The Family Man Page #21

Silence. Kate looks him in the eye – a deep, piercing

look...

KATE:

They already do envy us,

Jack...

Kate picks up her bag and walks out of the apartment.

102 OMITTED

103INT. ANNIE’S ROOM - NIGHT

Annie is in a nightgown, practicing her violin. Jack

walks in.

It’s all he can do to hold back cringing at the missed

notes. Annie finishes the piece, lowering the bow.

JACK:

Very nice. What is it?

ANNIE:

Mary Had A Little Lamb.

JACK:

Ah. A classic...

Annie starts PLAYING again as Jack looks at the

dresser. She has 20 or so family photos lined up and

down its sides...

Jack studies them...in every one Jack’s face is totally

contented. Jack studies them, looking at his own face.

Annie lowers the bow, watching him...

Jack turns to her.

JACK (CONT’D)

Please don’t stop...

She smiles, then starts PLAYING again. He turns back

to the pictures...

104INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE, DEN - LATE

Jack...standing in front of the desk, nursing a drink.

He looks at Lassiter’s business card, sitting on the

surface of the desk...

He gazes around the room...his eyes coming to rest on a

bookshelf...a book...

He moves toward it...looking at its spine...it’s a

tattered copy of Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle.” He pulls

it off the shelf, there’s something inside...a

bookmark...

...a PAN AM ticket jacket sleeve...

...inside...a boarding pass...”From: London/Heathrow,

To:
New York/JFK, 10/4/87.”

He looks at it...something’s not right...

JACK:

From London to New York...?

(looking up)

I came back...

Then...a NOISE...

Jack turns and sees Kate walking into the doorway,

standing there...She sees Jack holding the Pan Am

ticket sleeve.

KATE:

Our finest moment,

right...

A quizzical look from Jack.

KATE (CONT’D)

When you got on that

plane I was sure it was

over. I left the airport

afraid I’d never see you

again. And then you

showed up the very next

day...

(a wistful smile)

That was a good

surprise...

She continues into the room, leaning against a

bookshelf.

KATE (CONT’D)

I think about you on that

plane, about what must

have been going through

your mind...you sitting

there imagining our life

together, our life

apart...I think about the

decision you made...

Jack watches her as she lets out a small sigh.

KATE (CONT’D)

Maybe I was being naive

but I believed we’d grow

old together in this

house. That we’d spend

holidays here, have g

randchildren visit us

here. I had this image

of us all grey and

wrinkly, me working in

the garden, you

repainting the deck...

Kate smiles gently as she pictures this.

KATE (CONT’D)

Things change, right?

People change...

(pausing)

If you need this, Jack, I

mean really need this, I

will take these children

from a life they love,

and take myself from the

only home we’ve ever

shared, and move wherever

you need to go. I’ll do

that because I love

you...

The words are like a warm embrace for Jack...

KATE (CONT’D)

I love you, Jack. And

that’s more important to

me than our address...

Kate smiles lovingly at Jack...she walks over to him,

kisses him gently on the forehead.

KATE (CONT’D)

I choose us.

She turns and heads out of the room, leaving him there,

the boarding pass still in hand, staring lovingly at

her as she goes...

105INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE MASTER BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

Jack walks into the room...

The lights are off, Kate already in bed sleeping.

He undresses for bed, unable to take his eyes off Kate.

Finally, he lifts the covers and climbs into bed next

to her, moving closer to her, putting an arm around

her, drawing her in...

In her sleep, Kate nestles in Jack’s embrace. He

savors the feeling, then closes his eyes as...

They lay there...side by side...together...a single

person.

DISSOLVE TO:

106INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE MASTER BEDROOM - MORNING

The morning light streams into the room. Kate opens

her eyes. Jack’s not in bed. A look of curiosity.

Then, she hears LAUGHTER from outside.

She goes over to the window...opens the blinds...

revealing...

Jack in the backyard, LAUGHING with joy, playing in the

snow with Annie and Josh.

Kate watches...a satisfied smile sweeping across her

face...

107EXT. CAMPBELL HOUSE BACKYARD - SAME TIME

...Jack reaches out and snags Annie...she CACKLES in

delight...

The three of them fall over onto the soft white snow...

The laughter from the kids is uncontrollable, Jack’s

joy is just as palpable...

Finally, Annie stops laughing and grabs Jack around the

neck, hugging his tight.

ANNIE:

(whispering in

Jack’s ear)

I knew you’d come back...

DISSOLVE TO:

108INT. GARAGE - NIGHT

Jack walks over to a utility shelf, fishing around

until he finds a bag of rock salt...he grabs it, sees

it’s empty...

And then he hears it...the sound of a BICYCLE BELL

RINGING, echoing through the room.

A shudder passes through his body...

He turns and sees Annie at the open garage door,

sitting on her bike, ringing the BELL.

It’s an eerie moment for Jack...

JACK:

What are you doing?

ANNIE:

(a curious look)

Ringing my bell...

On Jack’s anxious face...

109 OMITTED

CHAPTER FIFTEEN – SAYING GOODBYE

110INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - NIGHT

On Jack...crouched down in an aisle of this local

convenience store...checking out the bags of rock

salt...

He looks at the price tag on one of the bags...

JACK:

Four ninety nine?! It’s just

salt for god’s sake...

On the entrance to the store...the door opens, a YOUNG

GIRL, 17, enters, an average suburban teenager...

She glances at a fashion magazine, picks up a package

of gum...

From the POV of the cashier, we see the girl approach

the counter...

On Jack, crouched down in the aisle. He grabs a bag of

salt from the shelf, when...

CASH (O.S.)

That’ll be sixty five cents,

little angel...

Jack registers the voice...he rises slowly, looking

over to the front counter...where he sees...

Cash, dressed in a typical chain convenience store

uniform, ringing up the teenager...

An excited smile from Jack at the sight of Cash...

JACK:

You...!

Then...the color drains from Jack’s face...

JACK (CONT’D)

What are you doing here...

Jack moves toward Cash at the counter...

JACK (CONT’D)

You’re not sending me

back...

The girl eyes Jack curiously, then removes a dollar

bill from her pocket and slides it across the counter

to Cash...

CASH:

Jack, it’s good to see

you...

Cash reaches into the register, taking out change for

ten dollars...he hands the girl $9.35...

CASH (CONT’D)

(to the girl)

Thank you darlin’...

The girl looks at the money, realizing that Cash has

given her the wrong change...

CASH (CONT’D)

(back to Jack,

seeing the

rock salt)

What do you got there,

rock salt? Look at you,

all domestic and sh*t...

You really figured some

things out, huh?

The girl looks at Cash talking to Jack...

JACK:

I’m not going back...

The girl hesitates...Cash turns to her...

CASH:

(to the girl)

Everything okay...?

She looks at him, a moment of decision, then...

TEENAGE GIRL:

Yeah...fine.

JACK:

(raising his voice)

Hey! Did you hear me...?!

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