Chimi & Changa: Bruno's Big Day

Synopsis:  Taking not long after Mariposas Quinceanera, Bruno feels extremely anxious about marrying the love of his life, Amalda.   Changa’s influence rubs off on him ever so slightly. He and his young bride get a bit high off the cheeba laced brownie that she gave them as a present.    

'I don't know where this will lead us, but I have the feeling it will be somewhere both wonderful and strange.'--Cooper, Twin Peaks, S2: Episode 18, On the Wings of Love

~*~CAST~*~

Conchita ‘Chimi’ Lopez:

Ferdinand Lopez:

Bruno Lopez: (their son)

Mariposa ‘Mary’ Lopez: (their daughter)

Enrique ‘Ricky’ Jesus Miguel Iglesias: (Mary’s love interest)

Lupita Chiquita: (her mom)

Salvador Chiquita: (her dad)  

Joaquin Chiquita: (her grandpa)  

Lori Chang:  

Li Chang: (her dad)  

Bluebell Chang:  (her mom)

Kabe Chang: (her grandfather)

Fiona Chang: (her grandmother)

Solomon Cohen: (Jake’s dad)  

Esther Cohen: (Jake’s mom)

Rebecca Cohen: (Jake’s grandmother)

Evette Bern:

Daniel ‘Danny’ Bern:  

Isabella Bern:  (their 7 year old)  

Nadia Tilling: (Mary’s bff)

Adrianna Farfalle: (Mary’s bff)

Wendy DeSoto: (Mary’s bff)   

Angelica Gonzales: (Amalda’s mom)

Victorio Gonzalez: (Amalda’s dad)

Amalda Gonzales: (Bruno’s love interest)

Florencia ‘Flora’ Maria Conchita Gonzales: (Bruno and Amalda’s baby girl)

Raphael Gonzalez: (Amalda’s brother)  

Officer Cincy De Mayo:  

Bill De Mayo:  

Pastor:  

Nurse Magdala:  

Doctor Probst:  

“Love all, trust a few, do harm to none.”--Shakespeare

Scene 1--Wedding Jitters

(‘I’ve Got It Goin’ On” by US3 plays in the background as we see a rotoscope version of Bruno walking down the street with a strut, looking bold, confident and assured.)   

Bruno:  (narrating)  You’d like to think, ‘Yeah, that’s totally Bruno.   Sure ! He’s got it all under control.  He’s cooler than a cucumber and smoother than silk.’  Right now I feel like my knees are going to give out from sheer panic but this is the day I have been longing for my whole life.   I was specific with God when I asked Him for my soul mate. I never thought I’d actually meet her at an El Dia De Los Muertos festival !

(flashback)  

Amalda:  (buying some jewelry)  Yes, that one. My mom will adore it !  Her birthday isn't too far from today. Thank you !  (smiles peacefully. A mariachi band plays in the background and she starts dancing.  She accidentally bumps into Bruno.) Oh ! Excuse me ! I was lost in the rhythm…

Bruno:  (making sure she isn’t hurt)  It’s fine. I got lost in the crowd so we’re one in the same !  

(A very romantic guitar piece is played by the band entertaining the event.)  

Amalda:  Do you come to events like this often ?

Bruno:  No. Oh, by the way…(offers hand) I’m Bruno Lopez.

Amalda:  Amalda Gonzales.   My pleasure to make your acquaintance.  So what brings you to the city tonight ?  

Bruno:   I wanted to see the sights.  I don’t get out that often. When I do I miss seeing all the attractions our city has on a daily basis.   It’s funny really, but I nearly forgot that today was El Dia De Los Muertos. I came to have a little bit of fun.  

Amalda:  Would you care to walk around with me ?  

Bruno:   Oho ! You bet, Amy.   Can I call you that ?

Amalda:  (titters a little)  Sure ! It’s really cute.  

Bruno:  Quite a lot like you.   (narrating) Man, I was so smooth back then.   It took us a year to seal the deal but with patience and determination, Amy convinced me that she was worth chasing.   We also held back our desires for each other, which was difficult but mom and dad did that themselves until they tied the knot.   It might not be so common now, but honestly, it makes more rational sense than anything else. Now as I stand before God and everyone, I know I’ve made the right choice even though my legs are quaking…

(Amalda starts to march down the aisle to the Wedding March.)

Angie:  (getting verklempt)  Isn’t she resplendent ?

Victor:  (Blowing nose)  Our little girl is all grown up.  

Raphael:  My sister looks like a princess !  I didn’t think I’d get choked up by this !  

(The three of them weep but they are happy tears)  

Scene 2--The Kiss and the Reception

(The Wedding scene is beautifully depicted to ‘Claire De Lune’ as the couple exchanges rings and is ‘yoked’ together by the pastor)   

Pastor:  By the power vested in me, you may now kiss your bride.  

Bruno: Hallelujah !  

Amy:   I second that motion.   

(They kiss and run down the aisle, greeted by their limousine.  On the way, the procession of their family, friends, extended family, coworkers, etc, are all there blowing bubbles, following after them to the reception hall.)

Changa:  (placing a tin of ‘special brownies’ on the dessert table)  A little gift for the bride and the groom. They’re a surprise from me !   Chimi doesn’t even know I brought them ! (giggles like a schoolgirl)

Cincy:   I find it ironic that we were invited to this shindig.   

Bill:  Cincy, we were integral in their lives even though we were always on the losing side of the battle against the devil’s dank.  You know that.

Cincy:  (exhales)  That still sticks in my craw.   (pause) We should lay back and enjoy the festivities though.   I mean, look at this kid ! He’s turned into a man !

Bill:  (getting a bit emotional)  Don’t remind me. Cops aren’t supposed to cry but damn it, this whole thing is freakin’ beautiful.   

(Bruno takes his bride into his arms and dances to ‘Let Me Be Your Man’.  Amy puts her head on Bruno’s heart and holds him close. Cincy and Bill are crying like full blown girls now, but no one seems to mind.)    

Amy:  Hey, there’s a brownie tin on the dessert table.   I’m dying for some chocolate.

Bruno:  Same here.   Let me cut a couple squares for the two of us.   

(They eat the squares and the instrumental from The Smith’s I Am The Sun and Air plays in the background.)  

Amy:  (laughing)  Woah, I’m moving faster than well, everything.   

(In reality they’re both walking around as if there is no gravity.)  

Chimi:  There’s only one person I know behind this.   Changa, a word !

Changa:  (snickering)  You rang ?

Chimi:   (becoming irate)  As if you couldn’t tell, I’m pissed.  Now why did you think it would be acceptable to bring REEFER brownies to such a lovely occasion, let alone my own son’s damned wedding ?!  

Changa:  Woah, hold on there, Chimi, chica.   I know you’re all ticked off because I just wanted to make this the best fete ever.    I get it. There’s no harm done. This isn’t even potent cheeba. It’s gonna wear off.   

Chimi:  (laughs in spite of herself)   I shouldn’t expect to change you.   I’m sorry I overreacted. They’re having fun, I’ll give them that.

Changa:  See, that’s what I always loved about you.   So open and forgiving. Come ‘ere.

Chimi: (a bit reluctant for an embrace but approaches her anyway)  Ayyy, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Chimi sugar ! No wonder Ferdi loves you, your hugs are SO good and healing !   Heck, I’d marry you if I could !

Changa: (laughing)   Oooo, they’re playing my song !  

(‘Get Your Roll On’ plays in the background and everyone is getting down with their bad selves.)  

Bruno:   (narrating)  The funny thing about being high, events are rarely remembered or they are fuzzy at best.   At least that wasn’t the case for me. Everything was enhanced but I promised myself that if Aunt Changa offers me a tin of ‘special brownies’, I would delightfully, and wholeheartedly, fiercely confident, decline them.    

Amy:  (enjoying a swing dance with Bruno)  You’ve still got the best dance moves around !   How did you learn swing ?

Bruno:  Didn’t I tell you ?  I had a brief stint as a backup dancer for a local group called The Dominoes.   I sang but I was in the chorus.

Amy:  Real shame, you’ve got a boss set of pipes.    

Raph:  Hey, is this the guy ?  He is, isn’t he ! Hey, holmes !   How’s it hanging !

Bruno:  Exceptionally well, Raph.   Good to meet you. Where are your mom and dad ?  

Raph:   Shakin’ a tail feather by the chocolate fountain.   Dad’s pigging out on it. That’s his achilles heel.  (he laughs)

Isabella:   Whatcha two doin ?  Whatcha talkin’ about ?   

Bruno:  We’re just chatting.   

Isabella:  Amy’s like a real princess.  

Amy:  (kneels down)  That I am, chica.   

Danny:  There you are !   We wondered where you had run off to.  

Evette:  Thank heaven.  

Isabella:   I was just talking to Auntie Amy and Uncle Bruno.   I’m having a blast at their party. Everything’s so sparkly !   

Evette:   We can’t stay though.   It’s a school day tomorrow.  

Isabella:   (pout) Aw, man.    Oh well. At least I had fun.  Bye !

(They walk off)  

Amy:  Makes me wonder what our kid’ll be like.   Whether it’ll be a boy or a girl.

Bruno:   (blushing)  Eventually we will have a kid together, but let’s take our time.  Let’s not rush, we’re still young.

Amy:  (wrapping her arms around him as an instrumental version of ‘I Will Always Love You’ plays in the background)

Cincy:   Is that you, Bruno ?   My God, you look so different in a suit.  

Bruno:  Cincy ! Who would’ve thought you and the precinct would’ve come.   

Amy:  He is a part of our family legacy, carino.   

Cincy:  So, where to next ?  

Bruno:   We’re going to Cancun for the honeymoon.   Mexico is where it all started for our families.   

Bill:  Well, you two have a grand ol’ time !  

Cincy:  Heavens to Betsy, what’s in this brownie ?  

Bill:  Brownie ?   Is there any left ?  

Amy:  Um, I wouldn't’ eat that if I were you !  

Bill:  (it’s too late, he’s already taken a bite)  

Cincy:  Woo, it just got a heck of a lot more colorful in here.   And are those flowers in your hair singing ‘Close To You’, awww.   Bruno you know how to be a real Casanova.

Bill:  (twirling a bit and busting a move to ‘I Like It’)  

Bruno:  I think that’s our cue to waltz on up out of this joint.  

Amy:  (snickers)  Heh, you said joint.  

Bruno:  (laughs in spite of himself)   I think we’ve been hanging around Auntie Changa too long.  

(scene fade)

Scene 2--Cancun, Paradise

Bruno:  (lying out in a hammock) Man, this feels so fabulous !   

Amy:  (in a hammock next to him)  You can say that again. You, my darling, were supernatural last night.

Bruno:  I’d like to think we were both bursting with magic.   It’s just you, me, the sand and the sea.

Amy:  (runs hands through his hair)   There’s no place I’d rather be.  Come on, I want to go strolling along the beach with you.  

Bruno:  That sounds refreshing.   (takes a deep breath) That sea air !   It really invigorates the soul !

Amy:   Indeed !   

Bruno:  (narrating)  And to think so many love stories have occured on this beach.   It gives one pause to know that I’m a part of this legacy. I look at my darling and I realize we’re together through all this.   She’s my red thread and it makes me grateful that we’re a team.

(They spin around to an instrumental version of ‘All We See Is Forever’ from Dear Evan Hansen.   The two of them go through a montage and we find them back home with Amy expecting her daughter…)

Scene 3--Welcome Florencia !  

(Everyone and I do mean everyone is in attendance.)

Amy:  (doing her breathing and holding Bruno’s hand)  Did everyone have to come ?  

Bruno:  I only invited close family…

Rebecca:  And they told extended family.

Cabe:  Which told other extended family members.   

Amy:  (laughing)   I’m glad but are they really wanting an intimate look at my hoohah ?   

Cincy:   Hon, you have no idea the crap I have seen working this precinct.   Seeing your hoohah is the least of my concerns.

Amy:  (not pleased but calm even though the situation is becoming increasingly awkward)   Really ? The cop too ? Ooooooggghhhh !

Nurse:  Keep breathing, you’re doing just fine, honey.   

Amy: (holds on to Bruno’s hand tighter)  

Bruno:   (breathing with her)  

Amy:  Owwwwwwww !   (cursing in Spanish)  That hurts like a puta de pendejo !  

Doctor:  Just a little more, Amalda.   I can see your little girl’s head.  She’s crowning.

Nurse:  You’re almost there.   A couple more big pushes...and….

Bruno:  (narrating)  There she was.   Our daughter.   We made her together.   The most perfect combination of our love.    We named her Florencia Maria Conchita, or ‘Flora’ for short.   At first, she cried quite a bit until either one of us held her.   She was passed around to all the family members, even the police. I had never seen officers of the law weep but they were happy, jovial, joyous, celebratory tears.   Little Flora, our darling flower. I don’t know what you will do or what you will be, but it seems our life has become so much bigger and better than before. You, your stunning mama, me and the whole familia.   

(‘Isn’t She Lovely’ plays in the background, followed by ‘Tu Ojos’ and ‘For Once in My Life’.   A montage is shown of the family heading home and having a huge party and even more people show up, unlisted in the cast but credited in the end as ‘extras’ with their proper listing.   I’d like to thank those who stood up for me, those who handled me at my worst and my best and saw me through knowing that in the end, with the grace of God, I could become inspirational to others.)