Copyright Brian Lloyd Christian, 2011
All rights reserved.
Rachel, soprano – a single mother
Eva, soprano – her teenage daughter
Synopsis:
Eva comes home from school and finds a list of chores which Rachel left for her. She throws them away in frustration and finds an opened letter containing a notice about her mother’s chemotherapy. Soon afterwards, her mom comes home. Rachel notices that Eva has not done her chores and becomes irritable with her. They get into an argument. When Eva brings up the cancer, and wants to know why Rachel didn’t tell her she was sick, Rachel becomes even more defensive and argumentative at first, and then in an epiphany, they both realize that they need each other.
(Music begins shortly before Eva comes home, i.e., enters stage left.)
(Eva enters carrying a backpack)
EVA: Finally - home from school! It was such a long day.
(She puts her bag down.)
EVA: It’s pleasantly quiet without Mom around. (She finds and picks up the list of chores
and reads it a moment)A list of chores for me to do! Thanks, Mom!
(She picks up the list from the chair and reads it for a moment.)
(She crumples up the list and tosses it aside)
EVA: Ha ha ha ha! Going out is the best solution for this one. Why does Mom always want me to work all the time?
(Eva picks up the list and goes ot put it in a small wastepaper basket. In the process, she notices a document which had been thrown out.)
EVA: Oh, what’s this? (Eva picks up the document and reads it)
EVA:
No! No! This can’t be happening!
My Mom has chemotherapy!
She must have cancer!
She should have told me.
Why keep a secret so terrible?
My life is always hard like this.
Now how will I take care of myself?
I only want a normal life!
I never ever asked for this.
I can’t believe she’d treat me this way!
I’m not a child; I’m almost an adult.
I’d help, if mom would let me in.
But all she does is leave me out.
(Eva is startled as she hears something from stage left.)
Mom is home! She’s back from work so soon!
What now? Do I tell her all I know?
I can’t decide. I don’t
Know what she’d say. It’s
My secret; I’m just as tough as she.
(Eva, who has kept the letter, sits at the coffee table and begins to read a magazine as her mother Rachel enters stage left carrying the mail. Rachel puts the mail on the table and busies herself putting away her jacket and purse, etc. without looking carefully at Eva.)
RACHEL: Good evening, Eva. Have you done your chores?
EVA: I just got home, Mom.
RACHEL: Well perhaps you should get started instead of sitting there reading magazines!
(Rachel sits down at the coffee table to go through the mail. Rachel still does not look directly at Eva.)
RACHEL:
Ah bills! Bills, bills, bills! Earning money and spending it.
Sometimes it seems that’s all I do. Why don’t you get a job, Eva?
EVA: But I’m in school, Mom!
RACHEL: Well, I can’t support you forever!
(Rachel goes to the wastebasket to throw out some of the mail. Eva speaks before Rachel completes this task.)
EVA: (suddenly blurting out) Why are you keeping secrets from me?
RACHEL: (turning to face Eva, still holding the mail) I don’t keep secrets from you!
EVA: Well, just tell me. are you sick?
RACHEL: What? Why are you asking me that?
EVA: I found a letter in the wastebasket. And it’s for you! And it’s about chemotherapy! (Eva shows the letter to her mom. Rachel grabs it from her.)
RACHEL: (sternly and rhetorically) Stop it right now! Do you always go poking around in my trash?
(Rachel turns back again and finishes throwing out the mail. She notices the crumpled-up list of chores. She takes it out and uncrumples it.)
RACHEL: What is this doing in here?
EVA: (more frustrated because Rachel won’t answer her questions) I don’t know. (ironically) Why are you poking around in the trash?
RACHEL: This is my house, and my wastebasket, and my trash! Who do you think paid for all this? Not your father, that’s for sure.
EVA: I know. So what?
RACHEL: So, how are you supposed to do your chores if this is thrown out? (brandishing the crumpled list of chores)
EVA: I already know what’s on there. It’s always the same thing every time.
RACHEL: (mockingly) “Always the same thing every time!” Didn’t they teach you about redundancies in school?
EVA: I didn’t have to learn about it from school! I learned that from you, and the way you go on and on, and on! And the way you always ask me to do the same things.
RACHEL: If you were a better listener, I wouldn’t have to repeat myself!
EVA: Oh! I just want to go out with my friends, and get away from you. (taking out a cell phone)
RACHEL: (snatching away the cell phone)
Your friends?
What do they do?
Why do they matter?
How can you let them
Take over your life?
How do they help?
What do they know?
How can they love you,
Support you like I do?
You, my own daughter,
I don’t even know you.
My life has no purpose.
I’m working for nothing!
I strive, and I struggle.
Each day is a battle.
Eva, Eva, I’m wanting -
Waiting for meaning
Hoping that something will change in my life.
Are you still a child?
Why can’t you start helping?
When will you ever decide to grow up?
When will your burdensome selfishness die?
You’re helplessly stuck and you’re always complaining!
It’s more than I can possibly take!
I’ve had enough!
My life is a wreck!
If you won’t help,
I’ll just give up!
(Rachel turns the table over, spilling magazines and other items everywhere. After a shocked moment, Eva stoops down to start cleaning up.)
RACHEL: I’m sorry.
EVA: I’ll take care of it. (Rachel bends over to help Eva, but Eva holds her back.) No, Mom, you’re sick. Let me do this.
RACHEL: Thank you, Eva. (Rachel sits down while Eva continues cleaning up. Sometime later, Rachel gets back up again to help Eva right the table.)
EVA: Are you going to tell me about the cancer now?
RACHEL: I was afraid to tell you... but I think I’m ready now.
EVA: (panicking) Are you going to die?
RACHEL:
Please, Eva, there’s no need to panic.
The doctor said my chances are good.
I may be fine in the end. Mostly,
I don’t want you to be afraid.
EVA: I’m not afraid; I want to know.
R: I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.
Forgive me for holding back the truth.
I wanted to spare you the pain and tears.
I never wanted to lie to you.
EVA: How long have you known about this?
R: I’ve had this weighing on me for so long.
I found out nearly four months ago.
EVA: Four months ago!
R: I knew I wasn’t feeling well;
Then suddenly my worst fears were confirmed.
EVA: I’m so sorry!
R: I shouldn’t try to be so tough.
It’s just so hard to know how to act
When there’s all this tension, anger and fear.
It seems so unfair that this had to happen.
EVA: Oh Mom, let’s hope that you will get better real soon!
I promise not to abandon you!
I don’t like fighting, or keeping so distant.
I want to be part of your life from now on.
R: I want to be part of yours too.
EVA: No wonder you were so hard on me!
I never cared to sympathize with you.
I was too selfish to see past the little things.
I hope you’ll forgive me, accept me now.
EVA: (at the same time as below)
I shouldn’t let myself take you for granted.
Mom, I don’t want you to struggle alone.
I need you to care for me, love me, accept me.
I hope that you will live.
RACHEL: (at the same time as above)
I’m sorry I lied and kept secrets.
I need you to help me, be kind and respect me.
But Eva, I do. I’m grateful for your love.
(Rachel gets up and goes over to Eva and hugs her.)