“The Bonus Baby” 7.0 BY Feeney Lan
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FADE IN. 1. INT. LAKE HOUSE LIVING ROOM – DAY We see two families in a cozy lake house. Three Asian children EMILY, EVELYN, ELLIOTT (all older than 11 y/o) are chasing each other, and two Caucasian ADULTS CHRISTINE and LISA are talking. It is loud. In the corner, a Caucasian boy, JORDAN (6 years old), is building a tall Lego set, and he keeps turning around to watch other kids playing. He puts the last piece on top of his building, and then carefully takes his finished piece up from the table to show other kids. He takes a few steps towards them when Elliott accidentally bumps into his Legos, knocking them to the floor and breaking the Legos into pieces. Jordan jumps to his feet, highly upset and angry. JORDAN (screaming) Hey! Look what you did?!! He turns to his mom. We also hear Lisa, the mom to Evelyn and Elliott, scolding them for the mess in the background. JORDAN (continue screaming) Mommy!!! They broke my Legos! Jordan’s mom Christine walks over to him. CHRISTINE I see that Jordan. It was just an accident. Please lower your voice, and go over to them and say… Jordan interrupts his mom, and he walks toward his room with his head down, stomping his feet on the floor loudly. JORDAN (loudly) It’s not fair! Evelyn looks at the Lego pieces on the floor, and then up at the door Jordan closes behind him. EVELYN (murmuring) Oops… we made him upset. Emily, Jordan’s sister, is watching some funny short videos on her phone and she laughs out loud. JORDAN (yells inside his room) It’s not funny!!! EMILY
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I’m not laughing at you, little bro! 2. INT. JORDAN’S ROOM – DAY Jordan sits against the door and he still looks pretty upset. CUT TO: 3. EXT. DINING TABLE OUTSIDE – DAY Jordan sits by the table without touching his food. We hear summer cicadas, breezes rustle through leaves, and other people’s conversations while eating. Christine and Emily sit next to him, and Emily is looking and laughing at something on her phone. Jordan tries to peep what’s on her phone. Emily turns her phone away from him. EMILY Jordan, eat! Jordan sighs and turns back to his food, but he sees Christine’s phone instead. He speaks to Christine’s ears. JORDAN Mommy, can I please have your phone? CHRISTINE Not now, Jordan. You need to finish your lunch first. JORDAN (impatient) But Emily is on her phone! CHRISTINE Look, Emily is done eating, and the other kids are finishing their meals. Please sit down and finish yours. We see through Jordan’s P.O.V. that the other people are eating and talking to one another. Jordan looks down and grunts. We hear Christine conversing with others as well. CUT TO: 4. EXT. WOODS – DAY All the kids are hiking in the woods. Everyone looks happy and relaxed except Jordan, who keeps his head down and walking. EVELYN (points into the woods) Remember last year when our
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international student got lost in these woods? ELLIOTT Yeah, we were looking for her for so long. Jordan looks up in the direction Evelyn points out, so do everyone else. EVELYN Where was she from again? EMILY Somewhere in southern China. ELLIOTT (excited) Hey, I’m from China too!!! EVELYN We know that, Elliott. We were all adopted from China. Silence. JORDAN (hesitant) …was I adopted from China too? EMILY (chuckle) No, JoJo. You were from mommy’s belly, and we weren't expecting you! You were a… ELLIOTT (teasing) Accident! Emily and Evelyn can’t help to chuckle. Jordan is getting mad. He screams and runs away from the group. JORDAN (screams) STOP IT! You guys are so mean! Emily and Elliott are calling his name, and Evelyn is following him. Jordan keeps running forward screaming, covering his ears with both hands. Eventually he yells and stops running, only to find himself alone in the woods. He walks slowly and aimlessly, holding his arms around. He looks around the empty woods, and then above to the sky. The sunlight pierces through branches and leaves to cast silhouettes and shadows.
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JORDAN (voiceover) Hello? CUT TO: Evelyn’s walking in the woods and calls for Jordan. Her shoes and clothes are wet and dirty. She observes some movements and catches some noise behind a tree. Evelyn just keeps walking. EVELYN You come or not, I’m leaving. Jordan behind the tree sighs deeply, and he eventually walks out after hesitating for a few seconds. He follows in a distance behind Evelyn. Silence for a while. EVELYN I wanted to buy the set of Legos that you built this morning. But I didn't. No response from Jordan. He looks up at Evelyn shortly but keeps walking quietly. 5. INT. JORDAN’S BEDROOM - EVENING Jordan is sitting on his bed with a blanket around his shoulders, and his mom Christine is standing next to him. CHRISTINE What’s wrong Jordan? Jordan looks down at his dangling feet, and he takes a deep breath to look up in his mom’s eyes. JORDAN (hesitant and frustrated) …Mommy, why did you choose Emily but not me? CHRISTINE (confused) I don’t understand. What makes you say that? JORDAN (upset) Elliott said I was an accident. CHRISTINE That’s not true. You weren’t an accident at all. You were a surprise. A very happy surprise.
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(pause to contemplate for secs) You’re our bonus baby! JORDAN (surprised) …So you did want me? CHRISTINE Of course we wanted you! Jordan stretches his arms to give his mom a hug, smiling. JORDAN I love you, mommy. CHRISTINE Aw, I love you too, Jordan. Jordan oversees 4 Lego people on the bedside table. JORDAN Now can I go out and play? CHRISTINE Absolutely. Have fun. Jordan hops off from the bed and runs outside 6. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY to collect his Legos, but finds out that the three other kids are working on it. ELLIOTT Hi buddy. I’m really sorry about breaking your legos this morning. We’re trying to rebuild it for you. JORDAN Thanks, Elliott! (looks up to look at Evelyn) Thank you, Evelyn. Jordan sits down to work with them. When they finish the final piece, they take it together to show their parents. Lisa and Christine hold their kids by their arms and kiss them on their foreheads. We see Christine from Jordan’s P.O.V., she smiles with pride on her face. We see Jordan and Emily from Christine’s P.O.V., and they bring big and bright smiles on their faces. We see the finished Lego set on the table while we hear laughs of both the kids and adults in the background. FADE OUT.