Author's Note: Just a short few scenes, as a much-demanded sequel. I'll definitely continue because this chapter is not complete. Please read and review with any comments or ideas! Thanks
Expecting 2
Scene 1
CASEY and NORA (along with DEREK and GEORGE) have just announced their pregnancies to each other. They are all seated at the kitchen table, shocked.
NORA: (first to break the silence, accusing CASEY) What?
CASEY:(accusing NORA) What?
DEREK: (accusing GEORGE) What?
GEORGE: (accusing DEREK) What?
LIZZIE, EDWIN and MARTI have come down the stairs and are staring at the kitchen table, confused.
LIZZIE: What's going on? (table is silent)
EDWIN: Yea guys, what's up? (again, table is silent)
MARTI: Why won't someone answer?
GEORGE: Oh, sorry Marti. (to NORA) Nora, our other children need us. C'mon, we'll deal with this later.
NORA: Casey, go to your room.
CASEY: What?
NORA: You heard me young lady.
CASEY: Why? Am I in trouble?
NORA: A lot more trouble then you know.
CASEY: That's not fair! You're grounding me for being pr-
NORA: UPSTAIRS! Now, Casey! We'll talk about this later.
CASEY: Fine! (storms upstairs, slams her bedroom door.)
GEORGE: Nora, honey, are you okay?
NORA: (cold) George, please. If you can just go start dinner… (GEORGE walks off to the kitchen)
DEREK: Nora, it's-
NORA: (restrained, cold) Derek, I know I'm not your mother, so you probably don't think I have the right to say this, but if you don't go up to your room right now, so help me god… You will be grounded and doing chores until the day you die. (DEREK walks solemnly to his room. NORA is fuming. The kids on the stairs look on, apprehensive.)
LIZZIE: Mom?
GEORGE: (re-enters living room) Lizzie, your mom's under a lot of stress right now. It's, uh… work related. Do you want to help me with dinner?
LIZZIE: Um, not really George…
GEORGE: (ignoring her) Great, thanks Lizzie. Edwin you too, can you go stir the pasta? And Marti, I need help with the sauce. (Kids walk towards kitchen, unenthusiastically)
MARTI: Is the sauce blue? Like blueberry sauce?
GEORGE: No
MARTI: (disappointed) Oh…
Kids are heard chattering and working in the kitchen. NORA is statuesque, staring straight ahead. GEORGE goes to her.
GEORGE: Nora? Nora honey please, pull it together.
NORA: (breaks down) Oh Georgie… I just can't believe this. Honestly, it can't be happening. It's…(dissolves in tears)
GEORGE: Oh honey, I know. But you really need to pull it together. We need to make it through dinner, for Edwin, Lizzie and Marti. Let's just try to keep things normal. We'll decide how to tell them the news after we discuss it.
NORA: Okay George. (puts on a brave face) What can I help with?
GEORGE: There's a salad that needs tossing, interested? (holds out his hand to her)
NORA: (taking his hand and standing up) Definitely. (they walk into the kitchen)
Scene 2
Family (without CASEY) is seated at the kitchen table. NORA and GEORGE are at the head seats, Venturis on one side and MacDonalds on the other. GEORGE is scooping out food.
MARTI: What is it?
GEORGE: Marti, you helped me make it. You know what we're eating.
MARTI: (wrinkles her nose) No I don't daddy.
EDWIN: Yea dad, what is it?
LIZZIE: I think it was supposed to be pasta…or lasagna.
DEREK: It looks alive.
NORA: Maybe you should cook your own meal then. (Silence. Family stares at Nora, shocked by this change of character.) Can someone pass the salt? (DEREK holds it out to her. She looks at DEREK.) Forget it, I've changed my mind. I don't want the salt. (He puts the salt back down. Family continues to eat in silence. Tension is high.)
EDWIN: Hey, where's Casey?
LIZZIE: She said she wasn't coming to dinner… probably doing homework.
DEREK: (grabs CASEY's plate and begins filling it with food) I'll bring her something, in case she's hungry.
NORA: I'm sure Lizzie can do that.
DEREK: It's okay, I'm done dinner anyway.
NORA: Well-
GEORGE: (cuts her off, warningly) Nora…
(NORA stops talking and continues eating with her head down. DEREK takes the plate and walks upstairs quickly. The rest of the family eats silently, sensing the tension but confused by it.)
Scene 3
DEREK walks into CASEY's room with the food. She is at her computer.
DEREK: Hey, how's it going? You all right?
CASEY: Okay. (notices the plate) Oh, did you bring me dinner? (CASEY stands and goes to get the plate from DEREK. She takes it and they smile at each other awkwardly. CASEY returns to her seat.) There's no way I'm eating dinner down there with my mom.
DEREK: Yea… (he sits on the bed)
CASEY: I don't understand why she's so upset! You can't ground someone for getting pregnant! I have rights!
DEREK: I know Case-
CASEY: And isn't she being just a little hypocritical? I mean, she's pregnant too!
DEREK: It's not really the same thing Casey.
CASEY: How? We both have unplanned pregnancies to deal with!
DEREK: But she's married, and old enough to have kids. Even if her pregnancy wasn't planned it's a surprise. Yours is a mistake.
CASEY: (speaking slowly) Mine? A mistake? (irritated) Derek, this baby is ours and it sure as hell is not a mistake.
DEREK: So you're happy about this? You wanted to get pregnant at 16?
CASEY: Of course not! But I won't let our baby think that they're a burden, a mistake!
DEREK: But this baby will be a burden! This pregnancy is not what you wanted, and I know you regret it, which means it's a mistake.
CASEY: Look, this situation is not ideal. (DEREK scoffs) But a human life, a baby, is not a mistake. (Pause) And I really wish you'd stop putting all the responsibility on me. This is for both of us to deal with.
DEREK: (suddenly very serious and not agitated) Casey. I'm sorry. You're right, this is for both of us to deal with. I'm not going to be one of those guys who abandons the girl he got pregnant. (He leans forward and holds Casey's hands in his own) Do you understand Casey? I'm not that guy. I'm here for you.
CASEY: Thank you Derek. I thought my mom would be here for me, but obviously not. So it's you and me, on our own.
DEREK: Well, what do you mean? I'm sure our parents will come around eventually.
CASEY: Maybe not…
DEREK: (scared) Then, it's just us…on our own?
CASEY: I've figured it out-
DEREK: You have?
CASEY: I have…Here, look. (gestures to computer screen, DEREK leans over to watch a webpage on the screen.)
DEREK: What is it?
CASEY: Albany Family School. It's a high school for students with families. We can attend while I'm pregnant and they even have a daycare program for the baby.
DEREK: (freaking out) What?
CASEY: And, they have a boarding program. So we get to live there, which is perfect.
DEREK: Live there!?
CASEY: Of course, it's a little expensive. But why wouldn't it be? They've got a great academic program, family facilities, daycare programs, room and board, meal plans-
DEREK: Wait, why do we have to live there? I want to live here. In my own room!
CASEY: Well it's in Albany. (DEREK doesn't respond) Albany, New York in the United States.
DEREK: But I don't want to go to the States. I-
CASEY: There's not a decent family school in London, Ontario. But if we get jobs we'll be able to afford it no problem!
DEREK: Jobs? Working?
CASEY: Well I checked online and Denny's is hiring. They have a few locations in Albany. I can be a hostess and you can be a waiter. That'll bring in lots of money.
DEREK: (sarcastic) Oh great! You've got my whole life sorted out for me. When do I start?
CASEY: (not noticing the sarcasm) Well, day after tomorrow.
DEREK: What!?
CASEY: The semester starts on Thursday. I think it makes sense if we get there and get settled in. Move in, get jobs, get ready for school and-
DEREK: (jumps up off the bed) Okay, no. No, no, no!
CASEY: What?
DEREK: No, I'm not moving to Albany! I'm not going to a new school! I'm sure as hell not living at school! And I am not getting a job at Denny's to pay for all this.
CASEY: Derek, please-
DEREK: I'm 16 years old! I'm barely passing Algebra, I like playing hockey with my friends and on Sundays, I don't move from in front of the T.V! I'm not ready to move to Albany, get a job and start this new life!
CASEY: Whatever happened to you being there for me? Huh Derek? This is the best thing for all of us! Can't you see that we need to do this for our baby? For our family?
DEREK: Casey, I didn't think there was going to be a family.
CASEY: What do you mean?
DEREK: When I said I'd be here for you, I meant it. I plan to support you through this pregnancy. But I don't plan on moving out and getting jobs and living outside of the country.
CASEY: It's only the States, it's practically right next door-
DEREK: Casey, I thought we were going to give our baby up for adoption.
(CASEY stares at DEREK horrified, DEREK looks back solemnly, shrugs and sits back down on the bed.)
Author's Note: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Please review!
