Lulu in Honolulu (15 page)

LULU

(quietly)

It's my fault. I…had this idea that family was about supporting each other.

SOPHIA

It is.

LULU

Well, not MY family. You don't even want to know what happened, but let's just say me trying to help got ambulances and fire trucks involved.

SILENCE.

LULU

(soft, sad voice)

I ruined my parents' movie. And I ruined spending summer as a family.

SOPHIA

Lu, sometimes parents just have to put work first.

Lulu plunks down on her messy closet floor.

SQUEEEEEAAAAK. Lulu lifts her bottom and tosses a squeaky shoe into a corner.

LULU

Well, what's so great about family stuff? I shouldn't have even cared about my parents being with me. That's so babyish anyway.

Watson wanders over to Lulu. He licks her face.

Lulu can't help giggling.

SOPHIA

Well, at least you're laughing about it.

LULU

No! I'm laughing because Watson's kissing my face.

SOPHIA

That's gross if his muzzle was in the toilet.

LULU

He was just lapping the water, not licking the toilet bowl.

SOPHIA

(chuckles)

Lu, only you wouldn't mind getting smooched by a dog's toilet tongue. Which proves, you're the same old Lulu. So, listen: You're still in Honolulu! Find monk seals, snorkel reefs, touch real koa trees, and eat more yummy stuff. Send me more pictures and videos!

LULU

Thanks, Soph. But all my camp friends, who I did that stuff with, are probably never talking to me again.

SOPHIA

Hey, if they're really friends, then they're probably home wondering why you're not talking to them.

Lulu takes a deep breath.

LULU

I'll try them 'cause my family doesn't care about me and I don't care anymore about them.

SOPHIA

(softly)

Lu, you love your family. Don't start thinking that's not important.

LULU

Aloha
, Soph, and
mahalo
. I love that you called me.

Lulu clicks off and stretches out her legs.

SQUEEEEAAAAK.

LULU

Those silly baby shoes. Can't I move in this closet without squeaking?

Lulu picks one up, squeezes it zillions of times, and realizes…she's got to think carefully about each next step.

INT. BUBBIES ICE CREAM SHOP—SUNDAY, 11 A.M.

Bubbies Hand Made Ice Cream and Desserts looks like an old-fashioned ice cream parlor from any American town except for a small blackboard that lists the daily
mochi
flavors.

CUT!! In case you don't know what
mochi
is, it's one of the most best desserts ever, and coming from me, a dessert expert, you know that it's gotta be amazing!
Mochi
starts with ice cream of any flavor. The ice cream gets wrapped in a gummy, sweet outside that's made from pounded sticky white rice. Oh, just so you know, at Bubbies, you can get your
mochi
dipped in chocolate. OK, back to, ACTION!!

Lulu and Maya wait in a long line. Lulu stares at the homemade ice creams in the bright, icy case.

MAYA

How about you try something new? Like one of those sundaes?

Maya points to a menu hanging behind the counter.

LULU

Nope! I'm here to get my most favorite fave.

MAYA and LULU

(together)

Chocolate peanut butter
mochi
.

LULU

(smiles)

Dipped in chocolate.

Lulu and Maya scooch closer to the register. The line moves slowly.

LULU

(rests her head on Maya's arm)

I've gotta figure out how to get my mom's job back, so she can direct
Seas the
Day
to the end.
(pause)
But don't worry, I'm not rushing into anything.

Lulu reaches into her tote bag and pulls out a squeaky Mary Jane.

Maya puts her arm around Lulu's shoulders.

Lulu and Maya slide up. Lulu glances over and notices the flaming red hair and the gigantic belly.

LULU

Mrs. Adams?

Mrs. Adams grins. Her rosy, plump cheeks rise on her pretty round face.

LULU

(talking speedy)

Aloha
! It's me, Lulu! Ya know, your husband saved my puggie from drowning.

MRS. ADAMS

(eyes twinkling)

That was your dog? Well, my husband hasn't taken that goofy ALOHA hat off his head.

MAYA

(glancing at Mrs. Adams's tummy)

Looks like that baby could be coming any day.

MRS. ADAMS

(leans in to Lulu and Maya)

She could be born right here at Bubbies!

Lulu's eyes bulge. Mrs. Adams winks.

MRS. ADAMS

I'm kidding. But it's so close now that I told Colonel Adams he better cut it with working ALL the time.

LULU

That's super-looper of you. My mom and dad work all the time.

MRS. ADAMS

(looks into Lulu's eyes)

Lots do. Actually,

(pauses and leans even closer to Lulu)

Noelani's mom is coming home. Colonel Adams is bringing her back to Honolulu to take over command from him before our baby is born.

LULU

(eyes bulge even bigger than before)

Geez peas! When?

Maya edges Lulu forward.

MRS. ADAMS

As soon as Marine command arranges her transport from her ship.

(rubs her belly)

This baby isn't going to wait too much longer!

INT./EXT. BUBBIES—CONTINUOUS

MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER

May I help you?

The man looks exhausted. His name tag, that says MILO, sags on his shirt.

LULU

May I please have four chocolate peanut butter
mochi
dipped in chocolate? For here.

MILO

No.

Lulu smiles at him. She thinks he's kidding.

MILO

No really. You can't. Someone called from his car, and we had to do a huge order of chocolate peanut butter
mochi
. He wanted three dozen.

LULU

How could you sell him ALL of them?

MILO

(whispering)

He's, like, important. He makes movies.

LULU

But…

MILO

(to Lulu)

Look, kiddo, how about some exotic
mochi
today. Like lychee or guava or passion fruit or….

LULU

Or I can help you carry out the order. You need an extra hand?

Milo looks behind him and sees his coworker juggling six wobbling boxes.

MILO

Sure that might be helpful. Then I'll give you free
mochi
, any other flavor, when you come back in. You won't have to wait in line.

Lulu scoots behind the counter. A WORKER hands her three boxes and then motions for her to follow him outside. Lulu tries to hold the boxes in a neat stack, but the
mochi
roll around, making the boxes feels like something's alive inside. She clutches the bottom box and rests her chin on the top one.

EXT. BUBBIES ICE CREAM SHOP—CONTINUOUS

They round the corner of Bubbies and enter a small driveway. A long white limo idles. When the DRIVER sees the employee with the boxes, he opens the front passenger door. The employee puts his boxes in first.

LULU

(to the driver)

If I move my chin, I think they'll all fall. Can ya grab the boxes?

The driver takes the boxes and in a flash Lulu knocks on the rear passenger window. The thick, dark glass smoothly slides down.

Lulu comes face-to-face with Mr. Sanyo!

LULU

(speaks extra speedy)

Aloha
! It's me, Lulu Harrison.

Mr. Sanyo runs his freshly buffed fingernails through his neatly combed hair. His mirrored sunglasses reflect Lulu to Lulu.

MR. SANYO

(no humor in his voice)

I can see that. Don't come too close to me. I don't want to get wet or damaged somehow.

LULU

(speaking super-fast)

Sorry to bother you. I was curious who ordered all the chocolate peanut butter
mochi
. Now Bubbies is out. That's OK 'cause maybe I can come back tomorrow. I really just wanted to know who else loved chocolate peanut butter as much as I do.

A wind comes up and blows Lulu's wild hair. Clumps land in her mouth, and she pulls them out.

Mr. Sanyo's driver approaches to shoo Lulu away. Mr. Sanyo waves him off.

MR. SANYO

(still in mirrored sunglasses)

You love chocolate peanut butter
mochi
also?

LULU

(smiling)

It's one of the yummiest things to eat on O'ahu. And, trust me, I've sampled lots of runner-ups.

MR. SANYO

It's the perfect combination—of American and Japanese.
Mochi
, the Japanese treat I ate since I was a boy, filled with peanut butter ice cream that can only be found in America.

(pauses)

Why don't you have one of my
mochi
? Actually, take one of the boxes.

(he gives a tiny smile)

Bring it home to your mother. Tell her I'm sorry that my studio can't back her directing the movie anymore.

LULU

But why not?

The Driver approaches to give Lulu a yank. Mr. Sanyo puts up his smooth hand to hold him off another moment.

MR. SANYO

I don't expect you to understand this, but I'll tell you.

(he slides his window all the way down)

Seas the Day
has taken TOO long to make and, therefore, is costing TOO much money. Additionally, the picture remains absent of its final military scene.

CUT!! This is one more of those times that I have to tell you what's going on inside me. The camera on the outside would show me totally not moving, like, not even twitching. But my brain is spinning. I'm mashing together a plan. And I'm summoning up my inner
koa
, ya know, bravery, to pull it off. At this second, I am absolutely convinced of one thing:
mochi
might be magic. OK, back to: ACTION!!

LULU

Well, actually, Mr. Sanyo, sir, that landing scene is pretty much all put together. My mother has been working secretly with U.S. Marines Corps Forces Command all summer.

Mr. Sanyo opens his door and steps his tall, lean frame out of the car. There's not a wrinkle in his dark blue suit.

LULU

(whispering)

It all had to be arranged in a hush-hush way. And the military will only give this opportunity to my mom. She's the one who's been, ummm, given the top-secret information.

MR. SANYO

(pulls off his mirrored glasses)

Top secret?

LULU

(talks super fast)

But super geez please, Mr. Sanyo. Don't tell anyone.

MR. SANYO

When is this supposed to be happening?

LULU

Ummm, how long are you going to be in Honolulu?

MR. SANYO

(eyes sparkle with interest)

That depends. I fly on my own plane, so it takes off whenever I need it to.

Mr. Sanyo gets back into his car but the car door remains open.

LULU

Well, my sister, Alexis, will call your assistant, as soon as the top-secret filming information is, ahhh, ahhh, available.

Mr. Sanyo leans toward Lulu.

MR. SANYO

(lowers his voice)

If it's confidential, have her call me directly.

Mr. Sanyo hands Lulu his thick, white card with his private cell phone. The Driver shuts Mr. Sanyo's door.

LULU

(trying to sound casual to the driver)

Can you give me that box of peanut butter chocolate
mochi
Mr. Sanyo said I could have?

While he retrieves the
mochi
, Lulu whistles “Yankee Doodle.” Concentrating on the song slows down the flip-flopping in her stomach.