Confidence Page #2

RUTH:

Mmmmmmm.

Letty passes her hand in front of Ruth's eyes.

LETTY:

Ruth. Calling Ruth.

RUTH:

(laughing)

Sorry.

LETTY:

Just go ahead and tell us.

RUTH:

There's nothing to tell.

MRS. MAYER

(to Ruth)

Are you sure, Dear?

LETTY:

Come on.

RUTH:

No, really. Tell me about the

promotion.

LETTY:

Well, my theory is that people can

really enjoy math, but they lose

interest...

Ruth can't hold it a moment longer without bursting.

RUTH:

(almost screaming)

I'm getting married.

7.

Mrs. Mayer's eyes immediately fill with tears. Ruth leaps up

and hugs her mother. Other diners glance toward the table.

One WOMAN IN THE RESTAURANT taps the side of her glass with

her fork and raises a silent toast to Ruth. Other DINERS

follow suit. Ruth grins back and starts to giggle.

.

MRS. MAYER

I'm so happy for you. It's just

wonderful.

Mrs. Mayer dabs her eyes with her napkin.

MRS. MAYER

My goodness. A wedding. My

goodness.

LETTY:

Wow. Congratulations.

Ruth dashes around the table to embrace the stunned Letty.

RUTH:

(to Letty)

Can you believe it?

Ruth sits back down and pulls a gorgeous ring from her purse.

She slips it on and wiggles her finger in front of Letty and

her mother, who peers at it with approval.

MRS. MAYER

Tell us every detail.

LETTY:

You've only known Jake a few

months.

RUTH:

Three and a week.

(screaming again)

Isn't it great?

MRS. MAYER

My goodness. What about an

engagement party? We must start

planning.

(signaling a waiter)

Champagne. Girls, we need some

champagne.

Off Letty's frozen smile, we

CUT TO:

8.

INT. BEDROOM - LETTY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Letty's in bed, drawing a giant multiplication chart. PAUL

LASCHER, early 30s, handsome in a corporate way, shrugs off

his expensive suit.

He opens a drawer of Letty's dresser, and removes a neatly

pressed T-shirt. He smooths out another shirt he has

accidently rumpled in the process.

PAUL:

So, another one bites the dust.

LETTY:

It's not another one. It's my

sister.

(beat)

Aren't you happy for her?

PAUL:

She's only known the guy a few

months.

Paul lays his folded trousers across Letty's desk.

PAUL:

Can I put these here for tonight?

LETTY:

(pointing to the closet)

In there's better.

(beat)

It's kind of romantic, don't you

think?

PAUL:

I really think if you're going to

spend your life with someone you

want to know them pretty damn well.

Paul sits on the bed, and leans against a pillow.

LETTY:

Believe me, I know your feelings on

the matter.

PAUL:

The receptionist said you called

earlier about something.

Letty holds up her multiplication chart and shows it to Paul.

9.

LETTY:

My math program. The

Superintendent said he'd fund it.

PAUL:

Good going. I knew you could do

it.

Paul kisses Letty on the cheek.

PAUL:

It looks like we're both bucking

for advancement.

LETTY:

Yeah?

PAUL:

Huntley told me today that if I

come through on the Benton

deposition, they may consider me

for senior associate.

Letty hugs Paul.

LETTY:

Congratulations. We should

celebrate.

PAUL:

I was thinking dinner on Friday

with James and Meg at the Saint

Mark.

LETTY:

I mean tonight.

Letty sensually caresses his shoulders.

LETTY:

Like right now...

PAUL:

Actually, I need to review the

deposition questions tonight.

Maybe tomorrow?

LETTY:

Oh, ok. Maybe.

10.

PAUL:

But I thought if you don't mind,

you could listen and see how I come

across?

LETTY:

(beat)

Sure. Of course.

Letty continues coloring her multiplication chart.

PAUL:

Letty, please, I need your full

attention.

Letty puts the chart down and sits up straighter.

LETTY:

Let me have it.

INT. CLASSROOM - CHASEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - DAY

Letty rubs her eyes with fatigue. Bobby stands next to her

holding a crumpled paper bag.

BOBBY:

My dog ate my turtle, and the shell

went crunch. I brought it for show-

and-tell.

The children perk up at this news.

LETTY:

I’m sorry about your turtle Bobby,

but you know we only have show-andtell

on Mondays. Today, we're

scheduled for grammar.

BOBBY:

But my mom says I have to throw it

away tonight.

Bobby opens the bag. He reaches in to remove the turtle. The

children TITTER. Letty's on him in a second.

LETTY:

Don't even think about it.

She grabs the bag. From outside, there is a KNOCK. Letty

and the students look toward the window.

It's Ruth. She's been crying. She waves to Letty. Chandra

waves back at Ruth.

11.

Letty puts up her finger to signal "just a minute" to Ruth.

She sets the turtle bag on Bobby's desk.

LETTY:

Class, why don't you...

Ruth knocks on the glass again. Letty glances at her

distraught sister and walks quickly toward the door.

LETTY:

(to class)

You guys pull out your verb sheets

and review them.

Letty leaves the room. The class watches through the window

as Ruth throws her sobbing self into Letty's arms.

EXT. HALLWAY - CHASEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - SAME

RUTH:

She says she won't even come if Dad

brings Monica.

LETTY:

Mom won't miss your wedding.

She'll come around. I promise she

will.

Letty glances through the window at her classroom, where

Bobby waves the turtle over his head.

RUTH:

How?

LETTY:

I'll talk to her, and to Dad, too.

(beat)

A few wisely-chosen guilt tactics

and they'll be ours.

RUTH:

Maybe if we had them both to dinner

or something.

Letty looks again at the classroom, where the students are

lobbing the turtle back and forth.

LETTY:

Maybe.

RUTH:

You always throw the best dinner

parties, Letty.

12.

Letty's attention snaps back to Ruth.

LETTY:

Oh, wait a minute, now I see where

you're going.

RUTH:

Please, Letty.

LETTY:

Mom and Dad? At dinner together?

Are you crazy?

Ruth starts to sob--big, loud, air-gulping sobs. Letty pats

her shoulder.

LETTY:

Maybe, though. Maybe it would

work. I could throw you an

engagement party maybe.

RUTH:

Really?

Principal Gail, trolling the halls, spies Letty with Ruth.

She dispatches a stern look in Letty's direction.

LETTY:

(nodding toward Gail)

You know what, Ruthie? I better get

back to my class, OK?

RUTH:

And the party?

LETTY:

Yeah, it'll be fun.

Ruth grabs Letty in another hug.

RUTH:

Thank you so much.

INT. CLASSROOM - SAME

Letty strides into the classroom, pulls the turtle away from

Bobby and drops it in the trash.

LETTY:

Who can come up here and give me a

sentence with a "to be" verb in it?

13.

ZACH:

Who was that girl?

LETTY:

Come on up, Zach.

Zach approaches the board and begins to write, "I am..." He

doesn't get any further before Letty cuts him off.

LETTY:

Neater, Zach.

Zach begins again, but Letty stops him when he reaches "am."

LETTY:

Zach, you know the line by the "a"

has to come straight down or it

looks like an "o."

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