All Quotes

"[Amy takes Eva's hand]"

"Amy: Your brother loves you so much, Eva."

"Eva: Well, fine. I just don't want you to love him so much. You think everything he does is so...precious. I hate him, he's a nerd."

"Amy: Don't you remember how emotional you've had if I warned you I was pregnant?"

"Eva: It sounded cool since Tom said I was getting a half-brother, but then an entire one showed up instead."

"Amy: Warn you what. Why don't I pack his bag right now? I'll leave him on the street tonight, and let's hope someone really nice finds him and takes brief care of him."

"[As if they'll ever dump Jack out on the street. Eva looks at her mum with a knowing smirk. Amy grins back at her]"

"[Eva stifles a chortle]"

"Eva: C'mon, Mum...just shoot him."

"[In a rundown trailer home in Venice Beach, Shorty Kohn is in the middle of his own conversation. He is speaking to himself, though, and reading aloud from a letter. It is not a nice letter and not a nice conversation]"

"[The monkey scampers up the wall of the trailer to get as far off from Shorty as he can. Now he is dangling upside down from a beam, just inches separate from the furious face of his owner]"

"[Shorty growls and reaches for something on the kitchen counter. Splat! The monkey dodges a yogurt container as it sails across the room. He jumps to the floor as Shorty kicks out blindly. A chair smashes against the wall]"

"[Shorty's wife has just left him, taking their ten-year-old son, Mark, with her]"

"Shorty: She even took my freaking food! [The tacky trailer has been stripped clean––kitchen shelves, cabinets and all]"

"[The monkey scrambles atop the small kitchen table and peers at the envelope. Scratching his head, he stares at the scribbled lines that read "To Shorty". Then he listens to Shorty read aloud from the letter]"

"[Puzzled, the monkey scampers into the bedroom area. The boy's bunk is empty, as is his closet and bathroom. All that is left is a dirty baseball cap and a photo of Mark scowling. Hurrying back to Shorty, the monkey holds out the photo. Shorty glances at the picture of his son, but frustratingly tears it up]"

"Shorty: The little jerk's gone. She left and took him with her––because of you. She hated you and your stinking mess, and she hated me for keeping you around!"

"[Frustrated, Shorty kicks out at the monkey, who dodges the blow. Realizing he is in danger, the monkey hides inside the closet behind the boy's bunk. He has never seen Shorty so frustrated before]"

"[At dawn, the monkey creeps out. All clear. Shorty is asleep on the bed, snoring louder. Now is the time to escape. What has Shorty's wife done if she's left? The monkey wrinkles his face, but hurries over to the messy kitchen counter. He finds a piece of paper and a pencil and begins scribbling wavy lines on it. He pauses for a few seconds, peering at his work. Yes! It looks just like Shorty's letter from the night before. The monkey nods and adds a few more squiggles. Then he stuffs the paper inside the torn envelope and takes off]"

"Amy: Eva, c'mon, get dressed!"

"[Amy pokes her head in the door and frowns]"

"[Yet in her pajamas, Eva kicks at the tangled mess of tights, socks, shirts and sweatshirts on the bedroom floor]"

"Eva: Everything looks disgusting on me."

"[Amy bends over and extracts a skirt, tights, sweater and blouse from the jumble]"

"Amy: Do we have to do this every single morning? You're already late, and you know Paul isn't going to wait. Look at this mess!"

"[She throws the outfit she's assembled into Eva's arms]"

"Amy: Now get moving. And I'm leaving the rest of this stuff right here for you to put away if you get home."

"[Her mum yells at her almost every morning to get her act together, but today Eva realizes her mother is only saying the words. Her heart isn't in it. Something has just happened. Amy's eyes are red]"

"Eva: Mum, have you been crying?"

"[Her mother pauses in the doorway, her face turned away from Eva]"

"Eva: No, I'm just tired. I––I couldn't sleep last night."

"[Amy leaves the bedroom without warning Eva about the burglarly of their apartment the day before. Not knowing about her mother's problem, Eva focuses on her own. Finding a decent outfit to wear at school]"

"[Eva holds up the sweater, blouse and skirt her mum has picked out, but makes a face. Too cutesy. Too gross, is more like it. Eva tosses the sweater and blouse on the floor, but discovers a crumpled T-shirt underneath the bed. It's perfect! Now, what to wear with it? She paws slowly through the mess at her feet]"

"[Buzz! Eva hears the intercom go off in the hallway. Paul, the twelve-year-old friend who walks her to school, speaks to her mother]"

"Paul: Mrs. Gregory? If she's not down in two moments, I'm going without her. [Eva hears every word––now she really has to hustle]"

"Amy: Why do you do this to me? [She pushes Eva out the front door of the apartment building] You knew Paul wouldn't wait for you, and now I have to walk you to school."

"[They rush among the park, but approach the pet store. The pet store is one of Eva's favorite places. And Annie, the young woman who works there, is one of Eva's favorite people. Eva can never exchange stopping to gaze in the window at the adorable puppies. She has practically been running to keep up with her mother, but now she slows down]"

"[Amy shakes her head, no]"

"Amy: Eva, that's enough! I said no!"

"[Just then, Annie comes out of the shop to set up a sign]"

"Annie: Good morning, Eva!"

"[Eva waves back, but her mum drags her off. They've really have to rush now to get to school on time]"

"[Later that day, Eva wishes she has never shown up. It is her third grade's hour for show-and-warn, and little Miss Know It All Jesse has brought her Yorkshire terrier. She has even dressed it in a plaid sweater. Eva stares enviously at the very small dog]"

"Jesse: Well, this is my dog, Toto."

"Eva: Do you feed him? Do you walk him? Do you clean up his poop?"

"[At the mention of the word "poop", half the class breaks into laughter. Katie, Eva's best friend, guffaws the hardest. Even Christine, Eva's teacher, attempts to keep a straight face]"

"[Everyone is laughing, but Eva has asked the questions seriously. You can't really say you own a pet unless you take care of it yourself, right? Isn't that what her mum is always drumming into her?]"

"[At the front of the class, Jesse wriggles in amusement]"

"Jesse: Well, actually, my mum does most of that stuff."

"Eva: Then he's not really yours."