She hands her the GP’s letter.
He has terminal cancer that has spread, and now he is on road to die. He kill me if I tell you, but I must.
Gemma’s knees give way. Maria dashes to catch her. She places her in a chair.
Gemma Oh my God . . .
Maria Here, have tea . . . sugar will help. He doesn’t tell you because he wishes to punish you with it . . .
Gemma How come he told you . . . ? When did you find out?
Maria By chance . . . Gemma, we could give him his wish and just let him die or we could do something really special . . .
Gemma Like?
Maria You ever see, know of your mother?
Gemma (looks at her) I saw her for the first time since she left us, five years ago. She’d moved back to Grenada. I flew there to see her. Why?
Maria What is name?
Gemma Rosemarie.
Maria Huh! I think so. The dream from Portsmouth! The vision at the funeral . . . I think it is very important that your father sees Rosemarie before he dies.
Gemma How’s he gonna do that? You said . . .
Maria We fly him to Grenada. I have two tickets reserved already to leave on Monday. I have told your father that I will go with him to see the sea, to see where he grow . . . but I think if you were to go – take him, Gemma, to see your mother, spend days with him listening to his stories . . . He never says it, but I know every time he looks at me he see Rosemarie, every good deed he does for me is for her. He has never got over what he did to her . . .
Gemma He shouldn’t. She attempted suicide twice over that –
Maria And it haunts him. We are children, Gemma. We should always stay out of the world of our parents. We don’t, we cannot understand . . . I just think to be with you – will make his heart light.
Having regained her composure Gemma stands again. She exhales.
Gemma Right . . . So four weeks, you say?
Maria At most.
Gemma Can he handle the flight?
Maria If he can’t, he’ll die with family? Is a lot better than dying alone.
Gemma You think he would let me . . . take him?
Maria Does he need to know?
Lights.
Scene Four
Alfred is on the sofa in the front room. He is looking a little agitated. And much weaker. There are three suitcases around the room. After a few beats Maria runs in and takes off her coat.
Maria Hey!
Alfred Where you been? You do say the cab coming at eleven? Is ten-to now, you know.
Maria Is OK, is OK. Look what I’s found!
She holds out an expensive-looking silver tub of polish.
Alfred What is that?
Maria I have been looking for everywhere – great bargain for Lillie. Special polish for special wood. I have only been dusting her, not really cleaning her – with this, she will look as she did the day you buy . . .
Alfred What are you doing?
Maria Polishing Lillie . . . Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to do this?
Alfred Where’s your case . . . I doe see you bring it down yet?
Maria Alfred, stop worrying. I’m ready. Look at this . . . doesn’t she look better already?
Alfred She does.
Maria What shall we put on to say goodbye to the house? Nat? Billy? How about the new Louis Armstrong I find you in old shop?
Alfred We always playing my music, Maria. Don’t you have anything you want to play?
She thinks.
Maria Well, I was going ask if . . . While shopping the other day I find old classic – my favourite when child.
Alfred Put it on, put it on.
Maria You sure? Is not really your type music, Alfred.
Alfred I am a man of wide and varied taste, young lady. Put the damn ting on.
Maria runs to corner and pulls out a seven-inch single from bag and places it on the new shining Lillie. Out plays ‘Like a Virgin’ by Madonna.
Maria is dancing around the room singing along. Alfred is waving his arms in the air, singing with the chorus.
Alfred That’s right, the house needs some new music!
Enter Gemma. When Alfred sees her, he stops. Maria turns the music off.
Gemma (first to Alfred) Hi, Dad.
Alfred looks around, immediately suspicious.
Gemma The car’s here.
Alfred What car? Maria, what’s going on?
Beat as the girls look at each other.
Maria I was going to tell you at airport, Alfred.
Alfred Tell me what?
Maria I no get visa to travel . . . They no let me travel with you, Alfred. Polish Embassy (too slow).
Alfred So what?
Maria (pleading almost) This trip is too important, Alfred . . . I ask Gemma to go with you cos . . .
Alfred Are you crazy?
Gemma Dad . . .
Alfred The whole idea, Maria, was that I go to show you where I was born, you where I went school, where I met my first love – you the one that shows me love . . .
Gemma I’d like to know those things too . . .
Alfred Of course she’d like to know, now there’s a free flight to the Caribbean. She had thirty years to know – is now she go take an interest? Well, you lie, I’m not going anywhere with her and that’s that.
Maria Alfred . . .
Alfred (suddenly realises) You haven’t (told her) . . .
Maria No!
Gemma What? What haven’t you?
Maria Nothing . . . to affect you.
Beat.
(Firm.) Gemma, may I have moment with father? If you do not go, Alfred, then I cannot help any further . . . It is what I feel in my heart you need and it is my gift to you after you have . . . saved me. We put too much into this for it not to happen now.
Alfred (almost with sadness) Maria, she not going to want to hear my stories, she hates me. I don’t want to be surrounded by hate at this time . . . She’s not going to be interested.
Maria Then you tell me all when you come back! I tell you now, no more secret . . . I ask Gemma because I want her to take you see Rosemarie.
He looks up at her. How does she know the name?
Gemma She wants to see you, Dad.
Alfred Oh, she does, does she? What make you think I want to see her?
Maria Every story you tell me is about Rosemarie.
He doesn’t reply. Cab horn blows twice.
That is cab, Alfred. What are you going to do?
Alfred I don’t need no kiss-me-arse charity from any of you.
Gemma (straight) But it’s not for you, is it? It’s for me.
He looks at her. The horn goes again.
Maria I buy you mobile phone so you can call me every day. From beach, from sea . . . from little rum shack at the bottom of hill in Calliste.
She places it on his lap and goes to leave the room.
I go speak with cab man. Hold on minute.
Beat, beat, beat.
Alfred (eventually) You spoken to her?
Gemma She’s not well herself, actually.
Alfred Really? (Then he shuts back down.)
Maria re-enters. Gemma and Alfred have not moved.
Maria Cab man say he won’t wait for much longer. What you do, Alfred? This time tomorrow you could be home, in sun. And I will be here waiting for you when you get back. Ready to take our next trip. How many people can plan like that, huh?
He understands what she means and eventually stretches his arms in the air for her to help him get up.
She indicates to Gemma to get the wheelchair. She does.
Maria When you arrive, send Gemma to buy SIM and you call me every day. OK?
Lights.
Scene Five
Maria is sitting on the sofa, reading. She has the blanket wrapped around her. She speaks to herself.
Maria Thirty. Thirty members of British Parliament, no cabinet . . . Queen is the constitutional head of the United Kingdom . . . Tim H
enman no longer play tennis . . . When do British children get pocket money? When they want it, no?
She turns to the back of the book and adds up her score.
Oh. Once a week . . . Eight out of ten. Yesssss.
She flings the book down and dashes to Lillie. She puts on the Sex Pistols’ ‘Anarchy in the UK’. She sings with it at the top of her voice.
The doorbell rings.
Maria Oh.
She switches off the music, dashes to the door. Alfred and Gemma enter, carrying suitcases.
Gemma What kind of mad music you playing, gal?
Maria History of Britain I learn . . . Oh my God, this so heavy. What you have inside – Alfred body? Sorry, not good joke. How was it?
She gives Gemma a big kiss on the lips.
Gemma Don’t worry.
Maria I no worry. Use to watch Big Black Booty 4 DVD with Tomas. Always wondered what it’s like to kiss gay black woman.
Gemma Who, you or Tomas?
Maria Both. Was painful?
Gemma No. So beautiful and peaceful and we all just cried all the time.
Beat.
Maria Alfred, I miss you so much. So boring in big old house by self. How you cope before I here?
Alfred Ask me that again? . . . See you kept the place just as we left it.
Maria Of course. Here, let me take off your jacket. You look great. Is this Alfred I see before me?
Alfred No, is Lord Invader. (Sings.) ‘With he old-time cato’nine!’ Should ah see me yesterday, is the plane that mash me up, I was looking fifteen years younger, today I feel only five.
Gemma re-enters with final suitcase.
Gemma Dad, I’m just gonna pop to Janet’s, yeah. We’ll be back tonight.
Alfred Good, good. Later then.
Gemma You OK, innit, Maria?
Maria I more than OK. Alfred back.
Gemma Later.
She leaves.
Maria So, tell me allll about it . . .
Alfred You know everything, I called you every day. Tell me what have you been doing?
Maria Well, I finish first citizen test booklet as I said . . .
Alfred You don’t need to do that, only the new EC.
Maria (excited) I love it . . . I sit and test myself as if in exam conditions. I study now for test two. Now you back, is easy. Enough me. Tell me different story from phone!
Alfred As you done know, Janet flew out here . . .
Maria (defensive) Is not my idea, is Gemma. They both wanted to take you, I say only Gemma.
Alfred Oh, Maria, it was so beautiful . . . the sea . . . I forget the colour of de sea my modder use to bath me in, girl . . .
Maria (treads gently) And wife?
Alfred (smiles) God can be cruel sometimes you know. How he could give people such beauty knowing that lesser mortals have to look on dat every day . . . She and she new husband would wheel me down to the beach every morning, just as the sun come up and when I put my foot in the water – oh gwad, gal, I feel as if I healing on the spot. I don’t lie Maria, I – feel – better. I don’t know as if maybe this thing on me bones is getting smaller or less or going away.
Maria That’s great, Alfred . . .
Alfred I know, who could believe it? I was going down, down, down, Maria, and now I feel I could climb a coconut tree, jump from the top of a bunk bed, swing and bust a big six . . .
Maria Maybe we should go your doctor? Have them check . . .
Alfred I was thinking that –
Maria Oh Alfred, you make me so happy. I told you going home would create miracle. I felt it in my heart . . .
Alfred As you know, I went on the internet. Sent you an email. I mean, what a wonderful invention. What a wonderful time to be alive. Everything is moving so fast – I could die today, and tomorrow them fine a cure . . . for everything.
Maria Exactly. I call the doctor tomorrow and we go see him. Go to hospital – they tell us everything OK . . .
Alfred You know, as I was flying back looking out on the clouds I thought how many people live years after doctors say they go dead. Years. Thing suddenly go in remission. BAM! You back. You don’t even know why.
Maria Let me get you some coconut water? I went out and got some yesterday especially.
Alfred Dem stale ole ting that you fill up with painkiller. I bought fresh, just fall from the tree before we fly, coconut girl.
Maria Where are they?
Alfred Top of that bag there . . . I’ve been unfair to me children, Maria. Hey, so they both dunce, they didn’t achieve nothin, is not every child can be Dawkins and Hawkins is it? How I could expect them not to search for they modder?
Maria Is right.
Alfred Is the sea bath release me, gal, like magic touch me soul . . . How was Lillie? She miss me?
Maria No, cos I play her loud every day. New kinds of music. Even had the neighbours banging one night . . .
Alfred Good. Them bitches. Keep them up, man . . . Oh girl, what is life? All these years I held in my heart what I had done to that woman and, you know, she had set me free years ago? The moment she saw me she said, ‘Hello big Al,’ and I knew she had forgiven me. All the nights of . . . of running next woman . . . bringing next woman in me own house to have dominion on her . . . all the days of spending all she money so she had nothing . . . and all of the nights after she had gone, nights of realising what I had done – they all just disappeared and I felt like a man released from a weight greater than himself. In front of my children she forgave me. And for a singular moment, we could have been anywhere, anywhere in the world, but we were a family.
Maria gives him the water. Alfred drinks it down in a gulp.
Maria My word, you are better, Alfred, that would have taken you an hour!
Alfred Go get me will for me, please, Maria.
Maria Your will?
Alfred From the side of the bag there.
Maria What you want will for?
Alfred I had a solicitor draw it up in Grenada. I want this house sold, Maria – what do you think?
Maria I have no thoughts, if you think it is right.
Alfred Good. And when it’s sold I’m going to split fifty-fifty you and Gemma. Janet husband rich, she don’t need nothin.
Maria Oh Alfred, I don’t want half of house, I am not your child.
Alfred Who’s going to look after you when I’m gone?
Maria I look after myself.
Alfred Let me tell you something. I come to this country with nothing and work like a dog. You come to this country and you working like a dog. You’s the rightful inheritor. Not them that squander it.
Maria If you want to leave me something when you die, which of course we know now will be a long time away now, leave me Lillie. That’s all I want.
Alfred (looks at her) I was in the air flying, looking down at the clouds, and I thought, thank God I didn’t take my life before this glorious moment . . .
Maria Life is good, eh, Alfred?
Alfred But it will never be better than this moment right now.
Maria Of course it will. Give you a few months, you get strong, back on your feet, you go home again . . .
Alfred Even if they found a cure tomorrow, I will never feel happier than I feel right now, never.
Maria What are you saying?
Alfred (smiling) I’m saying, I couldn’t wait to get home, Maria.
He smiles, walks and sits on the sofa near the table with the green box.
Maria stands next to Lillie. She knows what he means.
Maria But you just said how (happy you are) . . .
Alfred Exactly . . . I’m ready, child. I’m ready for the next ride.
Maria (beginning to get scared) But you said, Alfred . . . you feel as if it is getting better – it could be going . . .
Alfred (calm and almost joyous) Don’t back out on me now, Maria, now’s when I really need you.
He opens the box and sees that the capsules are not there.
(Flips.
) Where are they?
Maria I threw them away.
Alfred You did what?
Maria You sounded so happy I didn’t think you’d want to do it any more.
Alfred Maria, what have you done? You have destroyed the best moment of my life . . . Why would you have me stay here? Why would you do this to me?
He almost sounds like he’s screaming from his soul.
Why, Maria, why?
Maria suddenly darts to a corner and pulls all the drugs out and places them back in the box.
Maria There, there you are! OK?
Alfred calms down. Never taking his eyes off her, he eventually smiles. Maria stares at him for a while. Still he doesn’t take his eyes off her, but is smiling with his whole face. Eventually Maria walks to the thermostat and turns it down.
Alfred Thank you, Maria.
Maria Can we at least not wait till the doctors confirm that it is still . . .
Alfred, not taking his eyes off her, just smiles.
Maria You once said that Nat and Lillie had answers to every question in the world. What should I play to give me answer to stop this?
Alfred This might be the only one I don’t think it has an answer for . . .
He breaks the seal on the capsules and pours capsule after capsule into the shaker.
Maria (starts to cry) Don’t, Alfred, please don’t.
When Alfred is done, he looks at Maria with so much love in his eyes.
Alfred I tell you what to put on. Track three, side two.
Slowly she does. It begins to play – Nat King Cole’s ‘Let There Be Love’.
Alfred (while the song is playing) Ms Polish. You have made me a very happy man.
He pours the water from shaker into the large cup and drinks it slowly but deliberately. When he is done he leans back in his seat and exhales a long breath. Then, with a sudden jerk Alfred leans forward.
Alfred Shall we?
He stands and holds out his arms to dance. Maria stretches out her arms and they ballroom-dance around the room. ‘Let There Be Love’ continues to play. On the last beats of the song Maria spins Alfred back into the chair.
Nat
Hmmm umm . . . love
Hmmm umm . . . love.
Alfred lets out a long sigh and leans his head gently to the side. With the biggest smile on his face, he passes to the next world.
Maria kneels and places her head on his lap and places his hand on her face.
Plays 1 Page 26