ACT TWO
Scene Twenty-one:
"I Feel Pretty"
"Yo tengo una prima que tiene una amiga que trabaja en el Housing Department. Y ella me dijo que…" Elora told the story, switching to English, "We're gonna get apartments in new buildings!"
Women laughed around her.
"Right where we live now!" Elora exclaimed above the laughing.
Caitlyn sat on a bench in the employee locker room. She was half listening to the women talking around her, putting their jackets, scarves, and purses away in lockers, while putting on their polyester regulation cleaning smocks. All salmon pink.
They were discussing the forced relocation efforts. Idle talk was the best way to pass the time when it came to working the graveyard shift.
Meche was the closest to Caitlyn's age. Lluvia was probably the oldest, in her fifties. Señora Fausta Grayson was their forewoman. Already dressed in her pink smock over her professional blouse and skirt, her gray hair pinned back in a bun, she stood by an open supply closet, handing out equipment to her crew.
"Ay, nena, we're gonna get evicted," Sky said, fixing her bun on the top of her head, before switching to Spanish. "Nos van a botar como bolsa."
"¡Así mismo!" Charita said, pointing to them. "The new apartments, the Metropolitan Opera, the orchestra hall? Not for us, for the gringos."
"¡Pero claro! That's why I cashed my relocation check. ¡Inmediamente!" said Meche, crossing her arms. "Antes que lo quiten."
"Before they take it back," added Provi, bumping elbows with her. "Mm-hm!"
Grayson looked at the two with surprise. "You cashed the check? I tore mine up!" she said, tearing the air in front of her.
"Good for you!" said Sky.
"You tore up a five-hundred-dollar check?" Meche gasped, "¡La riquita!"
They all laughed.
Grayson explained, "Once you cash the check, mi'jita, they can evict you!"
"I mailed mine right back to the Public Works." Lluvia said, as she passed Grayson and pushed her cart out of the workroom onto the shopping floor.
Walking together, the women headed onto the semi-lit floor and split off as they began mopping, wiping, dusting. Grayson joined them with an electric buffer, to polish the tile floor.
"Si nos vamos, que sea con dignidad," Lluvia continued.
"Pues yo prefiero irme con quinientos pesos," said Meche.
Sky laughed, speaking to Caitlyn, "A ver, Jayce ain't keeping their dirty money. ¿Verdad, Caitlyn?"
Caitlyn didn't respond.
She was dusting a display of white female mannequins, dressed in cocktail dresses, and holding martini glasses in a fancy, modern apartment. On the wall above, a sign read: "WITTY WEAR WITH BRIGHT AUTUMN FLAIR!"
"Caitlyn? Sky te esta hablando," Meche said, to get her attention.
When Caitlyn still didn't acknowledge her, Meche snapped her fingers, trying to wave her hand in her line of sight.
Caitlyn was too busy examining a mannequin's brocade stole. It was a translucent color, between green and blue. Almost matching her eyes.
The women gasped as Caitlyn unconcernedly stepped up onto the display and took the scarf from the mannequin's neck.
Grayson's eyebrows shot up. "Get down from there!" she hissed in warning. When Caitlyn still didn't react, she snapped, "¡Solo los del sindicato tocan eso! We have eight floors to clean! Caitlyn!"
But Caitlyn didn't seem to hear her. She wrapped the light scarf around her neck, tossing it over her shoulder with a flourish.
"Oh, I am terribly sorry, Señora Fausta," Caitlyn answered her, putting on a fancy, snobbish voice, posing like the mannequins, "But I do not clean floors. No, no, no." She looked at the tag and read as a joke, "I wear my seventeen dollar and ninety-eight cent silk shawl –"
"Ha ha," her boss laughed, humorlessly, "Muy graciosa. Now, get down."
A few of the women snickered. It was unusual for Caitlyn to make a joke like that. She made them all smile.
"She must be dreaming about her boyfriend," Charita spoke up for her defense.
"Ooh! Viktor!" Elora teased, waving her duster at Charita.
Sky added, the smile growing on her face, happy for her cousin, "Viktor, sí. She's in love with Viktor!"
Caitlyn huffed through her nose, rolling her eyes with a smile on her face. She shrugged as though she didn't know what they were talking about.
"Lo único que voy a decir es que…" Caitlyn teased, sitting down on the armchair, hugging her crossed knees like she was in an interview, "I'm happy in my fancy, rich lady apartment."
"Oooohh!" some of the women teased.
Caitlyn smiled, gleefully. She didn't think feeling this level of happiness was possible.
Even if her relationship with Vi was a secret, at least she could share her joy, right?
I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty, and witty, and bright!
She jumped up and sat beside a mannequin on the couch, leaning her head on its shoulder.
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me, tonight…
Looking at the glass coffee table, Caitlyn reached over and plucked a flower from the vase centerpiece. She stepped down off the dais, twirling to Provi and Meche.
"¡Si estrujas ese chal, te van a botar!" Provi snapped.
Caitlyn ignored her.
I feel charming,
Oh, so charming,
It's alarming how charming I feel!
She looked into another mannequin's painted eyes. She chuckled, thinking, instead of her admiring it, it was admiring her.
And so pretty,
That I hardly can believe I'm real…
Caitlyn jumped off the dais and went to a standing mirror Sky was polishing. Caitlyn twirled, stopping to point at her own reflection.
See that pretty girl in the mirror there?
Sky sprayed the glass with Windex over Caitlyn's reflection.
Who could that attractive girl be?
Caitlyn took the cloth from Sky's shoulder, wiping through the mist, clearing the glass. Revealing her bright, wide smile.
Such a pretty face,
Such a pretty dress,
Such a pretty smile,
Such a pretty me!
Caitlyn gave Sky back the rag and she stared after her in confusion. Caitlyn spun away, down the aisle, with Provi and Meche dancing behind her, egging her on.
The other women either watched with amusement, or disapproval, or ignored them.
"¡Eso, Caitlyn!" a woman exclaimed as Caitlyn bumped past her in her frolicking.
I feel stunning,
And entrancing,
Feel like running and dancing for joy!
Caitlyn stopped in front of a painted sunny sky emblazoned with "RIO BY THE SEA-OH!" White mannequins in swimsuits and straw hats frolicked with a rainbow beach ball, standing over fine, white sand.
Caitlyn pretended to drink from a cocktail.
Real sand? For a display? Even Caitlyn thought that was a haughty idea.
She hugged the shawl around her shoulders, turning to the group, singing to them.
For I'm loved by a pretty wonderful boy!
Nearby, Sky and Elora swept the tile floor beneath the beach display, next to each other. They smirked, eyeing each other.
Have you met my good friend, Caitlyn?
Elora smirked, nodding to Caitlyn messing with the displays. One eyebrow raised like she was looking at a stranger.
The craziest girl on the block!
Sky sang, leaning on her broom with her hands folded under her chin, tilting near her ear.
You'll know her the minute you see her…
Elora finished just as Caitlyn took the rainbow beach ball and tossed it to Sky.
She's the one who's in an advanced state of shock!
Caitlyn borrowed a straw hat from a mannequin.
Provi and Meche swept the floor beside each other, eyeing Caitlyn.
She thinks she's in love,
She thinks she's in Spain!
Elora leaned in, singing.
Ay, she's not in love –
Grayson stepped in, crossing her arms and shaking her head in utter amazement.
– She's merely insane!
Caitlyn donned on a pair of sunglasses and a handbag to go with her hat, completely ignoring her conduct and them staring. Meche shook her head, dumbfounded.
It must be the heat –
Charita shrugged.
– Or some rare disease?
Provi and Meche shook their heads, at a loss.
Or too much to eat…
Caitlyn smirked, overhearing their gossip behind her back. She picked up a handful of sand, tossing it at them, making them shriek and giggle as they scattered.
Or maybe it's fleas!
Giggling, Caitlyn chased Sky a short distance before Sky ducked behind Elora.
Keep away from her!
Sky took the spray bottle from her smock pocket and sprayed it at Caitlyn like insect repellent.
Send for Viktor!
Grayson came to separate them, outraged. Before she could reprimand Caitlyn, Elora and Sky came to her defense. Caitlyn stuck out her tongue as both of Mel's friends sang.
This is not the Caitlyn we know!
Coming nearby, Lluvia snatched the sunglasses off Caitlyn's face.
Modest and pure!
Charita snatched off her hat, giving it to Elora.
Polite and –
– refined!
Caitlyn rolled her eyes and didn't put up a fuss as they took things from her. Lluvia handed Caitlyn a broom. Grayson put a hand on her shoulder, singing.
Well-bred and mature!
Caitlyn took the broom and danced away with it, down an aisle.
Caitlyn knew they meant those qualities as compliments, and they did describe her. She just didn't realize that was how they saw her all the time. Caitlyn liked surprising her friends with this new side of her.
They all sang in unison after her.
And out of her mind!
Turning a corner into another jampacked shopping floor, at the end of the aisle, Caitlyn disappeared inside a circular clothing rack. A couple of the women followed her.
Spotting the tail end of where she disappeared, Elora came and leaned on the clothing rack nonchalantly, chuckling.
"Miss America!" she called out to her.
Provi and Meche followed along, leaning on the other side of the rack, cheering, "A speech! A speech! ¡Por favor! ¡Que hable!"
After a moment, Caitlyn stepped out from the rack of dresses, parting them like a curtain. A sash was draped across her shoulder and hip like a 'Miss America' banner. She beamed at them, waving her best 'royalty hand'.
I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
Behind her, Provi found a rhinestone tiara and placed it on Caitlyn's head. Meche and Sky applauded beside Elora. "¡Caitlyn la alcaldesa!"
Caitlyn blushed. Breaking the rules was fun.
That the city should give me its key
Bending down in the splits, Sky bowed elaborately and handed Caitlyn a feather duster; turned upside down like a bouquet of roses. Caitlyn curtsied as she accepted.
A committee
Should be organized to honor me
Caitlyn skipped away, Sky, Meche, and Provi sang.
La-la-la-la la la la la la-la!
Grayson clapped her hands sternly. "¡Ok, ya! ¡Hasta aquí llegó la comedia! ¡A trabajar to' el mundo!" She frowned.
Caitlyn ignored her stern look. Pretending, she put a hand to her head, swaying on her feet.
I feel dizzy!
Caitlyn tilted and suddenly dropped into her boss's arms.
"¡Ay, pobrecita!" the woman exclaimed in alarm as she caught the girl from falling.
In her arms, Caitlyn came alive again and smiled up at her.
I feel sunny!
Grayson frowned, flatly. "Está loca," she huffed, pushing her up.
Standing, Caitlyn turned and took her boss's hands before she could protest, spinning them both around in circles.
I feel fizzy, and funny, and fine!
And so pretty,
Miss America can just resign!
Caitlyn took her feather duster bouquet and tossed it over her shoulder before pulling Grayson along by the hand with her as she ran away again.
The girls sang.
La-la-la-la la la la la la-la! La-la!
The cleaning crew entered a fancy ladies' changing/alteration room, with floor to ceiling, three-panel mirrors. Provi flipped a switch, and the room was lit with lines of lightbulbs around the mirror frame.
Caitlyn stepped in front of a mirror, looking at her reflection, multiplied over and over. She seemed to go on for infinity.
See that pretty girl in the mirror there?
Elora sarcastically shrugged behind her.
What mirror, where?
Caitlyn smiled.
Who could that attractive girl be?
The other women darted into the mirror, their reflections joining with Caitlyn's.
Which?
What?
Where?
Who?
Caitlyn laughed as they all gathered around her, squeezing her and giving her hugs.
Such a pretty face,
Such a pretty dress,
Such a pretty smile,
Such a pretty me!
Provi, Meche, and Sky spun around Caitlyn, echoing her.
I feel stunning,
(– I feel stunning)
And entrancing,
(– And entrancing)
Feel like running and dancing for joy!
(– Feel like running and dancing for joy!)
All the women sang together, unable to fight her contagious joy.
For I'm loved by a pretty wonderful boy!
They all smiled, laughing and giggling with Caitlyn. Including Grayson.
After the moment passed, their boss frowned and clapped her hands, sharply.
"Get back to work!"
The women snickered a little as they quickly went back to their stations, cleaning up the rest of the showroom and resuming with the dusting.
Caitlyn picked up a broom from the floor and began sweeping, picking up little grains of sand. It was only fair she finished cleaning her own mess.
Although she didn't bring it up again, she still had a little kick to her step as she swept away. She smiled the rest of the evening, the bubbling in her chest fueling her as the hours dragged on.
…
Hours later, the women finally put away their cleaning equipment and gathered their personal things from their lockers. Climbing down a brick stairwell, they exited the employee's entrance into the Gimbel's loading dock, off West 33rd street.
Outside, the sky had darkened to a hazy black, a drizzle sprinkling the ground. Only the lights of the city and the rain puddles kept the streets lit at this time of night.
Along the wall of the loading dock, opposite the employees' entrance, there were large bins, bigger than dumpsters, filled with the store's accumulation of collapsed boxes, excelsior wood shavings, discarded receipts, cast-out signage, and mannequin displays.
Charita and Lluvia, Meche and Provi came out of the metal door of the employees' entrance, dressed to go home, chatting as they walked through the loading dock, past Gimbel's empty delivery truck ramp, toward the street.
Elora, Sky, and Caitlyn followed them, also chatting. Caitlyn donned on her white sweater and was searching her purse for a subway token. Just before they went through the garage door leading outside, Caitlyn stopped, abruptly.
"Ay, espera," Caitlyn gasped, stopping in her tracks. She looked inside her purse then back up to her friend. "I didn't punch my timecard."
Sky snickered, shouldering her purse, "¡Perdida en las nubes! Eso es lo que le hace el amor a tu cerebro."
Elora, taking out a pack of cigarettes, went through the garage door to the ramp. She called over her shoulder, "¡Voy a fumar!"
"¡Te esperamos, dale, avanza!" Sky waved to Caitlyn.
Nodding, Caitlyn turned around and headed back the way she came.
She passed rows of bins on her way to the employees' entrance. Just before she opened the door, she stopped when she heard a clattering sound.
She looked around at the rows of bins larger than herself. There shouldn't have been anyone else here.
"¿Hola? ¿Quién está ahí?" she called out.
When she didn't hear anything, she shook her head. Maybe she was imagining things.
"Soy… Soy yo…"
Caitlyn looked back in the shadows.
"Viktor?"
No answer.
Caitlyn looked behind her, then all around, confused, starting to feel afraid, holding her breath.
"¿Viktor eres tú?"
Behind her, a fair distance away, Viktor stepped out from behind a crate of mannequins. He stood, swaying a bit without his cane. His eyes were huge, dark, glassy.
He called out her name. "Caitlyn…"
She turned around once more, and her eyes finally landed on him, calming a bit. Yet, she wasn't close enough to see the distant look in his eyes or the sullen expression on his face.
"¿Que pasó?" she asked with a relieved smile, walking closer to him.
He bowed his head, looking to the floor. When he didn't meet her gaze, she grew worried.
"Viktor, ¿que pasó?" she asked again, firmer this time.
He still didn't answer her.
Standing beside him, Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows, scanning his face. Her expression fell as she noticed the redness in his eyes. "Tú estabas llorando..."
He shrank a little more in shame.
She put a gentle hand on his shoulder, trying to get him to look at her. "Dime."
Looking in her gentle face, Viktor worked his throat to speak, the effort difficult.
How could he tell her? But then, how could he not? That would be crueler.
The truth sat on his chest like a rock. He sucked on a sob, holding it back in his throat.
Finally, he spoke, "There was a fight con los Jets…"
He started walking, to keep himself going. His eyes were lost on the floor. Caitlyn followed beside him, a hand at his back, listening intently.
Viktor continued, his throat tight, "Y me fui con ellos, y… Y hubo un accidente, Caitlyn. Like it was over before anyone could stop him. Fue tan rápido que nadie…"
Caitlyn was going to ask more, trying to connect the dots, but held herself back from rushing him.
Then he choked on a sob. "And Jinx… s-she got stabbed, and –"
Caitlyn grabbed his arm tightly, making him stop and turn to her.
"Vi," she said, searching his sullen face, worriedly. "¿Vi estaba allí?"
Viktor's eyes widened with confusion, shock. He couldn't believe Caitlyn had said her name. That girl was who she was worried about? What Vi had said about them had been true?
Not getting anything from him, Caitlyn begged him, pulling his arm. "¡Viktor! ¿Le pasó algo –?"
Viktor screamed, "¡ELLA MATÓ A TU HERMANO!"
Caitlyn backed away from him, eyes wide, covering her mouth. She stared at him in denial. Viktor couldn't believe he said it. The moment he did… it became real. A tear ran down Viktor's face.
"Vi killed Jayce…" he whimpered in almost a whisper.
Footsteps hurried closer, Sky and Elora came hurrying back to the loading dock door at the sound of Viktor screaming. They saw Viktor standing by Caitlyn, then stopped in worry and confusion.
Viktor turned, unable to look Caitlyn in the eye, and ran away, limping. Clutching his leg. Or something in his pocket.
After a beat, Caitlyn ran after him, crying, "¡Eso no fue ella!"
Viktor pushed past Elora and Sky, driving into the pouring rain. He didn't look back once.
Caitlyn yelled after him, her voice cracking, "Viktor! Liar!"
Before she could pursue him further into the street, she was stopped by her friends, holding her, to ask what was wrong.
A security guard inside of Gimbels heard the commotion and came to investigate. He barked, "What's going on down there?!"
Caitlyn couldn't do anything but shake her head as the silhouette of Viktor vanished out of sight in the rain.
No. It couldn't be. It couldn't be true.
Jinx was dead?
Jayce was dead?
Vi… killed him?
/
"Yo tengo una prima que tiene una amiga que trabaja en el Housing Department. Y ella me dijo que…"
"I have a cousin who has a friend who works in the Housing Department. And she told me that…"
"Nos van a botar como bolsa."
"They are going to throw us out like a bag."
"¡Así mismo!
"Likewise!"
"¡Pero claro! That's why I cashed my relocation check. ¡Inmediamente!"
"But of course! That's why I cashed my relocation check. Immediately!"
"Antes que lo quiten."
"Before they remove it."
"You tore up a five-hundred-dollar check? ¡La riquita!"
"You tore up a five-hundred-dollar check? The rich one!"
"Si nos vamos, que sea con dignidad,"
"If we leave, let it be with dignity,"
"Pues yo prefiero irme con quinientos pesos,"
"Well, I prefer to live with five hundred pesos."
"A ver, Jayce ain't keeping their dirty money. ¿Verdad, Caitlyn?"
"Let's see, Jayce ain't keeping their dirty money. Right, Caitlyn?"
"Caitlyn? Sky te esta hablando,"
"Caitlyn? Sky is talking to you."
"¡Solo los del sindicato tocan eso!"
"Only the union guys touch that!"
"Muy graciosa. Now, get down."
"Very funny. Now, get down."
"Lo único que voy a decir es que…"
"All I'm going to say is that…"
"¡Si estrujas ese chal, te van a botar!"
"If you wring out that shawl, they're going to kick you out!"
"¡Eso, Caitlyn!"
[An exclamation.]
"¡Por favor!"
"Please!"
"¡Que hable!"
"Speak!"
"¡Caitlyn la alcaldesa!"
"Caitlyn the mayor!"
"¡Ok, ya! ¡Hasta aquí llegó la comedia! ¡A trabajar to' el mundo!"
"Okay, now! Here comes the comedy! Let's work all over the world!"
"¡Ay, pobrecita!"
"Oh, poor!"
"Está loca,"
"She's crazy."
…
"Ay, espera."
"Oh, wait."
"¡Perdida en las nubes! Eso es lo que le hace el amor a tu cerebro."
"Lost in the clouds! That's what love does to your brain."
"¡Voy a fumar!"
"I am going to smoke!"
"¡Te esperamos, dale, avanza!"
"We are waiting for you, go ahead!"
"¿Hola? ¿Quién está ahí?"
"Hello? Who's there?"
"Soy… Soy yo…"
"It's… it's me…"
"¿Viktor eres tú?"
"Viktor, where are you?"
"¿Que pasó?"
"What happened?"
"Tú estabas llorando… Dime."
"You were crying… Tell me."
"con los Jets…"
"with the Jets…"
"Y me fui con ellos, y… Y hubo un accidente, Caitlyn. Like it was over before anyone could stop him. Fue tan rápido que nadie…"
"And I went with them, and... And there was an accident, Caitlyn. Like it was over before anyone could stop him. It was so fast that nobody…"
"¿Vi estaba allí?"
"Vi was there?"
¿Le pasó algo –?"
"Did something happen to you –?"
"¡ELLA MATÓ A TU HERMANO!"
"SHE KILLED YOUR BROTHER!"
"¡Eso no fue ella!"
"That wasn't her!"
/