The Austen-Kutchinskys

THE NEXT MORNING AT HOME

If this is your first time here, we suggest you read CAST BIOS.

It is very early the next morning, Sunday. Judith comes down to breakfast. There is nobody around. A car pulls into the drive. Joseph, Pamela and Joe Jr. come in.

Judith Austen

Judith:
What’s going on?

Joe goes up to his room without answering. Joseph goes into his office, sits down at his desk and puts his head in his hands. Pamela sits down next to Judith in the kitchen.

Pamela:
We were at the police station.

Judith:
What?! What happened now?

Pamela:
Joe went back to the party and beat up within an inch of his life the guy who date raped Chris. When the police arrested him, they found cocaine in his pocket.

Judith (gasping for breath):
Date raped?!? Party? Cocaine? Mum, What the hell is going on here??

Pamela Kutchinsky

Pamela:
Oh my God, you don’t even know! Chris came home crying -

Judith:
I was here for that part, remember? You sent me to sleep in the den. I go to sleep with just a slutty stepsister crying into her pillow and I wake up to rape, violence and drugs!!!

Pamela (angry):
Judith, lower your voice! I’m doing all I can to hold this family together! Watch what you say! How dare you talk about Chris like that, after what she’s been through...

Judith:
She was probably asking for it, Mum! How do you know what happened? Maybe there’s another side to the story -

Joseph Kutchinsky, Jr.

Joe (appearing in the kitchen, furious):
Oh yeah?! Even the police chief said this guy is a known rapist, only no one will ever testify! And how dare you call my sister a slut! You piece of English snobbery!

Judith:
You are the lowest, most disgusting -

Pamela (shouting):
Stop it! Stop it! Both of you! Joe, why did you come back down?

Joe:
For an aspirin. Is that allowed, or is suffering from a hangover part of my punishment?

Judith:
What kind of sick family is this? How did this happen? I want to go back and live with Dad in London. (She walks out.)

Judith goes to the den to call her father. Pamela collapses on the living room couch. Joe gets a bottle of aspirin out of a cupboard and goes back upstairs. Pamela starts to cry.

Judith:
Dad? Is that you? It's Judith. No, I'm not okay. I hate it here. I want to come back home to London and live with you! I can’t stand it anymore. These people are all crazy! Please, how soon can you arrange for me to come?

There is silence in the room as Judith listens to her father.

Judith:
No, I can’t calm down. (Listens.) Oh. Sure, well... I understand. What’s her name? You’re moving to where? That’s nowhere near my old school. (Pause.) Yes, I have enough; money isn’t the problem...sure, I guess I can give it some more time...talk to you in a few weeks.

Judith listens some more on the phone and then hangs up, her voice shaking as she says, "I love you too, Dad." She puts down her head on the desk and cries.

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