Welcome Home: SCENE 3

INTERIOR EXAM ROOM #2 — DAY
NO AUDIO
A. MICHAEL IS EXAMINING THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER ELSIE. MRS. LARSON TALKS, AND TALKS, AND TALKS. A. MICHAEL CONTINUES TO EXAMINE ELSIE, SILENTLY.


CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA — DAY
ESTRELLA STANDS AT THE COUNTER, TALKING WITH GORDON PATRICK TUDOR.
GORDON IS HOLDING A PETITE PAPILLON, ABIGAIL.


GORDON
This is a sweet one. I wish my Tatiana was as easy to groom.

ESTRELLA
She is a little dumpling. Maybe it’s because her mamma is such a dear.

GORDON
I’m a dear. I deserve a dumpling.

ESTRELLA
Gordon, you and I both know you wouldn’t trade your Tatiana for all the dumplings in the world.

GORDON
That’s true. And she is dramatic.

ESTRELLA
(LAUGHS) And where is the surprise in that?

GORDON
(WISTFULLY) Still, this one would be a perfect partner to go to the nursing home with me.

ESTRELLA
It’s kind of sad that no one visits Abigail and her mom. It’s just the two of them in that house.

GORDON
Alone? (BEAT) Like Mr. Dexter and his Moxie?

ESTRELLA
You have ‘that look’ again.

GORDON
Well?

ESTRELLA
Well, I have to say, Querido, you’re right. (HOLDS UP HER LEFT HAND )Here there are two alone, and there, (HOLDS UP HER RIGHT HAND APART FROM HER LEFT) there are two alone. (BEAT) But Abigail is here today, and Moxie was just in for his checkup last week. So they don’t need to see Dr. Em for another six months. And who knows what life can do in six months?

GORDON
Ah, but they come to me for grooming once a month. I think I can arrange things so their appointments happen to be on the same day.


CUT TO:
INTERIOR TREATMENT AREA — DAY
NO AUDIO
EMILY AND ROBBIE ARE WORKING WITH PAYCHCECK THE GREYHOUND. ROBBIE TAKES THE LEASH AND WALKS PAYCHECK IN A SMALL CIRCLE IN THE TREATMENT ROOM. EMILY AND ROBBIE ARE BOTH DELIGHTED AT PAYCHECK’S PROGRESS.


CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA — DAY
ESTRELLA IS SITTING AT THE MAIN DESK.
MR. AND MRS. LLOYD WYNTER AND THEIR CLUMBER SPANIEL CHURCHILL ENTER.

MR. WYNTER
I’m just saying, I don’t want to have to take a second mortgage on the house.

MRS. WYNTER
Oh, for pete’s sake, Lloyd. We don’t even know what Dr. Em is going to say.

MR. WYNTER
I’m just saying—

ESTRELLA
Mr. and Mrs. Wynter! And Churchill. Dr. Em is ready for you right now.

MR. WYNTER
Listen, Estrella, before we —

ESTRELLA
(TO CHURCHILL) Hi, gorgeous. Would you like a cookie?


CUT TO:
INTERIOR EXAM ROOM #1 — DAY
EMILY IS SITTING ON THE FLOOR WITH CHURCHILL.
MR. AND MRS. WYNTER ARE SITTING IN CHAIRS, WATCHING.
A. MICHAEL IS STANDING BEHIND EMILY, SCOWLING AT MR. WYNTER.



MR. WYNTER
I’m just saying, if it’s going to take a long time for this to work, well, he’s uncomfortable now and we shouldn’t let him suffer like this, so I think —

A. MICHAEL
What you think isn’t going to fix this dog’s—

EMILY
You’re absolutely right, Mr. Wynter. The condition of Churchill’s skin is showing us some pretty extreme allergic reactions. I’d recommend that we take some blood and send it to the dermatologist. She can tell us specifically what Churchill’s allergies are, and what it will take to get your boy’s quality of life back again.

MRS. WYNTER
How long will it take to find out?

MR. WYNTER
How much will it take?

EMILY
Not long. About a week, usually.

MRS. WYNTER
Then let’s go ahead and do it.

MR. WYNTER
How much is it going to cost me?

MRS. WYNTER
(TO MR. WYNTER) That’s not really the point, is it, dear?

MR. WYNTER
(TO MRS WYNTER) I’m just saying there’s no point in spending a lot of money if it can’t be helped.

A. MICHAEL
(TO MR. WYNTER) Oh, is that what you’re saying?

MRS. WYNTER
(TO A. MICHAEL) If you don’t mind, Doctor.
(TO MR. WYNTER) Lloyd, you know you love this dog, and you know you don’t want him to be miserable.

MR. WYNTER
That’s just what I’m saying.

MRS. WYNTER
(TO EMILY) Of course we want to have the tests for Churchill. Today will be perfect.


CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA – DAY
ESTRELLA IS AT THE MAIN DESK
CYNTHIA IS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY


ESTRELLA
Everything okay with you and Armando?

CYNTHIA
Just ducky.

ESTRELLA
Are those ducks in a row, or ducks amiss?

CYNTHIA
Why is it that men think the world revolves around them and that you can drop everything just because they say so?

ESTRELLA
Drop everything and do what?

CYNTHIA
Fly to the Hamptons! Just like that! Just fly away to the Hamptons. Poof!

ESTRELLA
You know we will always take care of Gideon and PooDoo here.

CYNTHIA
So you think I’m supposed to go off and leave my dogs for two months just because Armando says so?

ESTRELLA
Two months?! (BEAT) What would you do in the Hamptons for two months?

CYNTHIA
Well, Armando will be painting, so I could sit adoringly and watch him, I suppose.

ESTRELLA
What’s wrong with Armando’s studio here?

CYNTHIA
There is not one darned thing wrong with his studio. Except for the fact that it’s over a thousand miles away from his commission.

ESTRELLA
Commission? Armando has a commission? Cynthia! This is good news! Why didn’t you tell me?

CYNTHIA
(BEAT) He did good, Estrella. His New York show was good. He sold paintings, and he got a commission. Imagine. Just like that.

(CONTINUED)