Chapter Two: Telling Roger (Part 1)

- Scene: Carol and Chrissie, Bradford Apartment -

The mountain of growing tissues had been thrown into the bin and placed back on the island. Thankfully her older sister had stopped sobbing a while ago. Chrissie was worried she was going to flood the apartment with her crying.

Chris went back over to the sofa and sat down, her arms resting on her lap whilst she studied her sister. "Carol?" The older redhead had been quiet for some time now and Chrissie was starting to worry. A small wail was admitted as a response. Chrissie sighed. 'Here we go again' she thought, preparing for the onslaughter of waterworks. "Carol, please, you've got to pull yourself together. You don't want Roger to come home and see you in this state. Imagine what he'd say."

Carol rolled out a mock laugh "If he thinks this is a state just let him wait nine months!"

"Now be serious. Have you worked out how you're going to tell him?"

"Definitely not the way I told you, little sister dear. I'm thinking of cooking his favourite meal with his favourite drink... that way he will be nice and relaxed. What do you think?" Carol looked at her baby sister for support. Her eyes wide with possible fear of the unknown and hope of the future.

"That sounds great!" Chrissie wrapped her arms around her sisters slender frame and squeezed her slightly. "I'm gonna go out with Marsha, but I will call you later to find out how it went." She quickly kissed her sister on the cheek. "Are you going to be okay?" Then a gleam danced over her eyes. "Or..." Chrissie began "Should I get Jim over here to sit with you? To make sure you don't flood the entire 20th floor." She laughed at the thought of the love sick elevator operator over here again.

"No!" Carol jumped. Then composed herself. "No, sissy, I'll be fine. You go out with Marsha and tell her I said hi. Okay?" She gave a weak smile and walked her to the door. Falling against it when her sister had left.

- Scene: Carol in the kitchen, Bradford Apartment -

Carol glanced at the clock on the wall. She had exactly one hour until Roger was due home and she still had no idea how she was going to break the news to him. She had replayed the scene in her mind a million times, each with different outcomes.

"All you've got to do is tell him. Just tell him!" The redhead muttered to herself as she walked back into the dining room to set the table. "Just come out with it. Casually. What's the worst that can happen?" The thought of that made Carol's insides turned to lead as she set the placemats and cutlery down.

"Just say it... Sit him down-" Carol pulled out the chair and gestured for Roger to sit. "Smile-" She slapped on a happy grin. "And then say it!" She swallowed her fear. "Roger, I'm-"

At that exact moment the front door opened and Carol almost jumped out of her skin. "Honey, I'm home." The familiar call from Roger filled the apartment. "Honey?" Roger put his coat and briefcase in the closet and walked into the dining room. "There you are, Carol." He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Carol, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Instantly she shook her head and tried to banish her fear. "I'm okay, sweetheart, I just didn't expect you home so early that's all." She gestured her hand casually trying to quell her anxieties.

"Oh? Want me to go roam the halls for another hour or so?" Roger laughed and turned to the island to pour himself a drink. "Something smells good, darling. What have we got tonight?"

"I thought of doing us your favourite. Steak." Again Carol put on a silly grin, hoping her husband wouldn't see through it. "Roger, why are you home so early?"

"The office was a madhouse today, sweetheart, I had to get out of there." He placed the whiskey back on the tray and took a sip from his glass with a content sigh. "How was your day? Did anything interesting happen?"

"Interesting? Happen?" She repeated his words followed quickly by a hollow laugh. "Not really. Just your average normal day. Woke up at the average normal time, ate the average normal breakfast, did the average normal housework and in the process of cooking an average normal dinner." She laughed again.

Roger studied her. He knew his wife was a nut, but this exceeded even her talents. "Carol. Are you sure nothing is wrong? You're acting even frutier then normal. Maybe a drink would calm you down, let me pour you one." But before Roger's hand even touched the whiskey bottle the redhead screamed.

"No!" Followed by a quick giggle. "No, thank you. I'm fine. I promise" She cleared her throat and went to hide in the kitchen.

As Carol was banging about in the kitchen, Roger decided to turn his attention to the newspaper. However, as he left the island with his drink in hand the telephone rang. "I've got it!" Roger hollered and picked up the receiver. "Oh, hello Chrissie. You know even though you don't live here anymore you still seem to be tying up this phone line like you do." A sharp retort was heard and he replied with "Yes, I'll go get Carol for you."

He placed the receiver on the counter and walked to the kitchen door. "Carol, I take back what I said before... The true fruit nut is now on the phone."