FISHER HOME, LIVING ROOM
Claire sits with her hands folded
in front of her mouth. Her elbows are propped up on her knees. She watches
Travis
and Samantha
on the floor, playing with the same toys they always
play with when they visit this house. "God," she says finally, her voice
little more than a heavy breath. "I still can't ..."
"I know." Paula takes a seat beside
her daughter-in-law on the sofa. The thought that Claire is not actually
her daughter-in-law runs through her mind, but she ignores it for now.
"I keep wondering when we're going to wake up from this nightmare."
Claire draws another breath and releases
it slowly. "We're not. I keep realizing that ... Every time, it's like
a knife twists a little harder into my heart."
"Oh, dear." Paula pulls Claire into
an embrace. "Why Tim?"
Claire closes her eyes momentarily.
"I don't know ..."
The two women sit in silence, together.
Travis stands from his spot on the floor with Samantha and waddles as a
toddler does over to his mother and grandmother.
"Why do you look so sad?" he asks.
"Because," Claire says, "do you remember
how I was telling you that Daddy had to go away?"
Travis nods.
"Well ..." She takes another deep
breath. "Mommy and Grandma didn't want Daddy to have to go away. That's
why we're so sad."
Paula cups a hand over her mouth
and turns away as the tears hit her again.
"Then why did Daddy go?" Travis asks,
resting his head on Claire's lap.
"I don't know," she says. Her voice
is thin, but she holds it together as best she can. "I don't know."
And they sit there, grandmother,
mother, and son, each absorbing the circumstances in whatever way he or
she can manage.
END OF EPISODE #194
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