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AFTERMATH

CATHERINE & CHILDREN
WE’RE THE ONE LIFE
WE’RE THE ONE LIFE
WE’RE THE ONE LIFE
WE’RE ALL ONE.

CATHERINE
Right! Rebirth.

(Music vamps as the CHILDREN file out of the classroom.)

CATHERINE
(to CHARLOTTE)
Charlotte? Lessons are sacred.

CHARLOTTE
Are they?

(MARCUS enters with a suitcase and some boxes.)

MARCUS
(surprised)
Champ! It’s Rebirth. Why aren’t you out with the others?

CHARLOTTE
No reason.

MARCUS
Listen, Honey. Ophélie’s probably having a good time at her new school. I know you miss her. But you’ll see her at your mother’s. She’s not out of your life completely.

CHARLOTTE
(indicating the suitcase)
Speaking of which.

MARCUS
(to CATHERINE)
Can you give us a minute?

(CATHERINE exits.)

MARCUS
Look, Champ. I was planning on telling you when you got back from your mom’s.

CHARLOTTE
Shoot.

(The music stops.)

MARCUS
I didn’t pass the inspection. I can’t work in France anymore. I have to leave.

CHARLOTTE
I knew it. Mom told me all along...

(Music starts for “You’ll Never Hear Me Say Goodbye (Reprise)” as MARCUS stoops low, looking into her eyes.)

MARCUS
(getting down low, looking into her eyes)
No, no, listen to me. I’ve already told you. Famileez fo’ Life.

(He makes to dap, but she ignores him.)

MARCUS
I TOLD YOU BEFORE,
I’LL TELL YOU ONCE MORE:
NOTHING CAN TAKE ME AWAY FROM YOU.

NO POINTLESS EXAM
NO SILLY OLD MAN,
COULD MAKE ME DISAPPEAR IN YOUR REAR VIEW.

YOU’LL NEVER HEAR ME SAY GOODBYE.
WHAT HAVE I ALWAYS BEEN TELLING YOU?

CHARLOTTE
YOU’VE SAID THAT BEFORE, I GUESS YOU LIED.
AND I REALLY BOUGHT WHAT YOU WERE SELLING, TOO.

(Music segues into “Andaman Shores, Part 1” during the following.)

MARCUS
No, no. Listen, Charlotte. Look, there’s this wonderful school. It’s far away from here. On an island. In India. Clear turquoise waters. Fresh clean air. You could go there. With me.

CHARLOTTE
I don’t want to go to another crummy old school.

MARCUS
Oh, Honey, this isn’t just some crummy old school.
WHERE A BOUNDLESS WHITE SANDY BEACH
CURVES AROUND A CRADLED COBALT REACH.
UP UPON THE WINDING TREE-LINED HIGH GROUND
THERE THEY FOUNDED A SCHOOL.
WHERE CHILDREN ACCOMPLISH THEIR DREAMS
THERE AMONG THE WILD BLUE ROILING STREAMS.
WHERE “NEVER STOP EXPLORING, FIND YOUR STORY”
IS THE ONE AND ONLY RULE.
COME WITH ME, LOVE, TO INDIA,
TO ANDAMAN SHORES!
THE OUT-OF-DOORS
REWARDS THE CURIOUS.
LET’S SEE WHAT WE FIND.
THAT TEST MUST
BE A SIGN:
YOU WERE MEANT TO COME WITH ME.

(Music vamps under the following.)

CHARLOTTE
Do you think so? What about mom? Isn’t kidnapping illegal?

MARCUS
(laughing)
I’m not talking about kidnapping. You could live with me during the school year, and live with her during holidays and summers. It’s perfect. Look, I’ll come over for dinner one night. I’ll talk to your mother. I’ll turn on the charm.

CHARLOTTE
(excited)
Yeah. Yeah! Do you really think mom would...

(The music darkens as DOROTHÉE rushes in.)

DOROTHÉE
Mom would what? Let’s go, Sweetie, get your things.

CHARLOTTE
What’s the rush?

DOROTHÉE
Don’t talk to your mother that way.

(CHARLOTTE goes to gather her things.)

MARCUS
Yes, what’s the rush?

DOROTHÉE
(in hushed tones)
The sooner I get Charlotte away from you, the less it will hurt her. When you’re gone.

MARCUS
Dorothée.

DOROTHÉE
Oh, don’t get all indignant on me. That stunt you pulled at the inspection. Were you trying to fail? Why do you always have to do everything the hard way?

MARCUS
They were too narrow minded.

DOROTHÉE
And, there you go. It’s never your fault.
(taking a deep breath)
Look, credit where credit is due: I get what you did for Ophélie. She was happy for the first time in her life. You were thinking of someone besides yourself or a change. But as for the rest of the school, it’s closing. The parents are pulling out, it’s...

(CHARLOTTE approaches. She gives MARCUS a knowing look.)

CHARLOTTE
Mommy?

DOROTHÉE
What is it, Dear? Are you ready to go?

CHARLOTTE
Can Marcus, er, Daddy, come over one night for dinner?

DOROTHÉE
I don’t think that’s a good idea, Honey.

CHARLOTTE
But, Mommy. He has something he wants to talk to you about.

(DOROTHÉE takes a moment. She looks back and forth between the two.)

MARCUS
(emphatically)
It’s true. I have something I want to talk to you about.

DOROTHÉE
(to CHARLOTTE)
Is that what you really want?

CHARLOTTE
Yes.

DOROTHÉE
Alright. Your father can come over for dinner some night. I guess that would be alright. Now let’s go.

(CHARLOTTE gives MARCUS the thumbs-up as she and DOROTHÉE exit. Music segues into “One Night Soon.”)

MARCUS
(calling after CHARLOTTE)
See you soon, Champ!
ONE NIGHT SOON.
ONE SILVERY MOON.
I’LL MAKE YOUR MOTHER SWOON.
THEN DARLING, COME JUNE,
YOU AND I
WILL SAIL THE SUNNY SKIES.
I NEVER LIED
I SAID, YOU’D NEVER HEAR ME SAY GOODBYE.

(A group of CHILDREN become visible upstage as CHARLOTTE and DOROTHÉE re-enter sitting at a rolling table. CHARLOTTE wears a light linen sun dress. DOROTHÉE is dressed for a fancy dinner. MARCUS sits down and the three pantomime MARCUS’s fantasy dinner party.)

ALL
ONE FINE NIGHT
THE MOON SHINING BRIGHT,
YOUR MOM WILL SEE THE LIGHT.

(MARCUS and CHARLOTTE break away from the table, which slides upstage into the dark with DOROTHÉE sitting on it. We see DOROTHÉE’s silhouette weeping as MARCUS and CHARLOTTE step hand-in-hand downstage, looking out over the water.)

THEN IT’LL BE
YOU AND ME
AND THE ANDAMAN SEA.
I COULDN’T ASK FOR MORE THAN YOU, ME,
SUN AND SAND, SEA BREEZE AND SKY.

(DOROTHÉE disappears as CHILDREN sing on “Oo” and MARCUS and CHARLOTTE act out the following downstage.)

MARCUS
ON STORMY NIGHTS
WHEN GRAY CLOUDS HOVER
AND THE MONSTER’S JAWS
THREATEN TO EAT YOU ALIVE.
OH, HONEY, WITH FLASHLIGHTS
DRAWN UNDER THE COVERS
I PROMISE, I’LL READ OLD SAWS
‘TIL THE SANDMAN ARRIVES.

(DOROTHEA at the table slides back into the light. CHARLOTTE and MARCUS sit down at the table again and the three act out the dinner party.)

MARCUS, CHARLOTTE, AND CHILDREN
ONE NIGHT BEFORE LONG,
MY DARLING, BE STRONG.
I PROMISE YOUR MOM
IS GONNA SEE SHE’S WRONG.
SHE’LL CHANGE HER TUNE.

(MARCUS and CHARLOTTE again break away from the table, pretending to be in a hot air balloon, looking out at the world, while DOROTHEA, again weeping profusely at the table, slides out of view.)

AND ONE FINE AFTERNOON
YOU AND I WILL BEAR
DOWN ON PORT BLAIR
IN A HOT AIR
BALOON!
OO, ONE NIGHT SOON.

Words and Music by Michael Johnson
© 2022, Zubsongs, Ltd.