Raising Izzie

---

1

( "Safe" by Britt Nicole plays )

Girl:

FOR YEARS, MY MOTHER

WOULD WAKE MY SISTER, IZZIE,

AND I UP IN THE MORNING.

BRIGHT AND SHINING,

LIKE A HUMAN SUNRISE.

YOU KEEP TRYING:

TO GET INSIDE MY HEAD

THOSE ARE THE HAPPIES MEMORIES OF MY LIFE.

THEN MOM GOT SICK.

NOW WHEN I LOOK AT SUNRISES,

WELL, THEY AREN'T AS

BRIGHT AND SHINY ANYMORE.

I'M GERTIE NASH.

I'M 14-YEARS-OLD.

OH, NO

MY WALLS ARE GONNA BREAK

SO CLOSE:

IT'S MORE THAN I CAN TAKE

I'M SO TIRED OF TURNING

AND RUNNING AWAY

( whispers )

Izzie.

Sleep is for sleepy heads.

Open your eyes.

COME ON, IZZIE, GET UP.

COME ON, GET UP.

WE GOT TO GO TO SCHOOL.

ISN'T IT SATURDAY?

IT'S WEDNESDAY.

ISN'T IT A HOLIDAY?

WHAT HOLIDAY?

PICK ONE. MAKE ONE UP.

BE CREATIVE.

HMM... HOW ABOU NATIONAL GO TO SCHOOL DAY?

NOPE.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

THAT'S A GREAT HOLIDAY.

I DON'T LIKE IT.

( scoffs )

COME ON, IZZIE.

GET UP. NOW.

OKAY. OKAY.

YOU GOTTA SIGN THIS.

WHAT'S THIS?

REPORT CARD.

I HAVE TO HAVE MOM SIGN IT,

SINCE SHE DIDN'T COME TO THE

PARENT CONFERENCE MEETING.

GOOD JOB.

THANKS.

HERE YOU GO.

( low electric hum )

( sighs )

( hum stops )

IZZIE!

YOU HAVE GOT TO REMEMBER

TO TURN OFF THE HEATER

BEFORE WE LEAVE, OKAY?

WHAT?

( imitating ) WHAT?

COME ON.

( "I Gotchu"

by Gabbie Rae plays )

ARE YOUR GRADES:

AS GOOD AS MINE?

ARE YOU KIDDING?

NO.

YOU GET TO SEE MY REPORT CARD,

BUT WHO CHECKS YOURS?

AND YOU WANT TO CHECK

MY REPORT CARD?

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL SHOW YOU

WHEN WE GET HOME.

CAN I SIGN YOURS, TOO?

NOPE.

WHY NOT?

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T.

THAT'S NOT FAIR.

IT'S NOT ABOUT FAIR, IZZIE.

DON'T POUT.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW

HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.

YOU COULD TEACH ME.

WHEN YOU'RE

A LITTLE OLDER, OKAY?

YOU THINK OUR:

TEACHERS KNOW?

NOT IF WE KEEP QUIE ABOUT IT.

I'M KEEPING QUIET.

GOOD.

AS LONG AS WE GET STRAIGHT As

AND KEEP BEHAVING IN CLASS,

NO ONE WILL NOTICE

ANYTHING, OKAY?

OKAY.

RACE YA!

I GOT YOU:

YOU YOU:

I'VE GOT YOU

SORRY YOU HAVE TO GE TO SCHOOL SO EARLY.

IT'S OKAY.

I LOVE YOU,

THOUGH.

I LOVE YOU, TOO.

HAVE A GOOD DAY,

OKAY?

OKAY.

BYE.

BYE.

Woman:
YOU'RE REALLY

NOT GOING TO TELL ME?

Man:
NO, NO WAY.

I'M NOT TELLING YOU.

BABE.

NO.

HEY, I WOULDN' BE A SURPRISE IF I TOLD YOU, RIGHT?

BUT YOU KNOW HOW

PATIENT I AM.

ALL RIGHT.

FINE. FINE.

I'M JUST GOING TO SURRENDER,

AND, UM...

PLAY ALONG.

I ALREADY LET YOU TALK

ME INTO LEAVING MY CAR,

SO THIS BETTER BE GOOD.

OH, WAIT A MINUTE.

THIS IS ME WE'RE

TALKING ABOUT HERE.

I KNOW. THAT'S EXACTLY

WHY I'M SAYING IT.

( chuckles ) OKAY.

NOW, SEE THAT WAS COLD.

WHOOP.

I GOTTA GO TO SCHOOL.

UH-HUH.

( laughs )

I WOULD HAVE BEEN

ON HONOR ROLL:

IF I HAD TEACHERS

THAT LOOKED LIKE YOU.

OH, AREN'T YOU SWEET.

MM-HMM.

BABE, I WISH

IT WERE THAT SIMPLE.

I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND WAYS

TO INSPIRE THESE KIDS.

IT'S ONLY BEEN

TWO WEEKS, BABY.

JUST GIVE 'EM SOME TIME.

THEY'LL WARM UP TO YOU.

I LOVE YA.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

MM-HMM.

NOW, HONEY...

REALLY, 4:
30,

DON'T BE LATE.

YES MA'AM.

BYE.

BYE.

YES. THAT'S WHA I'M TALKING ABOUT.

WORK IT OUT, MAMA.

OKAY, SO TWO X PLUS FIVE

EQUALS FIFTEEN.

WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE FOR "X."

OKAY.

WHO AMONG YOU WOULD

LIKE TO DAZZLE US

WITH YOUR MATHEMATICAL GENIUS

AND SOLVE THE EQUATION?

WELL, DON'T EVERYBODY RUSH UP

HERE AT ONCE.

DON'T WORRY WE WON'T.

( class laughs )

OH, MR. STEVENS,

YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY

WHEN YOU GO TO DETENTION.

AGAIN.

Class:
OOH.

SORRY.

COME ON, PEOPLE.

MISS NASH.

I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS,

BUT LET'S GIVE SOME

OF YOUR OTHER CLASSMATES

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE.

COME ON.

THIS PROBLEM:

WAS IN THE HOMEWORK.

YOU DID DO THE HOMEWORK.

REALLY?

( bell rings )

LEAVE YOUR ASSIGNMENTS

IN THE BASKET.

I CAN'T WAIT TO GRADE

THESE PAPERS.

MISS NASH, CAN I SEE YOU

A MINUTE AFTER CLASS?

THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

THANK YOU.

CLOSE THE DOOR WHEN YOU LEAVE.

YES, HI, I MISSED

SEEING YOUR MOTHER

AT THE LAST PAREN TEACHER CONFERENCE.

SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT.

I GATHERED THAT.

SHE'S SICK.

OH.

SHE HAS CANCER.

I DIDN'T KNOW.

MS. THOMPSON KNEW,

AND SO...

SHE JUST STOPPED

EXPECTING HER.

WELL, HOW IS SHE?

SHE'S GETTING BETTER.

SO, SHE'S AT HOME?

YEAH.

OH, GOOD.

GREAT.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

WELL, THEN, UM...

WELL, WHAT I DID

WITH THE PARENTS WHEN I MET WITH THEM

IS WENT OVER MY PLAN

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

THEN I ASKED THEM

TO SIGN THIS AGREEMEN BASICALLY COMMITTING

TO MAKING SURE:

YOU'RE ON TOP

OF ALL YOUR ASSIGNMENTS,

THAT ALL YOUR PROJECTS

ARE IN ON TIME,

THAT WAY--

MY GRADES ARE FINE.

YEAH. YES, I KNOW THAT.

I'M THE BEST STUDEN IN THIS CLASS.

MS. THOMPSON SHE ALWAYS

JUST LET ME--

I'M NOT MRS. THOMPSON.

MRS. THOMPSON

ISN'T HERE ANYMORE.

I AM.

LISTEN, MAYBE I CAN

MEET WITH YOUR MOTHER,

I CAN GO TO YOUR HOUSE

AND--AND

SHE SEEMS TO BE DOING

EVERYTHING I NEED HER TO DO,

SO THIS SHOULDN' BE A BIG DEAL.

SHE'S WORKING.

SHE WORKS EVENINGS.

I THOUGHT YOU:

SAID SHE WAS SICK.

SHE IS.

LIFE IS TOUGH AT OUR HOUSE.

IS EVERYTHING:

ALL RIGHT AT HOME?

EVERYTHING'S FINE.

CAN I--CAN I

JUST GO PLEASE?

OKAY. PLEASE HAVE

YOUR MOTHER SIGN THAT.

IF SHE HAS ANY QUESTIONS,

MY NUMBER'S ON THE BOTTOM.

OKAY. CAN I...

YES.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

SHE KNOWS.

SHE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING.

SHE'S JUST REACHING,

THAT'S ALL.

SHE KNOWS.

I'M TELLING YOU.

STOP SAYING THAT.

WHAT ARE YOU:

GOING TO DO?

NOTHING.

I'M GOING

TO DO MY HOMEWORK,

GO TO SCHOOL TOMORROW

AND GET GOOD GRADES

LIKE I'M SUPPOSED TO.

OH, MY GOD.

SHE KNOWS.

WOULD YOU CALM DOWN?

I ANSWERED ALL:

OF HER QUESTIONS.

EVERYTHING'S FINE.

TRUST ME.

( phone ringing )

MOM!

( ringing continues )

Mom:

I'M RIGHT HERE.

HELLO, YOU'VE REACHED

THE NASH RESIDENCE.

Gertie:
WE'RE SORRY!

BUT WE'RE UNA--

UNA--

WE CAN'T GET TO YOUR

CALL AT THIS TIME.

BUT PLEASE:

LEAVE US A MESSAGE

AND WE'RE RETURN YOUR CALL

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Girls:

HAVE A NICE DAY!

( beeps )

Man:
MS. NASH, THIS IS

MR. MURRAY, THE LANDLORD.

I'M CALLING TO LET YOU KNOW

THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE

THE RENT CHECK.

HI, MR. MURRAY.

UH, YEAH. HELLO.

UH, NO, SIR.

SHE'S NOT HOME.

UH, YES, SIR.

SHE WANTED ME TO LET YOU KNOW

THAT SHE WAS SENDING

THAT WIRE OUT TO THE BANK,

SO YOU SHOULD BE

GETTING IT ANY TIME.

UH, YES, SIR.

I'M DOING IT--

I MEAN, I'M--I'M LOOKING

AT IT RIGHT NOW.

AND IT SAYS THAT IT'S PENDING,

SO YOU SHOULD BE GETTING

IT BY TOMORROW.

YES, SIR. I'LL TELL HER

THAT YOU CALLED.

OKAY. THANKS, MR. MURRAY.

BYE.

YOU FORGOT TO PAY

THE RENT DIDN'T YOU?

SHUT UP, IZZIE.

( sighs )

HERE WE ARE:

FACE TO FACE:

TRAPPED INSIDE:

A WARM EMBRACE:

SHE'S GOOD.

YEAH, SHE IS.

THIS IS NICE,

HONEY.

HMM.

THANK YOU.

I LOVE THIS PLACE.

DINNER'S WONDERFUL.

HMM-MM.

AND THE DESSERT.

WE HAVEN' HAD DESSERT YET.

TRUST ME.

OH! YOU ARE SO BAD.

I KNOW, BABY.

I KNOW.

SWEETIE,

IT'S NOT MY BIRTHDAY, YOU KNOW.

AND OUR ANNIVERSARY

IS LIKE--

SIX MONTHS.

SIX MONTHS AWAY, THAT'S RIGHT.

SO, WHAT YOU SAYING?

I CAN'T HAVE A LITTLE "JUST BECAUSE" CELEBRATION?

"JUST BECAUSE"?

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