You & I

Act 1 Scene 7

(At home, the girls' room)

Macy: (opens the door) Vida, Bella. Come on wake up.
Vida: (turns as she opens her eyes on the bed)
Bella: (Also turns as she opens her eyes)
Macy: Time to go to school.
Bella: I don't want to go to school.
Vida: Me too.
Macy: Bella, you know you can't skip school. You have a punishment to take. You too Vida, you need to take lessons.
Vida: But what about father? Who's gonna take care of father?
Macy: I will. I'll take care of your father and when you're  back from school, you can visit him.
Bella: But I still don't wanna go.
Macy: Bella, get up. Vida, you too. You both have 10 minutes to dress up. Don't make me come up here the second time. (She leaves)
Vida & Bella: (in unison) Urrgh!

(After dropping them at school, Macy goes to the hair salon)

Clara: Oh my, Macy dear. How are you? How's George? What did the doctor say?
Maxine: Clara, take it easy with the questions.
Clara: Sorry, I was just so scared yesterday when I heard you scream.
Maxine: Same here. So how is he now?
Macy: (starts to cry as she talks) He suffered a heart attack. The doctor said he's in a coma.
Clara & Maxine: (gasp in unison)
Maxine: (in a sad tone) Oh darling, am so sorry.
Clara: (in as sad tone) Oh my goodness.
Macy: (still in tears) The doctor also said he may or may not recover and if he recovers, he won't be okay mentally or physically.
Clara: (in a sad tone) Oh darling! Come here. (Moves closer and hugs her)
Maxine: (also hugs her) It's okay. It's gonna be just fine.
(Macy still in tears)
Clara: It's gonna be okay Macy. We're here. It's gonna be alright. Let it all out.
Maxine: Dear, dear.
Macy: (stops crying and breaks the hug) Maxine, why didn't you tell me that the money you lent to George for my treatment was from Saffron?
Maxine: I'm sorry. I had no idea it would end up like this. Sorry Macy.
Macy: Now I have to look for 5,000 pesos to pay her back or she won't leave me in peace.
Clara: What a stingy woman! She's so rich and yet she can't even spare 5,000 for her own sister. Don't worry Macy, I have 3,000, I can lend you that before I get the rest of the money.
Maxine: I can give you the remaining 2,000.
Macy: Thank you so much. Thank you. I promise to give you back when I get the money.
Clara: No dear. I'm not lending it to you. Take it as a my way of helping you.
Maxine: Same here. It's our way of easing your burdens.
Macy: (smiles) Thank you.
Clara: If you need anything just come to us.
Maxine: Anytime. We're here for you.
Macy: Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Hugs them) Thank you so much.

(Later, At Sophie's house)

Macy: (rings the door bell) (A house help open the door) Good morning.
Woman: Good morning. How may I help you?
Macy: I'm here for my sister. Is she home?
Woman: Who's your sister?
Macy: Saffron.
Woman: There's no one by such name here.
Macy: (sighs) Her nickname is Sophie.
Woman: (looks at her from down up)
Wait here. I'll go tell my master.
Macy: Okay.
(Just then, a little girl comes to the door)
Girl: Aunt Macy! (Hugs her)
Macy: Oh Janice, how are you? (Breaks the hug)
Janice: I'm fine.
Woman: Miss, do you know this woman?
Janice: Yes, she's mom's elder sister.
Woman: Oh, my bad! I'm so sorry ma'am. I didn't know you are.... Please forgive me.
Macy: (smiles) It's okay. You must be new here, maybe that's why you don't know me.
Woman: Yes, I am, I just came here 2 years ago. Please come in ma'am.
Macy: No need. I will never enter this house.
Janice: Aunt Macy, are you still angry at mom? Please don't be angry anymore.
Macy: Am not angry. I just.... Where's your mother?
(They hear sounds coming from the upper floor of the house. Sounds like a glass breaking, a man and a woman arguing, things falling down)
Janice: Um... Mom's home. Why don't you come in and wait for her?
Macy: I won't enter this house. Tell her I'm waiting for her here.
Janice: (in a low tone) But I can't go up there.
Woman: (Holds Janice by the hand and draws her closer to her)
(The sound of their argument becomes intense and they hear a slap,the woman covers Janice's ears)
Macy: What's happening?
Woman: (silent)
(Later a sound of Sophie crying is heard)
Macy: What exactly is going on?
Woman: (silent)
(Later she hears Sophie struggling to breathe)
Macy: Saffron? (Rushes into the house and runs to their room as she sees Saffron's husband strangling her)
Macy: Saffron! (Runs to break the fight and slaps her husband) How dare you lay your hand on my sister! (To Saffron) Saffron are you okay?
Sophie: (catching her breath as she nods a yes)
(The woman and Janice rush in too)
Macy: You have no right to lay your hand on her! How dare you!
Man: Your sister is a good-for-nothing and a gold digger!
Macy: (slaps him again)
Man: (About to slap Macy when the house help stops him by holding his arm from behind)
Man: (looks at the house help) You! Who's your master here!
Woman: (draws Janice, who is crying,  to the back with her, away from the man)
Man: I'll get back to you. (Turns to Macy)
Macy: You're the good-for-nothing here, who knows nothing but to sleep around and indulge in smoking and drinking and come home to beat your wife. You wife beater! Coward! Useless! Lustful fool!
Man: (about to slap her again when Sophie draws Macy back and comes in front of her to hold his hand)
Sophie: (looking at him in anger as she holds his hand up) You can beat me, insult me, torture me but I will never allow you to lay a finger on my sister. Try me.
(He leaves after staring at her in anger for a while)
Macy: Don't you ever come back here! Shameless! (Turns Sophie to her and looks at her from head to toe in sadness and hugs her as they both cry) (She breaks the hug) (crying) Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you say anything?
Sophie: (Also crying) Because I knew that you're still mad at me. I knew you would never forgive me. You wouldn't even let me see you, not to talk of talking to you.
Macy: How did it come to this? When did it start?
Sophie: It's been 2yrs now. Ever since, ever since I had a miscarriage.
Macy: You were pregnant?
Sophie: (nods a yes in tears) And I lost it. I lost my child. (Cries in sorrow)
Macy: (hugs her in tears) I'm sorry, I didn't know.