REBEKAH’S CLOSET

8/14/18

Log line: In Paris before the Millennium, a young American woman struggles to escape her horrific past, and learn to love again.

INT. REBEKAH’S PARIS LOFT BEDROOM, LATE 1990S, EARLY MORNING

Through the bedroom window we see the Eiffel Tower, and a crescent Moon. 

Rebekah is dreaming in her apartment in Paris.

Rebekah is delicate, yet strong, fairy-like, eclectic, artistic. Pixie haircut. 

She is in the Louvre, following a strange but wonderful, ghost-like older man. He is dressed as an academic. He is magical. Latin American. Wise. 

As he walks through the Greek sculpture hall, everything begins to glow and come to life. 

Rebekah is amazed. 

The strange man turns and walks toward her...

Rebekah wakes up, still catching her breath. Looks at her golden fairy watch on the bedside table. Late for work! 

INT. TAILORING SHOP, PARIS, DAY

The shop has recently been updated by painting each wall a different, luscious color. 

Arrives at work at the tailoring shop with her friends Riassa and Jeanne. The older women are more mature and caring, rather than competitive. 

Rebekah is extremely sensitive, shy, with beautiful eyes. Artist. Goth Fairy.

Riassa is an energetic, keen, svelte woman. Late fifties.

Long hair she keeps in a bun, out of her way. Today she has red-rimmed eyeglasses with tiny rhinestones, from which her soft brown eyes sparkle. 

Warm woven two-piece suit with the skirt just above the knee, vintage, nice details.  

Her bracelet has charms, and makes cool sounds as she walks, moves, gesticulates.  

She moves her hands as she talks, with the grace of a dancer, soft angles, poetic fingers. She puts on black gloves with red faux fur fringe, getting ready to leave.

Jeanne is all smooth, clean lines. Early sixties. 

Hair, cut chin length, in angles like light coming from her head. Her hair has whimsy, playfulness. 

Her eyes are big, and her mouth is lean, as if she were a cat. 

She’s wearing jeans, sweater, boots, red lipstick, chandelier earrings for a bit of fun today. 

She is modern, casual and clean.

REBEKAH

Sorry I’m late! I was having a great dream ...

JEANNE

What was it about?

REBEKAH

The strange man, but this time in the Louvre, the Greek sculpture hall.

RIASSA

Strange man?

JEANNE

She dreams about a magical Latin American man. 

REBEKAH

He is delightful. Maybe one day he’ll tell me his name. 

RIASSA

Sounds like fun!

REBEKAH

He’s so different from Matt, from anyone I’ve ever known.

RIASSA

Well anything is better than an abusive ex. I’m glad you have the strange man.

REBEKAH

Me, too. I can’t believe it’s been a month since I’ve gotten here. Thank you, both, so much.

JEANNE

You are a blessing!

RIASSA

Yes!

REBEKAH

Thank you ... I will do my best for you! ... Matt still gives me the chills. 

JEANNE

I’m so glad you are safe now with us.

The women turn to the work at their sewing machines again.

EXT. LATIN QUARTER, PARIS, NIGHT

Montage:

That night they go out to the Latin Quarter. They have a lovely meal, then walk from club to club. Rebekah is shy of meeting anyone new. 

Rebekah does notice this incredible man here and there during the night. 

Their eyes lock, but the man is distracted by a waiter passing by with a large load of drinks, and they lose each other in the crowd.

INT. REBEKAH’S PARIS LOFT, THAT NIGHT

Back in her studio, Rebekah dabbles in her work studio for a bit. 

We see Rebekah among all of her tools, sewing machine, dress forms. Her handmade, poetic, classic gowns of velvet, silk. 

Looks through her finished gowns. 

Some she has hand painted and written on with lines of poetry. 

Each of them has a secret pocket, where she has written out a favorite poem for the woman who will wear the gown.

Suddenly, she has a flash back, overwhelmed, frustrated, she moves to the kitchen and sits down at the table. Rebekah puts her head in her hands. Moves her hands. Eyes wide, in shock.

Rebekah stares off into the distance until the shock passes. 

Gets up and walks toward the light at the window. Stares out the window. 

Shivers and shakes her head, trying to snap out of the fog.

REBEKAH

I have to distract myself somehow ... 

Makes some tea. Lights some candles. Puts on Chris Whitley, Dirt Floor.

Rebekah feels so exhausted emotionally, aching physically, but she goes to create in her studio. 

Rebekah is at her work table. Touches pieces of black silk velvet she has cut for a dress. Turns on a light overhead. 

Studies her design for a long, lean black velvet and cream gown. 

It has clean lines, long sleeves, a neckline that curves just over the shoulders. Deep V point in the back, another point in the front. 

It frames the face with a low decolletage, just enough. Straight hem except for a fluted tail. 

The velvet pieces are like a black cat under her hands. Rebekah suddenly laughs at the piece of fabric, whispering to it.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Pretty!

Flashbacks and alters are coming up, and she has trouble focusing for a few moments. Stares off into the distance, hugging herself.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, 1973, WEEKNIGHT

The 1970s TV show and commercials are in the background.

Daddy is in his easy chair, reading the paper. Rebekah walks by and Daddy looks up.

DADDY

Let me see your fingernails.

Rebekah dutifully offers her clean hands, but Daddy shakes his head.

DADDY

Let me do it.

He puts down the paper. Rebekah climbs up into his lap. A bit too big for this, in the third grade. 

Rebekah gives each hand to Daddy, to be inspected, cleaned further, clipped perfectly, for some time. 

Eventually Daddy is done.

REBEKAH

Thank you.

She kisses Daddy on the cheek and he blushes up to his ears. He doesn’t smile.

DADDY

Go on, now!

Shooing her out of his lap, Daddy reaches for the newspaper again.

Rebekah admires her nails and goes to the floor to watch TV.

INT. REBEKAH’S BACK YARD, SUMMER AFTER FOURTH GRADE, 1974, DAY

Rebekah is in the garden with her dog, imagining that the inside of an iris is a room. 

For her, it is Jeanne’s bottle home, from the TV show I Dream of Jeanne. 

A way for her to escape ... A beautiful velvet-covered room, full of enormous purple, pink, and lilac cushions, where no one will bother her ... 

The room explodes like a delicate bubble ... 

Rebekah is back into the painful reality of now ...

REBEKAH GRABS HER CHEST TRYING TO BREATHE. A spiral of pain in her chest ... 

MAMA

Serves you right for daydreaming.

This is a voice, one of many, in her head. Rebekah shakes her head. Dizzy, hot. Overwhelmed.

Rebekah walks slowly back along the now-scorched green grass of a July Summer, and her loyal dog follows her.

INT. INSIDE THE HOUSE, KITCHEN, DAY

Inside the kitchen, the world is close, oppressive. Incredibly tidy. Brown wood-panelled kitchen. Harvest gold accessories. 

Rebekah feels hotter than she did outside. 

Pale cool linoleum feels good on her bare feet. 

Gets water for the dog. 

She walks into the immaculate den so clean it’s like no one really lives here.

Her older brothers Larry and Jack are watching TV. 

The oldest, Larry, grabs her and takes her down the long hall to the other side of the house, to Mama and Daddy’s bedroom. 

Larry has a sixties bowl cut. Everything about him is lanky, loose, not caring how he looks. He is not as handsome as his brother. 

Jack is almost the exact opposite. Tee shirt, jeans, all in the current fashion. His hair is wild and long. 

Dazzling smile, but so mean. Jealous middle child.

The color scheme of Mama and Daddy’s bedroom is delicate. Fine botanical prints on the walls. 

Mama’s dresser with perfume bottles. Four poster bed. White perfect sheers at the windows. Silk curtains. 

Larry ties Rebekah’s hands behind her back with rope. She is used to it by now.

LARRY

You're really in biggggg trouble! 

REBEKAH

What did I do?

Larry leaves her tied up on the floor. Jack comes in. 

Larry shakes his head, and leaves, closing the bedroom door.

Jack reaches into Daddy’s closet and selects a black wing tip shoe. 

He begins beating Rebekah on the head with the heel.

Rebekah tries not to cry, but can’t help it.

JACK

Don't you know what you've done?

REBEKAH

No ...

Rebekah is crying repeatedly between beatings on the back of the head, only now she’s also trying not to pass out. 

Finally Jack says, 

JACK

Don't ever look at me that way again!

REBEKAH

Okay!

Jack leaves her there on the floor. Leaves the bedroom.

On the floor, Rebekah is in and out of awareness for some time ...

Larry comes in eventually and unties Rebekah. 

Larry lifts Rebekah up to standing, holding her but not really comforting her. 

LARRY

If you tell, you're gonna get it from both of us. Sex slave!

Rebekah, nods, angry as hell, but trying to keep it to herself. 

Dissociating, she walks down the hall to her bedroom. Weaving.

Gets in bed, under the covers, and cries, into two well-loved, stuffed animals.

She doesn’t make a sound.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT. 1990S

Rebekah is staring off into the distance, hugging herself, rocking back and forth. 

Suddenly something in her snaps, an alter changes, and she shouts.

REBEKAH

I’m not staying in bed!

Rummages through her closet briefly. 

Eclectic collection of clothing. Lots of black. A classic thread throughout. Gossamer. Tulle. Silk. 

She looks in a long mirror in the back of the closet.

REBEKAH

Who am I really? Pieces of all of you?

She puts her hand to her head from time to time, as if that will stop the pain. 

We see her flashbacks like floating snapshots, mini movies that are real to her, when she does this.

EXT. REBEKAH’S GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE, CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA, 1968, DAY

Sweltering Summer afternoon. Cicadas of late July. Songbirds in the tall oak trees. Drowsy passing cars. 

Rebekah’s family is outside after church in their finest. 

Family photograph taken with a timer by Larry, the photographer in the family. Picture perfect smiles. 

Relieved, everyone goes inside to cool off. 

INT. REBEKAH’S GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE, SAME DAY

Formal living room with fine antiques. Silk curtains, sheers.

Everyone is sitting formally. Mama and Daddy are reading the paper while everyone else fidgets in the heat. 

Great Aunt Helen, richly coifed but relaxed, fans herself passionately. 

Rolls her eyes at the ceiling. Sips sherry from her crystal goblet on the side table. 

Sitting next to her is Great Aunt Luanne, the knowing schoolteacher. 

Plain. Pursed lips. Dressed humbly in a prim suit. She’s also fanning in the heat. 

Keenly observing Daddy with narrow, piercing eyes. 

Granma, Daddy’s mother, is sitting next to Luanne. 

Wearing a floral print dress. Skin powder-white with talcum, melting nonetheless without a fan. 

Tamps herself instead with an embroidered handkerchief. 

Her eyes are unbelievably soft and kind toward everyone, especially toward Daddy, her son. He can do no wrong.

The boys, Larry and Jack, are in junior and high school.

Shifty-eyed. In their suits. Bursting inside from malevolent laughter and thoughts of wrongdoing. 

Daddy is reading the Sunday comics, Blondie, his favorite. 

Bald except for pale hair on the sides. Big ears. Freckles. Wire-rimmed glasses. 

He’s on auto-pilot, glazing on the scenes of the comic strip, wishfully. Peter Pan meets Dagwood, meets local bank official.

Nine-year-old daughter Frances, adorable, with curly long hair, ever the snitch, comes to the arm of Daddy’s chair.

DADDY

What now, Frances?

FRANCES

Rebekah’s staying with Granma now. She’s under the sewing machine.

The boys look at each other knowingly. Crack up laughing in an evil way. Stop suddenly. Make blank faces. 

Daddy cringes. Looks up at Mama, who gives him a cold, piercing glance. 

Mama is also perfectly coifed and dressed like Great Aunt Helen. But more formal. Prudish. 

Daddy tries to smile at her. But wilts under her gaze.

Mama purses her red lips. Forced by to look up from the Home and Garden section of The Atlanta Journal/Constitution. 

DADDY

What next?

There is a flutter of fans, eyes, and unspoken tension in the room in response, as he decides his next move. 

GRANMA

She’ll only listen to her Daddy.

Granma looks at Mama. Quickly looks away.

Daddy rolls his eyes. Winces. Weak smile. Shrugs. 

Fraps the comics down beside the chair. Huffs toward the kitchen.

Frances and the boys start to follow him ...

DADDY

Stay back!

They are all startled by Daddy’s sharp tone.

Daddy enters the kitchen through the sunlit dining room.

Granma’s kitchen is cheerful. Full of sunlight. 

Beautiful tiger lilies outside through checkered curtains. Painted cabinets shine. Black and white tiled floor. 

Granma’s ancient black Singer foot rocker sewing machine is next to the door to the outside.

Rebekah is under it, sucking her thumb. Four years old.

Shaking. Scared. Holding on to one leg of the sewing machine. 

Delicate and strong as a fairy child. Ghostly, long hair. Huge, soulful eyes, red and swollen from so much crying. 

When she hears Daddy, she makes herself as small as possible. 

She sees Daddy come in through the dining room door, and fresh tears start to roll down her cheeks. 

Her breath gets choppy. Hyperventilating.

Daddy doesn’t do or even say anything in her direction. He doesn’t even look Rebekah in the eye. 

Instead, Daddy slowly sits on the floor. Back and knees creaking with pain.

Daddy smokes one cigarette after another, blowing the smoke carefully away from Rebekah, thinking. 

Eventually Daddy turns to her and speaks. Startled by his voice, Rebekah comes out of a daze.

DADDY (CONT’D)

I promise things will be different. Please come home.

Convinced Daddy is telling the truth, Rebekah comes out from under the sewing machine. Relieved.

Rebekah sits in Daddy’s lap, hugging him, crying. Her face is joyous, wet with tears in the sunlight. 

But Daddy’s face is dissociated in the shadow. He feels nothing at all anymore. His eyes are veiled over, like that of the dead.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, SAME EVENING

After a great deal of effort mentally, emotionally, Rebekah manages a smile. Whispers again to the velvet, stroking it. Softly ...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

You’re like a cat! ...

Montage:

For special ruffles at the wrists, Rebekah will be cutting cream silk she has just unfolded onto her long work table. 

She has trouble focusing during the cutting of the fabric due to the flashbacks on abuse, but somehow cuts a straight line.

Rebekah has a rare smile at her work in the light of the skylight above. 

The tall lamp behind the dressmaker's torso glows. 

She is excited about her creation. Suddenly dizzy. Looks for something to hold on to. 

Takes a few moments to steady herself with the work table.

EXT. THE MCKENZIE FAMILY FARM, OUTSIDE CARTERSVILLE, GA, 1975, DAY

Daddy and Rebekah get out of Daddy’s truck. 

The battered, bleached brown, two-story Victorian farmhouse is boarded up behind them among the pine trees and blond grasses. Like a face with no eyes. 

The red dirt road runs toward the railroad tracks.

DADDY

You head on... I’ll call for you in about an hour...

REBEKAH

Okay ...

Rebekah walks slowly, pensively, off into the woods to the right of the truck and the house.

Daddy lights a cigarette and watches her, also pensive.

Rebekah loves Nature so much, touching the bark of the pine and other trees. 

Loving the smells of the old decaying leaves that crush when she walks. 

Tries to walk with as little noise as possible.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Like a Native American would walk ...

She smiles, watching her feet squashing the leaves, regretting the sound.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I wonder if tree fairies would ever come to me?

Rebekah stops and listens to everything in the forest. 

Hears a squirrel and jumps, startled. Laughs.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I hope they would. Maybe they’re asleep!

She continues to walk, with a strange half smile. Curious. 

Montage:

Deeper and deeper into the forest, noticing all the strange and familiar details, absorbing everything.

After a few hours ... Rebekah hears Daddy calling out her name from the truck, so she reluctantly turns back the way she came.

INT. INSIDE DADDY’S TRUCK, SAME DAY

They are back in the truck, rolling over the bumpy dirt road. Listening to classic country music on the radio. 

Trails of smoke from Daddy’s cigarette thread through the cabin. 

Back on the main road, Daddy clears his throat a few times. 

Rebekah knows he’s about to say something. Waits patiently.

DADDY

I have a surprise.

REBEKAH

Really?

DADDY

You’ll have to wait. Just down the road here.

Rebekah squirms. Tries to be patient. Beside herself with the thought of a surprise.

Daddy pulls off the road onto another farm, a brick ranch house. Parks.

DADDY (CONT’D)

Stay with me, okay?

REBEKAH

Okay.

Rebekah steps behind Daddy. Tentative along the sidewalk to the unfamiliar farmhouse, wondering what the surprise could be.

Daddy knocks on the front door. 

A nice older couple answer. Daddy introduces her. 

They are so gentle. Smiling sweetly, but not letting on to what the surprise could be.

Rebekah doesn’t know what to think. Excited.

DADDY

Okay, follow me.

And right there, through the house and out into the back yard, there is tied up on a regular old rope ...

The most beautiful female deer Rebekah has ever seen, in fact the ONLY deer Rebekah has ever seen in person.

Rebekah is astounded. Speechless. Daddy reaches out and pets the deer, as if it were nothing...

DADDY (CONT’D)

Now, do as I do ...

Rebekah reaches out then. 

Pets the deer, too, all the time, watching its gentle, huge deer eyes to see what it would think of her touch. 

Daddy stops touching it. 

It is just Rebekah interacting with the deer now. 

The deer responds positively, and suddenly Rebekah is bursting with tears. 

Daddy is angry and embarrassed.

DADDY (CONT’D)

I’m so sorry, I didn’t know she would do this.

Daddy firmly takes hold of Rebekah’s arm, jerking her away from touching the deer. 

DADDY (CONT’D)

Come on! It’s time for us to go. We’ve seen the deer now.

Rebekah can’t talk, nodding her head. Then, she is able to speak, haltingly, to the startled older couple.

REBEKAH

I’m ... sorry.

The nice farm couple are not sure what to think, and stand off a bit. 

Daddy nods and ushers Rebekah back through the house and into the truck.

On the way home in the truck, as the countryside curves and rolls by, Rebekah looks out the window. Crying and sniffling. Not sure what just happened.

DADDY

Why are you crying?

Rebekah is suddenly angry.

REBEKAH

I don’t know why I cry half the time!

DADDY

Well, you need to keep a stiff upper lip... Here I was trying to do something nice ...

REBEKAH

I know ...

Rebekah sighs. 

Looks out the window at the passing beautiful countryside. 

Perplexed. Stifled. Tears welling up again ...

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, LARRY AND JACK’S BEDROOM, 1968

1960s pop love songs play on a radio by the twin bed, where Larry and Rebekah are snuggled in together under the covers. 

She is four years old. He is fifteen, with braces, insecure. Lonely. She is innocent not knowing what they do is wrong.

REBEKAH 

When I hear these songs I think of you. 

She places her hand on his heart. 

Larry frowns.

LARRY 

I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.

Rebekah looks up at him, frowning.

LARRY 

You shouldn’t think of me like that.

REBEKAH 

They’re love songs! 

LARRY

I know...

Suddenly Jack rushes in, opening the door and cursing. Closes the door behind him. Curses again.

JACK

Godamnit! I told you!

Rebekah is shaken. Larry puts up a hand.

LARRY

We were just talking about that.

REBEKAH

About what?

JACK

You’re too old for this! 

He curses again. Grabs som clean clothes.

JACK

I’ve got to take a shower. You better not be here when I get back.

LARRY 

He’s right. You should go now. And not be this way again.

REBEKAH

Why? I don’t understand!

Jack leaves, slamming the door behind him. Larry pushes Rebekah away to make her get up.

She starts to cry. She realizes he won’t let her touch him. She is furious, hurt.

She grabs her clothes from the floor. Puts enough on to cross the hall to her room with any decency. She stomps out.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, EVENING

Rebekah is looking in the mirror of her dresser. Touches her face gently as if for the first time.

REBEKAH

I look so much like all of you ... 

Rebekah shakes her head takes a deep breath.

REBEKAH

I’m so confused, Daddy ... You taught me bird songs!

Montage:

Goes to her bookshelf, passing by her yoga mat and Buddhist alter. 

Stops by the Buddha. Puts her hand on its head lovingly.

Takes a moment to do four poses on the yoga mat. 

Starts to cry softly, but child’s pose gives her some relief, stretching her spine long.

Takes deep breaths and carefully gets off the mat. 

Goes over to the bookcase beyond the mat and Buddha.

Chooses a book of poetry by Mallarme. Thumbs through it until she finds "Apparition.” 

Puts the book down with a strip of fun cloth to mark the page. 

In her workspace, is a magic sky blue trunk. Rebekah has painted a midnight blue sky and beautiful stars inside the lid, which we seen as she opens it.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

What will you give me this time?

Rebekah pulls out a Japanese paint set and her calligraphy box. Places them carefully on the work table next to the cream silk. 

Carefully closes the magic trunk again, whoosh!

Writes out the poem "Apparition" in both French and English on the cream silk in her lovely handwriting. 

Speaks out various phrases from the poem aloud lovingly as she writes on the silk. 

Montage:

As she speaks, the action continues, so her voice become a layer.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

"The moon was grieving. Seraphim in tears, 

Musing in the calm of vaporous flowers

Were drawing, bow in hand, from sad violas 

Sobbing glissandos over blue corollas ~ 

It was the blessed day of your first kiss. 

My reverie, enraptured by the abyss,

Imbibed its wisdom from the sad perfume?

Which even the dreams we gather in full bloom 

Distill within the heart that gathers them.

My eyes on the worn stones, I wandered then, 

When suddenly you happened to appear, 

Laughing, with evening sunlight in your hair, 

And I thought I saw the fairy with the cap

Of light, who passed before my infant sleep, 

Opening her hands to scatter through the years 

Snowy bouquets of richly scented stars." 

Rebekah goes back to the magic trunk. Pulls out some of her acrylic paints, tubes of Cobalt and Cadmium Red. Prepares the paint, by mixing up small amounts with acrylic glaze on her palette. 

Rebekah paints small dots and splashes ever so slightly onto the silk around the words in calligraphy, for pop and contrast, excitement, until she is done. 

The silk, the words, flashes of color, float in the air above the work table as if they have a life of their own. 

Rebekah is thrilled, and laughs. Just as suddenly, her mood changes to sad.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

What a pity to cut it into sleeves.

Shaking her head, Rebekah pulls a piece of thinnest parchment out from her desk. 

Writes with the calligraphy set again, in French and English, this time on the paper. 

Sets the paper aside to dry overnight. 

Rebekah goes to her clothes closet, to ready for bed. 

Pulls out a hat box from the darkness. Takes it to the bed. 

Inside are mementos, family photos. 

She starts to go mad. 

Talks to the photographs as if her family were there. Pauses on a photo of her brother Larry.

REBEKAH

Why didn’t you treat me like your sister? I’d still be with you...

Rebekah eventually puts everything back in the box. 

Feels comforted somehow, softly soothed by the Moon in the windows, while she reads more Mallarme, until she falls asleep.

EXT. CENTRAL AMERICAN JUNGLE, TIME UNKNOWN, DREAM

Rebekah is dreaming:

She is walking through a lush forest, stopping to take photographs with her camera here and there. Entranced.

Sees movement ahead, and a strange woman appears, beautiful, mysterious.

Rebekah looks into her eyes to see if she can trust her. They smile, and Rebekah follows the woman ahead.

They reach a clearing where there is a fire and a ring of people sitting around it. 

They are all wearing many different types of clothes, some in various states of nudity. 

They make a space for Rebekah and the woman. Rebekah sits down, and the person next to her is the strange man!

He laughs. Speaks in a language she understands, but does not understand. 

Rebekah laughs and shakes her head at the strange man, looking around her.

No clothes or mannerisms stay with any one person for long. 

Sometimes they give each other things, but sometimes the clothes change on their own, to different time periods, colors, textures, customs.

This makes everyone laugh from time to time.

Everyone seems to be babbling along in languages that are a mix of what Rebekah knows and doesn’t know. 

She turns to the strange man, and suddenly it’s as if there was a big joke. 

Laughter rises from the group, as she looks at the strange man in wonder ...

EXT. NEARBY CAFE, MORNING

Montage:

Rebekah has a new early morning routine of stopping by a cafe near her apartment for coffee and pastries. 

Develops a relationship with the cafe owner, who is sensitive of her shyness. Rebekah eventually trusts him with a smile and a little small talk in French from high school. 

Today the owner notices she’s carrying a garment bag and asks what it is. 

Rebekah has brought a finished gown she designed, for Jeanne and Riassa to see. She is shy but carefully opens it to show it to him.

He’s very impressed. They exchange smiles.

INT. TAILORING SHOP, MORNING

Rebekah unveils the new gown to Riassa and Jeanne at work. They are enthralled, delighted with her work. 

Rebekah is still shy about her work, but the two older women encourage her.

The women listen to be bop jazz, celebrating the new gown with a bit of whiskey in their morning coffee mugs. 

JEANNE

It’s such a lovely gown! I’m proud of you.

RIASSA

We can check around with couture shops to see who might want to sell it.

Later, still listening to be bop jazz, the three women are sewing in various ways, cutting material, and working with customers. 

Riassa and Jeanne have to leave Rebekah alone at the shop for a while.

REBEKAH

What about counting change? You know I have trouble with that.

RIASSA

I promise we’ll right back. We have no choice. 

JEANNE

Just do your best til we get back.

Rebekah is upset but nods.

REBEKAH

I will. Please hurry back!

For a while the shop is quiet, but in walks an older lady in couture. Pearls. She enters grumpily.

Rebekah is terrified but gets up. Greets her from behind the counter.

The woman gives her name and Rebekah finds her pieces. Tells her the price.

The woman hands her a big bill.

Rebekah opens the till and becomes overwhelmed.

Trying to make change, Rebekah suddenly flashes back on two traumas growing up: 

Flashback #1:

INT. SECOND GRADE MATH CLASSROOM, CARTERSVILLE, GA, 1972, MORNING

The teacher berates and belittles her for not knowing how to add and subtract, in front of all the others. 

It becomes a daily ritual until Rebekah is reduced to class dunce.

Flashback #2:

INT. WOOD WORKING SHOP, CARTERSVILLE, GA, 1972, AFTERNOON

After school, Rebekah is having to count in her head up to ten, over and over again, to survive sodomy by her baby sitter, a fifty-ish farmer, in velour and jeans. 

We hear her voice as a child, struggling to count to ten, then starting over.

INT. TAILORING SHOP, MORNING

Rebekah is frozen in the flashbacks and goes into shock. The woman is annoyed further.

Rebekah does her best and counts back the change. Getting it wrong. 

The woman tells her what she needs in return and Rebekah gets it right this time.

The woman leaves in a huff.

Rebekah is shaking. Makes it back to her chair.

Fortunately, Jeanne and Riassa are both back very soon.

The two friends gently help Rebekah settle down. 

JEANNE

What happened?

REBEKAH

I remembered two things from second grade. Bad things.

RIASSA

Like, what kind of things?

REBEKAH

Being the class dunce because I couldn’t add and subtract. Trying to count to ten while my baby sitter ... I can’t say it..

RIASSA

You need a counselor right away. Let’s see if we can find one now.

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, EVENING

Rebekah is sitting in an easy chair facing her new French counselor Rosemarie, in a matching easy chair.

Rosemarie is comforting, knowledgeable, highly intuitive. Mid-forties. Dressed comfortably, but stylish. Professional.

This is their first session.

ROSEMARIE

What brings you here today, Rebekah?

REBEKAH

I keep having memories of abuse, from when I was growing up. 

ROSEMARIE

Have you had these memories before now?

REBEKAH

No. But as I remember, it’s like I’ve always known.

ROSEMARIE

What memories are you having?

REBEKAH

Abuse by my family, my baby sitter...

Rosemarie is taking notes. Pauses a moment before speaking.

Rebekah is at wit’s end, depressed, helpless, manic, polite, nervous, insecure. Feeling a million things at one time. Somehow hopeful. 

ROSEMARIE

When did the memories start?

REBEKAH

About the same time my ex-boyfriend Matt hit me.

ROSEMARIE

That sounds horrible.

REBEKAH

I was able to come here to be with my friends. They saved my life.

ROSEMARIE

I’m so glad you’ve been able to find a safe place.

Rebekah nods, kind of agreeing. 

REBEKAH

Safe? I never feel safe. It’s like when I wash? I can’t get clean.

ROSEMARIE

I understand. Can you tell me more about your childhood?

Painful, traumatic, gross flash backs are coming up now for Rebekah. She becomes enraged, confused.

REBEKAH

It’s horrible, and it’s just like it’s real. Like right now. Just like Christmas. 

ROSEMARIE

Why Christmas?

REBEKAH

Because my older brothers would abuse me when they were home for the holidays. 

Horrible, twisting, violent pain erupts from deep inside Rebekah, remembering. 

She gets up and starts pacing around the room.

Rebekah’s hands are almost on their own, as if she is trying to touch something. Eventually she looks into the palms of her hands. 

Sudden memories, sudden pains in unusual locations, as she remembers. Her body twitches and jumps on its own. She looks at Rosemarie questioningly.

Rosemarie observes compassionately, concerned. Tries to direct the unfolding.

ROSEMARIE

How old were you?

REBEKAH

I was four in 1968 ... I felt old ... so many horrible things ... Vietnam ...

ROSEMARIE

What are you remembering now?

REBEKAH

It gets blurry, watery, when I try to remember ...

INT. WOOD SHOP, CARTERSVILLE, GA, 1972, DAY

Sixties hits from a small radio can be heard in the background.

Rebekah is in second grade. It’s after a school day. 

She has a dress on, white tights, saddle oxfords. A bow in her long hair. 

The baby sitter is a woodworker. 

He is sitting with Rebekah in his lap on a stool next to a woodworking table. 

They are surrounded by every imaginable woodworking tool on pegboards. Hanging all around them from the ceiling, every wall. 

A single bare bulb lights the room, suspended from the beams above. 

He has on another velour shirt, just a different color, jeans, boots. 

Full head of hair in his fifties, clean shaven. Handsome. Gnarled work hands. Dirty broken fingernails. 

He cuddles Rebekah in his lap. She is being lulled to sleep.

He lights a Marlboro.

Rebekah is almost asleep.

He finishes the cigarette. Puts it out on the work table. 

He reaches for a silver turpentine can with the label worn off. 

Black paint smeared all over it, an abstract painting. Contrasting with the silver of the can. 

He brings it close to for Rebekah to sniff, waking her.

WOOD SHOP MAN

Here, baby doll ... This will make you sleep.

Rebekah sniffs the sweet smelling ether from the can a few times.

Rebekah’s head drops back suddenly. Passed out. 

He picks Rebekah up. 

Places her on top of a tiny old wool doll blanket over the dirt floor. 

He lights a camping lamp on the floor next to Rebekah.

He gets on his knees. Begins unzipping his pants, looking at Rebekah.

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, EVENING

Rebekah is shaking, enraged at what she remembers.

REBEKAH

How could he do that?

Rosemarie shakes her head.

ROSEMARIE

He took advantage of you.

REBEKAH

Over and over ... I participated in time!

ROSEMARIE

You were trained to participate. You are innocent.

Rebekah is shaking her head.

ROSEMARIE

Try to remember that it’s not happening anymore. You’re safe.

Rebekah laughs.

REBEKAH

I never feel safe. That’s a joke.

Rosemarie is quiet. Gets out of her easy chair. Goes to her bookcase. Produces a beautiful, thick, blank journal. Gives it to Rebekah, whose eyes widen. Overwhelmed.

REBEKAH

Are you sure I can handle all this?

ROSEMARIE

I believe in you. Think of what you’ve already survived!

REBEKAH

What survived? I’m a mess!

ROSEMARIE

You are a loving, creative, intelligent, passionate woman.

REBEKAH

Wow. Thank you for saying that. I don’t know who I am.

ROSEMARIE

You will see your true self more in time.

Rebekah admires the journal in her hands.

REBEKAH

I always wanted to be a writer. 

Rebekah opens the journal, stroking a beautiful blank page.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, THAT NIGHT

Rebekah goes to bed with the hat box again. Gets weepy. Whispers. 

REBEKAH

You broke me! I want to die!

Rebekah eventually gets to sleep, with the mementos and photographs strewn around her on the bed. 

Sleeps. 

Has a series of nightmares. Tosses and turns in bed, dreaming.

Nightmare #1:

EXT. PARIS STREET, NIGHT

Rebekah is walking down a cobblestoned Paris street. 

Keeps looking back as if someone is following her. 

She hears a step behind her but still can’t see anyone. 

Drops into a clothing store. Hides among the sale racks in back, catching her breath. 

Suddenly, the clothes are moved apart on the racks to find her. 

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rebekah screams. Wakes up.

Looks at the time on her golden fairy watch. Midnight, almost exactly. 

Shivers, but is eventually asleep again.

Nightmare #2:

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rebekah is sleeping in her childhood bed. 

She can see a shadow coming down the hall slowly. 

Menacingly. 

Until it’s standing over the bed ... 

Rebekah tries to move but can’t ... she is in shock.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rebekah screams. Wakes. Turns on a light. Looks at all the photos in the bed. 

REBEKAH

Daddy? 

Looks at the time on her watch. 3 am.

Scared. Fatigued. Sits up. Begins looking for something in all the things strewn around her in the bed. 

Finds Daddy. 

Almost completely bald. Gold-rimmed glasses. Charming. Intelligent. Proper. The perfect banking executive. 

REBEKAH

Why didn’t you move the gun?

A huge change comes over Rebekah. Shivers. 

Changes into an extremely confident identity. Sexy, dazzling grin. 

She sweeps away the bed covers and photographs, as if she can’t even see them. 

Puts on a robe from the closet.

Moves to the studio. Begins playing with a soft sculpture she has made of wire, string and gauze. 

She is humming to herself. 

Takes the sculpture into the bedroom and puts it carefully on the bed. 

Swivels around manically. 

Starts getting dressed to the nines. Hair. Makeup. Jewelry.

Happens to look herself in the eyes in the mirror, and she is startled.

REBEKAH

You act as if you’ve never seen me before ...

She laughs and moves away from the dresser, the mirror.

Takes the sculpture and her purse, keys. Goes out. 

EXT. PARIS, FOUR AM

Takes a taxi to the Alexandre III Bridge, her favorite.

On the bridge, the sculptures come to life for her, interacting, flying around as air were water. 

Sea shells,  creatures, gods in the lamp light. 

She talks to them, dances. 

Gazes down at the Seine, all the lights sparkling there in the water. 

Rebekah leaves the bridge. 

Goes down to where she is close to the river’s edge rushing by. Deep, dangerous.

Speaks some kind of gibberish to the soft sculpture. Releases it into the Seine. 

It floats down for a while, then disappears.

Gypsies and street people come up to her for change. 

She gives them all of her cash. 

Without fear, Rebekah has developed a sweet smile, and walks beyond the bridge ...

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, SAME MORNING

Rebekah’s alarm goes off. 

Barely able to hear it or move for some time, so deeply asleep. She wakes, aching all over. Groans in pain. 

Suddenly something else moves in the bed and startles her.

It’s a dog! The dog stretches leisurely.

Finally turns off the alarm. Truly opens her eyes. 

Full of mascara and eye shadow, when she ordinarily wears no makeup. Rubs an eye.

REBEKAH

What the hell? 

Realizes she’s fully dressed under the covers. 

REBEKAH

Not again! 

Almost fully awake, but fatigued, Rebekah searches around the bedroom. 

Finds her purse on the dresser. Searches all through it. The cash is gone. 

REBEKAH

I can’t believe you!

Shaking her head, shaking all over, she realizes what happened. But she has to go to work.

REBEKAH

And what am I to do with you?

She reaches to pet the new dog. 

Takes a shower to get ready, still freaked out.

EXT. OUTSIDE REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, SAME MORNING

Walks the dog around the apartment complex hurriedly, lost in space. Locks him up inside.

REBEKAH

Now, you be a good boy!

EXT. PARIS, SAME MORNING

Rebekah stops by the cafe on the way to work, distraught. 

The cafe owner notices. He is gentle. Doesn’t ask questions. He is worried about her now.

On the way to work, Rebekah sees the incredible man again. 

He is comes out of the academic section of the Latin Quarter. Books in hand. Photography gear bag. 

He is sexy, sensitive. Roughly the same age as Rebekah. He has kind, amazing eyes.

Their eyes lock. Rebekah feels faint.

He walks toward her while her heart races. Extends his hand. 

They shake hands. 

RUPERT

My name is Rupert. What is yours? 

REBEKAH

Rebekah. Nice to meet you! 

They laugh, startled at this obvious attraction for each other. Rebekah is swooning.

RUPERT

Would you like to get a coffee? 

REBEKAH

I can’t, I’m on my way to work. 

RUPERT

Another time? 

He gives her his card. Rebekah scans it.

REBEKAH

You’re a photographer? 

RUPERT

Among other things. 

He laughs mysteriously, but sweetly.

REBEKAH

Cool. 

RUPERT

Until we meet again? 

She nods shyly. 

REBEKAH

I will call you ... 

Looks up to him as brightly as she can. Rupert is genuine, caring. He gives her three kisses on each cheek, one at a time.

RUPERT

Please do. Ciao!

He smiles and is so handsome, she is dizzy.

REBEKAH

Ciao!

Rebekah walks and then steadies herself on a lamp post. 

She has a rare smile on her face, breathless.

INT. TAILORING SHOP, SAME AFTERNOON

Rebekah has not told Jeanne or Riassa about last night,  the dog, or Rupert. 

She waits as long as she can stand the excitement. 

Rebekah goes to the back of the shop to make a phone call. 

Leaves a message for Rupert to take photographs of her in her designer gowns. 

Crosses her fingers after hanging up. Whispers.

REBEKAH

Hopefully he’ll call me back.

Later on in the work day, she does finally tell her friends what happened overnight. 

REBEKAH

So, I have to tell you all about what’s going on.

Riassa and Jeanne swivel in their chairs to face Rebekah.

RIASSA

We can tell something happened.

REBEKAH

It’s not all bad lately, but it’s pretty bad.

RIASSA

It’s okay to let it out.

REBEKAH

I sleep walk at night, and lose all my money somehow. I don’t know where I go, what happens.

JEANNE

But what if it happens again? 

RIASSA

Why don’t we keep your money for you until this settles down? 

JEANNE

How would you feel about having one of us over for the night?

REBEKAH

That would be great! I hope Rosemarie can help with this, too.

JEANNE

That’s settled, then.

REBEKAH

Oh! And last night I brought home a stray dog! He’s adorable!

The phone rings. Jeanne answers it before Rebekah can reach it. 

JEANNE

It’s for you. Rupert? He sounds nice!

Rebekah takes the phone call in the back of the shop. 

The older women are curious, delighted. They try to focus on their sewing.

Rebekah returns to the work space, just beaming. She can’t hide it anymore. 

RIASSA

So, this is the good part you were talking about?

Rebekah is blushing.

REBEKAH

I met that man, finally. The one from the Latin Quarter?

JEANNE

Tell us more!

REBEKAH

He is handsome, gentle, smart. Real. A photographer.

RIASSA

He sounds fine, but isn’t it too soon?

REBEKAH

I know. Somehow, it just happened that we met right now.

They go back to work, listening to music while they work, this time classical. 

They all can’t keep from smiling.

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, EVENING

ROSEMARIE

How often is this sleep walking?

REBEKAH

Several times a month, at least.

ROSEMARIE

We want you to be able to remember, but not be psychotic.

REBEKAH

I understand. What can we do?

ROSEMARIE

Let me look at possible medication. You need to put the memories in order, in time.

REBEKAH

I’m writing down as much as I can. I’m usually too emotional to do anything else.

ROSEMARIE

Would you be willing to go on medication?

REBEKAH

Yes. But I want to know what happened.

ROSEMARIE

Okay. I’ll look at what might help. Let me know if it gets any worse.

EXT. PARIS, SUNDAY AFTERNOON

The day of the photo shoot comes and Rebekah and Rupert meet at a cafe near the Jardin des Tuileries, in full Summer bloom. 

Rebekah is in a grey silk gown she has made, inspired by wind and clouds. 

It changes, moves, billows around her in the gentle breeze. Some of the silk is threaded with wire, in soft, cloud-like, curvy shapes.

Montage:

Sitting outside the cafe, they have coffee, pastries, and get to know each other. 

RUPERT

Are you ready?

REBEKAH

Sure!

They walk to the park. Rupert with his photography gear. Rebekah in the beautiful handmade gown. 

Some people stop and stare.

Montage:

As the photo shoot progresses near sculpture, fountains, pools, flower beds, Rupert is becoming entranced with Rebekah. 

She is delicately coming out of her shell under his lens. He encourages her. 

They are almost through with the shoot, when he gets closer to her, as if to adjust something. He whispers.

RUPERT

I’m falling in love with you. 

He kisses her tenderly. She is under his spell. 

He resumes taking photos.

They are taking photos in a wooded area of the park. 

For Rebekah, the place is alive with tree spirits, or dryads, beautifully floating about the woods. 

The dryads are glowing, rustic. 

Rupert and Rebekah stop near an amazing sculpture. 

Start with photographs again. 

For Rebekah, it’s as if the statue comes alive. The marble statue glowing from the inside. 

The strange man suddenly appears at her elbow in a dapper tuxedo. He invites her to dance.

Rebekah starts to dance around in a light, primal way, following the dryads and the strange man. 

Rupert smiles. Captures her movement in stills that we see overlaying the action.

Rebekah stops eventually, winded. 

Gazes into the forest. 

REBEKAH

Do you see them?

Rupert is intrigued.

RUPERT

See who? 

REBEKAH

The tree spirits ...

RUPERT

I don’t. But if you see them, that’s a gift.

Rebekah nods.

REBEKAH

It’s magic!

Montage:

Eventually they get hungry. 

Rupert invites her out to dinner. 

They leave the park on foot. 

They go to a beautiful Metro station entrance and take the Metro to the restaurant, talking and laughing.

INT. RESTAURANT, PARIS, THAT EVENING

Rupert has chosen an amazing restaurant. 

RUPERT

So, tell me more about yourself.

REBEKAH

Hmm. I’m not sure what to tell you.

RUPERT

I’m trying to pull you out of your shell.

REBEKAH

I know!

They laugh.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT

Back at her apartment, they hang out for a few hours, talking. 

The pup is super happy they are hanging out on the couch. They pet him while they talk.

Ultimately Rupert and Rebekah make out.

Rebekah gets up and the dog gets up, too. 

Rebekah leads Rupert to her bed.

RUPERT

Isn’t this too soon? We just met!

REBEKAH

It feels right ... Come on!

During sex, Rebekah’s most confident alters come out. 

Rupert is surprised, but goes with it. After they climax, they curl up together. Rebekah is welling up with tears.

Rupert holds Rebekah tenderly.

REBEKAH

Thank you for holding me. 

RUPERT

You’re sure it wasn’t too soon?

REBEKAH

Yeah. After sex I get really sad, that’s all. I don’t know why.

RUPERT

I can hold you.

Rupert looks up the ceiling, wondering about her, until they both fall asleep.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, MORNING

In the morning, Rebekah wakes up, but Rupert has left a note to her on the bed, and made coffee. 

He had to go to work early. He is a fashion photographer by day, and it’s Monday.

Rebekah looks around the bed and starts to move, only to spring back with pain. 

She removes the bed covers, and not only is she nude, but with bruises. 

She doesn’t know what to think. 

REBEKAH

Did I go out again? Rupert?

The pup jumps up in the bed. She pets it and tries to figure out what happened.

REBEKAH

I’ve almost got a name for you ...

She has to get to work. Gets dressed gingerly. 

Wears long sleeves, collar buttoned up to the neck. Long pants. To hide all the bruises.

EXT. OUTSIDE REBEKAH’S APARTMENT

Walks the dog with more interest and concern now. A bit more grounded. 

Still not smiling very much, with flashbacks a constant.

EXT. PARIS STREET, MORNING

Leaves the apartment, locking the dog inside for the day. 

Still upset, aching. 

Heads to her favorite cafe. 

INT. PARIS CAFE, MORNING

Interacts briefly with the cafe owner. 

He senses something’s wrong. 

Sees bruises in spite of her long sleeves and pants. Father figure. 

She is grateful. 

Leaves the cafe for work as usual. Trying to keep a stiff upper lip.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, THAT EVENING

That night, Rupert comes over after work to hang out with her. 

Rebekah shows him her bruises in the bedroom.

REBEKAH

Does this ring a bell?

RUPERT

When I left you were covered by the blankets. I’m mystified!

REBEKAH

Honestly, I may have sleep walked during the night ...

RUPERT

What do you mean?

REBEKAH

While you were asleep, gone out into the night for an adventure?

RUPERT

Do you realize how lucky you are?

REBEKAH

It’s out of my control. My counselor and I are working on it.

Rupert is concerned, taking her all in. Nods, kisses her forehead, but doesn’t press her further. 

Rebekah is obviously very scared, though. So he holds her.

The dog senses her energy, and comes as close as he can.

Rupert strokes Rebekah’s hair over and over, tenderly, which helps calm her down. 

RUPERT

Stroking your hair is my new favorite thing. 

REBEKAH

Thank you for being so nice to me.

Rupert holds her a little tighter for a moment, then relaxes. 

She snuggles in to his shoulder. 

They are both wide awake now, eyes open, thinking their separate thoughts.

Snuggling in, Rebekah starts to get upset. Something is being triggered by the intimacy. 

REBEKAH

Sorry to ruin the moment. 

Rupert turns another lamp on. 

RUPERT

No need to apologize. Talk to me.

REBEKAH

I don’t know what to do when this happens. 

RUPERT

When what happens?

REBEKAH

I panic. I get really emotional sometimes ...

Rupert holds her gently but firmly and she takes a deep breath. 

RUPERT

Just take deep breaths. 

Rupert squeezes her just a little bit. She is trying to smile.

REBEKAH

I’m trying.

They both eventually fall asleep.

Rupert wakes, and Rebekah isn’t in the bed. He is nude, but looks for her. 

Finds her in a Japanese kimono next to her worktable, looking at sketches, fabric.

He doesn’t want to startle her by coming up from behind her. 

RUPERT

Hey...

She is startled, her face tear-streaked. 

She is not like her usual shy self again. Confident, grinning widely in amusement from time to time. 

REBEKAH

Oh, hey...

She continues to look at everything on the worktable. 

Suddenly she decides.

REBEKAH

Let’s go out!

RUPERT

Now? 

REBEKAH

It’s beautiful this time of night!

RUPERT

It’s not safe! Come back to bed. Please?

Rebekah storms to her closet, looking through her collection. 

Picks a few things. Brings them out. A vintage silk suit, beautiful silk scarf. Starts to get dressed.

Rupert is standing with his arms crossed. Perplexed, worried. Unsure how to handle Rebekah in this state.

She is getting dressed determinedly. 

Realizing her mind is made up, Rupert gets dressed quickly. 

Rebekah is at her dresser, putting on makeup like an expert, while Rupert watches. Red lipstick. Smoky eyes. Pearl jewelry. D’orsay heels. 

She is beautiful in makeup, too, but he doesn’t recognize her this confident. He is bewildered, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

REBEKAH

Ready? I am! 

RUPERT

Sure... We can go.

Rupert grabs a camera from his gear on the way out, making sure the dog stays inside.

EXT. PARIS STREET, NIGHT

Rebekah is walking ahead in the fairly empty street. 

Rupert is captivated by the swing of Rebekah’s hips as she walks toward each street light. Gets distracted taking pictures. 

He is adjusting the camera, when she enters a major street. 

A taxi stops for her, almost hitting her. 

Rupert screams after her. 

INT. PARIS TAXIS, NIGHT

Gets a taxi of his own. 

With so many twists and turns among the other cars, he loses her. 

Rupert gives up, gives the curious cabbie Rebekah’s address.

EXT. OUTSIDE REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rupert sits on her front stoop all night waiting for her, like a soldier. 

He’s not sure what’s happening but he cares so much for Rebekah already.

EXT. ALEXANDRE III BRIDGE, PARIS, NIGHT

Montage:

Rebekah leans over the rail of the bridge, admiring the surface of the Seine. 

She feels such a sense of loss flowing away from her as the water goes. It pulls her deep down and away. Hypnotizes. Fascinates. Delights her.

Rebekah watches the deep, dark waters rushing below her, with glimmers of light, eels, fish snapping their tails, at one with the water, stars and light sparkling in the surface, layers of reflections.

Rebekah begins to see things, whispering to the Seine, the lights in the water:

REBEKAH

Where are the poet kings?

Rebekah feels a surge of sexuality, of being alive, as if she is orgasmic. 

She grins, not making a sound.

Lifting the soft sculpture, because Rebekah has become aware of it again in her hands, she lets it rest on the rail. 

Studies curves, textures. Shadows and sensuality accentuated by light falling around her. 

She has to let it go. 

This triggers a flashback ...

EXT. DOWNTOWN BRIDGE, HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, 1980S, SUNSET: FLASHBACK 

Rebekah remembers her dear college friend Dee on a different bridge, giving her a handful of fresh flowers to toss into the stream. 

DEE

As each flower leaves your sight, your sadness will go, too ...

Rebekah nods, releasing her flowers intermittently ... 

They watch the flowers floating on the surface of the water in the sunset. 

The two friends stay until they can no longer see the flowers, drifting away on the surface of the water toward the colors of the sunset ...

EXT. ALEXANDRE III BRIDGE, PARIS, SAME NIGHT 

Rebekah is leaning over the rail of the bridge, preparing to let go of her sculpture.

REBEKAH

Like a message in a bottle ...

But she clings to it. Loves it.

Rebekah looks up at the Moon. 

She charges the sculpture magically with its Light. 

Rebekah touches the sculpture to the light coming from the lampposts.

Tosses the sculpture lightly up and away from her into the Seine. 

As she does, incredible grief wells up inside her. 

The sculpture floats on the surface, its curves like a body, like water, like fish, its sparkling edges merging with the surface. 

The sculpture turns with the tossing of the current, absorbing the water, until Rebekah can barely see it.

It blends with the light on the water and is gone, part of the water now. 

As it goes completely, Rebekah feels it go with pangs of loss.

Just at that moment, Rebekah feels a touch on her shoulder. 

Rebekah turns to see a luminescent pale green hand there, and the faces of water nymphs, smiling at her. 

The sculptures of the bridge have come to life to comfort her ...

Montage:

To anyone who sees her, Rebekah is just a lovely, crazy woman enjoying the night. 

She is in some kind of trance, dancing to music only she can hear.

The music makes her spiral and chant in a language she knows but cannot translate. 

Rebekah laughs, and follows the water nymphs as they move in their own watery dance, to the end of the bridge. 

She says good night to the lovely creatures, turns and walks toward the road.

Rebekah calls another cab with her hand, and it stops.

REBEKAH

Le Louvre, s’il vous plait. 

TURBANED CABBIE

Oui, Mademoiselle. 

The turbaned cabbie watches her surreptitiously in the rear view mirror, of which Rebekah is unaware. 

She is so very pale and ghostly still.

Rebekah watches the shapes outside the window streaming into the bands of light and blocks of shadow, sculpting themselves into another Paris.

EXT. LOUVRE, PARIS, ALMOST MIDNIGHT 

They reach the Louvre. Rebekah opens her purse to pay the cabbie.

REBEKAH

Merci beaucoup. 

Rebekah gets out. Closes the door properly behind her. 

The cabbie has let her out just at the base of the grand arch for Napoleon on her right, and the Louvre to her left.

She walks into the Louvre courtyard from the street. 

The statue of a general on a rearing horse and the two glass pyramids are in the Louvre courtyard to the left, surrounded by stately, sculpted gray Louvre buildings, sculptures watching her everywhere from above. 

The outdoor sculptures of the Louvre are observing Rebekah meticulously from the rooftops. 

From the top and friezes on the front of the fantastic Napoleonic arch, the soldiers, ministers, and angels are getting restless. 

The world is fluid, but Rebekah can feel the ground under her feet. 

The alters are shifting as they fight within her. She keeps shaking her head. 

Suddenly it’s like she hears something, and there is clarity.

Rebekah goes in a direction, her head a little to one side, listening to something, being led to this other place ... 

Through the watery walls of the Louvre, Rebekah can see  the Greek sculpture collection: silvery white statues gleaming in the faint light, beautiful bare shoulders, torso curves, glowing idyllic faces.

Rebekah sees something moving among them, like a shadow, gaining form. 

Rebekah gasps as she recognizes the strange man walking among the statues. 

He has a white object in his hands. He shows it to each of the statues. 

He is followed by another shadow, which also begins to take shape.

Rebekah jumps, startled, recognizing the sculpture Nike: The Victory of Samothrace come to life! 

As its massive wings stretch and glimmer, they drop sparks and stars on the floor. 

Rebekah’s hands are touching the glowing, watery wall. 

She watches the other statues in the sculpture hall come to life. 

It is as if a wind is blowing through them, causing their garments to flutter, their surfaces to glow with a rosy coloring underneath their marble complexions. 

Rebekah strains to see what it is that the strange man is showing them. 

It is something very light, made of paper. 

The strange man turns it around in the minimal light, for a female statue holding a shell to see. 

Rebekah suddenly realizes what the object is.

REBEKAH

A Mobius Strip!

She is transfixed, looking through the walls of the Louvre ...

EXT. OUTSIDE REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, DAWN

Rupert is half asleep at dawn, when he hears the clack of Rebekah’s d’Orsay heels on the cobblestones. 

The street is asleep except for Rebekah slowly coming toward him. Rebekah thinks she’s being escorted home by the strange man, and the Victory of Samothrace, who has a wing around her.

Rupert jumps up and runs up to her. 

She is clearly in shock, with more bruises and cuts, and a tear stained face through all that makeup. 

Her hair is a mess. She can’t talk, listless.

Rupert looks in all directions, sensing danger, as a former soldier with primal instincts. 

Rupert gently takes Rebekah’s purse, and finds her keys. 

Rebekah is dazed and confused, but allows Rupert to carry her into the apartment.

The dog is upset, barking. 

RUPERT

Hush, boy. It’s all right.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, SAME MORNING

Montage:

They get inside and Rupert thoroughly gets Rebekah taken care of. 

He inspects her all over in the shower. 

He tenderly refuses her sex, which she insists she needs. 

Gets her nightgown on while she giggles, and puts her to bed. 

As he holds her, he shakes his head. He doesn’t know what to do, stares holes in the ceiling.

In time, sure that Rebekah is sleeping deeply, he walks the dog around the block.

When they come back, Rebekah is still sleeping. 

He notices the hat box on a nearby chair. 

Snooping, he opens the box to find the family photos and mementos. He looks through everything carefully, trying to understand.

He closes it all up carefully so she won’t notice. 

Rupert goes to her in the bed, which startles her awake.

REBEKAH

You okay? 

RUPERT

Yes! 

He gets back in bed and holds her ...

She begins to fall asleep again...

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, EVENING

ROSEMARIE

You were born into a perfect storm of abuse.

Rebekah has mixed feelings. 

REBEKAH

It sure feels like it.

ROSEMARIE

Your family was very similar to a cult.

REBEKAH

Now that you say it, I see what you mean. 

ROSEMARIE

From what we’ve charted so far with your personalities, you have over twenty.

Rebekah nods slowly, eyes widening.

REBEKAH

I feel that complex literally. Fragmented. 

ROSEMARIE

It’s how you survived the trauma. By compartmentalizing... You have three over-arching disorders.

Rebekah sits up in the easy chair. Braces herself. She is afraid. Trying to be brave. 

Suddenly dizzy.

REBEKAH

Okay ...

ROSEMARIE

PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Those are the main three.

REBEKAH

Damn ... All right. How do we manage all that?

ROSEMARIE

Processing emotions and memories through counseling over time. Possibly medication.

REBEKAH

I’ll do my best.

Rebekah tries to keep on her usual Southern Lady mask of quiet, polite bravery, but can’t keep it up. 

Breaks down in tears. 

Rosemarie offers the box of tissues, with compassion. 

Rebekah chokes up. Speaks roughly.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Also ... because of what I remembered so far about everybody ...

ROSEMARIE

Yes?

REBEKAH

I have really messed up feelings about them.

ROSEMARIE

That makes total sense ... Betrayal. Grief. Anger. Sadness ...

REBEKAH

Check, check!

Still trying to laugh everything off.

ROSEMARIE

I’m so sorry ...

Rebekah is extremely confused, looking back at Rosemarie. 

She takes another tissue, as if that will help her know what to do next.

REBEKAH

It’s so confusing! Frustrating ... I have no idea what to do, what to feel...

ROSEMARIE

Be compassionate with yourself. Self-love is a tremendous journey for you.

Rebekah nods, not really understanding yet ...

ROSEMARIE

Do you feel that you have a good safety and support network?

REBEKAH

Yes. For now. 

Rebekah and Rosemarie are parting. 

ROSEMARIE

Don’t let yourself be alone, okay?

REBEKAH

All right. I’ll do my best. Thank you.

ROSEMARIE

Hug?

They hug, Rebekah extremely sensitively. Rebekah laughs. 

Rosemarie nods.

ROSEMARIE

You take care now.

Rebekah nods.

INT. TAILORING SHOP, PARIS, THE NEXT DAY

Rebekah can hardly work. She is having such a hard time holding it together. 

Jeanne and Riassa are giving her space, so worried. 

Rebekah is trying to tough it out alone.

At eleven am, the church bells chime outside. Jeanne rolls her chair away from her sewing machine.

JEANNE

Time for more coffee.

RIASSA

Can you change up the music, too? 

JEANNE

Sure. 

Rebekah is shaking nervously, in her own inner storm of torments. 

Sometimes just her head will shake once or twice to the left, as the personalities shift, the voices shout at her again, any number of troubling multimedia fragments float up in bits to disturb, distract her. 

For a few moments we see and hear her inner world. It’s terrifying, disturbing.

Jeanne nods in Rebekah’s direction. Rebekah doesn’t see. Riassa frowns in agreement. 

The two older women shrug, shake their heads.

Jeanne gets more coffee. 

Switches the music to Vivaldi. 

Comes back with the coffee, but heads over to Rebekah’s area.

JEANNE (CONT’D)

How are you holding up this morning?

Rebekah is startled. Laughs and smiles to cover her pain. 

REBEKAH

Oh! I’m ... It’s really harder than I thought it would be today. 

Riassa turns. Makes a comforting move in her chair toward Rebekah, listening.

Jeanne begins to rub Rebekah’s shoulders carefully, gently.

JEANNE

You are so tense. Is it OK to touch your back?

Rebekah thinks. Then nods, then shakes her head, then nods. 

She’s so confused. Upset. Frustrated.

REBEKAH

Yes and no.

Jeanne pulls her hands away from Rebekah’s back. 

JEANNE

I’m sorry... What do you need from us?

Rebekah starts to shake her head in confusion. 

REBEKAH

Be here? Listen?

Riassa and Jeanne nod.

RIASSA

Are you able to tell us what’s going on with you today?

Rebekah tries to pull herself together enough to communicate the chaos within. Closes her eyes. 

We see and hear what she sees and hears inside. Horrible. 

Opens her eyes to try to translate.

REBEKAH

It’s a process. Many processes per abuser? It’s hard to explain.

Riassa and Jeanne are startled, worried. 

RIASSA

I really had no idea...

JEANNE

Is it okay to hug?

Rebekah thinks for a moment. Overwhelmed. Tears well, rolling from her eyes. 

Suddenly, she’s angry. She tries to shrug it off, laughs.

REBEKAH

I think so?

JEANNE

Let us try, at least.

Riassa and Jeanne come in for a group hug. 

Rebekah tries to smile.

In time, they all start to send up a big howl of a cry, to the ceiling, and beyond ... It is a great release ...

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rebekah wakes up crying and screaming.

Rupert wakes and tries to help wake her up into the present, but she is fighting him.

RUPERT

It’s a dream! You’re safe!

Finally she wakes up, hearing his voice.

REBEKAH

Daddy... was coming down the hall ...

Rupert holds her close while she cries for a while.

Rebekah freezes up into shock suddenly. 

Rupert is confused and Rebekah shakes her head, unable to talk.

He puts his arms around her, lying down beside her, stroking her body with long, loving strokes ...

He is beginning to show circles under his eyes, signs of stress.

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, MORNING, TWO WEEKS LATER

ROSEMARIE

Are you able to begin to develop a time line for your past?

REBEKAH

Yes. What I’ve remembered so far is awful... 

Rosemarie nods, listening intently.

REBEKAH

Now I know why I feel suicidal.

ROSEMARIE

Do you have a plan?

REBEKAH

Not right now. I used to think about jumping out a window ... or out in front of a car ...

ROSEMARIE

But no plan now?

REBEKAH

No. Thankfully. Just the urge to die.

ROSEMARIE

Can you be good to yourself? Loving yourself will help in time.

REBEKAH

I don’t know how to cope, how to keep everything straight in my head. I’ve lost my mind.

ROSEMARIE

You aren’t crazy. You still know right from wrong.

REBEKAH

But I’m so on edge ... Nothing makes sense anymore. Love? Family? Trust?

ROSEMARIE

It will take time, but you will get better. You can literally change your mind with cognitive behavior management.

REBEKAH

How? 

Rebekah manages a smile. 

ROSEMARIE

You stop thoughts in their tracks. Change your mind. You can say no.

REBEKAH

I feel so out of control. Are you sure I can do that in time?

ROSEMARIE

I believe in your abilities. You are a beautiful spirit having a human experience. 

Rebekah nods, unsure.

ROSEMARIE

Encourage what is best inside you, all the time.

REBEKAH

I’ll try ... Can you read something I wrote?

Montage:

Rebekah sighs, and opens the journal, then hands it to Rosemarie to read. 

Rebekah is really depressed, listening.

Rosemarie pulls out a pale pink ribbon from nowhere, and uses it to mark her place in the journal. 

Gives the journal back to Rebekah. 

ROSEMARIE

It will be hard, but you need to let go of your family.

REBEKAH

If only. They’re like ghosts! I can’t escape them!

ROSEMARIE

What feelings do you have for your family?

REBEKAH

I still love them! Like children inside of me, adoring! But now I know ... what happened ...

ROSEMARIE

That is completely normal. It’s called Trauma Bonding.

REBEKAH

What do you mean?

ROSEMARIE

You bonded deeply with all of your abusers, even though on some level you knew they were hurting you.

REBEKAH

I didn’t know anything outside my family for the longest time... how do I let them go?

ROSEMARIE

It’s okay to forgive yourself for still loving them. To forgive them if you want.

REBEKAH

When I start to feel love for them, I’ll also flash back on gross stuff. It’s horrible!

ROSEMARIE

It will take time for you to parse out the good from the bad. 

REBEKAH

You’re telling me! It literally feels like Mama is here, telling me what to do.

ROSEMARIE

You can learn to pull out of these old patterns over time. Give yourself time.

Rebekah nods.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, SOME WEEKS LATER, NIGHT

Rebekah can barely manage her emotions. She gets upset about something small, loses her temper. Cries out. 

Rupert comes into the kitchen.

RUPERT

What’s wrong?

REBEKAH

I’m crazy! You should just leave me!

Rupert doesn’t know what to say. He thinks before speaking.

RUPERT

Come to bed. Let me rub your shoulders.

REBEKAH

I can’t believe you! I really can’t... where did you come from?

She softens and follows him into the bedroom to snuggle. They begin to kiss, and Rebekah goes into shock. 

REBEKAH

I can’t. See?

Montage:

Rupert gets her to lay face up. 

He rubs her shoulders really well. Strokes her body carefully with long strokes. 

Eventually she comes out of shock. 

REBEKAH

Thank you. I’m sorry I said all that in there.

RUPERT

It’s all right ... One day it’s going to be all right ...

EXT. PARIS STREET, DAY, SIX MONTHS LATER

Rebekah and Rupert are walking to her apartment after breakfast at a cafe, with the dog. They are holding hands. 

Rupert is walking in rhythm with Rebekah as best he can, but something is wrong. 

Rebekah is deeply dissociated, more than usual today. 

He stops and puts a hand on her shoulder, then strokes her hair.

RUPERT

Hey baby ... Where are you?

Rebekah stops. The dog pulls on the leash, then comes to them where they stand.

She takes a deep breath, trying to form her words carefully, speaking slowly. 

She is flooding with flashbacks and hadn’t wanted to say anything to Rupert.

REBEKAH

I’m sorry sweetie, it’s just all the junk in my head. Hard to be in the moment ...

Rebekah covers her ears with her hands, like she can stop the sound, the pain in her head...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I hear my brothers shouting curse words at me ... Foul things I would never say.

Rebekah sticks her tongue out completely, feeling the sodomy ... She feels like a mad woman ... She doesn’t care ...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

The flashbacks of the abuse, like it’s right now ...

Rebekah opens her mouth all the way and pretends to scream ... She feels like she’s going to lose her mind ...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

It’s in my mouth ... 

Rebekah feels helpless again. Nothing works, anyway. 

She  brings her hands down. 

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Hey, do you have any chewing gum ... To get the taste out?

RUPERT

No. Let’s go get some for you, though ... 

Rupert shakes his head. He looks around for a moment before speaking, then back at Rebekah.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

Wait... It’s been like this for six months ... Can’t anything be done?

REBEKAH

Rosemarie says if I can stand this intensity for a while longer ... I’ll know all the details of what happened to me growing up ... 

Rupert is insistent, though. 

He’s had enough of this already, and his true feelings are coming through, in spite of his restraint around Rebekah, which he tries to keep, for her sake, knowing how much she gets triggered.

RUPERT

But at what price, Rebekah?

Rupert pulls Rebekah just enough out of the path of passerby on the sidewalk, into a garden-like space with a soothing fountain.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

You’re so distant ...

from me, from your friends ...

Rebekah nods her head. 

She’s helpless to fix the situation, starts to cry. 

Rupert strokes the tears from her face, and puts his hands on her shoulders.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

You’re living in the past ... Obsessed with the abuse. 

Rebekah nods again. Sniffles softly.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

Can’t you be happy in the present? For what we have ... Now?

REBEKAH

I can’t help the memories. I can’t help having multiple personalities, or being depressed ...

Rebekah focuses on her breath, trying to get her mind and emotions to calm down, so she can speak again.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

My heart is so broken from all the abuse and ... Betrayal? It’s like my heart’s dead or ... Something. 

Rebekah gazes off into the distance, absolutely numb.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I don’t feel anything positive anymore. Joy, compassion, love?

Rebekah looks back Rupert like a child, not knowing how to express herself.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I know I have a heart but it’s ... Gone somewhere right now?

RUPERT

Oh baby, don’t say that. Of course you have a heart. You are a very loving person. You know that. 

REBEKAH

But I can’t feel ... Love! ... Warmth!

She puts her hand to her chest where her heart should be.

Rebekah starts to cry loudly now, bowing her head. Rupert holds her.

RUPERT

Please talk to Rosemarie about medication. This has gone too far. 

Rebekah vehemently shakes her head no. Not willing to say it out loud to Rupert. She is scared.

Rebekah and Rupert stand there holding each other. 

Rebekah cries and focuses on her breathing. The water fountain sends soothing sounds into the air ...

Rupert is beside himself. 

He’s been so patient, but as a caregiver, he is burned out. He is having a hard time calming down anymore. 

RUPERT (CONT’D)

Okay ... Okay. Just breathe it down ... That’s all we’ve got ... One day at a time ...

Rebekah nods and focuses on her breath. Tries to keep it slow, steady. 

Her eyes are big as saucers, in shock, from so much trauma.

MONTAGE: REBEKAH IS WORKING THROUGH TO FUNCTIONALITY

Candles play a big role in comforting Rebekah...

Rebekah is journaling at the window, working through flashbacks and processing emotions. 

She does yoga every day, every night, before bed, trying to work out cramped and stressed muscles, and get her cortisol levels down. 

She drinks chamomile tea all day for the same reason, instead of coffee. 

She is also meditating, before work, and before bed, and taking breaks at work, trying to stay sane enough to function there. 

She brings the dog to work every day, which is comforting.

Jeanne and Riassa pull her from the sewing machine to take her and the dog for fun walks in Paris parks, to relieve tension and talk, laugh. 

She is still having enormous trouble processing, keeping it together, crying, but is trying her best. 

However, her sweetness is really coming through, her original sweet spirit and strength that the abusers could not kill.

Rebekah and Rupert are also walking as much as possible, trying to stay active, enjoying Nature, out with the dog.

Rebekah is having nightmares every night, and she turns to Rupert in the middle of the night to comfort her. 

He holds her dearly and strokes her head, which they both have come to cherish. 

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, EVENING, ONE MONTH LATER

Rebekah is in the kitchen, slicing beautiful peaches on a rustic wooden cutting board with a large knife. 

There is a patch of sunlight from a window near her. 

She is angry, having trouble keeping it together. 

She curses from time to time, then apologizes, then shakes her head, laughs madly. 

Rupert arrives home from work with the mail from Rebekah’s apartment. 

Rupert frowns and has trouble looking Rebekah in the eye, which makes her immediately more anxious than she already is.

RUPERT

I’ve ... Got mail from your hometown ...

Rupert finally looks her in the eye. 

They both are stock still for a moment.

REBEKAH

What could it be?

Rebekah puts the knife down, and it rattles to a stop.

Rupert puts everything down, gets organized, as if that is possible anymore. 

He is having even more trouble keeping himself together these days, and it shows. 

Dark circles under his usually perfect eyes. Shaking hands, which concerns him as a photographer.

Rebekah, now confused and dumbstruck, washes her hands and dries them on a dish towel.

Rupert finds the envelope from the USA, stands, waiting patiently for Rebekah to turn to him.

Rebekah is scared to death, beginning to shake all over, and begins to go into shock. 

With all of her courage, Rebekah turns around from the kitchen counter to Rupert, and reaches for the envelope. 

Rupert shakes his head.

RUPERT

Let’s sit down.

Rupert pulls out a chair by the nearby farm table. 

Rebekah accepts, sitting gingerly, with the unopened envelope in her hands, her body still shaking.

Rupert sits beside her, hand on her thigh for support. He is so emotionally and physically burned out. Now this.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

You can do this. No matter what.

Rebekah nods, unable to speak, shaking. Terrified. 

She studies the envelope, then gasps at the return address. 

REBEKAH

It’s from an attorney ... a friend I went to kindergarten with.

Rebekah shakes her head, remembering ...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Great guy.

Rebekah smiles fondly.

RUPERT

Stay focused.

Rebekah shakes all over, as if she were breaking into little bits of china, held together by wire.

REBEKAH

So my friend knows what’s in here.

Rupert puts his hand on Rebekah’s hand. But Rebekah jumps.

RUPERT

It’s going to be all right.

Rebekah snaps at Rupert angrily.

REBEKAH

Let me do it!

Rupert backs down patiently, for the time being.

Rebekah opens the metal clasp, tape, and gum seals of the envelope as carefully as she can, as angry as she now is. 

She pulls the contents out and lays everything out before her, hands still shaking.

Rebekah gasps, overwhelmed with grief, falling back into the chair, pushing the contents over for Rupert to read. 

Rebekah begins crying. Covers her mouth, her eyes.

RUPERT

It’s going to be okay ... Wait a minute.

Rupert reaches for the papers quickly. 

Just as carefully as Rebekah opened the envelope, he begins to scan them with his eyes.

Then Rupert gasps.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

Oh... I’m so sorry. 

Rupert sits back a little in his chair. He takes a breath. 

Rebekah is crying more loudly now into her hands, then Rupert says...

RUPERT (CONT’D)

He must have passed in July ...

Rebekah uncovers swollen eyes, her mouth shaking and blue.

Rupert picks up the envelope, looks inside, shakes his head. 

Rupert carefully looks through the papers of the will stapled together.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

No cover letter. Nothing. Just your Father’s will.

Rupert lets out a big sigh. 

RUPERT (CONT’D)

A damned shame... Do you want to read what your Father left you in his will?

Rebekah starts crying again loudly, shaking her head, angry, sad, confused, lost ...

REBEKAH

Not really. Daddy always said he was going to take us out of the will when he got mad.

She shrugs, speaking from some lost place deep down ...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I’m sure he was pretty mad at me by the time he wrote that.

RUPERT

I’m so sorry. I ... Don’t know what to say. Is there anything I can do?

Rupert reaches for her ... 

Rebekah, tears streaming down her face, shrugs her shoulders. She stares straight ahead, not at Rupert.

REBEKAH

I wish I knew... 

She has a jolt like lightning run through her body, and shakes her head a few times.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

It’s so mixed up for Daddy, you know? And now he’s ... Gone ...

INT. LOFT APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rebekah is journaling in bed while Rupert sleeps.

She remembers a horrific experience from her childhood.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, DAY, 1970

Rebekah’s parent’s bedroom is delicately appointed in pale china blue carpet and bedspread. Fine modern and vintage antiques. Large botanical prints framed in gold with Latin. 

Blue silk curtains. Sheers filtering in sunlight.

Larry is a junior in high school. 

Big hazel eyes, lanky but handsome, a loner. Hair cut to his chin, falling in his eyes constantly. Faded shirt, jeans. 

Jack is still in junior high. 

Likes to show off his body, confident smile, quick to anger. Hair is almost blonde from the Sun, curly, to his shoulders, popular. 

Like a god. Wears trendy 60s clothes, stripes, colors.

Rebekah, six years old, is wearing undershirt and panties, tied with rope to an antique farmhouse chair taken from the family’s regular dining area. 

Rebekah is confused. Every moment with her older brothers, who could go to Viet-Nam some day, is precious. 

But they are mean to her. And she loves them to death. So.

Larry and Jack circle Rebekah in anticipation, laughing at her. 

Rebekah does her best to keep her chin held high. 

Her eyes spark with anger, too. It’s a front. 

She is Tiger Lily from Peter Pan. She is Mata Hari like on TV. She will not be broken again.

It is time. Larry nods to Jack, and Jack leaves, shutting the bedroom door behind him quietly. 

Larry holds a plate of pieces of cut up pet goldfish to Rebekah’s eyes. 

She begins to cry and squirm, knowing this routine all too well.

LARRY

Ready to get started?

REBEKAH

Not really.

LARRY

Like you have a choice.

REBEKAH

Whatever. 

Rebekah turns her head away. Takes in a deep breath. 

Holds it. Breathes it out in a rush, not meaning to. 

In spite of her mind, her body has betrayed her unconscious fears. 

She starts to shake nervously. She keeps looking away from Larry and the plate.

LARRY

I’m not going anywhere. Neither are you. Come on, eat up.

A few moments pass, while Rebekah decides what to do. 

She’s trapped, again. Anger surges up, then something new. Hatred. 

It surprises her. New words.

REBEKAH

I ... I hate you. 

Looking at him straight in the eyes for two seconds, then looking away again, scared of what she’s said.

Larry feels as though she’s struck him with a dagger through the eyes. He doesn’t let on. 

Rebekah knows her brother and can hear it in his voice just the same. 

She is terrified, wounded.

LARRY

Oh, now! That’s a new one. You’ll be sorry for that one day.

Rebekah lowers her head in shame. 

REBEKAH

I’m ... Sorry. I don’t really mean it ... You’re so ... mean. So very mean to me!

LARRY

But you’re our sex slave!

Emotions of different kinds, different thoughts, so many confusing things are spiralling deep inside Rebekah’s heart, soul, mind ... 

It’s complete chaos, and she is overwhelmed ... 

Then, she calmly stops. Dissociates. Reason comes from out of nowhere like Plato. States calmly.

REBEKAH

It’s not fair. It’s just not fair.

LARRY

Now eat up. Just like all the other pet fishies.

Rebekah loses control of the dissociation now. She is broken.

Rebekah starts sobbing, remembering the pretty fish, all the pretty fish. 

She turns her head, finally, her eyes huge and wet and green and begins to open her mouth.

LARRY (CONT’D)

Now what was this one’s name? 

Larry raises a beautiful orange and white cut fin piece to Rebekah’s mouth ...

REBEKAH

(crying) Lacey. Because ... Her fins are ... Were so pretty ...

Larry puts it in her mouth and shuts it closed by putting pressure up on her chin. 

He keeps it closed in case she vomits, which she almost does a few times.

LARRY

Don’t chew. Just swallow.

He says softly. 

Rebekah nods, closing her eyes, finally able to swallow.

Piece by piece, he feeds her each fin of Lacey while she almost gags again and again, until it’s time for the body of the goldfish.

LARRY (CONT’D)

Okay, are you ready?

Rebekah nods.

REBEKAH

I just wish there was some way to put them out of their misery.

LARRY 

What do you want me to do, hit them with a hammer?

REBEKAH

It’s just not fair that she’s still alive. 

LARRY

I’m not the one who’s eating her.

Rebekah begins to cry really hard again. 

LARRY (CONT’D)

Enough of that. It’s time.

Rebekah opens her mouth. 

Larry puts the body of the fish on her tongue. Closes her mouth for her. 

Rebekah begins to gag and cry. After a few gags she is able to get Lacey down. 

Rebekah is broken to a new level. 

She hangs her head, unable to hold it up anymore, emotionally and physically exhausted. 

She is dissociating heavily. You can see this in her eyes, because they are no longer in focus, glazed over. 

Larry leaves her there for some time, then comes back with Jack. 

They start circling Rebekah in the chair. 

LARRY AND JACK

Slut! Whore! Slut! Whore!

They continue to shout at her and circle the chair until Rebekah’s eyes have gone blank beyond recognition. 

Rebekah has gone into complete shock, and they know it. 

This is what they have been waiting for. 

Larry and Jack unzip their pants, laughing ...

INT. THERAPY SESSION WITH ROSEMARIE, THAT WEEK

Rebekah is struggling with rage.

ROSEMARIE

For the most part, you have to face these disorders, to live with them...

REBEKAH

Why?

ROSEMARIE

Because of the sheer amount of trauma you survived.

REBEKAH

So I can’t really get over what they did to me?

Rebekah can’t make eye contact and shakes every now and then, as the alters shift. 

She is trying to come to terms with this. 

It makes her angry, but her anger is a slice that comes up in flashes, then subsides. 

It’s too powerful to withstand all at once.

ROSEMARIE

You can heal from everything in time. Your anger is valid, Rebekah. Don’t forget how far you’ve come.

REBEKAH

It’s like it’s happening now! Daddy is alive inside me, but he’s dead! I see their faces!

ROSEMARIE

Maybe it’s time we tried medication. There are side effects, but we can see what works best for you, over time.

Rebekah shakes again, like something just hit her. Like enough is enough already, giving up.

REBEKAH

It feels like giving up to go on medication. I’m doing all I can do to manage, but it’s not enough ... I’m so broken ...

ROSEMARIE

You are not broken ... You are healing.

Rebekah laughs.

REBEKAH

I am so broken, into millions of little pieces. I feel it, the fragmentation. It’s real!

ROSEMARIE

You did compartmentalize very heavily. But you, the bright little girl, the loving woman -- you survived!

Rebekah stares at Rosemarie, shaking her head.

REBEKAH

How do you know? How do I feel it?

ROSEMARIE

By loving yourself, the pieces you like, encouraging them, being nurturing ...

REBEKAH

I feel about this big, like below zero in self esteem, though. 

ROSEMARIE

Do you hear voices that tell you what to do? Good or bad?

REBEKAH

My Mother, Daddy, everyone has a place inside.

ROSEMARIE

You don’t have to listen to voices that you don’t agree with anymore. You’re safe.

REBEKAH

Safe! 

(laughs)

ROSEMARIE

Practice doing good things for yourself. You deserve it, all the good things.

Rebekah laughs again. 

REBEKAH

I guess. I can be happy now? But I’m constantly reminded of the past. That’s the PTSD, right?

ROSEMARIE

Yes. And you CAN be happy now. But it will take practice.

REBEKAH

I’m constantly afraid of failure. Such a perfectionist. My first thought is I’m not going to be good at it.

ROSEMARIE

Step back from those thoughts, and look at them objectively. Compassionately.

Rebekah shakes her head.

REBEKAH

I can’t!

ROSEMARIE

Imagine you, as a little girl, in that chair ...

Rebekah tries very hard, imagining. The anger falls away by half. She feels like crying now instead.

REBEKAH

I see. Wow, that’s hard. Everything is hard now.

ROSEMARIE

Love yourself. Practice. You are already such a wonderful person. 

REBEKAH

I have no sense of that. I’m like a stranger. I hear you, though.

INT. REBEKAH’S STUDIO, PARIS, SATURDAY 

Encouraged by the creation of the black velvet gown, with V-neck. Fluttering cream silk at the neck, wrists. 

Rebekah is working on a second design.

She hears a helicopter flying low over the building.

Suddenly Rebekah begins to have flashback flooding. 

To have a panic attack.  

Usually, she is forced to stay in bed for this. 

She heads for the bed and sits down. 

She holds her head, churning with disparate emotions and flashbacks ... then she holds her hands, inspecting them very closely ...

INT. CARTERSVILLE COUNTRY CLUB, 1968, FRIDAY NIGHTS, EVENING

The sounds of be-bop jazz. The country club is posh. 

Rebekah is sitting in Daddy’s lap, while he gets drunk with his friends.

Rebekah is four years old. 

Dressed in one of her best black velvet dresses. White collar. Red velvet bow. 

Rebekah eats baked potatoes and lemonade. 

Sits in Daddy’s lap for hours past the eleven PM closing time. 

Somewhere a clock strikes midnight. 

The African American staff get increasingly nervous. 

Daddy gets exceedingly too drunk to drive.

Finally, the staff is allowed to close up the club. They cleaned up long ago. 

They begin to stream sweetly, nervously, through the dining room, on their way home.

EXT. COUNTRY CLUB PARKING LOT, SAME MORNING

Daddy and Rebekah head for the car.

Daddy passes out for a while in the driver side of the 1967 Buick. 

Rebekah fiddles with her hands, the bow, the velvet of her dress, on the passenger side.

All the other cars leave the parking lot. 

A lot of time passes ...

Suddenly there is the blinding flashlight of a policeman in Daddy’s car window. 

The police officer taps politely for some time ...

... before Daddy wakes from his stupor ...

Daddy removes the now nude Rebekah from his lap and puts her on the passenger side. 

Rebekah grabs for her dress. Puts it in front of herself in the dark. 

Daddy wipes his mouth. Pulls up his pants, zips them up. 

Rolls down the steamed up window. 

Rebekah begins sucking her thumb. Her eyes widen.

OFFICER

Hello, Lou.

DADDY

Hello, Henry.

OFFICER

I’m afraid you’ll have to move on. You can’t stay here.

DADDY

Thank you for letting me know. I’ll be moving on before too long. 

OFFICER

Consider this a warning.

DADDY

I know, I know. Thank you.

The police car turns around. Pulls out of the lot.

Daddy opens the door and puts his feet on the ground Holding his head in his hands. 

Daddy suddenly throws up violently onto the ground. 

Rebekah is terrified. 

Starts crying softly. Trying not to make any noise. Not wanting to make Daddy mad.

Daddy sits there for a while with the car door open, as if he was praying to the streetlight. 

After a while, he pulls himself back into the car. Shuts the door. 

DADDY (CONT’D)

Rebekah, can you help us get home? Can you do that for Daddy?

Rebekah is even more scared now, but nods.

REBEKAH

What do I have to do?

DADDY

I’ll show you. Let’s get you dressed first.

Rebekah helps Daddy dress her ...

Rebekah is dressed, shaking, and maneuvering in Daddy’s lap in the driver’s side of the car. 

Eyes bigger than ever. Tiny hands on the wheel. 

Daddy reaches forward. Starts the car. 

Rebekah bites her lip. Terrified.

Daddy’s feet on the pedals. 

Rebekah steers the 1967 Buick out of the country club parking lot.

Rebekah is now steering them home. 

Down the narrow one lane roads at night. Hardly any traffic. 

Somehow she is holding herself together for this. It’s kind of cool to be like grown ups, but it’s scary.

Every now and then, oncoming headlights almost blind her. She cries out. 

Rebekah swerves away from an oncoming car. They go off into the mud on the side of the road. 

Daddy gets out of the car impatiently, dizzy. 

Pushes the car out of the mud with everything he’s got.

They continue ... 

Daddy insists she stay in his lap all the way home.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, 1979, SUNDAY MORNING

Rebekah is in high school. 

Dressed up for Sunday morning church. Big, lanky now, sitting in Daddy’s lap. 

He is quietly trimming her nails while she watches.

EXT. GREAT AUNT HELEN’S HOUSE, DRIVEWAY

Rebekah is in the driveway, looking up at the great oak tree curving over it. 

A glint of light gets in her eyes, and startles her. 

Suddenly she starts to run away into the field beside the house. 

Stops on the other side of the wooden garage, where no one can see. 

Starts to cry uncontrollably. Confused, not sure what to do.

REBEKAH

Why am I crying?

This makes her cry all the more. 

Runs to the neighbor’s house. 

Stops at their property edge. Sees movement inside their house through a huge plate window.

Still crying uncontrollably, she runs to the plate glass window and puts her hands on the glass. 

The older woman inside sees her and runs outside to help.

NEIGHBOR

Oh, you’re that McKenzie girl? 

Rebekah nods, can’t speak. Out of breath.

NEIGHBOR

What’s going on to get you so upset? Has there been an accident?

Rebekah tries to speak, can’t.

NEIGHBOR

You wait here.

Neighbor calls Great Aunt Helen’s house, to tell them about Rebekah.  

Goes back outside, shaking her head. Tries to comfort Rebekah.

NEIGHBOR

I called your family.

Rebekah starts to cry all over again, shaking her head, as Mama and Great Aunt Helen come through the yard to the house, slowly, not sure what to expect.

INT. REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, DAY

Back in Rebekah’s studio, Rebekah is staring off into the distance, hugging herself, rocking back and forth. 

Suddenly something in her snaps, an alter changes, and she shouts.

REBEKAH

I’m not staying in bed for this one!

Trying to cheer herself up, she rummages through her closet briefly. 

Dressed in a red velvet drapey top she made herself, a favorite pair of slouchy jeans, chocolate kicky boots. 

Heads out the apartment door, shutting the dog in for now.

Rebekah is still flooding. Head spinning. Dizzy. 

She braces herself. Squares her jaw. Determined to have some control over her healing journey.

EXT. METRO AT RUE DES SEVRES, 1990S, DAY 

Montage:

Rebekah gets out at the Rue des Sevres Metro. 

She comes out into the street, where some Sun is breaking through the clouds. It is magical. 

Rebekah is tripping, though. Irrational. Manic. 

Everything is surreal. 

We see Paris through Rebekah’s mind. 

Rebekah is flashing on Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner. 

Her brothers screaming foul things at her. Running around her in a circle while she is tied up in the farmhouse chair. 

So many things from the past ... Trying to focus on the beauty around her ...

Rebekah is open to the world as if she is some sort of radio receiver. Emotional sponge. Picking up small details of movement. 

Leaves falling. Movements on the trees. In the light and shadows, birds, sparrows chatting. 

Architectural details. Angles. 

Snippets of imagery coming in through her eyes lovingly. 

Like postcards, as she walks down the street. 

Rebekah has an urge, suddenly craves connection with something male, the strange man from her childhood ...

Rebekah is losing her grip on reality ... 

As she walks, the different pieces of herself, personalities, come up and down without any warning. 

She’s trying to stay cool, though. Step by step.

Her studies of meditation help her try to sit back inside her mind. Find a place to observe her various emotions. 

Flashing images. She is barely holding it together. 

Flashbacks come up, flooding her again suddenly. 

She usually needs to sit or lay down when this happens. She looks around quietly.

In the Paris street, remembering all this and confused about what to do. 

Rebekah feels light-headed. Grabs a lamp post. 

She feels incredibly hyper-sensitive to light and every bit of movement all around her, the hyper-vigilance of PTSD.

For a few moments she is unable to catch her breath, hyperventilating. 

People continue to walk by, staring, but not stopping. Not wanting to get involved. 

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, THE BATHROOM, 1974

Rebekah is in the bathroom sitting on the counter. Getting ready for bed. 

Playing for a moment with the water from the faucet. 

Looking into the mirror up close. She feels very playful, happy for a moment.

She makes all sorts of emotional faces in the mirror getting ready. 

Sometimes she thinks about being an actress. Practices play voices very quietly. Trying on different people for size. Different masks.

Today Frances comes in and catches her playing. Immediately Frances runs to tell Mama, ever the snitch.

Frances runs back to the bathroom, where Rebekah is still playing with the mirror.

FRANCES

Mama wants to talk to you. 

Rebekah straightens up, scared.

Rebekah goes to see Mama in the den.

Mama is sitting in Daddy's newspaper-reading easy chair next to the dining table with all the farmhouse chairs. 

Frances is next to Mama, hanging out on the arm of the chair. 

MAMA

Frances, go to your room, please.

FRANCES

Yes, Mama.

Frances marches to her bedroom all the way in the back of the house.

MAMA

Come here to me, Rebekah.

REBEKAH

Yes, Mama.

(not liking Mama's severe tone, but not sure that she’s done anything wrong, either.)

Rebekah stands two feet in front of Mama's knees and awaits her lecture.

MAMA

You know the Evil Stepmother in Snow White?

REBEKAH

Yes.

MAMA

She is arrogant. 

(contemptuously )

You are arrogant, too. 

You need to stop playing with the mirror. 

Rebekah is shocked and upset. Trying to repress it.

MAMA

The mirror is only for checking your hair, your teeth, things like that. 

REBEKAH

I'm not like the Evil Stepmother at all! She tries to kill Snow White! 

Rebekah’s eyes fill with tears. 

It feels like her head is going to explode. Pop right off her spine. 

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I don't understand!

MAMA

It’s wrong to play in front of the mirror like you do. 

Rebekah is shaking her head, so confused. 

Her head is killing her. 

She’s standing in front of Mama, but wants to run far, far away from everything, forever. 

She imagines running away, far away, out the door and down the street ... 

But she stands still. 

REBEKAH

Nothing makes sense ...

MAMA (CONT’D)

Frances will help you get ready from now on.

Mama pulls Rebekah toward her firmly. 

Rebekah starts to cry. 

Mama repeatedly smooths down Rebekah’s long hair, but Rebekah cringes from Mama’s touch. 

In spite of herself, Rebekah eventually stops crying.

MAMA (CONT’D)

Go to your room, and get the Snow White book out. Think very hard about what I’ve told you.

Rebekah manages a nod to Mama. Tries not to run to her room. 

Walks out and down the hallway to her bedroom, very awkwardly, unevenly.

Rebekah closes the door behind her. 

She gets her Snow White book out. Climbs into the exact middle of her pure white flocked bedspread.

The words blur in front of her. We begin to see inside Rebekah’s mind ...

INT. INSIDE REBEKAH’S MIND

Montage:

We hear dark, somber rock hits from the 60s.

Rebekah dissociates like a splintered mirror. Plate glass breaking.

Inside her black mind, overlays of her eyes, beautiful, soulful, ghostly, hazel eyes. Trembling, confused mouth.

Her inner universe has stars and flashbacks both good and bad. 

Mirrors now. Making faces in the mirror.

Mama telling her, No! 

Her pointed index finger from Daddy's reading chair next to the dining table with the farmhouse chairs ...

NOOOOOOO ....

Mirrors slice scenes. Reflect. Refract flashbacks with prism colors swirling ...

Things are cracking all over. Underneath her feet. Over her head. Rebekah is shaking.

Sees her face in the mirror, darkness all around. 

Blinks her eyes. Shuddering all over. 

Mirrors in a fun house. Mama with rotating knives when she speaks. 

Raggedy Anne and Andy. 

Courtroom judges with banging gavels. Multiple Mamas. Mirrors. Dolls.

Blink.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, REBEKAH’S BEDROOM, 1974, DAY

Close up of Rebekah’s eyes in the white bed, blinking, sudden shakes of her head. Blink.

Grips her fists tightly together. Starts to inspect her fingernails. Trying to take some kind of control.

INT. INSIDE REBEKAH’S MIND

Infinite blackness, clean. Now glassy. Mirrored. A hundred plate glass mirrors. 

Empty of anything. Brilliantly clean.

Sound of something cracking. Shattering ... 

Something inside of Rebekah cracks. 

INT. REBEKAH’S BEDROOM, ON THE WHITE BED

Rebekah shakes in the bed. Snow White open face down beside her hand.

Rebekah imagines: 

The mirror is hanging in long shards that look like they could fall and hurt someone. Stalactites and stalagmites. 

A man's hand and arm reach through the glass from the darkness toward her.

It is the strange man! 

A Latin Marlon Brando. White tee shirt. Muscled forearm. Cigarette pack rolled up in his sleeve.

He pulls her to his side. Takes her with him up into the air.

Rebekah is above all the mirrors in the strange man’s arms. 

For an instant she can see herself imagining things on the white bedspread. 

She floats in a sparkling, fragile, starry universe inside herself. In the arms of the strange man. 

Passes out into something like sleep. 

Back and forth. Between hallucinations and reality.

The somber music from a 60s ends. A resounding boom.

EXT. PARIS STREET

Rebekah is holding on to the light post. Remembering Mama. 

Shadows of people rush by. 

A few minutes later, she is able to breathe again. To see clearly. 

Lets go of the lamppost. Walks forward. 

Taking care to breathe as deeply as she can manage. In the middle of a panic attack.

Rebekah reaches a new street block. 

A presence seems to call her. The strange man! 

She takes a few steps into it. Pauses. Listens to the strange man speak in her head. 

THE STRANGE MAN

Time is a loop. Everyone who has every lived ... Exists in the continuum. The whole of time. 

Rebekah begins to feel the presence of the strange man more profoundly. Sees his shadow there. 

It feels like a male presence. Shadowy and light. Curiosity and despair. Similar to Rebekah.  

Excited, drawn to him, she feels it walking more in synchronicity with her. 

We see the strange man now walking alongside Rebekah in the Paris street. 

Laughing, intense brown eyes. Handsome, dark, bearded man. In his forties. 

Latin American. Poetic. Intellectual. 

Brown corduroys. Sports jacket with elbow patches. Shirt. Argentinian gaucho scarf. Moderately expensive Italian leather shoes.

For the first time, we see Rebekah truly laugh and smile, interacting with the strange man. 

INT. RUE DES SEVRES METRO, PARIS, TIME UNKNOWN

Rebekah and the strange man walk to the Rue des Sevres Metro. 

The strange man stops to look at his watch face, which suddenly comes up in hers, freezing Rebekah where she stands. 

There are very few people around. 

With a slant of his head, he asks her for more information. 

Rebekah looks at her golden fairy watch, and sends him the time, a sense of her world in a flash of her mind. 

The strange man gets her message of the time, and nods briefly, then begins to walk again. 

Rebekah nods softly. Puts her right hand to her face, smiling at the strange man. 

Shakes herself, giggling. Walks on, following him. 

Montage:

While they are waiting for the next train, they send wave after curious wave back and forth. 

About the time and things, postcards. He asking about the future. She about the past. 

Rebekah is enthralled, enchanted.

Rebekah imagines the dark ends of the tunnel full of stalactites and stalagmites. 

Water calmly and deeply flows through the entire subway tunnel. 

Rebekah isn't sure what is happening. The walls and train tracks begin to weave. 

She is becoming dizzy. Afraid that she's starting to flood and panic again. 

She holds onto her pieces of fear. Trying to stay calm.

The walls begin to drip into long beautiful wet fingers of stone. 

The subway floor begins to flow upward into tiny layered points. The floor and ceiling are dripping liquid sand toward each other, trying to meet. 

The hollow of the tunnel where the tracks run beneath it begins to shimmer and float into the smooth surface of gently flowing water. 

It sounds as if there is chamber music echoing faintly in the tunnel. 

Then they see an elegant wooden boat with musicians, paddles lightly splashing. 

They drift into this other world, until ... 

A train can be heard from the depths of the tunnel's darkness, breaking the air into tiny bits and squares, rumbling the floor. A minor earthquake beneath their feet. 

They hold onto both worlds until the train can be seen, its solid snaking forward with light and curves. 

The worlds converge, rippling over each other like a double exposure. 

He moves toward the train, she following along with the few others. Moving toward the opening doors.

INT. METRO TRAIN, PARIS, TIME UNKNOWN 

Once they enter the train, there is a coldness. 

Rebekah can’t feel the strange man anymore! Terrified. Full of loss.

She stands up. Puts her hands on the windows. Looking for him everywhere.

Looks out the door to make sure he's not waiting outside the train. Looks around inside the train. 

Suddenly, she feels him again. Inside her! A presence.

Brings the watch face to her face. Flashing. Asking her to flash the time again. 

Sits down. Strangely reassured. Weird at the same time. Even so. She adapts quickly.

INT. INSIDE REBEKAH’S MIND 

Rebekah sends the strange man a collage of feelings. A snapshot of her in the present. 

Montage:

Flashbacks. Snapshots from her past. Postcards from Paris. A flickering mix in the darkness. The inside of the subway tunnel.

REBEKAH

I'm here now, too. 

INT. METRO TRAIN 

The train builds up momentum, until it is deep within the tunnel. 

Rebekah is shivering. So many things happening at once. Overwhelmed.

Montage:

Rebekah’s spine. The subway lights and rails. 

A lovely feeling. Movement without exertion. 

Comes through her in a glow through her spine. Through her very primal DNA. Making even her scalp tingle.

Rebekah shivers. Stops shaking. Starts giggling. Laughing out loud. Thrilled. 

Rebekah’s spinal cord. The strange man’s presence spiralling around her DNA cord. 

Part of her DNA. Her original spine. 

The signature of his energy spiraling around her DNA cord. Closer than anyone could ever be, ever before. 

REBEKAH

History is inside us, inside our very DNA ...

INT. METRO TRAIN 

Montage: 

Rebekah on the Metro train. 

Floating snapshots. The signature of the strange man spiralling around her DNA.

Rebekah sees the flashing lights outside the window of the train. White. Cobalt blue. Yellow. Purple. Red.

Reflections of the faces in the window. Past. Present. Future. Old, young, middle aged, diverse.

Cables of various colors rolling past the speeding train walls and tunnels outside the window. Appearing. Disappearing. Rushing past.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Wherever I go ... This strange man is part of me. 

A sudden jolt upright in the Metro seat. Rebekah looks at her golden fairy charm watch. 

Nothing out of the ordinary is triggered this time. 

She is no longer flooding with flashbacks, floating postcards, nothing.

Rebekah lets out a huge sigh of relief.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

About time ...

Rebekah laughs. Feels weird about everything. Magical about the experience. Exhausted. 

Insecure. It feels weird to be her. Now aware of the present in a fragile way.

People on the Metro are trying not to look at her funny, and she knows it. 

She squirms a bit. Tries to look cool, but the flashbacks start again. 

Places her hands firmly on her thighs. Turns her head as if she were looking out the window. The flashback is full on.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, HALLWAY BETWEEN BEDROOMS, 1969

Rebekah is now five. Larry has her pinned down on the floor. She is struggling, laughing, thinking it’s a game.

LARRY

That’s it! I told you something bad would happen if you told!

REBEKAH

I had to tell!

LARRY

You had a choice. You told. Things are different now.

REBEKAH

What do you mean?

LARRY

Jack and me don’t love you anymore. But it’s worse than that now.

REBEKAH

You still love me!

LARRY

This is for real. We don’t love you anymore. You are now our sex slave!

REBEKAH

What does that mean?

LARRY

You’ll find out soon enough.

He releases her, laughing. She runs into her room. Locks the door behind her, as fast as she can.

LARRY

You’ll see! 

He yells though the door. Turns slowly and goes across the hall into the boys’ bedroom, leaving the door open.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, HALLWAY, SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Rebekah is on the floor. Eyes streaming with tears. In shock. 

Gray duct tape over her mouth. 

The duct tape is distressed, wet around the edge with vomit.

Larry spreads Rebekah’s long hair out. Around her head and face. Almost lovingly. But not.

LARRY

Look, we killed pretty Rebekah!

Rebekah registers this. Shudders. More tears begin streaming. 

She cries under the duct tape.

From behind Rebekah, just behind her, we can hear Jack laughing, cleaning himself off. 

Both brothers laugh maniacally into the hall mirror ...

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, 1971, MORNING

Rebekah leaves her bedroom across the hall from “the boys” and goes into the perfect white tiled bathroom. She is hardly awake, and looks in the mirror sadly.

Suddenly she is terrified: behind her in the closed shower is something red, hideous.

She slides open the shower door, to find bloody shirt and jeans. 

REBEKAH

Larry!

Rebekah runs into the den, where Daddy is alone, reading the paper in his easy chair, as always.

REBEKAH

What happened! Where is Larry?

DADDY

He’s okay, but he hurt himself pretty bad. Totaled his car again.

REBEKAH

What happened?

DADDY

He was in a wreck last night. Going around that same damned curve again.

REBEKAH

Where is he?

DADDY

He’s out for a while. Doesn’t want anyone to see his face. He’s pretty buggered up.

Rebekah is crying, scared, angry at Larry. She leaves and goes back to the bathroom, closing the shower door.

INT. GREAT AUNT HELEN’S HOME, 1976, NIGHT

Rebekah is wearing a giant floral kimono, at the door of Great Aunt Helen’s bedroom. 

Gets permission to leave the room to go to the bathroom. 

Rebekah locks herself in the bathroom, and then with fright hears Helen walking down the hall on the creaky wooden floor. 

Helen has the key and lets herself in, where Rebekah is now a mess of confusion on the floor. 

Both in exotic Japanese robes. 

Rebekah accuses.

REBEKAH

You drugged me! What are you doing to me? 

But Helen strokes, cajoles, and eventually tempts the confused Rebekah with the offer of another massage. Rebekah is led back down the hall ...

INT. TAILORING SHOP, MORNING

Rebekah is in the back of the shop, making a long distance call to her home town.

REBEKAH

Is this the district attorney?

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Yes. How can I help you?

REBEKAH

I need to report that my family and baby sitter molested me growing up ...

Montage:

The back of Rebekah as she plays with the curly phone cord nervously, talking, listening to what the DA says.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

What you need to understand is that these repressed memories you’re having ...

Rebekah nods, listening.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

They don’t count as evidence in Georgia. Even if the statute of limitations wasn’t up.

Rebekah shakes her head.

REBEKAH

Doesn’t my mental health diagnosis count?

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

No. In fact, in court it’s your word against theirs. They can say they didn’t do it. That counts against you.

Rebekah is angry, getting confused.

REBEKAH

So, because I’m from Georgia, nothing that happened counts?

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Listen, I understand. This happens more than you think. You’re not alone.

REBEKAH

What’s wrong with the state of Georgia? Okay. Thank you, sir...

Rebekah finishes up the conversation and heads slowly back into the front of the shop, shaking her head.

EXT. PARIS, ALEXANDER III BRIDGE

Rebekah sneaks out at night to the bridge somehow while Rupert is sleeping. 

Symbolically breaks with her family by floating a candlelit tiny boat she’s made down the Seine. 

She has filled the boat with their old photographs from the hat box. 

She is delusional. Tries to seed the dreams of all the sleepers, with peace and love by throwing glitter and trinkets from a velvet bag she brought. 

People who beg in the street have learned to look for her. She gives away the bit of cash she has.

Shows up the next morning at work, having spent the night out. Still Psychotic. Jeanne calls Rupert.

INT. PARIS LOFT APARTMENT, 1990S, ONE WEEK LATER

Rebekah is sitting on the bed while Rupert is work.

Taking the pills from all the bottles as fast as she can. 

Swallowing them all somehow. 

Gags from time to time... tears streaming down her face... shaking ... whispers ...

REBEKAH

This is mercy ...

INT. PARIS HOSPITAL, SAME DAY

Rebekah is brought to the hospital unconscious, from the overdose. 

Dies on the Emergency Room table. 

Brought back to life as the ER Doctor shocks her heart several times. 

Her heart starts beating again.

The ER staff are now able to relax. 

Rebekah is assigned a room.

Rupert waits outside with Jeanne and Riassa.

The ER Doctor goes to talk to him. 

ER DOCTOR

Rebekah is in a coma. Talk to her. Just don’t say anything that might upset her.

Jeanne and Riassa stay with Rupert as long as they can to watch over Rebekah in her new room. 

They all feel helpless to some degree. 

Fidget. Have trouble knowing what to do. 

Grateful. Angry. 

EXT. HOSPITAL PARKING LOT, SAME DAY

It’s somewhat of a relief when Jeanne and Riassa are able to go outside of the hospital, to their thoughts and feelings again. 

Riassa tries to whisper under her breath to Jeanne, so no one can hear.

RIASSA

I’m so grateful, but I’m also damned angry at Rebekah!

A look of realization comes over Jeanne.

JEANNE

Honestly, I am, too. I love her. I don’t want her to go away!

RIASSA

How could she do this to us?

Jeanne shakes her head in disbelief.

JEANNE

She didn’t mean to hurt anyone but herself. I’m sure of it.

Riassa turns away, trying to manage her strong emotions.

RIASSA

I will have to forgive her. How can I forget, though?

JEANNE

We will never forget. She is precious, and has no idea.

RIASSA

You know she said the counselor tells her to love herself.

JEANNE

I guess it’s going to take time.

Riassa nods, coming to an acceptance, just barely, before the anger comes up again.

She looks at Jeanne.

RIASSA

I’m trying. 

JEANNE

I know. Everyone is. Poor Rupert!

They are able to have a good cry outside in the parking lot, before giving a hug goodbye, and heading their separate ways.

INT. HOSPITAL, OVERNIGHT

A nurse has been staying with Rebekah overnight since the overdose attempt, per hospital procedure. 

She sits near the bed in a rocking chair. Hums Amazing Grace.

INT. HOSPITAL, NEXT DAY

Rupert is with Rebekah when she wakes up, but her senses are barely with her. She came so close to dying. 

He talks to her gently. 

Rebekah can’t hear him for a long time. Rebekah shakes her head. 

With great difficulty puts her finger to an ear. Lets him know she can’t hear. 

Her face is full of joy to be alive, to see Rupert, though.

Rupert holds her hand and continues to talk to her, to stroke her hand. Gently, lovingly, crying.

Rupert eventually gets on the phone to calls Jeanne and Riassa, to let them know Rebekah’s awake. 

As they talk to Rebekah on the phone, she nods and smiles to Rupert, but again shakes her head, so he gets back on the phone.

RUPERT

She can’t hear you. I don’t know. Just get here when you can. I appreciate it...

Rupert is so full of varying, intense emotions. Shaking. 

He turns his attention back to Rebekah again. So angry with her. Trying to control it. 

So happy she is alive. That she’s awake.

This is all a storm inside him. The anger will have to wait for now. 

He smiles as best he can at Rebekah.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, PARIS, 1990S

Montage: 

Rebekah is beginning to get more of her senses back after the overdose attempt. 

Over the course of a day, she is able to keep her eyes open, talk, hear, see, laugh. 

RUPERT

How do you feel? Are you able to talk yet?

REBEKAH

(nodding a little) Yes. 

She smiles at Rupert, then looks away, gathering her words.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I’m grateful for my life now, my body, all my senses, as each one comes back ... I’m not suicidal anymore.

RUPERT

You better mean that.

Rupert clasps her hand, beside the bed.

Montage:

In a few hours she is able to sit up consistently, move her arms and legs when she wants to, and stand, then take a few steps at first. 

At the end of the day, a new doctor comes to interview her and check her out, then another.

Rosemarie puts Rebekah on medication now, via the doctors at the hospital. 

She is still too unstable to come home.

EXT. MENTAL HOSPITAL GROUNDS, DAY

In a wheelchair. Sweet baby pink robe. Pajamas. Lovely slippers. All given to her by her friends and Rupert. 

Rebekah is psychotic, flashbacks flooding her, talking to herself softly. She keeps checking her fingernails obsessively, trying to clean out from underneath them. 

The wheel chair is managed by a strong and sympathetic nurse, who wheels her to a shady spot under a tree. 

The nurse shakes her head. It’s even hard for her to take Rebekah in this state, and she’s seen it all. 

She sits beside Rebekah on a bench. Reads to Rebekah from one of Rebekah’s books.

But Rebekah is in her own hell.

INT. COUNSELOR ROSEMARIE’S HOME OFFICE, PARIS, DAY

Rebekah is still extremely fragile and weak from the overdose. 

This is her first session back with Rosemarie.

Rosemarie is visibly shaken. Things are different now.

ROSEMARIE

Why didn’t you tell me you had a plan?

Rebekah nods quietly. 

REBEKAH

I’m sorry ... I didn’t know myself ...

ROSEMARIE

We’ve signed your safety contract. It’s up to you and your support network to watch for signs from now on.

Rebekah nods.

REBEKAH

Okay. You know, ever since I woke up, I’m so grateful for everything ... I’m not suicidal!

Rosemarie manages a smile, she is so worried.

ROSEMARIE

What a blessing! We need to take very good care of you, all of us.

Rebekah nods.

REBEKAH

I don’t want to die anymore. It’s weird.

ROSEMARIE

I understand. You’re beginning to love yourself. Possibly for the first time. 

Rebekah nods, stares into the distance, dissociating ...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, PARIS, THREE MONTHS LATER, DAY

Montage: 

Rebekah is still very fragile. Unable to work. The dog follows her wherever she goes in Rupert’s apartment.

It’s becoming a safe place for Rebekah. 

He has brought key pieces from Rebekah’s apartment for her creativity to continue. 

Her sewing machine and studio pieces are framed floor to ceiling by vivid, lush swaths of fabric. A cocoon of space.

EXT. ROOFTOP GARDEN, DAY

Montage:

Rupert has also created a rooftop garden for Rebekah since she’s been gone. 

She loves the surprise. Adores the new garden.

In time, she is touching and whispering to each plant as she waters them. 

Watching everything bloom and grow. Butterflies and bees come to the flowers, delighting her.

EXT. PARIS STREET, SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Rebekah and Rupert are enjoying the weather by walking the dog together. Rebekah sees all sorts of things in the architecture and landscape.

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Montage:

Rebekah is creating for the first time since the overdose.

Jeanne is working with a sewing machine in another area of the loft. To help watch Rebekah. To keep up with the tailoring work.

Rebekah creates a very large abstract painting in cobalt blue, charcoal, black and yellow. 

Her face is tear-streaked, but she seems determined. 

Rebekah turns to the work table, and quickly but thoroughly sketches a new dress. 

In her sketch, we see a fine black gown with a very long train. 

Sewn into the bustle and train of the dress are all manner of things, including skeleton keys, pocket watches, excerpts of old books, maps, love letters, old jewelry ... 

She’s drawn everything in deep detail.

Rebekah goes to her magic trunk. 

Always amazed and thrilled by the sky blue magic trunk, with the constellations painted inside ...

She pulls out yards and yards of fine black wool for the new gown. The fabric seems to come out of nowhere, endlessly ... 

Rebekah sits there on the floor among the yards of black wool. 

Something dawns on her. Rebekah begins to smile, laugh, cry, and shake, then laugh again, then cry. 

Jeanne hears Rebekah crying and comes to check on her. 

She sees Rebekah in the floor with her back to her, but she also sees the new painting, and the sketch of the new gown on the work table.

Jeanne puts her hands on her hips lightly, smiling.

Jeanne tiptoes away goes to another room to call Rupert at work in his photography studio, whispering into the phone ...

JEANNE

Rebekah’s made a big breakthrough! Yes! See you soon!

Rebekah begins cutting fabric for the new dress while Jeanne works in another room. 

Rupert returns home quietly, and Jeanne leaves. 

He has brought home food for dinner and sets the table. 

Rupert surprises Rebekah and she is delighted. They hug for a long time ...

Rebekah and Rupert eat their romantic dinner, among an array of candles, the dog sleeping by the table.

After dinner, they try to make love ... haltingly ...

Rebekah goes into deep shock again and cannot move at all. Tears are streaming from her eyes. Rupert strokes her face, hair.

Rupert is crying, too. 

Begins massaging her with scented oil, to help calm her system down, as he has done lovingly many times before ...

Eventually Rebekah is soothed and falls asleep.

Rupert curls in beside her and turns out the light. 

He stares at the Moon through the window and the moonlight on the bed. 

It’s hard for him to get to sleep ...

EXT. OUTSIDE REBEKAH’S APARTMENT, MONTHS LATER

Rebekah and Rupert are walking the dog, caring for him, around the block. As they walk, there is a new joy for them, about everything. 

We can see a change in Rebekah. She is more confident, glowing, even smiling from time to time shyly.

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Rebekah is at her Apple computer, typing away while the screen glows. 

She is functioning much better lately. 

There is a new confidence. A sweet glow about her. She loves herself more. She has a shred of self esteem.

Rupert comes in and puts a cup of coffee down beside Rebekah lovingly, then begins rubbing her shoulders. 

Rebekah stops typing for a moment to enjoy the shoulder massage. 

She feels love again for Rupert these days. Joy. Happiness. Her heart is healing, toward him.

RUPERT

I’m so proud of you for beginning your first ... narrative work! 

REBEKAH

You’re adorable! Thank you!

RUPERT

What would you have me say?

REBEKAH

Conglomerate? Compendium?

RUPERT

It’s whatever you want it to be ... Your first novel? Memoir?

REBEKAH

I think I’ll call it Rebekah’s Closet.

Rebekah immediately implodes, second guessing herself completely. Then she feels a bit of confidence again. It’s new.

REBEKAH

It’s my story ...

RUPERT

It’s important your story gets out there.

Rupert continues to rub her shoulders while she grins happily again, reassured, wondering how long it will last. 

Hopeful. She frowns suddenly.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Daddy wouldn’t let me be a writer, or English Major. 

RUPERT

Daddy can’t tell you what to do anymore.

Rebekah has a sharp intake of breath. Realization. Grief. Shame.

They stare at the glow of the screen for a few moments.

Rupert bends down and begins kissing Rebekah’s neck in a few places.

Rebekah blushes and her lips begin to become more kissable, turning red. 

She doesn’t want to say anything, because the kisses trigger flashbacks. Sex.

RUPERT (CONT’D)

Your inner world is fascinating... 

Rebekah is startled by Rupert’s words. 

REBEKAH

Thank you... 

Rebekah feels love again for Rupert and reaches up to stroke him, while he kisses her neck. 

Rebekah’s eyes begin to widen with a thought, suddenly childlike.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Rosemarie says my sense of childlike ... Magical thinking was preserved somehow...

Rupert continues to kiss Rebekah’s neck, and moves to whisper in her ear.

RUPERT

Run with your dreams ... 

Rebekah has a delicate, but contented smile, and lets out a deep breath. 

Happiness. Love. Wonder.

Rupert stands up straight again, to rub her shoulders, smiling. Love.

Their faces are glowing in the light of the Apple computer screen ...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, DAY, SEVERAL WEEKS LATER.

Montage:

Rebekah is taking her medication from the medicine cabinet, carefully. Thoughtfully.

The medication is helping.

REBEKAH

At least it’s calmer now ...

She manages a smile...

However, it has caused her to gain about forty pounds right away. 

She frowns in the long mirror, looking at herself.

None of her clothes fit anymore. She goes around in sweats, crying, but still trying her best. 

It’s just more than she can handle, on top of everything else. 

Everyone encourages her, that she is still beautiful. 

Rupert hugs her in front of the long mirror, to reassure her.

Rebekah has started journaling again, working hard. Still with the flashbacks.

INT. REBEKAH’S CHILDHOOD HOME, 1973, DAY

Rebekah is in third grade. Confused. Big spooky eyes. Mysterious. 

She is playing with her dolls on the floor of her bedroom.

Mama is hiding outside Rebekah’s bedroom door, listening. She’s never allowed into the circle.

Rebekah has arranged all her dolls, big and small, into a circle around her. 

When they are all in place, she begins talking to them.

REBEKAH

Well, Marie you look a little messy. Let me fix you.

An older, well loved vintage Barbie doll in an evening gown. Constantly slipping off her shoulders. Showing a plastic boob. 

Rebekah adjusts her dress firmly. Smooths her always messy hair. 

REBEKAH

Puddin, you look adorable! You always do. Sorry about cutting your hair.

Rebekah sits in quiet for a moment, enjoying the company of the dolls, looking at all of their faces.

REBEKAH

I think it looks better, though.

Suddenly she get a sharp pain over her left eye and clutches at it, from habit. 

Inside her mind, she begins to hear a horrible thumping, and voices, unintelligible. 

She starts to cry softly. This happens a lot.

Suddenly Mama comes into the room.

MAMA

What are you doing on the floor?

Rebekah shrugs. Barely looks up. Still holding her head.

Mama straightens around the room, but it’s already perfect. Finally she begins to talk to Rebekah seriously.

MAMA

I spoke with the doctor for you about what you’re ... hearing.

Rebekah is scared, from the tone in Mama’s voice. 

Gulps and looks up at Mama finally, towering over her.

MAMA

Now, I know you love your dolls and toys from when you were little... but it’s time you grew up.

Rebekah nods, unsure of what this means.

MAMA

It’s time you let go of all your dolls, toys, and some of your books.

Rebekah cannot comprehend this.

REBEKAH

What do you mean?

Mama is impatient.

MAMA

I’ll go through everything while you’re at school one day. All your ... Things.

Rebekah is shaken.

REBEKAH

But I love all my dolls, every one of them. Some of them were handed down ...

MAMA

I know all your dolls and where they came from!

REBEKAH

How many dolls can I keep?

MAMA

I don’t know! Maybe one, or two.

Rebekah’s world is shattered. She starts to cry.

MAMA

Now stop crying. That’s another part of being a big girl.

Mama leaves the room. Rebekah is desolate.

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, SEVERAL WEEKS LATER.

Rebekah is standing with a cup of tea by the window. Rupert comes to her from another room. They hug.

RUPERT

Hey, here’s a thought: do you want to live together? 

Rebekah looks at him and can’t believe her ears. She starts inspecting her fingernails nervously. Then she looks Rupert in the eye.

REBEKAH

You still want me?

RUPERT

Always.

They try to kiss. Rebekah is stiff, but trying.

RUPERT

We can do this healing stuff all the time over at my place if you want.

REBEKAH

Wow! Just, wow. Okay. I’m in!

RUPERT

I want to be on your team for life, Rebekah. It’s safe.

Rebekah doesn’t laugh, but looks him in the eye again. Her shoulders soften. 

REBEKAH

You know that’s my joke. Just the word safe makes me laugh.

RUPERT

I know. But you have to agree to something.

REBEKAH

Yes?

RUPERT

No more suicide. Don’t do that to us again.

REBEKAH

I haven’t felt suicidal since I woke up the day after the overdose! But I understand.

RUPERT

I was so angry with you then. I couldn’t let on.

REBEKAH

I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to hurt anyone but me.

RUPERT

Can’t you see how much you are loved?

Rupert pulls out a wrapped, tiny gift box and gives it to Rebekah. 

She covers her mouth, incredulous, hoping it will be a ring. 

They lock eyes, almost as they did the first time they met. 

REBEKAH

Oh, you!

She opens it and gets to the beautiful ring. 

REBEKAH

For real ...

RUPERT

I love you! Lets always be together.

Rebekah laughs, hardly believing this. Then she gets serious. 

REBEKAH

I love you. 

RUPERT

So, what do you say?

REBEKAH

Yes!

They snuggle in, and try to kiss again, this time with halting success.

REBEKAH

Why are you so good to me? What makes you different?

RUPERT

My mother and father used to fight a lot before he left us. There was nothing I could do.

REBEKAH

I’m so sorry that happened to you!

RUPERT

I can relate to women more easily than men sometimes.

REBEKAH

That makes sense. Is your mother still alive?

RUPERT

No, she passed several years ago.

REBEKAH

I’m sorry. Did you ever hear from your Dad?

RUPERT

Not that I know of. Mother didn’t like to talk about it.

REBEKAH

I guess we both appreciate love more because of it all, do you think?

RUPERT

Love is what heals us.

Rebekah nods, beginning to smile deeply. They hug.

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, DAY

Montage:

Rebekah and Rosemarie go deeper in sessions. Rosemarie reads from Rebekah’s journal entries. 

Rebekah is emotionally exhausted. 

Rosemarie sees this and closes the journal.

She finds a hand mirror in the room. Rebekah freezes, seeing it. 

Rosemarie hands the mirror to Rebekah.

ROSEMARIE

What do you see?

Rebekah looks at herself in the mirror and something snaps several times, as she adjusts to facing herself.

REBEKAH

I see me, but also ... Daddy, Larry, Mama. 

Rebekah glances away from her own eyes, fearfully.

ROSEMARIE

Who are you in relation to them now?

REBEKAH

I don’t know ... It’s hard to shake off the past. It had a lasting effect.

ROSEMARIE

I understand. But you are making so much progress!

REBEKAH

I see all of them, and I see me, making my own way, independent of them ...

ROSEMARIE

Yes!

REBEKAH

Like I’m a light somehow, walking in a dark landscape ...

Rosemarie nods, letting Rebekah unfold before the mirror ...

ROSEMARIE

Do you ever feel sorry for yourself?

REBEKAH

No. I just feel sad. It’s a really old feeling.

ROSEMARIE

When do you feel confident?

REBEKAH

When I’m creating, writing. When I’m with Rupert. Otherwise confidence won’t stick.

ROSEMARIE

Your core self is always with you. You protected it from them.

REBEKAH

But who is that core? It’s so hard to discern. Who could I have been?

ROSEMARIE

You are so many things now, beautiful things.

REBEKAH

Nothing sticks, no accomplishment is enough. I wonder if it hadn’t been for them ...

ROSEMARIE

The repeated trauma for so many years definitely will haunt you for the rest of your life.

REBEKAH

That’s what it feels like. I’m hardly aware that I do anything well, that I’m a good person.

ROSEMARIE

You are a good person. Smart. Talented. Loving. In time you will accept these positive qualities.

REBEKAH

It’s like I don’t deserve them. Like I shouldn’t be smart, but dumb, just taking it.

ROSEMARIE

You were never dumb. You survived an incredible ordeal, over and over. You escaped.

REBEKAH

That doesn’t seem real. Like the war is still going on, and I’m it’s prisoner.

ROSEMARIE

It will take patience, hard work, time ...

REBEKAH

I miss them, but am beginning to understand their sickness. I’m sick now, but not as bad as them.

ROSEMARIE

That’s a great step in your perception ...

Rebekah nods, lost ...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, PARIS, SOME MONTHS LATER, NIGHT

Rebekah and Rupert are asleep in the bed. Moonlight falls on them from the window. 

Rebekah is dreaming, with a sweet smile on her face...

Rebekah dreams of a new sleeveless black velvet gown, caressing its fabric as if it were an enormous cat.

The velvet gown lifts itself off of the dress form and rubs itself up against her. 

The dress rises in the air above her, floating seductively, and waits... 

Rebekah raises her arms and it slides down over her, fitting her just right. 

She smooths it over her breasts, over her hips, patting the poem in the hip pocket. 

Rebekah’s personalities switch and she starts to take the dress off slowly ...

But as another personality takes hold, Rebekah is someone else again, she shakes her head, and smooths the dress down again over her curves.

Trying not to wake Rupert on the way, Rebekah noiselessly slips into her closet. 

Feeling her way in the dark to find the light switch ... Looking for the perfect shoes and evening bag ...

Rebekah then goes to the dresser for vintage rhinestone jewelry, without making a sound. 

Moving through the apartment, she becomes aware of walking with the enormous black velvet train, which seems to be growing ... 

She has to repress giggles ... 

She realizes she is finally ready to go out into the Paris night alone.

Rebekah leaves her apartment ... shooing the dog away from the door.

She walks hypnotically down the Paris sidewalk, the long black velvet train slipping smoothly along behind her, but also gathering ancient children’s toys, marbles, French lover’s postcards, love letters in the train ... 

The bustle and train are being embroidered simultaneously by invisible hands. Intricate ancient embroideries from around the world ...

Shivering in the slight cold, Rebekah’s soul is warmed by the sparkling streetlights you only find in Paris ... 

Rebekah descends the stairs of an underground Metro station.

A ghost to all others waiting there. 

She can hear Billie Holiday echoing through the Metro station ... 

She is transported to 1930s Paris ...

The train arrives, as she and the others in the station arrange themselves for entering. 

The Metro doors shift open with a soft whoosh. Rebekah walks into the most deserted car, finding a window seat. 

Just then Billie stops singing and her 1930s accompanists begin playing. 

Like a strange wind, the music she remembers stirs the 1930s in the train tunnel, entering the train like a transparent overlay of passengers from that time period ...

An incredible depression fills Rebekah ... 

Rebekah sees Rupert’s face in the window ... 

She touches the glass and smiles ... But the sadness fills her again ... 

Rebekah’s hand slides down the glass. 

Rebekah shifts back to the 1930s passenger overlay in the train instead, like varying transparencies ...

The train pulls to a stop. Rebekah decides to get off at this station with some of the 1930s passengers. 

As Rebekah is standing at the door holding onto a pole, waiting for the door to open, the strange man suddenly appears at her elbow! 

Smiling, he nods and escorts her off the train with a gentle hand in the middle of her back, whispering in her ear, 

STRANGE MAN

This is a great jazz stop. 

The strange man grins widely for the first time, ever.

Rebekah gasps. 

She admires his sharp Latin cheekbones. Cocoa eyes deep, sparkling, on fire. A playful curl about his lips. 

Dashing 1930s tuxedo. Black satin bow tie.

Once outside of the train, he pulls her away from the others deftly as a dancer, 

Lifts her hand, kisses it. 

The Metro station is deserted of others, now having gone on their way. 

Trash blows in the whirlpool of wind, formed as the train pulls out. 

The deep sense of loss and incredible pain washes up through Rebekah again, until the wind dies down. 

She realizes that the strange man is still holding her hand. 

They watch the last of the light from the train die down the black mouth of the tunnel. 

The strange man leads her on a tour of the abandoned tiled advertisements on the walls, trying to distract her.

They focus at last on two tiled ads in particular: an art deco liqueur ad, and a laundry soap ad, side by side.

The strange man encourages Rebekah.

STRANGE MAN (CONT’D)

Touch the tiles ... 

The strange man puts Rebekah’s hands to the advertisement for laundry soap. 

The white tiles for the white sheet that the woman is securing to the line. Wooden clothespins.

Suddenly instead of the cold subway tile, Rebekah feels the warmth of the Sun on her skin. 

STRANGE MAN (CONT’D)

The memory of all things is accessible ... through time... 

EXT. REBEKAH’S BACKYARD GROWING UP, CLOTHES LINE, 1968, DAY

Flashback: 

Rebekah remembers her Mother pinning the sheets on the line when she was little.

The world between the sheets on the line. The best world of all. Castle. Fort. 

The smell of the linens fresh, wet and dry. On her skin. Blowing in the wind hypnotically.

Rebekah’s perspective is so small. 

The space of the sheets overpowers her. 

Safe, alternately. The angles of light on her face. Long hair blowing against the pure white sheets, 

REBEKAH

Mama always wanted things to be perfect. White. I could never get it right...

Rebekah feels the Sun on her skin ...

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

Nature doesn’t ask for anything in return... 

The strange man comes back. Walking between the sheets.

STRANGE MAN

You are perfect ... Even with your wounds and imperfections ... 

Rebekah looks up at the strange man. The Sun radiates around him. Eclipsing the Sun. 

She can barely see his face. Her face is also in the dark.

STRANGE MAN (CONT’D)

Even with your broken heart ... Broken mind ...

He picks up the little Rebekah and raises her to the Sun, so that her face is in the light.

STRANGE MAN (CONT’D)

You are perfect ... And whole.

Rebekah is filled with the light of the Sun and its angles. The shadows it casts. 

Somehow she believes him.

INT. PARIS METRO, SAME DAY

Rebekah is in the Metro station again with the strange man at her elbow. She is touching the whiteness of a tile. 

Suddenly, it’s as if a bolt of lightning, a charge has flown through her, into her fingertips. 

She puts her hand to her mouth, but says nothing for a moment. 

The strange man leans in toward her face sensitively.

STRANGE MAN (CONT’D)

You should celebrate ... 

The strange man reaches to hold her hand. 

Raises it, to lead her in a dance. 

STRANGE MAN (CONT’D)

Yes? 

REBEKAH

Yes ... 

Rebekah and the strange man hear the music of Billie Holiday and her jazz ensemble again, echoing down the Metro tunnel, in the spookiest, loveliest way. 

The strange man pulls Rebekah close, tenderly, to begin a slow dance. 

As they dance, the strange man moves Rebekah closer and closer to the vibrant art deco liqueur ad. 

The song ends, as Billie Holiday brings it to a perfect finish. The strange man raises her hand again. 

STRANGE MAN

Are you ready? 

Rebekah nods shyly as a schoolgirl.

The strange man and Rebekah carefully step through the tiles of the liqueur ad. Into the gold, red, black, and chocolate colors. 

For a moment they are scrabbling through dust and bricks, struggling to move. 

EXT. PARIS STREET, 1930S, NIGHT

Coughing in the dust, until they are free, and up on the surface of the 1930s Paris street.

Rebekah can see. She smiles. The strange man is dusting himself off.

They can hear music playing down the street. Rebekah realizes who it sounds like.

REBEKAH

Django Rinehardt?

The strange man grins, folding her arm under his.

They walk closer and closer to the sound of the music, down the lovely street.

INT. PARIS JAZZ NIGHT CLUB, 1930S, NIGHT

Into a swanky Parisian club of the 1930s, a world of tuxes and gowns. Sparkling, elegant, diverse, hopping. 

Feet tapping, heads nodding, dancers swinging the hems of their skirts, flashing the shine of their dress shoes ... 

The Maitre’D approaches them. The strange man whispers in his ear.

The Maitre’D nods, takes them to a special table near the stage. 

Rebekah and the strange man leave their things at the table, and go immediately to the dance floor.

Rebekah, the strange man, and all the other people, dance nonstop to Django’s band for four or five numbers, flying, spinning, laughing, intoxicated by the playful music, the era.

Rebekah and the strange man dance until they are out of breath. Go sit down to order champagne. 

While they are waiting for the champagne, they intermittently look into each other’s eyes excitedly, watch the band, the scene, flirting ... 

STRANGE MAN

Your eyes, eyelashes, are like dark butterflies ...

Rebekah alternately gets lost in the depths of the strange man’s mysterious eyes, and drifting into each note of the music floating on the air in color ... 

EXT. RED DIRT ROAD BETWEEN TALL OAK TREES, GEORGIA, NIGHT

Until Rebekah feels herself slipping literally back into her hometown somehow. 

Languorous hot Summer night ... 

Walking hypnotically down a red dirt road in the long black velvet dress. The train of collected things. 

Depositing things along the road randomly as she walks.

The moon like a lamp at night above her, on the unlit road. 

Very old oak trees dwarf her on either side of the road ... 

Full of deep grief ...

INT. PARIS NIGHTCLUB, 1930S, NIGHT

Rebekah straightens her spine in the black velvet dress and shakes herself back into the club, but it doesn’t stick ... 

She is confused ... 

Rebekah looks into the strange man’s eyes again, where he is drawn to her sudden movement.

Rebekah falls into his deep black curious magnetic soul, as if it were the black velvet of the dress, the night.

The same lush green of her eyes, flying around the dancers and Django, causing him ...

To look up and smile, aware of the magic, shimmering into blues and blacks and grays ...

EXT. RED DIRT ROAD, NIGHT

If she were a black swallowtail butterfly with long soft wings. Flying into and through him. 

The colors of jazz notes ...  

Like her memories, like his memories of the same humidity triggering primal feelings.

Flying and bobbing the way butterflies do in fields, down red dirt roads.

Until he is following her down the road. 

She trailing the long black gown. He in his tuxedo, now barefoot, jacket off, tie loosened.

They can still hear Django Rinehart, but now they also hear Louis Armstrong, strangely interwoven ... Echoing around the trees...

The two musicians create an odd but beautiful collage of music, somehow blending, as if the musicians were dancing together, riffing off each others’ riffs ... a dream collaboration ...

The dirt road around them seems to fade into the trees, as if it has no beginning or end. 

Heat shimmers the light and colors with steam.

Rebekah and the strange man arrive at a rustic brown wooden bridge, with lovely black rivets, nestled in the lush green woods. 

The Etowah River rushes playfully underneath the bridge like a silvery brown snake ... 

Rebekah lets the strange man catch up to her, also playfully. 

He embraces her from behind, as they watch the river flowing under the bridge, laughing.

She lifts off the black velvet gown from her skin, leaves it on the bank of the river, and walks toward the water. 

The strange man follows, taking off everything ... 

She is now floating safely on her back in the river. Reaches her arms up toward the strange man on the bank, inviting him. 

The strange man swims toward Rebekah, and they splash playfully. 

They are both floating downstream, on their backs, flowing with the motion of the swift muddy Georgia water. 

The strange man smiles and holds tightly to Rebekah’s hand. 

She is safe, and passionate, grinning the confident sexy smile. Primally excited.

Drifting over to the bank, Rebekah leans back, completely soaked and very happy, as if she is now part of the river, the Earth itself.

Rebekah closes her eyes, delighted, waiting for the strange man ... 

The strange man swims over the rest of the way to Rebekah.

As if he was a tiger, some sort of ancient mating animal, he rubs up against her, until he is lying on top of her, kisses her, explores her soul, her source ...

... Until they are tumbling back into the water, under the water, part of the water, above it, within it ... 

... They become part of the molecules of water, the surface of the water, reflecting the light of the Sun ... a spark!

They can hear Louis Armstrong singing again as they drift above everything, evaporating molecules ...

EXT. BANK OF ETOWAH RIVER, CARTERSVILLE, GA, 1975, DAY

Over the edge of the bank, a young Rebekah peers ...

Rebekah has ridden her bicycle from home to visit the lush green grass burial mounds at the Etowah River, during her Summer vacation from fifth grade.

Rebekah is so depressed, but never knows why. 

She lays back to look at the branches of the trees above her swaying in the wind, patches of Sun and blue sky, the sounds of the river rushing by.

Soon Rebekah is sleeping soundly on the bank of grass under the river oak trees, just beginning to dream. 

Suddenly, Rebekah is startled awake, thinking she hears a sound in the water. 

Frightened, she crawls over to the mossy edge of the riverbank. 

Sees the Sun sparkling on the water of the muddy river...

Becomes hypnotized by its rushing depth, the way the water rolls over the pale gray rocks, smoothing them down over time ...

Rebekah begins to sense that there is something in the water, a fish? Turtle? Snake? ... 

She shakes her head sharply ... Her personalities switch ... Rebekah looks again and smiles ...

Rebekah rubs her eyes. Looks deeply into the surface of the river ... Her eyes fill with wonder ...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, SAME NIGHT

Rupert wakes up when Rebekah starts having the dream intensely. He is watching her when she wakes up.

RUPERT

Strange man again?

Rebekah is barely awake, hardly knows where she is.

REBEKAH

Oh! Yes, right. 

RUPERT

When will you dream of me?

REBEKAH

I don’t know how it works. I don’t know why he’s in my dreams.

RUPERT

Well, try harder to dream sweet dreams about me, too ...

Rebekah nods and they fall asleep...

INT. COUNSELOR’S OFFICE, DAY

Montage:

Rosemarie is thrilled with all of Rebekah’s hard work to let go of her family and the past. 

Rebekah gives Rosemarie the journal back, full to the brim with her writings. 

REBEKAH

I don’t ever want to see this again.

Rebekah looks down at her fingernails, then adjusts herself, changing her mind.

ROSEMARIE

It will be here whenever you need it.

Rebekah nods. Straightens her spine.

REBEKAH

It was always a secret, all those years. Even from me. A beautiful place where horrible thing happened.

ROSEMARIE

You’re doing the right thing.

REBEKAH

Now I know, and I can’t stop remembering. It’s no longer a secret for me. 

ROSEMARIE

You’re not alone, and your story could help someone else.

This registers with Rebekah and she nods, understanding for the first time.

REBEKAH

If I can save someone else time, I’m happy to. I had to do a lot of things I didn’t want to do.

ROSEMARIE

I know. You’re beginning to see it all with less shame.

REBEKAH

I feel encyclopedic, like some kind of lost library. There’s so much down there!

ROSEMARIE

Whatever you do, love yourself through all of this. That will help you continue to progress.

REBEKAH

That is a goal. To love myself more, every day. 

EXT. ROOFTOP WEDDING, NEW YEAR’S EVE, 1999, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Rupert and Rebekah get married by a Buddhist Monk, up on the rooftop in the garden. 

She designed her own dress, and looks amazing. Happy. 

It is also the Millennium. 

Rebekah stares into the night sky, as if it were an oracle.

They become a tiny point in the glittering Parisian landscape, with fireworks ...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, PARIS, INTO THE WEE HOURS...

Rebekah is creating in her area of the loft, at her work table. 

Reading from all sorts of books. Writing on all sorts of scrap paper and in various notebooks. 

Designing, sketching, painting on the easel. 

Crafting a new dress in peach velvet with lavender silk rosettes, ruffles. Smoothing the fabric before cutting it. 

Searching for a new poem for the dress, not from books, but from inside of herself. 

Laughing. Trying to write. 

Her painting is large, and in cream, rose, burnt chocolate tones, a warm rose blooming... 

Rebekah is on fire with creativity into the night... with candles alight around the loft... 

Rupert is sleeping, and eventually she does snuggle in, content ...

EXT. NIGHT, OUTSIDE A SMALL, SILVERED, WOOD SHOP IN A FIELD NEXT TO A GRAVEL ROAD, CARTERSVILLE, GA, A TIME OUTSIDE OF TIME

We see Rebekah’s hands in the red clay soil. As if she is sorting through it. Looking for something. 

Then a skeleton hand is seen on the black fabric of her shoulder. 

Above it the face of a pumpkin headed figure grinning.

     PUMPKIN MAN

   It is time ... 

Rebekah nods, resigned. 

She straightens up and we see her magical, unusual black fine wool dress. 

It has a very long train, full of pocket watches, pieces of old open books, tassels, skeleton keys, feathers, handwritten poetry, pieces of sea glass. 

All sorts of things she has sewn into it for her own form of time travel.

She picks up a large silver can marked kerosene and moves to what we now see is a large silver wood framed wood shop of some kind, and strokes the wood with anguish, her free hand with unusual rings, shaking.

There are several pumpkin men now and they circle behind her. 

We see the dirt road and the woods behind them as they cheer her on ominously. 

She is shaking her head, laughing and crying, alternately, remembering the abuse now, flashing back on what happened in the wood shop as a little girl.

She pours the kerosene liberally in a circle around the shed then reappears where she started.

REBEKAH

Believe what you will. Do no harm. Let Karma find the guilty.

She is handed a large torch by one of the pumpkin men and lights the shed on fire. 

They watch the shed catch fire and then the pumpkin men lead her sobbing, solemnly into the woods ...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, WEDDING NIGHT

MUSIC: BLUE GREEN BY MILES DAVIS, and BLUE GREEN BY MILES DAVIS/KURT ELLING.

Rebekah and Rupert are asleep. Rebekah is tossing and turning with a smile on her face, dreaming, then she is still, hand on her pillow, smiling.  

EXT. ON A NAMELESS SHIP, ANCHORED OFF THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA, TIME UNKNOWN ...

The waves of the sea are in sharp contrast, a brilliant cobalt blue, ultramarine, deep sea green below ... 

The ruddy, rusty brown of the creaking ship that carries Rebekah and Rupert ...

A nameless ship has anchored. The jolly captain with his tri-corner navy hat. 

He motions them on, to journey onto shore while there is still time.

He will wait for just so long and then they will be off again, in some language that is eternally understood. 

That they barely understand, that they think they do not know, but yet they know. 

In and out of knowing, just like the waves are in and out of the sky, the sky in and out of the waves, edges kissing each other all the time. 

They hop into the jaunty boat where Rupert rows them ashore. The sands are golden.

RUPERT

Is this it? 

REBEKAH

No, non, no, non?

Rebekah is shaking her head, her hands and body trembling as the ground itself trembles and quakes beneath her.

As if it were not truly stable, as if it were made of loam, or foam, but 

REBEKAH

No, non, no? 

She whispers, laughing, not scared, terrified, no, not scared, non.

She sees it glistening through the jungle foliage ahead of them -- the rounded towers shuddering there. 

There is only so much time.

She looks into Rupert’s eyes and they look back at the ship together and laugh.

Run toward the rose-colored domes ahead. There is a well-worn trail, despite the jungle. 

So many feet and hooves have come this way often, yet it falls away and to. 

The jungle seems to come together over them, over the trail, in a growing, ghostly way, so that they feel almost trapped. 

The trail appears again, only for it disappear.

Soon they are before the mighty golden metal doors, slightly ajar, of the temple? Palace? 

They are unsure of where they are, yet Rupert pries the door open more so that the both of them can pass through more freely. 

He boldly steps through, leaving his arm on the door, for Rebekah to pass underneath, into the strange, glowing darkness inside!

They are walking among discarded clothes and jewels and cups and plates and playthings of all sorts. 

Books opened with ghostly hands and fingers still marking the lines upon them reading -- in leisure.

Ghostly candles that are both lit and unlit, for they are the ghosts of candles past. 

Rebekah and Rupert only have time to shiver through this room and barely understand it, when they see the shining pool beyond through the scraggly door.

They walk, as if they are hypnotized by the luminescent greens, yellows and ivories of the rectangular pool in the outdoor room before them, lit by thousands of these ghostly candles, and the setting Sun, or is it the Dawn? 

Rupert looks at Rebekah, and they are shaking their heads, and taking off their clothes. 

Just as so many before them have done, and leaping into the pool, where ghosts and living people still swim and splash in this miraculous healing water.

They are unaware of time. Kissing, playing, quite forgetful of ships and timetables.

They swim closer and closer to the edge, which is the nature of such things as Youth. 

There are elderly ghosts sitting at the corners of the pool. Eating grapes and doing all sorts of fun and sexy things with nymphs. As is their nature as well.

They warn Rebekah and Rupert and any others who get too close to the edge. Not for ANY reason to cross, or dive, across infinity -- for it is an infinity pool, with quite an edge to it.

Well, you know, Youth, and its nature, so of course.

Rupert and Rebekah and the others laugh at these warnings, as the elder ghosts toss their curls and waggle their fingers in admonishment.

Yes, of course they dive off into infinity, over the edge of the pool.

And with each infinity, there is a deeper blue. Deeper than the cobalt, ultramarine, the blue-green of the deepest of seas beneath them. 

With each pool there is an edge. 

They kiss and make love with deeper and more playful and meaningful passion ... then dive off the next edge.

They eventually reach the last edge of the last deep pool, where there is no edge. 

Here there is instead the most beautiful building under water. 

It is like the most beautiful mansion, city, mosque or cathedral ever built ...

There they are -- enamored and under water -- running out of air -- in awe -- and dying there -- in love -- Surrounded by beauty -- 

Until they realize what is happening. 

In each other’s arms they swim together -- 

Up and up and up to the top of the pool, scrambling up -- 

And up -- working so hard -- so very --very hard to climb up -- 

Their elbows and palms and knees bleeding from scraping the stones of the edges of the infinity pools ...

Until they are back at the original pool. Panting.

There comes from the pool at large a huge and raucous laugh, and 

Someone hands them a towel, only it disintegrates. It is so very old. Amid more laughter.

They run to find some clothes, mismatched or not, laughing ...

And run, and run, back through the shadowy ghostly jungle 

Back to catch the ship ...

Back to fall asleep ...

Back to catch their sleep ...

To catch the waves between dreams and sleep and waking...

INT. RUPERT’S LOFT APARTMENT, PARIS, THE NEXT DAY

Rebekah wakes up when the alarm goes off at 6:00 am, turning on the daily radio news show. 

She feels so happy, she is beside herself. This is a new thing ... 

Rupert turns off the alarm and presents himself as snuggle material ...

RUPERT

Strange man?

REBEKAH

No, it was you and me! It was so beautiful, so deep ...

Rebekah inches her way over to his side and puts her head in place, cupping her ear on the ball of his shoulder, placing the rest of her body where it will fit all the way down to his feet.

They both shiver in pleasure, as she does.

RUPERT AND REBEKAH

You feel so good!

Laughing, they both shiver again with incredible delight.

Rupert rubs Rebekah’s shoulder with a free hand, lovingly.

RUPERT

I love you so much...

REBEKAH

I love you ... I can feel it!!! I feel you, all over! I feel safe!

Rupert kisses the top of Rebekah’s head over and over. Then Rebekah starts to speak, dreamily.

REBEKAH (CONT’D)

I think this is what Rosemarie meant ... It’s about love after all...

Rebekah smiles sweetly in wonder, glowing. Rupert can’t see her face.

RUPERT

Right?

They laugh, then Rebekah nods slowly, the truth of that dawning on her, deliriously happy, her eyes glowing with delight, truly happy ... 

Rupert is for real. She is beginning to realize what life can be like when it’s happy ... 

Rebekah turns her head up to face Rupert ... Rupert finally sees her amazing glow. 

It sparks Rupert into a state of wonder ... 

He lights up into a dazzling smile, stunning her as he did the first day Rebekah met him, subconsciously trusting him with this journey ... 

Rebekah lowers her head, humbled. 

He takes her chin lightly with his hand and lifts it up to kiss her gently ... 

They hold each other close, satisfied, and have a deep breath, as the morning Sun shines on them from a nearby window ...

EXT. ALEXANDRE III BRIDGE, SEVERAL DAYS LATER

Rupert and Rebekah are holding hands as they walk the dog, so in love, crossing the bridge. 

They stop to look over the edge and laugh. They walk toward the Grand Palais, still on the bridge.

One of the statues winks at Rebekah, and she winks back, which Rupert doesn’t see. Rebekah laughs, so happy...

Rupert and Rebekah walk into the distance with the dog, holding hands ...

NOTE:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Thank you to The Tennessee Screenwriting Association, specifically: Gary Frazier, Peter Wolfgang Kramer, and Debbie Wells. Enormous gratitude also to Mike Quinones, Leonard Wolf, Andy van Roon, Wendy Kuzmaul Keeling, and Heather Lannan.