Randi, Cassandra Francessca & Rego

Randi sits in a chair by the window thumbing through a magazine enjoying the warmth of the sunshine streaming through the window as Cassandra walks in her room.

 

Cassandra: Hey! How are doing. (She leans in giving her cheek a quick kiss)

Randi: Better and better each day how are you? (She smiles back)

Cassandra: Like you better each day. (She pulls the chair closer to her and sits down next to her)

Randi: So why don’t you tell me about what’s going on with you.

Cassandra: Not much. (She says trying not to sound evasive)

Randi: So I take from that big grin on your face your very happy with your new life.

Cassandra: Never been happier. (Thinking about Rego the real reason she came to the hospital)

Randi: So tell me about this Mr. St. Jacque.

Cassandra: There’s nothing really to tell. He’s rich, handsome, and generous with his money and he loves me what more does a girl need. (She says with a shrug and a giggle)

Randi: You never said if you loved him.

Cassandra: What do you think?

Randi: I think you’re avoiding my question.

Cassandra: Of course I do silly, (Her smile not very convincing to Randi’s eyes who decides to let the matter drop) enough about me how are you feeling?

Randi: I’m doing okay a little achy and my heart is feeling heavy after what happened to Tad and Taylor.

Cassandra: Yeah I saw that on the news. (She checks her watch she still had fifteen minutes before she had to meet Rego)  

Randi: I still haven’t been able to warp it around my head around the fact that she’s gone. Her voice sullen her eyes welling with tears)

Cassandra: I couldn’t believe it either.

Randi: I thought I heard on the news that it was your boyfriend that found them.

Cassandra: Yeah he was pretty shaken up when he came in last night.

Randi: I can only imagine.

Natalia: Hey! What’s going on! (She walks in the room with a cheery smile)

Randi: I’m good!

Natalia: Nothing much. Hey Cassandra.

Cassandra: Hey what’s up girl?

Natalia: Nothing really tired. (She sits on the edge of the bed leans back and yawns)

Randi: Yeah it was a long night for you. How are the Thompson’s?

Natalia: Devastated Brot and I spent most of the evening with them.

Randi: I’m sure they were happy to have you both there.

Natalia: Have you heard anything about Tad? (Rubbing her eye as she sits up)

Randi: Frankie was here this morning and he said came out of the surgery fine, but emotional he’s a wreck.

Natalia: Who could blame him? You finally marry the love of your life and then to have this happen.

Cassandra: It’s awful. (She sighs stealing a peek at her watch)

Randi: How’s Brot doing he must be really torn up.

Natalia: He’s holding up but I can tell he’s hurting. How’s your new boyfriend (She turns towards watching her expression closely) according to Brot he’s the one that called it in.

Cassandra: He was really upset by it all he came straight in had a drink and went to bed. (She shrugs keeping her expression as blank as possible)

Natalia: Well it was lucky for Tad that he came along this time of year no one takes that road what was he doing up there anyway? (She pushes hoping for some tell tail sign)

Cassandra: He said he got turned around coming off the highway. (She shrugs knowing without being told there was more than what he’d told her, yet something in her expression raising Natalia’s suspicions making her dig further)

Natalia: Doesn’t he have GPS?

Cassandra: I guess it wasn’t working. (Annoyance edging her voice before she catches herself) What are we talking about this for we’re supposed to be here cheering Randi not sitting around talking about depressing stuff.

Natalia: Girls got a point (She decides not to push further) so let me tell you what happened when Frankie tried to give the kids a bath last night…(Francessca walks to the door to Randi’s room then pauses a moment when she hears voices and laughter coming from the other side. She frowns a moment recognizing Cassandra’s laugh and decides against going in. The last thing she needed today was to have to make nice with that skank. She turns and heads back down the hall towards the elevator past the nurses station)

Nurse: Hey Francessca!

Francessca: Oh hi Linda how are Stacey and Mat?

Nurse: Just great I was hoping I would see you today I have some stuff I collected for your art class I was going to drop off during my lunch but then one of the other nurses called out so I had to take her shift.

Francessca: I was on my way over there now I can drop it off for you.

Nurse: Would you? That would be great. (She reaches behind the counter and hands her several plastic shopping bags)

Francessca: Sure.

Nurse: Thanks you so much.

Francessca: Thank you for all this great stuff and a lot of it. (She peaks inside the bag then closes it)

Nurse: It’s not too much can you handle it all?

Francessca: Sure no worries thanks again. (She sling the bags over her arm then walks towards the elevators and struggles to push the button as one of the bags rips as the door slides open.

Rego: Here let me get that for you (He crouches to the floor picking up the newspapers littering the floor)

Francessca: Thanks.

Rego: What is all this?

Francessca: Art supplies for the Miranda center. Thanks I got it.

Rego: Let me at least help you get I all to your car.

Francessca: I can manage,

Rego: I insist what happens if you drop it all again. (She looks at his skeptically) I promise I won’t bite.

Francessca: Thank you.

Rego: After you. (He says holding the elevator door so she can step in then walking in behind her) My father told me what happened to Taylor. I’m truly sorry for your family’s loss.

Francessca: Thank you.

Rego: How is Tad?

Francessca: As well as can be expected under the circumstances. 

Rego: How are you doing?

Francessca: I’m tired and a little crampy. (Suddenly the elevator jerks to a halt knocking them both to the floor) 

Rego: What the hell was that?

Francessca: I don’t know?

Rego: Are you all right?

Francessca: I think so (She says trying to stand she leaning against the wall for support then doubles over) Oh my God!

Rego: Are you okay? What wrong?

Francessca: My water just broke! (She pants looking down at the elevator floor his eyes following hers his face filling with panic)

Rego: What does that mean?

Francessca: It means the baby is coming! (She pants holding her tummy as a contraction grips her)

Rego: Oh good lord! Hold on I’m going to get some help! (He says pressing the emergency alarm then opens the small box on the button panel waits for someone to answer)

Voice: Pine Valley Hospital Security. (Bored voice drones through the speaker)

Rego: I’m trapped in the elevator with a pregnant woman who has just gone in to labor.

Voice: Okay sir which elevator are you in?

Rego: How the bloody hell should I know can’t you hear the alarm ringing!

Voice: Sir, calm down we need to know which car you’re in look above the control panel and read me the numbers from the plate.

Rego: It’s one four seven eight zero.

Voice: Okay sir I’ll send building maintenance ASAP.

Rego: Thank you please hurry! Are you all right what can I do?

Francessca: Do you have a second hand on your watch?

Rego: Yes.

Francessca: When I tell you I need you to keep count.

Rego: What am I counting?

Francessca: We need to time the contraction.

Rego: Okay you let me know when.

Francessca: Now! (She groans between gritted teeth)

Scene switch Cassandra walks out of Randi’s room just in tome to see Rego and Francessca stepping in to the elevator and her annoyance begins to boil. He was supposed to be meeting her and her she was again ruining her plans! Every time she turned around that bitch was with Rego! For a woman that couldn’t stand the man she sure made it her business to spend as much time with him as possible! She moves quickly to the elevator pressing the button with a frenzied fury then decides to wait where she was for a few minutes she didn’t want to miss him. She begins to walk away from the doors just as the alarm inside the shaft goes off making her jump)

Cassandra: What’s going on? (She says turning towards the maintenance workers rushing towards her)

Worker: Excuse me ma’am we need to get in here!

Cassandra: Why what happened?

Worker the elevator is trapped between floors.

Cassandra: All this for a broken elevator? (She smirks looking around at the crowd on maintenances’ workers)

Worker: There’s a woman trapped inside and she’s gone in to labor. (Oh my God! She thought the blood rushing from her cheeks as the realization of what was happening hit her. Francessca and Rego were the ones trapped inside and if he was there when that baby was born there would be no separating them ever)

Cassandra: You have to get them out of there NOW!