Bridget Ilene Delaney

THE SICKLE CELL PLAY (Working Title) Written by Bridget Ilene Delaney Copyright (c) 2017 Draft 27 July 2017 CHARACTERS Rhonda, 38, Black, Heavy-set, big chested, about 5'2", Tywanesha and Donald’s mother Dr. Smith, 41, White, about 5', doctor in Louisiana Tywanesha, 22, black, thin, about 6'2",daughter of Rhonda and Antoine Dr. Chen, 40, Of Asian Descent, about 6'2", doctor at the Chicago hospital Antoine, 40, black, muscle-bound, about 5'7", ex-husband of Rhonda Airport Worker 1, 19, black Airport Worker 2, 19, black, twin of Airport Worker 1, (played by same actor as Airport Worker 1) Montgomery “Gummy Bear” Edwards, height and ethnicity do not matter Donald’s Voice (he is never seen, but is heard, voice must be convincing to be a 4year-old boy) Various other voices (can be provided by actors offstage or backstage crew) TIME January-April 2014 PLACE An Old Plantation House about 60 miles outside of Lake Charles THE SICKLE CELL PLAY (WORKING TITLE) ACT I SCENE I (A porch swing under a back porch is seen. The back door to the house is directly to the side that is closer to the interior of the house. A clothes line runs from a post on the back porch to a pole out in the yard. RHONDA is up at the porch tightening the lid to a jelly jar) RHONDA (Yelling across the yard) And if you do it again, I’ll tell your mother! VOICES (as neighborhood children) Why would she care? She told us to do it! RHONDA Well, then she’s just as bad! VOICES (as neighborhood children) Oooh, what a threat! (The children laugh) RHONDA I’ll find somebody that’ll teach you a lesson! (DR. SMITH, concerned, shuffles up to RHONDA) DR. SMITH Is everything okay? I heard you yelling. RHONDA It’s fine. Just some hooligans throwing eggs at my house . . . again. DR. SMITH I’m sorry to hear that. RHONDA At least it’s not the worse thing. I got all of my client’s laundry in as it is supposed to rain tonight and the breads, jellies, and jams are all packaged are wrapped and set to be sold. DR. SMITH Well, I’m glad that you’ve got things in order. I know that it can be tough for you to make a living at times. RHONDA That extremely true with Donald having sickle cell anemia. DR. SMITH Anyway, how is Donald doing? RHONDA He’s okay right now. DR. SMITH He’s four, right? RHONDA That’s right. DR. SMITH That’s good. I worry about him. Oh, and there’s somebody else here to see you. (RHONDA looks at DR. SMITH confusedly, then DR. SMITH signals to TYWANESHA to come out of the car and TYWANESHA comes gracefully walking into RHONDA’S backyard) TYWANESHA (Determined to get RHONDA to hear what she has to say) Mama! Mama! Listen to me! (RHONDA keeps her focus on the jelly jar, sideeying DR. SMITH, showing her disappointment) DR. SMITH (Trying to show that he meant to do good) Rhonda, do you need help with that jar? RHONDA (Irritated) Nah, I got it. Thanks. (RHONDA tightens the lid on the jar and sets it down on the porch. As she does so, she realizes that TYWANESHA is there. Addresses her aggressively) RHONDA (Cont.) What are you doing here? The last time I saw you, I told you that I didn’t want you coming back to this house. TYWANESHA (Defensively) I came down here on my vacation in order to give blood for Donald. I was able to donate again by now and I know how bad his sickle cell anemia is. RHONDA (Flatly) Oh, well, thank you. I appreciate that. (Sternly) But you aren’t welcome on my property! TYWANESHA (Passive-agressively) No problem, but I have to get going. My flight leaves in about an hour. (To Dr. Smith, pleasantly) Dr. Smith, promise me that you'll take care of Donald. DR. SMITH Of course. I promised you once and I don't go back on my promises. I'll treat him as if he were my own son. TYWANESHA Great! I gotta go! (TYWANESHA rushes off) DR. SMITH So, how have you been? RHONDA Donald's been doing fine lately. I never know how he'll be doing, so it keeps me worried. DR. SMITH That's great for Donald, and I'm sorry that it keeps you worried, but I want to know how you are doing. RHONDA I figured that you knew. Most everybody around this town talks. DR. SMITH I know they talk, but I don't think you can get an accurate story from only hearing stories about a person, especially when some act as if you are the disdain of the community. RHONDA Well, that should tell you what you need to know. DR. SMITH But I don't know what I need to know. I just know that there are some people that see you that way. However, I know there are others that don't see you that way. What's going on? What caused this situation? RHONDA I don't like to talk about it. DR. SMITH I'll buy $50 worth of your famous apricot-watermelon jelly if you tell me. I heard some of the ladies from the church raving about it. RHONDA I'll just give you a jar for always taking care of Donald. DR. SMITH I don't . . . Okay, I'll buy $150 worth. RHONDA Okay, you bribed me into it. I was married once. His name was Antoine. I loved him with all of my heart. We were high school sweethearts. (An optional flashback scene can be put here, or it can be put here as we hear RHONDA and DR. SMITH’s conversation in a voice over, or we can simply see them talking about what happened) RHONDA (cont'd) I was just a freshman, but when I saw Antoine, I fell hard for him. I didn't think he noticed me, but he did. Having affection and love from somebody was a wonderful thing being that I didn't get it from my parents. DR. SMITH Your parents didn’t give you love? RHONDA Hardly, and by that time, I was on my own. DR. SMITH On your own? RHONDA Yes, but I don’t like talking about that part of the story. (DR. SMITH nods) RHONDA (Cont.) We got married at a young age. I was still in high school when Antoine graduated, but we didn't mind. Anyway, I dropped out of high school when I found out I was pregnant with Tywanesha. DR. SMITH So, people judged you for being pregnant out of wedlock? RHONDA Some people did. They acted like if they even saw me, that I would give them some horrible disease. DR. SMITH Ah. Where’s Antoine now? I never see him around. RHONDA Him? Oh, he abandoned me. DR. SMITH Would you tell me more? RHONDA Well . . . DR. SMITH If I buy more jelly? RHONDA (Laughing) I don’t want to bankrupt you. DR. SMITH I know what I can spend. You won’t do that. RHONDA ... DR. SMITH Please. It’ll help me understand things. RHONDA It was Tywanesha’s seventeenth birthday. She and all of her friends were over and they were supposed be having fun and fishing in the creek. Antoine had said that he only wanted one child and we were happy with Tywanesha, but I knew I couldn't hide my pregnancy from Antoine any longer. I thought telling him on a happy occasion would make things better, but when I told him that I was pregnant, he became violent and beat me black and blue. Tywanesha and her friends came running and they helped me when they saw I was hurt, but they didn’t know exactly what happened. Antoine told them I had fallen and that made me even more upset. Antoine was so angry about my pregnancy. He stormed off and left me and he never came back. (The flashback would end here) DR. SMITH That seems really harsh. RHONDA There's no doubt that I feared Antoine, too. However, the love I got from him made me respect the fear. Even Tywanesha's name was his idea. I wanted something more run-of-the-mill so potential employers wouldn't judge her by her name. Instead, I went with his wishes and then I gave her the middle name Rose. DR. SMITH And you've been on your own ever since Antoine left? RHONDA Pretty much. Tywanesha left the next year and it's been Donald and me together. (DR. SMITH nods and leaves as RHONDA goes to work more with her jelly) (Lights fade) ACT I SCENE 2 (lights come up on DR. SMITH in RHONDA's back yard.) DR. SMITH Rhonda, are you here? (RHONDA comes from around the corner of her house where she has been folding laundry) DR. SMITH (Cont.) How are you doing? RHONDA I'm fine, just a little sore from doing all this work. DR. SMITH That does look like a lot of laundry. RHONDA It’s not the most I’ve had to do in a day. DR. SMITH I couldn’t imagine doing that many loads of laundry. How's Donald doing? RHONDA He seems to be having another sickle cell attack. He doesn't seem comfortable at all, the poor thing. DR. SMITH May I go in to see him? RHONDA Go right ahead. (DR. SMITH goes into RHONDA'S house. RHONDA paces up by the porch swing, careful to not knock any of her jars over. DR. SMITH rushes back out of the house) DR. SMITH It's a good thing that he's always right there inside! He's definitely having a bad sickle cell attack. Can I take him - RHONDA Here! Take a loaf of bread and just take him to Lake Charles and take care of him as quickly as possible! (DR. SMITH rushes into the house and as we see RHONDA reach for a jar, we hear a car start) (Lights fade out and then back in. DR. SMITH is once again talking with RHONDA in her backyard. He is holding one of his doctor's lab coats) DR. SMITH So, how is Donald doing now after this blood transfusion? RHONDA He's doing okay right now, but I know that at any moment, he may have a sickle cell attack again. He's had some bad ones. DR. SMITH Yes, and his immune system is quite weak. I am concerned about some of his organs, too. They are okay for now, but with his condition being as severe as it is, I know that his organs may not hold up well with this disease. It is sad that it exists. I wish it didn't just like I wish RHONDA Yeah, I wish everything that goes wrong with people's health didn't exist. How have we managed to exist this long? (RHONDA realizes DR. SMITH is holding one of his coats) RHONDA (Cont.) Oh, did you need something? DR. SMITH Yes, I need this coat washed. Could you please make it as white as snow? RHONDA Well, I've never seen snow, but I'll make it as white as I possibly can. DR. SMITH Great. Can we head inside so I can conduct a check up on both you and Donald? RHONDA Sure, come on in. (RHONDA and DR. SMITH go into the house) (Lights fade) ACT I SCENE 3 (Lights come up on RHONDA who is hanging clothes on the clothes line in her yard. DR. SMITH comes rushing in, his arms full of papers and magazines along with his doctor’s bag. He almost runs right into her, but stops before he does) DR. SMITH Rhonda! Rhonda! I've been reading some amazing medical research about sickle cell anemia! RHONDA (Annoyed) How can anything about sickle cell be amazing? DR. SMITH I didn't mean for it to sound like that! RHONDA (Suspiciously) What did you mean? DR. SMITH I meant that people are finding ways in which they think they might be able to cure the disease! RHONDA How is that possible? DR. SMITH Well, they aren't completely certain yet. Right now it requires a compatible stem cell donor and RHONDA What do I have to do? DR. SMITH It would have to be Tywanesha donating stem cells. It's a healthy sibling that has to donate them. RHONDA Well, she already donates her blood. DR. SMITH Stem cell donation and blood donation aren't the same. Stem cells are much more sensitive than blood type. Donald and Tywanesha both have a blood type of B positive, but anybody that has a blood type of B positive could also give blood to Donald. However, stem cells are much pickier. It is required that they be similar genetically and a sibling is often the best match, although for some diseases, they do have people who are volunteers to give stem cells or bone marrow. RHONDA I don't quite understand. DR. SMITH It's like there are three blood types - triangle, rectangle, and round. Any triangle could go with another triangle, and round could go with another round, and any rectangle could go with another rectangle. A right triangle could go with an equilateral triangle. A square could go with a rectangle. An oval could go with a circle. RHONDA But that's not how stem cells work? DR. SMITH Right, stem cells don't work that way. A right triangle would only go with another right triangle. You couldn't put an equilateral triangle with a right triangle. Because of this a new compatibility test is needed. RHONDA What does that mean? DR. SMITH We'll need to contact Tywanesha to see if she'd be willing to help Donald if she's compatible. RHONDA Let's call her! Right now! (RHONDA goes to grab her cell phone and runs back out with it) RHONDA (cont.) I can never figure out these stupid things. All they look like are small bricks that plug into walls. DR. SMITH (Giggling to himself) Then why do you have one? RHONDA One of the ladies from church gave it to me. She said that she has enough phones on her plan that this one is free and she thought I could use one. DR. SMITH Well, it is going to come in handy now. Would you like me to make the call? RHONDA That will be much better because I don’t feel like talking to Tywanesha right now. DR. SMITH Okay. (DR SMITH dials the phone and holds it up to his ear) Hello? . . . Tywanesha? . . . It’s Dr. Smith . . .He’s doing okay right now . . . But I found a possible treatment . . . It would require you . . . The thing is . . . I need this . . . I mean, Donald would need you for this . . First, it’s just a test . . . It’s easy . . . all you do is give a cheek swab . . . that’s it. (RHONDA leans in towards DR. SMITH to listen to the phone call) DR. SMITH Well . . . Well, I can’t truly take care of Donald without you doing this. I know she’s not happy with what happened . . . I understand, but that seems to be one thing I can’t explain. . . I’m good at explaining procedures, but when it comes to relationships . . . Those discussions have to be between those two people . . . Remember, this is for Donald . . . Yes, you would be helping me, too . . . But it’s mainly for Donald. . . You will? . . That’s great news! (DR. SMITH hangs up the phone) RHONDA So, what’s going to happen? DR. SMITH Tywanesha is going to get tested. Now, all I need to do is take a cheek swab from Donald. I’ll send it to the hospital in Chicago to have it tested. RHONDA Why Chicago? DR. SMITH That’s one of the places where this research is being done and it’s also where Tywanesha is. They can easily see if she matches as a donor. RHONDA Can’t Tywanesha come here? DR. SMITH There aren’t any doctors here that have been working on this treatment. They don’t understand it. RHONDA Are you sure? DR. SMITH (nodding his head) Mmm-hmmm. RHONDA Then go ahead and go inside to see Donald. (DR. SMITH goes inside with his doctor’s bag, leaving the magazines and journals on the swing with RHONDA who flips through the top one) RHONDA Huh? That’s interesting. DONALD’S VOICE Yucky candy! No like! (DR. SMITH comes out laughing) DR. SMITH He’s very cute The’s swab for testing is all done, so I’ll send the sample to Chicago and we should hear back shortly if Tywanesha is a match. (RHONDA nods) RHONDA Well, I’m tired. I should go inside and get to bed. (RHONDA goes into the house; DR. SMITH sits for a second and thinks, then leaves) (Lights fade) ACT I SCENE 4 (Lights up) (A week later, RHONDA is sitting on her porch swing, relaxing when DR. SMITH walks into RHONDA’S backyard) DR. SMITH (excitedly) I got the results! Tywanesha is a match! RHONDA So, Donald won’t have sickle cell anemia any longer after this treatment? DR. SMITH It’s not certain, but it’s a possible cure. I’ve currently been writing back and forth with somebody named Dr. Chen. It’s only been formal exchanges and I don’t know much about him personally, but the medical research and accomplishments impress me. I already have a huge respect for him. It’ll be an honor to work with somebody that has such prestige. (Hesitating) Rhonda, there is one thing. RHONDA What’s that? DR SMITH Tywanesha will have been told the results are a match, but I promised to call when we found out, too. I know that you don’t understand what she’ll have to do and even though I know that you don’t seem to be happy with her, I think you still love her as your daughter. I don’t truly think you’d want to have her go through something medical that neither of you understood. RHONDA (Apprehensively, with a heavy sigh) You’re right about that. DR. SMITH Yes, and? RHONDA Well, she’s still my daughter and I do want Donald to be better. DR. SMITH So, you’ll do what’s needed? RHONDA (Resigned, with a sigh) Yes. DR. SMITH Would you be so kind as to get your cell phone? RHONDA Of course. (RHONDA goes in to get her cell phone and quickly comes back out with it, handing it to DR. SMITH; DR. SMITH takes the phone and dials it. RHONDA and DR. SMITH sit on the swing and RHONDA leans in to listen to the conversation) DR. SMITH So, you’ve been told the results? . . . Yes! Yes! . . . You are? . . . That’s great! . . . Well, not too much. . . A few shots . . . Then it’s a lot like giving blood . . . but it can take a whole day . . . or it can be split into two days . . . A shot per day for five days . . . because we want to make sure that there are plenty of stem cells that are actually blood-forming cells in your blood stream . . . that’s all the medicine does . . . you may just be sore or experience flu-like symptoms, but you may not have any side effects, either. RHONDA (Whispering to DR. SMITH) I honestly hope she doesn’t have any side effects. DR. SMITH (Smiling) Oh, the donation itself. . . . Instead of one needle like when you are giving blood, there will be two needles. Each arm has a needle inserted. One needle takes the blood. It then goes into a machine that separates the stem cells from the rest of the blood. Once the stem cells are separated, the rest of your blood is returned to your body. . . . Seems simple enough, right? . . . So, you’ll do it? . . . This is great news for me . . I mean, for Donald . . . For the whole medical community. . . . Yes . . . yes . . . I’ll be in touch. (He hangs up the phone and speaks to RHONDA) Did you understand that? RHONDA I think so, but can you put it into terms I’d definitely understand? DR. SMITH I can try. It’s like when you make jelly. You take the part that you want and filter it through cheesecloth. This big machine acts like the filter. It takes the part we want to help Donald. You don’t save the other stuff. It gets put back into nature. Well, we aren’t keeping the rest of Tywanesha’s blood. Like the other stuff from making a jelly gets put back into nature, Tywanehsa’s blood gets put back into her body. (Lights fade) ACT I SCENE 5 (Lights up; TYWANESHA is in a hospital room with DR. CHEN. There is a huge white machine with a couple of sections to process blood in one and the stem cells from it in the other) DR. CHEN You’ve been taking the medicine, right? TYWANESHA Yes, I’ve taken it every day this week. All of the pills are gone. DR. CHEN Great! (DR. CHEN goes over to the machine to make sure all of the tubes are in place) DR. CHEN (Cont.) Then we can get started. TYWANESHA So, all I do I lay on this bed? DR. CHEN Yes, that is all you do. I just have to insert the needles and have you lie still. I can turn the television on so you can relax and watch something while the machine does its work. (TYWANESHA nods and DR. CHEN gets the needles that are on the tubes set and goes to TYWANESHA) DR. CHEN (Cont.) Just a couple of pokes. That’s it. (Each line said as a needle is inserted into each of TYWANESHA’S arms) (DR. CHEN inserts a needle into one of TYWANESHA’S arms) DR. CHEN (Cont.) A little pinch. (DR. CHEN inserts the other needle into TYWANESHA’S other arm) DR. CHEN (Cont.) And a little poke. TYWANESHA That wasn’t bad at all. It was a lot like when I donate blood. DR. CHEN (Cont.) What TV channel would you like to watch? TYWANESHA The game shows would be great. (DR. CHEN takes a remote and points it up away as if a television is hanging on a wall. Game show like music can be heard, DR. CHEN stops to watch a tiny portion of the show) VOICE (as a game show contestant) The Leaning Tower of Pisa! VOICE (as the game show host) I’m sorry. That’s incorrect. VOICE (as another game show contestant) The Parthenon. (DR. CHEN looks at TYWANESHA, smiles, and exits) (Lights out) ACT I SCENE 6 (Lights rise, It is the next week and DR. SMITH goes to RHONDA’S backyard, but she is not outside. He knocks on the door and he can hear Donald fussing. RHONDA opens the door.) DR. SMITH It’s been a week. Dr. Chen wrote saying that Tywanesha’s donation of stem cells went fine and that they are frozen in the bags where they need them. (Realizing that RHONDA is distracted) Is everything okay? RHONDA (Crying) I don’t know. I can’t get Donald to calm down. He’s fussy about something. I’m guessing he is hurting again. DONALD’S VOICE Ow, it hurts! Owie! No! Ouchie! DR. SMITH It sounds like he is in pain. I was going to tell you that Dr. Chen has been working and already has a plan for Donald to be treated at the Chicago hospital and that he’s arranged a life flight for Donald. RHONDA You know I hate big cities. Are you able to take him again? DR. SMITH I can take him to the hospital in Lake Charles and give the permission there because we’ve already established that I am allowed to give permission for Donald. However, you will have to travel to Chicago with me. RHONDA (Near tears) I could never do that. Poor Donald. Poor me. Are you sure there’s not another way? DR. SMITH Well . . . RHONDA ... DR. SMITH For the moment, let me get Donald to the hospital. It seems he needs another blood transfusion before traveling to Chicago. (DR. SMITH goes through the door and we hear the sound of a car starting and then driving away) (Later that day, RHONDA is in her backyard tending to an apricot tree, Dr. Smith comes walking slowly into the backyard) DR. SMITH They got a blood transfusion started for Donald at the hospital. RHONDA Is he okay? DR. SMITH This attack seems pretty severe. Once they get him stable, they will life flight him to the hospital in Chicago. You need to pack so we can travel there. RHONDA (Matter-of-factly) I can’t afford to travel to Chicago. DR. SMITH I know. RHONDA (Defensively) That means I don’t have to go. DR. SMITH I need you to come. The hospital in Chicago doesn’t have the arrangement of knowing that I can give consent for Donald to have medical treatments. They’ll need his legal guardian and that’s you. RHONDA How is this going to work? DR. SMITH Don’t worry about it right now, just get some clothes packed. RHONDA ... DR. SMITH (Watching RHONDA go into the house) Quickly! (RHONDA goes into the house and walks out with a stuffed backpack.) DR. SMITH How did you -? RHONDA I just stuffed a bunch of my clothes in a backpack. DR. SMITH That works! Let’s go! (DR. SMITH rushes to his car and RHONDA follows him, the sound car doors shutting is heard and then the sound of a car starting and leaving is heard) ACT I SCENE 7 (There is a small counter with some chairs in front of it. An airport employee wearing a uniform that looks almost like a police uniform is walking around and talking into a walkietalkie) AIRPORT WORKER 1 (Into walkie-talkie) Yeah, you remember back then . . . I do! . . . That was crazy how those buildings caught on fire . . . Yep, just seemed so sudden . . . It was just a normal day and then everything came to a halt . . . Yep, on the news . . . everywhere . . . classes canceled . . . DR. SMITH (Trying to get AIRPORT WORKER 1’S attention) Excuse me . . . AIRPORT WORKER 1 (Ignoring him) Oh, I think there have been more . . . Oh, yeah . . . remember that one last summer? . . . The one that broke into two halves? . . .Yeah . . . DR. SMITH (Louder and more assertive) Excuse me! AIRPORT WORKER 1 (Annoyed that she has to stop talking to her co-worker) What do you need? DR. SMITH We’re here for the arranged flight to Chicago. AIRPORT WORKER 1 (Still annoyed) Oh, that. Right this way. RHONDA (Sits down in one of the chairs) No way. I’m not going. DR. SMITH But I need. . . I mean, Donald needs you. RHONDA Well, tell everybody that Tywanesha is his mother. Get her to sign my name. DR. SMITH First of all, it wouldn’t be ethical. Second of all, they already know who Tywanesha is. She donated her white blood cells. RHONDA Well, I don’t like what that airport worker is saying. DR. SMITH I’m sorry, but there are millions of flights every day that don’t crash. RHONDA (Yelling out of fear) There are enough that do! I’m not going! (DR. SMITH reaches into his doctor’s bag and pulls out some cold medicine) DR. SMITH I promise that I’ll take care of you. (DR. SMITH pours a generous dose of the medicine into a cup) DR. SMITH (Cont.) (Handing the cup of medicine to RHONDA) Here, drink this. DR. SMITH (To the airport worker) Could I get a wheelchair for her? AIRPORT WORKER 1 (Annoyed) Fine. (AIRPORT WORKER 1 brings a wheelchair for RHONDA and helps DR. SMITH get her into it. AIRPORT WORKER 1 then checks their bags and shows DR. SMITH the way to the plane. DR. SMITH pushes the wheelchair with RHONDA, who is falling asleep in it) ACT I SCENE 8 (In a part of the Chicago airport where the section of the airport looks like the part of the one that was seen in Lake Charles. DR. SMITH is pushing RHONDA in the wheelchair. AIRPORT WORKER 2 carries a walkie-talkie; RHONDA wakes up) RHONDA (Defensively) I’m not going! No matter how nice you are to me! DR. SMITH (DR. SMITH is reading a trashy crime novel, jerks away from the book when he hears RHONDA shout) We’re already in Chicago. RHONDA (Shocked) What? DR. SMITH I’m sorry that I had to trick you. I gave you some cold medicine that I know knocks you out for a few hours. We’re in Chicago now. (To AIRPORT WORKER 2) Excuse me! (AIRPORT WORKER 2 goes over to DR. SMITH) DR. SMITH (Cont.) We need to get our car. Could you help us? (RHONDA sees AIRPORT WORKER 2) RHONDA Not you again! You’re a bad omen! AIRPORT WORKER 2 You must have met my twin sister in Lake Charles. I’m sorry about her. RHONDA You’re-you’re not the same person? AIRPORT WORKER 2 (Laughing) No. My sister is nothing like me. She’s obsessed with talking about disasters. I prefer to think about happy things. I look at the positive side of life. RHONDA Positive side? And you work here? AIRPORT WORKER 2 Sure! I see happy reunions happen almost every day! I see family members meet. I see lovers reunited. I see healthy people going home from the hospital. I’m sure your son is going to be just fine! I’ve a good feeling about it! DR. SMITH That’s great! Can we get our car? AIRPORT WORKER 2 Sure! I have all of the arrangements right here. Follow me. (RHONDA gets up out of the wheelchair. AIRPORT WORKER 2 leads RHONDA and DR. SMITH to a booth where she takes out some piece of paper and a pen) AIRPORT WORKER 2 (Handing papers to DR. SMITH) Could you just sign here and here? (DR. SMITH signs the papers, hands them back) AIRPORT WORKER 2 (Cont.) That’s all I need. Your car is waiting right outside. (AIRPORT WORKER 2 points to some “doors” that are located off stage) DR. SMITH Thank you very much. (To RHONDA) Are you ready? RHONDA Nope. DR. SMITH You rode in my car when we went to Lake Charles. RHONDA I did it for Donald. I didn’t like it. Now you’ve tricked me. I don’t know if I can trust you any longer. I’ll just stay in this airport! DR. SMITH I promise to explain later! I need to . . . I mean Donald needs me to take care of him. Besides, what are you going to do in an airport for weeks? RHONDA Weeks? DR. SMITH Yes, weeks. RHONDA I can’t afford to stay in Chicago for weeks! DR. SMITH Rhonda, you don’t have to pay. RHONDA That makes no sense. DR. SMITH It’ll all be explained later. Please, just come with me. RHONDA This is for Donald, right? DR. SMITH Y-yes, of course it is. RHONDA (Hesitating) Well, okay. If it’s for Donald. ACT II SCENE 1 (DR. CHEN is standing in the hospital hall, right of a door that has two chairs placed on each side. TYWANESHA is sitting in one of the chairs furthest from the door. DR. SMITH and walk into the hall, at one end of the hall is a room where some chairs and vending machines would be located) DR. SMITH (Spotting DR. CHEN) Oh my, she’s gorgeous . . . RHONDA (Confused) You’ve met Tywanesha before. Of course she’s gorgeous. (RHONDA sits down in the chair furthest from TYWANESHA) DR. SMITH (Distracted) Yeah . . . (Swallows, regains his composure) Excuse me, I’m looking for Dr. Chen. (DR. CHEN turns to see DR. SMITH) DR. CHEN I am she. DR. SMITH I thought Dr. Chen was a male. DR. CHEN (laughing) I get that lots. People don’t expect an Asian female doctor, especially one this tall. DR. SMITH Well, um . . . (DR. SMITH turns around and takes a few deep breaths) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Then I guess we better get to know each other as we’ll be working together. (To RHONDA) I’ll drop you back off at the apartments tonight so Dr. Chen and I can talk about Donald’s treatment. RHONDA Okay, but I still don’t understand how we are staying there. DR. CHEN Excuse me while I go check on Donald. (DR. CHEN goes through the door; DR. SMITH sits in the chair next to RHONDA) DR. SMITH Dr. Chen and I had been working ever since we found out about the treatment. We looked all over and we were able to obtain grants RHONDA Grants? DR. SMITH Basically free money RHONDA Oh. DR. SMITH But they had to be used for certain things, and this was for staying in the hospital apartments. Also, since this treatment is considered research, you won’t have to pay anything for it. RHONDA So, I don’t have to worry about anything? DR. SMITH Not even travel. We were able to get that covered. RHONDA Wow! You really do care! DR. SMITH Y-yes, and there’s some(DR. CHEN comes out of Donald’s room) DR. CHEN Donald’s doing well for somebody that is in such a fragile condition. RHONDA Can I see my baby? DR. CHEN I’m afraid you can’t. We want to minimize the chance of any infection. We don’t want him getting sick. DR. SMITH So, I’ll see you tonight? DR. CHEN Yeah, we’ll talk over dinner. DR. SMITH Sounds great. (Lights fade; then lights up on everybody in the hospital hall, RHONDA and ) TYWANESHA sit in the chairs furthest from each other) DR. SMITH Last night was great, Dr. Chen. I’m excited about our paper! RHONDA A paper? DR. SMITH I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything. Donald’s treatment is a study for us. We are writing a paper on this study to help other doctors. RHONDA This is so others with sickle cell anemia can be cured? DR. SMITH That’s our hope. DR. CHEN Yes, hopefully this treatment can happen all over the world and not just in a few hospitals in the United States. We would like for that to happen. DR. SMITH (In admiration of DR. CHEN) Exactly what she said. (DR. SMITH stands in admiration of DR. CHEN, awkwardly moving about in order to look at her and listen to her words; RHONDA nervously glances over at TYWANESHA) TYWANESHA So, what’s going to happen now? DR. CHEN First we have to give Donald a low dose of full body radiation. RHONDA Radiation?! That causes cancer! How is he ever going to be better? DR. CHEN Radiation doesn’t have as high of a chance of causing cancer as people think. Besides, this is only the way that we know of this procedure working. RHONDA Why does this procedure even need radiation? DR. CHEN It’ll suppress Donald’s immune system. RHONDA I thought he needed a good immune system. DR. CHEN He does, but this will allow Tywanesha’s stem cells to be the stronger ones and take over in Donald’s body. RHONDA So, Donald’s not going to get cancer? DR. CHEN It’s not likely. RHONDA Then go ahead with the treatment. (DR. SMITH and DR. CHEN go into Donald’s hospital room) RHONDA (Cont.) (To TYWANESHA) As for you TYWANESHA Are you going to start on me leaving again? RHONDA No. TYWANESHA Then RHONDA Thank you. Thank you for caring about Donald. TYWANESHA Of course. I always have. (This statement confuses RHONDA) RHONDA Huh? (DR. SMITH and DR. CHEN come out of Donald’s hospital room) DR. SMITH (Enamored, to DR. CHEN) Wow, I’ve never seen somebody work on a child so well! DR. CHEN How do you know? DR. SMITH I can say that I saw some stuff in my early years as a doctor. And, well . . . DR. CHEN It didn’t go well? DR. SMITH You could put it that way. (RHONDA bolts up from her chair) RHONDA It didn’t go well?!?!? DR. CHEN Oh, no! Donald’s fine! His procedure is definitely going well! Dr. Smith was telling me about his early years as a doctor! RHONDA (To DR. SMITH) Is there something that you haven’t told me? DR. SMITH Rhonda, I’m your friend, but I don’t have to tell you everything. In fact, there’s doctor-patient confidentiality. RHONDA But isn’t this something that I should know? DR. SMITH When I was starting out as a doctor, I had a young patient who had cancer RHONDA And you saved him? DR. SMITH I tried. But it didn’t work. The cancer was too aggressive. And it wasn’t a boy. It was a girl. That haunts me every day of my life. I promised myself that I could save somebody RHONDA (Angrily) So, this is all about you and not Donald? DR. SMITH That’s not whatRHONDA I know what I’m hearing! Come on Tywanesha! Let’s go get some snacks! (RHONDA and TYWANESHA leave, but TYWANESHA keeps her distance from RHONDA who is stomping away) DR. SMITH Now that we’re alone . . . (DR. SMITH goes in to give DR. CHEN a hug) DR. CHEN Not while we’re working! I never hug co-workers on the job! DR. SMITH (dejected) Oh. (ANTOINE walks down the hall, holding himself in the most dignified manner that he can) ANTOINE (Seeing DR. CHEN) Hey there beautiful, have you seen Nurse Abby? DR. CHEN She’s not working today. (TYWANESHA comes back down the hall) ANTOINE (Seeing TYWANESHA and flirting) Well, hey there pretty young thing. Do you have a name or can I call you mine? TYWANESHA (Recognizes ANTOINE) Ew, gross! You’re my father! ANTOINE (Shocked) What are you doing here? TYWANESHA I’m here because my brother is here! ANTOINE Your brother? TYWANESHA Yeah, Donald, the son that you abandoned! (ANTOINE pulls out a newspaper to reveal a story about Donald’s treatment) ANTOINE This Donald? Donald Clark? (TYWANESHA nods) ANTOINE (Cont.) Why isn’t he Donald Guidry? TYWANESHA You abandoned Mama. Why would she give him your last name? ANTOINE Well . . . TYWANESHA Well, what? The two of you are divorced! ANTOINE He’s still my son. TYWANESHA Biologically. ANTOINE Don’t you want your brother to have the same last name as the one that you have? TYWANESHA It doesn’t bother me that he has a different last name. If I get married, I’m definitely changing my last name to my husband’s last name! This time should be completely about Donald, anyway. ANTOINE What exactly is going on? (RHONDA comes down the hall, sees ANTOINE, turns away and tries to rush back out) DR. CHEN Rhonda, wait! (DR. CHEN holds RHONDA’S arm gently so she’ll stay to listen) DR. CHEN (Cont.) We just finished giving Donald his radiation. We’re about to get him ready to receive Tywanesha’s stem cells. (RHONDA nods) RHONDA That’s fine, but I really need to go get something I forgot in the rental car. (RHONDA leaves, but she only moves down the hall to where a room with vending machines would be) ANTOINE (Quickly thinking up an excuse) Don’t those come from the blood? DR. CHEN In this case they did. ANTOINE Then you can’t do that! DR. CHEN Why not? ANTOINE I’m Donald’s father and I don't believe in blood transfusions! This needs to stop immediately! DR. CHEN But he’s had them done in Lake Charles and there has never been a problem. ANTOINE Well, I’m now a Jehovah’s Witness! He can’t have any more of them! DR. CHEN But we’ve already given him the radiation. ANTOINE Other medical treatments are fine, but the Bible makes it clear that we aren’t supposed to consume blood! TYWANESHA Consume means to eat. Donald’s not eating my blood. ANTOINE You stay out of this, Tywanesha! (TYWANEHSA sits down in one of the chairs) DR. SMITH Tywanesha, where’s your mother? TYWANESHA (pointing) Down that way. (DR. SMITH goes to get RHONDA) DR. CHEN Could we all just calm down? (DR. SMITH and RHONDA come walking back into the hall, RHONDA is eating animal crackers from a bag from a vending machine) RHONDA I . . . I just can’t face him again. DR. SMITH I know it’s tough, but RHONDA How’d he even get here? How’d he know? DR. SMITH I don’t know how he knew. RHONDA (Whispering to DR. SMITH when she sees ANTOINE) He’s still as gorgeous as ever. DR. SMITH (Whispering to RHONDA) You can’t let that get in your way. This is your son. This is my RHONDA (growing angry) Your what? DR. SMITH My chance, Donald’s chance . . . (DR. SMITH stops to think) for a cure. ANTOINE Prayer is the cure! RHONDA Yes, prayer, and medicine . . . and . . . (RHONDA gets caught up admiring ANTOINE) DR. SMITH And? RHONDA He’s so gorgeous . . . DR. SMITH Rhonda, turn this way. (DR. SMITH turns RHONDA so she is not facing ANTOINE) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Now, tell us all about your situation with Donald. RHONDA Antoine beat me and left me when I told him I was pregTYWANESHA He beat you? RHONDA Yes, he beat me. TYWANESHA He said you fell. RHONDA I know. TYWANESHA Why didn’t you tellDR. SMITH Later, we want to get Donald treated. RHONDA Anyway, he left. I gave birth to Donald and Tywanesha left me after she graduated high school. I made sure that I was Donald’s legal guardian. (ANTOINE steps over to RHONDA) ANTOINE But I’m his biological father. DR. CHEN (Trying to be a mediator) This is chance to have a cure, to be a healthy child. Besides that, I don’t think a Jehovah’s Witness would act ANTOINE What? Act like what? DR. CHEN Well, at least seem to act like . . . a player. (To DR. SMITH) Look, we need to get this transfusion started. DR. SMITH Rhonda, look at me and only at me. What do you say? RHONDA Do it! (DR. CHEN goes into Donald’s room, she peeks out and yells) DR. CHEN Dr. Smith, they’ve got it all set up! Let’s get started! (DR. SMITH tries to enter Donald’s room, but ANTOINE grabs his arm and pulls him out) ANTOINE Oh, no you don’t! I’m Donald’s father and I say this can’t be done! RHONDA (Turning around; remembering the violence ANTOINE subjected on her when she told him that she was pregnant) Only biologically! (DR. CHEN peeks out from Donald’s room) DR. CHEN What’s going on here? RHONDA He has no rights as Donald’s father! ANTOINE He’s biologically mine, so I have rights as his father! RHONDA You really don’t! I filed forANTOINE How dare you file anything against me? (ANTOINE hits RHONDA on the cheek) DR. SMITH Please, not here! Not now! TYWANESHA Mama is right, though. Our father has no rights to Donald as a son. ANTOINE But, I have rights to you! TYWANESHA No you don’t! I’m an adult! (While ANTOINE is distracted by arguing with TYWANESHA, DR. SMITH talks to RHONDA) DR. SMITH Did you file legally so Antoine has no parental rights? RHONDA Yes, I made sure he was not legally the father. DR. SMITH Then, excuse me. (DR. SMITH goes into Donald’s room; ANTOINE realizes that he heard a door close and that DR. SMITH is no longer in the hall) ANTOINE Where’d he go? (RHONDA and TYWANESHA are silent) ANTOINE (Cont.) Tell me! RHONDA He’s in there working on Donald. ANTOINE Oh, I’ll make him stop! RHONDA You can’t! You have no legal rights! (ANTOINE goes to punch RHONDA, but he is standing right where the door opens and DR. SMITH opens the door; ANTOINE gets hit in the head by the door and falls onto the floor) RHONDA (Cont.) Well, that should take care of him! DR. SMITH But, I’m a doctor! I have to give him medical care! Tywanesha, can you go get that wheelchair? (TYWANESHA sees the wheelchair down the hall and goes to get it and quickly brings it back) DR. SMITH Oh, he’s so heavy . . . (DR. CHEN comes out of Donald’s room because of all of the noise) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Dr. Chen, can you please help me? (DR. CHEN goes to the other side of ANTOINE and helps DR. SMITH pick him up and get him into the wheelchair, as they are getting ANTOINE into the wheelchair, he starts to wake up) ANTOINE Where am I? DR. CHEN (Softly) You’re in the hospital. ANTOINE I’m where? DR. CHEN Shhh. You’ll be okay. ANTOINE Okay, sleepy time. (Lights out.) ACT II SCENE 2 (The lights come back on DR. SMITH is standing, in the hall, reading a trashy crime novel, with RHONDA and TYWANESHA) RHONDA How could you do that? DR. SMITH Do what? RHONDA Save Antoine? DR. SMITH I hardly saved him. RHONDA But you helped him. DR. SMITH I’m a doctor. I did take an oath. RHONDA Yet, you drugged me! TYWANESHA You did what?! DR. SMITH I knew it wouldn’t hurt you. (To TYWANESHA) I gave your mother some cold medicine that I knew made her fall asleep so I could get her on the airplane here. TYWANESHA Oh . . . um, okay? I guess? DR. SMITH I know it wasn’t very ethicalRHONDA I don’t think those novels are good for you to read. They give you ideas. DR. SMITH I know they’re not real. RHONDA But you drugged meDR. SMITH (To RHONDA) and I’m sorry for that, but I wanted to prove . . . I mean I wanted to make sure that we had a chance at curing Donald’s sickle cell anemia. RHONDA What’s with the constant stuttering? What are you hiding that isn’t about Donald? DR. SMITH I do care about Donald, but it’s also difficult. You know I’m a short man. You can see that. Many times people don’t take me seriously. They think that I’m just playing. They think it’s “cute” that I think I’m a doctor. RHONDA But, you’re obviously a doctor and the people in our town respect that. DR. SMITH Most of them do, but some of them go to Lake Charles for their treatment. RHONDA So, just ignore them. DR. SMITH I do, but they aren’t the ones that are driving me to prove myself. RHONDA It seems like you’ve proven that you’re a docDR. SMITH It’s my parents! Okay? RHONDA I thought you weren’t in contact with your parents. DR. SMITH I’m not, but it’s by my own choice. I know how to contact them. RHONDA I don’t understand why you don’t. DR. SMITH Ever since that little girl with cancer passed away, my parents have insisted that I should’ve followed their plans for me, but I knew I was meant to be a doctor. They wanted me to give up that dream and become a farmer up in rural Pennsylvania. They wanted me to settle, just like my mother settled. She married my father and she didn’t continue her education even though she is really smart. RHONDA Maybe your mother didn’t see it as settling. Maybe it’s what she wanted. DR. SMITH I don’t understand how she can be happy with such a simple life. RHONDA It seems that she doesn’t understand that you aren’t happy with it. (pauses to think) Promise me, if Donald is cured of his sickle cell anemia that you’ll call your parents. DR. SMITH ... RHONDA Well? DR. SMITH I can’tRHONDA If I can at least have Tywanesha on the phone, you can call your parents. DR. SMITH But, they don’t believe in me being a doctor. RHONDA But you are a doctor. Look at all you’ve done! DR. SMITH I don’t want to feel invisible like they make me feel. RHONDA Will you write to them instead? DR. SMITH I-I can handle that. RHONDA Then will you do that? DR. SMITH ... RHONDA Well? DR. SMITH Only if you do something for me. RHONDA What’s that? DR. SMITH Talk to Tywanesha. RHONDA But . . . DR. SMITH Writing will still be hard for me. It’s just as hard as it is doing that for you, but she’s already been here and has shown she cares about you and Donald. TYWANESHA Dr. Smith’s right. Why don’t you tell me why I’m not allowed back home? RHONDA You left home! You left me with Donald! You didn’t help! TYWANESHA But you never listened to me! I always tried to tell you that I left to go to school so I could get a good job, then I would be able to help by sending you money to help take care of Donald! I’ve always cared! (RHONDA bursts into tears and goes to hug TYWANESHA who returns the hug) RHONDA (Crying) Oh, sweet girl! I never knew how much you cared! TYWANESHA (Crying) I’ve always cared. I love you, Mama! I love you! I love Donald! (RHONDA and TYWANESHA continue to hug each other tightly and cry) (ANTOINE’s footsteps can be heard from down the hall and as he approaches, he speaks) ANTOINE What type of nonsense is this? Look, I don’t want Donald to have the procedure! RHONDA (whispering to TYWANESHA) He’s so mean, but he’s so fine . . . TYWANESHA Mama, hold it together! Remember what he did to you! (RHONDA bites her lip and turns away from ANTOINE) DR. SMITH The procedure is done. It’s been done for hours. ANTOINE Well, I hope y’all are repentant! RHONDA (Still looking away from ANTOINE) We’re not Jehovah’s Witnesses! (DR. CHEN comes out of Donald’s room) DR. CHEN Drop the act, Antoine! ANTOINE It’s not an act! DR. CHEN Yes, it is. I was assigned as your doctor when you hit your head. You were out cold for a few hours. Guess who came in? ANTOINE Nobody would be looking for me! DR. CHEN Not even Nurse Abby? ANTOINE (Audibly swallows) ... DR. CHEN ... ANTOINE You’re bluffing. DR. CHEN Am I? ANTOINE Well, I’d still be a better parent for Donald! RHONDA (turning around) How? How would you be a better parent? ANTOINE I could provide for him! I have money! RHONDA I make money! Donald’s care comes before other things! ANTOINE But I make good money! RHONDA Money doesn’t make up for not being there to care for Donald. Why do you want him back into your life? ANTOINE (Acting repentant) I’ve reconciled with God. I want Donald to learn to serve Jehovah. I’m not bringing any more children into this world because Armageddon will be soon, but I want to teach those that are here. RHONDA Well, I don’t want Donald being a Jehovah’s witness. (DR. CHEN taps DR. SMITH on the shoulder) DR. CHEN (whispering to DR. SMITH) Can I talk to you? (RHONDA and ANTOINE are visibly arguing, but not heard; DR. SMITH and DR. CHEN go to the other side of them) DR. SMITH What is it Dr. Chen? DR. CHEN I know that Antoine is lying. My parents go to the Jehovah’s witness churchDR. SMITH What do they think of their daughter becoming a doctor? DR. CHEN Oh, they don’t believe in everything that the church says they should, they just go there. DR. SMITH Oh, and? DR. CHEN Antoine is never there. DR. SMITH Oh. (Realizing that ANTOINE is just there to antagonize RHONDA) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Oh! Well, she is my patient . . . DR. CHEN Right, and we don’t want her getting hurt. Plus, I heard Antoine talking to his nurse. He was hitting on her, too. He also doesn’t have money. He is trying to find a place to stayDR. SMITH And Rhonda has that plantation down south! Okay, I’m going over to them! (DR. SMITH goes to RHONDA and ANTOINE) DR. SMITH Antoine! You don’t have any money! You couldn’t help Donald in any way! RHONDA (Crying) Why do you do these things, Antoine? You are so fine. If you’d just behave . . . TYWANESHA Wait . . . so, all those aunts of mine? RHONDA Aunts? Antoine’s an only child! Like me! ANTOINE But, I . . . Donald needs a father . . . he . . . RHONDA Just go away! (ANTOINE swings at RHONDA and he hits her in the face; RHONDA holds her cheek, ANTOINE becomes angry at himself for missing RHONDA and starts to stop away, then gains his composure and walks away, mutter things to himself because he is trying to come up with another scheme) DR. SMITH That looked bad! Are you okay? (RHONDA removes her hand from her cheek and rubs it) RHONDA Things seem fine. So, are you going to write your parents? (Lights out) INTERMISSION ACT II SCENE 3 (Lights up on DR. CHEN and DR. SMITH in the hospital hall in front of Donald’s room door; DR. SMITH is working a crossword puzzle) DR. SMITH What’s a three letter word for crumb? . . . Oh, yeah, ort. DR. CHEN (Trying to get DR. SMITH’S attention) Dr. Smith! Hey, Dr. Smith! DR. SMITH (Realizing that somebody is trying to get his attention) And the Taj Mahal is in Agra . . . Oh, oh! Dr. Chen, I didn’t’ see you there! DR. CHEN It’s been a pleasure working with you this past week, Dr. Smith. DR. SMITH Same here. Actually more than a pleasure, Dr. Chen. DR. CHEN That’s very sweet of you. DR. SMITH I truly mean it. (beat) I was wondering . . . is there something less formal I could call you? DR. CHEN My first name is Amanda, but I don’t like using it around my patients. You can call me that when we talk more about the paper, though. DR. SMITH Amanda Chen, what a nice name. I’m Stedman Granger Smith. (DR. CHEN laughs a dainty little laugh) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Yeah, my parents were determined on trying to make me a farmer. DR. CHEN Didn’t work out, did it? DR. SMITH No. Hey, um, listen? . . . Might I call you sometime? DR. CHEN You mean about this paper and the treatment? DR. SMITH Actually, I was kind of hopingDR. CHEN Hoping? DR. SMITH That maybe we could, uh, start, you know? Talking? DR. CHEN Talking? DR. SMITH Like . . . a couple? DR. CHEN Oh, like we areDR. SMITH Yeah, you know, together? DR. CHEN That’s really sweet and you’re really sweet, but I just don’t feel the same way about you. I’m so sorry. DR. SMITH (Dejected) Oh. DR. CHEN But don’t feel bad. I’m sure there are plenty of women out there that would love to marry a nice doctor like you. DR. SMITH (Dejected) Yeah. (DR. CHEN starts to walk away from DR. SMITH, then she stops and looks back at him, smiles, and then continues to walk away; DR. SMITH stands and looks at the floor, perhaps he is watching what he is doing with his feet) (RHONDA comes down the hall) RHONDA Did I miss anything important? DR. SMITH No, no. Dr. Chen and I were just having a conversation. Everything is fine. This week has been amazing. Donald’s been taking his medicine and we’ll be going back to Louisiana. RHONDA His medicine? DR. SMITH Yes, Donald has to take a medicine to make sure his body doesn’t reject Tywanesha’s stem cells. RHONDA Reject them? DR. SMITH Tywanesha’s blood cells would be considered foreign to Donald’s body. Without the medicine, his body would try to attack them as if they were germs and try to get rid of them. His body would think it was trying to make him better. RHONDA So, this medicine makes Donald’s body think that Tywanesha’s stem cells are his stem cells? DR. SMITH It’s a little more complicated than that, but that is basically what it is doing. RHONDA So, he’ll be healthy now? DR. SMITH He should be. RHONDA I’m so happy about that! Donald will be healthy! He’ll be able to go to school! He’ll be able to make friends! DR. SMITH That’s always a good thing. It might take about a year for him to get used to these stem cells. However, he may be fine right away as well. Everybody responds differently to stem cell transplants. RHONDA So, give him his medicine and what else? DR. SMITH Watch to make sure that he is feeling okay. If he hurts or has an upset stomach, let me know. I can prescribe him some medicine to help with those things. RHONDA I can do that. Will you write your parents now? DR. SMITH I’ve got a letter to send out already written. I’ll drop it in the mail before we leave. RHONDA (Teasing DR. SMITH, acting as if he is a dog and patting him on the head) That’s a good boy! DR. SMITH Sometimes you can be a bit strange. RHONDA Well, it feels like a whole new start! DR. SMITH (Thinking about DR. CHEN) Um, yeah. (Lights out) ACT II SCENE 4 (Lights up) (Back in RHONDA’S backyard) DR. SMITH Well, you’re back and Donald’s doing well. Just remember that he needs to take his medicine every day. RHONDA I’ll do that! Say, why was I not so afraid of traveling on the way back? DR. SMITH I’m guessing it is because you are so happy about Donald. Not even medicine can tell you everything about a person. Some things will always be a mystery to science. Why are you afraid of travel, anyway? RHONDA The city, the big city of Lake Charles took the lives of my parents. DR. SMITH How did the city do that? RHONDA They died in a car accident. DR. SMITH I’m so sorry, but you’ve learned now, the city’s not always that way haven’t you? RHONDA Yeah, but it’s still difficult. DR. SMITH Well, I better go. I do have other patients to see! I know they’ve been waiting for me to get back! RHONDA (Watching DR. SMITH leave, wondering if he ever noticed that she likes him) Yeah, better take care of them. (Lights fade) ACT II SCENE 5 (Lights come up on RHONDA’S backyard, but nobody is there. DR. SMITH comes walking in, holding a folded letter) DR. SMITH Rhonda, are you around? (RHONDA comes out of the house) RHONDA I’m here. I was just playing with Donald. Next time you talk to Dr. Chen about the treatment, please thank her! I’m so glad to have a healthy little boy! DR. SMITH Well, I got a letter back from my parents. RHONDA And you feel better? DR. SMITH Not really. RHONDA They seriously can’t be upset with you after what you did for Donald! DR. SMITH They are happy about that part, but they want me to move back to Pennsylvania. RHONDA Pennsylvania? That far? What will we do without a local doctor? DR. SMITH They want me to move, but I don’t think I want to move. I care about my patients. RHONDA So, why don’t you stay here? DR. SMITH I also want to please my parents because I’m tired of running from them. I’m tired of telling them that I’m not married. They tell me that they’ve found a nice girl that would love to marry me. RHONDA (Hiding her jealousy) Oh. How would she know? She doesn’t know you. DR. SMITH They insist she would know me, that we grew up together. RHONDA But that’s been years. DR. SMITH I agree, but my parents say otherwise. RHONDA But . . . you are a 40-year-old man! DR. SMITH Well, 41. . . And I know. Sometimes I just want to please my parents still, though. I thought they would be satisfied with the news about Donald and about my collaboration with Dr. Chen on the studies about this treatment. We could be making a huge difference to people all around the world, but they are focused on this. RHONDA This? DR. SMITH Me being married. RHONDA Is there a reason? DR. SMITH They want grandchildren. RHONDA Of course. I’d like grandchildren some day, but I’m not going to push Tywanesha. I won’t push Donald when he is grown, either. DR. SMITH That’s great. I wish my parents understood. They are happy about the treatment, just not satisfied with my entire life. They tell me that there are plenty of jobs for a doctor up in Pennsylvania and if that doesn’t work for me, I can always still be a farmer on the family farm. In fact, they are pushing me to become a farmer because they think I’ll have more time for a family that way. RHONDA I know you don’t want to be a farmer, but there can be a joy in growing fruits. DR. SMITH I’ve no doubt, especially when you’ve got a gift like yours. (beat) Do you have any more of that apricot-watermelon jelly? I’d like to buy some. It was delicious! It’s no wonder the ladies at the church rave about it. I’d eat it when I was feeling sad or lonely and it cheered me up. RHONDA I do! (RHONDA goes inside to get a jar of the jelly) DR. SMITH (Looking up at the sky) So, what do I do now? (RHONDA returns with the jar of jelly) RHONDA Here you go! DR. SMITH (Handing her money) Thank you! I’ll enjoy this while working on more papers tonight. RHONDA With Dr. Chen? DR. SMITH Yeah, I’ll be on the phone with her. RHONDA Remember to thank her for me. DR. SMITH I’ll remember. (DR. SMITH leaves and RHONDA goes to tend to a tree) (Lights fade) ACT II SCENE 6 (Lights up on RHONDA who is taking clothes down from the clothes line in her backyard. There are two of DR. SMITH’S doctor’s coats hanging on the line; DR. SMITH walks up to RHONDA) DR. SMITH Are my coats washed? RHONDA They’re as clean as ever! I just have to take them down from the line! (RHONDA goes over to the coats on the clothesline and removes them, she hands them to DR. SMITH and he puts them over his arm as he says the following line) DR. SMITH Thank you. Dr. Chen and I have been having great success with writing papers for journals. RHONDA That’s good to hear. DR. SMITH So, I assume Donald is still doing well. RHONDA He seems better than ever. I’m able to take him to the church quilting bees and he even likes to try to sing with me! DR. SMITH That’s great. We hope that one day this treatment can expand so that it can be done between people who aren’t related, but are just compatible. RHONDA So, sickle cell anemia could be a thing of the past? DR. SMITH That’s what we’re hoping. RHONDA Well, I hope so, too. DR. SMITH There’s one more thing. RHONDA Oh? DR. SMITH Dr. Chen says I’ve been missing something that is right before my eyes. RHONDA She does? Well, she did seem very wise. DR. SMITH She asked me “Who is your best friend?” RHONDA And what did you say? DR. SMITH I told her that it must be you. I spend lots of time talking to you. RHONDA Do you like talking to me? DR. SMITH I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t like it. RHONDA Well, I like talking to you, too. In fact, I likeDR. SMITH I know this is kind of suddenRHONDA Are you? DR. SMITH What me? Oh, no! Not that! RHONDA Good, ‘cause I’d have to say no. I mean, you’re nice, but Antoine got me all confused. I do like you. DR. SMITH You do like me? RHONDA (embarrassed) As a friend. DR. SMITH No, it’s okay if you like me as more than a friend. RHONDA Really? DR. SMITH Really. RHONDA So, what now? DR. SMITH I think this is when we start dating. What do you say? RHONDA I agree. I want to be in love and get over Antoine. It’ll be difficult, though. DR. SMITH I understand that. After all, he is the father of your children and you did raise Tywaneshsa with him. RHONDA And yet, out in Chicago, living in an apartment with you and always going to see Donald at the hospital together made it feel like we were a family. DR. SMITH Now that I think about it, I guess it was kind of like being a family. RHONDA So, it was extremely confusing when Antoine showed up. DR. SMITH ... RHONDA So, you’re okay with me having to sort through my feelings? DR. SMITH It’s only natural. ACT III SCENE 1 (DR. SMITH, who is not wearing a doctor’s coat, and RHONDA are sitting on RHONDA’S porch swing, cuddling) RHONDA Has it really been a month already? DR. SMITH I know it’s hard to believe. RHONDA It seems so strange at times. I never thought that I would be with a doctor. DR. SMITH Well, I never imagined myself near any place like this. I thought I was trying to get away from any place where people grew fruits or vegetables. RHONDA It just goes to show that we never know what God has in store for us. DR. SMITH That’s true. RHONDA So, have you told your parents? DR. SMITH About? RHONDA About us. DR. SMITH Not yet. RHONDA Why not? DR. SMITH Well . . . (DR. SMITH stands up and reaches into his pants pocket, pulls out a small jewelry box and starts to kneel; ANTOINE is around the side of the house, staying quiet) DR. SMITH (Cont.) I haven’t made things official yet. Rhonda Marie Clark, would you do me the honor(ANTOINE jumps out from the side of the house) ANTOINE She will not do you the honor! She’s my wife! RHONDA What!? We’re divorced! (ANTOINE pulls out a paper from his pocket and unfolds it) ANTOINE That’s not what this says! DR. SMITH Rhonda, how could you? RHONDA (Crying) But, StedmanDR. SMITH What? RHONDA I really thought I was divorced. ANTOINE Yeah, well RHONDA What did you do? ANTOINE You thought those were real lawyers? RHONDA I signed all the papers. You signed all the papers. ANTOINE Yes, but those people . . . RHONDA (Angry and upset) Those people?! Those people what?! ANTOINE Those people were my friends! RHONDA And? ANTOINE Do you think they were real lawyers? RHONDA I thought they were! ANTOINE Well, you thought wrong! You’re still my wife! RHONDA I don’t want to be your ANTOINE (Flexing and showing off) You don’t? I know what you like. Look at this. And this. RHONDA (Mesmerized, then snapping back to reality) Yeah . . . oh, yeah, no! I don’t want to be your wife! I love Stedman! ANTOINE Heh. Stedman. What a goofy name. Where’s Donald, anyway? RHONDA He’s with his babysitter! ANTOINE Shouldn’t he be here so he can have quick medical care? RHONDA He’s fine asANTOINE I’ll sue you saying it is child abuse! RHONDA All he needsANTOINE I’ll call a lawyer, a real lawyer. RHONDA Antoine, no! (DR. SMITH steps between RHONDA and ANTOINE) DR. SMITH I can take care of this, Rhonda! ANTOINE (Laughing) You? How? DR. SMITH I have my ways. (Lights fade) ACT III SCENE 2 (Lights up on DR. CHEN in the hospital hall on her cell phone) DR. CHEN Yes, I understand . . . You remembered that? . . . Well, that’s true. . . But, you’re sure . . . No strong feelings? . . . You really do love her? . . . I’m glad to hear that. . . But he . . . He did? . . . Okay, yes, I know some people . . . we will work it all out . . . No problem. (Lights fade) ACT III SCENE 3 (Lights up, It is early morning and DR. CHEN is in RHONDA’S backyard with DR. SMITH) DR. SMITH I’m glad you had some time off and could make it, Amanda! DR. CHEN It’s been great working with you and I’d love to see you happy. (Beat) Where’s Rhonda? DR. SMITH She’s still inside. I told her that I would meet her here this morning. DR. CHEN This house is impressive. How did somebody like her afford this place? DR. SMITH She inherited it. I forget who in her family originally owned it, but I know that she inherited it before she was ever married to Antoine. DR. CHEN That’s a great thing to know! DR. SMITH It is? DR. CHEN Yes, because that means that Antoine never owned the house. It was always Rhonda’s! He has no claim in the house. We know he abandoned Rhonda and Donald. Tywanesha is an adult. Things are looking great for Rhonda! DR. SMITH So, this shouldn’t be too difficult? DR. CHEN If I’m remembering my studies from law school correctly, it shouldn’t be. DR. SMITH That’s wonderful! (DR. SMITH give DR. CHEN a hug just as RHONDA comes out of her back door) RHONDA (Shocked and beginning to cry) Stedman! HowDR. CHEN Rhonda! It’s nothing! I’m here to help you! RHONDA (Gaining her composure, sniffling) To. . . help . . . me? DR. CHEN Yes, before I became a doctor, I started studying law, but I changed my mind. Some of my classmates from law school now practice law in Louisiana. RHONDA So-? DR. SMITH Amanda. (Clears his throat) Dr. Chen and I are just close friends, nothing else. RHONDA Amanda? DR. CHEN Rhonda, Stedman and I have had to work closely together on our medical research for Donald. We call each other by our first names. Please, don’t be jealous. In fact, why don’t you call me Amanda? RHONDA Call you-? DR. CHEN Yes, call me Amanda. RHONDA And Donald? DR. CHEN He can call me Aunt Amanda. I do care about him. RHONDA So, what’s the plan? DR. CHEN I’m not sure yet, but Stedman has been filling me in on the details and it seems like things are looking good for you. (DR. SMITH goes to stand by RHONDA and cuddles up against her side) DR. SMITH It looks like Antoine can’t claim anything that he might try to claim. It looks like he has no legal claims against you and he’s the one that forged the documents knowingly, so you can’t get in trouble for that, either. RHONDA So, I’m in no legal trouble at all? DR. CHEN It doesn’t look like it. RHONDA And what about this costing anything? DR. SMITH Don’t worry about that. I’ll pay any costs that this requires. RHONDA (Happy and thankful) Stedman. (RHONDA gives DR. SMITH a big hug) RHONDA (Cont.) (To DR. CHEN) So, what’s the plan, Amanda? DR. CHEN Well, the first thing is for me to look at your marriage license. Then I’ll see if there are any criminal records against Antoine. RHONDA And then? DR. CHEN And then we’ll take it from there. RHONDA Thank you! DR. CHEN I best be going! (DR. CHEN waves goodbye to RHONDA and DR. SMITH who sit back down on the porch swing and cuddle as DR. CHEN walks away) (Lights fade; then come back up) (RHONDA and DR. SMITH are asleep on the porch swing, cuddled together; RHONDA wakes up) RHONDA (Gently shaking DR. SMITH) Stedman, Stedman, wake up! DR. SMITH Did I fall asleep? I need to go home! I have patients to see later today! RHONDA I know! I hope you didn’t miss any appointments! (DR. SMITH checks his watch) DR. SMITH I don’t think I missed any! DONALD’S VOICE Mama! Look, truck! Want truck! Oooh, hungry! Want food! RHONDA Thank the Lord! Oh, and Donald! He’s awake! I hear him inside! DR. SMITH He sounds happy! RHONDA I’m going to go make him something to eat and give him his medicine! DR. SMITH Great! I’ll see you later! (DR. SMITH walks away and blows RHONDA a kiss as he does so; as RHONDA goes into the house, ANTOINE comes into her yard) ANTOINE (Out loud, but to himself) Looks like nobody is here. Now, what can I do to mess things up? (ANTOINE looks around RHONDA’S yard and spots one of the fruit trees) ANTOINE (Cont.) Aha! Fruit! That’ll work! (ANTOINE goes to pick some fruit and tear a piece into small pieces so fruit juice will fly and starts throwing it at the clothes; RHONDA comes out of the house as she hears something happening and ANTOINE runs away) RHONDA (Looking around; yelling) You little hooligans! What is the matter with you? (To herself) Now I’ll have to wash all of those clothes again. (A car is heard pulling up and then a door slams. DR. SMITH comes walking into RHONDA’S back yard) DR. SMITH (Seeing the mess on the clothes) What happened? RHONDA It looks like some of those neighborhood hooligans again. (beat) I thought things would be better now that I’m dating a doctor, but I guess not. DR. SMITH Don’t let them get to you, Rhonda. Focus on the fact that you have two happy and healthy children. Tywanesha is happy with her job and her schooling in Chicago and now Donald is always energetic and playful when he’s not sleeping. RHONDA Why does Donald get so tired at times? DR. SMITH That’s a side effect from his medicine. However, if he only gets tired, that’s not major side effect. It seems that is the only side effect that happens for him, so he’s doing very well. RHONDA Do you mind helping me? (RHONDA, carrying a hamper, and DR. SMITH walk over to the clothesline) DR. SMITH Not at all. (RHONDA and DR. SMITH remove clothes from the clothesline and place the items in the hamper as they talk) RHONDA I never thought doing laundry would be considered a date. DR. SMITH I didn’t either, but I enjoy spending the time with you. (DR. SMITH goes to hug RHONDA when he is suddenly hit with a piece of fruit) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Ow! RHONDA (Picking up the piece of fruit) Okay, where are you? I’m going to talk to your mother! (ANTOINE peeks out) ANTOINE I already told you, she’s my wife! You can’t have her! RHONDA Antoine, why now? Why do you suddenly want back in my life? And how did you get here? ANTOINE I have my ways. (Addressing DR. SMITH) Sound familiar? DR. SMITH (Irritated) Yes. ANTOINE Good, because I do have ways. And Rhonda is mine. I’ll make sure of that. DR. SMITH If that’s what you want, why are you throwing fruit? ANTOINE Do you really think I did that to those clothes? DR. SMITH I didn’t say that, but it seems all you’ve done since you first abandoned Rhonda is to either ignore her or torment her. ANTOINE A guy can have a change of heart, can’t he? RHONDA He can, but I doubt you have. You never wanted anything to do with Donald. You never wanted more than one child. ANTOINE So? RHONDA Dr. Chen said you didn’t have any money. DR. SMITH She also told me that you never go to the Jehovah’s Witness church. ANTOINE How would she know that? DR. SMITH Her parents go there. They let her know that you are never there. ANTOINE Well, Rhonda’s still mine. DR. SMITH She doesn’t want to be yours. ANTOINE Well, she is mine. DR. SMITH She doesn’t belong to anybody, she’s her own woman. ANTOINE Do you want me to throw more fruit at you? (RHONDA steps in) RHONDA Leave him alone! I don’t want you here and if you don’t leave, I’ll call the cops! ANTOINE You wouldn’t! RHONDA Wouldn’t I? ANTOINE You(ANTOINE leaves before RHONDA has a chance to go back into her house) DR. SMITH I need to get home. Are you okay? RHONDA I’m fine. Go home and take care of what needs to be done. (DR. SMITH gives RHONDA a hug and then he leaves, RHONDA goes into her house) (Lights fade) ACT III SCENE 4 (Lights up on RHONDA and DR. CHEN sitting on opposite sides of RHONDA’S porch swing) DR. CHEN I’ve been working with one of the men who was in my law class. RHONDA Who’s that? DR. CHEN His name’s Montgomery Edwards. RHONDA I think I’ve heard of him. DR. CHEN He’s great at what he does and is very helpful. RHONDA So, do you think I can get a real divorce from Antoine? DR. CHEN I would think so. RHONDA With him always running from place to place, I never know where he is or how to find him. DR. CHEN Well, he seems to be down here at the moment. RHONDA Yeah, and I don’t understand why. DR. CHEN The last thing I knew was that he was homeless. RHONDA Do you thinkDR. CHEN I don’t know. He definitely seems to be up to something. RHONDA But I didn’t finish asking my question. DR. CHEN I know, but I don’t know what he’s doing or what he wants. RHONDA But, how is the divorce going to work? DR. CHEN That should be simple enough because Antoine committed adultery. You can easily file a divorce against him. (DR. SMITH walks into RHONDA’S backyard) DR. SMITH How are things going? DR. CHEN I was just talking to Rhonda about a few of the things I’ll tell Gummy Bear. RHONDA Gummy Bear? DR. CHEN Oh, I’m sorry. Montgomery Edwards goes by Gummy Bear. He doesn’t advertise his services under that name, but once people get to know him, he asks them to call him Gummy Bear. RHONDA Should I be calling him that? DR. CHEN I’ll ask him when I see him. DONALD’S VOICE Mama! Mama! Gummy bear? RHONDA Let me go tend to Donald. I think he heard us talking about the lawyer but thinks we have candy. (RHONDA goes inside and DR. SMITH takes her place on the swing) DR. SMITH Does this really seem like an easy case? DR. CHEN It does. Antoine has no claims against Rhonda as she’s not done anything. However, we know he’s probably committed adultery and has definitely faked at least one legal document. Rhonda should be able to get married to you once the divorce papers are signed. DR. SMITH The last step seems like it will be the difficult one. DR. CHEN There’s no doubt that it might be difficult, but I know Gummy Bear will try his best. (RHONDA walks back outside; DR. SMITH stand up and faces her) DR. SMITH Rhonda! Looks like things are going well! Is everything going well with Donald? RHONDA He’s great. He did think we had gummy bears. It’s amazing to think my main concern about Donald would now be telling him that I don’t have the candy he wants. I’m so glad it’s not about getting him proper medical treatment. DR. SMITH That’s great! I’m pleased with the whole situation! (Remembering) Oh! Amanda told me that you might need these! (DR. SMITH hands RHONDA a bag of gummy bears; RHONDA looks at the bag) RHONDA Um, why would IDR. SMITH The nameRHONDA Oh! Yeah! Donald! Thank you! DR. SMITH I have to go to work. I’ll see you later. (DR. SMITH hugs RHONDA) DR. CHEN I’m going to go see Gummy Bear. I’ll ask what he wants to do. (DR. SMITH and DR. CHEN leave; RHONDA goes into her house) (Later that day, GUMMY BEAR walks around to the back of RHONDA’S house and knocks on the door) RHONDA (Answering the door, unsure) Hello? GUMMY BEAR Ms. Clark? RHONDA Yes? GUMMY BEAR I’m Montgomery Edwards. A Dr. Amanda Chen said you were looking for legal advice. She filled me in on most of your story. RHONDA Oh, yes, hi! I’m glad you’re here! Dr. Chen told me that you go by Gummy Bear? DONALD’S VOICE Gummy bear! Gummy bear! GUMMY BEAR (Laughing) That’s right. I find it much more friendly sounding than Montgomery or Mr. Edwards. RHONDA Excuse me. (RHONDA reaches for the bag of gummy bears and hands a few inside to Donald) DONALD’S VOICE (With a mouthful of gummy bears) Gummy bear! Gummy bear! GUMMY BEAR Cute little fellow. (beat) Anyway, would you mind talking with me? RHONDA Not at all. Have a seat on the swing. (GUMMY BEAR and RHONDA sit on the swing; GUMMY BEAR taking notes on a pad of paper) GUMMY BEAR Do you know Antoine’s full name? RHONDA Yes. It’s Antoine Bryce Guidry. GUMMY BEAR And his date of birth? RHONDA August 20, 1973. GUMMY BEAR Do you know anything about his parents? RHONDA I don’t. GUMMY BEAR Okay, well, I can run his name and birthdate through the system first thing tomorrow. That will let us know if he has any criminal record. RHONDA He did run away pretty quickly when I told him that I would call the police if he didn’t get off of my property. (DR. SMITH walks into RHONDA’s backyard) DR. SMITH I see you’ve met Gum- I mean, Mr. Edwards. GUMMY BEAR It’s okay. I told her to call me Gummy Bear. DR. SMITH May I ask how you got that name, anyway? GUMMY BEAR My kids gave it to me because I would always buy them toys that looked like gummy bears. I thought they were cute. DR. SMITH Why did you keep using it? GUMMY BEAR I figured since my name is Montgomery, it already has the sound of “gum” in it and to me, Gummy Bear sounds much friendlier. I know that lawyers don’t always have a great reputation, so I want to help with mine as much as I can. DR. SMITH That makes sense. (DR. SMITH gestures toward the swing) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Do you mind? (GUMMY BEAR shakes his head and moves over so DR. SMITH can sit next to RHONDA) GUMMY BEAR Not at all. Do you have anything to say about Antoine, Stedman? DR. SMITH I don’t know much, only what I’ve seen and what Rhonda and Amanda have told me. GUMMY BEAR What about what happened the other day? DR. SMITH What I know for certain is that he threw a chunk of fruit at me. He then showed a paper that said he and Rhonda were still married despite her thinking she had signed divorce papers. GUMMY BEAR Thanks for the information. I better get back home, but I’ll be in touch after seeing if I can find out anything about Antoine. (GUMMY BEAR stands up to go and DR. SMITH stands up with him and shakes his hand) DR. SMITH Thank you for your services. GUMMY BEAR No, thank you. (GUMMY BEAR then leaves) DR. SMITH So, Rhonda, are you up for doing something tonight? RHONDA I’d rather stay in tonight. Donald already knows you, so I think it is time he gets to know you even better. Is that okay? DR. SMITH I don’t mind at all. RHONDA Great! DONALD’S VOICE Mama!!!! I got booboo! RHONDA Looks like it is just the right time to go inside, too. DR. SMITH I agree. (DR. SMITH and RHONDA go into her house) (Lights fade) ACT III SCENE 5 (DR. CHEN and GUMMY BEAR are standing in RHONDA’S backyard laughing) DR. CHEN And remember when he wrote tort with an E at the end and the whole class lost it? GUMMY BEAR That was a funny time. DR. CHEN There are some days that I miss him. GUMMY BEAR I heard he went on to become a great lawyer, even if he can’t spell. DR. CHEN Do you know where he practices? GUMMY BEAR I don’t know. (RHONDA and DR. CHEN come out of her house) DR. CHEN There they are! RHONDA Hi, Amanda. Hi, Gummy Bear. DR. SMITH Hello. RHONDA So, what’s the news? GUMMY BEAR Well, it looks like good news for you, but bad news for Antoine. RHONDA Really? GUMMY BEAR I ran his name through my computer to find out about him. It looks like he has been selling forged documents to people in order to make money. He acts like he knows a lawyer who will provide cheap services and then fakes the documents for people. RHONDA Did he start this once he found out he could fake our divorce? GUMMY BEAR How long ago was that? RHONDA Five or six years ago if I am counting correctly. GUMMY BEAR He’s been doing it for much longer, but somehow he always evaded the law. DR. CHEN So, all you need to do is catch him? I have an idea. (To DR. SMITH) Stedman, you may not be comfortable with this, but it is so you can marry Rhonda. DR. SMITH I’m listening. DR. CHEN I think I see Antoine hanging out at one of the bars I’ve passed while visiting here. I can tell him that Rhonda has changed her mind and wants him back. (To RHONDA) I would need you to let him onto your property and not call the police. (RHONDA nods) DR. CHEN (Cont.) Rhonda, I need you to talk to him. Keep the story going and then Gummy Bear can come in with the divorce papers and serve them to Antoine. Is that okay? RHONDA I’ll try my best. DR. SMITH I’ll try to stay out of the way, too. DR. CHEN Great! I’ll be going now and I’ll give Rhonda a call if I can convince Antoine to come. GUMMY BEAR Well, I’ll be going, too, as it sounds like you have a plan. (DR. CHEN and GUMMY BEAR leave) DR. SMITH I better be going, too. I have patients to see in the morning! RHONDA Alright. Have a good night, Stedman. (DR. SMITH leaves and RHONDA goes into her house) (Lights fade) ACT III SCENE 6 (Lights up, ANTOINE is in RHONDA’S backyard) ANTOINE Well, where is she? I was told to meet her here! (RHONDA opens her back door and sees ANTOINE) RHONDA (Acting happy) You’re here! ANTOINE Yes, I’m here. RHONDA I thought you wanted to be here. ANTOINE Well, yes, I do. What’s with the sudden change of heart? RHONDA A woman can’t have a change of heart? ANTOINE But, why now? RHONDA Well, with Donald feeling better, I get to play with him and see him smile. He reminds me of you and I thought that maybe he should get to know his father. That’s what you want, isn’t it? ANTOINE (Caught of guard) Oh, um . . . yes, yes, of course that’s what I want. RHONDA We still aren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses, though. ANTOINE About thatRHONDA Yes? ANTOINE I gave it up. It wasn’t right for me. RHONDA Really? You seemed so dedicated to it. ANTOINE It quit feeling right. RHONDA Oh, and I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. ANTOINE A friend? I thought this was about us. RHONDA It is about us. (GUMMY BEAR comes from inside RHONDA house) GUMMY BEAR Antoine Guidry? ANTOINE Yes? GUMMY BEAR (Handing ANTOINE the paper) I need you to sign this paper. ANTOINE (Reading the paper) Divorce papers?!?! I’m not signing these! (ANTOINE tears up the papers and throws the pieces on the ground; DR. SMITH comes running into the yard) ANTOINE (Cont.) How dare you? I told you that she’s mine! DR. SMITH She’s not anybody’s, but I love her! (DR. SMITH runs at ANTOINE, staying low; ANTOINE trips over DR. SMITH and hits his face against a tree and falls) DR. SMITH (Cont.) That looks really bad! I’ll get my doctor’s bag! (DR. SMITH goes around RHONDA’S house to get his bag out of his car and ANTOINE reaches towards his own face) ANTOINE I’m . . . bleeding! (DR. SMITH rushes back to ANTOINE to take care of his wounds; GUMMY BEAR pulls out another copy of the divorce papers and shows them to RHONDA as she makes a phone call) RHONDA Police? Yes? Antoine Bryce Guidry is in my yard . . . He seems to have hurt himself . . . on a tree. . . I think he’s okay . . . just that he has a lot of cuts and bruises . . . I’m not sure . . . you will? . . . Great. (Police sirens are heard and GUMMY BEAR goes over to ANTOINE and DR. SMITH; GUMMY BEAR helps ANTOINE get up and brings him around RHONDA’S house) RHONDA Good job, guys! (DR. SMITH and GUMMY BEAR come back into RHONDA’S yard) GUMMY BEAR Well, he’s going to jail. DR. SMITH Is there any way he can get out? GUMMY BEAR After years of running away from the law, he’d need to know somebody with a lot of money willing to bail him out. DR. SMITH So, now about Rhonda and me? GUMMY BEAR Once we get the divorce settled, you can file for your marriage. (DR. SMITH hugs RHONDA) ACT III SCENE 7 (RHONDA, TYWANESHA, DR. CHEN, and DR. SMITH are all in RHONDA’S backyard which is decorated for a party, but the type isn’t identifiable from the decorations) RHONDA I’m so glad you could make it, Tywanesha! TYWANESHA I’m here. What’s the big news? RHONDA Stedman and I think we know the perfect time to tell you. (DR. SMITH walks over to RHONDA and TYWANESHA) DR. SMITH It’s great to see the two of you getting along. RHONDA Read the letter to Tywanesha! (DR. SMITH pulls out a letter from his pocket) DR. SMITH Dear Stedman, We are happy for you now that you have settled down. We always had our hopes, but now finding out that you have essentially cured a boy of sickle cell anemia and are married to a nice girl, we can no longer be disappointed. Please keep us informed of what is happening in your life. We will be there when we can, but there are times when we need to stay on the farm and should not travel. We hope you understand. Love Mom and Pop. TYWANESHA That’s great. So, is Donald truly cured? DR. SMITH I won’t go so far as to say that he is definitely cured, but there is no evidence of sickle cell anemia. He still needs to take his medicine so his body doesn’t reject your stem cells. Later, we can try taking him off of them and if nothing happens, he can stay off of them. However, if there is a bad reaction, he’ll have to stay on them. They are still better for him than having to deal with sickle cell anemia, though. TYWANESHA Oh, and, what should I call you? DR. SMITH Well, Donald calls me Teddy. TYWANESHA Teddy? Like a teddy bear? DR. SMITH He couldn’t say Stedman and we didn’t want him calling me Daddy even though Antoine is out of the picture. TYWANESHA I like it. Is that what(DR. SMITH checks his watch) DR. SMITH Excuse me, Tywanesha. I have to make a phone call. (DR. SMITH pulls a cell phone from his pocket) DR. SMITH (Cont.) Hi . . . Mom? Pop? . . . Excuse me for a second . . . (To TYWANESHA) Come listen. (Back into the phone) Remember how I told you that I married “a nice girl?” . . . Oh, no, things are fine. I love her very much . . . Well, what’s the one thing that you’ve always wanted? . . . Okay, the one thing that you’ve wanted me to give you that I couldn’t give you alone? . . . Right! . . . Yes, she is . . . yes, and healthy! . . . In a few months. . . . I love you, too . . . Goodbye. TYWANESHA Is Teddy what you are going to have the new baby call you, too? (DR. CHEN walks up to DR. SMITH and RHONDA) DR. CHEN I heard the news! Congratulations, you two! RHONDA and DR. SMITH Thanks, Amanda! DR. SMITH And great work, Amanda! Look at all the papers we’ve published and hopefully the difference we’re making in the medical community! DR. CHEN Yes, it is amazing how many people write to us, isn’t it? DR. SMITH It is, but today is for celebrating family, right? (TYWANESHA hugs RHONDA from one side while DR. SMITH hugs her from the other) TYWANESHA Right! (Lights fade) (Curtain)