Grammy's Secret by Casey Bell

This Play is the copyright of the Author and must NOT be Performed without the Author's PRIOR consent

ACT ONE SCENE TWO

Deanna’s bedroom

Charles is sitting on the bed reading a gossip magazine.

Deanna is sitting by her desk typing on her computer.

Charles closes the magazine and shakes his head

CHARLES: This is stupid. Deanna, listen to this.

Charles reopens the magazine

CHARLES: Justin Beiber will be taking another paternity test because a
seventy-five-year-old woman is pregnant and claims Justin is the
father. Can you believe that? These magazines are ridiculous. What
idiot would buy and read this crap?

DEANNA: Didn’t you buy that magazine?

CHARLES: Yeah, but-

DEANNA: And aren’t you reading it?

CHARLES: Yeah, but it’s not like I believe it. So, what are you
doing?

DEANNA: I’m trying to finish this essay paper for school. I hate
papers. No matter how hard I try I can’t seem to get to the minimum
page count.

CHARLES: How many pages do you need?

DEANNA: The paper has to be at least twelve pages long.

CHARLES: How many do you have so far?

DEANNA: One.

CHARLES: I’m so sick of college. I wish I could drop out without my
parents finding out.

DEANNA: Why would you want to drop out?

CHARLES: College is not for me. I want to travel and let life educate
me. It’s so much more fun. It’s so much more real.

DEANNA: My mother would strangle me if I dropped out. I’m actually
only doing this for her.

CHARLES: We have to stop doing this. Why are we living our lives for
our parents? They lived theirs, we should be able to live ours.

DEANNA: They didn’t live theirs. They lived their parents.’

CHARLES: Well, no more of children living their parents’ lives. If
parents can’t seem to live their own life it’s not our fault.
I’m going to start living my own life.

DEANNA: So, you’re going to drop out of college and start living
your own life?

CHARLES: No. I’m going to graduate first for the sake of my parents
and then live my own life. I’m free, but I’m not dumb. I’m not
trying to hear my parents cry and complain.

Andrea enters with a stamped envelope in her hand

ANDREA: Hey Deanna.

DEANNA: Hey mom.

CHARLES: Hey Ms. Fields.

ANDREA: Hey, Charlie. I didn’t even realize you were here.

DEANNA: Mom, you don’t look so good.

ANDREA: Thanks for the compliment. I had a rough day at work today.

CHARLES: I guess that’s why they call it work.

ANDREA: Yes it is.

CHARLES: So, what’s for dinner, Ms. Fields?

ANDREA: Whatever your mother is cooking.

CHARLES: Oh, I was shot down by my friend’s mother.

ANDREA: You know I’m just playing. I am beat though. There are
leftovers in the fridge. You’re welcome to help yourselves.

CHARLES: Thank you, Ms. Fields.

ANDREA: I’m going to lie down. Please keep it quiet okay.

DEANNA: Okay, mother.

As Andrea exits, she remembers the envelope in her hand

ANDREA: Oh, I almost forgot. You got a letter from your trifling, no
good excuse of man who needs to be shot a couple of times so he can
get right father.

Andrea hands her the letter.

DEANNA: Mom. Be nice.

ANDREA: Don’t forget now, keep it down.

CHARLES: OKAY MS. FIELDS!

ANDREA: Very funny, Charlie.

Andrea exits

CHARLES: So apparently your mother has not forgiven your father yet.

DEANNA: You wouldn’t understand.

CHARLES: Then make me understand.

DEANNA: There’s nothing to explain.

CHARLES: Then there shouldn’t be anything I can’t understand.

DEANNA: Just forget it.

CHARLES: No matter what he did you must forgive him. The bible says
so. You need to remind your mother that. I mean she is a Christian,
right?

DEANNA: Yeah, but you know how Christians are; they pick and choose
which scriptures they want to obey.

Deanna opens the letter and reads it.

As Charles speaks it is clear that there is something wrong with Deanna

CHARLES: I know what you mean. There is this lady at my mom’s
church who be sanging in the choir. I know I saw her last week at the
club shaking her thang. I mean she was rubbing against the man she
was dancing with so hard you have thought she was scratching it.

Charles notices Deanna’s blank face

CHARLES: D. Deanna, what’s wrong? Girl, what’s the problem?
Girl, you look constipated; please tell me what’s wrong? DEANNA!

DEANNA: What.

CHARLES: What’s wrong with you?

DEANNA: What?

CHARLES: What’s wrong with you?

DEANNA: What!

CHARLES: Girl, if I have to ask again, what is the problem?

There is a brief silence

DEANNA: What were you saying about Justin?

CHARLES: What?

DEANNA: You said something about Justin Beiber.

CHARLES: Deanna, don’t change the subject. What’s wrong? What
does the letter say?

DEANNA: Do you think Justin could really be with a
seventy-five-year-old? He doesn’t seem like the type of person to
do that.

CHARLES: Deanna.

Charles takes the letter.

Deanna tries to take it back.

DEANNA: Give it back. It doesn’t belong to you.

CHARLES: Why do you always shut me out of your life?

DEANNA: I do not.

CHARLES: Every time I mention your father you get like this. What is
the problem?

DEANNA: There is no problem. Give me the letter back.

CHARLES: Dear Ruby; oh that’s so sweet he calls you by your middle
name. Dear Ruby, it has been a long time since I have written you. I
hope you actually take the time to read this. I see you have changed
your phone number. And you are not accepting my friendship on
Facespace.

He pauses to question Deanna

CHARLES: What is wrong with you? Why are you ignoring your father?

DEANNA: I told you, you wouldn’t understand.

CHARLES: I am just writing you to let you know Grammy is ill and the
doctor says it won’t be long. She wants to see you before; well, I
think you know. Please come by so she can see you. So, we can all
see you. We miss you and your mother. Love, your father, David Reed.
Wow.

Charles hands her back her letter.

CHARLES: That’s so sad; I’m sorry to hear that. Why do people
apologize for hearing bad news?

Deanna does not respond

CHARLES: So, when are you going?

DEANNA: Where?

CHARLES: To see your Grammy?

DEANNA: I’m not going.

CHARLES: Why not?

DEANNA: I told you-

CHARLES: I won’t understand. I got it. Apparently, you don’t
trust me.

DEANNA: It’s not that.

CHARLES: Then what is it? Why are you being so secretive?

DEANNA: I am not being secretive. You know, I think you should just
drop the subject and move on.

CHARLES: Why do you constantly want to change the subject when I
mention your family?

DEANNA: I don’t want to constantly change the subject. Now would
you please just change the subject?

CHARLES: Your grandmother is about to die and you don’t want to
visit her?

DEANNA: You know what Charlie, the best thing you can do right now is
just mind your business; okay. You let me deal with my family as I
please and I will let you deal with yours, okay.

CHARLES: I am just trying to be helpful.

DEANNA: You’re not being helpful. But you are annoying me.

CHARLES: My gosh, what’s with the attitude?

DEANNA: I don’t have an attitude, Charlie. WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST
LAY OFF IT ALREADY?

CHARLES: Now, you wanna yell. WELL, I CAN YELL TOO YOU KNOW.

DEANNA: WELL, THAT’S JUST GREAT! YELL ALL YOU WANT SEE IF I CARE.

CHARLES: Deanna, could you please just tell me what’s wrong?

DEANNA: I DON’T WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT’S WRONG! NOW PLEASE SHUT UP!

CHARLES: WELL, OKAY!

DEANNA: OKAY!

CHARLES: ALRIGHT!

DEANNA: ALRIGHT THEN!

ANDREA: (off) HEY, I SAID KEEP IT DOWN! DAMN!

A slight pause

DEANNA: It’ll be better if you leave.

CHARLES: Deanna.

Deanna shakes her head no.

CHARLES: Deanna. I’m sorry.

Deanna turns her head away from Charles.

CHARLES: Deanna. You’re right. I need to mind my business. And I
will. I’m sorry.

Deanna does not respond.

CHARLES: Sorry, Deanna.

Deanna ignores him.

CHARLES: Sorry.

Charles exits.

BLACKOUT

ACT ONE SCENE TWO

Andrea is sitting by the kitchen table drinking from a mug

The doorbell rings.

She gets up and opens the door

ANDREA: Hey, Charlie. What’s up?

CHARLES: Nothing much. Is Deanna here?

ANDREA: No, she stepped out for a bit.

CHARLES: Oh. Is she going to be away long?

ANDREA: I don’t think so.

CHARLES: Would you mind if I waited for her?

ANDREA: Not at all. So, what’s on you mind?

CHARLES: Nothing really. Just wanted to apologize.

ANDREA: Oh. What was all that hollering the other day?

CHARLES: That’s why I came to apologize.

ANDREA: I haven’t heard you guys argue like that since the junior
prom.

CHARLES: She wanted me to wear a pink tuxedo. That was not
happening.

ANDREA: What was this argument about?

CHARLES: The letter from her dad. Her Grandmother is dyeing and he
wanted her to see her, but Deanna doesn’t want to go.

ANDREA: Grammy is dyeing?

CHARLES: Yeah, the letter says she’s ill.

ANDREA: Serves her right.

CHARLES: Well, goodness, what did she do?

ANDREA: You wouldn’t understand.

CHARLES: Of course I wouldn’t. I mean why would I?

ANDREA: Are you being sarcastic?

CHARLES: I’m just a bit upset. Deanna won’t tell me anything
about her father. According to you he is no good, but the letter he
wrote her, paints a different picture. What are you hiding?

ANDREA: You can never tell the character of a person by a letter they
write. And as of now I think you have crossed the boundaries. This
does not concern you. Just leave it alone.

CHARLES: Honestly, I have been trying to, but I can’t seem to do so.
There is something driving me to get to the bottom of this pit.

ANDREA: The pit is way too deep. You won’t be able to get back up.

CHARLES: That’s for me to judge.

ANDREA: It’s none of your business to judge.

CHARLES: Well, I’ll make it my business.

ANDREA: I am very close to asking you to leave my home.

CHARLES: I just want to know why she won’t see her grandmother.
That’s all.

ANDREA: And I told you, you wouldn’t understand.

Deanna enters

DEANNA: Charles, what are you doing here?

CHARLES: I came to apologize.

DEANNA: You’re forgiven, now leave.

CHARLES: My goodness, what is wrong with you?

DEANNA: YOU! Is what’s wrong with me! Why can’t you just leave it alone?

CHARLES: Why should I? Why? When I was being bullied in science
class our sophomore year and you found out; did you leave it alone?
No! You came in there and threatened Sally in front of the whole
class making me look like a punk. Did you leave it alone? What about
when I overpaid for my superman’s underwear at Walmart; did you
leave that alone? No! You waltz in there and you made sure I got my
money back. You have always been there for me and it’s time for me
to pay you back.

DEANNA: This is different Charles.

ANDREA: You were being bullied by a girl? Superman underwear?

DEANNA: Trust me you just won’t understand. I cannot face those
people.

CHARLES: Who?

DEANNA: My father, my Grammy, my…I just can’t do it. I can’t do
it alone.

CHARLES: I’ll go with you. And we’ll face them together.

DEANNA: You just don’t understand. You won’t understand.

CHARLES: I will make sure I understand. Just for you. Because
that’s what friends do. We both have a week off for Spring Break so
let’s go together. And I will make sure whatever it is you can’t
seem to tell me will be dealt with before we leave.

DEANNA: You just don’t understand.

CHARLES: Is that a yes or no?

BLACK OUT

[End of Extract]