The Parent Trap Page #12

Annie

That dog has gotten so weird! Bye, Chessy, thanks again for breakfast. It was great.

Chessy looks down at the plate of untouched food. Annie pushes on the screen door but it goes nowhere.

CHESSY:

(watching her carefully)

Pull, Hal.

Annie laughs, pulls on the door and runs out. CAMERA MOVES IN on Chessy, wondering what's going on.

INT. Parker VINEYARDS - BARREL ROOM - A LITTLE LATER

Nick and Annie walk through a huge vaulted room that houses hundreds of wooden barrels filled with wine.

NICK:

(puts his arm around her)

Honey, I'm glad you're here, there's something really important I want to talk to you about.

66.

Annie

That's funny because there's something really important I want to talk to you about.

NICK:

Okay, you go first.

Annie

No, you.

NICK:

Okay, I want to talk to you about Meredith.

Annie

And I want to talk to you about my mother.

(then)

What about Meredith?

NICK:

(thrown)

W-W-What about your mother?

Annie

Dad, I'm almost twelve, how long do you expect me to buy that story that The Stork dropped me on your doorstep?

NICK:

C'mon, Hal, we've talked about your mother...

Annie

No we haven't. Not really. A girl needs more in life than half of a crumpled old photograph. Dad, I'm almost a teenager, face it, I need a mother.

NICK:

You know what? You're right. You do.

Which brings me to--

They turn a corner and-bump into MEREDITH who is walking with her British assistant, RICHARD

NlCK

Meredith!

MERIDITH:

Hi.

(noticing Annie)

Hello, Hal.

67

Annie

Hi there.

MEREDITH:

Hallie, this is my assistant, Richard.

Richard, this is Nick's daughter, the one

I've been telling you so much about.

RICHARD:

(stuffy British accent)

oh, hello. How are you, luv?

Annie

(with her best British accent)

oh, don't tell me you're British? How lovely.

NICK:

(surprised, to Annie)

How'd you do that?

RICHARD:

You do an absolutely marvelous British accent.

Annie

Yours isn't bad either, old chap-,Richard laughs.

MEREDIITH:

(whispers to Nick)

Did you tell her?

NICK:

Almost.

MEREDITH:

Hey, if you're free later, why don't we all have lunch on the terrace?

NICK:

Actually, I promised Hal we'd hang out together this afternoon.

Annie smiles.

MEREDITH:

No problem.

(starts off)

I’ve got plenty to do... I'm working on a new label design , Nicky... featuring Y-0-U. You're gonna love it.

68.

(throws a kiss)

See you for dinner, darling. Bye, Hals.

TRACKING ANGLE - MEREDITH AND RIC

As they walk away.

MEREDITH:

(sotto, to Richard)

First change I make in that household is to send that two-faced little brat off to boarding school in Timbuktu.

RICHARD:

(an exaggerated shiver)

Oooooooo. Ice woman.

MEREDITH:

And proud of it, babe.

EXT. HILLTOP – 0VERLOOKING NAPA VALLEY – A LITTLE LATER

A beat and Nick and Annie gallop on horseback OVER THE CREST of the mountain. As they slow their horses to a walk.

NICK:

So, you excited about our camping trip?

Annie

What camping trip?

NICK:

What camping trip? The one we go on every summer before you go back to school.

Annie

Oh, that camping trip. Yeah, sure... I can't wait.

NICK:

So, Hal, what do you think of Meredith?

Annie

As what, Dad? Your publicist? Your friend? Your ... ?

NICK:

-- Just what do you think of her... as a person?

Annie

well, she's cute, she has nice hair, good teeth, she can spell the word YOU... I (MORE)

KING NAPA VALLEY - A LITTLE LATER

69.

Annie(cont'd)

don't know. Honestly, Dad, the woman's a complete stranger to me. Why do you want my opinion anyway?

NICK:

(takes a beat)

Well, I'll tell you why... because believe it or not, honey...

Annie

(cutting him off)

-- Race you back to the ranch, Dad!

Annie jams her heels into Sprout's flanks and the horse takes off like a bat out of hell.

NICK:

Hallie, I'm trying to tell you something!

EXT. HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Out of breath, Annie runs up the porch steps and throws open the screen door.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Annie stops, catches her breath. She's a little panicky.

Annie

(to herself)

I'm in so over my head here. I can't handle this alone. I just can't. I'm only one kid.

Chessy PEEKS HER H M AROUND THE CORNER of the arm chair she's been sitting in.

CHESSY:

You got something you'd like to share with the class?

Annie

(jumps, :
frightened)

Oh, Chessy, you gave me a fright!

CHESSY:

I gave you a fright?

Annie

You scared me. I didn't know you were like, in here.

7 0.

CHESSY:

(rising)

You sure there's nothing you want to talk to me about? Like maybe why Sammy never comes near you anymore or why your appetite's suddenly changed or why all of a sudden you're neat as a pin and using expressions like, 'You gave me a fright.,

Annie '

Chessy, I changed a lot over the summer, that's all.

CHESSY:

if I didn't know better, I'd say it's almost as if you were...

(shakes it off)

oh, never mind, that's too impossible.

(turns to leave)

Annie

-- Almost as if I were Chessy?

CHESSY:

Nobody. Nobody. Forget I even mentioned it.

Annie

Almost as if I were... Annie?

Chessy stops, stunned, goose-bumps popping up all over.

CHESSY:

You know about Annie?

Annie

I AM Annie.

Just then, Nick ENTERS, also a little out of breath.

NICK:

-- Why'd you take off like that? I told you I wanted-to talk to you about something? Chessy, why are you looking at her like that?

CHESSY:

(with a start)

Like what? I'm not looking at her any special way.

(eyes tearing up)

I'm looking at her just like I've looked at her for eleven years. Since the day she (MORE)

71.

CHESSY (cont'd)

came home from the hospital, six pounds, eleven ounces, twenty-one inches long.

(crying now)

This is how I look at her. Can I hug her?

Chessy, all broken up, hugs Annie like she's hugging her for the first time.

CHESSY:

She's so beautiful and so big.

Annie gives Chessy a look that says, 'Please don't say anything!

CHESSY:

I'm gonna go make you something special to eat. What would you like? Oh, it doesn't matter. I'll whip up everything we've got.

Chessy takes off as Nick approaches Annie.

NICK:

Why's everybody acting so nutty around here? Hal, we gotta talk.

Annie

Okay. Shoot.

NICK:

Honey, look... I want to know what you

think about making Meredith part of the family?

Annie

Part of our family?

NICK:

Yes.

Annie

I think it's an awesome idea. Inspired. Brilliant really.

NICK:

You do?

Annie

Totally. it's like a dream come true. I've always wanted a big sister.

NICK:

Honey, I'm afraid you're kind of missing the point.

72.

Annie

No, I'm not. You're going to adopt Meredith. That is so sweet, Dad..

NICK:

I'm not going to adopt her, I'm going to MARRY her.

Annie

(leaping up)

Marry her?!? That's insane! How can you marry a woman young enough to be my big sister?!?

She starts ranting and raving, then slips into French.

NICK:

Hal, calm down.

(realizing)

Now you speak French?!?

Annie

I learned it at camp.

(takes a breath)

Okay, I'm sorry. Let's discuss this calmly and rationally...

NICK:

And in English, if you don't mind. Man, what has gotten into you?

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