Characters: Mentioned characters only:
Phil Browning Elizabeth Summer
Cal Browning Anna Novick
Angelica Browning Damian Browning
Liam Bart
Scene : A gloomy afternoon in a big living room of Browning Family’s house where some candle lights are lightening up a big frame of the late Damian Browning’s old photograph.
Angelica is standing in front of the candles and looking up her husband’s picture. There is a large table with eight chairs surrounding at the back of her. They all are made of the finest woods and by the best carpenter of whole England. She lights off the candles one by one with a snuffer and then the room turns to dark for a while.
Liam comes from another room and turn on the lamp. He carries on a topless covered by a black veil and put it on the table. Then he sits
Liam : It’s been a week Angelica.
Angelica : Yes, it has. And every minute of it, I feel like losing my grip.
Liam : I understand. I do.
Angelica : [Looking at the topless] what is that?
Liam : Oh, This is actually just an old friend. [Opening the veil]
There is a little hummingbird inside the topless.
Liam : I found it injured in the kitchen. I supposed it’s somewhat lost in this house [smiling].
Angelica : So how do you Phill it an old friend? [showing her interest but still in a plain expression].
Liam : I knew it when it was still an egg. I put it under the bushes in the backyard.
Angelica : What are you going to do with that?
Liam : I am going to salve his wound [getting the birds out of the topless]. Ouch! [pull his hand out of the topless quickly]
Angelica : What’s wrong?
Liam : It pecks me. It’s weird! Never happened before.
Angelica : [talking to the bird] Lucky, you’re an animal! No one blames you though you attack the one that will help you.
Liam : Hahaha, you’re right.
Unpredictably, Phil shows up at the door.
Phil : Hello, Angelica! [looks like excited of coming home]
The room is getting terribly quiet for a while with no answer heard. His coming seems surprising everyone in that room.
Phil : [Looking at the other one in the room] Liam, you still remember me, don’t you?
Liam : Sure, young master. How are you? [gets up and moves toward Phil to give a hug]
Phil : [smile] I’m good [stop smiling]. But actually….. not really fine [sigh].
Angelica : I thought you have lost your way home [staring at Phil].
Phil : I know you all must be mad at me. Oh, I think it will take a really long time to explain. Well, may I just sit and take a breath for a minute?
Angelica : Please [opens one hand as an invitation for Phil to sit]
Liam : Let me help you doing your coat.
Phil : Thank you, Liam [putting off his coat].
Liam hangs Phil’s coat on the coat hanger right beside the door. Then Phil sits next to Angelica.
Liam : Well I’m going to make some drink. Would you like tea or coffee, young master? [stepping out the room, bringing a hummingbird in a topless]
Phil : Tea is perfect.
Liam : Alright.
Angelica and Phil watch Liam stepping away until his steps are no more audible.
Angelica : So, what brings you here?
Phil : Oh, don’t make me like some other man in this house. I always want to go home, I do, but I can’t [sadly and full of remorse]. When I read dad’s obituary in newspaper, I tried my best to get here soon. However, there was a trouble with the fishing boat.
Angelica : Fishing boat? [wondering]
Phil : Yeah, I got her by riding in one fishing boat to another fishing boat and here I am now.
Angelica : Why, why did you use fishing boat to get here? Where have you been? Isn’t there any passenger ship there? [gives a big attention to this conversation]
Phil : I was in Ireland. A lot, there are a lot of ships there, but the penny left in my pocket doesn’t enough to pay the charge [feels embarrassing].
Angelica : Oh, dear [feels sorry].
Cal browning comes in. His Clothes are messed up by the soil dust from his family’s sugar estate and his boots look so miry. No one notices his coming until he throws a word.
Cal : Pity! [putting out his gloves]
Phil : [surprised] Cal? Nice to see you again, brother! [gets up to get a hug]
Cal : Please don’t! [putting hands up to show his rejection]
Phil back off.
Cal : Alright. I see… I see. [nodding head, offended]
Phil : What do you mean?
Cal : No one in this house wants me back. Well, I’m leaving now [harsh].
Angelica : What’s the matter, Phil? Your brother refused to hug you because he’s afraid of messing you up.
Phil : Stop. Stop pretending that you want me in this family, Angelica. You don’t even have time to figure me out, because you’re too busy to handle our entire sugar factories, aren’t you? [losing mind]
Cal : What the hell are you saying, boy [in disregard of Phil’s twaddle]? Well, I have to change. [leaving the room]
Angelica : Chill down yourself, Phil. I know where your words lead me to [Staring at Phil].
Phil : Then where?
Angelica : [Smiling] I know you too well, Son. I married your father when you were nine. I had more than twenty years to figure you out.
Phil keeps silent.
Angelica : Don’t worry, Phil. I no longer have something to do with all your father’s money.
Phil : You’re lying.
Angelica : For what? I’m too old to run out the cash for my own pleasure. And I don’t have any child, family, or relative except what I have in this family. So can you find me a reason why do I need all of that?
Phil : So you will hand over the entire legacy to Cal and me?
Angelica : I have. I let Cal manage all of this stuff for you, and this family.
Phil : What? You gave Cal all of the access to daddy’s money? And what about me?!
Angelica : I have a specific reason for that which I’m sure your father would give his approval for this.
Phil : What-is-that? [full of stressing]
Suddenly Liam comes with a tray of banquet. He makes two glasses of tea and a plate of gingerbread.
Liam : Because he has been a man, young master. [Putting the tea on the table]
Phil : Do you mean I’m not a man? [Looks at Liam piercingly]
Liam : Not at all, young master. I mean, Master Cal has a great family. Your late father always believes that a man is a male that has proven that he could have a great live with his family. Excuse me. [Leaving the room]
Phil comes back, now he looks much cleaner and fresher after taking bath.
Phil : How are your wife and kids, Cal?
Cal : Home.
Phil : So you left them for business, huh? [Underestimating]
Cal : Yeah. There are a lot of things I should take care of here.
Quiet for a while.
Angelica : [breaking the ice] I’m really curious, what actually did you do in Ireland for seven years? Did you work someplace?
Phil : Uhm, I didn’t have a constant job. I just helped people that need a favor. Most of them are usually the victims of a horrible disaster.
Angelica : Wow, so you are such a volunteer.
Phil : You can call me that. [Throwing big smile]
Angelica : How about your private life? Have you married someone?
Phil : [Turns to sad and gloomy] Actually, I was just close to be a husband too! It’s only two days before the D-day of our wedding, she was hospitalized. My bride is dying [weeping tears].
Angelica : Are you telling the truth?
Phil : Do you think I’m throwing a bull? That’s fine. I don’t expect you believe me.
Angelica : So who is that girl?
Phil : Summer. Elizabeth Summer. I met her in the evacuation camp when there was a plague stricken in a small village in Ireland. She was a volunteer too, just like me. We help people together. And She’s the best women I’ve ever seen.
Cal : Well, what happened to her exactly?
Phil : She….she’s ill a deadly disease.
Cal : What kind of disease?
Phil : It’s genetic. The doctor said…. she… she suffers some kind of heart attack. You know, I used all the money I’ve spent to buy her medicine. That’s why I ran out of money.
Cal seems not giving his best attention to Phil’s story. He walks slowly around the big table in that room, passing the table candle, coat hanger, and the cabinet that lies next to the window.
Angelica : I’m so sorry to hear that [terribly feels pity to Phil]. If only you never went away, you should have a great life here with Anna.
Phil : [Stop crying] what? Anna… Anna Novick?
Angelica : Yes, She is a good girl and comes from fertile family.
Phil : Is she a married woman now?
Angelica : No, she’s not.
Phil : Do you think she still wants me? [a bit excited]
Angelica : I don’t know. Why then?
Phil : No, just asked. I’m sorry. I think I need time for myself.
Angelica : Sure. You can take a rest and calm yourself down in your bedroom.
Phil : Ok. [leaving the room]
Cal gets back to his seats.
Angelica : Your brother has a terrible life.
Cal : Not at all.
Angelica : How can you say that? His bride is dying and he got nothing left to cure her.
Cal : It all was bullshit, Angelica. These tell all the truth [throwing an old daily journal and a wallet]. They are his stuff. I took them from his coat.
Angelica opens up the journal and starts reading it.
Angelica : Oh my goodness!
Cal : Yeah, I know. The donation program, helping people, volunteer story are just rubbish. The truths are only gambling, prostitute, and casino story.
Cal gets something out of the wallet.
Cal : You see these, Angelica? It’s all his member cards of the bars and casino in Las Vegas.
Angelica : Oh my God… My son… He wasn’t in Ireland [speechless]. And his dying bride…?
Cal : Of course, including his dying bride, Angelica. There is never a camp, there is never a woman volunteer, and there is never a dying bride in his life [emphasizing].
Angelica : Liam! [calling Liam loudly] Liam!
Liam enters the room.
Liam : What happen, Angelica? [wondering]
Angelica : Could you please call Phil now? Tell him to get here right now. He’s in his room now.
Liam : Yes, Angelica. [goes to Phil’s room]
Angelica : You can do this, Cal. He’s just lost a moment. Take him back to this house.
Angelica leaves the room. Cal sits and waits for his brother. He understand what Angelica means. Phil’s journal and wallet still lies on the table.
Phil comes.
Phil : What else, Cal? [seeing his private stuffs lying on the table] What the hell, Cal?! It’s all mine. How dare you rummage through my stuff?! [panic and totally angry]
Cal : It’s ok, Phil. Calm down! Let’s talk like two brothers!
Phil : What? You want to laugh at me or pretend to be wise and give me a long speech like a priest?
Cal : [Sigh] listen, Phil, I don’t know what has turned you to be lame like this. Honestly, we are really really disappointed to you this time, not because you wasted a lot of money, and having a wild life out there, but because you have lied to us. I’m sure that daddy would be so mad if he sees you right now.
Phil : No, He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t even care. He’d just care about that bitch.
Cal : Why do you hate Angelica very much, Phil? She didn’t sleep for three days when daddy’s gone, because she waited for your coming.
Phil looks blank at the moment.
Phil : I’m sorry, Cal. [crying aloud]
Cal : That’s ok, Phil. We love you. We hope you would go back to us. Would you stay here and never go away, Phil?
Phil nods and still cries, while Liam apparently shows up in the door.
Liam : Excuse me, young masters, I just want to deliver an unclear message. I just got a call from Miss Novick, and she just said “I do”. May be one of you know what it means. Thank you. [Leaving the room]
Cal : What kind of joke is that?
Phil : That’s for me. I just called her a couple minutes ago and ask her if she will marry me tomorrow.
Cal : What?! Are you insane? You propose Anna Novick by phone? And you will marry her tomorrow?
Phil : Yeah [turning up his nose]
Suddenly Angelica comes in. She looks like in a rush.
Angelica : Where is my bag? Sons, do you see my bag?
Cal : What’s happening Angelica?
Angelica : I just got a call from Mrs. Novick. She said Anna got an accident. She fell down from the second floor and now she’s dying in hospital.
Phil & Cal : What?
Angelica : I never thought that you all would be that surprised.
Phil : Oh, my God! Now I really really have a dying bride in my life. [Getting down on the knee]
- THE END -
