Fragments of His Being | ✓

ACT III - SCENE IV

ACT III

SCENCE IV

[Setting: The kitchen area of QUINN's home. QUINN is sitting by the kitchen island while his mother works on preparing fish. It's late noon, and the sun is pouring into the small kitchen/living room through the open window. QUINN's mother had opened it to try and get some of the fish smell out of the house.]

QUINN: CODY's brother doesn't look like him at all-

QUINN'S MOTHER: (Cutting QUINN off.) I hope you didn't probe him about it?

QUINN: I didn't really. (Wraps hands around mug of hot chocolate.) It just made me kind of curious.

QUINN'S MOTHER: Good, don't be invasive. He might be your boyfriend, but there's a line, and you shouldn't cross it.

QUINN: (Sighs.) I understand.

QUINN'S MOTHER: There's a likely hood that that's not his brother at all, or for the most part, just his half-brother. I told you about family issues - problems are common in that kind of setting. CODY's lucky to have you. It can be damaging for a kid, but I'm sure he'll be leaving his home at the end of the school year, won't he?

QUINN: (Nods before resting his head on the marble surface of the island.)

QUINN: I talked his brother.

QUINN'S MUM: (Pauses turning the stew in the pot in front of her to turn to her son.) About what?

QUINN: Nothing really. (Shrugs.) He just seemed really - bitter?

QUINN'S MOTHER: (Looks at her son for a while before nodding.) Yes, it does sound like family issues.

[Partial silence soon took reign in the kitchen. QUINN just watched his mother work. She moved about, dipping pieces of chicken into a frying pan before returning to the stew she was making.

JANET walked through the kitchen/living room, and she made to greet her mum before ruffling her brother's hair. She left the house after hanging around the kitchen for a while, leaving QUINN and his mother alone again.]

QUINN'S MOTHER: (To QUINN.) That reminds me, what do you plan to do after graduation.

QUINN: (Shrugs.) I was thinking about checking some mechanic shops - that's what KARL's doing.

QUINN'S MOTHER: (Nods.)

QUINN'S MOTHER: What about CODY? What does he want to do when he graduates? I'm sure college is out of the option like most people around here. (Stirs pot of stew before throwing in diced onions.)

QUINN: I don't know. (Runs a hand through his hair.) He doesn't want to tell me things - I mean, it's okay. He doesn't have to tell me everything, but sometimes it feels like he's afraid of my reaction or he just doesn't want to bother me with it-

QUINN'S MOTHER: (Cutting QUINN off.) He'll tell you at the right time. Be patient, and just be there for him as much as you can now. (Closes pot of stew before turning to QUINN.)

QUINN: (Sighs before shrugging.) It's just - I want to help. I know you're right-

QUINN'S MOTHER: I'm always right.

QUINN: (In a sarcastic tone.) Wow, such humility.

BOTH QUINN AND HIS MOTHER: (Laugh.)

Curtains fall.