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MOMENTS

by 

Anthony Royle



 
























FADE IN:

INT. HALL OF MIRRORS

EMILY (18), average size, average face, walks through a hall of 
mirrors. In each mirror she analyses herself and the image sent back to 
her. Methodically she moves from mirror to mirror where she sees 
herself as

Too fat.

Too tall.

Large head.

Emily becomes lost in a maze where she is disgusted by every image she 
sees of herself. Her attitude is subtlety depressed but intrigued.

EXT. EAST COAST BEACH - DAY

In the same manner Emily sits over looking the beach. It is cold and 
windy. Grey clouds cover the sky threatening to rain. Emily listens to 
Counting Crows 'Round Here' on her personal CD player.

Not many people are on the beach. Just a few letting their dogs run a 
round. 

Emily holds the same expression of not responding to visual stimuli. 
Not responding to the wind or the people passing her by.

Emily coughs. As she coughs she reaches into he pocket for her 
handkerchief. Emily blows her nose.  She puts the handkerchief back 
into her pocket. 

Emily acknowledges the cold and starts to shiver a little. She folds 
her arms to keep warm.

Emily looks around taking in her surroundings. People passing her by 
don't notice her. They also look a little down.

Emily notices a tall good-looking guy walking passed her. Emily watches 
him hoping he will smile at her. The guy walks straight passed without 
looking.

Emily turns around back to the beach. She resumes to her staring out to 
see.

The waves crash onto the beach. A young couple chase the waves as the 
waves go out and run away when the waves come in.
Emily's pager beeps and vibrates. She ignores it for a few seconds. 
Emily takes a sigh and looks at her pager.

Emily tilts her head back and then stands. She walks away. 

INT. FISHERMAN'S CAFé - DAY

The café has a sea theme. Pictures of boats hang on the wall with other 
memorabilia from sailing vessels in the town. Waiters are all dressed 
as sailors.

Customers eat fish with fries and drink coffee. It's a café where 
everyone orders the same because you can't get it anywhere else. 

Emily sits at a table with her mother ALLISON (36). Allison almost 
looks identical to her daughter. They drink espressos. Emily looks out 
of the window as the rain splashes against it. Allison switches between 
looking at her coffee and her daughter. Allison embraces the warmth of 
her coffee.

Emily turns to her mother.

EMILY
Are you going to drink that coffee or just hold it?

Emily turns back to the window. Allison feels the need to respond 
cheerfully.

ALLISON
I-I-I like the warmth against my hands. (Laughs) Your father and I used 
to drink espresso's here when you were small if the weather was bad.

Allison smiles at her daughter. Emily continues to stare out of the 
window. Allison looks a way. 

Allison catches a glimpse of a waiter, SAM (18), average size, average 
looks, checking Emily out. Allison giggles.

EMILY
What?

ALLISON
That guy over there. 

Emily casually waits and then turns her head. As Emily looks at Sam, he 
turns away back to his duties.


ALLISON (CONT'D)
He was checking you out.

Emily goes back to looking out the window.

ALLISON
Are you a lesbian?

EMILY
No.

ALLISON
It's just when a guy checks me out I go over and say 'hi'.

EMILY
Is that all you do?

Allison goes back to staring at her coffee. Emily smiles and goes back 
to staring out of the window.

ALLISON
So, looking forward to college?

Without looking away Emily shrugs.

ALLISON (CONT'D)
My little girl is growing up.

Allison starts to play with Emily's fingers.

ALLISON (CONT"D)
Remember when we used to come here when you were little?

EXT. EAST COAST BEACH - DAY

A brighter day. The sun glaring down on the busy beach. Emily (7) and 
Allison (25) run into the sea. Emily's hair is cut very short. They 
chase the waves as it moves out and run away as it comes in. It's a 
good mother/daughter moment. Both having lots of fun.

A few metres from them is Emily's father (33). He holds video camera up 
at them while he tries to tan and drinks a beer.

Emily and Allison make one last run and then carry on until they reach 
Dad.

Allison falls on her husband and gives him a passionate kiss. She 
snuggles up to him as he takes a swig of beer.

Emily begins to make a sandcastle.

EMILY
Daddy, will you help me build a sandcastle?

DAD
Not now buddy, daddy's resting. How about we play some ball later?

Emily continues to build her castle.

ALLISON
(Quietly)
Honey, she's not a boy.

DAD
I don't want to build sandcastles.

Dad stops hugging and puts his hands behind his head to continue 
sunbathing.


INT. FISHERMAN'S CAFé - DAY

Allison plays with the salt and pepper on the table. Allison smiling as 
Emily continues to look out of the window.

ALLISON
And you built this big castle and declared it a refuge for all homeless 
people.

Allison looks towards Sam. He is still looking over and smiling.

ALLISON
Do you still like vanilla ice cream?

EMILY
I guess. Why?

ALLISON
I'm going to ask your boyfriend to come over with it and give him your 
number.

EMILY
Mom.

ALLISON
If you're not going to do anything about it…

EMILY
I don't want to all right?

ALLISON
Why? He looks a good guy. You've not had a boyfriend since…

INT. LOUNGE/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE  - NIGHT

The house is filled with modern contemporary art. Dad (42) sits on the 
leather couch. He watches a football game and drinks beer.

Emily (16) walks down the stairs in a beautiful dress. She is happy and 
isn't totally with us. She makes her way into the lounge like a royal 
princess.

Allison (34) walks in too wearing an apron while drying a dish. She 
stops and stares at Emily. Emily smiles back. Dad doesn't even look.

ALLISON
Who does she look like in that dress?

DAD
I don't know. Audrey Hepburn?

The two girls laugh.

ALLISON
You do. You look radiant. It's the same dress I wore when your father 
and I first went out. 

EMILY
What do you think dad?

DAD
Nice dress. Don't have sex.

The two girls laugh.

EMILY
Thanks dad.

Allison clicks her fingers and starts looking in some cupboards. Emily 
and dad look at her to see what she is doing. Allison pulls out a 
camera.

ALLISON
First dates are always special. Especially for us girls. At any moment 
you might have found the man of you dreams.

Allison takes a picture of Emily. As the flash goes off a horn outside 
the house HOOTS. Emily begins to look nervous. Allison hugs her 
daughter quickly.

ALLISON
Do you need your mother to come with you? Maybe your dad can pick you 
up before curfew?

EMILY
I'll be fine.

Emily smiles and walks slowly out of the door. Allison stares into 
nothingness remembering her first date.

Suddenly Emily is back through the door crying she runs towards the 
stairs.

ALLISON
What's wrong?

EMILY
He didn't like the dress.

Emily runs up the stairs. A door slams.

INT. FISHERMAN'S CAFé - DAY

Allison has moved over and leans against Emily with her head on Emily's 
shoulder. Emily continues to look out of the window. Allison looking at 
her coffee.

ALLISON
That really was a great dress.

Emily without moving her head looks at her mother.

EMILY
Mom, can you sit back in your seat.

Allison complies. She goes back to holding her cup of coffee.


ALLISON
So, you think you'll meet many boys at college? Or any girls.

EMILY
I'm not a lesbian.

ALLISON
I just don't understand your lack of interest in boys.

EMILY
Not everyone is sex crazy like you.

Neither one retreats to the window or coffee. Both continue looking at 
each other.

ALLISON
I was your age when I had you. Didn't get to go to college.

Allison looks at her coffee and sips it for the first time. 

EMILY
Why are you still here? I've been giving you a hard time all afternoon.

ALLISON
I told you I wanted to spend time with you before you went away.

EMILY
Do you feel guilty?

Allison doesn't look up from her coffee.

ALLISON
Sometimes.

EMILY
Sometimes?

Suddenly Sam is there. He smiles at Emily.

SAM
May I get you ladies another espresso each?

EMILY
No thanks.

Emily goes back to staring out of the window. Allison looks at her 
coffee.

ALLISON
Just the bill.

SAM leaves. Allison looks at her daughter and realizes something for 
the first time. Emily isn't looking out of the window; she is looking 
at herself in the window.

INT. ALLISON'S BEDROOM/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE - DAY

Allison is with a man in bed. We see arms holding each other, legs 
rubbing one another, the man holding the woman.

Allison face is lit with pure joy. The man is equally having a good 
time.

The room is lit with scented candles and the floor is now covered in 
rose petals that have fallen off the waterbed. The really, really 
wobbly waterbed.

INT. KITCHEN/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE - SAME

Emily walks into the house from school. She listens to Counting Crows 
on her CD player. Emily automatically opens the fridge. She gets out a 
bottle of soda.

Emily looks around to see if anyone can see her. She drinks from the 
bottle and then quickly puts it back.

Emily makes her way up the stairs.

INT. HALLWAY/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE - SAME

Emily reaches her room and chucks her school bag onto her bed. Suddenly 
she freezes. Emily slowly takes off her earphones.

Emily can here her mother giggling from the bedroom. Emily slowly looks 
down the hallway. She can see through the doorway because it is 
slightly open.

At first Emily sees nothing. But then Allison is now sat up on top of 
the guy and Emily can see her back. Emily quickly diverts her eyes and 
puts the headphones back on.

EMILY
Ewww!

Emily runs back downstairs.

INT. KITCHEN/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE - SAME

Emily runs to the fridge again and starts to drink the soda again. She 
is clearly disturbed.

EMILY
Horrible-parents-sex.

Emily hears a loud thud from the lounge. It maybe someone coming in 
from the front door. Emily slowly and curiously walks into the lounge.

INT. LOUNGE/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE - SAME

Emily's dad is hanging up his coat. Emily stares at him and takes off 
her headphones.

EMILY
Dad.

DAD
Hey buddy. Just going to the bathroom.

He walks passed Emily and rubs her head. Emily stands frozen. She bites 
her nails.

INT. HALLWAY/EMILY AND ALLISON'S HOUSE - SAME

Emily follows her dad to the top of the stairs. Allison has stopped her 
giggling and the door is shut. Emily watches her father walk towards 
the bathroom, which is near his bedroom.

As he almost enters the bathroom, the waterbed inside the bedroom 
bursts and flows from beneath the door onto Emily's dad's shoes. He 
looks down and looks at the door. Emily runs back down stairs.

INT. FISHERMAN'S CAFé - DAY

Allison watches her daughter, outside the window, run through the rain.

Sam arrives with the bill.

ALLISON
Thank you.

EXT. EAST COAST BEACH - EVENING

Emily stands in the rain looking over the beach. Emily is soaking wet 
and shivering from the cold.

The waves crash against the rocks. 

Allison runs over to Emily is the rain wearing a coat. She holds a box.


ALLISON
I thought a mother and daughter talk over coffee might of heal old 
wounds. And I was going to give you a present tonight before we head 
back home.

Emily doesn't even look at her mother.

ALLISON (CONT'D)
Y'know, something to remember me by while your at college. I will never 
stop being your mother and whenever you need help with homework or boys 
or parties (BEAT) I will never let you down again.

Emily turns to Allison and carefully takes the present. Emily opens it. 
She pulls out the dress Allison lent her for her first date. Emily hugs 
Allison.

EMILY
I just want everything to go back to the way it was. Back to that 
moment we were truly a family.

Allison holds Emily as she cries.

INT. FISHERMAN'S CAFé - EVENING

Emily, drenched from head to toe, walks up to Sam. He looks at her up 
and down.

EMILY
My mother thinks we should talk. Ahm, so maybe we can catch a movie 
later.

Emily can't look him in the eye. She waits for his response.

EMILY
It's okay if you say no. 

SAM
I'd love to take you out.

They smile at each other.

SAM
Would you like anything else ma'am?

EMILY
Yes, two espressos's to go please.

Emily takes a seat at the bar as Sam makes the coffee. They continue a 
conversation without sound. 




INT. HALL OF MIRRORS

Emily finally, through a whole maze of mirrors, reaches a mirror she 
sees her full reflection in. Emily smiles.

FADE OUT:

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