Lodestar Quarterly

Issue 6 • Summer 2003 • Featured Writer • Drama

Home Again

Troy Hill

Act I, Scene 6

Scene 6.

Todd and Audrey lie in hospital beds next to each other with a night table in between.

TODD
Hey. You awake?

AUDREY
I think so.

TODD
How you feeling?

AUDREY
Okay. I'm still here. Praise the Lord.

TODD
...

AUDREY
Hey, listen Todd, you're just the best. I can't believe... well you've just been an angel about this whole thing.

TODD
No big thing.

AUDREY
No, really. You've... well, I hope someday I can repay you for what you've done. God bless you sweetheart.

TODD
Thanks.

Pause.

TODD
So how are you doing?

AUDREY
Getting there.

TODD
Uh huh. Well, what else is up? You know.

AUDREY
Well, um, lots to do on the house.

TODD
Uh huh.

AUDREY
Hopefully I can get back to that soon. Al's store is doing really well. They expanded again.

TODD
Great.

AUDREY
We've been going to a new Church. Community of Christ Contemporary Christian Ministries.

TODD
No more Hyde Park Methodist?

AUDREY
Mom's not too happy about it.

TODD
I'm sure.

AUDREY
But it's great. They do a lot of community outreach. Their style of worship is really relaxed and full of joy and praise. They have these drama skits as part of the sermon -- you'd like that Todd.

TODD
You think?

AUDREY
And there's contemporary music. It's a real expressive, open style of worship.

TODD
Great.

AUDREY
Al loves his men's Bible study. I want to get more involved with my women's group when all this is over.

TODD
Uh huh.

AUDREY
The mission is to nurture disciples of Christ who can take the Good News to the bruised and broken hearted and to those enmeshed in sin and offer them love, hope, peace, and joy that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

TODD
(Overlapping) Okay Audrey. Okay.

AUDREY
Well you asked.

TODD
Well you sound a little brain washed.

AUDREY
Excuse me?

TODD
Whatever.

AUDREY
You know Todd, the wages of sin is death.

TODD
Shouldn't it be "the wages are?"

AUDREY
I shouldn't be so judgmental. That's what I'm learning. Sometimes I'm not very Christ-like. I'm sorry. I'm a bad person.

TODD
Maybe you shouldn't be so hard on yourself.

AUDREY
Oh what would you know about it?

Pause.

AUDREY
So anyway, how are you? What's going on in the big city? Painted any masterpieces lately?

TODD
Well, not exactly. I've been working a lot -- day job. Stupid stuff. Working out some ideas.

AUDREY
Uh huh. And how's your -- your friend.

TODD
Oh, Jonathan. He's fine. You know, it's funny you should ask. He was, well he really wants to have kids someday. I don't even know if I'm into it, but he mentioned, I mean I know it's crazy. Well, I suppose it would be a way for you to pay me back for the kidney.

AUDREY
What?

TODD
Well, Jon was wondering -- I know you guys have your own family to think about, but if he inseminated you, then...

AUDREY
What?

TODD
Jon's been talking about it. He wants to find a woman to inseminate with or whatever, but I'm all for adoption. I mean, think of all the unwanted kids. Well, he just mentioned, if you carried his child the kid would have both of our genes.

AUDREY
Todd, I am a married woman.

TODD
I know lots of people...

AUDREY
I really don't think that's right -- twisting God's natural processes. That just can't be right. Artificial insemination? Do you really think that's in God's plan?

TODD
I really don't know.

AUDREY
Well, I don't think we're going to be able to anyway. I don't think I'll be able to.

TODD
To have kids?

AUDREY
Right.

TODD
For sure?

AUDREY
Well, not for sure. We're having some tests done. They think it might be related to the Lupus.

TODD
Oh God. Sorry.

AUDREY
I know. I didn't want to bother you with it all, but what can I say. You've put me in an awkward position.

TODD
Well... I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't want to. I was just... talking.

AUDREY
I know the Lord must have His reasons. I feel like such a failure to Al, and Mom and Dad. Everyone. I feel like God's punishing me for the past.

TODD
Oh, come on. You know you miss the wild days of yore. I know I do.

AUDREY
I don't ... You mean when you were running around with that J.D.?

Beat.

TODD
I guess, partly.

AUDREY
Oh Todd, you're better off without him and you know it. Wasn't he a drug addict?

TODD
Whatever. Anyway, you're a lot more than a baby machine. (Pause) What about adoption?

AUDREY
We're going to look into it, but first we have to get these test results and everything.

TODD
Well, I guess Jon and I can relate -- we can't exactly have kids either (ha hah).

AUDREY
How can you equate that with what we're going through? I mean we're married. We're normal.

TODD
God Audrey.

AUDREY
Please don't take His name in vain. Not around me. This is hard enough. I'm tired. I just had surgery. You ask me this vulgar thing. Please. I'm sorry. I'm just, I don't understand.

TODD
What's the big deal?

AUDREY
Just, not now. Please.

TODD
Okay. Sorry.

Long pause.

AUDREY
How's being home?

TODD
Oh, you know, it's weird. Mom and Dad don't want to hear about Jonathan, but then Mom acts like she wants me to talk to her about my life, but that is my life -- I mean a big part of it.

AUDREY
Well, it's not like I have to talk about Al all the time.

TODD
No...

AUDREY
So you saw Janice last night?

TODD
Yeah.

AUDREY
She's such a good friend.

TODD
Yeah. I know. You know she reminds me of you, kind of. I mean, how we used to hang out some times.

AUDREY
Really?

TODD
Yeah.

AUDREY
Remember when we said we were never going to get married and how we were going to move to the woods together? And you were going to paint and I was going to... I don't know what I was going to do.

TODD
Throw pottery.

AUDREY
Oh yeah. You probably don't remember.

TODD
Of course I do. Hey, I'm not the one who got married.

AUDREY
Oh, I thought you were. I mean wanting to be parents and all.

TODD
I don't know about all that, really. Jonathan does. We're not exactly married yet -- or whatever.

AUDREY
Well, you sure have flown the coop.

TODD
What do you mean?

AUDREY
We live in totally different worlds -- you and me.

TODD
Yeah. (Beat) You know, you've changed too. I mean you haven't always been... the way you are now.

AUDREY
That's true.

TODD
I mean, when you got... born again and all that, I didn't, I don't think it's so weird or anything, I mean I see that you mean it. I know you're sincere about it. I just felt like I had lost my only ally, because all the sudden, when you went there, it was like I couldn't really talk to you anymore.

AUDREY
I guess we had to grow up sometime. (Pause)

AUDREY
Thanks again for everything.

TODD
Of course.

Todd looks at balloons on the bedside table between them. Reads the card.

TODD
Who's Karen?

AUDREY
(Brightly) Oh, my next-door neighbor. She's just great. We met at our Church's potluck for young marrieds. And then it turned out she lived next door. I felt silly. We had been living in the neighborhood for a month and we hadn't met the next-door neighbors. She's just great. They have two girls and she's talking about trying for a boy. She's great.

TODD
Great.

Al, Jack (with flowers), and Sarah walk in.

SARAH
Visiting hours have begun!

Jack sits next to Audrey and sets the flowers on the bedside table moving the balloons to the floor. Sarah sits next to Todd. Al floats trying to find his place.

JACK
Hey sweetheart, how are ya'?

AUDREY
I'm fine Daddy. Thanks for the flowers.

JACK
How's my little girl?

AUDREY
I'm okay.

JACK
What can I get you, sweetheart?

AUDREY
Oh, I'm fine, Dad. I don't need anything.

AL
Hey, honey. How you feeling?

AUDREY
Fine, everybody, I'm fine.

SARAH
And how's my sweet boy?

TODD
Great. Fine, really.

SARAH
My brave soldier who gave up his little kidney for his sister. Audrey, now don't you have the sweetest brother?

AUDREY
Yes, Mom.

JACK
Sweet is right.

AL
Todd, you feeling okay?

TODD
Feeling fine.

AL
Good, good.

JACK
Sweetie, you must be happy to not have that old tube stickin' in you anymore.

AUDREY
Oh yeah.

JACK
Doesn't she look pretty? Layin' here in her nightie? Doesn't she Al?

AL
Yes sir. She sure does.

SARAH
I think you've lost some weight Audrey. Don't you think so Al?

AL
Oh yeah, I think she has.

AUDREY
Thanks guys.

JACK
You want Daddy to get you a get-well Teddy?

AUDREY
I think we have plenty already.

JACK
Well, if you want one, you just say the word, sweetheart.

AUDREY
Okay.

JACK
Or anything else for that matter.

AUDREY
Okay, Dad.

AL
Everybody at church is praying for you sweetheart. I sent out an email to remind everyone.

AUDREY
Oh, you shouldn't have done that, Al.

SARAH
We had Reverend Whitacker make an announcement at Hyde Park last Sunday. So everyone in town knows about it. Everyone y'all grew up with. Ya'll should come pay your respects when Audrey feels up to it.

AL
We will.

AUDREY
CCCCM is great, you guys. You should be our guest one Sunday.

SARAH
We have a church, dear. Todd, you can come to church with us next Sunday.

TODD
I'm leaving Saturday.

SARAH
Oh. Well. We're going to get you out of this place this afternoon. And I've got your favorite dinner planned for tonight.

TODD
Great. We can sneak Audrey a plate.

SARAH
Oh no, she'll be off regular food for a while.

AL
I thought...

AUDREY
Todd, is Janice coming by?

TODD
If she can get off work early.

SARAH
Well, she better just come by the house because you're coming home with me. No reason for you to have to stay here. No second class hotels for us. You stay here and rest and I'll take care of everything. Be back in a flash.

TODD
Okay.

SARAH
Ya'll be okay while I'm gone?

AL
We'll be fine.

JACK
Oh, just go on, woman.

SARAH
Bye!

JACK
Don't worry sweetheart, we'll get you out of here before too long.

AL
That's right.

JACK
In the mean time, Daddy's going to take care of you.

AL
And me too.

TODD
Oh, Audrey, I saw Dean Bennette the other night. I dragged Janice to a bar and ran into him. He asked all about you.

AUDREY
Who?

TODD
Dean Bennette, you know, "Mean Dean"?

AUDREY
No.

TODD
You were friends at Ohio State. We went to boarding school together -- he was three years older than me, and then you were friends with him at State.

AUDREY
Oh, you know how people are -- people you weren't really that good of friends with just exaggerate. I'm sure that's what it was.

JACK
I'm sure that was it, sweetie.

TODD
(Bewildered) No, you used to talk about him -- we talked about him -- you would say, "Mean Dean says hi." You and him and Sandy and Phil used to hang out. (Pause) Anyway, he asked about you. He said that they never knew what happened to you after you left school. They never heard from you. (Pause) Anyway, I told them you got married to Al and everything.

AL
Great. Who's that, Audrey?

JACK
She doesn't feel good.

TODD
Are you okay?

AUDREY
Yeah, I'm just kind of out of it from the meds.

JACK
Why don't we let Audrey rest right now. She's tired.

TODD
No, but Audrey, come on. Dean Bennette.

JACK
You heard what I said, Todd. Let's go. Sweetie, you get some rest.

TODD
Am I authorized to leave yet?

JACK
Just get dressed and come on.

AUDREY
Thanks for coming, you guys. And Todd, you're the best.

TODD
No problem.

Todd goes to the bathroom to change out of the hospital robe.

JACK
Al, you ready?

AL
I'm going to stay for a minute.

JACK
What for?

AL
To spend a little time with Audrey.

AUDREY
Oh honey, you don't have to.

AL
I'd like to, sweetie.

JACK
Don't keep her too long. She's exhausted.

AL
I won't.

JACK
Bye sweetie.

(Jack kisses Audrey on the forehead.) Come on, Todd.

Jack and Todd leave.

AL
What was all that about?

AUDREY
Please, not now, Al.

AL
Okay honey. We can talk about it later.

Pause.

AL
You're going to be just fine. I just know it.

AUDREY
Did you schedule the fertility tests?

AL
Next week. But we can put it off. Until you feel up to it.

AUDREY
I'll be fine. I just want to get it over with.

AL
Okay. Whatever you want.

Pause.

AUDREY
Al, I'm sorry.

AL
For what honey?

AUDREY
For everything.

AL
Just rest, honey.

Next Page:   Act I, Scene 7   (page 7 of 22 pages)

All Pages:   See the entire play on one page

Table of Contents:   Home Again

Troy Ernest Hill (misterhill@nyc.rr.com) is a playwright and actor in New York City, originally from Atlanta, Georgia. In the eighth grade he won the "Most Outstanding Student Award," and in the eleventh grade the Creative Writing Award. Since that time, it's been more or less a downward spiral. He is currently in the Off-Broadway smash Birdy's Bachelorette Party, and he is a white belt in karate.

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