The Branches of Our Hearts
2022
Short Film Screenplay
INT. AIRPLANE – MORNING
Singapore’s skyline comes into view – tall skyscrapers amongst plots of greenery.
PILOT (V.O.)
(static crackling)
Cabin crew, please take your seats for landing.
ADERYN stares out of the airplane’s window. She wears a white T-shirt under her denim jacket. She adjusts the pair of headphones she has on and closes her eyes.
She sighs.
ADERYN (V.O.)
Of all places, this is where I least expected myself to return to.
(bitter laugh)
The place that I spent the last few years running from.
(beat)
I guess I’m right back where I started huh?
CUT TO:
INT. ADERYN’S HOUSE, HDB FRONT DOOR – LATE MORNING
ADERYN stands in front of the metal grill gate of her house. Left hand gripping her luggage, her right hand hovers over the doorbell. She takes a deep breath.
DING DONG! FRANTIC SOUNDS OF SOMEONE UNLOCKING THE DOOR.
The door opens.
ADERYN
Hi, Ma…
MA stands on the inside of the apartment, dressed in a faded flowery top, her streaky grey hair is pulled into a bun. Teary eyed, Ma envelops Aderyn into a hug.
MA
You’re back! Come in, come in!
Ma pulls back and steps aside for Aderyn to enter the apartment.
The apartment is small, a layer of dust covering the photo frames that hang from its white walls. The sofa is a pale shade of yellow, creases and faint cracks litter its leather covering.
MA
Aiya… you never tell me you coming back so early, I can go to the airport to pick you.
ADERYN
No, no, it’s alright. I didn’t want to trouble you. You’ve done enough already.
Ma sighs and pats Aderyn on the back.
MA
Don’t talk like that, we’re family. Family do things for one another.
Ma smiles, the skin around her eyes crinkling. A small smile appears on Aderyn’s face.
MA
Why not you go unpack first? We have to leave at 6 tonight.
(beat)
You remember, right?
(beat)
For the wake.
ADERYN
Yeah. Umm, I guess I’ll go.
Aderyn looks down at the tiled floor and awkwardly walks towards her room. She stops.
ADERYN
Umm… Ma?
Aderyn faces the closed room door, her hand is frozen on the door handle.
ADERYN
When will Ah Ma’s funeral be?
Behind Aderyn, Ma is still as well.
DISTANT TRAFFIC AND THE WHIRRING OF THE FAN CAN BE HEARD.
ADERYN
Ma?
MA
Tomorrow.
(beat)
Tomorrow morning.
ADERYN
(whispers)
Okay…
(Beat)
Okay, thank you.
CUT TO:
INT. ADERYN’S ROOM – AFTERNOON
The room is small, just enough to fit a single bed, a desk and a bookshelf. The top half of the bookshelf is filled with colourful children’s books, while the bottom half is empty. Aderyn sits crossed-legged facing it, a pile of books to her right.
ADERYN
I can’t believe Ma still kept these…
Aderyn gently picks up a book. Its cover is a faded shade of green, its pages are bent and its spine is cracked. Aderyn traces her finger along the cover page. The title reads TALES OF THE TEMBUSU TREE (1973).
Aderyn carefully flips through the page, the pages are yellow. It is very old.
A faded photograph falls out.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. TEMBUSU TREE IN BOTANIC GARDENS – AFTERNOON (2015)
Ah Ma and Ma stand facing a camera, in front of the Tembusu Tree. Aderyn adjusts her camera mounted on the tripod stand as she gets the tree into the frame.
AH MA
Aiya, why you so slow! Why not just ask the uncle over there to help us take?
MA
Don’t rush her lah, she’s going to study photography in uni! Let the professional manage it.
Ah Ma looks at Ma in disbelief.
AH MA
Photography?
Ma shakes her head, signalling for her to drop the topic. Ah Ma doesn’t say anything.
Aderyn continues to fiddle with a few buttons on her camera, oblivious to the conversation they just had.
ADERYN
I’m going to start the timer already ah!
Aderyn presses the shutter button and runs towards her family. She stands in between Ah Ma and Ma, and throws her arms around them.
ADERYN’S LAUGHTER FILLS THE AIR.
Ah Ma puts on a tight smile.
ADERYN
Say cheese!
The shutter flashes.
FADE TO WHITE:
INT. ADERYN’S ROOM – CONTINUOUS
ADERYN is in a daze, eyes still glued to the photograph. The book lies on the floor forgotten.
MA (O.S.)
Aderyn ah!
The door CLICKS open.
MA pops her head in and sees Aderyn sitting on the floor.
Ma
Oh you’re looking through those! I was thinking of getting rid of some of them.
Aderyn looks at the books around her.
ADERYN
Yeah… I think I’ll sort them out then.
Ma nods.
MA
We’re leaving in 10. You have clothes right? Remember to pin this on your right sleeve.
Ma kneels down next to Aderyn, opening her fist to reveal a small navy square made out of felt. In the middle of it is a smaller red square.
Aderyn opens her palm and Ma places it in Aderyn’s hand. Aderyn stares down at the felt square. Ma looks at Aderyn like she has something to say.
She doesn’t say anything. Instead, she gets up and slowly leaves the room. Aderyn is left staring at the square.
CUT TO:
INT. AH MA’S WAKE, FUNERAL PARLOUR
HUSH WHISPERS FILL THE AIR as Aderyn enters the funeral parlour, a white tent extending out from an open air building. Relatives all dressed in black and navy blue turn to look at her. Yet none of them say anything, instead turning away when Aderyn looks at them.
It is clear that she is unwelcomed.
Aderyn follows behind Ma, donning a long black dress with short sleeves. The felt square is pinned securely to her right sleeve.
Ma turns around, she’s dressed in a plain black dress as well. Aderyn looks up. Ma puts her hand on Aderyn’s shoulder, a form of encouragement.
Ma
Go say Hi to Ah Ma.
(beat)
You’ll be okay?
Aderyn purses her lips.
ADERYN
Yeah
(beat)
Yeah, I’ll be okay.
Ma nods, giving Aderyn an encouraging smile. Ma turns around and walks into the crowd of other relatives.
Aderyn is alone again, her relative’s voices seem to have been AMPLIFIED.
Aderyn clenches her fists and takes a step forward.
Relatives turn to look at her, their stares MOCKING her as she walks up to Ah Ma’s coffin.
Aderyn stares into the coffin. There is a face that we cannot see. Aderyn’s posture is stiff. She is aware that everyone is looking at her.
ADERYN
(softly)
Hi, Ah Ma.
She stands there awkwardly. There is a lot that she wants to say. She takes A DEEP BREATH.
ADERYN
I’m sorry.
She doesn’t say anything else. She turns to leave.
CUT TO:
INT. FUNERAL PARLOUR – MOMENTS LATER
Relatives stand in rows, queueing up to collect bento boxes. Aderyn joins the queue.
She stands awkwardly, raising her hand to wave at a few familiar faces. But they turn away as soon as they meet her eyes.
Now at the front of the queue, she picks up a bento box and makes her way to find an empty table. But the circular tables are all taken.
Aderyn sighs and is about to turn away. But then AUNTY SOON calls out for her.
AUNTY SOON
Aderyn! Come sit with us!
Aderyn freezes. WHISPERS ECHO. EVEN LOUDER this time.
RELATIVE 1 (O.S.)
Aiya, Aunty Soon is so nice. I bet she just pities her.
RELATIVE 2 (O.S.)
Ya, but Uncle Soon isn’t. He’s going to give her hell. Just watch.
RELATIVE 3 (O.S.)
Ya, right. Wasn’t he the one who told the entire family about their fight?
RELATIVE 2 (O.S.)
Lol, I kinda feel bad for her but she’s the one at fault.
Aderyn puts on a smile, ignoring the whispers. She makes her way to their table, aware of UNCLE SOON’s glares.
ADERYN
Hi, Aunty Soon, Uncle Soon. Aunty Liew, Uncle Liew.
Aderyn takes the empty seat to Aunty Soon’s right. Smiling at AUNTY LIEW and UNCLE LIEW as they greet her as well. Uncle Soon is silent. Staring down at his bento box, ignoring her completely.
UNCLE LIEW
So Aderyn, I heard you’re doing photography in New York? How are things there?
ADERYN
Yeah, I just graduated from uni and I’m still finding a company to work under but I do freelance photography for now.
AUNTY LIEW
That’s good. One day we go New York visit you, you help us take some photos also. Don’t forget about us, ah!
Aunty and Uncle Liew laugh. It is short lived.
UNCLE SOON
(soft but audible)
Can’t believe you’re telling that to her. She’s the one who forgot about her own Ah Ma.
UNEASY SILENCE falls over the table again. Uncle Soon picks at his food mindlessly and Uncle Liew and Aunty Liew stare down at their bento boxes.
It is SILENT and the WHISPERS start to ECHO in Aderyn’s mind again.
RELATIVE 1 (O.S.)
Such a failure.
RELATIVE 2 (O.S.)
Why are you even here? Just go back to New York.
Aunty Soon rests a hand on Uncle Soon’s thigh which he ignores. She smiles at Aderyn.
AUNTY SOON
Of course she won’t forget about you guys!
The WHISPERS are SOFTER NOW.
AUNTY SOON
We should all go to New York one day. You can show us around the city!
But THE WHISPERS still LINGER. Only Aderyn can hear them. Still, she puts on a smile and ignores them.
ADERYN
We should definitely do that! New York’s Chinatown is really colourful. It reminds me of Singapore’s during Chinese New Year.
AUNTY LIEW
Wah, sounds very pretty. Must be very different living there though.
ADERYN
Yeah, haha.
(beat)
But I think it fits my lifestyles much better? I mean I’ve only been there a few years but I think I’ve been…
(beat)
Happier. A bit more hopeful I guess.
Aunty Soon, Aunty Liew and Uncle Liew nod. They understand.
AUNTY SOON
Happy is good.
ADERYN
Yeah…
(beat)
You know… sometimes I umm… sometimes I miss it back here, too.
Aunty Soon is silent. Aderyn doesn’t know if she should have said that.
ADERYN
I underst-
AUNTY SOON
I’m sorry if we ever made it hard for you to come back.
Aunty Soon pauses, contemplating her next words. She glances at Aunty Liew and Uncle Soon. They nod supportively, as if they know what she’s going to say.
She says it.
AUNTY SOON
Umm, you know, your Ah Ma…
(beat)
She’s… she’s proud of you.
Aderyn doesn’t know what to say. She smiles. For the first time since coming back to Singapore, she feels just a bit better than before.
But her joy is short-lived.
Uncle Soon looks up.
UNCLE SOON
Proud?
The other relatives are staring again.
UNCLE SOON
You think Ah Ma would be proud?
Everyone is SILENT. And for once, the SILENCE IS TOO LOUD.
UNCLE SOON
Ah Ma told her not to go to New York.
(beat)
But she went. And when Ah Ma asked her to come back. She didn’t.
(beat)
She left her Ah Ma alone, fighting for her life.
(beat)
What is there to be proud of?
Aderyn curls up into herself. Her cutlery FALLS from her trembling hands.
Uncle Soon stands. His chair SCREECHES as it moves backward.
UNCLE SOON
Why would Ah Ma ever be proud of her?
(beat)
She‘s not even part of our family, is she?
Aderyn’s fists are clenched. She keeps her head bowed, trying to hide the tears that are threatening to fall.
AUNTY SOON
(softly)
Soon ah…
Aunty Soon stretches out an arm towards Uncle Soon. He SLAPS her outreached arm away, a scowl etched on his face.
UNCLE SOON
(seething)
Don’t tell me she’s part of the family.
(beat)
She isn’t.
Uncle Soon stomps out of the funeral parlour. The other relatives make a pathway for him as he passes them. Aunty Soon looks over at Aderyn’s hunched figure. A worried frown etches onto her face. Throwing Aderyn one last look, she scurries after Uncle Soon.
The rest of the relatives look over at Aderyn again. Aunty Liew and Uncle Siew hover over Aderyn awkwardly. Aunty Liew rests her hand on Aderyn’s back.
HUSHED WHISPERS FILL THE AIR AGAIN.
RELATIVE 1
I mean… What he say also make sense. She never even come back when her Ah Ma sick.
RELATIVE 2
Talk about being filial right?
(scoffs)
I don’t even understand why she’s back.
RELATIVE 3
She should just go back New York. Be with all those Americans. She has no place here. Such a disappointment.
RELATIVE 1
Ya lor. Some more fight at her Ah Ma funeral, these days the teenagers all no respect one.
Such voices ECHO around the funeral parlour. THE VOICES ARE AMPLIFIED, INCREASING IN VOLUME as Aderyn continues to listen to them.
Aderyn cowers as such voices bounce back at her. Aunty Soon hurries back into the funeral parlour, this time MA is by her side.
MA
Aderyn…
AUNTY SOON
I’m so sorry. I knew that Soon would have reacted that way. I just didn’t expect him to like… explode in front of everyone.
Aderyn looks up at them. Her eyes are bloodshot.
ADERYN
But he’s right, isn’t he?
(beat)
I don’t belong here. I’ve had my chance. I blew it. I shouldn’t be here. I don’t deserve it.
Aunty Soon and Ma watch her helplessly, worry etched on their faces.
ADERYN
You know what… Maybe I’ll just go.
Aderyn slowly walks out of the funeral parlour. Ignoring the comments her relatives are giving her. Ma looks helplessly as Aderyn disappears out of sight.
FADE TO BLACK:
EXT. TEMBUSU TREE IN BOTANIC GARDENS – NIGHT
Small street lamps line the stone path. Various plants and trees grow on both sides of the path. A hunched silhouette of a person moves along the path.
As the silhouette moves closer to the next lamp, it is revealed that that is Aderyn.
Her face is blank and she has thrown on a black hoodie. Her back is hunched. She is curled up into herself.
Aderyn reaches the end of the path. A huge tree is revealed. Its leaves are almost black in the darkness. Those drooping downwards closer to the street lamps, a darker shade of green. The tree is majestic. Its branches stretch outwards, plentiful and evergreen.
It is the same tree as the one in the photograph. But now, a thin green fence surrounds it.
Aderyn walks closer towards the tree, stopping right in front of the fence. A sign is pegged onto it. It reads “BEWARE OF FALLING BRANCHES. DO NOT CROSS.”
ADERYN
(in defeat)
Looks like you aren’t as strong or sturdy either, huh?
Aderyn sighs. She sinks onto the floor in front of the fence, leaning her head back against it. She closes her eyes.
LEAVES RUSTLE.
Aderyn opens her eyes. Ma is seated next to her, staring up into the sky.
MA
(quietly)
Remember that time after your big fight with Ah Ma?
(beat)
You ran out of the house and we couldn’t find you.
Ma CHUCKLES QUIETLY. Tears fill Aderyn’s eyes.
MA
I went all over town to look for you. And I couldn’t find you. I was so scared.
(beat)
Ah Ma knew you came here.
Aderyn wipes her eyes with her sleeve.
MA
She said that when she found you, you were sitting here. Leaning against the Tembusu tree, sulking.
(beat)
You were so stubborn then. You still are.
Aderyn SNIFFLES. Now tears are streaming down her face.
MA
Aunty Soon is right, you know? Ah Ma is proud of you. Even though she might never admit it, you should have seen how she boasted to all her mahjong kakis.
(beat)
Everyone knew about her famous granddaughter who was a photographer in New York.
(beat)
She loved you Aderyn. She really did.
Ma SNIFFS. Tears glisten in her eyes. She gets up from the floor, reaching into her handbag. She takes out a box.
MA
Ah Ma wanted to give you this.
She places the box on the grass next to Aderyn.
MA
I’ll see you at home, yeah?
Aderyn nods, scrubbing her nose against her now wet sleeve. Ma turns to walk away. Ma disappears back into the warmly lit path.
ADERYN
(voice cracking)
Ma?
Ma stills.
ADERYN
Thank you.
Ma smiles knowingly. She doesn’t turn back. But continues to walk into the light.
Aderyn is alone now. The SNIFFLING has subsided. She sits up, crossing her legs. She picks up the box Ma has left behind. Examining it under the soft light of the street lamp in the distance.
The box is small and rectangular. A piece of tape is stuck to its cover. The words “From Ah Ma, to Aderyn” are scrawled in neat letters.
Aderyn opens it.
The box is filled with a neat row of envelopes, dated back to the day Aderyn left for New York. Aderyn carefully picks them out one by one, starting with the earliest. She opens it and reads.
BEGIN MONTAGE.
INT. AH MA’S ROOM – NIGHT (2016)
Ah Ma sits at a desk, a pen in her hand. Her hair is streaked grey. She writes on a piece of paper.
AH MA (V.O.)
Dear, Aderyn. You left for New York today. I know that you were mad at me before you left. And you thought that I should have supported your decision to do photography. I’m still learning to accept it. I wish that you’d come back soon.
INT. AH MA’S FRIEND’S HOUSE – AFTERNOON (2016)
Ah Ma sits at a mahjong table with three other friends. She points to her phone excitedly. Her screen shows a picture of Aderyn with her camera posted on Aderyn’s Instagram.
AH MA (V.O.)
Today I went to play mahjong with the others. I show them a photo of you on that app you downloaded for me. I’m glad you’re doing well in New York.
EXT. TEMBUSU TREE IN BOTANIC GARDENS – DAY (2017)
Ah Ma takes a stroll in Botanic Gardens. She stops in front of the Tembusu tree, watching as the workers are building a fence.
AH MA (V.O.)
Today I went to Botanics. They’re building a fence around the Tembusu tree. I wish we can see it together before it’s fully fenced up.
INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE – EVENING (2019)
Ah Ma is seated on a plastic chair next to Ma. They stare worriedly as the doctor points to an X-ray.
AH MA (V.O.)
I’m sorry I haven’t written. I haven’t been feeling very well. Ma brought me to the hospital today. The doctors say I have cancer.
INT. AH MA’S ROOM – NIGHT (2019)
Ah Ma sits at the same desk, the same pen in her hand. This time her hair is thinner. She writes on a piece of paper.
AH MA (V.O.)
I’ve been going for chemo. I don’t have much hair or energy left. I wish you’ll come back soon.
INT. HOSPITAL – AFTERNOON (2020)
Ah Ma is lying on a hospital bed. She is very thin and frail. Her friends stand by her side.
AH MA (V.O.)
Today my friends came over to visit. I hope you will, too. I miss you.
EXT. TEMBUSU TREE IN BOTANIC GARDENS – MORNING (2020)
Ah Ma sits in a wheelchair. She wears a bucket hat. Ma pushes her.
AH MA (V.O.)
I went to the Tembusu tree again today. It’s fully fenced up now. But it reminded me of old times.
INT. HOSPITAL – AFTERNOON (2021)
Ah Ma sits on her hospital bed. Her hand shakes as she picks up the pen to write.
AH MA (V.O.)
Hi, Aderyn, this is my last letter to you. I want you to know that I’m very proud of you. I know I always say be strong like a Tembusu tree. Reach out your branches as far as you can. Stand tall and don’t fall.
But after you’ve gone to New York, I’ve learnt that sometimes being strong is being vulnerable.
I know that when you come back, Uncle Soon is going to be hard on you. But Aderyn, remember: You will always have your Ma. I might not be here anymore but you have her. And she will help you because she loves you.
Uncle Soon might say that you made my life miserable. But you didn’t. You’re the best thing I’ve ever had and will ever have. Thank you for everything Aderyn.
I love you.
END OF MONTAGE.
EXT. TEMBUSU TREE IN BOTANIC GARDENS – CONTINUOUS
Letters are now strewn on the grass, a circle of them surrounding Aderyn. Sitting in the middle of it, Aderyn WEEPS.
In her hands is the last letter. Dated 12 May 2021. It was the day Ah Ma passed.
The letter is creased in Aderyn’s shaking hands. Tears fall onto yellow paper, seeping through it. Ink is smudged. But three words are still visible.
‘I love you.’
FADE TO BLACK.