Jon Bellion: The Musical

Scene 26

FADE TO:

EXT./INT. PARIS' HOUSE 26

Paris walks nervously up to the front door. He knocks and Rachel answers it.

RACHEL
(shocked)
Paris? What are you doing here? You said you wouldn't be back for a month?

PARIS
(smiling)
I'm back for good, Rachel.

RACHEL
What do you mean?

PARIS
I quit my job in New York yesterday. I realised that deep down producing was never what I wanted to do. I just wanted to be noticed really.

RACHEL
What the fuck, Paris. That's great! I'm so glad you're back. It seems like a bit of a snap decision, though. What made you change your mind?

PARIS
I met this old lady on a bench and she somehow understood my feelings better than I did. It was really weird. She was sort of angelic, like she was my guardian angel or something.

RACHEL
Weird. Well, at least you're back home now. That's the main thing.

PARIS
Exactly. Is mum in?

RACHEL
Yeah, she's having a nap at the moment, though. She usually gets up about three so you should see her then.

PARIS
Sick, shall I make us both a cup of tea then, seeing as I live here now?

RACHEL
That would be lovely, Paris.

CUT TO:

Paris and Rachel both sit on the sofa, watching TV and sipping their teas.

RACHEL
What have you done about your girlfriend out there, um... What was her name again?

PARIS
Prisha? Shit, I forgot I hadn't told you what happened with her. Basically when I got back from visiting mum in hospital I caught her cheating on me with some old bloke. I just packed up my stuff and left straight away.

RACHEL
Jesus, I'm so sorry about that. I swear you moved in and out of her apartment more than mum's left the house since you went away.

PARIS
(chuckling)
Let's just say the receptionist at the hotel I stayed at said she kept my room free for me just in case when I wasn't living there.

RACHEL
I guess you made at least one friend while you were out there then.

PARIS
About the only genuine one I'd say. Everyone's just so fake in New York. They just use each other to get something they need.

RACHEL
That's probably why you didn't fit in at the start, Paris. You were too nice for the rest of them. I suppose you changed yourself to be more like them in the end.

PARIS
Stop, I actually cringe thinking about some of the things I did out there.

They both fall into silence for a second.

PARIS
This is a bit out of the blue, Rachel, but have you heard from Sloane at all lately?

RACHEL
Please don't tell me you're going to try and win her back again. The last time I had any form of contact with her was when her dad rang to tell me that he was going to report you to the police for harassment. Something about serenading her from the garden?

PARIS
Yep , I'll admit there may have been a slight misjudgement on my part there. Not my finest hour. Probably best I left the country straight after that or I might have been detained.

RACHEL
I'd say so. Anyway, moral of the story is don't try and get back with Sloane again please.

PARIS
Come on Rachel. This time's different. I was an arsehole then. Can't you see I've changed now?

RACHEL
Paris, she's not going to want you back.

PARIS
Is this because she was your best friend? Look I apologised for that.

RACHEL
Just to warn you, you're turning into dickhead Paris again now.

PARIS
Okay, okay I'll stop there. But I can't rule anything out in the future.

Mum walks into the room.

MUM
Paris? What are you doing here?

PARIS
I've quit my job in New York, Mum! I'm back here for good now!

MUM
Really? Wow, I can't believe it! My son back home just in time for Christmas!

RACHEL
Mum, it's only September, remember?

MUM
What? Oh yes. Well anyway we must celebrate! I'll order in a takeaway! Now where are the menus?

PARIS
Top drawer in the kitchen if I remember rightly Mum.

MUM
(beaming)
What would I do without you, Paris?

Mum leaves the lounge to get the menus.

RACHEL
Paris, she needs a carer. With everyone working there's a large part of the day where she's on her own. She's getting worse every day. It doesn't feel safe leaving her alone for eight hours a day. Every day I come home worried that the house will have burnt down or she's been lying on the floor since ten.

PARIS
Can we afford one?

RACHEL
If you get a job as well and we put all our earnings together we might just be able to get one.

Paris thinks for a second.

PARIS
Look, this may sound like a bit of a hair-brained idea but hear me out. Wouldn't it be easier if I became her full-time carer? I just think Mum might not respond well to some random person coming into the home.

RACHEL
You'd really do that for Mum?

PARIS
One hundred percent.

RACHEL
Wow, you really have changed haven't you.

PARIS
What can I say? I'm a new man.

PARIS
You know what, this idea might just work out...

Mum comes back into the room holding the menus.

MUM
Found them! Right Chinese or Indian? I'll let you decide Paris since you've just come back from York.

PARIS
New York, Mum. I'll go for Indian I think, if that's alright?

MUM
As long as you don't ruin the toilet in the morning.

PARIS
I'll have to order a korma then I guess.

MUM
Never could handle your spice, could you, eh?

PARIS
(smiling into Mum's eyes)
Some things just never change, Mum.