A dimly lit office. 

JEREMY sits on his desk chair, furiously jotting down sentences in a notebook and then tearing out the pages. EDITH walks into the room and stands to the side, worried.

EDITH

Jeremy, please come out.

(Silence.)

EDITH (Cont’d)

Please.

JEREMY

(Annoyed, continues to write) Can’t you tell I’m busy?

(Silence.)

EDITH (Cont’d)

Please, Jeremy.

JEREMY

(Stops writing but does not face Edith) I can’t have distractions when I write. Shut the door on your way out.

EDITH

You can’t live like this– I can’t live like this. You don’t even come out to eat anymore.

JEREMY

(Turns to Edith) Once I finish my book you’ll see why I’m doing this.

EDITH

How can you tell this is going anywhere?

JEREMY

I just know it. I’m doing this for you and George. I know how to be a good father. 

EDITH

(Defensive) No, no. Jeremy, we both know you can’t say that. George’s teacher talked with me. He’s not doing well in school anymore, it’s not like him. He misses you. 

(Jeremy stands to face Edith.)

JEREMY

(Passionate) Once this goes on the shelves our family won’t have to worry about anything for generations.

EDITH

You can’t even be sure it’ll get published. 

JEREMY

I’ve committed my life to you and our son, Edith, don’t act as if I haven’t. 

EDITH

Don’t? (Offended) Excuse me? Stand here and tell me to my face what you have done for this family.

JEREMY

Are you asking me to list my contributions?

EDITH

I’ve had to put up with you and your fantasy of becoming the next Stephen King for years. You’re driving everyone in this house crazy, especially yourself. I’ve had to convince myself every day that I’m fine living with you and that everything is fine but honestly, I can’t do that anymore. I really can’t.

JEREMY

Then leave. 

EDITH

That’s all you have to say.

(Silence.)

EDITH (Cont’d)

You think you could take my place in this house? How could you take care of this house, take care of George, and write your book?

JEREMY

I’ve told you before that you should hire a nanny.

EDITH

Or, maybe, you could actually be a father and take care of him yourself.

(Short pause.)

JEREMY

(Defensive) I have my book.

EDITH

Which is more important than our son? We don’t even have enough money to hire a nanny.

JEREMY

This book will give him everything he’s ever wanted.

EDITH

What about now? He could be gone and moved out by the time you make money from that thing.

JEREMY

(Shakes head, but does not look at Edith) Just trust me.

EDITH

How could I trust you? I never even see you anymore.

JEREMY

It doesn’t seem like you’ve tried to.

EDITH

Maybe I’d be in here too with you if you didn’t push me out the moment I try to stay. You’re always busy.

(Silence.)

EDITH (Cont’d)

I feel like I’m not asking for a lot.

JEREMY

(Maintaining eye contact with Edith) This book will define my entire life.

EDITH

But why can’t your family define your life? I’m exhausted, Jeremy. I can’t do everything alone anymore.

JEREMY

I’m still here.

EDITH

It never feels like you are.

 JEREMY

So everything would be normal if I came out of here to eat with you?

EDITH

No…

JEREMY

I don’t know what you want from me.

EDITH

I want you to be present. I want you to walk with me when I take George to school. I need you to be here for us, Jeremy. George needs it too.

JEREMY

He’s not a baby anymore.

EDITH

But he still needs his parents. 

JEREMY

He has you. 

EDITH

How much do you think I can do? I go to work every day, I clean everything here, I cook, I take George where he needs to go, and what do you do for us? You can barely take care of yourself. 

JEREMY

You should feel lucky I even stay here.

EDITH

Are you even listening to anything I say? You’re ruining us. Why should I feel lucky?

JEREMY

If I’m not still here when I publish my book you’ll regret this.

EDITH

You’re right. I’m so sorry. How could I live without you taking up this room?

JEREMY

We could be millionaires.

EDITH

What don’t you understand? I don’t care about your book, I never have. I tried to support you but I can’t. You’re using this as an excuse to be a horrible husband and a bad father. 

JEREMY

We’d be able to move out of this dirty house.

EDITH

Oh, you want to move out? Be my guest. This might be the first time you’ve done something useful in years. 

JEREMY

It’s gross here. You should feel ashamed that George has to grow up like this.

EDITH

I’m doing all that I can. George is my number one priority, I just wish you’d feel the same.

JEREMY

He’s my priority too.

EDITH

I can’t say any more.

Silence. Edith turns away from Jeremy.

JEREMY

When I was young I always dreamed of being an author. I read every book in the library, always hoping that one day my book could be seen among my favorite stories.

(Silence.)

JEREMY (Cont’d)

I thought I earned this. And I want to make you guys happy. George would be able to go brag to his school friends about all the nice things he has, and–

EDITH

(She faces Jeremy) That’s not true.

JEREMY

What is?

EDITH

You just want to make yourself known. You’re not doing it to make us happy. 

JEREMY

You don’t know anything about me.

EDITH

Why would you be locked in your room writing your book? Why can’t you write it in our room or at the dinner table?

JEREMY

I need to focus.

EDITH

The only times George has seen you is when you leave to use the bathroom. You can’t even say hi to him. Do you think that’s making him happy?

JEREMY

He's not unhappy because of me.

EDITH

You don’t even see us as real people. All you consider us is a distraction to you.

JEREMY

Because you are. You’re always so loud. 

EDITH

Have you asked us to be quiet?

JEREMY

It doesn’t matter if I have or haven’t. I’d assume it’s impossible for you anyway.

EDITH

Oh, you’d assume. You say I know nothing about you but you really don’t know anything about me. Or George.

JEREMY

Why are you doing this to me? I’m not the bad guy.

EDITH

I don’t need to come in here for you to be.

(Silence.)

JEREMY

I would have never married you if I knew you’d be like this.

Edith stares at Jeremy in shock.

EDITH

Are you serious?

JEREMY

I’m being honest.

EDITH

I’ve done nothing but care for you this far. The only reason I’m in here is because you won’t come out. And if I knew that marrying you would make you act like this, I wouldn’t have done it either. I only planned to take care of one child, and now I have to take care of a grown man too.

JEREMY

You don’t take care of me.

EDITH

Do you have a job?

JEREMY

I’m a writer.

EDITH

How much do you make from that?

JEREMY

I’m going to make a lot.

EDITH

I’m not talking about what you’re going to do. How much money have you made so far from writing?

JEREMY

What I’ve done so far shouldn’t matter. If I publish this book it will make up for everything you say I haven’t done for you before. You’ll probably be able to stop working. Then you can stay home and take care of George, and I’ll be off on my book tours making even more money.

EDITH

Sounds perfect. I’ll have to do more of what I do now around the house but at least the rest of the world can see you.

JEREMY

I’ll be home when I’m done touring.

EDITH

I’m not even sure if I want to see you here anymore.

JEREMY

What’s the point of this conversation then? You come in here to ridicule me, but now you say that you’d prefer what I’ve been doing?

EDITH

No, I want you out.

JEREMY

You wouldn’t do that to George.

EDITH

It’s already as if he doesn’t have a father. Why would you leaving make it different?

JEREMY

I’m still his dad.

EDITH

I can’t remember a moment where you’ve acted like it. 

JEREMY

It still doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m his legal father. You can’t keep him from me.

EDITH

So now you want to step up? Would you rather I leave so you’d be left with him instead? You could hire a nanny on your nonexistent income to make sure he’d never see either of his parents?

JEREMY

If it were just me I’d get a job.

EDITH

You’re only okay with supporting this family if I leave.

JEREMY

I wouldn’t have another option. I’d go broke.

EDITH

We’re almost at that point now. I can’t work for the three of us. It’s impossible for me to do as much as you make me do.

JEREMY

What do you want me to say?

EDITH

I just wish you’d appreciate what I do for once.

JEREMY

You’re trying to make me act like I owe you something.

EDITH

Because you do! I don’t care if I’m rude for saying this but you’ve been using me. I know you wish that you married a woman who was richer and who wouldn’t mind taking care of you. 

JEREMY

You’re right.

EDITH

Thank you, that’s just perfect.

(Pause.)

EDITH (Cont’d)

You know what? I wish you luck. You can keep the house too for all I care. I’ll be leaving with my son, whose name isn’t George, by the way. The least you could do is remember his name.

(Edith exits.)