Make sure she's out for the night, then take her home. In a couple of minutes, I'll just transfer her to you as gently as I can. I'm sure she'll be fine. If she wakes again," (she smiles) "just get Alice here to singI'm sure it'll knock 'er right out."
ALICE- (Sarcastically) "Oh hahahatoo funny" (Tina smiles. Then she starts to get emotional. Alice jumps in) "Hey Tina it's ok, I promise I won't singwhat's wrong?"
TINA- "I'm sorry guys, I justI really was at my wits' end."
KIT- "It's ok, we all experience that and especially you as a motherit's not easy. It's going to be ok. Somehow, I just know it'll all be ok."
ALICE- "Really, and how's that?"
KIT- "You better not be needing a piece of my mind right now Alice, because I'm not in the mood."
TINA- "It's ok Kit, I understand." (Kit looks at her.)
KIT- "Do you?" (Tina looks uncomfortable.) "Sorryyeah, ok. It's ok."
(After a while, Tina takes Angelica, and after thanking Kit again, she leaves with Alice. Kit sits in silence for several moments. She then turns to her computer and begins writing an e-mail.)
(A few days later, in New York, Bette is busy at work. She's coordinating efforts to bring a special collection to the Whitney and trying to learn the ropes as well as manage the ongoing collections. She's wearing her telephone headset and reading materials on her desk when Jason arrives. Bette really liked Jason. He was just a few years older but younger at heart than Bette. They had coffee regularly and had dinner the previous night. Jason could share his stories with Bettehe felt comfortable with her, even talking about his family and losing his wife the previous year to a terminal illness.)
JASON- "Ms. Porter, you got a second?"
BETTE- "Hi Jason. Of course."
JASON- "I've got two tickets to the symphony this evening. Care to join me? David pulled out at the last minute."
BETTE- "Thanks Jason, but I don't think I can. I really have to re-organize this display for tomorrow and I don't think I'll get done by end of business today." (Miranda interrupts.)
MIRANDA- "BetteOh, hi Jason. Listen Bette, they called from London. It'll be fine. They're sending all the pieces now."
BETTE- "Super. Thanks so much for giving me the heads up on that one."
MIRANDA- "Yeah well Lord Bernard was known as 'Barney' when we went to graduate school together, and he was as difficult then as he is now. I think you handled it rather well though. So Jason, how's the new benefactor dinner coming along?"
JASON- "Very well indeed. You're coming right?"
MIRANDA- "Of course. Fine food, wine, could I possibly miss it? I gotta go. Julie is waiting."
JASON- "Tell her I said hello." (Miranda waives to both of them and leaves.) "I better get back before Abigail comes searching. I was half way through dictating that letter and left her in the lurch. If you change your mind let me know."
BETTE- "About what?"
JASON- (He smiles) "The symphony. My sister is part of it. I get tickets all the time."
BETTE- "Thanks Jason. I'll let you know if anything changes." (He leaves. Bette sits back down and reverts to the work with a vengeance. Bette gets on the phone to various people in preparation for all the work she has to get done. Then she gets up and looks through more documents, photographs and materials she has to sort through. She works away at it for what seemed like ages but was just a few hours. Finally, having completed most of her work, she sits back in her large leather chair. Bette closes her eyes for a moment. She opens them and swivels the chair to look at her computer. She hadn't checked her personal emails in a while. It's something she had been avoidingit forced her to look at names of those she loved and once saw on a regular basisthey were part of that dream, that nightmarish dream that she woke up from after she arrived in New York. She got up and walked over to close her office door. She went back to her chair, sat down and took a deep breath. She started typing and logged onto the email program. Apparently, she had only one messageit was from Kit. Bette started to read it)
E-MAIL- "Your baby girl was here the other night. I held her in my arms until she fell asleep." (Bette's face starts to change. Her eyebrows come together.) "She was agitated all daysince you left really. She wouldn't stop crying. Doctor said everything is fine, but she wouldn't stop. Alice finally coaxed Tina into bringing her here. See, Alice has a theory. It's an interesting theory I guess. Alice seems to think that this little girl knew what was going on days ago and on that night. Alice thinks she sensed that something was wrong and sense something horribly wrong on that night when her mother let go of her into my arms." (Bette lifts her hand to her mouth and her throat has difficulty swallowing.) "I guess the theory is that she sensed her mother was saying goodbye to her, letting go of her, abandoning her. And she hasn't stopped crying since." (Bette starts crying.) "In my arms, she finally settled downI sang to her as I always did, and she finally calmed down." (Bette whimpers and sheds more tears.) "And Tina finally could exhale again. Oh and Alice wants to hear from you. She's sensing something's up where you're concerned too.
|
|
|
