ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

INT. A CLASSROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Brooke pushes Sugar Daddy into an empty classroom, slams the
door shut and starts to pace ferociously. Sugar Daddy follows
her with his head, back and forth, like he's watching a tennis
match.

BROOKE
(frantic)
Oh my God...oh my God! What am I
gonna do? What am I gonna do?

Suddenly she spins and grabs Sugar Daddy by the front of his
shirt, shaking him.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
Well? What am I gonna do?

He gulps, like a fish out of water, but nothing comes out.
She lets him go and resumes pacing.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
I have to do something...I mean, I
have to...

From the sideline, Sugar Daddy nods helpfully. She's not
paying attention.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
I have to tell someone...but...no,
I can't tell Dad...or Jane...I
can't rat Sam out...

Sugar Daddy shakes his head emphatically.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
But I, I can't just let her...I
have to talk to SOMEBODY...
Lily...yeah, Lily, she'll know
what to do... But, maybe she
won't...and, if Sam found out I...
she'd...

Groaning, she rubs her forehead. Meanwhile, poor Sugar Daddy
is so caught up between nodding yes and shaking his head no
that his head is going every which way.

Finally, her eyes narrowing, Brooke puts her fist and palm
together.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
(determined)
All right. I've got to do
something.

Without another word, she spins around and walks right past
Sugar Daddy and out the door. Sighing, he looks around, pats
his pockets, and produces a candy bar. He tears the wrapper
off the end and takes a bite.

CUT TO:

INT. MCQUEEN LIVING ROOM - LATER

Jane comes down the stairs, buttoning her jacket.

JANE
Mike?

On cue, Mike emerges from the kitchen area.

JANE (CONT'D)
I have a couple of showings, and
then I'm going to see Sam.

He walks over to her and holds her loosely.

MIKE
I hope you can get through to her.

JANE
I don't know how long I might be.
Are you going to be all right?

MIKE
We'll be fine. I'll talk to
Brooke.

JANE
(sighs)
Mike...don't get your hopes up. I
told you what she's going to say.

MIKE
You don't know that for sure.

JANE
Yes, I do. I think I know her
pretty well by now.

She disentangles herself and picks up her briefcase before
heading for the front door.

MIKE
(calling after)
Good luck.

CUT TO:

INT. FERERRA HOUSE - LATER

The hall outside Carmen's bedroom. Lily steps up to the
closed door, laptop still tucked under her arm, and knocks
firmly.

LILY
Carmen?

There is no answer from the other side. Lily knocks again.

LILY (CONT'D)
Carmen, I know you're in there!
(pause)
I'm going to stay out here all
afternoon if I have to!

Still silence.

LILY (CONT'D)
Come on, Carm! Please let me in!

Finally the door cracks open, and Carmen peers out at her.
Lily raises her eyebrows, and Carmen opens the door to let her
step inside.

CUT TO:

INT. CARMEN'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Carmen stands next to her bed, arms folded, and looks at Lily
crossly.

CARMEN
Okay, you're in. Now what?

Lily puts on an understanding face.

LILY
Carm, I know what you've been
doing.

CARMEN
I don't know what you're talking
about.

LILY
(sighs)
Look, I know you probably don't
want to talk about it, but—

CARMEN
Whatever you think you know—

LILY
(rushed)
I know you've been skipping school
to go online in chat rooms.

Carmen's eyes get wide.

CARMEN
That is not true! You take that
back right now!

LILY
It is true, Carm! I saw you.

CARMEN
(adamant)
You did not!

Lily holds out her laptop.

LILY
Yes, I did. I know your screen
name.

CARMEN
Well, I know yours too, and I
didn't—I mean—

LILY
I was with Natalie. She was
signed in.

CARMEN
You two were spying on me?

LILY
Of course not! She was looking up
a professor to help with an
assignment, and I saw your name.
And so...we followed you.

CARMEN
You...huh? WHY did you do that?

LILY
Carm...I saw what kind of chat
room you went into.

CARMEN
Yeah...well, it was just that
once, I swear!

Lily doesn't answer, but looks at her very skeptically.
Carmen sits down on the end of the bed.

CARMEN (CONT'D)
Okay, maybe I spend some time
chatting.

LILY
(gently)
"Some"? Carmen, you're missing
school.

Carmen hangs her head, and Lily puts her arm around her
shoulder.

CARMEN
You don't understand. When I go
online...I can say anything I
want. Do anything I want. I
don't have to worry about what
everyone's thinking, or, you know,
people pointing and laughing. I
know I shouldn't do it so much,
but...

LILY
Hey, don't worry.

CARMEN
No, you shouldn't worry. I know
you don't want to take care of
everyone.

LILY
(grinning)
Well...I guess I can make one more
little exception.

Lily squeezes Carmen's shoulders.

CUT TO:

INT. MCQUEEN KITCHEN - EVENING

Brooke comes down the back stairs and stops upon entering the
kitchen, which is deserted. She looks around, clearly
expecting some kind of activity.

BROOKE
Hello?

Mike walks in.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
Dad? Where's Jane?

Mike comes over and puts his arm around her, herding her
towards the living room.

MIKE
She had to go out for a while.
We'll order pizza later. Right
now...we need to have a little
chat.

CUT TO:

INT. MCQUEEN LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Mike sits Brooke down on the sofa, and takes a seat across the
coffee table from her. She curls up and looks at him
apprehensively.

MIKE
Honey, there's been something
I've—we've, Jane and I—have been
wanting to talk to you about for a
while now.

BROOKE
(interrupting)
Is that where Jane is? Going to
see Sam?

Mike nods, and Brooke suddenly looks more nervous.

MIKE
Look, I don't know how Jane and
Sam are going to go. But in the
meantime...this is important,
Brooke, and I want you to hear me
out before you react.

She unfolds her legs and rests her chin in her hands, staring
at him intently—which seems to make him uncomfortable.

MIKE (CONT'D)
Ahh...you know, Jane and I, we
want to be completely honest with
you girls...

Under Brooke's quizzical scrutiny, he trails off for a moment.

MIKE (CONT'D)
Brooke...something happened today.
Well—something came.

He reaches down and comes up with the manila envelope with the
adoption papers inside.

BROOKE
What's that?

MIKE
Do you remember when we talked
about going through with my
adopting Sam, and—

Brooke suddenly looks pained.

BROOKE
Oh—Dad, I really...I don't think
I can, now. I mean—

She takes a breath and gathers herself.

BROOKE (CONT'D)
(firmly)
Dad, I don't want to.

MIKE
Look, I know things between you
and Sam are bad—

BROOKE
(breaking in)
No, Dad, it's not that.
(hastily)
And it's not Jane either, she's
great, and I love having her
around. It's...
(pause)
Last year, when you guys first
brought up this adoption thing...
I hadn't seen Mom since she left
us, and she could've been in China
for all I knew. I know she's not
here; she's in San Francisco. I
just...don't want to give Mom up.

Mike nods to himself, a resigned grimace on his face.

MIKE
That's what Jane said you'd say.

BROOKE
I'm sorry, I really am.

MIKE
It's okay.

BROOKE
(cautiously)
It is?

He scoots forward and takes her hands in his.

MIKE
Honey, of course it is. I would
never want you to do something
like this if you don't want to.
Neither would Jane.

BROOKE
(relieved)
Oh. Well. Good.

MIKE
(sitting back)
There's something else I have to
tell you.

BROOKE
(on guard again)
There is?

CUT TO:

INT. OUTSIDE SAM'S APARTMENT

Jane is standing outside Sam's door. After a moment of
hesitation, she knocks.

Sam opens the door; her expression sours instantly upon seeing
her mother.

SAM
What do you want?

JANE
Sam, I just want to talk to you
for a minute.

SAM
I don't want to talk to you. I
thought that was kinda obvious.

JANE
(ironically)
Well, I can track you down at
school, if you think that would be
less embarrassing.

Sam makes a sound closer to a growl than a sigh and turns her
back, letting the door swing open. Jane takes that for an
invitation and steps inside.

CUT TO:

INT. SAM'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

Jane closes the door behind her and turns to face Sam, who is
standing in the middle of the room with her arms folded,
exuding hostility.

JANE
(looking around)
Can we sit down?

Sam makes an impatient gesture towards the only chair in the
room, a metal folding chair tucked under a card table, on
which lies Sam's laptop and piles of other things. Jane sits
down gingerly, then looks up at Sam, who is still standing
there.

JANE (CONT'D)
Sam, please?

Sam looks disgusted, but finally sits down on the bed in a
huff.

JANE (CONT'D)
Sam...Mike and I...we haven't been
completely honest with you.

SAM
(dripping sarcasm)
Really, Mom, this isn't news. You
haven't been honest with me for a
long time.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. MCQUEEN LIVING ROOM

Cut between Mike and Brooke, and Jane and Sam.

MIKE
There's something Jane and I
haven't...that we've been keeping
from you.

Brooke thinks that over.

BROOKE
This sounds bad, but go ahead.

JANE
Sam, just listen for a minute. We
wanted to tell you, but—

MIKE
—there just never seemed to be a
good time.

Brooke is curled up again, listening patiently.

Sam looks bored, glancing around and rolling her eyes.

SAM
Whatever it is, I don't care, so
just spit it out, okay?

MIKE
Do you remember when we went to
the Caribbean?

JANE
We took Mac to Barbados.

MIKE
The thing is, while we were
there—

JANE
—Mike and I—

MIKE
—Jane and I—

SPLIT SCREEN - MIKE AND JANE

MIKE/JANE
—we got married.

SPLIT SCREEN - BROOKE AND SAM

BROOKE/SAM
WHAT?

FADE TO BLACK.

END OF ACT FOUR

THE END