MY FATHER'S SON – PART FIVE

Opening scene: Max is staring at Jake's father, who stares right back at him.

Man: You're…Lenni's son.

Max: Yes Sir.

They continue staring and Jake goes to stand next to Max. The man's eyes grow even wider.

Man: What in the world…?

Jake: You see it, don't you, Dad?

Man: Yes but…I can hardly believe it. You two…found each other?

Max: Well…yeah. We had to team up in order to find you.

The man stares in disbelief but Jake shakes his head and grabs his hand.

Jake: Come on, Dad.

Man: Where?

Jake: HOME!

Max: But Jake. He's gotta see my mom.

Jake: Dude. He is not going to see her looking like this. You call your mom…while I make sure he takes a bath.

Max: (rolls his eyes and salutes) Sir, yes sir.

Jake: Very funny.

The man starts to laugh as Max jogs out to the gate and grabs his board. The others are there and he smiles at them.

Max: We found him.

Jackie: Awesome!

Carlo: All right!

Gina: Can we…meet him?

Max: Not just yet. Jake's taking him home first. But tell all your folks that we found him…and my mom should arrange for them to see him later.

The others cheer and take off, although Linda sighs and puts her hands in her pockets as she turns away. Max notices this and catches up to her.

Max: Hold on there. Where you going?

Linda looks at him.

Linda: I'm going home.

Max: Oh no you don't. Jake has orders to look after you, remember?

Linda raises an eyebrow.

Linda: But…doesn't he need to look after your dad now?

Max: And you honestly think he can do it on his own? The state was taking him away for a reason.

Linda makes a face but Max shakes his head.

Max: Look. Go and help him out, okay? I gotta find my mom.

Linda bites her lip and nods as Max grins and takes off on his board.

CUT TO: Jake's house. Linda is standing behind Jake's father and combing out his long hair. He's now clean and shaved and is wearing a flannel shirt and long trousers. Jake brings him coffee and looks at Linda.

Jake: Sure you can't give him a haircut?

Linda: I'm a repair-jockey, not a hairdresser.

Jake's Father: A what?

Jake: She fixes stuff. Put my hearing-aid back together and saved me a year's worth of allowance money. Why I always gotta walk her home.

Linda: I also live two floors down.

Jake's father: It's also a convenient excuse to hang out with a pretty girl.

Jake: (in a warning tone) Dad…

Jake's father: (grins) What? I did the same thing.

Linda: You did?

Jake's father: Sure. Walked the girl home…and always had an excuse to hang out at her house once we got there.

Jake raises an eyebrow as Linda puts the comb away.

Linda: Well he's as presentable as I can make him.

Jake: Good. Max should be here any minute with his mom.

Linda: What about the colonel?

Jake's father: He's getting everything squared away at the VA. Gonna take a while…just like last time.

Linda: Last time?

Jake's father: When I was trapped in that tunnel. Dad arranged everything for Double-T…so he wouldn't be homeless anymore. Now he's doing the same for me.

Jake looks in his father's eyes.

Jake: Seems you were in a tunnel again, Dad.

Jake's father nods and gives a sad smile.

Jake's father: I was.

Jake pats his father's hand as there's a knock on the door. His father gets up as Linda goes over and opens it. Max is there with his mother, who gives a sigh.

Max's mother: Rob…

Rob: Lenni…

Lenni runs to Rob, who takes her in his arms as they both start weeping. Jake backs up towards Max, who gives a nod and looks at Linda.

Max: Mind if we hang out at your place for a while? I don't really want to watch this.

Jake: Yeah. We might wind up with a sister.

Linda: Uh…sure.

They disappear out the door as Lenni looks up at Rob. He gives a sigh and strokes her cheek.

Rob: I'm so sorry.

Lenni: It isn't your fault, Rob. And it doesn't matter anyway. You're home…and I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again.

Rob sighs as Lenni pulls him into a kiss.

CUT TO: Linda's place. Linda is working behind an old T.V. set while Max and Jake are playing a video game on it.

Jake: You know…I thought the graphics would get better once you fixed this.

Linda: Sorry. But this game is like…twenty years old.

Max: Oh I believe that. I know just about every video game on the planet…and never heard of Double Defenders before.

Jake: Still fun though. I just got shot in the head…but have an extra one.

Linda shakes her head as the boys continue playing the game.

CUT TO: Jake's place. Rob is sitting on the sofa with Lenni in his arms.

Rob: I don't get it though. How in the world did those two find me?

Lenni: The same way I found you before, Rob.

Rob: Huh? But the letter said…he was gone.

Lenni: (smiles) He was. But he's back.

Rob's eyes grow wide as Lenni turns and looks at him.

Lenni: Rob…the storm didn't kill him. It only trapped him inside of Jamal's computer.

Rob: Inside the computer?

Lenni: Right. Jamal said…the kids started seeing him…when Linda used something from his computer to fix Max's laptop.

Rob: (eyes wide) Holy cow. But…we can't see him anymore?

Lenni: (shakes her head) No. They told Jamal what they were reading…but he couldn't see a thing. But he knew it was him.

Rob blinks as Lenni strokes his hair.

Lenni: And the first thing Max asked him to do…was to help him find his father.

Rob gives a sigh.

Rob: I should've known.

CUT TO: The community garden. Lenni and Rob stand together as they greet their other friends. Alex and Tina arrive first. Then Gaby and Victor. Then Jamal and Jasmine. Max and Jake sit near the rabbit cages with Carlo, Gina, Jackie and Linda.

Carlo: Another case closed.

Max: And a new chapter begins. Mom's making him marry her.

Jackie: Are you serious?

Gina: He's a homeless bum!

Jake: Hey!

Linda: That's exactly why. Max's mom has to marry him and adopt Jake. That way the state can't take him away again.

Jake: And she can take care of him. He's still nuts.

Max: He doesn't seem…nuts.

Jake: You'll know what I mean when you start living with the guy. Trust me.

They look over at the adults, who have gathered around Rob.

Rob: And once again…I owe everything to you guys. I mean it. Best friends I ever had.

Jamal: We're all in it together man.

Alex: Although now it's the kids that have a team.

Victor: I still don't get how they found you man.

Rob: (holds up his chain) I'm guessing they found this.

Gaby: They probably did.

Tina: That and the notebooks. They were all asking what we wrote in them.

Rob: Well I got all those in here. (holds up a green bag covered in patches)

Lenni: You still carry the same bag?

Rob: Been all around the world…this bag.

Lenni: (frowns) Well you are not going anywhere else anytime soon. Now are you ready?

Rob sighs and nods as Jasmine comes forward with some documents.

Jasmine: All right. Sign here and here.

Rob and Lenni sign the documents and Jasmine takes them.

Jasmine: Now then. Do you…Robert Baker…take Lenni Frazier to be your wife?

Rob: (sighs) Yes.

Jasmine: And do you…Lenni Frazier…take Robert Baker to be your husband?

Lenni: (looks at him) Yes.

Jasmine: Good. As Justice of the Peace of Fort Greene Brooklyn…I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.

Rob gives a shy smile and kisses Lenni as the others applaud.