Room Page #16

MA:

I don’t know.

JACK:

Can we get Dylan now?

MA:

Please, Jack.

LAURA:

These ones are kind of cute.

MA:

No. I definitely don’t want any of

these. I’d never wear these.

She grabs Jack’s hand and drags him out of the store. Laura

follows looking weirded-out.

85 INT. MALL - LATER 85

The trio hurries through the mall. Ma looks nervous, Laura

concerned, Jack bewildered and angry.

MA:

(barely paying attention)

Are you hungry, Jack? You want

something in the food court?

They’ve got, I don’t know, pizza

and stuff.

JACK:

I want Dylan. You said.

MA:

I said if you were good.

LAURA:

I could run and get it for him.

(CONTINUED)

85 CONTINUED:
85

MA:

No. I said no, so he has to

understand.

They pass a Cinnabon outlet.

MA (CONT’D)

Jack, you want a Cinnabon? You

smell that?

JACK:

No.

MA:

Cinnabon is good. You might like

it.

LAURA:

I think we should just go.

JACK:

I want Dylan. I want Dylan now.You

said.

MA:

You are being really naughty Jack.

Jack starts into a full on tantrum.

MA (CONT’D)

Suit yourself.

She grabs him to carry him out, but he pulls away. All the

noise has drawn the attention of the people around them. A

couple of TEENAGERS approach Jack.

TEENAGER:

(to Jack)

Hey, are you that kid from the TV.

MA:

Get the f*** away from him. Get the

f*** away.

86 INT. LAURA’S CAR - SOON 86

Ma, Jack and Laura clamber into the car.

LAURA:

Oh my God. Oh. My. God.

(CONTINUED)

86 CONTINUED:
86

MA:

Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t. Those a**holes.

LAURA:

Buckle up, Jack, all right?

JACK:

I... I...

He looks around, not knowing what to do.

MA:

Jesus Christ. Just buckle it, all

right?

She leans over the seat and jerks the buckle on.

MA (CONT’D)

That’s how it works, all right?

JACK:

I don't like you in the world!

MA:

Well maybe I don't like you either!

Laura pauses, Ma glowers.

MA (CONT’D)

(angrily to Laura)

Just go!

Laura backs out of the parking spot.

87 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 87

Jack sits with Nancy and Leo in the quiet room, playing

Candyland.

LEO:

Oh, you got me on that one.

NANCY:

You guys want to start again?

They set up the board again. Nancy spins the dial and moves

her figure.

NANCY (CONT’D)

Here we go. My turn.

They play.

(CONTINUED)

87 CONTINUED:
87

NANCY (CONT’D)

You know, it can be tough to be a

Mom. Sometimes it’s really tough,

and you can get angry, but it

doesn’t mean you don’t love your

baby.

Jack takes his turn.

88 INT. NANCY AND LEO’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 88

Jack sits with Dr. Mittal. After a little while, Nancy comes

in.

NANCY:

I’m sorry.

Dr. Mittal stands.

DR. MITTAL

OK. Let her rest. I’ll see you

again next week, Jack.

Mittal and Nancy leave. Jack hears them talking quietly in

the hall. Nancy describing Ma’s behavior, sharing her

worries.

89 INT. BEDROOM - DAY 89

Jack sits on the floor beside the bed watching Dora on

Nancy’s smart phone. Ma’s who’s been dozing sits up.

MA:

Jack. Please turn that off.

Jack keeps watching.

MA (CONT’D)

Now. I mean it. Now.

JACK:

I want to watch!

MA:

Jack! Please. Please. I’m begging

you, please turn that off.

Jack looks at her. She is twisted in pain at the sound of the

show.

Jack switches it off.

(CONTINUED)

89 CONTINUED:
89

MA (CONT’D)

It reminds me too much of Room. I

can’t have it.

(CONTINUED)

89 CONTINUED:
(2) 89

Jack ignores her.

MA (CONT’D)

You've got so many other things to

play with. You should try something

else.

He won't respond.

MA (CONT’D)

Come on. Let's look at all your

stuff.

She drags him down to the living room.

90 INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 90

She points to a pile of boxes in the corner.

MA:

Look at all these toys. Most kids

would love that stuff. You've

barely even looked at them.

JACK:

I don't want to.

MA:

Come on, Jack.

He shuffles to the pile. Ma crouches - finds and rips open a

box of Lego.

MA (CONT’D)

It’s pretty cool, right? You like

it?

Nancy steps in beside her daughter.

MA (CONT’D)

He needs something real to do. I’m

getting worried about him with the

phone.

NANCY:

He’s fine.

MA:

I don’t give him my phone so please

don’t give him yours.

(CONTINUED)

90 CONTINUED:
90

NANCY:

OK.

MA:

I just want him to connect to

something. You know?

NANCY:

He’s really doing fine.

Ma’s aggression deserts her. She is distressed, afraid. She

screws up her face, hides it in her hands.

MA:

I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s

happening to me. I can’t feel

anything. Even for ...

Her hand flings towards Jack. She chokes her words back.

NANCY:

Joy, please.

MA:

Don’t judge me. You have no right.

People walk around like the world

is fine and normal but it’s not.

Nancy tries to put her hand on Ma’s arm.

MA (CONT’D)

Don’t! I can’t bear it. I thought

this would be heaven, but it’s

worse. Can you understand that?

NANCY:

You just need to rest.

MA:

(recovering, closing the

crack of vulnerability)

No I don’t! That’s not what I need.

NANCY:

That’s what the Doctor...

MA:

(wiping away tears)

No! That’s not what he said. You

don’t know what he said. That’s

confidential and you don’t even

know. Just forget it.

(CONTINUED)

90 CONTINUED:
(2) 90

NANCY:

I feel like you’re impossible to

talk to right now.

MA:

Oh, I'm sorry!

NANCY:

No, you’re not sorry.

MA:

You think you know what’s in my

head. Trust me, you couldn’t handle

it.

NANCY:

Tell me and see. I've asked you.

MA:

So you’re seeing that every time

you look at me? Great.

NANCY:

You’re my daughter, that’s what

I’ll see.

MA:

Yeah, well you seemed to get on OK

without me.

NANCY:

How can you say that? You think

you’re the only one whose life was

destroyed?

MA:

Actually, that’s exactly what I

think.

NANCY:

How would you feel if somebody took

Jack from you?

MA LEO:

Shut up. Go easy.

Jack puts his hands over his ears.

NANCY (CONT’D)

Look at him. You should be thinking

about him.

(CONTINUED)

90 CONTINUED:
(3) 90

MA:

Don’t you ever tell me how to look

after my son. I’m sorry if I’m not

‘nice’ enough for you. Maybe if you

hadn’t been in my head saying ‘be

nice’ that day I wouldn’t have gone

to help him.

Nancy is horrified.

MA (CONT’D)

(storming out)

This isn’t even my house anymore. I

don’t know what this is.

Ma leaves. Jack shakes his head. Holds back tears.

NANCY:

I’m sorry, Jack.

Nancy moves to hug him but she sees Jack stiffen and she

stops.

91 EXT. BACK YARD - DAY 91

Jack wanders the back yard.

92 INT. MA AND JACK’S BEDROOM - DAY 92

Jack wanders in. Ma is sitting on the bed. She seems calmer.

MA:

Come here, Jack.

He goes over and she wraps her arms around him. He cuddles

into her.

MA (CONT’D)

You know, Jack, we're going to have

to move away from here someday.

We're going to have to get our own

house. And a yard. We’re going to

have to do all kinds of things.

93 EXT. HOUSE - DAY 93

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