chapter nine

NARRATION: A Monstrous gargoyle Sculpted in stone. An Angel looking like a warrior In stained glass. Jesus Christ on a cross which is carved in wood. And that's father Andre -- late 40s, of flesh and bone --standing at the pulpit --

Father Andre: God honors sacrifice. And our sacrifices touch God's heart and move his hand. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you..."

NARRATION: Blood starts to drop from the carved wooden cross which Jesus is on and the church starts to shake then it stops. Everyone is a bit scared but the priest assures the congregation that everything is fine.

NARRATION: You could already tell that by the hairstyles and wardrobe of the congregation. Among them are --Ella and Jack from their 30s, holding hands. Seem to be enjoying the sermon. But as the camera pans down we see they're actually holding each other hands really tight that it looks like one of them is going to break the other ones bone soon.

Father Andre: "...Greater love has no one than

this, that someone lay down his life for his loved ones."

Let us pray.

NARRATION: Moments later.

NARRATION: The congregation rise, a murmur of conversation.

Ella and Jack walk down the aisle. Out in the narthex

They're greeted by Ken Mark, early 50s. He was the man seated next to them in the pew.

NARRATION: Ken smiles but looks past them at the congregation still

leaving the church...

Ken: Now where'd Rita get off to?

NARRATION: Ella moves John's hand away.

Ella: I'll go find her.

NARRATION: at the church side altar moments later.

NARRATION: The virgin Mary cries blood as she looks down at --

Rita Mark, late 40s, looks older. She kneels at the side altar. Lights a votive candle and prays.

NARRATION: Behind her Ella walks in, searching. Stops when she sees Rita. Watches

her for a bit too long because ---Rita turns, getting to her feet. Ella is not sure whether to stay or leave. Doesn't matter anyway because --

Rita: Ken sent you after me? I swear he thinks one day I'll just...

NARRATION: She takes Ella's hand.

Rita: Never mind. Men, What would they do without us? I mean, honestly, they leave.

NARRATION: Mark's house – Later that day.

A Lincoln Continental pulls into the driveway. Parks. As the

Mark's and the Lens' exit the car --

Jack: We appreciate the lift, Ken.

Rita: You just make sure to take care of this wife and baby of yours.

NARRATION: Jack and Ella smiles.

NARRATION: Jack decides to forgive Raymond and not do anything at his wedding because he would have never met Ella if not what he had done some years back but it still strange though.

Rita: Did we ask about names yet?

Ken: Rita...

Rita: What? That's not prying. That's conversation.

Ella: We're still working on them anyway.

Jack: But we're pretty sure Joseph if it's a boy and we were thinking Anna if it's a girl.

Ella: We were? I don't remember agreeing with that decision.

Jack: You said you liked it.

Ella: I never said that.

Jack: But it's a nice name.

Ella: I don't like the names.

Rita: Oh dear.

Ella: I suggest we change it.

Jack: So what do you suggest?

Ella: give me time to think.

NARRATION: Ken laughs.

Ken: C'mon, Rita. Let's get inside. Sounds like these two have a lot to talk about...

Ella: Thank you again.

Rita: Think nothing of it. And remember, children are a blessing...

Ken: They are indeed. Then they learn to talk...

NARRATION: The Mark's exist Lens' house

NARRATION: Hand in hand, John and Mia walk next door and up the path toward their front porch.

Jack: So that's a no on Anna?

NARRATION: Ella looks back at the Ken and Rita entering their home.

Ella: You shouldn't talk so much about the baby in front of them. It's... it isn't right.

Jack: What? Why not?

Ella: They only lost their son a year ago.

Jack: They didn't lose their son, Ella. He ran away and joined up with the hippies. By now he probably has So many wives and calls himself Gold.

Ella: Well, even Gold is a better name than Joseph.

NARRATION: Jack turns the knob and opens the Front Door.

Ella: You didn't lock it?

Jack: Why would I?

NARRATION: As she enters, she answers his question.

Ella: We need to start locking it. It's a different world now, Jack.

Reporter: death count continues to climb in Vietnam. On our shores.

NARRATION: Lens house –living room – night

NARRATION: They are both watching news on their flat screen tv.

News reporter: a so-called religious cult has had three of its followers arrested in the investigation of --TchnkTchnkTchnkTchnk!

NARRATION: Ella sits in front of her butterfly sewing machine, sewing pieces of clothes together to make a complete cloth. Her fingers move precariously close to the needle as it goes up and down and up and down a million times a second.

Jack: Honey, can you shut the TV off? It's making it a little hard to concentrate.

NARRATION: Ella gets up, gathers up the fabric at the sewing machine, switches off the television and goes into the Kitchen.

NARRATION: Jack sits at the table in the kitchen, drowning in medical books opened to various chapters. We catch glimpses of Cadavers, skeletons, gross anatomy.

NARRATON: Ella rubs his neck.

Jack: You shouldn't be watching that stuff anyway. You could upset the baby. There's been some new research...

Ella: Oh Gosh... More new research... aren't you tired? I think I should start burning some of your books.

Jack: It's true. They're learning that babies in utero experience much more of the outside world than they ever thought possible. They recognize voices... noises... songs...

Ella: I bet the men who did that research spent millions when they could have just asked a mother for free... She sits on his lap while she flips through his books. I think I should start by burning this one.

NARRATION: Jack laughs.

Ella: How's it going in here anyway?

Jack: I'm trying my hardest to enjoy it. Everyone keeps reminding me that when you're in your residency it gets a million times worse. I don't even mention the fact I'll also be a new father...

Ella: Why not?

Jack: I don't know. Sometimes you just don't want to hear it...

Ella: Hear what?

Jack: How difficult things can be.

Ella: Difficult?

Jack: Maybe difficult isn't the word.

Ella: Challenging?

Jack: yeah, that's the word, challenging.

Ella: Are you talking about the residency or me and the baby?

Jack: All of it, I guess.

NARRATION: Ella gets up from his lap.

Ella: Uh-oh...

Jack: What?

NARRATION: Ella walks away and goes to the nursery.

NARRATION: In the nursery.

NARRATION: Jack appears in the doorway, apologetic.

Jack: Look, I didn't mean for that to sound like it did. I'm sorry.

Ella: How'd you want it to sound?

Jack: Not like that. But it's not as if difficult or challenging are bad things anyway. Look at what you put me through before you said yes to our first date.

Ella: But wasn't it worth it?

Jack: I still can't believe it worked.

NARRATION: Ella sighs.

Jack: But I am sorry, Mia. I know sometimes I can get a little caught up in my own little world.

Ella: It's fine. I know you're stressed. I've just been a little sensitive lately.

Jack: Okay, well. Want me to tell you why?

Ella: Oh please, Doctor.

Jack: Well, in my almost expert opinion, you're a little sensitive because you're a lot pregnant.

NARRATION: Ella laughs.

Ella: I actually thought about that.

Jack: I really am sorry, Ella. Yes, I'm stressed over finishing med school, Yes, I'm freaking out over being matched but I've never been happier and that's because of you...

NARRATION: He kisses her.

Jack: Here, wait, I want to give you something.

Ella: Last time you said that I ended up pregnant.

NARRATION: Jack exits the nursery.

NARRATION: Jack leaves Ella all alone.

NARRATION: She touches the mobile above the crib. It plays a few notes of "Rockabye Baby". She smiles. Maybe thinking of the wonderful things yet to come...

NARRATION: Jack returns to the nursery with a large wrapped gift in his hands. I bet you know what this is. But Ella doesn't know what it is. So let's watch:

Jack: I was saving this until baby but...

NARRATION: Ella cuts in.

Ella: But now you're feeling --

NARRATION: Jack completes her sentence before her.

Jack:-- guilty about what I said. Yes.

NARRATION: Seconds later.

NARRATION: Ella tears at the wrapping paper, revealing --Those eyes. Those pig tails. That smile. A very beautiful doll. But we've never seen her like this, new, perfect, exquisite.

Ella: Oh my god... John...

Jack: That's the one, right?

NARRATION: Ella nods.

Ella: it's the one. I love her. Thanks honey.

NARRATION: She puts the beautiful doll down and kisses Jack. He wraps Ella up in his arms, holds her as he looks around the nursery.

Jack: You really did a fine job in here honey.

Ella: Thanks.

Jack: One question though.

NARRATION: Jack pauses for some seconds.

Jack: What if it's a boy?

NARRATION: In the master bedroom, 10:00pm.

NARRATION: Ella and Jack are asleep in bed. A cool breeze blows through the open bedroom window. And the closed curtains billow out, almost like they're floating under water, revealing between them --

NARRATION: The Mark's house, next door.

NARRATION: A light goes on as --The curtains fall back into place. But then -- Another breeze lifts them again and which wakes Ken up. Ken is out of bed. Like he just heard something in the next room. Rita sits up in bed.

NARRATION: Curtains fall.

NARRATION: Breeze blows.

NARRATION: Rita says something to Ken. Can't hear what but both seem concerned which is why Ken leaves the bedroom to investigate and -- shit --Curtains.

NARRATION: A scream, breeze, blood on the walls in the Mark's Bedroom. Someone enters back into the room -- FUCK -- can't get a good look cause –the curtains is covering the view.

NARRATION: Right as Ella sits up in bed. She goes over to the window and pulls Curtains aside to reveal --Mark's Bedroom is dark. Lights out.