SCENE TEN AND A HALF
In the afternoon on the next day, (after Stanley had come home from the hospital) and Stella is due back any moment with her child. The house is empty, save for Blanche.
Blanche is sitting alone on stage at the kitchen table. She is wearing only a turquoise bathrobe, yet her dry hair would suggest that she has been out of the bath for quite some time. Her eyes are focused on her own delicate fingers that are drumming nervously on the table and her glazed look would suggest that she is daydreaming.
Presently, Blanche begins humming, and then she starts to talk quietly to herself.
BLANCHE: (astonished)
Where am I off to? Why, what a funny little question, Star! I am off to the Caribbean with my new Beau. My new beau. Shep Huntleigh is my new beau.
(BLANCHE pauses and lifts a bottle of wine that had been on the table. She looks at it questioningly for a moment and then throws back her head and takes a greedy swig.)
(Quietly, sounding defeated)
My new beau.
(She hiccoughs and then sets the bottle back down on the table roughly.)
Oh Stella, what have I done?
(Her hand fumbles over to the bottle and lifts it, preparing to take another drink, but she is distracted by voices outside. EUNICE calls down from her balcony in an eager voice to someone outside.)
EUNICE:
Stella? Stella, my child, is that you?
(BLANCHE freezes suddenly; head titled back and bottle up in the air. The voices continue.)
STELLA: (warmly)
Yes, Eunice, it's me. We're home. Say hello to Patricia.
(There is a pause, and BLANCHE jolts awake, abruptly forced into the present. Jumping out of her chair, she seizes the wine bottle and quickly hides it in a nearby cupboard. She then dashes towards a large mirror and frantically begins to fix her hair and smooth her clothes. The voices still continue.)
EUNICE: (ecstatic)
Oh, Stella! Isn't she an angel! Looks just like you, honey!
(BLANCHE is now making her way awkwardly to the couch. Her drunkenness is obvious as she stumbles over the carpet and almost falls. She then sits poised on the end of the couch and begins to arrange her robe neatly, trying to cover all her exposed skin. Her eyes, however, are trained on the door.)
Oh, but Stella. What will Stanley say? That's definitely no boy, and you know yourself how much he did want a boy.
STELLA: (unbothered)
He'll learn to love her. I just know he will. (pause) But I have to be going, Eunice. I'll come up later so you can see her.
EUNICE:
Alright, Stella. I'll be waiting. You take care now, and don't you fret over Stanley. He'll love that girl, you'll see. You're going to be a great mother.
STELLA:
Thanks, Eunice.
(STELLA enters the stage, wearing a loose flower-print dress tied back with a piece of string, emphasizing her still-bloated figure. She scans the room eagerly with her eyes and then notices BLANCHE sitting on the couch. STELLA smiles cheerfully and holds out the baby to her.)
Look, Blanche. Would you believe it? Meet Patricia.
(The tension slips from BLANCHE as she rises and goes to STELLA. They stare at each other for a few seconds, and then BLANCHE embraces both STALLA and the baby tenderly.)
BLANCHE: (gleefully)
Stella for Star! My wonderful sister! How beautiful! How exceptionally beautiful! Why, I don't think there's a child alive that could even hold a candle to this gorgeous girl! Oh, my!
(BLANCHE reaches out and STELLA gives her the baby. BLANCHE then takes a few steps back, clinging to the child almost protectively as she begins to rock her.)
Oh my goodness, what a princess! What a beauty! Why, just look at how she grips tight to my finger, Stella! She needs me, I can see it! Oh Stella, how she squeezes!
STELLA:
Yes, Blanche. She is quite a strong girl. (STELLA sighs, looking around the room) She will need to be, though, to survive in this house.
BLANCHE: (drawing her attention away from the baby for a moment.)
What do you mean?
STELLA: (shaking her head, dismissively)
No, no, I didn't mean anything by it. Just that a girl has got to be strong these days. Anything can happen, and I don't want Patricia to become a victim.
(BLANCHE nods slowly, but then she suddenly collapses on the couch. STELLA gasps and runs to her. BLANCHE is still holding tight to the baby, but her expression has changed.)
BLANCHE: (flatly)
Take her back, Stella
(STELLA hesitates and BLANCHE'S voice becomes more desperate.)
Take her back, I said! I need some air.
(STELLA reaches out and picks her baby up from BLANCHE'S shaking hands. STELLA pauses and looks at BLANCHE closely for a moment. STELLA is frowning. The child is whimpering softly.)
STELLA: What's wrong Blanche? You look… Horrible.
(BLANCHE shies away from STELLA'S words by shaking her head and bringing up a hand to rearrange her hair. STELLA glances behind BLANCHE as her eyebrows knit into a tighter frown.)
Where is Stanley?
(BLANCHE remains silent, but at the mention of STANLEY'S name, her eyes widen slightly and her expression changes to one of panic.)
Is he home? Blanche, is Stanley the reason for your mood?
(Still no response from BLANCHE. STELLA is becoming frustrated. She sits down on the couch beside BLANCHE and tries to look her in the eyes.)
Blanche, what did he do? Whatever he said, I'm sorry. I know that he probably hurt you, but whatever he said is a lie. Don't believe him, Blanche.
(STELLA pauses, and realizes that BLANCHE is carefully avoiding her eyes.)
What did he say, Blanche?
(BLANCHE hugs herself tightly and is breathing very deeply. She turns completely away from STELLA, but STELLA tries to turn her by placing a hand on her shoulder. BLANCHE flinches and jumps up from the couch, laughing nervously.)
BLANCHE:
Just look at you, child! Such nonsense! My mood is perfectly positive and your brutish husband has no power over it. I am simply tired. Stanley and I spent the night talking. Yes Stella, we talked all night about, oh, so many things! Mostly of you and this child, but of other things too. I think that we've finally worked things out between us. (BLANCHE giggles nervously) Oh Stella! It's fantastic! I feel so free! I received a call from Shep Huntleigh this evening! Oh, I know what you would say, my dear sister. I know what you would say. But it's not true. Shep called to invite me on a cruise of the Caribbean, and I am rather sorry to say, but it's a waste of time to worry about me. I am in better luck than you know.
STELLA: (hesitantly)
What do you mean?
BLANCHE:
He's coming tomorrow night.
(STELLA sighs heavily, but BLANCHE ignores her and continues bulldozing her way through what she has to say.)
Why, he rang me not half an hour before you came home! I was ever so surprised! He told me that he missed me, and that he wanted greatly to bask in my company. What could I say, Stella? I couldn't be rude and refuse, could I? I hate, ever so much, to make people feel uncomfortable. To make them feel unwanted or out of place. (she pauses) So I accepted. And so tomorrow—
STELLA: (exasperatedly)
Stop this, Blanche!
(BLANCHE freezes and stares at STELLA.)
Stop this right now! I won't have you continuing with these lies!
(BLANCHE still stares, flabbergasted. STELLA rises and goes to her. STELLA'S voice becomes soft and comforting.)
Shep Huntleigh's not coming tomorrow. I need you to nod. I need you to agree.
(BLANCHE stares at STELLA with a look of pure horror. STELLA lowers her eyes and continues, apologetically.)
Blanche, I want you to understand that as long as you continue to lie to me, I cannot help you. I can't do this alone. (she pauses and takes a deep breath.) You're scaring me.
(STELLA looks back up at BLANCHE and there are tears in STELLA'S eyes.)
You need to talk to me.
(BLANCHE looks petrified and lost. She tears her eyes from STELLA and returns to the couch, sinking down gratefully. Her elbows rest on her knees and her hands are brought up to shield her face. Her eyes are closed tight and her hands are gripped into tiny fists. STELLA sighs.)
Fine. I can't help you then.
(STELLA exits the room slowly, and BLANCHE'S eyes shoot open, following her. BLANCHE opens her mouth to protest, yet quickly shuts it again. An obvious internal conflict is going on inside BLANCHE as she makes to stand, but fails and tries to call out, but always stops herself.
(By this time, STELLA has just exited the room completely, and has retreated into her own bedroom behind the thin curtain wall. BLANCHE looks absolutely desperate now, as she stands and holds out an arm towards where STELLA had gone. There are small, fat tears running down her smooth cheeks. Suddenly, a voice— small, but steady— erupts from within her.)
BLANCHE:
Oh, Stella! I'm so sorry. I'm so very, very sorry!
(She makes to walk, but her legs falter and she just ends up collapsing back onto the couch. Her eyes close tightly and she begins to sob quietly.)
What have I done? Stella, my dear, dear sister, Stella. What have I done? I do want to talk with you. Believe me. I just can't… Last time I let someone know how I felt… I lost them. He's gone because of me.
(BLANCHE slaps a hand to her mouth all of a sudden, as if she was about to throw up. Her second hand finds its way to her stomach and she just sits there, holding herself, until she can catch her breath. The sound of a child softly crying is heard from the bedroom. BLANCHE removes the hand from her mouth and stares intently at the curtain leading into STELLA'S room. Her voice is too quiet to carry. She whispers.)
Come back! I'm ready to talk! Stella, come back!
(BLANCHE clutches her stomach tighter and quietly chokes out her voice.)
He made me do it, Stella. He pinned me—I didn't want him then—and he forced me. I'm sorry.
(The sharp sound of a glass hitting the ground slices the air and makes BLANCHE stop. The noise is undoubtedly from STELLA'S room, and all that can now be heard is the soft sound of STELLA crying in the darkness.)