01 EXT. STREET - TWILIGHT
Slow motion: Erica walks in the sidewalk. Smiles.
ERICA - V.O
Connections. That's what keeps day and night linked.
That's what allows us to build our lives.
POV shot: Erica watches a mother, a grandmother and a child holding hands.
ERICA - V.O
To have a past, a present and a future.
And that's what keeps us alive.
Slow motion: Sarah delivers pamphlets to people. Looks crestfallen.
ERICA - V.O
Because connecting to people,
having them in your life enables you
to explore your self and build your soul.
Erica walks and opens the door of a Baby shop. Gets in.
ERICA - V.O
Letting people share this journey with you
is allowing you to open the doors of
happiness and fulfillment.
02 INT. BABY SHOP - TWILIGHT
Erica buys something. It's wrapped. Walks to the door.
ERICA - V.O
Sometimes is hard to do that, but all you
have to do is choose a door, establish a connection
and knowing that doors...
Erica and Sarah try to open the door, to opposite sides.
Both go against the door.
ERICA
Ouch.
ERICA - V.O
... Only open to one side.
Erica opens the door. Gets surprised seeing Sarah. Sarah looks shocked.
ERICA
Sarah! Hey!
SARAH
You... What are you... Doing here?
Are you following me, you lunatic?
ERICA
No, I was just... Buying somethi...
This is so strange. Life really does work in funny ways.
What a coincidence.
SARAH
Do you think I'm stupid? If you don't stop chasing me
I'll go to the police.
ERICA
You... You don't want to be helped?
SARAH
What I want is to deliver this pamphlet in this store.
So... Get out of my way.
Sarah passes through the door.
CUT TO:
03 INT. ERICA'S OFFICE DOOR - TWILIGHT
SARAH and ERICA get in. Sarah is confused.
SARAH
Wow, what is... Where am I? I thought
this was a baby shop.
ERICA
Well, obviously, it isn't.
Erica sits on her chair.
SARAH
You work here?
ERICA
In a manner of speaking.
This is my office. A therapist office.
SARAH
Then, why does it say outside this is a baby shop?
Are you from an institution or what?
Sarah tries to open the door. It's locked.
SARAH
Why did you close the door?
Open it! Open it now or I'll scream!
ERICA
Sarah, why don't you just calm down? Haven't you realized yet
that I'm here because I care about you?
SARAH
No, no you don't! You don't have to. I don't even know you and,
frankly, I don't want to. Open the door.
ERICA
Well, but I do care about you. You may not know me, but I know you,
like I proved to you when we first met...
Look, I just want you to listen to what I have to say and then...
Then I'll let you go. Okay? Would you like to have a sit?
Silence. Sarah sits.
SARAH
This is... so confusing.
ERICA
Trust me. I know the feeling. So, let's start from the beginning.
This is my office and it's not a baby shop. The baby shop lies outside the door.
And this is my office because I'm a therapist.
Therapists help people like you, who need...
Some guidance in their life. But, as you may have noticed,
my method is a bit unorthodox.
SARAH
No kidding.
ERICA
I know that you have regrets, Sarah. And I know that you think
your life could be different if you had made the right choices.
I also know that is hard for you to trust people. Considering what
you've been through, is normal. But your life can change right now
if you decide to trust me and let me in your life.
Sarah says nothing.
ERICA
So? What do you say? Yes or no?
SARAH
(leans forward and whispers in a threatening tone)
Open the door.
Erica gets shocked and sad. The door is unlocked. Sarah goes away. Erica stares at nothing, sorrowful.
ERICA - V.O
But what happens when people's ways to
interact with doors diverge?
What should we do when we open our door
to someone and they, instead of getting in, get out?
BEING ERICA 5X01 - TO SPLIT OR NOT TO SPLIT
04 INT. ERICA'S BEDROOM - DAY
ERICA is sitting on the bed. ADAM is sleeping. ERICA stares at the window, crestfallen.
ERICA - V.O
Have you ever went to bed knowing that there's
a pile of stuff to do? So many things that
you need to know, to fix, to pay attention to.
Like there's so much to solve you can't handle,
but you have to do it anyway? The whole thing ends up blowing
up in your brain, you can't sleep and disconnect from everything.
Adam wakes up.
ADAM
Morning, miss...
(Looks at Erica's face)
Miss dark circles.
ERICA
Dark circles? Thanks. Are they worse
than Bella's, in Twilight?
ADAM
Bella and Edward's combined. Didn't you sleep?
What happened?
ERICA
Nothing. I mean, nothing new. I told you
last night: It's Judith and the Company and my mother and... Sarah.
ADAM
She'll come around, you'll see.
ERICA
What if she doesn't?
ADAM
If she doesn't... She doesn't. I don't know. Therapy is
all about choices, right? She's the one who must decide what to do.
ERICA
If she says no to me... It means that I failed.
That I failed connecting with her. Maybe my approach
should have been more soft. I don't know.
ADAM
Hey, you did what you needed to do.
ERICA
I need to speak to DR. Naadiah.
Even that is going wrong. I was more open to...
Silence.
ADAM
To DR. Tom.
ERICA
Yes, I... We had a very special bond.
Awkward pause. Erica is thoughtful. Adam doesn't know what to say.
ERICA
Anyway, I better get going.
Erica prepares to get out of the bed. Adam stops her.
ADAM
Hey... You... You're gonna be fine.
I'm here for you.
ERICA
It's nice having something solid in my life.
ADAM
You're meeting Judith?
ERICA
Yes! Today 50/50 opens a little late. Julianne has a
meeting with the new writer, Brent is trying to contact Misha and
Rachel is solving some family problem or something.
So, I'll take this time to meet Judith. You know, this whole thing,
the baptism, sounded a little bit too rushed. And weird. So... It's brunch time!
Erica prepares to get out of the bed. Adam stops her again.
ADAM
Stay just a little longer...
ERICA
I can't. I really can't. Besides, I love
french toasts. I don't want to keep them waiting.
ADAM
Aw, you love french toasts more than you love me?
ERICA
Hmm, let me think...
Adam tickles and kisses Erica. Both laugh.
CUT TO:
05 INT. GOBLINS - DAY
There's people around. ERICA and JUDITH come in.
ERICA
And it was full of...
JUDITH
What?
ERICA
Vibrators!
JUDITH
What? What are the chances?
ERICA
I know, right?
Erica and Judith sit.
JUDITH
Did they... You know...
Both laugh.
ERICA
I don't...
(Raises her voice)
Hey, Dave!
DAVE approaches.
DAVE
Hello girls. Judith! Long time no see!
JUDITH
Yeah, I know, I've been really,
really busy with work, the marriage, the baby...
IVAN approaches.
IVAN
You look great, though.
JUDITH
Hello, Ivan! Thank you!
ERICA
You guys... I was just telling Judith the
thing that happened in your honeymoon.
DAVE
Oh, the luggage switch!
IVAN
We ended up taking to the Hotel a
sex shop instead of our clothes.
ERICA
You didn't... I mean...
IVAN
Oh, no! All I did was taking the most beautiful
dildo home. It's golden, it screams eccentricity, eroticism...
Erica and Judith get a bit shocked and speechless.
DAVE
(Embarrassed)
He put it right beside the pictures of our parents.
IVAN
It looks beautiful! I'm thinking of collecting them.
Ivan approaches to Erica and Judith.
IVAN
And with the new ones, Dave and I may...
Connect better, if you know what I mean.
Awkward silence.
ERICA
I would love a french...
IVAN
(Cuts her off)
Kiss?... Sorry, I couldn't resist.
One french toast for Erica and...
JUDITH
A french kiss for me too.
IVAN
Great!
DAVE
See you in a bit.
ERICA
Thanks!
Dave and Ivan go away.
ERICA
So, how are things with the baptism?
JUDITH
They're... Going pretty well.
ERICA
Good! Good. I mean, I'm surprised,
considering you only invited me last week
and the ceremony is in about... 24 hours?
JUDITH
I know, I know... But I have an explanation for that...
ERICA
I thought it was just a little bit random.
JUDITH
I know it was on short notice, and that's why Katie can't come.
But it's not random. You see... The couple's therapy wasn't
going so well. Anthony and I... We argued at the therapist office about
things at home, we argued at home about the things at the therapist office...
ERICA
Oh my God... Judith...
JUDITH
We were at the verge of breaking up. So, last month,
Anthony came up with this idea... He's catholic and
thought that if we baptized Max and concentrate our lives in him,
our marriage would improve.
ERICA
And did it?
JUDITH
I thought it was the most stupid idea, at first.
So, I didn't care about the arrangements for the ceremony.
He took care of everything... Until now. Now I realized that... This may work out.
ERICA
Judith... Are you sure about that?
Are things really getting better or... Are you afraid to split up?
END OF CHAPTER 1