mátame

ACT ONE, SCENE TWO

( enter TIA INGLESA & GINÉS )

In the main living room of the house, a voluptuous woman caresses her dog that's sitting on her lap while drinking a glass of cognac. next to her, a bald man with a prominent nose watches the plañideras in the other room weeping as if in chorus to a deeper cry coming from the upper floors. the corpse of mother is in the reading room next to the mourners, near stands a tall blonde woman accompanied by her children.

TIA INGLESA what do we do? he's still crying ―― what do we do?

GINÉS death should've taken him, that would make him shut it.

TIA INGLESA oh, don't say that, it's his mother's funeral.

GINÉS he's twenty-three and his younger sister is stronger than him.

TIA INGLESA oh, did you hear the news?

GINÉS what news?

TIA INGLESA some little bird told me hector is planing to marry off his daughter.

GINÉS imbécil.

TIA INGLESA excuse me?

GINÉS not you, cariño. my brother ―― that girl is the only good thing he has ever made and she doesn't even acknowledge him as her father, smart girl.

TIA INGLESA it might only be a rumour.

GINÉS knowing hector, he's capable of such stupidity.

( enter ELIZA, CLAIRE & ALBERT )

TIA INGLESA and who are those? by merlin that i do not know.

GINÉS my brother's new wife and her children.

TIA INGLESA and he dares to bring them to his last wife's funeral?

GINÉS he dares.

TIA INGLESA imbecile.

GINÉS that's what i said ―― see how i am right.

TIA INGLESA oh, i see. i see.

( ELIZA approaches them, CLAIRE & ALBERT follow her )

ELIZA excuse me, have you seen hector?

GINÉS he's smoking in the yard with his daughter.

ELIZA what? no ―― my hector doesn't smoke.

GINÉS well, our hector surely does.

ELIZA how dare you ――

ALBERT mom, there's a woman on a table in the other room ―― i don't think she's sleeping.

GINÉS she's dead, boy.

ELIZA don't tell him that!

GINÉS it's a funeral, what else did he expect to find? ―― how old are you, boy?

ALBERT fifteen.

GINÉS fifteen! a year older than our Dulcinea and far more foolish, it seems.

ELIZA excuse me, how dare you ――

TIA INGLESA that's because he's a boy, that makes him more stupid by nature.

ELIZA ―― talk to my son like that, i will not tolerate ――

GINÉS he's a boy, not a man. that's the problem he has ―― if he was my brother's son at least he'd have an excuse, but in this case it's entirely the mother's fault.

ELIZA ―― any of this and i'll tell hector about it.

TIA INGLESA have you heard? she'll tell her husband about it, ha!

GINÉS the independent woman of the century award is waiting for you, dear.

ELIZA you ――

( exit ELIZA, CLAIRE & ALBERT )

GINÉS otra imbécil.

TIA INGLESA quite a pair they make.

GINÉS perfect for one another ―― i'd say.

TIA INGLESA yes, at least they have their foolishness in common.

( enter DULCINEA )

GINÉS ah! dulcinea, sweet girl ―― there you are!

DULCINEA has everyone arrived yet?

TIA INGLESA i think so. ―― why? are you looking for someone?

DULCINEA ―― i might be.

GINÉS please, don't tell me your father has brought whatever peacock he intends you to marry to the funeral.

DULCINEA you underestimate hector if you think him incapable of such thing.

GINÉS he has, then?

DULCINEA sí ―― he has brought his wife and the woman's kids, of course he has also invited a stranger to my mother's funeral.

GINÉS en cuanto lo encuentre, lo mato.

TIA INGLESA don't do it, we have a date with the grahams on friday, we can't afford another funeral.

DULCINEA what a pity ―― i'd have tried to convince you to kill my brother too.

GINÉS ha! you're also done with the weeping boy, aren't you?

DULCINEA he never cared about mother, he never truly acknowledged her as human ―― never saw when she was sad, never saw when she was angry; to him it's like he's a five years old who cries because his mother is gone.

TIA INGLESA if i'm honest, i pity him. he regrets not caring about others when they are already gone, and never learns the lesson ―― didn't he cry for a month when his girlfriend left him for another?

DULCINEA no, he cried for two months.

TIA INGLESA even worse.

GINÉS now i remember i didn't get to tell you ―― i'm sorry for your loss. if there's anything you need we're here for you.

DULCINEA gracias, i appreciate it.

GINÉS i don't believe in an afterlife but i know she's in a better place, any place is better than this manor ―― it's like a house on fire.

DULCINEA but it's my mother's house, and those are her flames too ―― there's no place mother would rather be than here, even if it burns.