My Sister's Hand in Mine (33 page)

(
MOLLY
  
rises and starts to leave and comes face to face with
MRS. CONSTABLE.
They look at each other a moment.
MOLLY
then rushes off, following her mother.
MRS. CONSTABLE
goes back to the rock.
MR. SOLARES
and the Spanish people start to gather up their stuff and prepare to leave.
)

MR. SOLARES
  We're coming right away, Miss Eastman Cuevas. (
He gives the servants orders in Spanish. Then to
MRS. CONSTABLE
) Come on back to the house and I'll mix up some drinks.

MRS. CONSTABLE
No, thank you.

MRS. LOPEZ
  (
Butting into the conversation
) You don't come?

MR. SOLARES
  (
To
MRS. LOPEZ
) Acaba de decir, no thank you … ¿no oyes nunca?

(
The Spanish people all exit noisily.
)

LIONEL
  (
As he leaves, sees
MRS. CONSTABLE
alone
) Aren't you coming Mrs. Constable?

MRS. CONSTABLE
I think I'll sit here and wait for my bird.

LIONEL
  But she might climb up the cliffs and go home around the other way. It's getting colder Mrs. Constable … I could wait with you …

MRS. CONSTABLE
I don't want to talk. No, I'll just sit here and wait a little while.

LIONEL
  (
Going off
) Don't worry, Mrs. Constable. She'll be all right.

MRS. CONSTABLE
(
Left alone on the stage
) I get so frightened, I never know where she's going to end up.

The Curtain Falls Slowly

 

Scene iii

Same as Scene i. There is an improvised stand in the upper right-hand corner of the garden (the corner from the house), festooned with crepe paper and laden with a number of hot dogs, as well as part of a wedding cake and other things.
MOLLY
is leaning against the stand wearing a simple wedding dress with a round shirred neck. She has removed her veil and she looks more like a girl graduating from school than like a bride. She is eating a hot dog. The stage is flooded with sunlight.

 

GERTRUDE
(
Also in bridal costume. She is sitting on a straight-backed chair in the middle of the garden, with her own dress hiked above her ankles, revealing bedroom slippers with pompons. Eyeing
MOLLY
) Molly! You don't have to stuff yourself just because the others stuffed so much that they had to go and lie down! After all, you and I are brides even if I did take off my shoes. But they pinched so, I couldn't bear it another minute. Don't get mustard spots all over your dress. You'll want to show it to your grandchildren some day.

(
MOLLY'S
mouth is so full that she is unable to answer. The hags and
ESPERANZA
are lying with their heads under the stand, for shade, and their legs sticking way out into the garden.
MRS. CONSTABLE
is wandering around in a widow's outfit, with hat and veil. She holds a champagne glass in her hand.
)

MRS. CONSTABLE
(
Stopping beside
GERTRUDE'S
chair
) I don't know where to go or what to do next. I can't seem to tear myself away from you or Mr. Solares or Mrs. Lopez or Molly. Isn't that a ridiculous reaction? (
She is obviously tight
) I feel linked to you. That's the only way I can explain it. I don't ever want to have any other friends. It's as if I had been born right here in this garden and had never lived anywhere before in my life. Isn't that funny? I don't want ever to have any other friends. Don't leave me please. (
She throws her arms around
GERTRUDE
) I don't know where to go. Don't leave me.

(
She squeezes
GERTRUDE
for a moment in silence.
)

GERTRUDE
Now you must stop brooding. Can't you occupy yourself with something?

MRS. CONSTABLE
(
Firmly
) I'm not brooding. I can think about it without feeling a thing, because if you must know it's just not real to me. I can't believe it. Now what does seem real is that you and Mr. Solares are going away and deserting me and Mrs. Lopez and Molly and Lionel too. And I don't want to be anywhere except in this garden with all of you. Isn't it funny? Not that I'm enjoying myself, but it's all that I want to do, just hang around in this garden. (
She goes over to the stand rather unsteadily and pours some champagne into her glass out of a bottle. She takes a few sips, then bitterly in a changed tone
) I want to stay right here, by this stand.

GERTRUDE
(
Looking over her shoulder at
MRS. CONSTABLE
) Drinking's not the answer to anything.

MRS. CONSTABLE
Answer? Who said anything about answers? I don't want any answers. It's too late for answers. Not that I ever asked much anyway. (
Angrily
) I never cared for answers. You can take your answers and flush them down the toilet. I
want
to be able to stay here. Right here where I am, and never, never leave this garden. Why don't you have a drink, or one of these lousy hot dogs? (
She brushes a few hot dogs off the stand, onto the grass.
MOLLY
stoops down and picks them up
) Let's stay here, Gertrude Eastman Cuevas, please.

GERTRUDE
You're being silly, Mrs. Constable. I know you're upset, but still you realize that I've sold the house and that Molly and I are going on honeymoons.

MRS. CONSTABLE
(
Vaguely
) What about Mrs. Lopez?

GERTRUDE
Well, now, I guess she has her own affairs to attend to, and Frederica. Mrs. Constable, I think a sanatorium would be the best solution for you until you are ready to face the world again.

MRS. CONSTABLE
(
Thickly
) What world?

GERTRUDE
Come now, Mrs. Constable, you know what I mean.

MRS. CONSTABLE
I know you're trying to be a bitch!

GERTRUDE
Mrs. Constable … I … (
She turns to
MOLLY
who has come to her side
) Molly, go inside. At once … (
MOLLY
runs into the house
) Mrs. Constable, you ought to be ashamed. I won't tolerate such …

MRS. CONSTABLE
You have no understanding or feeling. Mrs. Lopez is much nicer than you are. You're very coarse. I know that even if I do hate to read. You're coarse, coarse and selfish. Two awful things to be. But I'm stuck here anyway so what difference does it make?

GERTRUDE
(
Refusing to listen to any more of her rambling
) Mrs. Constable, I'm surprised at you. I'm going in. I won't put up with this. What would Vivian think …

MRS. CONSTABLE
Vivian was a bird. How do you know anything about birds? Vivian understood everything I did. Vivian loved me even if she did answer back and act snippy in company. She was much too delicate to show her true feelings all over the place like you do and like I do.

GERTRUDE
(
Crossing to
MRS. CONSTABLE
) I've never in my life shown my feelings. I don't know what you're talking about!

MRS. CONSTABLE
(
Reeling about at the wedding table
) I don't know what I'm talking about … (
She grabs a bottle of champagne and offers it to
GERTRUDE
) Have another drink, Miss Eastman Cuevas.

GERTRUDE
(
In disgust grabs the bottle from her and puts it on the table
) I don't like to drink!

MRS. CONSTABLE
Then have a hot dog. (
She drops it at
GERTRUDE'S
feet.
GERTRUDE
starts toward the house.
MRS. CONSTABLE
stops her
) You and I grew up believing this kind of thing would never happen to us or to any of ours.

GERTRUDE
What?

MRS. CONSTABLE
We were kept far away from tragedy, weren't we?

GERTRUDE
No, Mrs. Constable. None of us have been kept from it.

MRS. CONSTABLE
Yes, well, now it's close to me, because Vivian hopped off a cliff—just like a cricket.

GERTRUDE
Life is tragic, Mrs. Constable.

MRS. CONSTABLE
I don't want tragic.

GERTRUDE
(
Can't put up with it any more
) Why don't you lie down on the grass and rest? It's dry. (
GERTRUDE
starts toward the door of the house.
MRS. CONSTABLE
takes the suggestion and falls in a heap behind the stump under the balcony of the house
) Take your veil off. You'll roast! (
MRS. CONSTABLE
complies and
GERTRUDE
goes into the house. The two old hags appear from behind the wedding table and start to take some hot dogs. They are stopped by
MOLLY
coming out of the house.
MOLLY
looks for a moment at the garden and then runs into her summer house. A moment later
GERTRUDE
calls to the garden from the balcony
) Molly? Molly, are you in the summer house?

MOLLY
  Yes, I am.

GERTRUDE
They're getting ready. After we've left if Mrs. Constable is still asleep, will you and Lionel carry her inside and put her to bed in my room? Tomorrow when you leave for the Lobster Bowl you can take her along and drop her off at her hotel. Poor thing. Be sure and clean up this mess in the morning. I have a list of things here I want you to attend to. I'll leave it on the table downstairs. Mr. Solares and I will be leaving soon.

MOLLY
  No!

GERTRUDE
Yes.

MOLLY
  Please don't go away.

GERTRUDE
Now, Molly, what kind of nonsense is this? You know we're leaving, what's the matter with you?

MOLLY
  No, I won't let you go!

GERTRUDE
Please, Molly, no mysteries. It's very hard getting everyone started and I'm worn out. And I can't find my pocketbook. I think I left it in the garden. I'm coming down to look. (
GERTRUDE
leaves the balcony to come downstairs.
MOLLY
comes out of the summer house and stands waiting with a small bunch of honeysuckle in her hands.
GERTRUDE
comes out of the house and crosses to the wedding table. She looks at
MOLLY
and sees her crying and goes to her
) What on earth is wrong, Molly? Why are you crying? Are you nervous? You've been so contented all day, stuffing yourself right along with the others. What has happened now?

MOLLY
  I didn't picture it.

GERTRUDE
Picture what?

MOLLY
  What it would be like when the time came. Your leaving …

GERTRUDE
Why not?

MOLLY
  I don't know. I don't know … I couldn't picture it, I guess. I thought so long as we were here we'd go right on being here. So I just ate right along with the others like you say.

GERTRUDE
Well, it sounds like nonsense to me. Don't be a crybaby, and wipe your tears.

(
GERTRUDE
starts toward the table when she is stopped by
MOLLY
who puts the flowers in her hands.
)

MOLLY
  Stay!

GERTRUDE
Molly. Put them back. They belong on your wedding dress.

MOLLY
  No, they're from the vine. I picked them for you!

GERTRUDE
They're for your wedding. They belong to your dress. Here, put them back …

MOLLY
  No … No … They're for you … They're flowers for you! (
GERTRUDE
does not know what to make of this strange and sudden love and moves across the garden
) I love you. I love you. Don't leave me. I love you. Don't go away!

GERTRUDE
(
Shocked and white
) Molly, stop. You can't go on like this!

MOLLY
  I love you. You can't go!

GERTRUDE
I didn't think you cared this much. If you really feel this way, why have you tormented me so …

MOLLY
  I never have. I never have.

GERTRUDE
You have. You have in a thousand different ways. What about the summer house?

MOLLY
  Don't leave me!

GERTRUDE
And the vine?

MOLLY
  I love you!

GERTRUDE
What about the vine, and the ocean, what about that? If you care this much why have you tormented me so about the water … when you knew how ashamed I was … Crazy, unnatural fear … Why didn't you try to overcome it, if you love me so much? Answer that!

(
MOLLY
,
in a frenzy of despair, starts clawing at her dress, pulling it open.
)

MOLLY
  I will. I will. I'll overcome it. I'm sorry. I'll go in the water right away. I'm going now. I'm going …