*This is definately more than 30 lines, oops*
Act II Scene 3
Magdelena is sitting on stage left, and John is on the opposite side. She’s hunched over at the dining table while he is pacing near the living room. His chair lies on its side and both their eyes are bloodshot. Magdalena’s hair is silver, curly, and hangs loose around her head. They are the only ones there.
John (waving his hands erratically): C’mon look around.
Magdelena: At what? At what John, what?
John: Look at us
Magdelena: Ok, I see us. I don’t get it, what do you want me to see?
John: Are you shitting me? C’mon Maggie. Don’t be dumb.
Magelena (in a sarcastic tone): Oh, wow I’m dumb now. First I’m blind now I’m dumb. Great, thanks for that.
John: No, (takes a breath), that’s not what I meant. I just - I can’t keep doing this.
Maggie: Doing what? Our marriage?
John: Do you remember, back in Malibu, when we celebrated our anniversary? We’ve been married 50 years, but when, um, ugh, (he slaps his head) what was her name? Rosa! Yes, Rosa. The check in lady with the red hair. She asked you why you’ve stayed with me for so long. And you had no answer. Nothing. You couldn’t think of one reason why we’re still together.
Magdalena: First off, that’s not true. I told her that you (she points at him) are a good man. Secondly-
John: Listen to yourself. That was the best you could come up with?? That I’m a good man?! 50 years we’ve been together and that’s all you could say.
Magdalena: Exactly! 50 years. We have kids, grown up kids with their own kids. We built a business together. Bought this house together, decorated this house together. When your dad died I was there for you. When my mom died you were there for me. We show up for each other. Why are you trying to ruin it all now? Everything’s been fine and now you have to shake things up like you always do.
John: I’m not trying to shake things up. I just- (he sighs) I keep remembering how it felt when we first got together. It was amazing. Hell, it was magical. We were so in love. We would just look at each other, and it would be everything. We didn’t even have to speak. We just knew.
Magdalena nods her head.
John: But now (his breath hitches) it’s just not the same.
Magdalena starts to cry. Then, suddenly, she furiously wipes her tears and stands up. She catches her breath and looks John straight in the eye: Then tell me this. Do you even love me anymore?
John only stares at her. There is complete silence, as if even the house is holding its breath. He doesn’t say anything, but his silence is answer enough.
Magdalena collapses onto the couch and breaks down in tears.
John’s voice is pleading and desperate. Tears are streaming down his face now and he doesn’t try to hold them in: I know it’s not the same and so do you. I just don’t feel it anymore. We don’t have that anymore. And I want us (a mangled sob emerges from his throat) to have that (another sob, his voice cracks on the last word) but we don’t.
Magdalena: I know. I know.
John sits down on the couch next to her. She doesn’t object, but doesn’t lean into him either. After a while, their sniffles subside and Magdaelena lifts her head.
Magdalena: Are we getting a divorce?
John: Yeah, I guess so.
Act II Scene 3
Magdelena is sitting on stage left, and John is on the opposite side. She’s hunched over at the dining table while he is pacing near the living room. His chair lies on its side and both their eyes are bloodshot. Magdalena’s hair is silver, curly, and hangs loose around her head. They are the only ones there.
John (waving his hands erratically): C’mon look around.
Magdelena: At what? At what John, what?
John: Look at us
Magdelena: Ok, I see us. I don’t get it, what do you want me to see?
John: Are you shitting me? C’mon Maggie. Don’t be dumb.
Magelena (in a sarcastic tone): Oh, wow I’m dumb now. First I’m blind now I’m dumb. Great, thanks for that.
John: No, (takes a breath), that’s not what I meant. I just - I can’t keep doing this.
Maggie: Doing what? Our marriage?
John: Do you remember, back in Malibu, when we celebrated our anniversary? We’ve been married 50 years, but when, um, ugh, (he slaps his head) what was her name? Rosa! Yes, Rosa. The check in lady with the red hair. She asked you why you’ve stayed with me for so long. And you had no answer. Nothing. You couldn’t think of one reason why we’re still together.
Magdalena: First off, that’s not true. I told her that you (she points at him) are a good man. Secondly-
John: Listen to yourself. That was the best you could come up with?? That I’m a good man?! 50 years we’ve been together and that’s all you could say.
Magdalena: Exactly! 50 years. We have kids, grown up kids with their own kids. We built a business together. Bought this house together, decorated this house together. When your dad died I was there for you. When my mom died you were there for me. We show up for each other. Why are you trying to ruin it all now? Everything’s been fine and now you have to shake things up like you always do.
John: I’m not trying to shake things up. I just- (he sighs) I keep remembering how it felt when we first got together. It was amazing. Hell, it was magical. We were so in love. We would just look at each other, and it would be everything. We didn’t even have to speak. We just knew.
Magdalena nods her head.
John: But now (his breath hitches) it’s just not the same.
Magdalena starts to cry. Then, suddenly, she furiously wipes her tears and stands up. She catches her breath and looks John straight in the eye: Then tell me this. Do you even love me anymore?
John only stares at her. There is complete silence, as if even the house is holding its breath. He doesn’t say anything, but his silence is answer enough.
Magdalena collapses onto the couch and breaks down in tears.
John’s voice is pleading and desperate. Tears are streaming down his face now and he doesn’t try to hold them in: I know it’s not the same and so do you. I just don’t feel it anymore. We don’t have that anymore. And I want us (a mangled sob emerges from his throat) to have that (another sob, his voice cracks on the last word) but we don’t.
Magdalena: I know. I know.
John sits down on the couch next to her. She doesn’t object, but doesn’t lean into him either. After a while, their sniffles subside and Magdaelena lifts her head.
Magdalena: Are we getting a divorce?
John: Yeah, I guess so.
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