Doorways

Dramatis Personae

Carrie-Anne Patterson, a woman in her mid twenties, soft spoken. She is very pretty, and should be played by someone with a lot of self-confidence.

Thomas Patterson, Carrie-Anne's husband, a man in his early thirties. He is larger than Carrie, and bulky, almost like he works out too much. He is handsome but should be capable of being sinister.

Linda Abrams, Carrie-Anne's best friend, a woman in her late twenties. She is long and willowy, slender and frail. She should be played by someone who is a dancer.

Bill Abrams, Linda's husband, a man in his mid-thirties. He is a large man, bigger than Thomas, and the very definition of Southern Comfort.

Natalie Reynolds, Thomas' secretary. She is tiny and curvaceous, blonde and loud. She should be portrayed as one of those secretaries that thinks sleeping with the boss will get her promoted. She really wants to be a lawyer.

Narrator- indiscriminate age, dressed in a black dress suit, he has a kind face.

(Scene opens with a living room, a couch, and a tv, a table with a telephone and an answering machine on it, a few other odds and ends. Behind that are two doors, one Stage Right, is the door to the bedroom, and the one Stage Left is the door to the outside. CARRIE-ANNE PATTERSON is coming into the house laden with gifts.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

Tom? Tom, I'm home! Are you there? (No answer.) Huh. All right, more time to hide the presents. (She glances at the clock. 1:30. ) Plenty of time. (She hums as the takes out the boxes and digs wrapping paper out of a cabinet, along with tape and scissors. She pushes the couch back and sits in the middle of the floor wrapping presents. Lights dim.)

(NARRATOR enters the stage from the outside. He stands just in front of, and to the side of CARRIE-ANNE.)

NARRATOR:

Carrie-Anne Patterson was married on June 26th, 1998. She was 24 years old, and in perfect health. She was happy and so was her husband Thomas Patterson. It is now December 12th, 1999.

(The Phone rings. CARRIE-ANNE jumps up to answer it. She is smiling and breathless.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

Hello? Oh! Tom! What? No, I was Christmas shopping. No, for the mailman, yes, for you silly. (She frowns.) Honey, I was joking. We don't even have a mailman! (A longer pause, then she smiles again.) Oh, okay, I'll see you around five then.

(She hangs up, glances at the clock again, 2:00, and continues wrapping presents.)

NARRATOR:

Carrie-Anne found out she was pregnant two weeks, four days, three hours and 30 minutes ago. She told her husband two weeks ago. Since then, he has been coming home later, taking more...showers. You and I both know what that means. But her...

(NARRATOR fades into the background as the clock strikes five. The Stage Left door opens and THOMAS comes in, his leather jacket over one shoulder. He bends to kiss CARRIE-ANNE on the head and disappears into the bedroom.

THOMAS: (OFF)

How was your day, dear?

CARRIE-ANNE:

It was good. I did some shopping, I almost have all the Christmas cards signed and stamped, to send out tomorrow. I've got presents for you, for Linda, for Bill and for my parents. And...

THOMAS: (entering)

I don't like Linda, and you know that. I wish you wouldn't spend so much time with her. (CARRIE-ANNE gives him a wounded look and he quickly backtracks.) It's only because I love you so much, and she takes away so much of your time.

CARRIE-ANNE:

She's my best friend, Tom. What do you expect me to do?

(THOMAS picks his battles and drops the subject, quickly attempting to shake the wrapped presents. She smacks his hand and they tussle for a minute before the phone rings and THOMAS reaches up for it.)

THOMAS:

Y'llow? Oh hi, Natalie. Is there trouble at the office? WHAT?! Oh for God's sake...yeah, I'll be there in an hour. Bye. Carrie, honey, don't wait dinner, there's an emergency at the firm. One of our clients just broke his parole, and I have to be down there.

CARRIE-ANNE:

...Well...all right.

(She kisses him gently and then he's gone. She sits in the middle of the room amongst strewn paper and gifts before sighing heavily.

Fade to black.)

(Small circle of light comes up on stage, illuminating the narrator.)

NARRATOR:

April 9th, 2000 Carrie-Anne Patterson miscarried her only child. She told everyone she fell down the stairs, and that was true. She fell down the stairs at her friend Linda's apartment, and that's when her life fell apart.

(CARRIE-ANNE sits on the couch, staring blankly off into space. The clock chimes seven, and still no sign of THOMAS. CARRIE-ANNE who had been glowing before, is subdued, her face pale and chalky. A large bruise is revealed when she moves her hair out of the way. The Stage Left door opens, and THOMAS walks in, smelling of cheap perfume and has lipstick smeared across his face.)

THOMAS:

Honey, I'm home! (Laughs at his own joke. When she doesn't respond, he sits down on the couch next to her, and gently turns her face towards his. She flinches away.) Fine, be frigid. Where's dinner?

CARRIE-ANNE:

In the oven. It's warming up.

(Almost grateful for a reason to move, CARRIE-ANNE gets off the couch away from THOMAS and moves upstage, where a spot illuminates a table set for two.)

I made lasagna, is that all right?

THOMAS:

It's fine.

(He walks back into the room, dressed in jeans and a button down black shirt. CARRIE-ANNE glances at him and cringes. He rolls his eyes and strides over to her, pulling her violently against his chest to hold her. She struggles minutely and subsides, keeping her head down.)

Y'know...it's only fun when you fight back.

(He spins her away from him, and she falls behind the couch, hitting it with a thud. Silence. THOMAS bends and picks her up, and she dangles unconscious in his arms. He places her on the couch, and sits on the edge looking down at her. Slowly, with one hand, he begins to unbutton her blouse.)

Black out.

A pool of light comes up stage left, and the NARRATOR walks into it, unsmiling.

NARRATOR:

Four days later, and unable to take the strain, Carrie-Anne confides in her friend Linda, telling her of what has been happening in the house.

(Lights up to reveal LINDA and CARRIE-ANNE sitting close together on the couch. CARRIE-ANNE has a dark purpling bruise on her temple, and she's holding a cloth filled with ice to her head. Her other hand has been seized by LINDA whose stroking her wrist comfortingly.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

Last night...he asked me to go to the movies, but when I came out of the bedroom he just...he just looked at me like I was wearing a brown paper bag around my waist. I asked him what was wrong, and he said...(affecting THOMAS'S drawl) 'You're wearing THAT?'.

LINDA:

And this? (She gestures to the bruise.) How'd you get it, Carrie?

CARRIE-ANNE: (after a long pause)

The couch is only comfortable when you're sitting on it.

(There's another pause as LINDA works out CARRIE-ANNE'S cryptic message. When the implication of what has been said finally hits her, she pulls her friend into her arms and holds her tightly.)

LINDA:

How long?

CARRIE-ANNE: (shrugging)

I don't know. I guess a few months. I never noticed it until...until after...after the baby.

(The NARRATOR steps in front of them and they freeze, as THOMAS enters Stage Right. He just stands there, as though reciting, and we realize that it's CARRIE-ANNE's memory.)

THOMAS:

Natalie always looks so nice when she's at work, why can't you be more like her? (Pause) ...You're going to wear that to the party tonight, Carrie, honey? Wouldn't you look better in the blue dress, the white one...it makes your ass...well...I wouldn't say big but...(pause) Carrie, sweetie, what are you doing? No, of course that's not right, it's never right. I'll cook dear, don't worry I don't expect you to be smart ALL the time...(pause) Honey, I'm home. Fine, be frigid. (THOMAS suddenly turns his head to look at CARRIE-ANNE silent on the couch. He smiles.) Bitch.

(The NARRATOR walks around the couch to stand behind them. CARRIE-ANNE begins speaking and the light on THOMAS fades until it's nothing.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

I don't know what to do, Linda...I'm terrified. He doesn't like you, or Bill. He keeps trying to get me to spend less and less time with you. I don't even call my parents anymore, I'm too afraid of what he'll do to me if he finds out I called them.

LINDA:

Carrie...(a long pause, heavy with the unspoken question, and then:) Why don't you just leave him?

CARRIE-ANNE: (staring blankly at LINDA)

(As though it's the most obvious thing in the world) ...Because I love him.

Black Out.

(Lights up to reveal THOMAS sitting alone on the couch. The door bell rings and he gets up to answer it. BILL, LINDA'S husband stands framed in the doorway. BILL is a big man, standing almost a head taller than THOMAS, dressed in lumberjack jeans and a red flannel shirt under a long leather coat. He is a smiling, proper Southern man.)

THOMAS:

Bill! Good to see you!

BILL:

Howdy, Tommy. I was just wonderin' if Linda was around. She isn't answering her cell phone and I know her and your wife are best friends.

THOMAS:

No, I haven't seen her. Carrie's been home all day cleaning, and she said she didn't have any visitors. I don't know where Linda is. Sorry. (Tries to shut the door.)

BILL:

How is the little lady anyway?

THOMAS: (with a sigh)

The 'little lady' is fine. She's taking a nap before dinner.

BILL:

Ain't natural.

THOMAS:

Not normally, no, but since the baby...

BILL:

Ah yeah, the baby. I'm sure sorry about that, Tommy. You two going to try for another one?

THOMAS:

No. The doctors told us that another baby might kill her.

BILL:

Shame. Still there's always adopting.

THOMAS:

I'm sure. I really have to go though. It was nice seeing you, Billy.

(He finally succeeds in shutting the door in BILL'S face. Once the door is shut, the stage left door opens and CARRIE-ANNE steps out, a new larger bruise on her face along with the one on her temple. She walks with a slight limp, but tries to hide it by using the furniture to get around.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

Who was that?

THOMAS:

Bill.

CARRIE-ANNE:

(freezes, a deer in the head lights look in her eyes. THOMAS' back is to her and doesn't notice. She visibly shakes herself and says:)

Bill? What did he want? Is everything okay?

(She crosses to the coffee table, and waits more or less patiently for the answer. THOMAS grins at her but she isn't reassured.)

THOMAS:

Yeah, everything's fine. Linda's cell phone battery must of died when she was at work today or something. He's just being a caring husband. (He pats her cheek ignoring her cringe.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

I see. Well as long as everything is all right...

THOMAS:

Honestly, the way he was worried...(he chuckles) You would have thought Linda left him high and dry. You'd never do that to me, would you, Carrie honey?

(There's a long silence. CARRIE-ANNE drops a kiss on his head.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

What kind of question is that. Of course not.

THOMAS:

Of course not.

(The grin he is wearing can only be described as triumphant. He pulls CARRIE-ANNE into the bedroom. The door slams.)

Black Out.

(Lights Up to reveal THOMAS and NATALIE on the couch. They're both holding wine glasses that are mostly empty. An empty bottle of Merlo sits between them. NARRATOR stands just in front of them. He looks upset.)

NARRATOR:

A scene she's not supposed to see.

(He walks off to vanish into the shadows. NATALIE laughs at something THOMAS says, and touches his knee. He smiles at her.)

THOMAS:

To success! (He raises his glass)

NATALIE:

To our success.

(They clink glasses and finish the wine.)

THOMAS:

You know...my wife's sleeping...

NATALIE:

And I can be quiet...

(Lights begin to dim on them as THOMAS leans forward to kiss NATALIE. The lights go out just as THOMAS lays her back and leans down to join her. Sudden movement from Stage Right brings a spot up on the bedroom door. CARRIE-ANNE stands in the doorway, half in shadow. She shuts the door again quietly.

NARRATOR:

(From the shadows)

But she saw it anyway.

Black out.

(Lights up to reveal CARRIE-ANNE sitting on the couch, a small bag on her lap. She slowly, hesitantly puts it under the couch and makes sure it's not visibly seen. She gets up, wipes her hands on her palms and picks up the phone.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

Linda? I'm ready.

LINDA:

(Walking onstage from the Outside door. Talking on her cell phone)

Good. Are you going to be okay? I'll call you before he comes, all right?

CARRIE-ANNE:

I'm not okay. Okay is a few state lines away at this point...but...he doesn't love me, Linda...

LINDA:

Honey...(long pause) He never did.

(CARRIE-ANNE hangs up a moment later, staring at the phone in shock. She covers her mouth with one hand and slowly sinks to her knees, crying into her hands.)

Black Out.

(The phone rings, and the lights come up. After a brief hesitation while looking at her husband, she picks up the phone and answers it.)

CARRIE-ANNE:

Hello?

(LINDA enters from stage left, standing in a pool of light, on a cell phone, glancing at her watch.)

LINDA:

Carrie? Hi, honey, how are you?

CARRIE-ANNE:

Um...I'm..good. Yeah, I'm good. How are you? How's Bill?

LINDA:

Bill's good. He's sending the car at six. Okay?

CARRIE-ANNE:

Okay.

(THOMAS glares at her and points to the doorway. He exits stage right, into the bedroom.)

LINDA:

Remember. Six.

(She hangs up, and exits stage left, the stage illuminates on CARRIE-ANNE, who stands in Center Stage, hanging up the phone. The clock begins to chime six, and two spots of light illuminated the doors behind her. One goes to the bedroom where THOMAS waits, the other to the outside world. She turns away from the Stage Left door and walks towards the bedroom. Slowly the stage left door's light source begins to diminish until it finally disappears. She pauses at the doorway to the bedroom, and the light brightens slightly to illuminate the table next to it. A picture frame sits there, CARRIE-ANNE and THOMAS, sitting on a blanket in the park, laughing together. She trails a finger over the edge of it, and finally places it face down on the table. She opens the bedroom door and closes it softly, yet firmly, behind her.

The light fades, while another comes up on the table holding the phone and answering machine. The clock chimes six fifteen, and the phone begins to ring. It rings in the silence four times and then stops. In the sudden silence, a single piercing scream is heard. The answering machine clicks, and a red light begins to blink, showing there is one message. The light fades slowly until the stage is black, all but for a single, blinking red light.

End