Letters to Me, Gemma Caglioti (2011)

SCENE 1 – SIX YEAR OLD GIRL’S BEDROOM

Night time, and the girl is sitting on her bed reading “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.

Sounds from the kitchen and yelling are muted by the shut door and girl humming a cheery tune.

FATHER: Maybe we wouldn’t have gotten into this mess if you actually got up and went to work!

MOTHER: I have a house and daughter to tend to! When you get home, it’s just football and a beer! What do YOU contribute to the household?

FATHER: I bring home all of the paychecks and pay all of the bills. What else do you want from me Zoe?!

(Sound of something being taken out of the oven)

MOTHER: Jack, I expect you to help raise our daughter. She’s six years old, and you haven’t even been around for her.

FATHER: I need a drink.

(Sound of a door slamming downstairs)

MOTHER: Mia, sweetheart, come down for dinner!

Mia sets down her book on the table next to her bed and skips to her door, opening it and skipping out. Camera zooms in on the book page.

SCENE 2 – DINNER TABLE

Silverware scrapes against the plates and nothing is said between the father, mother, and daughter. The dishes on the table consist of mashed potatoes, baked chicken, and string beans. Zoe nudges Jack to say something.

FATHER (coughing nervously): So um, Mia… how was your day today at school?

Mia looks up, surprised, and smiles.

MIA: It was good. But Tyler pulled my hair and called me annoying because I knew the answer to the math problem and he didn’t.

FATHER: That’s not nice at all. We should have a talk with his parents, shouldn’t we, hun?

MOTHER: By “we”, you mean “you”, right?

Jack drops his fork onto his plate and the couple starts to argue with each other again, while Mia escapes the table and runs back up to her bedroom. Camera follows her up the stairs and back into the bedroom. Mia opens her sock draw and lifts up a fake cardboard bottom. She then removes a piece of paper and a pen.

Dear Mia,

Today, Daddy and Mommy were fighting again, remember? I don’t know if you do, but it was a Thursday in November and it was that day when Tyler pulled your hair really hard in class because you’re smart and he isn’t. I hope you’re doing good.

Love,

Mia

Mia then sets the letter back into the secret compartment, and runs back downstairs.

SCENE 3 – MIA, 22

Scene opens in older Mia’s bedroom. Piles of books on law are stacked neatly on the bedside table. Papers are everywhere. One half full coffee cup on stack of books. Two empty on the dresser. Room is completely clean, because she’s a perfectionist. Mia is rushing around, in her perfectly ironed pencil skirt and blazer. She has a cup of black coffee in her hand, and walks to a chair next to her window to pick up papers and a large book on law. Hair is pin straight and naturally brown. She has a kind of powerful, sexy, bossy, walk. She briskly rushes over to her dresser and puts on diamond stud earrings. Camera then follows her into the kitchen where she places her coffee cup in the dishwasher. Boyfriend is lying on the pullout couch with blankets tangled around him. She grabs her car keys, handbag, and sunglasses from off of the kitchen counter and walks out the door. Camera cuts to Mia pressing the elevator button, checking her watch impatiently, and fixing her hair.

MIA: Shit.

Mia waits another second, then turns on her heel and quickly runs down the three flights of stairs to the lobby of her fancy apartment building. She then quickly picks up her mail, and runs to the parking garage where her BMW waits.

SCENE 4 – MIA’S OFFICE

Mia is sitting at her desk with a viente Starbucks coffee, rummaging through the mail, when her boss comes in through the door.

BOSS: Gaffett, do you have your plan for next week’s case ready?

MIA: Yes Gordon, I do.

BOSS: You know I don’t like it when you call me Gordon, Gaffett.

MIA: Yes, Gordon, I do. But you know that I don’t like it when you call me Gaffett, Gordon. So please excuse me, I do have a bit of work to be doing.

Boss laughs and walks out of the room shaking his head; defeated, but not angry.

Mia smiles and continues rummaging through mail, until she finds a certain handmade letter. She then wears a puzzled expression, and opens it, finding a child’s handwriting.

Dear Mia,

Love, Mia

MIA: What even…?

SCENE 4 – MIA, 6, FRONT DOOR OF HOUSE

Crying, Mia runs off of the bus and up the stairs to the front door, opens it, and rushes inside, backpack bouncing up and down.

Mother is cleaning up kitchen, but hears Mia crying and immediately crouches down to comfort her daughter.

MOTHER: Mia! What’s wrong honey? Tell me. What’s going on, sweetie?

Mia continues sobbing for a few seconds, and then begins to explain.

MIA: T-today was the day w-when the kids bring in t-their parents. A-and daddy said h-he would come and I w-was waiting b-but he never came.

Mother gives a knowing look, takes a deep breath, and hugs Mia.

MOTHER: I’m sure he has a logical explanation for him not showing up.

Mia drops her bag on the floor and walks up the stairs to her room, and goes straight to her sock draw, where a letter is waiting.

To whom it may concern,

Who is this? Is this some kind of joke to distract me? Stop. This case is my life and you can’t steer me off track, Morrison.

-Mia Gaffett

Confused look on Mia’s face, and she takes out another piece of paper from her top draw and a pen from her pen holder on top of her dresser. She then begins writing.

Dear Mia,

No. This is not Morrison. What kind of a name is that? I like Morry better. And your case is your life? How can that be your life? I guess it’s cool though. This is Mia. Do you remember when we got our goldfish, Guppie? I hope you write back. Today, Daddy forgot to come to the “bring in your parents” day. Why didn’t he come? Do you remember why?

Love,

Mia

P.S. What is your case about?

SCENE 5 – MIA, 22, APARTMENT LIVING ROOM

Boyfriend is sitting in the kitchen, trying to squint to watch the T.V. in the living room. Mia is sitting on the couch in sweatpants, and a T-Shirt, with a glass of red wine and her hair tied back into a ponytail. Boyfriend, Zach, tries to sit next to Mia, but Mia stops him.

MIA: Zach. You know the rule.

ZACH: Come on Mi. Please?

MIA: No. You’ll end up distracting me from the case.

Zach tries to kiss Mia, but Mia puts a finger to his lips.

MIA: Nice try. Now go back to your spot, twenty feet away, and stay.

ZACH: But-

MIA: Nope.

Zach’s head droops and he starts shuffling back into the kitchen and Mia smiles. Zach opens the refrigerator.

ZACH: (mumbles) I remember when you used to be fun.

MIA: I heard that.

Zach smiles, and grabs a pudding cup from out of the fridge.

ZACH: (with a spoonful of pudding in his mouth) Why are these things so good?

MIA: (laughs) You’re such a kid.

Zach smiles, and sets his elbows on the counter, and starts to look through the mail, picking up a certain letter.

ZACH: (walking over to Mia) Mia, I think your little cousin or something wrote you a letter.

MIA: (not looking away from the T.V.) Not falling for it. Go away.

ZACH: No, Mia, I’m not kidding. Here.

Zach throws the letter into Mia’s lap. Mia recognizes the familiar handwriting and her expression turns sour.

Dear Mia,

Love,

Mia

Mia then gets up from the couch and storms into her bedroom. She sits on her bed cross-legged. Zach follows. Ripping a page out from her notebook for work, and grabbing a pen violently from her collection on the bedside table, Mia begins to write. Zach sits down next to Mia to observe what all of the commotion is about.

To whom it may concern,

If you don’t stop writing to me, I will call the police. No, I did not have a fish named “Guppie”. What kind of diabolical person are you? Imitating a child, and questioning my childhood? Please stop for your sake because I can have you locked up in a second.

-Mia Gaffett

ZACH: Mia… what’s going on…?

MIA: (doesn’t look at him, just stuffs the letter into the envelope) Nothing.

ZACH: I’m not joking. Mia, what is going on?

MIA: (pauses and stares at Zach lovingly) I love you.

ZACH: Oh no no no no no no. Not this game.

MIA: (sits up and ruffles his hair playfully) What game Zachy?

ZACH: Don’t even.

MIA: I loooooove you.