#fabrizio's

[eurolifeau]

Episode eight: Replay (Scene 18)

Friday 20:36, Fabrizio’s, Italian St.

Michael and Ester get out of the restaurant. They are laughing. All the nervousness Michael felt now it is gone. He is more confortable than he has felt in months.

They stand in front of the door.

ESTER: Thank’s for inviting me. This has been lots of fun.

MICHAEL: Oh, thanks for coming. I really thought it was going to be far more awkward. Because you know… me.

ESTER: Your awkwardness is very cute.

Michael blushes and smiles.

MICHAEL: So… see you next time?

ESTER: Are you asking me on another date?

MICHAEL: I mean, this wasn’t a date. Only a friend’s gathering.

Ester laughs.

ESTER: Whenever you want sweetheart.

Ester checks her phone for the time.

ESTER: I might come home. I have a teenage son home alone.

MICHAEL: Can’t wait to Mariam to grow up.

They laugh.

ESTER: See ya.

MICHAEL: (smiling) See ya.

Ester fades away in the darkness of the street and Michael observes her with the most pure and sincere of the smiles.

[eurolifeau]

Episode eight: Replay (Scene 16)

Friday 19:14, Fabrizio’s, Italian St.

Michael and Ester have already received their food. Michael has calmed his nerves down a little bit but he is still shaky. Ester notices.

ESTER: Are you okay?

MICHAEL: Yes. Why?

ESTER: Your spaghetti is shaking.

He looks at his fork full of spaghetti.

MICHAEL: Oh, yes. I guess I’m a little nervous.

ESTER: Can I ask you a question?

MICHAEL: Go ahead.

ESTER: Since when don’t you go out with someone?

Michael gets paralized by the question for a moment.

ESTER: You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, of course.

MICHAEL: No it’s okay. Uhm… My wife died a year ago.

ESTER: I’m so sorry.

MICHAEL: It’s okay, I guess. Since then… It’s been so hard to do everything I did before the accident.

ESTER: The accident?

MICHAEL: She died in a car accident. Sounds typical but it just happens more often than we think.

Ester takes Michael’s hand over the table.

ESTER: But now you’re here. Out. Enjoying the night. It’s an improvement, right?

MICHAEL: I guess it is.

ESTER: Now that we’re being honest, I don’t go out with anyone since I was with the father of my son.

MICHAEL: Oh, I didn’t know you had a son?

ESTER: Yeah. He’s almost 18. Time flies so fast.

MICHAEL: Oh.

ESTER: I was a teen mom. And the bastard of the father ran away to Belgium. But I guess that’s how life is.

MICHAEL: You raised your child all alone. That tells a lot about how a great of a person you are.

Ester smiles.

ESTER: Same goes to you. Mariam is very lucky to have you.

And Michael’s heart warms.

[eurolifeau]

Episode twenty three: Rhythm Inside (Scene 04)

Friday 19:19, Fabrizio's, Italian St. Ester and Michael are finally on their table and ready to receive ther meals. ESTER: Hey, sorry about that awkward situation before. MICHAEL: (confused) Which one? ESTER: You know, my son, and his new brother and... those things. I... I didn't know. MICHAEL: Hey, you don't have to apologize. You have a son, I have a daughter. All's good. Ester smiles. ESTER: I still haven't told my son about our thing. Michael shrughs. MICHAEL: Don't rush it. I haven't told Mariam either. ESTER: Yeah, but she's a little girl. MICHAEL: We have our brood. ESTER: My brood goes to college already. MICHAEL: But he is still a little chicken. He hasn't flew out of the nest yet. I know it's difficult. Ester sighs. MICHAEL: You don't have to feel ashamed. You're young and ready to love new people. ESTER: I'm not ashamed of you. MICHAEL. I know, who would be? Ester laughs. MICHAEL: Just don't overthink about it. He will understand. ESTER: These things are (sighs) very complicated. He has never told me anything about his lovers. Not even when he was a little kid. MICHAEL: That's normal. Why would he? ESTER: 'Cause I'm a cool mum. I'm young, I let him throw parties at home... MICHAEL. Really? Ester laughs. ESTER: You're not that type of dad? MICHAEL: No. I prefer to threaten my daughter's future boyfriends. ESTER: That's so cruel. MICHAEL: I know, but it's so funny to me. Michael and Ester laugh. MICHAEL: We will come back soon, I promise. ESTER: Don't worry about that now, okay? Ester smiles as he takes Michael's hand.

[eurolifeau]

Episode twenty one: Our Choice (Scene 16)

Saturday 19:41, Fabrizio's, Italian St. Eleni, Luca, Mikolas and Tamta chat when they've finished their dinner. Tamta, still, can't get over that feeling on her chest and her head is going over and over the same topic: Luca. She is in front of him, he is in front of her. She can see his perfect smile and how he looks at her sister. She didn't want this. And still, she refuses to believe that feeling is true. She takes a deep breath and stands up. She takes her jacket too. TAMTA: I'm going for a smoke. ELENI: You don't smoke. TAMTA: Says Eleni "no I don't get drunk alcohol" Foureira. Eleni rolls her eyes. ELENI: Go do whatever you want but far from here. Tamta smiles forcefully. TAMTA: Thanks. Tamta gets down the stairs from Fabrizio's to reach the cold night street. It's colder than she thought but it's better than being on there. Tamta leans her back on a wall and she suddenly feels all her feelings coming out at once. Tears start running down her eyes and she suffocates her sobbings in the sleeve of her jacket. It's him. It's her. It's them. And it hurts. Suddenly, Mikolas suprises her. She tries to hide her tears and stop crying but she fails. He already saw what was going on. MIKOLAS: Are you okay? TAMTA: Yes. Don't worry. MIKOLAS: I wanted to check on you. Tamta smiles forcefully. TAMTA: It's okay. It's just... a bad moment. Mikolas takes a deep breath. MIKOLAS. You're in love with him, aren't you? TAMTA: (confused) Why do you say that? MIKOLAS: The way you look at him. It's revealing. Tamta shrugs trying to smile through the embarrasment. TAMTA: I guess I've never been in love before. I don't know how it works. MIKOLAS: Never? TAMTA: Never. Mikolas stays in silence for a couple of seconds. MIKOLAS: Well, it's bullshit if you want my honest opinion. Tamta giggles. MIKOLAS: But when you find the right person it's the best thing that could ever happen to anyone. TAMTA: And I'm not that right person for Luca. Mikolas shrughs. MIKOLAS: You know, both my exes married to each other. There's nothin more lame than that. Tamta laughs. MIKOLAS: Perhaps I can take you home and forget about this for a while. Tamta hesitates, but eventually she nods. TAMTA: I would love that. Mikolas tends his arm and Tamta takes it. And so they both walk to his car.

[eurolifeau]

Episode twenty one: Our Choice (Scene 15)

Saturday 19:33, Fabrizio's, Italian St. The restaurant is very busy, and so are the personnel. While Fabrizio reads his cooking magazines peacefully, the rest of the family works off time. Francesca comes in with a new order. FRANCESCA: Pizza romana for table number seven and lasagna di verdura for table number nine. FRANCESCO: Gotcha. Can you help with the salads? FRANCESCA: No, sorry. I need to bring wine to those tables. FRANCESCO: And you, Nina? NINA: I'm busy with the pizzas. Francesco sighs. FRANCESCO: This is impossible. FABRIZIO: Never say never, kid. FRANCESCO: Well, it's very cool to say that when you're sitting down without doing anything. FABRIZIO: I work every single day of my life. Give me a break. FRANCESCO: Nina, can you speed up with the pizzas, please? NINA: I do what I can. FRANCESCA: I can't find the wine. FRANCESCO: (sighs) It's right there, Franci, on the side. FRANCESCA: I'm looking for it, okay? NINA: Frank, can you hand me the tomato sauce? FRANCESCO: (starting to be annoyed) I don't have eight hands, Nina. NINA: (annoyed too) Chill out, I spoke to you properly. FRANCESCO: I didn't say anything! Keep going with those pizzas. Have you found the wine yet, Francesca? FRANCESCA: No. Someone moved it from place Francesco sighs. NINA: Don't worry, it will finally appear. FRANCESCO: This kitchen is a mess. FABRIZIO: Ah, my family arguing. Music for my ears. NINA AND FRANCESCO: Shut up! Francesca still can't find the wine. She sighs. FRANCESCA: I'll look in the warehouse. FRANCESCO: Be quickly! FRANCESCA: I'll try!

[eurolifeau]

Episode twenty one: Our Choice (Scene 14)

Saturday 18:51, Fabrizio's, Italian St. Eleni, Luca, Tamta and Mikolas are waiting for dinner. While Eleni and Luca mostly talk between each other, Tamta observes the conversation from outside with a straight face and Mikolas talks once in a while. LUCA: Tamta, I see you distracted. Is it by the beauty of my friend Mikolas? Tamta rolls her eyes. TAMTA: No, I'm listening. LUCA: Are you still mad because I ate your Choco-flakes? TAMTA: Could be. MIKOLAS: Bro, that's unforgivable. How could you? LUCA: I was hungry and I didn't know, okay? ELENI: It's not that big of a deal. She's just overexaggerating. She likes attention. TAMTA: The pot calling the kettle black... Luca shrugs. LUCA: It's a Foureira thing I guess. Eleni and Tamta hit him under the table. LUCA: Ouch! MIKOLAS: Mess with one Foureira and your hair will be dyed purple. Mess with two Foureiras and... Tamta laughs. TAMTA: I didn't remember the story of the purple hair! ELENI: Last year was a wild year. MIKOLAS: Yeah. And remember when Tamta first came here and got so drunk? LUCA: What's worse than dealing with one drunk Foureira? Two drunk Foureiras. Tamta and Eleni hit him under the table again. LUCA: Ouch! Can you stop? ELENI: You're telling things that aren't true. I never get drunk. There's silence in the table for a couple of seconds. LUCA: Well, if you say so... ELENI: Name one time when you saw me drunk. Just once. MIKOLAS: Well, there's this party on La Venda, and the previous one, and the one before... Eleni rolls her eyes. ELENI: Lies. TAMTA: I agree with Mikolas. You should stop drinkin Gin Tonic. ELENI: Friendly reminder that we got the same genes, idiot. LUCA: I exactly remember the first time I saw you drunk. It was beautiful. TAMTA: Come on, start relating! She always used to lecture me about being responsible with alcohol. LUCA: Well she... Sprained her ankle and I had to take her home. And that's how we started talking. Eleni smiles. LUCA: Not to forget when she kissed me before that and I thought she was going to murder me the day after. ELENI: I didn't do that! LUCA: Oh yes, yes you did. Luca and Eleni laugh and Mikolas observes with tenderness the scene. However, Tamta tries to seem happy for her sister but deep down her chest hurts. She bends a little bit, takes a deep breath, and keeps smiling for the rest of the night.

[eurolifeau]

Episode twenty one: Our Choice (Scene 11)

Saturday 15:15, Fabrizio's, Italian St. The restaurant is closed until dinner time. Now, the crew has to wash the dishes and clean the establishment a bit for the evening. Each member of the family has a task to do... excepting Fabrizio, who is conforatbily reading his cooking magazine on his wheelchair. Francesco is brooming the floor when he arrives to Fabrizio's spot. FRANCESCO: Can you please lift your legs for a moment? Fabrizio points at his plastered leg. FABRIZIO: Need help. Francesco sighs. FRANCESCO: Really? FABRIZIO: Don't be a dick and help your crippled brother. Francesco takes Fabrizio's legs and lifts them up, while at the same time he brooms the floor under them. Suddenly, Fabrizio farts. FRANCESCO: (trying to cover his nose with his hand) Dude! That was unnecesary. FABRIZIO: Sorry. It was the pesto. FRANCESCO: Pesto? Pesto from Chernobyl. God. Fabrizio laughs as Francesco tries to run away from the terrible smell. Then, Nina comes, cleaning her hands with a baby wipe. NINA: Dishes done. What else now? FABRIZIO: Give me a massage. NINA: What? FABRIZIO: Come on, you can't say no to a crippled man. NINA: Are you taking revenge from us? FABRIZIO: Could be. Nina sighs. FABRIZIO: Come on, where is my shoulder massage? Nina goes behind Fabrizio's back and starts massaging his neck and shoulders. FABRIZIO: Oh yeah. It feels like I have a new neck. Nina takes a deep breath and suddenly she smells something. NINA: Ew. What's that smell. FRANCESCO: (from the kitchen) Chernobyl pesto!