A Dialogue!
The Hidden Truth (Part 1 of 2)
[The scene is set in the living room. A sofa set and center table are there. A big flat TV screen is on but no one is watching it. The time is late at night and it's almost time for dinner. The design and coloring of the setting are exotic and dark. When the curtain falls, there is a china cabinet behind the sofas beside which Jamie is standing hopelessly for a long time. It seems like something has given him a complete shock. His hands are shaking and somehow, he hasn’t moved at all. In his hands, he is holding some letters and is trying to figure out what they actually meant. It’s like truth has been unveiled to him. Just Danielle who is Jamie’s mother walks in hurriedly as if asking for a breath. She is also terrified of what Jamie had found out.]
JAMIE: What is this ma?
DANIELLE: [pushing back the terror] what do you mean?
JAMIE: You know what I mean?
DANIELLE: [ controlling back tears] let me see oh these, these are just hospital papers nothing big.
JAMIE: [ tears in his eyes] These are my hospital bills and it's dated January 19, which is the day we moved into this house about 5 years ago. It says,
(Jamie broke down in tears)
DANIELLE: [still holding back tears] I should’ve torn these papers up a very long time ago.
JAMIE: What do you mean?
DANIELLE: [ tears fell down her cheeks] If I had done that this day wouldn’t have come, I don’t know why I had to save these papers up. Was I trying to make me remember what happened that day? Did I want for you to find out?
JAMIE: [ Staring blankly towards his mother figuring out what his mother was talking about in disbelieve]
DANIELLE: [ continuing] I know I should have told you a long time ago, I know I should have done that thing that I did 10 years ago, the first time it happened. But I couldn’t it’s my fault I am so sorry. It’s all my fault.
JAMIE: [ still clueless about what’s going on] What are you saying ma I don’t understand? What did you do?
DANIELLE: [ as if not hearing Jamie’s voice anymore, talking as if reminiscing of the past] I am sorry I couldn’t protect you enough! I am sorry I wasn’t able to keep you safe. I am sorry I thought that your dad would change I am sorry he hurt you I am sorry the dreams you had were true. I am sorry!
JAMIE: [ jolted his mother hard] Ma! I don’t understand what are you trying to say, are you saying that what I have been dreaming about was all true?
DANIELLE: [ finally came back to reality] Yes
JAMIE: [ in anger but tear in his eyes] Are you saying that the dreams I had of a man whose face isn’t that clear, is my dad?
DANIELLE: [ crying] Yes.
JAMIE: So, all this time my fears and those horrible dreams about the man hurting me were all true? They weren’t just some silly nightmares? Huh!
DANIELLE: It is! It's all true.
JAMIE: Why me? Why? All this time I have been thinking that I was some weird kid? You told me that my dad was a good man and that he died in the line of duty. Why the lie? I always knew he looked like him the man in my dreams but whenever I confronted you, you totally denied it.
DANIELLE: [ shouted in tears] I had to okay! I had to. I didn’t want you to have a bad person in your life, I didn’t want you to believe that you weren’t loved enough. I had to lie but I am so sorry.
JAMIE: The letter says I was in a coma for 6 months, why can I not retrieve when was that? Is all you told me before we moved here a lie explain ma?
DANIELLE: I had to make up a story, you were in a coma for 6 months Jamie and all I can think about while I was sitting beside you holding your hand and praying if somehow, I can remove whatever happened with you so that you don’t have too through it again. So, that I could have my Jamie back.
[ Jamie falls to the ground shocked]
JAMIE: What?
To be continued….
