Scene 11: A Love Story

Shelly Arc

"This is a love story. A story about a once famous actor and how he meets the love of his life..! The island beauty who won her way straight into his stomach. That's right- the illustrious, hunky, city-boy-turned action super hero, AXEL PHOENIX, married the woman of his dreams on his island get-away. And her name was simply, Cleo. He loved her bright smile almost as much as he loved her cooking. He loved the way the ocean water glistened on her rich chocolate colored skin; the way her reddish-orange eyes shone like the sunset. Axel loved to watch as Cleo's long brown hair blew across her face in the gentle breeze, but he especially loved the way she glowed now-a-days. Her belly so warm and round. She was holding a little life inside her. Their child. And the great Axel Phoenix knew that this baby would be the most perfect little darling in the whole wide world..!"

"OOoook, I think we're going a little too overboard with the love story, thing… Bleargch… And what's with all that stuff you said bout Momma? Guh-ross!"

"What do you mean 'gross'!? It was sweet! And Daddy told me this himself, you know!"

"Oh, yeah? Even all that stuff about the 'most perfect little darling in the whole wide world'?"

"Duh! Because I was the most perfect little darling in the whole wide world!"

"Hah… Yeah, sure. How 'bout we just get to the good part, huh?"

"Oh, fine..! Skip forward 2years and their happy little family is perfected with the birth of sweet little Nick!"

"Now that's more like it."

"Will you stay quiet? I'm trying to tell a story..!"

"Sorry."

"Ahem… Anyways, the famous actor, Axel Phoenix, retired on the beautiful island Cleo called home. They lived a wonderful life, almost like a fairytale..! Cleo cooked with her children everyday. They played music together and sang together and played with their Pokémon together…"

"Oh! And they swam together in their pool! And when they got bored of the pool, they'd go out to the beach since they owned their own private beach!"

"Yeah, yeah! Put that in there! And about the seaside villa palace!"

"Palace? We don't live in a palace."

"But what's a fairytale without a palace?"

The lights flick on and Shelly and Nick stop what they're doing. Their mother is wiping her hands on her apron, their father is wearing striped pajama pants and a tank-top. Both of them knew that their parents were "old" now, but they still looked great. Axel Phoenix still looked like he jumped straight out of an action film. He crossed his arms, frowning at his two children.

"It's past your bedtime. What are you two up to?" Nick looked up at his sister. He was only 5years old, so he hadn't mastered the art of looking innocent yet. Shelly saw his face give them away immediately. She sighed, "We were trying to make you a present." Cleo looked around her husband's shoulders, "Oh? What kind of present?"

"A love story!" Nick piped up.

"Sshhh!" Shelly put her fingers to her lips.

"A love story, aye?" Axel looked to his wife, pulling her closer by the waist, "Well I could tell you a few good tales! All of them have to do with a beautiful island queen..!" Cleo giggled at her husband's words. Shelly sat up while Nick scrunched up his shoulders in disgust, "And a princess? Is there a princess, too?"

"Well, of course! A Princess and a Prince who live with the King and Queen in their beautiful Island Palace!" Shelly looked at her brother triumphantly, "Hah! I told you the story needed a palace!"

Axel and Cleo joined their children in their bed. Axel jumped, making the two little ones flounce about. The colorful crayon drawings on the bed flew about the room. Each one depicting the story Shelly and Nick had been creating. Cleo offered them some freshly baked cookies, even though they had already brushed their teeth. Shelly pulled her pink little nightgown around her bare feet as she listened to the new tale. Nick jumped atop his father's shoulders as Axel took the crayon-filled papers that littered the bed. He started to read their story in his best narrators voice, making them all laugh. Cleo put an arm around Shelly's shoulder as Axel read on. Shelly looked around at her family. She couldn't hide her smile. She loved them all so much… After all, this was a love story…