CUE: Lights dim on VIOLET and BEN

(Exit BEN. Enter RICHARD.)

NARRATOR: So, she returned home.

CUE: Lights up CS

(RICHARD sits on the couch now. VIOLET'S box is still in the room. VIOLET enters, she sits next to him.)

RICHARD: (accusatory) Where were you?

VIOLET: Out.

RICHARD: I hardly think it's the time to keep things from each other, darling.

VIOLET: Where do you think I was? I went to Smoker's Anonymous.

RICHARD: Well, that explains why you smell like an ashtray.

VIOLET: I'm not perfect, darling.

RICHARD: Fine. So…where were you?

VIOLET: I went out. I'm not allowed to go out?

RICHARD: You're allowed. I'm just wondering where you were.

VIOLET: Why won't you drop it?

RICHARD: Why won't you tell me?

(VIOLET stares at him.)

VIOLET: Because.

RICHARD: Because?

VIOLET: I don't feel like it.

RICHARD: How's Ben?

VIOLET: What?

RICHARD: I saw you.

VIOLET: You followed me?

(beat)

You're ridiculous.

NARRATOR: I could've told you that.

BOTH: Stay out of this!

VIOLET: Richard, I don't think this is working.

RICHARD: (smirks) Why? Because I won't let you smoke?

VIOLET: Because I can't do anything that you don't agree with. You don't agree that I should be able to see Ben. He was in my life before you were. I will still see him on occasion. He was a close friend of mine and so I went to him for advice. You don't think that I should be able to smoke. I do. If you can't deal with that, then I think it would be best if I left.

(RICHARD picks up the box and walks to the door. He hands her the box and holds the door open for her.)

RICHARD: Bye.

(VIOLET goes through door but does not exit offstage.)

(Exit RICHARD. He takes the door with him. VIOLET doesn't move.

(VIOLET wanders over to the NARRATOR while sofa is being moved offstage.)

NARRATOR: What's wrong, halfpint?

VIOLET: I'm a little confused, Narrator.

NARRATOR: And what would you like me to do?

VIOLET: Maybe you could help me out a little? (VIOLET looks towards the script on the podium)

NARRATOR: What, this? (NARRATOR picks up the script so the audience can see it) I don't even know what this says. I just make it up as I go along.

(beat)

VIOLET: This sucks.

(VIOLET wanders slowly to the center of the stage and faces the audience. Her bottom lip trembles slightly. It builds until she is blatantly pouting.)

(Through this, enter BEN, downstage, with a door. He places it in front of him and waits.)

(VIOLET turns around so her back is to the audience, walks to the door BEN has just brought out and is standing behind. She knocks on door.)

(BEN opens the door.)

(VIOLET drops her stuff and throws her arms around his neck.)

NARRATOR: And we return to Old Faithful.

VIOLET: (between squeaky sobs) I'm…sorry…

(BEN steps forward and steps out of her grasp; they're now facing each other, sides to the audience.)

BEN: What are you doing here?

VIOLET: (wipes her eyes) Richard…and I… (breathes heavily) I missed you?

(BEN looks at her unflinchingly)

BEN: That's not funny.

NARRATOR: Sure it is.

BEN: What do you want?

VIOLET: Richard broke up with me.

BEN: (arches a cynical eyebrow) Gee, sorry to hear that.

NARRATOR: Liar.

(He turns to leave.)

VIOLET: Where are you going?

BEN: Back inside.

VIOLET: But…aren't you happy to see me?

(NARRATOR snickers.)

BEN: Happy to see you? What did you expect in coming here? After you break my fucking heart, when you have no one else, you come back to me and expect everything to be fine? Oh, gee, Vy, come on in, everything will be swell.

VIOLET: Don't you love me anymore?

NARRATOR: Ben, clearly frustrated, tried not to lose his temper. He chose his words carefully.

BEN: Fuck you.

(He goes back inside and slams the door behind him.)

(VIOLET knocks persistently on the door again.)

(BEN pulls it open violently.)

BEN: What?

VIOLET: (slightly taken aback) Don't you want to talk about this?

NARR/BEN: No. (slams door)

VIOLET: (knocking on door) Well, I do!

(BEN opens the door. He looks at VIOLET. She says nothing.)

BEN: Yes??

VIOLET: I'd like you to come out here.

BEN: (takes one step outside, leaving door open) What.

VIOLET: I want to try to fix things.

BEN: They can't be fixed.

NARRATOR: And he went back inside.

(He goes back inside and closes the door. VIOLET simply stands there, not knowing how to proceed. The audience sees BEN right beside the door, waiting, hesitant.)

NARRATOR: Violet thought about knocking again, but didn't.

(BEN starts to walk down his "hallway." VIOLET picks up her box of stuff. She exits, slowly stage right.)

NARRATOR: Ben had a change of heart…

(BEN goes back to the door, opens it.)

NARRATOR: Too late.

BEN: Violet, I'm…(sees that she's gone)…sorry.

CUE: Lights dim CS

(BEN closes the door and turns it around. Exit BEN.)

NARRATOR: Later, at Violet's new apartment.

CUE: Lights up CS

(VIOLET sits in the middle of the floor, the doorframe is still in the background, but now she is inside. She sits on the floor, the phone beside her and a vase of flowers. They all have one petal each. She's picking them out one by one.)

VIOLET: He loves me. (plucks off petal, tosses flower aside, chooses another) He loves me. (plucks off petal, tosses flower aside, chooses another) He loves me. (plucks off petal, tosses flower aside, chooses another) He loves me. (plucks off petal, tosses flower aside, chooses another)

(Knock at door.)

VIOLET: Who is it?

(no answer)

VIOLET: Hello?

(no answer)

(Her curiosity gets the best of her, she opens the door.)

(BEN enters.)

VIOLET: Hi.

BEN: Hey. Nice place.

VIOLET: Yeah.

(They look at each other, trepidatious. There's a long period of silence.)

NARRATOR: Say something! For Christ's sake.

BEN: I want to talk.

(VIOLET buries her head in his chest and cries. He hugs her.)

NARRATOR: They talk.

(They sit.)