Dear John (12 page)

186       
INT. DINING ROOM
-- SAME

John walks back in. Savannah follows him, watches him grab his shirt and coat. She’s stunned.

SAVANNAH

You’re leaving?

John nods. Savannah’s eyes start to well up, but she fights the tears back. He finishes getting dressed, walks to her.

SAVANNAH

John, I... I’m so --

JOHN

(interrupting)

It's okay. You've said I'm sorry enough. It's my turn now.

She reaches out, wraps her arms around him, holds on tightly.

SAVANNAH

We’ll see each other again, though.

Right? I’ll see you soon then?

John doesn’t answer. He pulls himself away, heads to the door.

JOHN

Goodbye, Savannah.

SAVANNAH

No. No, you’re supposed to say “I’ll see you soon then”. Remember?

When I ask “I’ll see you soon then?” You’re supposed to...

She trails off. John turns to her. She’s crying softly now, desperate and indignant and pleading --

SAVANNAH

John. You’re supposed to say it.

You’re supposed to say “I’ll see you soon then.”

John looks back at her. Takes her in one final time. Then, without another word, he walks out.

John walks to his car, his face finally betraying his emotions.

187       
INT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR
-- NIGHT

Savannah watches from the window as John gets into his car, turns it on, and heads up the driveway. Only when he disappears from view does she finally start to sob.

188       
EXT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE
-- DAY

John sits outside in his father’s car, staring at his father’s house. Debating what he’s about to do.

189       
INT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP
-- THE FOLLOWING DAY

The front door CHIMES, and the DEALER looks up (his is a face we’ve seen before). John nods hello.

JOHN

Hi. You probably don’t remember me, but you know my father-- Bill Tyree?

COIN DEALER

Course I do. Haven’t seen him in a while, how is he?

John doesn’t answer at first, just takes in the store, remembers the first time he stepped foot in here almost twenty years ago now.

JOHN

You offered to buy his whole collection once. Didn’t you?

COIN DEALER

Sure did. More than once.

John eyeballs the rows of coins laid out under the glass.

JOHN

Just out of curiosity... how much do you think it’s worth? All his stuff?

COIN DEALER

A collection big as your Dad’s?

He WHISTLES, lets him know -- serious money. John nods, finally looks the Dealer in the eye.

JOHN

Think you could lend me a hand?

190       
EXT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP
-- DAY

John POPS his trunk.

JOHN

There’s only one condition-- the mules stay together. Offer them as a set. Keep them yourself. But they stay together, okay?

The Dealer eyes the boxes jammed into the trunk. Even more are stacked in the backseat. He turns to John in disbelief.

COIN DEALER

You’re really gonna sell me all your Daddy’s coins?

John looks over at him.

JOHN

All but one.

John stands in the middle of the desert. Takes in the view as he flips a COIN through his fingers. A very familiar coin.

Around him, Berg and the rest of his TEAM (all new faces) argue where base camp should be set up. John SHUSHES them.

JOHN

Guys. This comes up nickel side, we set up here, where we’ve got shade.

Comes up penny side, we set up on the ridge, where we have visibility.

John FLIPS the coin high up in the air, lets it fall into the sand. Berg goes to check out the result.

BERG

It’s tails.

(beat)

So what does that mean?

John takes the coin back. Carefully wipes a smudge off it, then tucks it safely into his pocket.

JOHN

It means we’re gonna need sunscreen.

Some of the soldiers GROAN -- but they all get to work. A YOUNG BERET walks up, hands John a delivery.

YOUNG BERET

Master Sargeant?

JOHN

Thanks. But no ranks in the field, okay?

He looks down at the delivery in his hands -- it’s a LETTER. The handwriting is familiar. So is the clean, white envelope. He instantly knows what it is.

John takes the letter, finds himself a secluded spot, carefully opens it up.

And then he begins to read.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

Dear John...

Drift away from John, alone in this sea of sand.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

It’s been almost five years since I wrote a letter with an actual pen, on an actual sheet of notebook paper. I don’t think I realized until today how much I’ve missed it.

192       
EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR
-- DOCK -- DAY

Savannah watches Alan carefully pencil in words on a banner.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

Though I suppose it’s not really writing letters that I miss. It’s writing letters to you.

She hands Alan a magic marker. Watches as he starts back at the beginning, tracing his pencil lines with the marker. Watches the ink seep into the paper.

SAVANNAH

So I thought maybe I could write to you, now, and let you know all that’s happened since I saw you last.

193       
EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR
-- DAY

Savannah is underneath the oak tree. She puts her own pen to paper again.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

A few weeks after you showed up in Lenoir, an anonymous donation was made to Tim’s foundation, a donation big enough to cover what the insurance companies wouldn’t.

194       
INT. TEXAS HOSPITAL CORRIDOR
-- DAY

Tim sits in a wheelchair, much of the color back in his face. He smiles warmly at the nurse checking his blood pressure.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

He’s back in Houston right now for his final treatment, but he’s been in remission for two months. We’re not sure if it will last...

195       
EXT. TEXAS HOSPITAL
-- DAY

Automatic doors WHISK open. Tim steps out in street clothes.

...but it might, and that’s good enough for us.

196       
EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- NIGHT

Drift through the doors to find the party already in swing.

As for the donation, I cannot even begin to imagine who out there would do such a selfless thing as that in such a selfish world as this.

Savannah shows a healthy looking Tim through the crowd. They greet their guests: here are Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, who happily hug their son-in-law...

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

And I realize, of course, that all this person has asked, in return for saving my husband’s life, is to remain anonymous.

...here is Alan, dressed up in a suit, shyly trying to engage a GAWKY GIRL in actual conversation...

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

So although it’s difficult, I know I have to respect his wishes. Which means all I can do is wake up every morning and say thank you. To the sky. To no one. To everyone.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

It’s a small gesture, but it’s all that I have. I hope that it is enough.

Then she excuses herself from the group.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

And that’s the gift this person has given me. That’s what has been missing from my life, and that’s what’s been returned to me now.

Savannah walks over to a window and stares out it, lost in thought.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

Hope.

198       
INT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR
-- A DIFFERENT ROOM

Tim looks around the crowd, surrounded by all these people who love him. He knows how lucky he is.

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

I hope this letter finds you well, John.

Then Tim suddenly realizes that something is missing. He looks around the party, trying to find his wife...

...but she’s nowhere to be found now.

199       
EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR
-- NIGHT

Although the party is in full swing indoors, things are much quieter out here. As the wind rustles through the trees --

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

Actually, I just hope this letter finds you, period.

200       
INT. LENOIR STABLES
-- NIGHT

Alan shows off his favorite horse to the Gawky Girl. While they stand there, petting her in silence, drift past them...

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

I hope that you’re safe, and that you’re happy. I have no idea where you are out there in the world, but I understand that I lost the right to know these things long ago.

201       
DRIFT TOWARDS THE MAIN HOUSE
--

-- where Savannah stands on the porch, alone. Then she looks up, into the night sky --

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

I want you to know, though, that no matter how much time passes, no matter how far away you are...

-- where she finds the full moon above her... and as she raises her thumb to cover it up --

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

...on nights like these, you’ll always be here with me.

202       
DRIFT AWAY FROM HER
--

-- pulling back from the house, heading down the driveway, up the hill, towards the woods by the main road...

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

And more than anything else, I hope that part of me is out there with you, too...

...landing by one tree in particular...

SAVANNAH’S VOICE

...wherever you may be.

...to find John standing in the shadows behind it. He watches Savannah stare up at their moon, and it makes him smile.

Then, after a long moment, John turns... and as he starts to head back to his car, to his house, to wherever he came from--

-- he disappears back into the shadows underneath the moon, which looms large above everything.