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ACT THREE.

EXT. RESTAURANT PATIO - DAY

TITLE CARD: THE HOUSE

Freddy waits at a table on the patio. When Alice arrives, he stands to greet her.

FREDDY
Hey, Alice. Thanks for meeting me.

ALICE
No problem. I was planning on giving you a ring when I got settled in, but so much for that.

FREDDY
Oh, God. I am so sorry. I swear I had no idea what he was doing.

ALICE
I wouldn’t be here if I thought you had. Though from stories my mom tells me, it sounds like ill-advised escapades kind of run in the family.

FREDDY
How is Aunt Roz these days?

ALICE
Shacked up with an Argentinian ballroom dancer who’s half her age. So, you know. Awesome.

FREDDY
Well. Mazel tov! Listen, Alice, I just wanted to tell you I’m mortified about what happened. Can I ask you something? What happened with you and him?

ALICE
That’s it, Freddy— nothing happened.

FREDDY
I mean, of course, just— why’d he follow you?

ALICE
I guess we were pretty close. We basically grew up together. But he’s six years younger, so he looked up to me. We would talk, you know. I think I was the closest thing he had to a family member who understood him. But I’m not family, really, and he started thinking that meant something more than it did.

FREDDY
Aw, geez. If I’d had any idea what he was here for, I would never have let him stay with me.

ALICE
I know you were just trying to help. It was good of you.

FREDDY
You know what, though? I thought I was doing him a favor, but… I started actually looking forward to being there for him. I guess I liked the idea that he needed me. So much for that, I guess.

ALICE
I don’t know about that.

FREDDY
What do you mean?

ALICE
I know David. He’s only stuck on me because doesn’t really have anybody who gets him. He definitely needs somebody to be there.

FREDDY
Geez, Alice, that’s really sweet of you, but you really shouldn’t have to take that on.

ALICE
Yeah, that’ll really help me assert my boundaries with the kid. Not me, genius. I mean you.

FREDDY
I don’t know what David needs. I don’t even know him.

ALICE
Then get to know him. He’s spent his whole life feeling like a stranger in his own house.

FREDDY
I think he just sees me as another one of those strangers.

ALICE
Maybe so, Freddy. But if anybody can do something to change that… well, at least you know what that house is like.

As Freddy considers, his phone goes off. He gapes when he sees who is calling him and snatches it up to answer it.

FREDDY
Oh, my God, hi! Hi! I— uh, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to hear from you, but— oh, you are? Yeah, he’s staying with me, but how did you— oh, okay. Okay. Uh— see you soon, then, I guess!

He slams off the phone and looks to Alice.

FREDDY
Uh— I’m sorry, I gotta run.

ALICE
What’s up?

FREDDY
Daddy’s home!