Eurolife

Saturday 20:01, nº68 English St.

The doorbell rings, and Ester opens the door. He finds a very well dressed Miki. She is suprised.

ESTER: Oh, good evening, gentleman.

MIKI: Er... Hello. Is Eliot here?

ESTER: Sure, come in. I'll get him.

Miki enters the house, and awkwardly goes and sits in the living room. He finds Michael watching TV.

Michael looks at him, and he awkwardly sits by his side on the couch.

MICHAEL: Oh, hello. What a nice surprise.

MIKI: Yeah, we're going out tonight. Well, we're going to my place, you know. Some chill plans.

MICHAEL: Yeah. Miki, right?

MIKI: Yes, the one and only.

They sit in silence for a few seconds. Miki takes a glance at the TV.

MIKI: So those home renovation programmes, huh?

MICHAEL: Yeah. They're entretained I guess.

MIKI: My friends are obsessed with them.

MICHAEL: Nice.

Miki feels the embarrassment and awkwardness going up his face, so he clears his throat.

MIKI: The toilet, where is it?

MICHAEL: Oh, just go foward and the door on the right. Don't go to the one in the left, it's the pantry.

And as he was giving him instructions, Miki gets up and opens the door on the left. He awkwardly closes it immediately, and directs himself to the other door.

MIKI: Such a nice pantry, very spacious.

Michael nods with a perplexed look on his face as he watches Miki get into the toilet. When he is gone, he proceeds to keep watching TV.

MICHAEL: (sighs) Youngsters theese days.

Meanwhile, Miki in the toilet, takes his phone out and texts Eliot.

[MESSAGE FROM: MIKI]: Dude, where are you? Those were the worst 2 minutes of my life.

[MESSAGE FROM: ELIOT]: I was watching that scene, but I'm done already. Let's go.

Saturday 19:48, Prague Apartments nº9, Czech St.

Jeroným opens the door and finds Albert in the living room, where he is turning everything upside down.

JERONÝM: What has happened here?

ALBERT: I can't find Leonora's keys.

Jeroným gets nervous for a moment, but decides to play along.

JERONÝM: Well, look who is the irresponsible one!

ALBERT: Just please, help me find them. She looks scary when she gets angry.

JERONÝM: Really? Are we talking about the same Leonora?

ALBERT: Have you seen her sharpening her blades in her ice skates?

Jeroným gets startled for a moment. Then he pretends to look around.

JERONÝM: Mmhhh... they don't seem to be around.

Albert sighs.

ALBERT: And what I'm going to do now? She is going to kill me.

JERONÝM: Don't put me throught this. You denied me access to the keys. It was your responsability.

They both sit down in the couch.

ALBERT: What am I going to say to her now? And I don't even want to know about the reaction of Antonín.

JERONÝM: Relax... We'll find a way to enter in the house. Maybe there will be some spare keys in there.

ALBERT: (thinking) You're right. There was a YouTube tutorial on how to open a door with two hairpins.

JERONÝM: We'll be there tomorrow. The plants will be fine.

Jeroným takes his coat off and Leonora's keys fall on the floor.

ALBERT: Hey, since when do you have a pink keychain?

Jeroným quickly realizes and with the speed of light he picks them up from the ground.

Saturday 14:57, Bar de Tapas La Venda, Spanish St.

Eliot stretches his body and approaches to Miki.

ELIOT: End of my shift already. I'm exhausted.

Miki frowns.

MIKI: You still have three more minutes of work.

ELIOT: Come on, it's just three minutes.

MIKI: I'll have to take a discount on your salary.

Eliot sighs.

MIKI: So, what are your plans for today?

ELIOT: You know, the usual. Lay in bed and wonder what to do with this information.

MIKI: Well, today I'm closing early. So I wondered you could come to my house and we'll watch some Netflix.

Eliot can't help and he giggles.

ELIOT: Yeah, cool. I don't think I want to see my mother with her new... boyfriend.

MIKI: Why not? Don't you like him?

ELIOT: It's not that. It's just... weird. It's my mom, dude.

MIKI: I mean, yeah, but don't you feel happy for her?

ELIOT: Don't get me wrong, I sure do. But it's just weird and I feel so out of place.

Miki sighs.

MIKI: Maybe it's just something that takes time, I guess.

ELIOT: So, what time today?

MIKI: Seven sounds good?

ELIOT: (Grinning his teeth) Incredibly good.

MIKI: It's already three o'clock. You can leave if you please.

Eliot takes his apron off and leaves it where he leaves it normally.

ELIOT: Freedom, at last! I can taste it already.

Miki rolls his eyes. He approaches to him and gives him a kiss in the forehead.

MIKI: See you later, silly.

ELIOT: Bye.

Eliot walks off the bar, and Miki keeps staring at him while he goes away.

On the way home, he starts thinking about his brother again. What is he supposed to do now? He takes his phone and seaches his instagram profile. He goes around it, and looks at some photos. He, in fact, does look kinda like him.

He taps on the message button, and starts writing: Hi! I know it's going to sound super crazy, but actually I would like to talk to you about something...

THE DAY SHE MOVED ON, Grocery store.

Maro is the kind of person that goes with her earbuds everywhere. She looks at the fruits in the grocery store, unable to make a choice.

She sees tangerines and strawberries. It's the season for both, so she really doesn't know what to choose. If she brings both, she is sure they would rot before she eats them all.

She remembers that Amanda's favourite fruit was strawberries. She slightly smiles when she went to reach those, but suddenly she grabbed tangerines instead.

It was like an instict, so sudden and out of the blue. She doesn't question it and she goes to pay her fruit.

She checks out her fruit, pays and thanks the cashier. She puts her earbuds on and when she was exiting the establishment, she glances around her and she thinks she has seen her.

Maro immediately turns around. And when she does, it was not a tought anymore. She was there. It was the first time she has seen her in weeks.

She looks like a whole different person, but at the same time it's her. She has not changed at all, but it is so weird seeing her now... She doesn't even know what to do, how to react.

Her body moves and tries to chase her, but she stops completely. She just observes her go. And she disappears within the people.

Maro turns around again. She sighs. It feels so strange.

She wanted to go after her, but at the same time, she didn't. It felt good seing her again, but also it felt like a punch in the stomach.

Would Amanda feel the same about her?

She shakes her head off. It doesn't matter now.

She feels like a lingering feeling traveling trough her nervous system. She just can't stop thinking about it.

But it's different. It's like... she doesn't feel bargain anymore.

It's just saudade.

It doesn't feel like a weight on her shoulders, it feels like something has been lifted on her. It feels like the wind blows differently, and she is in a completely new place, but it's the road to her home she has been following for some years now.

It feels fresh, it feels kinda optimistic.

THE DAY SHE ACCEPTED IT, Maro's Room.

Maro plays ukelele quite good, since her childhood she loved to play silly little songs with it. And no one knows this side of her, but she actually loves to write songs. She doesn't show them to anyone.

But somehow, Stefan discovered she wrote some and he insisted.

And they're here now, playing ukelele in Maro's bed. The one she once shared with her.

STEFAN: And what does it mean?

MARO: Mean what?

STEFAN: That word, saudade.

Maro smiles slightly.

MARO: I just can't describe it.

STEFAN: Try then.

Maro looks into the distance, trying to find focus.

MARO: It's not when you miss something, but you still feel good about it right? You feel good and you're glad it happened. You feel glad it's in the past, but you relive it in your memories. It's so specific, it's hard to describe.

Stefan looks deep into Maro's eyes.

STEFAN: And why do you feel saudade?

MARO: Well, that's kind of personal, right?

STEFAN: You're right, I'm sorry.

MARO: I was just kidding. I just... don't know. I kinda feel saudade about myself.

STEFAN: Yourself?

MARO: Don't you feel lost sometimes? And wonder how you got there? And you wonder who are you in reality and decipher every choice that led you to this moment?

Stefan laughs.

STEFAN: No, I'm just the person who just lives the moment.

MARO: Really?

STEFAN: Yeah. I don't overthink too much about anything. If there's something to come, so be it. I'll face it.

Maro leaves her uke by the side of her bed.

MARO: And how is that easy for you?

Stefan shrughs.

STEFAN: I just am.

MARO: I wish I was that naturally careless.

STEFAN: Don't wish that. It's kinda cute you think about everything, because it means you care.

MARO: Well, I care too much.

STEFAN: But you care. I wish I could care a bit more.

MARO: (confused) What do you mean?

Stefan looks up. He looks at the stars Maro has in her ceiling.

STEFAN: Details are what matter. It's like small bricks that together build something. You can't live out of thin air.

MARO: I think I know what you're talking about.

STEFAN: Oh, do you?

Maro looks at his deep brown eyes, and then at his well cared beard.

MARO: Yes. It's like... when you make a building without glue. You take a brick out and everything falls apart. But when you put glue in, you can take many out and nothing happens. You have time to put them back in.

STEFAN: I think I understand.

Stefan and Maro remain silent for a moment.

STEFAN: And all of this for...?

Friday 20:38, Waterloo Graveyard, the Outskirts. 

They've been sitting in silence for a few minutes now. Elina put a coat over Mélovin's shoulder.

She doesn't know how to react, what to say.

ELINA: So, this is your first time here?

Mélovin doesn't even react.

ELINA: We brought her flowers sometime.

Still no answer.

Elina sighs and braces herself. She looks around.

ELINA: My father also died young, Konstyantyn. Everything you're feeling I've probably felt too.

Mélovin lets go a sarcastic laugh.

MÉLOVIN: I bet your father wasn't let to die alone, with her pills.

ELINA: No. But I blamed everyone else for his death, only to find out I was actually projecting the guilt I felt.

Mélovin remains silent. He doesn't even look at her eyes.

ELINA: Turns out that blaming the living is far easier than realizing situations are actually far more complicated than we want them to be.

MÉLOVIN: (whispering) But it hadn't to be her.

ELINA: And how do you change that? Would you exchange yourself for her?

Mélovin doesn't answer.

ELINA: I know you would, but unfortunatelly, that's not something on your power.

MÉLOVIN: But maybe if I had reacted sooner...

Elina smiles tenderly.

ELINA: You're fifteen. She had to take care of you, not you of her.

MÉLOVIN: Things were hard.

ELINA: I know. But there's so many things you don't know yet. You'll understand.

Mélovin doesn't move, or say anything else. He just stares at the far distance and contemplates the quantity of graves in that graveyard.

The last memory Mélovin has of her mother plays in his head: him going to school, only to see Lea. He knew that morning when he saw her, that it was a bad night for her. And when he came home late in the evening, there was no way back.

And he saw her, pale as the marble where she lies now.

THE DAY SHE LOST HERSELF, Balkanic Beach

It's already dawn, and Maro and her friends are playing frisbee in the cold sand. It's not even spring yet, but being outside always brings them such joy, with the beachy wind and salt air.

Ben throws the frisbee to Gjon, but miserabily fails. The frisbee ends up almost at Maro's feet, where she is sitting not paying much attention to her friends.

BEN: Oh, come on! It was the wind, it was a perfect throw!

GJON: (going to get the frisbee) Yeah, just like the past 32 times.

BEN: I was the Frisbee Champion in middle school. I won two years in a row.

GJON: Ben, I went to middle school together. You don't have to lie.

Ben sighs. Gjon bends down to get the frisbee and looks at Maro.

GJON: You alright?

Maro instantly notices him by her side. She nods, and stares at the ocean again.

GJON: Are you sure you don't want to play with us?

MARO: No, it's okay. I'm terrible at frisbee.

GJON: I think Ben brought a volley ball.

Maro smiles.

MARO: I swear I'm fine. I'm just... contemplating the view.

GJON: Okay, okay... I'll leave you alone. But I'll keep an eye on you, because you are in that mood again.

MARO: (confused) Which mood?

GJON: You know, that mood when you overthink everything.

Maro half smiles, because she knows he is right.

MARO: I'm fine, I promise.

Ben calls Gjon, and he takes a last glance at her and goes away to play frisbee again, while Maro keeps watching the distant ocean.

She takes her phone out and sees a couple of messages from Stefan. She sighs, and turns the phone off.

It's been a couple of days where she feels like going backwards, like nothing makes sense again. She can't feel full: she doesn't feel like going out with her friends, nor drawing or playing some ukelele. Food doesn't even taste right. It's just that everything feels so... empty.

She feels a couple of shivers down her arms because it's windy and it's starting to be chiller outisde. She covers her skin with her arms and sighs.

If only she'd never met her... She would be much happier. And she would've been much happier in the past three years.

It hurts to think that she never knew no one romantically apart from her. And she can't stop seeing her everywhere she goes. She lives in her head still. She can't bear with it anymore.

Days are long and nights are sleepless. It's been so many weeks since the last time she slept fine. And she wakes up rutinelly and does everything she is supposed to do, but everything feels so... empty.

And she knows she doesn't have to do it, but she recalls all the good times they had together and play the memories in her head. She knows she is never going to live something like that again. She won't love again.

And Stefan comes into her mind... She knows she is going to hurt him. So bad... she is feeling so guilty about everything.

Why can't anything ever last for her?

THE DAY SHE REGRETTED IT, Maro's room.

Maro, tiredly, opens the door to her room and leaves her stuff in the floor. It's really early in the morning. She just came from his house.

It's fascinating how she just met somebody and slept with him. And he was charming, and it was a good night.

But she felt like shit.

She sighs and lays on her bed. She knows she can't sleep, so she just lays there looking to the ceiling. And waits for time to pass.

Time, she just needs time to get over it. But it feels like it's slipping from her fingers as she grasps it.

She felt so ashamed of sleeping with somebody else. What was she thinking about? It was a terrible idea.

Everything went right until she tought of her. Suddenly, his face changed completely and she couldn't look at him the same.

But he was so nice to her last night.

She feels tears running down her face, but she doesn't wipe them. She lets them run.

It feels like opening her heart to someone else made her feel like she was desperate, like she didn't deserve to have someone else in her life. She was still mourning.

But she knows mourning won't get her anywhere. She has to move on.

And time comes in again, and she just wonders how she can move on faster? How she can stop feeling? Maro prefers being numb than living jailed to her.

She was always jailed to Amanda. Amanda sculpted her into the person she was now. She has never met anyone romantically outside Amanda's bubble. She was made for her, because she made her that way.

And she hated herself because of that. Maro doesn't know what part of her is really her, and what part of her is Amanda.

She had to lose her to find herself again.

She finally wipes her tears out of her face and takes her phone out. She finds a message from him.

[MESSAGE FROM: STEFAN]: Did you get home safely?

Come on, he is a sweetheart. Somehow, Maro smiles. She planned on ghosting him, but it's really hard when he is Stefan.

[MESSAGE FROM: MARO]: Yes! Just arrived.

She sees him typing.

[MESSAGE FROM: STEFAN]: Last night was incredible :) But I didn't pay much attention to the movie. Maybe we should rewatch it again?

Maro, unconsciously, smiles. She said to herself that was the last time she was going to hang out with him, but... She can't also say no.

[MESSAGE FROM: MARO]: Sounds nice. I think I'm free next weekend.

She turns her phone outside down. There's a bittersweet feeling inside her. She feels... scared, and doesn't know if she should trust him. Was he the one? Was he a person she could give herself to? But they were only hanging out. Why is Maro thinking long into the future?

ONE WEEK AND A HALF LATER, Evropa Hrynja

Maro takes another smoke from the blunt they've been tossing around. Her head is now starting to feel very light, she closes her eyes.

ELVANA: See? I told you you would have fun!

ROXEN: Yeah. It's been years we don't see you feeling yourself like this.

Maro half smiles. She is genuinelly having fun, something she thought she couldn't do for a long time.

From time to time, some thoughts about Amanda keep coming back to her mind, but she just brushes them off. She's here, she's out.

Maro feels someone touching her shoulder, she turns around and she sees a man smiling to her.

STEFAN: Hey, sorry to disturb, but my friend liked you.

He pointed to someone in the back, but the light is so dim and there's so many people she can't see who is he pointing to.

MARO: I thought people didn't flirt like that anymore.

Stefan laughs and raises his shoulders.

STEFAN: You know, he is shy. So, what's your name?

MARO: Maro.

STEFAN: Cool! Would you like to come meet Justs?

Maro hesitates.

MARO: Don't you think it's better if I get to know you?

Stefan laughs, and smiles charmingly.

STEFAN: It's cool for me, but you'll break his poor heart.

Maro smiles and points to the bar, a quieter place where they can talk, and even ask for a drink. He nods and they go together.

STEFAN: So, you're from around here?

MARO: Yes, I'm taking some classes at uni.

STEFAN: What for?

MARO: Sociology.

STEFAN: So you study society?

MARO: Yeah.

STEFAN: Is it interesting?

MARO: Not really.

Stefan laughs, and then he grabs the attention of the bartender.

STEFAN: May we have another one of these?

MARO: You're not thinking on inviting me, right?

STEFAN: Why not? I'm just trying to be nice.

MARO: Because that's kinda outdated.

STEFAN: So that's what they teach in sociology, huh?

Maro giggles funily.

MARO: Okay, but the next one is on me.

STEFAN: We can have the next one at your place.

Maro smiles. But instantly, the thoughts of Amanda come to her head. What is she doing, flirting with a man? What can be Amanda doing right now? Her facial expression completely changes, and Stefan notices.

STEFAN: Everything okay?

MARO: Yeah, it's just... The weed is going down already. I'll have to drink this fast.

STEFAN: Just don't throw up, and everything will be alright.

Maro smiles and she brushes off every thought of her head. She takes a look at his face and she realizes he's very handsome, and has some kind of charm around him. She really feels attracted.

But the thought of being attracted to someome somehow makes her feel incredibly... sad. It's like she is trying to fake feelings to stop feeling things for her.

THE WEEK AFTER, University Cafeteria

Maro just keeps tossing her food from side to side, without any interest on it. She sighs, but her friends don't seem to notice.

ELVANA: Well, now that we finished midterms exams, it's time to celebrate!

GJON: (rolling his eyes) Really? Already proposing another party? You went out yesterday!

ELVANA: Yes, but it was because it was my dog's birthday. I had to celebrate it.

GJON: That's the cheapest excuse I've heard.

ELVANA: I don't need an excuse. I'll go out if I want to. Maybe you should try it too.

Gjon sighs. He looks at Maro.

GJON: Maybe we should go. It will cheer you up, Maro.

Maro hears her name and tries to know what they were talking about.

MARO: Sorry? I wasn't listening.

Roxen smiles with tenderness.

ROXEN: Elvana said that we need to party. It will help you to have some fun and clear your mind.

MARO: Sorry, but uh... I'm not really in the mood.

GJON: I can't believe I'm saying this but Roxen and Elvana are right. It will be good for you to have some fun. Plus, it's been a long time since you went out with us.

Maro hesitates. She likes the idea to reconnect with her friends. When she still was with Amanda, she never went out with them because... She doesn't even know why. She just didn't because all she ever tought of was Amanda.

MARO: Perhaps I'll go.

ROXEN: You'll have so much fun, come on! Once you're there, you will realize.

ELVANA: And I've never seen you out flirting with people. I wanna see how many boys you can get in one night!

Maro gets startled by that comment. Gjon realizes and sighs.

GJON: Maybe that's not the best thing to say. Nevertheless, you'll have so much fun with your old friends.

Maro fake smiles and then goes absort in her toughts again. Her name resonates in her head. She doesn't even remember the last time she went out partying. She tought she hated parting, because each time she went out, her social battery ran out and she had to go home. Amanda always complained about that. She just felt useless.

She always was shocked about the way Amanda made friends. She was just so friendly by nature, so charming and so nice to everyone. She was a magnet for people: she looked for attention and attention looked for her. Maro always felt the complete opposite. She never wanted to be in the spotlight, and having people around her made her feel so judged and unconfortable.

Amanda never had a problem with that, she was supportive of Maro and always carried her home and conforted her. Until she told her that she was too much to bear.

And that she drained her energy.

And like that, she stopped going out, because she always felt she was the problem that cannot be solved.

And those conversations they had when they broke up, her saying those hurtful words over and over again. She made Maro feel like she was never enough for her. And Maro knew damn well that's not how love is supposed to feel.

Maybe the way Maro felt about her relationship - how good it made her feel, and how positive it was for her - was fake all along. Or maybe it changed. Or maybe it was all a lie. She didn't know what the hell was going on anymore, she didn't even know if her friends wanted her to be there with them.

And she felt that same way again, that wave of coldness traveling through her skin.

THAT SAME DAY, Maro's room.

She closes the door. She rests her back on it and lets go a deep breath. She did it.

Maro lets the tears run down her face as she slowly falls down to the floor. She did the most difficult thing she has ever done. She told her, there's now no way back. She broke up with Amanda.

Somehow, she still had some pressure in her chest. She relived the scene in her head once and once again. Did she make the right decision? It's already hurting.

But somehow, she now feels free.

She hears a knock on her door. She sighs and wipes the tears from her face. She stands up and opens the door.

MANIZHA: So you did it.

Maro nods.

MANIZHA: Come here.

Manizha hugs her tightly, and Maro can't help but break down crying again.

MARO: I knew I had to do it. We weren't made for each other. It just... hurts so bad.

MANIZHA: I know, baby. You're going to be fine, I swear.

MARO: She told me that she was going to do...

Manizha shushes.

MANIZHA: She told you many things. But eventually, she never did. It was the right thing. Time will tell eventually.

MARO: I just want to be okay for once.

Manizha lets her go and sighs.

MANIZHA: Do you want company or do you prefer to be by yourself?

Maro hesitates. She looks around.

MARO: I think I'm better off alone.

Manizha smiles. She distances herself from Maro.

MANIZHA: Then, I'll prepare some dinner. Do you fancy pasta?

MARO: (trying to smile) Sure.

Manizha smiles back and then she goes away. Maro feels her tears falling down as she closes the door of her room again.

She takes a look around. And the only thing she thinks of when she sees her room is Amanda. There's pictures of her everywhere, there's her gifts, her clothes, even she can feel her scent.

She takes a closer look to the photos over her bed. There's plenty of her with her childhood friends. Even there's a rare photo of her with her cousin Cláudia. She smiles, she misses her.

She finds some photos of her with her high school friends: there's Roxen, Elvana and Gjon. She remembers when they went together to the zoo. She has a picture with Gjon and a panda. So cute.

But she can't help and see the photos she has with Amanda. She was everywhere, almost like she was her whole life. She takes one off the wall, one where they are together in the beach. They seemed really happy.

She remembers that day. Amanda and her went to have a fancy photoshoot at the beach. Amanda kept finding cool seashells and she kept them to make her a necklace.

She still has that necklace on.

She touches her collar, and she feels her chest hurting like a million stabs. It's time to take it off now.

That photo was taken almost two years ago. It's like the Amanda that made that necklace was someone else. Maro knows people change, but she didn't think they could change THAT much. She wonders if she did the same: if she let herself go and became someone so different.

She knows that the person she fell in love with is no longer the person that she just broke up with. But it hurts to lose your best friend like that.

Not only her best friend, the love of her life.

Maro can't help but repeat the same word in her head. The only word that helps her put meaning into her feelings.

Saturday, 12:27, nº68 English St.

Ester flips the sandwich in the pan. She presses it against and lets the bread toast. Meanwhile, she giggles at Michael facetiming Pastora from the kitchen table.

MICHAEL: Yesterday we went to Fabrizio’s. I didn’t remember their food was so delicious.

[ON THE PHONE: PASTORA] I’ve got nothing against Switzerland, but I wish we had Fabrizio here.

Michael giggles.

MICHAEL: I know. How is Mariam doing? Did she wake up already?

[ON THE PHONE: PASTORA] Oh, yeah. She is running around. Mariam, sweetheart. Do you want to see daddy?

Ester takes the sandwich out of the pan and serves it on a dish. She can hear Mariam’s giggles through the phone and smiles.

MICHAEL: Hello, honeyboo.

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] Hello daddy.

MICHAEL: Are you behaving well?

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] Yes!

MICHAEL: And are you eating a lot of Nanna’s chocolate?

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] Yes!

Michael smiles out of tenderness.

MICHAEL: Do you want to see Ester?

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] (excited) Yes!

Ester laughs and shakes her head.

ESTER: No way. I didn’t do my hair yet.

MICHAEL: (looking at Ester) Oh, come on!

Ester sighs. She takes the sandwich and approaches to Michael. He points to her with the camera.

ESTER: Hello Mariam! I miss you.

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] I miss you too.

ESTER: You’ve grown so much! You’re a big girl now.

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] I height 1 meter and 10 centimeters.

ESTER: That’s a lot!

Mariam giggles through the phone and Michael points again the camera to his face.

MICHAEL: I’ll call you later, okay? We’re going to have lunch now.

[ON THE PHONE: MARIAM] Okay daddy. Bye!

MICHAEL: Bye, honey. I love you.

Michael turns the phone off and sighs.

MICHAEL: Little kids. As exhausting as always.

Ester giggles.

ESTER: She at least isn’t as mischevious as Eliot.

MICHAEL: So Eliot was a trouble maker, huh?

ESTER: You have no idea how many times I was about to call the police because I didn’t find him. And he was just hidden through the house.

Michael laughs.

MICHAEL: He looked like a good boy.

ESTER: (rolls her eyes) Good boy... He’s everything but that.

MICHAEL: Honestly, I can’t wait until Mariam grows up and she starts having breakdowns over romances.

ESTER: Will she close her door and listen to Bon Jovi ballads?

MICHAEL: Bon Jovi? That’s from before Christ!

ESTER: It’s not. It was literally yesterday.

Michael raises an eyebrow.

MICHAEL: I think we’re becoming too old.

Ester giggles.

ESTER: Ironic.

MICHAEL: What is ironic?

ESTER: I never thought I would grow old with anyone.

Michael looks dearly at her.

MICHAEL. Anyone? Not even Eliot?

ESTER: Eliot would put me on a geriatric as soon as possible.

Michael laughs.

MICHAEL: And what about his father? What happened to him?

Ester’s expression changes immediately. She starts playing with the fork.

ESTER: That was my fault. He was older than me, and obviously when I got pregnant he didn’t want to be around anymore.

MICHAEL: Him being a douchebag is not your fault.

ESTER: But me being with a douchebag sure is my fault. I still remember the exact moment it happened. It was a Sunday.

MICHAEL: It’s been 18 years. You were young. We all make mistakes. You know, I almost got into Big Brother. That sure would be a mistake.

Ester smiles softly.

ESTER: What happened?

Saturday 10:45, nº17 Marseille Apartments, Grand St.

Jeroným whistles while he opens the door of Leonora’s appartment. Suddenly someone walks up the stairs and sees him opening the door. 

ALMA: Excuse me. 

Jeroným stops whistling and turns around. 

JERONÝM: Yes?

ALMA: Are you a new neighbour? I mean, has Leonora moved out?

JERONÝM: Me?

Alma nods. Jeroným doesn’t know what to say. 

JERONÝM: Oh, well, um... Yes. Actually, I just moved in.

ALMA: Really? Cool. My name is Alma. I live right there. So if you need a hand, I’m here. 

Jeroným smiles.

JERONÝM: Oh, my name is Jeroným. It’s a pleasure. I hope I don’t bother much, I just moved and I have so much to do... You know, cleaning and stuff...

Alma starts walking towards him.

ALMA: Oh, I’ll help. I love cleaning, it’s a very good cardio. 

JERONÝM: (starting to be a little nervous) No, really. You don’t have to. I really appreciate it. 

ALMA: No, I insist. I don’t have anything to do now. I kinda got stood up. 

JERONÝM: In that case...

Jeroným opens the door and they both come inside. 

JERONÝM: Welcome to Jeronýmland. 

ALMA: Wow, it’s really beautiful. Did you furnish it?

JERONÝM: Nah, that is Leonora’s furniture. 

Alma approaches to the living room. She knocks at the table. 

ALMA: Beautiful wood. Very high quality. She had an amazing taste. 

JERONÝM: Yeah, but not in boys. 

Alma frowns. 

ALMA: Huh?

JERONÝM: A long story, she ended up dating one of my friends. 

ALMA: Oh. This town is clearly so small. 

Alma sits on the couch and frowns. She starts bouncing on it a little bit. 

ALMA: You know? This couch is a little flabby. Maybe I can fix it.

JERONÝM: Really?

ALMA: Yeah! I make furniture for a living. 

JERONÝM: Only if you’re finished before Friday. 

ALMA: What happens on Friday?

Jeroným starts becoming nervous again and has to think about something quickly. 

JERONÝM: There’s um... the Czech League!

ALMA: Oh, football?

JERONÝM: Nah, ice hockey. 

Alma stands up and walks up to the dinning room, where Jeroným is. 

ALMA: You know what? You’re actually the best neighbour I’ve ever had. 

JERONÝM: Aw, don’t say that. 

ALMA: It’s the truth. 

Alma suddenly realizes there’s something in the wall of the dinning room. 

ALMA: Is that a photo of Leonora?

JERONÝM: Oh...She must’ve... forgotten it. (trying to change the subjet) By the way, do you know about plants?

ALMA: Umm, a little. Why?

Jeroným points at the plants of the dinning room. 

Saturday 10:47, Bar de Tapas La Venda, Spanish St. 

Miki is serving some beers to Mikolas and Sergey, who are arguing about something as always.

MIKOLAS: Darth Vader never said “Luke, I am your father”. He said “No, I am your father” and the fact that people remember the first line is proof of Mandela effect and multiverses collapsing. 

Miki raises an eyebrow. 

SERGEY: Or, what about this: the incorrect line was marketed and used in pop culture to make references to Star Wars and avoid Copyright infractions. 

Mikolas sighs. 

MIKOLAS: You’re blinded by the goverment. 

SERGEY: Dude, what does Jon Ola Sand have to do with this? He’s a nice man.

Mikolas shrughs. 

MIKOLAS: Everything is a conspiracy, Sergey. Trust no one. 

MIKI: Especially Jimmy Snake-hands. His hands are Snakes.

Sergey frowns, confused. Then, shakes his head. 

SERGEY: I thing I’m becoming older because the more you speak, the less I understand. 

MIKI: Then wait until you have a conversation with Eliot... by the way, where’s Eliot?

MIKOLAS: You’re the one on chrge of your own employees. Ask yourself. 

Miki sighs. 

MIKI: Anyway, be right back. Today I made a new type of canapés. You have to try it.

MIKOLAS: (sighs) I’m not tired of winning. Are you, Sergey?

SERGEY: (confused) What are we even talking about?

Miki goes back to the kitchen, when he finds Eliot on his phone again. He tilts his head. 

MIKI: Everything okay?

Eliot looks up and takes his phone down. 

ELIOT: Yeah. 

MIKI: You’re overthinking aboutit, aren’t you?

Eliot shrughs. 

ELIOT: Perhaps. 

Eliot sighs and takes a plate of tapas and goes out of the kitchen. Miki follows him. 

ELIOT: I was thinking about texting him somehow but... it would be weird. 

MIKOLAS: Are you looking for threesome?

Eliot and Miki look at him stranged. 

ELIOT: You seem interested, aren’t you?

Mikolas choke on his beer. Eliot giggles. 

MIKI: Eliot just found out that he has an unknown brother and is wondering if he should text him or not. 

SERGEY: You definitely should. I mean, perhaps you don’t share a childhood together,but you have blood in common.

Eliot shrughs. 

ELIOT: But what if he doesn’t believe me, or if he doesn’t want a brother?

MIKOLAS: Yo, I’m a single child. And not having a sibling is boring as fuck. I’m sure he would at least want to get to know you. 

Eliot shrughs. 

ELIOT: I don’t know. 

SERGEY: And if he doesn’t want to, we will break his legs. Simple. 

ELIOT: That’s a little too aggresive approach, but I’ll have that in mind.

Saturday 09:24, Prague Apartments nº 9, Czech St.

Jeroným is having breakfast while he watches some of that stupid fail recopilation shows. 

JERONÝM: You have to be so stupid to do that in a TV show. 

Albert walks out of the bathroom and takes a glass of water. 

ALBERT: Don’t talkso loud. You would be the first one to fall in a silly way in front of a camera. 

JERONÝM: Lies.

ALBERT: Do you want me to show you video proof?

JERONÝM: You’re always so against me. (sighs) Since The Incident y’all are so much changed with me.

ALBERT: Stop calling The Incident to the fact that you got stuck in the bathroom. 

JERONÝM: Never. 

Albert sighs and leaves the empty glass of water in the sink. He then gets his jacket from the chair in the dinning table and starts looking for something in the pockets. 

ALBERT: Have you seen Leonora’s keys?

JERONÝM: No. Why?

ALBERT: I’m going to water her plants now and I can’t find them.

JERONÝM: Oh! I’ll go with you. 

Albert sights. 

ALBERT: Jeroným, we’ve already had this conversation.

JERONÝM: Uh...No? I don’t remember anything. 

Albert looks at him confused.

ALBERT: Is it crack? Is it what you smoke?

JERONÝM: Come on! I will be very careful. And clean. 

Albert rolls his eyes. 

ALBERT: I don’t even know why you’re so enthusiastic if it’s only watering three plants. 

JERONÝM: I’m the best at watering plants. 

Albert tries to look for the keys in the bookshelf from the living room. 

JERONÝM: Please, Albert. I will be a good boy. 

ALBERT: I said no. Where the fuck are these goodammed keys?

JERONÝM: You’re evil. 

ALBERT: If you want to water some plants, water the one in your room. 

JERONÝM: It’s a cactus. 

Albert shrughs. 

ALBERT: Not my problem. 

Jeroným sighs.

ALBERT: I may have them in my car...

JERONÝM: Why would you?

ALBERT: So you don’t take them, silly. (he sighs) Anyway, see you at lunch.

As Albert goes out, Jeroným sticks his middle finger for him, but he doesn’t notice. Jeroným sighs and focuses again on his fail compilation TV show.

JERONÝM: Seriously? Who even does that on TV?

He sighs, and slowly he realizes there’s something besides the tv. They’re Leonora’s keys. He stands up to get them and looks through the window to see if Albert is still there, but his car is gone. 

He shrughs.