Marital Bliss, Yeah Right! (2)
Kayla: Are you coming, Hailey? Hailey: Yes, just give me a few minutes to freshen up. I'll meet you down there. Kayla: Ok, don't be too long. (Kayla and Brianna exits) Hailey: (she sits down on the bed and addresses the audience. The lights dim on her.) Actually, I'm beginning to think that they are right. I should keep my options open and you never know maybe I will meet someone this weekend. Perhaps that stranger from the airport will show up tonight . . .well, I guess wishful thinking never hurt anyone. (Hailey sits on the bed for a few minutes reflecting at what she had said. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. She walks over to the door and opens it. Enters a woman around the age of 58.) Hailey:(following Anita then stops) Anita: You would think that my only daughter would call me when she got into town, but no I had to find out for myself that you landed safely. I don't know why you insist to fly with all the plane crashes and terrorists. You could have drove. But no you had to do things your own way and make me worry. (Silence finally fall between the two. Anita then holds open her arms and Hailey reluctly walks over to her. Anita embraces her and kisses her on the cheek and then she lets go.) Hailey: Mom, what are you doing here? Anita: What? I can't come visit you? You move a thousand miles away, you hardly call or come visit and then when you do come to town you act like I have some sort of disease. Hailey:(losing her patience)Mother, I just asked what are you doing here? Anita:(angry) Hailey Cooper, don't take that tone with me. Now, if you are ready. We have to get downstairs to the luncheon and rehersal. (Hailey grabs her purse and casually walks out of her hotel room still agruing with her mother.) ACT 1 SCENE 3 (Curtains open to a restuarnt. It is not very busy. Kayla's party includes the bridal party, her parents, Hailey's mom, Chase, and John. Anita enters with Hailey following her. Anita kisses Brianna and Kayla.) Anita: Girls, it's so good to see you. (sits) Brianna Noel. I haven't seen you in months, darling. Where have you been?(She doesn't wait for Brianna to answer)Hailey, you look so thin. Have you been eating? I knew it was a mistake for us to let you go to Boston. I told your father that you couldn't cook for yourself. Now look at you. You're skin and bones. At least I know you'll get a good meal if I take you out to eat . . . but my god, does this place have good food? Hailey:(leaning over to her Mother)Mother . . . please. This is Kayla's day. She picked the restaurant. I have eaten here before. They have terrific food. Anita: Honey if you wanted terrific food, you go to a nice Italian restaurant. What's wrong with Mario's? Hailey: Nothing is wrong with Mario's. Maybe Kayla just wanted something different. Kayla: We would have gone there Mrs. Cooper, but Jacob doesn't like Italian food. (Anita looks at Hailey and Kayla as if they just killed her.) Anita: He doesn't like Italian food. How is that possible? Hailey, how could that be? Hailey: I don't know mother. Anita: He doesn't like Italian food, but he likes Japanese food. What is that? I've been alive almost sixty years and I have never tried Japanese food. Hailey: (interrupting) Well, you should try it. Anita: We are Italian. We should eat Italian food. Hailey: I do eat Itailian food, Mom. I just don't want to eat it every day. Let's just drop the subject okay? Kayla: It really doesn't matter to me, You'll have to go talk to my mom. She is the one who planned this. Anita: Some Lasagna, a little garlic bread, Cannoli for dessert. Hailey:(uneasy) I thought we were going to drop it, Mother. Anita: All right. My lips are sealed (Pantomims zipping her lips) Hailey: How's daddy doing? Anita: Your father? Your father hasn't moved from his chair in months. He sits there watching the television all day long. He eats his dinner on a tray and he falls asleep watching the ten o'clock news. He does lift his legs when I have to vacuum under him and twice a day, he gets up to go to the bathroom. I hope he tells me when he's ready to die, otherwise, I might not notice. Hailey: You and Daddy have a long time to go before you're going to die. Anita: God willing, we'll be around to see our grandchildren. Hailey: You're only fifty-eight and dad is only sixty. I think you've got plenty of time. Anita: All of my sisters are grandmothers already and my own daughter is not even married yet. Hailey: Maybe you should have had more children if you were worried about having grandchildren. Anita: But you were such a problem pregnancy. The doctors didn't think I'd even be able to hold you for nine months. Oh, I was so sick. I was in bed for weeks. I gained 95 pounds. I could barely breathe and I couldn't walk. I got varicose veins up and down my legs. Your poor father had to keep house. And then the labor came . . . oh, the labor, . . . hours I spent in pain. All of this I did for you. Hailey: Well, after hearing that horror story, you expect me to rush right out and get pregnant? Anita: You'd deprive your own mother of grandchildren? You give and give to your children and what do you get in return? Nothing but heartache and pain. Hailey: Don't you think I want to get married, mother? Don't you think I want to have children? What do you want me to do? Marry someone I don't love just so I can have kids to make you happy. Anita: But there have been so many nice men. Good men that you let pass by. Like that John form high school. He was a good boy. Kayla: John White? Hailey: Yes. He wanted to get married right after graduation. I wasn't ready to get married at eighteen. I wanted to go to college and be out on my own. It would have never work out. Brianna: I thought he broke up with you. Hailey:(irriated) NO, I broke it off with him. Anita: And Now you're alone and for what so you can work the rest of your life. Hailey: I happen to enjoy my job and I'm good at it. I'm very well respected in my professional field. Anita: They were the cutest couple. He was from such a nice family. Hailey: You're not even listening to me, Mom. I haven't met the right person yet. John wasn't the right person and I am not getting married to anyone until I'm sure that it's going to workout. (Suddenly standing up) Please excuse me, I need a drink. Kayla: (stood up suddenly) Please excuse me, I'll be right back. Brianna: Is everything ok? Kayla: Yes, I just need to say hello to somebody. I'll be right back. (She hurried off to the door where she greets Chase.) Hailey: (The lights dim as she addresses the audience at the dining table.) I must admit Kayla looks absolutely stunning. She seemed to be wearing the content smile of someone who found the one true love that every girl deserves. She's glowing, smiling and turning from congradulation to the next. But I also find something distracting perhaps it was the muscular guy who was with Kayla. (Kayla and Chase soon started to walk back towards Hailey.) He looks somewhat familiar. Wait a minute! . . . It couldn't be. The guy from the airport? What is he doing here? He couldn't possibly be related to Jacob. Wait! What am I saying? It wouldn't be that bad if he was. Ohhh, all I can think about is our last conversation we had and how I acted like a big dork! I hope he doesn't remember me . . . then again I lived through other worse embarrassing moments. (excitedly) Oh, my god it is him! (Light return to normal) Kayla: Hailey, this is Chase Miller, my darling financee's best friend. Chase:(stretches out his hand) It is very nice to meet you . . . again. Hailey:(embarrassed) Yes, . . .it is. Kayla: (puzzled) Wait a minute, you two know each other. Hailey: No, . . . I mean yes. We do. Sort of. Chase: We . . . had a run in at the airport in Boston and a rather pleasent conversation about lipstick, right? Anita: Oh, how nice. Hailey: (just shakes her head) Chase: Mind if I sit here? Anita: Not at all, of course. How long have you known, Jacob? Chase: Actually, we grew up together. Anita: How nice. And you said you know Hailey. Chase: Yes, we met at the airport. ( A moment of silence between all of them.) Anita: Do you like her? Chase:(laughed) I'm sorry? Hailey:(through her teeth, whispering) Mother . . .please . . .do not . . .embarrass me. Anita: Who's embarrassing who? I'm just asking a simple question? Did you know that Hailey is single? Chase: Yes . . . I do. Anita: Would like to go you out with her? She's a good catholic girl, smart, pretty . . . Hailey: That's it (Suddenly standing up) Please excuse me,(sighs in frustration) I need a drink. Chase:No, please it's ok. I have to go. So I guess I'll see you later then. Hailey: (managed a small smile and watches Chase walk away) Anita: He's a nice young man. Hailey: Mother please . . . Anita: but he's not John. Hailey:I can't believe you. Anita: What? I'm just trying to help my daughter get a date. Hailey: I don't need this not now. (Disgusted, Hailey walked over to the bar. John enters the room. As he scans the room he sees Hailey at the bar. He walks over to her.) John: Excuse me? Hailey: (turns around and facing him she raised her eyes to meet his. She hesitated. It was him. Her ex-boyfriend, John White.) Oh, my God, John. (lights dim) His eyes were brown chocolate, hair dark and thick. His features were aristocratic as I remembered. I didn't think it was possible, but five years added to his looks made look better. He filled out nicely going into manhood. He looked like a movie star. (lights return to normal) John: (as though he was dumbfounded) Hailey? Hailey Cooper? Is that you? Hailey:(lights dim again) I didn't know what to say. I managed to clear my throat. I felt like a blumbling idiot as he just stared at me. Hi, John John: Sorry, I don't mean to stare. It's just that--you're--you're beautiful. Hailey: I gave him a shaky smile in return wondering why he was really saying that. John: So what are you doing here? Hailey: Kayla Madison is getting marry. John: Really. Wow! Kayla Madison, I haven't seen her in years. That's great. Are you . . . married? Hailey: No, . . .no I don't have a husband yet. How about you? John: No, I haven't had time to get married. Hailey: No, I mean. What are you doing here? John: Oh, I'm here for a conference. It's for the agency I work for. Hailey: I see John: Say, You would like to get together perhaps later for a drink? Hailey: (surprised) Aahhh. . . John: Or do you have plans later? Hailey: No, . . . I could . . . go for a drink. God knows I need one. John: Great! I'll pick you up around eight. Are you staying at this hotel? Hailey: Huh, . . . John: I said (laughed) what room are you in? Hailey: Oh, I'm sorry. 425. John: I'll see you then. Hailey: Ok (Hailey stood there and watched John as he exits the stage) LIGHTS END OF ACT I ACT II SCENE 1 (Curtain open. Hailey is sitting in a chair in the center of stage.) Hailey: (addresses the audience): I was in shock over the unexpected turn my evening had taken. Early during that day I was daydreaming about meeting some hunky groomsmen and falling in love. And then meeting Chase and learning that he is Jacob’s cousin and that I have to walk down the aisle with him. I must admit I was still embarrassed because of my behavior at the airport. But it didn’t seem to bother him. But then again it wasn’t like he was exactly overjoyed to be meet up with me again. Maybe there isn’t anything there. But then my imaginary dreamboat turned out to be an old dinghy from water under the bridge. John White, (she laughs) I can’t believe my luck. The only person who seemed happy about the whole scenario was my mother of course. I would’ve invited him back to the table, but I know my mother, she would insist on sitting next to John. She wouldn’t have stop cooing over her and blame me for not being with him any longer. I can picture it now. Anita: (enters rights): Oh, haven’t you grown up to be such a handsome young man, John. Gosh, Just look at you and Hailey all dressed up. I can’t help thinking back to all your high school dances. Oh, you two were just so cute. (Exits) Hailey: Of course, there would be nothing I could do. But only give her nauseated stares. John would think this was all funny especially when I began to protest. I find nothing funny about it. I feel like I was in the middle of a nightmare and couldn’t wake up. And then, of course, my mother would try to set us up again as if she was a cruise director. Anita: (enters again wearing a floppy beige straw hat and a soft pink silk suit, with a smile on her face.) Look who it is Hailey! John! Oh, now, isn’t this the most marvelous and look how handsome he looks too! Hailey: Yeah, right! I don’t know if my mother would be completely oblivious, blinded by the happiness of the day, or if she was trying to play along too. In her own way joining John on the team, gamely shipping through the wedding weekend as if everything were just naturally more and more wonderful. I, however, would feel reluctant to follow either of them aboard the good ship lollipop. Is someone’s playing a practical joke on me? Like my life was made for TV (An Announcer and a Cameraman enters) Announcer: Welcome to America’s not So Funniest Wedding Video. Let’s look what happens when we introduce this unknowing bridesmaid to someone she’s sure to recognize from her past. (The Cameraman and Announcer circle around Hailey and then exit.) Hailey:(stood at the bar. A champagne glass full of the sparkling drink posed in her left hand.) I was trying to pull myself together enough to preserve my dignity. Well, at least, what little I had left. Brianna: (As soon as Hailey stepped away from the bar.) Oh, my God! That’s John White? What’s he doing here? Who did you make mad? Hailey: Yeah, thanks. I know. I should have checked my horoscope. (Shakes her head in sour amazement.) So, would you like to trade shoes with me? Brianna: (pretending she had to think about it) Um, no why do you want to change. Chase seems nice and he’s bad looking? Hailey:(She shrugged her shoulders) Aw, come on, you don’t really want to be stuck with Caleb. Brianna: If you mean on a desert island? You bet I do! (She makes a point of catching Caleb’s eye from across the room and gave him a flirty wave. She then turned a sympathetic eye toward Hailey.) I feel for you, Hailey. I really do. But why do you want to give up on Chase? He’s cute. Hailey:(stands there for a moment while the sounds and images of the busy restaurant fade around her.) I finally realized that Brianna did have a point. So from my exciting afternoon at the restaurant we went to the church. It was time for the rehearsal. At the time I was a little nervous about actually having to walk down the aisle with Chase. Although our reunion at dinner was not exactly the way I wanted to meet up again with him. Thanks to my mother. The wedding was to take place at St. Paul and Peter’s Cathedral, which was just walking distance from our hotel. It was a beautiful church to have a wedding at with its medieval gothic architecture. The sunlight streamed through the stained glass window and made an exquisite pattern on the cool marble floor. The whispers of the bridal party floated through the sacristy. The artwork on the walls and ceiling were beautiful. As our time came to walk, I looked up and smiled at him. A genuine heartfelt smile, not a fake one, appeared over my lips. For a second I almost didn’t know where it came from, but then I realized the source. It was him! There was something real between us, and it wasn’t just going to go away by itself. At least I hoped it wouldn’t. When I smiled up at Chase, for a moment his expression matched mine. Like we were magically sharing the same epiphany, the same time. But again, just as all weekend her ephemeral feeling of connectedness to Chase had surfaced only to disappear an instantly, in a second it was gone. For some reason Chase stiffened when he stepped toward me to offer his arm. He did it so awkwardly that I somehow felt sorry for him. It was clear that he didn’t want to be here---not we me anyway. His discomfort was all the more evident as he hurried me down the aisle, practically stepping on toes along the way. He was forgetting everything, although whether out obstinary or clumsiness, it was impossible for me to tell. My attempt to make up for his clumsy haste by gently pulling back, trying to slow his gallop to a trot while maintaining my glossy smile, the one that had started out as genuine but was turning more and more false by the millisecond. After another step he fell into pace with me, and our candance was perfect as we walked down the aisle. John came to my room just before eight o’clock. I don’t know how I felt about going out with John. It had been years since I had last seen him, and to be honest. I had thought about him more than one or two times is the entirely since we had broke up. I don’t know why but I felt a little excited maybe it was my desperation for male attention. And maybe it had to do with the fact that John was successful and more handsome than he had been in college. When I opened the door I find John smiling at me and I smiled back. They went to a small restaurant that he knew not to far from the hotel. I wasn’t that hungry but I didn’t want to be rude, so I order a salad. Surprisely, we spoke very little during dinner, though I was uncharacteristically down three glasses of wine. But I was nervous. I began to feel pretty woozy and suddenly something struck me as funny and I started giggling. John just looked at me. John: Hailey, um, what’s so funny? Hailey:(Continue to giggle. Assured him drunkenly) it’s nothing! John: Are you drunk? Hailey: (gasped in astonishment and stops giggling) No! John:(nervously) Um, Hailey, I didn’t think you drank Hailey:(suddenly sad) I don’t . . . I don’t drink. John: Then why don’t you lay off the wine okay. Hailey: I wasn’t drunk, but I was feeling good. (She finished her salad in silence and she made sure she consumed three large glass of water. In which, afterwards she needed to excuse herself and nearly fell down. Of course, John was a gentleman and stood up. She caught herself on the chair and managed to make her way to the small bathroom without tripping. Ten minutes later, she emerged minus a gallon of water and the majority of her dinner. She felt awful. They returned to the hotel. John led her through the lobby into the courtyard. Finding a clearing among some flowering rhododendron dinner bushes. They sat down with our backs against one of the thickest tree. The trees were alive with the buzzing insect and the chorus of crickets chirping in unison, their symphony rising and falling in the fading twilight. I slipped easily against john’s chest and let his arms encircle my shoulders. Hailey suddenly felt subdued, as if all the tension of the wedding, and his presence, and my life hand lifted off my shoulders like a great noisy bird and fluttered off into the shaded boughs above me. John pointed out the moon glowing faintly in silver about the horizon, a narrow crescent with two sharp horns. The evening stars twinkled merely higher up, a brilliant tuaccompaniment against the indigo sky. The continuum from light to dark, from the horizon to the peak of the cappella over our heads, was breathtaking. For a moment, Hailey almost forgot who she was and what she was doing there, so peaceful was it with John, in the clearing. It was as if my mind became a happy screen, where the moon in perfect clarity, and Hailey didn’t have to do anything, didn’t have to work to make it beautiful. Hailey felt his presence very strongly, perfectly welcome in familiarity. Briefly Hailey became aware of how well knew him, how many details of our lives we had stared, how well we went together, how strongly Hailey was bonded to him. OR maybe it was just the alcohol. His shoulder and chest, for example, felt as familiar to my as a favorite chair. She had certainly spent many a Saturday night pressed against him, slow dancing in the gym or making out in his car. He was homey and it was the feeling of the home she had left behind a year before. But Hailey wasn’t thinking about that now; Hailey was just easily unaware of the way he felt, somehow able to forget somewhat that he was a completely separate person. He stirred slightly against the thick humus beneath them. The song of the crickets a crescendo and Hailey looked up at Chase. He was looking down at me, his eyes moist and dark, hidden in his shadowed face. He leaned toward her, and in that moment. Hailey knew that she was going to be kissed. Hailey didn’t know what Hailey was going to feel, let alone do, but she didn’t even consider turning away. Instead, she merely closed her eyes and let lips fall on mine. For a moment all Hailey could feel was the soft, dry crackling of our mouths coming together, all Hailey could hear smell was the musk of his warm body, and Hailey could hear, beyond the roating of the blood and in my ear, was the crickets chorus growing to maximum forlussum, pushing in the warm spring night. The kiss might have seemed like an eternal moment, but in reality it last for only a couple of seconds hardly long enough for us really to begin to kiss, when Hailey realize what was happening my mind turned completely around with frightening speed. Suddenly Hailey felt reality coming back and in a snap Hailey was frozen and then pushed John away my mind realized what was happening.) Hailey: This isn’t some adventure in the woods; this is Kayla’s wedding. (Laughing) Oh, my God, oh my GOD John! What are we doing? This is ridiculous---we broke up three years ago. John:(weak and a little dry) Hailey . . . wait . . . Hailey:(Sat up on her haunches and grabbed him by the neck of his shirt, as if to pull him up with her.) Come on; let’s get out of here. (Obligingly he rose to his feet, but when they stood up together, they stumbled into each other’s arms. Hailey grabbed John by the shoulder and steadied him, and for a moment he moved his head as if to kiss her again. But she had her balance about her and placed herself a good two feet apart from him. His chin hung over his chest. Hailey took him by the hand and put her other hand under his chin, lifting it up to look into his eyes.) John: Hailey (She felt her heart softening. He looked so handsome in the dim light under the tree. Again she felt herself giving way to her desire to feel his lips against hers. She lowered her hand to encircle his waist and drew herself up to him. He bent down to kiss her, and their tongues fluttered briefly among the hot jumble of their lips. Hailey felt a thousand butterflies whipping their wings in her tummy. She closed her eyes, turning her head to kiss him fully. The sound of the insect and the smell of the woods were over powering. John’s strong hands caressed her back and she gripped him to her tightly, crushing their bodies together in a warm embrace. And then again, just as suddenly as before, the reality of what she was doing hit her. This time, however, she was more startled than before, and it was all she could do to extricate herself from his arms. For a moment she stared into his eyes with shock.) Hailey:(gasped)Oh my God, . . . John. (She putting one hand to her lips and the other to his then without a word, she pushed him away turned and dart off stage.) John: Hailey, wait . . . come back. (Calling after her, but she didn’t stop.)
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