INT. GREAT ROOM - DAY
Limestone rancho, windows to Live Oak Forest.
Fireplace, two whitetail buck mounts on each side of chimney, longhorn steer horns above the mantel lined with framed family photographs.
Leather furniture, pool table, wall-mounted big-screen TV, framed print of José María Velasco Valley of Mexico painting.
Minibar in a corner, neon Victoria beer sign, off, Mexico flag. Opening to hallway.
GIL, 70-something - huaraches, old jeans, unbuttoned plaid over tee - in a rocker near a lampstand in a corner near the big window a couch and two recliners face over a knee-high table. He's reading Foglost through glasses propped on the bridge of his nose. Phone on lampstand.
MARIA, early-40s - socks, corduroy bellbottoms, mustard-colored long-sleeve tee with BROWNSVILLE GRL in brown across the front - appears in hallway in stealth mode, slowly approaching. She stops at the entrance, watches Gil. He turns a page.
MARIA: Knock knock.
GIL: Who's there?
MARIA: Ida?
GIL: Ida who?
MARIA: Ida forgotten Tom and Wanda arrive today had I not seen it on the calendar.
Gil marks pages, closes Foglost.
GIL: Just Tom. Wanda stayed back to be with a friend whose husband just passed.
MARIA: Oh. Whatcha readin’?
Gil holds up the book for her to see. She approaches.
MARIA: Your guy, finally. How long's it been?
GIL: A little over four years.
MARIA: What's Foglost about?
Gil: Alcoholism.
MARIA: He seems to stick to the cheery stuff. What's H C looking like these days?
Gil opens to author blurb and photo flap. The photo captures Hunter looking back at the camera with the Organ Mountains in the background.
The blurb reads: Foglost is H.C. Hardyn's third novel, following Trabuco and Balboa. His first book is Nicks and Scrapes, a collection of short stories.
MARIA: He just gets handsomer. Those sure look like the Organ Mountains. Right?
GIL: They do.
MARIA: Does he live in Las Cruces?
GIL: His wiki page doesn't say where he lives.
GIL'S PHONE RINGTONES TOM'S HELICOPTER WHOM-WHOMP.
MARIA: Tom?
GIL: Tom.
He picks up, stares at Tom's Organ Mountains selfie. Noting the surprise on his face, Maria looks over her shoulder at the selfie we saw Tom taking in Hunter's back yard, framing himself and the Organ Mountains in almost the same way as Hunter's author photo.
MARIA: Dad?
GIL: Yeah.
MARIA: That's a little weird, right?
GIL: Uncanny.
MARIA: It's like he's in the same spot.
We HEAR THEIR APPROACH a moment before Roberto, 15, and Rodrigo, 13, enter, in shorts and t-shirts.
MARIA: I'll take this as you're ready.
The boys nod.
GIL: Ready for what?
MARIA: That's what I came to tell you. We're tubing with the Bufords. Spur of the moment thing.
GIL: Where are you putting in?
MARIA: Ranger crossing. Wanna come?
GIL: Pass, thanks. Who of the Bufords.
MARIA: The kids and Katy. Dan's doing pick up
GIL: Pass along my hello.
MARIA: Will do. Tom and Ruth coming over?
GIL: Sunday.
MARIA: Maybe Tom will tell me more about that selfie.
GIL: I'm curious as well.
ROBERTO/RODRIGO: Abuelito?
GIL: Yessirs.
Rodrigo and Roberto look at each other. Roberto nods to Rodrigo.
RODRIGO: Can we drive one day?
GIL: It's on the schedule.
Roberto and Rodrigo exchange a high-five.
GIL (CONT.: Let's talk about where when you get back.
They run to him, hug him, kiss him on the cheek.
RODRIGO/ROBERTO: Thank you
GIL: Take a few pictures.
The boys nod, leave, Maria follows, stops at entrance, turns to Gil.
MARIA: There is a story, isn't there?
Gil smiles. Maria nods, leaves. Gil opens the book to the author flap, looks at it awhile, opens the book, resumes reading.
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