The Life That's Actually Here

1. Act 1

2. 
   

3. INT. LIVING ROOM - 18:00

4. 
   

5. The table is set with a laptop. PETER sits beside his WIFE. On the screen is a memorial page of STEPHANIE looking towards the camera with a rocky coastline and deep blue sea in the background. They listen, heads bowed, as someone speaks.

6. 
   

7. PETER (V.O.): That's Donald, Stephanie's husband.

8. 
   

9. Later, a young man speaks.

10. 
    

11. WIFE: He's Johnny, Stephenie's first son...married now...and her third son Martini is doing well.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O): I'm worried about Tony - Stephenie's second son. He has Down syndrome.

14. 
    

15. MONTAGE OF SWIMMING AT THE LONDON AQUATIC CENTRE (July 2014)

16. 
    

17. A. TONY held onto the pool edge, just watching the water.

18. 
    

19. B. Then, suddenly, he just lets go, paddling hard straight towards Peter and grabbing him tight.

20. 
    

21. C. STEPHANIE is so proud she nearly cries.

22. 
    

23. END MONTAGE

24. 
    

25. JOHNNY (from screen):..When I asked Tony where's Mamie now? He points at his heart.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. EXT. RIVERSIDE PARK - 17:45

30. 
    

31. Peter and his wife walk. Their dog KAJI sniffs along the path. They walk in silence for a long moment.

32. 
    

33. WIFE: Do you hear what Johnny said about Tony?

34. 
    

35. PETER: I heard.

36. 
    

37. WIFE: She's in his heart. He knows. He just...knows.

38. 
    

39. They walk a few more steps.

40. 
    

41. PETER: I keep thinking of that trip that you organised. Dubrovik - Mostar - Sarajevo - Split - Plitivice Lakes - Zagreb.

42. 
    

43. WIFE: Nine of us flew in from Hong Kong; Stephenie and Tony from Milton Keynes. We met at Dubrovnik Airport - we had arrived a bit earlier.

44. 
    

45. FLASHBACK

46. 
    

47. INT. ARRIVAL HALL, DUBROVNIK AIRPORT - 17:45 (July 2017)

48. 
    

49. The automatic doors slide open. Stephanie emerges, pulling two suitcases. Tony follows, but stops just past the doors. His eyes are scanning.

50. 
    

51. PETER: Hi Stephanie. Hi Tony.

52. 
    

53. Tony takes a step forward. Then another, straight to Peter. He stops inches from him. Looks up into his face. Studies him. The eyes. The hair. The hands.

54. 
    

55. STEPHANIE: He's uncle Peter!

56. 
    

57. TONY: Pool.

58. 
    

59. PETER: That's right. The pool.

60. 
    

61. Tony's face changes. A slow, beautiful smile spreads across his face. He reaches out and takes Peter's hand. Stephanie watches from a few feet away.

62. 
    

63. STEPHANIE: Three years and he walks straight to Peter. Straight to him.

64. 
    

65. WIFE: He knew. He always knew.

66. 
    

67. They stand like that for a long moment. Tony holding Peter. Peter holding Tony.

68. 
    

69. EXT. PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK - 17:45 (July 2017)

70. 
    

71. The sun slants through pine trees. Exhaustion hangs in the air. The GROUP of 11 people emerges from the entrance.

72. 
    

73. WIFE: The hotel has booked a big taxi for us.

74. 
    

75. PETER: One car? For all of us?

76. 
    

77. Later, a minivan pulls up. It's meant for eight. May be. The side door slides open with a screech. The group stares.

78. 
    

79. PETER (Cont'd): Is that legal?

80. 
    

81. DRIVER: 11 people? No problem. You just...organise.

82. 
    

83. PETER (Cont'd): This is no way. No way we all fit.

84. 
    

85. WIFE: We'll fit. Humans are flexible.

86. 
    

87. STEPHANIE: Tony needs space. He can't -

88. 
    

89. PETER: Tony sits with me. Front seat. Passenger side. I'll hold him.

90. 
    

91. Peter sits. Tony climbs onto his lap like a tired child, curling against him. Head on Peter's shoulder. Peter's arms go around him, steadying. The van sinks lower on its suspension.

92. 
    

93. STEPHANIE: Tony trusts him completely. Absolutely.

94. 
    

95. INT. DEPARTURE HALL, ZAGREB AIRPORT - 14:00 (July 2017)

96. 
    

97. A. Tony stands beside Peter. He looks up at him, Studies his face. The same intense examination as the airport in Dubrovnik, 11 days ago. He nods, satisfied.

98. 
    

99. B. Stephanie touches Tony's arm. Time to go. Having taken another look at Peter, Tony steps back and takes Stephanie's hands. They walk towards the security check. Tony doesn't look back.

100. 
     

101. RETURN TO PRESENT

102. 
     

103. Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. LIVING ROOM - 23:10

106. 
     

107. Peter uploads a photo of a screen showing Stephanie in a wide-brimmed hat leaning on a white railing by the sea to a draft on his laptop.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.): We spend so long chasing the life we should have, we completely miss the life that's quietly living us.

110. 
     

111. Thinking.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The life that's actually here doesn't need your permission to exist. It only needs your attention.

114. 
     

115. Reflecting.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And once you give it that - once you really look - you realize it's been waiting for you all along. 

118. 
     

119. The END

120. 
     

121. FADE OUT