Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Page #2

MILLY:

Alright, if you're gonna act like hogs... YOU CAN EAT LIKE HOGS!!

MILLY turns over the table, exits stomping. Boys laugh.

All exit.

- - -

Scene IV

In the pontipee house. One side has the bedroom, the other the parlour. MILLY sits on the bed in the bedroom, while ADAM and the boys sit in parlour. ADAM glances up at the clock, and puts down his pipe.

ADAM:

Alright boys, nine o'clock. And hour past your bedtime.

CALEB:

Hour past yours too.

Boys snicker. Adam sighs and gets up, going towards the bedroom.

ADAM:

Well then, good night.

ADAM enters the bedroom, Milly ignores him. Adam is nervous.

Evening, Milly.

MILLY:

Evening.

ADAM:

You've, erm... had a long day. You're probably tuckered out.

MILLY:

Sure am.

ADAM:

Should I, erm... turn down the covers?

MILLY:

I suppose.

Adam begins to turn down the covers on the bed.

But I'm not going to bed.

Adam looks at her. She stands up and looks him in the eye.

You don't want a wife. You want a hired girl; a cook or a washerwoman. And I such, I deserve my own sleeping place.

ADAM:

I'm sorry Milly, it's just...

MILLY:

What? That I wouldn't have married you if you told me you had six brothers livin' with you?

ADAM:

Well...

MILLY:

For your information, Adam Pontipee, I loved you from the first moment I saw you standin' there, and nothing could've changed my mind. But you still lied to me, and I won't forgive you for that.

MILLY turns her back, looking out the window. ADAM leaves, going into the parlour. He is met with the boys' expectant glares. Meanwhile, MILLY gets into her nightgown.

ADAM:

Said she wanted a drink of water.

Milly lies down on the bed, playing with the cord on her night gown. ADAM brings her a pitcher of water, but stops at the door. Milly sits up, crossing her arms to try and cover herself.

ADAM:

I'm sorry, I...

MILLY:

No, it's alright. It's... it's fine.

ADAM:

I brought you some water.

MILLY:

Well, thank you.

Silence. Adam sits down on the bed, his back to Milly. She sighs.

Adam, I... I may have been a bit harsh. It's just... I had so many dreams about... about the future and such. Seems pretty silly though. But...

SONG #3 - "WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE"

Milly sings this to Adam, who joins in at the last verse. They smile at each other, and Milly blushes.

MILLY:

All things considered... perhaps you should come to bed.

ADAM (smiling)

I'd like that.

Both get up, the bed crashes beneath them. The boys roar with laughter. Lights dim as MILLY and ADAM go to bed together.

Now the boys are in the bedroom, sleeping on the floors. GIDEON and CALEB now share the bed. MILLY is in parlour making dinner. Lights go on.

CALEB (sniffing)

Hey, Gideon! Smell that?

GIDEON:

Fresh coffee!

BENJAMIN:

Flapjacks!

FRANK:

Milly's cookin'!

The boys get up and start looking for their clothes.

DANIEL:

Hey, where'd my shirt go?

EPRHIAM:

Can't find mine neither.

BENJAMIN grabs Gideon by his nightshirt.

BENJAMIN:

You took 'em, didn't ya?

GIDEON:

All I've got are my boots!

MILLY goes up to the bedroom door and knocks.

MILLY:

If y'all are looking for your clothes, I came in early and washed them. They're hanging on the line. But I'll need your nightshirts before y'all get breakfasts.

BENJAMIN:

Our underwear?

MILLY:

I've got scrambled eggs, muffins, and fresh syrup. So, you gonna give me those clothes or do I have to come in and rip it off ya?

GIDEON immediately begins unbutton his shirt, BENJAMIN stops him.

BENJAMIN:

Don't bother. She wouldn't dare.

MILLY:

Oh wouldn't I?

MILLY opens the door to come in, the BOYS force it shut by piling on it.

BENJAMIN:

Alright, fine, you'll get your shirts.

MILLY smiles satisfactorily and walks back to the kitchen as the boys take off their shirts. Lights dim, boys move into the kitchen with only blankets on. They shiver as the lights go on and Milly spoon out food.

MILLY:

By all that dirt on your clothes, I'm surprised y'all have a bathtub. Don't you ever use it?

FRANK:

Never needed to.

MILLY:

Well then, from now on, every sunday you'll be havin' baths.

EPHRIAM:

Aw shucks, Milly, do we have to?

MILLY:

If you want dinner, you'll do it.

Milly sits down, staring at the boys and bowing her head. The boys follow suit.

Lord, for what we are about to recieve, make us truly thankful. Amen.

BOYS (reluctantly)

Amen.

The boys begin to politely pass around the plates of food, Milly looks on happily.

MILLY:

You seem like good, handsome boys. How come we've never seen you in town?

CALEB:

Adam likes to go by himself.

MILLY:

Well, surely Adam wants to see you boys with your own brides. Don't you like girls?

GIDEON:

We ain't ever really seen one.

MILLY:

You've never been courtin' before?

The boys shake their heads, Milly sighs.

Well then, I'll have to take you to town sometime. In fact, I have to go after breakfast. Would you boys like to come along?

EPRHIAM:

What'll Adam say?

MILLY:

Adam left a half hour ago, up to the trappin' cabin. Left some furs up there.

BENJAMIN:

Sure, we'll come.

MILLY smiles.

- - -

Scene V

Town. Milly and the boys arrive at the general store. GIDEON and MILLY climb out.

MILLY:

You boys stay here; I'll take Gideon with me. Behave yourselves.

MILLY and GIDEON exit, leaving the rest of the boys in the buggy. RUTH, LIZA and MARTHA enter, chatting amongst themselves.

BENJAMIN:

Hey look, girls! Ephriam, say something smart.

Ephriam jumps out of the cart in front of the girls, who smile politely.

EPRHIAM:

Ain't y'all just the prettiest things this side of the Mississippi.

MARTHA:

Well, I never!

RUTH:

Don't you know how to talk to a lady?

EPHRIAM:

Well, erm...

TOM enters, with SAM. They stand up to EPHRIAM.

TOM:

What's the fuss here?

BENJAMIN jumps out of the buggy, sizing up TOM.

BENJAMIN:

There ain't no fuss. Ephriam just payed the girls a compliment.

TOM:

Oh did he? Well, these girls are spoken for.

BENJAMIN:

Just spoken for doesn't mean taken.

SAM:

Means so down here.

BENJAMIN and EPRHIAM begin to fight with SAM and TOM. The girls shriek and run, the boys start to laugh. MILLY and GIDEON exit the store.

GIDEON:

Check it out!

MILLY:

Stop it, stop it this minute! (to FRANK) Don't just stand there, do something!

FRANK:

What for? There's only three little ones!

MILLY pushes Benjamin and Ephriam away, glaring.

MILLY:

You boys get back in the buggy this instant.

Lights dim as the buggy drives off.

All exit.

- - -

SCENE VI:

Pontipee House, bedroom/parlour split (mostly parlour). Milly and all the boys are sitting in the parlour.

EPHRIAM:

Hey Milly, what'd I do wrong?

MILLY:

Well first of all, if you want to impress a girl, you've got to talk to her right. Here, I'll show you. I'm a lady, just coming out of church. You raise your hat...

The boys, minus ADAM and CALEB, raise their hats.

What's the matter, Caleb?

CALEB:

My hair ain't combed.

ADAM chuckles quietly.

MILLY:

Oh well. Gideon, say something nice.

GIDEON (hesitantly)

Nice night for a 'coon hunt.

ADAM roars with laughter.

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