The
Diner of Love
3503 Angel Square Court
Llanview, PA
"Nothin' Could Be Finer Than Some
Lovin' In the Diner"
"There ain't no lovin' like some diner lovin', hey ho"
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"Nothin' Could Be Finer Than Some
Lovin' In the Diner" |
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What can I get you?
Coffee's a dollar
I hope you like whip cream.
I just love the Voice of the Night. We have this special connection. |
Scenes from the Back Deck
SCENE 4
July 24, 2008
At the Carriage House, Gigi and Shane are in the living room. Shane is standing looking out of the window pane in the front door. Shane: Why isn't Dad home yet? Gigi: I thought you were helping me count my tips. Shane: Didn't he tell you where he was going? I always have to. Gigi: Well, baby, he is not 10 years old. Shane sits on the couch and runs his fingers through coins gathered in a basket. Shane: You've got about $14.75 in tips in quarters. That'll last me a whole day at Video World. Gigi: Yeah, that's exactly why I was on my feet nine hours today at the diner, so my son could rot his brain playing video games. Shane: Well, how much did you count? Gigi: Well, if we add this to what you got, we might be able to get a pizza tomorrow night for dinner. Brody opens the front door and comes in. Shane: Hey, Dad. Brody: Hey, what's going on? Shane: We're having pizza for dinner tomorrow night. Gigi: Shane, I was being sarcastic. Don't get your hopes up. Shane walks over to Brody. Shane: That's what you always tell me. "Don't get your hopes up about a puppy. Don't get your hopes up about Disney World. Don't get your hopes up about me and Brody." Gigi: You think you're a real joker, don't you? Shane: It's not like I made any of that up. Gigi: Uh, it's time for you to hit the hay. Shane: Come on, Mom. I haven't been able to hang out with Dad all night. Brody: Mind your mom. We got all day tomorrow to hang out. Thought maybe I'd take you swimming. Shane hugs Gigi. Shane: All right. Night, Mom. Gigi: Night, baby. Shane hugs Brody. Shane: Night, Dad. Shane runs up the steps to the second floor. Gigi watches him go then turns and faces Brody. Gigi: You going to be sober when you take him swimming tomorrow, or you going to pack a cooler? Brody: He'll be doing something, Gigi. He won't be living in front of the TV like he did when you two were in Texas. (Brody walks toward the stairs) You know what? Maybe it'd be better if I just clear out of here. Gigi: That's not what I was saying, Brody. Brody: (faces Gigi) Look, I know I've not been making all the right moves lately. Gigi: Like taking off and not telling us where you were going? Shane was pretty upset. Brody: I won't do that again. Gigi: So where were you? Brody: I went to A.A. Gigi: You went to an A.A. meeting? Brody: You're the one who said I needed to go. Gigi: I just didn't expect you to actually do it. Brody: Maybe you'll expect a little bit more out of me from now on. Gigi: So how was it? Brody: It wasn't my thing. Gigi: Oh. Brody: Gigi, I'm not like those people. They wake up in the morning thinking about their first drink. That's not my problem. Gigi: So what is your problem exactly? Brody: I haven't figured it out yet. The last few years, I've just been avoiding it. Now I promise, I'm going to deal with it so no one else has to. Gigi: Good. Because I can't really trust you around Shane if you don’t. Brody: I'm not just doing this so I can be around Shane. I'm doing it so I can be around you, too. Gigi: I don't know what to say. Brody: You can't be surprised. I'm crazy about Shane, but you had to know he's not the only reason I've been hanging around here. Gigi: Brody, if I've given you the wrong idea -- Brody: I'm not saying that. Gigi, from the time I said goodbye to you at that bus station and went away on my first tour, all I thought about was you and getting back home to marry you and start a family. That's what kept me going. And then my mother told me that lie about you running off with another guy. Gigi: What a bitch she was. Brody: In spades. I'll never forgive her for lying to me about you. Gigi: I'll never forget the day she told me you were dead. Even though she knew it wasn't true. All I could think about was what you must have gone through. All the way on the other side of the world, what had to go through your mind. Brody: You were broken up? Gigi: Yeah. I was almost eight months along. All the plans you and I made, the future I thought I had, it was just gone. I couldn't stop crying. And I really couldn't stop thinking about you dying all alone. So, when I made up that story about you dying a hero, I didn't just make it up for Shane, I made it up for myself, too. Brody: Why did you tell Shane I was his father instead of Rex? Gigi: I had a choice to make. I could either tell him that his father was a guy who got me pregnant in high school and ran off without a word, or I could tell him that his father was a guy who loved us and -- and only left us because he had to go serve his country. Brody: That's a better story for a kid. Gigi: It wasn't really a story, Brody, because you were willing to take care of the both of us. To raise another man's child. Brody, you came into my life and you took care of me when no one else gave a damn. Brody: That didn't make me a hero. Gigi: Yeah, in my eyes, it did. And -- and Shane loved the story. That's why every time I told it, I would add a little bit more to it. Brody: Like what? Gigi: Like -- (sighs) Like you saving all of the guys in your company. Like you risking your life to save an Iraqi child. To hear me tell it, you fought that whole war all by yourself. And now Shane’s convinced that -- that you were something that nobody could ever hope to be. So, I -- I guess I set you up to fail. I'm really sorry about that. Brody: You don't have anything to be sorry about. Gigi: Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Look at this mess I've dumped in your lap. Brody: Gigi, you're wrong about all of that. Look, I've been drinking too much since I mustered out. A lot of officers do that. I'm pretty much the man you and Shane made me out to be. Gigi: Shane thinks you're a superhero. Brody moves close to her and touches her hair and lets his fingers drift along her face. Brody: I came back from the dead, didn't I? Isn't that what superheroes do? Brody moves in and tries to kiss her.
July 25, 2008
At the Carriage House, Brody and Gigi are in the living room. He has just tried to kiss her. Gig jumps back . Gigi: Excuse me, what do you think you're doing? Brody: Um, trying to kiss you? Gigi: Um, I don't think so. Brody: Why not? A second ago, it felt like -- it felt like you wanted me to. At least that's how it felt to me. You telling me I'm wrong about that? Gigi: Brody, we've talked about this. Brody: I know, and I'm tired of talking. Gigi: Well, I'm sorry if I -- if I've given you any mixed signals, but talking is where I draw the line. Brody: Let me get this straight. I'm not married, you're not married. We're living together raising Shane as our son -- Gigi: Okay, but that's the thing. He's not our son, he's my son. Mine and -- Brody: That kid means everything to me. I'd do anything for him. I'd lay down my life for him. And for you. Gigi: I know you would, and that means so much to me, you have no idea. But, Brody, I -- Brody: But what? One little kiss is a crime? Gigi: It's just -- it's wrong. I'm sorry; I just don't feel that way about you. Brody: Gigi, I'm not an idiot. I looked into your eyes, you looked into mine, and something happened. We had a connection. We have a connection. Gigi: Okay, of course we do. We have a connection, uh, because you're my friend. But I -- I -- Brody: You love Rex. I know. I don't like it, I sure as hell don't get it, but I know. So fine, fine. If you need me to say it, I'll say it. I won't try to kiss you anymore. Gigi: Thank you. Brody: But you can't make me say, "I won't want to." Gigi: (sighs) Brody, please. I've managed to get Shane and myself in a really big mess. I just don't want to screw up his life any more than I already have. Brody: You haven't screwed up anything. Shane's a great kid. Gigi: Yeah, a great kid who's been lied to by his mother for his whole life. I have to -- I have to figure out how I'm going to handle all of this, so that means I -- I -- Brody: I promise, I won't do anything to make your life more complicated than it already is. Gigi: Thank you. Now I really -- I have to get some sleep. Brody: Long day? Gigi: Yeah, and another one tomorrow, starting with the early shift at the diner. Brody: Hey, could you wake me up before you leave? Gigi: I'm leaving real early. Brody: I'll deal. I need to start looking for a job. Gigi: In that case, I'll be sure to wake you up. Brody: Get some rest. Hey, Gigi? Gigi: Yeah? Brody: I'm glad we talked it out. Gigi: I am, too.
Later, Brody is in the living room dressed for bed. He is looking out of the window of the front door and holding a letter in his hand. He reads the letter. Gigi's voice: "Dear Brody, I got your letter yesterday. I can't believe it's already been three months since I watched you get on that bus to leave. It's so sweet that you're excited about coming back and marrying me and the two of us raising my baby, but you need to focus on taking care of yourself. It's dangerous where you are and I don't want anything to happen to you. We can plan for the future when you're back here, safe and sound. By the way, I had another sonogram today. I'm definitely having a boy, as if I didn't know from the moment I found out I was pregnant. It's nice to know for sure, though. And I'm definitely sticking with the name we talked about, Shane. The nurse at the doctor's office thought it was a great name. Take care of yourself. Gigi. P.S. Still no word from Rex. I guess he's never coming back." Gigi comes down the steps and sees him. Gigi: Brody. Brody: I thought you'd be asleep by now. Gigi: I wanted to get some water. What are you looking at? Brody: (holds up the letter) Remember this? Gigi: (takes the letter and reads it) You kept this all these years? Brody: That was the last letter I ever got from you. Gigi: It was two days after I wrote this letter that your mother told me you had been killed. She must have really hated the idea of you raising another man's child. Brody: I'll never forgive her for that. Gigi: What's done is done. (sees the sonogram picture) You saved this, too? Brody: Yeah, no way I was going to lose that picture or that letter. They got me through some really bad times. They still do. Gigi hands the letter and picture back to him. Gigi: Just make sure Shane doesn't see this, okay? Brody: Don't worry. Gigi: Seems like a lifetime ago. Brody: Yeah, it used to seem that way to me, too, but not anymore. Gigi: Well, I, uh -- I'm going to get back to sleep. Good night. Brody: Good night. Gigi walks up the stairs and Brody looks at her longingly.
JULY SCENE 5
Scenes from the Back Deck
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