Chappaquiddick Page #3

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Gargan reluctantly pulls the rope.

12.

The spinnaker goes back up and fills with more wind, nearlywhipping the rope from Gargan’s hand.

He leans back with all of his weight in order to secure thesail. The Victura punches through the choppy water withnewfound vigor.

From overhead Ted’s boat speeds past the midpoint of the twomarks, just as his competitors begin the turn behind him.

Gargan and Markham move port side, jump the rail and lean allthe way off the boat with their bodies parallel to the water,

straining to keep the sail under control. The waves crashinto them, but their concentration never breaks.

Gargan sees a knot unraveling. Just as it loses its hold,

Gargan swings up and grabs it with his other hand. He expertlyties the knot and looks to see the mark just ahead.

He turns back to see Ted polishing off his beer with a bigsmile on his face and starting the turn.

GARGAN:

We’re coming in too fast. We needto drop the spinnaker.

TED:

It’s fine, Joey. Nothing to it.

GARGAN:

Our approach is all wrong. We

should’ve dropped the sail 100

yards back.

Ted grabs the tiller with both hands, putting all of hisweight into it. The bow heads directly for the mark.

GARGAN (CONT’D)

Ted!

The boat slams into the buoy, which scrapes along the portside of the hull. Gargan jostles wildly from the impact.

Markham loses his toe hold. SLAMS his knee against the rail.

Ted slips and falls to the floor. Gargan jumps off the railsand into the cockpit, taking control of the tiller.

GARGAN (CONT’D)

(to Markham)

Take down the sail and let’s swing

the jib port side.

MARKHAM:

Let the kid take care of this one.

I can’t move my goddamn knee!

13.

Ted watches in humiliation as another boat passes by them. Itturns the mark with ease. The skipper, ROSS RICHARDS, and hisfirst mate, STAN MOORE, give Ted a mocking salute.

EXT. EDGARTOWN HARBOR CHANNEL - SUNSET

The Chappaquiddick ferry drifts across the water. Ted standsoutside of his car nursing a drink. His eyes are fixed on thedocked sailboats across the empty harbor.

EXT. LAWRENCE COTTAGE - NIGHT

The quaint bungalow barely contains the muffled sounds of araucous party.

A RED LIGHT from the volunteer fire house across the street

glows brightly, casting a red haze over the front lawn.

Kennedy's Oldsmobile creeps towards the entrance without asound just as Markham stumbles out the front door. Trailingsomewhat seductively behind him, MARYELLEN and NANCE LYONS,

27 & 26, laugh amongst themselves.

MARKHAM:

I know you two can keep a secret'cause you’re sisters. Sisters aregreat secret keepers.

Markham takes off his wedding ring and opens his front breastpocket. He hobbles backwards on his injured knee and fumblesthe gold band, which CLINKS down the wooden porch.

MARKHAM (CONT’D)

Oh, sh*t.

The rear passenger door opens. Ted's fine leather shoes stepdown onto the gravel next to the ring. He picks it up withhis free hand and holds a scotch on the rocks in the other.

Strolls over and gives the ring to Nance.

TED:

I trust you ladies to keep thissafer than the U.S. Attorney, here.

Ted steps past the Lyons sisters, who exchange a look ofquiet satisfaction at the shoulders they've just rubbed.

INT. LAWRENCE COTTAGE - MOMENTS LATER

Ted enters the foyer revealing an even more boisterous partythan it appeared from outside. He surveys the room with aquiet reticence at odds with his surroundings.

14.

Esther turns the knob on the radio, making the music louder.

She saunters past two girls her age flirting with a mucholder man as she makes her way to the main room.

Esther hops on top of the coffee table, joining a woman in amod mini dress and flashy, gold chain belt with her backfacing Ted. The two women dance without reserve, enjoyingtheir place at the center of attention.

Esther catches a glimpse of Ted looking their direction.

ESTHER:

Care to join us, Senator?

The other woman on the table spins around revealing Mary Jo,

equally stunning as before but with an elegance and easepreviously unseen. Ted locks eyes with her, magnetized.

ESTHER (CONT’D)

C'mon, Teddy. You should be used tolosing races by now. Have some fun.

TED:

It's not every year that my crewfinds a way to snatch defeat fromthe jaws of victory.

MARY JO:

Well, the captain's the leader.

TED:

Right. I lead. They listen.

Mary Jo stops dancing.

MARY JO:

Aren't more races won by leaders

who inspire their team?

(beat)

I don't know. I'm new to sailing.

Ted flashes a sly but appreciative smile. Gargan walks up toMary Jo with a tray full of hors d'oeuvres.

GARGAN:

Oh, don't worry. Ted knows I findhis insults very inspiring. Plus,

if he couldn't insult me, he'd havekicked me off the team years ago.

TED:

Joey, you’re family! I could never

kick my cousin off the team.

(beat)

My dad would never allow it!

Ted gives a loud, hearty laugh and slaps Gargan on the back.

15.

The girls laugh too but only to be polite.

GARGAN:

Well, he wouldn’t keep me around ifyou were a better sailor.

TED:

I’ll drink to that!

Ted grabs Gargan and gives him an overly enthusiastic sidehug as he swings back his drink.

GARGAN:

As long as we're raising glasses,

we ought to raise a few more forthe Boiler Room Girls.

TED:

Quite right!

Ted steps up on the coffee table with Mary Jo and Esther.

Puts his arms around both.

TED (CONT’D)

Someone peel Paul away from theLyons sisters! I want them to hearthis too!

Gargan turns down the radio. The Lyons sisters saunter in.

Markham hobbles behind with his shirt now untucked.

TED (CONT’D)

Family.

(raises glass)

There's no more important word.

(beat)

I was lucky to be born a Kennedy.

But family is more than just aname. Joey Gargan and I don't sharea name. We share a lifetime bond.

He's family.

(beat)

We named you the Boiler Room Girls.

Working on Bobby's campaign, peoplethought we gave you a name likethat because we put all thepressure in the world on you. Andwe did.

(beat)

Me, I like to think we called youthe Boiler Room Girls because youhad such a fire in your bellies...

it burned so hot, wanting to liveup to the name on that ticket...

(beat)

...the Kennedy name.

Ted looks at Mary Jo.

16.

TED (CONT’D)

You wanted to prove yourself worthyof it.

(beat)

Not of the name. Of the ideas. The

ones my brother stood for. Andyou've proven yourselves more thanworthy.

He looks back down.

TED (CONT’D)

We miss him everyday. His memory

endures. His ideals will endure.

We...we will persevere.

(beat)

Because that’s what Kennedys mustdo. And I want you to knowthat...that you’re all part of the

Kennedy family now.

(raises glass)

To family.

Ted takes a big long drink. The room erupts into loud cheers.

MARKHAM:

And to Teddy! To the White House in'72!

THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE. Twice as loud. Ted doesn't react.

Markham’s words reverberate as Ted stares with an all-

consuming focus into his glass.

The SOUND NEARLY DROPS OUT. Ted’s fixation intensifies as the

cheers become muffled -

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