I Smile Back Page #4

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Laney sees the kids filing out of the school into the front

entrance. Eli, holding Janey’s hand, sees her and waves.

Laney motions for him to walk to the car.

Eli gets into the car, quiet. Janey is eager to talk. Laney

is momentarily distracted by her conversation with Susan.

LANEY (CONT’D)

How was school, guys?

JANEY:

Fun!

LANEY:

E?

Eli looks out the window, no response. Laney makes her way

through the sea of SUV’s and out of the driveway.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1818.

LANEY (CONT’D)

How’d it go E?

ELI:

Fine.

The cell phone rings. It’s Donny again. Laney doesn’t

answer.

JANEY:

Your phone is ringing, Mommy.

LANEY:

I know, honey.

23 EXT. BROOKS HOUSE- DRIVEWAY - DAY 23

Laney turns into her driveway she gets out of the car and

opens the door. Eli unbuckles and hurries past. Laney scoops

Janey up into her arms. She carries her to the front door.

LANEY:

Did you miss me today?

JANEY:

Yes.

LANEY:

Did you cry?

Janey nods her head and is rewarded with a boost in the air.

LANEY (CONT’D)

How much do you love me?

Janey opens her arms as wide as she can to demonstrate her

love.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Tell me you’ll never leave me.

This scene looks all in good fun but it’s thinly veiled

twisted behavior by Laney.

JANEY:

(giggling)

Mommy! Stop!

LANEY:

I’m just teasing Muffin. Kiss me.

Pink (03/02/2014) 1919.

24 INT. BROOKS DINING ROOM - NIGHT 24

The whole family sits around the dinner table. They have

typical fare on their plates; spaghetti, peas, breaded

chicken - nothing Laney went out of her way to cook, but

homemade nevertheless. Laney’s plate is empty. She sucks on a

lollipop and sips a glass of wine.

Bruce observes her behavior for a moment.

BRUCE:

Why aren’t you eating?

LANEY:

Not hungry.

BRUCE:

You need to eat more food. Real

food. Not lollipops.

Laney gets up from the table and walks toward the kitchen.

LANEY:

Jesus, what are you the food

police?

INT:
KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Laney opens the refrigerator- blocking her view of the table.

She downs her glass of wine behind the door.

BRUCE (O.S.)

All that sugar isn’t good for you.

Laney sets her empty glass on the top shelf, uncorks a bottle

of wine and refills her glass.

BRUCE (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Empty calories. Right guys? Not

energy food.

Laney returns to the table with butter and sits. She grabs a

piece of corn on the cob, wipes it with butter and puts it in

her mouth. They all watch her and smile- like this is the

first time they've ever seen her eat. She smiles back.

ELI:

Did you know the Pilgrims stole

America from the Native Americans?

They had the Native Americans teach

them how to grow corn and stuff and

then they stole their land.

Pink (03/02/2014)

20.

BRUCE:

Is that right?

ELI:

Yeah, so we gave them casinos.

BRUCE:

Mrs. Zeldis told you that?

ELI:

No, John Frye did. His mom told

him. She also said Thanksgiving is

a lie.

LANEY:

(under her breath)

John Frye’s mom is a pig.

BRUCE:

Lane...

The table goes quiet again, kids look back down at their

plates.

BRUCE (CONT’D)

You want to shoot hoops?

Eli looks out the window.

ELI:

Really!?

BRUCE:

We still have a little light.

JANEY:

Me too.

Everyone gets a kick out of Janey’s zeal.

BRUCE:

Okay.

Bruce and the kids leave the table. Laney begins clearing

the plates.

24A

LANEY’S POV:
Through the window she can see them in the 24A

driveway. Bruce loosens his tie. Eli dribbles the ball, aims

for the basket, nearly makes it. Bruce kneels, positions Eli:

plants Eli’s feet, adjusts his arms. Eli shoots and MAKES IT!

Janey runs after the ball and brings it to Bruce. He lifts

her up so she’s able to dunk the ball. Through the kitchen

window we see Laney taking it all in. She puts her face in

her hands, it’s all too much.

Pink (03/02/2014) 2121.

25 INT. ELI’S BATHROOM - NIGHT - SAME 25

Laney passes Eli the soap.

LANEY:

Did you practice piano today?

The bathroom door is open to Eli’s room. He cranes his neck

to try to see the game that’s on the TV. He tunes Laney out

completely.

LANEY (CONT’D)

E? Your recital is coming up. Did

you practice?

ELI:

Yeah.

LANEY:

How long?

Eli hurries with the soap. He signals that he’s done and

Laney holds a towel open. When Eli gets out of the tub she

wraps her arms tightly around him.

ELI:

Mom? I can’t breathe.

Laney is still holding tight, too tight. Eli manages to break

away.

26 INT. ELI’S ROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS 26

Eli has positioned himself in front of the television. Laney

stands at the edge of his doorway, takes in his broadening

frame. His shoulders, his back. There is a portable

keyboard against the window, a basketball hoop on the door

and a Jeter fathead on the wall. Laney nods, acknowledging

Jeter.

LANEY:

Hey-

Eli glances at his mother.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Put on your T-shirt.

Laney tosses him the T-shirt. Eli throws it over his head.

LANEY (CONT’D)

And dry your balls.

Pink (03/02/2014) 2222.

He turns and looks at her like she’s crazy.

ELI:

Mom!

LANEY:

You’ll get a rash.

Eli rolls his eyes.

27 INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT - SAME 27

Bruce, just out of the shower, has a towel wrapped around his

waste. He’s clipping his toenails into a trash can. Laney

watches him from the bedroom door.

BRUCE:

What’s up?

LANEY:

I was just thinking...

BRUCE:

About?

LANEY:

About your balls.

BRUCE:

(laughs)

What?

LANEY:

About your balls. Do you worry

about drying your balls?

BRUCE:

Do I worry?

LANEY:

Yeah, like when you were a little

boy, did your mother teach you to

dry your balls or did you like...

just know how to do it

instinctively? Should I teach Eli

or -

Bruce examines his Q-tip, puts it in the other ear, continues

with his toenails.

BRUCE:

You dry them like any other part of

your body.

Pink (03/02/2014) 2323.

LANEY:

Oh.

(pause)

But what happens if you don’t dry

them? Do you get a rash?

Bruce stops what he’s doing and looks at her- this

conversation is starting to get his attention.

BRUCE:

I guess you could-- but whatever

you don’t get will just dry in your

underwear. What’s going on Laney?

LANEY:

Your underwear! Why didn’t I think

of that?

Bruce leaves his grooming duties, picks Laney up and deposits

her on the bed.

INT:
MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

BRUCE:

All this talk about balls...

Bruce starts kissing Laney’s neck, unbuttoning her blouse.

She unfastens his belt buckle, giggles, but it’s clear she’s

going through the motions. Laney disassociates when she’s

having sex.

BRUCE (CONT’D)

Uhh..

He’s kissing her, getting close...

BRUCE (CONT’D)

You’re so beautiful Lane... Uhh...

Bruce finishes and collapses on top of her. A pause.

LANEY:

I think my dad dried and powdered.

BRUCE:

Christ Laney, can we change the

subject?

A beat.

LANEY:

We gotta get rid of Bingo.

Pink (03/02/2014) 2424.

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