a play in one act by Vera S. Scott
(with special thanks to Amber Denison and Chris Sherwood)
Rejected by her husband of seven years in favor of her younger sister, Leah takes extraordinary measures to ensure the safety of the embryos she and her husband, Jake, left in storage after an unsuccessful attempt at in-vitro fertilization. She arranges for a memorial service for the non-viable embryos at the church that her family attended when she was a child. There she meets the church's Pastor, who comes to her assistance when she subsequently learns that she has cancer and needs to tell her ex-husband and sister, Rachel, about the existence of their children.
LEAH - noticeably older sister to RACHEL
PASTOR - minister at LEAH's family church
SECRETARY - minister's secretary
JAKE - LEAH's ex-husband
RACHEL - LEAH's much younger sister
13 infants (can be dolls) and accompanying nurses
Additional Information: Although not referenced during the play, it may be helpful for the director and actors to know that these passages were the inspiration for linking the contemporary storyline to one found in the Old Testament.
Thus says the LORD:
A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more.
Thus says the LORD:
Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears;
for there is a reward for your work,
says the LORD:
they shall come back from the land of the enemy;
there is hope for your future,
says the LORD:
your children shall come back to their own country.
- Jeremiah 31: 15-17
Act I Scene 1
(Setting: Pastor's office)
PASTOR
Good afternoon. Come in, have a seat.
(LEAH sits in one of the chairs and gingerly places her large canvas bag near her feet, almost protectively. She glances warily back toward the office door then out the office windows.)
PASTOR
Did you have any trouble getting here?
LEAH
Not really. Only with the wind. It was so strong I thought it would push my car off the road. This was my family's church when I was a child, so knowing how to get here was no problem at all. In fact, my grandmother's funeral was held here. She died when I was still young.
PASTOR
Do you remember much about her?
LEAH
Yes. Wonderful things: the smell of her kitchen, the warmth of her hugs. Most of my best childhood memories are times I spent with my grandmother.
PASTOR
It sounds as if those memories may well have been some of her dearest memories, also. Were your family members of church? Perhaps I met them at some point.
LEAH
Ah, um, I don't really know. My parents may have been. For the most part they came here on their own - we stayed home with the nanny. This is where we…my sister and I…were baptized. I used to love coming here for the special Christmas services. I loved getting dressed up in new dresses, seeing all the lights in the city and the decorations in the church. Even the candles along the wall had red ribbons tied to them.
PASTOR
They do a wonderful job with the decorations, don't they? I always like to see them, myself. How long has it been since you've attended church here?
LEAH
A long time. I haven't been to church, anywhere, in a long time. I'm Christian. That isn't why I haven't been -- It's just that my husband, well, he isn't Christian - he says he's an atheist -- and since he doesn't go to church, I don't get the chance much either.
(falls silent)
PASTOR
(pause)
Why don't we start with you telling me what brings you here today?
LEAH
I-I came in because of a - a - family problem I'm having. You see. Well. The problem is - I want - need to - well, I don't know where to start - I suppose I should start with JAKE - this was so sudden - he-he wants a divorce.
PASTOR
I'm very sorry to hear that. What happened?
LEAH
Well, it's just . . . This was so . . .
PASTOR
(Pause)
"This was so"?
LEAH
Unexpected.
PASTOR
How long have you been married?
LEAH
7, almost 8 years. Like I said, everything seemed fine. Well, except for not being able to have a baby. We decided to try In-Vitro.
PASTOR
In-Vitro. How did that go?
LEAH
We got pregnant but I lost the babies. It may be that I will never be able to carry a baby to term. I wanted to come here then but JAKE talked me out of it.
PASTOR
Babies? You were expecting…twins?
LEAH
Ah, no, there were five, ah; with IVF they usually implant several embryos in the hope that at least one of them will survive full term. If it turns out that too many of them survive, they do what they call a "pregnancy reduction", which I guess is a fancy way of saying abortion. In our case, none of them lived. We, the doctors said we could try again. They fertilize enough eggs for several attempts because sometimes it takes more than one try. Now it looks like that isn't going to be possible. After all the time we've put into it, all that work, one night - about a month ago now - he came home and announced that he wants a divorce.
PASTOR
That's rough. Did he say why?
LEAH
He wants to be with his girlfriend. They want to get married.
PASTOR
Divorces are always hard on everyone involved, regardless of the reason, but it must be especially difficult on to you hear that he wants to marry someone else.
LEAH
I guess it's more complicated then that. The girlfriend, his girlfriend - is my sister. My younger sister. It's her eggs we were using. She donated them after we learned that my fallopian tubes were -- it's a long story. The point is that the two of them want to run off together - I say run off, but actually, they aren't going anywhere. He bought a condo and they moved in together.
LEAH, continued
Growing up we were inseparable, as close as two sisters could be. "LEAH and RACHEL". People would always include the both of us, almost as if we were twins. JAKE and I met when he came to work for my father. After a while we started dating, and it seemed that as often as not, we would include her when we went to dinner or a movie or whatever we would do. Even after we got married, she was still around all the time. I was delighted when she decided to attend college here. She moved into our guest room. It seemed natural that the two of them would be close friends, also, so I never thought twice about it when they did things, just the two of them. I never imagined.
PASTOR
I see. It took you completely by surprise?
LEAH
Yes. And no. Sometimes it seemed as if . . .especially after Daddy took him into the company as Vice-President . . . sometimes I would get a feeling, deep inside, you know, a sense that he only married me because of that….because of my family's money and connections. I always told myself that I was being silly. Foolish, would be more like it.
PASTOR
What about you? How do you feel about it? Do you want the divorce?
(LEAH rises and begins to pace the floor. She walks to the windows and looks out as if searching for someone. The sound of howling wind increases until the windows seem to shake and a branch snaps suddenly against the glass. Startled she steps back, then after a moment spins back toward the desk, almost violently.)
LEAH
Yes! Absolutely.
PASTOR
You seem pretty angry.
LEAH
Yes, if that bastard wants to go off with some whore, he can go ahead and go. Damn him. I'm sorry. I shouldn't use that type of language - not in front of you anyway - I don't usually; it's just -
PASTOR
I can understand why you are upset. Do you think it would be helpful to have someone to talk this out with?
LEAH
No, you see, I didn't really come here to talk about the divorce. What I've been trying to lead up to is --
(LEAH crosses the room where her canvas bag rests on the floor. She looks quickly up at the shut office door, and then sets her bag on the edge of the Pastor's desk. She begins to rummage through it.)
I want to arrange a funeral. For my children.
(Fade to black)
Act I Scene 2
(Setting: Pastor's study, about two years later.)
(SECRETARY enters the office followed by JAKE and RACHEL. JAKE and RACHEL each carry a several bags filled with purchases from a shopping spree.)
JAKE
Are you okay, Hon? I knew the wind was strong but I didn't expect it to pull the door right out of your hands.
RACHEL
I think so. Let me sit down for a minute. Give me a chance to catch my breath.
SECRETARY
You're quite a bit early for your appointment, so I hope you don't mind waiting in the Reverend's study. I know that he is planning on being here in time for your appointment.
RACHEL
Thank you so much. It was simply getting too hard to continue with all these packages in that wind.
(SECRETARY leaves. RACHEL pulls 2 large decorator pillows from the pile of bags)
Do you think these will go well in the living room?
JAKE
Superb.
RACHEL
I'm not sure. Do you really like them?
JAKE
It's up to you, Honey. If you're happy, I'm happy. (Pause) I wonder what this is all about. Why would Leah suddenly decide she desperately needs to talk with us? She never was the type to let bygones be bygones. She doesn't make peace easily.
RACHEL
I'm worried. There's something peculiar going on. We haven't heard from her since…well, since before the break-in at the clinic.
JAKE
That was strange, too. I had just talked with them the day before. We never got a good explanation either. All we know was that there was a lot of vandalism done to the building and offices and that the storage units were damaged and all of the embryos were destroyed.
RACHEL
Including ours.
JAKE
They said they thought it was one of those crazy right-to-life groups. Everything was such a mess that they were never able to completely identify all the embryo remains. At that point Leah was taking the divorce pretty hard, so I'm surprised she didn't lose control completely.
RACHEL
I hope she didn't do anything stupid.
JAKE
Stupid. Like what?
RACHEL
You know what I mean. She's always been impulsive - rash.
JAKE
I know she wasn't happy with us, Rachel. I guess I can't blame her. Asking for the divorce was hard enough, but when I told her she couldn't have the embryos; she went crazy. I tried to explain it to her. They were your eggs to begin with. And I'm the father. It only made sense that we keep custody of them. But she wouldn't listen. You should have heard the things she said - on second thought, I'm glad you didn't; they were awful, terrible things. We've had fights before - but never like this time. You know we never got along - you know how she could be -- more than once I told her straight out that I was sorry I ever married her. If it wasn't for your father, I swear I wouldn't have. You were the one I wanted…even when you were young I knew…all along I knew…it was always you…I told her…Signing a release was just a technicality. I've got good lawyers; they would have been good enough to convince any judge.
RACHEL
Daddy could be so manipulative. At least, now you're CEO and you're calling the shots.
JAKE
She wasn't happy about that either. Still, it's a wonder this news didn't kill her.
RACHEL
Unless she was involved.
JAKE
You think Leah did it? Why would she destroy the embryos? They were her only chance to have children.
RACHEL
Well, the police certainly considered it. Why else would they have questioned us for us long? Personally, I don't know if she did or didn't. It's the type of crazy thing she would do for revenge. Destroy the embryos so that we can't have any children either. You know how jealous she can be. What I do know is that she got the house in town. The cottage on the Cape. The one in the Keys. A large portion of the stocks and investments…you think she was the one who put all those years into the company, and you were the one who sat home. Why does everything always seem to come down to what she wants? Those were our embryos, not hers. I'm the real mother. You're the real father.
JAKE
Don't worry about it. As long as I'm with you that's all that matters. We still have our condo and no one got any of the embryos. Not Leah. Not us. Not even the lab.
RACHEL
What do you mean, "not even the lab?"
JAKE
I was thinking I was going to let the lab have them for research. At least that way some good would have come out of all this and we could have gone back to living in peace.
RACHEL
Research? It's one thing to get rid of the ones we don't need once we've had a child, or ones that aren't growing right - that's pretty much the same as a miscarriage. But turning them over to some lab to be experimented on like…like…guinea pigs.
JAKE
They were cells. That's it. Cells. Not babies. Not human beings. Just a few microscopic blobs of matter.
RACHEL
Babies or not, they were still human life. When Leah asked me to donate those eggs, I didn't think I would ever want children, so it didn't matter. That was . . . before. I know we could always adopt, but that wouldn't be the same; I want to give birth to your child.
JAKE
Well, um, I mean, what I meant is once we got pregnant with our own child and we didn't need those to fall back on.
RACHEL
Well, I still haven't been able to get pregnant. As it was, for LEAH, they weren't all "my" eggs - we also had to use eggs from an anonymous donor because the doctors weren't sure that mine were enough. What if for some reason I can't produce any more eggs at all. What are we going to do?
(JAKE's cell phone starts ringing.)
JAKE
Hello. It's for you. It's the decorator.
(Fade to black)
Act I Scene 3
Setting: Pastor's office a short while later.
(The PASTOR is seated at his desk. JAKE and RACHEL sit across from him.)
JAKE
Good morning, Reverend. Thank you for allowing us to wait in your office. When you phoned you said that Leah asked you to arrange a meeting. That there was something she needed to discuss with us.
PASTOR
That's correct. Leah should be here, shortly, so if you'll be patient just a few more minutes, hopefully, we can answer all of your questions.
RACHEL
I don't see why you can't just tell us why we're here. We haven't seen or heard from my sister in at least a year. What could she possible have to say to us now? And why here, through you? Doesn't she have the courage to contact us herself?
JAKE
I'm not much of a believer. Rachel grew up Christian, but we don't attend church or anything. Leah knows that and -- no offense - but -- I think it's strange that she would set up a meeting in church. What's the problem? Is she sick or something?
PASTOR
I understand your confusion in this situation. Leah did ask that I sit in on this meeting, however, I would rather that she have the opportunity to discuss this with the two of you face to face. Since she's on her way, I think it would be better for everyone if we hang in another minute or two for her to get here. In the meantime -
(Door opens and Leah enters)
LEAH
(To someone behind her) Thank you. Good morning, Reverend. Hello Jake, Rachel. I'm sorry I'm late. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day anymore. I'm glad that wind is finally letting up and it's getting warmer.
PASTOR
Good morning, Leah. Please have a seat.
RACHEL
Hi.
JAKE
Hello, Leah. It's been a long time. I heard you sold the place in the city. After driving such a hard bargain, the least you could have done was keep the house. I suppose you sold the place on the Cape, too.
LEAH
Sold.
JAKE
And the Keys?
LEAH
Sold.
PASTOR
I think Jake and Rachel are anxious to get started. Why don't we begin with some history. I first met Leah about a year ago, when she came in with an unusual request. She told me that she had fond memories of attending our church when she was a child and those memories eventually brought her back.
LEAH
Rachel, do you remember coming here when we were children? For Christmas and Easter - we would each get new dresses and little hats and even handbags that matched. Daddy used to rent those horse-drawn carriages for us to ride in.
RACHEL
Sort of. Yes, the church does seem familiar. I certainly remember the horses.
JAKE
What's this got to do with why we're here now?
LEAH
I was just trying to explain why I came to this particular church. Remember back, a while ago, when someone broke into the clinic?
JAKE
Yes. We thought you did it.
RACHEL
You're just like Daddy in that respect - flying off the handle and doing crazy things just to get even with someone else.
LEAH
(Visibly ignores their remarks)
The reason they never identified any of the remains as belonging to us is because ours were no longer there.
JAKE
How do you know that?
LEAH
I removed them.
JAKE
So you did do it! Rachel was right. I defended you to her. I should have known that she was right. Rachel, she did steal the embryos.
RACHEL
So I hear.
LEAH
I'm not saying that I stole them.
RACHEL
What do you call it?
JAKE
Are you denying that you took the embryos? What about the others the police said were missing? Did you take those, too?
LEAH
Our embryos were as much legally mine as yours. There's no reason for me to deny taking them. But, to get back to the point, all the clinic's records were destroyed during the break-in. That was my opportunity to -
(JAKE appears angry, but remains silent)
RACHEL
(interrupting her)
Opportunity to what? Take your vindictiveness out on us?
LEAH
I beg your pardon! If I'm vindictive, it's with good reason. You're my own sister! How dare you come in here and accuse me of being in the wrong.
PASTOR
I understand that this is a difficult situation. The best thing would be if we could all try to be calm, and patient. Perhaps when we've talked this all out, we'll decide that family counseling would be a good thing to try. In the meantime, the three of you have something very important that you need to focus on.
JAKE
Well, get to the point then. Stop wasting our time.
PASTOR
Leah?
LEAH
After what happened at the clinic I came in to arrange for a memorial service -
RACHEL
(interrupting her)
For the embryos?
LEAH
Yes, and the others, the -
JAKE
(interrupting her)
You've got to be kidding. You held a funeral for a bunch of cells.
LEAH
Well, it wasn't a whole, entire funeral. It was a service, a private service in the chapel.
JAKE
You dragged us here, just to tell us that you buried a few undeveloped cells. You could have just washed them down the drain, like I asked the lab to do.
RACHEL
Jake?
LEAH
They were our babies; our children.
JAKE
Children. That's rich. (JAKE starts laughing, and then gets to his feet.) Well, if that's that, we'll be on our way. Thank you very much, Pastor; it was very nice to meeting you.
LEAH
It was really a nice memorial, Jake. You should have seen it. You should have been there. No, don't go. Wait. I was only trying to explain.
PASTOR
Jake, Rachel. Please. There is more. Please. Earlier you asked if Leah was sick.
RACHEL
Yes?
PASTOR
Please, sit. LEAH, would you continue, please.
LEAH
I, I have cancer. Breast cancer. I need surgery, then either radiation or chemo. They said it's a fairly fast growing type, so I'll need to go to the hospital soon. I still don't understand how I could have gone through so much before the pregnancy and the doctors not find anything then. But, I guess, it's a fast growing type, affected by stress.
RACHEL
Oh, Leah. I'm so sorry.
(RACHEL sits back down. JAKE pauses then sits back down, also.)
JAKE
I'm…I'm sorry. Is there anything we can do?
PASTOR
This brings us to the actual reason we're all here. LEAH? (pause) LEAH?
LEAH
At first, I was only going to move them somewhere else, but when I learned that you were talking to the clinic, I knew I had to do something right away. I couldn't wait any longer for things to work out. So I hired surrogated mothers, arranged for all the medical care. Many of the embryos didn't live, but not all of them died, JAKE. I'm sorry, Rachel, but I hated you so much that I just couldn't visualize you caring for my children, especially once you had any of your own.
RACHEL
"Once" I have any of my own? Those were my children, Leah. My eggs. Mine. Not yours. You had no right.
LEAH
(overlapping) Stop interrupting me, please. I'm trying to answer your questions. It's important; will you please just listen. (pause) I was sure that even if Jake understood, you wouldn't, so I covered up all my tracks - signed everyone to confidentiality agreements, the whole works. (Pause) I need help. I didn't realize it before. I was so selfish, so angry that I thought I could do it all alone. Hire nurses, nannies, I thought if I could just hire enough people I could create my own family, my own warm, loving family. I was wrong. Please. I'm sorry. It's just, there are so many of them and they all need love, all need attention, and when they get older, they'll have question and what am I going to say? They need to know their history; who their parents are. And now with this other, what's going to happen to them? You know, Benjamin, the youngest, when he smiles, he looks so much like you.
JAKE
What are you saying?
LEAH
We have children, Jake.
(LEAH opens the door to the office and nurses bring in 13 infants.)
You're their father.
END
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Copyright © 2005 Vera S. Scott, all rights reserved.
This script may be performed without royalty payment provided no charge is made
admission to the performance. In return for free use, the author would like
to be told of any performance. She may be contacted at verascott@gmail.com