ACT IV, SCENE ONE
No time has lapsed. There is knock at the door.
KARINA
Sounds like Fay is ready, too. (Rogelio stands up)
GABRIEL
Come in, Fay! It’s open.
A beautiful woman, a few years younger than RITA, walks in. She’s wearing a lovely dress, much more elegant and modern than RITA’s. This is ISABELLE.
ISABELLE
Hello
ROGELIO
Isabelle. I told you to wait. I told you that.
ISABELLE
I know. I just wanted to make sure. Fay will be ready soon.
ROGELIO
Of course I’m here. I…(noticing the stares of others) This is Isabelle, my fiancé. Isabelle, these are
ISABELLE
I know, I know. (to Karina) Hi. You must be Karina. You look beautiful.
Though not invited to come in yet, ISABELLE takes a step forward. GABRIEL and KARINA are too dazed by the situation to say much. Even RITA is surprised, because she heard of a “lady” and not a fiancé. As the least dazed person, she remembers her manners first.
KARINA
Yes, thank you.
RITA
Yes, please come in. (walks towards Isabelle) I’m Rita. (they kiss)
ROGELIO
(at the same time) This is Rita.
GABRIEL is then introduced. Once they have all met, a silence falls over this standing group of people. It’s broken by:
ROGELIO
I told you I’d be there.
ISABELLE
I was just wondering. I won’t bother you (turning to go) I’ll just see all of you at the…
RITA
No, please. We’re just sitting and talking. Please sit down. We have a few minutes before we leave.
They all sit down. KARINA on the armchair first. ISABELLE takes the end of the sofa which forces ROGELIO to take the middle and RITA to take the other end. ROGELIO is sandwiched between his fiancé and the woman he is still, technically, married to. GABRIEL takes the wooden chair from earlier. He sits on it with the back of the chair facing him, the way a TV detective might while interrogating. Throughout the conversation he says noting, only watches and judges silently, like the audience.
ISABELLE
(to Rita, referring to Rogelio) You never know with this one. I just wanted to check up on him. I’m sorry to…
RITA
Don’t be silly. We have some time. We want to make sure all the guests are at the church before we go and Karina makes her appearance. We’re glad you could come.
ISABELLE is a little ditzy and fast spoken, but entirely sincere. She talks as if she’s trying to get everything out before someone cuts her off. It’s part of her sociable personality. She’s worse, though, when she’s excited, as she is now.
ISABELLE
I’m glad I could be here.
RITA
Can we get you something to drink?
ISABELLE
No thanks. (looks around, she smiles) I just love that lamp. It’s so pretty.
RITA
Thanks.
ISABELLE
I like lamps. (smiles) I’m so glad I could come. I’ve been excited for weeks now. New family. I hope we can
ROGLEIO
Well, maybe I should…
ISABELLE
I hope you can accept me as part of your family.
ROGLEIO
Yes. (to Isabelle) I haven’t told them…We’ve been talking about other things.
ISABELLE
I’m so sorry.
ROGELIO
And you come in here. We are talking about other things. You thought I was in here talking about me this whole time? About you and me?
ISABELLE
Well, sorry. But there it is. I hope you can accept me as part of your family. Especially since we’re going to be… (to Rogelio) Did you tell them?
ROGELIO
I didn’t tell them anything about us, I said. But go right ahead.
ISABELLE
We’re expecting. (she touches her stomach)
RITA
Congratulations.
KARINA
Congratulations.
RITA
How many weeks are you?
ISABELLE
Nine. Can you tell?
RITA
Not at all. You look great.
ISABELLE
I’m worried about getting big. (to Rogelio) Right, Rogelio? (to Rita) I’m determined no to get fat afterwards, so I’m trying to keep my weight down as much as possible. I don’t believe in what they say. “You have to eat for two.” I don’t believe it.
RITA
It’s not true.
ISABELLE
I know. They tell you a lot of stuff that’s not true when you’re pregnant.
RITA
(pause) Do you know the sex of the baby?
ISABELLE
It’s a girl.
RITA
How nice. Congratulations.
KARINA
Congratulations. (she is still surprised, but able to act natural)
ISABELLE
Some people rather not know about the sex of the baby, they want it to be a surprise, or they say that they don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl, which is the right way to feel, and I feel the same way, I felt the same way, I mean, but I just had to know the sex because I wanted to make all the preparations. I’ve waited so long that I’ve had every detail in my mind. I want everything to be right for when the baby comes home.
ROGELIO
Okay Isabelle.
ISABELLE
(unable to stop or not hearing) I had a blue room planned for a boy, an underwater theme and for a girl I had a flower theme. Flowers and ladybugs. I’ve had this idea since Rogelio and I got together five years ago.
ROGELIO
(to Isabelle) Honey. You’re talking…
ISABELLE
Too much. (looks at Rita and Gabriel and Karina) I’m so sorry. I do that sometimes. I just get so excited.
ROGELIO
You’ve turned it into the Isabelle show again.
ISABELLE
I’m sorry.
RITA
It’s okay. I’m curious. I think it’s wonderful. Kids are a blessing.
ISABELLE
They are. I’ve always thought so.
RITA
Do you have a name picked out?
ISABELLE
No, that’s the only…
ROGELIO
We’re still thinking about what name…
ISABELLE
Actually, I’m the one who’s thinking. We agreed that I would choose the name if it was a girl and he would choose the name for a boy. I wanted the name Karina but when I found out…
ROGELIO
(nervous) I told Isabelle not to. Two Karinas in a family. That’s strange.
ISABELLE
(to Karina) I’ve always loved that name.
ROGELIO
It’s a pretty name but…
ISABELLE
(to everyone) He bought me a book of baby names a couple of months ago. I’ve been looking through it but I can’t decide on anything. You should see some of the names in there. The strangest names…
ROGELIO
Okay. (he taps her on her knee)
ISABELLE
Sorry.
ROGELIO
(changing the subject, he speaks to Isabelle) The party is going to be the best of the year. That’s the rumor. (laughs)
ISABELLE
(smiling) I’m sure it will.
ROGELIO
(to Karina) All the cool people will be there, right? (overdoes the smile)
KARINA
(trying to smile) Right.
RITA
It better be. (to Isabelle) All the time and planning you put into something…it better be great
ISABELLE
That’s right. Getting all those details right. I don’t doubt it will be lovely. I got a sense of things when I opened the invitation and saw…
ROGELIO
It was a nice invitation. I suppose…
ISABELLE
I could tell it was an invitation to some kind of celebration by the shape and style of the envelope, and then the card inside—so lovely! You must tell me who did your invitations. And I remember seeing the big 15 on the front and thinking, “Who does Rogelio know that is turning 15?” And then I saw it was signed inside, “Your daughter, Karina.”
ROGELIO
(to Karina) We were both surprised that you decided to invite us…me.
KARINA barely hears what he says. She becomes aware that he has not come with sincere intention. His deception has been discovered. KARINA is getting disturbed and distant.
ISABELLE
It was a surprise.
ROGELIO
But a happy surprise. We’re happy to have been invited. The invitation was nice.
ISABELLE
The invitations, I’m not kidding, are the nicest I’ve ever seen. You really must tell me what company did them for you. The color, the lettering. He doesn’t understand why I make a fuss over all the details of our wedding. But the details are important. On an important day, everything must be perfect. If every little thing isn’t right, then nothing is right.
KARINA sits back in her chair, looking tired, disappointed, and pensive.
RITA
That’s true. We’ve tried to get everything perfect for Karina’s quince. (looks at Karina) Right?
KARINA didn’t hear, isn’t listening. She seems to be thinking about something more important.
ISABELLE
I’m sure the party will be perfect.
RITA
(noticing that Karina is uncomfortable, she tried to change the subject) How was your flight>
ISABELLE
It was nice, thanks.
ROGELIO
Nice. Remarkable, actually. It boarded on time and left on time and arrived on time, all without any complications. (laughs)
KARINA
(to Isabelle) So you found out about us recently.
ISABELLE
(surprised by the sudden question) What do you mean?
KARINA
You never knew he had kids. Five years you’ve been together and he never mentioned us.
ISABELLE
Well…(she looks at Rogelio)
ROGELIO
Karina.
KARINA
I’m just curious. Please. Did you find out about me when the invitation arrived? I mean, you opened the invitation, right?
ISABELLE
Umm…yes.
KARINA
And you found out about me.
ISABELLE
Well, yes.
KARINA
(she’s upset but calm) I can’t believe this.
RITA doesn’t know what to do and GABRIEL is surprisingly quiet. He stands up and walks over to KARINA, puts a hand on her shoulder.
ISABELLE
I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…
ROGELIO
(standing up) Maybe we should go. After the party we can…
KARINA
(to Rogelio, decidedly) No, sit. Please.
ISABELLE
(she heads toward the door) I’m so sorry…(she opens the door and looks at them all)
ROGELIO
Maybe I should go, too.
KARINA
(still calm) No. I have some questions. Today is my day and I have some questions.
ISABELLE
Well, I’ll see you all later…(she exits and closes the door behind her)
Please go to the final scene: Part 4
Last edited on Sat Jun 28th, 2008 10:38 am by
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