Live Large and Livin' Lies (Incomplete)

[Derek Nahigyan]

Live Large and Livin’ Lies
Written by: Derek D. Nahigyan
EMMA: But the manager won’t defend her.
COLE: (Nods)
EMMA: Do you want to talk to me or not? You seem distracted.
COLE: I am. Very.
EMMA: (Hand on his) Talk to me.
COLE: (Reveals necklace) I want you to have this. It was my mother’s. She’d want you
to have it.
EMMA: Oh, Cole. It’s unbelievable; where did she get this?
COLE: Inheritance. And don’t feel obligated to wear it all the time.
EMMA: Yea, no.
COLE: But, it’d mean a lot to her.
EMMA: I’ll bet. Oh my god, are you okay?
COLE: Yes, you know how difficult it is.
EMMA: Maybe it’s time you confronted your past.
COLE: Maybe.
EMMA: Come on, let’s go.

(At graveyard)
EMMA: (Hugs Cole) It’s so cold.
COLE: Yeah.
(Gravestone, Charlie Zamurippa, veteran)
EMMA: Such a brave woman.
COLE: Mmhm. (Kisses her hand)
EMMA: Have you found your brother’s or sister’s?
COLE: No.
EMMA: Mmm. You’d think they’d bury them all in the same place.
COLE: I know.
EMMA: Kind of absurd since they all died together… same family.
COLE: (Angrily) Well, they didn’t!
EMMA: Sorry. We should go.
COLE: Yeah.
EMMA: Alright, sweetie. I’ll see you at home, yeah?
COLE: Yeah, I’m gonna stay here a little bit.
EMMA: Alright, don’t dwell. It’ll only lead to trouble. (exits)
COLE: (Bends over and kisses stone tablet) I’m so sorry.

COLE: (Typing away at desk, phone rings. He looks at it and clicks, ‘don’t answer.’)

COLE: (At business meeting, his phone vibrates—executives unknowingly continue. He looks, clicks, ‘don’t answer.’)

COLE: (Kissing Emma, phone starts going off)
EMMA: Your phone’s vibrating.
COLE: Uh-huh. (Kissing her)
EMMA: Yes, it is, shouldn’t you answer it?
COLE: No. (Kissing her neck)
EMMA: What if it’s urgent?
COLE: (Frustrated, he stops. Sighs. Answers.) Hello? (Gets up) I told you, this is my work number, don’t call me here!
EMMA: (mouths ‘what?’)
COLE: Yes, I’m always working… no, I don’t have time… no… no… Look, I’m extremely busy; wait for me to call you.

SANDRA SILOUETTED FIGURE ON PHONE: Okay… I love you…

COLE: Yes, okay, bye. (Click) (sighs)
EMMA: Are you having an affair?
COLE: No. (Sits beside her)
EMMA: The sound of your call implies otherwise.
COLE: There are things I don’t like to talk about.
EMMA: Like your mother?
COLE: (stands) She’s not my mother!
EMMA: What?
COLE: Nothing.
EMMA: What are you hiding from me?
COLE: It’s nothing.
EMMA: You’re not with anyone else?
COLE: Of course not.
EMMA: Are you being blackmailed?
COLE: Things we don’t have to talk about.
EMMA: Why can’t you be honest with me?
COLE: I…
EMMA: Cole!
(Pause)
EMMA: It’s time for bed, come on. (Gets up from couch, slow-motion zoom on Cole’s face.)

COLE: (Down street, answers phone) Hello?
SANDRA: When are you coming down?
COLE: I don’t know if I can get time off work.
SANDRA: Of course you can. Don’t we mean anything to you?
COLE: (Uncertain) Yes.
SANDRA: Mary and Brad are already here.
COLE: Great.
SANDRA: Are you coming?
COLE: (Sits against wall)
SANDRA: Are you alright?
COLE: I’m fine.
SANDRA: When will you get here?
COLE: Tomorrow.
SANDRA: Okay. Thank you sweetie; it means so much to me.
COLE: I’m sure.
SANDRA: I love you—
COLE: Bye. (Click. Subtext: What the f**k am I doing?)

(Home)
COLE: I have to go away for a few days.
EMMA: What, why? Does this have to do with that woman?
COLE: Nnn—no.
EMMA: Cole?
COLE: Yes, but it’s not an affair.
EMMA: How am I supposed to know that? Is it business?
COLE: No.
EMMA: Can I come?
COLE: No, you can’t come.
EMMA: Cole, what am I supposed to think?
COLE: Trust me, I can’t talk about it. I made a promise to see these people years ago.
EMMA: Is it like a highschool reunion?
COLE: Sort of.
EMMA: Cole! (Beat) Let me in. I’m here for you. You don’t have to do this alone.
COLE: You are the sole reason I can not let you in. I made a mistake, I tried to set things right but I couldn’t get away from this. I’m sorry, I wish I didn’t have to; if I had it my way, this never would’ve happened, and we’d be so happy; everything would work. You understand Emma, I love you, I really, really do. Please don’t hate me, I can’t have this blow up in my face; I don’t want to lose you.
EMMA: I believe you.
(Beat)
COLE: (Sigh of relief)
EMMA: Is it a kid? Did you have a child with another woman long ago? Is it your daughter?
COLE: I’m going to bed.
EMMA: When will you be back?
COLE: Two days.
EMMA: I meant from your dreams.
COLE: Ha. Ha.

(alarm sounds)
COLE: Uahh. (Reads sticky note from Emma saying she went into work early; love you, be back by eight. He gets up, turns on stove, proceeds with kitchen tasks. There’s a knock at the door. He opens it.)
BRAD: COLEY COLKEN! (Giving Cole a noogy.)
MARY: Cole! (Runs, hugging Cole)
SANDRA: Oh, my little boy!
COLE: What are you all doing here?!
BRAD: We knew you weren’t coming.
SANDRA: We thought we’d surprise you.
COLE: I don’t like surprises.
MARY: Ooo, what kind of food are you making? What is it? What is it?
SANDRA: Cole, answer your sister.
COLE: Mom, you cut that out.
BRAD: Can’t say what a little food is?
COLE: What are you doing? This is my house!
(Mary runs into bathroom)
BRAD: Yes. We haven’t all been together for years.
COLE: Well, I’m glad you decided to drop by.
BRAD: Ah (noogy)
COLE: Get off of me.
BRAD: Temper, temper.
COLE: This is my house; I can have you arrested for trespassing.
SANDRA: Cole, we’re family, don’t be that way. Now apologize to your brother.
COLE: Why are you letting this happen?
SANDRA: We love you. I’m getting so old; can’t we be together one last time?
COLE: You’re not going to die.
SANDRA: No, I hope I do, I don’t want to live ‘til I’m seventy.
COLE: (Sighs)
SANDRA: Tell me you won’t put me into a home.
BRAD: I’ll look after you. (To Cole) Someone has to.
COLE: What are you looking at me for?
MARY: Ew! (runs out) There’s tampons in the bathroom!
BRAD: Are you living here with someone?
SANDRA: Is she the one, the special someone?
COLE: No more questions, please!
MARY: Maybe Cole’s on his period.
COLE: Enough!
SANDRA: Why haven’t you told me about her?
COLE: You never asked.
SANDRA: That’s ‘cus you’re always so busy.
BRAD: (resuming Cole’s kitchen work) How is the old job anyway?
COLE: It’s fine.
MARY: What do you do?
COLE: I sit in my office and make corrections to editorials.
MARY: Like grammar and stuff?
COLE: It’s more complicated than that.
BRAD: I thought you were still working at that restaurant.
COLE: No, Brad, I quit four years ago!
MARY: How can you be so upset? You never tell us anything.
SANDRA: Yeah, like who’s this girl?
COLE: This can not be happening. I told you I was coming down.
BRAD: You said that last year and the year before that, we decided to come to you before you look like an ass for another empty promise.
COLE: I made arrangements to go today.
BRAD: You did not.
COLE: “I don’t tell you anything,” What do you know? Of course I did!
MARY: You’re such a liar.
COLE: I’m not a liar.
SANDRA: Denial is the first step, honey.
COLE: Leave me alone!
MARY: Sheesh, grow up.
COLE: You barge in her unexpected and insult me.
SANDRA: We’re your family.
COLE: I wish I had some say in the matter; I really do.
BRAD: Do you remember that time you called me, more drunk than ghandi in the ring with Mickey Rourke, terrified of the thought that you’d gotten a girl pregnant?
COLE: What?
SANDRA: Oh don’t look at me, sweetie, I’ve long assumed you were all having sex years ago—not together of course, but I’m not stupid.
MARY: Yeah, mom bought me birth control.
SANDRA: My two rules are as long as you’re in love and you are safe.
BRAD: Love doesn’t have to enter into it. It’s a circus ride, as long as it’s in town you should go, enjoy yourself; be the clowns and ride the carousel until you dizzy yourself in a nauseated storm cloud. Then they pack up and leave you in the rainy dust. But the rain water helps the hang over.
COLE: What are you talking about?
BRAD: Sex.
SANDRA: As long as you’re protected and safe (pause) and sober. And I’d rather it be with the opposite sex but I’d still be happy if you were gay, Cole.
COLE: I’m not gay.
MARY: Too bad.
SANDRA: No, I’m pretty sure most of you are straight.
COLE: Lovely.
BRAD: So, Cole, you remember that enchanting night?
COLE: Yes.
BRAD: Well don’t forget it. I’ve done some stupid stuff too, but you can always count on your family for backup and support.

MARY: So how’s this girl? What is she?
COLE: The usual.
BRAD: Smart, funny, beautiful.
COLE: Nailed it.
BRAD: Whatever happened to deep seated metaphors that fill your head with wonder at the sight? There’s no romance anymore.
COLE: I’m sorry we don’t all paint smiles on our faces and honk our noses.
MARY: Romance exists; I met someone special.
SANDRA: Oh, is this Kennedy again?
MARY: No, Mark.
SANDRA: Oh, from your tutoring program?
MARY: No.
SANDRA: Oh, I haven’t heard of Mark? Well, I think you should see Kennedy again.
MARY: MOM!
SANDRA: Sorry, dear.
MARY: Anyway, he’s really sweet. I met him at a party and he said he really wants to take things slow with me.
BRAD: Does he go to school?
MARY: No, he works at an Auto dealership with his dad.
BRAD: That supposed to win my heart? You should get him back, enrolled in school.
MARY: Mom!
SANDRA: Let her do what she wants as long as she has enough money to never be worried.
BRAD: Stay in school and you’ll get it.
SANDRA: When I die, you should have all the money you’ll need.
MARY: I’m tired of school. I have a friend who’s a bartender who makes plenty of money.
BRAD: Yeah, but you don’t want to be a bartender your whole life. (Serves up rice pilaf)
MARY: Why not?
SANDRA: Let her do what she wants.
BRAD: Sandra, you can’t let your children run wild.
COLE: Hey! Don’t throw me in with her.
MARY: Hey!
BRAD: Sandra.
SANDRA: I’m so happy we’re all together.
COLE & BRAD: (deep sigh)

MARY: Do you have any wine?
COLE: Yes, Pino’ Grittio.
SANDRA: (Excited gasp)
BRAD: Mom’s happy.
SANDRA: That’s my favorite wine! See, he was expecting me.
COLE: I’ll get it.
MARY: I thought you didn’t drink.
COLE: Yes, well.
BRAD: Don’t drink? What do you do for fun?
COLE: My life doesn’t center around alcohol.
BRAD: Right, right, this is before you became the guru type. You know, it’s not like a—
COLE: I don’t want another carousel metaphor, thank you.
MARY: Cole must have a—
BRAD: It’s not a metaphor, it’s an analogy.
COLE: No it’s not.
MARY: Cole, probably doesn’t—
BRAD: Well, I can’t argue with that logic.
MARY: He must be discour—
BRAD: You’d make a wondrous lawyer.
SANDRA: I think he’d be a terrific lawyer.
MARY: HELLO, I’M TALING! DOES ANYONE LISTEN TO ME?!
SANDRA: I’m sorry baby, go ahead.
MARY: I was saying—
BRAD: You know life’s not gonna work that way, where volume can get you what you want. You gotta stamp your foot down.
MARY: (Pouting at him)
SANDRA: Be nice to your sister.
BRAD: Be nice? I am being nice; she needs to know how to make it in the real world. She can’t be a little punk kid—
MARY: Punk?!
BRAD: —who’s constantly crying for her mommy. Mary needs to be a strong woman. Sandra, you need to not—
SANDRA: —no (shaking head) No—
BRAD: —baby your children. You need to be a parent.
SANDRA: —no, no, no! Mh-n. Brad you’re wrong. What is the most important thing?
COLE: (To Mary) You notice how he loves to talk about us as if we’re not here?
MARY: Yeah.
BRAD: I’m having a conversation with mom, this isn’t a discussion.
SANDRA: What is the most important thing?
MARY: Money.
BRAD: Success.
SANDRA: (They all look at Cole in the kitchen) Cole, what’s your answer?
COLE: I don’t know.
SANDRA: It’s family! You know that.
BRAD: (Rolls eyes) Right, well, Mary needs to—
SANDRA: (Hand up) Hup-up-up! Let her finish what she was saying.
BRAD: (Sighs) Fine. You want to handicap your child, fine.
MARY: (Pouting)
SANDRA: Mary, continue.
MARY: I don’t remember what I was going to say.
SANDRA: Oh, see, Brad? You made her forget.
BRAD: It couldn’t have been that important then.
MARY: Screw you!
SANDRA: Cole, where’s the pino’ grittio?
COLE: (Handling cork) On its way. (Pop)
MARY: Oh, that was it!
BRAD: (To Sandra) I can’t understand how you can just shut things out.
MARY: Mom!!
SANDRA: Shh! (Nods to Mary)
MARY: What I was trying to say, is, I think Cole must be distressed by the fact that we all drink.
(They look at Cole)
COLE: Actually, it’s quite encouraging.