Heartfelt

(AKA El Corazón de Plata)

Synopsis:  A young girl named Carmen on the edge of death’s door receives a heart from another girl who happened to be murdered.   The girl’s mothers become close friends and Carmen becomes the best playmate of Caroline’s brother, Carlos.   

~*~CAST~*~

Caroline Cleary:

Carlos Cleary:  (adopted)

Murray Cleary: (baby brother)

Georgia Cleary: (his wife)

Rudolph Cleary: (dad)

Yvonne Cleary: (mom)

Sarah Cleary: (grandmother)

Carmen Vargas/Cleary: (girl who receives Caroline’s heart)

Gabriel Vargas: (her dad)

Violeta Vargas: (her mother)

Amaretto Cleary:

Sarah Estelle Cleary:  

Doctor Murray Bolin:   

Nurse Jean McFadden:

Jonathan Crewe:  

‘Your smile is my salvation, Naturo.   I’m glad I took you as my student.’--Jiraiya, Naruto, ‘The First Challenge’

Scene 1--Shock, Numbness but at Last, A Hint of Joy

Carlos:  (narrating)  Just by looking at me and my family, you’d know in an instant, I was adopted.   Caroline, my sister, didn’t care.   She loved me from the moment she saw me and we became fast friends.   We were thicker than thieves, Carol and I.   Unfortunately, she was taken from me by Jonathan Crewe.    This man was mentally disturbed and bigoted.   For some reason, he targeted my sister, thinking he would kill me but she took the bullet for me.    I watched her die, but coincidentally, in the next room, a girl had been involved in a near fatal auto accident.  She and her family had survived, but she was lingering at death’s door.     

Yvonne: (holding her whole family together while they fall apart, watching their little girl being taken away)  Why God ?   Why her !  You should’ve taken me !   

Rudolph:  Yvonne, that won’t bring her back.    

Yvonne:  I know, Rudolph, but damn it…(just cries and whimpers)   

Violeta:  (trying to calm Yvonne)  I know this may be of no comfort to you, but my daughter is in surgery this moment.   She just received your daughter’s heart.   

Yvonne:   Really ?  (still a bit shaken)  That’s wonderful though !   I’m glad.  

Violeta:   I’m really sorry for your loss.   I don’t know what to say or what to do to help.   

Yvonne:   (wiping her eyes)   Just being here in my sorrow is enough to ease the pain.    I know I’ll be going through this until I am reunited with my Caroline.   

Violeta:  I’m Violeta.   You must be Mrs. Cleary.  

Yvonne:  Yvonne.   It’s a pleasure.   Though I wish it were under different circumstances.   

Murray:  (coming out of surgery)  Mrs. Vargas, your daughter is coming out of surgery splendidly.  Her donor’s heart is strong.   

Yvonne:  I want to see for myself.   Carlos, come along.  

Carlos:  (narrated)  Wherever I was prompted by mom, I would go.   The moment Carmen opened her eyes, we were immediate friends.   It wasn’t going to bring Caroline back, but I felt that part of her lived on through Carmen.   

(Scene shift)    

Scene 2--Adjustment to the New ‘Normal’  

Carlos:   Hey, Carmen !   How are you feeling today ?  

Carmen:  I’m tremendous !   You’re looking good !   Wanna play frisbee ?  

Carlos:  Yeah !    Let’s go !  

(They head out to the park and start playing together)  

Carlos:   Did you know I’m going to have a baby brother ?   

Carmen:  No way, really ?   I didn’t think your parents wanted any more kids… I’m sorry.   Maybe I was out of line… (feels a bit embarrassed)

Carlos:  No.  Not at all.   They’ve had their initial tests and we’ve learned it’s a healthy baby boy.   We plan on naming him Murray after the doctor who brought you back from death’s door.   

Carmen:  Wow, that’s incredible.    (throws the frisbee to Carlos)  

(Carlos throws it back but she holds her chest in shock)

Carlos:  What’s wrong ?   

Carmen:  This is where it happened, wasn’t it ?  

Carlos:  Carmen, what are you talking about ?    

(Flashback)   

Jonathan:   You make me sick, you and your nigger boyfriend.   (spits on the ground)  Every last one of you should be purged from this planet.   It’d be a much better, friendlier place.   

Carol:  First of all, I’ll kindly have you know that Carlos is not my boyfriend.  (strongly)  He’s my brother.   Secondly, don’t call him the ‘n’ word.  It’s rude.   

Johnathan:   It’s what he is though.  He’s not even your real brother.   

Carol:  He’s as real to me as my flesh is.   I don’t care if he’s adopted.   It doesn’t matter.  Carlos is blood and I love him.   (sees that Jonathan is blocking the way to the swing and he has his hand close to his hip, next to a gun)    

John:  (pushes her away as soon as she approaches the swing)  I was here first, you little snot.  

Carl:  (getting a bit miffed)  I don’t see your name written on that swing.   Besides, aren’t you a little old to be playin’ on swings anyway ?   

John:   Best mind your own business, you little shit.   (he knocks him down with a nasty right hook)  

Carol:   (Gets angry and yells at him)  Don’t you dare hurt my brother !    (John ‘accidentally’ shoots her in self defense, and the wound is fatal)   

John:  Fuck...I’m outta here.   You brought this upon yourself, nigger lover.   Serves you right.   

Carl:  (getting his cell and calling the police)  911.  Yes.  My sister’s just been shot through the chest.   I think she’s dying.  Please…(starts crying) hurry.    

(back to reality)  

Carl:   Are you alright, Carmen ?   

Carmen:  (getting up)  This (a bit solemnly) is where it happened, wasn’t it ?  

Carl:   What do you mean ?   

Carmen:  This is where Caroline was shot.  

Carl:  (becomes slightly pale)  There’s no possible way you could’ve known that.   

Carmen:  (is still slightly pained)   I know, but apparently her heart remembers it.    

Carl:  Are you going to be ok ?  

Carmen:   (recuperating)  Y-yeah.   I think so.   (becomes confident)  Because I’m about to throw this to the moon !   (rears back and tosses the Frisbee really high)

Carl:  (catching it)  Easy !    Now to see if you’ve got what it takes, Carmen !   

(She catches it and ‘What Is This Feeling’ begins to  play in the background.)

Carl:   (sees Carmen wince in pain, grasping her knee, runs to her aid)   Are you ok ?  

Carmen:  (She blushes at his touch, and he reacts likewise)  Looks like I am.  It’s just a scratch, no big deal.  I’m alright.   

Carl:   (narrating)  I knew though that our relationship had shifted at that very moment.    Even though we were falling for each other, the coming of a new brother made my life that much more interesting, but I welcomed becoming a big brother.   Carmen, too, stepped up as Jean’s aunt, coming over for babysitting ‘dates’.   Then, one evening, the inevitable occurred.    

Scene 3--More Than Friends

(‘High School Graduation’ appears on the screen)   

Sarah:  Go Carlos !   

Murray:  Yeah !  That’s my bro !   WOOOOOOO !  

Carmen:  (laughs)   Murray doesn’t seem to be the least bit excited by our graduation, hmm ?

Carlos:  I am, too.   Strangely enough, your mom told me what University you’re attending.   

Carmen:  (looks up to the bleacher, mouthing) Why, mom, why ?   You had one job !  

Violeta:  I love you too, Carmen !  

Gabriel:  Hi, hon !    

Carmen:  Parents.  Am I right ?  

Gabriel:   Nail that speech, miha !   

Carmen:   Ay, basura.   (stepping up to the microphone, clearing her throat)

Carlos:   (narrating)  Carmen loathed making public speeches, but everything she said was so inspiring.   It was true that we would be attending Adam’s University, which was the most sought after educational establishment for those going into the field of law.    Carmen wanted to go into immigration and I wanted to become involved in the community as a social worker with law in my back pocket to give kids good homes.     Time passed, we grew and before we knew it, we were living in the same house.  

(Scene fade, we see the two of them living together and there’s a bit of bad news coming from their parents.)  

Scene 4--Maturing Together

Murray:  Carlos !   I’m sorry to come at such an inopportune time.   

Carlos:  No, no, man.  It’s ok.   What’s wrong ?  Why are you crying ?  

Murray:  It’s grandma Sarah.  (whimpering)  She died this morning.   

Carmen:  Oh, my God.  Murray, I’m so sorry.    

Murray:  Mom and dad are at home saying their final goodbyes.    

Carlos:  (narrating)   Losing Grandma Sarah was a big blow to all of us, but we became even closer together.   It was a month until Carmen and I married.   Before long, we were expecting babies of our own, twins !    I didn’t know if we would be able to support them but if and when we had trouble, our parents were there for us as well as our extended family.    It’s often said that it takes a village to raise a child.  I’d like to expand that to surrogate friends and even acquaintances that buoy you along the way.   

(Another montage plays and we see the family grown up and going to school.)  

Amaretto:   See ya mom !  See ya dad !   Love you !  (kisses them)  

Carmen:  Love you too, Amaretto.   

Sarah Estelle:  Ooo, papa !  You made my favorite !   Nutella Nilla sandwiches, PB&J and a tropical Capri Sun !    

Carlos: That’s cuz dad loves to give his little bit love bites !   Nom, nom, nom !  

Sarah Estelle:  Papa, you’re embarrassing me  !  Love you both !  (kisses them goodbye before she boards the bus)  

Carlos:  Sheesh, they’ve really popped up like weeds those two.   Especially Sarah !   

Carmen:  I know.  I feel like just yesterday we were hearing Amaretto say, ‘Dada !’ but now he can do so much on his own.   Oh, hey, look !  It’s Murray and Georgia.  

Georgia:   I hope you don’t mind.   The doctor told me I should take it easy.  I am a pregnant woman after all.  (she laughs heartily)  

Murray:  (rubbing her belly affectionately)  Hey little guy or girl, this is gonna be your Aunt and Unc!    OOOO !   Massive kick !   I think we’ve got a soccer player here  !  

Georgia:  Hardy har har.    What if I want her to be a hockey player ?  

Murray:   She can be whatever she wants to be.   

Carlos:  Come on then, Georgia, let’s get crackin’ !   

Carmen:  Te amo, tesoro.   (deep kiss)  

Carlos:  Yo tambien.   (narrating)  I was so eager to become an Uncle.   Carmen couldn’t wait to become an Aunt.   We were already making extraordinary changes to our community.   Kids who had been down on their luck to have a fair shake at life.   I had never met my actual birth parents, but in all fairness they walked out on me when I was just an infant.   I don’t hold that against them, and it’s likely we passed once or twice.   I hold no ill will towards them.   All I can see currently is my beautiful wife, my children and the soon-to-be arrival of my niece, Jean.   From time to time, Carmen and I did come across close minded individuals but when they saw how well-adjusted Amaretto and Sarah were they had nothing to refute or rebut.    Sure the world was still a little messed up but we knew that they would continue helping it evolve to its highest vibrational state.    We were only a key into the ignition as it were.   I know, amidst it all, Caroline would’ve been elated with how we’ve progressed and moved on petty ‘isms’.    We’re different now and continue adapting.   Part of me still misses her, but part of her still lives through Carmen, as weird as it sounds.   Someday I know I’ll see her again but she does give me nudges from the other side now and then, and we all welcome those.   It’s come to the end of another busy day, or some would tend to call it mundane or boring.   These only lead to the entertaining times that follow.   I’ve learned balance is key in the game we call life.   I haven’t mastered it because life with kids can be chaotic but if you want to know the gospel truth, I wouldn’t trade being a papa for any other job offer in the world.   

(We see the family getting together for a family reunion.   Georgia is pretty far along but not ready to go into labor as of yet.  The family celebrates together dancing to ‘Good Times’ followed by Petrov Stellars ‘Nuevo Swing’, which was recently seen in a viral video that is simply stellar.  Credits follow.   Links to learn about ‘taurean field’ experiments, neurocardiology and the memory of the heart are presented as well of the fact that funds from the film will support Heart Math and its research.   We may soon come to see all of our organs as really more than what we originally perceived.   Maybe there is more to ‘gut intuition’ as well and should be looked into.)