April Showers : Part Two

 

JOANNA : I am going to find my mum.

(Shaw exits)

(Music starts, plays for half a minute then fades to background) (Mrs. Chadwick gets into car and Joanna walks over to car and gets in)

BERYL CHADWICK : Have you come in out of the cold, love?

JOANNA : Yes, mum.

BERYL : It’s not a very good day for anything like this, is it? You must be nithered in your satin uniform.

JOANNA : Oh it doesn’t matter, there are worse things.

BERYL : You are not worried about the possibility of not winning are you? It won’t be the end of the world. It’s more the joining in, I think , love, with a thing like this. It’s not like you to worry.

JOANNA : No, I am not worried about that. I don’t really care how we do.

BERYL : Mmm..... you are growing tired of it. I remember when you first started out with the band you thought it was great. I could not get you out of that uniform. You loved the carmine-rose colour and wanted to wear it all the time.

JOANNA : Oh, Mum, I was not that silly, was I?

BERYL : You have a short memory. But now you want to give it up. It’s not surprising really, you could only go on for another year anyway.

JOANNA : Well yes, I suppose I do want to give it up, but that is not what’s bothering me.

BERYL : What is bothering you then?

(Music stops)

JOANNA : I don’t know how to tell you.

BERYL : It’s him, isn’t it, Joanna, that Shaw. What has he done to you? Has he found someone else and told you that it is over?

JOANNA : No, it’s not that, but I am not sure if he loves me enough.

BERYL : Loves you enough for what? Oh hang on, you are not trying to tell me something are you?

JOANNA : Yes, Mum.

BERYL : Oh come here. You are not alone. (Joanna starts to cry) Hey, don’t start the waterworks.

JOANNA : No, people can see us.

BERYL : Well that doesn’t matter. They will just think you don’t like the music.

JOANNA : No they won’t. The band has stopped playing. (starts to laugh awkwardly) Aren’t you angry?

BERYL : No, your dad might need a little persuasion not to go off the deep end, but no, I wouldn’t worry. I will deal with him.

JOANNA : You haven’t even said what you think it is, you just know, don’t you?

BERYL : Yes, I know it’s a baby. And you know when I said ‘you are not alone’ I meant it literally. The little baby will grow up with its aunt or uncle, all being well.

JOANNA : You are pregnant, Mum?

BERYL : Yes. I have only known for a couple of weeks but I was waiting for the best time to tell your dad. I was waiting until he was in a good mood, the stars were in astrological conjunction, and possibly, he had had too much to drink. I have stolen your thunder really, haven’t I, or is it the other way around?

JOANNA : I don’t know, but I didn’t want any thunder.

BERYL : No that’s true, but you mustn’t think that it’s all a disaster. I am a bit older than usual for this and you are a bit younger, that’s all.

JOANNA : I’m not married, Mum.

BERYL : You can remedy that.

JOANNA : I don’t think he loves me enough.

BERYL : That’s something you’ve got to work out. When you are young all the problems that go hand in hand with getting married, like lack of money, don’t enhance the love angle, I must admit. And even if you love each other to death it can be a strain and you can begin to doubt, but love will show through if you both believe in each other and are willing to make at least some sacrifices for your children. A young lad like that with a child on the way – he’s going to have to grow up quickly, and so are you, madam.

JOANNA : (Opening the car door) I need some fresh air.

BERYL : Don’t worry, everything will be okay.

(Music is prominent – plays for half a minute then fades to background again. Joanna and Beryl leave the car and stage. Enter Nicola and Angela)

ANGELA : Give it back.

NICOLA : No, Angela, anyway it’s only a raffle ticket, and you know I don’t like her.

ANGELA : You are jealous of the boyfriend that she’s got.

NICOLA : No, it isn’t that. I don’t like any of them in that band. They think that they are better than everyone else and they are not. We are going to win.

ANGELA : If we are going to win why be petty and take her raffle ticket?

NICOLA : I have told you. I just don’t like her; anyway it’s a long shot that the ticket will be a winning one.

ANGELA : Exactly, you might as well give it back.

NICOLA : No, I want the prize if it wins.

ANGELA : Won’t they know it’s not your ticket?

NICOLA : No they just have the other number on the counterfoil, they don’t have our names and addresses on them.

ANGELA : What if she knows it’s her number, if it wins that is?

NICOLA : I don’t think she even looked at it when Mrs. Plenderleith gave it to her. I don’t know why you are worried, I am going to claim it if it wins not you.

ANGELA : This spells trouble, I know it does.

NICOLA : Rubbish, no one will find out.

(Music stops)

ANGELA : She didn’t look very happy in the car.

NICOLA : Well I shouldn’t think that losing the raffle ticket will make much difference.

ANGELA : You are rotten. I’m starting to feel sorry for her and I don’t just mean about the raffle ticket. I think something is wrong. Maybe somebody is dead.

NICOLA : Oh don’t be ridiculous, nobody is dead.

ANGELA : I don’t mean here on the site, maybe somebody in the family has died, and her mother has just told  her.

NICOLA : I think she is nervous, that’s all. It’s her band that is playing soon and quite honestly I think we should go and get a cup of tea until they have finished. Anyway the boyfriend is coming this way, followed by her mother; what a combination. Let’s disappear.

(Exit Angela and Nicola. Music. Enter Shaw. Shaw sits on his own on the bench outside the Community Hall. Enter Beryl)

BERYL : I was hoping that I would find you alone, Shaw.

SHAW : I suppose Joanna’s told you then, Mrs. Chadwick.

BERYL : Yes.

SHAW : I’m sorry. I didn’t think things would turn out like this.

BERYL : Well the important thing now is to try to make sure that you do the right thing. I am going to tell Joanna’s dad that you intend to marry her, whether you are going to or not. It’s safer.

SHAW : Safer?

BERYL : Yes, you must know that it is a shock to a dad to find out his little girl isn’t his little girl anymore.

SHAW : Yes, Joanna has told me that I might need to remember my kick-boxing classes.

BERYL : Joking aside, I do think we are talking marriage.

SHAW : Mmm........... Joanna thinks that would be best.

BERYL : To have a son or a daughter isa responsibility. To shirk it, by not marrying, is to dump the child.

SHAW : I don’t want to dump anybody but don’t you think we are too young to marry.

BERYL : Yes I do but now that this has happened it’s going to be the only thing to do.

SHAW : I know we are too young, not just me, Joanna too.

BERYL : I think that you will grow up fast. Although it won’t be easy for me now. I will be there to help. I can baby-sit and that sort of thing.

SHAW : It won’t be easy for you, why not?

BERYL : I’m pregnant as well.

SHAW : Is this some kind of joke?

BERYL : No, all things considered I do not think it’s very funny.

SHAW : Oh I am sorry, Mrs. Chadwick, but I thought it was our news not everybody else’s.

BERYL : I’m not everybody else.

SHAW : No.

BERYL : If I am called on to look after your baby it will be like having twins, that’s all, difficult but I still think that I could cope – other mothers have.

SHAW : This doesn’t seem straightforward for anybody.

BERYL : It isn’t. That’s why I would like you to be particularly mature, and if you do nothing else, tell Joanna that you love her.

SHAW : I have. She thinks that I am selfish because I brought up the fact that I want to have a career.

BERYL : Well you can still have a career, in fact it’s probably even more important now. You will just have extra responsibilities while you are trying to get what you want. You have got some serious thinking to do.

SHAW : Marriage?

BERYL : Mmm...............

SHAW : Me and Joanna.

BERYL : Yes, who else? You are two daydreams.

SHAW : I love Joanna. I won’t let her down.

BERYL : I think I will just sit here awhile. My husband will come over I should imagine, in fact I can see him coming this way now. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that everything will be okay.

(Exit Shaw. Enter Tom Chadwick)

( Music is prominent for a short time, then fades to background)

BERYL : Where have you been all this time, love?

TOM : Oh I was cornered by that Mrs. Plenderleith, Joanna’s teacher.

BERYL : What did she have to say, Tom?

TOM : She was selling raffle tickets, and yes I’ve bought some.

BERYL : Let’s have a look. (slight pause) I’ve got a mixer. I don’t need another one. I suppose we could always give it to someone as a present, a wedding present maybe.

TOM : We don’t know anyone getting married.

BERYL : No, not at the moment, but the world doesn’t stand still.

TOM : No, I suppose not.

BERYL : Joanna and Shaw get on well together, don’t they?

TOM : Do you think so?

BERYL : Yes.

TOM : I don’t think that he is good enough for her.

BERYL : Every dad thinks like that.

TOM : Look, they are only kids. They are just fooling about, I did at that age. It doesn’t mean anything.

BERYL : Oh, do you think not?

TOM : No, he hasn’t got a clue.

BERYL : I think that he is quite bright really. Joanna told me that he wants to be an engineer.

TOM : I was talking about the idea of a relationship.

BERYL : Oh well, I don’t think that they are backward on that.

TOM : Meaning?

BERYL : Well, well I don’t know how to put this.

TOM : Spit it out.

BERYL : She is having a baby.

(Music stops)

TOM : I’ll kill him.

BERYL : Look, there is nothing we can do, she is old enough. In a way it’s not our responsibility, she is not a child anymore.

TOM : Not a child anymore, it isn’t two minutes since I was pushing her on a swing-boat at the funfair.

BERYL : It’s sudden I know but I don’t think that it will help if we overreact.

TOM : So you want him to get away with it.

BERYL : More or less, yes. I want the child to have a father and I think that a heavy attitude from the likes of us will only drive him away.

TOM : Drive him away, I want to bloody knock him down.

BERYL : Let’s look on the bright side, what good-looking parents they make.

TOM : You are soft in the head. They should both get the back of my hand.

BERYL : I expected you to be angry, it’s natural, but then what has happened is too.

TOM : What?

BERYL : Natural. Nature has taken it’s course, that’s all.

TOM : Nature has taken it’s course? Nature has taken a liberty, you mean.

(Music starts then fades to background)

BERYL : I’m sure that they will get married. Surely that is the important thing.

TOM : If he won’t marry her it will be his own funeral he will be going to, because the bloody church comes into this somewhere.

BERYL : She is a good girl, you know, Tom.

TOM : And he’s a good boy, I suppose.

BERYL : I don’t think he has bad character.

TOM : I don’t think he has any character at all, because if you do have character you wait. You wait for years if necessary but you wait.

BERYL : I can remember telling people Joanna was premature.

TOM : Now look, there is no point in going over the past. I’ve had to forget that my left eye still is not completely in focus.

BERYL : We’ve been happy though, haven’t we, really? I think we could be happy again.

TOM : What do you mean?

BERYL : Well, if everything turns out well for Joanna and we all show friendliness towards each other, instead of hostility, there can surely be no reason why everything should not be fine. After all, you like children, don’t you, Tom? Think how nice it will be to have them running around again.

TOM : Them? She is not having twins, is she?

BERYL : Not that I know of........no. I am just saying you like children, don’t you, Tom?

TOM : Yes.

BERYL : I think it’s a pity that we didn’t have anymore.

TOM : That is what we decided.

BERYL : Well don’t you think we were wrong?

TOM : Because we haven’t produced a football team? No I don’t.

BERYL : Well let’s face it Tom we pinned all our hopes on Joanna getting it right and now this.

TOM : Before you said it was natural.

BERYL : Yes, I can’t have it both ways, can I? What I think I’m trying to say is that if we had had more children this situation would not seem so disastrous. You see we have channelled all our energies into bringing up one child and that’s made her more important to us.

TOM : So, we didn’t have enough children to make this disaster seem insignificant?

BERYL : No.

TOM : I liked having only one child, Beryl.

BERYL : Did you? I’ve never felt fertile (slight pause).......... until last week, and then today.

TOM : What on earth are you rambling on about?

BERYL : I’m pregnant.

(Music stops. Pause)

(Exit Tom and Beryl. Enter left, with the band after her, Mrs. Plenderleith and Joanna at the front of the band)

MRS. PLENDERLEITH : Right, the important thing that I want you to remember is contrast, contrast between your legato and staccato passages. I want the legato very legato, and I want the staccato very staccato. The judges are in a good mood today and you have practised hard, so we have a good chance. And cheer up, you aren’t facing an execution squad. Joanna, will you make sure the younger members keep to a straight line when they are on the parade ground. Nothing loses marks more surely than raggy edges and imprecise formations.

JOANNA : Yes, Mrs. Plenderleith.

MRS. PLENDERLEITH : Good, I don’t think there is anything else I want to say. Just do your best and remember, enjoy. It’s a carnival, no long faces, win or lose. Oh and try to keep the glockenspiels together in the middle; there is nothing worse than hearing them out of kilter. Right, I think they are ready for you, out you go, good luck.

(The band and Mrs. Plenderleith and Joanna march across stage playing their kazoos and exit other side of stage. Music fades to background as Nicola and Angela are heard sniggering in an aside.)

(Nicola and Angela appear on stage)

NICOLA : This is the one to miss. They sound awful at the best of times. I’m getting a cup of tea or a lemonade, are you coming?

ANGELA : Okay, they are a bit rough, aren’t they?

NICOLA : Yes, they are losers. They sound terrible.

(Exit Angela and Nicola. Music is prominent, plays for three minutes then stops)

 

(Concluded in April Showers : Part Three)