INT. BETTY’S KITCHEN - EVENING
Wyatt, Neil, Britney and Betty are at the kitchen table. They’ve eaten dinner and are beginning to clean up.
WYATT
(to Neil)
What did your uncle think of the farm?
NEIL
He thought it was nice, a nice place.
WYATT
(looks at Betty)
He’s a real estate man.
BETTY
I know, he told me.
WYATT
Makes me suspicious.
BETTY
‘Bout what?
WYATT
(looks at Betty)
Nothing.
They hear a car drive in. Betty gets up and looks out the window.
BETTY
Shirley.
NEIL
Again?
(sees a look on Britney’s face)
I mean she was just here this morning.
The door opens and Shirley comes in. She is obviously distressed and has a dark smudge on her face. She is still dressed as she was in the morning.
BETTY
Shirley? What’s wrong?
SHIRLEY
Fire. There was a fire at the condo next door. All my things are ruined.
BETTY
Everything?
SHIRLEY
All my clothes, furniture...all smokey and sooty.
BRITNEY
That’s terrible.
Betty begins to pour Shirley a glass of water.
SHIRLEY
Wine, Mother, not water...please.
BETTY
There’s scotch.
SHIRLEY
Even better.
Betty opens a cabinet and gets a bottle of scotch and pours a hefty shot into a glass. She starts for the freezer.
SHIRLEY (CONT’D)
No ice.
Betty hands her the glass. Shirley takes more than a womanly sip.
SHIRLEY (CONT’D)
Mother, I need to stay here for a while.
BETTY
Well sure, you can have your old room.
Neil looks at Britney; Britney sets her jaw.
NEIL
How bad was the fire?
SHIRLEY
I don’t know. Two or three condos.
NEIL
How did it start?
SHIRLEY
(sharp)
I don’t know.
NEIL
It’ll be in the paper.
Shirley finishes the scotch, and stands.
SHIRLEY
(to her mother)
I need a bath. Are there any clothes in my room?
BETTY
All your clothes are there.
WYATT
(softly)
If you can still wear them.
SHIRLEY
(looks at Wyatt)
I know they’ll fit.
(to her mother)
More scotch.
Betty pours another glass, Shirley takes another good drink.
SHIRLEY (CONT’D)
I’m taking this with me.
Shirley makes her way out of the kitchen, bumping into a counter on the way.
SHIRLEY (CONT’D)
Damn!
Neil, Wyatt, Britney look at Betty.
WYATT
This’ll be fun.
BETTY
She is my daughter.
WYATT
Wonder if she’ll help around here.
BRITNEY
I wouldn’t count on it.
BETTY
Britney!
BRITNEY
Sorry, grandma.