CAST OF CHARACTERS

JANE MCDONALD:  Mother who is married to Todd and is in a stressful relationship
TODD MCDONALD:  A drunk father who struggles with alcohol and frequently beats his children
ROSIE MCDONALD:  6 year old daughter of Jane and Todd who Todd who does not have a good relationship with Todd because of his actions
RUBY MCDONALD:  4 year old daughter of Jane and Todd and is beaten by Todd when drunk
DOCTOR PAT:    An older doctor who is energetic, loves his job, and works with kids injuries

SCENE
McDonald household

TIME
The present

ACT I

SCENE 1

SETTING:    Jane, Rosie, and Ruby McDonald are all sitting in the McDonald household watching television. The house inside is clean and is in a residential area located in Southern California. The room is dimmed with the only light coming from the screen of the television. The glass windows are slightly opened to have a cool breeze run through the house before the family heads to bed. It is late at night and almost past Rosie and Ruby’s bedtimes because they have school the next day. Rosie and Ruby snuggle under a large blanket together along with their puppy on a large brown couch that is in the shape of an L. Jane is reclined on a chair that is stage left working on correcting tests that her students took that day. The episode of the show is about to end, just as Todd slams through the front door coming home from the bar, drunk and angry.

  (front door slams opening cause a hole in the wall from the doorknob)

(screaming as loud as possible)

(TODD)
“What is going on in here?”

(Rosie and Ruby snuggle closer to eachother with a look of fear on their faces)

(Jane throws papers on the ground and quickly stands up with an evil look on her face)

(JANE)
“Nothing is going on! Nothing! The kids are watching tv Todd”

(talking towards Rosie and Ruby)

(TODD)
“This is inexcusable! Get to bed now you pieces of dirt”

(Rosie starts crying)

(JANE)

“Look who has been drinking again. You are such a disgrace”

(Jane picks up the girls to bring them up to bed starting to exit quickly stage left)

(TODD)
“What do you think you are doing”

(Jane turns around and has a stern look on her face)

(JANE)
“Taking the kids to bed, remember, like you told me to?”

(Jane turns back around and mumbles to herself)

(JANE)

“You drunk”

(TODD)

(yelling)

“What did you just call me?”

(Jane’s back is still turned towards Todd)

(JANE)

“You heard me”

(Todd quickly walks over to Jane and grasps her chin)

(TODD)

(Todd’s eyebrows turned in and face bright red)

“Don’t you DARE call me a drunk. You hear me?”

(Jane smells the pungent scent of alcohol coming from Todd’s breath)

(JANE)

“Oh knock it off Todd.”

(Jane nudges her shoulder to try and get away from Todd)

(TODD)

“You aren’t going anywhere”

(Todd grabs Rosie and Ruby and shoves them to the ground)

(JANE)
“You psychopath!”

(Rosie and Ruby start crying and their faces turn red)

(TODD)

“Oh suck it up”

(Jane grabs kids and runs up the stairs)

(TODD)

“You better get back here, you don’t know what I can do to you!”

(Todd chases Jane up the stairs but falls because he is so drunk)

(TODD)

“Damn it!”

(Todd’s face is red, eyebrows turned it, and is dripping a bit of sweat)

(JANE)

(whispering to kids)

“It’s alright Rosie and Ruby, mommy has you”

(Jane rocks Rosie and Ruby back and forth until they fall asleep with the door locked so Todd cannot find them)

Stage goes black

SCENE 2
It is Monday morning and the kids, Rosie and Ruby, are getting ready for school. Jane is preparing their backpacks, lunches, and snacks for the long day ahead for them. Todd, however, is nowhere to be found.

(Rosie and Ruby are sitting at the table eating their favorite breakfast, Lucky Charms)

(ROSIE)

“Mommy”

(JANE)

“Yes, Rosie?”

(ROSIE)

“Um, where is Daddy?”

(Jane stops what she is doing, turns around,  and stares at Rosie for a few seconds. Both girls stare back at Jane)

(JANE)

“You know what.. I.. I really couldn’t tell you Rosie”

(RUBY)

“Mommy, why does Daddy act like the way he did last night?”

(ROSIE)

“It’s scary mommy. Daddy should be nice to us.”

(Jane has to turn around and look out the window to hold in her tears)

(JANE)

(in a depressed yet monotone voice)

“I know girls, I know. I wish he didn’t act like that either, but it is just the way he is. I want to tell him to stop, but never will”

(ROSIE)

“I remember, one time, he hit me, and it really did hurt.”

(long pause)

(Jane wipes away her tears)

(JANE)

“Alright girls, are you done with breakfast? You can’t miss the bus!”

(ROSIE)

“Yes mommy, I am done”

(RUBY)

“Me too!”

(JANE)

“Alright, let’s go get dressed. I laid out your clothes on your bedroom floors.”

(Ruby and Rosie run up the stairs with loud thumping noises from their feet on the stairs laughing to see which girl will beat the other in a race. Jane, however, leans up against the counter with her head down and arms crossed.)

(JANE)

(whispering to herself)

“How could he? How could he abuse my children?”

(A tear runs down her face and everything in the kitchen is silent, you could hear a pin drop. There is a long pause of Jane just thinking to herself)

(Rosie and Ruby run back downstairs with their clothes on running and laughing to get on the bus)

(ROSIE)

“Mommy, I’m ready!”

(Rosie shows Jane her outfit)

(JANE)

“You have your shirt backwards silly!”

(Both Rosie and Ruby giggle)

(JANE)

“Come on now, the bus will be here any minute”

(Jane changes Rosie’s shirt, puts the girls lunches in their backpacks, and sends them on the bus)

(JANE)

    (yelling out the front door and waving)

“Bye girls, have a great day at school!”

(ROSIE)

“Bye!”

(RUBY)

“Goodbye mom!”

(Girls get on the bus and Jane watches them as they drive off)

(Jane goes back inside, closes the front door, and finds Todd sitting on the living room couch stage right)

(Jane jumps because of the unexpected surprise)

(JANE)

“Ugh, what do you want”

(TODD)

“You’re really going to talk to me like that?”

(JANE)

“You are lucky I am talking to you. Do you remember anything from what you did last night?”

(TODD)

“Yes, now stop nagging me about it. I already know it was wrong, get over it”

(Jane takes a few steps towards Todd and points her pointer finger towards him)

(JANE)

(frustrated and yelling)

“I will NOT get over it! You hear me? I will not stand by and allow you to come home drunk on a regular basis. You will not abuse my little girls and I will NOT let you be a bad father figure to them when I have practically raised them by myself.”

(long pause)

(JANE)

(calms down and mumbles)

“They are my girls.”

(Jane walks off stage left to go to work)

Stage goes black

SCENE 3

It is afternoon and sunny. Rosie and Ruby get home from school. Jane is still at work while Todd is at home because he skipped work  that day waiting for the girls to get home from school.

(Rosie and Ruby run into the house laughing with their book bags on their backs almost bigger than them. They open the garage door, run inside the house, and are ready for an afternoon snack. They are confused to see that Todd is at home and not Jane. Todd has been drinking the entire day.)

     
(Rosie and Ruby laughing)

(TODD)
(snappy tone)

“Shut up”

(Rosie and Ruby turn the corner to see Todd with 4 beer bottles on the table and one in his hand)

(ROSIE)

“Daddy, why are you drinking again?”

(RUBY)

“You promised daddy, please stop”

(TODD)
      
               (stern tone)

“Oh shut up, you two are the ones who cause me stress, let me do what I want”

(Rosie and Ruby are both scared, so they run up to their bedrooms trying to get the phone and call Jane to tell her what is happening)

(Todd hears the thumping of feet on the stairs from the girls going to their bedrooms)

(TODD)

“What are you two doing? Get back here!”

(RUBY)

“We are calling mom!”

(ROSIE)

(whispers to Ruby while running up the stairs)

“Ruby, why would you say that! He’s going to hurt us now!”

(TODD)

“Absolutely not! Get your butts back here, NOW!”

(Todd gets up from the couch and spills his beer on the carpet. He chases after the girls up the stairs. They try to lock the door, but are not strong enough to hold the door closed. Todd eventually gets up the stairs and finds the girls hiding in their bedroom.)

(girls screaming and crying)

(ROSIE)

“Get out!”

(RUBY)

“You are scaring us!”

(Todd breaks through the door that the girls are trying to close on him and he grabs Ruby by the collar holding her up close to his face. He does not realize that Rosie was able to escape and is calling Jane to come home immediately.)

(Todd screaming at Ruby as he grasps her collar, shaking her, and talking to her so close she can smell the alcohol)

(TODD)

“You listen to me! This is unacceptable! You will not treat your father like this, you hear me?!”

(Ruby is crying so hard that she can’t catch her breath. Todd gets fed up and throws Ruby to the ground injuring her arm)

      (RUBY)
(hysterically crying)
“OW! H..h..help! Rosie! I..I...I...I’m, He… he hurt me!”

(Rosie gets off the phone with Jane and runs to help Ruby. Todd rages back downstairs to go drink even more. Rosie comforts Ruby, locks the door, and only has to wait a few minutes until Jane gets home.)

(Jane walks in)

(ROSIE)
(whispers to Ruby)
“Ruby, I think mom is home”

(Ruby is still crying but tries to stay quiet to hear what Jane is going to say to Todd)

(JANE)
(enters from the garage stage left and walks into the kitchen without anyone in sight)
“Girls where are you?!”
(Jane sees the beer bottles and mumbles to herself)
“Oh my God”

(Ruby yelling as loud as she can)

      (RUBY)
“Mommy! Mommy!”

(Rosie covers Ruby’s mouth to try and keep her quiet)

(ROSIE)
(whispering)

“Ruby! We have to be quiet! Please, stop!”

(Jane hears Ruby’s yelling and goes upstairs near the yelling. She looks in every door and eventually finds Rosie and Ruby)

(JANE)
“Girls! Oh my, what happened?”

(Jane sees the bruises on Ruby’s arms)

(Ruby starts crying again)

(RUBY)
“Daddy.. Daddy threw me on the ground Mommy! He hurt me!”

(Jane’s face grows white)

(JANE)

“We need to take you to the doctor immediately.”

(ROSIE)

“Where is daddy?”

(JANE)

“Who cares? Let’s go, now!”

Stage goes dark. End of Scene 2.

SCENE 3

Jane, Rosie, and Ruby are now all at the doctor's office. Stage left is the doctor’s bed that Ruby is laying on. Stage right are the waiting chairs that Rosie and Jane sit in. Jane is tapping her foot quickly and twiddling her thumbs. The room is decorated with Winnie the Pooh decals and stickers. In walks the doctor.

(Doctor Pat walks in)

(DOCTOR)
(talking to Ruby)
“Why hello there little one! Is this your mom? Hi mom, Dr. Pat.”

(Jane stands up and shakes hands with Dr. Pat. Ruby is shy and doesn’t respond. All she does is smile.)

(DOCTOR)

“What do we have going on today?”

(JANE)

“Ruby, can you tell him what happened?”

(RUBY)

“My arm hurts”

(DOCTOR)
“What did you do to your arm? Did you fall?”

(ROSIE)
“Our dad hurt her.”

(Jane’s face goes white again. She looks down at her thumbs and swallows slowly. The room is silent.)

(DOCTOR)
“Oh”
(long pause)
“Well..what did your Dad do to you?”

(RUBY)
(mumbles under her breath)
“He.. he threw me on the ground. And.. and I hurt my arm”

(Jane wipes away a tear)

(RUBY)
“I think he was drunk”

(long pause)

(DOCTOR)
(trying to brighten up the mood)
“Well sweetie, let’s take a look”

(Doctor starts touching her arm and trying to feel where it hurts the most. He touches around with Ruby cringing at every move he makes. After a little bit, he finally figures out that she fractured her arm and will need surgery soon)

(DOCTOR)
“Okay Ruby, I believe you fractured your arm. That means, you hurt it very bad and will need to rest for a long time in order for it get better.”

(Jane starts crying again and can’t believe that Todd did this to his four year old daughter)

(DOCTOR)
“Jane, I’m going to have to talk to you in private. Girls, you can go in the waiting room. There are princess books and puzzles you can play with!”

(Rosie and Ruby get up to leave excited but still being careful of Ruby’s arm)

(Doctor gets up to close the door and goes to sit back down next to Jane)
(Jane is anxious and twiddling her thumbs because she knows what the doctor is going to talk to her about)

(DOCTOR)
“I am very concerned Jane”

(Jane puts her head in her hands, disappointed)

(sniffling because she is starting to cry)
(JANE)
“I know..I know”

(DOCTOR)
“Your husband hurt your daughter Jane. He fractured her arm. It is not safe for them to be by him. How often does this happen?”

(JANE)
“Well, he has drinking problems which have been happening for a while. I am not sure how much he hurts them because whenever it happens, I am not home. I understand this is bad, but I do not know what to do.. I just..”

(Doctor cuts Jane off)

(DOCTOR)
“Jane, you need to get him help. You need to say something to him.”

(long pause)

(JANE)
“But.. but I am afraid he is going to hurt me”

(doctor is shocked by her response)

(DOCTOR)
“Well Jane, do you want me to talk to him for you?”

(JANE)
(sniffles again)
“No, no it’s okay. I can figure it out”

(DOCTOR)
“Okay Jane, whatever you say”

(Jane gets up to go find the girls and leave the doctor’s office)

Stage goes dark
End of Scene 3

Scene 4
Jane, Rosie, and Ruby are all at home after the doctor’s office. Rosie and Ruby are playing with their dolls in the living room stage left while Jane is preparing dinner in the kitche stage right. It is getting dark and Todd is nowhere to be found..again.

(loud voice)
(JANE)
“Okay girls! Dinner is ready!”

(Rosie and Ruby put their dolls on the ground and run over to the kitchen table. They are so excited to see their favorite dinner, Chicken Stir Fry, on their plates.)

(ROSIE)
“Yummy! Thank you!”

(RUBY)
“My favorite! This looks so good!”

(Ruby tries to raise her arm because she is so excited, but forgets about her fractured arm)

(JANE)
“Oh Ruby! Please be careful!”

(mumbles)
(RUBY)
“Sorry..”

(ROSIE)
“Time to pray!”

(Rosie, Ruby, and Jane all hold hands and pray before dinner)

(JANE) (ROSIE) (RUBY)
“Bless us our Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive, from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen”

(Rosie, Ruby, and Jane all start eating and talking about their day. They are laughing and having a good time. All of the sudden, they hear the garage door open)

(Jane suddenly stops chewing and freezes)
(JANE)
“I think he is home girls. Just be nice okay? Let’s not start another fight please”

(Todd walks in. Surprisingly, he is not drunk. The room is silent when he walks in and nobody makes eye contact. Todd walks past the kitchen and past his family without one glance or one hello)

(JANE)
(whispering to girls)
“Just ignore him”

(Ruby and Rosie silently eat their dinner)

(JANE)
(sympathetic tone)
(sighs)
“Girls, I am sorry about dad. I know that he has some issues, but I am going to have a talk with him. If he doesn’t want to change, there may be some changes within the family. I need to protect both of you girls and I will do whatever it takes. I do not know what he is doing right now, but we are not going to bug him. Okay?”

(Rosie and Ruby nod silently but do not say anything to Jane)

(long pause while the girls continue to eat)

(JANE)
“Are you girls done eating?”

(ROSIE)
“Yeah, I am done”

(RUBY)
“Me too”

(Jane gets up to take the plates from the girls to put them in the dishwasher. They then go to the living room which is stage right to continue playing with their dolls)

(Jane is cleaning off the dishes. She turns around to grab a note that was left for her. It is from Todd. Jane silently reads the note aloud to herself )

Note:
Dear Jane,
“I know that I have made many bad choices in the past. Life gets stressful and I turn to drinking. I know that it has not been the smartest choice that I made in my life. There have been many instances where I feel like a bad dad or a bad husband. Even since I hurt Ruby, I have felt guilt every second of the day. So because of this, I have decided to leave. I am not coming back home and you will take care of Rosie and Ruby without me. They are safer without me here and so are you.”
Sincerely, Todd.

(Jane covers her mouth and starts tearing up)
(mumbles to herself)
(JANE)
“Oh my God”

(Jane falls to the floor crying with the note still in her hand)

Stage goes black.
Play ends.