Same as before, maybe a bit messier. TV still on and loud. Today’s newspaper on the sofa.
DARRELL sits in a chair, looking straight ahead. CAMMIE is standing near SHARI, helping her into a coat. Baby cries in the other room.
CAMMIE
—fucking fits, huh?
SHARI
Yeah.
CAMMIE
Good. Used to wear this all the time. ’S cute.
SHARI
It is, you’re right.
CAMMIE
’Round the time I married your dad, I got this—
SHARI
Yeah? Well, I like the sleeves.
CAMMIE
Uh-huh.
SHARI (to DARRELL)
How do I look?
DARRELL
Nice.
SHARI
Thanks.
CAMMIE
Shit, he don’t know! Halston came up and bit ’em on the ass, he wouldn’t know.
SHARI
He likes it, though.
CAMMIE
Wears fucking album covers on his clothes, so I wouldn’t put a bunch ’a stock in what Darrell thinks—
SHARI
Oh.
CAMMIE
Anyway, it’s okay. Looks good on you. Way it’s cut, shows off your butt—
SHARI
Not much ’a one.
CAMMIE
’S not bad. Filled out a little since the kid.
SHARI
Barely.
CAMMIE
Yeah, but a bit. Bit ’a something back there now—
SHARI
Thanks. You think?
CAMMIE
Shit yeah. Cute little ass! (slaps it) Even Darrell can see that much. Right? Darrell!
DARRELL
What?
CAMMIE
I said, “right”? Shari’s ass looks okay, don’t it?
DARRELL
Whatever.
CAMMIE
Shit. Moody little fucker . . . (to SHARI) Anyway, it does.
(Baby cries out loudly. SHARI looks toward the hall but CAMMIE waves her off as she yawns.)
Worry ’bout it. I’ll get ’em in a minute.
SHARI
Sure? I can—
CAMMIE
No, you two need to get going. Rich’s gonna be in here in a second, yelling and his usual show, so just go—
SHARI
’Kay. Thanks again.
CAMMIE
You bet.
SHARI
Won’t stay late.
CAMMIE
No, no . . . long as you want.
SHARI
I don’t like cars that much—
CAMMIE
Be nice, though. To get out. We saw ’em yesterday. Pretty spectacular.
A car horn blasts. SHARI turns and yells out the door.
SHARI
Comin’!
CAMMIE pushes a small wad of bills into SHARI’s hand. DARRELL notices this but says nothing, just laughs to himself.
CAMMIE
Tell Rich to stop and get you some burgers. You didn’t eat yet, did ya?
SHARI
No.
CAMMIE
All right, then.
SHARI
You got milk, right? I forgot formula—
CAMMIE
’S about a half gallon. I’m gonna run out later.
SHARI
And he’s got a little rash. I put some extra diapers in there . . . should be enough.
CAMMIE
Fine, no worries. Have some fun!
They hug briefly and then CAMMIE crosses out to the hall and exits. SHARI grabs her purse and heads for the door.
SHARI
—see ya, Darrell.
DARRELL
Yep.
SHARI
Have a good time tonight.
DARRELL
Thanks. You too.
SHARI
Yeah. (BEAT) You really think I look okay in this?
DARRELL (turning finally)
—uh-huh. Nice.
SHARI
And my ass? (laughs) ’S all right?
DARRELL
You look good.
SHARI
Then okay. So, better get out to the—
RICH enters through the kitchen, looking a bit flustered.
RICH
—fucking parking, huh?
SHARI
Yeah.
RICH
Need to get on the road, Shari, we want a shot at not walking for, like, six miles.
SHARI
I’m ready—
RICH
Good. Let’s roll—
SHARI
’Kay.
RICH
Darrell. (BEAT) Darrell!
DARRELL
Yeah.
RICH
Answer a person, they fucking try to communicate with ya.
DARRELL
Sorry.
RICH
Tell your mother I can’t back the Impala out for her. Don’t know where the keys are—
DARRELL
Okay.
RICH
Maybe you can run down, pick up some milk for her. Don’t really want her driving it, anyway, ’til I get it looked at.
DARRELL
Fine. Gotta get some smokes, anyhow—
RICH
Great. See ya. (to SHARI) Let’s do it.
SHARI
Alright. Bye, Darrell.
DARRELL
So long.
SHARI waves at DARRELL and RICH closes the door behind them. DARRELL sits by himself, staring at the TV. After a moment, CAMMIE returns. Baby is still crying
CAMMIE
—fucking brat, huh?
DARRELL
Yeah.
CAMMIE
Cannot get ’em to calm down right now. Fuck it, cry m’self out. Whatever.
DARRELL
Right.
She yawns loudly.
CAMMIE
Ooommmmm! ’Nother hour, I’m not gonna hear shit, anyway, blubber away all he wants to . . . (BEAT) Time you taking off for your “big” thing?
DARRELL
Half hour or so—
CAMMIE
Alright. Where you guys going?
DARRELL
Just around.
CAMMIE
Sounds fun—
DARRELL
Yep.
They sit silently for a moment, watching the TV.
CAMMIE
Hate this fucking show—
DARRELL
Change it.
CAMMIE
Cable’s out.
DARRELL
Oh.
CAMMIE
Yeah.
DARRELL
Fuck.
CAMMIE
Exactly. Don’t matter, couldn’t hear it over that little shit, anyway . . . (yawns again) Gonna lay down a minute.
DARRELL
’Kay.
CAMMIE
Wake me ’fore you go, alright? ’Least tell me you’re off—
DARRELL
I will.
CAMMIE stands and heads toward the hall.
Hey, Mom?
CAMMIE
Yeah?
DARRELL
You really don’t remember those forts we used to make on the porch? I mean, with that blanket ’a yours—
CAMMIE
Nah, I really don’t.
DARRELL
Huh.
CAMMIE
I can see that house in my head and all, but not so much specifically about it. ’S a bad time for me, you know, just married and I was pregnant, too, ’member? Yeah. Lost the kid, though, that summer I lost it and Shari’s dad and me at each other a lot. Fighting. (BEAT) Not, like, the best chapter for me, so, you’re on your own with the Kodak memories and shit—
DARRELL
No big deal. Just asking—
CAMMIE
Truthfully, I don’t recall that much about you. Really. Growing up, I mean.
DARRELL
No?
CAMMIE
Nah. Just fucking happened and then, one day, well, there you were. Darrell. (BEAT) Course I can remember taking you around places when you were little, the store and stuff, and losing you at the mall one time—Shopping Center, they used to call it, “Shopping Center”—you crawled under a goddamn bench outside Sears and I couldn’t find you for, maybe, twenty minutes . . . Shit like that I recall, but you, I mean, just you as an individual—you never really made that big an impression—
CAMMIE yawns and exits the room. DARRELL looks back to the TV. Tries the remote. Nothing. He stands now, going to the console and wiggling a wire in the back. Still nothing. Suddenly, he smacks the side of the set savagely several times. Like magic, a sharp picture appears.
Satisfied, DARRELL checks his watch and returns to his chair. He begins clicking through the channels, one after the next, faster and faster.