Screenplay Script
Co-written with Janae Bigcraft
INT. HOME – LATE AT NIGHT –
Outside, the moon has replaced the sun’s position in the sky. Mary is washing the dishes in her home, waiting. She is starting to look agitated, consistently glancing at the clock. She is on a wired phone in the living room with her grandma.
MARY
(With a tired face)
Yeah he’s going to be back late again.
GRANDMA
(On the other end of the phone)
Oh honey, you gotta reel him back in. That’s what I did with pops. I just started fakin’ cancer. Set up props and doctors appointments and everything. Then faster than a firefly your pops started falling back in love. Maybe you can pull some of my tricks to lure him in?
Mary
Like what? I don’t want to trick my husband.
Grandma
Well honey nothing crazy … but something like faking you having a baby will certainly keep him interested.
Mary
And he might leave any other woman he is with. Okay … I’ll do it. I’ll order a gender reveal cake and when it comes I’ll surprise him with the pregnancy test.
Ted walks in through the front door, dirty and tired from work. Mary is suspicious, looking at him. Mary silently starts to derail.
TED
(In a sing song way)
Honey, I’m home!
Still on the phone with Grandma:
Mary
He’s home, goodbye grandma
(Hangs up)
You’re back home so late, again.
Ted
I’m just working hard for us.
Ted goes to their room to get ready for bed.
CUT TO:
EXT. PHARMACY – NOON
Mary wanders around the store. She holds a fake pregnancy test, smiles, and walks towards the check out.
CUT TO:
INT. HOME – MORNING
Ted is doing his morning routine with shaving cream, but runs out of cream. He starts to scavenge for the cream, looking through cupboards he does not typically open. He opens the drawer where Mary’s feminine products are. But a bright pink box stands out and his curiosity makes him take a closer look. He sees it’s a positive pregnancy test and looks very excited.
CUT TO:
INT. BOSS’S OFFICE – AFTERNOON
BOSS
Hi Ted, what did you want to talk about?
Ted
(Smiling happily)
Hello Mrs. Shelly, I would like to request for more work hours or overtime please.
Boss
Are you sure? You’re already working more than most of my guys here. Don’t overwork yourself.
Ted
No, I have to. I want to.
Boss
Okay I’ll work with the scheduling and update you tomorrow on your new work hours. Thanks for the commitment Ted.
Ted
Of course.
CUT TO:
EXT. – CONSTRUCTION SITE – SUPER LATE AT NIGHT
Ted is working late at his blue-collar job looking tired but working hard, paving cement for a wall of bricks.
CUT TO:
INT. – HOME – EVEN MORE LATE AT NIGHT
Mary talks on the phone with Grandma where we aren’t able to hear. Ted gets home but she stays on the phone talking to her, switching the subject.
Mary
He just got home. Give me a second.
Mary puts her hand on the phone receiver, so Ted cannot hear that Grandma is speaking.
Ted
Goodnight darling! Sorry I’m home so late, working hard for us.
Mary
That’s what you always say.
Ted
Well honey, I mean it! Also tell grams I said hi.
Ted kisses her on the cheek and then goes into his room.
Mary
When should I tell him about the pregnancy test, do you think? He is getting worse and staying at work more. Does he not like me or somethin’?
Grandma
Oh dear, if he is up to something you better find out and confront him about it.
Mary
Okay I’m going to go now, goodnight Grandma I love you.
Mary hangs up the phone and walks into the bedroom where we hear Ted say goodbye and then she hears a female voice come through the other end replying goodbye before Ted hangs up the phone clinking back on the wall. This looks suspicious and secretive to Mary.
Mary
Now who the hell are you calling at this time of night?
Ted
(waving a hand)
Don’t worry about it. You always call your grandma at this time anyway, give that old woman a break.
Mary has started to grow a vein on her forehead. She looks like she needs sleep.
Mary
You don’t call me pretty no more.
Ted
What?
Mary
I said: You don’t call me pretty no more.
Ted
Well of course you’re pretty. You just look a little tired nowadays. And for good reason too.
Mary
(scoffs)
And what reason would that be?
Ted
Sweetheart I’m trying to be the best for us and you know that. Please get some rest. That’s all I ask of you.
They both go to bed, her back is facing him. Ted looks over at her, and tries to rest a hand on her, but Mary swats him away.
Ted
(in a soft- loving sad tone)
Goodnight sweetie.
Mary stays silent.
CUT TO:
EXT. – OUTSIDE PARKING LOT – AFTERNOON
Ted
I wouldn’t have wanted to bother you but I know we’re the only ones that stay up this late.
Boss
No worries. This is a good thing that you’re doing for your wife.
Mary is hiding behind a wall peeking out; she’s followed Ted to get there. She watches the exchange but cannot hear the words. Mary leaves before she can see Ted and his boss loading a crib into Ted’s car trunk.
CUT TO:
INT. – HOME – LATE AT NIGHT
Mary is on the phone with Grandma in the living room phone again.
Mary
I saw in the calendar he wrote another meet up date with that woman. What should I do now?
Grandma
Just remember my advice. But stay safe.
Mary
Okay grandma thank you for the talk today. I love you.
Grandma
Sweet dreams now, child. I love you too.
Mary hangs up the phone and goes into the bedroom to sleep. Ted gets home and looks around to see Mary isn’t on her phone. He glances over at the bedroom door is closed and then goes to make a phone call on Mary’s typical phone in the living room.
He spins the dial a couple of times but it doesn’t ring. The line is dead with a single static tone. He checks around the phone and then starts following the line down and notices some of the wires of the outlet are twisted and frayed, barely held together. Ted grows a worried look on his face before going to the bedroom.
Ted
Did you call grandma today?
Mary
Yes I did. Goodnight now dear.
They go to sleep.
CUT TO:
EXT. – OUTSIDE EMPTY PARKING LOT – NEXT NIGHT
Mary is walking in dark streets arriving at a dimly lit parking lot. There are only two cars there. She stands under a street light. She is spotlighted against the dark cement. The camera pans to her touching the dagger in her right back pocket.
Ted’s boss leaves the building, holding a gift bag, and heads to her car. Mary starts sprinting towards the woman, screaming at the top of her lungs, waving her dagger. The boss looks up and screams in fright, the gift bag is thrown at Mary. Mary lunges herself towards her and then stabs the dagger into her heart. Mary picks up the box, rips the wrapping, and sees a baby toy.
She looks confused and turns around to see Ted leaving the building carrying flowers and gift bags and looks shocked to see Mary stand over the boss’s dead body while holding the bloody dagger, inserted over the boss’s heart.
Mary
(Ugly crying)
Why does she have a baby toy for you? Did you get her pregnant? You were seeing her, weren’t you? You were cheating on me, weren’t you!? Are those flowers for her? Did you buy her something expensive?
Ted
(stuttering, slowly saying)
What have you done. These flowers were for you. I was staying late for the baby!
Mary
What baby? Her baby that she’s having with you!?
Ted
No.
Mary looks confused
Ted
Our baby. I found your positive pregnancy test and took more work hours for us. I thought you would surprise me later but I didn’t know when and wanted to be prepared to support us.
Mary
It’s fake. I did it so you would stay interested. I talked to my grandma about it and she was giving me this advice.
Ted
Your phone line is disconnected.
Mary
What?
Ted
The phone line that you use to call your grandma is disconnected. You’re not calling anyone!
Mary talks over Ted:
Mary
I am calling her, I’m calling my grandma every night! She told me to do this. She told me to be safe!
Ted talks over Mary:
Ted
You’re crazy! You’re crazy! That’s why she wasn’t at our wedding, huh? Cause she’s been dead for two years!
Mary
(sniffling)
What?
Ted
I went searching for her records, she’s been dead, (dryly) honey.
Sirens sound get louder in the background, while the camera pans towards a bystander and the police show up to arrest them both.
CUT TO:
INT. – PRISON CELL – FIVE YEARS LATER
Mary is in the cell, the orange washes out her face. She looks tired. She leaves her cell and walks across the hall to join a long line of cellmates waiting to make a call. When she gets to the front she dials a number.
Mary
Hi grandma.
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