The Family Man Page #17

ANNIE:

The black one...

Kate nods. She’s about to put it on when she looks at

Annie...

KATE:

Fighting’s a part of it,

Annie. You know that,

right?

ANNIE:

I’m not worried, Mom.

He’s still learning our

ways...

Kate looks at her with a raised eyebrow, then nods.

It’s true. She puts down the dress and holds out a

hand to Annie.

KATE:

C’mere.

Kate leads her to the makeup table, then opens a

lipstick...

ANNIE:

(excited)

Really?

Kate nods then applies some red lipstick to Annie’s

lips.

KATE:

Now go like this...

Kate rubs her lips together, showing Annie how to do

it. Annie mimics her Mom, then Kate looks at her –

Annie’s beaming.

KATE (CONT’D)

You’re gonna break a lot

of hearts, you know.

A smile from Annie...

Pull back to reveal...Jack standing at the door,

watching ...appreciating the kind of mother Kate is...

79 OMITTED

80EXT. LOIRE - NIGHT

A small, elegant French restaurant hidden on a tree-

lined lower Manhattan street.

81INT. LOIRE - SAME TIME

Jack is wearing the suit Kate gave him. It’s not a

Zegna, but he looks pretty damn good.

He leads Kate toward the cloak room at this intimate

restaurant...

He helps her off with her coat. Kate’s wearing the

sexy little black dress and we can immediately see its

effectiveness...

JACK:

You look beautiful...

A charmed smile from Kate as she hands Jack her coat.

Jack hands the coats over to the COAT CHECK GIRL...

JACK (CONT’D)

(instinctively)

Thanks, Catherine...

Jack fakes a SNEEZE, trying to cover up...Kate gives

him a pat on the back...

KATE:

You okay?

He takes Kate by the arm...

JACK:

Fine...

He leads her to the main room.

She looks out at the room, elegant tables, French

country decor, a PIANIST playing Cole Porter...

KATE:

(quietly to Jack)

Jack...can we afford all

this?

JACK:

What’s the difference?

I’m taking my baby out

for our anniversary, damn

the costs...

KATE:

How do you even know

about this place?

Jack’s caught for a moment. Then...

JACK:

Arnie...

(insistent)

Arnie. He’ll throw you a

curve ball once in a

while, that’s for sure...

Jack puts his arm around her and kisses her on the

cheek...

82INT. LOIRE - A LITTLE LATER

Jack and Kate sit at a secluded table, a WAITER

standing next to them. Jack’s not even looking at the menu.

JACK:

We’ll have the tureen of

quail breast with

shiitake mushrooms to

start, then the veal

medallions in raspberry

truffle sauce and the sea

scallops with pureed

artichoke hearts...sea

scallops, North of the

Caspian...

Kate looks at Jack, a mixture of confusion and awe on

her face.

WAITER:

Very good, sir. And may

I say those are all

excellent selections.

JACK:

You may...

(perusing the

wine list)

Also, we’ll have a bottle

of Lafite, 1982.

Kate reaches over and pulls down the wine list, reading

it upside down.

KATE:

It’s five hundred and

fifty dollars, Jack!

A wince from Jack...for a moment there it was almost

perfect.

JACK:

Just a glass of red wine

for each of us...

The waiter nods, then walks toward the kitchen...

KATE:

You are so not off the

hook yet, slick.

JACK:

But I’m gettin’ close, right?

A noncommittal nod from Kate. Then Jack notices her

look over at the pianist, drawn in by the music.

JACK (CONT’D)

You want to dance?

A puzzled look from Kate. There’s nobody else

dancing. There isn’t even much room to dance...

KATE:

I don’t think there’s

dancing here, Jack.

Jack gets up and holds out a hand.

JACK:

Sure there is...

Kate looks around again, then she smiles.

Kate rises, taking his hand. Jack takes her in his

arms, swaying slowly in the limited amount of space,

confident and self-assured.

The pianist looks up, smiling, appreciating their role

in this romantic moment.

Kate moves with Jack, following his lead comfortably.

They look good together...in sync with each other...

People are watching them...some of the men are

impressed, others are scoffing, but the women are

clearly charmed...

KATE:

(whispering to

Jack)

Pretty good for a tire

salesman from Jersey...

Jack flashes her his most charming smile.

JACK:

I have my moments...

They continue to dance, in a world of their own...

83INT. LOIRE - LATE

Jack and Kate at the table enjoying a gourmet meal.

Jack holds out a fork with a piece of veal for Kate.

She takes a bite.

KATE:

Mmmm...

(spearing a scallop)

...here, try one of

these...

Jack takes a scallop from Kate’s fork.

JACK:

(savoring the scallop)

God I missed that

taste...

Kate laughs.

JACK (CONT’D)

Why are you laughing?

Kate shoots him a look of curiosity. Jack looks back

at her, sees the trust in her face...He puts down his

fork.

JACK (CONT’D)

I need to tell you

something.

KATE:

Okay...

JACK:

I think it may help us

but there’s a slight

chance it could make

things worse.

She hears the seriousness in his voice.

KATE:

Now I’m worried...just

say it. Whatever it is

we’ll deal with it.

JACK:

Are you sure?

She nods. Jack searches his mind for the right words.

Then...

JACK (CONT’D)

I feel like I’m living

someone else’s life...

Jack looks to her, expecting the worst. But she just

nods reassuringly. He continues...

JACK (CONT’D)

I used to be so sure

about everything, you

know? I knew exactly who

I was and what I wanted.

Then one morning I woke

up and suddenly it was

all different...

KATE:

Worse, you mean...

JACK:

No. Well, maybe a few

things. But mostly just

different...

Jack lets out a small smile. Now he’s the one who’s

reassuring Kate.

JACK (CONT’D)

I never used to be like

this, Kate. I had it all

figured out. No doubts,

no regrets.

KATE:

And now...?

JACK:

Now...I don’t...

He looks at her, staring into her eyes, almost

desperate for understanding.

KATE:

Me neither.

A raised eyebrow from Jack.

KATE (CONT’D)

I think it’s good to be a

little unsure about who

you are. It’s very

human.

JACK:

But you always seem so

certain.

KATE:

C’mon, Jack, you think

there aren’t mornings

when I wake up and wonder

what the hell I’m doing

in New Jersey...

JACK:

That’s a big one for me,

too.

KATE:

My office is a dump, I

answer my own phone...and

you’ve seen my pay check.

JACK:

Your pay check is a

disgrace to pay checks.

KATE:

I mean yes, I help people

that need it...

JACK:

I guess...some of them

are probably faking.

KATE:

(a laugh, then...)

God, sometimes I think it

would be so nice not to

have to stretch ground

beef or maybe drive a car

with a CD player...

He smiles, right there with her.

KATE (CONT’D)

Imagine having a life

where everything was

easy...where you asked

for things and people

just brought them to

you...

JACK:

It’s wonderful...

Kate laughs, nodding.

A pause, then...

KATE:

I think about it, too,

Jack. I do. I think

about the kind of person

I’d be if I hadn’t

married you...

It’s as if she’s inside his head. They stay like this

for a moment, looking into each other.

JACK:

And...?

She stops a moment, considering. Then...

KATE:

And I realize I’ve just

erased the things in my

life I’m most sure

about. You, the kids...

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