constellations marianne lines

yippee!

R enters

Where have you been?

Bar.

I sent you a text.

I know.

Why didn’t you text me back?

Dunno.

What does that mean?

It means I dunno. Means I didn’t think it was urgent.

I didn’t know where you were.

I just told you.

Now, you told me now, but I wanted to know—

I was playing tennis… what is it, what’s wrong?

Roland, I’m really sorry.

What, what is it?

James and I had sex.

James.

From work.

The center parting? You mean the bloke with the center parting?

Yes.

When?

We’ve — There’s been a few. A few times.

How many’s a few?

I’d rather we didn’t get into who did what to whom.

How many’s a few, Mary?

Six. Maybe seven.

Spread out? Were the six or seven times you had sex spread out over a particular period of time?

Yes.

Are you together, then, d’you wanna be together?

I don’t know.

Is he moving in?

Of course not. Roland, of course he’s not.

Do you want me to move out? When do you want me to move out?

There’s no rush.

That’s it then is it? (R exit, restart scene)

(2) Where have you been?

(2) Bar

(2) I sent you a text.

(2) I know.

(2) Why didn’t you text me back?

(2) Dunno.

(2) What does that mean?

(2) It means I dunno. Means I didn’t think it was urgent.

(2) I didn’t know where you were.

(2) I just told you.

(2) Now, you just told me now, but I wanted to know - -

(2) I was playing tennis… What is it, what’s wrong?

(2) Roland, I’m really sorry.

(2) What, what is it?

(2) James and I had sex.

(2) James

(2) From work.

(2) Dandruff? You mean the bloke with the dandruff?

(2) He doesn’t — Yes.

(2) When?

(2) We’ve- there’s been a few. A few times.

(2) How many’s a few?

(2) I’d rather we didn’t get into who did what to whom.

(2) How many’s a few, Mary?

(2) Six. Maybe seven.

(2) Spread out?

(2) What?

(2) Were the six or seven times you had sex spread out over a particular period of time?

(2) Yes.

(2) Are you together, then, d’you wanna be together? Mary, do the two of you—

(2) I don’t know.

(2) Is he moving in? When do you want me to move out?

(2) There’s no rush.

(2) Where do you have sex?

(2) All sorts of places.

(2) Fuck does that mean?

(2) It means we’ve had sex in more than one place.

(2) Here?

(2) Roland, of course we’ve not had—

(2) His place?

(2) Yes.

Where does he live?

Brighton.

(2) You have sex in the daytime, then?

(2) Yes.

(2) In the fucking daytime?

(2) Sometimes, yes.

(2) During lunch, is it? So when’s he gonna move in? Mary, when’s he gonna—

(2) There’s no date.

(2) But is he gonna move in?

(2) Hopefully.

(2) Am I boring?

(2) What?

(2) Do I bore you?

(2) Of course not.

(2) We don’t talk about space enough, is that it?

(2) It’s nothing to do with work.

(2) That doesn’t make it better, y’know… but at least it’d make a bit more sense.

(2) There’s no linear explanation, I’m afraid.

3) Where have you been?

Work.

I sent you a text.

I know.

You’ve not texted me back?

I know.

What does that mean?

It means I know you’ve sent me a text.

I didn’t know where you were.

Why are you being so tetchy? I was at work and I missed the seven-thirty-seven and then the eight-o-four didn’t show up. What’s wrong, what’s the matter?

Mary I’m really sorry but I had sex with Alison O’Connor Tuesday the week before last.

Alison O’Connor.

Yeah.

I thought she was going bald?

What?

She’s going bald, Roland, she’s going fucking bald. Well, how many times? How many times did you have sex with her, Roland?

Once.

Once?

Tuesday the week before last, yeah.

What were you doing, what were the two of you doing?

I was helping her set up a hive.

Is this a fucking joke?

No.

You were helping her set up a hive?

Yes.

Speak up.

I said yes. Yes, I was helping her—

Is it serious?

I don’t know.

You don’t know?

I need some time to think about it.

Oh you need some time to think about it?

Preferably, yes.

Does this mean you’re moving out?

Up to you, really.

If it were up to me, Roland, you wouldn’t have fucked fucking Alison O’Connor.

All right.

I beg your pardon?

Calm down.

Fuck you, actually. (beat) I’ve never been happier. Living with you. Just so you know.

That doesn’t make it better, y’know… but at least it’d make a bit more sense.

There’s no straightforward explanation I’m afraid.

Don’t make me leave.

Roland—

This is the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me, I’m serious.

You’ll be fine.

I don’t know what I’m gonna do.

You can move back to Tower Hamlets.

Is that meant to be a joke?

Of course it’s not. I just meant that you’ve got lots — there’s lots you can do.

I don’t care.

Come on.

I don’t.

You’re being melodramatic.

How long have you been waiting to tell me?

A week.

I was going to propose.

Roland—

3) Universe switch, R enters

3) Where have you been?

3) Bar.

3) I sent you a text.

3) I know.

3) Why didn’t you text me back?

3) Dunno.

3) What does that mean?

3) It means I dunno. Means I didn’t think it was urgent.

3) I didn’t know where you were.

3) I just told you.

3) Now, you just told me now, but I wanted to know—

3) I was playing tennis… what is it, what’s wrong?

3) Roland, I’m really sorry.

3) What, what is it?

3) James and I had sex. (beat) Roland, did you hear what I —

3) I know.

What?