FYI there is some swearing...sorry chickens.
Characters:
Joe- Early twenties and a Military man. He’s just been stationed in Los Angeles and brought along his new wife Niki. He’s also just met Sherron, a beautiful and innocent car hop at the A&W who he is completely infatuated with, but he has not acted upon his feelings.
Niki- Early twenties, she’s a tough girl from a rough back ground. She and Joe had a quickie marriage. He was her ticket to get to LA, but now she’s here and her true love is waiting for her to leave Joe.
Setting:
1950’s, Los Angeles, California
Scene:
Joe comes into the house. He shrugs off his jacket and sets his hat down. There’s something about his countenance. He’s preoccupied and annoyed.
Joe: Niki, I’m home.
Niki is in the kitchen, wearing an apron over a nice black silk dress. Her hair is done up. She turns at the sound of Joe’s voice a smile spread wide over her rouge lips. She holds up a round cake, freshly iced. It reads: Happy Birthday Joey.
Joe enters the kitchen, tossing his empty lunch box on the table and sighing.
Niki slides the apron off and drapes herself over Joe, kissing his neck.
Joe: Baby, not now.
Niki: But I baked you a cake, for your birthday Joey.
She keeps one arm slung around his neck and reaches back with the other to scoop up a dollop of frosting on her finger.
She turns back to Joe but he turns away from her, causing her to smudge the icing on his face.
Joe: Niki I said not now. I’m not in the mood.
He pushes her away and crosses to the sink. He picks up the rag and wipes the icing off.
Pouty, Niki pulls at his belt loops. She drags him back into a kitchen chair.
Niki: Just have one slice baby, I worked so hard.
She sits on his lap and picks up the knife. Pulling the cake towards her she goes to cut a piece.
Joe: I don’t want any. Maybe later okay? (he compromises)
Niki: Come on baby, it’s chocolate, your favorite.
Joe: Chocolate’s not my favorite.
A look of anger flashes over her face and she slams the knife down into the table.
Niki: All day I worked on this Joey, all day! And you can’t eat one goddamn bite?
He pushes her away and stands.
Joe: Christ Niki, I don’t want any cake!
He leaves the kitchen and stands in the living room, a hand pressed to his forehead.
Niki traipses out into the living room, apologetic. She wraps her hands around Joe’s arms and presses her face into his back.
Niki: I just wanted to do something nice for your birthday.
He shrugs her off.
She stands jilted in the room. Joe turns to see her face turning red.
Niki: It’s that girl isn’t it? The car hop, I saw the way you were starin’ at her ass Joey. Are you fuckin’ her?
Joe shakes his head and starts down the hall, but Niki follows.
Niki: You are, aren’t you? You’re fuckin’ her Joey!
He stops and rounds on her, grabbing her raised hand with his own. She gasps at intensity of his hold and his gaze.
Joe: Stop callin' me Joey! (beat) She ain’t that kind of girl.
Niki: So you are?
Joe: Stop pretendin' you care so much.
Shocked Niki just stares at Joe. She reaches up with the heel of her palm to wipe away her smudged lipstick.
Beat.
There’s a knock at the door.
Niki pulls her hand out of Joe's grasp and turns toward the door.
Niki: (she mumbles) Well the fuckin’ jokes on you.
Before he can react she strides across the living room, yanking the front door open. A man in a white sailor’s uniform is leaning against the house, a cigarette between his lips.
Sailor: You ready?
Niki turns back to Joe. The sailor looks past her into the house.
Sailor: I thought you were takin’ care of this?
Niki: Just shut up.
She leaves the sailor at the door and pushes past Joe, disappearing into a room. She comes back out with two suitcases.
She struggles to squeeze past Joe in the narrow hall.
She stops at the door.
Joe: You’re leavin’ me? That’s it?
Niki: Stop pretendin' you care so much.
The door slams shut.
Joe stands in the hall for a few seconds before wandering back to the kitchen. He pulls the knife out from where it is wedged in the wooden table. He slowly cuts a slice and sets it on a plate.
He reaches into a drawer and pulls out a fork. He sets the fork down and reaches up into a cupboard.
When he opens it a box falls out, crumpled from being hastily shoved into the cupboard.
He picks up the box and turns it over. It reads: Rat Poison.
He looks back at the cake.
Well this is a ROUGH ROUGH FIRST DRAFT. But since I wrote a whole bunch of reviews today I decided to post something to keep the balance
Remember this is just a piece of the story, I'm woring scene by scene at the moment. Oy vey! Thanks for any feedback chickens!
Love always,
Christine Lefevre
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Points: 1233
Reviews: 6