Time Lady of L.A. #14: Pages 27-28

Page 27, 7 Panels- Mrs. Franklin's Bedroom, Sacramento California, Present Day Panel 1: Cut to a close-up shot of the elder Mona's face in the present day of 2016. We see her spring up from bed as if she's had a terrible dream. The glint of sweat just beginning to pool around her forehead and move down her cheek. CAPTION: Mrs. Franklin's Bedroom, Sacramento California- December 24th, 2014 Panel 2: Same setting as the previous panel. We widen the view out slightly to take in the rest of the bedroom, showing that it is well in the middle of the night. A few moments after the action, we see Mona seated over to the side of the bed and looking down to the floor, trying to calm back down from the dream. Mr. Franklin can be seen behind her, turning on the nearby lamp MR. FRANKLIN [to Mona, still sleepy/woozy; Bubble 1]: Is your leg acting up again? MONA [to Mr. Franklin, slightly dismissive]: Oh no, no honey. It's...I just had a bad dream. MR. FRANKLIN [Bubble 2]: What was the dream about? MONA [Bubble 2]: It...It's hard to explain. Panel 3: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. The light hitting a section of the room, illuminating it right up to a few feet in front of the bedroom door. She looks over slightly toward her husband. A look of bewilderment and fascination on her face as her husband slowly moves over to her side. MONA [Cont., to Mr. Franklin]: It was one of those dreams that you swear was real. But the more you think about it... MR. FRANKLIN [interjecting, understanding the deeper context; to Mona]: The more impossible it seems to be. Sort of like the time I dreamed I was the lead singer of the Clash. MONA [chuckling, Bubble 2]: Really? There's a nice mental image! MONA [Cont., Bubble 3]: No, this one though, it...it feels different. MR. FRANKLIN [curious, Bubble 2]: How so? Panel 4: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. A couple of seconds later, we see Mr. Franklin finally reach a seated position alongside his wife. His arm looped over his wife's shoulder in a loving manner as the long-time couple share a moment of warmth and pure love. MONA [looks over at Mr. Franklin, chuckles lightly; Bubble 1]: It was more like I was reliving an old memory. I was back home in Cairo, when I was still a teenager during the conflict... MR. FRANKLIN [nodding, to Mona]: Right..right. MONA [Cont., Bubble 2]: I looked up and I..swore I could see our daughter. She was with someone else, too, and Feli9. MR. FRANKLIN [disbelieving, to Mona; Bubble 2]: Giana? That can't be right! You must have... SOUND EFFECT [Off-Panel in the distance]: KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! MONA [Bubble 3]: I'll get it...you go back to bed, darling. Panel 5-6: A two-part set of panels centered around the front door to the Franklin house. In Panel 5, we primarily see the front door with the shadow of Mona as she approaches the front of it and starts to open. In the next panel, we see a heavily bruised and battered Giana standing at the doorway. Her friend Amanda alongside her with her arm looped underneath Giana's opposite underarm in order to prop herself up like a crutch. You can see Feli9 looking up with a cute, robotic smile, standing in between Giana and Amanda. Their luggage is placed behind them in the background. SOUND EFFECT [Panel 5]: CREAAKK... GIANA [weary, but with a smile, to Mona; Panel 6, Bubble 1]: Hey Ummi...Merry Christmas! At least I think it's Christmas. GIANA [Cont.; Panel 6, Bubble 2]: Sorry I don't have a gift for you. I was hoping to find one, but things went haywire and... MONA [Off-Panel, stunned; Panel 6]: My God...Giana! Panel 7: Cut to a shot of Mona's face upon discovering her daughter standing in front of her. The interior of the house visible in the background through the opened doorway. Her eyes quickly growing red with tears which trickle down her face. A smile just beginning to cross over her face as she speaks. MONA [Cont. to Giana, voice cracking]: It's perfectly okay, my darling... Page 28, 1 Panel- Outside Franklin household, Sacramento California, Christmas Day Panel 1: A full-page spread showing moments later as mother and daughter share a warm hug between each other. You can see Amanda take a large step back, taking in the sweet moment in front of her. Feli9 takes a similar approach, slinking away as their feet meet each other. You can see in the background a little section of neighborhood in the deep section of night, illuminated at parts by a series of street lights. You can also see a little bit of the doorway and the front window to the Franklin house around the left side of the panel view. MONA [through happy tears]: Merry Christmas! END OF ISSUE 14 and VOLUME 2