ExpertAnswering

FADE IN:

EXT. SMALL FRAME HOUSE ON A BLOCK OF MANY. EVENING.

In the yard is a 5’ wooden edifice made in the shape of a telephone pole which reads “Expert Answering Service” and below that, “established 1995”.

INT. ENCLOSED FRONT PORCH. EVENING.

Across the front of the small house is an enclosed porch. On the walls are hung approximately twenty phones. Above each is a message hook. Seated at a desk is MARY JANE, an older woman, stout, hair in a bun. Behind her is an open doorway into the kitchen. A wall phone RINGS. She goes to the phone and answers it.

MARY JANE

(glancing at phone’s tag)

Expert Answering for Easy Plumbing.

May I help you?...No, sir. But

he’ll be checking in soon.

(writes number on a tag)

Yes, sir. I’ll tell him.

She hangs up the phone, and the tag. Behind her, JAMIE enters the kitchen from the back of the house. She’s an attractive woman in her 30’s, dressed in flannel shirt and jeans. She starts dinner.

Another wall phone RINGS. Mary Jane picks up the phone.

MARY JANE (CONT’D)

Expert Answering for Dr. Anderson.

May I help you?...I’m sorry, ma’am,

I can’t understand you...Okay,

okay, I’ll find him for you, ma’am.

Tell me your name. And your phone

number...You’re where?...Then tell

me that number....Oh, then I’ll look

it up. The Circle Motel on

Washington, right?...Okay, Mz.

Bowman, I’ll find him. And what

should I...What kind of pills?...

Please, Mz Bowman, stop crying for

just a minute...All right, I’ll

call you Alice. Alice, please stop

crying long enough to tell me

what’s wrong...No, no of course

you don’t want to kill yourself.

Jamie comes to the doorway, listening attentively.

MARY JANE (CONT’D)

Of course not, Alice. Let me get

Dr. Anderson for you. You stay at

that number. I’ll get the doctor to

call you. Okay? Is that all

right?...Alice, promise you’ll be

there when he calls?...Okay. I’ll

get Dr. Anderson.

Mary Jane hangs up, then gets the phone book and looks up a number.

JAMIE

Alice Bowman?

Mary Jane nods as she looks back at the wall phone to get the doctor’s numbers and dials the desk phone.

MARY JANE

(into the phone)

Dr. Anderson, please. This is his

answering service...Doctor, you

just got a call from Alice Bowman

...Yes, sir, Alice Bowman. She’s

at a motel here in town and says

she might kill herself...Yes, sir.

(looks at the phone book)

555-8300...I’m sorry, sir, I don’t

know the room number. But the desk

clerk should...Yes, sir.

She hangs up.

JAMIE

Alice Bowman – Isn’t that the name

of the new editor at the newspaper?

MARY JANE

Jamie, I haven’t paid any attention

to that paper since you quit

working there.

JAMIE

You handled that well.

MARY JANE

Reminded you of being back in the

big city and working that hot line,

huh.

JAMIE

Sure did.

MARY JANE

I wish they had one here. I’d like

to work it. I bet it takes a lot

of training.

JAMIE

Yes, but you’ve got the makings,

Mary Jane.

Another wall phone RINGS. Mary Jane goes to it.

MARY JANE

Expert Answering for William’s

Roofing. May I help you?...Yes,

ma’am...

The desk phone rings. Jamie goes to it.

MARY JANE (CONT’D)

I’ll tell him, Mz. Williams.

Mary Jane hangs up as Jamie picks up the desk phone.

JAMIE

Expert Answering, may I help you?

...Yes, Doctor Anderson...Yes, sir

....Oh...But, Doctor...I see. What

if she calls again?...All right. I

understand.

She hangs up.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

Doc says she’s just drunk and he’s

not going over there, but if she

calls back, tell her he is. Stall

her.

MARY JANE

What if no one goes over there?!

JAMIE

He couldn’t reach the husband but

he left word, and he did reach the

mother.

Mary Jane looks very distressed.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

(kindly)

They’ll handle it, Mary Jane. This

is an answering service, not a hot

line.

Another wall phone rings. Mary Jane goes to it.

EXT. EXPERT ANSWERING. NIGHT.

INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT.

Jamie and ROBERT are eating dinner at the kitchen table. Robert, an attractive, easy-going man, is still dressed in his construction work clothes.

ROBERT

So you think it’s the new editor?

JAMIE

I don’t know. I do know it’s the

same name.

Robert reaches across the table and amiably forks some of her food for himself.

ROBERT

Jamie, you ever met this woman?

JAMIE

No, but I saw her picture. Blond.

Kind of plump. 30ish.

He reaches for the salt. She moves it away from him.

ROBERT

Well, they drove you crazy enough

over there.

Jamie has stopped eating.

ROBERT (CONT’D)

This is really bothering you.

JAMIE

Robert, Mother called today.

Now Robert stops eating.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

She listed the answering service

with a firm that sells businesses.

ROBERT

She had no right to do that!

JAMIE

I know.

ROBERT

And what did you say?

Jamie is unable to respond. Robert jumps up from the table and walks around the kitchen.

ROBERT (CONT’D)

She doesn’t even have the legal

right to do that!

JAMIE

I know! I told her that!

ROBERT

And she said - ?

JAMIE

She knows the owner of the firm.

He said he’d get the ball rolling

until we can come in.

ROBERT

We’re not going in! I thought we

agreed on that, Jamie! We’re not

selling! My god, that woman is

unbelievable!

Robert sits down across from Jamie again.

ROBERT (CONT’D)

Did you change your mind? You want

to sell?

JAMIE

No. But I didn’t know what to say

to her! I don’t know how to stop

her!

ROBERT

No! You just say no! I know she’s

a damned steam roller! And I know

she gave us the down payment!

(he rises again)

But, damn it, we paid that back!

What’s the matter with that woman?

Jamie, close to tears, pushes her chair back, gets up from the table and carries some dishes to the sink.

The doctor’s wall phone RINGS. Robert goes to answer but Jamie sees which phone it is.

JAMIE

Let me get that.

INT. PORCH.

Jamie gets the doctor’s phone.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

Expert Answering for Dr. Anderson,

may I help you?...Yes. Yes, Mrs.

Bowman. He said to tell you he’s

on his way. Are you still at the

Circle Motel?...What room?...Can

you just open the door and tell me

the number on the door?...Hello?

...Hello?

Jamie hangs up. Robert is leaning in the doorway between the kitchen and the porch. He goes back to the table and sits down, picks up a fork but doesn’t take anything from his plate. Jamie remains motionless.

ROBERT

(finally)

Look, you gotta go over there.

JAMIE

I don’t want to leave in the middle

of...

ROBERT

Go.

Jamie crosses to him.

JAMIE

You matter more to me than a

stranger.

ROBERT

But I’m not gonna kill myself. Not

yet anyway.

Jamie gets her sweater off the back of her kitchen chair and goes to the front porch, puts it on, watches him. He looks at her. Almost timidly, she blows him a kiss. He catches it, puts it in his top pocket and then pats the pocket. Jamie, relieved by his attitude, exits.

EXT. CIRCLE MOTEL. NIGHT.

The glass enclosed office can be seen from the street. A security GUARD stands at the counter, a CLERK, behind it.

INT. CIRCLE MOTEL OFFICE. NIGHT.

GUARD

Is the husband on his way?

CLERK

I don’t know. The doctor’s called.

The husband’s on his way in from

out of town. The mother’s been

reached and Alcoholics Anonymous

has been contacted.

Headlights hit the glass on the office front.

CLERK (CONT’D)

Maybe that’s them now.

The door opens and Jamie enters. She nods to the officer and turns to the clerk.

JAMIE

What room is Alice Bowman in?

CLERK

211. Right around there.

Jamie starts out the door.

GUARD

If you don’t answer that phone in

fifteen minutes I’m comin’ down

there.

Jamie exits.

GUARD (CONT’D)

I didn’t think AA responded to

drunks.

The clerk looks startled.

GUARD (CONT’D)

I mean, they don’t usually talk to

you if you’re drunk. Gotta be

sober, I thought.

EXTERIOR. ROOM 211. NIGHT.

Jamie knocks on the door, but there’s no response. She knocks again. Then she turns the knob and opens the door.

INTERIOR. ROOM 211. NIGHT.

The large bedroom has a kitchenette and a patio.

A willowy woman, in her 50’s, with graying hair, stylishly cut, leans back on the bed. She is fully dressed, quite smartly. The only blemish on her appearance is some smudged eye make-up from her earlier crying. She airily waves a bottle with one hand as she looks up at Jamie who has stepped into the room.

ALICE

You’re not Dr. Anderson.

JAMIE

And you’re not –

ALICE

Alice Bowman is my name. Come in.

Come in! Would you like a drink?

JAMIE

My name is Jamie Bridge. I used to

work at the newspaper.

ALICE

Ah, The Gazette. My name is usually

in the Clarion, over in the next

county.

JAMIE

You don’t work at The Gazette?

ALICE

My darling, I’ve never worked!

JAMIE

Oh.

ALICE

But my name’s in the paper over

there. A lot.

JAMIE

I see.

ALICE

My family name. We go waaaay back.

We are some of The Founders of

Lands County.

JAMIE

The Bowman’s?

ALICE

No, dear. The St. Johns. My

mother is a St. Johns. My husband

is a Bowman. Hard working people

the Bowman’s.

JAMIE

May I sit?

Alice waves the bottle toward a chair and Jaime sits.

ALICE

Do you like your mother?

JAMIE

Sometimes. Maybe.

Alice nods knowingly and takes another drink.

ALICE

Who are you again? Oh! Doc called

the AA people, didn’t he.

JAMIE

I don’t know. I’m not an – AA

people.

ALICE

Then who are you? I thought –

JAMIE

I thought you were someone

else, too. I’m from the answering

service.

ALICE

Good heavens, you said – you’re not

a reporter, are you?

JAMIE

No, ma’am. I used to write a –

well, a sort of advice column at

the paper here. But I quit. The

publisher is a real pain.

ALICE

Would you care for some

refreshment?

JAMIE

No, thank you.

Alice finishes the bottle, gets up and drops it in the trash, then rummages around her (large) bag and finds another.

ALICE (CONT’D)

The doctor’s not going to come,

Jackie. It is Jackie? No. No.

Johnny! It’s Johnny, isn’t it?

Alice opens the bottle, but sets it down without drinking.

JAMIE

Jamie. – What do you want the

doctor to do, Alice, I mean – he’s

a medical doctor, not – not -

ALICE

Not a shrink. You’re right. I

think I need a shrink. I came here

tonight to kill myself.

Alice pulls a bottle of pills out of her bag.

ALICE (CONT’D)

You ever think about killing

yourself?

Jamie is profoundly aware of Alice holding the pill bottle.

JAMIE

When I was twelve.

ALICE

Twelve! Why would you want to do

that at twelve?

JAMIE

I didn’t like life very much. It

seemed to me that there were really

great things about it, but I – I

was in so much pain. Emotional

stuff. I just didn’t want to be

here anymore. My mother was out

of the house. I was alone. It

was late at night. I thought I’d

go lay down in the street and let a

car run over me.

ALICE

Oh, my god.

JAMIE

I had my bathrobe on, but it was

cold. Really cold. And being a

residential street, well, it was

never that busy. So I laid there,

freezing. No car came. It didn’t

seem like any car was ever going to

come. I just got too cold! I went

in the house and went to bed.

Decided I could just do it the next

day – but I didn’t think about it

again until I was – much older. And

much wiser. And much braver.

ALICE

Then I am a coward.

JAMIE

I don’t know. Are you, Alice?

ALICE

(setting down

the pill bottle)

I never thought so before. I’ve

not afraid of much of anything.

JAMIE

Then why come here with a bottle

of pills?

ALICE

I hate myself.

JAMIE

A lot of people hate themselves.

ALICE

But they’re not all drunks.

JAMIE

No. Some of them work it out. And

some of them just bury that – that

self – “loathing” under tons of

food or – or chemicals. Or meanness.

ALICE

I hate myself. But I love my

family. I want to put them out of

my misery.

JAMIE

Well, dying might end your misery,

but how could it end theirs, Alice?

ALICE

My drinking embarrasses them.

Embarrasses my mother most of all.

We are St. Johns, you know.

JAMIE

And your dying – this way –

wouldn’t embarrass her?

ALICE

Oh. I see what you mean...

JAMIE

I don’t know you, but you seem like

a smart woman, a funny woman,

intelligent, attractive, well –

ALICE

Well bred.

JAMIE

Absolutely. So what is so

embarrassing about you? I mean,

do you go around drunk a lot?

ALICE

Not really. I go around

well-dressed. And well-organized.

I coordinate all of our county’s

historical projects. Quite well.

Well. Very well. But I’m not

well. I’m – sick.

JAMIE

What kind of sick?

ALICE

I’m an alcoholic, dear. That kind

of sick.

JAMIE

How long have you been – drinking?

ALICE

This time? Hmmm. Maybe a week.

My husband’s been out of town...

JAMIE

And when was the last time?

ALICE

Oh he works out of town frequently.

He’s in construction.

JAMIE

I mean the last time you went on

a – drunk.

ALICE

Three years, forty-two days ago.

JAMIE

And the time before that?

ALICE

Well, you are an inquisitive little

thing.

JAMIE

I’m just trying to see how awful

you are, Alice. You say you’re awful

and an embarrassment and I’m trying

to get the picture.

The phone RINGS. They both stare at it. It RINGS again.

ALICE

You get it. Please.

Jamie picks up the phone.

JAMIE

Hello?...Yes, yes we’re fine.

(to Alice)

It’s the desk.

(back into the phone)

I’m – we’re – fine. And when my

husband calls, let him know I’m

going to be awhile.

Jamie hangs up.

ALICE (CONT’D)

You want to go home, don’t you?

Please stay. No one else is coming.

Please don’t leave.

JAMIE

How long do you want me to stay?

ALICE

I don’t know. We have to leave

some time. Both of us. However we

leave. – Till dawn. Would you stay

until daylight? Would you?

JAMIE

If you leave those pills alone

until daylight, I’ll stay till then.

Alice thinks about it and then drops the pill bottle into her bag.

The door to the motel room suddenly opens. In it stands an elderly woman in her 70’s, MRS. ST. JOHN, dressed to the teeth in a beautiful coat, a fashionable hat, and wearing expensive jewelry.

Jamie rises. Alice grabs the bottle and holds it in front of herself, protectively. Her demeanor is vulnerable; no sign of petulance. This is a drunk who maintains her innate dignity.

MRS. ST. JOHN

(to someone standing

out of sight)

Wait in the car, driver. We won’t

be long.

(to Alice)

Get your things. You’re going home

with me.

ALICE

No, thank you, mother.

MRS. ST. JOHN

Stop this nonsense and get your

things.

(to Jamie)

And who are you?

ALICE

She’s from the answering service.

MRS. ST. JOHN

Wonderful. Five hundred people

will hear of your unsuitable

behavior by morning.

ALICE

I’m not going to your house,

Mother.

MRS. ST. JOHN

Fine. Then I’ll take you to yours.

ALICE

I said no.

JAMIE

Mrs. St. John -

MRS. ST. JOHN

You need to leave, young woman.

You have nothing to do with this

situation.

ALICE

She’s my – friend.

MRS. ST. JOHN

(looking at Jamie)

I’ve never seen you before in my

life.

JAMIE

I am Alice’s friend.

MRS. ST. JOHN

(to Alice)

She’s aware of our money, isn’t

she?

ALICE

Oh, Mother...For god’s sake, please

leave. Please!

MRS. ST. JOHN

I shall – with you. Now get your

things.

Alice, still holding the liquor bottle, grabs her bag and then takes it to the bathroom, shuts the door behind her and turns the lock.

Jamie goes to the door.

JAMIE

Alice! Please give me the bag!

INT. BATHROOM

Alice rummages through the bag until she comes up with the pill bottle.

JAMIE (O.S.)

Stay in the bathroom. I

understand! I really do. But give

me the bag, Alice!

Alice leans against the door as if she were leaning into Jamie.

ALICE

Make her go away, Jamie.

JAMIE (O.S.)

Give me the bag. And she will be

leaving. But give me the bag.

Alice is listening closely.

JAMIE (O.S.)

Come on, friend. I wouldn’t do

this to you. Please don’t do it

to me.

Alice holds onto the pill bottle but unlocks the door and hands out the bag. Then shuts the door again and locks it.

INT. ROOM

Jamie digs in the bag and can’t find the pills. She sets the bag down.

MRS. ST. JOHN

I shall call the police and have

them drag her out of there.

JAMIE

And I’ll do my best to see that

you’re the one they take away.

Jamie leans into the door again.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

Alice. Please give me the pills.

Please. Please, Alice.

INT. BATHROOM

Alice takes a slug of the liquor bottle.

INT. ROOM

Jamie waits, deeply distressed. Mrs. St. John has lost her air of certainty and is becoming aware of the seriousness of the exchange.

MRS. ST. JOHN

What is she doing?

INT. BATHROOM

Alice pours the pills out on the vanity top. She is bracing herself to go ahead and take them.

JAMIE (O.S.)

Alice, you promised to wait until

dawn. If you still want to, you

can do it then. I’ll pour the

glass of water!

INT. ROOM

JAMIE (CONT’D)

But, for now, give me the pills.

Through the bathroom door a sound can be heard; it is Alice putting the pills back in the bottle. Outside the door, however, the meaning of the sound is not perfectly clear.

Jamie backs up from the door, studies it to see if she could break it down, which of course she can’t.

Then the bathroom door opens a bit and Alice’s hand gives out the pill bottle. Jamie takes it. The door closes again and the lock is heard.

Throughout the following exchange there are cuts to Alice in the bathroom, listening.

Mrs. St. John goes to the phone and picks up the receiver. Jamie crosses the room and hangs up the phone.

MRS. ST. JOHN

How dare you.

JAMIE

How dare you.

MRS. ST. JOHN

I have every right to do whatever

I deem necessary in the handling of

my daughter. You have no right

whatsoever here.

JAMIE

And what about Alice’s rights?

MRS. ST. JOHN

What are you talking about?

JAMIE

Her right to make her own decisions.

MRS. ST. JOHN

Like run away to another county and

lock herself in a motel bathroom

with a bottle of liquor and a bottle

of pills?!

JAMIE

Yes! And to drink every last drop

in the bottle if she wants! Yes!

To throw away everything she has,

if she wants. Yes! But if you’d

back off and give her some damn

room to breathe she might not want

to be in this place! But whatever

she decides, it’s her life, not

yours. Yes it affects yours. But

she is not your property, madam.

And if she does behave as if she

has no good sense, well, that’s

what you think of her anyway!

Right? You treat her like she’s

stupid and then you can’t believe

she does something stupid!

There’s a hell of a person in

that bathroom and you act as if

she were – were some – some

toddler in diapers attached to a

leash you hold! You want her to

be wonderful? Then treat her as

if she’s wonderful! You want her

to behave as an adult? Then treat

her as an adult!

Obviously Jamie is talking to her own mother now. She is shaken and ready to cry. Her pain is palatable.

MRS. ST. JOHN

I love my daughter.

JAMIE

Then show it!

MRS. ST. JOHN

You listen to me, young lady, you

are in no position to judge me.

You have no idea what I’ve done for

that girl. Since the day she was

born.

JAMIE

Where was the love?!

Mrs. St. John is shaken by Jamie’s intensity, even somewhat humble.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

Pushing someone around. Talking to

them like they’re fools. Having

absolutely no respect for what they

think, what they want, what they

feel. That’s a whole person in

that bathroom, lady! A whole

person! Shame on you. Shame on

you!

Mrs. St. John has lost her composure. All that is visible is her sadness. Jamie is moved. She steps in closer to Mrs. St. John.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

(more gently)

I imagine you treat her the way

your mother treated you.

Mrs. St. John looks at her, sharply.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

And that your mother didn’t know

any better either. She didn’t mean

to hurt you. But what you wanted,

what you needed, she just couldn’t

give you.

Mrs. St. John is fighting not to show any real emotion.

MRS. ST. JOHN

My mother was a great lady.

JAMIE

Did she make you feel loved?

MRS. ST. JOHN

I don’t know what you’re talking

about.

JAMIE

I’m talking about what Alice needs.

MRS. ST. JOHN

I do love her! What do you think

I’m doing here?

JAMIE

She needs for you to like her. As

she is. Respect her. Her choices.

Or at least her rightto make them.

MRS. ST. JOHN

But look at her choices! Look at

what’s happening right now!

JAMIE

Right now is a mistake. It’s not

her every day way of being! It’s

not all she is and you know it.

She’s a remarkable person! Do you

ever tell her that? And do you

never make mistakes?

MRS. ST. JOHN

Not like this.

JAMIE

No, not like this. I can see that.

When you’re hurt you take it out on

others. When she’s hurt, she takes

it out on herself.

Mrs. St. John is wounded and sobered.

MRS. ST. JOHN

(finally)

I believe I should leave.

INT. BATHROOM

Alice stands at the door with her hand on the knob, wanting to enter the other room.

INT. ROOM

Mrs. St. John goes to the bathroom door and raises her hand to touch it, hesitates, drops her hand.

MRS. ST. JOHN

(to Jamie)

I am obviously of no assistance

here.

She crosses the room to the front door, then turns back to Jamie.

MRS. ST. JOHN (CONT’D)

(somewhat stiffly)

Please accept my – my appreciation

for – your help.

The bathroom door opens. Alice stays in the bathroom. Mother and daughter look at each other.

ALICE

I know you love me, Mother. But I

don’t love myself.

Alice enters the room and stands by the nearest chair. Mrs. St. John crosses the room to her.

MRS. ST. JOHN

But, my dear, there is so much to

love about you! You are so smart

and witty.

(turns to Jamie)

She has an amazing mind.

Alice is almost shocked and also somewhat pleased. She lowers herself into a chair. Her mother sits opposite her on the edge of the bed.

MRS. ST. JOHN (CONT’D)

And pretty. You’ve always been

pretty. And so “sunny”! But there

are much more important things than

that. You are – you are a –

Alice’s tears begin to flow freely and silently. Her mother is choking up as well.

MRS. ST. JOHN (CONT’D)

a truly – decent - good – person.

The mother awkwardly puts her arms around her daughter. Alice cannot hug back but she does not draw away.

The door to the motel room opens and BRENT BOWMAN enters,

a stocky attractive man in his 50’s, somewhat overweight. He is truly shocked to see Alice and her mother in something of an embrace.

Mrs. St. John pulls away from Alice and stands.

MRS. ST. JOHN (CONT’D)

Hello, Brent. I’m glad you got the

message. Alice has been very upset

but I think she wants to go home

now. Don’t you, dear?

Everyone stares at Mrs. St. John. Mrs. St. John looks at Jamie, reads her expression and then turns back to Alice.

MRS. ST. JOHN (CONT’D)

I mean, do you, dear? Is that what

you’d like? Let me get out of the

way here. I’m sure you want to talk

to your husband.

Mrs. St. John crosses the room to the door. Alice stands.

MRS. ST. JOHN (CONT’D)

You two call me tomorrow. Or,

rather, call me when you can. I

know you – you are both capable of

sorting this out.

Brent nods to her. Mrs. St. John exits.

Brent crosses to his wife.

BRENT

Are you all right, Allie?

She doesn’t answer. He looks to Jamie.

BRENT (CONT’D)

May I speak with my wife...

Jamie starts to exit.

ALICE

No, please don’t leave, Jamie. Not

yet.

Jamie looks at Brent and then gives a slight nod to the patio. Brent leads Allie to the patio.

BRENT

Excuse us a moment.

JAMIE

Certainly.

EXT. PATIO

Brent takes Alice by the arms.

BRENT

I don’t know what’s going on, Allie,

but I do know we can fix it.

ALICE

I’m so embarrassed...

BRENT

And I’m so relieved. You’re all in

one piece, right?

ALICE

While you were gone I wasn’t Mrs.

Perfect.

BRENT

Mrs. Perfect?

ALICE

I usually am, Brent! I am! But –

BRENT

Mrs. Perfect? Damn, woman, then

I’d have to be Mr. Perfect! I

can’t do that. No one can. I

don’t want Mrs. Perfect. I want

you! I need you. Honey, we’ve had

twenty years together. Most of

them were great. That’s the best

anyone can say. And every couple’s

got some problems to contend with.

You got this illness. That’s all.

You went – you went, how long the

last time?

ALICE

Three years, forty-two days.

BRENT

And how long were you sick before

that? Eleven days. Days of hell.

But you were sober for eight

years before that.

ALICE

Oh, Brent, I’m so sorry! So –

ashamed.

BRENT

Oh, honey, you – you scared the

devil out of me this time. But we

can work this out – don’t you

think? Do you want to, Allie?

ALICE

I can’t go on being Mrs. Perfect.

BRENT

You’re not supposed to! We’ll talk

to some - some experts about this.

Okay? And then –

ALICE

And then what?

BRENT

Then – then Mrs. Perfect becomes –

Alice listens intently.

BRENT (CONT’D)

She becomes –

ALICE

Mrs. Bowman.

BRENT

No. No. No, Allie.

She is confused. He tries hard to express himself.

BRENT (CONT’D)

I’m my father’s son, but I’m not

first and foremost my father’s son.

I’m Me. I’m your husband, but –

ALICE

Brent. You’re my husband. But not

first and –

BRENT

Foremost...

ALICE

Not first and foremost my husband.

You’re –

BRENT

Brent.

ALICE

(finally)

And I’m – Alice. – And I’m sick.

BRENT

Do you want to get well?

She nods.

BRENT

Will you let me help?

They wrap their arms around each other.

EXT. EXPERT ANSWERING. NIGHT.

Jamie drives up, exits the car and enters the house.

INT. ENCLOSED PORCH.

Robert is dozing in a chair. She gently touches his face.

ROBERT

Is she okay?

JAMIE

She’s working on it.

ROBERT

How ‘bout you?

JAMIE

I’m okay.

Robert sits up and pulls her into his lap.

JAMIE (CONT’D)

Listen. I was wondering...how soon

can we start that extra room on the

back? So we can take out that

wall here and add the living room

to the business space?

Robert almost dumps her as he goes to the particular wall.

ROBERT

From here to here. No trouble.

You’ve got it! – But what about...

JAMIE

I’ll talk to Mother. Tomorrow.

- I know what to say now.

A wall phone RINGS. Robert answers it.

ROBERT

Expert Answering. May I help you?

FADE OUT: