Two more posts to come after this one.
EXT. Church-Morning
BELLS ring and we see MARY-a middle aged woman dressed in business casual. She rushes up the stairs and pushes the double doors open. No one else is outside.
INT. church-continuous
Mary takes a seat in a back corner alone as an OLDER WOMAN stands behind a pedestal singing a SONG. She finishes, wipes her eyes and steps down. A COFFIN is carried past Mary and the WOMAN who had sung stops and kneels by Mary.
WOMAN
Thank you. For everything.
Mary nods and puts her hand on the woman's shoulder.
INT. different church-later
We see Mary slip into the back of this funeral and take a seat, again, alone. She reaches into her bag and works on some PAPERWORK until the ceremony is over and the coffin is again walked past her. Each member of the family stops and hugs her.
EXT. yet another church-later
We see Mary standing in the back, rubbing her eyes. On the piano a woman is playing a SONG.
INT. hospital-night-flashback
A WOMAN lies on a bed with oxygen in her nose. She's not awake. A heart monitor beeps and the oxygen hisses. Mary sits by the bed with her hands in her lap and sings the same song as on the piano.
MARY
Here comes the sun...
A NURSE walks in and nods to Mary who stands, kisses the sick woman on the forehead, squeezes her hand and walks out of the room with her hand over her eyes.
end flashback
EXT. church-day-continued
Mary stands and watches the coffin being loaded into the hearse with her arm around a crying woman.
INT. MARY'S SISTER'S HOUSE-DAY
INSERT: six months earlier
JANE sits on a flowery couch with a swollen face, looking tired, next to Mary who clutches her hand. Jane holds a small, pink TEACUP in her other hand. The resemblance between the two is strong.
Mary
So you're really going to do it?
JANE
Yup, no more oxygen tubes in my face every day twice a day.
Going to be breathing easier.
Jane does a hand motion to signify breathing and pats the non-smiling Mary on the thigh.
JANE (cont'd)
I will be OK. Doctor said he doesn't expect any complications.
MARY
I know. It's just...I'm not ready for you to go in there yet.
JANE
I know. But it'll be fine. I love you baby sister.
MARY
I love you, too.
INT. hospital-evening
Mary sits fidgeting in a white waiting room with an expired health MAGAZINE. We see the title of an article: "The New Iron Lung."
Mary glances up as a SURGEON walks through the swinging doors at the end of the hall, looking down. Mary puts down the magazine and stands up, waiting for the surgeon to finish his trip to her.
SURGEON
We weren't able to repair the damaged parts of her lungs. She just wasn't strong enough for this surgery. I'm so sorry.
Mary sinks down into her chair and stares.
INT. church-morning
A CLOSED COFFIN is in the center of the room and Jane's family circles as a crowd stands behind in church aisles. Mary walks forward, puts her hand on the coffin and gently strokes the side of it and hums a quiet tune.
MARY
(whispers)
I'll miss you.
INT. Mary's house-later
Mary, wearing the clothes she wore at the funeral, empties the dishwasher. Her husband LONNIE puts a hand on her shoulder and Mary flinches away. Their son DANIEL-age ten-colors at the kitchen table.
LONNIE
(irritated)
Come on. I'll do the dishes. Go lay down or take a bath or something.
MARY
I WANT to do the dishes!
She throws a PLATE into the sink and it breaks cleanly into three pieces. She runs her finger along pink flowers on the edge of the broken plate. A painting of a now broken teacup is in the center-just like the teacup Jane used to use.
MARY (cont'd)
She was always so prissy. So pristine and perfect. She always knew what she wanted to do. (beat) I think I'm going to quit my job.
LONNIE
What? You can't just quit your job 'cuz your sister died. How are we going to pay bills? I can't do it on my own!
MARY
I'm going to get another job. I'm just not ready yet. I can't work at that school anymore with all those sick, crying kids.
LONNIE
You're not quitting. End of discussion. You took that job for Daniel so you could have time to take care of him. Who's going to take him to school? Who's going to pick him up? Who's going to watch him during summers?
MARY
We'll figure it out.
Lonnie slams his hands on the counter and a glass bowl rolls to the floor and shatters. Mary flinches and Daniel walks out leaving his coloring.
LONNIE
Goddammit. You won't do this.
MARY
I will do this. I know somewhere that's hiring.
LONNIE
Who? Who would hire you? A school nurse? You don't even count as a real nurse.
Mary bangs the cabinet door shut. As she walks out of the kitchen, he grabs her arm.
LONNIE (cont'd)
We're not done with this.
She begins to cry silently not facing him and yanks her arm out of his grip. Lonnie takes a step back, fuming.
LONNIE (CONT'D)
You better get your act together.
He stalks out of the kitchen, staring at her the whole way.
EXT. elementary school-day
Several kids walk the long sidewalk leading to the entrance of the school. Mary and Daniel pull up in Mary's car.
INT. Mary's car-cont'd
Mary's car pulls to a stop. Her car is pristine clean. Daniel doesn't get out.
DANIEL
So you're not working here today?
MARY
Not today.
DANIEL
Are you going to work here anymore?
MARY
I don't think so.
DANIEL
Why not?
MARY
I'm not happy here. I'm going to try to do something more important. It's what Jane would have wanted. OK?
Daniel nods, but doesn't look at her. A beat. Daniel hugs Mary and shuts the door.
CUT TO:
EXT. Hospice-day
Mary shuts her car door in front of a building with a sign--"Hospice of Shelby Co." She's wearing business attire and walks nervously to the entrance.
INT. Hospice of Seery Co. office-continued
CATHY sits behind a cluttered desk with glasses dangling from her nose and a pencil shoved in her unkempt hair as she shuffles through papers.
C.U. of a nervous Mary
CATHY
So, we've been through your documents and it looks good. Is there anything else you wanna tell me?
MARY
(hesitates)
Well, I don't know. I mean, I just want to help people and their families. I think it's...an honor to be able to share the last part of someone's life and be able to comfort them in the process.
CATHY
Have you ever had someone close to you pass?
MARY
My sister. A month ago.
CATHY
I see.
Cathy smiles, stands and pauses for a few beats while Mary squirms in her chair.
CATHY (cont'd)
How 'bout you come with me. We'll just jump right in. I'll take you to see one of our patients. Freda.
CUT TO:
INT. Freda's home-day
The room is dimly lit and an oxygen machine is heard pumping and medicine bottles pile the dresser by the door. A bed sits empty in a corner and a middle-aged woman, RUTH, sits in a rocking chair. FREDA is in the recliner. She is barely a person buried under several blankets. Her skin is like tissue paper and her hair is falling out. She licks her lips several times and blinks her eyes as Mary and Cathy walk in.
CATHY
This is our oldest and favorite patient, Freda, She's a hundred and two years old.
RUTH
Freda's in a good mood today. You came at a good time.
CATHY
Ruth, this is Mary, our new nurse. She's going to be taking care of Freda.
Cathy looks at Mary and winks. Mary smiles. Things finally look good.
RUTH
Glad to have you here.
CATHY
(shouts)
Freda! How are you doing today?
FREDA
Not so good.
CATHY
How come? Is something bothering you?
FREDA
Old age.
CATHY
(laughs)
Freda, I brought your new nurse with me. This is Mary. She's going to take good care of you. Do you want to sing her a song?
Cathy winks and Freda turns her head slowly, squints in Mary's direction and spends some time licking her lips before she painfully starts to sing.
FREDA
Jesus wants me...for a...sunbeam!
MARY
That was wonderful Freda!
Mary hugs herself. Cathy leans over and pats Mary on the arm.
CATHY
I think you'll fit in just fine here. We'll start training tomorrow.
INT. Mary's house-night
Lonnie is sitting on a green couch watching TV as Mary walks in satisfied and sets down her bags neatly in the closet in a corner.
LONNIE
Where've you been?
MARY
(hesitates)
At work.
Mary braces herself as he snaps the TV off and turns to her, angry.
MARY (CONT'D)
It was just supposed to be an interview but she hired me on the spot. It doesn't mean I have to take the job. But-
LONNIE
But what! We already talked about this.
MARY
No, you talked about this. Besides, I already quit my job. I need another one and-
LONNIE
You QUIT. You. Quit?
MARY
Yes. And I found another job. This is for me.
Lonnie rubs his eyes in exasperation while Mary tries to stand her ground.
LONNIE
What is it?
MARY
I'm going to be a Hospice Nurse.
LONNIE
What the hell is that? You didn't even change jobs. Why couldn't you just keep your old job with the insurance and security?
MARY
I will care for terminally ill patients.
LONNIE
This isn't going to change anything. She's still dead.
MARY
You think I don't know that! This is just what I want to do, I-
LONNIE
This is not what you want to do. You're going to-
MARY
I'm not going to do anything.
LONNIE
Don't take the job.
MARY
I'm taking it.
Beat. A stare down.
LONNIE
Well, then I want a divorce.
Beat.
LONNIE (CONT'D)
If you take this job, I will-
MARY
I heard you.
LONNIE
What do you think you're going to do without my money? You won't do this to Daniel. You're not taking the job.
Mary is silent, sinks onto the couch.
MARY
I start tomorrow.
LONNIE
You don't know what you're doing.
MARY
Actually, I think I do.
Mary walks out of the room. Lonnie stands confused by the couch as if he doesn't even know this woman. He picks up the phone on a table by the couch, dials and hangs up. Pacing, with fists clenched he fumes and grabs the phone again.
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