The Next Best Thing Page #9

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- Robert, no.

- Yes!

- Robert.

Robert,

you're not Sam's father.

- What you talking about?

- I'm saying you're not

his biological father.

My God. You'll say anything

to get your own way, won't you?

You don't know how much

I wish it wasn't true.

You didn't sleep with anybody else.

I would have known.

You didn't open a can oftuna without

giving me a 20-minute fiield report.

Liar.

- You're a f***ing liar!

- No!

Remember when Sam

had his tonsils out?

Okay, they did a blood test.

He's B-positive, and we're both O.

You've known about this for three years,

and you didn't tell me?

I couldn't.

I didn't know how to.

But that means,

right from the very beginning...

you always knew

there was a chance--

Oh, my God,

I can't even remember his name.

- I never believed that it was Kevin's.

- Kevin.

And besides, I wanted the father to be

the most wonderful man that I knew.

I didn't wanna hurt you.

You betrayed me!

I was thinking

it didn't matter anyway.

Why?

Because you're his father

in every way that really counts.

The blood is irrelevant.

It's not so irrelevant now, is it?

It doesn't change a damn thing.

I'm sorry, Robert.

Believe me, it does.

Ifyou take me to court,

then this is going with me.

For Sam's sake,

please don't take it this far.

So what are you offering me?

Three weeks in the summer?

A photograph to put

on my refrigerator door?

You owe me more than that.

I don't owe you

the rest of my life.

And what about Sam's life?

What about my life?

Okay. So Sam has a biological father

who doesn't know anything about him.

The chances are pretty good

he doesn't wanna know.

Uh, we could argue some sort

of malicious intent...

on her part

to conceal that information...

and, uh, it would

probably hurt her.

On the other hand, I don't see

how it can possibly help you.

The courts always try to link

parental rights to biology...

except in cases where the child's life

is in extreme danger.

I don't know what to tell you,

Robert. You don't have a case.

Oh, but six years. I mean,

it's gotta count for something.

- We can still go to court, right?

- Well, anybody can go to court,

but ifyou want my advice--

I won't give up Sam.

Then take Abbie up

on her offer to compromise.

Maybe we can work something out

privately...

before this gets any uglier

or more expensive.

It doesn't matter.

She's got to acknowledge

my rights as a father.

Robert, do you understand

that a case like this can breakyou?

And in the end,

you probably won't have Sam.

I'll just be a minute.

Your mother says your lawyer

told you to drop the case.

Well, you know lawyers.

Always out to save you a buck.

- Can't say that

any ofthis surprises me.

- Oh, don't start on me now, Dad.

I know I should never have stuck my toes

in the gene pool in the fiirst place...

but ifyou've come here to tell me

"I told you so," say it and let's

get on to something else, okay?

You're going to need a little help if

you're going to get my grandson back.

- He's not your grandson.

- Well, he's the closest I'll ever see.

Now, that's not a gift.

Perhaps you can come and fiix up

our garden sometime.

Thanks, Dad.

Get your boy back.

You need to.

Robert.

They're ready for us.

Don't look over there.

You'll just get upset.

I've gone over

your preliminary statements.

Ms Reynolds,

you and Mr Cooper...

are presently not married,

is that right?

Yes, Your Honour,

but we're engaged.

It's a very short engagement.

Later this summer we--

The child's natural father--

he has no interest here?

No.

Mr Whittaker,

you're requestingjoint custody.

Yes, Your Honour.

What makes you think

you're entitled to that?

- Well, I've been Sam's father since--

- Objection. Your Honour...

since Mr Whittaker has neither legal

nor biological paternity here...

it is completely inappropriate

for him to refer to himself...

as "the father."

Perhaps he could use the term...

"caregiver"?

"Caregiver"?

Your Honour, my client has been

living with Ms Reynolds...

since the child was born.

He's performed

all the daily functions ofa father.

Sam acknowledges him

as his father.

For the sake ofclarity,

I think it's best that Mr Whittaker

be referred to as caregiver...

in these proceedings.

Thankyou, Your Honour.

Mr Whittaker...

did you live for fiive years

with a certain Eric Walker?

Yes.

And what was the nature

ofthat relationship?

- Objection, Your Honour.

- Overruled.

We were together.

Is this the same Eric Walker that's now

serving a fiive-year prison sentence

for drug possession?

Yes, but I haven't seen him

for seven years. This has

nothing to do with anything.

Mr Whittaker,

on October 8th of last year...

did you go to a nightclub

in Santa Monica called...

Sit and Spin?

I don't remember.

Sit and Spin's

a gay club, isn't it?

- I hadn't noticed. Probably.

- Did you notice drug use going on?

- No.

- Mr Whittaker, is it true...

that you're an active member

in several militant gay organizations?

I used to help distribute food to AIDS

patients. I'd hardly call that militant.

- Does Sam understand that you're gay?

- No, not really.

Have you ever tried to explain to him

your sexual proclivities?

No, he's a six-year-old boy.

Wait. He once asked me

why I didn't sleep with his mother.

- And what did you tell him?

- She snores.

Mr Whittaker, has Sam ever seen you

have oral sex with another man?

- What?

- Stop it!

- Objection, Your Honour!

- I said stop it.

Counsel, I suggest

you confer with your client.

- Do you wanna win here, Abbie?

- You said he didn't have a chance.

- You don't have to kick

the sh*t out of him.

- Your Honour...

this hearing is not about

my client's sexual history.

No, it's about his character...

and whether he has the type ofcharacter

that would lead anyone to trust him...

with shared custody

ofa young boy.

Your Honour...

you want to know

about my character?

I'll tell you.

I am an active father.

- Caregiver, please.

- Father!

I'm a father to a boy

who I love to death.

I've been living with a woman

who until recently...

was my best friend

in the whole world.

I'm also a homosexual man.

That's who I am.

- What does that make me?

- I don't know.

- A hypocrite?

- Your Honour, objection!

- I withdraw the comment.

- It's getting late.

We'll take a recess

until Monday morning.

Ms Reynolds,

you will allow Mr Whittaker...

a visitation with Sam

this Sunday.

Stayedtrue to the things

lknew when I wasyounger

Foodandlove, that'sall

that's left ofhunger

...at least

another three singles.

I mean, we'rejust gonna have to dump

the album. How much money

have we invested in these guys so far?

Yeah, we're not gonna spend

another dime. Oh, please.

Like I care.

Excuse me.

I'll call you back.

You probably don't remember me.

At least, uh, I hope you don't.

Oh, l-- I rememberyou.

I need to talk to you

about something important.

Don't worry.

I'm not gonna make a scene.

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