Between the Sheets (3 page)

MARION

I want to hear it from you. Where do you meet?

Beat.

Do you meet him here?

TERESA

What?

MARION

Do you meet my husband—

TERESA

No!

MARION

You're sure?

TERESA

Yes. I'm sure. I would never—

MARION

You would never what?

TERESA

I would never do something like that. This is my classroom. Why would you even ask me that?

MARION

Then where? In a hotel? In a car? On the street?

TERESA

At my apartment.

MARION

Your apartment.

TERESA

Yes.

MARION

Do you live alone?

TERESA

Yes. I live alone.

MARION

Does he have a key?

TERESA

No, he does not have a key.

MARION

How do you know when to meet? How does he know when to come over?

TERESA

I don't know. Look, we…

She stops herself.

We've only been together a few times.

MARION

What does that mean… a few times? You've only seen each other a few times? You've only fucked each other a few times?

TERESA

We've only slept together a few times… yes.

MARION

So… what? Twice? Three times?

TERESA

I haven't counted.

MARION

Do you use protection?

TERESA

What?

MARION

I need to know if I should be tested for—

TERESA

You don't need to be tested for anything.

MARION

Do you use protection or not?

TERESA

Yes.

MARION

What? Are you on birth control?

TERESA

No. I'm not on birth control.

MARION

No!

TERESA

No. We use condoms, all right?

MARION

Condoms?

TERESA

Yes.

MARION

Does he buy them or do you?

TERESA

I don't know.

MARION

So they just appear out of nowhere?

TERESA

No. He…

TERESA buries her head in her hands.

MARION

You're going to stop seeing him. Do you understand me? You're going to contact him tonight and you're going to tell him it's over. You're going to tell him it's over and then you are never to communicate with him again. You won't write to him… you won't call him—

TERESA

(quietly)
It's not that simple.

MARION

Simple? What did you think was going to happen?

TERESA

I didn't think anything.

MARION

Well that's the problem, isn't it? You weren't thinking. Neither of you were thinking.

TERESA

We—

MARION

You think I don't know what he sees in you? You're young, you're attractive, you're some kind of answer.

TERESA

Answer?

MARION

Yes. You're the answer to his fucking mid-life crisis.

TERESA

You don't have to do that.

MARION

What?

TERESA

You don't have to make him sound like some kind of… he's not like that.

MARION

He's not like what… he's not like every other man his age? Sleeping with some young… he's twice your age, for fuck's sakes.

TERESA

Well you're the only one who seems to have a problem with that.

MARION

Problem? Sweetheart… do you not see what's going on here?

TERESA

He's—

MARION

He's using you. He wouldn't be doing this if he—

TERESA

He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't have feelings for me.

MARION

Feelings? Do you hear yourself?

TERESA

You have no idea.

MARION

This is a phase.

TERESA

I'm sure it's easier for you to think that.

MARION

Believe me… nothing could possibly make this easier for me.

TERESA

No. It is. It's easier for you to think that this is a phase or some kind of an answer to—

MARION

It's an affair. You are having an—

TERESA

It's a relationship!

MARION laughs.

MARION

Oh god.

She continues to laugh.

Oh dear god.

MARION looks at her.

He's married. You know that, don't you?

TERESA

Yes. I know that.

MARION

He is not single. He is not a bachelor. He is not available. The man you are talking about is my husband. Doesn't that mean anything to you?

TERESA

Of course it means something to me.

MARION

You can't just meet to fuck each other whenever—

TERESA

That's not what this is about. It's not—

MARION

It not what?

TERESA

It's not about sex.

MARION

It isn't?

TERESA

No.

MARION

You're sleeping with him… aren't you?

TERESA

That just happened.

MARION

You just happened to find yourself in bed with my husband?

TERESA

No.

MARION

How can you say it's not about sex?

TERESA

Look… it doesn't matter what I say to you, all right? Everything that comes out of my mouth is going to sound stupid or young or whatever it is you think I am. But this is real… this is real, and if he were here he would be telling you exactly the same thing.

MARION

He—

TERESA

Neither of us was looking for this. I knew he was married. Of course I knew he was married. But it's not as if I went out of my way to find a married man to sleep with. I hate the fact that he has a life with someone else… that he has a life with you.

I know you think this is just about sex… and I get it. I do. But it's not and you need to know that. It has never been about that.

MARION grabs the binder from TERESA's desk.

MARION

(reading)
“I ache until I can hold you inside me again.”

TERESA

Don't.

MARION

(reading)
“Your sweat on my skin… the taste of you in my mouth…”

TERESA

Stop.

MARION

(reading)
“The thought of you… the very thought of you makes me wet.”

TERESA

Stop it.

MARION

It's not about sex?

TERESA

You don't understand.

MARION

Obviously I don't.

TERESA

He writes to me. He writes to me all the time.

MARION

Yes, I've been reading his work.

TERESA

No. You haven't read these. He's been writing short stories for me… poetry.

MARION

What… like assignments?

TERESA

You don't get it.

MARION

I get it. You're giving my husband homework.

TERESA

This is not a joke! You have no idea what he's written about… how much he's shared with me… how much I know about your life together.

MARION

What?

TERESA

I know about your first date… about your wedding night… about fights that you've had. I know you were sleeping in separate rooms for a while. I know about the last time you actually touched each other. He has shared some of the most private, intimate details of your marriage.

MARION

You have some fucking nerve.

MARION breathes heavily.

She moves away from TERESA.

TERESA follows her.

TERESA

He's miserable. He's told me, over and over again… how sad… how lonely he's felt… how trapped he's felt.

He's happy. For the first time in years he is actually—

MARION falls to her knees and vomits into the garbage can beside TERESA's desk.

TERESA backs away.

Beat.

TERESA goes to her desk and grabs a few tissues and her mug. She goes to MARION and offers her both.

Do you want some water or…

MARION takes the tissues from TERESA and wipes her face. She puts her arm out, indicating for TERESA to give her space.

TERESA places the mug on the desk and moves away from MARION.

MARION sits for a few moments and tries to steady her breathing.

She wipes her mouth and stands.

MARION takes a few moments. She takes a sip of water.

Beat.

She looks at TERESA.

MARION

I'm going to tell you something and I want you to listen because this is something he would never admit about himself.

Beat.

He is never satisfied.

MARION looks at TERESA.

He is never satisfied. And the reason he would never admit that is because… he doesn't know. He has no idea that he's been living his life this way… that for years he has been living his life this way. Whatever it is you think you've found together… in the end… it won't matter. He is never ever happy. And he never will be.

Beat.

MARION throws the tissue in the garbage.

MARION stands. She notices some of the projects hanging on the bulletin board. She stares at the board for a long time.

TERESA watches her.

TERESA

(pointing to the board)
Alex's project is—

MARION

I know which project is his.

Beat.

MARION reaches out to touch one of the projects.

Does he know?

TERESA

What?

MARION

My son! Does my son know?

TERESA

No!

MARION

You're sure?

TERESA

Yes. I'm sure.

MARION

But he's seen the two of you together.

TERESA

Only when he's being dropped off or picked up.

MARION

Have you ever seen him outside of school?

TERESA

No.

MARION

After school, on the weekends… have you ever—

TERESA

I have never seen your son outside of this school!

MARION looks at her. She moves to get her coat and bag.

MARION

I want him as far away from you as possible.

TERESA

What? Why?

MARION

Why? Because… you've put him in a dangerous situation.

TERESA

How is this dangerous?

MARION

Alex isn't safe in your class.

TERESA

My students' safety is the most important thing to me. I would never do anything to put any of my students in danger.

MARION

My son—

TERESA

Your son is doing well. Alex is having the best year he's had since he started here.

MARION

Of course he is. He's smart.

TERESA

You're right. He is smart. He's also… incredibly challenging.

MARION

Kids are challenging.

TERESA

Not like Alex. His teachers haven't always known how to work with him.

MARION

He's struggled a bit here and there.

TERESA

Struggled? Marion, he's been drowning.

TERESA goes to get Alex's file.

I have all of Alex's report cards since he started here. I have comment after comment from his teachers… each of them noting his behaviour as an issue. That he has trouble focusing… trouble staying on topic… that he zones out during class if he—

MARION

Every kid zones out. You try finding a kid that—

TERESA

No. Not every kid. Not like Alex. He used to talk to himself… he was continually disrupting the class—

MARION

Then you should be doing a better job of controlling them. It's your job to—

TERESA

It's because I have been doing my job… because Alex and I have been working together… creating a system together that he—

MARION

A system?

TERES
A Yes.

MARION

What system?

TERESA

So he can function. So he can stay focused in class.

MARION

What are you talking about?

TERESA

I've been giving him ways to help organize his thoughts. It's been good for him. He doesn't feel like his mind is moving a million miles per minute.

MARION

Does the school know you're using systems—

TERESA

Of course they know. I've consulted with a number of teachers here who—

MARION

What teachers?

TERESA

From the resource program.

MARION

The resource program?

TERESA

Yes. Alex's needs are very—

MARION

Now you're an expert on what my son needs?

TERESA

I'm not an expert but I did my
aq
in special education.

MARION

Fuck, of course you did.

TERESA

He needs to—

MARION

You have no right speaking to anyone about my son without my consent.

TERESA

Alex is my student. I have a professional obligation—

MARION

To talk to one of us before you decide to just take matters into your own hands.

TERESA

I did. Curtis and I…

Beat.

MARION

What? You what?

TERESA

We discussed it. I didn't just take matters into my own hands. He knew I was speaking to Ms. Larson. I wouldn't have pursued it without consulting with—

MARION

(to herself)
This is a fucking nightmare.

TERESA

Alex is making progress. Please don't forget that. I am the first person that has actually been able to get through to him.

MARION

You are not the first person!

TERESA

I'm the first person here! It's because I have been working with Alex during class, after class, at recess, that he's finally—