Friday, 6:03 PM

Braided hair, smell of rice, family portraits and crayons.

Int: Ellie and Kai. 

Kai: Tony, you know I need you to watch Lucy.     

      : Okay I get it, you don’t schedule your hours but it’s just that there’s no one else that can watch her

      : Fine, I’ll figure something out

Lucy: (enters; peaks her head outside of her room)  Kuya, are you mad at me? 

Kai: I could never be mad at you 

    It was true, Kai could never be mad at Lucy. No one could ever be mad at their world. 

Lucy: What’s wrong then? 

Kai: Uncle Tony got really busy and isn’t able to watch you tonight and that means I can’t work tonight. 

Lucy: How about Ate Ells? 

Kai: Ate Ells?  

Lucy: Yeah, she’s the one that lives down the street from us? She lets me pet her dog whenever I seem them walking it. 

Kai: (internally: Does she mean Ellie?) Um,,, I don’t think I trust her to watch you. Not just anyone can watch my favorite person in the whole world. 

Lucy: Please please please ask her ! I love Tito Tony, but he isn’t as fun as her. 

Kai: I’ll think about it, but come on, let’s go visit Alfie because he said he has some left over taho for us. 

 

Scenes pass: Kai is driving his tricycle with Lucy in the passenger. Lucy spots Ellie walking on the side of the street.  

 

6:49 PM

Lucy: Kuya ! Stop !

Kai: What’s wrong? 

Lucy: It’s Ate Ells !!! She’s walking !!!

 

Kai’s tricycle stops next to Ellie; Lucy gets out of the tricycle. 

 

Lucy: Ate Ells! Hi ! Why are you walking? 

Ellie: Oh, I was just on my way walking. Are you riding this by yourself?

Lucy: No, this is my kuya, he’s driving it. We picked up some taho !

Ellie's soft eyes meet Kai’s hard one.

Ellie: (internally)  Kai. A year older, owns a motorcycle, doesn’t speak to anyone, does bad at school, always smells like rice. 

Kai: (internally) Ellie. A year younger, money, top student, has cute dogs. 

 

Ellie: Hi… we go to the same school, right? 

Kai: Yeah, we do. 

Lucy: Kuya said he can’t work tonight because no one can watch me and I think you should watch me 

Kai: Lucy, don-

Ellie: I can watch you ! I’d love to spend some time with you. 

Lucy: Kuya, please !!!! 

 

Scenes filled with warmth. Cooking show talk with Lucy, playing princess, braiding wet hair, bedtime stories and counting the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. Ellie leaves Lucy’s room to find Kai sitting on the couch. 

 

10:23 PM

Kai: Thank for watching her, it means a lot. 

Ellie: It’s no problem, she’s such a sweet girl. 

Kai: Yeah, she deserves a lot. 

 

Silence fills the room. Ellie isn’t sure if it’s awkward or comfortable; either way, she’s not nervous. 

 

Ellie: Um, I don’t know if this is personal, but Lucy said she misses having her hair braid… I’m not sure if I should take it as meaning something deep or

Kai: (rubs the back of his head) Um, I-

Ellie: You don’t have to tell me, if you aren’t comfortable. It’s not my business. 

Kai: Um, it’s okay. I think Lucy is going to want you to watch her again and she’ll probably say more things like that. Um, would you like to sit first? 

 

They move toward the couch.

 

Kai: Um, my parents aren’t good people. They were high school kids and didn’t make good decisions for me and Lucy. There’s a lot, but basically, I knew they couldn’t take care of me and Lucy and we left. This house is an old house  my grandpa used to own and he said we could stay here so my parents won’t find us. It’s just us. 

Ellie: How? I mean-, you have school and this-

Kai: I work two jobs: rice boy in the early morning and tricycle driver at night. 

Ellie: That’s why you needed someone to watch her tonight. 

Kai: yeah, I’m really thankful for you watching her. She doesn’t usually let people in, so when she really pitched for you, I couldn’t say no. 

Ellie: I can watch her on nights if you can’t. I don’t really have busy evenings. 

Kai: I can’t-

Ellie: No, trust me. I love Lucy and if you can’t work, that means she won’t be okay.

Kai: (internally: trust?) Okay

 

They sit in silence, comfortable silence. Despite the heavy topic, the room is soon filled with light laughter and wholesome glances. Comfort.  

 

Fin.