I Smile Back Page #3

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LANEY:

Hey Susan. What’s this?

SUSAN:

It’s the parent ID.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1212.

Laney doesn’t register what Susan is talking about, Susan

sees this.

SUSAN (CONT’D)

They sent them in the mail? Part of

this whole new security thing.

LANEY:

I, uh...

SUSAN:

Don’t worry, I’ll vouch for you.

Laney fidgets, looks around, everyone is wearing a badge

around their neck. Everyone but Laney. This appears to

bother her much more than it should. She steps to the front

of the line where she is met by MRS. KOSINSKI (late 50’s) the

school principal.

MRS. KOSINSKI

ID?

LANEY:

I forgot it today, busy morning.

I’ll bring it tomorrow.

MRS. KOSINSKI

Parent IDs are mandatory now. We

mailed them out last week. And

sent an email.

SUSAN:

I’ll vouch for her.

ELI:

Ma?

LANEY:

It’s okay E, just a sec.

(to Mrs. Kosinski)

I’ve been walking them to class

every morning for two years. Can’t

you make an exception?

MRS. KOSINSKI

If I make an exception for you Mrs.

Brooks, then I have to make one for

everyone. Is that how you want to

teach our children?

Laney looks at her, stunned.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1313.

MRS. KOSINSKI (CONT’D)

I wouldn’t think so. At this point

in the year Eli’s quite familiar

with how to get to his class.

He’ll be fine. And I’ll personally

escort Miss Janey to her classroom.

ELI:

I’m okay Mom.

Laney feels nothing but shame. She is inferior.

JANEY:

Me too, Mommy.

LANEY:

You sure?

Janey nods her head yes - she is eager to get going.

JANEY:

I’m sure.

Mrs. Kosinski reaches out her hand, Janey takes it.

LANEY:

Wait, honey.

Laney kneels down.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Give me a kiss.

Janey gives Laney a kiss and goes.

It’s not as easy for Eli. He takes a deep breath, hoists his

backpack a little higher and begins the harrowing journey

down the crowded hall. Just outside the classroom he stops,

turns to look at Laney. Laney is fighting back tears. She

blows Eli a kiss. He catches it, puts it into his pocket and

disappears into the classroom.

17 OMITTED 17

18 EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY - SAME 18

An angry Laney heads to her car parked on the outskirts of

the school lot. Laney walks quickly while rifling through her

purse. She pulls out a cigarette just as she reaches her car.

She gets in and slams the door.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1414.

Laney fumbles through her purse for a lighter, assesses the

parking lot, looks in her rearview mirror.

LANEY:

F***ing b*tch.

She lights it in spite of her shaking hands.

LANEY (CONT’D)

(mocking)

“Is that how you want to teach our

children?...”

She reaches for the secret vial in her purse, unscrews the

lid, takes a deep breath, helps herself to a quick bump. She

looks around again, another bump. Laney takes a drag off her

cigarette as if it were her last and leans her head back on

the seat. A deep breath. And then, Bing! She picks up her

phone to read the text.

TEXT:
DONNY

Room 302

She turns on the engine and goes.

19 EXT. LANEY’S CAR - DAY 19

Laney’s car headed towards a toll booth, pull back to reveal

New York City not too far in the distance.

20 INT. REGENCY HOTEL ROOM - DAY 20

Laney is on her knees on the bed, ass in the air, holding

onto the top of the headboard. Laney and Donny are, how do

you say... f***ing each other’s brains out. But in Laney’s

eyes is a look of detachment. She is somewhere else.

Laney and Donny lay in bed. She’s sucking on a lollipop.

LANEY:

I gotta take a shower.

DONNY:

It’s still early. Stay with me.

LANEY:

Can’t, gotta pick up the kids.

DONNY:

I love you.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1515.

LANEY:

No you don’t.

DONNY:

Why do you say that?

LANEY:

Because you’re married. And because

no man can love a girl whose ass he

just f***ed.

DONNY:

Christ Laney. You’re crazy, you

know that? I told you I’ll leave

Susan. I love you.

Laney laughs.

LANEY:

That’s the funny thing... It

doesn’t matter.

Laney gets out of bed and is pulling on her panties.

LANEY (CONT’D)

I could love you and you could love

me, and nothing. It still means

nothing. Nine years of marriage,

two kids, three thousand marinated

chicken breasts - and nothing. And

then you die.

Donny pulls a pillow over his head, rolls over.

DONNY:

Go take your shower.

20 MINUTES LATER: Laney, freshly showered, walks out of the

bathroom. She glances at Donny... out like a light. She takes

the cash out of his wallet and the last of the cocaine

sitting next to it. She grabs her things and leaves, the self-

closing door slams behind her.

The door wakes Donny. He looks up, looks around, no trace of

Laney. He stretches, sits up, puts on his underwear, walks

into the bathroom.

Donny is standing in the doorway looking at the bathroom

mirror. In red lipstick he reads: “DON’T LEAVE SUSAN”.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1616.

21 EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY - SAME 21

Laney is speeding down the turnpike. She’s amped up and

emotional, seemingly reckless. She mistakenly passes her

exit.

LANEY:

F***.

She is angrier than she should be, she’s in a spiral. She

turns off at the next exit. The Fed-Ex truck she's been

stuck behind turns left. The traffic light at the

intersection up ahead is changing from green to yellow to -

Laney closes her eyes, presses her foot deeper into the gas,

hands up, letting go. She drives straight through the red.

Cars screech to a halt, one swerves into another lane to

avoid her. Horns are honking. She miraculously arrives

across the street unharmed. A couple of cars pass. Honk. One

person curses her. More honks.

Laney pulls to the side of the street and puts her car in

park, takes a deep breath, exhales. She is visibly rattled.

She pulls the last smoke out of her pack and lights it with

shaky hands. Tears trickle down the sides of her face as

turns up the radio, puts her car in drive and goes.

21A INT./EXT. LANEY IN CAR - SAME 21A

Laney drives slowly. She is clearly shaken.

22 EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - SAME 22

Laney’s black SUV pulls into the driveway of the school, same

guard is standing there with a clipboard. He stops her.

LANEY:

I’m just picking up my son, I’ll

only be a minute.

GUARD:

You can’t park here ma’am, we’ve

already been through this haven’t

we?

LANEY:

I was hoping you wouldn’t remember.

The Guard looks her over.

GUARD:

No, I remember.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1717.

Susan walks by Laney’s car holding Henry’s hand, she’s

noticeably upset.

SUSAN:

Hey Laney.

LANEY:

Hey Susan, you okay? Did Henry have

a bad day?

SUSAN:

No, I can’t find Donny. His cell’s

been off all day - hasn’t been to

the office.

LANEY:

He’s probably in a meeting or

something -

GUARD:

Lady, you gotta move it.

LANEY:

(stalling)

I’m going -

Laney’s cell phone rings. It’s Donny. She tosses her phone

into her purse.

LANEY (CONT’D)

I’m sure Donny is fine. I’ll call

you later.

(to guard)

There’s my son--

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