Carol Page #20

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ABBY:

And... Therese?

CAROL:

What about her?

ABBY:

Have you - heard anything?

CAROL:

Oh no. No. It’s been over a month

since she tried to call. Nothingsince then. I wish I...

(but she stops, then):

Have you? Heard anything?

103

ABBY:

From Therese? No.(beat) She must

have started her job at the Times,

though. That’s something.

CAROL:

I should have said: Therese. Wait.

ABBY reaches out, puts a hand on CAROL’S foot. All at once a

pair of headlights swing by, lighting up the windows, and

they are jolted. CAROL turns and ABBY stands, startled. A

look between them: is someone here? Is this trouble? And then

the headlights disappear.

CAROL (CONT’D)

Who the hell is turning around in

my drive?

ABBY:

I should go.

CAROL:

You don’t have to-

ABBY:

-I do.

ABBY squeezes CAROL’S hand - courage. And they start down the

stairs together.

EXT. HUDSON RIVER PIER. NEW YORK. NIGHT.

DANNIE and THERESE sit together on the pier, looking acrossthe river to New Jersey.

DANNIE:

I’m glad you called... I never seeyou no more! Now that you’ve gotthe fancy job with the smoothhours. You punch out, I punch in.

THERESE:

It doesn’t feel fancy, haulinggallon jugs of developer all day.

But I kind of love it, you know?

DANNIE:

Sure. (beat) Hey - guess whathappened to me? No? Can’t think ofit?

THERESE smiles, shakes her head.

DANNIE (CONT’D)

I met a girl. Louise. She’s gotgreen eyes, she’s a movieencyclopedia, and the most amazingthing? She thinks I’m boss.

THERESE:

(she’s pleased for DANNIE)

Go figure.

DANNIE:

(he’s pleased she’s

pleased)

Yeah. (beat) If you want, we can

all hang out some night. Go to a

movie.

THERESE:

That sounds swell. I’d love to meet

her. (pause) Did, uh - Have youseen Richard?

DANNIE:

I seen him. (beat) Think he wantedto talk, maybe. But I, uh... Idon’t know. I feel bad for him. But

I don’t wanna get-

He stops, glancing up at THERESE, then looking away.

THERESE’s thoughts seem to harden and a brief darkness fallsover her.

THERESE:

Use what feels right. Throw awaythe rest.

DANNIE:

(laughs)

Where’d that come from?

THERESE:

Something Carol once said to me.

DANNIE:

(a beat, then:
)

Did she... do that? To you?

THERESE struggles for this...

THERESE:

I can’t - go. Back. To that place.

Where you keep it all locked up...

the sadness, shame... You letpeople down. You let yourself -

down. So you cry and you... hideand think -things, constantly,

crazy things, like...

(MORE)

105

THERESE (CONT'D)

if you stare at the phone longenough or - take a train andjust... lurk... it could all...

return. (silence) And then one daythe phone is just a phone. A traingoing to Jersey is just a train toJersey. You stop - crying andhiding. And you know you’re able touse things and throw them away.

The river looks like a swath of black cellophane.

CUT BACK TO:

INT. PHIL’S APARTMENT. NIGHT. (APRIL 1953)

THERESE sits on the edge of the bathtub next to the openwindow, taking in the air. She can hear the party inprogress, people having a great time, but she’s not ready torejoin them. A couple of RAPID KNOCKS on the door.

THERESE:

Sorry. Just a second.

THERESE gathers herself, gets up, opens the door. It’sGENEVIEVE. She wears her coat and scarf.

THERESE (CONT’D)

Oh. You’re leaving.

GENEVIEVE:

Just about. Will you miss me?

THERESE doesn’t look away from GENEVIEVE this time. GENEVIEVEmoves closer to THERESE, whispers in her ear.

GENEVIEVE (CONT’D)

Listen, Therese. There’s an intime

gathering, quite exclusive youunderstand, later on. At my place.

(beat) Quick. Show me your hand.

THERESE:

You a fortune teller?

GENEVIEVE:

I’m a fortune giver.

GENEVIEVE takes THERESE’S hand, writes her address in inkonto THERESE’S palm.

GENEVIEVE(CONT’D)

So you don’t forget.

106

And GENEVIEVE’S off. THERESE watches her wind her way to thedoor.

RETURN TO:

FLASHBACK:
EARLIER THE SAME DAY, MID-APRIL 1953

EXT. 41ST STREET & BROADWAY. MORNING.

Through passing cars and car windows we suddenly see THERESE,

dressed for work in a smart dark suit, hurrying through themorning commuter CROWD towards the New York Times building.

Her style of hair and dress has taken on a sophistication andmaturity we can’t help but associate with CAROL.

INT. TAXI. TIMES SQUARE. MORNING.

CAROL, in the cab on her way to FRED HAYMES’S office, is

looking distantly out the window when she suddenly spots her.

The light changes and the taxi starts to move - THERESEflickers from view. CAROL looks back over her shoulder

through reflections.

INT. ELEVATOR/JERRY RIX LAW OFFICES. DAY.

CAROL, turned away, inside the elevator. The doors open. Sheturns to look a moment before heading out the door and downthe hall.

Gathered inside, HARGE, RIX, FRED HAYMES and a STENOGRAPHER

all turn and note her arrival.

INT. JERRY RIX LAW OFFICES. DAY. MOMENTS LATER

Everyone is gathered around the conference table.

JERRY RIX:

Well-(coughs)-we feel, given the

seriousness of the charges and theincontestability of the evidence,

my client has every reason toexpect a compliant and favorableoutcome.

FRED HAYMES:

Not so fast, Jerry. My client’spsychotherapist is perfectlysatisfied with her recovery from...

the events of the winter, assertingshe’s more than capable of caringfor her child. She’s had no further

contact with Therese Belivet.

(MORE)

FRED HAYMES (CONT'D)

And we have sworn depositions fromtwo Saddlebrook Institute

psychiatrists clearly stating that,

in their opinions, a series ofevents, precipitated by my client’shusband, drove her to suffer anemotional break, which resulted inthis - described behavior.

HARGE:

(looks to his lawyer forhelp)

That’s absurd! - Are they serious-?

JERRY RIX:

Alright, Fred - okay, if this is

how you’re going to play this-

FRED HAYMES:

Furthermore, given the manner inwhich these tapes were obtained andrecorded, we’re confident in theirinadmissability-

JERRY RIX:

Okay, okay. First off, I’d like to

see these depositions. And second-

CAROL:

(interrupts him)

Fred - please. Don’t - May I speak?

A silence, as everybody in the room looks to CAROL.

CAROL (CONT’D)

I won’t deny the truth of what’scontained in those tapes.

FRED HAYMES:

(signals to theSTENOGRAPHER)

This is off the record, honey.

CAROL:

Might as well be on the record.

A pause as JERRY nods to the STENOGRAPHER to continue andCAROL pours herself a glass of water.

CAROL (CONT’D) (CONT’D)

I wanted - I did want - to talk

about... duty... sacrifice. That

was what I-(beat)... But now that

I’m here I don’t... I don’t know

what I believe... Or what I even

know... except that...

(MORE)

108

(Rectangle comment ccaruso

10/30/2015 11:
48:30 PM

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CAROL (CONT’D) (CONT’D)

I know I want to see my daughter -

to hear her voice... Always. To bethere when she’s-

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