Christmas Angel - EPISODE 9: Four Calling Birds

Grandpa Melchor is showing the invitation for the Pascual's Annual Christmas party to Chris.  On the invitation is a beautiful artwork of four red birds with their beaks open and musical notes are coming out of them.

Chris: Umm, Lolo, do you want to watch this movie with me?

Melchor: (surprised, looks at the TV) Ah, “Miracle on 34^th Street”, my favorite.  I used to watch this with your mom every Christmas.

Chris: Really?  Watching this movie was our Christmas tradition too. 

Melchor: Chris, I've been meaning to tell you how happy I am about the changes in you.  I knew Miss Baltazar would be a good influence on you.

Chris: She told me we should have a talk

Melchor: We do? About what?

***

Scene: Outside Carol's apartment

Carol is walking out and she sees Chris waiting for her outside.  She pauses but walks the other way.

Chris: Carol!  Carol! C'mon, (following her)  I know you can hear me.  You can't avoid me forever.

Carol stops and turn around.

Carol: I'm very busy today.  I don't have time for this.

Chris: It's Saturday and you don't have appointments with clients, right?

Carol: No, but I have things to do.

Chris: I have an invitation for the Christmas party for you.

Carol: You didn't have to hand deliver it.

Chris: I promise I'll behave.  Please, I have a lot to tell you.

Carol: Chris, you don't have to tell me anything. 

Chris: I won't leave you alone until you talk to me.  I'll tag along with you wherever you are going. 

Carol: This is a bad idea.

Chris: Please... I'm going to follow you whether you want to or not.

***

Scene: Street close to Carol's neighborhood.  They are just leaving the grocery store.

Chris: So....Lolo and I had a talk.

Carol: That's fantastic!  How did it go?

Chris: Good, good.. I'm very glad that we did. 

Carol: What did you talk about?

Chris: We talked about my mom....how I grew up...he told me some stories about my mom.  I told him some stories about our life in the States.  There's some things that happened that I can't talk about yet but maybe one day I will.  I really think my grandpa and I understand each other better now.

Carol:  I'm so glad to hear that, Chris.  That's what we call a breakthrough.

Chris: I owe it to you. 

Carol: Everything is not going to be magically better.  You will still need to manage your temper...

Chris: Yes, Ms Carol. (smiling)

Carol: Don't mock me. 

Chris: I'm just glad to see my Ms Carol back.

Carol can't think of a comeback to that.

***

Scene: Back at Carol's apartment. 

Chris: (serious) I broke up with Noelle.

Carol: Huh? Are you sure that's what you wanted?

Chris: I've never been more sure of anything in my life.  I don't want to be with her, I want to be with you, Carol.  I love you!

Carol: (surprised) Chris, please.  Maybe you should leave....

Chris: No, I'm not going anywhere until we've had a chance to talk.  You're the one that says we have to face our unresolved feelings.

Carol: You don't know anything about me.  I can't be with anyone.

Chris: Why not?  Why are you hiding yourself like this?  I've seen some of that woman inside.

Carol: And that's precisely why!  That woman can't ever come out.  She's dangerous!

Carol tries to turn away but Chris blocks her.  He puts his hand under her chin and forces her to look at him.

Chris: Carol, look me in the eye and tell me that you don't feel anything for me.

Carol: (starts to tear up) Okay! Okay!  You got me!  Dammit!  I love you! (she pushes Chris) I love you  too!  Now stay the fuck away from me! (crying hard)

Carol pushes Chris harder, but Chris grabs her

Chris: (intense) There is no way in hell I'm staying away from you.

Chris kisses her hard.  Carol kisses him back.  Unlike the last time they got together, they are sober.  But like the last time, they couldn't get enough of each other.  They continue to kiss and they end up in Carol's neat, orderly bedroom where they continue to kiss and touch each other on top the bed. 

All of a sudden, Carol pushes Chris off her and she stands up. 

Carol: (crying) I can't... I can't...

Chris: (suddenly angry) What??? What the fuck!! 

Carol: (crying)  Sorry...sorry....

Chris stands up too.

Chris: (yelling) Sorry!?!  That's all you can say?  Are you playing mind games with me!?!

Carol: No, I'm not, I'm not playing any games. ..

Chris: (yelling louder) Then what!! What?!?  (screaming) You said you loved me??? Why are you fucking with me ??

Chris stands next to Carol.  Carol is terrified.  She lifts both arms to shield her face and had curled into a ball.

Carol: (crying) No.. no.. please...

Chris is taken aback.

Chris: What? I'm not gonna hit you!  I've never hit a woman in my life!

Chris picks up the sobbing Carol and holds her tightly.  

Chris: Hey, look at me... I will never, never ever hurt you.  Why would you think that I would?

Carol calmed down after a while.

Carol: My husband used to beat me.  (sob)  He was abusive, not just emotionally but also physically.

Chris: If he wasn't dead, I'd kill him.  No one should ever treat you that way.

Carol: (still crying) Chris, I want to tell you everything...

Carol takes some deep breaths.

Carol: I was 17 when I married a man much older than me. 

Chris: 17? Your parents let you?

Carol; My parents died when I was young.  I was raised by my stepmother who was more than happy for me to be someone else's problem.  So you see, we have that in common.  We were both rebellious and got into all kinds of trouble as teenagers. 

Chris: It's hard to picture you as a teenager.

Carol:  My stepmother calls me the 'spawn from hell',  She said I'm just like my whore of a mother.

Chris: That may have been said about me too.

Carol is working up to telling more.  This isn't easy for her. 

Chris takes Carol's hands and it gave her courage.

Carol: Damon.. he cheated on me... I put up with it for a long time.. When I got pregnant, I was so happy....  (crying)  Then, then... It was on Christmas day, my delivery date was a few days away.  He was going to spend Christmas with another one of his bimbos and he was rubbing it in my face.  I lost it!  I went after him like a madwoman.  He tried to push me down the stairs but I grabbed him and we both fell down. (sobs)  Damon’s neck broke. (sob)  He died … and…and I had to deliver the baby right away.  (sobs)

Chris has never seen anyone weep this hard. 

Carol:  (broken sobs)  My baby girl lived for less than a day.  (crying the hardest)   The doctors said they aren't sure if she would not have made it anyway, or if it's because of the accident, but I know!  I'm sure my little baby died because of me!

Chris held her for a long time as Carol cried some more.  He felt her pain.  He cried with her too.

Carol: (weeping) Chris, I can't be with anyone.  I’m afraid to get pregnant again.

Carol: Carol, listen to me.  What happened in the past does not have to happen again.  I'm different  than the person you were married to. 

Carol: You might be different than he is, but I'm the same person.  Don't you see?  What if I lose control and do something crazy again?

Chris: I know you are emotional now and maybe that's why you don't see it.  Are you just going to keep yourself from having a relationship for the rest of your life?

Carol: I'd rather do that than have what happened before happen again.

Chris: I see that I can't win an argument with a psychotherapist.

Carol:  Chris, I think you should go.  We should never see each other again. 

Chris:  If that is what you want, I will go.  But please, Carol, please, I'm begging you, please use the same logic that you use in your job to look at your situation.  I love you so much.  You said you love me too.  Please give us a chance.  Please forgive yourself.

Chris leaves.  On top of the coffee table is the invitation with the four calling birds.