# 4 HONEY

…continuing…

154 INT/EXT. GRANNY FLAT. NIGHT

HONEY sits on the bed, happy, as HELEN takes a clean neatly folded towel from a cupboard and hands it to HONEY. Evidence of Helen's mother's residency have mostly been removed. 

HONEY 

Thanks Helen.

HELEN smiles, holds up her hands: “It's nothing.”

DANIEL and JASPER, both smiling, stand in the doorway.

HELEN'S attention is drawn to something that has fallen to the floor beside the bed. She picks it up, looks at it: a GET WELL SOON card.

HELEN'S face darkens with sadness.

HONEY 

Don't be too sad, Helen, your mother is in heaven.(A BEAT) Singing with the angels.

HELEN bites her lip, wipes the moisture from her eyes. 

HELEN

You lost your mum, too, didn’t you?

HONEY

When I was seven.

HELEN

Oh, Honey, I am so sorry.

HELEN hugs HONEY.

LATER

HONEY is sprawled on the bed, writing a poem in her journal. Light flashes in her eyes. She looks up:

JASPER, leans out of the window of her upstairs bedroom, flashlight in hand - its beam hitting HONEY in the face. She beckons HONEY with her hand: “Come”.

HONEY shakes her head.

JASPER nods her head.

HONEY laughs, shakes her head. JASPER nods in a very exaggerated manner, points her finger: “This is an order, not a request.”

155 INT JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

HONEY walks into the room. JASPER sits in bed reading a book. She raises a finger to her lips: “Shhhh…”. HONEY smiles, tiptoes melodramatically  over to JASPER'S bed. JASPER tries not to laugh out loud, which causes HONEY to laugh also.

156 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

HELEN and DANIEL lie alongside each other in bed.

HELEN

It’s not nothing. Mum gave me that table cloth...

DANIEL

It’s a piece of linen, Helen...

HELEN

To you, maybe...I’m worried that Jasper...I mean, look at Honey’s arms!

DANIEL 

Is worrying going to help.

HELEN

Is burying your head in the sand?

DANIEL 

She has to find out about the real world sooner or later.

HELEN

Honey is not the real world.

DANIEL gestures 'all this' with his free arm.

DANIEL

Is this?

HELEN

Yes. Yes. Yes. I love all 'this' (A BEAT) Don't you?

DANIEL 

I don't know. I really don't. I wish I did but…!

DANIEL and HELEN stare at each other.

JASPER (voice over)

Angrily, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered that the furnace be made seven times hotter than usual…

157 INT. JASPER'S ROOM. NIGHT

HONEY lies alongside JASPER in bed - their two heads close. JASPER has her illustrated bible book propped up on her chest. HONEY listens with fascination as JASPER reads.

JASPER 

…and that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be tied up and thrown in.

CLOSE ON a coloured illustration of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace.

JASPER (voice over)

The flames were so hot…

CLOSE on HONEY - totally absorbed by the story.

158 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

DANIEL and HELEN lie in bed looking at each other.

JASPER (voice over)

…that the soldiers who threw them in were killed on the spot.

DANIEL turns his head away.

JASPER (voice over)

But when King Nebuchadnezzar looked in…

HELEN reaches out with her hand, turns DANIEL'S face back to her, looks him in the eye.

JASPER (voice over)

…he saw Shadrach

DANIEL kisses HELEN lightly on the lips.

JASPER (voice over)

…Meshach, and Abednego…

HELEN grabs DANIEL'S head, tries to kiss him passionately. He avoids her lips as he holds her tight.

159 INT. JASPER'S ROOM. NIGHT

CLOSE ON:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walking around inside the fiery furnace.

JASPER (voice over)

…walking around unbound and unharmed…

HONEY is hypnotized by the images of flames.

160 DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

DANIEL and HELEN make love with an intense but awkward animal passion. HELEN tries to kiss DANIEL but he avoids her lips.

161 INT. JASPER'S ROOM. NIGHT

SLOW ZOOM past Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to the shadowy figure in their midst.

JASPER (voice over)

…There was a fourth man in the fiery furnace whom King Nebuchadnezzar said…

CLOSE ON: HONEY'S face.

JASPER (voice over)

…looked like the Son of God…

162 INT. SHED. YOUNG HONEY'S HOME. NIGHT

CAROL, seen through the window of backyard shed, pours liquid from the small can over her head, picks up a pack of matches, looks at it for a moment, takes out a match.

YOUNG HONEY, seen through the window of her bedroom, looks on in horror.

JASPER (voice over)

Honey!

163 INT. JASPER'S ROOM. NIGHT

CLOSE ON the shadowy figure in the midst of the flames.

JASPER (voice over)

Do you?

HONEY pulls her attention away from the flames.

HONEY 

Do I what?

JASPER

Believe in God.

HONEY 

I don't think he believes in me.

JASPER

I believe in you.

HONEY smiles, turns to look into JASPER'S eyes.

HONEY 

You do?

JASPER smiles, nods. HONEY is overjoyed.

164 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

DANIEL and HELEN, both glistening with sweat, lie naked in each other's arms but both stare into space - lost in their separate private reveries.

165 EXT/INT GRANNY FLAT. NIGHT/DAY

HONEY creeps in through the door to the granny flat, closes the door behind her.

LATER

HONEY sits up in bed writing in her journal.

LATER

It is morning now. HONEY is asleep, her open journal resting on the bed beside her.

JASPER, dressed for school, stands in the open doorway looking at her.

166 INT. KITCHEN. DAY

DANIEL pours coffee into a mug, looks out the window at: HELEN watching JASPER looking through the doorway to the granny flat at HONEY.

167 EXT/INT GRANNY FLAT. NIGHT

HONEY lies in bed, eyes open. The sound of a motor bike being kick started is heard.

HONEY swings her legs out of bed, grabs her journal, picks up a vial of pills beside the bed.

168 EXT. STREET OUTSIDE DANIEL AND HELEN'S HOUSE. DAY

DANIEL drives away from his home on his motor bike, overtakes Helen's car - with HELEN and JASPER in it. He waves to JASPER as he passes. JASPER waves back.

169 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

HONEY, a glass of water in hand, inspects the cover of the CD resting on top of the music system: Mendelssohn's Violin Concertos. She presses 'play'.

The violin concerto plays as HONEY tosses two pills in her hand into her mouth, washes them down with a sip of water, walks and stands before a wall covered with photos - most of which include Helen at various ages. In all of them she appears beautiful and in many, smiles enigmatically.

170 INT. CAR. DAY

The music continues over JASPER, school backpack in her lap, determined not to answer HELEN'S questions as she drives.

HELEN

Because they have 8 arms?

JASPER shakes her head.

HELEN

Because…they don't have a skeleton?

JASPER shakes her head.

171 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over HONEY, seen through the aquarium filled with exotic tropical fish, moving to sit on the white leather couch. She picks up one of Helen's photo albums, opens it, turns pages slowly.

172 INT. CAR. DAY

Music continues over. Helen drives JASPER to school.

JASPER

It's a secret.

HELEN

You don't have to keep secrets from me.

JASPER

I know I don't have to.

173 INT. CAR/EXT OLD FACTORY PARKING LOT. DAY

Music continues over DANIEL driving his motor bike into the parking lot adjacent to his studio - seen from the inside of a car, over the shoulder of a woman.

174 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

Music continues over HONEY turning the last pages of one of Helen's photo albums, closing it, picking up another.

175 INT. CAR OUTSIDE SCHOOL. DAY

Music continues over. JASPER is about to get out of the car to join other students walking into school.

HELEN

You can be an infuriating little girl, sometimes.

JASPER

You can be an infuriating big girl sometimes.

JASPER kisses HELEN quickly on the cheek and is out of the car in a flash.

176 EXT. OLD FACTORY PARKING LOT. DAY

Music continues over. DANIEL acknowledges the woman in the car with a wave, looks back towards the entrance of the old factory then walks up to the car to greet its driver.

TRACY stands behind the glass entrance door to the factory, looking out, watching the car drive out of the parking lot.

177 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over HONEY looking closely at one particular photo in Helen's album. We do not see it. She thinks for a moment, picks up another photo album, flicks through it until she finds a particular photo. She looks at it for a moment:

A girl that looks like Jasper smiling at the camera, a violin tucked into her neck, bow in her right hand, a small kid's orchestra behind her.

HONEY thinks for a moment, stands and walks out of the room.

178 DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over HONEY walking into the room, looking around.

179 INT. CAR. DAY

Music continues over DANIEL sitting in the passenger seat alongside JASMIN, driving. He does not look happy. JASMIN holds out her hand. DANIEL takes it, tries to smile.

180 INT. HELEN'S CAR. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over HELEN driving into the street where she, Daniel and Jasper live.

181 DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over HONEY opening and closing drawers, cupboard doors - looking for something.

182 INT. KITCHEN. DAY

Music continues over as HELEN walks into the kitchen. She sees Honey’s journal resting on the table, moves towards it, as if to pick it up. She changes her mind and walks into the adjacent dining room.

183 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over. Helen sees her open photo albums, walks to the white leather couch, closes them, replaces them in the pile of albums, making sure that the pile is neat, tidy. Symmetrical!

HELEN (calls out)

Honey!

184 DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. DAY

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto continues over HONEY opening the door to Helen's walk-in closet. The battered old red suitcase is in view. Honey walks towards it.

185 INT/EXT GRANNY FLAT. DAY

Music continues over HELEN walking towards the door to the granny flat.

HELEN (calls out)

Honey!

On seeing no sign of Honey in the flat, HELEN takes out her mobile phone, enters a number.

186 EXT. FLORIST. DAY

Music continues over DANIEL carrying a large bunch of red roses. His mobile rings. He takes it out, looks at the screen, decides not to take the call, walks up to the passenger door of JASMIN'S car.

The Violin Concerto finishes.

187 DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. DAY

HONEY closes the red suitcase, picks up the photo of Daniel, Helen and Jasper with the broken glass. She seems not to hear the sound of the back door opening and closing.

188 INT. HALLWAY. DAY

HELEN moves to walk upstairs but stops - her attention caught by Honey's journal resting on the kitchen table. She thinks for a moment, makes  decision.

189 INT. KITCHEN. DAY

HELEN walks into the kitchen, picks up the vial of pills alongside Honey's journal, reads the label.

190 DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. DAY

HONEY looks at the photo of Daniel, Helen and Jasper. Her attention is caught by the sound of a chair scraping on the floor downstairs.

191 INT. KITCHEN. DAY

HELEN sits, pulls Honey's journal towards her, opens it.

192 INT. STAIRWAY/HALL. DAY

HONEY stands at the top of the stairs, alongside an antique velvet covered arm chair. She then creeps down the stairs slowly, quietly. At a point where she can see into the kitchen she stops. She can see HELEN'S back as she leans over looking at the journal.

HONEY watches her for a long moment. HELEN turns a page. HONEY creeps to the back door, opens it quietly, walks out, closes the door gently behind her.

193 EXT. BACK YARD. DAY

HONEY climbs over the fence into the neighbor's back yard, drops into a flowery garden.

194 INT. KITCHEN. DAY

HELEN turns another page of Honey's journal. The sound of the front door bell.

HELEN closes the journal, returns it to the position she found it in, walks out.

195 EXT/INT. FRONT DOOR. DAY

HELEN opens the front door to find HONEY standing there, smiling, a big bunch of flowers in her hand.

HONEY 

Went for a walk.

HONEY hands the bunch of flowers to HELEN.

HELEN (laughs)

Thank you Honey.

196 INT. KITCHEN. DAY

HONEY and HELEN sit at the kitchen table drinking coffee. HELEN holds Honey's vial of pills, looks at HONEY.

HONEY (evasive)

I get bad headaches. (A BEAT) I was looking at your photo albums before. And…

HELEN 

That's OK. That's what they're for - to be looked at.

HONEY 

You can look at my journal if you want.

HELEN nods, thinks for a moment.

HELEN 

I was looking at it before you arrived with…

HELEN points at the flowers in the vase on the table.

HELEN 

I hope you don't mind!

HONEY laughs, shakes her head.

HONEY

Find anything interesting?

HELEN  (smiles)

Yes.

HELEN pulls the journal towards her, opens it, flicks through a few pages to the one that has the strip of photos of the mum, dad and smiling daughter seen earlier.

HELEN 

That's not you is it?

HONEY shakes her head.

HELEN 

Who… (are they)?

HONEY 

I don't know. I just found it, and…

HELEN nods, flips it over. On the other side is written:

MUM AND ME AND OUR HONEY BEE

HELEN 

 “Mum and me and our Honey Bee?”

HELEN looks at HONEY quizzically. HONEY looks away.

HELEN 

Why have you stuck it in your journal?

HONEY (shrugs)

No reason.

HELEN nods, flips the page, looks at the burnt photo of Honey and her mother.

HELEN 

Is this you and your real mum?

HONEY nods nervously.

HELEN

Do you mind if I ask you how your mother died?

HONEY

I don’t want to talk about it.

HELEN

OK.

HONEY

I want to and I don’t, know what I mean?

HELEN

You're one big question mark aren't you?

HONEY 

If you were a shrink, your next question would be, “Why do you think that is, Honey?”

HELEN (laughs)

“Why do you think that is, Honey?”

HONEY 

You heard the joke about insanity is hereditary?

HELEN shakes her head.

HONEY 

You get it from your kids?

HELEN laughs.

HONEY

Hang on!

HONEY flicks through her journal to the photo of herself and her mother on the roller coaster.

HELEN

You look very happy together.

HONEY smiles, nods, disappears inside herself. HELEN watches her intently.

HONEY seems to have forgotten HELEN is there.

HELEN watches her for a long moment, then waves her hand to catch HONEY’S attention. HONEY snaps out of her reverie.

HONEY

Sorry.

HELEN

My life is a roller coaster too, Honey. (A BEAT) Different roller coaster but same ride.

HONEY

You ever feel…kind of empty? As if there is something missing?

HELEN

Something?

HONEY 

In here?

HONEY puts her hand on her heart.

HONEY

Like you want to be filled up with…!

HELEN 

With what?

HONEY 

I don't know, but…(A BEAT) I want to be filled up with it!

HELEN (nods)

What is it? That missing 'something'?

HONEY 

Was hoping you'd be able to tell me, eh!

HELEN laughs, shrugs, holds up her hands: “Beats me!”

HONEY 

But you've got Daniel, Jasper…

HELEN 

Yes, and I love them both to death but…

HONEY 

But?

HELEN

But, ever since I was a girl I've had this nagging feeling  that…that there is…

HELEN can't find the word.

HONEY 

Something to make your soul sing?

HELEN (laughs)

Yes. Something to make your soul sing. Where did you hear that? It's perfect.

HONEY 

It's from one of my poems…

HELEN

No way!

HONEY smiles, nods, flips through pages as she recites.

HONEY 

“Something to make my soul sing; With love for nearly everything; Except for roaches, ants and flies; And biting insects in the skies.”

HONEY arrives at the hand-written poem, surrounded by caricature drawings of roaches, ants and flies. 

HELEN (laughs) 

Yes, a world without roaches…and things that sting…

HONEY 

I miss my mum too. Heaps.

HELEN'S eyes fill with tears. HONEY takes her hand, entwines her fingers with HELEN'S. Tears stream down HELEN'S cheeks.

197 INT. DANIEL'S STUDIO 'LOFT'. LATE AFTERNOON

Seen through the 'curtains' in Daniel's loft:

JASMIN moves to music in the studio below - Tim Buckley's 'Sweet Surrender' as DANIEL, sits at his computer, touching up the photo of Jasmin from his exhibition with 'Photoshop'. JASMIN turns the music up louder, smiles at DANIEL.

CLOSE UP ON JASPER, looking down, her eyes wide.  Her POV:

JASMIN sits beside DANIEL, leans close, talks animatedly. What she says cannot be heard above the music.

TIM BUCKLEY (sings) 

“Just too hard, just too hard to surrender to love.

JASMIN looks into DANIEL'S eyes then kisses him on the lips.

In a wider shot it becomes apparent that JASPER, dressed in her school uniform, has long hair. This is a flashback.

JASPER observes the scene unfolding below her for a moment before returning to the futon, lying down on it and staring at the ceiling.

JASPER (voice off)

…so I had to pretend that I wasn't there and then dad asked me why I didn't come around after school like I said I would…

198 JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

JASPER (short hair, the flashback has finished) and HONEY sit propped up in bed together - Jasper's illustrated bible stories book open in front of them.

JASPER

…and I had to tell him I was at Claire's… Claire's my best friend…was my best friend…but mum spoke to Clair's mum and she said I hadn't been there and…oh, lying is so difficult!

HONEY 

Sometimes its best not to tell the truth.

JASPER  

But you get into so much trouble too, lying. Life is really very complicated, isn't it?

HONEY laughs, hugs JASPER.

JASPER 

Is kissing someone the same as having sex with them?

HONEY shakes her head.

HONEY 

I've got a question for you.

JASPER

A trick question?

HONEY 

No, about a photo I saw in your mum's albums.

JASPER stares at HONEY, wide eyed; nods.

199 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. DAY

HELEN, in a dressing gown, stands in the doorway looking at:

HONEY and JASPER lying asleep together in Jasper's bed.

DANIEL, a towel around his waist, walks up, puts his arms around HELEN'S waist, looks at JASPER and HONEY, smiles, rests his head on her shoulder. HELEN smiles, kisses DANIEL'S cheek.

200 INT. CAR. DAY

DANIEL drives. JASPER, in her school uniform, sits in the passenger seat, deep in thought.

JASPER 

Dad?

DANIEL 

Mmmm…

JASPER 

What's the difference between a secret and a lie? 

DANIEL looks at JASPER, shakes his head, smiles.

DANIEL 

Too complicated a question for this early in the day, Jas!

JASPER looks at him. She wants an answer. DANIEL looks away.

DANIEL 

Wanna go fishing this arvo?

JASPER does not answer but looks out the window, thinking.

DANIEL 

Jas?

JASPER

I might be a child but that doesn't mean I'm stupid.

201 EXT. BACK YARD. GRANNY FLAT. DAY

HONEY walks our the back door, stopping when she sees:

HELEN inside the granny flat, painting a wall. The bed and furniture have been covered in old sheets.

202 INT. GRANNY FLAT. DAY

HONEY walks up, stands in the doorway. HELEN turns, smiles, her face flecked with paint.

LATER

HONEY, dressed in old clothes, paints alongside HELEN.

HELEN 

I wrote lots of poetry when I was your age.

HONEY 

I'd love to read it.

HELEN 

I burnt it all.

HONEY 

Burnt! Why?

HELEN 

Because it was crap.

HONEY 

Do you think my poetry is crap? (A BEAT) You can tell me the truth.

HELEN 

The truth! What's the truth? We're born, we get old, we die! (A BEAT) No, your poetry is…is…is you. (A BEAT) Does anyone really want to know the truth?

HONEY 

Beautiful lies beat ugly truths any day, eh?

HELEN laughs, looks at HONEY - intrigued and puzzled.

HELEN 

Beautiful lies?

HONEY 

You know…the story you tell yourself… about your life.

HELEN 

I'd like to be able to rewrite some bits of mine.

HONEY 

Which bits?

HELEN shakes her head.

HELEN

You have your secrets, I have mine.

HONEY laughs.

HONEY 

What if I guessed one of your secrets?

HONEY smiles.

203 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY

CLOSE ON the page in one of Helen's photo albums that includes the photo of ‘Jasper’; violin tucked into her neck.

HONEY (voice off)

You at Jasper's age, right?

HELEN nods. HONEY slips the photo out of the album, hands it to HELEN. She takes it reluctantly, looks at it wistfully.

HONEY opens another album, takes out a photo of Helen in her late teens, formally dressed, her violin at her side, smiling proudly - a formally dressed orchestra behind her.

HELEN shakes her head. HONEY smiles, stands, takes HELEN'S hand, leads her out of the room.

JASPER fishes off the rocks closeby, turns to look at her mother - concerned. HELEN makes eye contact, tries to smile but her shaking is getting worse.

JASPER drops her rod and prepares to join her mother. HELEN shakes her head, holds the bag in front of her mouth, breathes deeply. JASPER sees something behind HELEN. HELEN follows JASPER'S gaze and sees:

DANIEL and HONEY walk from the car park along the promenade towards them. Both of HONEY’S arms are wrapped in bandages.

HELEN takes a couple of deep breaths, crumples the bag, turns and watches as DANIEL and HONEY get closer and closer, a nervous smile playing on her face.

JASPER is now at HELEN'S side. She takes her mother's hand, holds it tight.

HONEY, HELEN and JASPER are shy and awkward as they meet.

DANIEL 

Helen, Jasper…Honey

HELEN 

Hello Honey.

HONEY 

Hi Helen.

HELEN holds out her hand. HONEY shakes it, looks to JASPER.

HONEY 

Hi Jasper.

JASPER holds her hand up, smiles.

JASPER

Hi. Do you fish?

HONEY (nods) 

What bait ya using?

LATER.

It is close to sunset now. DANIEL fishes from the rocks. HELEN closeby, looks at JASPER and HONEY laughing together as they fish. She has mixed feelings about Honey.

DANIEL looks from HONEY and JASPER to HELEN, places his hand affectionately on her knee. HELEN smiles tentatively.

JASPER (voice off)

I drive mum and dad crazy, too. (SMILES) It's my job.

CLOSER ON HONEY and JASPER.

HONEY 

No, I mean mad crazy…batshit crazy.

HONEY looks out to sea, lost in painful memories.

JASPER

How? (A BEAT) I mean, you don’t have to tell me...

HONEY thinks for a moment, rubs a bandaged arm with one hand, looks at JASPER.

HONEY

Are you good at keeping secrets?

JASPER nods.

204 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. DAY

HONEY leads a HELEN into the bedroom.

HONEY 

Sit.

HELEN sits on the bed, watches HONEY walk to the closet, disappear from view for a moment, walk out with the red suitcase. Her face reveals a mixture of emotions - trepidation being the most dominant.

HELEN 

Did Daniel tell you?

HONEY shakes her head, places the suitcase beside HELEN.

HELEN 

How'd you know?

HONEY 

I'm psychic. (A BEAT) Psycho and psychic.

HELEN smiles, watches HONEY open the suitcase, take out sheathes of sheet music to reveal a battered violin case. HONEY opens it, lifts out an old violin. It has only one intact string. HONEY hands it to HELEN. She plucks the one string. It emits an off-key note.

HELEN 

Mum bought this for me when I was six…

HELEN looks at the violin lovingly.

HELEN

How did you… (know where I kept it?)

HONEY shrugs.

HELEN

Did Daniel tell you?

HONEY shakes her head, looks away; evasive.

HELEN

How? (A BEAT) Honey!

HONEY 

I promised I wouldn't say…

HELEN 

Promised who?

HONEY 

You promise you won't tell if I tell you?

HELEN

Promise.

HONEY 

Jasper.

HELEN

Jasper!

HONEY (nods)

“Mum keeps her dreams hidden in a red suitcase.” (A BEAT) That's what she said. (A BEAT) You won't tell her I told you, will you?

HELEN shakes her head. 

HELEN 

It all happens so fast…one minute you're a little girl with big dreams… next thing you know you're falling in love, having babies…and you look in the rear vision mirror and see all this stuff falling off the back of the truck…good stuff, bad stuff…so you stop looking in the mirror and…(A BEAT)…forget your dreams…

…to be continued…