Scene 2 + 3

Is this too long a read should I breakit up into scenes?

SCENE 2-BIRTH AND DEATH PART 1

NARRATOR-Nigel comes out of his reverie and continues his search round the house but nearly everything sparked memories and none were ultimately happy, though most started well. Once again ghosts rise to haunt Nigel. Back in the living room Nigel looks inside the cabinet, finds a card and reads it.

It had said happy Birthday your six today. Nigel had changed the Six to Sixty Six and had put a 6 behind the 6 on the badge. Father had laughed, mother had sneered "could you not have found something suitable."

NIGEL-Happy birthday daddy, lots of love, Nigel, her in doors and the boys.

NARRATOR-Nigel remembered that fateful night. They were all going down the Pub to celebrate Father's Birthday. Nigel's wife could not get a baby sitter so she was excused, Gerry's wife fashioned a row out of nothing so she did not come and Georgina's husband was (nudge, nudge)"working late". So it was just the 5 of them.

Father and Gerald are in the Hall; Mother and Georgina are in the kitchen.

FATHER-Gerry, go and get the others or we'll not get out. Your mothers not too keen and Georgie's only going on sufferance. But don't upset your mother as she's looking for an excuse not to go.

GERALD-Come on Nigel, the beer's going flat.

NIGEL-I'm coming, Mum, Georgie, get your coats on!

NARRATOR-Mother goes into the hall

MOTHER-We'll join you later, Georgie's not feeling well.

NARRATOR-The 3 men leave via the front door grumbling. Mother goes into the kitchen.

MOTHER-What is it Georgie?

GEORGINA-I've got awful cramps, I should see a doctor.

MOTHER -I'll take you to the hospital, just in case. I'm sure you're all right. In your condition we can't be too careful.

NARRATOR-The 2 women leave the set via the front door. Mother is making comforting noises.

SCENE 2-BIRTH AND DEATH PART 2

Three hours later the sound of carousing is heard. Unaware of the events unfolding elsewhere the 3 men had enjoyed themselves and now were making their way back home. They act as though they were back in the Pub and "performing" to the drinkers.

NIGEL-Gerry you're drunk.

GERRY- I am not drunk offisher, I can walk a straight line.

NARRATOR-Gerry lifts one leg up and places it forward. He then lifts the other leg, swings himself completely round and takes several paces in the opposite direction.

NIGEL-You're right Gerry, it must be dad.

FATHER-I'm sober as a newt; I'm as merry as a hobbit.

NIGEL-I feel a song coming on, I'll sing the one we sung in the Pub, "You've often seen me wandering looking disconsolate and glum," 

FATHER AND GERALD-Ah

NIGEL-Cos. no ones really loves me, not like me dear old mum.

FATHER + GERALD -How sad.

NIGEL-This world's a slough of despond.

FATHER-Do what Gerry.

GERALD-Be beggared if I know dad.

NIGEL-Full of misery and strife

 FATHER+GERALD-How true!

NIGEL-So if there's no football on the telly well, you might as well pleasure the wife.

FATHER+GERALD-Pleasure the wife

NIGEL-Pleasure the wife

FATHER+ GERALD-Pleasure the wife

NIGEL-Pleasure the wife, this world's a slough of despond, Full of misery and strife.

FATHER+ GERALD-Pleasure the wife

NIGEL-Pleasure the wife

FATHER+ GERALD-Pleasure the wife

NIGEL-Pleasure the wife, so if there's no football on the telly well, you might as well pleasure the wife.

FATHER-Now, ladies and gentleman in case any one is worried about impropriety I must add the following. I have been married for at least 40 years and if want to pleasure my wife I will; mow the lawn, wash up or even go to one of her drama group's shows.

Now it's my turn. (Sings) With these hands I'll turn tides for you, forever and a day

NARRATOR-Mother enters the front garden

MOTHER-Get inside now and shut up.

NARRATOR-The 3 men go through into the kitchen; they "sober up" and become restrained.

Mother follows them.

They stand in a diamond formation, father and Gerry equidistant from mother; Nigel though 1^st into the kitchen, is stood by himself.

Mother was not heartless, but her experience as a nurse in the war had meant that she had had on many occasions to be the bearer of sad and tragic news.

She could seemingly without qualm, make announcements such as, "I am sorry but he passed away in the night" or "your son- (husband, brother, father etc.), is quite badly injured but he looks worse than he is."

In many cases they were a grotesque parody of their former selves; scarred, twisted, deformed or burned.  In private however, she had sobbed her heart out.

Without emotion she states-:

MOTHER-Georgie's miscarried, she's lost the baby, she's all right, they've sedated her and she's asleep. No point anyone else going to see her at the moment. I've just come back to get some things, then I'm going back to the hospital to be with her.

NARRATOR-Father moves towards mother but she grabs Gerald and hugs him protectively; for he is her baby. Father turns away from them all and rejects Nigel's attempts to console him. He then storms out into the garden.

SCENE 3-(THE CHILD IS) FATHER OF THE MAN/MOTHER OF THE DAUGHTER

NARRATOR-Nigel pushed his train of thought through to its terminus. Following the divorce hearing Dad and Gerry had gone to the pub to celebrate the result. Nigel however had to take Mum and Georgina back to the family home as mother had forgotten her purse.

Nigel and Georgina enter the house via the front garden and go into in the living room. 

Mother follows and goes into the kitchen, shouts from the kitchen.

MOTHER- I won't be a minute; I'm just getting my purse

NARRATOR-She finds her purse and goes to the living room but stands in the doorway and watches her children.

GEORGINA-So that's it; lost the baby, then the husband. I hope today is the last time that I have to go to court."

NIGEL-Listen, we must sue the hospital. I've spoken to my Company's legal department and one of the corporate lawyers has a friend who specialises in claims. I mean the chap who did your divorce was brilliant and they recommended him.

NARRATOR-Georgina looks at Nigel in sheer disbelief and thinks "you smug, facile, superficial, unfeeling fool".

GEORGINA-That won't get my baby back or my womb, or my husband. That infection killed the baby, then the mother and finally the wife: I'm just an empty shell.

NIGEL-Just you listen! You've got the house, home and a settlement that will allow you to reduce the mortgage to manageable proportions. Not everyone wants children.

GEORGINA-But I do! I'll show them. I'm going to end it. I've nothing to live for.

NARRATOR-Nigel is worried as Georgina is a depressive and has tried to kill herself before and this time she may mean it.

NIGEL-You can't do that; you would break dad's heart.  He was making a rocking horse for the baby. He thought we didn't know. When mum told us about your loss, after she came back from hospital, he went out into the shed and smashed the horse up.

Gerry went out and told him to calm down, and dad hit him. Dad stormed in, looked at me and said, "and you can keep your gob shut!" and then he went to bed. I've never known dad cry before or since. He sounded like a wounded animal, would you really put him through that again.

GEORGINA-You're right, Nige. He was so protective when I was carrying. 

"Don't you lift that", 

"No you can't have a drink, don't want the baby singing in there". 

When he came to see me at the hospital with Mum, he just sat there holding my hand and saying, "I could have lost you too".

NIGEL-Come here little sis. Big brother can't kiss this one better. Can't make the pain go away. Can't make it right. We were so close when we were little and look at us now. With your bright eyes and sticky out ears, you were like a little elf. When did it go wrong between you and me?

GEORGINA-"When you started going out with girls and ignored me, I suppose I've never forgiven you if I'm honest.

NIGEL-Dad wasn't the only one that cried the night you lost your baby. Guess what! Gerry had to comfort me. Gerry, of all people! In my minds eye the daughter you were carrying would have been another little elf.

GEORGINA-But hopefully, she wouldn't have had sticky out ears.

NARRATOR-They hug each other.  Mother enters the living room,

MOTHER-I know it's a silly thing to say but a little good has come out of all of this. You cannot understand just what it means to me to see you two get on again. Georgie, I do wish that you and Gerry could get on. I love you all and it breaks my heart when you are at each other's throats.

NARRATOR-Mother cuddles and kisses Georgie and then Nigel.

MOTHER-Well come on you two, let's join Dad and Gerry in the pub, and celebrate you getting rid of that little rat of a so-called husband.