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by Enrique Angeles (enrieangeles@yahoo.com)

Rated:

Genre: Drama User Review: NOT YET
RATED
A love story between a sinner and a saint set against the flaming backdrop of the abortion culture wars during a time of grace and a new springtime in the Catholic Church marked by a resurgent youth movement marching to the beat of the new evangelization sparked by John Paul II and now setting the world on fire.

WEDDING SONG

FADE IN:

EXT. THE DARKNESS OF THE VOID BEFORE CREATION - NIGHT

As Narrator recites the creation of the world according to
Genesis a stunning cinematic version of the creation unfolds
on the screen...from the Big Bang...the emergence of light
from darkness...the creation of the sky and of the
stars....the creation of the world...the separation of the
land from the water...the process of evolution of living
things, from microbes to larvae...from larvae to fish...from
fish to mammals...from mammals to birds and animals...then
the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of
God...Adam and Eve are shown in the garden of Eden in the
state of nakedness without shame, the state of original
innocence...basking in the warmth of the Creator's pledge of
everlasting love...

            NARRATOR
      (VOICE OVER)
In the beginning, when God created
the heavens and the earth, the
earth was a formless wasteland and
darkness covered the abyss, while
a mighty wind swept over the
waters.
Then God said, "Let there be
light, " and there was light. God
saw how good the light was. God
then separated the light from the
darkness...
Then God said "Let there be a dome
in the middle of the waters, to
separate one body of water from
the other." And so it
happened...God called the dome the
sky.
Then God said, "Let the water
under the sky be gathered into a
single basin so hat the dry land
may appear." And so it happened.
God called the dry land "the
earth"
and the basin of water he called
            (MORE)

NARRATOR (cont'd)
"the sea". God saw how good it
was.
Then God said , "Let the earth
bring forth vegetation: every kind
of plant that bears seed and every
kind of fruit tree on earth that
bears fruit with its seed on it."
God saw how good it was..."Let
there be lights in the dome of the
sky to separate day from
night...Let the water teem with an
abundance of living creatures, and
on the earth let birds fly beneath
the dome of the sky...Let the
earth bring forth all kinds of
living creatures: cattle, creeping
things, and wild animals of all
kinds..."
Then God said, "Let us make man in
our image and likeness, after our
likeness"...God created man in his
image; in the divine image he
created him; male and female he
created them...
God blessed them saying: "Be
fertile and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it...See I give
you everything...I have loved you
with an everlasting love..."

INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY

The sound of a choir singing the wedding song "Everlasting
Love" fills the small Catholic Parish Church in California
for the wedding of Jimmy and Crystalina.
The Catholic wedding liturgy is taking place in its full
splendor and solemnity. A giant crucifix with the corpus of
Christ is on one side of the Main Altar where the Bride and
Groom pronounce their marriage vows..

JIMMY
I, James,take you, Crystalina, to
be my wife. I promise to be true
to you in good times and in bad,
in sickness and in health. I will
(MORE)

JIMMY (cont'd)
love you and honor you all the
days of my life.

CRYSTALINA
I, Crystalina, take you, James,
to be my husband. I promise to be
true to you in good times and in
bad, in sickness and in health. I
will love you and honor you all
the days of my life.

CUT to Priest delivering the homily.

PRIEST
A sacramental wedding is an
indissoluble bond between a man
and a woman who pledge to love
each other with an everlasting
love...

Dissolve to Priest raising host and saying:

PRIEST
This is my Body...which i offer up
for you...

Camera zooms in slowly on face of Crystalina as screen
dissolves into a flashback.

EXT. ABORTION CLINIC - DAY

Camera zooms out of a Close Up of a Pro-Abortion placard
which says "My body, My life/Take your rosary off my ovary."
There is a confrontation between Pro-Life advocates who are
in silent prayer and Pro-Abortion activists who are dressed
in bizarre gay costumes and performing various acts of
harassment against the anti-abortion demonstrators outside
the abortion clinic.

Crystalina who is inside the abortion clinic glances through
a window at the confrontation outside. Her face is pale and
in anguish. Crystalina weakly sneaks out the clinic through
a backdoor .

INT. CRYSTALINA'S HOME. - DAY

It's been a couple of weeks after the abortion. Crystalina
has locked herself in her room. She is unkempt and
despondent. She contemplates a bottle full of sleeping
pills.
Guada, Crystalina's mother, knocks on the door.

GUADA
Crystalina, what are you doing in
there? You hardly leave your room!
There will be a talk on
Relationships in the parish hall
tomorrow and I want you to be
there.
Crystalina,I want you to be there
tomorrow. Do you understand?

CRYSTALINA
(mumbling)
A talk on Relationships? C'mon Ma.
you must be kidding. I'm busy. I
have better things to do.

INT. PARISH HALL. - DAY

Crystalina saunters into the Parish Hall where Kimberly is
giving her testimony before high school seniors and young
adults.

KIMBERLY
I had no self-esteem, I had no
self-respect. I felt unloved. My
mom and dad were always fighting.
I felt like they didn't even know
or care that I existed. I wanted
to be loved so bad that I
surrendered my body to guys in the
foolish thought that they would
love me in return. I slept with 15
guys in three months. I soon
realized they were using me,
abusing my body, and when they got
bored with my body they just left.
I hated men, I hated myself and I
I was suicidal . The only reason
(MORE)

KIMBERLY (cont'd)
why I'm still alive and talking to
you today is because of a parish
meeting like this where I learned
that there's a way out of past
mistakes, that the Lord forgives
and welcomes sinners with open
arms, and that the way to a new
life is through a life of chastity
and trust in the Lord...
If anyone of you here is in a bad
situation and would like your life
to change completely, if you want
the wounds of your heart and body
to be healed...join me in this
prayer: Lord Jesus Christ I accept
you as my Lord and Saviour now,
this very minute...I surrender to
you all my pains...all my
brokenness...heal me...put me back
together again...lead me to the
path of true love and respect for
myself and my body...help me to
henceforth lead a life of
purity...Mother Mary help me.
Hail Mary full of grace the Lord
is with thee, blessed are you
among women and blessed is the
fruit of your womb, Jesus, Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us
sinners now and at the hour of our
death. Amen...Be sure to go to
Confession...although your sins
may be as scarlet you will be
washed white as snow..and go to
Communion!.

CUT to Crystalina passing by the table where Kimberly and
Jimmy are passing out Chastity books and pamphlets.

CRYSTALINA
Hi Kimberly...I'm Crystalina...I
love your talk...that was me you
were talking about...and worse..Do
you mind, can I call you?

KIMBERLY
Sure, here's my cell...I'd love to
talk..be sure and call me, OK? And
give me your number,too...

We notice Jimmy watching Crystalina intently, with great
interest.
Their eyes meet...Crystalina turns to go.

INT. CRYSTALINA'S CAR. - DAY

As Crystalina is driving her car we hear VOICE OVER of a
telephone ringing...Still off cam sound of Crystalina
picking up the phone and we hear Kimberly on the line...

            KIMBERLY
      (Voice Over/Off
       Cam)
Hi...

CRYSTALINA
I had an abortion...

KIMBERLY
I know a priest who can hear your
confession now. Do you want to
go?

CRYSTALINA
Why do we have to tell our sins to
a man?

KIMBERLY
The priest is only a man but when
he hears confessions he puts on
the person and the power of Jesus
Christ to forgive sins...you'll
confess and receive pardon from
Jesus Christ not from a mere man..

Crystalina parks her car by a Church. She walks into the
Church where Kimberly is waiting. Kimberly points to the
confessional where a priest is seated. Crystalina
timorously enters the confessional. After a while she

emerges with tears in her eyes.
Crystalina hugs Kimberly.

CRYSTALINA
I feel so light...I'm free...my
soul is white as snow...I'm
free...

INT. CRYSTALINA'S HOME. - DAY

Crystalina is writing a letter to herself inside her room.
As she writes we hear Crystalina's VOICE OVER speaking what
she writes.

CRYSTALINA
(VOICE OVER)
I am a new creation. My sad and
sordid past is behind me. I now
know who I am. I am precious and
valuable . I am a Princess because
God is my Father. My body is
sacred because it is the Temple of
the Holy Spirit. My sexuality is
a precious gift meant for a sacred
purpose. Although I am no longer
physically a virgin I have
regained chastity in my heart...a
chastity I will offer as a gift to
my future husband...

Doorbell rings. Crystalina rushes downstairs to answer the
door.
It's her girl friends.

G. FRIEND 1
Hey girl, we haven't seen you for
ages...we'll check out this new
place...we'll wait for you to fix
yourself...it'll be lots of
fun...lots of good-lookin' guys!

CRYSTALINA
Not today, Heather...I'm busy.

G FRIEND 2
Busy? It's a Saturday, Crystalina.
What's the matter? Don't you want
to hang out with us anymore? We
keep calling you and you never
pick up.
What's wrong with you?

CRYSTALINA
You know what went wrong with
me...
it's something I don't want to go
through again..I'm sorry I can't
go out today.

CUT to Crystalina back in her room writing again...
As she writes we hear her VOICE OVER speaking what she
writes..

CRYSTALINA
(VOICE OVER)
To my future husband: Today I said
"No" to my friends because from
now on I want to be chaste and
pure in my heart and in my body
for you...Going out with them
would have meant a step back into
the world I left behind...a way of
life which led to a boy robbing me
and robbing you, my future
husband, of what was never
intended as a gift for anyone but
you...a gift I can never fully
recover...but which I offer you
nevertheless as my pledge of
everlasting love...

INT. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM. - DAY

FADE IN to Close-Up of Jimmy's face watching Crystalina
intently as she delivers her testimony before a group of
High School juniors and seniors.

CRYSTALINA
I gave my virginity away when I
was fifteen because I felt then
that I loved him and he said doing
it was the way to prove my love
for him...After that first time I
realized he was making love to my
body and not to me and I felt
abused...When he walked away from
our relationship i said to myself
that person is walking away with
something that belonged to me
which I can never regain...But
then again I quickly jumped into
one meaningless relationship after
another because I felt alone and I
wanted to be loved...and what more
could I lose; I was no longer a
virgin anyway...When I got
pregnant and aborted my baby...the
enormity of my sins and the
wickedness of my life became so
clear and overwhelming to me...I
honestly wanted to end my life...
It was only through God's grace
that I was able to rise from
despair to hope, from darkness
into light...When I realized that
I am precious in God's eyes, that
my body is holy, the temple of the
Holy Spirit, that I am truly a
Princess because God is my Father
and He is King, my life started to
change...Confession was the first
step...

As Crystalina speaks we notice Jimmy's gaze transfixed on
her in rapt attention.

INT. SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY

Crystalina, Jimmy,and Kimberly are having lunch in the
school cafeteria after the talk.

10.

KIMBERLY
That was a great talk, Crystalina.
Wasn't it Jimmy?

JIMMY
It was great! You looked like
you've been doing this for years.
You're a natural.

CRYSTALINA
I told Kimberly I'd give it a try.

KIMBERLY
I tell you what, Crystalina. You
should pursue this as a ministry
now. We need more people like you.
We'll put you through standard
training.You'll be ready in no
time... What do you say?

EXT. WILDERNESS LEADERSHIP TRAINING CAMP - DAY

A group of ten participants-six young men and four young
women, including Jimmy and Crystalina- in a Catholic
wilderness leadership training camp with a priest leading
them are hiking up a mountain...they are reciting the rosary
as they walk.

It's 10 in the morning when they reach the top of the
mountain which commands a breathtaking view of the valley
below.

They admire the view for a while and then the priest unpacks
his bag and prepares to say Mass.

The priest says Mass...He delivers a homily.

PRIEST
We know from the Bible that
mountains and mountain tops are
holy places...Moses first talked
to God in the form of a burning
bush on top of the holy
mountain..God gave Moses the
tablets of the Ten Commandments on
top of the mountain...the
(MORE)

11.

PRIEST (cont'd)
proclamation of the Kingdom of God
through the Seven Beatitudes was
done by Jesus atop a
mountain...Jesus' transfiguration
took place on a mountain
top...whenever Jesus wanted to be
alone He went to the mountain to
pray...God they say resides on a
mountain...which rises to meet the
sky ...it is a high place which
beckons us to leave the valleys
below where man lives and
challenges us to scale heights so
we can come face to face with our
real selves and with
God...Catholic leadership calls
you to ascend the Catholic
Mountain...Christ's Mountain...to
leave the world's preoccupation
with selfishness and die to
yourself in order to follow Christ
in serving others...Calvary was
the mountain of crucifixion...but
after Calvary Christ ascended to
heaven from another mountain
top...and our final destination is
Heaven's everlasting mountain
where we find eternal life with
Jesus in a bliss that will never
end...

Participants hold hands as they pray the Our Father with the
priest. Jimmy and Crystalina link hands.

PARTICIPANTS
Our Father who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as
it is in Heaven...

EXT. ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN - NIGHT

There's a bonfire and some participants are singing around
it while others are engaged in a relaxed conversation with

12.

each other and Father Mike.

Jimmy and Crystalina are seated together apart from the main
group.
It's a chilly and beautiful night...you can see millions of
stars in the night sky.

JIMMY
Missionaries in Africa say that
tribesmen can't believe that in
many cities in the developed world
there are many people who don't
believe that God exists...

CRYSTALINA
...because when they see the
wonder and beauty of nature around
them
they are absolutely certain there
must be a God.

JIMMY
When did you start to believe
there's a God?

CRYSTALINA
Both my parents were cradle
Catholics. The day I received my
First Communion--I remember the
exact place and what I prayed as
clear as I see my hand here now--I
said to God you can take me now
because i'm so pure. I never for
once doubted there's a God. I felt
there's a God. I knew somehow
that he exists...But as you know
when i became a teenager, I placed
God in a closet somewhere...and
did not think much about it.

JIMMY
My Dad was a nominal
Episcopalian...it's my Mom who is
the devout cradle Catholic. If a
family could be described as an
ideal Catholic family, her family
was it. They were so close and
(MORE)

13.

JIMMY (cont'd)
loving. My father, the nominal
Episcopalian-didn't know he was a
goner. My Mom's Catholic aunts and
uncles embraced him as part of the
family with so much sincere and
spontaneous warmth he had no
choice, he eventually converted to
Catholicism. He was hugged and and
loved into conversion.
I've always believed in God...but
in my in freshman high school I
had my doubts-not only about God
but about the faith-- so I asked
my parents and my parish priest
questions . I got answers and the
advice what books to read for
clarification and additional
explanations. The more I read the
more I was convinced God exists
and the Catholic Church is the
true Church that Christ founded.
I'm very grateful...I'm grateful
for the faith...and for this
night...for the moon and the stars
and you..

The camera pulls back to show us the beauty of the night..
as the camera lingers on the idyllic scene we hear St.
Francis' Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon in the
background:

ANNCR (V.O.)
Most High, all powerful, all good
Lord, All praise is yours, all
glory, all honor and all blessing.
To you alone , Most High, do they
belong, no mortal lips are worthy
to pronounce your Name. All praise
be yours, My Lord, through all
that you have made...All praise be
yours, My Lord, through Sisters
Moon and Stars, In the heavens you
have made them bright and precious
and fair..

14.

EXT. PRO-LIFE PRAYER VIGIL OUTSIDE ABORTION CLINIC - DAY

We watch Jimmy and other young men in the front line praying
the rosary aloud , while Crystalina and other young women
are in the column right behind Jimmy and the young men.
Suddenly pro-abortion advocates approach them, cursing and
taking away their placards and spilling bottled water at
their faces...until one highly agitated young woman comes
close to Jimmy and spits on his face...Jimmy keeps on
praying...Crystalina sees what happened...the pro-lifers
just keep on praying as the pro-abortionists continue to
harass them...

INT. JIMMY'S CAR - NIGHT

Jimmy drives Crystalina home after the prayer vigil.

CRYSTALINA
What did you feel when she spat on
you?

JIMMY
If I wasn't sure before, that
instant that she spat on me,
I became absolutely certain we are
right and they are wrong...Jesus
said you are in the world but you
are not of the world and the world
will hate you and persecute you
because of me...persecution is a
sign that we are doing God's
work...that is why they hate us...

CRYSTALINA
There's something I didn't tell
you...couldn't tell you...I had my
abortion in that clinic..

Jimmy is surprised.

CRYSTALINA
When I had my abortion, there were
pro-lifers praying outside...I saw
them from the window as I slipped
by the backdoor...If I knew then
what I know now, I wouldn't have
(MORE)

15.

CRYSTALINA (cont'd)
gone through it...

JIMMY
That's in the past,
Crystalina...You've
confessed...God has forgiven
you...

CRYSTALINA
I think about my baby countless
times...can she forgive me?

JIMMY
She's with the angels now in God's
bosom, Crystalina...she has
forgiven you...it's you who must
learn to forgive yourself...

They reach Crystalina's house. As she is about to get off
the car Jimmy holds her hand tightly in a gesture of
reassurance.

CRYSTALINA
Goodnight, Jimmy...thanks for the
ride.

JIMMY
Good night...sleep tight...God
bless!

As Jimmy's car pulls away camera zooms out to a long shot of
Crystalina--a lonely figure standing at her dimly lighted
front door as she watches Jimmy's car disappear into the
distance.

EXT. WORLD YOUTH DAY IN ROME - DAY

Jimmy and Crystalina are in a group of American delegates to
World Youth Day in the Vatican...Pope John Paul II
celebrates the Mass and delivers the homily ...

POPE JP II
You, our young people, are the
hope of the Church and of the
world...a confused and broken
(MORE)

16.

POPE JP II (cont'd)
world is looking for light and
hope...They need to know Christ is
the light, Christ is the Way, the
Truth, and the Life...The world
needs you, the youth of various
lands, to show them the face of
Christ...to lead them to the
Church that Christ founded to
continue with his mission of
salvation...his mission of
teaching the way to true happiness
and peace...

INT. INSIDE ST. PETER'S BASILICA - DAY

Jimmy and Crystalina are with their delegation to the World
Youth Day and they are touring St. Peter's Basilica.

They wander into the Sistine Chapel and Jimmy stops to gaze
at the nude figures in Michaelangelo's depiction of the
story of creation in Genesis.

JIMMY
Did you expect to see nude
paintings inside a Church, inside
St. Peter's?

CRYSTALINA
I read somewhere that the nude
figures in the Sistine Chapel used
to be covered as directed by
previous Popes but John Paul II
had them reverted to the original
nudes...

JIMMY
John Paul was simply practicing
what he preached in Theology of
the Body..
that the human body is sacred and
the human body has nothing to be
ashamed about...in the state of
original innocence, before Adam
and Eve ate of the forbidden
fruit, they were naked yet felt no
(MORE)

17.

JIMMY (cont'd)
shame...

CRYSTALINA
But when they committed sin, they
hid from God and covered
themselves...

JIMMY
Because sin caused them to lose
their original innocence...lust
had entered the picture...they
felt shame...But once we are able
to recover that state of original
innocence where the body is not an
object of lust but is viewed as
holy and God's temple...we can
look at nude paintings like we
have here and the body--male or
female--need not be covered
because there is no lust...and
there is no shame..

Camera slowly surveys the magnificent paintings on the
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Jimmy and Crystalina walk out of St. Peter's Basilica into
the Plaza and the starry night.

JIMMY
Crystalina, you know I have
special feelings for you...yet I
also feel that you seem to be
pushing me away...

CRYSTALINA
Jimmy, you know my past...you are
so kind, so pure...you deserve
somebody better...i don't deserve
you...

JIMMY
God does not remember the past...
why should I? What I see, what I
love is who you are right now...

18.

CRYSTALINA
Are you sure? Are you really sure?

JIMMY
Yes, absolutely, perfectly sure...
I'm sure that I love you and that
I want to marry you.

A beat.

CRYSTALINA
I have to go to Mexico. Will you
come with me to Mexico?

EXT. OUTSIDE BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE - DAY

Dancers in Aztec and Hispanic costumes are dancing outside
the Basilica while hundreds of pilgrims walk in and out .

Camera cuts to Extreme Close Up of the face of Our Lady on
Juan Diego's tilma.

Camera zooms out into a Long Shot to show Josh and Madelina
viewing the miraculous tilma .

CRYSTALINA
Nuestra Senora Virgen de
Guadalupe...
she's Mexico's mother...my mother
remembers she was about maybe
eight years old when her parents
took her here with her brothers
and sisters before they left for
America...their parents and
grandparents have been venerating
this miraculous image of Our Lady
for centuries...
When Hernando Cortez defeated
Monteczuma and conquered the
Aztecs the ritual of human
sacrifice where around 15 young
people and infants were sacrificed
daily was outlawed but was still
being practised clandestinely and
few natives really converted to
Catholicism...When Our Lady
(MORE)

19.

CRYSTALINA (cont'd)
appeared to Juan Diego and gave
him this miraculous mantle and
told him "Yo soy tu Madre" and
performed miracles--somebody had
died but was resurrected by the
Mantle--eight million AZtecs were
converted in just three
years...and what we now know as
Mexico became a Catholic
country...

JIMMY
(Half-teasing.)
Surely you did not bring me here
to tell me the story of Mexico and
Our Lady of Guadalupe which I can
read in a book in any Catholic
library
in America...

CRYSTALINA
See that sash around her waist?
That's a sign Aztec women wear to
show they are "embarazada."

JIMMY
"Embarazada" means pregnant?

CRYSTALINA
Yes...that's why the Aztecs
immediately recognized that Our
Lady in this image is
pregnant...she carries the Divine
Fetus in her womb...the Aztecs
took it as Our Lady's affirmation
that all life, even life still in
the womb, is sacred...she put a
definitive stop to human
sacrifices in Mexico thereafter...
That was four hundred years ago...
Is it possible she anticipated the
millions of abortions taking place
all over the world today that is
why she appeared to Juan Diego as
the pregnant Virgin carrying the
Saviour of the world in her womb?
(MORE)

20.

CRYSTALINA (cont'd)
I wanted to come before her image
as a daughter of Mexico...one of
her daughters...to endorse the
soul of my baby I aborted to her
care...and to ask her to intercede
with God to forgive me...for me to
feel God has truly forgiven me...

Crystalina kneels down and bows her head in silent prayer.

Jimmy also falls to his knees.

After a while, Crsytalina stands up and holds Josh's hands.

CRYSTALINA
Jimmy, if you still want me
despite all my sins...I will marry
you...because I love you...and
will love you forever...

JIMMY
I love you...and will marry you...
and love you forever...

Flashback ends.Dissolve back to the Wedding.

INT. CHURCH - DAY

Back to continuation of wedding ceremonies inside the
Church.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE CHURCH (CONTINUATION) - DAY

Show newlyweds leaving the Church and hopping into a car
with
a JUST MARRIED sign on it.
Car whisks them away.

INT. WEDDING RECEPTION IN A RESTAURANT - DAY

Show wedding reception inside a restaurant.

21.

INT. WEDDING NIGHT INSIDE HONEYMOON SUITE - NIGHT

We are presented a directorial treatment of the wedding
night and the act of marital union as graphically,
artistically, and reverentially as possible within the true
spirit of chastity promoted by Theology of the Body.

The director fully employs sound and visual and music to
celebrate the sacredness or divinized humanity or incarnated
divinity in the act of conjugal union---the conjugal union
as divine poetry.

There is a constant juxtaposition of visuals, sound and
music
weaving and interweaving with one another in a
suprarealistic
presentation of the conjugal act from a divine perspective.

A recurring juxtaposition of visuals as the VOICE OVER and
music change would be from a crucified Christ to the Host
being raised by a Priest to the married couple embracing or
giving their bodies to each other in the act of conjugal
union.

CHRIST (V.O.)
(on the Cross)
This is my body given up for
you...

PRIEST (V.O.)
This is my Body...

CRYSTALINA (V.O.)
This is my body...given for you...

JIMMY (V.O.)
This is my body...given for you...

CRYSTALINA (V.O.)
I give you my body...all that I
am...
all that I have...

JIMMY (V.O.)
...for better, for worse...

22.

CRYSTALINA (V.O.)
...for richer, for poorer...

JIMMY (V.O.)
...in sickness and in health...

JIMMY (V.O.)
(with Crystalina)
..till death do us part...

CHRIST (V.O.)
(on the Cross)
I will be with you all days...

PRIEST (V.O.)
(raising Host)
...I will be with you all
days...until the end of time.

ANNCR (V.O.)
You have ravished my heart, my
sister, my bride; you have
ravished my heart with one glance
of your eyes, with one bead of
your necklace...How much more
delightful is your love than wine
and the fragrance of your
ointments than all spices! Your
lips drip honey, my bride.
sweetmeats and milk are under your
tongue, and the fragrance of your
garments is the fragrance of
Lebanon...

ANNCR (V.O.)
God created man in his image; in
the divine image he created him;
male and female he created
them...That is why man leaves his
father and mother and clings to
his wife and the two of them
become one body. The man and
woman were both naked, ye they
felt no shame...God blessed them
saying, "Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.

23.

PRIEST (V.O.)
(raising Host/Cup)
This is my body...this is my
blood...
eat and drink...that you may have
life...

CHRIST (V.O.)
(on the Cross)
This is my body...this is my
blood...
given up for you...that you may
have life...and life
everlasting...

DISSOLVE TO...

EXT. LONG SHOT OF MATERNITY HOSPITAL - DAY

We hear the flutter of Angels' wings...followed by the cry
of a newborn baby, followed by Angel's laughter and
celebration in heaven...

Cut to extreme close up of face of first baby, Baby James.

DISSOLVE TO...

EXT. LONG SHOT OF SAME HOSPITAL THREE YEARS LATER - DAY

We hear the flutter of Angels' wings...followed by the cry
of a newborn baby...followed by Angels' laughter and
celebration in heaven...

Cut to extreme close up of face of second baby, Baby Joyce.

INT. INSIDE THE CHURCH - DAY

Open on extreme close up of the Host being raised by the
Priest as he says...

PRIEST
This is my body...

24.

Cut to extreme close up then panning motion from the face of
Jimmy to Crystalina as they participate in offering the
Mass.

Cut to the family leaving the church-- a picture of perfect
family togetherness and happiness.

EXT. THE CONROY HOME - NIGHT

Fade in to Long shot of house.
Super Caption: SEVEN YEARS LATER

It is almost dawn.

Cut to Close up of alarm clock near a bed which says 5:30
AM.

Cut to Jimmy getting out of the bed to go to the bathroom.

Jimmy hears a thud near the bathroom and rushes in that
direction....

He finds Crystalina down on the floor...she is on her side
with one arm beside her and one arm over her face..
Jimmy kneels down, scoops her in his arms and turns her
towards him...

JIMMY
Crys, Crystal,are you alright?
what happened? Talk to me!!!

Crystalina's eyes are closed...weird noises are coming out
of her mouth...a loud, sudden, and sharp intake of breath
terrifies Jimmy.
He puts her down and rushes to the phone on the living room
table to call 911.

JIMMY
My wife passed out...she's not
responding to me...Get here right
away!!!

Jimmy calls up Crystalina's mom.

25.

JIMMY
Mom...Crys got sick...she
collapsed...Yes, i called up
911...they're on their way...can
you come over right away?...I have
to go with Crys..can you watch the
kids?

The ambulance arrives. Paramedics rush in and immediately
attend to Crsytalina.

            PARAMEDIC
      (to other
       paramedic)
No heart rate. Start CPR.

Other paramedics come in. They begin putting monitor leads
on Crystalina and start IVs.

One paramedic questions Jimmy.

PARAMEDIC
What kind of drugs does she take?

JIMMY
She doesn't take any drugs.

PARAMEDIC
Don't make me search this house.

JIMMY
Go ahead and search the house, She
doesn't take drugs. We don't do
drugs.

PARAMEDIC
Then what happened? What did you
do to her?

JIMMY
Are you telling me I did something
to cause this? you're out of your
mind!

A policeman steps in.

26.

COP
(to Jimmy)
Calm down...they're just trying to
do their job.

Jimmy looks on in painful disbelief as the Paramedics zap
Madelina with a paddle.

JIMMY
What are you doing? You're hurting
her!

PARAMEDIC
(to Josh)
She's not responding.,,we're
taking her to the hospital. You
need to come with us.

Alice, the next door neighbor, has slipped into the house
upon hearing the ambulance. Jimmy turns to her...

JIMMY
(to Alice)
Alice, I'm so glad you're here!
Mom...Guada...Crys's mom is on her
way...can you please watch the
kids until she comes...I'll be
with Crys in the hospital... .

ALICE
Don't worry...I'll watch
them...go...go...

The paramedics have strapped Crystalina onto a stretcher and
are taking her out to the ambulance. Jimmy goes with them

As they reach the ambulance Crystalina is placed at the back
of the ambulance while Jimmy is asked to sit up front with
the driver.

The ambulance speeds away to the hospital.

The Paramedic with Crystalina shouts to the driver.

27.

PARAMEDIC
(to Driver)
Slow down for a second, I need to
shock her again!

EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Daylight is just starting to break as the ambulance reaches
the hospital. Crytstalina is wheeled in to the emergency
room.

Jimmy is asked to wait in the waiting room. Eva,
Crystalina's younger sister, arrives.

EVA
Jimmy...will she be alright?

JIMMY
They're trying to revive her...I
don't know...I don't know...

EVA
What happened?

JIMMY
She just collapsed...I don't know
why...I don't know what
happened...

A doctor comes out...

DOCTOR
Mr. Conroy?

Jimmy stands up to meet the doctor.

DOCTOR
I'm sorry to say she's in critical
condition. We had to shock her
seven times to get her heart
beating and her blood pressure up.
The next 24 hours would be touch
and go.

28.

JIMMY
How did this happen? She hasn't
been sick. I can't understand it.

DOCTOR
We don't know either. We did some
tests. We will have the results
soon. We will have some idea then.
We just have to wait. The next 24
hours are critical.

By the way...is she taking any
kind of drug for any medical
condition?

JIMMY
No...she's been OK before
this...she hasn't been
sick...she's not taking
drugs...not even for a medical
condition..

DOCTOR
We're trying to know what
triggered this...Well, we will
know in the next 24 hours...

JIMMY
Is my wife going to die?

DOCTOR
She's critical. We will know in
the next 24 hours. I'm sorry.

Almost three hours have passed. Crystalina is rolled out and
down a long corridor at the other end of the floor. After a
while, Jimmy and Eva are allowed to see Crystalina.

Crystalina has a ventilator for breathing, she has IVs, and
a monitor tracking her vital signs. She's still in coma.

Jimmy kisses her, caresses her arm.

A nurse approaches Jimmy.

29.

NURSE
Do you want a priest?

Jimmy nods his head.

The nurse walks out and returns with a priest.

The priest administers the Catholic rites for the dying as
Jimmy watches in disbelief.

The priest turns to go.

PRIEST
(to Jimmy)
I'm sorry. God bless you.

From the emergency room Crystalina is transferred to ICU.

INT. WAITING ROOM FOR ICU. - DAY

Jimmy camps out in the ICU's waiting room and is allowed to
go in and out of Crystalina's room as he pleased.

INT. INSIDE ICU - DAY

It has been more than a week since Crystalina's collapse.
Jimmy enters Crystalina's room in ICU and sees a nurse
attending to her. Jimmy notices that Crystalina's eyes are
open.

JIMMY
Her eyes are open!
She's awake!
Her eyes are open!

NURSE
Yeah, she just opened them.

Jimmy starts talking to Crystalina..

JIMMY
Crystalina...you're awake, you're
OK. Thank God!

30.

Crystalina doesn't react. A moaning sound comes from her
throat.

JIMMY
Crys...it's me, Jimmy. Are you
alright?
How do you feel?

Crys, Crys...it's me Jimmy! Talk
to me.

Crystalina moans again. No other response.

Jimmy is confused and downhearted.

The nurse glances at Jimmy with pity. Looks at the EEG which
is flat. There's hardly any electrical activity in
Crystalina's brain.

Jimmy kisses Crystalina...caresses her face and arms, then
hugs her tightly....

JIMMY
Thank God you're better. You'll
get better. We'll go home soon.

INT. INSIDE ICU. - DAY

Jimmy is watching Crystalina when two doctors enter. The
first doctor examines Crystalina as the other doctor
observes.

DOCTOR
(to Jimmy)
She's past the critical stage, but
her brains scans haven't improved.

We're thinking maybe she was
anorexic.

2ND DOCTOR
Or maybe bulimic. Did she take
diuretics or laxatives or diet
pills?

31.

JIMMY
None that I know. She used to
drink lots of iced tea, maybe a
gallon a day, but not diet pills.
I would have known. She would
have told me.

2ND DOCTOR
Bulimics are good at hiding stuff.
As of now tests don't show what
caused this stroke...we're at a
loss as much as you...

A beat.

DOCTOR
She has improved somewhat.
We can take out her ventilator and
IVs. We'll move her out of ICU to
a regular room.
She needs to stay for two more
months to see if her EEG will
improve. For cases like this, if
she's going to improve it will
show in three months.

INT. THE CONROY HOME - DAY

Jimmy and Eva are searching Crystalina's things to see if
they can find any diet pills or other drugs .

After hours of going through Crystalina's things they find
nothing.

JIMMY
There's nothing. No diet pills.
No prescription drugs.

INT. CRYSTALINA'S HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

Jimmy watches as two nurses try to help Crystalina sit on a
wheelchair for the first time after her collapse. The nurses
have a difficult time, but they finally succeed.
Crystalina is still in a non-cognitive state and unable to

32.

manage any intelligible speech, only grunts and moans.

Jimmy approaches Crystalina and kisses her on the cheek,
then
takes the wheelchair and wheels Crystalina out of the room
and into the hospital patio...where James and Joyce, Guada
and Eva, and Jimmy's parents are waiting.

James and Joyce rush to Crystalina and hug her.

JAYR
Happy birthday, Mama...

JOYCE
Happy birthday, Mama.

As the children hug and kiss her, Crystalina seems to
register an expression of recognition on her face...just a
fleeting moment which immediately goes away and her face
returns to her usual expressionless look...

CUT to a gazebo in hospital grounds where the group takes a
birthday lunch/picnic with Crystalina, complete with a cake
and candles...

Jimmy lights three candles on the cake and turns to
Crystalina..

JIMMY
Crys,honey, would you like to blow
the candles?

There is no reaction from Crystalina.

JOYCE
I'll do it for Mama!

Joyce blows out the three candles.

Jimmy tenderly caresses Crystalina's hair, fighting back
tears.

            JIMMY
      (to group)
We're moving out of the hospital
next week. I'm taking Crys to
Sycamore Rehabilitation...they do
            (MORE)

33.

JIMMY (cont'd)
intensive rehab, continuous all
day long...She'll soon get better,
faster...

EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Crystalina on a wheelchair is wheeled into an ambulance to
take her to Sycamore Rehabilitation Center.Jimmy is with
her.

The ambulance arrives at Sycamore and Crystalina is brought
down on her wheelchair. Jimmy checks her in.

INT. SYCAMORE REHAB CENTER - DAY

Two physical therapists are helping Crystalina go through
various rehabilitation exercises including sensory
stimulation for environmental awareness. Jimmy watches them
intently.

A nurse arrives and approaches Jimmy.

NURSE
Mr.Conroy, Doctor Hanaguchi can
see you now. Can you come with me?

Jimmy kisses Crystalina on the cheek then follows the nurse
to Doctor Hanaguchi's office.

Doctor Hanaguchi is going through Crystalina's file as Jimmy
comes in.

DOCTOR
Mr. Conroy, please sit down.

Thank you.

HANAGUCHI
I'm sure you must have noticed--i
know you're here everyday--that
Crystalina hasn't made any
progress whatsoever. No cognitive
improvement. No functional
(MORE)

34.

HANAGUCHI (cont'd)
improvement. She will be here for
90 days next week.Our rules
specify that a patient who does
not show potential for improvement
within 90 days must stepdown
therapy and allowed to go home.

JIMMY
Are you trying to tell me, Doctor,
that I need to move my wife from
here?

HANAGUCHI
I'm sorry, Mr. Conroy. The reason
for the policy is the showing that
there's not much hope for a
patient like that to improve no
matter the amount of therapy. It
will be a waste of time and
effort. What I am saying is that
we cannot help her anymore.
Nursing care in a facility closer
to home would be ideal.

INT. SYCAMORE REHAB CENTER - DAY

Open with close-up of document Jimmy is reading titled:
DISCHARGE SUMMARY. VOICE OVER of Jimmy reading document
continues even while action continues.

JIMMY (V.O)
"Despite a full post coma therapy
regimen and daily application of
the stimulator, there has been
little change noted cognitively or
functionally. Crystalina does an
occasional sound but this appears
to be random. She does have a
regular sleep-wake cycle and will
open her eyes when her name is
called and appears to momentarily
focus. It would appear that she
turns to sound. She startles to
loud noise and despite all
efforts, no cummunication system
(MORE)

35.

JIMMY (cont'd)
has been established. Crystalina
is best described as a Rancho
II-III at this time but does not,
even inconsistently, respond to
commands. There is an ongoing need
for family counseling to assist
them in their adjustment to the
implications of Crystalina's
devastating incident upon her, as
well as their, lives."

Crystalina is wheeled out of Sycamore Rehabilitation Center
into an ambulance taking her to Labelle Health Care Center.
Jimmy, Guada, Eva, JayR, and Joyce see her to the ambulance
then follow the ambulance in two cars.

Jimmy, Guada, JayR, and Joyce are in one car following the
ambulance.

JOYCE
Dad, why aren't we bringing Mama
home? Why is she going to another
hospital?

JIMMY
She needs special care we can't
give her at home. She can't go to
the bathroom on her own. In the
nursing home she'll have nurses
attending to her 24/7. We can't
do that in the house.

JAYR
Will she ever get well, again?
Can she come home as soon as she
gets well again?

JIMMY
Yes, of course, she'll get well
soon.
It's just taking longer than we
thought...We will bring her home
soon...you'll see.

The ambulance reaches Labelle Health Care Center.

36.

INT. LABELLE HEALTH CARE CENTER - DAY

It's early in the morning of a typical day in the life of
Crystalina in the nursing home. Jimmy arrives just as the
nurse on duty is changing her diapers-she's incontinent and
has no control of her bowel movement.

GIULIANA
You're here again...so early...

JIMMY
Good morning, Giuliana...how's my
wife doing today?
And how are you?

GIULIANA
She's doing alright...and I'm
fine, thanks..and you, you never
miss a day...and you're here so
early...almost exactly at the same
time..you must have gone to the
army...

JIMMY
(teasing)
I want to make sure you're doing
your job...I want Crys to look
good everyday...

The nurse gives Crystalina a sponge bath, then changes her
clothes.

She combs Crystalina's hair.

She then feeds her breakfast.

She then brushes her teeth.

She calls an orderly to help her place Crystalina in her
wheelchair.

Jimmy watches approvingly and with admiration as he
observes how tenderly and lovingly Giuliana attends to
Crystalina's needs with obvious affection.

37.

Giuliana takes Crystalina to visit the garden with Jimmy
accompanying them.

GIULIANA
I can just imagine how hard this
must be for you...

JIMMY
It's harder for her...

GIULIANA
She's very lucky she has you for a
husband...i can see you love her
very much...other guys would not
do what you're doing...

JIMMY
She's my wife...I promised to love
her...for better or worse...in
sickness...

Jimmy chokes on his words and seems ready to break down..

Giuliana tries to comfort him.

GIULIANA
You look very very tired...you
need to take a break...why don't
you go home and take a long
rest...you might get sick
yourself. Don't worry about
Crystalina...I'll take good care
of her...i'll take good care of
her, I promise.

Jimmy kisses Crystalina on her cheek. He walks away lost in
thought and grief.

INT. INSIDE CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY

Jimmy walks forlornly inside empty Church and sits at the
last pew away from the altar where a large crucifix with the
corpus of Christ hangs.

Jimmy looks at the crucifix for a long time...

38.

JIMMY
(whispering)
Why Crys, Lord? Why my wife? We
were serving you, doing your work?
Why?

I can't stand it...this pain is
too much...

give me strength...please give me
strength...I am weak..i'm weak...
and I don't really understand
you...

Jimmy buries his face in his hands...

A priest approaches Jimmy.

PRIEST
Jimmy, are you alright?

Jimmy stares at the priest blankly, unable to respond.

PRIEST
How's Crystalina?

EXT. CHURCH PATIO (CONTINUATION) - DAY

Father Mike and Jimmy have stepped out of the Church and are
walking in the Church patio.

JIMMY
Crystalina's situation made me
look deeper inside of me...and
what i see is that despite
everything i've learned...it's
different when you're in a real
bad situation...it's easy to say
you have to trust in God...it's
easy to say suffering has a
meaning, a value...but when it
comes like this, I'm
shattered...my faith is
shaken...I'm really angry at
God...I tell him I don't
understand this...Why?
(MORE)

39.

JIMMY (cont'd)
Why Crystalina? Why me?
Why our family?

PRIEST
I want to be able to say I feel
your pain...but really only you
know what you feel...I can only
try to sympathize...and pray..I
pray God gives you light...and
strength to be able to go through
this...Just hang on the
Lord...don't let go.
Look to the Cross for strength
and light.

INT. LABELLE HEALTH CARE CENTER - DAY

Jimmy is saying goodbye to Crystalina. He kisses her on the
cheek
and walks out into the corridor where he sees Giuliana,
Crystalina's former day-shift nurse,talking to the
receptionist.

JIMMY
Giuliana...it's you...I haven't
seen you for sometime, I thought
you found another job...

GIULIANA
Truth is I did...it's my last day
here...there's this hospital much
closer to my place..I applied and
got hired.

Giuliana leaves some papers with the Receptionist and starts
to leave.

Jimmy follows her.

JIMMY
I don't think I've told you how
much I appreciate the way you took
so very good care of
Crystalina......

40.

GIULIANA
She's one of the very few young
people here...I have a sister a
little bit younger than she
is...she reminds me of Dina, my
sister...I tell myself if Dina
ever suffered such a fate, I would
take very good care of her...

JIMMY
Giulinana...can we talk somewhere?

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Jimmy and Giuliana are having coffee.

JIMMY
Crystalina was a chastity
speaker..We were Catholic chastity
speakers...we were a good
team...we gave talks to teenagers,
young adults...

GIULIANA
I wasn't chaste...I was pregnant
when I married my ex-husband...I'm
Catholic and divorced...my mother
didn't like the divorce...She's a
Eucharistic minister...I
considered myself a devout
Catholic before my divorce... now,
maybe not anymore...

JIMMY
Crystalia was maybe worse
before...she was wild before we
met...and she even had an
abortion...she had a
transformation...

GIULIANA
Because of you?

41.

JIMMY
No...because of Kimberly's talk...
Kimberly was one of our best
speakers...

I feel very comfortable talking to
you, Giuliana...knowing you're a
kind person...very kind to
Crystalina...you weren't just
doing a job...

Giuliana takes Jimmy's hand and holds it to her lips.

INT. LABELLE HEALTH CARE CENTER - DAY

A nurse is helping Jimmy to place Crystalina on the
wheelchair.

NURSE
And so Crystalina is off to see
her special doctor.

JIMMY
Dr.Monroe has been her internist
since she collapsed. I'll bring
her back before lunch.

Jimmy wheels Crystalina out into a special ambulance
customized for wheelchairs.
The ambulance makes its way to Dr.Monroe's office.

INT. DR.MONROE'S OFFICE. - DAY

Jimmy takes Crystalina out of the ambulance and wheels her
into Dr. Monroe's office.

JIMMY
I want Crystalina to be here for
this talk because I want you to
see her in person as you tell me
what the future holds...

42.

DR. MONROE
It has been more than three years,
close to four, since she became
like this...All tests, all the
results show she hasn't made any
tangible improvement, cognitively
or functionally...everything that
can be done has been done...you've
done much much more than can be
reasonably expected of you...
It's time you faced reality...she
will be like this the rest of her
natural life...

Jimmy sits silently, stonefaced. He half-expected what Dr.
Monroe is saying but the reality, the finality of the
judgment stuns him.

DR. MONROE
You're still quite young...the way
you've cared for Crystalina has
been extraordinary...but if you
chose to divorce her I don't think
anybody will blame you...not in
her state...she will always be
like this for the rest of her
life...your wife died three years
ago..her brain, her consciousness,
her awareness are all dead...she
breathes, she eats, she drinks,
she opens her eyes, but her brain
is dead...

There is a long awkward silence.

Finally, Jimmy mumbles some words.

JIMMY
We are Catholics...devout
Catholics...don't divorce...
no matter what...

DR. MONROE
I'm sorry...I didn't know...

43.

INT. GIULIANA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

It is 2 o'clock in the evening.
The doorbell rings.
Giuliana, startled, gets out of bed, puts on her robe
and goes down to the door.

She opens the door and sees a taxi driver holding up an
obviously drunk Jimmy who appears to have passed out.

TAXI DRIVER
He said to take him to this
address...I need 50 dollars...

Giuliana runs up to her bedroom...comes back with the money
and hands it to the driver...

GIULIANA
...thank you very much...

The taxi driver leaves in a huff as Jimmy leans against
Giuliana
who tries her best to carry him...

Giuliana tries to hold up the limp and mumbling Jimmy
towards the living room sofa...as she reaches the edge of
the sofa she stumbles with her back to the sofa and Jimmy
falls on top of her...
As Giuliana tries to shove Jimmy away to free herself, Jimmy
whispers drunkenly...

JIMMY
Crys...Crys...I love you Crys...
don't leave...stay with me...

Then Jimmy passes out completely and Giuliana can't get up
from the sofa..

INT. GIULIANA'S HOUSE - DAY

It's about 8 o'clock in the morning.

Jimmy is asleep on the sofa. Giuliana is in her nurse's
uniform cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

44.

Ellen, Giuliana's mother, opens the main door with her key
and calls out to Giuliana..

ELLEN
Oh, Giuliana...Ow, there you
are...

Ellen is startled as she sees Jimmy asleep on the sofa.

ELLEN
Oh my gosh!Who's this?

Ellen's voice wakes up Josh.

GIULIANA
Shhhhh!!! It's Jimmy Conroy...his
wife was my patient at Labelle...
they're the couple I've been
telling you about.

ELLEN
What is he doing here?

Jimmy is awake...with a hangover...

JIMMY
Where am I?...Giuliana...I'm
sorry...
I must have been drunk...i"m
terribly sorry...

GIULIANA
The taxi brought you here...you
passed out on the sofa...

JIMMY
This is so...I don't know what to
say...please forgive me...

GIULIANA
That's OK...no harm done...I
understand...

This is Ellen, my mom...
she's visiting early...

45.

Jimmy stands up to greet Ellen.

JIMMY
Nice to meet you, Ellen...I'm
Jimmy...Giuliana was our nurse in
Labelle....

GIULIANA
I have to go to work...There's
breakfast on the table. Help
yourself...you can stay as long as
you want.

Ellen will lock up when you're
gone.

Goodbye, Mom!

INT. GIULIANA'S HOUSE (CONTINUATION) - DAY

Jimmy is eating the breakfast that Giuliana prepared.

Ellen is seated at the opposite side of the table.

ELLEN
Giuliana told me how much you love
your wife...how well you take care
of her...

JIMMY
She did?

ELLEN
Giuliana admires your
faithfulness, your love for your
wife...she says there are not that
many guys like you today...

CRYSTALINA
Crys is my wife...she's my
life...I love her...despite what
happened, she's still my wife...

46.

ELLEN
I'm a devout Catholic, too...I try
to go to Mass daily...Giuliana is
baptized Catholic but she got a
divorce...I told her the Church
doesn't allow divorce...but she
did it anyway...sometimes being
Catholic is hard, isn't it?

INT. LABELLE HEALTH CARE CENTER - DAY

Jimmy doesn't find Crystalina in her bed.

He hears a Nursing Assistant shouting from the bathroom.

NURSE
Hey, Debbie...come in here
and help me...
Debbie...what's taking you so
long?

Jimmy goes to the bathroom and finds a Nursing Assistant
unable to move Crystalina from the bathroom chair because
she's too heavy for one person to move.

Jimmy comes to help.

JIMMY
Where's the person who's supposed
to help you?

NURSE
She's attending to another
patient.
But she's knows she should come
back immediately and help me.

JIMMY
Looks like you're short of people
of people here...

Finally, the other Nursing Assistant arrives and takes over
from Jimmy..

47.

NURSE
I was attending to another
patient...

JIMMY
My wife was sitting in the
bathroom soaking wet for a long
time...

NURSE
We're short of people today...I'm
sorry...

Jimmy observes as the Nursing Aides tuck Crystalina back
into bed.

Jimmy talks to Crystalina for a while kissing her face and
caressing her.

Then he sits down and reads Bible passages to Crystalina..

Three hours pass...

Jimmy takes out his cell phone and calls Giuliana...

JIMMY
Hi...I'm here with
Crystalina......

I had to help an Aide move her out
of the bathroom because the other
Aide was nowhere to be found...

she was sitting in the bathroom
soaking wet for a long time...

Otherwise, she's the same...

are you free after work?

Can we talk ?

Jimmy kisses Crystalina goodbye and leaves.

48.

EXT. A PARK - DAY

Jimmy and Giuliana are walking in a park.

JIMMY
So, how was your day?

GIULIANA
Same...not bad...good..

How about you? Got stressed in
Labelle again?

JIMMY
I want to make sure Crys is
getting
the best care in Labelle...when I
see
signs that she's not being given
the care she deserves I really get
frustrated...

GIULIANA
Hey, nurses and healthcare homes
are human...Labelle is not
perfect...no one is...but they do
their best...
you must understand there are
other patients there, not just
your wife...

JIMMY
I think Crystalina misses your
caring for her...

GIULIANA
I felt for her...she breaks my
heart...but she can't possibly
miss me, Jimmy...her mind is in
another place...and it's been that
way for a long time...from the
beginning......

49.

JIMMY
Do you believe what doctors say
that there's no chance she'll get
better?

Giulinana stops to think about what to say to Jimmy.

GIULIANA
Her EEG has been flat from the
beginning...It hasn't changed a
bit till now...
at some point it's better for
everybody to accept reality...
she'll be like this for the rest
of her life..

Jimmy stands there frozen for a time...
he starts to walk away from Giuliana
...and runs away...

GIULIANA
Jimmy...Jimmy...!!!

INT. GIULIANA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Giuliana is in the kitchen cooking, while Ellen is in the
sala within earshot knitting.

ELLEN
Have you been seeing that fellow
Jimmy?

GIULIANA
He feels he can talk to me about
his wife...he's deeply
bothered...he needs somebody to
talk to...to unburden
himself...He's under a lot of
stress.

ELLEN
He may be falling for you.
Are you falling for him?

50.

GIULIANA
Mom, he's married...and I know his
wife...I took care of his wife...

ELLEN
He may see his wife in you...

From what I can see, he's a good
man...and at this point in his
crisis he needs somebody like you
to keep him sane...

GIULIANA
I was with him yesterday...it
seemed like he wanted me to tell
him his wife would get better..
I had to tell him the
truth...which he knew anyway...

ELLEN
Which is?

GIULIANA
Mom, from the beginning her EEG
was flat...she's brain
dead...years of rehab didn't make
her improve one bit...I told Jimmy
he shouldn't expect a miracle...

ELLEN
And what did he say?

GIULIANA
He left...he ran away...he still
couldn't take it...

INT. GIULIANA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

The doorbell rings. Giuliana opens the door.
It's Jimmy intoxicated...again.

Jimmy steps into the house without saying anything.

He sits on the sofa. He gazes at Giuliana confusedly, a
picture

51.

of unspoken pain and loneliness.

Giuliana approaches Jimmy, bends down to kiss him on the
cheek tenderly and brushes his hair.

Jimmy falls on his knees embracing Giuliana and sobbing
soundlessly.

She takes his hand and leads him up the stairs..

He follows like a somnambulist.

Giuliana opens the door to her room. Jimmy stops before the
open door. Giuliana stops, too. Then she leads him inside
and he follows.

The door closes.

EXT. A PARK - DAY

A special car to accommodate Crystalina's wheelchair makes
its way into a beautiful forested park .

The car stops and Jimmy alights from the driver's side to
take Crystalina in her wheelchair. JayR and Joyce step out
followed by Guada and Eva. It's a family picnic for
Crystalina.

Jimmy pushes Crystalina's wheelchair to give her a tour of
the place. JayR and Joyce follow Crystalina wherever Jimmy
takes her, while Guada and Eva set up the food on a table.

JAYR
Dad, I thought you said Mama can
come home soon? How much longer?

JIMMY
Maybe it won't be long now...I'm
just waiting for her doctor to
tell me if it's alright to take
her home.

52.

JOYCE
Yes, Dad...we should take Mama
home soon. Jimmy and I will take
care of her.

JAYR
That's right, Dad. We will take
care of her.

Jimmy brings Crystalina's chair back to the table where
lunch is ready.

They proceed to eat. Jimmy takes care of feeding
Crystalina.After they've finished eating, Eva goes to play
with the kids away from the table and Guada is left with
Jimmy and Crystalina.

GUADA
Jimmy, don't take this the wrong
way...
There's talk in Labelle that
you've been seeing a nurse who
used to work there...

Jimmy doesn't respond.

GUADA
I won't take it against
you...you're still young and I can
just imagine how hard everything
must be for you...

Eva and I have talked about
this...If you need to be with
someone else...we'll
understand...you can leave
Crystalina with us...we will take
her back...we will take care of
her...

Jimmy keeps quiet.

The kids come back with Eva.

They prepare to leave.

53.

INT. NIGHTMARE IN GIULIANA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A fully recovered,healthy,and vibrant Crystalina is kissing
a man whose face is not seen.

As the camera fans to the left the pitiful figure of Jimmy
slumped in a wheelchair apparently in the same permanent
vegetative condition as Crystalina after her stroke becomes
visible.

Then JayR and Joyce emerge from nowhere to embrace Jimmy and

cry out against Giuliana and the man whose face is now
visible
and it's not Jimmy.

As JayR and Joyce cry out and scream invectives against
Crystalina, she and the man break into peals of taunting
laughter at Jimmy...reverberating laughter....

Jimmy screams and wakes up in cold sweat from the nightmare.

Giuliana who is with Jimmy in bed is awakened by Jimmy's
scream.

GIULIANA
Jimmy! Jimmy! Are you OK?
Was it a nightmare?

Jimmy is still shaking and trying to catch his breath.

He stares blankly into space the cold sweat still breaking
on his face, tears welling from his eyes, and saliva
dripping from his mouth...

EXT. ON THE ROAD - NIGHT

Jimmy is driving his car on the way to Giuliana's house.
It's raining and visibility is low.
While Jimmy is driving Ellen's words keep reverberating in
his inner ear:

54.

ELLEN
(Voice Over)
...sometimes it's a hard thing to
be Catholic..

It's followed by Guada's voice:

GUADA
(Voice Over)
...if you need to be with someone
else,
we'll understand...you can leave
Crystalina with us...we will take
her back...we will take care of
her...

INTERCUT WITH NEXT SCENE HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY.

INT. GIULIANA'S HOUSE. - NIGHT

Giuliana has prepared dinner expecting Jimmy to come.

She looks at her watch.

She picks up her phone and calls Jimmy.

The phone keeps ringing but Jimmy doesn't pick up.

INTERCUT TO JIMMY IN HIS CAR.

EXT. ON THE ROAD - NIGHT

Jimmy is still driving. He hears the phone ringing
but he doesn't pick up.

He continue to hear voices, now his own voice when he was
giving chastity talks...

            JIMMY
      (Voice Over)
I'm Jimmy Conroy...and I'm here to
tell you that love is forever...we
Catholics are the salt of the
earth, the city on a hill...we
keep society whole because our
            (MORE)

55.

JIMMY (cont'd)
families are whole...because we
don't believe in divorce...the man
or woman we marry is the only one
we will be with for the rest of
our lives...the alternative is the
disintegration of the family...and
the destruction of society...

Then the nightmare in Giuliana's house that one terrible
night replays itself in Jimmy's mind and Crystalina's
taunting, accusing laughter continues to reverberate in his
ears.

Dazed by Crystalina's reverberating laughter and the voices
he is hearing Jimmy makes a sudden U-turn away from the road
going to Giuliana's house.

As Jimmy continues to drive away from Giuliana's house a
small flash of lightning in the rain illuminates a cross on
top of a Church and a bright ray of light from the cross
blinds Jimmy momentarily forcing him to stop the car.

When after a few seconds Jimmy opens his eyes again, he
takes another look at the cross which now looks like any
ordinary cross on a Church top.

Jimmy moves the car forward to the direction of the cross.

He parks the car and alights to approach the Church.

He sees a sign in front of a door which says "Eucharistic
Adoration Chapel. Come and visit Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament." .

INT. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION CHAPEL - DAY

Jimmy enters the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.
There are two ladies kneeling in front close to the Blessed
Sacrament exposed.

Jimmy goes down on both knees and makes a deep bow.
As he raises his eyes to look at the Blessed Sacrament
exposed
the same bright light that flashed from the cross outside

56.

bursts this time from the Host in the Monstrance which
blinds Jimmy once again.
As he closed his eyes because of the blinding light he seems
to fall into a trance and sees a vision in his mind's eye.

He sees the Temple in Jerusalem and there Jesus is talking
with the Pharisees.

PHARISEE 1
Is it lawful to divorce one's wife
for any cause?

JESUS
Have you not read that he who made
them from the beginning made them
male and female, and said, "For
this reason a man shall leave his
father and mother and be joined to
his wife and the two shall become
one flesh"? What therefore God has
joined together, let no man put
asunder."

PHARISEE 2
Why then did Moses command one to
give a certificate of divorce and
to put her away?

JESUS
For your hardness of heart Moses
allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not
so.

DISSOLVE to flashback of the priest giving the homily in
Jimmy's and Crystalina's wedding.

INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY

Jimmy's vision in a trance flashes back to the priest
giving his homily during his wedding with Crystalina.
After a few words the priest goes off-cam and his words are
dramatized visually onscreen until the end of his homily.

57.

PRIEST
In the beginning the first man and
woman lived in the garden of Eden
in the state of original
innocence...they were naked but
without shame because their hearts
were pure and they looked at each
other's bodies through God's
eyes...When original sin entered
the garden through the devil the
original state of innocence was
broken . The man and woman saw
they were naked and were
ashamed...because lust of the
flesh and concupiscence of the
eyes enveloped their hearts...they
looked at each other's bodies as
objects to fulfill each other's
selfish carnal desires...
Lust and concupiscence so engulfed
the world after the fall that God
could not hold back his hand of
holiness and justice in destroying
Sodom and Gomorrah...thereafter
God unleashed the Great Flood
which annihilated all living
things except those who escaped to
the Ark with Noah...Yet, Noah was
just a prefiguration of the One
True Saviour, the Messiah who
would save mankind from their
sins...
Jesus, Son of God, took human
flesh and was incarnated in the
womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary to
save his people from their
sins...Man's redemption which was
initiated through the incarnation
of the God-Man Jesus Christ was
consummated through Christ's
suffering and death on the
Cross...

A sacramental marriage is
indissoluble, cannot be broken
because the everlasting union of
husband and wife is a sign or
symbol of God's everlasting love
(MORE)

58.

PRIEST (cont'd)
for his mystical Bride the
Church... Everlasting love between
husband and wife is also proof
that God's grace poured abundantly
through the sacrament of marriage
is efficacious in giving husband
and wife the light and the
strength to be faithful to each
other and sustain their love for
each other...Just as Christ
offered his body to torture and
death for the love and salvation
of his Bride the Church, so also
should husband and wife offer
their bodies in selfless sacrifice
for each other and for the
children they have brought into
the world...Marriage is
indissoluble because through the
unbreakable love of husband and
wide their children receive a
foretaste of God's everlasting
love for them...
Husband and wife must love each
other forever because marriage was
created to manifest God's
everlasting love...

INT. WEDDING NIGHT SUITE - NIGHT

As the priest's voice trails away in Jimmy's vision in a
trance
Jimmy begins to see a flashback of his wedding night with
Crystalina.

REPLAY THE WEDDING NIGHT SCENE.

We are presented a directorial treatment of the wedding
night and the act of marital union as graphically,
artistically, and reverentially as possible within the true
spirit of chastity promoted in Theology of the Body.

The director fully employs sound, visual, and music to
celebrate the sacredness (divinized humanity or incarnated

59.

divinity) in the act of conjugal union: the conjugal union
as sacred erotic poetry.

There is a constant juxtaposition of visuals, sound, and
music weaving and interweaving with one another in a
suprarealistic presentation of the conjugal act from a
divine perspective.
Everything says this act is good, beautiful, and holy.

A recurring juxtaposition of visuals as the VOICE OVER and
music alternate as MAIN SOUND and BACKGROUND SOUND would be
the visual of the Crucified Christ morphing into the Host
being raised by the Priest in Consecration and then
dissolving to the married couple embracing or giving their
bodies to each other in the act of conjugal union.

CHRIST (V.O.)
(crucified)
This is my body given up for
you...

PRIEST
(raising Host)
This is my Body...

CRYSTALINA
(V.O.)
This is my body...given for you...

JIMMY
(V.O.)
This is my body...given for you...

CRYSTALINA
(V.O.)
I give you my body...all that I
am...all that I have...

JIMMY
(V.O.)
I give you my body...all that I
am...
all that I have...

60.

CRYSTALINA
(V.O.)
...for better, for worse...

JIMMY
(V.O.)
...for richer, for poorer...

CRYSTALINA
(V.O.)
...in sickness and in health...

JIMMY
(V.O.)
...till death do us part...

CHRIST
(crucified)
...I will be with you all days...

PRIEST
(Raising Host)
...I will be with you all
days...until the end of time...

As the verses of the Song of Solomon are being recited in
Voice OVER below the face of Crystalina during the wedding
morphs into her face in her disabled state...

ANNCR
(VOICE OVER)
You have ravished my heart, my
sister, my bride; you have
ravished my heart with one glance
of your eyes, with one bead of
your necklace...How much more
delightful is your love than wine
and the fragrance of your
ointments than all spices! Your
lips drip honey, my bride,
sweetmeats and milk are under your
tongue, and the fragrance of your
garments is the fragrance of
Lebanon...

CROSS-DISSOLVE to Priest raising Host in Consecration.

61.

PRIEST
This is my Body..

PRIEST
This is my blood...

eat and drink that you may have
life...

CROSS-DISSOLVE to Christ crucified on the Cross.

CHRIST
(V.O.)
This is my Body...this is my
Blood...
given up for you...that you may
have life...and life
everlasting...

Still in a trance, Jimmy sees the crucified Christ looking
at him and he hears Christ's voice saying:

CHRIST
(VOICE OVER)
Jimmy, my son Jimmy,I allowed them
to scourge me, crown me with
thorns,and crucify me for love of
you, for the salvation of
souls...can you not sacrifice
yourself for love of my beloved
daughter Crystalina, your sister,
your bride?

INT. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION CHAPEL - NIGHT

Jimmy breaks out of the trance profusely sweating and
sobbing.
He goes to his car and drives all the way to La Belle.
When he reaches Labelle he goes straight to Crystalina's
room
and hugs her.

            JIMMY
      (VOICE OVER)
I, James,take you, Crystalina, to
be my wife...I will be true to you
            (MORE)

62.

JIMMY (cont'd)
in good times or in bad, for
better, for worse, for richer, for
poorer, in sickness and in
health...I will love you and honor
you all the days of my life...I
will love you with an everlasting
love..

Replay the wedding night scene together with the theme song.

THE END

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