Please Come Now - A Screenplay: Part 6

in #fiction5 years ago (edited)

Please Come Now - Part 1
Please Come Now - Part 2
Please Come Now - Part 3
Please Come Now - Part 4
Please Come Now - Part 5

INT. LINDA AND JACK'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

The room is enormous. There is enough space for two full sized beds and a wheelchair to fit in between them. Jack and Linda's suitcases are open in one corner. Fox News on the television.

The door to the bathroom opens and Jack wheels himself out in a t-shirt and shorts, his hair wet.
Linda follows him out of the bathroom.

JACK
So that was humiliating.

LINDA
What do you mean?

JACK
No one over 30 should have to have his mother help him take a shower.

Jack wheels himself over to the bed and backs up next to it. Linda pulls the covers back on the bed.

LINDA
Ready?

JACK
Yep.

Jack pushes himself out of the chair and sits on the bed, his legs in the wheelchair.

JACK
Ok.

Linda gently grabs his right leg and helps him move it unto the bed.

LINDA
Do you remember my father?

JACK
A little. Never when he was coherent.

LINDA
The last ten years of his life he couldn't do anything for himself. My mother had to feed him, clothe him, change his diaper and clean him. And when we used to go visit I would do it, so Mom could have a break.

JACK
I didn't know.

LINDA
You were young. All you cared about was playing ball with your friends. I didn't want you to see him like that. You wouldn't have understood that loving someone means doing anything for them. Only an adult can make the choice to give themselves completely to another.

JACK
I love you, too, Mom.

LINDA
I worry about you sometimes. Your father and I were never sure you would grow up.

JACK
I haven't.

LINDA
I want grandkids at some point before I die.

JACK
I met a hot girl today, if I play my cards right you could have one in nine, ten months tops.

LINDA
Tell me about Rebecca.

JACK
Mom, I don't want...it just didn't work.

LINDA
I've never heard you say I love you to anyone except me. Not even your father.

JACK
Yeah, but Dad’s an asshole.

LINDA
I'm serious Jack.

JACK
Drop it Mom, please. I don't want to talk about it tonight.

Linda leans over and kisses him on the forehead.

LINDA
Ok. Get some sleep.

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Jack lies on his side with Rebecca draped over him, kissing his neck.

REBECCA
I love you.

Jack turns his head and kisses her. He says nothing for a long moment.

REBECCA
You started to tell me something before. Something that happened today with your First Sergeant.

JACK
It was nothing. We were at the range and I kept forgetting to put my weapon on safe.

REBECCA
I've never shot a gun.

JACK
I could teach you if you wanted to learn.

REBECCA
You would do that for me?

JACK
Sure. I'd do anything for you.

Rebecca turns his face toward hers and gives him a kiss.

REBECCA
I'd love that.

JACK
We could go tomorrow.

REBECCA
I have to pick the kids up from my parents house tomorrow.

JACK
Maybe next weekend then.

REBECCA
I want you to come over once they're asleep tomorrow night. We don't have many nights left.

JACK
Can you be quiet?

REBECCA
I don't know, maybe we should practice.

Rebecca turns him toward her and slides on top of him.

INT. JACK'S LIVING ROOM - MORNING (FLASHBACK)

Terry sits half naked on the couch playing Call of Duty on the big screen TV in front of him.

Jack rubs his eyes as he comes into the room in boxers and a t-shirt.

TERRY
What's up brother?

JACK
Turn it down. It's too early for that shit.

Jack just keeps playing.

TERRY
We need to move.

JACK
What?

TERRY
I'm starting to see weird shit in this apartment.

JACK
What were you smoking last night?

TERRY
This was 15 minutes ago. I thought I saw Rebecca walk through here, but that's not possible because you swore you weren't screwing her.

JACK
It's way too early to have this conversation.

TERRY
Dude, how many times do I have to say it. I don't care. Just let me film it.

JACK
We weren't screwing around before. This is new.

TERRY
She's really loud. I would not have guessed you were that good in bed.

JACK
Fuck you.

TERRY
She is way out of your league, too. Smoking body.

JACK
She told me she loved me last night.

Terry pauses the game and turns around.

JACK
I didn't know what to say, so I just kissed her. And then the longer I didn't say I love you back the more awkward it got.

TERRY
Do you love her?

JACK
Yes.

TERRY
So tell her.

JACK
I can't. First Sergeant told me yesterday I needed to break it off.

TERRY
So he doesn't have to know.

JACK
I could lose my career. The Army is the only thing I've ever wanted to do.

TERRY
Something has to give.

JACK
Brilliant observation.

TERRY
You want my advice?

JACK
No.

TERRY
Get dressed, drive over there, tell her you love her and that she needs to ditch her husband the instant he gets back from Iraq.

JACK
So you want me to be like the biggest asshole on the planet. The guy's been over there for a year risking his life and I'm just going to steal his wife while he's gone?

TERRY
You're right, keep fucking her instead. You're not an asshole at all for that.

JACK
I'm going back to bed.

TERRY
Jack. We've known each other since high school. I've never seen you this miserable over a girl before. Don't let her go.

INT. CENTER FOR THE INTREPID - DAY

Linda wheels Jack out of the elevator and down a hallway which opens up into the expansive, high ceilinged physical therapy center.

A two story climbing wall dominates the center of the room, and a TWENTYSOMETHING MAN with a prosthetic leg is halfway to the top, secured by a tether.

Wheelchairs and exercise machines and treadmills abound. About TWO DOZEN WOUNDED MEN AND WOMEN perform various exercises, supervised by STAFF MEMBERS.

On an apparatus that looks like parallel bars a SKINNY DOUBLE AMPUTEE tentatively stands up in prosthetic legs and tries to take a step.

CORI, a staff member with curly red hair, approaches Linda and Jack.

CORI
Can I help you two?

JACK
I have an appointment with Tom Parker.

CORI
Great. He's finishing up with a patient but let me show you where his desk is.

Jack follows Cori around a corner and notices Linda coming along too.

JACK
Mom, I got this.

LINDA
I want to hear what he says.

JACK
Do you see any other mothers here? Why do I always feel like I'm ten around you?

LINDA
Promise you'll tell me everything.

JACK
Promise.

Linda gives his hand a squeeze and walks back toward the elevator.

INT. CENTER FOR THE INTREPID - CONTINUOUS

Jack wheels himself past several AMPUTEES doing crunches on stability balls. Rachel is one of them, but Jack doesn't see her.

RACHEL
Think fast!

She throws a towel and hits him in the face. Startled, he searches for the culprit, and is pleased to find that it's her.

RACHEL
First day?

JACK
Yeah.

RACHEL
Who's your therapist?

JACK
Tom Parker.

RACHEL
Fuck me…he is the worst. Everyone here hates him.

DERRICK, doing crunches next to Rachel, is a single above the knee amputee not wearing a prosthetic leg.

DERRICK
It's his first day Rachel, don’t screw with him.

RACHEL
Shut up!

She playfully pushes him, causing him to lose his balance and fall off the stability ball.

DERRICK
(Smiling)
I'm gonna kick your ass.

Rachel gets off the ball and hops behind Jack's wheelchair as Derrick reaches for her.

RACHEL
Crawl over here and catch me then, cripple.

Steadying herself on Jack's chair she reaches for the towel.

RACHEL
Sorry, I’m just having some fun. Tom is the best, he helped me when I first got here too.

JACK
Where is he?

RACHEL
I'll show you. Derrick, toss me my crutches.

DERRICK
Get them yourself, bitch.

Please Come Now - Part 7