MORENA
Episode 5
(Days Later)
Mr Castillo: We’re really going to miss you, Morena.
Miguel: And your cooking.
Morena: I’ll miss you both too.
(Morena hvgs her dad and her brother)
Mr Castillo: Safe Journey!
Miguel: Bye!
(Morena waves back as she enters the cab)
Morena: BYE!
(The cab takes off)
Mr Castillo: (To Miguel) It’s just you and me now, Son.
(He and Miguel goes back into the house)
Mr Castillo: Miguel, Go dress up. I’m taking you to school today.
Miguel: Alright Dad.
(Meanwhile)
(At Diego’s house)
Diego: Morena just left Balacar to Mexico City.
Isabella: For what?
Diego: Well, She going there to look for a job so she can as-sist her family.
Isabella: Well, Atleast it’s better than being poor, idle and dependent all the time.
(Diego stares at her)
Isabella: Calm down, I’m just saying… (she puts on the TV) Ooohh, My favorite series is on…
Diego: I’m hungry.
Isabella: Okay, We can order some pizza.
Diego: No. I want you to cook for me, I haven’t tasted your cooking before. I want you to make me tofu.
Isabella: (nervously) Uhhh…Ok.
************************
(Balacar Middle School)
Akeela: I’m happy for you, Miguel. You really deserve this scholarsh!p. You’re so smart and diligent.
Miguel: (blus-hes) Thanks.
(Caruso approaches them)
Caruso: Hey br@iniac. I heard you’re now on a scholarsh!p, Guess you’re not totally useless.
Miguel: What do you want, Caruso?
Caruso: Good question. I have two as-signments that nee-ds to be done before tomorrow. (He drops the as-signment on Miguel’s desk)
Akeela: (She re-moves the books from Miguel’s desk) You know, Caruso, You can do your as-signments by YOURSELF! You have a br@in and a pair of hands too!
Miguel: Its alright Akeela, I’ll do it.
Caruso: (sm-irks) I know you will.
(Caruso leaves)
Akeela: Why do you let him boss you around like that?
Miguel: Its the only way for me to stay out of trouble. If I reject his requests then he might get me into trouble and if that happens, My scholarsh!pmight be terminated.
Akeela: (sighs) I just hope you know what you’re doing.
**********************
MEXICO CITY
(Morena arrives in her uncle’s house)
Uncle Roberto: Morena!
(He hvgs her)
Morena: Good evening Uncle Roberto.
Uncle Roberto: Wow, You’ve grown so much. You’re just as tall as I am.
Morena: (smiles) No one’s as tall as you, Uncle.
(A middle aged woman enters the living room)
Uncle Roberto: Ummm, This is my wife. Maria. (To Maria) This is my niece, Morena.
Morena: Good evening Aunt Maria.
Aunt Maria: Evening my dear. How was your journey?
Morena: It was fine
(Uncle Roberto’s children, Juan and Juanita come out to welcome her)
Juan & Juanita: Morena! (They hvg her)
Morena: Awwwnn, You cute bundles of love, Look how big you’ve grown… How’ve you been?
Juan: We’ve been fine.
Uncle Roberto: Morena, Why don’t you go in and shower. You can unpack later.
Morena: Okay uncle.
(Morena goes in)
Aunt Maria: Are you sure it’s a good idea to let her stay with us? We ba-rely have enough to feed ourselves let alone her.
Uncle Roberto: Look, She’s my niece and she nee-ds a place to stay. Besides she’s very ha-rd working.
Aunt Maria: Why is she here?
Uncle Roberto: She’s searching for a job here in Mexico city. She lives in Balacar but coming to Mexico City everyday will be stressful for her.
Aunt Maria: (sighs) Alright.
(Later)
Morena: Your house is really beautiful, Uncle.
Uncle Roberto: Thank you. Have you had something to eat?
Morena: Yeah. I had some tamales.
Uncle Roberto: You’ll have to sleep on time cause we’ll be leaving very early tomorrow.
(Meanwhile)
(At Diego’s house)
Diego: Babe! Are you done cooking?!
Isabella: (from the kitchen) Almost done!!! (thinks) Oh God, How do i cook this tofu? (she searches throu-gh the internet) Ugh, It isn’t giving me exactly what I want… I have an idea.
(Isabella orders tofu and she receives it throu-gh the backdoor and then goes to serve Diego)
Diego: Finally. (He tastes it) Hmm, Tastes so delicious. I didn’t know you were such a great cook.
Isabella: (smiles nervously) Well I am….Enjoy your meal.
Diego: Trust me, I will.
**********************
(Next Morning)
Morena: Good morning Uncle.
Uncle Roberto: You’re up alre-ady.
Morena: Yeah. And I’ve made breakfast too, Bre-ad, eggs and bacon.
Uncle Roberto: Hmmm, No wonder everywhere smells so heavenly.
(Aunt Maria enters the living room)
Uncle Roberto: (pe-cks her) Good morning sweetheart, How was your night?
Aunt Maria: Splendid. Umm, Are you cooking something?
Uncle Roberto: No. Morena just made breakfast.
Aunt Maria: Ohhh, But I wanted to make pancakes for you this morning.
Uncle Roberto: It’s alright darling. I’ll just eat the bre-ad, eggs and bacon Morena made.
(Aunt Maria looks at him distressfully)
(That afternoon)
Uncle Roberto: So which restaurant are we checking?
Morena: The t©p notch restaurants.
Uncle Roberto: The t©p quality restaurant around here is El Cardenal.
Morena: Okay. Let’s try it.
(At El Cardenal)
(Morena and her uncle enter the restaurant and see a young woman)
Morena: Good morning.
Manager: Morning. plea-se take a seat, I’ll call one of the waiters to come and take your order.
Morena: Umm, Actually I’m here to apply for a job as a cook.
Manager: Ohhh. No.
Morena: (confused) No? How do you mean?
Manager: We can’t hire you.
Morena: But why? You haven’t even tested out my cooking yet.
Uncle Roberto: Yeah, Trust me, She’s great.
Manager: I don’t care. (To Morena) We don’t nee-d you.
Uncle Roberto: Do you realize where we’re coming from? You couldn’t even atleast give her a chance before you turned her down. Just try her out!
Manager: plea-se leave before I call the security.
Morena: Let’s just go, Uncle.
(Morena and Uncle Roberto leaves the restaurant)
MORENA
Episode 6
(Later)
Uncle Roberto: It’s alright, Morena. We’ll just check another restaurant.
Morena: I just pray I get hired.
Uncle Roberto: You will. Let’s check the next one.
(After being rejected at over 10 restaurants, Morena finally relents)
Morena: I give up uncle. No restaurant wants me, I’m just not good for them.
Uncle Roberto: You can’t give up just yet. (points at a nearby restaurant) What about that one? Chuks Restaurant.
Morena: Its no use. They’ll probably reject me like the last ones did.
Uncke Roberto: But we wouldn’t know unless we tried.
Morena: (sighs) Alright.
(At Chuks Restaurant)
(Morena and her uncle enter and sees a young man)
Morena: Good morning sir.
Rodriguez: Hey.
Morena: You must be the manager. I’m here for the job as a cook.
Rodriguez: (checks her out) Well, You should know that this is a restaurant with variety of cuisine. Ranging from Mexican dishes to Italian dishes to American dishes…
Morena: No problem sir. Just give me a trial.
Rodriguez: Hmm, Alright. You’re going to make a bowl of chilli for me. If its good then I’ll give you the job.
Morena: (excitedly) That’s easy. So when doing start preparing it?
Rodriguez: Right now. (points) Go in, then turn to your left. That’s the kitchen, All the things you’ll nee-d to prepare it is in there.
Morena: Okay.
Rodriguez: And I’ll be with you shortly to inspect your cooking.
Morena: No problem.
(Morena goes into the kitchen and sees a cook)
Morena: Hi there.
Nina: Hey. You must be the new cook.
Morena: Not yet. I’ll have to prepare a bowl of chilli for the manager first and if he likes it, He’ll hire me.
Nina: Hmm, Okay. Well, If you nee-d anything. I’ll be here to help.
Morena: Okay thanks.
****************************
(Few minutes later)
(Morena takes a bowl of chilli to Rodriguez)
Morena: Sir. I’m done.
Rodriguez: Okay…
(He takes a spoon from the chilli and tastes it and Morena looks on)
Rodriguez: Hmm, It tastes so….Delicious! (He takes more scoops ) Mmmm, Where did you learn to cook like this?
Morena: My mom taught me.
Rodriguez: Well she did an amazing job.
Morena: So, Do I get the job?
Rodriguez: Of course. You’re hired!
Morena: (overly excited) Thank you so much!!!
Uncle Roberto: Thank you very much sir. We really appreciate.
Rodriguez: You’re welcome. (points) That’s Pascaline, The cashier.
Pascaline: Hi.
Morena: Hello.
Rodriguez: (To Morena) Come with me…
(Meanwhile)
(In the kitchen)
Cecilia: Can you all just st©p fussing over the new cook. Her chilli’s not so great.
Andrew: You’re only saying that because you haven’t tasted it.
Cecilia: I don’t nee-d to.
Nina: Oooh, Someb©dy’s jealous.
Cecilia: Why would I be? My cooking is better than anyone else’s, Anytime, Any day. That’s why I get more clients.
Rafael: Well that’s about to change…
(Just then, Rodriguez and Morena enter the kitchen and sees Nina and the other cooks except Cecilia, l!çk!ng the pot of chilli)
Rodriguez What’re you all doing?
Nina: We were just, uhh…
Rodriguez: Never mind. (To Morena) These are the people you’ll be working with.
Morena: Hi. I’m Morena.
Nina: I’m Nina. We met earlier.
Morena: Yeah.
Andrew: I’m Andrew.
Rafael: (stares at Morena) Hey. I’m Rafael.
Cecilia: (scornfully) I’m Cecilia.
Rodriguez: You all should get back to work. (To Morena) I’ll get you a T-shi-t. What size are you?
Morena: Medium.
(Rodriguez leaves)
Nina: Wow. I’m so glad you got the job.
Morena: (smiles) Me too.
******************************
(Later)
Rodriguez: Here’s the T-shi-t. Work starts tomorrow.
Morena: Okay. Thank you sir.
(That evening)
(At Uncle Roberto’s house)
Uncle Roberto: I’m glad you finally got the job after many trials.
Morena: Yeah me too. We Thank God for that.
Uncke Roberto: You should call your dad to let him know you’ve gotten a job.
Morena: I would’ve done that except I don’t have a phone.
Uncle Roberto: Hmmm, That isn’t good. I’ll see what I can do.
Morena: Thank you uncle.
(Morena goes to her room)
Aunt Maria: Darling, Don’t tell me you’re gonna buy a phone for her.
Uncle Roberto: Of course. She’ll nee-d it to be communicating with her dad and colleagues.
Aunt maria: But we can’t be wasting money on her. Why don’t you wait for her to get paid her first salary, then she can buy herself a phone.
Uncle Roberto: Why’re you talking like this?
Aunt Maria: (sighs) I’m sorry, I’m just not comfortable with her in our house.
Uncle Roberto: I thought we’ve talked about this. Besides, Do you think it’ll be easy for her? She’s gonna be working all day and night just so she can make enough money to go back to school and further her education and here you are complaining.
Aunt Maria: Look, I’m just saying…We ba-rely have enough for ourselves let alone her.
Uncle Roberto: Maria, What’s wrong with you? Haven’t I explained everything to you?!
Aunt Maria: You’re shouting at me? You’ve never shouted at me before.
Uncle Roberto: (angrily) Ugh…
(He goes into his room)
Aunt Maria: I can’t believe my husband shouted at me because of that girl, I’ll have to do something. That girl has to leave this house!
To be CONTINUED