This is my first ever screenplay! I was inspired by my dysfunctional family lol and also living abroad and missing things that were going on back home.
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“Reunited”
by
Stephanie Obialo
FADE IN.
EXT.FRONT OF HOUSE- NIGHT
A taxi pulls in front of a dimly lit house. The taxi door opens and a leg steps out. STEPHANIE looks up at the house as she steps out of the taxi with her medium-sized luggage bag. She marches towards the house. She rings the doorbell.
CHIOMA opens the door.
CHIOMA
Hello?
STEPHANIE
Um…Hello?
A glass shatters in the background.
MOM
Oh my… Stephie?
STEPHANIE
(Nervous laughter)
Yea that’s me…
CHIOMA (to STEPHANIE)
Wait… who…?
MOM faints.
CHIOMA rushes to her mother`s side. STEPHANIE stands in the entrance of the house, indecisive.
CHIOMA
Help please!!
STEPHANIE rushes inside. She helps Chioma carry LISA to the couch. CHIOMA sits on the couch beside LISA while STEPHANIE stands at the foot of the couch, trying not get too close.
LISA opens her eyes.
LISA
What happened? I thought I saw a gh-
LISA looks up at STEPHANIE and faints again.
STEPHANIE rolls her eyes.
STEPHANIE
Mom, can you wake up please? You can cut the crap!
CHIOMA
She`s not faking! This is-
LISA
Yea I am.
LISA opens her eyes and sits up, scooting surprised CHIOMA off the couch.
STEPHANIE is not surprised.
LISA
Welcome home my sweet dear! I knew sometime you would realize that there is no place like home.
CHIOMA
Home??
LISA moves from the couch towards STEPAHNIE with open arms.
STEPHANIE quickly dodges.
STEPHANIE
Where`s the guest room?
CHIOMA
There`s one upstairs… but no one can use it.
STEPHANIE
Why?
LISA
Its my chapel.
STEPHANIE looks at LISA as if she`s crazy and CHIOMA looks defeated.
STEPHANIE
Then where can I sleep?
LISA
The only rooms that are open are me and your Daddy`s room, CHIOMA`s room and….
(Gasps)
You can stay with CHIOMA! That`s a great idea, aint it?
LISA smiles as if she`s come up with the best idea in the entire world.
CHIOMA looks confused.
CHIOMA
But I don’t even know who she is!
STEPHANIE
Great. Where is it?
STEPHANIE turns towards the stairs carrying her luggage.
LISA
She`s your sister.
STEPHANIE and CHIOMA stare at LISA. There`s silence.
STEPHANIE turns back around and starts heading up the stairs with her luggage.
STEPHANIE
I always knew you hated me.
Silence rings the room as STEPHANIE heads up the stairs. LISA is angered by STEPHANIE`s comment.
LISA
Then why`d you come back?
STEPHANIE stops half-way up the stairs and then climbs up the stairs.
Door slams.
CHIOMA (to LISA)
You`re telling me that she is STEPHANIE? The STEPHANIE, my sister?
Lisa turns back to CHIOMA.
LISA
(TIRED)
G`night CHIOMA.
LISA heads to her room. Left alone, CHIOMA stares up at the stairs.
INT. CHIOMA`s ROOM- NIGHT
CHIOMA enters her room while STEPHANIE is changing into her pajamas.
STEPHANIE`s back towards the door.
CHIOMA
Um…
STEPHANIE turns around startled.
STEPHANIE
Could you at least knock?
CHIOMA
Well it is my room…
Annoyed, STEPHANIE turns back to changing and CHIOMA skips to her bed and plops down. She looks at STEPHANIE intently.
STEPHANIE
What?
CHIOMA
Why did you choose that bed? This bed is a lot more comfy.
CHIOMA (cont.)
I thought you would`ve taken this one without a second thought.
STEPHANIE
(unpacking her luggage)
I noticed the school bag next to the bed…and plus I don’t like the color blue.
CHIOMA
But you like pink? Ewwwww!
STEPHANIE glances back at CHIOMA and flashes a grin.
CHIOMA
So.. um.. It turns out that we are sisters.. haha can you believe it?
STEPHANIE
No.. I can`t.. um I`ve had a really long day so I`m gonna head to bed so..
CHIOMA
Oh. Yea.. sorry
STEPHANIE gets into bed facing the wall and pulls the covers over herself. CHIOMA sits on her bed awkward, unsure of what to do with herself. After some time, CHIOMA changes into her nightgown and goes to bed.
CHIOMA
Stephanie?
STEPHANIE (O.S.)
Yea?
CHIOMA
I`ve always wanted to know what it`s like to have an older sister. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two.
(pause)
I do hope we can get along.
STEPHANIE remains silent and stares at the wall thinking about what CHIOMA said, then STEPHANIE turns toward CHIOMA.
STEPHANIE
I don`t think-
CHIOMA
(snores)
Zzzzzzz.
FADE OUT.
INT. CHIOMA`S ROOM- MORNING
STEPHANIE is sleeping.
LISA (O.S.)
CHIOMA! CHIOMA!
STEPHANIE peeps open her eyes but closes them again.
LISA (O.S.)
CHIOMA! CHIOMA~~~~!!
STEPHANIE rolls around to see if CHIOMA is still in her bed.
STEPHANIE
(Yells)
She`s not here!
Suddenly the door opens.
LISA
Chioma! A-ah where`s she?
STEPHANIE groggily looks at LISA.
STEPHANIE
(Rolls back towards the wall to fall back to sleep)
Like I would know.
LISA
(Enters the room towards CHIOMA`s bed)
On a Sunday at this time? That`s strange. Plus, Today we planned on going grocery shopping for tonight`s family dinner.
STEPHANIE pretends to sleep. LISA stops at CHIOMA`s perfectly made bed to see any traces of activity and puts her hands on her hips. LISA looks at STEPHANIE.
LISA
You`re coming with me.
STEPHANIE
No.
LISA
Did I ask?
STEPHANIE
You just did.
LISA moves her hands from her hips to her chest, crossing them. Dumbfounded but not surprised by STEPHANIE`s attitude, LISA stands for second then moves toward STEPHANIE`s bed.
LISA
Alright you genius of a child, get up!
LISA rips the covers off of STEPHANIE. Feeling bare, STEPHANIE tries grabbing for the blanket but LISA throws the blanket to the ground. STEPHANIE glares up at LISA then lays back down, away from LISA and closes her eyes again.
LISA
Okay. Okay. But you asked for it.
LISA leaves the room.
STEPHANIE grabs the blanket from the ground and pulls it over herself.
LISA enters to the room again holding a jug of water. LISA stomps over to STEPHANIE`s bed and pours the water all over STEPHANIE.
STEPHANIE jerks from the bed wiping water from her face, body and blanket.
LISA
Don`t you ever talk back to me, again. Now, get up and get ready!
LISA leaves the room.
LISA (O.S.)
We`re going grocery shopping!
STEPHANIE glares at the open door.
LISA (O.S.)
You better get that bed wetless before CHIOMA gets back too!
STEPHANIE tries to pull the blanket over herself forgetting that its wet.
Then STEPHANIE throws the blanket back down to the ground.
INT. CAR- DAY
While waiting in the car, LISA is smoking a cigarette with the window open. STEPHANIE finally steps out the house and enters the car. LISA quickly swiffs her last puff and flicks the cigarette out the window.
LISA
Wow, you dry up nicely, huh?
STEPHANIE
Just drive.
LISA
Whoa, no puns to turn that frown upside down? You know frowning causes wrinkles, right?
STEPHANIE gives LISA a resentful glance and continues to look outside the passenger-side window. LISA backs out of the drive-way and turns on the radio. STEPHANIE quickly turns the radio off. LISA turns it back on. STEPHANIE turns it back off.
LISA
I like listening to music when I drive.
STEPHANIE
I prefer silence.
LISA
I don`t care what you prefer. My car, my rules!
STEPHANIE (To herself)
You never cared about listening to people either.
LISA
What did you say??
STEPHANIE remained quiet and continued looking out the passenger-side window.
LISA turned the radio back on. Her favorite Nigerian song, “Oninyiye” by P-Squared fills the car.
They reach the grocery store.
STEPHANIE gets out and makes a beeline to the entrance.
LISA gets out of the car, grabs a cart and heads inside.
INT. GROCERY STORE- DAY
The store is filled with families. Men, women and children running around grabbing items from the selves and placing them in carts. STEPHANIE walks in and stops. A little girl has fallen and started to cry. She calls out for her mother who runs to her daughter`s side asking if she is okay. At this sight, tears suddenly start to well up in STEPAHNIE`s eyes.
LISA
What are you in a rush for?
LISA comes up behind STEPHANIE so STEPHANIE quickly wipes the tears from her eyes.
STEPHANIE
Nothing.
LISA
Alrighty then let`s get to shopping!
LISA leaves the cart and walks off shouting out items from her grocery list. STEPHANIE takes the idle cart and follows after LISA. As she leaves, she looks back at the mother-daughter that crossed her path and the mother is holding her daughter`s hand walking side-by-side both smiling at each other. Stopping, STEPHANIE looks back from that image to LISA, still shouting out items she wants placed in the cart. She then pulls out a key-chain from her pocket. The name “Ada” is written on it. STEPHANIE looks back at the family then puts the key-chain back in her pocket and follows after her mother.
EXT. PARKING LOT- DAY
LISA and STEPHANIE exit the grocery store with a cart full of groceries heading towards the car. A few yards before reaching the car, LISA stops.
LISA
Is that…Chioma?
Off in the distance, CHIOMA is sitting in the trunk of a car chatting with two girls and a boy. Everyone has cigarettes in their hands. CHIOMA does not notice LISA or STEPHANIE.
LISA
(Angrily)
Oh this child is gonna have it today!
LISA storms off to grab CHIOMA. STEPHANIE, while pushing the cart, follows behind.
LISA reaches CHIOMA.
CHIOMA
(Quickly putting out her cigarette)
Mom! What are you doing here??
LISA
What am I doing here? Well, I`m here grocery shopping like we planned with STEPHANIE who actually should be you but you so convienently disappeared this morning.
LISA is smiling at everyone but everyone isn`t smiling back.
CHIOMA
Oh I-
LISA
“Forgot”? Is that what you`re gonna say? Oh I see.
She strides over to CHIOMA.
LISA (cont)
You also forgot that I told you to never hang around these hooligans, too? Oh how convenient! Let`s go!
LISA grabs CHIOMA buy the ear and pulls her to the car.
CHIOMA
Oh Ow OWWWWW
LISA
Oh, shut it!
STEPHANIE watches the two leave.
Girl #1
Wow, what a bitch!
Girl #2
Yea, I would hate to have her as a mom!
Boy #1
My mom would never do that.
(Boy laughs)
Boy #1 (cont.)
Because she`s afraid of me. I can do whatever I want.
Hearing their conversation, STEPHANIE turns around.
STEPHANIE
You guys must live in a pitiful situation. I would hate to have a mom like yours.
STEPHANIE, pushing the cart, walks off towards the car.
INT. CAR- DAY
LISA, CHIOMA, and STEPHANIE are in the car heading back home. CHIOMA and STEPHANIE are looking out the window.
CHIOMA
Mom, you`re so embarrassing.
LISA
I wouldn`t be if you listened to what I say.
CHIOMA
I would if what you say wasn`t so ridiculous.
LISA
It`s not ridiculous! Why do you want to hang around those hooligans anyway? I can sense their bad influence from a mile away!
CHIOMA
… You wouldn`t understand.
LISA
Maybe your right. But you have to give me a chance to try.
Considering what LISA said, CHIOMA turns toward LISA.
CHIOMA
School is like a battlefield and if you`re not on the winning team, you lose.
CHIOMA (cont)
That`s what I`m trying to do, be on the winning side.
LISA
Okay. So you consider those people the winning side?
CHIOMA
Yes…no. I don`t know! I don’t make up the rules. That`s just how it is.
Frustrated, CHIOMA turns back to looking outside the window.
LISA
I don’t get you.
CHIOMA
See! I told you you wouldn’t understand.
LISA
Oh, I understand perfectly! What I don’t get is that fact that you would pick people who obviously do the wrong things to be on the right at school.
STEPHANIE
Makes perfect sense to me.
Both LISA and CHIOMA turn to STEPHANIE, eyes widened.
STEPHANIE
You gotta play the rules of the game otherwise you single yourself out… No one ever wants to be alone.
STEPHANIE adjusts her position in her seat to escape the increasing pressure of the stares.
STEPHANIE (cont)
Once you feel like you`ve found a sense of belonging you want to keep it cuz when you lose it…
STEPHANIE touches her pocket and tears begin to well up in her eyes.
LISA
“A sense of belonging”? Like being dependent on people? Ha! Your showing weakness and I didn`t raise weak girls!
STEPHANIE (O.S.)
You didn`t raise me.
LISA
Wha-?
In mid-sentence, a loud noise comes from the car engine. Smoke starts pouring out of the sides of the lid. Everyone is screaming. LISA swerves quickly and under control to reach the side of the road.
EXT. OUTSIDE- DAY
LISA
You girls alright?
Everyone is breathing heavily, shocked by what just happened. LISA, CHIOMA, and STEPHANIE get out of the car to see the damage.
CHIOMA
Oh fantastic!!
CHIOMA throws her arms up and kicks rocks. LISA opens the lid to be welcomed by a bellow of smoke, coughing her way through the smoke. STEPHANIE comes around to the front to where LISA is standing.
STEPHANIE
You don`t know cars so don`t pretend you do. Let`s call Triple A.
LISA
I don’t have AAA.
STEPHANIE
Ok. Let`s call a tow truck. Where`s your phone? My phone died.
LISA heads back to the car to get her phone. Returns after a couple seconds.
LISA
I forgot it at home.
STEPHANIE
What?? Who does that??
LISA
Apparently, everyone! Who forgets to charge their phone??
STEPHANIE (to CHIOMA)
CHIOMA, I need your phone. Where is it?
CHIOMA
My phone? Mom never got me a phone. She says I`m too young to have one.
STEPHANIE looks back at LISA
LISA
What? Plus, phones are expensive… especially the one she wants.
STEPHANIE
Great! So, we are stranded here with no phone and groceries that need to go in the fridge. And it`s getting late!
LISA
Or… we could just walk.
LISA points to a sign a just ahead that reads “Fast Food for All and All for Fast Food 1mi”
CHIOMA
Oh come on! A mile??
STEPHANIE
Its better than nothing. We can probably use their phone.
All three begin walking towards the restaurant.
INT. DINER- NIGHT
LISA, CHIOMA, and STEPHANIE enter the fast food diner. Only a few customers are sitting at individual tables. LISA heads to the employee at the counter.
LISA
Excuse me, um, our car broke down a mile up the road and we were wondering if we can borrow your phone to call a tow truck? …Also…uh… would you happen to have a number to a tow truck company?
EMPLOYEE
Sure, honey, let me get it for ya!
The employee hands LISA the phone and a number to a tow truck and LISA makes the call. CHIOMA and STEPHANIE make their way to one of the booths and sit down. LISA finishes the call and heads over to them
LISA
Alrighty, so I got a tow truck.
CHIOMA
Yes!!
LISA
But it won`t be here for another 2 hours.
STEPHANIE
What? What about the groceries?
LISA
That`s the earliest they can come.
CHIOMA
So, what are we suppose to do now?
LISA
Well, I planned to have a family dinner tonight but as God wanted it, we wounded up at a diner. So, I guess this is where our family dinner is suppose to be.
STEPHANIE
Look at mom, always finding the positive in situations… never in people.
STEPHANIE turns toward the window. LISA turns to STEPHANIE.
LISA
(Sighs)
What`s your problem? Ever since you came back you`ve been having a serious attitude problem.
STEPHANIE
I just don`t want to be here.
(Scooting closer to the window to increase the distance between her and LISA)
LISA
Then I ask again, why did you come back?
STEPHANIE
(Turns toward LISA)
Why must I explain myself to you? Home is home isn’t it?
LISA
Not when you clearly don`t want to be there!
STEPHANIE opens her mouth about to say something but nothing comes out. CHIOMA peeks around noticing the stares.
CHIOMA
(whispering)
Guys, stop. This is becoming embarrassing.
STEPHANIE
(Raising her voice)
Well, good! Cuz LISA is an embarrassing mother! Did I mention the time when she always never picked me up from soccer practice so I had to catch rides from other parents or the times I was the only child to have a parent not present during Career Day!
LISA
I…that was a difficult time for me then and you know it.
STEPHANIE
Clearly I don`t! But don`t worry cuz now you`ve got your precious CHIOMA here to start over with, so all is good!
At the sound of her name CHIOMA perks up.
LISA
What? She has nothing to do with this conversation.
STEPHANIE
Oh please! Don’t pretend like I didn`t notice all the glamourous things CHIOMA has in her room. Before I left, I could only dream of having a room like hers!
Lost for words, LISA stumbles with what to say.
LISA
N, Now, young lady… I will not stand you talking to me like that-
STEPHANIE
Don`t!
(takes a deep breath)
You don’t have to worry anymore cuz I`m not a young lady. I`m wa-y past that.
(attempting to get out of the booth)
Excuse me.
Almost pushing LISA out of the booth, STEPHANIE gets out and leaves the diner. The door chime rings throughout the diner. CHIOMA gets out and chases after STEPHANIE. Customers and employees look toward LISA`s direction.
LISA gets back in the booth and covers her face with her hands. The diner employee from earlier comes over with a water jug.
EMPLOYEE
(refills LISA`s cup)
Wow. Family quarrel, huh?
LISA removes her face from her hands and slowly looks up at the diner employee. Feeling out of place, the diner employee quickly scurts away. LISA returns her face to her hands.
EXT. DINER PARKING LOT- NIGHT
CHIOMA finds STEPHANIE leaning next LISA`s car sobbing, pacing the length of the car back and forth.
CHIOMA
Stephanie?
STEPHANIE quickly dries her tears and turns towards CHIOMA.
STEPHANIE
What do you want?
CHIOMA
Um…I know Mom says a lot of things and believe me she gets on my nerves too
(chuckles)
CHIOMA (cont)
But she`s a good Mom and she means well.
STEPHANIE
(laughs)
A “good mom”. Ha! If you only knew…
CHIOMA
Knew what?
STEPHANIE
Chioma, you`ve had it great. I can tell. But why now? Why you? …Why not me?
CHIOMA
I don’t know.
STEPHANIE
That`s right. And maybe you should stay that way because for how much Mom helps you, you clearly are not helping me.
STEPHANIE begins to walk off. There`s a beat
CHIOMA
She keeps this picture of a baby in her drawer that she takes out and looks at every night.
STEPHANIE stops in her tracks.
CHIOMA(cont)
Every night before going to bed she says this prayer, “I pray for the safe return of lost souls, especially those close to the heart” for as long as I can remember. And the way that she says it…man…
CHIOMA pauses for a moment.
CHIOMA
Now that you`ve return it makes more sense. There`s a special place in her heart that I can`t even reach and…
(eyes begin filling with tears and voice begins to tremble)
CHIOMA (cont)
She`s glad that you`re back. She just doesn`t know how to say it.
STEPHANIE turns towards CHIOMA.
CHIOMA
Give her a second chance. I know…
(sobbing)
CHIOMA (cont)
That`s…all…she wants.
STEPHANIE closes the gap between them and holds CHIOMA in her arms. For the first time, an inkling of a connection building between sisters, who didn`t know of each other`s existence until a day ago, forms.
STEPHANIE
C`mon, Mom`s waiting for us.
As the two sisters begin heading back to the diner, a black tow truck pulls into the parking lot.
STEPHANIE
Let` finally go home.
INT. TAXI- NIGHT
In front, the tow truck is pulling LISA`s car, and behind it is a taxi. Inside is LISA, STEPHANIE, and a sleeping CHIOMA between the two. CHIOMA`s head falls on STEPHANIE`s shoulder. At the touch, STEPHANIE looks over at CHIOMA and smiles then looks to LISA, who`s looking out the window. Whether it was because she felt bad for her or because the air of loneliness surrounded her, STEPHANIE reached over, trying not to disturb CHIOMA, and lightly places her hand on LISA`s hand. LISA glanced down then looks up to STEPHANIE, meeting her forgiving eyes. No words were exchanged but all was understood. They both broke contact with understanding smiles and looked out their respective windows watching the road as it leads them home.
~StephanieScripts~ 