An Almost Perfect Thing, Page 5

  CHLOE

  Once is all you get.

  The door slams behind him.

  GREG

  Go back there. In your mind. Can you see your room? What does it feel like, smell like, taste like? Tell me everything.

  CHLOE

  Are you gonna have fun? At the party. You're not just gonna pretend? You're actually gonna have fun with me?

  GREG

  I'm going to have so much fun with you. Now what happened that one time?

  SCENE TWENTY

  Shift. CHLOE's room in MATHEW's house.

  CHLOE

  You wanna hear the new story I wrote? It's a good one. Or I could tell you the joke I remembered. Are you gonna eat with me tonight?

  MATHEW

  You're nervous.

  CHLOE

  No, I'm not.

  MATHEW

  I bought you something. I'll give it to you tonight. Do you want to know what it is?

  CHLOE

  Sure.

  MATHEW

  A radio. An expensive one.

  CHLOE

  …Thanks.

  MATHEW

  I thought you'd be happy.

  CHLOE

  I am. It's just…

  MATHEW

  What?

  CHLOE

  Today's my last day. Remember? So, I'll listen to the radio tonight. All night. That's awesome. Sorry. Good. Great. But, then I go home tomorrow. I've been keeping track. It's tomorrow that you let me go. My dad will have totally learned his lesson. And I was thinking that I could, like, come visit sometimes. I'll bring Buster. So you can finally meet him. I'm gonna walk him like four hours every day. You could walk him with me. We could—

  MATHEW

  Why would you want to go?

  CHLOE

  I need to go to school.

  MATHEW

  You have books.

  CHLOE

  I need the sun. I'll get sick—

  MATHEW

  When you're good enough, I'll take you upstairs.

  CHLOE

  I need to see my friends.

  MATHEW

  Your friends forgot about you. They didn't even like you anyway. They were just scared of you. That's why they were nice to you.

  CHLOE

  No—

  MATHEW

  You got in fights. You told me that. You were a bully. They're glad you're gone.

  CHLOE

  No—

  MATHEW

  And your dad's not even looking for you anymore. He's finally happy. He doesn't have to worry about you. Doesn't have to pay for you. You're expensive and annoying. You always need things—

  CHLOE

  Then why would you want to keep me? If I'm so—

  MATHEW

  I have no choice. I'll get in trouble. I can't give you back now.

  CHLOE

  No. I'll never tell anyone. Never ever ever. I swear to God. Cross my heart and hope to die. I won't tell, Mathew, I won't—

  MATHEW

  And that. Mathew. You never call me Dad. That was one of my rules and you never do it. I told myself I'd keep you until you learn to love me like a dad. So it's your own fault.

  CHLOE

  I'll call you Dad. Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad Dad —

  MATHEW

  Stop it.

  CHLOE

  Please let me go, Dad. Please let me go. Please let me go, Dad. Please let me go, please, Dad—

  MATHEW

  Stop saying that. You don't mean it!

  CHLOE

  Please let me go. Please, please—

  MATHEW

  Stop it!

  CHLOE

  Mathew, you have to.

  MATHEW

  I can't—

  CHLOE

  You promised! Why'd you tell me that?

  MATHEW

  I don't know. I don't know. I just… I need you. I need you with me.

  CHLOE

  I've been so nice to you. You have to let me go. You have to let me go. You can't do this.

  MATHEW

  You're my everything—

  CHLOE

  You have to let me go—

  He starts to leave.

  No. No no no. You are not going up there without me. You have to let me go you have to let me go you have to let me go.

  MATHEW

  I can't!

  He moves to exit.

  CHLOE

  I HATE YOU!

  He turns around.

  Look what I did. Do you need me now? Look at what a disgusting dirty pig I am.

  MATHEW

  What—

  CHLOE

  I peed my pants. I'm disgusting and dirty. Just like you hate. You don't want someone who is this disgusting and dirty and gross—

  MATHEW

  You stupid kid—

  CHLOE

  You don't want someone this gross. You'll have to get rid of me. I'm too gross for you to keep!

  She physically starts begging him, clinging to him.

  You have to get rid of me now!

  MATHEW

  Don't touch me!

  CHLOE

  I'm a disgusting dirty pig and you have to get rid of me!

  MATHEW

  Get off of me!

  CHLOE

  Look how disgusting I am! I'm so disgusting that you have to get rid of me! YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF ME! YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF ME NOW!YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF ME!

  MATHEW

  Stop it!

  He shoves her and moves to exit.

  CHLOE

  No wonder your mum killed herself! That's how bad she wanted to get away from you.

  MATHEW

  Shut up—

  CHLOE

  Blue face. Rope around her neck. Right where you'd find her.

  MATHEW

  Shut up—

  CHLOE

  She wanted you to find her because you made her do it. You were so crazy that she couldn't live anymore.

  MATHEW

  Shut up—

  CHLOE

  You made her do it. You made her do it! You made her do it!

  MATHEW

  SHUT UP!

  To audience.

  GREG

  He grabbed her tiny, twelve-year-old shoulders. He lifted her up.

  And he threw her as hard as he could.

  He picked her up again.

  And he punched her with all of his frustration.

  Over and over and over.

  He picked her up again.

  And shook her with all of his anger.

  He looked into her eyes.

  Her nose was bleeding.

  She was crying and crying.

  She wouldn't look at him.

  She wouldn't look at him.

  So he picked her up and threw her one last time.

  As hard as he could.

  And he started to cry.

  He kept crying. And crying.

  CHLOE and MATHEW's crying gets louder and louder and louder. Silence.

  Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

  ACT TWO

  SCENE ONE

  To the audience.

  MATHEW

  The paper.

  GREG

  The article.

  CHLOE

  The violence.

  MATHEW

  We had another fight.

  GREG

  Threw her as hard as he could.

  CHLOE

  Punched her with all of his frustration.

  GREG

  Over and over. />
  MATHEW

  I haven't said a word to her in weeks.

  CHLOE

  It's 4:45 a.m. I hear it hit my porch.

  GREG

  Turn on my computer.

  CHLOE

  Listen to the sound of my dad's breathing.

  MATHEW

  Wave to Margret walking her golden retriever. Put my quarter into the blue box and reach inside.

  They all inhale.

  CHLOE

  Look at it.

  GREG

  Click on it.

  MATHEW

  The paper.

  GREG

  This is the one.

  CHLOE

  That gives them what they want.

  GREG

  Details, specifics.

  CHLOE

  A victim.

  GREG

  Makes them take me seriously.

  MATHEW

  It's her favourite thing. For weeks I've kept it from her.

  GREG

  I read it.

  CHLOE

  Even though I don't want to. I know what it says.

  GREG

  Threw her as hard as he could.

  CHLOE

  Punched her with all of his frustration.

  GREG

  Over and over.

  MATHEW

  Again and again. We go through this. Every couple months it seems. She makes me angry. I stop talking to her and take away something she loves. She needs it.

  GREG

  They need it.

  CHLOE

  He needs it.

  GREG

  The truth.

  CHLOE

  Control.

  MATHEW

  Discipline. And now I'll give it back to her. Along with an even bigger surprise. Because she's been good—

  GREG

  Because she let me do my job—

  MATHEW

  Because I feel guilty—

  CHLOE

  Because I gave him what he needs—

  MATHEW

  Because she looks sick… I'm taking her upstairs.

  GREG

  To a party. A gala.

  CHLOE

  It's all I can think about. Everything else: Punching. Bleeding. Screaming. I push it out of my mind. Because I'm getting out.

  SCENE TWO

  Shift. The beginning of the scene takes place in both GREG's condo and CHLOE's room in MATHEW's house. CHLOE enters.

  GREG

  You're early. I was going to pick you up.

  CHLOE

  I have to get ready here. I can't have my dad see me all dressed up. He'll freak out. I have a dress, is that okay?

  GREG

  Perfect.

  To audience. They all inhale.

  CHLOE

  I stand in front of the mirror.

  GREG

  I stand—

  MATHEW

  Outside the door.

  CHLOE

  And get ready for my very first night out. It has to be perfect.

  MATHEW

  I'm nervous.

  GREG

  Awkward.

  MATHEW

  Standing there. Outside her door.

  GREG

  Her. Here. Changing her clothes.

  MATHEW

  She's waiting. For me. I can't mess up anything.

  GREG

  This has to go well.

  (to CHLOE) Ready?

  For the rest of the scene MATHEW and GREG's lines are to CHLOE and her lines can be said to either or both GREG and MATHEW (unless it is indicated that she is speaking directly to one of them). Sections in which the characters are talking to the audience are indicated.

  MATHEW

  I'm coming in.

  GREG

  You look—

  MATHEW

  Nice.

  GREG

  Wow.

  CHLOE

  It's a special occasion. I want it to be perfect. Ready?

  GREG

  Wait. First—

  MATHEW

  There are rules.

  GREG

  Don't accept a drink from anyone.

  MATHEW

  Stay away from the doors and windows. If you do anything that makes me nervous. Anything at all—

  CHLOE

  I won't. I swear.

  GREG

  People will want to talk to you. They'll be all over you but just—

  MATHEW

  Stick close to me. Always. No sudden movements.

  GREG

  Don't disappear.

  MATHEW

  I have my dad's gun upstairs. It's easy to get.

  GREG

  Tell me where you're going at all times.

  MATHEW

  I don't want anything to happen to you. So just be good.

  GREG

  Be cool.

  CHLOE

  'Kay.

  GREG

  I trust you.

  MATHEW

  So I'm not going to tie your hands or gag you.

  CHLOE

  Thanks.

  (to audience) He's nervous. I can tell 'cause there's sweat on his forehead. Which usually is like so gross. But not today. And I can tell 'cause he does this thing over and over—

  MATHEW and GREG both massage the back of their necks.

  I breathe deeply. Without realizing it, he starts to breathe deeply. That's how I calm him down.

  MATHEW

  Ready?

  GREG

  This is it.

  To audience.

  CHLOE

  He leads me—

  GREG

  Inside.

  MATHEW

  Upstairs.

  CHLOE

  And then... After so long—

  MATHEW

  Months and months and months and months.

  GREG

  Years and years and years.

  Shift. They all inhale.

  CHLOE

  Legs weak. Butterflies in my stomach. Giddy. Head light. Mouth dry. Can't swallow. Lump in my throat.

  She holds on to both men as she walks in the room.

  MATHEW

  The kitchen.

  GREG

  The ballroom.

  CHLOE

  The light—

  MATHEW

  Shines just a bit through the curtains.

  GREG

  Flashes from the cameras.

  CHLOE

  Burns my eyes. Feels so good on my face. Warm. Warm on my cheeks. I feel it. Feel every second. Down to my bones. In my blood. My feet. My hands. My hair. Suck in the moment. Freeze it in my mind. Bite my cheeks. Dig my fingernails into my hands. Don't let him see you cry. Don't let him know how bad you wanted this. How bad you want this. To be out. Like a person. Just a person.

  MATHEW grabs her hand.

  MATHEW

  (to CHLOE) Get away from the window; I don't want anyone to see you.

  GREG pulls her away from MATHEW.

  GREG

  (to CHLOE) Go through the door; I want everyone to see you.

  To audience.

  CHLOE

  We walk through the room. Beautiful.

  MATHEW

  She looks around.

  GREG

  At everything. The people.

  MATHEW

  The ornaments.

  GREG

  The art on the walls.

  CHLOE

  Perfect.

  MATHEW

&nbs
p; The big picture of a full moon shining on a snow-covered field.

  GREG

  The candles on the table. The flowers.

  MATHEW

  The photos everywhere.

  (to CHLOE) Do you like it here?

  GREG

  (to CHLOE) Having fun yet?

  CHLOE

  Yeah. It's… awesome. Sorry. Wonderful. Amazing.

  MATHEW

  I haven't changed anything from when I was a kid. Except that table. I made it myself.

  GREG

  Chloe, I'd like you to meet my colleague.

  MATHEW

  This is my mum. Before she was married.

  GREG

  One of my good buddies.

  MATHEW

  My best friend.

  GREG/MAT

  Used to be anyway.

  She goes towards MATHEW.

  CHLOE

  (to MATHEW) She's really pretty. Mathew.

  Beat.

  I'd like to see more pictures of her.

  MATHEW

  (to audience) The way she said my name…

  GREG

  Chloe. They're about to serve dinner. Table number eleven.

  GREG puts his hand on her back.

  CHLOE

  (to audience) The way he put his hand on my back…

  GREG

  (imitating co-worker) "Hey, Greggy. What're you drinking? I'm buying."

  (to audience) The way they're talking to me…

  CHLOE

  It feels—

  MATHEW

  —different.

  GREG

  Very different.

  They inhale.

  CHLOE

  We eat dinner.

  MATHEW

  (to CHLOE) When I was five we went—

  GREG

  (to colleagues) It's because of the Conservatives. Obviously.

  CHLOE

  I try to keep up. Eyes wide, head tilted, smile not too big, not too small.

  GREG

  She says nothing.

  MATHEW

  Almost nothing. I don't know why.

  CHLOE

  I'm smarter. I can see through what's being said. What's true, what's a lie. What's said to impress, what's said to defend.

  GREG

  After dinner—

  CHLOE

  (to GREG/MATHEW) Where's the washroom?

  MATHEW

  I stand outside the door.

  GREG

  Wait for her. To make sure nothing happens.

  MATHEW

  Because nothing can happen.

  GREG

  People keep coming up to me.

  (imitating public) "What is she like? What's it like working with her? We're hooked on your articles! We love your writing!"

  MATHEW

  What if life could be like this—

  GREG

  —all the time. People falling all over themselves—

  MATHEW

  Her willing to do anything—

  GREG