1995. The front porch of a rented house in Los Angeles. A couple negotiates what it means to build a life in a new country — and who gets to decide.
Scene 3 from an original play about the immigrant experience in 1990s Los Angeles.
SCENE 3
(1995: Exterior front porch of the family home GRILLO, LUCERO and her brothers are renting in a Los Angeles neighborhood. At rise, GRILLO enjoys a cigarette as LUCERO enters.)
LUCERO
What are you doing out here?
GRILLO
Same thing I do every night. You want a drag?
LUCERO
Yes.
(He hands her the cigarette. She takes a drag. GRILLO admires her as she smokes; she's no longer a beginner smoker.)
LUCERO (CONT'D)
How was your day?
GRILLO
Look at you. I'm definitely a bad influence.
LUCERO
I don't know what you're talking about. It's just a drag or two.
GRILLO
Every night.
LUCERO
Well what do you expect, being with you?
GRILLO
You look beautiful. Grown up.
LUCERO
Mmmmm.
GRILLO
You do.
LUCERO
You have your ways to get what you want.
GRILLO
As do you.
(He makes a move on her. She pushes him away.)
LUCERO
Not here, Grillo. They're inside.
GRILLO
Who cares?
(They share a passionate kiss.)
LUCERO
So how was your day? How's work?
(He shrugs.)
GRILLO
I'm painting houses. How complicated can it be?
LUCERO
(She motions with her hands and fingers.)
This outfit . . . the paint streaks.
GRILLO
Yeah?
LUCERO
It's working for me.
GRILLO
Oh yeah? Well, I've got plenty.
(They both laugh. They share a kiss and maybe something more. Just when it's about to get a bit more passionate, they are disturbed by a noise coming from inside the house and pull away.)
GRILLO (CONT'D)
Let's get our own place. C'mon, it's time. I don't want to live with your brothers for the rest of our lives.
LUCERO
It's been nice to not feel so alone in this place. Agustin likes it.
GRILLO
Agustin or you?
LUCERO
Ask him. Spend more time with him and see what he tells you.
GRILLO
I do spend time with him.
LUCERO
I think he enjoys having his uncles around.
GRILLO
Well if we had our own place, we would definitely spend more time together. And you and me. . . . we could also spend more time together.
LUCERO
Agustin is already more than enough. I don't know what we'd do with another.
(He lights another cigarette.)
GRILLO
We need our own place. This was fine when we first arrived. But we have no privacy now. It's time.
LUCERO
It's time? Now that you're no longer enjoying it, it's time to leave?
GRILLO
They won't stop coming, you know? First your brothers, then mine. Then our cousins. A friend of the family. Then what's his name from who knows what? Endless. Again and again.
LUCERO
You're unbelievable.
GRILLO
What? It's true. They're all coming now.
LUCERO
So now that they've let you in, let's close the door?
GRILLO
No, no. We did it on our own.
LUCERO
We had help.
GRILLO
Not a lot.
LUCERO
But some.
GRILLO
We left to escape that life. To start over and now it's following us here.
LUCERO
Why is it always what you say? You wanted to come here and we came.
GRILLO
We decided to come.
LUCERO
And now we're here and it's never enough.
GRILLO
I'm looking out for us. That's all I've ever done.
LUCERO
I just told you how Agustin and I are enjoying it here and instead of listening to that your first instinct is to leave.
GRILLO
No. No.
LUCERO
Why are you so against my brothers?
GRILLO
I often wonder if you realize the number of times you've chosen your brothers over us. If the only reason you ever really choose me is when you have no other option.
LUCERO
I like my brothers, Grillo. I'm sorry that you don't like yours.
GRILLO
Don't mock me.
LUCERO
I'm not mocking you.
GRILLO
You are. You know exactly what you're doing. I'm sorry my family is messed up, okay? We can't all come from happy families.
LUCERO
That's no reason to resent my family.
GRILLO
I wanna build a family with you. Ours. Not anyone else's. I think I've earned that right.
LUCERO
Build or control? That's two different things.
GRILLO
I'm not controlling things and if that's what you really think of me then I don't want to be with you for another second. When have you created something — a moment — for us? I set up the border crossing for the three of us. I made plans for us to live here. I went out and looked for work so that you could stay here with Agustin. It would be nice if I had some help from time to time.
LUCERO
Let me work.
GRILLO
Fine, work. But put your attention on our family. This. Us. Help me build our life here.
LUCERO
What do you think I'm doing when you go to work? Going shopping?
GRILLO
What?
LUCERO
No, I'm here in this house. Cleaning, cooking, buying the groceries, spending time with Agustin. How is that any different than what my life would have looked like back home? You work and I serve.
GRILLO
I also serve. You think working here is easy?
LUCERO
You just said there's nothing to painting houses.
GRILLO
I just said it's not what I would prefer to be doing. Of course, I'll do it. I'd work any job to support us. Would you?
LUCERO
We've already risked our lives and Agustin's to get here, Grillo. Tell me what else is above that?
GRILLO
You see what you do? You hold onto things like that and then you strike when you want to hurt me. Can you be sweet to me not just when you want something to smoke?
LUCERO
I shouldn't even have to ask you for permission. You've made me doubt every decision, every step I ever make.
GRILLO
I don't like that you're saying that. I do everything for the three of us. Is it too much to ask to have you all for myself while I still can? Not to share you with your brothers all of the time?
LUCERO
I want to stay here and enjoy what we have for a bit longer, if you don't mind.
GRILLO
Well, enjoy it while it lasts.
(A sudden understanding washes over LUCERO.)
LUCERO
You've already found a place haven't you?
GRILLO
It's just one street over in front of Agustin's school. One bedroom. No yard, but it's nice.
LUCERO
Wow, for the second time tonight you are unbelievable.
GRILLO
Come look at it, you'll like it. And there's a 2-story house in the back that I'll get for us when the people who live there leave.
LUCERO
Grillo . . .
GRILLO
You want another drag? I promise you, I'll stop teasing you about it.
LUCERO
No, I'm done smoking.
(She starts to leave.)
GRILLO
Don't, please. I only meant to do good.
LUCERO
Then include me in these decisions instead of making them for me. Do you know that you've made almost every important decision in my life since we met? I — I've given myself over to you.
GRILLO
Don't say that.
LUCERO
(to herself)
So stupid.
GRILLO
You used to think it was romantic.
LUCERO
Have fun in your one-bedroom, Grillo. I'm staying here with Agustin.
(She exits.)
GRILLO
(Calling after her.)
Lucero, c'mon. Lucero. Wait.
(The door slams behind her.)
— A.T.D.