Ephram regrette d'avoir promis à Nina de s'occuper d'Hannah à l'école car cette promesse réduit les moments qu'il pourrait passer seul avec Amy. 
[Fade in – Scene from “For Every Action…” Act One – Dr. Abbott is talking to Edna.]
AMY (VOICE-OVER): Previously on Everwood…
DR. ABBOTT: Ten feet, Mother. Those are the rules. At least 10 feet away at all times.
[Cut to scene from “…There is a Reaction” Act Four – Amy and Ephram are in the school hallway.]
[Ephram and Amy kiss slowly and passionately in the hallway while students are scurrying around them.]
EPHRAM: By the way, how do you feel about PDA?
AMY: I feel good about it.
EPHRAM: Good.
[Ephram and Amy kiss again.] “…There is a Reaction” Act Four – Nina is on her porch talking to Amy and Ephram on the sidewalk.]
NINA: Remember that favor I asked you about.
EPHRAM: Uh, yeah. Um, hmm.
NINA: Well, she’s here.
EPHRAM: Your-Your favor is a-a-a she.
[Hannah comes out the door very cautiously. She is being very timid.]
NINA: Hannah, this is , uh, Amy and Ephram.
HANNAH: Hi.
{END PREVIOUSLY ON EVERWOOD}
[Cut to the Brown kitchen – Delia is playing with her cereal and Dr. Brown is sitting next to her drinking coffee.]
DELIA: I think I’m done with school.
DR. BROWN: You can’t be done. You’re in 5th grade. I went to school for 27 years.
DELIA: So? That was your bad decision.
DR. BROWN: What’s the problem, kiddo?
DELIA: Everyone’s mean to each other. My new best friend hates my old best friend and now I don’t know who to talk to. It’s a nightmare.
DR. BROWN: Yep. You want to see a nightmare. Come by my office. Every time I leave Harold and Edna alone together I’m afraid I may come back to a body count.
DELIA: Brittany spit on Willow. Actual spit.
DR. BROWN: You win. But you still gotta go to school. Go get dressed.
[Delia leaves the kitchen and Ephram walks in.]
EPHRAM: Is Hannah here yet?
DR. BROWN: No. Should she be?
EPHRAM: I told her to come by if she wants a ride. I think I made myself pretty clear.
DR. BROWN: Well go get her. It’s only thirty-six steps to Nina’s house.
EPHRAM: It’s obvious that I don’t have a lot of extra time on my hands this year. And any extra extra extra time I have is going to Amy. I’ve already spent a week playing tour guide. That’s it. Favor’s done. I’m out.
[Dr. Brown sighs.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) Don’t give me that sigh. I’m not being mean. I’m being honest. I can’t help this girl. She’s beyond help.
DR. BROWN: Look, Nina didn’t ask you to give this girl a makeover. She just asked you to be her friend. Just be nice to her, then the other kids will be. That’s how it works in high school. It’s not so much to ask. Or have you forgotten what it’s like to be lonely?
EPHRAM: Nothing like some early morning guilt to get your day started.
[Ephram leaves the kitchen and Dr. Brown smiles feeling he got across what he wanted to say.]
[Cut to Ephram coming out of the front door of his house. Hannah is sitting on the steps waiting for him.]
EPHRAM: You’re here.
HANNAH: You told me to come by, didn’t you?
EPHRAM: Yeah, but I thought you would’ve knocked. You didn’t have to wait for me on the steps.
HANNAH: Oh, I don’t mind. That’s okay.
[Ephram and Hannah start walking toward the car. Hannah puts on a purple beret and Ephram notices it.]
EPHRAM: What’s that?
HANNAH: What? Did I spill on myself or…?
EPHRAM: You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you? For-For the record, I tried to imply.
[Hannah gives a blank stare.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) The hat.
HANNAH: Oh. It’s my beret. From my dad.
EPHRAM: So, it’s like, a Hong Kong thing?
HANNAH: No, uh, he gave it to me a long time ago. Why?
[Hannah goes for the back door of the car. Ephram opens the front passenger door for her.]
HANNAH: Oh.
EPHRAM: Nothing. It’s cool.
[Hannah smiles and gets in the car.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) It’s uh, purple.
[Ephram closes the door on the car.]
{END OF TEASER / OPENING CREDITS / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT ONE}
[Fade in – Dr. Brown and Abbott’s office – Movers are moving patient files. Louise is helping.]
LOUISE: Okay, that’s the last of those. Let’s get ‘em out of here. Thank you.
[The mover starts to bring some files toward the door and Edna walks in confused by what she sees.]
EDNA: Those are my files. Where are you taking my files?
MOVER: Storage facility.
EDNA: Like hell you are.
MOVER: Just loading them on the truck, ma’am.
EDNA: You do and you’ll walk funny for days. Get back here.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, hush, now, Mother. Continue, Gentleman, don’t listen to her. I want every last reminisce of the past gathering dust down at Peterson’s Storage by noon.
EDNA: What are you doing with my patients’ files?
DR. ABBOTT: I’m dragging them and you into the 21st century, kicking, screaming, expected and noted and with any luck accomplished quietly. The age of paper is dead, Mother. Replaced by the sleeker, smaller, more ecologically sound computer. Behold, a thing of beauty.
[Dr. Abbott turns on a computer.]
EDNA: I don’t want a computer. I have a system that has worked perfectly fine for me for over 30 years.
DR. ABBOTT: As has the rotary telephone, the vinyl record, the horse-drawn carriage, but they are now all useless out-dated relics.
EDNA: Who are you calling a relic?
DR. ABBOTT: Well, we’ll find out once we see if you can master our new database and if after that you still miss your precious files, by all means, feel free to visit them down at Peterson’s. Now if you’ll both have a seat, I will walk you through a quick tutor.
[Edna takes off toward Dr. Brown’s office.]
DR. ABBOTT: (CONT'D) Mother? You’re going to miss my tutorial on monthly expense graphing, and then who’ll be sorry?
[Cut to inside Dr. Brown’s examination room – Dr. Brown is working on David’s arm with his Mom, Sara, watching. Edna storms in mad.]
EDNA: Did you see what the village idiot …
[Edna notices Dr. Brown is with a patient.]
EDNA: (CONT'D) Oh, sorry, Doc. Me and my big mouth, we go everywhere together.
DR. BROWN: Edna, this is David Beck. Seattle refugee and lousy mountain biker.
[Dr. Brown moves David’s right arm.]
DAVID: Ow. Ow.
DR. BROWN: My guess is that that hurt.
DAVID: Not really.
DR. BROWN: I’m sorry, David. I just have to check your range of motion so we can see…
DAVID: I’m fine. It’s not even that bad. . .
SARA: David, let the man do his job so I can get back to my job, please. They don’t let you be two-hours late when you’ve only been there a week.
DAVID: Ow.
[David winces as Dr. Brown continues to look at his arm.]
DR. BROWN: All right, we’re done. Edna, would you help David into a sling, please?
[Edna agrees and takes David to get him a sling. Dr. Brown steps to the side and talks with Sara.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) Was he this much fun with his old doctors or should I be jealous?
SARA: Sorry, this hasn’t been our best day. I swear I’m going to take that bike and run over it with my car. I never should’ve given it to him.
DR. BROWN: Y’know when my son was six, he tried to ride a tea tray down the stairs of our apartment building. Twenty stitches.
SARA: I told him that he could watch TV, play computer games, eat anything he wanted - - just no mountain bike.
DAVID: I know how to ride it.
SARA: Clearly. Is he really okay? Just a bruised shoulder?
DR. BROWN: Well, we’ll see how the X-Rays turn out, but he should be fine in a couple of weeks.
SARA: Good, thanks.
EDNA: There we are one patched wing, ready to fly.
SARA: Hey that’s pretty cool.
[David looks like he’s ready to go.]
DAVID: Can we just go now?
DR. BROWN: Wait till he turns sixteen. Then it really gets fun.
SARA: Awesome.
[Edna leads them to the door. Off Andy, feeling for her.]
[Cut to outside of Peak County High – Ephram and Hannah are walking toward the door to the school.]
EPHRAM: So how are your classes going?
HANNAH: They’re okay.
EPHRAM: You have uh, any teachers you like or you don’t like?
HANNAH: Yeah. Uh, I like some of them. Some of them I don’t like…too.
[Ephram shakes his head from this hard conversation.]
EPHRAM: All right, well, uh, I’m, uh, gonna get going - -
HANNAH: Oh. Wait. I have something for you. Just, like, a thank you or…
[Hannah pulls something out of her bag and Amy walks up.]
AMY: Hey, you.
[Amy notices Ephram was talking with Hannah.]
HANNAH: Oh. Sorry . . .
AMY: Sorry. Hey, Hannah. How’s it going?
[Ephram checks out the DVD, Hannah gave him.]
EPHRAM: “House of Flying Daggers”? Wow.
AMY: Is that good?
HANNAH: It’s supposed to be even better than “Crouching Tiger” and I know you’re into the whole manga thing, so I just figured . . .
EPHRAM: Thank you. It’s great.
[The bell rings.]
HANNAH: Okay. Uh, I’ll see you at the lunch table?
EPHRAM: See you there.
HANNAH: Bye.
AMY: See ya.
[Hannah walks inside the school and Amy watches her walk away.]
AMY: Wow. Hit on the first try, and you’re, uh, not an easy guy to shop for. That was pretty sweet of her.
EPHRAM: Yeah. She’s a nice girl. A little off the mark on . . . Everything. But I guess I was, too, when I first got here. In fact, it’s scary to think about how much we have in common.
AMY: Don’t think about it. You might accidentally revert back to that and then all the work I’ve done these past two years? Down the tubes.
[Amy smiles and takes Ephram’s hand and they walk into the school.]
[Cut to Dr. Abbott’s office – Dr. Abbott is looking at an X-Ray eating his salad. Dr. Brown is sitting in a chair in front of Dr. Abbott’s desk.]
DR. ABBOTT: The shoulder looks good, no breaks.
DR. BROWN: You see anything else?
DR. ABBOTT: I see you interrupting my cobb salad with a question you clearly know the answer to. Healed fractures along the humerus, the scapula…
DR. BROWN: …And the rib. An unusual amount of breaks for a boy.
DR. ABBOTT: An unusual amount of breaks for a stuntman.
DR. BROWN: He’s a pretty active kid. Maybe they’re sports related injuries.
DR. ABBOTT: Or perhaps it’s what it looks like. Louise has the number for the County Department of Child Welfare.
DR. BROWN: You really think that’s necessary.
DR. ABBOTT: These kind of healed fractures are a possible sign of abuse. You know it, I know it. It’s our obligation to report it. It’s Child Welfare’s responsibility to investigate. They’re always skimpy with the bacon. You noticed?
DR. BROWN: Well, you know what happens if we go to the DCW. They don’t just investigate the house. They go to the school, their friends, their neighbors. This family just moved here. What if we’re wrong?
[Dr. Brown gets up to leave.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) I could always just drive out there, check things out for myself.
DR. ABBOTT: It’s your gas.
[Dr. Brown grabs a piece of bacon.]
DR. ABBOTT: (CONT'D) Hey.
DR. BROWN: Oh, it’s good bacon.
[Dr. Brown leaves.]
[Cut to lunchroom – Ephram, Amy, Hannah, Katie and Susie are sitting at a table at lunch.]
EPHRAM: It’s one of the best schools in the country. That’s why it’s so hard to get into.
KATIE: I’d kill to go to college in New York. Literally kill, I mean it.
EPHRAM: I don’t think that’s an admission requirement anymore.
[Katie laughs forcing the laugh.]
EPHRAM: (CONT’D) All right, I, uh, I gotta get to the library. You coming over later to study?
AMY: You supply the chips. I’ll supply the books,
[Ephram takes off with his lunch tray.]
HANNAH: I should probably go to the library, too.
AMY: See ya.
[Hannah takes off following Ephram. Katie and Susie watch as she walks away.]
KATIE: So who’s the beret?
AMY: Hannah? Uh, she’s staying with Ephram’s neighbor while her parents are on some business trip in Hong Kong or something.
KATIE: How long is she gonna be here?
AMY: I don’t know. Why?
KATIE: Because she’s totally eyeing your man.
AMY: What? No. No, she’s not.
KATIE: Hello? Did you know just see her follow him out of here like a baby duckling. Whaddya call that?
AMY: Ephram’s just showing her around as a favor. It’s not at all what you’re thinking.
KATIE: I’m not thinking anything. I mean, obviously Ephram’s not into her…
SUSIE: Yet.
KATIE: Exactly. I mean, that’s the thing. You never know when the shift can happen. Like you guys, I mean you were friends first, too.
AMY: Yeah, but it’s not the same.
[Katie and Susie snicker at the comment.]
AMY: (CONT'D) She’s just trying to make friends.
KATIE: Well, it looks like she’s already got one.
[Amy sees Ephram and Hannah walking out of the lunchroom together. She contemplates what they just said.]
{END OF ACT ONE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT TWO}
[Fade in – Mama Joy’s – Edna and Dr. Brown are sitting at a table. Dr. Brown is eating.]
DR. BROWN: You’re not eating anything. I thought we were supposed to be having lunch.
EDNA: We’re have a lunch. This is an official meeting. I need to talk and you need to listen. We’ve got problems in that office. Well, scratch that. We’ve got one problem – big one - goes by the name of Harold.
DR. BROWN: Look, Edna, I don’t really want to get caught in the middle of all of this.
EDNA: And I didn’t really want to have my office ransacked or have morning meetings and daily progress reports. Do you know he wants to start an inventory oversight system to cut back on the misuse of cotton?
DR. BROWN: Look, it’s going to be fine. Once Harold settles down, he’ll drop the Mussolini act.
EDNA: The man drops nothing. He had baby teeth that wouldn’t fall out till he was 30. Tenacious as a bulldog and about as sensible. Now I understand your kindness in taking him in but I didn’t sign up for this. He’s my son and I love him, but I’ll kill him if I have too.
[Dr. Brown smiles and notices Dr. Hartman walking in and toward the counter.]
DR. BROWN: Hey, is that the new guy?
EDNA: Bullet point No. 54 on my list, Junior has to shut up about new guy.
[Dr. Brown stands up to get Dr. Hartman’s attention.]
DR. BROWN: Dr. Hartman?
[Dr. Hartman smiles and walks eagerly toward Dr. Brown. Edna looks upset from Dr. Brown brushing her off.]
DR. HARTMAN: Andy Brown. I recognize you from the cover of Time. Man, I’ve been trying to hook up with you forever. I stopped by your office last week but your boy, Hal, practically whipped out a can of mace on me.
DR. BROWN: I’m sorry about that. Harold is not very good with new people or old people. Any people really.
[Dr. Brown and Dr. Hartman share a laugh. Nina walks up with Dr. Hartman’s take out.]
NINA: Here’s your order, Dr. Jake.
DR. HARTMAN: Oh, thanks. Nina, you look great today.
NINA: Must be that shower I skipped. Um, Andy I wanted to ask…
DR. HARTMAN: Oh, you know Andy?
NINA: Uh, vaguely. He’s my neighbor.
DR. HARTMAN: Get out. I love this town. You-You got a gorgeous friendly waitress and the most famous brain surgeon in the world all within a 5-mile radius.
NINA: Aw, he still thinks you’re famous.
DR. HARTMAN: Are you kidding? Nina, you’re carpooling here with the first man ever to do a vascular aneurism under circulatory arrest and he wrote the case note that got the FDA to approve the gamma knife for acoustic neuromas. Nice work by the way.
EDNA: Hey, Tom Cruise. Could you kiss his ass another time? We’re having a meeting.
DR. BROWN: Jake, this is Edna Harper, best nurse in Everwood.
DR. HARTMAN: Mrs. Harper, it’s a pleasure.
DR. BROWN: That your bike out there.
DR. HARTMAN: Yeah, it’s Marin’s new Quad FRS. Supposed to be awesome for the mountains. Do you ride?
DR. BROWN: Occasionally.
DR. HARTMAN: Well, do you want to check it out? I got like 20 minutes to kill before my next patient.
DR. BROWN: Let’s do it.
EDNA: Where do you think you’re going? We’re working on an agenda here, Doc?
DR. BROWN: I get the gist, Edna. I’m sure that you two will work it out. I’m not worried.
[Dr. Brown leaves some money on the table and takes off behind Dr. Hartman leaving Edna mad at the table.]
[Cut to Peak County High hallway – Hannah is having trouble getting into her locker. Amy walks up.]
AMY: Hi.
HANNAH: Oh, I’m sorry. Am I in your way?
AMY: No. No. Not at all. Hey, do you need some help? What’s your combination?
HANNAH: Umm, 42-28-42.
[Amy does the combination and opens the locker.]
AMY: Just got to remember to pull it up.
[Hannah just looks at Amy.]
AMY: (CONT'D) So where are you headed now?
HANNAH: Biology.
AMY: Cool, I’ll walk with you.
HANNAH: Okay.
[Hannah grabs her Biology book out of her locker and they start walking down the hall together.]
AMY: So how are you liking County? I know it’s kind of hard getting used to a new school. You gotta find which floor the clean bathrooms and all of that, but people are pretty friendly, right?
HANNAH: Yeah, Ephram’s nice.
AMY: You know what you need?
HANNAH: Please don’t say a breath mint.
AMY: No. A proper crush. I’m telling you, it’s the best way to get psyched on a new school. You find someone you’re excited to see every day and it gives you a reason to dress nice.
HANNAH: You’re talking about the beret. It’s bad, isn’t it? I… Ephram tried to tell me.
AMY: No. No. No. Don’t listen to Ephram. The guy doesn’t know style. The beret’s fabulous. We’re gonna find you someone who totally gets you and your beret.
HANNAH: Um . . . I don’t really do boyfriends. Or, I mean, have them.
AMY: Not a boyfriend just a crush. A date.
HANNAH: I’ve never been on a date.
AMY: You’re serious?
[Hannah looks worried.]
AMY: (CONT'D) Oh my god, this is even more perfect than I thought. It’s great. You know what. Don’t worry about it. I will find the perfect guy and I will plan the date. All you have to do is bring your favorite lipstick.
[Hannah looks like she’s nervous about lipstick.]
AMY: (CONT'D) I’ll lend you one.
[Amy and Hannah enter a classroom.]
[Cut to the Beck House – Dr. Brown walks up to the door and knocks on it. Sara answers the door.]
DR. BROWN: I come bearing painkillers, kid-sized. In case David’s still having trouble sleeping.
SARA: Wow. You got any adult-sized ones? I’m kidding. Come in…
[Dr. Brown enters the house following Sara into the den.]
DR. BROWN: Thank you.
SARA: Sorry about the mess. Somehow, whatever you don’t unpack in the first week of moving just stays in the boxes. You really didn’t have to come all the way out here…
DR. BROWN: Oh, it’s okay. I was in the area. I thought I’d might be able to help out. And to be honest, you seem to be kind of
SARA: Stressed out? Side effect of two jobs and a sitter who is always late. It’s chronic.
DR. BROWN: So how’s David doing?
SARA: It’s hard to tell. He doesn’t really like to complain. There wasn’t anything wrong in his X-ray, was there? Please don’t tell me there’s a break.
DR. BROWN: No, his shoulder’s fine. But there were some . . . old injuries that showed up.
SARA: I know. My mistake for ever getting him that skateboard. He’s like a kamikaze on that thing.
DR. BROWN: So, he’s fallen a lot?
SARA: I don’t know. What’s a lot?
DR. BROWN: Well, enough to break a few bones.
[Sara realizes the reason for Dr. Brown’s visit.]
SARA: Are you trying to ask me something, Doctor?
DR. BROWN: No, I only wanted to, uh…
SARA: Because if you think I hit my kid, just say so.
DR. BROWN: I only wanted to talk with you, just to see if there’s any cause for concern.
SARA: So you made up an excuse to come check up on me. I get it. Well, go on then. Have a look around. All you’ll find is a messy house I’m too busy to clean. Food on the table, and whatever clothes and toys David wants in his closet.
DR. BROWN: Sara, when I saw the X…
SARA: You’re a parent. You know things happen you can’t control, and it kills you when it does. Doesn’t it?
DR. BROWN: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.
SARA: I know you didn’t. And if I weren’t so tired I would probably thank you for caring enough to ask, but - -
[There is a crash coming from the kitchen. Sara and Dr. Brown rush in the kitchen.]
DAVID: Michael. Michael. Michael. Ow.
[Michael is pushing on David’s bad arm.]
SARA: Michael, calm down.
[Sara is quick and firm. She pulls Michael away from David. Michael keeps struggling, his eyes down. David sees Dr. Brown.]
SARA: (CONT'D) It’s okay.
DAVID: He heard Doctor Brown in the other room and dropped his glass. He just got scared…
[Sara puts her hand around Michael and hugs him from behind, but he still fights]
SARA: You need to say hello. Just say, “Hello Michael, my name is Doctor Brown, and I’m new.” Just like that.
DR. BROWN: Hello, Michael. My name is Doctor Brown and I’m new.
[Michael calms down as soon as Dr. Brown says the words.]
SARA: Ok. See. He’s not good with strangers. And the new house, and all the workmen. He’s getting better though.
[Sara rocks Michael calming him down. Dr. Brown is understanding what is going on now.]
SARA: Okay. Okay.
[Cut to Ephram’s Studio – Ephram is playing and Amy is reading on the couch. Ephram stops playing.]
AMY: Y’know, you practice so often, you think you wouldn’t stink so bad.
[Ephram gets up and goes to sit next to Amy on the couch.]
EPHRAM: You study so much, you’d think you’d realize that guys don’t care if you’re too smart.
[Amy tries to hit Ephram.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) Oh, Oh. What did we say about hitting?
[Ephram tries to kiss Amy on the neck but Amy interrupts.]
AMY: What do you think about Brian Cummings? Do you think he’s cute?
EPHRAM: Well, I should make something clear right off the bat, I don’t do threesomes.
AMY: For Hannah?
EPHRAM: Hannah likes Brian?
AMY: No. Not yet, but she could. I’m trying to find the right person for our double date. He’s kind of funny right?
EPHRAM: Whoa, whoa, wait. Back up. Double date?
AMY: Tomorrow night.
EPHRAM: What are you doing Amy?
AMY: Nothing. Helping. Your little project is my little project. If you have to be friends with her, I have to be friends with her. Besides double dates are great. Mixes it up a bit.
EPHRAM: We don’t need to mix it up and you don’t need to be friends with Hannah.
AMY: Do you not want me to be friends with Hannah?
EPHRAM: No, it’s not that I don’t want you to be friends with Hannah, it’s just I don’t see it. You guys have nothing in common.
[Amy gives a curious look.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) Besides, an-and neither do her and Brian for that matter. He’s all wrong for her. Besides, I think he’s dating Terri Hyatt.
AMY: No not any more.
EPHRAM: Well, even still I think he’s wrong for her.
AMY: Okay, Mr. Insightful, all of a sudden. Who do you think is the right guy for her?
EPHRAM: I-I don’t know. I mean, it’s tough. She’s quiet, but she’s also kind of special.
AMY: Special how?
EPHRAM: You wouldn’t understand.
[Amy gives a look of “Are you kidding me?”]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) You’ve never been through the kind of stuff that she’s going through, y’know what I mean.
[Amy gives a sigh and gets upset.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) Not-not that you haven’t been through stuff. Obviously you’ve been through stuff, but it’s different, you know. She-She’s new and she’s lost.
AMY: Oh, that’s right, because I’ve never felt lost or alone or sad in my entire life.
EPHRAM: That’s not what I meant and you know it.
AMY: Whatever. You know what, go play piano and do your thing. I have another chapter to read. I’ll find a “special” enough guy for Hannah don’t worry about it.
[Ephram just sits there for a minute and looks at Amy and then gets up to go back to practicing leaving Amy on the couch sulking and reading.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s office – Nighttime – Dr. Brown is on the phone.]
DR. BROWN: Yes, Dr. Andrew Brown in Colorado.
[Edna comes in and hands a fax to Dr. Brown.]
EDNA: A fax is from a Dr. Emory in Seattle. Neuropharmacologist.
DR. BROWN: (on the phone) No I’m still holding for Dr. Agajani. (to Edna) What is this? I can’t read this at all. Have them to resend it would you please.
EDNA: It’s not their fault. It’s our new fax machine. The ink’s all messed up.
DR. BROWN: So fix it. (on the phone) No, I’m a family physician, that’s right.
EDNA: You fix it. I wasn’t hired for this crap. I don’t fix faxes. I don’t do computers and I don’t do windows.
DR. BROWN: Don’t go there, Edna, I don’t have time for this right now.
EDNA: Oh, I know, you don’t want to choose sides.
DR. BROWN: (on the phone) You want me to spell Brown. That’s B-R-O-W-N.
EDNA: Use Switzerland or France or whatever other country doesn’t have the balls to get their hands dirty.
DR. BROWN: Why don’t you grow up? I have a patient with a serious problem here. I do not have time to listen to you whining about your son. If you’re not happy, do something about it.
EDNA: You’re right.
DR. BROWN: Thank you.
EDNA: I quit.
[Edna walks out of his office.]
DR. BROWN: Oh come on, Edna. Edna. (on the phone) Yes, hello, uh, Dr. Agajanian, yes, this is Dr. Brown. I was calling about a former patient of yours.
[Dr. Brown hears Edna slam the door when she was leaving.]
{END OF ACT TWO / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT THREE}
[Fade in – Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott standing at Edna’s desk in the waiting area.]
DR. BROWN: It’s after 10. She’s not coming in. Let’s just go over to her house and apologize.
DR. ABBOTT: Apologize, Pssh. Save that for when I’ve actually done something wrong. Besides, she started it.
DR. BROWN: It doesn’t matter whose fault it is, Harold? She didn’t come in today. We clearly got under her skin.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, if we did, it’d be a first. The woman has a tougher skin than a Bradley fighting vehicle.
DR. BROWN: You don’t think that she’s got a point.
DR. ABBOTT: About what?
DR. BROWN: Well, you did kind of ambush with the office makeover and neither of us were particularly open to discussion when she wanted to discuss it.
DR. ABBOTT: Nor need we be. I’m already far to patient an employer as it is. Just ask Louise.
[Dr. Brown looks at Louise and Louise gives him a blank look.]
DR. BROWN: Look, I’m gonna go talk to her.
DR. ABBOTT: She is simply acting out, Andy, which is what children do. Trust me, a few days of being silent as loudly as possible she will come back here begging. If there’s one thing I know about my mother, is that she needs to work?
LOUISE: Edna has a job.
DR. ABBOTT: Excuse me?
DR. BROWN: What job?
[Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott go storming out of their office and start walking across the street.]
DR. BROWN: You better let me do the talking.
DR. ABBOTT: I propose we move past conversation, go straight towards physical violence.
DR. BROWN: She’d beat the crap out of both of us and you know it.
[Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott burst into Dr. Hartman’s waiting area.]
DR. ABBOTT: Dear God, it’s like he’s mounted a flat screen on my father’s grave.
[Edna comes from behind the counter into view.]
EDNA: You boys here for an appointment? Two prostate exams coming right up.
DR. ABBOTT: Very charming, Mother. Oh, this is a new low even for you. How could you of all people set foot in this desecration… Lord have mercy, is that a lava lamp?
DR. BROWN: Harold, Harold, please. Edna, I know that you are angry and I’m sorry if I’ve done anything that’s hurtful to you and so is Harold. He just said so on the way over here. Didn’t you, Harold?
DR. ABBOTT: I see your willing to use his computer?
EDNA: He asked me first.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, well, very nice, Norma Rae. You made your point, we got the message now pack up your things and come back.
DR. BROWN: What Harold is trying to say is that-that that we’re really sorry and we really want you to come back and I know that we could come to terms if we could just sit down and solve this like adults.
EDNA: I tried that. It didn’t work.
[Dr. Hartman comes from the back to the front.]
DR. HARTMAN: Hey, I thought I heard friendly voices. So what do you think of the new place?
DR. ABBOTT: I think you should go hide in your office, you loathsome reptilian nurse stealer.
DR. HARTMAN: Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn’t steal anyone. She came to me for a job. She drove up on her motorcycle handed me her resume and saluted. How do you turn that down?
DR. BROWN: You didn’t.
[Edna acts like she wants to crawl under her desk.]
DR. HARTMAN: I really thought you guys would be happen about this. Honestly if I thought it would cause any trouble…
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, sell it to someone who buys your botox bologna. Let’s get out of here, Andy.
DR. BROWN: Is this really what you want?
EDNA: It is.
[Dr. Brown hesitates and then follows Dr. Abbott to the door.]
DR. HARTMAN: Hey, Andy, I’m done at 6. What do you say we hike up Burton’s Peak, catch the sunset?
DR. BROWN: Oh, hike it up your ass.
[Dr. Brown leaves and Dr. Hartman looks at Edna.]
DR. HARTMAN: Is that a no?
[Cut to Amy’s bedroom – Ephram is reading a book and Amy is putting make up on Hannah.]
EPHRAM: So where’s Mr. Wonderful? We’re gonna miss the movie.
AMY: Don’t worry, he’s coming. We have plenty of time. Go like this.
[Amy blots her lips and Hannah does as well. Bright starts yelling from the hall and stands at the doorway to Amy’s room.]
BRIGHT: Yo ready to get this party started. Where’s my little underage hottie?
[Hannah stands up fast and Amy turns to greet Bright.]
HANNAH: Hi.
BRIGHT: Hi.
EPHRAM: You’re Mr. Wonderful?
AMY: So, uh, great. We’re all here. Uh, Bright, this is Hannah. Hannah, Bright.
BRIGHT: How’s it going?
[Amy, Hannah and Bright are smiling and Ephram is sitting in awe.]
BRIGHT: Uh, I’m gonna go get the car started, I’ll see you guys out there.
HANNAH: Cool beans.
[Bright leaves and Hannah runs to close the door.]
HANNAH: (CONT'D) Oh my God, he’s so gorgeous.
AMY: Ya think so?
HANNAH: He really wanted to go out with me.
AMY: Umm, yeah, he saw you over at MJ’s the other day. Asked about you, said you were hot.
HANNAH: (breathing fast) I’m gonna have to pee 30 times tonight. My bladder gets all weird when I get nervous.
[Hannah runs out the room to use the bathroom.]
EPHRAM: Bright said Hannah was hot?
AMY: Uh, not exactly. He asked about her. Asked what her name was? I took that as a sign of interest.
EPHRAM: What about Brian Cummings?
AMY: He couldn’t make it.
EPHRAM: There was nobody else, in the whole school? State?
AMY: Everyone’s dating someone right now. But it’ll be fine. Besides you never know, there could be sparks.
EPHRAM: Yeah, there could be sparks. If Bright tries to burn the movie theater down in an attempted escape.
[Amy drags Ephram out of her room.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s medical examination room/ office – Dr. Brown is looking at David’s bruise. Sara is watching.]
DAVID: Ow.
DR. BROWN: That’s some bruise, you must’ve hit the dirt really hard.
DAVID: Yeah, I pounded my whole side.
DR. BROWN: You know you can usually tell the angle of an injury by the shape of the bruise. But I’m surprised by the pattern of yours, you sure you fell sideways? Because it would make much more sense if you actually like hit a tree and-and then rolled - - is that how the crash happened?
DAVID: Yeah . . . that’s what I meant.
DR. BROWN: Are you sure?
SARA: That’s enough. Come on, David, let’s go - -
[Sara and David start to leave.]
DR. BROWN: Because I don’t think you were on your bike at all. I think your brother, Michael, did this to you.
[Sara and David stop when Dr. Brown says his comment.]
SARA: What?
DAVID: That’s not true.
DR. BROWN: It’s okay, if it is. I know he didn’t mean to do it.
DAVID: You don’t know anything. You don’t even know Michael.
DR. BROWN: Then please tell me what happened - -
DAVID: I told you, I fell.
DR. BROWN: Like when you broke your arm last time?
[David faces the fact he needs to confess.]
SARA: David?
DAVID: It was MY fault. I gave him the wrong toy and he got upset. I did it.
SARA: Michael hit you this hard?
DAVID: No, we were just playing. He didn’t- he didn’t know he was hitting too hard.
SARA: You said you were riding your bike. On the trail.
DAVID: What difference does it make? I’m fine. Let’s just go.
DR. BROWN: David, I’d like to speak with your mother for a minute. You can wait outside with Louise.
[David goes out into the waiting area. Sara is shocked by what David just said.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) You okay?
SARA: How could Michael have done that? He’s so small. He’s my baby.
DR. BROWN: My guess is that it’s been happening for some time.
SARA: How? How could I not know?
DR. BROWN: Because he didn’t want you to know. He was protecting his brother. It’s not your fault.
SARA: Of course it is. I should’ve seen it. Michael broke his arm. It’s my fault.
DR. BROWN: No. It’s not your fault. It’s not. Sara, you are doing your best in an impossible situation. You are raising an autistic boy on your own, with no help.
SARA: I try so hard to keep him in a good routine, to keep him happy.
DR. BROWN: I know. I know you do. . . Sit down.
SARA: Sorry.
DR. BROWN: It’s okay. You okay?
[Sara nods her head trying to compose herself from crying some more.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) Look, what’s important is what you do about this now. He’s not a baby any more, Sara. He’s growing up. He’s getting stronger. Which means his outbursts are going to be increasingly dangerous.
SARA: Well, I’ll keep a closer eye on them. I won’t leave them alone together.
DR. BROWN: What I would like to do is recommend you to a facility called Brookwell. It’s a residential school with excellent programs and a great staff. I could make a call, I could explain Michael’s condition and your financial constraints and they might just take him.
SARA: You want me to send Michael away?
DR. BROWN: Well, it’s just 40 miles from here and it’s a school that’s designed for kids like Michael, where he can learn and-and grow and still be a daily part of your life.
SARA: I’m sorry. I can’t do that.
DR. BROWN: Sara, you have two children and one of them is not safe. You have to do something.
SARA: I can’t be away from him. David loves his brother to death. I can’t separate my boys.
DR. BROWN: If you don’t, someone else might. And if that happens, you won’t be able to choose where Michael goes. I just want you to think about that.
[Cut to the diner – Bright and Ephram are sitting on one side of a booth and Amy and Hannah are on the other side.]
AMY: And, umm, Bright also had Ms. Chapman for biology when he was a sophomore. Didn’t you, Bright?
BRIGHT: I did.
HANNAH: That’s so funny. I mean, like how coincidences are funny.
[Everyone sitting there is dying from the conversation.]
HANNAH: (CONT'D) I gotta go to the bathroom. Excuse me.
[Hannah gets up leaving the other three at the table.]
BRIGHT: Oh my God, I didn’t know that boredom could cause actual, physical pain within your body.
AMY: Let it go, Bright.
BRIGHT: Oh, yeah, believe me, it’s-it’s gone. Yeah, so I’ll be over at the jukebox. Killing myself, if anyone needs me feel free to drag my corpse out of here when the date’s over.
[Bright gets up leaving Ephram and Amy. Amy is upset about how the date went. Ephram lets out a laugh.]
AMY: This is not funny.
EPHRAM: Well, I… It’s a little bit funny. Like when she started talking about Halliburton and Bright thought she meant Halle Berry.
AMY: Yeah, I know. I was there.
EPHRAM: That was pretty funny.
AMY: She likes him. She’s just trying to impress him that’s all.
EPHRAM: Well, he doesn’t like her.
AMY: Well, I don’t know why. Maybe you could explain to him how special she is and how sweet she is and all of that.
EPHRAM: Now don’t-don’t blame this on me. It wasn’t my idea to set up Bright and Hannah.
AMY: So Bright isn’t good enough either. Okay. Okay. Umm, maybe I should’ve invited Brad Pitt to come out with us tonight or Maroon 5, maybe one of those guys would have been acceptable.
EPHRAM: Amy?
AMY: Or maybe if Bright saw Hannah the way you see her, they would fall in love and make babies and live happily ever after.
EPHRAM: Oh my God.
[Amy looks like she can’t believe she just said all of that. Ephram begins to laugh.]
AMY: Shut up, don’t say it.
EPHRAM: You thought that I liked Hannah?
AMY: No.
EPHRAM: Yes you did.
AMY: No I didn’t.
EPHRAM: Yes, you did.
AMY: No, I thought that maybe she liked you and that you two can become best friend neighbor whatevers. Never mind.
[Ephram takes Amy’s hand.]
EPHRAM: Amy, you are crazy, you know that?
AMY: Yes, occasionally.
EPHRAM: Hey, first of all, even if Hannah did have a crush on me which I don’t think that she does. She’d be way too terrified to do anything about it. Unlike your friend Katie.
AMY: What did Katie do?
EPHRAM: She totally grabbed my ass in gym the other day.
AMY: She what?
[Ephram drops Amy’s hand when Hannah comes back to the booth.]
HANNAH: Hey, so I thought of another story I could tell Bright. This one’s really funny. Uh, is he in the bathroom or…?
[Ephram and Amy are looking toward the jukebox and Hannah looks over there too. Bright is taking a picture of a blonde on his cell phone.]
HANNAH: (CONT'D) Oh… Yeah, that makes more sense.
EPHRAM: Don’t worry about that that’s just Bright. I mean, he does…
HANNAH: No it’s okay. You don’t have to.
[Amy and Ephram look at each other.]
HANNAH: (CONT'D) He never said I was hot, did he? You made that up.
[Amy just looks at Hannah and looks sorry without saying anything.]
HANNAH: (CONT'D) Can I go home now?
{END OF ACT THREE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT FOUR}
[Fade in – Dr. Hartman’s office – Edna is straightening up the waiting area. Dr. Brown walks in.]
DR. BROWN: Okay. I have a plan. It involves groveling and offers of a raise. Did I mention it was an absorbent raise?
EDNA: You can keep it. I’m not big into backpedaling. Decisions get made. They stay made. I’ve got work to do.
DR. BROWN: Just hear me out.
[Edna goes and sits in a chair.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) Okay, first off, an apology. All right, from now on you can run that office any way you want to. We could go back to the old system. No one can touch a letter on the eye chart without your say so. Oh, and did I mention that the computers are history.
EDNA: The computer was never the problem. I’m a combat veteran, Doc. I’ve pulled shrapnel out of a kid’s head by flashlight. You think I’d be scared off by a DSL line.
[Dr. Brown sits down next to Edna.]
DR. BROWN: Listen to me, Edna. I need you over there and not just to remind me which way is up. You have always been more than a nurse to me. You are the first partner that I have ever had.
EDNA: I feel the same way, Sarg. You’re the most gifted doctor I’ve ever met, next to Hal Senior and that’s saying something. Your apology’s accepted, but I can’t come back there.
DR. BROWN: I’ll talk to Harold. We can work this out.
EDNA: What’s wrong with me and Junior you can’t fix. There’s a reason he is the way he is, Andy. I left for the army when he was just a kid. When I came back, he created a universe with no room in it for me – rules and bedtimes and things I didn’t understand, just to make me feel left out, which it did. I didn’t get it, I thought that he was just being a brat, but I-I see it better now. I hurt him so he found a way of hurting me back and we just kept on doing it that way. Still do, but I can’t end up hating my own son and if I come back there. I’m sorry I just have to save some space for family.
[Edna walks back around the counter.]
DR. BROWN: So you’re really leaving me?
EDNA: Afraid so.
[Dr. Brown gets up and walks up to the counter.]
DR. BROWN: Edna?
EDNA: (shakes her head for him to not go any further) I had a ball, kid.
[Cut to Hannah’s bedroom – Hannah is reading a book on her bed. Amy knocks on the door.]
HANNAH: Yeah?
[Amy comes in cautiously.]
AMY: Hannah, can I talk to you?
HANNAH: I’m actually kind of busy.
AMY: I know you probably hate me right now and I don’t blame you I just… came by to apologize.
[Hannah does not answer and Amy walks to the edge of Hannah’s bed.]
AMY: (CONT'D) Perks of Being a Wallflower. Is that for school? I haven’t read that.
HANNAH: No, I just like the book.
AMY: Wow, you’re like the only other person I know besides me that reads things that weren’t assigned.
HANNAH: Yeah, well, people are pretty dumb.
AMY: Yes, they are. Me included. I did a really stupid thing setting you up with my brother, I’m really sorry that I did that.
HANNAH: Why did you?
AMY: I just freaked out. My friends had me thinking that you were interested in Ephram.
HANNAH: What?
AMY: I know. It’s ridiculous. I just thought that maybe you guys had this bond and… Normally, I’m not like this. Trust me, I’m actually really secure with myself most of the time. It’s just lately…
HANNAH: I guess that makes sense.
AMY: Why?
HANNAH: Because you care. And the more you care about something or someone the scarier it gets when you think you might lose ‘em. And then once you start thinking that way then even the most secure people in the world act really weird. But I don’t think you have to worry about that with Ephram. You could go schizophrenic on him and he’d still hang around.
AMY: What makes you so sure?
HANNAH: ‘Cause he’s in love with you.
AMY: No. No. Uh, he’s never… I mean… You think?
HANNAH: Yeah.
AMY: So did you hear that Katie grabbed his butt?
HANNAH: Oh my God.
AMY: I know, it’s awful. It’s-it’s one of these things where I’ve known these girls since elementary school and I don’t necessarily like them I just then, y’know? My best friend, Laynie, moved away to boarding school again this year and she would’ve loved you. The point is I really miss having a friend that doesn’t drive me absolutely insane – kinda need one.
HANNAH: Really?
AMY: Yeah.
HANNAH: Me too.
AMY: So honestly speaking though, don’t get mad. You would’ve never gone for Ephram?
HANNAH: No. Not my type. I mean, no offense but I’m-I’m really more into guys like your brother.
AMY: Bright? Are you serious?
HANNAH: Yeah, I’m surprisingly shallow.
[They laugh together.]
[Cut to the Beck House – Dr. Brown knocks on the door and Sara answers it.]
SARA: You sure do make a lot of house calls, Dr. Brown.
DR. BROWN: A school called. They said they needed David’s medical records for enrollment. David’s records, not Michael’s.
SARA: It’s a great school. I’ve seen pictures, it’s beautiful. It’s a lot nicer than the public school he’s going to now. My sister-in-law pulled a few strings.
DR. BROWN: Why David? I don’t understand.
SARA: Michael would never survive in one of those group homes. He needs me. David’s stronger. He’ll be okay. He might even be better off really – finally have a shot at being a normal kid. Won’t have to worry about his mom and his brother all the time.
DR. BROWN: He’s still gonna worry.
SARA: I know. He has an amazing heart but so does Michael. I don’t expect you to understand, Dr. Brown, but they’re both my children. They’re both part of me. It wasn’t an easy choice to make here just one that I could find a way to live with. Trust me this is the best I can do for both of them.
DR. BROWN: What about you?
SARA: What about me?
[Dr. Brown leaves.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown entering his office at night. Dr. Abbott comes out to see who it is.]
DR. ABBOTT: There you are.
DR. BROWN: Left my bag.
DR. ABBOTT: So there’s a nasty rumor floating around. Apparently you were seen crawling across the street this morning. One can only assume in an attempt to woo a certain ill-tempered nurse back to her post.
DR. BROWN: Rumor confirmed.
DR. ABBOTT: I see. Well, I hope you exacted some concessions in exchange for her return.
DR. BROWN: She’s not coming back.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh. Well, I’ve seemed to have overestimated the power of your charisma. I-I could muster up an apology if you think I should make the attempt.
DR. BROWN: I think we should just let it sit for awhile.
DR. ABBOTT: I see.
[Dr. Brown turns to go in his office.]
DR. ABBOTT: (CONT'D) You… The funny thing is that when we were working together she always complained about unnecessary paperwork. I genuinely thought she would like the computer.
DR. BROWN: I know you did.
DR. ABBOTT: So how did things go with Mrs. Beck? Did you-did you find a long-term facility for the autistic brother?
DR. BROWN: Well, it turned out to be a bit more complicated than that.
DR. ABBOTT: But it worked out in the end?
DR. BROWN: No, it didn’t. Well, I gotta go get, uh, Delia at Brittany’s. I promised to take her out for ice cream. Apparently 5th grade sucks but she’s convinced that, uh, some hot fudge and rocky road will take the edge off and who am I to disagree?
DR. ABBOTT: Indeed. Can you even remember when life was that simple?
DR. BROWN: No. I can’t.
[Song “Love Like That” by Stew plays in the background.]
[Cut to Amy and Ephram laying on the couch in Ephram’s house – Ephram is holding Amy.]
AMY: This is a good song.
EPHRAM: Yeah, maybe Hannah and I will play it at our wedding.
[Amy hits Ephram.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) You are a very violent person, you know that.
AMY: I think you should be flattered. I don’t know who said jealousy was a bad thing.
EPHRAM: There’s a movie where she boiled a bunny. It was very scary.
AMY: I think it’s a compliment not to mention one of the most basic instincts we have as human beings. It’s like eating or breathing.
EPHRAM: What is?
AMY: Being territorial. Claiming something or someone as your own and then like marking it and saying this property’s mine and no one else can have it.
EPHRAM: For the record, if I ever refer to you as property I’d be being beaten right now.
AMY: I just think it’s fascinating how people treat each other. It’s like if you like someone you’re not supposed to show it and if you hate someone you’re supposed to pretend that you like them so they don’t know that you hate them, but if you love someone…
EPHRAM: Yeah.
AMY: It should be easier. You should finally be able to relax once you’re past all the crazy, I mean.
EPHRAM: Yeah, makes sense.
AMY: I love you, Ephram.
EPHRAM: I love you too.
AMY: Yeah?
EPHRAM: Yeah.
AMY: Cool.
[They cuddle on the couch.]
