Halfway There Page 6

  Vi: You do not think that.

  Mary Ellen: I do.

  Janine: Mary Ellen, what’s going on?

  Rita: She’s just had sex two times in one afternoon. She’s delirious.

  Janine: Mary Ellen?

  Mary Ellen: . . . Well

  Rita: Mary Ellen, don’t.

  Mary Ellen: Why shouldn’t I, Rita? I’ve been keeping this inside of me for so long it’s about to give me an ulcer.

  Janine: Keeping what inside?

  Mary Ellen: He made a pass at me.

  Vi: Who did? The doctor?

  Mary Ellen: No.

  Janine: Bradley did?

  Mary Ellen: Yes. And he made one at Rita too.

  Rita: Oh, damn it, Mary Ellen.

  Vi: Wait, wait. Bradley hit on you? Both of you?

  Mary Ellen: Yes.

  Janine: When did this happen?

  Mary Ellen: It happened to me last Christmas.

  Janine: Rita?

  Rita: The Christmas before that.

  Vi: What, is this like caroling to him?

  Mary Ellen: I don’t know why he did it. I just know that it took me by surprise and made me feel dirty.

  Janine: Well, what happened?

  Mary Ellen: He cornered me at Joy Bellwood’s Christmas party with mistletoe in his hand. I was about to give him a little peck and he . . . well, he went a lot deeper than that. I was embarrassed and ashamed.

  Janine: I was at that party.

  Mary Ellen: I know. So was Kyle. But Bradley caught me alone in the kitchen.

  Vi: Oh my God.

  Janine: Oh, Mary Ellen, I’m so sorry.

  Vi: (to Rita) And what about you?

  Rita: I had just bought some Christmas lights at the hardware store and I was walking home. Bradley was coming out of Dugan’s and he offered to walk me. I said no, but he tagged along anyway. When we got to my place, he tried to talk me into letting him come inside, but again I said no. Then he asked me for a kiss goodnight, and before I could say no a third time he planted one on me.

  Janine: He forced himself on you?

  Rita: It was a kiss. He didn’t do anything else.

  Vi: Don’t say that, Rita. He kissed you when you said no. That’s a violation.

  Janine: Has he ever hit on you, Vi?

  Vi: Are you kidding? My Johnny’s a cop. At least I hope that’s the reason.

  Janine: Oh my God.

  Rita: We’re sorry, Janine.

  Janine: No, I’m sorry. I feel awful that he did this to my friends. Why didn’t you tell me when it happened?

  Rita: I just figured he’d had too much to drink and that it was a slip.

  Mary Ellen: I was too embarrassed. I didn’t even tell Kyle. I only told Rita because she came into the kitchen right after it happened.

  Rita: I saw that she was upset and I asked her what was wrong.

  Janine: Wow. I don’t know what to say.

  Vi: Well, I guess this makes your decision about going to Halifax a little easier.

  Janine: Yes, it does. I don’t want to have anything to do with any man after this.

  Vi: Actually, I thought you would be leaning in the other direction.

  Janine: I wish you had told me.

  Mary Ellen: I’m sorry.

  Rita: So, what happens now?

  Janine: Now? Well, that’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? Now I have to rent a dumpster.

  Mary Ellen: A dumpster?

  Janine: Yes. Bradley’s moving out first thing tomorrow.

  Sean enters.

  Vi: God. Men. They’re the scourge of the earth.

  Rita: They’re a bunch of morons.

  Mary Ellen: Nothing but sex maniacs.

  Vi: Hi, Sean.

  Rita: Hi, Sean.

  Mary Ellen: Hi, Sean.

  Sean: How’s everyone this afternoon?

  Vi: Well, Sean, you’ve happened by at a very interesting point in the conversation, but it’s not my place to enlighten you on it. I’ll leave that to Janine because I know you’re here for an answer to your “illicit rendezvous in Halifax” question and you’re probably anxious to hear her decision, but I must tell you, you’ve got a harder row to hoe right now than you did ten minutes ago. Life is all about timing, isn’t it? All right, ladies, let’s go.

  Mary Ellen: But I haven’t touched my coffee.

  Vi: Well, you should’ve gotten here sooner instead of fornicating all afternoon. Now, up you get. Rita, let’s go. Have a nice chat, you two. See you tomorrow, Janine. Bye, Sean.

  Sean: Goodbye.

  Vi sings “Our House” as she exits.

  Rita and Mary Ellen follow her out. Sean calls after them.

  That’s a Graham Nash song! That’s not Neil Young!

  (to Janine) You told them that I asked you to go to Halifax with me?

  Janine: Like I said. We don’t keep secrets here.

  Sean: But if you would just try.

  Janine: Sorry.

  Janine begins cleaning up.

  Sean: So, what did Vi mean by “I’ve got a harder row to hoe now”?

  Janine: Well, I just found out that Bradley wasn’t the man I thought he was.

  Sean: Oh?

  Janine: Yes. And I’m going to be ending that relationship tout suite.

  Sean: It must be pretty serious, what you found out?

  Janine: It is.

  Sean: Care to share it?

  Janine: No, I think I should keep that between me and the girls.

  Sean: Oh, sure. You’ll keep that a secret.

  Janine: So, that’s what Vi meant when she said that.

  Sean: I see. Well, you know what? In light of this new Bradley revelation, I don’t think you should go to Halifax with me.

  Janine: You don’t?

  Sean: No. The important thing now is to concentrate on healing yourself. You need time. Time to sort through your feelings. You should stay here and ruminate. Be with your friends. Accept their support.

  Janine: You’re right. I think that’s what I’ll do.

  Sean: Well, that backfired on me, didn’t it? Well, I won’t say I’m not disappointed, but I understand.

  Janine: Well, don’t be too disappointed. I’m very fickle. Anything’s possible. And you’re here for another three weeks yet.

  Sean: Seventeen days to be exact.

  Janine: Until the long weekend, right?

  Sean: Right. And then I head back home.

  Janine: And what’s waiting for you at home?

  Sean: Not much. Surprisingly not as much as what’s here. You know, maybe I’m jealous. Maybe that’s what it is.

  Janine: Jealous of what?

  Sean: Of you and the wonderful friends you have. I wish I had some of that. Maybe that’s why I asked you out. Maybe I’m trying to squeeze myself into this world of yours so that I can leave mine behind.

  Janine: Or maybe you just like me.

  Sean: Or maybe it’s that simple. So, we’re not going to Halifax together. Could we at least have dinner sometime? Here in Stewiacke? It’ll be very innocent. Above board. No expectations.

  Janine: Sounds boring.

  Sean: I like to shoot low on the first date. Then there’s nowhere to go but up.

  Janine: Sure. I think we can do that.

  Sean: Good. All right, I have to go now. I’ve got a big night tonight.

  Janine: Do you?

  Sean: Well, it’s Tuesday. Laundry. So, have a good week and let me know when you want to have that dinner.

  Janine: I will. And have a good time in Halifax.

  Sean: Oh, I’m not going to Halifax now.

  Janine: You’re not?

  Sean: No, I was only going so I could spend time with you.

  Janine: Really?

  Sean: Yeah. The whole tour guide companion thing was a ruse. I just wanted to be alone with you. I had it all planned. Dinner. The theatre. Everything.

  Janine: And the staying in separate rooms idea?

  Sean: A big lie. Huge lie! No, you wo
uld fall prey to my charms and we’d wind up sleeping together. It would have been great.

  Janine: Really?

  Sean: Oh spectacular. You really missed out. But now I have to forget about all of that. I have to put those thoughts of being with you right out of my head. Ignore them completely.

  Janine: And how will you do that?

  Sean: Oh, I’ll think of something.

  Sean exits singing Neil Young’s “Heart Of Gold.”

  Janine moves to the door and turns the sign around so that it now reads “Open” as it faces the audience. Janine moves back into the diner. Rita appears outside the door. She knocks.

  Janine: Rita?

  Janine opens the door and lets Rita in.

  What’s wrong? Did you forget something?

  Rita: No. No. I just . . . can we talk for a second?

  Janine: Sure we can talk. Come on in.

  Rita moves into the restaurant.

  Rita: Thank you. So, what was your decision? Did you tell Sean you weren’t going to Halifax with him?

  Janine: Yes.

  Rita: How did he take it?

  Janine: Cried like a baby. Is that what you wanted to talk about?

  Rita: No, it’s something else.

  Janine: Oh. Okay.

  A beat as she waits for Rita to talk.

  Did you want to sit?

  Rita: No. No, I’m good right here.

  Janine: Do you mind if I sit?

  Rita: You can do whatever the hell you like.

  Janine: Then I think I’ll sit.

  Janine sits.

  There that’s better. I’m all set.

  Rita: Right. Uh . . . Okay, here it is. There’s a reason I didn’t tell you when Bradley made that pass at me.

  Janine: Yes?

  Rita: . . . I don’t like being alone. It breaks my heart sometimes when I’m sitting at home and I’m thinking of you being with Bradley, or Vi sharing her life with Johnny, or Mary Ellen with Kyle. I know as a good friend I should be happy for the three of you but sometimes I just get overwhelmed by jealousy and sadness. I’m ashamed to admit that to you. I really am, but that’s how it is sometimes. When my Shane died, Jason and I tried to carry on. We did our best to hold it together. We even talked about having another child to . . . to take Shane’s place. I know how awful that sounds. But I was still young. I was only twenty-nine and I wanted children. And we could have done it. But Jason blamed himself for what happened to Shane. And even worse, he thought that I blamed him too. But I didn’t, I swear. It was an accident. I know that. But Jason fell deeper and deeper into a depression and he started drinking too much, and quite frankly, Janine, I couldn’t take that burden on top of losing Shane, so I left him. I took the selfish way out and I cut Jason loose without even thinking about it. And I’ve been afraid to get involved with anybody else since because I don’t want to feel all of that pain with someone new. That scares the hell out of me. But my God it gets lonely. I feel so empty sometimes and that emptiness goes way down deep to where it seems like there’s no bottom to it. To where there’s no light at all. Just darkness. So, I didn’t tell you about the incident with Bradley because I thought it might break you two up. And I didn’t want you winding up alone like me and feeling so empty the way I do sometimes. I thought that pain would be far worse than any hurt that Bradley could cause you. And that’s it. That’s the God’s honest truth.

  Janine: Come ’ere.

  Janine hugs Rita.

  Rita: Now, let’s keep this between you and me, okay? I mean, Mary Ellen and Vi think I don’t give a damn about anybody but myself, and it makes them feel superior. I don’t want to ruin that for them.

  Janine: My lips are sealed.

  Rita: Thank you. Okay, I have to go. Things to do.

  Janine: Laundry?

  Rita: Well, it’s Tuesday.

  Rita moves to the door then stops.

  So, you’re really kicking Bradley out?

  Janine: I am.

  Rita: And you turned the doctor down?

  Janine: I did.

  Rita: Hmm. So, now I guess we’ll be alone together.

  Janine: I guess we will be.

  Rita: Just you and me.

  Janine: Yep.

  Rita: Well, you know what? We can sit together and watch TV at night. We can do potluck dinners with just the two of us. Go to movies together. Have pyjama parties.

  Janine: I wonder if I can still catch the doctor.

  Rita: Oh, don’t worry. I wouldn’t do that to you. But maybe once a month we could have a night for just the two of us. You know, check in with each other. Make sure we’re doing all right.

  Janine: I’d like that.

  Rita: Good.

  Janine: Rita, thanks for telling me that. And I really wish you would try again with someone else. I want to see you happy.

  Rita: I am happy. I’ve got you and Vi and Mary Ellen. I’m luckier than most. So don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself. This being alone isn’t for the faint of heart. It’ll take some getting used to.

  Janine: Thanks for the warning, but I’ve been alone before.

  Rita: You were alone when you were working in Montreal and travelling to all those exciting cities. You haven’t been alone here, halfway to the North Pole. That’s a whole different kind of alone.

  Rita exits. Lights down.

  Scene Two

  Time: that Friday.

  Place: the same.

  Lights up. Vi and Mary Ellen are sitting in the diner. The diner is closed.

  Mary Ellen: Well, I’ll tell you, Vi, it’s wearing me out. I don’t know how much longer I can take it.

  Vi: Every day at lunchtime?

  Mary Ellen: Every day this week. I get home at one o’clock and there he is waiting for me. With a big grin on his face.

  Vi: Can’t he just wait until nighttime when you two are in bed?

  Mary Ellen: Well, it’s then too!

  Vi: What?

  Mary Ellen: Yes! He’s got this new-found vigour. He can’t seem to turn it off. I mean, if the boys weren’t in the house after school there’d be no downtime at all.

  Vi: It’s that bad?

  Mary Ellen: Oh, Vi, I dropped a dishtowel last night and I was afraid to bend over to pick it up.

  Vi: It sounds like you’ve unleased a monster.

  Mary Ellen: Oh, my girl, you have no idea.

  Janine enters from the back.

  Vi: Did you hear this, Janine?

  Janine: Hear what?

  Vi: Kyle has turned into a sex machine all of a sudden.

  Janine: Really? Well, lucky you, Mary Ellen.

  Mary Ellen: Lucky? Whenever I’m alone these days I think, “Oh, that’s what being motionless feels like.”

  Janine: Well, you started it. You made him think you were being neglected.

  Mary Ellen: I was being neglected. I felt like a rusted-out car sitting in someone’s backyard. And now I’m being waxed and buffed to within an inch of my life.

  Janine: Maybe you should be thankful. How long have you two been married?

  Mary Ellen: Twenty-one years.

  Janine: Well, I can’t speak from experience, but from what I hear, sometimes that flame dies out between two people after a while.

  Mary Ellen: Well, this one’s not dying. And it’s not just a flame anymore. It’s an out-of-control wildfire that’s destroying everything in its path.

  Vi: Where’s Rita? It’s after five on a Friday. I have to go and meet Johnny.

  Janine: Maybe she got busy at the bakery.

  Vi: No, she’s usually out of there by three at the latest.

  Mary Ellen: Has Sean been around this week, Janine?

  Janine: I haven’t seen him since Tuesday.

  Mary Ellen: When you turned down his Halifax proposal.

  Janine: Right.

  Mary Ellen: Maybe you broke his spirit.

  Janine: Oh, I doubt that. He’s probably just got his hands full at the clinic.

  Mary Ellen:
He is a handsome one.

  Janine: Yes he is.

  Mary Ellen: Very handsome.

  Janine: Yes, I know that, Mary Ellen.

  Mary Ellen: I’m just making an observation. I didn’t mean anything by it.

  Vi: What Mary Ellen’s trying to say is, we’ve talked it over and we’re giving you the okay to be receptive to the doctor’s advances.

  Janine: Oh, are you?

  Mary Ellen: Well, it’s been three days since you gave Bradley the heave-ho. Time to move on.

  Janine: Is that a suitable time to get over a guy? Three days?

  Vi: To get over that guy it is.

  Rita enters.

  There she is.

  Rita: Hi.

  Janine: You’re a little later than usual, Rita. We were getting worried.

  Rita: Oh, I fell asleep, that’s all.

  Mary Ellen: Sleep. I wish I could do that. It’s getting so I’m afraid to close my eyes at my house anymore.