Episode 6

Scene 1

(We’re inside a fairly new house, there are movers going in and out of the house, from the stairway in walks Carlota Lazarus. She is a small woman about mid 40s but from her stance we can see that she commands attention. She walks from the staircase into the kitchen where everything is set up, from the outside her son Antonio Lazarus walks in. He’s a very tall man in a black suit)

 

Antonio

Why you made us move from Chicago to this hellhole I’ll never know.

 

Carlota

I believe we can do much better here, by moving down here we can start up a new business venture-oh now what the hell is wrong with these people?

 

(Carlota sees a scuff mark on the floor by where the carpet begins in the living room, she rushes to the garage and gets a mop and furiously starts mopping in that spot)

 

Carlota

Don’t these people know how to walk on tile?!

 

Antonio

(his phone beeps) Well our entrance wasn’t undetected.

 

Carlota

What do you mean?

 

Antonio

I just got an email from the office, it appears this (looks at his phone) Juan Esperanza is requesting a meeting with him.

 

Carlota

Esperanza? Why does that sound familiar?

 

Antonio

Esperanza Enterprises mother.

 

Carlota

Oh my! That family is probably older than Houston itself!

 

Antonio

Should I schedule with him?

 

 

Carlota

That would be great, maybe we can set up some kind of partership with them.

 

(Antonio starts typing on his phone while Carlota starts mopping again, we then cut to Juan’s office at Esperanza Enterprises with Athens)

 

Athens

It appears Lazarus has approved our time for the meeting

 

Juan

 Good

 

Athens

What exactly are you planning on doing with him?

 

Juan

I just wanna know more about the company he’s opening and to see if he would be interested in buying out Power Central.

 

Athens

That’s one of our branches. Why would you offer that?

 

Juan

I need some more money to gain more of Zahar’s Sinai Industries stock.

 

Athens

But letting go of Power Central? That’s a major part of the company.

 

Juan

If he refuses then it should make you feel better shouldn’t it?

 

Athens

Somehow I don’t think it would, wouldn’t you rather just give him some stock for the company?

 

(Juan looks up then looks back down at the file he’s looking at)

 

(Fade out)

Scene 2

(We’re at Denzel and Melanie’s house. It’s very nicely decorated and Melanie is in the living room looking over housekeeping magazines, the front door opens and Taylor and Allye walk in)

 

Taylor

Hi Mom

 

 

Melanie

Hi sweetheart, and who is this?

 

Allye

I’m Allye one of Taylor’s friends from school

 

Melaine

Well very nice to meet you, oh don’t forget Taylor you have some clothes to fold on your bed

 

Taylor

Yes Mom

 

Melanie

Well make yourself at home Allye and let me know if you need anything

 

Allye

Thank you ma’am

 

(Taylor and Allye both run up the stairs and hurry into Taylor’s room and lock the door)

 

Taylor

Ok can you get the box out of my purse?

 

(Allye reaches into Taylor’s purse and pulls out a home pregnancy test)

 

Taylor

Keep and eye out I’ll be right back and pray for me

 

Allye
Ok

 

(Taylor runs out of the room and into the restroom, Allye takes her books out of her bag and starts to look over her homework when suddenly Melanie appears in the doorway)

 

Melaine

I remember you now

 

Allye

I’m sorry?

 

Melaine

You’re Vanessa’s daughter

 

Allye

Yes, yes I am

 

Melaine

I’m so sorry about your mother

 

Allye

Thank you

 

Melaine

I knew your mother in high school

 

Allye

 Really?

 

Melanie

Yeah we were on the varsity cheer squad together

 

Allye

I think I’ve seen you in her pictures

 

Melanie

Yes we were good friends, though after she left to college we didn’t really keep in touch

 

Allye

She had a lot of stories when you guys were on the team together

 

Melanie

(laughing) Really? Like what?

 

Allye

She told me about when you-

 

(suddenly there’s a scream from the bathroom and Allye and Melanie both jump up and run over there, they open the door and sees Taylor standing over the sink with her hands over her mouth they look and see the pregnancy test and the little pink plus sign, we then cut to Zahar’s office, she’s on the phone when Juan walks in)

 

Zahar

(putting phone down) Is this important?

 

Juan

I believe so

 

Zahar

(into phone) Jessica, yes I’ll have to call you back on that ok? Ok, bye. Now what is it?

 

Juan

I wanted to tell you how nicely you handled yourself at the press conference yesterday.

 

Zahar

Flatering me won’t get me out of here Juan, you should know this by now.

 

Juan

Oh of course, but I wanted to know if you had any idea where your husband is?

 

Zahar

I could honestly care less, why does he have some more bills I need to give him money for?

 

Juan

No actually it’s the anniversary of our father’s death and we usually go to the cemetary as a family

 

(the door suddenly opens and Jose slumps in drunk)

 

Jose

Well if it isn’t my lovely, fake bride and my control freak brother

 

Juan

Do you even know what today is?

 

Jose

Um, no I-I don’t really because I have been enjoying the married life all week!

 

Juan

(grabs Jose by his shirt and throws him onto a chair) Today is Pop’s anniversary, or did you forget that too when you married this woman?

 

Jose

I don’t care, I don’t need to go anymore since I’ve completely cut myself away from you and that woman Sarai

 

(Juan punches Jose and he slumps out of the chair onto the floor)

 

Juan

(to Zahar) Pick up the trash when you leave

 

(Juan leaves and Zahar looks disgusted when she looks at Jose)

 

(Fade out)

Scene 3

(We’re back in Taylor’s room, she walks in followed by Melanie and Allye)

 

 

Melanie

Taylor, is that what I think it is?

 

Taylor

Yes, yes mother it’s a pregnancy test and I’m pregnant!

 

Allye

Wh-When did this happen?

 

Melanie

Taylor this is serious! Your father won’t be happy to hear about this!

 

Taylor

Your worried about Dad?!

 

Melanie

Well we need to get you to the doctor’s office and I think I still have some prenatal vitamins from when I was trying to get pregnant

 

Taylor

Wait wait wait what?

 

Melanie

Well young lady you’re pregnant and we need to start taking care of it now

 

Taylor

Well what if I don’t wanna have it?

 

Melanie

Excuse me?

 

Taylor

What if I don’t want this baby?

 

(Melanie slaps Taylor and Taylor sits on the bed, we then cut to Zahar’s office and she’s on the phone when Maria walks in, Zahar notices her)

 

Zahar

Can I help you?

 

Maria

Yes, I’m here for the interview about the fashion house?

 

Zahar

Just a moment, (into phone) Jessica I just found her and I’ll get back to you with the layout, ok bye. (to Maria) Ok I’m sorry and you are?

 

Maria

Maria Elizabeth de la Paz.

 

Zahar

(shaking her hand) Zahar Rodriguez, please have a seat

 

(Maria and Zahar both sit)

 

Zahar

I’ll get right to the point, I recently opened a fashion house in LA and its doing amazing, so I’m bringing some of that to Houston and I need a competant person to run it for me, who were you previously employed with?

 

Maria

I was Vice President of Valenova Designs

 

Zahar

That’s a big fashion house! Why would you leave, or were you fired?

 

Maria

I resigned

 

Zahar

Well that enough makes you perfect for the job, so congradulations!

 

Maria

Thank you very much for this opportunity.

 

Zahar

Well first thing’s first, I will have my assistant draw up a contract then we can go over it and then I will take you to the office and show you where you’ll be working

 

Maria

Sounds great

 

(Maria then leaves the office and Zahar goes to a bookshelf and pulls down a file when the door opens and Santino is standing there, both of them are caught off guard by each other and seem to be smitten)

 

Santino

I’m sorry, um I’m looking for Maria Elizabeth de la Paz?

 

Zahar

Um she just left and you are?

 

Santino

Dr. Santino Valenova

 

Zahar

(shaking his hand) Zahar Rodriguez

 

Santino

Um do you know where she went?

 

Zahar

She just left that way (Zahar points the way she left)

 

Santino

Um, thank you very much

 

(Santino leaves and Zahar rushes to her phone and dials her receptionist)

 

Zahar

Jessica! I need you to find out more about this Santino guy that walked in.

 

(we cut to Juan’s office he’s sitting at his desk when Antonio walks in)

 

Juan

 (looks up) Antonio Lazarus?

 

Antonio

Yes.

 

Juan

(standing up) Juan Esperanza, please have a seat.

 

(Antonio sits and so does Juan)

 

Juan

So I am very interested in Zeus Electronics, and wanting to know more about the business.

 

Antonio

Why are you so interested in my company?

 

Juan

Well I am more interested in a proposition I have made for you.

 

Antonio

And what would that be?

 

 

Juan

You know of Power Central?

 

Antonio

Yes, that’s one of the biggest electronic firms in Houston.

 

Juan

Yes, and I am willing to sell it to you.

 

(Antonio looks thrown off when he hears this)

 

(Fade out)

Scene 4

(We’re back with Antonio and Juan)

 

Antonio

Your willing to give me Power Central?

 

Juan

Yes, of course it will not come cheap but you gain a large electronics firm but all its employees and expertise in the market.

 

Antonio

I do have expertise in the market. I ran a large conglomerate company in Chicago.

 

Juan

That went under after a family crisis?

 

Antonio

(stiffens) How do you know about this?

 

Juan

I have a source up there with the Gazelle and he let me know what happened, and while I see that was a tragedy, if God forbid this happens again you will have a safety net to fall back on unlike last time.

 

Antonio

So what would you gain for selling me a major part of your company?

 

Juan

I’ve been looking to get it off my back for awhile, but never found the right canidate until now. So for $500 million, do you want it?

 

Antonio

The company is only worth $400 million.

Juan

I’m a business man Antonio, profit needs to be made.

 

Antonio

(thinks for a bit) You’ve got a deal.

 

(Juan smiles, then we cut to Taylor’s room)

 

Melanie

Young lady you will not do a selfish thing like that!

 

Taylor

Well it’s not your decision is it?

 

Allye

Taylor, don’t you think that that baby would want to live to see its mother and father?

 

Taylor

That would be helpful if I knew who the father was.

 

Melanie

Taylor!

 

Taylor

I’m sorry Melanie. I’m sorry I don’t keep tabs at all the parties I go to.

 

Allye

 Taylor why are you acting like this?

 

Taylor

This baby isn’t wanted, why would I bring it into this world?

 

Melanie

It’s your responsibility!

 

Taylor

And I’m taking care of it.

 

(Taylor starts walking towards the door)

 

Melanie

Taylor! If you walk out that door don’t even think about coming back.

 

(Taylor and Allye stop, then Taylor keeps walking and Allye follows her, Melanie then sits on Taylor’s bed and starts crying)

(Fade out)

Scene 5

(We’re with Zahar in her office as she starts packing to go home, her assistant Jessica walks in)

 

Jessica

Ok so I found out about that this Doctor Valenova.

 

Zahar

What did you get?

 

Jessica

He’s the Chief of Staff at St. Thomas, his sister is Malory Valenova of Valenova Designs.

 

Zahar

So he’s heir to the company?

 

Jessica

No, he is only a major shareholder

 

Zahar

Well either way that’s some power with that company

 

Jessica

He will be at the hospital fundraiser tonight

 

Zahar

Ok, well I’m done here for the evening so I’ll let you go and find out where this fundraiser is

 

(Jessica turns to leave then turns back around suddenly)

 

Jessica

Oh, Raquel came by and asked me to give you this invoice on another stock transaction for Sinai Industries

 

Zahar

(takes the folder) This is for 15%

 

Jessica

Yes I saw that

 

Zahar

Whoever this person is now has 25% of my company

 

(Jessica nods then walks out, Zahar then grabs her briefcase and walks out, we then cut to Juan’s office as he looks down at a file)

 

 

Juan

Now 25% of Sinai Industries is Esperanza Enterprises

 

(Zahar walks by and glares at Juan, Juan simply smiles back and waves)

 

Juan

Hopefully that’s the last wave I have to give you

 

(Fade out)