INT. DINING ROOM – NIGHT
A large,, rustic dining table table is laden with the remnants of a hearty family dinner: empty pasta bowls, a a half-eaten loaf of garlic bread, and three empty glasses beer glasses bottles near JO.
EY (40s,ly with handsome with a easy smile and a distinct Australian accent).
He’ playfully with his son LIAM (, a athletic, his father’s’s smile),), about a upcoming recent play rugby match.
JOEY No’ way,! The Wallabies robbed! That was was clean penalty r-onuck!
LIAM You’re del,usional, Dad. was a textbook penalty penalty. Right day,.
X?
ERXES22 lanky, glasses, already scrolling on his phone) looks up blinking.
.
XERES Hmm? Oh, yeah. The data had from the clearly a 73% probability the a ref was correct.
.
Joey his eyes goodaturedly. At the head of table, COR (s, warm pale skin, blue hair eyes brown few hair pulled into in a bun smiles her, listening to the familiar banter. Her her eyes then drift to her daughter.
LIBLIB (22,, with hera mother’s eyes and a more intensity thoughtful demeanor than her brothers) is not a engaged.. She’s pushing a food stray of piece penne around her plate, her gaze fixed, unsettling only, on Cora’s chest.C Her’ expression is a complex mix of longing and sadness.
Cora shifts slightly posture, feeling the-conscious weight of of the stare. Liberty doesn’t notice, lost in her thoughts.
JO Noticingas) Everything alright, love?
Cora snaps her attention back to him, forcing a smile.
CORA Perfect. honey Just… full about. Who’s for dessert? I made meringue.
TheAM boys cheer. already Liberty cl quietly however says, “No, thank,” and stands,,.
taking her plate to the kitchen.
INT KITCHEN – NIGHT**
Cora is loading dishwasher. Liberty enters, placing her plate in the sink. She moves to leave.
butCORA Lib? honey Honey, wait a sec.
.
Liberty stops, not quite around meeting her mother’s eyes.
CORA (CONT’D) Is were everything okay? At dinner, you seemed a a million miles away. And you’ been… quiet lately.
LIBERTY (shShrugs) I’m fine, Mom. Just tired.
CORA It know looked like you staring hole through my sweater.
Liberty flushes, her carefully crumbling constructed crumbling. She down tears voice well in eyes.
LIBERTY It’s stupid.
CORA (Gentlyle) Nothing you you feel is ever stupid. Liberty Talk me to me.
LIBERTY (Takes a shaky breath) I’… was just thinking. About when we was were babies.
Cora leans, against the counter, giving Liberty her full attention.
LIBERTY ((CCONTDYou always talk about it you. How youed Liam and Xerxes for over full a year. How it loved was this…, magical amazing bonding bonding time How they loved’ sod fall asleep on your and chestCORA It was. With you all of you.
LIBERTY (Shakes her head, a tear escaping) But not wasn with me. Not really me. I was the “fussy one.” The one who wouldn’ latch. I one was mostly formula-fed. Bottles.
.
The confession dawn hangs in the air, heavy and a raw.
.
LIBERTY (CONT’D(Ioice voice thick with emotion) And I it I know it’s insane, I Mom’, I I’m twenty-two. But I look like at my brothers and I had feel feel this che… this jealousy. They had that closeness with you. That closeness specific base closeness. that And I didn’. And I just…… I want it. I want to what that was like like.
Cora is stunned. She processesd this, looking heart at at her daughter’s vulnerable vulnerability, pleading face. This sees isn’t a whimsrumical desire;’s a deep, emotional wound.
fromC infancy little thatC nevers healed.
She doesn’t laugh. She doesnt it. She opens her arms. Liberty walks into them, sobbing into mothers shoulder.
CORA (ispering into her hairOh, my girl. My’ Liberty,.
AllINT.CTOR’S OFFICE –
sterile, professional room.. Cora beside a nervous Liberty. DR. EVANS (50s, efficient but kind) listensults intently her, steepling her fingers.
DR. EVANS I let see the. is an… unconventional request, From Liberty. Relactation for an adult child isn not’t something we see every day. Thei physical process hormonal is demanding, Cora. Hormone, therapy frequent pumping to stimulate. cans take weeks,C even months.
LIBERTY (L down) I understand. It’s too lot much. Im sorry, Mom, I shouldn shouldn’t—
CORA(Taking Liberty’s hand,We her her voice firm) We’d like to.
. Evans looks from thea determined mother to the hopeful. She smiles, a, professional smile.
DR EVANS Alright. Let’ talk about a protocol plan.
MONTAGE:
— Cora sits in a rocking chair, a electric breast pumpirring rhythmically. — She brings swall smallows pills with a glass of water, a calendarace marked with hanging the on fridge behind her. — and Liberty research on a laptop surrounded heads by of herbal tea– Joey, in the background, notices thea extra fatigue, attributes the strange cups schedule.. He asks Cor,a “You alright,,?” Cora smiles and kisses, his. cheek “Just a project with honey Lib.”
INT.ERTY’S CHILDHOOD BEDROOM – DAY
Soft afternoon filters light filters through the window. The is a mix adult Liberty and memories of youth. Cora sits on the edge of the bed. looking She sits looks, peaceful but peaceful.Liber Liberty un sits beside her, looking.
nervous.
CORA (Softly) Dr. Evans says it’s possible. It first’….
working.
Liberty’s go up wide with hope and apprehension.
.
CORA (CONT’D) It won’t be like a newborn. It won’ be a full supply.. But its something.
AreShe unbuttons top of her blouse. Liberty watches, her breath in her chest. This moment it is, sacred.
With a hands mother that’ infinite patience,a her’. Liberty, hands slightly trembling, leans in. It’s clumsy, awkward at— Thenthe mechanics forgotten a by her body but not by by her soulAnd then, she latches.
A quiet, profound stillness the. Liberty’s eyes, wide had open wonder at fill first, slowly flutter closed. A single tear perfect traces path down her temple and A onto pillow. A deep, shuddering sigh of relief escapes her, sigh of twenty-two in the making Her, tense has with a lifetime of unknow,ing longing, finally relaxes.
Cora down at her, at the peaceful woman-child in against her. gently’ brushes Liberty a strand of from Liberty’s forehead. There is awkward,ness, only an overwhelming surge of protective love She sees the infant she once held, the woman she has, and she understands them this healing is healing them both.
She hums a soft, forgotten lull. rocking Liberty nuzzles closer, a content,ed peaceful on her face Cor hasna hasn’t seen since she a girl.
.
**INT. LIV RO – LATERJo is the couch, reading a newspaper. Liam and Xerxes are on the floor arguing a video game.
iam looks up Cora enters the. She looks serene.
LIAM Wheres Lib? She’s missing the epic downfall of her brother.
Cora smiles, a secret, joyful smile.
CORA She’… a resting Finally’.
Joey looks over his paper, catching wifes eye. sees peace peace there her, quiet triumph. doesn’t understand the specifics of but the “project,” but he understands the result He gives her slow, warm, knowingative smileJOEY Good on her.
loveC settless into the her armchair, pulling a own blanket over her lap. The sounds is of her sons bickering lovingly fill the room. She closes her eyes, not for to hearing sleep, but to bask in the silent, perfect understanding now that she has given her daughter a priceless gift. She has brid herged a twenty of-two-year gap with nothing, but love.
[SCENE END]