28: The Beginning of the Last Day

Janet’s Living Room. Paula sits on the couch, Janet’s head is in her lap. The sun creeps in through a side window. Paula rubs her eyes and watches Pinocchio. Occasionally she looks from the door, to the window, to the TV, to her watch, and then to Janet. Otherwise she stares at the TV. After awhile, she picks up the phone and dials.

Paula: Hi Camden. It’s Paula. I’m just calling to leave you a message about your daughter’s fiancée. Apparently, he didn’t come home last night and Janet has been worried sick and didn’t get any sleep. I am worried myself. I am with Janet now, she finally is asleep after all night of being awake.

Unbeknownst to Paula, Michael enters with the paper bag.

Paula: So after ten I’m going to go over to the office so you can reach me there. Otherwise, you can reach me here at Janet’s. I’m just gonna go looking like this even though I’ve gotten very little sleep. Call me at your earliest convenience please. (annoyed) I have no doubt that you will. Talk to you soon. Bye.

Michael: Why didn’t you get any sleep?

Paula: Michael! Where in the hell were you?

Michael: I was-

Paula: Shhhh! She’s sleeping. You better have a good explanation.

Michael: I don’t owe you anything.

Paula: Do I smell liquor?

Michael: I don’t know, do you?

Paula: Have you been drinking?

Michael: I don’t know. . .have I?

Paula: You’re not the same Michael that I met.

Michael: Really? You never seemed to trust me before, what’s different now?

Paula: Nothing. You have a point.

Michael: I’m tired. I have to get some sleep.

Paula: (wedges out from under Janet) Just a second.

Michael: I don’t have a second for you.

Janet: Paula? Paula?

Paula: Look what you’ve done. You’ve gone and woke her up.

Michael: Good morning, sleepy head.

Janet: Good morning.

Paula: Michael. Stop. Don’t move another inch.

Michael: What is it, Paula?

Paula: Where were you last night? Janet didn’t even know. We have been worried sick. Please explain to us something.

Michael: Janet. What did I tell you yesterday?

Janet: You told me a lot of things.

Michael: Exactly. But what did I tell you about where I would be when I left?

Janet: I don’t remember.

Michael: That I had to work.

Janet: Oh yeah.

Michael: Paula, if you would remember correctly, I work at the fire station. Do you remember that?

Paula: Yes.

Michael: I seem to remember a certain phone call. Hounding them for information on me.

Paula: I did no such thing. I called them to find you. You said you were coming down to my office to sign some papers. You never showed.

Michael: So I didn’t. I guess I forgot.

Paula: You also never came home last night.

Michael: Paula, Janet. I’m a firefighter. We work strange hours. I was at work at the station house. What part of that don’t you understand?

Janet: I understand.

Paula: Why do I smell liquor on your breath?

Michael: One of the boys brought a night cap in his thermos after we finished, we all had a shot of whiskey.

Paula: I see.

Michael: Janet, you and I will have to set some ground rules about this. I don’t want to tell you things and have you forget.

Janet: I didn’t forget. You didn’t tell me you would be gone over night.

Michael: I did. You were watching that. That movie that is always on the TV. I bet you weren’t listening. You were in a trance.

Janet: I always listen to you.

Michael: Look. I’m very tired. I have to go to bed.

Paula: What’s in the bag?

Michael: How about I just drop my pants right here, Paula?

Paula: Excuse me?

Michael: You are so into our business all the time. How long before you just strip me of everything I have?

Paula: Michael. Janet called me worried sick last night. I have been like a mother to her all of these years. You can’t blame me for being worried. Can you?

Michael: I guess not. Look I don’t feel well. I’m very tired.

Janet: You can’t sleep in there.

Michael: Why not?

Janet: Fred is in there.

Paula: My son is sleeping on your bed in there.

Michael: Your son is sleeping on my bed in that closet. Why would he want to?

Paula: Why do you want to? I had to come over here and make sure everything was okay. Janet called me at five in the morning.

Michael: I see that.

Paula: Michael-

Michael: What?

Paula: I want to trust you. I do.

Michael: Uh huh.

Paula: Give me a reason.

Michael: How about you leave and let me take care of everything from now on? I have to use the restroom. Excuse me. (He exits towards the kitchen.)

Paula: Janet. Do you think I’m doing anything wrong? I don’t want to be doing anything wrong.

Janet: No. I think that Michael is being strange.

Paula: I do too. (looks at Janet) Puzzling.

Janet: Are you hungry?

Paula: A little.

Janet: Let me go see if I can get you something to eat.

Paula: No, you don’t need to.

Janet: You stayed with me all night.

Paula: I’d eat a little fruit if you had some. An apple or anything if you’ve got it.

Janet: Let me look. (She exits towards the kitchen.)

Paula sits down again and rubs her eyes and looks at the ceiling.

Paula: (calling) Frederick! Get up. We have to be going.

Fred: (slight pause, from closet) Awww. Mom. I’m tired.

Paula: Get over it. We’re all tired. You are going to go to school today.

Fred: I don’t want to!

Paula: Come out here. Come out here. Now.

Frederick comes out of the closet in his pajamas.

Fred: What?

Paula: Come sit by me.

Fred: I don’t want to.

Paula: Why, I’m your mother.

Fred: You smell.

Paula: I do not. Come over here.

Fred: Yes, you do. In the morning. You always smell. Too much perfume.

Paula: Frederick, now. I’m not even wearing perfume.

Fred: What?

Paula: When you come home from school today. . .I want you to walk over with your friend, Jimmy.

Fred: Why?

Paula: Because a not a very nice man moved into our neighborhood and I don’t want him to see you alone, because he could kidnap you.

Fred: Really?

Paula: Yes, really.

Fred: Cool.

Paula: No! No! Not cool. He’ll hurt you.

Fred: Oh.

Janet re-enters with an orange and the paper bag Michael had.

Paula: We’re just about to go, Janet. Come give me a hug.

Fred: Right. You think my mom smells sometimes.

Paula: Fred.

Janet: What do you mean? She never smells bad.

Paula: Thank you, Janet.

Fred: No. No. Not bad. Well except for this morning.

Paula: We are going now.

Janet: Oh, this is for you.

Paula: Oh, I’m too worked up now. I’ll save it for later. Thanks, Janet.

Paula puts the orange in her purse.

Janet: Look what Michael brought home.

She unveils the golden Goode’s chocolate bar from the bag just as Michael re-enters.

Paula: It says Goode’s-

Michael: Janet! That’s mine. Excuse me. Don’t look at that.

Paula: Michael, where did you get it?

Michael: Nevermind.

He re-conceals the bar.

Paula: I’m sorry.

Silence

Paula: Janet, do you want me to phone Carol and tell her that you won’t be in today?

Janet: Why? I am already to go.

Paula: I just thought that if you were too tired-

Janet: No. I have to go. Today is the busiest day.

Fred: Why don’t you phone in for me? Today isn’t the busiest day for me!

Paula: Quiet, Frederick.

Michael: Sorry. I snapped, but this thing is an heirloom and it’s worth a lot.

Paula: That’s okay. Do you mind if ask where you got it?

Michael: It has been in my family for awhile. My dad used to work for the Goode company.

Paula: I see.

Fred: Come on, Mom. Stop talking.

Paula: But now you work for your dad too?

Michael: What?

Paula: That’s what you told me.

Fred: Shut up. God.

Paula: Don’t you ever tell me to shut up. Ever. Okay?

Fred: Fine. If we just go-

Paula: We’re going. We’re going. Christ.

Janet: Bye, Paula.

Michael: See you later, Paula.

Paula: Bye. (pause) Oh. Hey. Would you two like to come over for dessert tonight?

Michael: I-

Paula: Don’t make up an excuse, Michael. Whatever it is. Let’s make this happen. For the good of all of us.

Michael: I was going to say -I’d love to.

Paula: Good. Dessert it is.

Janet: I love dessert.

Michael: That means no more going over to Carol’s today.

Paula: What?

Michael: Carol has been having Janet come over-

Janet: Only once!

Michael: And do some extra work. . .for no pay.

Paula: Really? Hmmmm.

Janet: Paula. I did want to go over there the first time.

Paula: We can talk about this tonight, Janet. I hope you guys’ll come by around seven.

Michael: See you in twelve hours then, Paula. I need to get some sleep. Excuse me.

He goes into his room. Paula observes the mail.

Paula: This is from Yale?

Janet: Yes. Michael got it here.

Paula: Hmmm. Mind if I take a look?

Janet: No, that’s okay. Go ahead.

Paula: Let’s see what Yale has to say about Michael Sandera.

Fred: MOM! I’m sick of standing here.

Paula: I can give this back tonight, can’t I?

Janet: Gee, I don’t know.

Paula: It’ll be fine. (She slips the letter into her purse.)

Janet: Okay.

Paula: See you tonight at my house –for a dessert that you won’t forget.

Janet: Yummy! Bye.

Paula: Bye, Janet.