass

teenager with blue hair and a whole lot of piercings watches

her grandfather and her parents play Bingo. Her grandfather

has food all over his chin. The badass teenager leaves the

table. Grant sits alone at the fountain, watching Aubrey and

Fiona sitting in the distance. They lean in close and

whisper, oblivious to the invasion of visitors. The badass

teenager. MONICA comes and sits beside Grant on the fountain

in a huff. She puts on her headphones which blare thrasher

music. Grant notices her. Continues to watch Aubrey and Fiona

as he talks to the young girl beside him.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

GRANT:

Not such a fun place to visit eh?

*

*

Monica lifts up her earphone. The music is deafening. *

MONICA:

Excuse me?

*

*

Nothing.

GRANT *

*

She turns off the music. *

MONICA:

No. What were you gonna say?

*

*

GRANT:

Just. Not such a fun place to visit

eh?

*

*

*

MONICA:

F***in Depressing.

*

*

She glances at him, thinking she may have offended him. *

MONICA:

No offence.

*

*

He smiles. *

GRANT:

No offence taken.

*

*

MONICA:

Sorry. I’m just on the rag.

*

*

71A.

GRANT *

That would do it, yes. *

They sit in silence for a moment. *

MONICA *

I’m not in the mood for Grandpa *

when I’m on the rag, know what I’m *

sayin? *

Grant smiles. *

GRANT *

You never know. I’m not an expert *

on families. But someday you might *

be glad you came. *

Monica looks at him. Assesses him. *

MONICA *

No one came to visit you eh? That *

must suck huge. *

GRANT *

No. I’m... I don’t live here. I’m *

just visiting someone. *

Monica makes a show of looking around for the person he’s *

visiting. *

MONICA *

Who? What’s your deal crazy man? *

Grant smiles. Likes her. He indicates Fiona. *

GRANT *

I’m visiting that woman over there. *

Monica looks over. *

MONICA *

Which one? *

GRANT *

The beautiful one. With the shock *

of hair. *

MONICA *

The one sitting with her husband? *

71B.

GRANT *

You could say that. *

MONICA *

Why wouldn’t you? *

GRANT *

Why wouldn’t you what? *

MONICA *

Say that. *

GRANT *

Uh...you wouldn’t say

that...because I’m her husband.

*

*

Monica looks at Fiona and Aubrey, deep in conversation. *

MONICA *

So...why aren’t you sitting with

her?

*

*

GRANT *

Oh... I’ve learned to give her a

little bit of space.She’s in love

with the man she’s sitting with. I

don’t like to disturb her. I

*

*

*

*

just...like to see her I suppose. I

like to make sure that she’s doing

well.

*

*

*

He looks at the Monica selfconsciously. Embarrassed. *

GRANT *

I suppose it seems rather pathetic. *

Monica stares at him for a long time. A little tear in her

eye.

*

*

MONICA *

If the guy I’m dating right now? If

he was like you? I should be so

lucky.

*

*

*

She gives him a hefty pat on the back. Makes him lay her five

and goes back to her Grandpa. Grant laughs to himself. The

biggest, most genuine smile we’ve seen from him in a long

time.

*

*

*

*

122 INT DINING AREA -JANUARY 2005- MORNING 122

Grant looks around the card tables for Fiona. Eliza yells out

to him, excited.

71C.

ELIZA:

She’s not here! She’s sick! He’s

not here either!

She looks very proud of having this information. And way more

out of it than we’ve seen her. Her hair is messy, her clothes

awry. Grant nods.

72.

123 INT CORRIDOR - JANUARY 2005-MORNING 123

Grant hurriedly makes his way down the corridor to Fiona’s

room, a book under his arm. Grant knocks lightly at Fiona’s

door. He opens it gently.

124 INT FIONA’S ROOM - JANUARY 2005-MORNING 124

Fiona is sitting straight up in the bed, which is cranked up

like a hospital bed. She’s wearing a nightgown and looks very

pale. Aubrey is beside her in his wheelchair, which is pushed

as close to the bed as it can get. His face also has a gray,

worn out expression. He is wearing a jacket and tie and his

hat rests on the bed. He looks as though he’s going

somewhere. As Grant enters, they both look up at him with

stony, grief-ridden apprehension that turns to relief, if not

to welcome when they see who he is. Not who they thought he’d

be. They grasp each others hands and do not let go. Grant is

taken aback. He sets the book down at the foot of the bed.

GRANT:

I...I brought you a book Fiona.

It’s about Iceland. I thought maybe

you’d like to look at it.

FIONA:

Why. Thank you.

She turns her attention back to Aubrey who is pulling his *

hand away from her. He puts his hand over his face as he

weeps uncontrollably. He is embarrassed about his running

nose, especially in Grant’s presence.

FIONA:

What is it? What is it, dear heart?

Oh, all right. Oh, here.

She pulls some tissue out of the box.

FIONA:

Here. Here.

She tries to wipe his nose, but Aubrey grabs the kleenex away

from her and does it himself.

73.

FIONA:

(whispering, to Grant)

Do you by any chance have any

influence around here? I’ve seen

you talking to them.

Aubrey makes a noise. Like an animal wail. He pitches his

upper body towards her. She scrambles half out of bed to

catch him and holds onto him. Grant doesn’t know whether to

help or not. Decides he’d better not.

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