Spencer
She’s young, Jill. She’s having fun. Don’t you remember when we used to have fun? Huh?
Jillian
No.
Spencer
No? You don’t remember that, huh? Okay. All right. What’s wrong with you?
Jillian
You ever think about what happened to Alex?
Spencer
Oh, shit.
Jillian
What happened to Natalie? I do, all the time. Those two minutes you could have died.
Spencer
Why do you want to go back there? Why do you want to go back to that? Can’t you just try for once to be happy? Just once?
Jillian
I’m gonna go to sleep. Mr Reese? It’s Jillian Armacost. The autopsy on Natalie Streck. . . what did it say about the baby? Mr Reese?
Reese (phone)
Not on the phone, Mrs Armacost.
Jillian
No, you don’t understand. You have to tell me. What did Natalie’s autopsy say about the baby?
Reese (phone)
Babies.
Jillian
What?
Reese (phone)
Natalie Streck was pregnant, with twins, Mrs Armacost.
Jillian
Oh, my God. What’s happening to me?
Reese (phone)
You are, too, aren’t you? Mrs Armacost? Pregnant with his twins?
Jillian
Natalie’s babies. . . Mr Reese. What did the autopsy say about them?
Reese (phone)
There’s something I. . . I need to show you, Mrs Armacost. Something you need to see.
Jillian
Do you know the story, of the princess whose beloved prince dies in battle?
Reese (phone)
Mrs Armacost, I have something you need to see. Do you understand me?
Jillian
The enemy prince. . . after overrunning the castle. . . finds the princess and forces himself upon her. Months later, the princess is with child. But whose? It’s either the child of her enemy. . . the man that killed her husband. . . the man that raped her. . . in which case, she’ll kill herself and the child. . . or it’s the child of her prince. . . the only thing she has left of him. . . a part of him, still alive within her. . . kept safe inside her. . . in which case. . . But how would she know, until it was too late? How will she know until the child is born and she can see it’s eyes?
Reese (phone)
Meet me right now. Somewhere public. Leave tour apartment. Meet me now.
Spencer
Sherman Reese. Mr Reese. Sherman Reese. I thought that was you. I was standing over there across the street, and I said to myself “Now, is that Sherman Reese?” Nice to see you.
Reese
Commander Armacost.
Spencer
Yeah. Are you in town on official business?
Reese
I’m not with NASA any more.
Spencer
You know what? You know what? I heard that. I heard that and I thought it was one of them nasty agency rumours. Well, listen, if you need a recommendation, don’t hesitate, because maybe I can help you out.
Reese
Well, I, I appreciate that.
Spencer
It’s really weird running into you, ‘cos the thing of it is, I was just thinking about you. I was thinking about them, er, tests you wanted to run on me, you know, after Alex died. Listen, if you’ve got a couple of minutes right now we can go down, have a cup of coffee or something.
Reese
Actually, I, I gotta. . .
Spencer
Oh, no, come on, now, Sherman. You’re a man of leisure. You ain’t got nothing but time, do you? Come on. Yeah, it’s nice to see you. Almost forgot your satchel, Mr Reese. I got it.
Jillian
You were the only one who knew, Nan. I asked you not to tell him.
Nancy
I didn’t, okay?
Jillian
What were you talking about last night when I was sleeping?
Nancy
We were just talking.
Jillian
About what?
Nancy
Just talking, Jillian. Look, don’t do this, it’s not good for you.
Jillian
Where did you go last night?
Nancy
Will you listen to yourself?
Jillian
Where did you go?!
Nancy
Look, Jillian, I love you, okay? And Spencer loves you. We all do so much.
Jillian
Spencer was there. Nan, Spencer was there with Reese, and you were the only one who knew, Nan. How did he know unless you told him?! You promised me!
Nancy
Jillian, I love you, but I’m not going to do this with you.
Jillian
Do what with me? Come back, Nan. Nan, come back! Don’t leave, Nan! Shit!
Man (phone)
Hello. Nesbit Arms.
Jillian
Mr Reese in room three oh four.
Man (phone)
There’s no answer in room three oh four.
Children
Down came the rain, and washed the spider out, out came the sun, and dried up all the rain, and the itsy-bitsy spider, climbed up the spout again.
Jillian
Oh, God.
Man
Are you okay?
Jillian
Yeah.
Reese (tape)
It’s like a joke, right? But, if you’re watching this tape, I didn’t get to that meeting. If you are watching this tape, Mrs Armacost. . . I’m probably fucking dead! This is my backup. That’s what they taught us at NASA. Always have a backup system. I, I, I, I’m not crazy. I wish I was. I prayed I was. I know I’m not. You might think you’re crazy. How could you not? Always, have a backup. You’re going to hear two voices on this tape. One is your husband’s, the other Captain Streck. “I’m gonna rotate the panel forty-eight degrees.” This line is your husband’s voice. This line is Captain Streck’s. “Spencer, what is that? What the fuck. . . Jesus Christ! What the hell is that?!” Two voices, but three lines. There’s something else on the tape. Something beyond our range of hearing, but I translated it. I had to hear it, and this, is what it sounds like. NASA said that it’s static. . .
Jillian
It’s not static.
Reese (tape)
. . . caused by the explosion of the satellite, static build up in their suits, but it’s not static. I tracked it. It is not static.
Jillian
Not static.
Reese (tape)
It’s not from their suits. Not from the satellite, not from the shuttle. It’s not. . . It’s not from Earth, either. Two minutes, that’s all there is. That’s all it took. If you wanted to come here from, from, from very, very far away, maybe you wouldn’t have to travel in a ship. Maybe you could travel in a transmission, at the speed of light, like a thought. Just wait, for two of us to be up there. Two of us, in orbit, near a target. Something to aim at, like the satellite. Two of us beyond suspicion. Heroes, all-Americans. Wait for them, then erase them like a tape and record your own message. He’s not your husband any more. He’s not.
Jillian
What?
Reese (tape)
The computer that runs this airplane, it’s not there. It hasn’t been designed yet, but it’s supposed to go, right here in the cockpit, right where the pilots are supposed to be. Two computers, that work off each other, that feed off each other. Twins. Twin computers. Twins, Mrs Armacost. What do you think you have inside of you? What do you think he put there?
Spencer
What are they gonna be? They’re gonna be pilots, honey.
Jillian
Just like their father.
Spencer
Hay, Jill.
Jillian
Hey.
Spencer
What’s the matter? Scare you?
Jillian
I didn’t hear you come in.
Spencer
Listen, I came home, ‘cos. . . I felt bad for you. You know, that fight with Nan. You know. Why don’t you tell me what it was about?
Jillian
Just sister stuff.
Spencer
Have you heard from her?
Jillian
No.
Spencer
Well. . . I’m sure she’ll call you. You’re trembling.
Jillian
I am?
Spencer
Uh-uh.
Jillian
I’m a little cold.
Spencer
Well, you know what I did? I brought something home, I believe’s gonna cheer you right up. What do you think? Pop it in. Oh. Were you watching something?
Jillian
Yeah. It’s a. . . it’s a pregnancy video.
Spencer
Oh? Well, maybe we should watch it together.
Jillian
No. Let’s watch the movie.
Spencer
You sure?
Jillian
Yeah.
Spencer
All right.
Jillian
Why are you building that plane?
Spencer
What’s that?
Jillian
Why do you have to build that plane?
Spencer
It’s a contract, Jill. And besides, I didn’t add half as much as Jackson said I did. They got some real sharp engineers over there. Come here. Mmmm. Back here. Come on. I know what you’re thinking. Don’t you worry. Everything’s gonna be just fine.
Spencer (dream)
Yeah, these pesky goddamn satellites. I’m gonna rotate the panel forty-eight degrees. You got me, Alex?
Alex (dream)
Spencer, what is that? Did you feel that? Spencer, what is that? What the fuck. . . Jesus Christ! What the hell is that?!
Spencer
Must have dozed off.
Jillian
Were you dreaming?
Spencer
Huh? No. Just sleeping.
Jillian
You weren’t dreaming?
Spencer
No, Jill. I wasn’t dreaming. Were you?
Shelly
My caterer gets them from the French Caribbean. I always think the French are so much more advanced in this way. Don’t you think? Now, listen, with these, all sales are final. Are you sure this is the way you wanna go?
Jillian
Yeah.
Shelly
Now, when you get home you take both pills and then go to bed. It’s gonna be quite a bit of vile cramping, but as soon as you start spotting, it goes real fast.
Jillian
And Spencer won’t know?
Shelly
Well, if he’s anything like the rest of them, he’ll think you had a miscarriage and he’ll go out and buy you a bracelet. Now, don’t beat yourself up about this, sweetheart. I mean, it’s not as if, any of this means anything.
Jillian
There’s a little bit of pain, and then it’s over. Oh. God. I can’t. Oh, God. I can’t do it. It’s gonna be really bad. I’m so sorry. You. . . you’ll understand. I have to. Wait. Just. . . a little pain. Just. . . And then it’s over. Yeah. Okay. They’re just babies. I can’t do it. Oh, God. I can’t do it. Oh, help me! No. Don’t do that. Oh, God. Oh, God, stop it. . . He’s gonna. . . Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. They’re just, they’re. . . Oh, God, no.
Spencer
What were you gonna do to ’em?
Jillian
No. No. No, you heard them. Oh, God.
Spencer
What were you gonna do?!
Jillian
Nothing. No! No. No. No. No.
Spencer
Jill. . . please. Let’s just calm down and talk about this, okay?
Jillian
No.
Spencer
Absol. . . Come on now, honey. Where are you gonna go, Jill? Huh? Where you gonna go? Sssh. Don’t talk. Don’t say a word, honey. You’re fine. You’re fine now. They’re still inside you, Jill. They’re right where they need to be, and we’re not ever gonna mention what you tried to do. . . what you tried to do with them pills, okay? Doesn’t exist. Never happened, Jillian. I don’t want to hear a peep out of you. You hear me? I love you so much. I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you or the babies. Now, you just keep quiet, and you rest. I’m here with you. I’m always gonna be here, Jill, always. You sleep. Good girl.
Jillian
Nan.
Nancy
Jilly. Hi. I don’t want to fight with you, Jilly.
Jillian
There’s something wrong, Nan.
Nancy
There’s not. The doctor says you can go home any day.
Jillian
No. Something’s wrong. . . with Spencer. . . and the twins.
Nancy
Hey, it’s just this place.
Jillian
No. He did something to me, Nan, and I didn’t tell you.
Nancy
Jillian, it’s just being in the hospital that makes you feel this way. I know, I know that you hate it here, but we’re gonna take you home soon and we’re all gonna take care of you.
Jillian
You?
Nancy
Yeah, of course me. Me, Spencer, all of us.
Jillian
Oh, God. I’m so scared. Something horrible is happening. . . to me. . . and the babies. I don’t know what’s happening.
Nancy
Tell me, Jillian, what is it?
Jillian
Spencer. . . He. . . He’s hiding inside me. Spencer. . . hiding. . . inside me.
Nurse
I think she’s awake, Mr Armacost.
Spencer
Tell me something, Jill. If the doctors had any idea what you were thinking, you know, them awful, dark thoughts. . . what do you think they’d do?
Jillian
They’d lock me up.
Spencer
Huh?
Jillian
They’d lock me up.
Spencer
Lock you up? They’d chain you to the wall, Jillian. Yeah, put you back in that hospital. You want that to happen?
Jillian
No.
Spencer
No. I know you don’t want that. Uh-uh. Well, we ain’t gonna let ’em, are we? No.
Jillian
No.
Spencer
NO. ‘Cos we’re gonna be strong.
Jillian
We’re gonna be strong. Together.
Spencer
We’re gonna be strong for our family.
Jillian
Yeah.
Spencer
Yeah. We’re connected now. You feel me inside there where it’s safe, don’t you? See? I live here. We’re one.
Nancy
Why do you have Sherman Reese’s bag? What did you do to my sister? Who are you? What. . . What the hell are you doing? Let go of me!
Jillian
Nan.
Nancy
Jillian! Help!
Jillian
No. Nan. Nan. Washington Square Park. What? Go. Go!
Taxi Driver
But it is red, missus.
Jillian
I don’t care! Just go!
Taxi Driver
But, missus, I cannot.
Jillian
Will you go?! You don’t understand! Please.
Taxi Driver
I cannot. (Shouts in native language)
NASA Guy
Captain Alex Streck died last night at eight fifty-five. Cause of death has been determined to have been a massive stroke. . . what the surgeons are calling a severe insult to the brain.
Reese
He’s not your husband any more. He’s not. . .
Doorman
Hello. Welcome back Mrs A. Good morning, Mr A.
Jillian
Come on. Nan.
Spencer
Jillian! Jillian! Jillian! Jesus fucking Christ, Jill.
Jillian
Stay away from me.
Spencer
Why are you doing this to me?
Jillian
I said stay. . . away from me. Who are you?
Spencer
Who am I? I’m the only person in the world ever gave a fuck about you. I’m the one that gave you a reason to breathe. I’m every single fucking moment ever mattered in your life.
Jillian
No, you’re not. I don’t even know you.
Spencer
No? Well. . . I’ll tell you what. There was a time I remember when I was about to go up, and you begged me not to. You remember how scared you were? And I told you then, that I was gonna bring you back a little piece of heaven. Then you cried. You remember that? Well, fucking A! I did it! What do you think’s inside you? I gave you heaven.
Jillian
No, you didn’t. You’re not Spencer.
Spencer
It don’t gotta be like this, honey. Please, come on, now. Step out of that water. Please, baby, get out of that water. Come on.
Jillian
Oh, my God.
Spencer
Please.
Jillian
Nan. Oh, my God. You killed my sister. You killed my husband.
Spencer
Yeah. I did. And then I fucked his wife. I live there.
Jillian
No.
Spencer
I live there. . . For ever.
Jillian
No, you don’t.
Spencer
I live there.
Jillian
No, you don’t!
Spencer
Oh, yeah. Jillian!
Pilot
Ready for your first day of school?
Boys
Ready.
Jillian
Wait. There’s an apple in there, and I want you guys to eat it. No trading. Promise?
Boys
Promise.
Jillian
Okay. Give me a kiss. Go, go, go, go, go. Be good. What do you think they’ll be when they grow up?
Pilot
Grow up? Give them some time, Susan. It’s their first day of school.
Jillian
I think. . . they’re gonna be pilots. Just like their father.
Pilot
Stepfather.
Jillian
No. You’re their father now.
