7 Aug 2015

PROMPT:  Sometimes bravery is just being just slightly less terrified than everyone else in the room.

Zeb L. West, writer/performer

Marti, 63, puts food on the table with the help of her husband, Jack, 64. Trina, 57, and her husband Burt, 57, look on.
MARTI
I just got back.
BURT
We could have cancelled.
JACK
We wanted to do this.
TRINA
Are you sure?  It’s not to late to cancel.
JACK
The food’s on the table.
MARTI
Let’s eat.
Everyone sits.  They sit quietly.
MARTI
Can we... can we... pray?
Burt reaches across the table to Marti and takes her hand.  Burt takes Trina’s hand.  Jack takes Marti’s and Trina’s hands.  Everyone closes their eyes and lowers their head.  There is a moment of silence.
MARTI
We pray for Doug and Donna.
BURT
For Tommy.
JACK
And Stefani.
Another moment of silence.  They release hands.
TRINA
Where’s the... treatment center?
JACK
Near Fredricksburg.
MARTI
It was weird.
BURT
I’m sure.
MARTI
He was excited to be there.  He’d been looking forward to it.
BURT
It’s an adventure.
TRINA
At least for the first night.
Silence.
TRINA
I can’t imagine how his parents are feeling.
BURT
Sad...  Relieved.
MARTI
Doug and Donna just couldn’t...  Tommy hit the woman they hired to do home schooling.  She quit.
JACK
He’d just fly into these rages and he couldn’t be controlled.
MARTI
And he’s a big kid.
TRINA
How old is he?
MARTI
Thirteen.
JACK
I figured he’ll be six six and weigh three fifty by the time he stops growing.
Silence.
MARTI
Stefani and I were sitting in the waiting area.  They brought in a young man, maybe twelve years old, in shackles.  Stefani’s eyes got so large.
Silence.
JACK
They had to do it.
BURT
Everyone in the family was being swallowed up in Tommy’s needs.
Marti nods.
TRINA
Maybe they can get his meds balanced and he’ll be able to come home.
JACK
They said he’d have to stay at least three months.
Silence.
MARTI
It just tore Doug up.
JACK
But I think Donna was... relieved.
MARTI
She had had to stand the brunt of it.
TRINA
Doug could go to work for a few hours.  Think about other things.
BURT
But Donna was stuck there, day in and day out.  She must be just beaten down.
MARTI
She is.
Silence.
JACK
The foods getting cold.
Everyone sits unmoving for a moment more, then slowly starts to serve themselves in silence.
End of play.