Stepmom Page #11

RACHEL:

What about obsessively picking her

split ends?

JACKIE:

Anxiety.

RACHEL:

Last week when she chopped her

Barbie's bangs all to hell --

JACKIE:

She was angry at herself.

RACHEL:

Jackie?

JACKIE:

Yes?

RACHEL:

When I twisted hair like this it

means I'm intimidated by you...

Jackie gives her the trace of a smile.

JACKIE:

I'll keep it in mind, and use it

against you.

She looks back down at the game. Rachel watching her profile.

Finally...

RACHEL:

You feeling all right?

JACKIE:

(doesn't turn)

Not great. Plus, I've got things on

my mind. You know.

Things. Rachel doesn't know. Blurts...

RACHEL:

Are you...seeing someone?

Jackie snorts a laugh. In spite of herself.

JACKIE:

Yeh, that does tend to make me sick

to my stomach. Actually, I'm, uh...

Thinking. Deciding if this is the time to say...

JACKIE:

...thinking of going back to Random

House. On a part-time basis.

RACHEL:

Wowie. How wonderful!

But Jackie still hasn't turned. Eyes glued to Annabelle, racing

around with determination.

JACKIE:

Well, I could do most of it from

home. But, while I'm working it out

with the head editor, I'd need to...

Sighs. Boy, this is tough. Tries for matter-of-fact...

JACKIE:

...make some trips into the city.

Sometimes, overnight.

RACHEL:

Hey, any help you need, we'll cover.

Jackie nods. Appreciates that. But she still hasn't turned to

look Rachel in the eye.

RACHEL:

Uh. Have you told Luke and the ki...

JACKIE:

Let's...hold up for a bit. It may

not happen. Our secret, okay?

A little strange. Particularly the hardness of Jackie's eyes.

Rachel watching her. Something's up.

RACHEL:

(softly)

Sure, if you like.

Jackie looks away now. To the playground just beyond the

bleachers. Kids rise swings, clamber over a jungle gym. But her

eyes are routinely, automatically, zeroing in on one single kid...

...who is climbing his way UP a tall SLIDE. Crouched over as he

inches up the shiny metal surface, using the side rails. Rachel

follows Jackie's eyes, just as...

...Ben reaches the top and STANDS UP, hands OVER his head, Jackie's

breath catching, Ben totters once and...

...FALLS fast, hitting the grass with a thump we can hear, lying

crumpled, motionless, as our two women...

...SPRING up as one, SCRAMBLING down the bleachers, RUNNING toward

the playground, Jackie initially in the lead, but Rachel out-

sprints her, CLOSING on the child, as he rolls over grasping his

leg, and reaching him first...

...some instinct makes her hold back, let Jackie RUSH past her, to

kneel at Ben's side. She lifts her baby in her arms. His pants

are torn, his leg is bleeding. His own concern...

BEN:

I can still go to Tucker's party,

right?

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

A full house of walk-ins with assorted needs, none of which appear

to require George Clooney on an urgent basis. Across the room, an

irritated Jackie finishes the last of the paperwork at the nurses

station. Exchanges a less-than-pleasantry with the less-than-

helpful duty nurse, and...

...heads off through the crowd, DOWN a hallway, TURNS a corner, to

see...

LUKE stands by a doorway. Smiling, as he gazes into a hospital

room. Jackie comes to his side, looks in...

Ben doesn't see them. His back is turned, as he talks to Rachel,

who sits on the side of his bed, feeding him the pudding she got

from a vending machine.

BEN:

...for Christmas, okay? Every

magician needs a white dove, a

real one, they do!

RACHEL:

Well, that's a long way off, sweetie.

We'll talk to Mom and Dad...

BEN:

Dad! You can talk him into anything!

Unseen by the two, Luke grins. Then, Ben snuggles into Rachel's

arms and kisses her. Jackie stares.

RACHEL:

(singing softly)

'In the still...still of the

ni-ight...I held you... held you

so ti-ight'...take it, man...

BEN:

(singing softly)

Doo-wop-doo-doo, doo-wop-doo-doo...

Jackie stands there. Her eyes are difficult to read. But she sure

is watching.

LUKE:

(softly)

Nice, huh?

She steps back. Looks him in the eye.

JACKIE:

It is. It's about time.

He give her a goofy give-me-a-break FACE. She twists the corner

of a smile.

LUKE:

She's a charmer, you'll see. In

fifty years, the kids'll love her

ten percent as much as they love you.

JACKIE:

Stop. You're making me insecure.

Now they're smiling at each other. In the old way. A nice moment

for them.

LUKE:

You changed your hair.

And we notice. It does look different.

JACKIE:

It's temporary.

LUKE:

(grins)

It's good. You're not pulling a

mid-life crisis on us, are you?

Her look holds. An odd extra beat.

JACKIE:

Not the term I'd use.

He glances back through the doorway...

LUKE:

You want us to take him tonight?

Give you some private time with

Annab....

JACKIE:

Never stand between that kid and

a meatball.

LUKE:

Yet another spaghetti night.

JACKIE:

Yeh, better I should forcefeed

him burnt lamb and...couscous,

was it she made him? Boy, kids

go wild for that.

She pats him on the shoulder...

JACKIE:

I'll drop him at Tucker's party

Saturday, if one of you guys can

pick him up. I have to go into

the City.

And breezes by him into the room. Ben wheels to see her...

JACKIE:

You know what happens to spaghetti

when it waits around for you too

long?

He really thinks. Actually...

BEN:

No.

JACKIE:

Pray. We never find out.

EXT. A PERFECTLY MANICURED TWO STORY HOME - DAY

A door with balloons OPENS -- STACY, the birthday boy's mom, stands

there -- children running behind her in party hats, all with their

conservatively dressed SUBURBAN MOMS. Rachel's attire a sharp

contrast.

RACHEL:

Hi, I'm here to pick up Ben.

STACY:

Does Jackie know this?

RACHEL:

No. I'm doing it behind her back.

STACY:

In seven years Jackie's never

missed one of Tucker's parties.

Where is she?

RACHEL:

Something came up. C'mon Ben!

I've got a shoot at three...

STACY:

Tucker hasn't penned Ben's present

yet -- it won't be too much longer.

Rachel eyes the MOUND OF PRESENTS yet to be opened. DISSOLVE TO...

FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER...Rachel, in a pointed party hat, sits

schmushed on the couch in between all the other MOTHERS. A black

jeans stranger in a strange peach land. She eyes that mound of

presents. Not even a dent. She pulls out her cell phone, moves

towards the hallway.

RACHEL:

Hey Cooper...pull a number 64 steel

blue gel on the back light...yeah

I'm on my way but...

A piece of CAKE FLIES through the air and LANDS on Rachel.

STACY:

Now Ben, let Tucker play with his

Batcave...

Ben won't let go of Tucker's presents. Tucker tries to take it.

Ben is adamant. Rachel reaches for him, tousling his hair.

RACHEL:

Hey Benjy boy -- chill.

(he shimmies away from her)

He's there already? No I don't want to

talk to him -- Duncan? How are you...

The mothers are all too aware of Rachel on the phone. Two kids

shoot water guns -- Rachel gets drenched. Ben pulls at the toys...

BEN:

I want it!

STACY:

Ben I know you're angry and confused

but it's Tucker's birthday party.

Ben and Tucker fight for it -- the mothers all LOOK TO RACHEL.

RACHEL:

Ben --

(into phone)

Duncan I'm aware of that - Goddamn it

Ben! Let go of it. NOW!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes