My Sister's Hand in Mine (37 page)

GERTRUDE
(
Picking up one of the two boxes she brought with her and brooding over it
) It was a senseless dream, a nightmare.

MRS. CONSTABLE
  What's in the box?

GERTRUDE
Little macaroons. I bought them for Molly on the way up. I thought she'd like them. Some of them are orange and some are bright pink. (
Shakes the box and broods again, troubled, haunted by the dream
) They were so pretty …

MRS. CONSTABLE
  Aren't they pretty any more?

GERTRUDE
I had a dream about them just now, before I came. I was running very fast through the night trying to get to Molly, but I couldn't find the way. I kept losing all her presents. Everything I'd bought her I kept scattering on the ground. Then I was in a cold room with my father and she was there too. I asked him for a gift. I said, “I want something to give to my child,” and he handed me this box … (
Fingering the actual box
) I opened it up, and took out a macaroon and I gave it to Molly. (
Long pause. She looks haunted, deeply troubled
) When she began to eat it, I saw that it was hollow, just a shell filled with dust. Molly's lips were gray with dust. Then I heard him … I heard my father. (
Excited
) He was laughing. He was laughing at
me!
(
She goes away from
MRS. CONSTABLE
to collect herself
) I've loved him so. I don't know what's happening to me. I've never been this way. I've always thrown things off, but now even foolish dreams hang over me. I can't shake anything off. I'm not myself … I … (
Stiffening against the weakness
) When I was in the ocean house … (
Covering her face with her hands and shaking her head, very softly, almost to herself
) Oh, I miss it so … I miss it so.

MRS. CONSTABLE
  Houses! I hate houses. I like public places. Houses break your heart. Come and be with me in the Lobster Bowl. They gyp you, but it's a great place. They gyp you, but I don't care.

GERTRUDE
It was a beautiful house with a wall and a garden and a view of the sea.

MRS. CONSTABLE
  Don't break your heart, Mrs. Eastman dear, don't …

GERTRUDE
I was happy in my house. There was nothing wrong. I had a beautiful life. I had Molly. I was busy teaching her. I had a full daily life. Everything was fine. There was nothing wrong. I don't know why I got frightened, why I married again. It must have been … it must have been because we had no money. That was it … We had so little money, I got frightened for us both … I should never have married. Now my life's lost its meaning … I have nightmares all the time. I lie awake in the night trying to think of just one standard or one ideal but something foolish pops into my head like Fula Lopez wearing city shoes and stockings to the beach. I've lost my daily life, that's all. I've lost Molly. My life has no meaning now. It's their fault. It's because I'm living their way. But I'm back now with Molly. I'm going to be fine again … She's coming with me tonight to my birthday supper … It's getting dark out. Where is she? (
LIONEL
enters at bar with basket of glasses
) Lionel. Wait …

LIONEL
  What is it?

GERTRUDE
What did you mean just now.

LIONEL
  When?

GERTRUDE
Before … when I came in. You said you were going, getting out.

LIONEL
  I am. I sent a wire just now.

GERTRUDE
Wire?

LIONEL
  Yes, to my brother. I'm going to St. Louis. He has a business there.

GERTRUDE
But you can't do that! I've come back. You won't have to live in this stupid Lobster Bowl. You're going to be living in a house with
me.

LIONEL
  We'll never make a life, sticking around here. I've made up my mind. We're going away …

GERTRUDE
You talk like a child.

LIONEL
  (
Interrupting
) I'm not staying here.

GERTRUDE
You're running away … You're running home to your family … to your brother. Don't you have any backbone, any fight?

LIONEL
  I don't care what you think about me! It's Molly that …

GERTRUDE
What about Molly!

LIONEL
  I've got to get Molly out of here, far away from everything she's ever known. It's her only chance.

GERTRUDE
You're taking her away from
me.
That's what you're doing.

LIONEL
  You're like a wall around Molly, some kind of shadow between us. She lives …

GERTRUDE
(
Interrupting, vehement
) I'm not a shadow any more. I've come back and I'm staying here, where I belong with Molly! (
LIONEL
looks at her with an expression of bitterness and revulsion
) What is it? Why do you look at me that way?

LIONEL
  What way?

GERTRUDE
As if I was some terrible witch … That's it, some terrible witch!

LIONEL
  You're using her. You need Molly. You don't love her. You're using her …

GERTRUDE
You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know anything about me or Molly. You never could. You never will. When she married she was desperate. She cried like a baby and she begged me to stay. But you want to drag her away from me—from her mother. She loves me more than anyone on earth. She needs me. In her heart she's still a child.

LIONEL
  If you get what you want she'll stay that way. Let her go, if you love her at all, let her go away … Don't stop her …

GERTRUDE
I can't stop her. How can I? She'll do what she likes, but I won't stand here watching while you drag her away. I'll talk to her myself. I'll ask her what she wants, what she'd really like to do. She has a right to choose.

LIONEL
  To choose?

GERTRUDE
Between going with you and staying with me!

(
LIONEL
  
is silent. After a moment he walks away from
GERTRUDE.
Then to himself as if she were no longer there.
)

LIONEL
  This morning she was holding her wedding dress up to the light.

GERTRUDE
(
Proud
) She's going to wear it to my birthday supper. It's a party dress, after all.

LIONEL
  (
Not really answering
) She didn't say anything to me. She just held her dress up to the light.

GERTRUDE
Go and find her. Get her now. Bring her back … tell her I'm here.

LIONEL
  If you go half way up those stairs and holler …

GERTRUDE
No, Mrs. Constable said she was hunting mussels on the beach.

LIONEL
  She's upstairs. (
LIONEL
goes up to landing and calls
) Molly! Your mother's here. She wants you. Come on down. Your mother's back.

(
MOLLY
  
enters down stairs.
LIONEL
backs away and lurks in the shadows near the bar.
)

GERTRUDE
(
Tentative, starts forward to embrace her, but stops
) Molly, how pretty you look! How lovely … and your wedding dress.

MOLLY
  (
Spellbound, as if looking at something very beautiful just behind
GERTRUDE
) I took it out this morning for your birthday.

GERTRUDE
I'm glad, darling. How are you? Are you well, Molly? Are you all right?

MOLLY
  Yes, I am.

GERTRUDE
(
Going to table
) I have something for you. A bracelet! (
She hooks necklace around
MOLLY'S
neck
) And a necklace! They're made of real silver. Oh, how sweet you look! How pretty you look in silver! Just like a little girl, just as young as you looked when we were in the ocean house together. The ocean house, Molly! I miss it so. Don't you?

MOLLY
  I knew you'd come back.

(
They sit down.
)

GERTRUDE
I knew it, too, from the beginning. They were strangers—all of them. I couldn't bear it. Nothing, really nothing meant anything to me down there, nothing at all. And you, darling, are you happy? What do you do in this terrible ugly place?

MOLLY
  In the afternoon we hunt for mussels, sometimes, and at night we play cards … Lionel and me.

GERTRUDE
(
Uneasily
) I spoke to Lionel just now.

MOLLY
  Did you?

GERTRUDE
Yes, about St. Louis.

MOLLY
  (
Darkening
) Oh!

LIONEL
  (
Coming over to them from the bar
) Yes, Molly. I'm arranging things now for the trip tomorrow. My mind's made up. If you're not coming with me, I'm going by myself. I'm coming down in a little while and you've got to tell me what you're going to do.

(
LIONEL
  
exits upstairs.
)

GERTRUDE
You see. With or without you he's determined to go. Don't look frightened, Molly. I won't allow you to go. You're coming with me, with your mother, where you belong. I never should have let you marry. I never should have left you. I'll never leave you again, darling. You're mine, the only one I have … my own blood … the only thing I'm sure of in the world. (
She clasps
MOLLY
greedily to her breast
) We're going soon, but we've got to wait for them, Mrs. Lopez and Frederica. They're calling for us here. You're coming with me and you're never going back. Tonight, when you go to bed, you can wear my gown, the one you've always loved with the different colored tulips stitched around the neck. (
She notices
MOLLY'S
strange expression and the fact that she has recoiled just a little
) What is it, dear? Don't you like the gown with the tulips any more? You used to …

MOLLY
  (
As if from far away
) I like it.

GERTRUDE
Tomorrow, after Lionel has gone, I'll come back to pack you up. (
Fingering the necklace
) Did you like the paper with the dancing girl on it?

MOLLY
  I have your letter here.

GERTRUDE
There are different ones at home—a toreador with peach satin breeches and a macaw with real feathers … (
It is obvious to her that
MOLLY
is not listening
) You've seen them, dear … Those big parrots … (
Anxiously
) Haven't you?

MOLLY
  What?

GERTRUDE
(
Trying to ignore
MOLLY'S
coldly remote behavior
) How could you bear it here in this awful public place after our life together in the ocean house?

MOLLY
  I used to go back and look into the garden … over the wall. Then the people moved in and I didn't go there any more. But, after a while …

GERTRUDE
(
Cutting in
) I'll make it all up to you, darling. You'll have everything you want.

MOLLY
  It was all right after a while. I didn't mind so much. It was like being there …

GERTRUDE
What, Molly? What was like being there?

MOLLY
  After a while I could sit in that booth, and if I wanted to I could imagine I was home in the garden … inside the summer house.

GERTRUDE
That's over, Molly. That's over now. All over. I have a wonderful surprise for you, darling. Can you guess?

MOLLY
  (
Bewildered
) I don't know. I don't know.

GERTRUDE
I ordered the platform built, and the trellis, and I know where I can get the vines. Fully grown vines, heavy with leaves … just like the ones … (
She is stopped again by
MOLLY'S
expression. Then, touching her face apologetically
) I know, I know. I don't look well. I look sick. But I'm not … I'm not sick.

MOLLY
  No, you don't look sick. You look … different.

GERTRUDE
It's their fault. It's because I'm living their way. But soon I'll be the same again, my old self.

(
Enter
MRS. LOPEZ
and
FREDERICA
carrying paper bags.
)

MRS. LOPEZ
  ¡Inez! ¡Inez! Ya llegamos …

GERTRUDE
Here they are.

INEZ
  (
Coming downstairs with a heavy tread
) Something tells me I hear Fula Lopez, the girl I love …

MRS. LOPEZ
  (
Grabbing
INEZ
and whirling her around
) Inez … Guapa … Inez. Aquí estamos … que alegría … We are coming back from Mexico, Frederica, Fula … (
She spots
GERTRUDE
) and Eastman Cuevas. (
Then to
MOLLY
,
giving her a big smacking kiss
) Molly … Hello, Molly! Inez, guapa, bring us three limonadas, please … two for Fula and one for Frederica. Look, look, Eastman Cuevas. We got gorgeous stuff. (
She pulls a chicken out of a bag she is carrying and dangles it for
GERTRUDE
) Look and see what a nice one we got … Feel him!