Inamorata - EPISODE 6: The Letter

 

EPISODE 6 : The Letter

Scene: Cathy's office early the next day after the party. Her phone is ringing. It's Paolo.

Cathy: Hello?

Paolo: Hi Cathy.

Cathy: Hi.

Paolo: You left so quickly the other night, we didn't get a chance to talk. Now you know more about my family than I would have liked. I apologize for my brother Vincent. I hope he didn't scare you.

Cathy: No, I'm really okay.

Paolo: Good, good. I was really taken aback that he even knows you.

Cathy: He saved my life, you know. He was the one who took me to the hospital when I was attacked.

Paolo: I see. I'm glad that he did that. But... be careful of him, Cathy.

Cathy: Why do you say that?

Paolo: Well, I hate to say this about my own brother but he's ... not stable. My aunts probably filled you in about Vincent's stint at the mental hospital.

Cathy: Yes they did.

Paolo: That and I hesitate to bring this up but he has a tendency to get ... obsessed about certain things or even people.



Cathy: What do you mean?

Paolo: Well, when we were kids, he was really into Legos. That's all he wanted to do, his Yaya would have to force him to stop playing so he can eat and sleep. Then he used to play the piano for hours and hours without stopping. When he liked a certain song, he would play that song over and over all day! Sometimes its people he would fixate on.

Cathy: People?

Paolo: In elementary school, he had a crush on one of his teachers. He gave her flowers, gifts, letters. He followed her around at school like a lovesick puppy, it was embarrassing! Even my friends started teasing me about my psycho brother! He was such a nuisance that the teacher was forced to talk to our parents to make him stop.

Cathy: But he was just a child then.

Paolo: It didn't change when he grew up. You know about Ileanna, his fiance? You should have seen the way he was completely attached to her like a ... parasite. He wouldn't let her our of his sight. No wonder she got tired of him.

Cathy: Your aunts did mention Ileanna. They said she died in a boating accident that scarred Vincent.
What really happened, can you tell me, Paolo?

Paolo: Okay, but for that story, you have to have dinner with me.

Cathy: I don't know if that's a good idea..

Paolo: That's the only way I'll tell you...

Cathy: You're incorrigible.

Paolo: Come on. I promise to tell you everything you want to know.

Cathy: Okay, okay.



Later that day...

Scene: Just outside Cathy's office. Cathy is on her way inside when Susie stops her.

Susie: (looking concerned) Cathy, our boss from the network is here to see you.

Cathy: (looking concerned too) Ok. Thanks.

Cathy pushes her office door open. An older, well dressed lady, is sitting at Cathy's desk. She's rifling through the papers on the desk. Cathy comes inside her office.

Cathy: Mrs. Gorospe! What a surprise. You should have let us know you were coming.

Mrs. Gorospe looks up. She usually looks unhappy, like she's smelling something bad.

Mrs. Gorospe: Good Morning Cathy! I came here to talk to you about our concerns at the network.

Cathy: Concerns, ma'am?

Mrs. Gorospe: Yes, yes. Your ratings have been steadily slipping

Cathy: I have seen the numbers and it seems like everyone’s ratings are declining. There’s so much more choices out there for the audience...

Mrs. Gorospe: (interrupting) Nevertheless, we all need to do everything we can! We can't just use that as an excuse. We have to fight! The network wants to know what you are doing to raise your viewership? But I see that you are way ahead of us.

Mrs. Gorospe points to the papers at her desk.

Mrs. Gorospe: This is incredible. I’m very impressed, Cathy. I didn’t know you had it in you.

Cathy: What do you mean..

Mrs. Gorospe: Don't be coy! You have gold here! This Monticelli family tragedy is quite a story.

Cathy: Actually ma'am, we were investigating the fake drugs and thought that there's a connection with Monticelli Industries but we haven't found anything worth airing...

Mrs. Gorospe: Forget that boring story! You have something much better here. Don't you see it! I have to admit Cathy, we are very concerned. The network thought we might have to cancel Under Scrutiny...

Cathy: Well, Paolo Monticelli is close to agreeing to an exclusive interview. He doesn’t give interviews often and I think everyone will be fascinated by what’s he’s accomplished.

Mrs. Gorospe: No! I can’t believe you don’t see the potential here. I’d never heard of this story of the other Monticelli brothers. They fall in love with the same girl, one of them dies and the other ends up in the psych ward! And the girl dies too! This is a ratings bonanza! Rich people, a love triangle, tragedy, death! It's the kind of story that our audience will go crazy for. When is it ready to air? We have to prepare the promos for it!

Cathy: Uhhh... Oh yes! That's exactly what I was thinking too.

Mrs. Gorospe: That's more like it! I know you will see sense, you are an intelligent girl. You will see, we will crush the competition!

After Mrs. Gorospe leaves, Susie comes in the office.

Susie: What was that about?

Cathy looks distressed.

Cathy: Mrs. Gorospe said that our ratings are slipping and we need to do something to raise it.

Susie: I had a bad feeling.

Cathy: She wants us to go with the flow and join the “sensationalism” bandwagon.

Susie: Lurid is what sells.

Cathy: The worse part is she read my research about Vincent on my desk and she wants their family tragedy to be our story.

Susie: Oh no! Are you going to do it?

Cathy: (looking dismayed) I kind of offered it up. I was backed into a corner! She said the network is thinking of canceling us!

Susie: What? I can't lose this job, Cathy.

Cathy: We'll think of something, don't worry...

Susie: (looking at the paper on Cathy's desk) Is this what you've been doing all morning? Googling Vincent Monticelli?

Cathy: (A bit embarrassed) Well, yes. But, look at what I found...

Cathy shows Susie some web pages on the internet.

Cathy: Here's an article on a concert that Vincent was part of in Vienna.

The webpage has a picture of Vincent, looking handsome and without scars on his face, wearing a black tuxedo with purple bow tie and cumberband. He has a serious look on his face. Next to him is a very beautiful smiling young woman in a formal ball gown with her arm around his waist, leaning on to him.

Cathy: That's Ileanna Castillo, the soprano that Vincent was engaged to. You know, when I saw her I thought that there's something familiar about her name. Like I’ve heard of her before.

Susie looks at Cathy and then at the computer screen a few times.

Susie: She looks a lot, I mean, a lot like you! Seriously, she does. She just has different make up but you look remarkably alike.

Cathy: Well it turns out, there's a good reason for that.

Susie: Really! What is it? Wait, let me guess? She's your long lost twin sister?

Cathy: Ha ha, no. Believe it or not, she's a distant cousin!

Susie: Wow? How distant?

Cathy: I called my mom to see if she knows anything about her because I remembered that we had some relatives with last name of 'Castillo'. When I told her the name, she said, yup, we're related! We're something like third cousins, twice removed.

Susie: You didn't know about her or even met yet?

Cathy: Nope, Ileanna's side of the family live mostly in Europe.

Susie: I'm serious as a heart attack, Cathy. You two look like twins!

Cathy: Hmm, I suppose so...

Susie: (looking serious) Cathy, now are you not just even a tiny bit scared of Vincent?

Cathy: Well, I admit that's in my mind as well.

Susie: Isn't it obvious that he's in love with you? Especially now that we've seen how his former fiance looked?

Cathy: I don't know about 'love.' Maybe he does like me a bit, but I really think he's harmless. I don't think he will hurt me.

Susie: I'm just speaking as your friend. Maybe you should be more guarded. You put yourself in dangerous situations, never thinking anything bad will ever happen to you! I question your judgment when it comes to these matters sometimes!

Cathy is silent.

Susie: Think about it. Is his behavior normal at all?

Cathy: Susie, honestly, it never occurred to me to be afraid of him...He saved my life, for Pete's sake..
Besides, I didn't even get a rose this morning. He was quite angry at me last night for being at the party. Maybe he's over me.

Just then a mail room clerk knocks on the door.

Mail room clerk: Miss Villanueva? Delivery for you.

The clerk brings over a large beautiful bouquet of purple, white, and variegated purple and white roses
With the flowers is a letter in an envelope.

Cathy: Wow.

Cathy was surprised at herself that the emotion she felt foremost was relief. She didn't realize that part of her has been waiting for her daily rose from Vincent. And that when she didn't get a rose this morning, she was a bit sad. Cathy opens the envelope and begins to read the letter. Susie is trying to look over her shoulder. Cathy gives her a look.

Cathy: Do you mind?

Susie: Okay, I'm leaving anyway, I've got tons of work to do. Hmph!! So much for 'Estraneo' being over you..

Cathy goes back to reading the letter.



My Dearest Cathy,


First of all, I sincerely apologize for how I behaved last night.
Please know that I only acted out of pure concern.
I cannot bear the thought that I scared you.
You have nothing, absolutely nothing to fear from me.
I love you and I will hurt myself a thousand times before I will hurt you.


My love, my every waking moment, you are in my heart and mind.
You represent all that is good in this world.
You are the symphony that fills my being with music.
You are the oxygen that keeps me breathing.
You are the sweet song that keeps my blood moving.
You are the light in the darkness of my soul.
You are my all consuming passion.
Knowing that I'm walking the same earth and breathing the same air as you, my lovely, is what keeps me alive.


Forgive me if I cannot express what's in my heart to your exquisite face.
I wish I can say these words to you while holding you in my arms.
You have heard some horrible things about me last night.
I wish I could deny them but I cannot. You deserve the truth.
Despite my deep love for you, I realize that I may not be worthy of you yet.
My life's mission is to be deserving of you, my dearest.
I had a plan to introduce myself to you gradually.
But circumstances conspired to reveal myself to you sooner.


For now, I will try to give you some space.
But please know that I am always here, waiting.
Waiting for the time when we can be together.
My body, mind, heart and soul belong to you.
You are my love, my life, my Inamorata.


Yours forever and always,

Vincent