(Light fades in on Deseré at desk sewing )
Narrator (offstage)- This is Deseré Moone. She has worked in her tiny town’s clothing factory since she dropped out of high school to work to provide for herself after her mama and dad’s death. Her parents adopted her after she was abandoned in a tree behind the factory and left her with no family or money after their death. She was all alone in a world that barely acknowledged her existence.
------(Daniel enters.)
Daniel(muttering)- I hate this stupid factory. Everything smells of oil. I wish I never left New Haiti. At least, in my apartment the other people in the hotel leave me alone.
(He pauses when his eyes lock on Deseré. They lock eyes for a minute, but he interrupts. )
Daniel- Hi, I'm Daniel. What is your name?
(Phone rings, interrupting her answer.)
Daniel- Sorry, Dad.(pause)I got lost, Dad.(pause) I have never been here before. I’m coming.
(Daniel exits quickly without looking back at Deserè)
Deseré- Deseré. My name is Deseré.
(Cut to black…
Light fades in on desire with the fortune teller.)
Narrator (offstage)- desire can't stop thinking about Daniel and decides that she is going to go to a fortune teller to get a plan of what she should do.
(Deserè is sitting down in the Fortune Teller’s office. He is in red light, symbolizing Erzulie.)
Desire- He loves me. He loves me. One day we will get married and live in the city. I won't have to work in a factory. I can go to school and become an engineer...
Fortune teller- I get the idea. I know that love is the most powerful force in this world. Love should fuel your life. (Looking at crystal ball)
Desiré- I have just learned it’s power, as someone has thrown me under its spell.
Fortune teller- I see that the higher powers have sent Daniel here as a message to your destiny.
Deseré- But he lives in New Haiti. I don't think I will ever see him again here.
Fortune teller- Go to him. Go to him. That must be what the higher powers desire.
(Lights turn blue and resembles Agwe. )
Fortune teller- They have taken your parents from you. They plan for you to have someone to accept and love.
Deseré- Really? Me?
Fortune teller- They intend for you to have a family with Daniel, as long as you do what he wants and fit his “imagination.” This is their only requirement. Do this and you may get all your heart’s desires.
Deserè- I really will get a better life and become an engineer?
(Lights go back to normal and the Fortune teller becomes Asaka)
Fortune Teller- Yes, dear. You will be very happy. As I can see the future. I have planned for this day for many years. We have been quite close after your parent’s death.
Deserè- I know. You were my protector and taken good care of me. You have given me the best advice a girl could ask for and prevented many stupid decisions from being made. There are things that I could never repay you for...
Fortune Teller- I know. I have become quite fond of you. Here (hands her a suitcase). These should be all the things that you will need on your journey and your life in the city. Wait. I almost forgot one last thing. (Turns around to get scarf and shoes.)
Deserè-What did you forget?
Fortune teller(presents both objects and opens suitcase)- A scarf for warmth and pretty shoes to impress the people in New Haiti. Wait, there is only enough room for one. You chose.
Deserè- I choose the shoes.
Fortune teller( hugs Deserè)- hurry my dear Deserè. You must be on your way. (Deserè starts leaving) Remember what the higher powers said. (Deserè stops and listens) Loving Daniel will give you a better life. You will gain a family and your heart’s desire’s if you become what Daniel wants. Everything you need is in that suitcase.
Deserè- I know.(she leaves)
(Black out )
Narrator- (offstage)- Deserè takes her long journey to New Haiti. She gets to the gates of the city, exhausted but excited. There she is greeted, or rather mocked, by a cruel guard, who forbids her to enter the city.
Deserè- Please. I have been traveling for three days. I used all my money on the three train tickets and the bus pass. Please just let me in.
Guard- you do not have a pass for the poor. And I would never let a low life factory worker into my beautiful city.
Deserè- But I am here to see...
Guard- I have heard it all before, little girl. You're here to meet the mayor, the Pope, the president, gods, One Direction, but with those clothes, I would never allow you to enter the city. You poor folk should stay with the poor people. The rich are clearly better than you poor people. go back to your town. That is where you belong.
Deseré- But I am destined to date Daniel Beauman. I was told by...
Guard- I don't care if gods flew down to tell you there. It wouldn't change a thing if they flew down on dragons or wrote it in flaming letters in the sky. The rich will never accept you as you are. You would need some miracle to change you to make you acceptable to Daniel and his standards. Those monstrosities on your feet would become the laughing stalk of the town. (Deserè opens the suitcase on the floor and puts on the shoes) What are you doing, you delusional little girl?
Deserè- Would these be more to your liking?
Guard- No. You are still poor, designated to live in the dirt. The only way I would ever let you in would be if you had a pass from a New Haiti citizen or if I was dead.
Another Guard (off stage)- Luie, come here. We need your help over here. Right now.
Guard- Ugh. Don't go anywhere unless you are going to go back to where you came from. (Guard exits)
Deseré- The higher powers must really must have made this my destiny. Now all I have to do is fall into Daniel’s desire. (Picks up her suitcase and walks slowly) Ouch, these shoes really hurt, but I must hurry. Daniel is waiting.
(Black out)
Narrator(offstage) - Deseré walked around the city for several hours looking for Daniel’s building. She finally got to the building, which was the tallest in the city, and waited till it was late at night. When it was finally dark, she snuck in through the back way for the maids and janitors by pretending to be a maid. She found his apartment after she got directions from one of the maids.
(Open on Daniel’s apartment. Daniel is sitting at his desk reading.Offstage, Deseré knocks on the door.)
Daniel- Who could that be? (He opens the door) you're the girl from the factory. I thought I would never see you again.
Deseré- Yes. My name is Deserè.
Daniel- Why are you here? How did you get here? It takes five hours to travel between the factory and New Haiti by helicopter. How could you be able get here so fast?
Deserè- I came to follow my dreams. I went on three trains and walked for hours just to come and find you.
Daniel- But you don't have a key. How could you have gotten passed the guards at the gates?
Deserè- I have some higher powers on my sides. They never would have let me fail.
Daniel- What higher power? Do you mean God?
Deseré- No. Higher powers, what controls the world and everything in it. My fortune teller...
Daniel- You see a fortune teller? That's different (hints at it being strange)
Deseré- Yes.
Daniel- Well that must stop if you want to stay here. Everyone would laugh at you.
Deseré- Oh.
Daniel- Well, you have traveled very far. You must be hungry. I have some food in the kitchen that you can eat and we can have dinner together. You look more lovely now, as you are wearing those shoes.
Deseré- Thank you.
Daniel- The kitchen is in here and the bathroom is over there.(deseré exits) she believes in fortune tellers and higher powers. there is no such thing. She’ll be believing in the right things in no time.
(Black out.)
Narrator-(offstage)- Two weeks has passed and Daniel has grown to love Deseré almost as much as she does. They go on dates almost every day and spend almost all their time together. Tonight is the big party in his honor. She has been preparing to go to the party every day.
(Lights come up on Daniel’s apartment. In his appartment, Daniel is sitting at his table. Deseré comes out in a fancy dress and her hair done.)
Daniel- You look lovely. The only thing that could be better is if your hair was done and if you did not wear that grubby necklace.
Deseré- Ok ( she undoes her hair and puts in a comb that she gets from her suitcase on the table.) I want everything to go perfectly for you. But can I keep my necklace on. My mama gave it to me.
Daniel- No. Do you think any proper women would wear a necklace that old and ugly to a party with the mayor of the entire city in its attendance?
Deserè- Ok (she takes off the necklace)
Daniel-Do you think you are ready for the party?
Deseré- I think so, but I want to be perfect for you. Can we practice one more time?
Daniel- What is the name of the most talented surgeon you know?
Deseré- Dr. Goodman.
Daniel- What is Mrs. Goodman’s favorite pastime?
Deseré- Quilting.
Daniel- What is your dream job?
Deseré- Being an engineer.
Daniel- No. No respectable, high society women desires to be an engineer. that is the most foolish thing that you have ever said.
Deseré- But that is what I want to be.
Daniel- No. If you expect to stay here as my girlfriend and maybe be my wife one day, you could never be an engineer. You probably wouldn't even have a job. You just get to sit around, maybe watch some Desperate Housewives. these are the tiny sacrifices someone has to make to stay with me. Say you dream of being a teacher.
Deseré- You want to marry me?
(Doorbell rings.)
Daniel- I'll get it. (He goes to the door at the center of the stage. Andrea is there.) What are you doing here?
Deseré- Who is it?
Daniel- it’s no one.
Andrea- that's how I'm described? I've only been gone for a month with my family and I'm downgraded to no one. (Andrea enters)
Deseré- who are you?
Andrea- I'm Andrea, his fiancé. who are you?
Desire- I am Desiré, his…( shys away)
Daniel- she means nothing to me. All she did was keep me company while you were gone in your place. She is just some poor factory worker chasing after some fantasy of being acceptable to people like us. I never even thought you would find out. (Desiré runs offstage)
Narrator- Daniel and Andrea went to the party that night, which would become legend in New Haiti for generations. Desiré, on the other hand, cried herself to sleep in her hotel room. Then, she woke up and began to cry again. She did not stop crying until she heard Andrea ring the doorbell.
(Black out)
(Lights come up. Andrea and Deseré are sitting at a table in Deseré’s hotel room.)
Andrea- I am so sorry that Daniel treated that way.
Deseré- It is okay.
Andrea- I don’t think that I will ever be able to forgive him for cheating on him. I would be out of my mind to think that I should marry him still. I was having some doubts before, but this has been too much for me.
Deseré- Oh.
Andrea- I do think leaving him at the altar would be a good punishment, but I want more.
Deseré- What do you mean?
Andrea- I want to get revenge. That is why I came here today. I need your help.
Deseré- What do you want me?
Andrea- Well, if he sees me, he will know something is wrong. You know that the bride and groom are not supposed to be see each other on their wedding day, right?
Deseré- I know.
Andrea- Well, I think that we should kill him.
Deseré- What?
Andrea- He betrayed us and I think that we should make him pay.
Deseré- You want me to kill him?
Andrea- Yes and after we could live as roommates. I would help provide for you. We also could probably get away with it. My dad is the chief of police. It would work. Don’t worry. Anyway, aren’t you mad that he was not honest to you?
Deseré-I am, but I wouldn’t kill him.
Andrea- He let you think that you meant something to him, when he only saw you as another girl and replacement for me. It was cruel and unfair. He is a sick man. No other girl should have to go through that. I think
Deseré- I am mad, but I’m not sure that I could kill him over it.
Andrea- Fine. Here are some scissors to stab him with. (She pulls scissors out of his bag.) See what you can and can’t do.
(Black out.)
(Lights come up. Deseré is standing by the door in the center of Daniel’s apartment. She is holding the scissors by her side. Daniel is standing in front ot the door and in stage center.)
Daniel- I am so sorry for what happened today.
Deseré- I forgive you, but I have something to give you.
Daniel- What is it?
Deseré- (She waits a minute. She raises the scissors when he turns around to put down his book down. She then drops it) Nothing. I just wanted to say that I forgive you. (noises offstage) What is that?
Daniel- Oh. It’s just Andrea. She came to talk about everything and we made up. The wedding is still on.
Deseré- What? She said that she would never marry you. I thought that because you loved me, you would apologise. We were going to get married. I Was going to get a better life. The higher powers were going to give that to me. (Andrea comes on stage from the bathroom side of the stage.)
Andrea- I’m sorry, Deseré. He apologised and that was all I needed. We are getting married.
Daniel- I’m sorry, but I never really loved you. I hope we can still be friends, but I think you should go home now.
(Black out)
Narrator- Daniel and Andrea got married in the wedding of the century. They lived happily ever after, keeping their high society status and money for the rest of their lives. Daniel continued to operate his father’s clothing factory and eventually passed it on to their children. Andrea got to stay at home and became associate. She also was able to develop a hobby of her own, needlepoint. However, Deseré did not get her happy ending. She ran out through the city and go to the gates in less than a hour.
