Family Plus One: SCENE SIX

INTERIOR EXAM ROOM #2 – DAY
EMILY STANDS BESIDE THE EXAM TABLE.
CLIENT, NOREEN, STANDS ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE TABLE, PETTING A PERSIAN CAT.

EMILY
(TO NOREEN, A 16 YEAR OLD) (EMILY REACHES OVER AND PETS THE CAT ON THE HEAD) Brush her a few minutes every day. Make it your special time with her, and she’ll enjoy the attention. Remember the mats hurt her. You know how much prettier you feel when your hair is combed? Phaedra feels that way, too. Brush this darling every day and you’ll also see fewer hairballs. (TO CAT) Phaedra doesn’t like those old hairballs, does she?

NOREEN
Well, I know I don’t like cleaning up after them.

EMILY
Of course not.


INT TREATMENT ARENA - DAY
EMILY ENTERS FROM EXAM ROOM #2, SEES A. MICHAEL WITH JESTER. ROBBIE STANDS NEARBY WATCHING AS A. MICHAEL PALPATES JESTER.
EMILY APPROACHES QUIETLY SO A. MICHAEL DOESN’T KNOW SHE’S THERE.

A. MICHAEL
How does that feel, little girl? Does
this hurt?

ROBBIE
Jester.

A. MICHAEL
Why are you so still and quiet, Miss Jester?

EMILY
(TO A. MICHAEL) Problem?

A. MICHAEL
All the standards check out okay, but something just doesn’t feel right to me.

EMILY
Talk to me.

A. MICHAEL
Vomiting, but that could be stress. Heart, lungs, eyes clear. Mouth clean, teeth okay; could stand to be cleaned, but they’re not too bad. Lymph nodes normal, no ear mites.

EMILY
Internal?

A. MICHAEL
No lumps, bumps or stones. Liver normal.

EMILY
Tests?

A. MICHAEL
(GLANCES AT CHART LYING ON COUNTER) Feline leukemia negative, feline AIDS negative, fecal … roundworms, no surprise there. Not sufficient to produce this kind of lethargy. I need x-rays and blood panel.

EMILY
Do you?

(BEAT)

A. MICHAEL
X-rays and blood work would be my recommendation for Jester.

CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA – DAY
ESTRELLA SITS AT THE MAIN RECEPTION DESK. CYNTHIA SITS AT THE ADJACENT “L” DESK.

ESTRELLA
(TALKING ON PHONE) Well, you have two choices. You can either put a new screen on that window or teach Murphy to use a parachute … He’s resting just fine, honey, I’ll let you talk to Cynthia.


CUT TO:
INTERIOR TREATMENT ARENA – DAY

CYNTHIA
(PICKS UP PHONE) Hello, Mrs. Saunders. Your boy’s going to be fine … no, it’s not broken, but it will have to be bandaged for a while. … Oh, no, it’s not nearly as severe as Murphy’s last one … Now, Mrs. Saunders, we don’t like to call anyone accident prone. Murphy’s just going through an awkward stage … Any time after 3:30 will be just fine. (HANGS UP)

(TO ROBBIE) Is she keeping anything down yet?

ROBBIE
(HOLDING JESTER) She eats a lot, but nothing stays down.

CYNTHIA
Throwing up?

ROBBIE
Yeah.

CYNTHIA
How about chicken noodle soup?

ROBBIE
No, I’ve already had lunch, thanks.

CYNTHIA
I mean for Jester.

ROBBIE
Cyn, you see anything in Jester’s blood?

CYNTHIA
It’ll take a while for the analysis to run. You’ll have to ask Dr. Em, Robbie.


(CONTINUED)