ACT TWO
INT. THE MIDDLE C PIANO BAR – DAY
Desperately, Kat scrubs the bar clean as though it is one big scratchcard. She flutters around with disgust finding MOLDY FRIES and CHICKEN NUGGETS stuffed into every nook and cranny. Max practically sees the steam pouring out of Kat’s ears. He helpfully flits between ushering out some of the elderly patrons and popping back behind the bar to make some of her drink orders.
Gideon shuffles up inconveniently to Kat and explains the kitchen incident. Half-listening, Kat sends Gideon off to Corks And Orcs when he asks where to pick up espresso beans thinking he said, “Express figurines.” He then sets off in this new direction with uncertain enthusiasm. Gideon: “I’ve never seen an orc before. I wonder how they got them all corked in there.”
INT. KAT’S CAT CAFE – DAY
Carter does not know how to use a French Press to save his life. Surrounded by FIVE FRENCH PRESSES, he presses and pulls on each one of them with frenzied movements. Randi is not doing so hot, either. She makes TEN CARAFES of DRIP COFFEE and shakes as she pours.
A group of obnoxious TEEN INFLUENCERS complain to Carter. The Queen Teen: “This latte is, like, not okay. It’s totally un-Instagrammable.” Carter snaps at them to stay in school and get real jobs. Deeply insulted, they threaten to destory the cat cafe’s reputation with their socials.
Defusing the situation, Randi jumps in laughing awkwardly and gives them some COFFEES on the house as incentive to not leave poor reviews. Carter rounds on Randi with great frustration at her unprompted involvement in his managerial duties. Randi: “What exactly are you managing? Your attitude is rude and your coffee is sloppy.” Just when things couldn’t get worse, the same puppies from the earlier puppy yoga class customers bound in to elicit hisses from the CATS.
INT. THE MIDDLE C PIANO BAR – DAY
An OLDER WOMAN snatches Kat by the arm as she passes by and barrages her with CAT PHOTOS. Kat strains to nod along and smile politely, but her patience runs out. She rounds on the camera: “Cats? I don’t have time for cats! I’ve got a business to run! Oh no. I’m turning into Carter!” With great exasperation, Kat snaps at the woman and continues on her hurried way.
Unexpectedly, a ringer goes off, which prompts Kat to dive for the bar phone. Max apologizes as he pulls out his own PHONE to answer. He excitedly informs Kat his agent is calling about his new song. With the big news, Max steps out for a bit, leaving Kat to fend for herself in protest.
A lone FRENCH FRY sails through the air at this exact moment to smack Kat in the eye. She whips around to see Sheila and her friends snorting unapologetically chanting for more fries.
INT. KAT’S CAT CAFE – DAY
Carter sneezes from all the pets around him. Through blurry eyes, he makes out Gideon waltzing through the cafe door dressed as GANDALF THE WHITE with a LIGHTSABER and HARRY POTTER GLASSES. Gideon: “I’ve vanquished the orcs! Those fools should’ve known when to fly!” With a strangled noise, Carter asks Gideon for the espresso beans, which he forgot about.
Randi lets Gideon have it and he reacts by fleeing to the kitchen upset. Tension mounts between Carter and Randi as he insists she make peace with Gideon. Carter: “Wizard or not, he’s got an extra set of hands we could use to fix this mess!” Reluctantly, Randi follows Gideon and they have a heart-to-heart during which he mentions an old family tradition that might save the day.
INT. THE MIDDLE C PIANO BAR – DAY
With a spring in his step, Max comes back to the bar only to find Kat in distress. He tells her to rest a moment while DARREN covers. Kat: “This bar is everything my cafe isn’t. Booze instead of lattes. Unruly drunks instead of aspiring screenwriters. And where are all the cats?” Max sympathizes and points out this is one reason why he quit being a bartender to pursue singing.
Kat admits defeat exclaiming her futility in being able to satisfy the young health inspector now. Overhearing this, Sheila is flattered by the emphasis on, “Young.” She finally reveals herself.
EXT. THE MIDDLE C PIANO BAR – FLASHBACK
Flicking her hair, Sheila uses a fake peppy voice over her PHONE pretending to be the inspector.
INT. THE MIDDLE C PIANO BAR – CONTINUOUS
Kat stares blankly at the camera. Wordlessly, she walks over to ring the LAST CALL BELL.
INT. KAT’S CAT CAFE – DAY
Gideon does in fact save the day by turning the watery coffees into his famous AMISH COFFEE SOUP. This is a hit with the customers, especially paired with his Amish friendship bread offered at a discounted price. Kat, Max, and Sheila finally return. Folding, Kat sadly congratulates Carter, but he cuts her short with his own apology acknowledging how hard it is to run the café.
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