Away from Her Page #9

79 EXT LAKE - JANUARY 2004- NIGHT 79

Grant stands still on the lake, still looking back at the

house. One by one, all the lights in the house switch

themselves off.

82 EXT ANDERSSON’S COTTAGE - EARLY MORNING 82

Grant takes down a string of Christmas lights from the front

of the house.

83 EXT LAKE -JANUARY 2004- DAY 83

36 fps as Grant laces up his ski boot. Takes a few strides.

Decides against it. Heads back to the cottage.

86 INT MARIAN’S KITCHEN -FEBRUARY 2005 -MORNING 86

On the kitchen counter there are all sorts of contrivances

and appliances - coffeemaker, food processor, knife

sharpener, etc. All look new and expensive, as if they had

just been taken out of their wrappings or polished daily.

Grant decides it might be a good idea to admire things.

GRANT:

That’s a great looking coffeemaker.

I always meant to get one of those.

I saw they had them on sale at the

Canadian Tire.

45.

MARIAN:

They gave us that. Our son and his

wife. They live in Kamloops, B.C.

They send us more stuff than we can

handle. It wouldn’t hurt if they

would spend the money to come and

see us instead.

GRANT:

(philosophical)

I suppose they’re busy with their

lives.

Marian gives a sharp laugh.

MARIAN:

They weren’t too busy to go to

Hawaii last winter. You could

understand it if we had somebody

else in the family, closer at hand.

But he’s the only one.

She pours the coffee into two brown and green ceramic mugs

that she takes from the amputated branches of a ceramic tree

trunk that sits on the table. She sits down with him. Grant

hesitantly begins to speak.

GRANT:

People do get lonely. If they’re

deprived of seeing somebody they

care about. Fiona, for instance. My

wife.

MARIAN:

I thought you said you went and

visited her.

GRANT:

I do. That’s not it.

87 INT ANDERSSON’S BEDROOM -FEBRUARY 2004- MORNING 87

Grant smooths his hair. Appraises his appearance carefully.

FLASHBACK:

89 INT DIFFERENT HOUSE 89

GRANT’S MEMORY: Grant, in his 30’s, smooths his hair in the

bathroom mirror. Fiona appears behind him. Straightens his

tie for him. She encircles her arms around his waist. Kisses

his neck. They stare at each other in the mirror.

46.

91 EXT COUNTY ROAD -FEBRUARY 2004- MORNING 91

Grant drives down the long country road to Meadowlake. He

looks so excited and happy.

Title card:

AUBREY AND THE FORGETTING

92 INT MEADOWLAKE CORRIDOR FEBRUARY 2004-MORNING 92

Grant goes down the hall quickly, the flowers held awkwardly

in his hands. Madeleine sees her office.

MADELEINE:

There you are. I’ll take you to

her.

She looks at the flowers.

MADELEINE:

Wow. Narcissus this early. You

must’ve spent a fortune.

They walk down the corridor.

MADELEINE:

Funny. They all come in with

flowers. Even if they’re not the

flower buying type. They all turn

into guilty husbands. Only thing

missing is the affair. The

important thing to remember is

you’ve done nothing wrong.

They pass a few people in wheelchairs, staring off into

space, murmuring to themselves, etc. A woman passes them,

clearly in a haze.

MRS. ALBRIGHT

I’m certain I left my sweater in

the church. Just this morning. I

left my sweater in the church.

Kristy, who is passing by, tenderly places her hand on the

old woman’s shoulder.

KRISTY:

Well maybe someone picked it up for

you and put it in your room Mrs.

Albright. I’ll help you look for

your sweater.

47.

The woman calms down. Nods. Goes back in the direction she

came from. Kristy sees Grant.

KRISTY:

Great to see you Mr. Andersson.

She gives him a squeeze on the shoulder. She continues down

the hall.

MADELEINE:

There now. You remember from last

time you were here don’t you?

There’s her room right there. Her

name plate’s right on the door.

I’ll leave you to it.

Madeleine leaves. Grant pauses in front of the door. Looks at

the handmade nameplate. It is sloppily made, but has “Fiona,”

neatly written, and a few yellow clay flowers decorating it.

They are very like the skunk lilies. He touches them gently.

Smiles. Pauses a moment. Not sure if he should knock or not.

Decides he should. Knocks gently. He opens the door.

93 INT FIONA’S ROOM -FEBRUARY 2004- MORNING 93

Grant peeks his head in the door.

GRANT:

Fiona?

No answer. The room is empty. There is still nothing personal

in the room. The bed is made. There is a glass of water and a

box of kleenex on the bedside table. No photos, pictures of

any kind, not a book or a magazine. He looks around

disappointed. Leaves the room.

94 OMITTED 94

48.

95 INT DINING AREA - FEBRUARY 2004-MORNING 95

Residents sit along the walls, in easy chairs, others at

tables in the middle of the carpeted floor. The same man that

was playing the piano during Grant’s tour, plays it again

now. Picking away with one finger and never achieving a tune.

A group of residents sit and play cards. Grant sees Fiona, in

profile, sitting up close to the card table but not playing.

She is sitting very closely beside the man in the wheelchair.

She looks a little different. Her hair is pulled back in an

unfamiliar style. Her usual red lipstick gone. Kristy comes

up behind Grant.

KRISTY:

There she is. You just go up and

say hello and try not to startle

her. Remember she may not - Well.

Just go ahead.

Kristy looks concerned. Grant walks towards the table. As he

approaches, all the card players look up, including Fiona.

The rest of the players look back down at their cards again,

except Fiona. She smiles her sly, charming smile, pushes back

her chair and comes around to him, putting her fingers to her

mouth.

FIONA:

(whispering)

Bridge. Deadly Serious. They’re

quite rabid about it.

She draws him towards the coffee table. Sits him down beside

her. Speaks to him very politely, as you would an

acquaintance.

FIONA:

I can remember being like that for

a while at college. My friends and

I would cut class and sit in the

common room and smoke and play like

cutthroats. One’s name was Phoebe,

I don’t remember the others.

GRANT:

Phoebe Hart.

FIONA:

You knew her too? Can I get you

anything? A cup of tea? I’m afraid

the coffee isn’t up to much here.

GRANT:

I don’t drink tea...

49.

Grant is paralysed. He wants to throw his arms around her but

something about her demeanour makes it impossible. At a loss,

he searches around for something to say.

GRANT:

I brought you some flowers.I

thought they’d do to brighten up

your room. I went to your room, but

you weren’t there.

FIONA:

Well no. I’m here.

There is an awkward pause.

GRANT:

You’ve made a new friend.

He indicates the man in the wheelchair. The man looks up,

Fiona looks back at him.

FIONA:

It’s just Aubrey. The funny thing

is I knew him years and years ago.

He worked in the store. The

hardware store where my grandpa

used to shop. He and I were always

kidding around and he could not get

up the nerve to ask me out. Till

the very last weekend and he took

me to a ball game. But when it was

over my grandpa showed up to drive

me home. I was up visiting for the

summer. Visiting my grandparents -

they lived in a cottage on the

lake.

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