Between the Sheets Read online

Do you live alone?

  TERESA

  Yes. I live alone.

  MARION

  Does he have a key?

  TERESA

  No, he does not have a key.

  MARION

  How do you know when to meet? How does he know when to come over?

  TERESA

  I don’t know. Look, we…

  She stops herself.

  We’ve only been together a few times.

  MARION

  What does that mean… a few times? You’ve only seen each other a few times? You’ve only fucked each other a few times?

  TERESA

  We’ve only slept together a few times… yes.

  MARION

  So… what? Twice? Three times?

  TERESA

  I haven’t counted.

  MARION

  Do you use protection?

  TERESA

  What?

  MARION

  I need to know if I should be tested for—

  TERESA

  You don’t need to be tested for anything.

  MARION

  Do you use protection or not?

  TERESA

  Yes.

  MARION

  What? Are you on birth control?

  TERESA

  No. I’m not on birth control.

  MARION

  No!

  TERESA

  No. We use condoms, all right?

  MARION

  Condoms?

  TERESA

  Yes.

  MARION

  Does he buy them or do you?

  TERESA

  I don’t know.

  MARION

  So they just appear out of nowhere?

  TERESA

  No. He…

  TERESA buries her head in her hands.

  MARION

  You’re going to stop seeing him. Do you understand me? You’re going to contact him tonight and you’re going to tell him it’s over. You’re going to tell him it’s over and then you are never to communicate with him again. You won’t write to him… you won’t call him—

  TERESA

  (quietly) It’s not that simple.

  MARION

  Simple? What did you think was going to happen?

  TERESA

  I didn’t think anything.

  MARION

  Well that’s the problem, isn’t it? You weren’t thinking. Neither of you were thinking.

  TERESA

  We—

  MARION

  You think I don’t know what he sees in you? You’re young, you’re attractive, you’re some kind of answer.

  TERESA

  Answer?

  MARION

  Yes. You’re the answer to his fucking mid-life crisis.

  TERESA

  You don’t have to do that.

  MARION

  What?

  TERESA

  You don’t have to make him sound like some kind of… he’s not like that.

  MARION

  He’s not like what… he’s not like every other man his age? Sleeping with some young… he’s twice your age, for fuck’s sakes.

  TERESA

  Well you’re the only one who seems to have a problem with that.

  MARION

  Problem? Sweetheart… do you not see what’s going on here?

  TERESA

  He’s—

  MARION

  He’s using you. He wouldn’t be doing this if he—

  TERESA

  He wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t have feelings for me.

  MARION

  Feelings? Do you hear yourself?

  TERESA

  You have no idea.

  MARION

  This is a phase.

  TERESA

  I’m sure it’s easier for you to think that.

  MARION

  Believe me… nothing could possibly make this easier for me.

  TERESA

  No. It is. It’s easier for you to think that this is a phase or some kind of an answer to—

  MARION

  It’s an affair. You are having an—

  TERESA

  It’s a relationship!

  MARION laughs.

  MARION

  Oh god.

  She continues to laugh.

  Oh dear god.

  MARION looks at her.

  He’s married. You know that, don’t you?

  TERESA

  Yes. I know that.

  MARION

  He is not single. He is not a bachelor. He is not available. The man you are talking about is my husband. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?

  TERESA

  Of course it means something to me.

  MARION

  You can’t just meet to fuck each other whenever—

  TERESA

  That’s not what this is about. It’s not—

  MARION

  It not what?

  TERESA

  It’s not about sex.

  MARION

  It isn’t?

  TERESA

  No.

  MARION

  You’re sleeping with him… aren’t you?

  TERESA

  That just happened.

  MARION

  You just happened to find yourself in bed with my husband?

  TERESA

  No.

  MARION

  How can you say it’s not about sex?

  TERESA

  Look… it doesn’t matter what I say to you, all right? Everything that comes out of my mouth is going to sound stupid or young or whatever it is you think I am. But this is real… this is real, and if he were here he would be telling you exactly the same thing.

  MARION

  He—

  TERESA

  Neither of us was looking for this. I knew he was married. Of course I knew he was married. But it’s not as if I went out of my way to find a married man to sleep with. I hate the fact that he has a life with someone else… that he has a life with you.

  I know you think this is just about sex… and I get it. I do. But it’s not and you need to know that. It has never been about that.

  MARION grabs the binder from TERESA’s desk.

  MARION

  (reading) “I ache until I can hold you inside me again.”

  TERESA

  Don’t.

  MARION

  (reading) “Your sweat on my skin… the taste of you in my mouth…”

  TERESA

  Stop.

  MARION

  (reading) “The thought of you… the very thought of you makes me wet.”

  TERESA

  Stop it.

  MARION

  It’s not about sex?

  TERESA

  You don’t understand.

  MARION

  Obviously I don’t.

  TERESA

  He writes to me. He writes to me all the time.

  MARION

  Yes, I’ve been reading his work.

  TERESA

  No. You haven’t read these. He’s been writing short stories for me… poetry.

  MARION

  What… like assignments?

  TERESA

  You don’t get it.

  MARION

  I get it. You’re giving my husband homework.

  TERESA

  This is not a joke! You have no idea what he’s written about… how much he’s shared with me… how much I know about your life together.

  MARIO
N

  What?

  TERESA

  I know about your first date… about your wedding night… about fights that you’ve had. I know you were sleeping in separate rooms for a while. I know about the last time you actually touched each other. He has shared some of the most private, intimate details of your marriage.

  MARION

  You have some fucking nerve.

  MARION breathes heavily.

  She moves away from TERESA.

  TERESA follows her.

  TERESA

  He’s miserable. He’s told me, over and over again… how sad… how lonely he’s felt… how trapped he’s felt.

  He’s happy. For the first time in years he is actually—

  MARION falls to her knees and vomits into the garbage can beside TERESA’s desk.

  TERESA backs away.

  Beat.

  TERESA goes to her desk and grabs a few tissues and her mug. She goes to MARION and offers her both.

  Do you want some water or…

  MARION takes the tissues from TERESA and wipes her face. She puts her arm out, indicating for TERESA to give her space.

  TERESA places the mug on the desk and moves away from MARION.

  MARION sits for a few moments and tries to steady her breathing.

  She wipes her mouth and stands.

  MARION takes a few moments. She takes a sip of water.

  Beat.

  She looks at TERESA.

  MARION

  I’m going to tell you something and I want you to listen because this is something he would never admit about himself.

  Beat.

  He is never satisfied.

  MARION looks at TERESA.

  He is never satisfied. And the reason he would never admit that is because… he doesn’t know. He has no idea that he’s been living his life this way… that for years he has been living his life this way. Whatever it is you think you’ve found together… in the end… it won’t matter. He is never ever happy. And he never will be.

  Beat.

  MARION throws the tissue in the garbage.

  MARION stands. She notices some of the projects hanging on the bulletin board. She stares at the board for a long time.

  TERESA watches her.

  TERESA

  (pointing to the board) Alex’s project is—

  MARION

  I know which project is his.

  Beat.

  MARION reaches out to touch one of the projects.

  Does he know?

  TERESA

  What?

  MARION

  My son! Does my son know?

  TERESA

  No!

  MARION

  You’re sure?

  TERESA

  Yes. I’m sure.

  MARION

  But he’s seen the two of you together.

  TERESA

  Only when he’s being dropped off or picked up.

  MARION

  Have you ever seen him outside of school?

  TERESA

  No.

  MARION

  After school, on the weekends… have you ever—

  TERESA

  I have never seen your son outside of this school!

  MARION looks at her. She moves to get her coat and bag.

  MARION

  I want him as far away from you as possible.

  TERESA

  What? Why?

  MARION

  Why? Because… you’ve put him in a dangerous situation.

  TERESA

  How is this dangerous?

  MARION

  Alex isn’t safe in your class.

  TERESA

  My students’ safety is the most important thing to me. I would never do anything to put any of my students in danger.

  MARION

  My son—

  TERESA

  Your son is doing well. Alex is having the best year he’s had since he started here.

  MARION

  Of course he is. He’s smart.

  TERESA

  You’re right. He is smart. He’s also… incredibly challenging.

  MARION

  Kids are challenging.

  TERESA

  Not like Alex. His teachers haven’t always known how to work with him.

  MARION

  He’s struggled a bit here and there.

  TERESA

  Struggled? Marion, he’s been drowning.

  TERESA goes to get Alex’s file.

  I have all of Alex’s report cards since he started here. I have comment after comment from his teachers… each of them noting his behaviour as an issue. That he has trouble focusing… trouble staying on topic… that he zones out during class if he—

  MARION

  Every kid zones out. You try finding a kid that—

  TERESA

  No. Not every kid. Not like Alex. He used to talk to himself… he was continually disrupting the class—

  MARION

  Then you should be doing a better job of controlling them. It’s your job to—

  TERESA

  It’s because I have been doing my job… because Alex and I have been working together… creating a system together that he—

  MARION

  A system?

  TERESAYes.

  MARION

  What system?

  TERESA

  So he can function. So he can stay focused in class.

  MARION

  What are you talking about?

  TERESA

  I’ve been giving him ways to help organize his thoughts. It’s been good for him. He doesn’t feel like his mind is moving a million miles per minute.

  MARION

  Does the school know you’re using systems—

  TERESA

  Of course they know. I’ve consulted with a number of teachers here who—

  MARION

  What teachers?

  TERESA

  From the resource program.

  MARION

  The resource program?

  TERESA

  Yes. Alex’s needs are very—

  MARION

  Now you’re an expert on what my son needs?

  TERESA

  I’m not an expert but I did my aq in special education.

  MARION

  Fuck, of course you did.

  TERESA

  He needs to—

  MARION

  You have no right speaking to anyone about my son without my consent.

  TERESA

  Alex is my student. I have a professional obligation—

  MARION

  To talk to one of us before you decide to just take matters into your own hands.

  TERESA

  I did. Curtis and I…

  Beat.

  MARION

  What? You what?

  TERESA

  We discussed it. I didn’t just take matters into my own hands. He knew I was speaking to Ms. Larson. I wouldn’t have pursued it without consulting with—

  MARION

  (to herself) This is a fucking nightmare.

  TERESA

  Alex is making progress. Please don’t forget that. I am the first person that has actually been able to get through to him.

  MARION

  You are not the first person!

  TERESA

  I’m the first person here! It’s because I have been working with Alex during class, after class, at recess, that he’s finally—

  MARION

  And do all of your students receive this level of attention, Miss Stewart?

&
nbsp; TERESA

  Alex needs the attention. Other students don’t necessarily—

  MARION

  He needs it or you do?

  TERESA

  What?

  MARION

  I’m just asking.

  TERESA

  Asking what exactly?

  MARION

  You don’t think I know what you’re doing?

  TERESA

  No. I don’t, actually.

  MARION

  The more time you spend with my son, the more contact you’re able to have with my husband. Isn’t that how you’ve arranged things?

  TERESA

  I haven’t arranged anything.

  MARION

  No, the child of the man you’re fucking just happens to need more attention than every other student in your class.

  TERESA

  Alex’s progress has absolutely nothing to do with my relationship with Curtis. And yes, for the record, Alex does need—

  MARION

  It must be so romantic… the two of you lying in bed together… reading poetry to each other… discussing my son’s academic—

  TERESA

  Alex needs to be assessed!

  Beat.

  MARION

  Assessed?

  TERESA

  Tested.

  MARION

  I know what assessed means!

  TERESA

  He needs to be working with the resource program.

  MARION

  You think you’re the first person to suggest that we have Alex tested?

  TERESA

  No. I know I’m not.

  MARION

  You’re right. You’re not!

  TERESA

  Then why haven’t you done anything about it?

  MARION

  I’m not getting into this with you.

  TERESA

  Look…

  She stops herself.

  She looks at MARION.

  He’s a great kid. He really is. He’s smart and funny and clever. But it’s only going to get harder for him. I’m sure you know that. If you don’t do something about it now… while he’s young enough to…

  She stops herself.

  I know I’m the last person in the world you want to be hearing this from but you need to consider this for him. You need to consider it if you—

  MARION

  We have. We have considered it.

  TERESA

  Okay. So…

  MARION

  I don’t want that for him. I don’t want him treated differently. I don’t want him to be isolated or—

  TERESA

  Of course you don’t.

  MARION

  I don’t want him put into some kind of separate stream or… he’s a sensitive kid. He wouldn’t handle it well.

  TERESA

  I wouldn’t underestimate him. To be honest… I think he’ll be relieved once—

  MARION

  Relieved?

  TERESA

  Yes.