Real People

(had to write a piece containing 2 people and a secret for my short story class, fucked around a bit and got something alright -- CF) 

It’s a long open apartment, probably an old retired art studio, and before then a ballet studio. There’s long showing pieces of wood and piping on the ceiling, big spacious walls with random pieces of art on them. The walls are tall but there are windows above them and a few windows on the right side of the room. There’s a dinner table, and then a writing table near one of the windows with a cigarette burning in the ashtray and a typewriter on it with a half written poem still stuck in the typer. At the far end of the room there’s a bed, and a dresser to the left of it. It's lightly raining outside and you can hear the cars going across the freeway in the distance. 

What’s up with you today? I can tell something is goin on with you 

I don’t know. . . I think it’s because Richard is finally coming back tomorrow

So? We’ve been doing this for months now, so what if your husband is back from another one of his business trips

Yeah, but I haven’t seen him in like . . . a month and a half -- I’ve just been in this fucking apartment with you every waking moment!

Okay? That’s what we generally do

Yeah? And how’s Lucy, huh? How’s that little slut doing?

Hey! I don’t talk shit about Richard, you don’t talk shit about Lucy, the fuck Karen? 

OKAY

What in the fuck is with you today?

I’m fine

Really?

I’M FINE

Babe cman

JUST STOP

I seriously am going to lose my shit if you don’t just fucking say it

I’m gonna go

Like hell you are WOMAN!

You know what, fuck you SEAN. . .I’M PREGNANT

Pregnant?

PREGNANT

Fuck, whaaaat the fuuuuuuuuck -- It's not Richard's???

No. . .it can't be

FAWK you're sure??

What are you doing with that bottle?

I’m getting drunk, what does it look like?

OH THAT MUST BE NICE! GOOD WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR PROBLEMS

I thought you were on the pill???

I thought I WAS, I MUST HAVE SCREWED UP, I’D BE NICE IF YOU WRAPPED IT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!

Yeah, well, fuck KAREN, I DON’T KNOW, THIS IS A LOT RIGHT NOW. Fucking dropped a bomb on me

OKAY okay OKAY, what do you think we should do???

The rain picks up outside and starts battering the windows, Sean lights a cigarette and keeps pacing around the apartment. Sean has his head in his hands now, shaking it back and forth. Karen is across the long room with her back on the bed and her feet dangling over the side. Her eyes are closed, and her mouth is open, fists clenched onto the sheets.

Maybe . . . we should take care of it

Karen bursts into tears, she has been able to keep it together for the most part up until now, she sits up on the bed, still with her feet on the ground, and now puts her head into her hands as well, running her fingers throughout her hair, crying.

I don’t know if I can do that

What do you mean?

I dooonnnt knoooow IF I CAN DO THAT SEAN!

What are you going to do? Divorce Richard?? You’ve been together 8 years now or something for christsake

7 years

Okay??

I don’t know Sean, I never thought about this, I never thought about ANY of this!!

I think we should just take a deep breath and think this over

Think what over?? SUCKING THIS LIFE OUT OF ME!

KAREN, KAREN! I DON’T LIKE IT EITHER BUT FUCK WHAT ELSE?? It’s not like you can just lie, HE’LL KNOW WHEN THE BABY IS BORN! Richard and I don’t exactly SHARE THE SAME COMPLEXION

WHATEVER! YOU’RE RIGHT, OKAY? I’LL JUST DEAL WITH IT

Karen, WEEEE CAN DEAL WITH IT?

Does this happen to real people Sean?

I don’t know Karen, but I want to say yes