I Smile Back Page #14

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You can call me Laney.

DAISY:

Do you like doll houses?

LANEY:

Yes. Very much.

DAISY:

Me and my daddy are playing with

mine. Want to see it?

The door closes.

Pink (03/02/2014) 8080.

75 INT. DAISY’S BEDROOM - DAY - SAME 75

A dream bedroom for a little girl: Barbie dolls and stuffed

animals. A canopy bed. There are several framed family

photos on a book shelf. Laney takes them in.

DAISY:

Did you have a dollhouse when you

were little?

LANEY:

I sure did.

DAISY:

What color?

ROGER:

Yellow with blue shutters.

Laney looks at her father. A moment is had between them.

Laney collects the wooden family members. One by one she

brings them into the living room, seats them on the couch.

The mother in her checkered apron, the father, daughter

between them, baby in bassinet.

LANEY:

I like it better when everyone’s in

the same room.

DAISY:

Me too. Can I show her my bike

daddy?

76 EXT. ROGER’S HOUSE - SAME 76

Roger helps Daisy put her bike helmet on.

LANEY:

Wow, a helmet. Huh.

ROGER:

All these laws- all this PC garbage

to keep your kid safe. The helmets,

the car seats, the this and that.

They didn’t have that when you were

a kid and look at you! You got

through it just fine.

LANEY:

Yeah. Just fine Dad.

A long, awkward silence as they watch Daisy ride around on

her bike.

Pink (03/02/2014) 8181.

ROGER:

She loves that bike. Got it for her

eighth birthday. (pause) I was

right about her age when I hit my

first home run. I was so excited I

ran all the way home from school.

Completely out of my mind. P-O-P.

Brought in three runs.

Roger never takes his eyes off Daisy.

ROGER (CONT’D)

Daisy! Slow down around the corners

honey. You’re gonna fall.

Daisy slows down.

ROGER (CONT’D)

I took the stairs two at a time,

'Ma!' I shouted, 'Ma!' I couldn't

wait to tell her. I didn't even

knock; I just busted right into her

bedroom. And there she was,

unconscious. Face down on the floor

in a pool of her own vomit.

LANEY:

You never told me that.

ROGER:

You were too young. Drank herself

to death. I don’t even think your

mother knows that. Took me until I

was fifty to stop being angry.

Something about the way Roger communicates this, his tone,

the way he looks at Laney and the concern in his eyes, gives

it away.

LANEY:

Who told you?

ROGER:

Your brother.

Laney takes a minute to process.

LANEY:

I’m not angry, Dad.

ROGER:

Of course you are.

They watch Daisy pedal along the driveway.

Pink (03/02/2014) 8282.

ROGER (CONT’D)

I was thinking, maybe I’ll bring

Daisy to the city this summer.

Laney’s far away.

LANEY:

Why didn’t you call me?

ROGER:

You were in the hospital. I didn’t

think it was the right time.

LANEY:

Why didn't you call me for the

thirty years before that?

Roger doesn’t have an answer.

LANEY (CONT’D)

I need to get going dad. Can I use

your bathroom?

ROGER:

Of course. First door on your

right.

77 INT. DAISY’S BEDROOM - DAY - SAME 77

Laney walks into Daisy's room. She takes it in: the canopy

bed, the collection of teddy bears, the doll house. Laney

kneels, runs her finger across each of their heads. Then she

takes the father and drops him in her bag.

78 EXT. ROGER’S HOUSE 78

Laney comes out of the house. A taxi is waiting.

ROGER:

I would have been happy to drive

you back to your hotel.

Laney walks over to Daisy. Gives her a hug.

LANEY:

It was nice to meet you Daisy.

Take good care of your Daddy.

Daisy doesn’t really understand this but she smiles.

LANEY (CONT’D)

And you take care of her, okay?

Pink (03/02/2014) 8383.

Roger understand the implication of Laney’s words. He’ll get

it right this time. He opens his arms, hesitates.

ROGER:

Can I?

Laney nods, but barely. Roger wraps his arms around her

shoulders.

ROGER (CONT’D)

You know, I never stopped loving

you Elaine.

LANEY:

I know Dad.

Laney steps into the taxi and Roger carefully closes the

door.

LANEY (TO THE DRIVER) (CONT’D)

We can go now.

Through the window Laney sees Daisy waving and her father

wiping tears from his eyes.

78A INT. TAXI CAB - DAY - CONTINUOUS 78A

Laney sinks. She takes a deep breath, follows it with

another no matter how much air she takes in it isn’t enough.

She can’t seem to catch her breath. She puts her head

between her legs and continues to breathe deeply, pulls her

head up again, stretches out her back. The taxi driver

adjusts his rearview mirror.

78B INT. HOTEL LOBBY- DAY- CONTINUOUS 78B

Laney reaches into her bag, takes out her phone and dials.

The phone rings. We hear Bruce’s voice mail.

BRUCE (V.0.)

Hey, you reached Bruce-

Laney tosses the phone back into her bag. Deflated. She eyes

the lobby bar.

79 INT. LOBBY BAR - DAY - SAME 79

Laney sits down at an empty bar. There is a handsome

BARTENDER (early 30’s) cleaning glasses, his hair pulled back

in a ponytail.

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BARTENDER:

What’ll it be?

LANEY:

A couple of Xanax would be great.

Bartender smiles.

BARTENDER:

You and me both.

LANEY:

A shot of tequila with a lime.

The Bartender prepares her drink, doing away with the

requisite shot glass. He sets her drink in front of her.

Laney looks at it for a moment, then shoots it.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Keep em coming okay?

BARTENDER:

Not a problem, I like the company.

Are you staying with us at the

hotel?

LANEY:

Yes.

Laney contemplates him for a moment.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Minnesota. That's the accent,

right?

BARTENDER:

Sure is.

LANEY:

Dylan, Prince or Replacements?

BARTENDER:

Went to the same high school Dylan

went to.

LANEY:

You’re gonna think I’m crazy.

BARTENDER:

I like crazy.

LANEY:

Never mind.

Pink (03/02/2014) 8585.

BARTENDER:

Tell me.

LANEY:

People must tell you all the time

that you look like Jesus.

Laney smiles wide - she knows she has him.

80 INT. HOTEL ROOM - NEXT MORNING 80

Laney’s gown still hangs from the door, perfectly pressed.

Bruce pulls his suit out of the closet, places it in the

garment bag and zips it up. He is packing with some urgency.

Or is it anger? There is a suitcase on the bed, a small mess

of clothes waiting to be folded and packed. The hotel room

door opens quietly as Laney tries to slip in without being

heard. Her plan is foiled right away when she sees Bruce. He

hears her but doesn't bother to turn around. Laney gathers

her courage.

LANEY:

I’m so sorry Bruce. I fell asleep

by the lake.

Bruce is silent.

LANEY (CONT’D)

By the time I woke up I already

missed the ceremony. And then I was

too nervous to come back. I didn’t

want to disappoint you.

More silence.

LANEY (CONT’D)

How did it go? Were you a huge hit?

BRUCE:

I looked for you by the lake Laney.

You weren’t there.

LANEY:

Are you saying you don’t believe

me?

BRUCE:

Yes. I’m saying I don’t believe

you.

LANEY:

Jesus Bruce-

Pink (03/02/2014) 8686.

BRUCE:

No. Do NOT try to turn this around

and make me look like the bad guy

Lane. Saying your lie louder

doesn’t make it true.

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