EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT
SUPER:
CHRISTMAS EVE 11: 30 P.M.
There are two cars parked in the driveway, an Escalade and a Mercedes Benz. The house is a mansion.
INT. HOUSE – CONTINUOUS
There is a huge staircase going up to the second floor. A balcony overlooks the living room. There is a beautiful Christmas tree in the middle of the living room. There are however, no presents beneath it.
KEISHA is ten years old and ANDREA is eight. Both are seated on the balcony with their backs against the railings.
KEISHA
I’m going to wait up to see Santa
Claus tonight.
ANDREA
You said the same thing last time,
but you fell asleep.
KEISHA
Well, I’m older than I was last year,
and I say I’m going to stay up.
ANDREA
Mom is going to check on us.
KEISHA
Mom is too busy talking to her friends,
wishing them a merry Christmas; she
won’t check on us.
ANDREA
I’m not going to stay up with you.
She looks curiously at her sister.
KEISHA
Why not?
ANDREA
Because I want to sleep.
KEISHA
Oh, you little baby.
ANDREA
I’m not a baby.
KEISHA
Ok, so stay up with me then.
Only babies go to bed so early.
ANDREA
Well, that means you’re a baby too,
‘cause mom makes you go to bed
early too.
KEISHA
Only because I want to.
ANDREA
I’m going to tell mom.
KEISHA
Only babies act like you.
(mimicking her sister)
I’m going to tell mom.
(like herself)
Why don’t you grow up?
ANDREA
Why don’t you?
KEISHA
I’m grown.
ANDREA
No, you’re not, you're just ten.
KEISHA
I’m more grown than you are.
ANDREA
Mom is not going to let you stay up.
KEISHA
Mom doesn’t have to know.
ANDREA
Well I’m going to go sleep.
KEISHA
I’ll tell you what happens in the morning.
Andrea gets to her feet.
ANDREA
Good night.
KEISHA
Good night, don’t let the bed bugs bite.
ANDREA
(irritably)
I don’t have any bed bugs.
Keisha laughs.
KEISHA
I’m just kidding; you can’t take a joke either?
Andrea leaves to her room.
INT. HOUSE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
SUPER:
CHRISTMAS MORNING TWELVE THIRTY A.M.
There is still no present beneath the Christmas tree. Keisha kneels and presses her face between two of the rails while holding two with her arms. She sees as her mom enters and goes beneath the tree. She has nothing in her arms. The living room is lit, but it is dim. Keisha sees as the door is opened and Santa Claus enters with a sack over his shoulder. He places the sack on the floor and goes to her mom who approaches him.
Her mom embraces him and kisses him. Keisha’s jaws drop, her mouth is opened; she has an incredulous look on her face.
KEISHA
(softly)
Mom is kissing Santa Claus, I can’t believe it.
I’m gonna tell dad.
She pulls away from the railing and creeps to her sister’s room. She opens the door silently and enters.
INT. ANDREA’S ROOM – CONTINUOUS
The room is lit with a night-light. Keisha shakes her sister.
KEISHA
Andrea, wake up.
Andrea doesn’t want to be awaken. She drawls irritably.
ANDREA
What?
KEISHA
I saw mom kissing Santa Claus.
Andrea comes fully awake. She sits up and rubs her eyes. She looks at Keisha; she too now has an incredulous look on her face. She speaks softly.
ANDREA
(incredulously)
You saw mom kissing Santa Claus?
KEISHA
Yes, I did. He came in with his sack
over his shoulder. And when he saw mom,
he dropped it and they started kissing.
ANDREA
No.
KEISHA
I’m serious. Cross my heart and hope
to die.
ANDREA
Well, we’re going to have to tell dad,
aren't we?
KEISHA
I’m not going to tell him, I’ll get into trouble.
ANDREA
What do you think we should do?
KEISHA
I don’t know.
ANDREA
Did you see the presents he brought?
KEISHA
He didn’t put down any presents, he was too
busy kissing mom.
ANDREA
Do you think mom is cheating on dad
with Santa Claus
KEISHA
I don’t know, but mom must really
loves him why she kissed him the
way she did.
ANDREA
Well, the good thing is, the guy only
comes once a year. Maybe next year
mom will forget him.
KEISHA
And what I’ll do in the meantime is make a sign.
Andrea has a perplexed look on her face.
ANDREA
A sign?
KEISHA
Yeah, one which says, "Santa, you’re not
welcome." After all, we don’t want mom and
dad to break up now, do we?
ANDREA
No, we don’t.
Andrea is sad. She has her elbows on her thighs and her cheeks in her palms.
ANDREA
And I like the old guy so much.
KEISHA
What old guy?
ANDREA
(sincerely)
Santa. I just didn’t know he was a cheat.
KEISHA
Well, maybe someone should tell Mrs. Claus.
ANDREA
Yeah, maybe someone should.
KEISHA
Well, I’ve got to go back out and
see what’s going on.
Andrea brightens.
ANDREA
Hey, maybe we could sneak and open
the packages Santa brought.
KEISHA
No, that’s not a good idea, we would get into
trouble for sure.
ANDREA
So what are you going to do?
KEISHA
I can’t sleep. I’m going to sit on the balcony
until morning; maybe I’ll see dad when he
is coming in.
ANDREA
Are you going to tell him?
KEISHA
No, I think mom is gonna forget Santa;
he only comes once a year, remember?
ANDREA
Yeah, so we’ve got to make sure
Dad isn’t home when he comes.
KEISHA
Yeah. Goodnight.
Andrea falls back on the bed and pulls her comforter back over her.
ANDREA
Goodnight.
Keisha leaves.
INT. HOUSE – NIGHT
SUPER:
CHRISTMAS MORNING ONE THIRTY A.M.
Keisha is asleep on the balcony. She is lying on the floor. She suddenly comes awake and creeps up to the railing; she peeps down. Santa Claus is in the house again, but this time he is not wearing his beard or his hat. Once again Keisha’s jaws drop and she stares unbelievingly at her DAD.
KEISHA
(softly)
So that was dad, that’s why mom was
kissing him.
Keisha watches as her dad ascends the stairs. She then creeps to her sister’s room.
INT. ANDREA’S ROOM – CONTINUOUS
She shakes her sister. Andrea opens her eye, sees her sister.
ANDREA
Keisha! Not again. Mom!
Keisha covers her mouth. She bites Keisha. Keisha pulls away her hand quickly, flashing it.
KEISHA
(grimaces)
Ah, you bit me.
Andrea sits up.
ANDREA
You shouldn’t have put your hand in my
mouth.
KEISHA
I didn’t want you to scream for mom.
ANDREA
(adamantly)
You still shouldn’t have put your hand in
my mouth.
KEISHA
I just wanted to cover your mouth.
so you wouldn't scream like a baby.
ANDREA
Only adults do that, and you’re not
an adult.
KEISHA
Well, you’re a baby.
ANDREA
I’m not a baby.
KEISHA
Well only babies bite.
ANDREA
Still I’m not a baby. I’m eight years
old. What do you want?
KEISHA
I know why mom was kissing Santa Claus.
ANDREA
Yeah. Why?
KEISHA
It was not Santa Claus, it was dad.
ANDREA
What do you mean?
KEISHA
It was dad who was dressed up as
Santa Claus.
ANDREA
No.
KEISHA
Yeah.
Andrea is sad. She has her elbows on her knees and her cheeks in her palms.
ANDREA
It looks like we’ll never get to
see the real Santa Claus.
KEISHA
Maybe dad is the real Santa Claus.
ANDREA
No, he is too young. Santa Claus
has beard and he is old.
KEISHA
But the beard is not real.
ANDREA
Now you’re beginning to sound like
an adult.
KEISHA
Let’s face it. During the year, dad
and mom are the ones who buy us gifts;
maybe they are the same ones who
buy it during Christmas too .
ANDREA
Are you saying Santa Claus is not real?
KEISHA
Well, maybe the old guy is tired.
After all he is really old.
ANDREA
Maybe you’re right. Well, at least
we know why mom was kissing Santa
Claus.
KEISHA
Yeah.
ANDREA/KEISHA
Santa Claus was dad.
They both laugh.
FADE OUT