Mother! Page #4

MOTHER:

(playfully)

Whoops, careful.

The guest puts one glass down but it spills a bit on anuncovered end table.

WOMAN:

Thought you might like some.

MOTHER:

Yes, thank you.

WOMAN:

Secret family recipe.

MOTHER:

Which part? The lemons?

Woman doesn’t really get it. She just stares at Mother.

Mother goes back to work.

MOTHER:

How’s your hand?

WOMAN:

Still stinging.

Mother turns back.

MOTHER:

I’m sorry.

WOMAN:

It’s not like it was your fault.

(a thought)

You don’t have any painkillers doyou?

Mother pauses for a moment. Then shakes her head no.

WOMAN:

Are you telling me the truth?

27.

MOTHER:

I really don’t have any, I’m sorry.

WOMAN:

Okay.

An awkward pause.

WOMAN:

You’re not thirsty?

She nods towards the lemonade.

MOTHER:

Right.

Mother steps down, picks up her glass, and takes a sip.

MOTHER:

Now I get it. Strong.

WOMAN:

I’m on my second. I can’t believe

you did all this work yourself.

MOTHER:

Why not?

WOMAN:

It’s a lot.

MOTHER:

Well, we spend all our time here.

I want to make it paradise. And I

love the work.

WOMAN:

And it’s exquisite.

MOTHER:

Thank you.

WOMAN:

Would you take me on a tour?

MOTHER:

Sure.

Mother starts to lead her away, but the woman grabs hershoulder.

28.

WOMAN:

I want to thank you for yourhospitality. Your husband has been

so generous.

MOTHER:

(after a pause)

You’re welcome.

After another awkward pause.

WOMAN:

Well, where to begin?

Mother follows her into the

STAIRWELL:

And points up towards the skylight.

MOTHER:

Well this was probably the hardest

part. There was so much damage.

The treads were gone, the railing,

even the skylight. So I had to geta lot of new material but I tried

to save as much-

WOMAN:

Isn’t that a lot harder than juststarting fresh?

MOTHER:

How do you mean?

WOMAN:

Well, why didn’t you just build anew house?

MOTHER:

It’s his home.

WOMAN:

You really love him.

Mother blushes.

WOMAN:

Can I ask you a question?

Mother doesn’t trust what’s coming.

29.

WOMAN:

(fishing)

Why don’t you want kids?

MOTHER:

Excuse me?

WOMAN:

I saw how you reacted earlier. I

know what’s it’s like when you’rejust starting out and you think youhave all the time in the world.

But you know, you’re not going tobe so young forever. Have kids.

Then you’ll be creating somethingtogether, that’s what keeps amarriage going.

(motions to house)

This is all just setting.

Mother’s guard slips. She chokes up a little.

WOMAN:

(almost to herself)

Oh, you do want them. Is it him?

MOTHER:

I need to get back to work.

WOMAN:

Then why did he say... I’m sorry.

Was I too forward? I do that

sometimes.

(trying apologetic)

Every relationship has its issues,

and when there’s a full generationbetween you, I can only imagine.

Mother doesn’t know what to say. The tipsy woman getsdistracted by a glimpse of the study up the stairs.

WOMAN:

Is that where he works?

MOTHER:

That’s private.

WOMAN:

(mischievous)

Oh, can’t you just give me a peek?

Woman doesn’t pay her any mind and keeps heading for thestudy. Mother grabs her arm.

30.

MOTHER:

(too strong)

He doesn’t like anyone being inthere without him.

Woman looks at the tight grip.

WOMAN:

Wow, you really do love him. God

help you.

They are interrupted by laughing. HIM and Man emerge from

the guest bedroom.

MOTHER:

Where are you going?

HIM:

I’m going to take him outside.

MAN:

Going on a hike.

MOTHER:

A hike?

MAN:

(smiles at Woman)

Me, on a hike?

HIM:

Just a quick one.

WOMAN:

Go slow.

MAN:

Slow enough so my smoke doesn’tburn too quickly.

(encourages against it)

You don’t want to come?

Still, Mother lights up, but:

WOMAN:

No, we have laundry to do.

(to Mother)

You’ll show me where right?

There’s an awkward pause. In the

31.

BASEMENT:

Mother and Woman walk down the stairs.

WOMAN:

The boys have bonded don’t youthink? Mine’s not usually such anature boy.

(sees the unfinished room)

Wow, guess you haven’t quite gottento this part yet.

She carries a bag of dirty clothes. It’s heavy and she drops

it.

WOMAN:

So heavy.

(noticing)

That’s a lot of tools.

MOTHER:

I’ll get it...

Mother lifts the bag up and carries it to the washer anddryer. The woman follows.

WOMAN:

Which is which?

MOTHER:

On the left.

Woman opens the loaded washing machine and dumps out Mother’swet clothes onto the floor.

MOTHER:

Wait, let me. I’ll help you.

Mother starts to load the wet clothes into the dryer. Woman

stops aghast.

WOMAN:

Oh no. So that’s the problem.

MOTHER:

What?

Woman holds up a pair of Mother’s very boring panties.

WOMAN:

You’re going to have to try harderthan this.

Mother yanks them away.

32.

WOMAN:

Believe me, when they get older,

you gotta keep it interesting.

She laughs as she shows her own panties in the dirty pile.

Very sexy.

MOTHER:

He’s not that old.

WOMAN:

How’s it going in that department?

MOTHER:

I don’t feel comfortable talkingabout that stuff.

WOMAN:

I’m just trying to help. I mean,

look at you. If he’s not all over

you, it’s either because of his

age, or...

She drifts off.

MOTHER:

Or what?

WOMAN:

(switches course)

You know what, forget it. It’s

none of my business. I think this

has gone to my head.

She motions to the lemonade.

MOTHER:

No. It’s okay. Say what you were

going to say.

WOMAN:

No, seriously. Obviously he still

loves you.

She gulps down the rest of her lemonade. She grabs Mother’s

mostly untouched glass.

WOMAN:

I’m going to freshen these up.

Woman leaves. She never started the wash.

33.

Mother sees the woman’s panties hanging half out of thewasher. She tosses them behind the machines and starts the

wash.

She looks at her dirty hands. Goes and washes them in the

slop sink.

She looks at the wall that scared her earlier. In the

KITCHEN:

The woman is not there. But she’s made a huge mess making

the lemonade. Mother sighs. She walks towards the

GUEST BEDROOM:

But it’s empty.

MOTHER:

Hello?

No answer. She hears water running in the bathroom. She

moves to turn it off.

But trips on something. She looks down and finds the man’s

open tote bag in the middle of the floor.

She flips the light on in the

GUEST BATHROOM:

And turns off the water. There are tissues sprayed with

blood on the sink.

She picks them up with her fingertips and drops them in thetoilet.

She flushes the toilet. She washes her hands and notices the

toilet is clogged. The toilet water rises towards the rim.

Quickly she grabs the plunger.

She jabs it into the bowl. Just in time, the water starts to

recede.

But, she notices something poking out from the bottom of thebowl. Something she’s never seen before. It is a fleshy,

bony mass.

34.

She uses the wooden end of the plunger to prod it. It opens

up revealing blood, pus and ribs. Before she gets a clear

look, it is sucked down the drain.

She stumbles away and drops the plunger.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote