Friday Afternoon: Drama

Friday Afternoon: Part 3 - Drama

And we’re here. Allison quickly stepped through the door.

“The sheep are at it again it seems. I bet you both are looking forward to graduation.”

“Definitely Nancy. That will be a welcome change.”

More classmates began to filter in. “Do either of you need relief today? If not, open your packets to Act two, scene one.”

“Wait, didn’t you say we were doing the rest of Act one today?” Emanuel asked.

“That was the original plan. But Act one, scene two is a pretty pointless scene. No real exposition or plot, just idle chit chat after the ‘end’ of scene one. Act two, however, is quite possibly the pivotal point in the plot.”

Do you need relief precious?

I’m good. How about you Manny?

Some might be nice, but I should be fine.

“We’re good Nancy. I’m curious to see where this goes.”

“Very well. We’ll start once I have all of the other actors in place.” She turned toward the now full class. “Like yesterday, I need volunteers.”

Emanuel watched a number of hands go up. The same people as yesterday it seems.

“No one else wants to experience this? Okay.” She focused on the others. “Same positions and roles as yesterday.”

“Which set?”

“The bar Michelle.”

She frowned slightly. I guess the door doesn’t get a lot of use in this scene.

“Very well, in the interest of fairness, Michelle will be the bar. Positions, now.”

They quickly moved into place. “As for you two” she paused “Emanuel, you stand in front of the closed door. Allison, you wait off to the side until I motion you over.”

He quietly moved into place. “Begin.”

Emanuel opened the ‘door’ and stepped through, silently smiling as ‘it’ moaned. “Evenin’ Eddie.” He sat down in front of the ‘bar’.

The boy looked up. “Haven’t seen you around in a while. What’s it been, about a week?”

“Somethin’ like that. Give me a triple tonight.”

The boy reached under for a ‘glass’ and begin to pour the ‘drink’. “Triple Jack? Haven’t heard you ask for that in a while.” He put the ‘drink’ down on Michelle’s breast firmly with a quick squeeze. “What happened this time?”

Emanuel pretended to firmly pick up his ‘drink’, quickly have some, and put it down just as firmly.

“Girl trouble, what else?”

“I thought you and Annie were a thing though.”

“That’s what I thought too. But I must have done something really wrong, because she just disappeared a week ago. I have no clue what I could have done to deserve this.” He paused and looked down at his ‘drink’. “She hasn’t been in here either since then, has she?”

The ‘bartender’ looked away for a moment, then back at him. “I can’t lie to you Franco, much as it would make things easier. She’s been in here most every night, just as miserable as you look right now.”

Emanuel let his voice fill with desperation. “Did she tell you what happened? If so, you gotta let me know. I need to make this right.”

The boy shook his head sadly. “As much as I want to, I can’t tell you. That’s for Annie to do when the time is right.”

Emanuel sighed. “At least tell me what time she usually comes in.”

The boy looked up at a ‘clock’ somewhere above the bar. “About now.”

Emanuel heard the ‘door’ gasp open, and Allison walked in, a surprised look on her face. “Umm, maybe I should come back later Eddie.”

“No. This thing is hurtin’ both of you, and it’s gotta stop. Besides, it’s not like there’s anyone else to overhear ya.”

“You’ve never steered me wrong yet Eddie, so I’ll trust you.”

The boy smiled. “Good. You two sit close, and I’ll give you some liquid courage” he paused “on the house.”

She sat down next to him as the boy served two more ‘drinks’, eliciting more moans from the ‘bar’. “So” he began, picking up the ‘drink’ to another moan “what happened? I thought things were goin’ pretty well.”

Another moan as he Allison picked up her ‘drink’. “Mary” she mumbled under her breath.

“That no good, psychotic bitch” he whispered angrily. “Somehow she ruins every good thing that ever happens to me.”

He turned to her. “What did she say to you?”

She looked down at the ‘bar’ for a second.

“That if I wanted to keep breathing without a tube or walk ever again, I should stay away from ‘her’ man.” She paused. “She also said that if I ever dared to bring this to the police, she’d find out.”

She gulped. “I didn’t want to find out if she was actually telling the truth, so I’ve just tried to avoid you since.”

Emanuel sighed. “The only person Mary really knows on the force is her parole officer. And if she ever found out exactly what Mary’s been up to, Mary would be behind bars for the rest of her life.”

A look of shock and betrayal crossed her face. “Then why haven’t you said anything? You could have been free of the bitch.”

“I did, years ago. All I’ve ever had were suspicions, and that’s not enough to go to a cop with.” He paused dramatically; “not in this city anyway.”

“But...” ‘Eddie’ began to reply.

Emanuel picked up his drink again, to another moan. “But now there’s at least some evidence. Enough hopefully to convince office Charles to send Mary back.”

Allison smiled. “I do have some brains in me. I don’t carry a mini tape recorder with me for nothin’.”