Lucille. Lucille Loveless stands by the tennis court in the large back garden where she lives with her mother and sister Freda. She's waiting for Freda's friend Nina Nape to find the ball in the bushes where Emerson Elmore has hit it. At the side of the tennis court her boyfriend, Kenny kempton, is reading a book open in his slim white hands. - You should have gone to Rome, Kenny says. There’s more there than Florence. Florence is a village beside Rome, he adds taking his eyes from his book for a few seconds to look at Lucille. He returns his eyes to the book when Freda stares at him in a way that annoys him. Lucille gazes at Kenny, momentarily. - Florence was all right as far as I'm concerned, Lucille says. She had met Emerson in Florence and secretly had fallen in love with him. Secretly to others as well as herself. She couldn't admit to herself that she had fallen for another man when she was almost getting to the point of marrying Kenny. She looks away from Kenny and surreptitiously gazes at Emerson. We saw more than enough didn't we Emerson? Emerson Elmore stands opposite her over the net. He looks at her deeply and nods shyly. He is aware of Kenny's relationship with Lucille and despite his own feelings for Lucille, he doesn't want to cause any jealousy. - Especially the Santa Croce, he says quietly, almost in a whisper. Freda serves the ball to Nina who returns it with force. - Not more talk of Florence, Freda says. I’ve heard nothing but Florence, Florence, Florence, since Lucille's been home. Kenny lowers his book and stares at Freda who runs to the far side to return a ball from Emerson. - The trouble with you, Freda, is that you have no cultural interests, Kenny states. I doubt you been further than London. Travel and culture develops the mind and character, he adds, putting his book under his right arm. Freda returns the ball once again leaving Lucille hitting at air. She looks over her shoulder at Kenny who stands stiffly at the side. - Hasn’t done much for you, Freda says. You’ve not developed one bit for all your travelling and culture. I've seen more development on a girl's breasts during puberty, she adds racing after a ball from Nina. Kenny shakes his head and pulls a face. - Your choice of comparison is, as usual, limit to the tawdry, Kenny replies pretentiously. If development is the issue, then, I shall grow old waiting for any from you, he adjoins, returning his eyes to his now raised book. Freda pokes out her tongue as she returns a ball from Emerson. Lucille shakes her head as she misses again. - You two deserve each other, Lucille states. Maybe you should marry Kenny, Freda. You'd both be married for a good week at most. Freda and Kenny both look at Lucille who runs after a ball from Nina but misses by a few centimetres and disappears into the bushes head first. She reappears red-faced and hot. Her dark hair is now crowned with a few bright-green leaves and her face has a few scratches on the cheek. Freda smiles and Kenny looks away again and back to his book. Emerson returns the ball from Freda with energy and as he does so he glances at Kenny. - Florence, Emerson informs shyly, certainly opened my eyes to the beauty of created things. - Created things? Freda echoes loudly. What do you mean by created things? Emerson blushes mildly as he returns a ball from Lucille. - Art and such, Emerson replies. - And what is the such? Freda taunts. Lucille again misses the ball from Nina and bumps into Kenny at the side almost knocking him over with his book. - Steady on, Kenny moans. Lucille lifts the book from the ground and gazes at the cover. Her eyes widen and she blushes. - Where did you get this book? Lucille asks. - Bought it, Kenny says reaching for the book, which Lucille keeps from his hands. Not a great book. But they seldom are these days. Great books belong to the past when writers were writers. - What’s so bloody interesting about a book that Kenny reads? Freda asks swinging her racket beside her right leg. - It’s by a man we met in Florence, Lucille informs. She opens the book and scans the pages. Kenny takes the book from her roughly and holds it firm in his slim white hands as if it were the Holy Grail. - That would explain the genre and the contents, Kenny says coolly. - Do you remember, Emerson? That Mr Lush who said he was writing a novel set in Florence? Lucille asks standing by the net tapping her racket on her shoe. - Yes, Emerson replies. He does remember Lush. He recalls the man's wit and weirdness. Didn’t he and your cousin ramble off together in Florence on the day of the picnic? Freda looks at Lucille and then back again at Emerson, - What? Cousin Barbara and this man Lush went off together? Freda asks with interest. - Not in the way you're suggesting, Lucille says. - What do you mean in the way I'm suggesting? Freda says in a moan. I wasn't suggesting anything. Lucille taps her shoe with the racket again and stares at Freda. - It was all innocent as you know with Barbara, Lucille says. With you it may have been otherwise, she adds sharply. Freda sniffs and walks back on to the court again and picks up the ball. - Anyone for tennis? Freda asks. Nina and I are getting bored with all this Florence nonsense. Emerson walks on to the court followed by Lucille who taps her racket on the palm of her hand. The game starts again with a serve from Freda, which is returned quickly by Nina. Lucille goes for it but misses and runs into Freda. You’re useless, Freda says coldly. - And you're a dimbat, Lucille replies thinking of nothing else to say. Freda serves again and the ball flies pass Nina who runs after it wishing there were ball boys or girls at hand to fetch run-away-balls for them. Emerson waits looking at Lucille and recalls Florence and the kiss. And as he remembers the kiss he blushes mildly and misses the serve from Freda who laughs loudly. Nina raises her eyes to the sky and utters a mild curse, which if Emerson had heard would have made him blush more. - The hills and the picnic were very memorable, don't you think, Lucille? Emerson asks as Nina serves a ball in anger, which Freda returns quickly and effortlessly. - The weather and the picnic were fine, Lucille replies. Though the rain later certainly drenched you, Emerson. - You mean he got wetter than he is now? Freda says, returning a ball from Nina, which Lucille attempts to hit but too late. - You’re too unkind, says Kenny from the side without raises his eyes or lowering the book. I’m sure Emerson is as bright as you are. Freda pokes out her tongue at Kenny and smiles at Nina opposite who returns a ball, which Lucille manages to hit. - The hills and the flowers, cornflowers, I think they were, says Emerson a little more loudly and bravely. He remembers the kiss even more clearly and holding Lucille in his arms. He glances across at Lucille as she returns a ball from Nina successfully. He briefly stares at her then looks away quickly as a ball from Nina hits Freda on the breast. - Careful, Nina, Freda says, rubbing her breast with her left hand. The game stops momentarily for the injured one to recover from her wound and Lucille wanders over to Emerson and taking him by the arm moves him to the side. - Do you mind not going on about the picnic and the flowers, Lucille says quietly, but firmly. If Kenny finds out about any of that then...Well, he won't be pleased. - About what? Emerson asks coolly. Lucille looks over at Kenny on the opposite side still reading his book, then back and up at Emerson. - You know very well, Lucille spits out in an angry whisper leaving spittle on her lower lip. Emerson gazes pass her and over at Kenny who walks along at the side of the court with his book up to face like a mask. - You mean the kiss? Emerson enquires in low voice. Lucille blushes and turns away. She hits her thigh with her racket and curses under her breath. But inside, deep down, she knows it was a wonderful experience. She knows and feels it still the touch on her lips, his arms about her, the flowers surrounding them. Freda having made recovery stands ready to resume the game. Nina watches Emerson as he prepares for the onslaught. Kenny reads on. - I hope you've not been bruised, Lucille says to Freda tapping her racket on her left palm. Freda pulls a face, throws the ball in the air, and serves to Nina, who returns the ball quickly making Lucille miss clumsily. Wonder what happened to sisterly love, Lucille says as she picks up the lost ball and serves half-heartedly. - Sibling love is more fiction than fact, Kenny informs from the side, lowering his book and casting a quick glance at Freda like an angler having hooked a sprat. Freda sniffs and stares at Kenny momentarily as she returns the ball from Emerson. - I take it you don't speak from experience as you're the only child your brave mother dared to give birth to, Freda says coldly as she runs for a ball from Emerson, but misses and falls against Lucille. - I speak as I find, Kenny says stiffly. - You couldn't find an elephant in a small dark room, Freda says. - Will you two stop the bickering, Lucille says as a ball from Nina flies pass into the bushes. The game stops as Lucille searches for the lost ball. Nina stands watching with her hands on her hips. Emerson follows Lucille into the bushes, while Freda walks over to Kenny who stands watching the scene. - I don't know what my sister sees in you, Freda says, but whatever it is or was she must have better eyesight than I have. Kenny holds his book in his right hand with his second finger keeping his place between, and stands stiffly upright. - I must suppose she has more insight and greater discernment, Kenny replies looking into Freda's eyes. He watches as the eyes darken and glisten and wonders who could wish to marry this ill-tempered and outspoken girl of fifteen. Freda lowers her eyes briefly and sighs. - She needs to see a psychiatrist not a priest if she wants to marry you, Freda says as she turns away and walks on to the tennis court again. Kenny shakes his head as she walks off and resumes his reading half-heartedly. In the bushes the ball is found, but only after a kiss is once again placed on Lucille's lips from Emerson. Both come out of the bushes red-faced and glowing, but Lucille has the ball and throws it in the air before serving wildly. Nina goes to return but misses and runs into Emerson's arm. Freda stands watching, but her mind is on Kenny's words and her reply. Kenny walks up and down again with his book hiding his face and thoughts and Lucille feeling strange and somehow undone hits her left palm repeatedly. - Took two of you to find a ball? Nina asks Emerson as he serves casually. What did you find in the bushes to keep you so long? Emerson blushes mildly and runs back to return a ball from Freda. - Don’t know what you mean, Emerson replies after returning the ball. - Well...I been watching you and Lucille and...Nina stops as a ball hits the side of her head and drops her neatly. Freda jumps over the net as Emerson kneels beside the victim. Lucille walks over with her racket tapping her thigh. It was her ball. It was her return. - She’s coming round, Emerson says as Freda holds Nina's head. - You could have killed her, Freda informs Lucille as she wanders up to the scene. Kenny, his book by his side, stands over the heads of all and stares. - I thought the object of the game was to return the ball with one's racket not one's head, Kenny says coolly. Freda glares at him from below. - And I thought compassion was something all civilized people felt for an injured person, Freda says coldly, but I was wrong. Kenny sniffs and shakes his head. Nina opens her eyes and stares up at Freda. Her head feels numb and her eyes see only a blurred Freda, momentarily, but then sees Freda's face clearly and the eyes gazing down concernedly at her. Freda helps Nina to her feet with the aid of Emerson. - Are you all right, now? Freda asks walking with Nina a few steps away from the others. - A little groggy, but I'll survive, Nina informs vaguely, leaning on Freda's right arm, clutching at the hand offered. Freda squeezes the hand in hers and nods her head. - That silly bitch of a sister of mine almost beheaded you, Freda states coldly. They walk on a few metres away from the tennis court and then sit down on the grass. Nina closes her eyes. Freda stares at the Lucille who is talking with Emerson, and Kenny walks up and down with his book mumbling to himself as he usually did when a sentence annoyed or pleased him. Freda returns her gaze to Nina who sits with her eyes closed leaning against her arm. Across the other side, near the tennis court, Lucille takes Emerson's arm and leads him away towards the house. - What did Nina say? Lucille asks. - Think she suspects something between us, Emerson states quietly, looking over his shoulder at the two young girls on the grass opposite. Lucille searches the grass as if looking for a clue to a mystery. - Do you think she does? Lucille asks in a whisper, still searching the grass. Emerson turns his gaze back to Lucille and looks down at her. - Think so, Emerson says. They wander on a few more steps then stop. - But she can't know about Florence and the picnic thing, Lucille says. I mean only Barbara, you and I know about that...And Barbara won't say a thing. She looks over at Kenny who is walking down towards the end of the garden with his book like a mask over his face. Then he pauses his step and lowers the book. He stares across at Lucille and Emerson as if he'd over head them. He looks again at the page he is reading and then closes the book with such force that it causes a slamming sound to echo around the garden. - This Mr Lush is a trashy writer, Kenny states firmly. His words vibrate loudly around the garden causing Freda and Nina to turn their heads. Utter romantic tripe, he adds walking back towards them all. He opens the book for a few seconds and then slams it shut again. In one scene these two people on a picnic in the hills of Florence kiss in a field of cornflowers. Now, isn't that utter romantic nonsense, Lucille? he asks placing the book under his arm and walking over the tennis court. Lucille nods, but says nothing. Emerson looks over at Freda and Nina who stare back at him. - One man's meat, Emerson begins, but stops himself. I mean each person has their own taste. We can't all like the same things, he adds shyly. Kenny stops and stares at Lucille and Emerson. - It seems sometimes we can, Kenny states coldly. He turns away and quickly walks towards the house. Lucille lowers her head. Emerson stands and follows Kenny with his eyes. Freda and Nina look away and the sun goes in behind a dark cloud.
Copyright © 2000 Terry Collett |