The Wish

Cast

Renee Delaney

Marshall Hale

Josh Manning

Lillian Delaney

Danielle Delaney

Richard Delaney

Shawn Foster

Act 1

Scene 1

Enter Renee high left carrying a messenger bag, a camera bag, and a suitcase. She walks down the stairs. There is a couch center right and a table down left.

Renee- Hello! Mother! Father! Danielle! (sighs) It figures. I come home for the first time in two months and nobody is here.

Danielle- (walks onstage from down stage right, carrying a pile of china plates, Lillian is following her) Mother! I only found nine china plates! I don’t see why we need that many any ways.

Lillian- Darling. Renee is bringing Joshua with her and of course… RENEE! You came early!

Danielle- Renee’s here?

Lillian- Look!

Danielle- Renee! (hands Lillian the dishes, runs to Renee, and hugs her) Oh Renee how are you?

Renee- I’m fine dear. How are you?

Danielle- Wonderful. I graduate next month.

Renee- I know and I promise I’ll be there.

Lillian- (steps forward and hugs Renee) How’s my eldest girl?

Renee- Conquering the world with the power of words.

Marshall- (entering down stage right) Now, I thought you were teacher?

Renee- (drops her things, runs to him, hugs him) Marshall! I haven’t seen you in so long! (slaps the back of his head. Sternly) What makes you think teachers can’t conquer the world?

Marshall- I was only kidding. (Hugs Renee. She playful pushes him away)

Renee- What have you been doing with yourself?

Marshall- Well I’ve just been running my store and…

Josh- (enters high left carrying four bags) Renee, I love you, but how on earth did you manage to bring all of this?

Renee- All of that isn’t mine. Only some of it.

Josh- (walks to her and kisses her on the cheek) My stuff is still in the car. This is yours.

Renee- I’m sure it is all stuff I need.

Josh- (exiting the same way he came) I’m sure it is.

Renee- (to Marshall) Please try to get along with him this time. He tries so hard and isn’t jealous that you’re my best friend. I don’t see why you can’t.

Marshall- I’ll do my best. No promises though.

Renee- Good. (to Danielle) Hey Danielle, let’s go get the guest room set up for Josh.

Danielle- Already done.

Renee- (giving her a serious look) Then why don’t we get my bags to my room.

Danielle- (nods) Of course.

They exit up right. Marshall walks to the table, sits down, and hits the table with his fist.

Lillian- (placing the plates on the table) For goodness sake Marshall, don’t your feelings out on my table. Just tell her you love her and get it over with.

Marshall- I don’t know what you’re talking about Lillian.

Lillian- Everyone knows you love Renee and have loved her since you two were little. It’s getting just a bit pathetic to watch you pine for this long.

Marshall- Everyone knows?

Lillian- Yup.

Marshall- Renee knows.

Lillian- She pretends not to. She pretends to be blind to the fact that you are madly in love with her, but she knows it. There is no doubt that she knows it.

Marshall- (gulps) What about Josh?

Lillian- The way he acts around you I would say he doesn’t. But I’d keep a weary eye out for him. Something tells me he wouldn’t take kindly to this little triangle.

Richard- Has my little girl arrived yet?

Lillian- She’s upstairs with Danielle. I’m going to go join them. (she exits up right)

Richard- (to Marshall) Good Lord we’ll never see them again.

Josh- (re-enters high left) Mr. Delany.

Richard- I told you Josh, you need to start calling me Richard.

Josh- Of course. Well Richard it seems both our girls have run off on us.

Richard- Most likely to gossip.

Marshall- (jittery) I’m going to run home for a little while. Tell the girls I’ll be back before dinner. (exits high left)

Josh- I swear sometimes I think he is part of this family. Every time we come down he is here.

Richard- A little jealous possibly?

Josh- No. I find it interesting.

Richard- Whatever you say.

They exit down right. Enter Lillian and Renee from up right.

Renee- (crying lightly) Mom. I brought you down here because I need to talk to you.

Lillian- (nervously) What is it baby?

Renee- Mom I know Marshall loves me and I don’t know how to respond to that.

Lillian- What do you mean by that?

Renee- I mean… I love Josh, but a can’t hurt Marshall. There is a little part, emphasis on a little, that actually does love him. The rest of me love him as a friend but, I can’t hurt him. I don’t know if I could do it and it’s coming down to the time where I have to decide. I need help with this an I really trust you to help.

Lillian- (sternly) Renee. I am your mother and my job is to help you when you need it. Right now you need help. I can give you as much as you need.

Renee- (wipes her eyes. Speaks softly.) Thank you mom.

Lillian- It’s nothing.

Marshall- (re-enters. Worried) Renee! Are you alright?

Renee- (looking down) I’m fine Marshall. Um… I think I’m going to go and… take a walk. Reacquaint myself with the town, you know?

Marshall- (stepping towards her) Would you like company?

Renee- Not really Marshall. I can’t think clearly right now and people will distract me.

Marshall- I thought you were going to reacquaint yourself with the town?

Lillian- (harshly whispered to Marshall) Don’t be an ass Marshall. You’re losing points.

Marshall- Sorry Renee… (Renee heads to high left)I didn’t mean… (she slams the door)

Lillian- Now you’ve done it. You know Marshall, just because you two are blunt with each other doesn’t mean that you have to be blunt all the time. If you love her you’ll calm down and get a grip on reality. Stop taking your aggression out on her, Josh, and my table. In fact take your aggression out somewhere away from here. (she crosses down center) You know when I was angry at Richard a few years back for lying about losing his job, I didn’t take my anger out on him, at least not on purpose. I got in my car and drove for as long as I could. When I got tired I pulled over at the nearest hotel. I kept that up for four days I made it halfway across the country and back. By the time I reached home, I missed my family so much and felt liked I had abandoned Danielle, that I forgave Richard for everything.

Marshall- What are you trying to say Lillian?

Lillian- You have lived in this town your whole life. You love a girl who was born and raised in this town. All you know is this town. You need to get away for a while.

Marshall- Are you telling me to leave?

Lillian- No, of course not dear. I’m not telling you to do anything. I’m suggesting that you go on a road trip. Clear your head just as Renee is now.

Marshall- Why didn’t you suggest this to her?

Lillian- I did. She took that advice. She was 18. Remember you didn’t see her much the summer before college? She drove across the country and experienced new things, met new people, and tried to get over the fact that her life messed up.

Marshall- What do you mean?

Lillian- She didn’t get accepted into her dream college and as you know that was the year Julie died in that car accident. Then stress got to her and everything went tumbling.

Marshall- (suddenly) I won’t be at dinner tonight.

Richard- (enters down right) Why not Marshall? Is everything all right?

Marshall- Yes Richard. I’m just taking your wife’s advice. (exits high left)

Richard- What did you fill his head with now Lillian?

Lillian- I just wanted him to clear his head.

Richard- Lillian. Marshall is going to cause a problem.

Lillian- That boy is harmless!

Richard- Lillian! He is not harmless. He is compromising Renee’s chance to get married.

Lillian- What!?

Richard- Lillian, Josh just asked me for her hand.

Lillian- (walks to the table and falls into a chair) What did you say?

Richard- I said “Josh just asked me for her hand.”

Lillian- No! To him!

Richard- I told him yes.

Lillian- (exasperated) No, no, no.

Richard- Quiet Lillian! He’ll hear you.

Lillian- (covering her eyes with her hands) No, no, no.

Richard- What do you have against the boy?

Lillian- Marshall has always been meant for Renee. Richard I just know he is. I always have.

Richard- Be realistic Lillian. Renee loves Josh and Josh loves Renee. If Marshall and Renee had a chance together, it would have shown by now.

Lillian- You don’t know that.

Richard- I’m not going to deny my little girl’s happiness because you have a hunch that another relationship would work out better. (looks toward down left and back at Lillian) We really shouldn’t discuss this here and now.

Lillian- I need to go finish dinner anyway.

Richard- Lillian I don’t want you discouraging Josh when you’re in there. Renee loves him and you need to respect that.

Lillian- (crosses down right) Respect yes, agree with no.

Richard- (grabbing Lillian by the arm and dragging her down center) You listen to me Lillian. This is a good thing here. Just because you like Marshall better and just because you think he’s better for Renee does not mean you have any right to push them together. By pushing them together you are going to pull them apart.

Lillian- HA! You do agree with me!

Marshall- (entering high left) Agree with you about what?

Lillian- Marshall! I thought you were clearing your head.

Marshall- I was in such a hurry that I forgot my coat. (takes his coat. Looks around awkwardly) Well I guess I’ll go. (exits high left)

Lillian- Well (cheerily) time to finish dinner. (exits down right)

Danielle- (enters up right) Renee! Hey, where did Renee go?

Richard- Oh Danielle, good. I’m going to go find Renee. Could you go in the kitchen and make sure your mother doesn’t kill Josh.