1971

SCENE EIGHT

Flat. 1971. Summer.

Flat empty. Kitchen door open. Table set; crockery, glasses, bottle of wine.

Jerry comes in through front door, with key.

JERRY Hullo.

Emma’s voice from kitchen.

EMMA Hullo.

Emma comes out of kitchen. She is wearing an apron.

EMMA I’ve only just got here. I meant to be here ages ago. I’m making this stew. It’ll be hours.

He kisses her.

Are you starving?

JERRY Yes.

He kisses her.

EMMA No really. I’ll never do it. You sit down. I’ll get it on.

JERRY What a lovely apron.

EMMA Good.

She kisses him, goes into kitchen.

She calls. He pours wine.

EMMA What have you been doing?

JERRY Just walked through the park.

EMMA What was it like?

JERRY Beautiful. Empty. A slight mist.

Pause.

I sat down for a bit, under a tree. It was very quiet. I just looked at the Serpentine.

Pause.

EMMA And then?

JERRY Then I got a taxi to Wessex Grove. Number 31. And I climbed the steps and opened the front door and then climbed the stairs and opened this door and found you in a new apron cooking a stew.

Emma comes out of the kitchen.

EMMA It’s on.

JERRY Which is now on.

Emma pours herself a vodka.

JERRY Vodka? At lunchtime?

EMMA Just feel like one.

She drinks.

I ran into Judith yesterday. Did she tell you?

JERRY No, she didn’t.

Pause.

Where?

EMMA Lunch.

JERRY Lunch?

EMMA She didn’t tell you?

JERRY No.

EMMA That’s funny.

JERRY What do you mean, lunch? Where?

EMMA At Gino’s.

JERRY Gino’s? What the hell was she doing at Gino’s?

EMMA Having lunch. With a woman.

JERRY A woman?

EMMA Yes.

Pause.

JERRY Gino’s is a long way from the hospital.

EMMA Of course it isn’t.

JERRY Well . . . I suppose not.

Pause.

And you?

EMMA Me?

JERRY What were you doing at Gino’s ?

EMMA Having lunch with my sister.

JERRY Ah.

Pause.

EMMA Judith . . . didn’t tell you?

JERRY I haven’t really seen her. I was out late last night, with Casey. And she was out early this morning.

Pause.

EMMA Do you think she knows?

JERRY Knows?

EMMA Does she know? About us?

JERRY No.

EMMA Are you sure?

JERRY She’s too busy. At the hospital. And then the kids. She doesn’t go in for . . . speculation.

EMMA But what about clues? Isn’t she interested . . . to follow clues?

JERRY What clues?

EMMA Well, there must be some . . . available to her . . . to pick up.

JERRY There are none . . . available to her.

EMMA Oh. Well . . . good.

JERRY She has an admirer.

EMMA Really?

JERRY Another doctor. He takes her for drinks. It’s . . . irritating. I mean, she says that’s all there is to it. He likes her, she’s fond of him, et cetera, et cetera . . . perhaps that’s what I find irritating. I don’t know exactly what’s going on.

EMMA Oh, why shouldn’t she have an admirer? I have an admirer.

JERRY Who?

EMMA Uuh . . . you, Ithink.

JERRY Ah. Yes.

He takes her hand.

I’m more than that.

Pause.

EMMA Tell me . . . have you ever thought . . . of changing your life?

JERRY Changing?

EMMA Mmnn.

Pause.

JERRY It’s impossible.

Pause.

EMMA Do you think she’s being unfaithful to you?

JERRY No. I don’t know.

EMMA When you were in America, just now, for instance?

JERRY No.

EMMA Have you ever been unfaithful?

JERRY To whom?

EMMA To me, of course.

JERRY No.

Pause.

Have you . . . to me?

EMMA No.

Pause.

If she was, what would you do?

JERRY She isn’t. She’s busy. She’s got lots to do. She’s a very good doctor. She likes her life. She loves the kids.

EMMA Ah.

JERRY She loves me.

Pause.

EMMA Ah.

Silence.

JERRY All that means something.

EMMA It certainly does.

JERRY But I adore you.

Pause.

I adore you.

Emma takes his hand.

EMMA Yes.

Pause.

Listen. There’s something I have to tell you.

JERRY What?

EMMA I’m pregnant. It was when you were in America.

Pause.

It wasn’t anyone else. It was my husband.

Pause.

JERRY Yes. Yes, of course.

Pause.

I’m very happy for you.