Stepmom Page #15

ANNABELLE:

This'll work, huh?

JACKIE:

Oh, yeh.

Annabelle takes heart from her mom's confidence. Nods, with her

trademark determination.

JACKIE:

How many devilled eggs can

you eat?

ANNABELLE:

Maybe twenty.

Jackie surveys the table.

JACKIE:

We can always go to the store,

if w...

A sudden BANGING on the screen door. They turn to see...

...a breathless six-year-old TUCKER through the screen. The

birthday boy at the recent party.

TUCKER:

Mrs. Harrison...?

JACKIE:

Tucker, is something wr...

TUCKER:

How tall is your tree? The really,

really, really, REALLY big...

JACKIE:

(shrugs)

Why?

Uh.

TUCKER:

How bad would it hurt? If you

fell off the top?

EXT. YARD - DAY

AERIAL VIEW of Jackie, Annabelle, Tucker and assorted neighborhood

looky-loo kids from SEVENTY FEET in the air. Everyone looks like

TINY DOTS running around the lawn. We realize that we are almost

at the TOP of a giant EVERGREEN TREE.

We see a patch of red. And now a blue stripe. The wind reveals

more -- It's BEN CLIMBING to the very top of the tree. The calling

of his name becoming more and more faint in the distance -- His leg

MISSES a branch -- causing a cluster of PINE CONES to FALL in front

of Jackie -- she looks up screaming --

JACKIE:

BEEEENNNNNN!

Jackie's POV -- Ben crouched at the top of the evergreen -- as the

wind sways the tree perilously back and forth.

JACKIE:

Don't move!

SMASH CUT TO LATER, as...

An enormous CRANE moves through the sky. Jackie holds tightly onto

JESSICA, a diminutive five-foot-tall Firewoman, as they soar skyward

towards Ben. A slightly condescending tone to...

JESSICA:

That's quite a grip you have there

Ma'am. Do we have an issue with

heights?

Patronized the wrong gal. In a crisis.

JACKIE:

(looking her up and

down)

I don't care if you're a dwarf,

so long as you do your job.

BEN! I'M COMING! STAY THERE!

MOMMY'S COMING!

JESSICA:

Ma'am, my arm's going numb, maybe

you could loosen your grip just a

little.

JACKIE:

That's absolutely out of the question.

BEN! I'M HERE!

The crane STOPS. Ben has climbed to the top branches of the trees;

they SWAY from side to side like a METRONOME.

JESSICA:

Hello Ben. Your mother says you're

real good at disappearing --

Ben tries to climb a little higher -- Branches SNAP.

JACKIE:

Ben! Mommy's so glad to see you -- Now

stop climbing!

(He keeps climbing)

Ben listen to me...

BEN:

No! I have to get there.

JACKIE:

Where Ben?

BEN:

Before you.

JACKIE:

Ben where do you have to get to?

BEN:

Heaven. I have to tell him he's made

a mistake. He should take Grammy

Martha first. Or Grandpa Norman.

Jackie's heart breaks, unable to speak.

JACKIE:

Ben. God doesn't like visitors.

BEN:

How do you know?

JACKIE:

Ask her, she's a heroic Fireperson.

She does this twenty times a day.

BEN:

Oh.

Jessica begins to crawl out to him on the limb.

JESSICA:

Oh yeh. It's in our official manual.

JACKIE:

That's right, Ben. That's why Firemen

have giant ladders and climb up

and down poles. They're like...

messengers... carrier pigeons...

between heaven and earth.

BEN:

That's good cause we need to hurry.

My mom doesn't have very much time

left.

JESSICA:

Then you know what we should do?

We should go to the Fire Station

together and ring the firebell to

get God's attention.

BEN:

Cause it's an emergency.

Ben opens his arms, teeters, and Jessica HAS him. She reaches him

out, and...

...HANDS him to Jackie, alone in the cherry-picker. Jackie GRASPS

Ben, pulling him FIERCELY to her arms in a death grip.

From down below, the kids CHEER. The worst is over.

HOLD on Jackie, clutching her baby for dear life. Knowing it isn't.

INT. BEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jackie stands in the doorway watching her son -- her baby boy --

sleeping. She looks drawn, but even if her body would let her

sleep she couldn't.

JACKIE:

(a whisper)

God...I will do anything...I will

go through any amount of pain you

give me. If you'll just let me

see them grow up.

A slow ragged breath.

JACKIE:

Is that asking so damn much?

She leaves the room soundlessly. Ben stirs.

ANNABELLE'S BEDROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT

Annabelle sleeps soundly in the glow of a night light. Jackie

appears, leaning down to rouse her gently.

JACKIE:

Annabelle...wake up honey...

ANNABELLE:

(sleepy)

Mom? What's wrong?

JACKIE:

Nothing sweetheart.

Jackie sits on the edge of the bed, stroking Annabelle's head.

JACKIE:

I got Ginny Weintraub to come stay

with Ben.

Annabelle's puzzled look. Why would you do that?

JACKIE:

How'd you like to go someplace

special with me? Right now.

EXT. NORTH VALE STABLES - NIGHT

The light of the full moon illuminates the night and we see Jackie

and Annabelle sitting on a horse. Annabelle in front, Jackie with

a strong hold on her. Both have their nightgowns tucked into their

jeans, coats over them.

JACKIE:

Hold tight, sweetheart.

She KICKS the horse forward and they HEAD OFF toward the rolling

hills in the distance. Jackie and Annabelle ride faster and faster

along the trail. Jackie has one arm firmly around Annabelle's

waist and controls the horse with the other. Jackie closes her

eyes for a moment, allowing the wind to wash over her. The smells

and sounds of the night seem to free her, give her strength.

Annabelle relaxes against her mother and giggles with delight.

Jackie soon joins her, and the sounds of their laughter break the

silence of the night.

They come to a stop at the crest of a small hill and we now see the

tears on Jackie's face. Annabelle can't see, and stares out at the

moonlit valley before them.

JACKIE:

I'm never, never going to forget this.

Annabelle snuggles back. Happy.

ANNABELLE:

Never say never.

Jackie kisses the top of her baby's head.

JACKIE:

You're old enough to learn the

loophole. You can say 'never,

never'. If you mean it enough.

To say it twice.

Annabelle yawns. So content in her mother's arms.

ANNABELLE:

I'll remember. Always, always.

So Jackie grips a little tighter. Breathes a single word, just

loud enough to hear...

JACKIE:

Promise.

EXT. JACKIE'S HOUSE - DUSK

Rachel and Luke heading up the path to Jackie's door. It is early

winter. Stark trees, a light snow on the ground. Rachel pulls her

coat tighter around her.

INT. JACKIE'S FRONT DOOR - DUSK

Ben rumbling down the hall to the door. Stands in front of it, as

the bell RINGS again.

BEN:

IS THAT YOU?

RACHEL (O.S.)

IT'S YOUR GIRLFRIEND, BIG GUY,

OPEN UP.

So he does. Gives her a sweet hug.

LUKE (O.S.)

Hey. Remember me?

He enters behind her. SCOOPS his body in the air.

LUKE:

(John Wayne)

Listen up. That's a pretty big love

you're givin' my best girl, pard.

BEN:

(Clint)

Listen sideways. I love her and

you love her. Now what are we

gonna do about it?

They follow Rachel down the hall...

LUKE:

(Mister Rogers)

We'll share. Like good neighbors.

They enter the living room. Annabelle sits sullenly in front of

the TV. Her overnight duffle and book bag and coat piled beside

her.

RACHEL:

Hey, gorgeous, where's Big Mama?

No answer. Annabelle worried about something.

RACHEL:

She still packing for her trip?

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