CHARACTERS
LOUIS: a man in his early 40s, a meek man who enjoys his job at an office.
CAMILLE: a woman in her late 40s, is a very passionate and creative woman.
SCENE 1
CAMILLE and LOUIS’ house. LOUIS has had a drink or two, and CAMILLE is noticeably the drunker of the two, slurring her words slightly. They have been arguing on the way home from a party.
CAMILLE: He was flirting with you, Louis.
LOUIS: ( sighing) Not tonight. Please Cami, we’ve had a good night, haven’t we?
LOUIS turns the lamp on, and on stage, a spotlight shines on the pair. CAMILLE storms slightly past LOUIS and grabs a wine glass, pouring another drink.
CAMILLE: I am not a liar.
LOUIS: I have not claimed that you are. I told you; he is just a friend. I am not interested in him anyway, I love you.
CAMILLE: ( Laughing) He was flirting with you.
Pause.
He knew what he was doing.
LOUIS hangs CAMILLE’S coat on a rack and puts the shoes she has kicked off neatly.
LOUIS: What exactly was he doing, Camille? Saying hello? Telling me it was nice to see m-
CAMILLE: He was ignoring me.
LOUIS: He was ignoring you?
CAMILLE: Yes.
LOUIS: You are drunk. He was not-
CAMILLE: He was , Louis. Each time he spoke to you he ignored me. ( She takes a sip of wine). As soon as you stepped in the door, he was hugging you, completely disregarding me. When you went out for a cigarette, he spoke to you and ignored each word I said. The whole night he sat and ignored my existence. Not too long ago when I was in the pub, I said hello to him, and he turned his back to me.
LOUIS walks to stand close to CAMILLE.
LOUIS: I’m sure he means no harm. He doesn’t know you that well. Let’s go to bed.
CAMILLE: (Insisting) We have met before. We’ve been to parties and events together.
LOUIS: Only a handful of times.
CAMILLE: He likes you, Louis. You have allowed him to flirt with you the whole night!
LOUIS: I love you. I love my wife. Let's go to bed, you will see that it is nothing in the morning.
CAMILLE: No-
Louis gently grabs her by the hips to guide her to bed. Camille pushes him off.
LOUIS: ( Gently) Come on, you’re just drunk.
CAMILLE: Fuck you.
LOUIS: Camille, stop.
CAMILLE: You know he was ignorin-
LOUIS: No, I do not know he was ignoring you. I hadn’t thought about how he was interacting with you as I was busy enjoying all my friend's company.
LOUIS walks to the other end of the stage and begins folding laundry that had been left in a basket. CAMILLE waits, gulps more wine, and follows him.
CAMILLE: Why are you mad at me?
LOUIS: I’m not mad at you.
CAMILLE: You are.
LOUIS: I am frustrated that I am not allowed to be around my friends without you accusing me of flirting. I would not have brought you if I had intentions to pursue another man. (Sarcastically) That typically happens when your partner is not around.
CAMILLE: I didn’t say you were flirting.
LOUIS: (Impatiently) Then what is it? Why are you trying to start an argument?
CAMILLE: He was flirting with you, and you made no attempts to stop it. It is embarrassing.
LOUIS: I made no attempts to stop it as I had no idea it was happening, in fact, I am almost certain it was not. I wish you would not punish me.
CAMILLE: I’m not punishing you. He was-
LOUIS: You are punishing me, and it is not fair.
CAMILLE: (Angry) Do not dare. Why are you angry with me? I haven’t done anything.
LOUIS: I am angry because I have chosen you. I have chosen you again and again. For twenty years I have chosen you Camilla, and you punish me for it.
CAMILLE: Loui-
LOUIS: You punish me for your mistakes. You punish me for loving you. It was you who was unfaithful. It was you who made your mistake, and you punish me as if I am going to do the same. Each time we go out you start an argument. Each time someone so much as looks at me it is a problem. We are not the same, Camille. I would not treat somebody I loved like that. I am in love with you. I sit at your feet like a puppy, keep a roof over your head and work hard so that you get to go on artistic endeavours that bring home no money, but I don’t mind because I want to see you happy. I have woken you up with a kiss and a coffee every morning over the years. I show you off to my friends, I talk nonstop about you when we are out. I wake each day and focus on trying to make you smile. I do the laundry, I cook, I clean. I do everything to ensure your life is easy. I have not once asked you to repent for what you did. I have not once argued about it. I, for six years, have not mentioned what you did with that woman. I have kept it to myself. I have held you, forgave you, and loved you. I have moved on from it, and I wish you would too.
CAMILLE lets a few stray tears escape her eyes, her hand loosening on the glass of wine. LOUIS puts a folded towel down and stares at her.
LOUIS: (Almost whispering) You are waiting for me to take revenge, but I am not interested.
There is a silence between them for a minute, CAMILLE fidgets and avoids LOUIS’ gaze.
CAMILLA: I am tired.
Louis stands quietly watching her.
CAMILLA: (Looking at LOUIS) I love you, Louis.
The lights turn off, the pair are standing in the dark.
LOUIS: (Defeated) Come on, let's go to bed.
BLACKOUT.
END.