C17 A plan to unmask Miriam

MIRIAM’S BEDROOM - DAY

Sandra enters the room and finds Miriam sprawled on the bed anyway, still dressed. A hangover is little for that. Sandra feels this strange; nothing indicates that it was a romantic night. She shakes Miriam very hard until she wakes up.

"Miriam, Miriam! What happened? It's too late!"

Miriam replies sleepily: "Ah... My head...!"

"Take Doril. So, was that the result of your leaving?"

Miriam, still lying down, turns to Sandra. It looks like talking hurts.

"Look, as far as I know, the night was good. We went to that pizzeria whose preparation is legitimately Neapolitan. A delight! They also served wine... Ouch...!"

Sandra, more and more disgusted, walks around the bed, "Wine? And did you drink them all? Drunkenness on the first date?"

"Stop walking as soon as I can't keep up with you. And it will make me sick."

"Better go to the kitchen to make a strong coffee, while you wash your face, and if you have to throw up, do it in the bathroom and not in front of me!"

Sandra withdraws, shaking her head. Miriam takes a deep breath.

"As seen, he brought me here... a very gentleman... and handsome. I love you, Carlos. You will be mine."

Miriam drunkenly smiles.

CASCAIS BAKERY

Carina, Annie, and Jonas plan to expose Miriam to ridicule.

Carina is still cautious. "Even if we do what you are suggesting, what worries me most is that we are going to do it... this afternoon at the Neighborhood Assembly?"

Annie confirms, "Sure, girl! People are going to get together, and Chief Roldão will be there."

"And so does she," says Jonas.

"If Sandra is, I will ask if she agrees with this antic."

Carina smiles, "Guys, thanks for caring about me. Imagine: being slandered around that I want to steal someone else's boyfriend."

"The point is that we don't even know if they are dating," Jonas says, "or if it was the first date."

Annie adds: "Or if the madwoman set up the first date thinking you were ahead. Such a desperate woman that I will tell you..."

"Well, since we're here... Jonas, make that espresso to give me more courage, please."

"Coming...!"

Jonas gets up and goes to get it.

Carina goes on: "I need to create a few more paintings to sell. I think I'll try to exhibit what I have at the fair, what do you think?"

"I think it's cool, girl, but... the Debora Park fair, right? Or/", holding her breath, "Are you going to the Hippie Fair we have in Vila Fraldan?"

Carina giggles, "No, dear! It will be at ours here in the neighborhood."

"Don't you think it's too small for your talent?"

"If everyone thinks like that, this fair never grows."

When Annie nods, Monica bangs in. She greets everyone discouraged, "Hi, girls! I didn't see nobody at Aurélio’s, so I figured you were here."

Monica collapses on the chair. She orders to Jonas: "One for me too, Jonas!"

"What happened, my friend?"

"Oh, Ann... The publisher rejected my book. I will not be published."

Shock reactions between Annie and Carina; however, Jonas smiles at the coffee maker.

MIRIAM’S BEDROOM

Miriam showered, is more composed, sitting on the bed, and with changed clothes. Sandra hands over a large cup of coffee, she has another. She also sits on the bed.

"Girl, I don't think we did very well on this first date. You shouldn't have ended up like this."

"What did I do wrong?"

"Roldão must now be thinking that you are a hardened drinker."

Miriam takes a sip. "That's good! But, huh, of course, I'm not like that. I intend to clarify that at the first opportunity."

Sandra is quite frank: "That will be today. We are going to have a General Assembly or something like that at the Residents' Association and surely the prominent Chief Roldão will be present as an example of authority."

"And I will be present as an example of an honest citizen who pays her taxes and demands due return."

Sandra smiles, she holds out the glass. "There, I like it! You're one of mine, Miriam. Together, we’ll go far."

Miriam touches her cup, the two make a toast. "We are going with everything today! Certainly the other, the only one on Royal Hill, perhaps Espírito Santo, who calls Tito "mayor", will also go."

"But, she won't stand a chance!"

The two laugh. Sandra exaggerates her head back.

CASCAIS BAKERY

Jonas leaves three espressos with cream for the girls and leaves to serve more incoming customers.

"At ease, girls! Duty calls."

When Jonas walks away, the three take a sip. Carina and Annie delight and go to the clouds; while Monica feels that she went down to hell.

"Delight!" says Annie.

"Tasty!" says Carina

Monica spits and coughs, her espresso is HORRIBLE and INTRAGABLE. "What the f/," she interrupts herself and disguises, "I think mine is too hot."

"Don't worry, Monica," says Carina, "There are other publishers. If you want, I can help you search."

Annie agrees: "Yeah, Carina; you artists know each other and connect."

Monica ponders: "I imagine they didn't accept it because I don't write indecent novels, I follow the same 'Reason and Sensitivity' style."

"Great book. So it already helps us, Monica. Next time, try to find out more about the company's editorial style. Some publishers specialize in a certain genre. Some only publish children's themes; some only publish hot themes, and so on."

Monica thoughtfully, she hadn't. "You’re right... Thank you, Carina! It gives me more strength to go on with the second one, although Célio told me to try to score that first one. You believe that he went to my house and when he learned of my failure he insisted on getting a copy to read?"

Annie and Carina look at each other with funny faces. Monica notices. "What are these looks, girls?"

"I think you already know, friend."

Carina sings: "It's the loooove..."

Monica laughs. "Oh, girls, you suck, huh? You mean can't Célio naturally like my book?"

Annie chuckles, "A little unlikely, but..."

"Huh, chick," informs Carina, "I can also help you make a cover for the next publishers, what do you think?"

Monica is excited. "Fantastic, let's toast it!"

The three toast and take another sip. Again, Annie and Carina are delighted while Monica holds herself back from spitting.

MALTHUS SNACK BAR

Célio finally decides to eat his snack; the book is on his side. Aurélio approaches, looking at the book again.

"So the book is really good, huh?"

"Awesome, Seu Aurélio, that publisher is very unable, has no commercial acumen.”

Aurélio got thoughtful. "And Monica is going to try other publishers."

Célio responds excitedly: "For sure! This masterpiece cannot be left alone as a draft or manuscript."

"And has she already registered it, with an ISBN?”

Célio looks at him, never heard of it. "I don't know what it is about."

Aurélio takes the book and begins to leaf through the first and last pages. "No, she didn't," he looks up, "You know, Célio, a work needs to be registered and have this ISBN certificate which means 'International Standard Book Number', which will guarantee Monica's copyright protection."

"This means..."

"That if Monica goes around distributing her manuscripts indiscriminately to any Publisher, unprotected, an unethical publisher may say she will not publish her book... And then her book appears in all bookstores under another name, another person who may not even exist."

Célio reacts in shock, "Bastards!"

Aurélio is decided. "Will you lend me the book quickly?"

Aurélio has already taken it and leaves the other side of the counter.

"Where are you going?"

"See if Rosa is open. Watch me until I get back?"

Aurélio leaves in a hurry. Célio chuckles, "He asks and does not wait for an answer"

COR-DE-ROSA STATIONERY STORE

Rosa is already making copies of Monica's book. Customers are walking around. Aurélio is anxious. Rosa smiles at it. "I'm making a double copy; I want to read it too."

"Célio said that it’s great."

"Why are you doing this, Seu Aurélio? Are you going to pay for the registration you mentioned?"

Aurélio does not respond immediately. "These girls are very innocent. Someone has to get their hands dirty for them."

Rosa reacts with emotion. "You would be a good father, Aurélio."

Aurélio smiles, "I don't know if I still have time. That's why I dedicate myself to these boys. Yes, don't think that I neglect Célio, Cássio, and Edward."

"They call themselves males, but they are still boys."

"Even today Célio confronted that Ricardo Oliveira, one he didn't know yet. The guy enters my cafeteria just to set up a stall, notice everything, nothing is good enough..."

"Why won't he eat at Boulevard dos Gatos?"

Aurélio smiles wryly. "Something tells me that he even had the purchasing power for this, but there was a financial upheaval and now he had to settle for our humble district."

Rosa laughs. The copy machine keeps copying at full steam.

FÁBIA HOUSE ENTRANCE

Fábia meets Sandra to talk about the plan. Sandra notices that Fábia does not invite her in.

She tries to invite herself: "Today is hot, right? A little cup of water was fine."

"So, how was it?"

Sandra curses Fábia in thoughts. "It seems that the situation is delicate, Fábia. Cássio did very well, intelligent and subtle... However, Fábio guaranteed that he threw away his collection."

Fábia Peres reacts in shock. "It's not possible! He went into his room, did he check?"

"Oh, Fábia, my boyfriend was not going to enter another male's room like this and rummage through his drawers! And Fábio was very incisive and convincing."

Fábia Peres feels bad about yesterday's purchases. "Oh, dear, I blew up my credit card to buy/"

"Girl, for what cause, reason or circumstance did you decide to doubt your man like that?"

Fábia Peres releases the poison: "Ah! Do you see it there?" she points to Monica's house, "It's her, my 'wonderful' neighbor who keeps putting doubts in my mind!"

Sandra reacts in surprise. "Monica? Such a focused, serious, right girl..."

"Centered she is, fat, grows sideways! She insisted that I investigate. It's she who questions my boyfriend. And I fell, because of her!"

Sandra is delighted. "Holy crap, who knew..."

Miraculously Fabian is reflecting. "And we had our date. Fabinho was strange. He said things about a relationship being built based on mutual trust and companionship, who knows what that means!"

"It means that/"

"She is fomenting intrigues so that I doubt my boyfriend while she is also whistling God knows what in his ear too! She wants to separate us!"

Sandra gets eyed-wide, "By God, crazy girl, what for?!"

"It's because THE BITCH STILL LOVES HIM, damn it!"

Epic fail: throughout the street as far as possible, we see all the neighbors reacting ashamed to the scandal of Fábia Peres. Sandra is very embarrassed; she wants to bury herself in a hole.

"Fábia, dear, if you let me in, we'll talk more calmly/"

"There's no time, dear, I have to get ready for the residents' meeting. See you later!"

And Fábia simply SLAMS the door in Sandra's face. She reacts frustrated. Decides to leave, but when she returns...

CARINA is on the sidewalk going to her house and sees her too.

Sandra disguises: "Hi, Carina! Girl, these houses are the same, I mistook them for Monica's house, do you believe?"

Carina is kind and unsuspecting. "Monica isn't there. We saw each other at Jonas's bakery. I'm going to mine, have lunch and then go to Mayor Tito's assembly."

Sandra rolls her eyes. "Well, since she isn't, it is better to go too. See you later."

Sandra turns and walks away before Carina asks something.