Stepmom Page #4

JACKIE:

She said we're getting remarried?

Suddenly -- a long bell rings -- Jackie STANDS UP, startled.

MRS. FRANKLIN

Only a fire drill. My concern is that

Annabelle seems apathetic towards her

work knowing she's leaving before the

end of the semester.

JACKIE:

Mrs. Franklin we're not --

LUKE:

Planning on getting --

JACKIE:

Remarried. There is no move.

MRS. FRANKLIN

(trying to appear unfazed)

Really? Well then my concern for --

Luke's beeper BEEPS again. They talk right over Mrs. Franklin...

JACKIE:

Are you here?

LUKE:

I'm here.

JACKIE:

Because you don't really seem here.

LUKE:

I'm here. I've got a case where they're

this close to sequestering the jury but

have I answered the goddamn thing?!

JACKIE:

Something's up wi...

LUKE:

You think I didn't get that?

She cuts a look at Mrs. Franklin.

JACKIE:

Excuse him. He never learned how

to turn the darn thing off.

And reaches. Does it for him.

MRS. FRANKLIN

I'm wondering if there's anything going

on at home that could be intensifying

Annabelle's need to create this fantasy?

Long pause. Then suddenly they both start speaking AT ONCE.

LUKE:

I've been with someone for quite some

time, and didn't feel it was appropriate

for her to move in too quickly. But

after a lot of thought and careful

discussion with her -- and the kids I

might add -- she moved in last month.

JACKIE:

Since our divorce Luke has seen a

number of different women in three

short years and without a lot of

warning for the kids, he's now living

with a woman half his age --

LUKE:

Rachel's not half my age.

JACKIE:

We're not discussing your age.

LUKE:

Well, we're not discussing Rachel's

age either.

JACKIE:

They want to be with you Luke, they go

to your house to be with their father.

LUKE:

Jackie, they come to be part of my

life. Rachel is part of that life.

MRS. FRANKLIN

Mr. Harrison, I hear you talking about

your life, your needs, but are you

really in touch with what Annabelle

needs?

JACKIE:

(suddenly fierce)

This man would walk thru fire for

Annabelle, gladly, any day of the week.

LUKE:

Napalm.

JACKIE:

Except for last Thursday when Rachel

forgot to pick them up --

LUKE:

Jackie, she was five minutes late --

MRS. FRANKLIN

I'm wondering if Annabelle is responding

to the underlying hostility that exists

between Rachel and Mrs. Harrison...

LUKE:

Of course she's responding to it. You

think it's easy for any of us? You think

it's easy for Jackie to watch her kids

being looked after by someone who has

half the experience she does? Of course

she's going to be hostile, irrational,

and defensive.

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