Title: True Love lasts

Scene 1:
(Carmen stands center stage, surrounded by her daughters, Sasha,
Rachelle, Lara, and Cindy)

(Scene of rachelle and sasha playing around)

Carmen: (with pride) This is family De Leon! My beautiful family. I am

Carmen, the loving mother of these four princesses. They are my life
and the reason why I keep on going in life. After my loving husband
died, I was alone raising them and entered any job to sustain our needs. I
am a mother, blessed with four remarkable daughters who each carry
within them a piece of my soul.

Sasha: Mama!
Says Sasha tugging at Carmen's sleeve.
“Ate Rachelle wouldn't give me my toy!”

Rachelle: (teasingly Rachelle said, )Oh you small-sized human! That's

my kind of love language!

All: Love language? (laughing)

Rachelle: As the eldest, I can do everything I want with my siblings

even teasing our dear Sasha. (Giggles) But anyways, I do love her, all of
them, especially my dear Mama.

Sasha: Rachelle...

Lara and Cindy: (exasperated) Ugh, this is the real scenario within this
house, we're already used to it.
Lara: (stands) I'm used to all the noise in this house, but the risk of
being distracted from reading my books is just so disgusting!

Cindy: But then, there's nothing we can do about it!

All: This is family De Leon!

Rachelle; Then ,Rachelle hands Sasha her toy, playfully pinching her
cheeks)
Now here's your toy our baby Sasha!

Sasha: After happily getting her toy, Sasha said

Ma, we need to go to bed now, it's past 10 pm.

Lara and Cindy: And we've got to get up early not to be late for school.
(Lara added)

Cindy: But I'm not sleepy yet!

Carmen: Oh, do you want the monsters to eat the princesses?

All: Ahhh, no ma! (They exit to bed)

(Carmen smiles but then her expression fades)

Carmen: My heart aches thinking of my children away from me! But

there's nothing left in me. I've got to work to sustain their needs. I know,
someday they will understand.

(Tessa knocks on the door)

Tessa: Carmen? Oh, my poor Carmen. Make yourself stronger. I know
you can do this. Don't worry about them. I can handle them myself.

Carmen: Carmen hurriedly prepares her luggage and responded to

Tessa;
Tessa, I am entrusting you with my children. Please take care of them
for me. I've got to go now. I need to arrive at the airport at 1 am.

Tessa: Go ahead, Carmen, take care of yourself.

(Carmen exits, leaving Tessa standing alone on stage)

(Jay Anne and Therese are gardening. Therese is sweeping.)

Jay Anne: One day Jay anne is Inspecting her plant and saw Therese)
Hey, Therese! Have you seen Carmen last night?

Therese: No, why?

Jay Anne: Last night, as I locked our gate, I saw her leaving their house
with a big luggage. It seems like she's crying. I tried to call out to her,
but she wasn't able to hear me. Where do you think she's going?

Both; where is she going?

house with a big luggage. It seems like she's crying. I tried to call out:
Oh, poor children! I think Carmen is going abroad. One day, I overheard
her and Tessa talking about employment in Qatar. I pity her because
she's so worried about how to get money for Rachelle and Lara's college
studies. I heard Tessa persuading Carmen to go.

Both: But then, we've got to keep quiet about it.

(Then Tessa enters, looking troubled and said to herself)

Tessa: (to herself) How can I tell them? Should I tell them the truth that
Carmen is away for employment in Qatar? Or should I just say she's
working in the nearby town? Ahh! What should I do!

All: What should you do?

Sasha: Tita Mommy, where's Mama?

Rachelle: Yes, Tita, where is she?

All: Is she outside? At the market? Or what?

Tessa: Ahhmmm... You know what, you need to prepare yourselves first
and eat breakfast before going to school later.

Lara:(Then Lara said to herself) I can sense something is not right here.
We used to wake up in the morning with Mama preparing breakfast. We
exchanged good mornings and even kissed each other despite the bad
breath.

Cindy: Lara! Come on, go take a bath first. (Said Cindy which
immediately brought Lara back to reality)

Sasha: But Tita, where's my mama?

Tessa: Alright, okay! She's out for work.

All: Out for work? Where?

Tessa: (Tessa answered doubtfully)Um, just in the nearby town. So go
on now, you already know, so fix yourselves.

(Carmen is shown working hard)

All:

Sasha: (Sasha whos really confused about her mama, asked Tessa) Tita
Mommy, do you think Mama will come home soon?

Rachelle: (Rachelle comforted her younger sister)

It's okay Sasha , mama will be coming home! Don't worry ate Rachelle
will be taking care of you since mama is not yet here.

All: After 3 years of working abroad! It is time for Carmen to celebrate

and be reunited with her children. She already got enough savings and
money to start for a business in their town and be able to not come back
for employment abroad.

(Scene transition)

Carmen: After 3 years of working here, I can finally go back to my

children and hug each of them. Be able to lay down on their sides and
sing a song to my little Sasha. Hear all the noise and loudness of their
laughter and teases.

Asunta:(Asunta heard Carmen who speaks to herself happily) Good for

you, Carmen! (She Walks away and takes a seat near Carmen's
luggage.and said to herself ) I feel sorry for you, Carmen. The first time
I saw you, I knew you had experienced such struggle in life. But, I just
envy the thought of you leaving me here and enjoying the company of
your family again. I'm sorry, not sorry.
Carmen: Hey Asunta, can you please look out for my things? I've got to
use the toilet.

Asunta: Yeah, sure. No problem. (Then Asunta Smiles and got the
chance to puts something on Carmen's luggage)

(Carmen went back to see Asunta for the last time, but then the woman
wasn't already there)

Carmen; As I am walking to enter the airport, the police officer stopped

me! I got confused for I did nothing wrong! But then, despite how hard I
try to tell her, she still cuffed me and said;

Police; Mam I have scanned drugs in your luggage; please come with
me peacefully for the investigation.

All: Carmen got really confused and is still processing the things
happening to her at the moment. She pleaded and said

Carmen: mam, please believe me that isn't mine! I need to come home
for my children! ( But the police officer seemed to be deaf on Carmen's
cries and plead) Then the 3 years away from her children became 6 years
of agony.

(Carmen is handcuffed, shocked)

(Scene fades out)

Reunion of Love
Scene 3:
(Sasha, Rachelle, and Tessa are in the room)

Lara: ( Lara seems to be bothered by the thought of her mother couldn't

fight the urge to ask Tessa)
Tita Mommy, do you think Mama will come home soon?

Rachelle: (Then Rachelle responded angrily)

Stop talking about her, Sasha! Forget about her!

Tessa: (Tessa couldn't help the feelings of frustration and her worries
seemed to become worse)
I couldn't stop them from hating their mother. I can't even stop Lara and
Cindy from arriving home late at night and drunk. This is not the
children I used to know.

(Lara and Cindy enter)

Lara: Hey! (Laughs) Hi, guys.

Rachelle:( Rachelle went furious seeing her younger sisters drunk)

Where were both of you? When will you two change that kind of
behavior? Huh?

Sasha: Are we hearing it from Rachelle?

Cindy: Stop talking nonsense, Rachelle. We just enjoyed ourselves with

our friends.

Cindy: And by the way, you're not our mother for you to talk like that!

Big slap!
Rachelle; Rachelle wasn't able to fight her anger and was hurt hearing
her sister talking to her with no manners and respect )

Tessa: (to herself) I have seen them like this several times, and I just
wish for Carmen to get home.

Lara: This conversation will not come to an end. I knew it.

(Jay Anne and Therese enter)

Therese: Hey, Jay Anne! Have you heard the commotion last night at
Carmen's house?

Jay Anne: Really? I haven't heard them! What happened?

Therese: Since Jay anne couldn't wait to hear it, Therese narrated;
As I was walking my dog near their house, I stopped after seeing Lara
and Johnbee so drunk entering. I heard Rachelle shouting at them. Then
Lara responded with a shout as well. And I was shocked hearing a big
and loud slap.

Jay Anne: Oh, poor Carmen! Look what happened to her children now.
I thought Carmen was a loving mother, but she chose money over them.

Lara: Indeed. Oh, have you already packed your gift for Cindy? It's her
birthday today! We've got to get ready now and come together to their
house.

Jay Anne: Yeah, sure. (Exits)

Tessa: (to herself) As I am preparing the food for Cindy's birthday,

(Happy na bday mo pa)

(All four children, except Sasha, are talking)

( interrupted)Therese; Hi girls! Happy birthday Cindy! Here's our gift

for you!
Jay Anne; oh by the way girls, have you already heard some news about
your mother? ( The room became so quite and Jay anne didn't expected
the response of the girls)
All: Respect begets respect
Rachelle: .........

All 3 except Sasha: After all, we survived without her. After she left
without even saying a word, we faced the world without a mother to be
called. So, there's no reason for us to need her now, no reason to call her
a mother, for we are all grown now.

(Carmen enters near the door)

Carmen: As I entered the door, I was able to hear everything about their
conversation. My heart was broke into pieces hearing those words from
my children.

Carmen: Rachelle, Cindy, Lara, Sasha! I'm already here.

Tessa and Marites: Carmen?

(Sasha immediately hugs Carmen)

Johnbee: Oh! What a great surprise! Do you think we would cry seeing
you at my sister's birthday?
Rachelle: Our great mother! The sacrificial one! Well, we're not happy
seeing you again! After all the struggles we've been through? Where
were you?

Lara: Well, I've got nothing to say! Just wow! (Sarcastic)

Cindy: What we saw a while ago was like a soap opera! I never thought
scenes like that would be reality. After Carmen's daughter went out of
the house, I just heard loud voices of Tessa and Cindy pleading for help!

Tessa: Help! Help us! Carmen? Carmen!

Cindy: Ma! Mama, what's happening?

Jay Anne: I saw some of the neighbors carrying Carmen to the hospital.
And there, I didn't know what happened next!

Tessa: At the hospital, Tessa couldn't figure out what to do!

I didn't know it would come this far and worse!
So she called Lara, Cindy, and Rachelle and thankfully, she was able to
reach them. the doctor came and the three of them as well!

Lara, Cindy, and Rachelle: Tita Mommy! What happened? We got

scared! What happened to you?

Doctor: Excuse me, are you the family of Mrs. De Leon?

Tessa: Yes, doctor. What happened to her? She passed out, and I can't
figure out why, doc.

Three of them: What?

Doctor: Without any delays, the doctor said;
I want to be honest with you now; our patient has a lesser chance to live
longer. She has stage 4 lung cancer.

Rachelle: It seemed like I got deaf as I heard the words "lesser chance to
live longer"! Will she be leaving us again? Leaving without coming
back? This kind of thought kills me inside! I hate her, but there's still
something in me that wants to hear her reason out why she left us.

All: Can we see her?

Doctor: The doctor replied;

Yes, you may, but make sure to wear protective garments and masks.

Lara: Lara got really tearful seeing her mother lying on bed.
I immediately cried upon seeing her like that! The Mama we knew
before is very different now. She's so thin and pale. I regret saying those
hurtful words without even giving her a chance to speak on her side first.

Cindy: Cindy, who is still in shock on how fast everything happens

cried to her mother.
Ma? Can you hear me? Please, open your eyes and say something!
Something that can ease the pain in our hearts. Something that could
banish such anger and hatred within us.

Asunta, Jay Anee, Therese: The mother was able to hear the cries and
beggings of her children. She slowly opens her eyesand said;

My children, my princesses! I am sorry for not telling you the truth. I

went to Qatar to work and make more money to sustain your needs. Just
as Rachelle graduated, I was planning to come back home. But as I went
to the airport, the police arrested me because they found drugs in my
luggage. But those weren't mine, and they didn't believe me. And there, I
was imprisoned for 3 years. I couldn't contact Tessa because I was
forbidden to do so. But now, I am already here! I can take care of all of
you again!

(Everyone cries and says sorry, ad-libbing apologies)

Tessa: Tessa got really happy and overwhelmed on what she's

witnessing!
Seeing them reunited again makes my heart happy and at peace. It was
so nice seeing them again, full of love and forgiveness, just as I saw this
family at the very beginning. Indeed, no matter how many years pass by,
true love lasts, understands, and forgives.

Rachelle: Now that you're already here! It's time for us to repay all of
your sacrifices.

All: Then with a joyous tone, everyone said; No distance, time, money,
or illness can break the love we've got, for true love lasts!

(Scene ends with a warm embrace between Carmen and her children)