John Carter: So he's a scalper?

Rena: He's a respiratory (??) therapist, but he has a friend that can get us good seats.

John Carter: So it's either a sporting event or a concert.

Rena: No more hints!

John Carter: Sporting event.

Rena: Your one of those kids who peaked as his birthday presents?

Abby Lockhart: Hey guys.

John Carter: Hey.

Rena: Hey.

John Carter: You on swing?

Abby Lockhart: Yeah, I only have an hour left. (To Rena) You bring your dog to work?

Rena: Ah, no, we're just picking something up.

Abby Lockhart: What's his name?

Rena: Norman.

Abby Lockhart: (petting the dog) Hello Norman.

John Carter: Don't let him get to close to your leg.

Rena: John.

John Carter: What? There's nothing to be ashamed of, he's a guy.

Rena: He's getting fixed.

Abby Lockhart: Oh god.

John Carter: What?

Abby Lockhart: That car.

John Carter: What about it?

Abby Lockhart: Read the license plate.

Rena: Man o' Med?

Abby Lockhart: That's Richard.

John Carter: Ah.

Rena: Who's Richard?

* * *

Abby: (entering the er) Hey, Randi, is there a guy named Richard looking for me?

Randi: Your ex?

Abby: Yes.

Randi: In the lounge, talking to Doctor Kovac.

Abby: Call security. Tell them there's a BMW illegally parked in the ambulance bay (enters the lounge).

Richard: (sitting, talking to Doctor Kovac) So she tried to quit three times while we're together. The last time she gets addicted to the gum.

Abby: What do you need Richard?

Richard: You didn't return my calls.

Abby: When'd you call?

Richard: Last night, this morning.

Abby: I haven't checked my messages yet.

Luka: Excuse me (gets up to leave).

Richard: Nice meeting you. (to Abby) Look it's your mom. She's gone off the reservation again. She's holed up in a motel outside of Muskogee Oklahoma.

Abby: She called you?

Richard: No, apparently some guy that she's been traveling with prepaid the room for a week and then he split. That was three weeks ago. The manager of the motel got your old number which is my number and took it out of her bag.

Abby: What was he doing going through her stuff?

Richard: Looking for money, I guess. He said she's all spaced and, she won't leave the room.

Abby: Is she answering the door? (not getting a response) Richard, is she answering the door?

Richard: You should call this guy. I'm sorry Abby. (leaves).

* * *

Luka: Abby? What did the guy say?

Abby: She's there. Um, he says she owes him 800 dollars.

Luka: Do you have that?

Abby: Not really.

Luka: I do.

Abby: No Luka.

Luka: Hey, I'll take care of it. Don't give him a credit card. We'll wire him the money.

Abby: I told him i'd give it to him when I got there.

Luka: When you got there?

Abby: I'm, I'm gonna take a ride.

Luka: No-No Abby. We'll call the local hospital, talk to a psychiatrist and see if we can get the police to bring her in.

Abby: I can't put my mother in a lock up in Oklahoma.

Luka: We can fly down there once she's medicated.

Abby: No. if I have to commit her, it will be easier to do it from chicago. Trust me.

Luka: Why are you doing this?

Abby: Because my mother's sick, Luka.

Luka: I know, I saw her, I saw what she did to you last time.

Chuny: Doctor Kovac, (??some medical jargon here??) is 400.

Luka: (to Chuny) In a second.

Abby: I have to talk to the nursing surpervisor, see if I can switch my shift.

Luka: Abby, don't go out there.

Abby: it's my problem.

* * *

(Abby is on the phone at reception, trying to get a flight. Carter walks up with Norman the dog, smiling).

Abby: You have nothing in coach? Ok, well what if I fly into, into Oklahoma City?

Carter: Hi.

Abby: (Looks up smiling) Hi.

Carter: What did Richard want?

Abby: My mother has bottomed out 40 miles outside of Tulsa. And of all people motel owner had to call Richard.

Woman: Hey!

Carter: Did you talk to her?

Abby: Sh, she's not picking up the phone and she wont come out of the room, so.

Carter: Mmhmm…

Woman: Hey your dog!

(Carter turns, sees Norman eating out of the bin, picks up a glove, and quickly goes to rectify the situation. Rena walks up).

Rena: John!

Carter: Norman, Norman drop that!

Rena: You brought him inside? Carter: Yeah, we had to take a little bathroom break.

Rena: Is that gonna hurt him?

Carter: No, no worse than the chili.

Rena: (To Norman) No, No!

(Shot of Abby looking on amused/jealous??)

Rena: Good boy, come on. (Taking Norman, making down the hall past Abby with John. Good boy!

Carter: Thank you. Did you get the tickets?

Rena: Err, yeah, all set. (John looks back at Abby twice while they go past) So err, am I gonna have to call you a cab, or are you gonna make it back?

Carter: You know what I'll meet you outside.

Rena: What's wrong?

Carter: Nothing (stops) I just wanna change the bag on that thing- give me five minutes? Or you can start running, I'll give you a head start. (????)

Rena: I'll wait. (Heads out. John goes up to Abby)

Woman: Dog has no place in a hospital!

Carter: Seeing eye dog…

Abby: Well, how many people are going to Oklahoma tonight? No. Thank you. (Puts phone down)

Carter: (Softly) You Ok?

Abby: I can't get a flight.

Carter: You tried direct to Tulsa?

Abby: I'm try- I, can't get anywhere close, there's not even a connection opening, what are you doing?

(John is dialing the phone)

Carter: I have a really good travel agent. She can always find sum'n somewhere. Wanna fly out tonight? Hi, Katy Wichard please. (Pause) Open return?

(Abby starts to nod then shakes her head)

Abby: No, I have to drive her back.

Carter: Why?

Abby: Cause she can't fly, she can't handle flying.

Carter: You're gonna drive her all the way back to Chicago by yourself? (Abby nods) Luka going with you? (Abby shakes her head) (Pause) Hey Katy- it's John Carter. Good, yeah. Any way, you could find me, two one-way tickets to Tulsa. Tonight.

(Carter and Abby stare at each other…)

* * *

Abby: I'm taking an eleven forty flight to Tulsa.

Luka: hold on, I checked. There's a psychiatric facility in St Johns Medical--

Abby: (cuts him off) Carter's coming with me.

Luka: What?

(cuts to Carter and Rena outside sitting on a bench)

Carter: Her mom suffers from bipolar disorder. She's locked herself in a motel room.

Rena: A motel room?

Carter: Probably in a major depression.

Rena: Well, why do you have to go?

(cuts to Abby and Luka)

Abby: He offered to help, and I have to drive her back her so...

Luka: I offered to help.

Abby: No, you offered to decide for me.

Luka: Abby you mother needs hospitalization, not a road trip with you and Carter.

Abby: Yeah, Luka, we're doing it for the fun of it. It's gonna be a blast.

(cuts back to Carter and Rena)

Rena: It's a Bulls game. I thought you'd like it, you said you liked basketball.

Carter: I do.

Rena: Then let's go!

Carter: Abby needs someone to go with her.

Rena: Then why can't her boyfriend go with her?!

(cuts to Luka and Abby)

Luka: Abby, it's a mistake.

Abby: Are you going to lecture me on this?

Luka: No.

Abby: Good because you have no idea what it's like. I grew up with this and I jus- I don't want to be lectured on it.

Luka: I'm not lecturing, I'm trying to help.

(cut to Carter and Rena)

(Norman is barking continuously)

Rena: You're spending the weekend with her.

Carter: And her clinically depressed mother. I will pay for the tickets.

Rena: It's not about the stupid tickets.

Carter: (screams) Shut up Norman!

Rena: Don't tell him to shut up!

(cut to Luka and Abby)

Luka: Don't put yourself in the position to get hurt again.

Abby: Well, you'd be the expert at that, wouldn't you?

(long silence)

Abby: I'm sorry.

(cut to Carter and Rena)

Carter: I'm sorry.

Rena: (walking away) Go!

Carter: Rena!

(cut to Luka and Abby)

Luka: Okay, go (walks out of the room).

* * *

(Babylon plays, they are in the car driving down the motorway, Maggie is asleep in the back)

Abby: Do you want me to talk to her?

Carter: (Shakes head) What would you say?

Abby: That I asked you to come with me to help me with m mother.

Carter: You didn't ask me to come with you.

Abby: Just get back and send her some flowers I'm sure it'll be fine.

Carter: I don't think so.

Abby: She's young. If you're gonna get involved with a teenager you have ti expect a little drama.

Carter: We broke up.

Abby: You broke up?

Carter: She broke up.

Abby: When?

Carter: Last night.

Abby: She broke up with you over a basketball game?

Carter: Over you.

Abby: That's silly. What does she think we're having an illicit affair or something?

Carter: No. (Pause) Just that I have a crush on you. (Pause) Whatever. It's not like the relationship didn't have it's obstacles-

Abby: Yeah but I wouldn't want you to break up because of me…

Carter: Face it. You're a home wrecker.

(Abby stares at Carter…)

****

(Slurpy scene- both stand outside toilets waiting for Maggie, drinking Slurpies…)

Abby: Maybe I'm just being paranoid?

Carter: She was pretty close to traffic.

Abby: It's hard not to over-react sometimes.

Carter: She seems better today. (Turns to Abby)

Abby: She couldn't really be worse.

Man: All done!

Carter: All right. I'm gonna go pay Pocko (??!!) his three bucks. I'll bring the car around. (Bins Slurpy and walks away to pay man)

****

(Driving up to Abby's house. It's dark, and "Hanging By A Moment" is playing through the car stereo. Both are smiling…)

Abby: You did not.

Carter: I did.

Abby: You did not.

Carter: (Laughing) Why would I make that up??!!

Abby: You got a perm?!

Carter: (Pause, looks at Abby) Twice.

Abby: Twice!! (laughs. Carter looks thrilled that he made her laugh)

Carter: What! It was Junior High School. That was the style.

Abby: I don't know what planet you grew up on but I do not remember perm's on boy's ever being popular.

Carter: Yes it was.

Abby: No way.

Carter: Jamie Bodlar (??!!) liked it.

Abby: I have to see pictures.

Carter: I think I burned them all.

Abby: (Laughs incredulously) Twice!? So that means you thought it looked good the first time.

(Carter laughs)

Carter: As far as youthful transgressions go I think it scores pretty low on the scale.

Abby: If you say so…

(Pull up to house. Both solemn)

Carter: She still out? (Glances at Maggie)

Abby: (Looking) Yeah.

Carter: (Rubs eyes from tiredness) Mmmm… Well, I think you'll be all right by yourself from here.

Abby: I should be. (Pause, look at each other) I wanna thank you again, for doing this. (Carter shakes it off) (You didn't have to.

Carter: I'd never seen Oklahoma before…

Abby: No. (Shakes head, pause , staaaaaaaaaaare at each other…) I mean it. (Carter nods, and smiles.)

Carter: I'll help you inside. (Gets out of the car, Abby stares long and hard)