SIDE 5
Manuel & Maria FLORES
"Are We Losing Her?"
Emotional Parent Scene
Characters:
Manuel Flores
Maria Flores
Location:
Flores Family Home – Kitchen
INT. FLORES FAMILY KITCHEN – NIGHT
The kitchen is quiet.
Dishes are done.
The house is clean.
Maria wraps leftovers.
Manuel sits at the table reading.
A comfortable silence.
The kind built over decades.
Maria closes a container.
Looks toward Manuel.
Maria
Did you notice?
MANUEL
Notice what?
Maria
Isabella.
Manuel lowers the paper.
MANUEL
She seemed tired.
Maria
Not tired.
Different.
A beat.
MANUEL
She's getting older.
Maria
That's not what I mean.
Maria sits.
Concerned.
Maria
Did you see her when we left?
MANUEL
Yes.
Maria
She looked sad.
MANUEL
She always looks serious.
Maria
No.
I know my daughter.
Something's bothering her.
Manuel thinks.
Maria
Maybe she's overwhelmed.
School.
Work.
Everything.
MANUEL
She has always handled pressure.
Maria
That doesn't mean she should carry it alone.
A beat.
Manuel nods.
Reluctantly.
MANUEL
I talked to her.
Maria
And?
MANUEL
Same answer.
"I'm fine."
Maria sighs.
Maria
When women say they're fine, they're never fine.
MANUEL
You say you're fine all the time.
Maria
Exactly.
They share a smile.
Long-married rhythm.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Then silence returns.
Maria
Do you think we're too hard on her?
That lands.
Manuel doesn't answer immediately.
MANUEL
We want the best for her.
Maria
That's not what I asked.
A longer silence.
MANUEL
Maybe sometimes.
Maria looks surprised.
Maria
Wow.
You admitted it.
MANUEL
Don't get excited.
It's probably a one-time event.
Maria laughs.
Then grows serious.
Maria
I just don't want her living her life trying to make us happy.
MANUEL
Every parent wants their child happy.
Maria
No.
Every parent says that.
Different thing.
Manuel leans back.
Thinking.
Maria
What if she wants something different?
MANUEL
Different how?
Maria shrugs.
Maria
I don't know.
Different career.
Different city.
Different life.
Different dreams.
Whatever.
A beat.
Maria
Would we even know?
That question hangs in the room.
Longer than either wants.
MANUEL
I don't know.
Maria studies him.
Maria
That scares you.
MANUEL
Yes.
Maria
Why?
MANUEL
Because she's my daughter.
And one day she's going to stop needing us.
Maria softens.
Maria
Manuel...
MANUEL
I know that's supposed to happen.
I just don't have to like it.
Maria reaches across the table.
Takes his hand.
Maria
She'll always need us.
Manuel looks down.
Maria
Just maybe not the same way.
They sit quietly.
Holding hands.
Years of love.
Years of worry.
Years of parenting.
Maria
You know what else I noticed?
MANUEL
What?
Maria
That Marcus boy ate eight empanadas.
Manuel laughs despite himself.
MANUEL
Nine.
Maria stares.
Maria
Nine?
MANUEL
I counted.
Maria shakes her head.
Maria
That child is starving.
MANUEL
He's thirty.
Maria
He's starving.
MANUEL
You're going to start feeding him now.
Maria
Of course.
MANUEL
Maria—
Maria
Don't worry.
I'm only sending enough food for a week.
Beat.
Maria
Maybe two.
Manuel smiles.
Because he knows exactly how this story ends.
FADE OUT.