A few hours later.
Grace just home from work. She wears her waitress uniform and carries old newspapers.
Grace
The Book of Grace, Chapter 49: Buddy. Grace. Right.
Buddy sleeps on the couch. She stands there looking at him.
Grace
Buddy
Grace
Buddy
(Rest)
She gets a closer look at his face. He doesn’t wake.
She sits on the edge of the couch, looking at him.
Buddy fidgets in his sleep. She keeps staring at him.
Grace
Grace
Grace
Grace
Grace
Grace
Grace
Grace
She scrounges around in her purse, pulling out a waitress notepad.
Scrounges around for a pen.
Scribbles something on the pad. A fresh page, another glance at Buddy, then more scribbling.
A glance at Buddy’s footlocker.
Buddy gently wakes and watches her. She’s absorbed and doesn’t notice at first. When she does, she hops up, dropping her notepad, then toeing it under the couch.
Grace
Buddy!
Buddy
Grace.
Grace
Right.
Buddy
Well, hey.
Grace
Hey.
Buddy
Grace
Buddy
Grace
They hug gently and then separate.
Grace
15 years.
Buddy
Yeah.
Grace
You got here!
Buddy
I did.
Grace
Right on.
Buddy
I guess.
Grace
And you’ve come back to help celebrate your dad. Gold Star, Buddy.
Buddy
Grace
Grace
What?
Buddy
Nothing.
Grace
Tell me.
Buddy
No thanks.
Buddy
Grace
Buddy
Grace
Buddy
Grace
The distance between them feels like miles.