INT. ICU ROOM — LATE AFTERNOON
Jo is asleep now.
Finally.
Her breathing slow. Heavy.
Link sits beside her.
Still for a moment.
Watching her.
Making sure she’s really out.
His shoulder drops.
Just a little.
He leans back in the chair.
It’s been a day.
And for the first time since this morning, there’s nothing to do but wait.
He glances at his phone.
2 missed calls from his mom.
A quiet exhale.
Right.
He stands carefully and steps out.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS
Louder here.
Hospital sounds.
He dials Maureen.
Rings.
No answer.
He lowers the phone.
Thinks.
Then dials again.
AMELIA.
She picks up quickly.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Hey.
(a beat)
How are you?
LINK
Hey.
(a small exhale)
Okay, I guess.
(a beat)
You still with my parents?
AMELIA (V.O.)
No. We said goodbye about an hour ago.
Scout stayed with them though.
So if you want to talk to him, you’ll have to call your mom.
Link processes.
LINK
I thought it was your day with him.
(A beat)
Isn’t Sunday?
AMELIA (V.O.)
(a small smile in her voice)
It is…
(A beat)
But he and Luna didn’t want to split up.
A small shift in Link.
LINK
(soft)
Yeah…
That makes sense.
(a beat)
Thank you for that.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Hey, don’t worry about it.
It’s where he wanted to be.
(A beat)
And your parents didn’t exactly argue against it.
A quiet breath from Link.
LINK
Yeah… I can imagine.
(A beat)
It’s been hard with Luna without him.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Yeah…
(a little softer)
I figured.
(a beat)
She burst into tears when we were about to leave.
That lands.
Link’s face softens.
A beat.
AMELIA (V.O.)
(Soft)
How’s Jo?
A small pause.
LINK
She met the babies today.
(a beat)
It was… a lot for her.
She’s resting now.
A beat on the line.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Yeah.
I bet.
Quiet understanding.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Let me know if you need anything.
Your parents might need a break.
I can take both kids next weekend.
LINK
Yeah…
That would really help.
(a faint exhale)
But you’ll have to convince my mom…
You know how she is.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Yeah. I offered to take them today, but she wouldn’t…
(A beat, gentler)
You’ll have to ease her into it.
LINK
I’ll talk to her.
(A beat)
Jo and the twins are going to be here a while.
I’ll be back and forth, so… yeah, my parents are going to need the support.
(a softer beat)
And the kids could use the distraction.
AMELIA (V.O.)
(quiet, steady)
We’ll figure it out.
Call waiting.
MAUREEN.
LINK
My mom’s calling me back.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Sure. Go.
Say hi to Jo for me.
(a beat)
I’ll stop by when things settle a bit.
LINK
I will.
Thanks.
He hangs up.
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