Forty Love

By Jack Sholl

Life for good-girl Jane Bennington had always been simple business; live for the racquet, get good grades and be faithful to your loved ones. But fame and fortune come at a cost even for the squeaky-clean, or so she finds as she adjusts to the life provided to her by her killer backhand.

Sex, drugs and corruption abound in this story about a young woman losing herself and her innocence in a world of glitz and glamour. This tale of triumph, heartbreak and redemption follows the young and nave tennis star on her trip through hell and back played among the highly competitive arena of world-championship tennis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491836514

Jack Sholl

Jack Sholl is a former journalist and national editor with The Associated Press in New York and has worked for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. He is the author of a number of screenplays and other works. He lives in Florida.

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© 2014 Jack Sholl. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, products, events or locales is entirely concidental.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/28/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3859-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3920-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3651-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013921170

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

FADE IN:

INT. BENNINGTON HOUSE—DAY

A collection of photos and memorabilia is on the mantle of a fireplace and then an adjoining bookshelf. CAMERA PANS a framed photo of a man in his 30s in tennis shorts and tennis sweater holding a tennis racquet, a framed photo of the same man with the legendary tennis player Arthur Ashe with an inscription To Don, one of the greatest—Arthur, a commemorative medal with an engraved profile of a tennis player, victory ribbons, plaques, trophies, a framed photo of tennis match in a stadium between two men, the man in combat pilot attire in front of a U.S. Air Force jet, and a framed photo of the man in tennis attire with a little girl.

The THUNK THUNK THUNK of a tennis ball hitting an outside garage door.

EXT. BENNINGTON HOUSE-DRIVEWAY-DAY

JANE BENNINGTON, a pert blonde high school senior who is the prototypical all-American girl next door, actively dashes about with a tennis racquet as she hits a tennis ball against the garage door. She is in shorts and a T-shirt. She has a snub nose and perfect white teeth and medium length hair. The Bennington house is in a middle-class residential community in southern California.

INT./EXT. CAR—DAY

MRS. BENNINGTON P.O.V.—

CAMERA PANS houses along street and then driveway as LOUISE BENNINGTON watches Jane hitting the ball. She BEEPS the car horn and pulls into the driveway. Louise Bennington is in her mid-forties. She is wearing a Seven-Eleven convenience store uniform and has just returned home from work. She exits the car and embraces Jane.

LOUISE

Hi, honey. I’m going to throw together some dinner. Come on in a few minutes. Don’t you think that’s enough for one day?

JANE

OK, Mom. But, gosh, how’m I going to get better if I don’t practice?

Louise walks up the steps of the small porch.

LOUISE

OK. Just a little longer but you’ve got to come in for dinner.

INT. BENNINGTON HOUSE—DAY

LIVING ROOM

Louise walks though the living room and into the kitchen. She takes three TV dinners from the refrigerator and puts them in the oven. She then walks back to the living room and calls up the stairs.

LOUISE

Tad! Come on down. Dinner will be ready shortly.

TAD’S BEDROOM

Tad, Jane’s 14 year-old younger brother, is sitting in front of a computer at a desk doing his homework.

LOUISE (V.O.)

Dinner, Tad. Come down in a few minutes.

KITCHEN

Louise and Tad are at the table with the TV dinners in front of them. Jane very energetically comes through the door, puts her tennis racquet against the wall and plops into her seat.

JANE

How was your day, Mom?

LOUISE

Oh, you know how I hate to complain. But terrible. Just terrible. I have such a splitting headache. People are so inconsiderate.

JANE

Mom, Denise invited me over to play tennis at her club Saturday. Would it be okay if I go?

LOUISE

I thought you were going to help me clean house this weekend.

JANE

Oh, Mom, you know I’ll help you, and I promise I won’t be gone all day. I need to keep up my game and it’s so hard to get court time over at the park on weekends.

LOUISE

Oh, I suppose. I’m sorry, it’s just that since your dad died things haven’t been so well. I wish he’d never decided to stay in the Reserves. It’s been so hard to get along, and all. I know you love tennis and you’re so good, just like your dad. If he were still here, we could join Marbella and you could play all you want.

JANE

Thanks, Mom.

LOUISE

That Marbella Club, though, Jane. Don’t get any fancy ideas. We just don’t have the money.

JANE

Yes, Mom. I know.

EXT. LAGUNA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL—DAY

TENNIS COURTS

Jane and a GIRL are hitting a ball back and forth. Jane slams the ball across the court just inside the baseline beyond her opponent’s reach.

BENCH—LATER

DENISE

Jeez, you made short work of her. I wish I could play like you. The team would be nothing without you. Are you still thinking about going pro?

JANE

Oh, I don’t know. I have to think about college still.

DENISE

Oh, yeah. Veterinarian school?

JANE

Yeah, if I can get in. Maybe