INT. GREAT ROOM - DAY
Limestone construction. Leather seating arrangement faces the fireplace and longhorn steer horns above the framed photographs on its mantle. Two whitetail buck trophy mounts on each side of the chimney. Similar seating faces the wall-mounted TV at the other end of the room. Framed reproduction of William Hahn's painting, Mexican Cattle Drive in Southern California, on a wall above an old leather sofa attended by a stone and wood coffee table with a few books on it.
Oaxacan rugs on hardwood between this wall and its opposite, mostly window with a view of oak trees as far as the eye can see, neither fence nor neighbor in sight. Rifles in a case in a corner down from the TV, minibar in the opposite corner. Sombrero and cowboy hats on rack near doorway down from fireplace. Down from fireplace in corner near window Gil sits in a rocker near a lamp on a table, hatless and bootless in socks, glasses on, reading the book open in his lap. He turns a page a moment before MARIA, 40ish - sandals, faded jeans, mustard tee with BROWNSVILLE GYRL in brown across the front - arrives in the doorway.
She watches Gil and a moment later the soccer ball that rolls into view, followed by RODRIGO 14, and slightly taller ROBERTO, 16, in cleats, shorts, Mexican National Team soccer jerseys, racing to the ball. Gil looks up at them, watches Roberto get to the ball first and kick it out of view. He chases after it, racing Rodrigo to get to the ball again. Gil and Maria watch Rodrigo overtake Roberto before they leave view. Gil smiles, shakes his head, stares out in as if in reverie, returns his attention to the book.
MARIA: Knock knock.
GIL: Who's there?
MARIA: Ida.
GIL: Ida who?
MARIA: Ida forgotten Tom and Wanda arrived yesterday had I not seen it on the calendar.
Gil marks the page near the end of the book we see is Foglost, removes glasses, turns to her.
GIL: Change in plans. Tom arrives tomorrow and Wanda stayed back to help a friend with some medical appointments.
MARIA: Oh. Okay.
GIL: Tom and Ruth will be over day after tomorrow. Dinner will be the fish the boys and I catch that morning.
MARIA: River or lake.
GIL: We'll take the boat out. Speaking of which, I thought I'd let Robby drive the nine-eleven tomorrow.
MARIA: Oh boy. Does he know?
GIL: No.
MARIA: Well tell me when you're going to tell him because I want to see his face.
GIL: You know I will.
MARIA: Have a drive in mind?
GIL: Vanderpool loop.
MARIA: Shoot a little video.
GIL: You know I will.
MARIA: Almost to the end of Foglost. .
GIL: Probably finish it tonight.
MARIA: Fast read for a fat book.
GIL: Page turner.
MARIA: Has the fog lifted?
GIL: Not yet.
MARIA: Think it will?
GIL: No telling. I sure didn't see the end of Water Feature coming.
The soccer ball enters the picture as previously, from the direction it had been kicked. The boys pursue the ball as previously. This time it is Rodrigo who reaches the ball first, barely, kicks it out of view, pursues it as previously, but is overtaken by Roberto before they leave view.
GIL (CONT.): Rodrigo's caught him.
MARIA: Yep. The pass is not far off.
GIL: Yep.
MARIA: Tamales in half an hour.
GIL: Thank you, sweetheart.
Maria leaves. Gil puts on his glasses, opens book to the page-mark, resumes reading.
