Away from Her Page #2

He waits until she is safely in the other room, and then,

sadly, takes the pan out of the freezer and puts it in a

cupboard.

7 INT ANDERSSON’S LIVINGROOM -JANUARY 2003 -NIGHT 7

FIONA lies with her head on GRANT’S lap. There’s a fire in

the fireplace, the house orderly and cosy. It’s snowing

outside, big fairy tale snow flakes. He reads to her from a

book of poetry.

GRANT:

(reading)

You climbed the bank and said

This is how you touch other women

The grass cutter’s wife, the lime

burner’s daughter

And you searched your arms

For the missing perfume

And knew

Fiona strokes his face. Interrupts him.

FIONA:

Don’t worry darling.I expect I’m

just losing my mind.

GRANT:

Ssshhhh.

He grabs her hand. Kisses it.

5.

GRANT:

What good is it to be the lime

burner’s daughterLeft with no trace

As if not spoken to in the act of

love

As if wounded without the pleasure

of a scar

You touched yourBelly to my handsIn the dry air and saidI am the cinnamon

Peeler’s wife. Smell me.

She falls asleep as he reads. He watches her sleep for a few

moments.

8 INT ANDERSSON’S BEDROOM -JANUARY 2003-NIGHT 8

GRANT strokes FIONA’S hair. She smiles up at him, warm. They

kiss, and slowly and calmly make love.

Title Card:

The Diagnoses

9 INT ANDERSSON’S BATHROOM -JANUARY 2003-NIGHT 9

GRANT is peeing. He finishes and washes his hands, catching a

glimpse of himself in the mirror. On the mirror is a sticky

note. It says “7am Yoga. 7:30 - 7:45 teeth, face, hair. 7:45

8:
15 walk. 8:15 Grant and Breakfast.” He puts his fingers to

it, touched by it’s precision.

10 INT ANDERSSON’S BEDROOM -JANUARY 2003-NIGHT 10

GRANT gets into bed behind FIONA. He spoons her, holding her

close, kissing her neck.

GRANT:

That was lovely.

FIONA:

What was lovely?

He thinks for a moment.

GRANT:

Nothing.

6.

He looks at the back of her head, guilty and wondering. He

leans over and kisses her forehead. She smiles. He turns away

and closes his eyes.

11 EXT MARIAN’S HOUSE -FEBRUARY 2005- MORNING 11

Grant sits in his car, in the same shot as the opening. He

gets out of the car and knocks on the door of the house in

the rundown neighbourhood. Marian, an attractive woman in her

60’s opens the door. She holds some flowers in her hand, as

though she was just about to put them in a vase. She speaks

with a fairly heavy American accent.

MARIAN:

Yes?

GRANT:

I don’t quite know how to introduce

myself. I used to see your husband

at Meadowlake. I’m a regular

visitor there myself. Those are

some lovely flowers.

We will keep returning to this scene throughout the film,

always picking up right where we left off.

12 INT ANDERSSON’S LIVINGROOM- JUNE 2003- AFTERNOON 12

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