I Smile Back Page #2

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JANEY:

Daddy, Bingo was crying.

LANEY:

Janey where did you get that dog?

JANEY:

We rescued him from the pound!

BRUCE:

Janey, Bingo was supposed to be a

surprise for Mommy.

JANEY:

But he was crying. I think he needs

you Mommy.

Janey passes Bingo into Laney’s arms.

LANEY:

Bruce, I thought we talked about

this.

BRUCE:

Janey, go tell everyone to come see

Bingo.

Janey hesitates, then runs out of the room. Bruce turns to

Laney.

BRUCE (CONT’D)

No YOU talked about this. WE didn’t

talk about anything. Come on Lane-

this dog is gonna make you happy.

Let's just give it a try. Can you

just trust me on this?

LANEY:

F*** you Bruce.

Pink (03/02/2014) 77.

She shoves the dog into Bruce’s arms and exits leaving Bruce,

Donny and Susan in an awkward silence.

9 INT. LANEY’S BATHROOM - NIGHT - SAME 9

A naked Laney is examining herself in the bathroom mirror.

She traces her left breast with her finger. Up and around,

down. She stops, glances at herself and then lifts her right

breast. Up and around, down.

She moves closer, and begins inspecting her face. The

wrinkles by her eyes. The smile lines around her mouth.

Next to her a jar of rubbing alcohol rests on a lavender hand

towel. She opens the jar, dips the tweezers into the liquid

and then removes it.

She locates a hair hiding in the crease of her upper thigh

and pushes her thumbs together to loosen it. She takes the

tweezers, turns the sharp point in the direction of her skin

and digs. She wipes the hair onto the hand towel and

continues. Her movements are slow and deliberate. The

outcome seems to satisfy her.

Laney walks over to the sink. She rummages through the

cabinet beneath it, takes out a box of Tampax. Laney grabs a

small white envelope from inside. This is obviously where she

keeps her stash. She empties the contents onto the back of

her iPhone but not before glancing at a picture of her kids.

She sniffs a line, throws her head back and breathes deep.

Laney snorts the remaining line. She turns on the bath water,

tests it with her toes. Then she walks over to the window.

10 EXT. BASKETBALL HOOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS 10

Bruce is playing basketball in the driveway. Sweat drips down

his cheek, beads up on his forehead. He’s got some nice moves

-no stranger to a good pickup game in the park. Eli and

Janey are also on the court. Bruce teaches Eli how to shoot

free throws. Janey is riding a pink bicycle with training

wheels.

9A INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS 9A

Laney steps into the tub. She sinks into the water and

disappears.

Pink (03/02/2014) 88.

11 INT. ELI’S ROOM - NIGHT - SAME 11

Eli gets into bed. His movements are slow. Deliberate. Once

in bed he focuses on the Styrofoam solar system that hangs on

the ceiling above him. Laney knocks. She cracks the door

open. She’s in her robe and holding Bingo.

LANEY:

Hey-

ELI:

Hey-

She puts Bingo on his bed.

ELI (CONT’D)

Hey, Bingo.

LANEY:

Sleepy?

ELI:

Not really.

Eli is focused on his ceiling. Laney lays down next to him.

Bingo is between them. Laney’s sniffling, fidgety.

LANEY:

Whatchya thinkin’ about?

ELI:

Why do you hate Bingo?

LANEY:

(irritated)

I don’t hate Bingo.

ELI:

Can we keep him then?

LANEY:

I don’t know E. It’s just, you

know. It’s one more thing to worry

about.

ELI:

(pause)

Do you worry about me?

Laney is too amped up to finish the conversation and misses

Eli’s ultimate question.

LANEY:

Okay, time to close your eyes.

Pink (03/02/2014) 99.

She gives Eli a kiss on his forehead, grabs Bingo and heads

to the door.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Tell me when to stop...

She slowly closes the door.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Now?

ELI:

A little more..

LANEY:

Now?

ELI:

Are we going to keep Bingo, Mom?

LANEY:

Maybe.

She closes the door a little bit more.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Now?

ELI:

Maybe yes or maybe no?

LANEY:

Maybe as in it’s time to go to

sleep.

Laney closes the door a tiny bit more. Bingo is licking her

cheek.

ELI:

So that means yes right? We are

going to keep Bingo?

The smile on Eli’s face is hard to resist.

LANEY:

It’s a definite maybe.

12 INT. MASTER BEDROOM - DAY 12

Laney opens her eyes, lifts her head lazily and glances at

Bruce's empty side of the bed and the clock on his night

stand. 6:
55am.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1010.

Head back on the pillow, she stretches and enjoys her last

moments in the warm womb of her blankets. The bathroom door

opens.

BRUCE:

Thought I was gonna have to wake

you up.

He adjusts his tie and collar, grabs his jacket.

LANEY:

I don't want to get up. Get back in

bed with me.

Laney pats the pillow and smiles. Bruce gives her a kiss on

the forehead.

BRUCE:

I wish.

Bruce leaves, Laney rolls over and glances at the framed

family picture on her night stand. Bruce with a younger Eli

on his shoulders, his arm around Laney who's holding an

infant Janey in her arms.

13 INT. MASTER BATHROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS 13

Laney is brushing her teeth. She looks up at her reflection,

then opens the medicine cabinet and takes out a prescription

bottle. As she spits out the toothpaste, she hears Bruce's

car pull out of the driveway. She looks at the prescription

and then returns it to the shelf.

14 EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY 14

Laney pulls into the school parking lot and is immediately

met by a school GUARD who is directing traffic.

GUARD:

Only school buses allowed in here

lady.

LANEY:

Since when?

GUARD:

You must not read your emails.

ELI:

(nervous)

Ma...

Pink (03/02/2014) 1111.

LANEY:

Don’t worry E.

(To guard, flirting)

Is Frank here? He always lets me

double park.

The guard has already heard this 10 times this morning, but

Laney’s charm seems to be working.

GUARD:

If I could do it for anyone I’d do

it for you but the Board of Ed has

new security procedures. Recent

tragedies and all.

He hands her a sheet of paper titled “Ridgemont Elementary

School’s New Security Policy”. In smaller font it says, “In

light of recent events...”

ELI:

What’s it say Mom?

LANEY:

Says we have to park.

Laney pulls her SUV back out into the sea of anonymous SUVs.

She’s just another broad in suburbia.

14A INT:
BACKSEAT OF SUV-CONTINUOUS 14A

Eli and Janey are buckled in. They have their personalized

paper lunch bags on their laps. Eli’s has basketballs all

over it, Janey’s hearts and stars.

15 EXT. SCHOOL - DAY - SAME 15

Laney, Eli and Janey run toward the school building. They

don’t want to be late. Eli’s backpack is twice his size.

Janey’s is pink with a princess on it.

16 INT. SCHOOL OFFICE -DAY - CONTINUOUS 16

Laney, Eli and Janey are waiting in a shallow line in the

office. Laney spots Susan and her son HENRY. Susan is proudly

wearing an official looking laminate around her neck.

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