Family Plus One: SCENE SEVEN

INTERIOR TREATMENT ARENA - DAY
CYNTHIA IS LOOKING AT JESTER WHO IS IN A TREATMENT RECOVERY CRATE WITH A SUNLAMP. A. MICHAEL IS LOOKING AT CAT INNARDS’ X-RAYS.

A. MICHAEL
How’s her appetite?

CYNTHIA
Appetite’s fine. She eats everything we give her. But nothing stays down.

A. MICHAEL
(TO HIMSELF) Appetite’s good, she just can’t keep it down …

CYNTHIA
We need to hydrate her. Doctor? She’s becoming dehydrated. An IV, doctor? Subcutaneous fluids? Maybe both?

A. MICHAEL
Nothing here. No loops, no obstruction—

CYNTHIA
You’re right. There is a better solution. Cynthia brains the doctor with the chart and Miss Jester laughs herself well.

A. MICHAEL
No foreign bodies. No anomalies.

CYNTHIA
Except the doctor.

EMILY ENTERS, HANDS PRINTOUT OF BLOOD WORK REPORT TO A. MICHAEL

EMILY
(TO CYNTHIA) What about the doctor?

CYNTHIA
Does the doctor have any instructions regarding the treatment of a dehydrated kitty?

EMILY
(TO A. MICHAEL) Talk to me.

A. MICHAEL
Normal … normal … liver enzyme slightly elevated … Glucose! … (SURPRISED, DISAPPOINTED) normal.

EMILY
So?

A. MICHAEL
She’s young to have diabetes, but it could have —

EMILY
Could have, but isn’t.

EMILY TAKES JESTER OUT OF HER CRATE, HOLDS HER WITH ONE HAND CRADLING JESTER’S FACE

EMILY
You have anything else to say?

A. MICHAEL TAKES JESTER FROM EMILY, STROKES THE CAT

A. MICHAEL
Full blood panel, with a T-4.IV for subcutaneous fluids.

EMILY
Would you like to stay around the rest of the week to see how she does?

MICHAEL
Well, I planned to spend this afternoon finding an apartment.

EMILY
I’m not inviting you to move here. I’m asking if you want to stay until Friday.

CYNTHIA
Every day until Friday?

EMILY
I think so.

CYNTHIA
Every single day?

ESTRELLA ENTERS.

EMILY
It’ll give us a little time to get to know each other. Perhaps, Dr. Kendrick can impress us with his crate side manner.

CYNTHIA
Not to mention his conversational skills.

ESTRELLA
(TO CYNTHIA) Is she saying what I’m afraid she’s saying?

CYNTHIA
‘Fraid so.

A. MICHAEL
Just this week? (BEAT) I still need a place to stay.

EMILY
There’s a Motel 6 a few blocks down. I expect you to be here every morning at 7:30 and be ready to treat by eight. Surgery on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Any questions?

ESTRELLA
Yes. Does this mean that the neutering is still on for Wednesday?


(CONTINUED)