Curtains open to reveal a simple living room; a couch, coffee table, and back door. Next to the back door is a well decorated Christmas tree.
A woman in sweatpants and a t-shirt is reading a book by the single light of one lamp. The back door unlocks and opens as a young woman charges through the door, slamming it behind her. She’s breathing heavily and looks to be in obvious distress and tension. She wears tight dark jeans, black heels, thick white wool trench coat. Her hair is down, but her face is pinched and looks as though she’s about to cry.
The older woman is startled, jumping up as the younger girl’s face crumples into what looks like sobs.
COLLEEN(mother)
Evie? Evelyn? Evelyn what’s the matter!
(Evelyn slumps and sits on the couch, burying her face in her hands. Colleen removes her reading glasses and scoots closer to her.)
COLLEEN
Talk to me, baby, what happened?
EVELYN
(shaking her head)
J-just give me a minute, Mom.
(The two women sit in silence for a few minutes. Colleen rubs her daughter’s back as Evelyn catches her breath, wringing her hands together.)
EVELYN
(Taking a deep breath)
Alright. I’m O.K.
COLLEEN
(quietly)
Are you sure? Talk to me, darlin’, what happened?
EVELYN
(struggling)
It was just a lot... seeing him again. It was so hard to see him again...
COLLEEN
I know, baby, here, do you need a Kleenex?
(Evelyn shakes her head)
EVELYN
I’m not crying, I’m O.K.
COLLEEN
Alright. So how was it?
EVELYN
(slowly)
Well... long. Ugh it was weird. Like at the same time I wanted to get up and not even see him, I felt like I couldn’t leave.
COLLEEN
Completely normal, I wouldn’t have wanted to go through that either.
EVELYN
Yeah, but it had to be done. I’m O.K., just processing everything.
COLLEEN
I understand... Would you like some cider? I was about to get up and make some--
EVELYN
Can it wait? Well... I kind of do want some. But I really want to just talk about this.
COLLEEN
Of course, darlin’. O.K., so you got to Macaroni Grille, parked your car, got out, and then what happened?
EVELYN
(slowly)
Well... Josh was waiting inside, he’d already gotten a table. I didn’t see him at first, so I just went blindly around the restaurant. He tapped my shoulder from behind and it scared the shit out of me... So much so that I tripped on some lady’s purse and fell on to the floor.
COLLEEN
(chuckling)
You fell?! Oh darlin’, I’m so sorry... What did Josh do? Did he help you up?
EVELYN
(swallowing hard)
He tried to but I sure as hell wouldn’t let him, I got up by myself. I fell on my elbow though.
COLLEEN
Oh Evie, I’m so sorry. How hard did you fall on it?
EVELYN
(stretching her left arm and bending it)
Eh, not that hard. Ooh... it’s a little sore though.
COLLEEN
Are you O.K.?
EVELYN
Yeah I can move it, I’m alright. It was throbbing during dinner though.
COLLEEN
O.K. So you fell, got up...
EVELYN
Well that’s when I finally got a good look at him. He looks pretty much the same... He doesn’t have a beard, just scruff. And he’s obviously been working out. His stomach’s more muscular and trim now. Still only a little bit taller than me. Still ordering water with no ice.
COLLEEN
(laughing)
What was he wearing?
EVELYN
Oh he wore a white polo with navy sweater. I think it even had the little university mascot symbol on the left side. That with dark jeans and his stupid brown leather shoes. And an navy cap.
COLLEEN
Typical Josh, don’t you think?
(They laugh together)
EVELYN
Yeah no kidding. He took his cap off for dinner though... and he blessed the food.
COLLEEN
He did WHAT!?
(Evelyn cracks up)
EVELYN
It was hilarious. I almost snorted right into my pasta.
COLLEEN
Oh so you got pasta?
EVELYN
Yeah, it had scallops in it though. Not bad, just fishy. And garlic-y. But God, that was the strangest prayer I’ve ever heard. Josh, the saint who’s never even been to church before...
(Colleen laughs harder)
COLLEEN
What the heck did he say?
EVELYN
Something like, “Bless this food oh Father, our Father, and nourish us for the embodiment of good nature...”
COLLEEN
(laughing hard)
What the heck does that mean?
(Evelyn and Colleen laugh even harder than before)
EVELYN
(through her laughter)
I don’t have a damn clue! All I knew was that it was the most pathetic attempt to impress me that I’ve ever seen in my LIFE!
(Evelyn and Colleen are laughing so hard that they’re holding each other’s arms for support, still seated on the couch.)
COLLEEN
So what did ya’ll talk about?
EVELYN
Just small talk at first. I wasn’t nice though.
COLLEEN
Well as if he deserves it.
EVELYN
Yeah really. He actually didn’t really talk much. He just kept asking me questions. I’d never seen him so involved in a conversation in my life.
COLLEEN
Well it’s been what, five months since ya’ll stopped talking?
EVELYN
Yeah, that sounds right. Cause we stopped talking in September...
(Evelyn counts on her fingers)
September, October, November, December... Actually, it’s been only about four months. Crazy how time flies. It was so weird, cause it felt like there hadn’t been a gap between tonight and the last time I saw him.
COLLEEN
Oh back in August?
EVELYN
Yeah. He left for college in August. I found out what happened, and then we stopped talking in September... Worst two months of my life.
COLLEEN
Yes, I remember... What happened when ya’ll talked about that?
EVELYN
It was kind of scattered throughout dinner. He was really quiet at times, like all he wanted to do was just listen to me speak. I told him about all the activities I’ve been doing and working with the new church, and about the friends I’ve made and stuff... I didn’t talk about my dating life at all, and he asked, but I said it was off-limits.
COLLEEN
Good for you.
EVELYN
Yeah. And it wasn’t awkward or anything but there were so many pauses. Like heavy, dreary pauses that hold so much in one span of silence.
COLLEEN
Really?
EVELYN
There was one pause when we were eating and he looked up and was like, “Evie?” and I was like, “Yeah?” and he tried to reached for my hand. I yanked it away though, and he stuffed his hand back in his lap. He was like, “I’m sorry, that was entirely uncalled for. I just wanted to say that I’m really sorry I caused you so much pain.”
COLLEEN
Mm... Wow.
EVELYN
Yeah. I almost got sick.
COLLEEN
Oh darlin’...
EVELYN
(beginning to struggle with words)
I just couldn’t take it. He had no f***ing idea how much hardship and pain I’ve been through this semester. So instead of just accepting that apology... I went off on him.
COLLEEN
(confused)
What do you mean?
EVELYN
It made me angry... So I took the chance to say what I’ve been wanting to say ever since I signed him out of my life.
Colleen
What did you say?
EVELYN
I was like,
“You know, I know that you really mean that. I know that you’re sorry and I know that you’re doing everything you can to make this better. But there is nothing you can say or do that will change the fact that you cheated on me last summer. There’s nothing in the world that can take away the amount of heartache that you caused me, or the amount of guilt that you’re left with.”
COLLEEN
Oh good for you. What did he say to that?
EVELYN
That’s when it got worse... He was like, “I know that, Evie...” in his pathetic, tail-between-his-legs voice.
(Colleen laughs)
EVELYN
Yeah he was like, “I know that, but you’re the only person that I’ve ever truly loved in my entire life.”
COLLEEN
He SAID that?!
EVELYN
Yep. So I said, “That’s great, but you’re the only person I’ve ever truly hated.”
(Colleen cracks up)
COLLEEN
Evie!
EVELYN
(smugly)
It’s the truth. And I’m not taking that shit. If he loved me so much, he would have never slept with Jessica.
COLLEEN
That’s exactly right. I’m so proud of you, you handled this situation well.
EVELYN
Thanks, Mom. It was so hard though. I was afraid that I would crumble to pieces, cause I knew he would say stuff like that. But it’s like I had an iron cage around my heart. Something he would never penetrate again.
COLLEEN
That’s right, baby. I told you you’d be strong enough. You just have to believe it.
EVELYN
(trailing off)
Yeah... I’m just glad it’s over.
COLLEEN
How did ya’ll leave it? I mean, are ya'll going to keep talking or---
EVELYN
He knows I’ll be in town for another two weeks, through New Year’s. He’s got til the sixth, I think. I didn’t leave anything open for getting together again.
COLLEEN
Yeah. And it really can’t be any other way. You two need to move on with your lives, and in his case, figure out his life, you know?
EVELYN
Yeah.
COLLEEN
Alright it’s freezing in here... Let’s go fix that cider, get your mind off of this. Do you want to watch a movie or something? We have “A Christmas Carol”.
(Evelyn pauses, staring at the ground)
COLLEEN
Evie?
EVELYN
Oh, sorry, I heard you... yeah, I’d like some cider.
COLLEEN
Alright, come here you.
(Colleen wraps her arms around her daughter as they walk out of the room.)
COLLEEN
I’m so proud of you.
(CURTAIN CLOSES)
