GHOSTWRITER'S RETURN – PART THREE
Opening scene: Ghostwriter goes over Gina's message, which reads The mystery of who Max's father is. He then flies up to the loft upstairs. Max is typing on his laptop and gives a sigh.
Max: (reading)
Words on the screen. And invisible friend.
Could he be the key to finding him?
Where has he gone? Does he even know?
Why is my mother so broken?
Did he love her or hurt her?
There are so many questions.
Where are you my father?
What is your name?
Do you know who I am?
Or am I a mystery to you
As much as you are to me?
Max gives a sigh as Ghostwriter appears on the screen.
GW: You write fine poems, Max!
Max: Hey! (writes) My poems are private!
GW: Sorry.
Max: (gives a sigh and writes) But then again, could you help me find my father?
GW: I could try. What clues do you have?
Max: (writes) Not a lot. All I know is that I was born May 2, 2004, so she must have met him in September of 2003.
Ghostwriter glows and flies out. Max shrugs and starts getting ready for bed. He has just finished brushing his teeth when Ghostwriter comes back and writes out something on the laptop.
Max: (looking at the laptop) Woah! He found Mom's tour schedule from 2003!
Max looks over the schedule and nods.
Max: (running finger down the screen) Support the Troops Tour. Looks like Mom sang at a bunch of military bases.
Max lets out a gasp and runs his hand through his hair.
Max: Of course. My dad was in the military! He was a soldier! (frantically types) Can you get a list of all the soldiers from these bases in 2003? I know it'll be long, but my father's name should be on it!
GW: I'll try.
Max smiles and climbs into bed.
CUT TO: Torres Hardware. Max yawns as he comes in and Gina smiles at him.
Gina: Hi Max.
Max: Hey (yawns)
Gina: Up late last night?
Max: (rubs eyes) Yeah. Our uh…new friend was trying to help me find my dad.
Gina: (raises an eyebrow) Any luck?
Max: I got a clue anyway. I think my dad…was in the military.
Gina: Oh! How do you know?
Max: He found my mother's tour schedule from 2003. She was singing at a bunch of military bases…and must have met my dad at one of them. But um…I wasn't able to get a list of all the soldiers.
Gina: You couldn't?
Max: (drumming his fingers) Nope. Seems uh…even he needs to know the right passwords to get secure information.
Gina: Right. Well at least you know something.
Max: Yeah. And I'm wondering if my grandparents might know more about…you know…what my mother was doing at the time.
Gina: They might. But uh…don't you think you should ask your mother?
Max: Ha! My mother's been hiding this for years! What makes you think she's gonna fess up now?
Gina: Well…maybe if you tell her you know he was a soldier…she'll give you another clue. Even a tiny clue could help you out.
Max: (nods) Maybe. She'll be visiting this weekend before moving on with the tour. (looks at Gina) Thanks.
Gina: No problem. How's your computer working?
Max: Works fine. Just uh…get interrupted from time to time.
Gina: Yeah. I was uh…talking to him too.
Max: (raises an eyebrow) You were?
Gina: Yeah. Without a computer. Seems you can also write to him by hand.
Max: (gives a nod) Interesting. You talk to your cousin yet?
Gina: (frowns) I gotta work today…and Linda got another repair job. I texted Jackie and told her to go talk to him…but we'll see if that happens or not.
Max: She don't like the guy?
Gina: (grins) Oh it's not that. She does like him. A little too much.
Max: (rolls his eyes) Girls…
Gina: Well she does. Anyway, how about you head over to the park and see if Jackie's there. If she's too chicken, it may be up to you.
CUT TO: The park. Max rides up on his skateboard and sees Jackie on her dirt bike, watching a group of guys playing roller hockey.
Max: Hey Jackie. Gina said you'd be here.
Jackie: Hi. Yeah. She uh…wants me to see if Carlo can see what we do.
Max: Well he might. Ghostwriter said he knew his dad. Is he here?
Jackie sighs and nods to the roller hockey game.
Jackie: He's the goalie…in the Yankee's jersey.
Max sees the tall boy with slick black hair defending the goal. He makes a great save and high-fives the other guys, who call it a game. Carlo puts the milk crates away while the others collect the sticks. His friends skate away, but Carlo hangs around, doing tricks.
Max: Well there he is. Go talk to him.
Jackie: What…me?
Max: Well I don't know the guy.
Jackie: I barely know him either.
Max: You know Gina.
Jackie: But…oh…
Jackie bites her lip as Max shakes his head. Max then notices that Jackie's wearing a hat, so he grins and takes it.
Jackie: Hey!
Max laughs and skates off. Jackie frowns and chases after him, but can't follow much on her bike. She leans it against a tree and goes after him on foot.
Jackie: Give me back my hat!
Max: Gotta catch me first.
Max heads over to the blacktop where Carlo is skating. Carlo frowns and catches Max by the collar, taking the hat away. Jackie runs up panting and Carlo hands it back to her.
Carlo: I believe this is yours.
Jackie: (taking it) Thanks Carlo.
Carlo: (still holding on to Max) No problem. Who's this little punk?
Jackie: Oh he's Gina's new neighbor. Max Frazier.
Carlo: (looking at Max) Little young to be Max Frazier.
Max: (rolls eyes) You know Granddad too?
Carlo: Hey man. Everybody knows your Granddad. Not to mention your mom.
Max: So I've heard. Can you let go of me now?
Carlo looks at Jackie, who puts her hat back on.
Jackie: Oh let him go. He's cool. I met him yesterday when Linda was fixing his laptop in my basement.
Carlo smiles and lets go of Max, who brushes himself off and kicks his board up to his hand.
Carlo: Linda really needs to get her own repair shop. Had to fix my smartphone at the hardware store.
Jackie: I'll say. She fixed my bike yesterday too…and Old McQuaid was scolding us for blocking the sidewalk.
Carlo: Well he used to be a cop, you know. Retired when my dad moved up to detective. Said Dad would always solve the mystery first anyway.
Max: Your dad's a detective?
Carlo: Best in all of New York. Although he says he doesn't have the edge that he used to have when he was younger.
Jackie: He uh…used to have an edge?
Jackie and Max exchange a significant look. Carlo raises his eyebrows and then lets out a gasp.
Carlo: What is that?
Max and Jackie spin around and see a ball of light spelling out a message.
GW: I think I found another clue!
Max: Another clue?
Jackie: A clue for what?
Max: I uh…asked him to help me find my dad.
Carlo: Him? Him who?
Jackie and Max look at each other and turn to Carlo.
Jackie: The guy what used to give your dad an edge.
Max: And now…is giving us an edge.
Carlo: Who? Who is he?
Jackie and Max look at each other and push Carlo over to a bench.
Jackie and Max: (pushing Carlo down on the bench) Sidddown.
CUT TO: The Fernandez Residence. A man is sitting in an armchair, reading a tablet. Carlo and Max come inside, whispering to each other.
Carlo: No wonder Dad had an edge. If Ghostwriter could find stuff like this for him…
Max: I know, right? And now I have another clue.
Carlo: Some clue. All he found was a poem.
Max: Yeah but…he thinks it's important for some reason. I mean…maybe it was my dad who wrote it.
Carlo: A poem?
Max: Well I write poems too. Maybe I got that from him.
Carlo: You write poems?
Max: That's why I wanted my laptop fixed. I got over 200 poems saved on it…and three unfinished books.
Carlo scratches his head as an older man looks up from reading on a tablet.
Man: Hey Carlo. Who's this?
Carlo: Hey Dad. This is Max Frazier.
Man: He is?
Max: I was named after my granddad. Seems he's popular around here.
Man: Ah. (points a finger) You're Lenni's kid. (extends hand) I'm Alex.
Max: (shakes hands) Good to meet you, Sir.
Carlo: Max has a mystery for you, Dad.
Alex: Would it be the mystery of who your father is?
Max: How'd you guess?
Alex: (sighs) Because I've been wondering the same thing for years. Lenni was a great friend of ours…and has a kid out of the blue.
Max: How do you think I feel? I didn't even get my dad's name.
Alex: (nods) Yeah. But Lenni did that on purpose.
Max: (raises an eyebrow) She did?
Alex: What she told us. She was a celebrity at the time…and all the tabloids were having a heyday with her having a kid. If they found out who the father was, he would've been plastered all over the internet. Lenni didn't want to do that to the poor guy…whoever he was…so she kept him a secret.
Max: (nods) Wow. I never thought of that being the reason. I just thought…maybe she had an affair with a married guy or something.
Alex: No no no. Your mother wouldn't do that. She just said that the guy was very private and that it was better if people didn't know about him.
Max: She uh…say anything else?
Alex: Not really. Only that your father isn't Tuan.
Max: Who?
Carlo: (making a face) That's my uncle. He lives in Buffalo.
Alex: And he dated Lenni for a spell back in high school, so he was our first suspect when we heard she was pregnant. But she flat out said it wasn't him…and Tuan did too.
Max: Oh. Well…from what I know of it, I think my dad was in the army.
Alex: The army?
Max: Yeah. My mom did a tour of military bases in 2003…and I guess she met my dad at one of them.
Alex: (rubs chin) Hmmm. That is a clue. But…who did Lenni know in the military?
Max: (raises an eyebrow) You're uh…sure he's someone she knew before?
Alex: (looks at him) My wife certainly thinks so. She's a good friend of your mother's. She might know more than I do.
Max nods as the door opens and a lovely Asian woman comes in.
Carlo: Hi Mom.
Alex: Hey Tina. This is Max. Lenni's kid.
Tina: (coming over) Hey Max. I'm Tina Fernandez.
She shakes Max's hand and he smiles.
Max: Nice to meet you.
Tina: Great to finally meet you too. Your mother was a great friend of mine.
Max: So I heard. She uh…ever tell you anything about my dad?
Tina: Is that why you're here?
Alex: Of course it is. Kid has a right to know, don't you think?
Tina: (sighs) He does. But Lenni never likes to talk about it.
Max: How come?
Tina looks at him and sits down, taking his hands.
Tina: I don't know details, Max. But what I do know…is that Lenni was in love with him.
Max: (eyes wide) She was?
Tina: I'm sure of it.
FLASHBACK: A cold and rainy night in Brooklyn. A younger Tina is pregnant and sitting at home with another young woman, who is weeping.
Tina: (comforting the other woman) It's going to be okay, Lenni.
Lenni: I know. It's just…I didn't expect this to happen.
Tina: Well I didn't expect this one either. (points to belly)
Lenni: But it was more than that. I just didn't expect…to see him.
Tina: Him?
Lenni: (blushes) Yes. I mean…I hadn't seen him for so long…and suddenly…there he was.
Tina: Who?
Lenni: I don't want to say. I mean…he's so private…and if word gets out to the tabloids…
Tina: Right. But…this was someone you knew?
Lenni: (nods) Yes. But it's been years. And when I saw him again…I just couldn't help it.
Tina: So uh…I take it you're not talking about my brother.
Lenni: (shakes head) No no. This is someone I've known even longer than that.
Tina: Oh! So…
Lenni: Please don't go figuring it out, okay? I don't want to hurt him and…he's better off…not knowing.
Tina: But Lenni…
Lenni: That's all I want to say about it, okay?
Tina: (sighs) Okay. If you really don't want to say, I won't pressure you. But I'm here if you need me.
Lenni: (smiles) Thanks Tina. You're a great friend.
CUT TO: Tina sighs and rubs Max's hands. Max bites his lip as she smiles.
Tina: I know it may not help you find him. But you can at least be sure that it was love that brought you into the world.
Max: (nods) Well… that is good to know. Thanks.
Tina: You're welcome. (gets up) Now then, would you like to stay for lunch?
CUT TO: The Frazier loft. Max comes home and finds Granddad Max playing a keyboard.
Granddad Max: Hey Max. What's the news?
Max: I uh…met Carlo Fernandez. His folks were friends of my mom.
Granddad Max: Well of course. Alex used to live right downstairs.
Max: He did?
Granddad Max: Yep. His parents owned that store back in those days…and it was actually a grocery. I would send your mother down to get food all the time and she was great friends with Alex.
Max: Seems she was close to his wife too.
Granddad Max: She was. Tina was actually Gaby's best friend…but was closer to your mother when she got to middle school and your mother dated her brother.
Max: Yeah, she uh…mentioned that. But she said her brother isn't my dad.
Granddad Max: This is true. She started dating Tuan when he took her to the eighth-grade prom…but they broke up when Tuan left for college and Lenni was still in high school.
Max: (raises his eyebrows) So…Mom went to the eighth-grade prom with this guy?
Granddad Max: Yes. Quite some time before you came along.
Max: Hmmm. Mrs. Fernandez said…my dad is someone my mom knew longer than that.
Granddad Max: Oh! This is news to me.
Max: Yeah. So, it's someone she knew…from before eighth grade. Seems she suddenly ran into him during a tour of military bases.
Granddad Max: (nods) You're right. Your mother was doing that military tour that year. Was singing for the guys being sent off to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Max: (raises his eyebrows) She was?
Granddad Max: Oh yes. This was right after 9/11, you know. Lot of soldiers were being deployed to the Middle East…and your mother wanted to support them.
Max: (rubbing his chin) Yeah. And if Dad…was sent to war…that might be why she didn't want him to know about me.
Granddad Max: I suppose it's possible. She certainly didn't want the press to find out who he was.
Max: Yeah. It might have compromised him if he was fighting. No wonder she didn't give me his name.
Granddad Max smiles and pats Max on the shoulder as Sally comes in, carrying a bag of groceries.
Sally: Oh good, you're both here. Max, Mark is downstairs waiting for you.
Granddad Max: (getting up) I'm guessing you mean me. Time for rehearsal.
Max: Bye Granddad.
Granddad Max: Bye Max. Be sure to help out in the kitchen.
Sally: Hey now.
Max's grandfather laughs and leaves the room as Max helps put away groceries.
Sally: So…what were you up to today?
Max: I met the Fernandez's.
Sally: Oh good. They were such good friends of your mother's.
Max: Yeah. I need to go down and visit Mr. and Mrs. Torres too sometime. I know Mrs. Torres knew my mom.
Sally: Victor did too. He went to school with her at least.
Max: Really?
Sally: Oh yes. Your mother directed the school talent show in seventh grade…and Victor did a rap that he wrote for his brother.
Max: The guy in the wheelchair?
Sally: Yes. Poor Quincy was shot in the back in a gang battle shortly before that.
Max: Oh no!
Sally: (gives a sad nod) Victor was involved with a gang also, but quit after Quincy was shot. But he almost went back to the gang when the school was being vandalized and everyone thought it was him.
Max: (runs his hand through his hair) Oh man.
Sally: I know. But when Victor went back to his gang, he saw them beating up poor Rob and changed his mind.
Max: (raises his eyebrows) Rob?
Sally: Yes. Rob was a good friend of his and had gone out looking for him…and how he found the hideout for that gang is beyond me. But see, it was Rob who figured out who it really was that was vandalizing the school and cleared Victor completely. And then it was Rob who talked Victor into preforming his rap at the talent show.
Max gives a nod and Sally smiles.
Sally: Rob was a great friend of your mother's too. She cried for days when he left.
Max: (does a double-take) He left?
Sally: Unfortunately. Rob moved to Australia after living here for less than a year. As if moving around in the military wasn't bad enough.
Max nearly falls out of his chair as Sally looks at him.
Sally: Are you all right?
Max: I'm fine. Um. How did Mom know this guy…Rob?
Sally: Well they were great friends. It was actually Rob who introduced me to your mother.
Max: He did?
Sally: Yes. See, I ran the poetry workshop at the youth center…and Rob came every week. He wrote beautiful poems, but was terribly shy about letting anyone read them.
Max: (makes a face) I don't blame him there. I don't like people reading my poems either.
Sally: (laughs) I suppose poetry is a personal thing. But Rob had to let me see what he was writing to I could help him improve…although he was already an excellent writer.
Max: And he…introduced you to Mom?
Sally: Oh yes. She talked Rob into reading one of his poems at the youth center. And he was so nervous…
FLASHBACK: A young man is gripping a notebook as his friends gather around him. Sally comes up behind him and pats him on the shoulder.
Boy: Hey Miss Lewis.
Sally: Rob. It's just Sally to you.
Rob: (shrugs) Force of habit, Miss Lewis. These are my friends. Jamal, Alex, Gaby, Tina and Lenni.
Sally: (shaking their hands) Oh yes. I've seen you kids around. Nice to know what your names are.
Lenni: (shaking Sally's hand) It's great to meet you too. I want to hear more about this garden project you're doing.
Sally: Well we can discuss that after the reading. Is everyone here?
Rob: Double-T isn't here yet. He said he was coming.
Tina: Oh yeah. He was going to bring your dad.
Rob does a double-take.
Rob: My dad?
Alex: Yeah. Don't you want your dad to hear you read?
Rob: Dad doesn't go for this stuff.
Jamal: He's still your dad though.
Gaby: Yeah. That's why Lenni called him and told him you were reading today.
Lenni: GABY!
Rob: (at Lenni) You called my dad!?
Lenni winces as Rob stares at her. Two men then come in the room, one in a patched army jacket and the other in a suit and tie. They both wave to Rob, who blushes and waves back. Sally then comes to the stage.
Sally: All right. Today's writer's reading will feature Rob Baker, who will be sharing some of his poetry and a short story.
Rob bites his lip and goes up on the stage. He opens his notebook and takes a deep breath.
Rob: Um…I'm Rob Baker…and this is a story that I wrote…titled The North Wind.
CUT TO: Sally smiling at Max, who raises his eyebrows.
Max: Wow. That was a great story.
Sally: His poems were wonderful too. I wish I could remember them.
Max: And uh…Rob was military?
Sally: Oh yes. I met his father that day also…and he was a retired air force colonel. Rob only started calling me Sally because your mother would. He was so used to calling adults by their rank or title.
Max: I guess so. And uh…he moved away to Australia?
Sally: (sadly) Yes. He went there over the summer so his mother could do an internship…and wrote letters to Lenni every week. Then when he moved there permanently he wrote at least once a month.
Max: He wrote letters to my mom?
Sally: Of course. He was a writer. She never let us see them though. Said Rob was rather private about his writing…letters included.
Max: (rubs his chin and whispers) Private. A writer. Military. (Looks at Sally) You don't have any pictures of his guy, do you?
Sally: Oh I do. He helped get those horrible barrels of poison out of the garden. The whole lot of them got a picture in the paper.
Sally goes over to a shelf, where she had a scrapbook. She opens it and shows Max a newspaper clipping.
Max: (reading) Local kids expose scandal on television. Yeah…that's Mom right there…and Mr. Fernandez…and his wife…Mr. Jenkins…
Sally: And there's Mrs. Torres, Gina's mother.
Max: So this tall guy over here?
Sally: That's Rob.
Max nods as he studies the picture, rubbing his own face. He runs his hand through his hair, letting it fall back into place as Sally watches him.
Sally: But really Max. Why all this interest in Rob Baker?
Max looks at her and bites his lip.
Max: Well…it's just a guess really. But…I think he may have been my dad.
Sally's eyes grow wide as Max looks back at the picture, running his hand through his hair again.
