by Charlotte T Martin
INT. KITCHEN – MORNING
MATTHEW (30s) sips his coffee at the kitchen table, staring out the window. His husband, LUCAS (40s), shuffles into the kitchen and pours himself some coffee.
LUCAS
You couldn’t sleep either?
Matthew shakes his head. Lucas joins him at the table and sets a baby monitor between them. They drink in silence.
MATTHEW
Intersex.
He rolls the word around in his mouth like a new flavor.
LUCAS
There are no medical repercussions.
MATTHEW
With the surgery?
LUCAS
Without it.
The baby monitor comes to life with little baby whimpers.
MATTHEW
But is her–their–life going to be harder? If we don’t?
Lucas reached across the table and touches his husband’s arm.
LUCAS
Babe. Everything’s different now. It’s not like when we were kids.
The baby starts to cry. Matthew smiles and starts to rise.
MATTHEW
Not like when you were a kid, maybe. You cougar.
Matthew goes to get their baby and Lucas smacks his butt and he goes.
MATTHEW (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Hello my baby. Hello my perfect little baby. Ooh, what’s the matter?
FADE TO BLACK.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Charlotte T. Martin (she/they) is an award-winning writer and actress. Their short film, CHEMISTRY, has screened at more than 15 festivals across the country, and has won a wide variety of audience choice and social impact awards. Their short, MELISSA, was one of five projects selected for Tribeca Film Institute’s Through Her Lens program, and is now being developed as a feature. Charlotte is also the newly-appointed Education Director for Children’s Film Academy of Madison, a non-profit dedicated to creating opportunities for young artists curious about the art of filmmaking.