ABIGAIL sits at a kitchen table. She is fingering a tea cup.
There is a tea pot on the table with sugar and a small
creamer. Sitting opposite Abigail is JENNIFER. Jennifer is
also fingering a tea cup, but it is empty.
JENNIFER
I am not looking forward to this.
ABIGAIL
Today is different.
JENNIFER
It's never different, Abigail.
ABIGAIL
Mom has changed.
JENNIFER
Oh yeah. Is she miserable 80% of
the time rather than 100%?
ABIGAIL
You have a bad attitude.
Jennifer ignores Abigail's
JENNIFER
We going to the same restaurant?
ABIGAIL
We're eating in.
JENNIFER
Oh god. You're kidding me. I
can't deal with that.
ABIGAIL
I promise you...it will be fine.
JENNIFER
You know I can't stand to be here.
I do it... I do this once in a
fucking year dinner thing because
of Dad.
ABIGAIL
You know she killed him.
JENNIFER
What?
ABIGAIL
Mom. She killed Dad.
JENNIFER
Yeah, yeah, yeah. She kills
everyone who lives with her. I
don't get how you are still sane.
ABIGAIL
I take care of myself.
JENNIFER
I miss Dad.
ABIGAIL
Yep.
JENNIFER
The only thing he ever did that was
fucked was making us promise to
take Mom out on her birthday.
ABIGAIL
People do things when they are
sick.
JENNIFER
What the fuck is taking her so
long?
ABIGAIL
She's lying down.
JENNIFER
What? I thought she was getting
dressed.
ABIGAIL
I didn't say that.
Jennifer looks at her cell phone (or watch).
JENNIFER
It's almost 6 pm. I thought we
have reservations?
ABIGAIL
I said we are eating in.
JENNIFER
OK, this is fucked. I am not
eating here. We have reservations.
At the same restaurant that we have
been doing this for six years. We
should leave. Where's mom?
ABIGAIL
Don't get upset.
JENNIFER
I am upset. Whenever we do this I
get upset. Can you go get her?
ABIGAIL
You have to be proactive, Jennifer.
You merely accept the life that was
handed you.
JENNIFER
Oh, please. Give me a break. Like
you don't.
ABIGAIL
If you could change the thing that
causes so much pain, then why
wouldn't you?
JENNIFER
I did. I moved out of the house.
ABIGAIL
You can't just walk away from your
mother and think she will
disappear. She is still there
every day, torturing you, pounding
away at everything you do. You
don't have to be in the same room
with mom for her to cause pain,
Jennifer. She inhabits every
moment of the day. Even when I am
sleeping, she is abusing and
causing agony. 24-7 torture.
JENNIFER
Jesus, Abigail, let's send her to a
home, or something.
ABIGAIL
A home? You think if she was
locked up in a home we would be
free? Free from her. No. No.
That is why you must take the
matter in your own hands and
terminate the problem. You
terminate the problem, Jennifer.
JENNIFER
Yeah. And how the fuck do you do
that other than kill the woman.
Abigail does not say anything. She takes a sip of tea.
There is an awkward pause.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
OK. OK. That's insane. But just
for yuck yucks, how would you go
about it? Killing her that is. I
mean we would have to do it without
getting in trouble.
ABIGAIL
Potassium.
JENNIFER
Potassium? Like in bananas? You
mean stuff her mouth with bananas?
That's funny. There has to be a
better way.
ABIGAIL
You inject her with potassium.
Death instantly.
JENNIFER
You've been watching too many cop
shows.
ABIGAIL
The weight...the enormous weight
removed from my life to watch her
stare at me in fear...and
hate...then her face freezes when
the potassium hits her nervous
system. Her head shakes,
tremors...and I could see the
thought pass through her mind...she
wanted to kill me. But I beat her
to it.
Jennifer pushes her chair back. A long moment passes.
JENNIFER
Where is she?
ABIGAIL
On her bed.
Jennifer gets up and leaves for the bedroom. Abigail takes
another sip of tea.
THE END.
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