1

(CALM MUSIC PLAYING)

(MR. MURRY

SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(MEG GIGGLING)

MR. MURRY: All right,

think good thoughts.

Then on three,

let the good thought go.

MEG: Yeah. That's good.

MR. MURRY: I think

that's pretty, right?

That's gonna be a good luck

charm for us today, right?

Okay, Meg,

important question.

Van Halen or Bono? Bono?

- That one.

- That's what I thought.

- (GIGGLES)

- That's my girl. Whoo!

Oh, yeah! Stick your

tongue out, come on.

- Ah!

- (LAUGHING)

You got your frequency,

you got your voltage, okay?

They're like a salt silica, right?

You don't wanna eat it.

- Just go crazy with it.

- Yeah. (GIGGLES)

...this little gizmo

right here,

and we're gonna

choose a frequency.

We're gonna choose

the frequency.

You would intently

watch this plate.

Let's see what happens

to the sand.

Because very interesting,

magical things

- will happen to the sand.

- MEG: Whoa!

(CHUCKLES)

So...

are you ready to meet

your new brother?

MEG: Do you think

we'll like each other,

like real brothers

and sisters?

I think we'll all

love each other.

Out of this wide,

wide universe...

this huge universe...

with all these brothers

and sisters and moms

and dads...

he found us.

And we found each other.

That's pretty rare.

That's pretty cool.

Okay, so...

This is our love.

Don't worry.

It's not gone.

It's just...

It's just enfolded.

Love is always there.

Even if you don't feel it...

it's always there for you.

(KISSES)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

Not gone...

just enfolded.

(THUNDER CONTINUES RUMBLING)

(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY

ON RADIO)

MEG: Hey.

Hi, Meg.

Let's be exclusive.

What?

That's my new word

for the day. Exclusive.

Do you like it?

Love it, Biscuits.

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

Couldn't sleep either?

Why didn't you just come up

to my room?

'Cause I knew

you'd be down.

Hey. You made sandwiches.

And I'm cooking milk.

This is a lot of milk,

Charles Wallace.

It's good to be prepared.

You never know

who will stop by.

WOMAN: (ON RADIO)

And I'm Michele Norris.

Tomorrow marks

the four-year anniversary...

of the disappearance of NASA scientist Dr.

Alex Murry.

Dr. Murry went missing

just a week

after publicly announcing...

They're talking

about Daddy.

...he could travel

the universe with his mind.

MR. MURRY: (ON RADIO) 91

billion light-years traveled,

like that.

WOMAN: (ON RADIO) Authorities

note there are still

no leads in the case.

- (SCHOOL BELL RINGING)

- (INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

(LET ME LIVE

BY KEHLANI PLAYING)

Everybody say,

"Hi, Meg."

ALL: Hi, Meg.

Hi, Meg.

(KIDS CHEERING AND CHATTERING)

FEMALE TEACHER:

I mean, he's been gone

four years to the day.

He's probably just pretending

to be in outer space...

but he's really

hiding out in Tijuana.

MALE TEACHER: I bet

it involves another woman.

Either that

or a Martian.

Seriously though,

something so horrible

had to have happened

to him.

To leave his kids

like that?

And just after they

adopted Charles Wallace.

They seemed so happy.

And Meg used to be so engaged,

and now she is a mess.

FEMALE TEACHER:

But the boy is brilliant.

- Absolutely brilliant. Oh.

- But odd, so odd!

MALE TEACHER:

I guess I would be too

if my dad ran away, huh?

Shame on you

for talking like that!

Uh... Oh.

My dear, I'm sorry...

CHARLES WALLACE:

And I'm not odd, you are...

because you think making up

mean stories about people...

makes you feel better

about yourselves.

Well, it doesn't,

does it?

Charles Wallace, we don't

talk to teachers like that!

And Meg might be a mess...

but she has more potential

in her pinky...

than you do

in your whole body!

Did you hear that, Meg? Meg!

Over here. Did you hear that?

Meg! You may be a mess...

but you have more potential

than anybody here!

- Oh, no, no, no.

- (LAUGHTER)

Mommy was awkward

and funny-looking

at your age, too!

And look at her now.

She's beautiful!

(GIRLS LAUGHING)

So, looks like crazy

runs in the family.

What did you just say?

I see why your dad left.

(GIRLS LAUGHING)

Who does she even think

that she's talking to?

MEG: Hey, Veronica.

- (GRUNTS)

- (ALL GASP)

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

(SCHOOL BELL RINGS)

PRINCIPAL JENKINS: You're

next, Charles Wallace.

(SIGHS) Veronica Kiley's

parents are on their way here.

They're worried for

their daughter's safety.

Their daughter is mean.

You hit her in the face.

You...

You were a top student.

Top attitude.

But look at you now. You...

(SIGHS) You're aggressive,

you're hostile...

you shut everybody out...

and then wonder

why they don't like you.

I don't wonder

and I don't care.

Hmm.

Well...

maybe that's your problem.

I don't have a problem.

You can't keep using

your father's disappearance

as an excuse to act out.

What do you think he would say

about all this?

Seriously. If he walked

in that door today...

what would happen?

The world would

make sense again.

Listen. (CLEARS THROAT)

All I'm saying is,

it's been four years.

Odds are he's not

coming back.

I did not excuse you,

young lady. Meg.

I want you to write an apology

to Principal Jenkins.

And one to Veronica.

Mom!

She called

Charles Wallace crazy!

That's no excuse.

Well, Dad always told me

to stand up

for what I believe in.

Don't use Dad like that.

It's not fair.

He's not coming back,

is he?

(SIGHS)

Don't give up hope, Meglet.

- (KNOCK ON DOOR)

- (DOOR OPENS)