by Jordi Mand
Do you live alone?
TERESA
Yes. I live alone.
MARION
Does he have a key?
TERESA
No, he does not have a key.
MARION
How do you know when to meet? How does he know when to come over?
TERESA
I don’t know. Look, we…
She stops herself.
We’ve only been together a few times.
MARION
What does that mean… a few times? You’ve only seen each other a few times? You’ve only fucked each other a few times?
TERESA
We’ve only slept together a few times… yes.
MARION
So… what? Twice? Three times?
TERESA
I haven’t counted.
MARION
Do you use protection?
TERESA
What?
MARION
I need to know if I should be tested for—
TERESA
You don’t need to be tested for anything.
MARION
Do you use protection or not?
TERESA
Yes.
MARION
What? Are you on birth control?
TERESA
No. I’m not on birth control.
MARION
No!
TERESA
No. We use condoms, all right?
MARION
Condoms?
TERESA
Yes.
MARION
Does he buy them or do you?
TERESA
I don’t know.
MARION
So they just appear out of nowhere?
TERESA
No. He…
TERESA buries her head in her hands.
MARION
You’re going to stop seeing him. Do you understand me? You’re going to contact him tonight and you’re going to tell him it’s over. You’re going to tell him it’s over and then you are never to communicate with him again. You won’t write to him… you won’t call him—
TERESA
(quietly) It’s not that simple.
MARION
Simple? What did you think was going to happen?
TERESA
I didn’t think anything.
MARION
Well that’s the problem, isn’t it? You weren’t thinking. Neither of you were thinking.
TERESA
We—
MARION
You think I don’t know what he sees in you? You’re young, you’re attractive, you’re some kind of answer.
TERESA
Answer?
MARION
Yes. You’re the answer to his fucking mid-life crisis.
TERESA
You don’t have to do that.
MARION
What?
TERESA
You don’t have to make him sound like some kind of… he’s not like that.
MARION
He’s not like what… he’s not like every other man his age? Sleeping with some young… he’s twice your age, for fuck’s sakes.
TERESA
Well you’re the only one who seems to have a problem with that.
MARION
Problem? Sweetheart… do you not see what’s going on here?
TERESA
He’s—
MARION
He’s using you. He wouldn’t be doing this if he—
TERESA
He wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t have feelings for me.
MARION
Feelings? Do you hear yourself?
TERESA
You have no idea.
MARION
This is a phase.
TERESA
I’m sure it’s easier for you to think that.
MARION
Believe me… nothing could possibly make this easier for me.
TERESA
No. It is. It’s easier for you to think that this is a phase or some kind of an answer to—
MARION
It’s an affair. You are having an—
TERESA
It’s a relationship!
MARION laughs.
MARION
Oh god.
She continues to laugh.
Oh dear god.
MARION looks at her.
He’s married. You know that, don’t you?
TERESA
Yes. I know that.
MARION
He is not single. He is not a bachelor. He is not available. The man you are talking about is my husband. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?
TERESA
Of course it means something to me.
MARION
You can’t just meet to fuck each other whenever—
TERESA
That’s not what this is about. It’s not—
MARION
It not what?
TERESA
It’s not about sex.
MARION
It isn’t?
TERESA
No.
MARION
You’re sleeping with him… aren’t you?
TERESA
That just happened.
MARION
You just happened to find yourself in bed with my husband?
TERESA
No.
MARION
How can you say it’s not about sex?
TERESA
Look… it doesn’t matter what I say to you, all right? Everything that comes out of my mouth is going to sound stupid or young or whatever it is you think I am. But this is real… this is real, and if he were here he would be telling you exactly the same thing.
MARION
He—
TERESA
Neither of us was looking for this. I knew he was married. Of course I knew he was married. But it’s not as if I went out of my way to find a married man to sleep with. I hate the fact that he has a life with someone else… that he has a life with you.
I know you think this is just about sex… and I get it. I do. But it’s not and you need to know that. It has never been about that.
MARION grabs the binder from TERESA’s desk.
MARION
(reading) “I ache until I can hold you inside me again.”
TERESA
Don’t.
MARION
(reading) “Your sweat on my skin… the taste of you in my mouth…”
TERESA
Stop.
MARION
(reading) “The thought of you… the very thought of you makes me wet.”
TERESA
Stop it.
MARION
It’s not about sex?
TERESA
You don’t understand.
MARION
Obviously I don’t.
TERESA
He writes to me. He writes to me all the time.
MARION
Yes, I’ve been reading his work.
TERESA
No. You haven’t read these. He’s been writing short stories for me… poetry.
MARION
What… like assignments?
TERESA
You don’t get it.
MARION
I get it. You’re giving my husband homework.
TERESA
This is not a joke! You have no idea what he’s written about… how much he’s shared with me… how much I know about your life together.
MARIO
N
What?
TERESA
I know about your first date… about your wedding night… about fights that you’ve had. I know you were sleeping in separate rooms for a while. I know about the last time you actually touched each other. He has shared some of the most private, intimate details of your marriage.
MARION
You have some fucking nerve.
MARION breathes heavily.
She moves away from TERESA.
TERESA follows her.
TERESA
He’s miserable. He’s told me, over and over again… how sad… how lonely he’s felt… how trapped he’s felt.
He’s happy. For the first time in years he is actually—
MARION falls to her knees and vomits into the garbage can beside TERESA’s desk.
TERESA backs away.
Beat.
TERESA goes to her desk and grabs a few tissues and her mug. She goes to MARION and offers her both.
Do you want some water or…
MARION takes the tissues from TERESA and wipes her face. She puts her arm out, indicating for TERESA to give her space.
TERESA places the mug on the desk and moves away from MARION.
MARION sits for a few moments and tries to steady her breathing.
She wipes her mouth and stands.
MARION takes a few moments. She takes a sip of water.
Beat.
She looks at TERESA.
MARION
I’m going to tell you something and I want you to listen because this is something he would never admit about himself.
Beat.
He is never satisfied.
MARION looks at TERESA.
He is never satisfied. And the reason he would never admit that is because… he doesn’t know. He has no idea that he’s been living his life this way… that for years he has been living his life this way. Whatever it is you think you’ve found together… in the end… it won’t matter. He is never ever happy. And he never will be.
Beat.
MARION throws the tissue in the garbage.
MARION stands. She notices some of the projects hanging on the bulletin board. She stares at the board for a long time.
TERESA watches her.
TERESA
(pointing to the board) Alex’s project is—
MARION
I know which project is his.
Beat.
MARION reaches out to touch one of the projects.
Does he know?
TERESA
What?
MARION
My son! Does my son know?
TERESA
No!
MARION
You’re sure?
TERESA
Yes. I’m sure.
MARION
But he’s seen the two of you together.
TERESA
Only when he’s being dropped off or picked up.
MARION
Have you ever seen him outside of school?
TERESA
No.
MARION
After school, on the weekends… have you ever—
TERESA
I have never seen your son outside of this school!
MARION looks at her. She moves to get her coat and bag.
MARION
I want him as far away from you as possible.
TERESA
What? Why?
MARION
Why? Because… you’ve put him in a dangerous situation.
TERESA
How is this dangerous?
MARION
Alex isn’t safe in your class.
TERESA
My students’ safety is the most important thing to me. I would never do anything to put any of my students in danger.
MARION
My son—
TERESA
Your son is doing well. Alex is having the best year he’s had since he started here.
MARION
Of course he is. He’s smart.
TERESA
You’re right. He is smart. He’s also… incredibly challenging.
MARION
Kids are challenging.
TERESA
Not like Alex. His teachers haven’t always known how to work with him.
MARION
He’s struggled a bit here and there.
TERESA
Struggled? Marion, he’s been drowning.
TERESA goes to get Alex’s file.
I have all of Alex’s report cards since he started here. I have comment after comment from his teachers… each of them noting his behaviour as an issue. That he has trouble focusing… trouble staying on topic… that he zones out during class if he—
MARION
Every kid zones out. You try finding a kid that—
TERESA
No. Not every kid. Not like Alex. He used to talk to himself… he was continually disrupting the class—
MARION
Then you should be doing a better job of controlling them. It’s your job to—
TERESA
It’s because I have been doing my job… because Alex and I have been working together… creating a system together that he—
MARION
A system?
TERESAYes.
MARION
What system?
TERESA
So he can function. So he can stay focused in class.
MARION
What are you talking about?
TERESA
I’ve been giving him ways to help organize his thoughts. It’s been good for him. He doesn’t feel like his mind is moving a million miles per minute.
MARION
Does the school know you’re using systems—
TERESA
Of course they know. I’ve consulted with a number of teachers here who—
MARION
What teachers?
TERESA
From the resource program.
MARION
The resource program?
TERESA
Yes. Alex’s needs are very—
MARION
Now you’re an expert on what my son needs?
TERESA
I’m not an expert but I did my aq in special education.
MARION
Fuck, of course you did.
TERESA
He needs to—
MARION
You have no right speaking to anyone about my son without my consent.
TERESA
Alex is my student. I have a professional obligation—
MARION
To talk to one of us before you decide to just take matters into your own hands.
TERESA
I did. Curtis and I…
Beat.
MARION
What? You what?
TERESA
We discussed it. I didn’t just take matters into my own hands. He knew I was speaking to Ms. Larson. I wouldn’t have pursued it without consulting with—
MARION
(to herself) This is a fucking nightmare.
TERESA
Alex is making progress. Please don’t forget that. I am the first person that has actually been able to get through to him.
MARION
You are not the first person!
TERESA
I’m the first person here! It’s because I have been working with Alex during class, after class, at recess, that he’s finally—
MARION
And do all of your students receive this level of attention, Miss Stewart?
&
nbsp; TERESA
Alex needs the attention. Other students don’t necessarily—
MARION
He needs it or you do?
TERESA
What?
MARION
I’m just asking.
TERESA
Asking what exactly?
MARION
You don’t think I know what you’re doing?
TERESA
No. I don’t, actually.
MARION
The more time you spend with my son, the more contact you’re able to have with my husband. Isn’t that how you’ve arranged things?
TERESA
I haven’t arranged anything.
MARION
No, the child of the man you’re fucking just happens to need more attention than every other student in your class.
TERESA
Alex’s progress has absolutely nothing to do with my relationship with Curtis. And yes, for the record, Alex does need—
MARION
It must be so romantic… the two of you lying in bed together… reading poetry to each other… discussing my son’s academic—
TERESA
Alex needs to be assessed!
Beat.
MARION
Assessed?
TERESA
Tested.
MARION
I know what assessed means!
TERESA
He needs to be working with the resource program.
MARION
You think you’re the first person to suggest that we have Alex tested?
TERESA
No. I know I’m not.
MARION
You’re right. You’re not!
TERESA
Then why haven’t you done anything about it?
MARION
I’m not getting into this with you.
TERESA
Look…
She stops herself.
She looks at MARION.
He’s a great kid. He really is. He’s smart and funny and clever. But it’s only going to get harder for him. I’m sure you know that. If you don’t do something about it now… while he’s young enough to…
She stops herself.
I know I’m the last person in the world you want to be hearing this from but you need to consider this for him. You need to consider it if you—
MARION
We have. We have considered it.
TERESA
Okay. So…
MARION
I don’t want that for him. I don’t want him treated differently. I don’t want him to be isolated or—
TERESA
Of course you don’t.
MARION
I don’t want him put into some kind of separate stream or… he’s a sensitive kid. He wouldn’t handle it well.
TERESA
I wouldn’t underestimate him. To be honest… I think he’ll be relieved once—
MARION
Relieved?
TERESA
Yes.