On paper, Pete and Valentina are perfect for each other. Their friends used 'soulmates' when describing them and at one point they were. As they reflect on the last five years of their relationship, they try to understand the complexity of their lov...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The camera's red light turns on and the film was rolling. Its wide lens capturing the set; the vibrant apartment characterized exactly whose its tenants.
The family only having lived in this medium-sized brownstone for a three years managed to make it seem like they've called it home for a decade. Bruised furniture on display, faint marker stains on the walls, toys scattered around on the carpet flooring, and worn framed pictures perfectly positioned in their spot.
The interviewer looks through his tablet where the questions were saved. He looks at his obviously fake designer watch is fastened on wrist. They're running late and he's getting nervous that he won't be able to meet the deadline to turn in his transcript to his boss.
The reporter looks around the apartment again when the photo next to him caught his eye. A sweet moment was captured among three individuals. The long-haired and bearded man who was wearing a 'love is love' t-shirt, cheesing widely to the camera. He is standing next to a smiling, curly-haired woman who's clothing was a bit more subtle: pink, blue, and purple swatches of Pantone paint strung together on her shirt. A lanky man holds her by the waist, he holding a rainbow flag and wearing a blue jersey, also grinning broadly.
The interviewers eyes lights up and becomes excited. He quickly retrieves his phone to send a text when the sound of footsteps startles him. He shoves the device back in his pocket and gets up to greet the man he was waiting for.
"Mr. Sanchez! It's an honor to meet you. I'm Josh."
"Please, call me Mateo. Thank you for having me and doing this," he gestures to the environment around him, "Being a father of two can be quite the handful. Especially when your babysitter cancels you last minute."
Josh brushes off his comment, "By all means, this is the least we could do for you. This is a dream to me to be interviewing you. Everyone back at the office is going to freak."
Mateo puts his hand on his heart, warmed by the compliment. He tells his guest to sit down and make himself at home, offered him something to drink to which Josh declined and began the interview.
"First off, congratulations on the Tony nominations--- sixteen in total, a record breaking number and history in the making as well. How do you feel about that?"
"It's an honor to been seen like that from the organization and among such a great list of nominees."
"And remind me, you have already have one of those under your belt right?" Josh asks, quickly marking the question off of the list.
Mateo awkwardly chuckles, "Yes, I have received several awards for my first production, In the Heights."
"I absolutely loved this show. I have been lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of tickets."
The lyricist clutches his heart, thanking the interviewer once more.
Redirecting it back to his recently nominated musical, Josh mentions, "I just found it fascinating how some of the female leads have a slower time measure in their parts compared to the their male counterparts. Care to comment on that?"
