The Ice Storm Page #8

MIKEY:

(honestly oblivious, as

usual)

I dunno.

She pauses, then walks into the kitchen.

EXT. WILLIAMS BACKYARD. DAY

Sandy flicks his enormous whip in the direction of a small

bush.

One by one, he snaps off its leaves.

INT. WILLIAM KITCHEN. DAY

Janey hauls a turkey out of a bag and into the fridge.

INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY

Mikey and Wendy are still in front of the TV.

Janey comes in again and looks at them.

JANEY:

Don't you kids have homework?

MIKEY AND WENDY:

(without looking up, in

unison)

Thanksgiving break.

She walks out of the room again.

Sandy comes in, whip in hand, looks over at Mikey and Wendy,

then walks over to them, and, without a word, slumps down

beside them and watches the TV.

EXT. TOWN STREET. DAY

Elena walks unsteadily, pausing to rest against a brick wall.

She takes a deep breath, then walks to a corner where a local

taxi station wagon sits idling. She gestures to the driver,

who beckons her in.

INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY

Later, still mentally devolving in front of the TV, but with

various junk food detritus surrounding them and a different

show, a rerun of the original Highway Patrol.

Sandy wanders off.

CUT TO:

Later.

Wendy gets up, goes upstairs, and wanders down the hall to

the bathroom.

She gets to the door just as Sandy gets there from the

opposite direction.

WENDY:

After you.

Sandy hesitantly opens the door, as Wendy still hovers by it.

SANDY:

Well, you can...

WENDY:

Hey Sandy, what were you blowing up

out there? Your mom was pretty

p.o.'d.

SANDY:

All my model planes.

WENDY:

The ones you built?

SANDY:

They were old. And they couldn't

fly anyhow. I'm going to get a

radio-controlled airplane at

Christmas, and then I'll stuff it

full of m-80s and then fly it into

Mrs. Burgess's English class and

blow it up.

WENDY:

I have to go to the bathroom.

SANDY:

Yeah.

But he stays put, unaware it seems that he's blocking the

doorway.

Wendy looks around -- no one in sight.

WENDY:

I'll show you mine if you show me

yours.

Sandy goes wide eyed, and almost against his will backs into

the bathroom like a feather.

INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY

Mikey looks up from the TV, wondering where Wendy is. He eats

another Pringle.

INT. WILLIAMS BATHROOM. DAY

Wendy flips up her dress for Sandy.

He slowly unzips, his hand unsteady. We can tell from the

look on Wendy's face that she's feeling a bit sorry for the

little guy.

Suddenly Sandy turns beet red, and bursts into tears.

SANDY:

What do you want?! What do you

want? Get out! Get out of here!

The door flips open -- and Janey Williams appears.

JANEY:

(sizing up the situation)

Sh*t.

INT. MASTER BEDROOM. DAY

Janey is giving Wendy a lecture

JANEY:

A person's body is his temple,

Wendy. This body is your first and

last possession. Now as your own

parents have probably told you, in

adolescence our bodies tend to

betray us. That's why, in Samoa and

in other developing nations,

adolescents are sent out into the

woods, unarmed, and they don't come

back until they've learned a thing

or two.

INT. WILLIAMS HOUSE DOORWAY. DAY

Wendy is led to the door by Mrs. Williams.

Wendy trades a glance with a sullen Mikey, who sits in the

living room pretending to ignore her.

EXT. STREET. DAY

Wendy walks her bike with the wind in her face.

From behind her, Mikey rides up on his bike and rides

alongside her.

She doesn't look at him.

Trying to stay on his bike, but moving slowly, he wobbles,

nearly falling off.

MIKEY:

I don't ever want to see you.

WENDY:

Then why'd you come after me?

EXT. HOOD HOUSE. DAY

The taxi pulls up. Elena gets out and pays the driver.

INT. HOOD KITCHEN. DAY

Ben is in front of the open freezer, trying to get something

out. He hears Elena come in the front door.

BEN:

Elena. I need some help here if

this thing's gonna defrost by

tomorrow.

She comes up and together they tug and pull until they

succeced in extracting a large, frozen turkey. As they pull

it out, it slips from their hands and, after a dull thump,

slides along the floor.

They smile.

Elena bends over to pick it up. Ben observes her. She notices

his look.

BEN (CONT'D)

Here.

He goes over and picks up the turkey, placing it in the sink.

He looks back at her and notices her vaguely distraught look.

BEN (CONT'D)

You all right there?

ELENA:

Oh. Sure, I -- Did you remember to

pick up the cranberry sauce?

BEN:

Um, yes.

They stand together, his concern and her vulnerability

forming an awkward attraction between them.

ELENA:

Because you like it on your turkey

sandwiches.

BEN:

I do. I'm -- are you...?

ELENA:

I... I think I am...

BEN:

(pause)

You know Elena, I've been thinking--

ELENA:

Ben, maybe no talking right now? If

you start talking, you're going to--

She kisses him as if she needed him.

INT. HOOD HALLWAY. DAY

Ben and Elena enter their bedroom. Elena closes the door

quietly behind her.

INT. HOOD BEDROOM. DAY

Ben and Elena undress shyly.

They make love. Elena's face is almost fearful.

CUT TO:

Elena and Ben lie in bed side by side in the pale afternoon

light. Neither speaks. Ben turns on his side, and notices a

small tear forming in Elena's eyes.

BEN:

You crying?

ELENA:

I'm just sad Ben -- I mean it

was... you were, but, you know. I

just don't know...

BEN:

(gently making light)

Whatever that means Elena -- And

you complain about me not

communicating... I thought it was --

ELENA:

No, I didn't mean to sound

negative. It was -- But Ben.

(beat)

What is going to happen with us?

Have you --

BEN:

You have to bring this up now?

What? Did I do something here? Is

that it? Is it something I did?

ELENA:

I wasn't accusing you, Ben. It's

just that we've got to be honest.

Not just with ourselves, but with

the children.

BEN:

(pause, sitting up)

Hell, I know. I -- I guess if you

want to accuse me, you've got --

(looks at watch)

Oh hell! I've got to pick up Paul.

I almost forgot.

He gets up and starts to get dressed.

ELENA:

You were saying?

He smells the armpits of the shirt he's putting on.

BEN:

Yikes -- I was hoping to wear this

thing to the Halford's Friday.

ELENA:

That shirt?

BEN:

What?

ELENA:

Leave it -- I'll wash it for you.

He looks at her ruefully.

EXT. HOOD STREET. DAY

Wendy walks and Mikey rides along.

WENDY:

You have to follow me?

MIKEY:

I dunno. I --

They're now in front of the Hood's house.

EXT. HOOD HOUSE. DAY

Ben exits the house in a rush, and sees Wendy and Mikey on

the street in front.

BEN:

Hey there Mikey, how's business?

CONTINUED:
85

MIKEY:

(tripping off of his bike)

Business? Uh, I dunno.

Ben grimaces, fiddles for his car keys.

As Mikey remounts and rides off, Wendy passes her father on

the driveway.

BEN:

I'm picking up Paul at the station

- want to come?

WENDY:

Nah.

BEN:

What you been up to?

WENDY:

Nothing.

INT. HOOD LIVING ROOM. DAY

Wendy enters the house and climbs the stairs.

She sees the crumpled bed sheets in her parents' room and

hears Elena in the shower.

EXT. NEW CANAAN STATION. DAY

Paul walks to the parking lot with his father, who carries

his duffel bag.

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