ACT TWO
EXT. BOBBI GLASS' HOUSE
Josh and Lily are both on their hands and knees, working on
the yard and sweating under the morning sun, when Sam comes
walking up.
LILY
Sam!
Josh and Lily both get up and run over to Sam; Lily hugs her.
JOSH
How's Brooke?
SAM
She's not any better, but she's
not any worse, either. Guys—
(gesturing around)
—what are you doing?
JOSH
Oh, we have to do this for ten
hours a week. It's part of the
lease.
As Sam shakes her head in disbelief, Miss Glass comes on onto
the porch, holding a tall glass.
GLASS
Hey! Yo kids—quit goofing off and
get back to work!
Sam steps around Lily and advances up the walk towards Miss
Glass.
SAM
Miss Glass, you can't do this!
GLASS
McPherson—I'm surprised to
see you here.
SAM
Miss Glass—you can't turn your
tenants into your own personal
house workers. It's wrong.
What's more, it's illegal.
Lily runs up to Sam's side.
LILY
(whispering)
Sam, what are you doing?
Sam doesn't seem to hear her.
GLASS
Oh, so you're a lawyer now?
SAM
My mom IS in real estate. I know
a little something about how
leases work.
GLASS
Look, McPherson, not that I'm
unsympathetic to your current
plight—but keep your nose out of
other people's beeswax!
Sam squeezes her eyes shut for a moment.
SAM
Miss Glass—my sister is in the
hospital, and there's a really
good chance she could die; and I
just found out that two of my good
friends have been duped by you
into becoming house slaves. So,
as you can imagine, I am NOT IN A
VERY GOOD MOOD RIGHT NOW!
GLASS
(mocking)
Ooh, maybe someone should get a
prescription for Prozac while
she's at the hospital.
SAM
Or maybe someone should call the
county and get a housing inspector
to come around here!
Lily tugs on Sam arm, futilely.
LILY
(urgently)
Sam! Stop it!
GLASS
(glowering)
Well, maybe I should TEAR UP that
lease, if it bothers you so much!
JOSH
No, Miss Glass—
SAM
They'd certainly be better off!
GLASS
Fine!
She disappears into the house for a second, then re-emerges
holding the lease. As Josh and Lily frantically try to wave
her off, she rips the paper in two.
GLASS (CONT'D)
There!
(pointing at Lily)
You two—I want you packed and out
of here by the end of the day!
She storms back into the house and slams the door shut.
JOSH
Aw, man, now what are we gonna do?
Lily turns on Sam, stunned.
LILY
Sam! I can't believe you just did
that!
SAM
You'll find a better place.
Someplace where you don't have to
pick up leaves, and have Frau
Glass giving you orders.
LILY
(miserably)
We don't have any money, Sam. We
can't afford any other place.
SAM
Yes, you can.
Sam reaches into her bag, pulls out an envelope and gives it
to Lily. She opens it, starts to pull out a check—and goggles
at the sight of it.
LILY
Oh, my GOD—
Josh looks over Lily's shoulder at the check, and whistles
appreciatively.
LILY (CONT'D)
What—how—how did you—?
SAM
It's...my college fund.
LILY
Oh—no, no...
Lily thrusts the envelope back at Sam, who steadfastly refuses
to take it.
LILY (CONT'D)
There is just no way we can take
this!
SAM
Look, I'm not going to need it for
at least a year. I know all you
two need is a chance to get on
your feet, and this is it.
LILY
Sam, NO...
Sam takes Lily by the shoulders.
SAM
You have to. Please... I HAVE
to do this.
Lily shakes her head, uncomprehending.
SAM (CONT'D)
(tearing up)
I have to... I have to be able
to do something, and—and make
something better... Please, you
HAVE to let me do this...
Finally Lily nods, sniffling a little herself.
JOSH
We'll pay you back, every penny. I
swear.
SAM
(wiping her eyes)
I know.
Lily turns to Josh.
LILY
Baby, I'll pack—you go and be with
Brooke.
JOSH
(nodding)
I'll be back in a little while.
Lily hugs Sam tightly.
LILY
Thank you SO much...
Josh leans over and kisses Lily before walking away with Sam.
Lily watches them go, smiling and hugging herself.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. A COUNTRY LANE - DAY
Brooke is strolling down the middle of this dusty dirt road,
as Clarence follows, rubbing his hand through his hair.
CLARENCE
I am sure there's a rule against
pouring sand on your spiritual
guide's head.
BROOKE
(unrepentant)
I told you not to push me high.
CLARENCE
How can you be afraid of swinging?
BROOKE
I'm not afraid, I just—don't care
for it, that's all.
She stops walking, and looks around.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
Well—THIS is the middle of
nowhere.
Clarence surveys the scene as well.
CLARENCE
Yeah, we do seem to have gotten
off the beaten path.
BROOKE
Any idea why?
Clarence shrugs.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
(rolling her eyes)
Of course not...
CLARENCE
Hey, what do I look like, a map?
BROOKE
Map, guide...what's the
difference?
CLARENCE
Plenty, let me tell you.
BROOKE
Please... So, where are we,
anyway?
CLARENCE
Well, technically, we're in the
same place we were before. It
just looks different.
She narrows her eyes at him.
BROOKE
I really think I'm gonna stop
talking to you.
A noise makes Brooke turn off the road and up a driveway. She
sees, standing under a tree, a horse, saddled and ready to
ride. Breaking into a grin, she runs up to it and pets its
head.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
(soothingly)
Hey there, boy... What are you
doing here?
Clarence comes jogging up.
CLARENCE
Uh, Brooke...
She grabs the saddle and lifts herself up onto the horse's
back.
CLARENCE (CONT'D)
...that's not a good idea—
But she has already put her feet in the stirrups and grabbed
the reins. With a jerk, the horse takes off, galloping across
the road and into the rolling fields beyond.
CLARENCE (CONT'D)
Brooke, WAIT!
Clarence runs after her for a moment, then spreads his arms
and looks heavenward. There is a clopping noise behind him,
and another horse appears.
CLARENCE (CONT'D)
THANK you.
He leaps onto the horse and gallops off after Brooke.
CUT TO:
INT. JOSH AND LILY'S APARTMENT
Lily is finishing the job of packing what little there is in
their soon-to-be ex-apartment. Miss Glass comes down the
stairs.
GLASS
Yo, Esposito—ah, sorry—I mean,
Ford.
LILY
Actually, I'm thinking of Esposito
Ford... I haven't decided.
GLASS
Sure, why not, make things as
complicated as possible.
LILY
(tiredly)
Miss Glass...
GLASS
You know...I could go easy on the
yard work.
LILY
(shaking her head)
It's not that... Well, it is,
but... This just isn't a good
idea, Miss Glass.
Miss Glass sits down on the sofa, and pats the seat next to
her. Lily comes over and obediently sits next to her.
GLASS
I'm only hard on you because—well,
it's my primary form of
entertainment that doesn't involve
tubs of Tropical Fruit Jell-o—but
also because...I think you're
making a terrible mistake.
LILY
I know. And I know you won't
believe me when I say that we
really aren't.
GLASS
You think I haven't been where you
are? Believe me, I have...
DISSOLVE TO:
FLASHBACK
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - A LONG TIME AGO
An incredibly corny, PSA-type flashback, with a teenaged Bobbi
Glass standing by the lockers, next to the most stereotypical
"bad boy" Lothario imaginable.
GLASS
Oh, Shane, when you hold me, my
heart pounds like the pistons of a
'67 Chevy!
SHANE
Baby, let's get married. We'll
drop out, jump on the back of my
hog and go riding off into the
wild blue yonder!
GLASS
Oh, but, we don't have any money,
and no decent job prospects! How
would we live?
SHANE
We don't need money to live,
Bobbi. We'll live free on the
open road!
GLASS
I'm sorry, but I'm just not ready
for marriage. I want to complete
my education, and get a good,
solid job.
DISSOLVE TO:
JOSH AND LILY'S APARTMENT
LILY
Wow. What happened?
GLASS
(shrugs)
He left. Then he drove his hog
into a bank vault in Sacramento.
Twenty years in Folsom.
LILY
Oh.
Lily gets up.
LILY (CONT'D)
(confidently)
Well, Josh and I aren't going to
let anything like that happen to
us. And we aren't dropping out,
either. We're both gonna
graduate—no matter what.
CUT TO:
EXT. A ROCKY GORGE - TWILIGHT
Brooke is riding along this shadow-laden gorge, which opens
out onto an immense, barren, empty desert. She pulls up short
at the edge of a wide, shallow stream which lies across her
path. She looks around, disoriented by the harsh
surroundings. Then she hears a bitter, cutting laugh. She
looks ahead again, and sees someone standing nonchalantly on
the opposite side of the creek, arms crossed—a figure who
wasn't there a moment before.
NICOLE
(contemptuously)
Well, well, well...look what the
cat dragged in.
CUT TO:
INT. AN INTERVIEW ROOM
A typical interview room, with a large two-way mirror along
one wall. Detective Cavanaugh is sitting at the room's sole
table when the door opens and Nicole is led in.
CAVANAUGH
(standing)
Miss Julian. I'm Detective
Cavanaugh.
(gestures at a chair)
Please.
Nicole throws up her hands.
NICOLE
Finally—someone who can tell me
what the HELL is going on around
here!
CAVANAUGH
Please—have a seat. You did have
a phone call?
Nicole just stands with her hands leaning on the back of the
chair.
NICOLE
(annoyed)
Yes—finally.
CAVANAUGH
(sitting)
You do realize that you don't have
to talk to me without a lawyer
present.
NICOLE
I'm sure my mother's lawyer is on
his way. Not that I NEED him for
anything! Except maybe filing a
police harassment suit.
CAVANAUGH
Does this mean that you're waiving
your right to have an attorney
present?
NICOLE
(sighing theatrically)
Fine, fine! Consider it waived—if
it'll get you to start explaining!
CAVANAUGH
Well—
NICOLE
I mean—so I got drunk, and I drove
my car into a fence. Fine me,
send me to traffic school,
whatever. What is this, a
political thing? Is it "Crack
Down on Teenage DUI Week"?
CAVANAUGH
Um, Miss Julian, I think there's
been a misunderstanding here—
NICOLE
(throwing up her hands)
Finally—that's what I've been
saying!
CAVANAUGH
Miss Julian—the charge you've been
arrested on is attempted murder.
Nicole just gawks at him.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
