Boys on the Side Page #8

ABE:

I want Holly to be my wife. I want us to be a family.

JANE:

Where, in the joint?

ABE:

I don't know that. But I do know that there is no

kind of family without the law. None whatsoever.

Because the law that governs this society is the same

law that holds the family together.

JANE:

Where did you read that? On the side of a Cheerios

box?

ABE:

You think I love her less, now. But I don't. I love

her more. And that is why I had to do this.

JANE:

Come on. Come on! Come on!

SCENE 77

ELAINE:

And they lived happily ever after.

ROBIN:

Did I wake you?

ELAINE:

No. I was just looking for a drink.

ROBIN:

There's beer.

ELAINE:

No. I had some bourbon from the plane, but I seem to

have finished it. What are you doing?

ROBIN:

I thought somehow if I made this trip again, we'd all

be here at the end like this.

ELAINE:

Oh, Honey. Nobody was happy in these pictures.

Except maybe you. Tommy was already so frail. And

your father....

ROBIN:

Well, you loved him, didn't you?

ELAINE:

Yes, I did. With all my heart. But I lost him. And

Tommy, too. And that's that. You just have to let it

go, Robin. Just let it go.

ROBIN:

I can't.

ELAINE:

Well, you have to, Darling. Because it's never going

to come out any differently, no matter how many times

you make this trip.

ROBIN:

I know that.

ELAINE:

When we lost Tommy, well, your father just couldn't

live with that. I don't blame him. It's not right,

losing your children. Children are supposed to live

after you. Oh, Honey. Are you crying? Oh my gosh.

Do you know, I don't ever remember you crying. Even

when you were a baby. Isn't that funny?

ROBIN:

Ha! Ha! Ha! ...I'm sorry.

ELAINE:

I know that you're not well, Darling. I don't know

what it is and I don't want to know. But I know

you'll get better. You were always the strong one. I

can't lose you. I can't just lose everybody. I do

the best I can, Honey. I know it's not enough, and

I'm sorry. But that's what you get in life, you know?

You get whoever you end up with. Whoever is willing

to stick by you and fight for you when everyone else

is gone. And it ain't always who you expect. But you

just have to make do.

ROBIN:

I'm not complaining, Mom.

ELAINE:

Never complain. Never explain. Katherine Hepburn.

She said that in Redbook last month. It's a good

motto, isn't it?

SCENE 78

HENRY:

The best I can do is to pretend like you never

testified. Just go on like it never happened.

JANE:

Go on to what?

HENRY:

Honestly? I don't know.

ROBIN:

All right, this is the situation. I am still angry.

I do not forgive you for anything. And I don't want

to talk about it. Anna filled me in. She told me

everything I needed to know about the trial so far,

and I know I can help. Because even if I can't, I

couldn't make it any worse. And Holly is just as much

my responsibility as everyone else's, and so are you.

Because you are my family and I love you. Now, I feel

fine. My T-cells are over a hundred and I'm rarin' to

go. So, unless you want to waste time being stubborn,

I suggest we get me on the stand as soon as possible.

SCENE 79

LAWYER:

You expect us to believe that the defendant, pregnant

with this man's child, would leave him and never look

back?

ROBIN:

It was over. He beat her and abused her. I saw. I

saw how he treated her.

LAWYER:

But not to call. Not to leave an address so he could

forward her mail. And practical reasons aside, let's

just say that she did strike a blow for self-defense.

Let's just assume. And she decides to let him stew in

his own juices for a while. But a couple of hours, a

few days later she realizes, "But he's my little

baby's daddy. And you know what? He's not so bad.

And sure, maybe he's got a temper." But all she knows

is that she needs him. She needs to call him.

ROBIN:

But it was over between them. I know you think a girl

like her, the most important thing in her life is a

man, but she didn't need him. She had us.

LAWYER:

Well, I hardly think that you're a replacement for a

father.

ROBIN:

I don't know what it is, but, there's something that

goes on between women. You men know that because it's

the same for you. I'm not saying one sex is better

than the other. I'm just saying, like speaks to like.

Love, or whatever, doesn't always keep, so you find

out what does, if you're lucky.

LAWYER:

Well, thank you for that very illuminating view of the

war between the sexes. Are you a lesbian, too, Ms.

Nickerson?

ROBIN:

No, sir. But at times I understand the inclination.

LAWYER:

Now, suppose there is this bond between women.

Suppose men are disposable.

ROBIN:

I didn't say that! I...

LAWYER:

If that's the case, why should we believe you?

Wouldn't you say anything, wouldn't you do anything to

keep your sister, keep your bosom-buddy, so to speak,

out of jail?

ROBIN:

I'm under oath. I wouldn't perjure myself.

LAWYER:

Well, I'm glad that I don't have to remind you of

that. And, just for the record...You didn't

know...You didn't know until the police told you, that

this man was dead of his wounds?

ROBIN:

If I'm lying, may I be struck down with some terrible

disease.

SCENE 80

HENRY:

Okay! All right! Good news! Got an offer.

Involuntary manslaughter with extenuating

circumstances.

ABE:

One to two years, parole after six months.

HENRY:

I got you minimum security in Arizona, two hours from

home, and good medical care.

HOLLY:

I'd hate to have my baby in jail.

ROBIN:

What are the chances for an acquittal?

HENRY:

Well, he's dead as a result of her actions, and,

juries want to make someone pay for that. She didn't

testify in her own defense, and I'm not sure how much

good you did her.

HOLLY:

I mean, my baby will have a mother who's a convicted

felon. I don't know. What do you think?

EVERYONE:

Well, by the time...

HOLLY:

I mean Abe. What do you think about that, Babe?

ABE:

I think that you should take it. And I will keep the

baby until you get out.

ROBIN:

Yeah, but...

HOLLY:

That's what I'll do, then.

HENRY:

Fine. I'll tell them we'll take it.

HOLLY:

I love you.

ABE:

I gotta get in there with you.

HOLLY:

Do you?

ABE:

I want you so much.

HOLLY:

Could we have a minute?

JANE:

Yeah. We'll see you later.

HOLLY:

Oh Abe. I missed you so much!

JANE:

Well, so much for the bonds between women.

ROBIN:

You can't fight that.

JANE:

You were pretty good in there. What ever happened to

honesty is the best policy?

ROBIN:

You don't want to go overboard.

JANE:

You know, I've been thinkin' and thinkin' and thinkin'

about this and I want to say it. I'm really, really

sorry. I truly am.

ROBIN:

Yeah, me, too. I get so angry so fast. It's just

it's...lonely. Between me and everybody else there's

all this space all the time and it gets bigger and

bigger and...I'm on one side, you know...and, I'm

screaming and the one person I think I'm holding is

afraid of it, too.

JANE:

I'm holding you.

ROBIN:

There will not be anymore lies between us, not even

for my own good.

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