Love's Final Draft

By Abbe Alexander

The horrors of war take Alex away to Viet Nam and out of Lisa’s life. She marries and divorces. Alex returns from the war. Nothing short of a miracle will reunite these victims of life’s cruel fate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abbe Alexander
• Release date: Dec 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370402151

Abbe Alexander

Abbe Alexander has written in various genres which, include novels and thrillers. She is an entrepenure in self-owned businesses and has traveled extensively abroad. She has written for the recording industry and movie studios. She writes poetry, lyrics, screenplays and short stories.Two writers who influenced her are John Grisham and Lee Child.Abbe's screenplays and scripts are available through her agent, [e-mail]. These screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the agent.

Book preview

ACT I

EXT. A 1961 white, Mercury comet driving along in boulevard traffic

The car, which has two passengers, a young man and his girlfriend with a surfboard on the roof rack, turns off the downtown street and takes a side street down to the lake where the boats are tied up along the shore and the sculling team can be seen on the water in the distance. At this point the driver parks the car in front of a large, vintage, brick building. The couple exit the car simultaneously. upon reaching the front door of the heritage apartment building the man opens the door and gestures overtly for the woman to enter the building ahead of him. Both laugh and disappear through the door

CUT TO:

INT. A vintage APARTMENT BLOCK IN DOWNTOWN OAKLAND CALIFORNIA, circa 1965.

Ext. Looking out on lake merrit at the front of the old brick building covered in ivy and bathed in early morning sunlight

Alex Campbell (21 years old) stands in the small studio apartment sipping a cup of tea in the early morning light, dressed in a bathrobe, in front of the bay window. Against the left wall is a convertible sofa which is folded out and made up into a bed and upon which his girlfriend, Lisa Pettigrew (19 years old) lies sleeping under a sheet. Alex spies the sculling team of young men from Chabot College rowing on the lake in front of him.

COXSWAIN

(with megaphone in hand)

Pull! Pull! Pull!

(His voice comes echoing back across the lake and is heard faintly inside the apartment)

At this point Alex turns and directs his attention back into the apartment where Lisa is becoming restive in the bed. Alex moves toward the bed and sits down on its side beside Lisa, who opens her eyes and smiles, looking longingly at Alex.

Alex campbell

Good morning, my sweet darling.

(at this point he leans down and kisses her)

May I fix you some tea?

She reaches up and puts her arms around Alex's neck and gently guides him down into the bed beside her. Alex takes off his robe and lifts the sheet and the two disappear in a sea of cotton, rippling in the dim light of early morning as they make love.

After a short spell of lovemaking, a loud thud is heard from the direction of the hallway and the apartment door bursts open. a plain and angry appearing middle-aged woman, very conservatively dressed marches stridently into the apartment with a man who has, apparently, come to assist her.

The two lovers sit up in the bed abruptly, with Lisa grabbing the sheet and covering herself with it in embarrassment.

At this point, Alex jumps up out of the bed wrapping his robe around him and hurries to the bathroom slamming the door behind him.

Hattie Pettigrew turns to the manager of the apartment to speak.

Hattie pettigreW

Thank you Mr. Sims, that will be all.

(She turns again to Lisa and begins a tirade.)

And as for you, Lisa Pettigrew, I am so ashamed of you I hardly know how to begin. First, you tell me you have a job, then you solicit my financial assistance to secure an apartment closer to work so you don't have to commute, and then you betray my trust by moving in a derelict surfer who doesn't even have a car that runs. What are you using for brains? You should be back at school and continuing your education not throwing away your life on a bum like that who will never have enough money to support you or even feed your children!

Lisa starts to cry. At this point Alex opens the door to the bathroom and appears in the doorway again to re-enter the living room fully dressed in a t-shirt and levis and a pair of Huarache sandals.

Hattie moves toward him and begins yelling at him.

HATTIE PETTIGREW (CONT'D)

Get out of here, you bastard! You go back to Santa Barbara where you belong and leave my daughter alone. If you don't, I will see that serious consequences are levied on both of you.

(she looks back over at Lisa)

And you, you...

(she continues yelling)

You're nothing but a child and a slut. Posing for pornographic pictures to ruin any hope you might have in the future of a decent marriage. Dooming any chance of a decent husband or children, to fall victim to sexual assault or whatever sickness this boy has subjected you to.

(She turns back to Alex)

Now get out of here before I throw you in jail, and Lisa as well.

Alex tries to reason with her.

ALEX CAMPBELL

Mrs. Pettigrew, you don't understand. I love Lisa very much! Those pictures my mother found of Lisa were just figure studies from my art class at college. Stop and think for a minute. If you break us up, what will that gain? We want to be married and if we are they won't draft me. If you separate us and they draft me, how will we ever even find each other again? Don't you realize you're just going to ruin our...

HATTIE PETTIGREW

Go home and tell your story to your mother, maybe she will listen to you. I know better. I know what a derelict loser you are. You come from a good family like ours and you have no excuse for this kind of irresponsible behavior except to exploit my daughter who is too naive to know where to draw the line. Lisa doesn't have a father around any more or I am sure he wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in you. That is what I will do if you come back and bother her again.

Alex looks down at the floor and begins walking toward the door of the studio apartment.

Lisa grabs the sheet around her and cries. She begins to call, distraught.

Lisa pettigrew

Alex, Alex, don't go!

(she begins sobbing out of control)

Please don't listen to her. She can't do anything to you, to us! Not unless you let her. Don't go, Alex. Don't leave me. Please don't go.

(She clutches the sheet and runs for the door to stop him.)

Alex, for God's sake don't leave me. I love you! I love you! Please, please...

Alex continues walking.

HATTIE PETTIGREW

If he were a real man he would have come back to you wouldn't he?

(she smiles smugly)

Some day you'll realize how right I am. Some day you'll think about who pays the bills. Listen to me before you end up in the gutter with him because that will be the only home you'll ever have!

Lisa is now sobbing uncontrollably.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. the office of the mother superior of the college of the sacred heart

The Mother Superior is seated behind her desk and Hattie Pettigrew and her daughter, Lisa, are sitting in front of the desk.

Mother superior

Now, Mrs. Pettigrew, we can't just confine your daughter because you think she is out of control. That is the function of the authorities, not a university. Besides she's over 18 and even the juvenile hall wouldn't intervene at her age. We are here to educated and mold these young girls so that they might be better citizens as they grow and mature. Lisa is a talented musician and she has been coached by our best vocal instructor. We find her suitable for our music program and are willing to accept her as a full-time student provided she agrees to be housed in our dormitory. This means that she will be able to focus more fully on her music and be an asset to our university and to your family.

HATTIE PETTIGREW

Oh, that's wonderful! I'll begin making arrangements immediately. What else will she need?

MOTHER SUPERIOR

Just a minute, Mrs. Pettigrew, you're overlooking one very important