INT. JACKIE'S LIVING ROOM - CHRISTMAS MORNINGWhite Christmas outside the window. Richly trimmed tree, presents everywhere, carols softly playing. The whole nine yards. Luke and Ben standing at a wrapped bird cage, where a dove is cooing inside. Annabelle is setting out the cocoa with a uniformed nurse.
Rachel enters. Kisses Annabelle's head.
RACHEL: I'm gonna check on Mom.
Goes down the hall, every emotion in the world is playing across her face. Into...
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INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM
Jackie lies on her death bed. She is beautiful and near the end. Despite the IV tube, the monitor, she's gotten to serenity after all. As close as any of us will ever get.
RACHEL: Hey, gorgeous. Time for the presents?
Jackie licks her lips. Pretty dry. Rachel takes a cotton lemon swab from the nightstand. Tenderly, cleans Jackie's mouth.
RACHEL: Now Edna says you short-changed your last meds. You can do presents and be comfortable at the same time, y'know.
JACKIE: (clears her throat) Just want to be a little sharper. For a few minutes.
A few minutes...
JACKIE: Some things to say. To the kids,huh?
Smiles.
JACKIE: Then, bring in the presents. We'll have big fun.
Rachel can't really bear this.
RACHEL: You know, there's nothing you have to say. Because they know your heart. You don't have t..
JACKIE: Just sit me up. Nice and tall. Bring Benjamin first.
Staring at each other. Then Rachel reaches her arms around Jackie, and as gently as she can manage, lifts her to a full sitting position.
JACKIE: Scrapbook.
Rachel brings the big book. Lays it on the bed. And goes.
Jackie begins to turn the pages. Her life with these children passing before her eyes. No tears. No smile. Just full attention. Fingertips touch the one she was looking for, as...
The door opens. Ben, hesitant, enters alone. His mother's face is fine and strong and smiling.
JACKIE: Find the bird cage?
BEN: (standing there) Rachel says it's from you.
JACKIE: Well, don't make him disappear before I see him.
Ben nods. She glances to the scrapbook...
JACKIE: Oh, look at this.
And forgetting his uneasiness, he runs over, climbs onto the bed. Jackie doesn't wince, doesn't even blink. Nothing for his memory bank but smiles. He looks at the photo...
...Jackie holding a spunky newborn.
JACKIE: That's you and me. Our first photo as a couple.
He nods. Really staring at it.
BEN: Did you know I was good-looking right away?
She reaches to hold his face in her hand. Stares in his eyes.
JACKIE: This good-looking. Was beyond my imagination.
She leans. Kisses his lips lightly. How many more times will she get to do this?
JACKIE: (a murmur) So what do you think we're gonna talk about?
BEN: (straight back) You dying.
She nods. Her smile is right there.
JACKIE: The secret of it. That only magicians. Can ever understand.
His eyes brighten. The sadness pushed aside.
JACKIE: See, when we die. Our body goes away. Our body. But we...we are not our body, are we?
He doesn't know. Maybe he thought we were.
JACKIE: If a soldier loses his legs in a war. Is he the same guy? Sure he is.
BEN: But you can still see him.
JACKIE: Half. Of him.
This is so farking hard. But her eyes stay dry.
JACKIE: Dying. Is where the whole body goes away. So you can't see any of it. But...
Rests her hand tenderly. On his hair.
JACKIE: What do magicians know?
Leans forward. Here's the secret...
JACKIE: Just because you can't see it. Doesn't. Mean. It's gone.
Does it? And Ben smiles. He is inside the secret.
JACKIE: The world. Thinks I'm gone. But only the magician. Knows better.
BEN: So where are you?
She was waiting for this. For a long time. She wraps her hand around his fist. And puts their hands against his heart.
JACKIE: (a whisper) Right here. Right here. Inside the magician. Shhhh.
BEN: Can I talk to you? When you're there.
JACKIE: Always. Always. And you won't hear a voice. But in here. You'll know. What I'm saying. Yes, you will.
BEN: It's not good enough.
JACKIE: No, it isn't. Because it isn't everything. And we want everything, don't we?
He nods. They do.
JACKIE: But God does let us keep the one best thing we have together. The one best thing we've always had. Know what it is?
He doesn't. But he wants to.
JACKIE: I love you. And you love me.
Comes closer. Nose to nose.
JACKIE: It's worth a lot. Will you keep it?
He answers. With a kiss.
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INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Luke and Annabelle are doing a hugely complex jigsaw puzzle. Ben runs in, falls on his knees by the puzzle. Without looking at Annabelle, he tells her...
BEN: Your turn. It wasn't bad.
Annabelle looks straight to her dad. There is a moment, a silence, that no one else could ever understand. She leans to him and whispers...
ANNABELLE: Here it is?
His eyes water. He takes her in his arms. Whispers close to her ear, only the words...
LUKE: Here it is.
She smiles at him. Fear gone, filled with resolve. Gives him a kiss. Rises, to...
...follow Rachel down the hall. Rachel wraps an arm around her big girl. No words, except a murmured...
RACHEL: You can do this.
Voice cracking. She's not as good at it as this girl's mother.
RACHEL: You can do anything.
At the door. Open it, and...
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INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM
..Annabelle enters alone. The door closes behind her. Her eyes lock with her mother's. No words. Annabelle's eyes filled with tears, and Jackie's arms...
... reach out, and Annabelle runs to them.
They hold each other. For a forever moment.
ANNABELLE: I don't want to say goodbye.
JACKIE: Don't. Take me with you.
And Annabelle looks up. Tears on her face.
JACKIE: Thank God. I got to see you. Grown up.
ANNABELLE: I'm not.
JACKIE: (very softly) Let me be the judge of that.
And Annabelle climbs onto the bed. Their hands never stop touching each other. Saying I love you.
JACKIE: There's an amazing thing when a woman has a daughter. One day you look up, and you see...a sister. Someone. You can say. Anything to. Anything..
JACKIE: I wrote a whole lot of letters. To each of you. And the envelope says when to open it. Like, which birthday. Or...when you get your driver's permit. First time you see Rome. Things like that.
Things like that. Annabelle is beginning to lose it now. So Jackie says only...
JACKIE: Keep Ben's for awhile, okay? Until he's old enough to not open them all at once.
ANNABELLE: Until he's old enough to read.
Tears on Annabelle's face. Her mom wonders...
JACKIE: Are you afraid for me? Where I'm going.
ANNABELLE: Yes.
JACKIE: Don't be. I'm going. Where we all go. Now how can that be bad.
ANNABELLE: I'll miss you so much.
JACKIE: Good. That's very good.
She nods, yes it is.
JACKIE: What you're grown-up enough to know. Is that people. Can do two things at once. Okay?
She brushes at her baby's tears. Then tastes her wet fingertips. Mmmn, surprisingly good. Annabelle sort of smiles.
JACKIE: You can miss me. And. Take me with you.
Hold the child's face. In her hands.
JACKIE: When you're in trouble. Have me there. When you fall in love. Have me there. You can.
Said with such absolute assurance.
JACKIE: That's how we go on, you know. Forever. Because someone takes us along.
Annabelle swallows hard.
JACKIE: On your wedding night. When your babies are born. I want to be there. Will you take me?
A straight question. It needs an answer.
ANNABELLE: Always, always. Always
A sigh. A shared smile.
JACKIE: You made my life wonderful.
JACKIE: Take that with you, too.
Hold. On Annabelle...
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INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT
Lights and music and laughter. They're in black tie tonight. It's a wedding party. Up on the stage, at the head table, some guy is finishing a toast, and as everyone roars and claps...
BEST MAN: ...so TO THE BRIDE! Thank GOD she's more than he deserves!
Everybody shouts THE BRIDE. Everybody drinks champagne.
And the bride stands up. In her white gown. In her hand, an envelope. She goes to the mike, and waits for the raucous cheers, the calls of speech!, to die down.
Leans to the mike. Flushed and happy. And, oddly, nervous.
RACHEL: Now I know the tradition, so this isn't a toast. At least... not for me.
RACHEL: The guest list is 114. But we all know there's one more here, tonight. Because...
Looks down the table at her children. Dressed to kill. Enjoying the party.
RACHEL: ..my two sidekicks there always bring her along. Wherever they go.
RACHEL: So Jackie and I were sitting around. On New Year's Eve. And she said, 'You're not gonna talk at my funeral, are you?'
And now. It is quiet indeed.
RACHEL: And I said, 'I've never been to a funeral. I'm not sure I'll know how to act...'
Her sweet smile. Keeps the mood right.
RACHEL: '...but I'll prob'ly sneak into where you are. Just before it's over...'
Nods to herself. Fights back the feeling of that moment.
RACHEL: '...say something. Just to you. Get the last word in, when you can't talk back.'
There is laughter in this room. Gentle, loving.
RACHEL: So she says, 'No way.'
Holds up the envelope. Holds it tight.
RACHEL: She wrote this. She sealed it up, I didn't see it. She made me promise to read it. At the wedding.
And slowly, Luke begins to clap. And others join. And when it stops...
RACHEL: I told her she'd better make it dirty, or make it funny. Because... no way...on my wedding...
No way in hell.
RACHEL: ...could she make me cry.
Applause. They are loving it.
RACHEL: She says, 'It's a deal'.
The band plays an impromptu FLOURISH. Rachel begins to carefully tear open the envelope...
RACHEL: Now, if it's too raunchy, we may have to excuse the kids...
Shouts from everyone, especially the children.
She has it open. She looks at it.
And everything. Stops.
The world watches her sway, watches her eyes fill as she stares at the small card in her hand. She can't believe this...
RACHEL: (mouths to herself) You promised.
The tears are welling. Everyone screams for her to read it. She leans to the mike, shaking her head...
RACHEL: It's...no big thing, really... it's just...five words, it's...
The place goes happily up for grabs. A joyful riot of demand. Tears streaming now, Rachel fumbles to pull up her white beaded bag. As she puts the card inside, we alone can read the words...
MY BABIES. ARE SO LUCKY.
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