Stepmom Page #17

RACHEL:

Stepmother. You think that means

you can step on me? Over me? That

you're one step ahead of me? Well,

you're not.

Strong voice. No smile at all.

RACHEL:

You know when girls grow into women?

When they have to. And this is your

moment, kid. Ready or not.

Picks up the phone.

RACHEL:

(low)

Your mama is in a hospital, far away.

She needs you, right now. She needs

you to be big. To put the kid aside,

and help her get well. Now. F***ing.

Do it!

CLICKS the phone ON. Hands it to her.

ANNABELLE:

(tears on her face)

Hi, Mom. How are you feeling?

As Rachel leaves, silently, we...

INTERCUT throughout: Jackie at her clinic window. Cellular at her

ear.

JACKIE:

Darling, I've been thinking about

our little Brad problem? And I

think it's time we move to Plan B...

ANNABELLE:

You cannot believe what he said,

it was the worst instant of my

total life on Earth!!

JACKIE:

I know. I know how rough life can be.

And how unfair. So here's what we do.

Tomorrow, on the lunch yard, you walk

straight up to that little jerk...

ANNABELLE:

And bring my knees up, real hard, yeh?

JACKIE:

No, that never solves anything. You

talk like the big girl you are. About

what you feel. And how he's hurt you.

You know? You tell the truth.

Nodding to herself. Knows this is right.

JACKIE:

You use your words.

EXT. SUBWAY CAR - DAY

An actual SUBWAY CAR filled with PAIRS of animals, cats, rabbits,

dogs, two horses peeking out a window, peacocks. Noah's Subway, so

to speak.

Duncan and his client watch as Cooper assists Rachel, who SHOOTS

the menagerie from low ANGLES. At last, she lowers her camera.

Check her watch. Shoots Cooper a knowing look. And HANDS HIM the

camera. WAVES to her subjects...

RACHEL:

I love you guys. You're animals!

And starts WALKING OFF down the tunnel. Duncan looks at his

watch, then JUMPS up, TEARS after Rachel, GRABBING her arm,

SPINNING her around, he faces...

...someone ready for this.

RACHEL:

It's 1:
45, I told you there's no

one to pick up Annab...

DUNCAN:

But you're not done!

She licks her lips. Stands her ground.

RACHEL:

I've got it. It's in the can,

Cooper can wrap th...

DUNCAN:

We don't KNOW if you've got it, we

haven't SEEN it yet! Now go back

and FINISH!

Her glare says do NOT f*** with me. The mother lion look we've

seen on Jackie.

RACHEL:

Which part of no don't you

understand?

DUNCAN:

Look, I will send a P.A. to pick

up the children. There are agencies

that supply sitters, nannies...

RACHEL:

They're losing one mother. They

can't lose two.

The bottom line. He looks as freaked as she is determined.

DUNCAN:

You're making a career decision

here, I would strongly sugg...

RACHEL:

Duncan. I've got an even better

idea...

She leans forward. In his face. So she barely has to murmur.

RACHEL:

I. Quit.

A beat.

DUNCAN:

You can't do that, I won't let you!

RACHEL:

No, no, no, this is a job that's

hard to keep, not a job that's

hard to lose, can't be both.

DUNCAN:

Rachel, don't do this, you will

never forgive yourself!

She thinks that over. For half a second.

RACHEL:

Actually. I just did.

And without further fond farewell...

She is gone.

EXT. CAR POOL LINE, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - DAY

The last cars are pulling away. Some kids are still playing

sports. And sitting on the ledge by the flag pole...

...two children. The little boy is reading his Garfield book for

the three hundredth time. His big sister is simply crying, openly,

for a disinterested world to see. A car SCREECHES up. The driver

BLASTS out the door, RUNS to us...

Then crouches slowly. At Annabelle's feet.

RACHEL:

Oh, baby, I'm so sor...

ANNABELLE:

IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!!

Rachel is dying inside. Reaches to brush at Annabelle's tears, but

the child SMACKS her head away.

RACHEL:

Ben, go sit in my car right now,

and I will bribe you big time.

Excited, he runs off.

ANNABELLE:

I did what she said. I used my

words, I told him what I felt,

and they...

RACHEL:

...laughed, yeh. They laughed

real hard.

Annabelle nodding BIG, gulping back tears.

RACHEL:

That's because men can be scum,

your precious father excepted,

may you live to find one like him,

it is damn hard.

And wraps her arms around the girl...

RACHEL:

(looking around)

Now is that little prick still here,

because if he is, I'm gonna rip his

f***ing heart out!

ANNABELLE:

No, his mother's always on time.

Great.

ANNABELLE:

And Mom says anger never, never

solves anything. It makes every-

thing worse.

RACHEL:

That's because your mother is a

fine person, finer than I will

ever be. Now, just this once...

Just this once.

RACHEL:

If I tell you what to do. Can we

cut a deal?

Annabelle stops crying. This is what she has prayed for.

RACHEL:

Tomorrow is Friday, your mom comes

home. You tell her you did what she

said. It didn't work yet. But you're

gonna talk to Brad again on Monday.

Leans close...

RACHEL:

And youdon't tell her. What

you're going to say.

ANNABELLE:

Not use my words, please!

RACHEL:

(smile)

No, baby. You're gonna use

my words.

The sun dawns. On a child's face. Rachel brushes the tears away.

They won't need them anymore.

RACHEL:

Okay, let's start with looks. I

know he's handsome, but the best-

looking people are so vain, there's

always something they're insecure

about.

Annabelle shakes her head. Nothing.

RACHEL:

Does he have zitz? We can call

him Pizza Face.

Nope. None.

RACHEL:

Help me here...

ANNABELLE:

Uh. He thinks his nose is too

big. But it's not.

RACHEL:

Great. Big ears, too?

ANNABELLE:

No. But they stand out, a little.

Like this.

Shows how.

RACHEL:

Done. He's a dead man.

Rachel stands up. Walks in circle, thinking. Comes back.

Strikes a pose.

RACHEL:

Monday lunch, you walk up with

attitude, you hear me?

Finger STABS out...

RACHEL:

(as Annabelle)

Hey, Ear Boy!

(does the ears)

Listen up, Rhino Face, because I'm

saying this one time! So your

pathetic, no-life, ass-kissing little

groupies here, better take notes!

Annabelle is swooning with joy.

RACHEL:

(as Annabelle)

I dumped you, limp dick, when I

got a peek at your deformed unit,

which is sadly microscopic!

Annabelle laughing, applauding.

RACHEL:

(as Annabelle)

As for your pitiful knowledge of

sex? I'm not wasting my time with

some loser who doesn't even know

what snowballing is!

Annabelle raises her hand.

ANNABELLE:

Uh. What is it?

RACHEL:

Oh. It's an incredibly disgusting,

and not remotely sexy thing, that

they described in a movie I'd never

let you go to. But it's real. Does

he have an older brother?

ANNABELLE:

In high school.

RACHEL:

He'll be impressed. The clincher is,

you walk away, then whip around...

Like this.

RACHEL:

The guy I see is in the eighth grade

at Prep School, and he laughs his ass

off every time we talk about you.

ANNABELLE:

But Rache...

RACHEL:

A suitable boy, will be at this

flagpole, on Monday, with a very

expensive bike, and he will be a

stone FOX if I have to call an

escort service!

The kid. Is breathless.

RACHEL:

Now let's go stuff you full of

junk food.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes