ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT. GRAYSON'S HOUSE – DAY

The house is clearly badly damaged by the hurricane. It looks barely habitable.

CUT TO:

INT. GRAYSON'S LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS (DAY TWO)

The house looks like a greenhouse. Trees, leaves, and branches are strewn all about the house. BOBBY is sitting on the couch, drinking the last beer of a six-pack. There are five empty beer bottles in front of him. Travis enters.

TRAVIS: Dad, I think I screwed up.

BOBBY: (putting down his beer) How far along is she?

TRAVIS: What? No, it's not like that. It's about Laurie.

BOBBY: (smiling, he is clearly proud of his son) You got Laurie pregnant?

TRAVIS: (shaking his head) No, I didn't get anyone pregnant. I just never should have told her to go back to Wade. I should have told her to date me.

BOBBY: It certainly is what I would have done, but you're not that kind of person. Your mom raised you too well for that. I'm really glad my bad habits didn't rub off on you. Do you think if I had showed your mom a tenth of the respect you show Laurie, we would have gotten divorced?

TRAVIS: No, I guess not.

BOBBY: (no longer smiling) Travis, you really have to ask yourself if you could be happy with her. I know you're in love with her, and she lights up your world, but I think you're just in love with a fantasy. You're much too reserved for her. It would be fun for a little bit, but I think you would get bored of her very quickly. Once that happened, you might never be able to go back to being friends again. Is that what you want?

TRAVIS: Of course not, but I don't think I could ever get bored with her.

BOBBY: You say that about her now, but it'll change, trust me.

TRAVIS: I'm not so sure.

BOBBY: (smiling again) You really love her, kid, don't you?

TRAVIS: (smiling fondly) More than life itself.

BOBBY: Then maybe it could work out, maybe. One day, she will get tired of men treating her like crap and she'll come to the one man who has always treated her with love, respect, and kindness. When that happens, you might just get everything you've ever dreamed of.

TRAVIS: And mom's really okay with it?

BOBBY: She's trying, really trying. She'll have a tough time getting used to it at first, but once she sees how happy the two of you make each other, she'll be on board.

TRAVIS: Thanks, dad, you've actually been really helpful.

BOBBY: I try. Now, I think you're ready to write your mom's wedding vows. Just pretend you're writing about Laurie, and there won't be a dry eye in the room.

CUT TO:

INT. JULES'S KITCHEN – NIGHT (NIGHT TWO)

Travis is sitting at the table, typing on his computer. Jules enters. Travis looks up.

TRAVIS: Hey, mom. You can use this for your wedding vows if you want.

JULES: You didn't have to do that.

TRAVIS: They never were going to get done otherwise. (standing up) Just read them.

(Jules sits in the chair and looks at the computer.)

JULES (V.O.): Once in a lifetime, if you're lucky, there comes along this perfect person, and suddenly it seems that your life was lived for the sole purpose of finding and falling in love with him. All the trials and tribulations you have endured are suddenly worth it because, without them, you would never have found him and never have fallen in love with him, and your life would be incomplete.

(Jules looks up at Travis. He is looking at the fridge, the window, everywhere but at Jules.)

JULES (CONT'D) (V.O.): The thing is, though, this person is not perfect. He has his flaws, just like anyone else, or else everyone in the world would be in love with him. Being in love doesn't mean you are blind to those flaws or that you ignore them or even that you only love him because you think you can fix his flaws. It means that you recognize each and every one of his flaws and love him even more for them because, without those flaws, he wouldn't be who he is.

(Jules wipes her eyes. Travis still refuses to look at her.)

JULES (CONT'D) (V.O.): Grayson, you are that person. Every day, when I wake up, I thank the gods for creating a person I can love as much as I love you. Then, I thank them again that you love me as much I love you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

(Jules closes the computer and looks at Travis for a few seconds in silence. She smiles.)

JULES: You wrote this about Laurie, didn't you?

(A long pause. Travis finally turns around and looks at Jules. He smiles wryly.)

TRAVIS: G.A.C.

JULES: Of all of your father's bad habits, you had to pick up that one?

TRAVIS: He has much worse habits, I think.

JULES: (laughing, almost nervously) Yes, I guess I can be thankful that you'd never cheat on a girlfriend.

TRAVIS: No, you raised me very well.

JULES: You really love Laurie, don't you? This isn't just some crush.

(Travis's smile disappears. It is obvious he no longer finds any of this a laughing matter.)

TRAVIS: I can't help it.

JULES: You'd have an easier time getting me stop drinking than you would stopping yourself from falling in love.

TRAVIS: (forcing himself to smile) That's deep, mom.

JULES: Aren't you afraid you're too smart for her, that you'd get bored of her?

TRAVIS: Mom, she's my best friend. I've spent a lot of time with her, and I've felt a lot of things, but boredom has never been one of them.

JULES: (frowning) Oh, crap!

TRAVIS: (confused) What?

JULES: I thought this was just some passing crush.

TRAVIS: It's not.

JULES: I can tell.

TRAVIS: So, do you want me to write new vows?

JULES: No. These will work. They'll work just fine. I'm going to do you a favor. You'll thank me for it later.

TRAVIS: (frowning, slightly scared) Nothing ever goes well for me when you say that.

JULES: This time it will. Trust me.

TRAVIS: Okay.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO