Screenplay

Afraid to Screw Things Up

written by

Yongyu Cai

FADE IN:

EXT. THE PATIO-HOUR

Mark, the oldest son of Elizabeth, walks to the kitchen and then back to the Patio where he has been sitting for the better part of the afternoon.

MARK I must marry her. Yes, I should. It’s Angelina.

The only problem is telling mum.

He has just gotten a new lovely fiancé across the street a few weeks ago and he needs to drop the bombshell to her mother. He also wants to marry her as early as possible. He is thirty-five years old, and every member of the family was concerned about this senior bachelor in the house. At the look of things, he loved this girl with passion, she must be the only person Mark has ever loved in his entire life. He talked to himself severally while looking at Angelina on the phone. She was a sterling beauty, one of her kind, an irreplaceable gem and the cure of his heart. Angelina was the true definition of love to Mark.

He pondered to himself, “Momma won’t be in a position to understand her. Only the beauty, I mean the beauty is incredible. No sugar coating of things since Angelina is already the new model in town. Oh! Hold on, how did she even fall in love with me in the first place?” he undergone a series of question and answer session in his mind.

INT. THE PEEPING AT THE BALCONY-DAY

Elizabeth on the other hand was observing her from her bedroom’s balcony. She thought her son was TURNING INSANE, he was not behaving normal and it was the only day in ten years he has not reported to work. It was a matter of serious concern to a mother who has watched his son grow to a man.

ELIZABETH (thinks silently)

Something is not right here. Mark is not okay.

Mark, Mark, Mar…k?

Mark resurrects from HIS WORLD OF FANTASY in a shock. He looks around to locate where the voice of her mother was coming from. Still not getting the bearing. It was an interruption that he never expected.

2.

He was in his own world, he started seeing the sense of having a partner in life. Then Elizabeth calls again with a sharp commanding tone.

ELIZABETH Mark!

MARK (mumbling)

Yes, mu…m.

Her mother was STILL WATCHING HIM and identifying the unusual in her son. She wanted to enter him and fetch answers for herself. They looked at each other for a while. Mark stood glued at the same spot for minutes even as her mother climbed down the stairs to confront him. Nothing made sense to him at all. His mind was elsewhere. Elizabeth takes him by the hand and leads him to SHED. The shed was in the garden where Jonathan, Elizabeth’s husband, used to narrate tales to them before he passed away. It was a sacred place that gave them peace. It was actually a silent moment for both of them. They sat down and stared at each other in the eye. Mark returned to her senses and boom, he knew what was going on.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D) Son, what is going on with you today? Are you alright? You are really troubled.

This was the time Mark needed to CRACK THE NUT. He had mixed reactions because he never knew her mother was going to receive the news. Her mother was a kind of a person you will never predict. He however reminded himself that he was a now a grown up. He needed someone to love, treasure and share their piece of mind together. In his mid-thirties, he had nothing to lose. Fear continued to engulf him. He is not the kind of a person who knows how to hit the nail on the head. Mark has given her mother a lot of respect, fear and also obeyed everything that she tells him to do. Angelina was going to BREAK THE CORD OR STRENGTHEN IT.

EXT. OPEN GARDEN-HOUR

ELIZABETH Hey, what is the matter with you?

MARK (softly)

Mum, how was your first love? I mean it.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D) Do you have someone you love?

3.

Elizabeth has never been asked about her first love. She felt heartbroken after what happened afterwards. Her first love was not Jonathan, but Jonathan rival. The guy cheated on her. She decided to give Jonathan a chance that he never disappointed. That was the true love she got. She probably had to lie to Mark that Jonathan was the first love. After seeing that Mark was not answering her, she decided to lie to him.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D) I have never loved someone the way I loved Jonathan the first day. He was the man I waited and hoped to have for the whole of my life. He was handsome and masculine. I never imagined another woman snatching him away from me. I wanted to take and keep him in my handbag forever. He was good and the best choice for me.

Mark followed keenly. He had a reason now to share his story with her mother. Elizabeth turned to him after her last word. This showed that she was ready to listen to her son’s new catch. She wanted to organize a surprise party for them. She was a proud mother and her face started glittering. She needed her son to wed, have kids and be called a grandmother. That has always been her dream. She needed young souls playing in the seating room and calling her name. she wanted children that will always listen and love her bedtime stories. She also needed them so that they could be kissing and hugging her before she retires to bed. She was ready to welcome the story.

MARK (looking at her directly in the eye)

Mum, there is this girl, her name is Angelina and she has moved my nerves. She is not just a girl; she is an angel. She has the figure of a model and the heart of a child. She is young, probably in her late-twenties. She has the accent of the queen with her ancestry traced back in Birmingham. She has really stolen my heart. I not only think about her every single minute, but also keep her in my heart. I can only say that she is the fountain of peace in my life.

Elizabeth watched his son speak his mind. She could now tell why Mark was insane. Love could make people lose their minds and Mark was no exception. She was also there at one point in life. That was more than forty years ago. She vividly remembers her mother questioning her behavior change. She could not listen to her mother, she thought that she had achieved what no one else has ever achieved. It was true for a while. The only thing that has remain up to date is that first feeling.

4.

MARK This is something important in my life. I have felt this way before. Angelina is a miraculous person in my life. She deserves praise. I adore her a lot. I think I will bring her home this coming weekend. I know you will love her too.

ELIZABETH I know what it means to you. I will be happy to see her. I am also happy and I respect the decision that you have made. This is something that your father will be happy about in the land of the dead. I love the move that you have taken Mark. I hope she deserves a man like you.

That was the only day Mark was called a man by his mother. There was something that Mark was not sincere to her mother. There is this thing that he cannot just tell her. This was the thing that has kept him around that day, marrying Angelina. They had talked about it and he already proposed to her. Angelina was going to be the mother of his children if God blesses them. This was not something that you can just jump from anywhere and tell it to your mother.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D) Is there anything else that you could like to tell me or we can talk about? I am here for you in times like this. You should always count on me on whatever matter that comes to your mind. I will be there to guide and help where I can. Mark: No. I don’t think so. I will keep updating you in case anything arises. I love you mum. I don’t know how my life could be without your support. You are the best and no one can ever do us apart. Even if I marry this girl, she will not be equivalent to you.

This is the moment that Elizabeth guessed that there was much than just love between Mark and Angelina. On the other hand, Mark knew that he has failed in his mission in telling the truth. He only mentioned it to his mother, but did not tell the whole process. He has also failed the only woman who he is affectionate about. He doesn’t know how he will tell Angelina that he was not able to tell her mother about their plans. He believes that there is no second chance on this.

5.

He consoled himself that Angelina will understand. He gets his refuge when he convinces himself that he will have to tell Elizabeth when he invites Angelina to their house. This weekend will be the day that Mark will have to reveal the truth before Angelina.

CUT TO BLACK.

THE END.