Girl #1:
“Does you’re brother have any children?”
Marguerite:
(smiles) “Well Jenny, he has a girl about your age and a boy that’s about 8 now. I bet you were hoping for a boy your age weren’t you?”
Jenny:
(blushes but says nothing)
Marguerite:
(chuckles) “Don’t try to fool me, I remember being your age, and even then there weren’t many boys around here.”
Jenny:
“I bet you could have had any boy you wanted Miss Marguerite!”
Marguerite:
“I won’t say I couldn’t, however after my hip went from the accident so did the boys. It’s funny what a limp can do to a person.”
Jenny:
(gasps)
Marguerite:
(laughs) “Well its not so bad, if I hadn’t had the accident, I wouldn’t be hear teaching all of you girls!”
Jenny:
“Well Miss Marguerite, I should go, thank you, and I’ll see you next time.
We see Jenny and the other 4 girls all wave and walk off down the highway. Marguerite closes the door and turns back towards the stairs… Camera cuts to Helena’s bedroom, Where we see Helena sitting in bed and Ruby, gathering a lunch tray, when Marguerite enters the room.
Helena:
(angrily shouts at Marguerite) “Where is he? Where is Kevin I want him.”
Ruby:
“Now Miss Helena, I’ve already told you, Mr. Kevin will get here when he gets here.”
We see Helena’s face turn red from anger, she looks as though she’s about to yell at Ruby when we hear a car horn sound. Helena quickly tries to get out of bed…
Helena:
“Quick help me get out of this bed, Marguerite my black dress quickly now. Kevin has finally come home, and everything is how it should be. ”
Ruby:
“Kevin is not home for good Miss Helena, he is only here for a visit, now don’t you go forgettin’ that.”
Helena:
“Watch your tongue Ruby, Kevin is home and I want him to stay and he will stay here!”
We see Ruby& Marguerite exchange confused looks then Ruby helps a frail looking Helena out of the bed and get her seated at the vanity, as Marguerite rushes into the closet for the black dress and helps Helena into it. Helena starts to style her hair & make-up…By time she is done trying to turn herself into a young women again she is an absolute fright.
Helena:
“How do I look?”
Marguerite:
(gasps)
Ruby:
“You look fine, Miss Helena.”
Helena:
“Good, then I’m ready to go downstairs.”
Ruby:
(shocked)“Downstairs!! Miss Helena I don’t think…”
Helena:
(cuts Ruby off) “I didn’t ask what you think. I told you I’m ready to go downstairs, to greet my son.”
We see Ruby and Marguerite help Helena out of the room and get her settled into an old chair lift at the top of the stairway.
[cut to the front drive]
We see Kevin and family pull up in front of the massive house, and get out of the car everyone but Kevin looking at the house with a mix of awh and disgust.
Kevin:
“So this is it, may as well see how it looks on the inside.”
Kevin leads his family to the front door, Opens it wide and walks in, we hear the chairlift coming down the stairs which makes everyone stop and stare at the stairway…and watch the slow descent of Helena coming into full view before stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
Helena:
(Looks over Anne) “So you’re the women who married my son? Well there’s nothing that can change that now. (looks over the children) The girl is a Devereaux, as for the boy…”
Anne:
(speaks up) “His name is Jeff and he is as much a Devereaux as Julie is.
[Fade out]
We see the Julie and Jeff walking along a path out behind the house chatting along when they come across a boy about Jeffs age walking towards them on the pathway.
Boy:
“Who are you guys?”
Jeff:
“I’m Jeff Devereaux, that my sister Julie, Who are you?”
Toby:
“I’m Toby Martin, Don’t tell that I was here k?, I don’t want to get in trouble.”
Jeff:
“Who would be mad at you for being here?”
Toby:
“Miss Helena…She doesn’t like anyone to be here, but the island has the best beach around here, so sometime I sneak out here to go swimming and stuff.”
Marguerite:
(from behind the children) “Toby you shouldn’t sneak around like that, so how about next time you come out, you march right up to the door and if Jeff invites you, you can stay.”
Toby:
“Really Miss Marguerite, do you mean it?”
Marguerite:
“Of course, now off with you for today, Jeff will be here tomorrow.”
Toby:
“Ok, I’ll come by tomorrow Jeff!!” (Toby runs off past the house and across the causeway.)
Marguerite, Julie and Jeff all start to head towards the house.
Julie:
“Aunt Marguerite, Why won’t grandmother let anyone use the beach?”
Marguerite:
“Because that’s the way Mother is, but it won’t be that way much longer.”
Jeff:
“Why not?”
Marguerite:
“Because Mother dying, then things will change.”
Julie:
“Don’t you care if your mother dies?”
Marguerite:
“Yes Julie, I care, I care very much.”
[Fade out]
Open to the dining room, we see Kevin, Anne, Julie, Jeff and Marguerite sitting around the table eating dinner, we hear a buzzer go off, and Marguerite gets up and leaves the table, a few minutes later she returns to her meal, once again we hear the buzzer go off again and once again Marguerite leaves the table…
Anne:
(to Kevin) “Aren’t you going to say anything dear? You’re mother treats her like a servant. And she must be in pain with her leg like that.”
Kevin:
“It’s not my place to say anything, and besides she’s the one letting mother treat her that way.”
Julie:
“Dad what happened to Aunt Marguerite to cause her to limp that way?”
Kevin:
“It was an accident when I was little, about Jeff’s age. Your aunt had tripped and fallen down the stairs, I don’t remember why but, it was a long time ago and when she recovered she’s walked with that limp since then.” (Kevin smiles at Julie) “She was going to be a dancer you know, and from what I remember she was pretty good too, almost as good as you!” (winks at Julie)
We hear a scream come from upstairs in Helena’s room, then see Kevin and Anne race from the table up to the room to find Marguerite sprawled on the floor with Helena sitting on the bed looking angrily at Marguerite and a cane in her hand.
Kevin:
“What happened here?”
Marguerite:
“Mother said her food was cold.”
Kevin:
(to Marguerite) “What that’s nonsence, you brought it up before we even started.” (looks to Helena, then to the untouched plate of food)(to Helena with anger and disgust) “You didn’t even touch it! You waited until it got cold then called her up here and HIT her with a CANE!”
Helena:
“You watch what you say, you don’t know a thing. You don’t know Marguerite like I do.”
Kevin:
“Oh give it up Mother.” (looks to Marguerite) Come on Marguerite, Ruby can reheat her meal or I can, go finish your dinner.”
Helena:
“Stop. I want her to do it (points at Marguerite) If she wants to spend her life acting like a servant who are you to stop her?”
We see Marguerite struggle to stand up then gather’s her mothers plate and heads out of the room. Kevin and Anne are in shock both shake their heads at what they just witnessed and also leave the room. The camera focuses on Helena who is sitting in her bed with a smug look on her face.
[fade to black]
Open to the ballroom, we see Marguerite getting music ready and her 5 students stretching, Julie enters the room as Marguerite looks up.
Marguerite:
“Girl’s this is my niece Julie, Julie these are my girls, Jenny, Mary-Beth, Tammy-Jo, Allison, and Charlene.(points at each girl) Now Julie how long have you been dancing?”
Julie:
“Seriously dancing for 3 years but I’ve been taking lessons since I was 6”
Marguerite:
(surprised) “So for 9 years then, well in that case you have a solo?”
Julie:
(ponders for a moment then asks) “Do you have the music for ‘West Side Story’?”
Marguerite:
“I do.” (looks through the music and gets it ready in the player) “Let’s see what you can do.”
We hear the music begin and see Julie start to dance, (camera pans over Marguerite and 4 of the girls who are smiling as they watch Julie dance then focuses on Mary-Beth who is looking very angry.)
[Fade to black]
Open to Helena’s bedroom. We see Helena sleeping then is startled awake from a noise in the hall, we see her struggle to get out of bed.
[cut to main floor hallway]
We see Anne reach for a set of keys hanging from a hook then head back up the dark staircase, down a long hallway and come to a doorway she trys the keys until she finds the right one to open the door. We see Anne reach for the light switch and the room fills with light. The room is filled with a destroyed nursery. The camera comes to rest on Helena who is standing in the middle of the room.
Anne:
(shocked and saddened) “I..I don’t understand.”
Helena:
(angrily) “No one asked you to understand, and no one asked you to come to my house.”
Anne:
(still shocked and looking around the room) “But why? Why is it locked?”
Helena:
(shouts) “To keep people like you OUT!”
Helena’s eyes go wide then she crumples to the floor. Anne screams then runs out of the room.
Anne:
“Kevin, Kevin come quick it’s your mother!!”
We see Kevin run into the room followed by Anne, and Marguerite. Kevin kneels at his mothers head trying to make out what she is saying.
Helena:
(croaking whisper) “Kevin… watch…watch out for…. Marguerite…” Helena leans her head back and is gone
Marguerite:
(sobs) “Mama…mama….Noooooo mama, you can’t leave me…..”
[Fade to black]
(contd.)