scene 29
EXT. MOUNTAIN MEADOW - DAY
Surrounded by forest from which the riders emerge in pairs, side by side, led by Sess and Claire, followed by Jackie and Chloe, then Tom and Hunter, twenty or so yards between each pair riding toward forest at the far side of the meadow.
WITH TOM AND HUNTER
TOM: How often do you get to see her?
HUNTER: Her spring breaks, the last few weeks of her summer vacation, every other birthday and Christmas.
TOM: You and her mother on good terms?
HUNTER: Barbara. Yes we are.
TOM: What does she do?
HUNTER: She's a photographer and teaches a class at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
TOM: How 'bout her folks?
HUNTER: John and Jan, retired attorneys in Paso Robles.
TOM: Well that ain't too far from San Luis Obispo, is it?
HUNTER: Half hour drive, an hour by train.
TOM: Are they in good health?
HUNTER: Yes. They swim a few times a week and do a forty-minute walk every day.
TOM: You mentioned y'all wouldn't be here in a week.
HUNTER: Motorcycle tour that will include a couple days in Tucson to check out the town and campus.
TOM: She's thinkin' about goin' to school there.
HUNTER: Among other places. Barbara tells me she thinks there's a lean toward Oregon.
TOM: Does she have a boyfriend? Or girlfriend?
HUNTER: Not that I'm aware.
TOM: Do ya worry about her?
HUNTER: Only constantly.
WITH CHLOE AND JACKIE
JACKIE: Are you enjoying the college decision process?
CHLOE: Mostly. I mean, it's great to have choices.
JACKIE: Right.
CHLOE: I could be better at not worrying about making the wrong one.
JACKIE: Is surfing a factor at all?
CHLOE: Not so much. I could go to Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz but to be honest it's too close to home.
JACKIE: Wanna get away?
CHLOE: I do. What informed your decisions?
JACKIE: Undergrad I wanted to go away too, but my dad got sick so I stayed home and went to U-N-M.
CHLOE: Home being Albuquerque?
JACKIE: No. Home being here. I grew up on the Mescalero Apache reservation, down the road from Sess.
CHLOE: Oh.
JACKIE: University of Washington because of my ex-husband.
CHLOE: Are you in contact with him? To be super nosey.
JACKIE: Not nosey at all. And no, no contact. Someday, maybe, we'll see. Do you have a special friend?
CHLOE (PAUSE): No.
JACKIE: Pause.
CHLOE: An attraction, I guess. I don't know. I want to focus on, you know, the business at hand.
JACKIE: I get it.
CHLOE: How long have Sess and Claire been a couple?
JACKIE: A little over a year.
CHLOE: Claire lives in Oklahoma?
JACKIE: Yes, but not for much longer. She and Sess are going to buy land a build in Mayhill, a small town an hour-and-a-half south of here.
CHLOE: Cool.
JACKIE: Tom seems alright.
CHLOE: He does. Thanks for getting him a horse.
JACKIE: That's all Sess. But I'm very happy she could.
CHLOE: Me too.
WITH SESS AND CLAIRE
CLAIRE: I haven't seen that Jackie smile in awhile.
SESS: Sparkly, isn't it?
CLAIRE: She and Chloe seem to be hitting it off.
SESS: She was a little worried.
CLAIRE: Chloe's cool.
SESS: Agreed.
CLAIRE: So who's the cowboy to Hunter?
SESS: Surprise visitor., all I know.
CLAIRE: Hmm.
SESS: Right?
CLAIRE: Butter's got a little pep in his mosey.
SESS: I noticed.
CLAIRE: The cowboy's talking to him.
SESS: I heard.
CLAIRE: What do you think his relation to Hunter is.
SESS: Feel it more than I think it. Family. Blood.
They stop at the forest, turn to watch the others approach and arrive.
CLAIRE: Uncle?
SESS: At least.
Jackie and Chloe arrive.
SESS (CONT.): How we doin'?
CHLOE/JACKIE: Great. Jinx.
SESS: Ready for a little uphill?
Chloe nods.
JACKIE: Great view at the top.
CHLOE: Cool.
SESS: Then on to lunch.
Hunter and Tom arrive.
SESS: Gentlemen.
TOM/HUNTER: Ladies.
SESS: So far so good?
HUNTER: Merely fantastic.
TOM: Best time I've had in awhile.
CLAIRE: Speaking of in awhile, Sess and I notice Butter's got some giddyup we haven't seen.
TOM: He's a wonderful horse.
SESS: He's come a long way.
CLAIRE: He likes to be talked to.
TOM: I noticed.
SESS: So did we.
TOM: Any particular reason you put me on him?
SESS: Yes.
CLAIRE: You didn't see his ears perk and his tail swish when you spoke?
TOM: I did. First horse I had was a palomino.
CHLOE: What was his or her name?
TOM: His name was Beau.
SESS: Would you mind telling us a littlr more about Beau over lunch?
TOM: Be happy to.
CHLOE: Any uphill riding tips?
SESS: We have a little climb around the bend.
Tom gestures as he speaks.
TOM: Well, ya wanna lean forward, keep your weight in your heels and your hands low with a loose rein .so your horse to use her neck for leverage and balance. But prob'ly better if I show ya when we get there.
CHLOE: It's a date.
SESS: Let's.
Sess and Claire lead the group into the woods and out of view.