Scene 3 – Persey’s big house
(BABE, (Persey’s mother-in-law) a commanding, magnificent, scary older woman strides into the yard, holding a blanket and calling,)
BABE
Persey! Persey, where are you?
(PERSEY & DIGGER emerge from the forest, both looking dirty, scratched and sheepish)
Oh, my goodness, poor PERSEY! What happened to you!
PERSEY
Er – Hello – Mother.
(Allowing herself to be enclosed in a blanket, she says with bitter irony)
You weren’t expected.
BABE
Please call me Babe –
Everyone does!
Aren’t we family?
Aren’t I spontaneous?
Spontaneity’s a right
Claimed by mothers-in-law.
(Guiltingly)
I can’t be alone today-
It’s BRUCE’s DEATH anniversary!
(Throaty gasps)
PERSEY
I thought that was last month.
BABE
(On the edge of hysteria)
No! No! It’s tonight!
Roy’s too sweet twin brother!
I still see him hanging
Neck so distorted
A hideous specter to torment a mother!
(A scary, elongated shadow projects against the wall.)
PERSEY
I’m so sorry. I guess we forgot.
Today’s Jarod’s birthday.
BABE
Dear Jarod! How is he?
PERSEY
(Pulling thistles out of protesting DIGGER’s fur)
Having the time of his life,
Thanks to you.
BABE
(Majestic and cold)
Jarod deserves our support.
I called with good wishes
Roy said you were on your way home.
That was hours ago!
And your cellphone is HERE!
Where’s the Mercedes, Persey?
Did you wreck the Mercedes?
(Threateningly)
You KNOW you can tell me.
PERSEY
The Mercedes is fine, Babe.
But it’s Midsummer night –
Digger needed a walk,
So, I thought –
BABE
(Full of disgust)
Oh, Persey
You’re the limit!
Don’t TELL me that ill-favored mutt
Dragged you to the woods!
Surely Jarod warned you?
There’s killers abroad!
Your husband forbade you –
The forest is VERMINOUS
And my future grandchildren
Deserve better than THAT!
Have that fleabag put down,
Get a highly-trained guard dog
From an ACCREDITED school!
An attack dog, not some troublemaker
Who waltzes with thorn bushes!
(DIGGER and BABE bare their teeth at each other. She moves to strike, he cowers but lifts his leg when she turns away. PERSEY shields DIGGER)
BABE
We all worry about you
You promised Roy!
Do your promises mean NOTHING?
PERSEY, my girl?
PERSEY
Roy knew I walked home.
We can handle the woods.
Digger protects me
I’d NEVER get rid of my beautiful Digger!
Digger’s my baby!
BABE
(Much distaste)
Roy deserves a REAL baby, Persey,
Time’s growing short.
(She attempts to be confiding)
What is the latest from BabyMakers Inc.?
(She taps a foot – can’t disguise her impatience)
PERSEY
(Steps past BABE evasively)
These things take forever.
They’re testing and testing –
You know how it goes.
Roy hates to be tested.
It’s a free world, I say.
All the best things happen
In their own little time.
BABE
I bought you this house
This magnificent house
On the clear understanding –
That soon we’d be FOUR.
Where’s my grandchild?
Oh Persey –I’ve had so many losses.
(PERSEY steps into the house – BABE attempts to shoo DIGGER away)
PERSEY
Oh, let him come in, Babe.
He thinks it’s his home and
It’s so cold outside.
(DIGGER shivers exaggeratedly.)
BABE
But he’s so dirty!
PERSEY
I’ll give him a bath.
(Lighted hot tub bubbles up at her feet. PERSEY touches BABE’s arm)
Please be patient. I’m certain
Happy times are ahead.
(Hastily disrobing PERSEY steps into smoking hot tub with a sigh of relief. DIGGER jumps in with an ecstatic splash and paddles rapturously around)
BABE
(Averting her eyes & gagging, shaking off droplets)
You’ll NEVER get clean with
That thing in there!
PERSEY
(Calmly)
Why not mix up some drinks?
(She soaps DIGGER’s head. He splashes her playfully)
BABE
(BABE is conflicted. Feels ordered around in PERSEY’s house but she loves booze, so unwillingly turns her back to accommodate)
If only I’d known you were indulging some mutt
I don’t know that I’d have purchased this house.
PERSEY
Roy loves this house, Babe.
We’re both very grateful.
BABE
(Bringing drinks for the pair of them, she settles down in a chair beside the tub)
Roy’s a good boy…eventually.
But you have to keep after him
Monitoring, reminding.
PERSEY
We’ve been so happy here.
Cheers!
BABE
Chin-chin.
(They drink. Potent stuff and PERSEY reacts.)
PERSEY
Wow, BABE, you concoct
A powerful drink.
BABE
(Mollified – drinks with pinky extended)
Strong medicine’s required
For life’s brutal reverses.
(She drains her glass. PERSEY surreptitiously adds water to hers. DIGGER jumps out of the tub and shakes all over BABE who springs to her feet)
BABE
Oh, that dog!
Just look what he’s done!
PERSEY
So sorry, BABE.
Will you hand me those towels?
BABE
(Very grumpy)
If you need this much help, Persey,
You require a maid.
PERSEY
Roy prefers privacy
We’re not fond of strangers.
(BABE hands over towels. PERSEY steps out of the tub and into a towel but not fast enough)
BABE
Persey, you’re so thin.
One must feed babies SOMETHING!
PERSEY
Babe, you worry too much!
Stress is so bad for everyone.
Aren’t we just enjoying
A quiet evening at home?
BABE
I can’t help my conviction
We’ve run out of time.
I keep warning and warning and
Nobody listens.
(WOLVES howl)
Nobody cares about
Poor Abused Me
Giver of Life and Signer of Deeds;
Creator of Wealth and
Addresser of Needs
Nobody cares about Me!
PERSEY
We’re so grateful
For all that you’ve done.
What’s the rush?
We’ve got nothing BUT time.
Let’s go sit by the fire.
(She presses a button and fire springs to life. There’s a dog bed in front of it where DIGGER settles in – after stretching, pacing, rolling)
BABE
Such a wonderful house!
All the amenities!
(addresses audience)
My gifts are so wonderful
My taste so exquisite –
Lucky I’m rich and know
Just what to serve!
Too bad I’m never
Loved or deserved!
My love is perfect
My example superb.
But I won’t live forever, Persey.
PERSEY
Your gifts are appreciated.
Thank you, Babe.
(BABE gives her a robe and a cellphone)
BABE
Three calls missed from Roy.
PERSEY
He’s checking on me.
BABE
Because he loves you
Just as I do.
(PERSEY dons the robe. BABE has a pile of towels for herself with which she makes a show of covering her chair, blotting her dress, feet, shaking her head, etc.)
PERSEY
(On phone)
Sure hon; got back safe.
(Holds phone away from protesting, squawking, threatening noises)
I can hardly hear you.
That’s quite a party you’re having.
(Loud music & squawking)
Babe’s here, with
Our own celebration.
BABE
(Shouts at phone)
Remembrance! For Bruce!
Poor, dead Bruce!
PERSEY
Of course we won’t wait up
You should really stay over –
(BABE snatches for the phone, PERSEY evades)
BABE
Let me talk to him.
PERSEY
(Waving her away – admonitory finger- bravely lying)
It was just a short walk,
Under a glorious moon.
(DIGGER covers his ears and trembles in memory. Rolling her eyes at ROY’s protests; holds the phone away from her giving BABE chance to snatch phone)
BABE
Sweetheart, we must go
To the cemetery and visit dear Bruce.
(Horrible noises from phone)
Renew all the vows
Made to dear, dear, lost Bruce.
(Significantly – threatening)
Don’t you remember?
(Raving noises from phone; then silence. BABE tosses it to PERSEY)
BABE
He hung up on me!
Can you believe it?
That man needs a leash!
Or obedience school.
PERSEY
It’s a PARTY, Babe.
They’re all off the leash.
BABE
If you’d given me that phone
When I asked for it Persey –
PERSEY
He can’t feel about Bruce
As you do, Babe, because
Bruce made him suffer.
You must understand.
BABE
(Getting more and more upset – she launches to her feet and paces)
Roy deserved it!
Sweet Bruce was my honey-child,
So biddable, good!
PERSEY
That’s not the story I hear.
BABE
(As if she’d not spoken)
He’d do anything for his mother –
(Starts to sob)
PERSEY
Bruce tortured Roy, Babe.
I’ve seen the scars.
With my own eyes.
BABE
Roy teased him!
You’re insulting the dead, Persey!
Now I need a drink!
(BABE staggers toward bar, WOLVES gather around house, DIGGER alerts)
PERSEY
I think we need music!
(Persey switches on radio)
RADIO
(Impossibly proper BBC voice)
Four missing girls …(squawk)
Body Dump Case (squawk squawk)
While in other Serial Killer News-
A Beautiful Blonde –
(PERSEY cuts radio off as BABE extends a drink – even darker than the last. BABE’s drinks would make a mule cross-eyed. PERSEY dumps half out but BABE is too worked up about her own problems to notice.)
BABE
Roy doesn’t care!
PERSEY
Boys will be boys.
BABE
Tonight of all nights!
PERSEY
It’s the living who count.
BABE
I hope I’m not grudging
But Life’s so unfair!
PERSEY
Babe, the past is the past!
BABE
(Determined to quarrel)
Are you saying Roy didn’t love
His only blood brother?
PERSEY
Bruce was a bully!
Since he lived with his father
I never met him but
Roy tells me –
BABE
Bruce killed himself, Persey!
I found the body!
Do bullies self-sacrifice?
Such deaths DESTROY mothers!
PERSEY
Suicide’s impulsive–
BABE
You know nothing about it!
PERSEY
I’m sorry.
BABE
A mother has feelings –
PERSEY
I know just what I’m told.
BABE
Roy owes me allegiance!
I gave him everything!
PERSEY
It was so long ago!
(WOLVES howl)
BABE
It’s neglect I can’t handle!
PERSEY
Roy’s home tomorrow –then we can –
BABE
Disrespect!
PERSEY
(Desperately)
We love and admire you, Babe.
BABE
Should a mother have to visit
Her child’s grave
ALL ALONE?
(WOLVES howl frenziedly. DIGGER scratches to go out.)
BABE
Don’t let that dog out!
He’ll get dirty again!
PERSEY
(Lets DIGGER out to dance with the wolves)
We’ll visit the grave with you!
I promise we will.
BABE
We all make mistakes.
I deserve second chances.
PERSEY
(Can’t quite follow this)
Meaning…?
BABE
I demand forgiveness!
PERSEY
I don’t understand.
BABE
I didn’t kill Bruce!
PERSEY
No one killed Bruce, Babe.
According to you.
BABE
But Roy MIGHT have done it.
That night they were fighting –
At each other’s throats!
PERSEY
(Looks at her empty glass like – there’s not enough alcohol in the world for this. Wearing the hopeless expression of someone arguing with a crazy person)
I’m sure Roy didn’t hang Bruce.
BABE
You weren’t there!
PERSEY
Bruce was the strong one.
As you’re always saying.
BABE
(Exalted)
Bruce was born first.
He pushed Roy aside!
He pushed ME aside!
He strong-armed the doctor!
(Sighing with pleasure)
Roy was the weak one,
Roy was the gentle one.
Tender and thoughtful.
Mama’s last angel.
Bruce made such fun of him.
Wicked, vicious fun.
(She sounds gleeful about it. PERSEY fills BABE’s glass – might as well make a night of it)
I can’t be alone on this terrible night.
Here’s to crime. Bottoms up.
(Sits up abruptly)
Why, I brought you a present!
PERSEY
(Trepidation)
You did?
BABE
Sharing’s my motto.
I can’t look at it any longer. So
I thought Roy might – treasure it.
(She touches a light switch and the portrait above the fireplace is illuminated. It depicts in overwrought oils a glamorous woman with a blond boy hanging off each arm. PERSEY almost jumps out of her skin)
PERSEY
Oh, my God!
(She covers her face as if to hide from the portrait)
Babe – I’m afraid – I don’t think –
BABE
It’s a great work of art.
At least admit that.
PERSEY
Babe, don’t you remember
The Chinese vase you once gave us?
BABE
Roy had an accident, Persey.
And it was only a copy!
I don’t understand your compulsion
To make Roy the bad guy.
After all,
He’s indulged you like a princess.
PERSEY
(Trying to be gentle)
He might not like the portrait, Babe.
I’m only saying.
BABE
But it’s my only picture of Bruce!
(Starting to cry)
It’s all I have left!
He couldn’t be cruel to the one who gave everything!
(Poor PERSEY rolls her eyes. The WOLVES and DIGGER howl at each other)
BABE
Oh, my God, what is that!
PERSEY
Coyotes are unsettling.
BABE
Those are WOLVES, Persey.
Not some harmless creatures!
People say the spirits of the murdered
Howl at night in the woods,
Thirsting for justice.
PERSEY
Justice?
BABE
Or maybe revenge.
There’s no justice in this world or
My boy would have lived!
(DIGGER & The WOLVES square off suspiciously)
PERSEY
(Nervously)
That’s superstition!
BABE
You’re too isolated here.
This is all a mistake.
Why do my gifts go so bad?
PERSEY
We need country, Babe.
Roy loves to hunt.
(Stands up to listen; mustering up her courage)
It’s music really.
Those noises don’t scare me.
Coyotes protect us.
Cleaning the forest
Eating vermin and carrion.
(Puts her hand to the light switch)
Ready for bed?
BABE
(Collapsing sadly. The party’s over and she never has as much fun as she wanted)
I suppose so. Now I know I’ll have nightmares.
Alysse Aallyn 