Terms of Endearment
written by James L. Brooks, from the novel by Larry McMurtry
Emma: Tommy, you be sweet. Be sweet. And stop tryin' to pretend that you hate me. I mean, it's silly.
Tommy (Troy Bishop): (strained) I like you.
Emma: Okay, then will you listen especially close?
Tommy: What?
Emma: You'll listen real hard?
Tommy: I said, what?!
Emma: I know you like me. I know it. For the last year or two you've been pretending that you hate me. (draws breath) I love you very much. I love you as much as I love anybody...as much as I love myself. And in a few years, when I haven't been around to be on your butt about something, or irritating you, you're gonna remember. You'll remember that time when I bought you the baseball glove when you thought we were too broke. Or when...I read you those stories, or, or when I let you goof off instead of mowing the lawn, lots of things like that. And you're gonna realize that you love me. And maybe you're gonna feel bad, because you never told me, but don't! I know that you love me! So don't ever do that to yourself, all right?
Tommy: Okay...
Emma: Okay?
Tommy: I said okay!
Emma: Okay. You two should run along. Take care. Gimme a kiss.
(He does. The boys begin to exit. She looks after them.)
Emma: I was so scared! I think it went really well, don't you?
(Teddy (Huckleberry Fox) pauses, holding the door open. He nods his head, too fearful and overwhelmed to dare say a word.)
Emma: Yeah...
(The boys are gone. Emma buries her face in her hands and begins to cry.)
Kudos and much thanks go to Shawn for this monologue, it is very much appreciated.