Take Two

Act 1, Scene 2:

Mid-Afternoon: The kitchen of a small country house. A middle aged woman and her adult daughter are seated at the table, the day after daughter’s 15 yr. high school reunion. Two glasses of iced tea, half filled, are on the table. The two women are  finishing up dessert.

MOM:

So, Lisa, would you say Jenn was your best friend when you were in high school?

DAUGHTER:

No, it was probably Amy. I was always a little jealous of Jenn, so I didn’t really think of her as my best friend.

MOM:

Oh. . . You were?

DAUGHTER:

Yes, she was the one who got all the attention from the boys.

MOM:

She was a flirt. (drags out the the last word, making it nearly 3 syllables instead of 1)

DAUGHTER:

(Opens mouth to speak but stops herself)

MOM:

You were the all-american-girl.

DAUGHTER:

No. I was the preacher’s daughter.

MOM:

(taken aback, but gains resolve) You were an all-a-MER-ican-girl.

DAUGHTER:

(takes a drink of tea, returns her Mother’s gaze) No. I was the PREACH-er’s daughter.

MOM:

(softer, but still clearly spoken, with a bit of a sigh) YOU were the all-american-girl.

DAUGHTER:

(scoots back her chair, stands up) I was the preacher’s daughter, Mom. That made me OFF limits. (walks out of the room)