My God! Here. You lie here –
He considers putting her on the sofa but decides, given her damp and bloody condition and the light nature of his sofa fabric, not to do that.
No, hang on. Lie down here a second.
He lays her out on the floor. Paige, semi-conscious, groans in pain as he does so.
I’ll – fetch a towel – a blanket. I’ll fetch something. Wait there! Don’t try to move.
Justin darts off, momentarily, to the bedroom. Paige tries to sit up. It is evidently agony to do so. She lies back down again. Justin returns. He has a large bath towel and a blanket.
Just a second.
He spreads the blanket on the sofa, leaves the towel on the coffee table and returns his attention to Paige.
Listen. I’m going to lift you on to the sofa, OK?
He prises her gently off the floor. Paige yelps with pain.
(as he does so) I probably shouldn’t be doing this, moving you at all, but what the hell, I must’ve done all the damage I can do already. (He sits Paige on the sofa.) How’s that?
Paige (in pain) Hah!
Justin How did you get there?
Paige (in pain) Hah!
Justin Did you climb up out of the river?
Paige (in pain) Hah!
Justin You’re half-drowned.
Paige (in pain) Hah!
Justin God, you’re not a failed suicide, are you?
Paige (trying to laugh, but still in pain) Hah, hah, hah!
Justin Are you in much pain?
Paige (reacting to the idiocy of such a question) Haaahh!
Justin Listen, I have a rudimentary knowledge of first aid. Can you try and describe where it hurts? Where does it hurt most?
Paige (with difficulty) Every … where …
Justin Ah. (proffering the towel) Would you like to – I’m frightened you’ll get cold …
Paige I’m – sodding – freezing …
Justin Yes, right. Perhaps I could pull the – (reacting to her state of semi-nudity) – perhaps you should pull the blanket round you a little.
Paige does so, half-heartedly.
(handing her the towel) Here. I think I’d better call an ambulance, hadn’t I?
Paige (despite her condition, quite vehemently) No!
Justin (startled) What?
Paige No ambulances! No ambulances!
Justin Why not? You need medical atten –
Paige (trying to stand, but failing) I have to go. I have to get out of here.
Justin Please, sit down. You’re in no condition to move. Really.
Paige He’ll find me. If he finds me here …
Justin Who?
Paige Micky.
Justin Micky?
Paige Micky upstairs.
Justin Micky upstairs? Who’s Micky upstairs?
Paige Well, he was upstairs. He’s probably halfway downstairs by now.
Justin Downstairs? Why’s he halfway downstairs?
Paige Looking for me.
Justin (confused) I see. And why is he coming downstairs looking for you?
Paige Because I should be upstairs.
Justin Why should you be upstairs?
Paige Because that’s where I live.
Justin Then what are you doing downstairs? How did you get downstairs?
Paige I climbed out of the window, didn’t I?
Justin Good God!
Paige From the penthouse. I managed to climb down two floors. And then I fell.
Justin Fell?
Paige Yes.
Justin You fell four floors?
Paige I’d have been in the bloody river if I hadn’t managed to grab your rail.
Justin But what made you climb out in the first place, for God’s sake?
Paige Because I wasn’t sitting there waiting for him to come back, was I?
Justin Him? You mean Micky?
Paige No, not Micky. Rudy.
Justin Rudy? Who’s Rudy? Is Rudy upstairs as well?
Paige No, Rudy’s in Birmingham, the bastard.
Justin Birmingham? Who is he, then?
Paige Rudy’s my bastard boyfriend. So-called.
Justin Then who’s Micky?
Paige (wearily) Micky works for Rudy. Rudy locked me in my room. Rudy’s gone to Birmingham with Winston. He left Micky to keep an eye on me. Alright? Happy?
Justin Why should he lock you in your room?
Paige Because he wants me there when he comes back.
Justin I see. And might you not have been?
Paige No way, brother. He’s planning to beat the shit out of me.
Justin Hit you?
Paige Putting it mildly.
Justin My God, he can’t do that.
Paige Really? You want to tell him that? Rudy is nine feet high. Which is only a foot shorter than his mate Winston. You fancy going to tell him?
Justin I’ll – we could certainly report him. He can’t do that!
Paige He’s Rudy Raven, darling.
Justin Rudy –?
Paige Don’t tell me you never heard of Rudy Raven?
Justin Can’t say I have.
Paige Then you are very, very lucky and keep it that way. I wish I hadn’t. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not soft, I can put up with an occasional slapping, I can cope with that. I’ve had plenty of that. I had this shining example from my dad, bless him. But wire coat hangers – I draw the line there. That’s something else again.
Justin (shocked) Wire coat hangers? I don’t believe it.
Paige Want to look?
Justin No, no.
Paige If he comes back and I’m still there, he’ll kill me. I know he will. Bloody near killed me before he left as it was.
Justin Why?
Paige You know, I clean forgot to ask him. Listen, would you help me, please? You look a decent bloke. I don’t need much. Just a little help. Please.
Justin I don’t see how I can –
Paige Please. I’m begging you. Please.
Justin But surely, isn’t this a matter for the police? He can’t go around … it doesn’t matter who he … I mean, I’m happy to –
Paige The police? Listen, Rudy is drinking mates with most of them. He gets them ringside seats. They’re not going to go after him, are they? Most of them are on his side. If they’re not in his pocket.
Justin Ringside seats?
Paige Rudy Raven, darling, come on. The boxing promoter. As in Raven Enterprises. (muttering) As in raven madman. Everyone’s heard of him.
Justin I don’t follow boxing.
Paige Really? You’re the first man I’ve met who doesn’t. First straight man, anyway. I take it you’re straight?
Justin Yes.
Paige If you don’t follow boxing, what do you do?
Justin Do? I’m a – software designer.
Paige Software?
Justin Computer games.
Paige (mildly impressed) Oh. I see. Well.
Justin I’m quite fond of cricket.
Paige Cricket? Oh dear, you sad man. Listen, are you going to help me or not? Because Micky’ll be banging on that door in a minute.
Justin Well, we won’t let him in.
Paige Listen, if Micky Rale bangs on that door, love, he’ll be in and so will the bloody door, alright?
Justin Ah. He’s – big as well, is he? I … Well, I … What exactly do you want?
Paige Thank you. I need some dry clothes. If you’ve got a pair of jeans or an old T-shirt I can borrow, I’m not fussy. Just something to keep me dry. And I also need a little bit of money. Not a lot. Just to get me to Hounslow. I’ve got a girl friend in Hounslow. She’ll take me in, I know she will, just overnight till I can get out of London. I’ll pay you back. I swear I will. And I’ll even post you back your clothes. Word of honour.
Slight pause.
Justin Alright.
Paige Ta.
Justin We’d – better be quick, then … My – girlfriend, she’ll be back in a minu
te, she –
Paige You got a girlfriend, then?
Justin Yes. She’s a programmer. Computers as well.
Paige Yes? You must have fun evenings together. Coming round, is she?
Justin Yes, she’s just – she’s just popped out to look for a fork.
Paige A what?
Justin A fork. A dessert fork.
Paige A fork! I thought you said something else for a minute. (She smiles.)
Justin (laughing a little nervously) No.
Paige I mean, if you’re here, she doesn’t need to go out for a takeaway, surely?
Justin (laughing some more) I hope not.
They laugh.
Paige I’m Paige, by the way. P–A–I–G–E. Paige Petite. That’s my professional name, anyway.
Justin Hello. Justin. Justin Lazenby.
Paige How do you do, Justin?
Justin (increasingly intrigued by her) How do you do?
Paige tries to get up. She is still weak.
Justin (springing to help her) Here.
Paige God, I’m going to be blue all over in the morning.
Justin From the fall?
Paige Some of it. My arse is like a bloody zebra crossing. Alright, I can manage now.
Justin You’re still shivering. Perhaps you should have a quick bath first. Just to warm you up.
Paige No, there isn’t time, I’ll –
Justin No, you’re still absolutely frozen. You shouldn’t go out again till you’ve warmed up, honestly. There’s time for a bath. I’ll run you one. Please.
Paige (studying him) I reckon your girlfriend’s a very lucky girl.
Justin (modestly) Well … Ready? This way.
Paige seems to have gathered her strength. Justin guides her towards the bedroom.
Paige She coming for supper then, is she?
Justin Yes.
Paige That’s why she’s looking for a fork, right?
Justin Well, we have several other people coming, actually. My mother, her mother and father, a friend of my mother’s –
Paige My God! I’d better be quick then. I’ll be mothered out.
Justin It’s OK. They’re not due for a little while …
They both go off. A brief pause. We hear the bath running. Julie-Ann comes back through the front door, wild-eyed, breathless and forkless. She searches round and retrieves her handbag from under the coffee table. She rummages for her car keys. Justin returns from the bedroom.
(rather surprised to find her here) Ah!
Julie-Ann (taking her coat from the peg) I’m driving up to the supermarket. Would you believe there’s nobody at home in this whole building. Or nobody who’s prepared to answer. I even tried the penthouse.
Justin Julie, there’s been a bit of –
Julie-Ann I’ll be five minutes. Then I’ll have to get changed. Could you take my dress out of its hanging bag? I meant to do that earlier. It’ll be creased to death otherwise …
Justin Yes, Julie, I just have to tell you –
Julie-Ann Are you running a bath?
Justin Yes, that’s what I wanted to –
Julie-Ann Can you run one for me afterwards? I’ve been rushing up and down those stairs, I’m unbelievably hot …
Justin Listen, why don’t you just –
Julie-Ann Have you turned the oven on? (at the stove) You haven’t even turned the oven on. Honestly, I ask you to do one little thing, Justy – (She frenziedly adjusts the oven dial.)
Justin I was going to turn it on, darling. I really was. Only this extraordinary thing happened. This –
Julie-Ann I’ll be back. You can tell me then. See you in a minute. God, look at the time, look at the time. Do the glasses! Put out the glasses.
Julie-Ann, now with her coat on, bag and keys in hand, hurries out, closing the door behind her. In her hurry, she again leaves it on the latch. Justin sighs. The phone rings.
Justin (answering) Hello … where are you now? … Yes, I’m sure it is … yes … I’m so pleased … Listen, Mother, are you sure he’s a rally driver? … Well, I don’t think rally drivers usually get completely rat-arsed, do they? … Well, Mother, please make this one your last. Please, you promised me, Mother … Yes, I know I am … Well, sorry about that … Some of us are born boring. See you later. (He rings off.) Oh, God. I have a bad feeling about this.
He picks up the tray, goes to the bar and starts to select six wine glasses and six water glasses. He carries these off to the dining room. Pause. The doorbell rings. A beat. Justin returns, listens for a second, thinks he must have misheard and goes off. The doorbell rings again. A beat. The door is opened. Micky enters. He is in his forties, well built. He wears a smart suit. He is an ex-boxer but, from the visible evidence, one who was on the losing end of most of his bouts. He inspects the flat. He moves to the windows and, opening them, steps briefly out into the night. The wind and rain still continue. Micky peers over the balcony, searching for signs of Paige. At this moment, Paige, straight from her quick bath, returns from the bedroom. She is wearing what is evidently Julie-Ann’s intended dinner dress. It is a proper, little-girl, demure sort of dress.
Paige (as she enters) Justin, I hope you don’t mind, I found this dress in the wardrobe and I – (realising no one is in the room) Oh. (turning and calling) Justin! (seeing the open windows) What are you doing out here? It’s bloody freezing. You’ll catch your death – Oh, my God!
Micky steps back through the windows. He grabs her wrist in one hand and closes the doors behind him.
Micky Come on –
Paige Micky! Let go!
Micky Come on, back you come!
Paige Micky, will you let go of me, please. You are breaking my bloody wrist.
Micky You coming, then?
Paige Let go!
Micky Are you coming?
Paige Not till you let go!
Micky considers and finally releases Paige’s wrist.
Paige (rubbing her arm) God! I’ve got another set of bruises now. You stupid gorilla!
Micky Upstairs, alright?
Paige No.
Micky (tense again) What?
Paige I’m not staying up there, Micky. You saw what mood he was in. I stay there till Rudy comes back, he’ll bloody kill me. He’s mad, Micky, you’ve seen what he’s like. He’s completely lost it, hasn’t he? Do you want him to kill me? Is that what you want to happen?
Micky If you’re not up there when he comes back, he’ll kill me.
Paige Listen, I escaped. It wasn’t your fault. You’d checked on me regular. You’d kept my door locked. What more could you have done? Nothing. You didn’t know this silly bitch was going to climb out of a sixth-floor window, did you? It wasn’t your fault.
Micky Rudy won’t see it that way.
Paige Look, you were innocently watching a porn video. How were you expected to know?
Micky It wasn’t a porn video.
Paige Well, whatever.
Micky Rambo. I was watching Rambo.
Paige What, again? How many times have you seen that, then?
Micky Fifty-six times. Ten in the cinema. Now, you coming?
Paige Micky. Please. I’m pleading with you. Please.
Micky Come on, Paige. You don’t want me to force you.
Paige I didn’t do anything, Micky. I swear I didn’t.
Micky I don’t know anything about it.
Paige Do you think I’m that stupid? Start sleeping around behind Rudy’s back? I know what he’s like, Micky. Do you really think I’m mad enough to do something like that? Risk pissing him off?
Micky That’s between you and Rudy. Nothing to do with me.
Paige So you’re just going to stand by, are you? Let him do what he wants? Be accessory to murder? I thought we were friends, Micky.
Micky We’re friends, yes. But I’m – my loyalty’s to Rudy. I mean, I couldn’t deceive him, Paige. I owe him. We both owe him.
Paige Not me. No way. Anything I owe to Rudy I have repaid wi
th interest, Micky. As far as I’m concerned, my account is now in credit …
Micky Come on, Paige, don’t make me force you –
Paige Alright, Micky, here’s how it goes. You are probably three times heavier than me and no doubt ten times as strong. But if you touch me I will put up such a fight – it will make your brief and disastrous boxing career seem like a bloody brownies’ pillow fight –
Micky Disastrous? It wasn’t disastrous …
Paige I heard, Micky, I heard. Rudy told me. What was it? Twenty-three fights, one win, three draws and nineteen losses …
Micky Bollocks …
Paige Oh, and one knockout. And that was the referee.
Micky That was an accident. He was getting on my tits.
Paige Got you disqualified for life though, didn’t it?
Micky I don’t want to discuss it. That’s a closed chapter. Come on, Paige.
Paige I mean it, Micky. I won’t come without a fight.
Micky (shrugging) Alright – if that’s how you want it … (He starts to move towards her.)
Paige You’re going to have to hurt me, Micky. And. when I tell Rudy, he’s not going to like that, is he?
Micky (stopping) What?
Paige You know how he feels about other people touching me.
Micky This is different.
Paige Listen. He’s accused me of carrying on with someone. And he’s told me to come up with a name by the time he gets back. Or else. What if I was to name you, Micky? What do you think he’d do to you?
Micky You wouldn’t do that. (He stares at her.) Would you?
Paige What have I got to lose? I don’t want to die. I’ll have to come up with a name eventually, won’t I? You, Winston, the Pope. Anyone. It might as well be you.
Micky You can’t.
Paige Try me.
Micky He’d never believe you.
Paige Ah, but would he believe you, Micky? That’s the point.
Silence.
I’m not going up there. That’s final …
Micky Well, I’m not going up without you.
Paige Deadlock then.
Micky (a sudden idea) I’ll phone Rudy.
Damsels in Distress Page 17