EXT. HAWTHORN HOUSE. EVENING
The van arrives home. Everyone piles out and files inside.
INT. HAWHTHORNE HOUSE - FRONT FOYER. EVENING
Bryan and Wendy are waiting to greet everyone.
Hey guys, how'd it go?
The brothers look at each other.
Kissing…girls…girls….too many…one…one…
Lucas?
I…I…
He was a little nervous, so I ended up reading with him.
Bryan looks at Lucas. Wendy looks at Valerie quizzically, and Valerie shrugs.
Steve?
I got a new tape…
He shows off his present. The boys fall away from the group. Stephen heads for the stereo. Kelsey follows Lucas out to the pool. Michael heads into the kitchen, having a quiet conversation with himself. Michael shrugs, shakes his head and walks towards the office.
EXT. HAWTHORNE HOUSE. ANOTHER DAY
The boys, Brian, Wendy, Valerie and Kelsey are out back by the pool. Michael comes out of the house followed by Rob, and then Jake and Chelsea carrying photos, scripts and other production-related material.
Okay, everybody outta the pool…
That get outta the pool bit? I've always wanted to say that.
cut to:
EXT. THE GRAS BESIDE THE POOL. LATER
With the boys and Kelsey in swimsuits and the rest of the family in summer attire, it's a casual family atmosphere. Valerie helps Wendy lay out an assortment of snack-style food as the meeting progresses.
Okay, well, we saw a lot of girls the other day and after reviewing the tapes, I know who we'd like to cast. Stephen, I thought you had the best chemistry with Colette.
Is that the tape girl?
Yup.
Mike, you remember Sherri?
I think so.
Well, we were pretty impressed with her test, but Chelsea found out Kevin Smith just cast her for his new film. So we'd like to go with Meline Brooks.
Mike's eyes widen, and Rob looks at him curiously.
Problems?
None. None whatsoever. She's very good. It's a good choice.
Good good. Now as far as Lucas goes….
Lucas bows his head slightly.
We were worried at first because the Lucas we saw in auditions wasn't the same kid we had seen in previous footage.
Lucas blushes.
Until Kelsey…
Until Kelsey.
Rob looks from Kelsey to Valerie.
We'd like to cast Kelsey opposite Lucas.
Mom?
Don't look at me, it's your decision.
Kelsey turns to Lucas, who's grinning hopefully at her.
Okay. Cool! Sign me up.
Great. I'm gonna get together with the production unit then and hammer out a shooting schedule. Colette and Meline should be notified by their agents. Chelsea, you'll handle that, right?
You bet.
Could you mention to Colette's agent that I'd like to run lines with her please?
What arount you Mike? Should I give the same message to Meline's agent?
Sure. That would be great.
INT. POOLHOUSE. EARLY EVENING
Lucas and Kelsey are sitting on the couch, feet on the coffee table, and scripts in their laps.
Man, this is cool, you getting to be in the movie.
It's still a little hard to believe.
But it is cool. Beyond cool.
Kelsey flips absent-mindedly through her script.
Thanks Kelsey. For helping me at the audition. And for doing this.
No sweat. I'm gonna ask Mom for some highlighters so we can mark our parts, okay?
Lucas nods. Kelsey gets up, puts her script down next to him, and takes one step. She backs up, and leans down to kiss Lucas quickly on the cheek.
Be right back.
INT. HAWTHORNE HOUSE. EARLY EVENING
Mike walks into the kitchen and finds the adults assembled there - Michael, Valerie, Bryan and Wendy. He looks at each of them for a moment and then goes to the fridge. After digging in the fridge for a bit, he come out with a bottle of water in one hand and a green apple in the other. He gently kicks the door shut with his foot, and turns to the adults again, looking each over like he's trying to decide something. Finally, he leaves.
That was werd, even for him.
The others nod in agreement. Thirty seconds later, Mike returns purposefully. He sets the bottle and apple on the table and sits down with the adults.
I need to talk.
He looks around the table.
And I wasn't sure which one of you to ask. I mean there's the parental choice of course, and then there's Uncle Mike for the single guy point of view and Valerie as the voice of education.
Mike…
Well I finally decided everyone's opinion would be valuable, so I came back.
Spill it already. Are you nervous about the movie?
Well, that's kinda it. You know that girl Meline? The one who's supposed to play opposite me? She told me at the audition that she's bisexual and dating a girl right now.
Oh…
But if Rob picked her, her audition must have been good.
It was great. I mean she can really kiss. But afterwards, when Rob said cut, she wiped her mouth, and that's when she told me.
I could see how that might bother you.
I wouldn't say bother. I mean, if she has someone who makes her happy, man or woman, more power to her. Everyone should be so lucky to have that in their lives.
That's a good attitude to have.
Thank you, but it was formatted third party, by the views of my parents, what I saw in TV and movies, and what I read. I've never had this type of situation present itself in real life before. So I guess I'm…confused?
You said she was "currently" dating a girl, right?
Something like that.
Maybe she's not serious about her yet.
Or maybe there is no other girl and she said it to protect herself from falling for you.
But in the event it's true, you're gonna have to behave like a professional.
And the man we raised you to be. We can always get you an acting coach if you want.
I'll let you know if it comes to that.
Did we help?
Sorta, I guess.
Well then you're sorta welcome.
Bryan reaches over and gives Michael a friendly but assertive punch on the shoulder.
Let one of us know if you need to talk…
Yep. See ya…
Mike leaves the kitchen.
INT. HAWTHORNE HOUSE. EVENING
Mike leaves the kitchen and walks toward the staircase. He climbs to the second floor slowly. As he passes Stephen's room, he hears the tell-tale "oh-oh" of ICQ.
INT. STEHEN'S ROOM. EVENING
Mike sticks his head in.
Don't you find that noise annoying? Why don't you turn the sound off?
I don't mind.
Another "oh-oh" signals the arrival of the next message.
I'm talking to Cori.
Stephen opens the message, reads it and begins to reply.
Speaking of which, have you written Danielle lately?
On my way to do that now.
Stephen's eyes turn back to the screen as he finishes his message. Mike watches him typing for a second or two and then silently disappears.
Good…
We had a meeting with Rob, the director of the movie, to discuss the results of the screen tests. The really cool news is Kelsey's gonna be in the movie opposite Lucas. She's the only one he could really do the scene with.
Through ICQ, Cori requests a chat. Stephen responds and opens the chat window. The words appear on the screen seconds after they've typed them.
What about Mike?
A really pretty girl named Meline. She nearly brought up an organ when she kissed him at the audition. Now that's an actress, hehe.
Should I even ask about your co-star?
Her name is Colette Franklin, she's Canadian and seems pretty cool. She gave me this tape of this hot guitarist from up there. I think we're gonna have fun.
Oh really? *wink*
Not the kind I have with you baby. I love you.
I love you too. Hug everyone for me and tell Kelsey to e-mail me, I wanna congratulate another rising star.
As soon as I can find them. They're always off somewhere studying their lines. I wish you had been around for auditions. But I know how important school is to you, so I won't whine anymore.
Thanks sweetie. I'm so lucky to have you. I love you and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
Stephen quits the chat and saves it, then logs off the net and closes the laptop. He gets up from the desk and heads out of his room.
INT. MIKE'S ROOM. DAY.
Mike is bent over his laptop, hammering out a letter. A few paragraphs are already finished. He pauses for only a second, and goes back to typing intently. The room is quiet except for the sound of his fingers on the keys.
INT. KITCHEN. EVENING
Stephen enters to find the adults still at the kitchen table, this time drinking coffee.
Coffee? Mind if I join you?
Why not? Pull up a chair.
Stephen fixes himself a cup of coffee and sits down next to his mother.
Before we get too busy and I forget completely, hi Mom…you look great.
Thank you honey. Have you seen your brother?
Which one?
Mike, he was in here earlier, acting a little…weird…
He's upstairs. Writing to Danielle. That ought to do wonders for his temperment. How 'bout the little one?
Out back, studying his lines.
For real?
Checked on them three times myself. Those two are gonna have their parts memorized before Rob even sets the shooting schedule.
INT. PRODUCTION OFFICE. DAY
Chelsea welcomes the crew inside. Michael and Valerie hang behind as Chelsea gets everyone settled.
Okay…Stephen. Colette's already here, just in the powder room if you know what I mean, and Mike, Meline's on her way in. Jake will be around, so he can help you out if you wanna go without scripts, and Rob will be in and out too.
Excuse me Chelsea, will there somebody to help us?
Well I can do that Lucas, sweetie…what do you need?
Well, me and Kelsey've been studying and we think we have the first part memorized, right?
Yeah, like the first six? Yeah, six…scenes between us. So we were hoping we could go over those with somebody…
Wow, you two work fast.
Behind Chelsea's back, Stephen and Mike makes faces, teasing Lucas and Kelsey. Colette walks into the room, and whacks Stephen on the shoulder. He rubs it a little and she smiles.
Hey Rock and Roll, guess we're gonna be working together.
I'm looking forward to it.
Cool. Well you gotta come out with us this weekend.
Us?
Me and my boyfriend Peter Cameron.
Wow…from Freedom, Texas? I love that show.
So does he, I think it's all the guns and horses and stuff. Anyway, they're not shooting this week and he wants to meet you, so I thought maybe we could go out. He said maybe he could bring some other people from the show, like maybe Trixie Waters…
I have a girlfriend. Her name is Cori, she goes to university in New Orleans.
Okay, okay, so no fixups…well we can see how many people can come along and make a big party of it then.
Sure, that sounds about my speed.
Mike starts to laugh, but stops when the door opens and Meline enters. She looks right at Mike, almost inside him.
Morning.
Hi…
Stephen looks at Mike and shakes his head.
INT. REHEARSAL STAGE. LATER
The boys and their costars have a section of the stage to themselves. Rob is working with Lucas and Kelsey, while Chelsea oversees Mike and Meline's progress and Jake eavesdrops as Stephen and Colette run their lines. Michael and Valerie watch all of it from director's chairs.
So…
Yeah?
This is you and me working, right?
And getting paid.
Spoken like a true lawyer, haha. Do you miss it?
Sometimes, but it's great getting to spend time with the family.
The family?
Yeah …
Michael looks at her and suddenly realizes what he's done wrong.
Oh man, and you too. I wouldn't dream of doing this without you.
Valerie whacks him on the arm and Michael groans.
Nice save.
