The Peach Season

by Debra Oswald

  CELIA and JOE watch ZOE down by the orchard.

  CELIA: It’s lovely, you driving Zoe back.

  JOE: I’ve got meetings in the city. I can drop her off on my way.

  CELIA: Zoe’s all packed. Suitcase by the door.

  JOE: She does want to go back to Sydney?

  CELIA: Yes, mostly. There are so many good reasons for her to be there.

  JOE: I had a call from Sheena this morning.

  CELIA: Oh. I didn’t know you—uh—

  JOE: Just sorting out the last of the legal mess. She has a new bloke apparently.

  CELIA: And is this new bloke—?

  JOE: Not a total dropkick, it seems.

  CELIA: I hope that’s right.

  JOE: She said Kieran’s heading to the Northern Territory.

  CELIA: According to Zoe, he wants to go up there, look for work, clear his head.

  JOE: I think it’s a good idea.

  CELIA: Yes.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] Who can say what will happen to that boy at the long run? Me, I see perhaps bad things for a boy like that—rolling his car on a dirt road… stumbling into the path of some angry man at the worst moment… you know. But I can’t see into the future. Some people might join me in my hoping for the best for that boy.

  CELIA: Oh, Joe, look at the time. You need to get on the road.

  JOE: No rush. So I’m late for the meeting. I’ll put her suitcase in the car.

  JOE exits to the house.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] So. It seems no vodka for me this winter—since I’ll have my son living with me. Josef can help around this place and he can help me keep Celia company when Zoe’s gone back to the city.

  CELIA, looking down at ZOE, addresses the audience.

  CELIA: [to the audience] I can see that Zoe is stronger. She doesn’t let unimportant things get to her like she used to. But sometimes, when we talk on the phone, it only takes two syllables and I can hear if she’s wretched. That blackness in her voice.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] The worrying doesn’t stop.

  CELIA: [to the audience] At night I still catalogue dangers, but now I add to the conjured scenes. I rewrite the stories—imagine Zoe escaping trouble by her good judgement, quick wits, strong heart.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] There is comfort in that.

  CELIA: [to the audience] I urge her to be strong. As if all my hours of worrying and urging will distil and harden into a small, bright amulet she can wear around her neck to protect her wherever she is.

  ZOE waves up to her mother.

  ZOE: Mum! Do I need to come and get ready now?

  CELIA: Soon.

  ZOE stretches, then mimes that her back and shoulders are killing her. CELIA laughs, adoring her.

  THE END