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PIE: Perception Is Everything(TM)
"Doing for the mind, what the body shouldn't."--NS
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FADE IN
INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT
As ALVAREZ lies in a coma, LADONNA searches her sister's face for signs of life.
LADONNAShe follows the I.V. TUBES upward until she sees SAM'S blank face. Her eyes are wide but there are no tears. Sam reaches out to her but she doesn't want his touch.
Oh, Deb.
LADONNA (continues)She suddenly stares harshly at Sam.
Her folks, Keeler, Little Donna. Now this.
Everything. Everyone---.
SAMExhausted, she remains silent.
You think I did this.
SAM (continues)LaDonna looks aimlessly around then leans close to Alvarez.
Why?LADONNA
'Cause I've been a "good girl". A "good
wife".
(to herself)
I let you get away with far too much.
LADONNA (continues)KAZ ENTERS at a run, stopping dead in his tracks at the painful sight of Alvarez. Angered, he slams his fist on a table, its contents RATTLE.
(confidentially)
I'm so sorry. I know how much you hate
hospitals.
SAMKaz' attention comes slowly back from a great distance.
(to Kaz)
Where've you been?
KAZFilled with doubt, the two eye each other.
What?SAM
(measured)
Where have you been?
KAZSam looks down at Kaz' hands.
None of your business, bud---. I don't
belie---. You think I did this? Why?SAM
Because of the way you feel about her.KAZ
What do you know about how I "feel" about
her?
SAMKaz takes another look at Alvarez.
Your knuckles are bruised.KAZ
I used by filing cabinet for a punching
bag, again.
KAZ (continues)Holding his emotions barely in check, his eyes on Sam, Kaz crosses to Alvarez and delicately takes her hand.
Or, maybe they got cut the same way your
eye did. And, old friend, if this turns out
to be your handiwork....
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY AND STORAGE CLOSET - NIGHT
Catching SAM'S attention, THE OBSERVER waves him into a storage closet for privacy.
SAMObserver looks at his Handlink.
Who did this?OBSERVER
Nobody.SAM
What?OBSERVER
No one was ever pulled in for the crime.SAM
What about Alvarez' deposition?OBSERVER
A person has to be conscious to give a
deposition.SAM
She NEVER wakes up?
OBSERVERThe Observer stares AT HIM.
She does...in two years, four months, six---.SAM
And?!OBSERVER
She can't or won't talk. A total mental
lock out.
(beat)
Verbeena says the odds are it was probably
someone very close to her---.
SAMAs the tension runs along Sam's jawline, he consciously cleans up his accent.
No! THIS IS ME, NOBODY ELSE!OBSERVER
Well, lately....SAM
(with total Sam Beckett
conviction)
I know who I am. I know what I have to do.OBSERVER
Do you know you're from Indiana and don't
have a Texas drawl?
SAMSilence.
I've got a little residue; but, yes, I know.
OBSERVERAl checks the Handlink.
We lost track of you for quite a while.SAM
AL...!
(beat)
Does Ziggy have any suggestions about WHO
ELSE coud have done this?
OBSERVERExasperated, Sam slams the door on his way out.
No.SAM
What about Kaz?OBSERVER
Out of the picture.
SAM
Why?OBSERVER
He's just a big putz in love with the
victim.SAM
Yeah, but, people hurt people they love
all the time.OBSERVER
Why do you say that?SAM
No great hidden meaning, Admiral Freud.
It's true. That's all.(beat)
It isn't me, Al. I shouldn't have to tell YOU that.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - EVENING
LADONNA and LUZ sit embracing as RINK ENTERS with the redhaired ALISON.
LUZSAM and AL ENTER. Rink moodily skulks past Sam and goes to his mother and sister. Hugs and tears. Finally, LaDonna gestures Alison over to them. KAZ RUSHES IN and stops, he looks lost.
...she did.LADONNA
(distracted)
What?LUZ
I bet Aunt Deborah fought back.LADONNA
Yeah, Luzzie, she'd give it a try at least.
KAZHe breaks down while Rink turns his terrified grimace at Sam.
They're taking her into surgery. She started
convuls...!
RINKRINK RUNS OUT. SAM looks at The Observer and LaDonna then RUNS AFTER THE BOY. Leaving Luz with Alison, LADONNA FOLLOWS SAM.
This is your doing! It's all your fault!
INT. HOSPITAL PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT
SAM searches for Rink.
SAMLADONNA catches up to Sam.
Rink!
SAM (continues)Sam gives her his full attention which unnerves her a bit.
Go back. I'll find him.LADONNA
WE'LL find him.
SAMAs her emotions flit across her face, she stands frozen. A CAR HORN brings his attention back to why they are here.
Go on.LADONNA
(fidgeting)
I've tried to hold us all together; but,
you and the kids are changing so much, I
can't stay the same.SAM
What are you going to do about it?
SAM (continues)She flinches as, suddenly, he raises his hand to swat at a bug. Realizing his mistake, he gently reaches for her hand and pulls her to him. AL RUNS into view.
WE'LL find the boy, then talk.LADONNA
No!
(braces herself with
a deep breath)
I can't just let you hurt me anymore.
He stares at her long and hard.SAM
You're putting your foot down?LADONNA
(nearly breathless)
M-yes.SAM
Equal rights and opportunity?LADONNA
Yes.SAM
You have a useless degree and no personal
income. You think you can run this family
better than me?LADONNA
We're not in competion. We're a famil---.SAM
---that I run.LADONNA
We're a family not an experimental project.SAM
What do you think YOU can do? I don't know
what to do anymore.LADONNA
You don't always have to know. No clean
cut answers. No absolute solutions. Whatever
it takes to remain a family is what I want
to do.
OBSERVERDIFFERENT ANGLE - HOSPITAL GARAGE
Sam, the kid's over here!
RINK sits huddled on the concrete floor behind a TRUCK. Holding his knees tightly, forlornly, he looks up at SAM and LADONNA.
RINKRink stands as his father comes closer. He looks like he's about to run again.
No where to go.LADONNA
There's no need for you to run away,
Deb'll be fine.RINK
You don't get it, Mama. You stay with him
so why would you?SAM
If you got something to say, say it.
RINKLaDonna stiffens. Rink tries to walk away but Sam grabs him. Rink swings and they scuffle, he lands a few blows on Sam.
Why would I have anythin' to say. It's
tradition. "Children should be seen and
not heard", right?SAM
Wrong, when you're hurting you should tell
someone.LADONNA
What's goin' on?SAM
Tell her.RINK
"Tell her" what?OBSERVER
What, Sam?RINK
I've got nothin' to say, silence IS our
family code, isn't it?LADONNA
(sternly)
Rink.SAM
Where were you this afternoon?RINK
It's a school day.SAM
At lunch, reception handed me a message
that you'd left school.RINK
Coach threw me out.SAM
Out of practice not out of school. You
walked.LADONNA
You walked out of school?RINK
It's no big deal.LADONNA
Yes, it is.RINK
It's not like I hurt anyone.SAM
But you did.
LADONNALaDonna steps in and Rink hits her full in the face. His mother goes down. His hand still extended, he stares down at her.
STOP IT! STOP IT!
SAMRink rubs his head. Confused. Frustrated. Collects himself.
"No one was hurt"?RINK
She got in the way!SAM
Of your fist?RINK
I didn't mean to.SAM
I didn't either. She's clumsy.RINK
IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! I...I had so much in
my head and I asked her to help and---.
RINK (continues)Rink looks helplessly about.
I hit Mama once and....
(to her)
...I'm sorry.
(to Sam)
Why should I explain if you never do?SAM
I'm your father. Your mother's the only
one I have to explain anything to.RINK
Yeah, you can do whatever you want.SAM
If I'm out of line...
(looks at LaDonna)
...she should stand for herself and let
me know. She should let everyone know.RINK
So, when you hit her tonight---?SAM
Tonight, she'll be by your Aunt Deborah's
side.RINK
Aunt D-Deb needs her.SAM
She could die.
SAM (continues)Quaking and trembling, he stares at his mother.
I said, "She could die."RINK
WHAT D'YOU WANT FROM ME?!LADONNA
(breathless)
The truth.
RINKLaDonna moves closer to Rink who shrinks from her but he can't turn away from her eyes.
At home, nothing's right. And school...I
do mean things to Alison and she's scared
of me for a while; but, I apologize...
(ironic)
...and she forgives me.
(to LaDonna)
She's a lot like you.LADONNA
And?RINK
Aunt Deb said I could talk to her. I knew
she'd do something; you'd get mad, Mama,
but, you wouldn't do anything---.LADONNA
Like what?RINK
Stop him from beating you. Walk away and
leave him.
LADONNAHe frowns, agitated.
What happened?RINK
I got there just when she pulled in. She
was in a hurry; but, she saw I was really
upset and said, "Get in." I told her about
Alison; but, she said she'd already talked
to you, Mama. You knew. So, I asked if she
knew what really went on in our house, and
she said, "Yeah."LADONNA
And?
RINKHe glances aside at Sam, gasping for breath.
She explained real nice but it meant she
wasn't going to stop him.
RINK (continues)Enraged, the boy bangs his fists on a car then self-consciously shoves them under his armpits. He stares into nothingness. Silence.
Luz is scared, all the time. And, I'm....SAM
...acting like me.RINK
I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!
SAMMore unresponsive silence.
(softly)
You're with Deb, what happens next?
SAM (continues)His father's voice pulls him back.
(quietly)
Rink? What do you do?
RINKSam opens his arms and the boy comes to him as LaDonna and The Observer look on.
I don't know...she...she kinda slumps
against the window. It's so quiet. My
hands hurt...I look down at them and...
and....
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM AND CORRIDOR - LATER
SAM holds LADONNA'S hand as they walk the corridor, his arm around RINK'S shoulders. The OBSERVER follows.
Inside the room, KAZ watches over the unconscious ALVAREZ. LaDonna takes Rink's hand and leads him, reluctantly, into the room, as Sam stays outside with The Observer, who checks his Handlink.
OBSERVERThey watch as Kaz hovers over Alvarez, who moves slightly. Sam raises his brows for a silent question.
You did fine. Instead of living all together
making one another crazy, they separate.SAM
(disappointed)
Separate? How...?OBSERVER
The ladies move in with Alvarez, and Deuce
finds a buyer for the house, at a lousy price;
but, it's off their hands.SAM
And Rink?OBSERVER
He stays with Deuce in a small apartment.
They start their relationship over.SAM
It's all wrong, Al, the family's broken.OBSERVER
Separated not broken. The distance will
ease a few tensions, and make everyone's
heart grow a little fonder.
OBSERVER (continues)Both of their jaws drop, as Sam...
They have a slow, arduous courtship ahead;
but, they'll do all right.SAM
Nothing's easy for these people, is it?OBSERVER
(checking Handlink)
No. Deuce and LaDonna have some rough years
ahead still, despite the baby.SAM
What baby?OBSERVER
In nine months, exactly, a boy named...
named...(beats the Handlink)
...Samuel.
FADE OUT