Monologue Mania: Monologue Mania Day # 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786 Biggest Secrets (house # 2) by Janet S. Tiger (c) Jan. 8,9, 10, 11, 12,13 2019

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Monologue Mania Day # 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786 Biggest Secrets (house # 2) by Janet S. Tiger (c) Jan. 8,9, 10, 11, 12,13, 2019

THE BIGGEST SECRETS (house 2)

Production History –

2012 Scripteaser Reading Dunn-Rankin Gallery

This is part of a trilogy. House #1 and House # 3 are connected, but each can stand alone.

If together, this would be the second act. (First act - Days 1781-1786 preceding)

Characters-

JODY - 20s

GREG – 20s

RITA – 50s (from Act 1)

Set - Bare, only a couple of chairs, some boxes

THE BIGGEST SECRET (house #2)

(c) June 30, 2011 all rights reserved

(The set is simple - a couple of chairs, some boxes, papers on the floor. But there is also a sense of excitement, of newness. JODY enters, she is in her late 20s and glowing. With her is her suit jacket and tie-wearing husband, and he is less glowing.)

JODY - This is so amazing! I brought in the chairs when I did the walk through so we can sit                         and just enjoy this place!

              (She runs around, making plans.)

JODY - We can put some shades over here because the sun comes in in the afternoon, and I figure that we can get a new sofa to match the curtains we will hang.....here....

            (She stands against a wall smiling.)

JODY- Can you feel this place? It has been emptied of the old lives, with their hopes and dreams and secrets, so it has room for ours! My whole life I've wanted a house of my own and now I have it! It's like every dream come true!

(He is walking around, head down, wants to say something. Jody finally notices his mood and goes over to him, putting her arms around him. He pulls away and now she is getting a little upset.)

JODY - What's wrong? Did that Lorens case hit the fan? Was it that secretary of yours? The one who's always screwing up? The one with the 1960s-level short skirts and lowcut blouses? Forget about it! This is our first day in our new home! And I have some incredible news I have to tell you!

      (He takes her shoulders and makes her look at him.)

GREG - I want a divorce.

        (She is stunned, sits down in one of the chairs.)

JODY - What?

GREG - I've already started the papers going....

JODY - (Still stunned) What about this house?

GREG - You can keep the house as part of the settlement.

           (She sits amazed, then starts to recover.)

JODY - It was that girl, I knew there was something!

GREG - It's not Stephanie.

JODY - (Grasping at straws) That Sanders....

GREG - (Cuts her off) You don't her, and it doesn't matter, it's over between us....and it's been over for a long time.

JODY - How come nobody told me?

GREG - (Shaking his head) I'm not going into this now.   I've already moved out...

JODY - (Amazed) When did you move out? After breakfast?

GREG - When you were running around today, I went over and got my clothing.and law files...... I’ll get my books and exercise stuff later. You can have all the furniture - she has her own place.

             (Jody sits there, still in shock.)

GREG - I have to go, we have a dinner party tonight.

JODY – So, you’re not only moving out, you’ve already moved on! Amazing! I knew lawyers                         were good at keeping secrets, but this is impressive!

GREG – Your sarcasm really isn’t one of your most attractive qualities.

JODY – But your smugness is?

GREG - You decided that we wanted a house. I didn’t. I wanted to travel before we settled down. I was happy in our apartment….

JODY – Your apartment.

GREG – You were the one who made all the decisions, well, this is my decision.

JODY – One question, was signing the papers for this house unilateral? I recall you were there!

GREG – Don’t try to use legal terminology against a lawyer, Jody, it never works. Stick to interior design.

(He turns to leave.)

JODY - That’s it? Five years together, one married and the last words from you are that I should ‘Stick to interior design’

GREG – Why don’t you tell me what to say, Jody? You have for the last 12 months. You’re going to have the last words anyhow, you always do. Here are the papers.

(He hands her an envelope from his jacket and she lets it drop on the floor. He ignores that she has dropped the papers.)

GREG - You can sign them and get them back to me at your convenience, although I think for both our sakes this should be over as quickly as possible. Goodbye, Jody. Enjoy this house.

JODY - Go to hell!

GREG – Eloquent as always.

(He exits and she sits there, we see her going over what happened in her mind.)

JODY - I come in and it’s our first house, and I go…

(She repeats her movements and mutters the conversation with him while looking like she has been hit with a board.)

JODY - Divorce.

(She pinches herself. Then starts to chuckle. As she is laughing, RITA enters. Rita is Jody’s mother, in her 50s and excited for her daughter to be in this house. They hug and Rita is momentarily oblivious to Jody’s state, probably figuring it’s new-house-it is. )

RITA - Oh, honey, it’s beautiful! Congratulations! This is such a great room, and the light comes in so pretty right now, I can just see you can do wonders with this place….and the yard is big, you can entertain….Greg can barbecue.

JODY – (Thinking) Greg in a barbecue, hot coals, what a great picture….

RITA – (Not getting it) And there’s enough room for a pool….oh, you know who I bumped into the other day? That Eric fellow you used to date in college, he has his own construction company now and he did the pool and gazebo for those people on Vista Way, you know, the Wengles. He does great work….since he had a crush on you, you might get a good price!

(Rita keeps talking, but we suddenly can’t hear her.)

JODY - Is she still saying something? I can’t hear a word! Amazing! It’s like I’m in a bubble - like one of those balls you shake up and down and the snow falls down, but the people inside can’t hear you and you can’t hear them.

(At the end of this, Rita has stopped talking and is staring at Jody.)

RITA - Are you all right, honey?

(Jody pulls herself together and smiles.)

JODY – Just a little tiny bit overwhelmed.

RITA - (Thinks she understands) Oh, my little girl!

(She goes over and hugs Jody, who is stiff.)

RITA - All grown up!

JODY – That’s me, a real grown-up.

RITA – And you don’t have to worry about any furniture…..you know Grandma has lots of extra..

JODY – (Cuts her off) I don’t need anything!

RITA - But you have room right here for her piano…

JODY – I do not want her old piano!

RITA – And that chiffarobe would be perfect in your bedroom…

JODY – (Loud) Mom! I do not want anything from her house! I think her stuff has termites!

RITA - You could always fumigate…

(Jody gives her a look and Rita stops..)

RITA - Well, you can at least take some of her geegaws ….

JODY - No.

RITA – or furbelows…

JODY – NO!

RITA – Vases?

JODY – I got 15 vases for my wedding! Every computer illiterate person who couldn’t figure out how to do the registry computer stuff gave me a vase!

RITA – In my day, it was bowls. (Has a thought) Maybe you could use a few nice cut glass…

JODY – NOOOOO!

RITA - (Gets the message) All right! (Another idea) At least you could take some of the lovely books and magazines…..they would look so nice on those built-in shelves…

JODY – Are you insane? Those books and magazines have been outside on Gramma’s patio for years! Mom, they have bugs!

RITA – One day they’ll be valuable…

JODY – Yeah, in a hundred years! (Suddenly realizes) You aren’t keeping all that stuff you get from her…

RITA – No, but it’s so hard to throw it out…..I go every Tuesday for my weekly “Crap Pick- up”. I was hoping maybe you could take some of it here…you have a big garage and lots of storage space….

(Jody just stares at her mother – they have been through this before.)

RITA – Well, I’m sorry I raised such a picky daughter….

(Jody turns away at this and now Rita picks it up.)

RITA – What’s the matter?

JODY – Nothing…

RITA – I can always tell when….

(Rita now studies her daughter for the first time since she came. Jody tries to avoid the look, but Rita now steps back in triumph.)

RITA – Oh, my God, I can’t believe it! You were trying to keep it a secret, but I know…

JODY – You can’t possibly…

RITA - You’re pregnant!

(Rita grabs the stunned Jody and hugs her.)

JODY - How could you possibly know that?

RITA – A mother always knows! You’re glowing!

JODY - What a day!

RITA – Your first house, and a baby….

JODY - Not just one baby…

RITA – (Ecstasy) Twins!

(Jody now sits again.)

RITA - Thank goodness you have so much room! What a blessing….

JODY – More room than you think…

RITA – (Smiling) Don’t tell me…..you’re going to build out in the back! That’s such a good idea to do before the baby…babies come! Oh, honey, have you told Greg? Where is he? I thought he was going to be here with you….

JODY – Yes, he was here, no I haven’t told him, and where is he? At a dinner party with his girlfriend.

RITA – (Horrified) Don’t make jokes like that!

JODY – I don’t. You know I don’t.

(She picks the envelope off the floor and hands it to her mother, who opens it and stares in horror at the pages while Jody speaks.)

JODY - He wants a divorce, I get the house and that is that.

RITA – Oh, honey….

(She takes Jody in her arms and rocks her.)

RITA – Everything is going to be ok…

JODY – (Trying not to cry) Keep telling me Momma, maybe Santa Claus will come and the tooth fairy, too….

RITA – Don’t you worry about Santa Claus, he will be here for those twins next year….but as for now….I have an idea…

JODY – What kind of idea, Mom?

RITA – We’re going to get your things here and go over to Grandma’s…..

JODY – (Doubtful, she has seen these ideas before) I don’t know…

RITA – You don’t think she will be delighted to hear she’s going to be a great-grandmother?

JODY – Okay…

RITA – And you don’t think she will be a big support for you during these next few months?

JODY – (Starting to understand) All right….

RITA – And don’t you think that when you give Greg back all his books and magazines he would just love to have….more than he left behind?

JODY – (Laughs) You don’t mean….

RITA – It’s Tuesday, your grandmother probably has a few good stacks for me….

JODY – Maybe we can pick some extra good stuff from the patio…

RITA - Good idea…..and it rained last week!

(They laugh and hug. Rita looks around the house.)

RITA - I have a very good feeling about this house. Everything is meant for a reason….

(They start to walk out.)

RITA – When are you going to tell Greg?

JODY – About what?

(They laugh and exit. )

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