Life as a House Page #9

ROBIN:

How many years did I live with your beams

and boards? First in the garage, then in

the living room. We're going to do it,

Robin. Next year. Next year. Salvaged

floorboards from a house in Pasadena.

Doors from a church in New Hampshire...

GEORGE:

I love those doors.

ROBIN:

Where will you live?

GEORGE:

The garage.

ROBIN:

Look, I wasn't serious about you taking

Sam, so you don't have to get into any

actual construction to get out of it.

GEORGE:

When's school over?

ROBIN:

Friday...God, I hate the thought of him

home all day.

GEORGE:

I'll be by Saturday to pick him up.

ROBIN:

He doesn't want to spend the weekends

with you anymore.

GEORGE:

Not for the weekend. For the summer.

Robin scoffs.

ROBIN:

You and Sam are going to live in a garage

without plumbing for the summer?

GEORGE:

The garage is plumbed. I'll put in a

toilet. We'll survive.

ROBIN:

Thank you for at least sounding sincere.

GEORGE:

Sounding? I need help. He's cheap

labor.

ROBIN:

One of you would end up dead.

GEORGE:

At least we'll have a house to show for

it.

ROBIN:

Forget it, really. I'll survive.

GEORGE:

I want him with me.

ROBIN:

No, you don't. Trust me.

George rests a hand on the back of her neck.

GEORGE:

I want Sam for the summer.

Robin furrows her brow for a moment and glances at George.

It takes a while for her to answer.

ROBIN:

Okay.

George rests his hand on Robin's cheek for a moment, as the

nurse had done with him. Robin turns her head and bites his

finger.

GEORGE:

Hey, hey!

ROBIN:

I'm married.

George nods as he mock nurses his finger.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALL - AFTERNOON

Sam is walking with Corey, who's wiry and wan with a red

nose.

COREY:

The whole summer, man. Party in Tahoe.

SAM:

I don't know.

COREY:

It'll just be my brother the dweeb on

weekends. All we gotta do is sand and

paint the cabin, dude.

(boasting)

My dad's gonna let me use the boat and my

charm is gonna let me use my rod. Income

village is the place to hook up with

hump.

SAM:

I'll ask.

COREY:

Hey, it beats letting town folk go down

on you for the summer.

Sam stops which stops Corey. Sam glances around to make sure

no one's listening.

SAM:

I never said anything. I haven't done

anything.

COREY:

I know what the deal is. Josh is a pimp.

I'm not stupid.

SAM:

You don't know what the deal is. There

is no f***ing deal.

Sam walks away pissed that Corey knows what the deal is.

EXT. GEORGE'S SHACK - MORNING

George is shirtless, the stitches still fresh on his side; he

carries/drags his mattress into the garage. Alyssa walks

from her house to the garage and peeks in.

INT. GEORGE'S GARAGE - MORNING

George is making his bed, which is not easy because Guster is

curled up on it. The one car garage is not dry-walled and

the cement floor is clean but stained.

ALYSSA:

Hi, Mr. Nelson.

George steps away from the bed, slightly rattled by Alyssa.

GEORGE:

Alyssa.

ALYSSA:

Why have you put a toilet and a bed in

your garage?

GEORGE:

I'm living here while I build another

house.

ALYSSA:

Is that legal?

Alyssa sits down on the bed beside Guster and starts to

bounce up and down. George takes another step back.

GEORGE:

Don't you have school?

ALYSSA:

Nope.

Alyssa lies down on the bed, lifting the sheet to her nose.

ALYSSA (CONT'D)

Are these clean?

George is alarmed. Guster licks Alyssa's ear.

GEORGE:

What's today?

ALYSSA:

Monday.

George bangs his head with his hand and starts to search the

room.

GEORGE:

My keys.

ALYSSA:

What's that?

Alyssa reaches out and slides a finger down his scar.

GEORGE:

Nothing. I cut myself.

George pats down his pockets.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

I had them in my pocket.

ALYSSA:

I'm not shaving my legs or pits this

summer, I've decided.

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