Miracular Tragedy by Mackenzie Hawk

Miracular Tragedy By Mackenzie Hawk

a true story

1

EXT. YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY - DUNKIN DONUTS - AUGUST 30 3:45 PM 1 Maddie, four of her friends, and her soon-to-be soul mate (Ryan) sit at a booth by the window. She sits on the very inside seat, to feel the sunshine on her skin. Her friends laugh and tease each other loudly next to her, but she can only think about the long night of classes ahead.

Ryan looks up at her to notice her seemingly distant and preoccupied mind, but decides not to draw attention to her.

Maddie’s cell phone rings, but nobody at the table notices except Ryan. She recognizes the number as one that might be her father (Jeremy), but after the last charade he pulled at her graduation party, she had deleted his contact.

She begins to climb over her friends to get away from the table and subsequent noise.

MADDIE Hello? Who is this?

JEREMY Hey sweetheart! It’s me, Dad! Listen, uh... remember how I said I needed to talk to you a few months ago?

MADDIE Um, yeah. I gave you my schedule, but you never called or texted me back.

JEREMY Yeah, uh, well Taylor and I had a baby girl last Sunday. So...you have a little baby sister!

Maddie winces as she first replays the trauma of her ninth birthday party when she discovered the hard way that her dad was addicted to heroin after he had asked to "take a phone call" in her bedroom. She never knew that phone calls involved spoons, syringes and lighters. Next, she replays a flash of memories from the nasty confrontations she previously had with his also-junkie girlfriend. They all fit in just a few second time frame, as these memories have haunted her many times before...

MADDIE After a long silence, she brings up the only words she can think of: (MORE) (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

MADDIE (cont’d) I hope this is a joke.

A single tear falls from her right eye. She doesn’t bother to catch it.

Please tell me you’re joking.

JEREMY No, isn’t this great? Why don’t you sound happy? I thought you always wanted a little sibling.

MADDIE Is she healthy?

Maddie ignored the question and the sharp pain in her chest as she thought of all the possible things this baby could have wrong after being carried by a notorious methamphetamine and heroin user, not to mention her friendship with Narcan.

JEREMY Of course she is, sweetie! She’s perfectly normal.

MADDIE Is she going through withdrawals?

JEREMY Long pause. Another tear.

Well... yeah she’s staying here in the hospital for a few weeks until they’re sure she’s over it all. But I assure you, she’s on the lowest dose possible, and she will be out and in her big sister’s arms before you know it.

Maddie leans against the brick wall and stares blankly back at her friends carrying on as if she didn’t just get what felt like a 400 lb. weight put on her 120 lb. frame. Ryan stares back, concerned. She looks frozen.

MADDIE Look, I gotta go. I’m at school.

JEREMY Oki doki, no problem baby girl. Let me know when you wanna come see her!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

Maddie hangs up the phone. Her head spins. She stuffs her phone in her back pocket and fake smiles at Ryan. She wipes the multiplying tears off of her face with her sleeve, and walks back over to her table.

FRIEND #1 OMG, Maddie, are you okay?

FRIEND #2 Who was that? Seriously, what’s wrong?

MADDIE I have to leave. Can you please hand me my stuff?

Ryan puts all of her stuff in her backpack, and hands it to her over the table. Everyone is silent for what feels like the first time in a long time.

MADDIE I’m just gonna go take a walk.

2

EXT. RYAN’S TRUCK - SR 82 - SEPTEMBER 24 AFTERNOON

2

Three and a half weeks have passed with no word about the baby. Ryan and Maddie are riding home from church service holding hands in Ryan’s silver pickup truck.

RYAN Is there anything you want to do today? It’s a beautiful day. We could take your dogs to the park, or go for a walk.

MADDIE Um, I kinda wanted to just take it easy today. I had a really stressful week.

Maddie’s phone rings in her lap. It’s her cousin from her dad’s side, Sam. MADDIE Hey, Sam. What’s going on? You home from school?

SAM Yeah, I just got in from Erie on Friday. Hey, I have a question.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

Go for it.

MADDIE

SAM What are you doing today?

MADDIE Oh, nothing. On our way home from church. Why, what’s up?

SAM I have Harper.

MADDIE Is that one of your friends from school?

Maddie looks at Ryan out of the corner of her eye to see that he is just as perplexed and attentive as she is.

SAM No, it’s your sister. Your dad and Taylor wanted someone to watch her so I volunteered so that maybe you could come see her. I know you don’t wanna see them.

MADDIE Um, yeah, totally. We will be over in like a half hour.

Maddie lets Sam hang up the phone before turning to Ryan.

RYAN If you’re sure you can do it, I’ll be right here with you.

She squeezes his hand in response.

3

INT. GRANDMA HOFFMAN’S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

3

Maddie and Ryan walk into the double wide trailer her grandmother owns to see Sam holding a beautiful little baby girl.

MADDIE Can I hold her?

SAM Yeah, here. You can feed her the rest of her bottle.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

Sam hands Harper and her bottle over to Maddie. Harper stares up at Maddie with her big gray eyes. Her eyes start to flutter as she drifts off into slumber.

MADDIE She’s precious. How long do you have her?

SAM Until her mom calls back. Could be anywhere from 4 hours to 4 days.

Maddie and Ryan glance at each other in shock. How could anyone just want to shove this baby off to someone else and not care? She can feel her own blood pressure begin to climb.

MADDIE Well, anytime you need something just call. I’ll always be willing to watch her or take her for the weekend.

I would doesn’t need to doesn’t

SAM love to but I can’t. Taylor know you’re here, and I keep it that way. She want you to see the baby.

MADDIE But I’m her sister.

SAM I know. Maybe soon she will grow up and get over her insecurities, and then you’ll be able to have a relationship with Harper.

Harper sleeps so peacefully in Maddie’s arms. She might not ever do this again. Maddie says a quick prayer in her head that this little beam of hope does not get extinguished.

Conversations in the house drown out the television for a small span of time before Harper starts to wake up.

MADDIE That wasn’t a very long nap. You have to still be tired.

SAM Her sleep schedule is awful, because of the withdrawals.

Sometimes she even has seizures, (MORE) (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

SAM (cont’d) and then can’t go back to sleep. It doesn’t surprise me since her mom overdosed 3 times while she was pregnant with her.

MADDIE I can’t decide if she’s a miracle or a tragedy.

Maddie’s heart flutters. She looks down in sorrow, but Harper meets her with a wide grin. For a moment Maddie forgot about the neurological and developmental issues looming over the baby, and only saw the undoubting happiness in her eyes.

MADDIE It’s a good thing she can’t understand her situation. These smiles would be gone in an instant.

RYAN Ignorance is bliss.

FADE TO BLACK 4

INT. RYAN’S ROOM - 8:00 AM - MARCH 24

4

Ryan, Maddie, and their puppy (Duke) sleep soundly in bed on Saturday morning, until Maddie’s phone rings.

MADDIE Who’s calling me?

RYAN Your grandma.

Maddie fumbles for her phone on the nightstand.

MADDIE Hello?

GRANDMA HOFFMAN It’s me, Grandma. Hey, I hate to bother you so early, but your dad and Taylor were just arrested and I have to follow them to the jail and courthouse to get all the paperwork taken care of. Would you be able to come get Harper?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

MADDIE Um, yeah. Wait, I thought I wasn’t allowed to see her? Taylor said GRANDMA HOFFMAN Well Taylor’s in jail now so she doesn’t have much say in this now does she?

MADDIE You’re right. Well what are the charges?

GRANDMA HOFFMAN Manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine.

MADDIE Dear Lord. I’ll be over in 15.

She hangs up the phone and stares blankly at the wall. Ryan is already climbing out of bed and putting on his coat.

RYAN Come on. We have a baby waiting on us.

MADDIE She doesn’t even know what’s happening to her.

RYAN Ignorance is bliss, remember?

MADDIE Yeah, I remember.