PARENTAL WARNING: This scene contains face touching.
Setting: The food court at the Santa Royale Shopping Center. Mike and Jenna, carrying their lunch trays, find a seat. It is their second date in two months.
Mike: Is this all right Jenna?
Jenna: Yes. Now, Mike… I want to hear more about your family situation.
Mike: My father deserted my family when I was a young boy…
Jenna: I’m sorry about what happened.
Mike: Don’t be! We made peace with each other before he died… and that has made all the difference. I didn’t think love was for me because of what happened in my childhood. That is… until I finally got to confront my father and tell him about my anger and pain!
Jenna (sotto voce): I didn’t think love was meant for me either… until I met you.
Mike: I learned that my father had a vendetta that obsessed him! It kept him from his family!… It drove him to drink and destroyed his life because he couldn’t let it go.
Jenna: And by learning this, you were able to let go of your anger at him.
Mike: After my father explained his obsession, I saw his soul! I saw a man who had suffered loss!… I saw a man who wanted justice, and became obsessed with getting it.
Jenna: It seems knowing his reasons and weaknesses helped you forgive him. Do you want to take a walk?
(They exit the food court and enter the beach)
Mike: I’m sorry for not following through after our first date! I want to make it up to you! I’m a changed man! I’ve come to terms with my father and my past. He wouldn’t let go of his vendetta, and that led him to drink. Drinking in his state of mind took its toll, and that led him to lose his job… and eventually abandon his family! I’m not too different from him! You see, I couldn’t let go of what HE did… and as a result, I had trouble letting myself love… until recently.
Jenna: Your attitude about love was many years in the making… (sotto voce:) Could it be changed in such a short time?
Mike: I’m a CHANGED man! The anger and pain I harbored for years has left me! After making peace with my father, I’m FREE! Free to really live… and to love. I really like you Jenna… I want to make up for the last time. You’re a wonderful woman… and I hope we’ll get to know each other EVEN BETTER!
Jenna: I’d like that! I want to know more about you too, Mike! So far you’ve opened up your past to me… and I appreciate it. I want to learn even more about you.
Mike: It seems we have a lot to learn about each other.
Jenna: What do you want to know about me?
Mike: Everything. How are my chances for that?
Jenna: I’d say pretty good.
(They frolic)
Mike: A person can be transformed in FIVE MINUTES! They just need the right stimulus.
Jenna: This is nice.
Mike: Yes.
Jenna: I wish we’d done this several weeks ago.
Mike: It’s not too late, Jenna! Let’s enjoy this moment and not regret the past.
