FORBIDDEN PLEASURE ~Script~
FORBIDDEN
PLEASURE
A
Play in One Act
by
Polycarp Okello
Characters
Nyaboke: A young
university lady in her early 20s. She very pretty, sucker for glamour and pomp.
Yearns for the high life.
Otieno: A young
university man in his late 20s. Personal Assistant of Nyakundi. He is gay.
Nyakundi: A man in
his late 50s. Has an issue with fidelity. Prominent businessman.
Kimani: A man
in his late 30s. The only child of the Governor of Harmony County, closeted
gay. Controlled by the family.
Dina:
A woman in her mid 30s.
Kimani’s sexually unsatisfied wife. An eye for young men (cougar).
Brian: A
young university man in his early 20s. Nyaboke’s heartbroken ex- boyfriend.
Dina’s ben 10.
Prisca: A
woman in her 40s. Nyakundi’s wife. Brian’s mum.
Akinyi: A
woman in her 30s. Gynaecologist at Harmony Royal Hospital.
Padre: A
priest at Harmony Catholic church.
ACT I
Scene 1
SETTING: Harmony
University is quiet and peaceful. Birds chirping and perching from one tree branch
to another; shaking and disturbing the dry leaves on frail twigs. A fat ugly Sunbird
sucking from a flower is done leaving the flower loosely hanging…it is on the
verge of giving up hope of holding on to its stalk. It gives up. It is falling.
The gravity is gentle as it descends to the ground; forever it is gone, nipped
from its bud by a hungry Sunbird. Hundreds of the flowers blossomed on the
tree, why did the Sunbird choose this one? Recently blossomed and barely having
enough juice, why?
On
midnight dark flowing hair, four feet from the ground the flower settles
gently. I bet the soon withering flower found a soft landing more comfortable
than up the tree branches.
AT RISE: She
picks a flower from her hair, her tear drenched eyes admiring the natural
beauty soon fading in the scorching heat or falling a victim of stampede. She
smells the flower deprived of its scent, smells the poop of the Sunbird;
disgusted she throws it away. NYABOKE is her name. She is curled up in a fetal
position on the picnic bench under a tree in the botanical garden of the
University. She’s been sitting there for approximately three hours. She is one
of the sights the sun would extend its time just to shine on her beauty. She
was in one of the foul moods ever provoked from her yet she looked like Aphrodite,
the goddess of beauty. A pair of arched eyebrows looked down on sweeping
eyelashes. Her delicate cheek bone framed a button nose. A set of dazzling,
angel-white teeth stuck in the dark gum gleamed. She removed a kerchief from
her purse wiped her eyes. She speaks.
NYABOKE
Oh, woe is me! God,
I love him what do I ever do to make it right? How do I ever forgive myself?
How do I ever cut lose the guilt I harbor? Will the Heavens ever allow me right this
wrong?
(Her palms
supporting her forehead, she whimpers softly)
I know, but it hurts
even the more… I wish I could have another solution. I will never allow him to
ever know.
(She stops the monologue when she sees OTIENO walking towards her. She fakes a
smile)
OTIENO
(Swinging his waist right to left, his left foot curved
outwards the right foot supported by the toes. His left hand akimbo on the left
waist while blowing his right fingers as they move up and down as if pressing
keys of a piano)
Hello girl…I see you are hiding
something from me baby girl?
NYABOKE
Nothing OTI, I had a rough
afternoon and you will make it worse with the identity disorder you are
assuming. Please, if you are going to be of any help please be a man for me
right now.
OTIENO
(He shakes his waist a little bit and sits on her laps
and starts tickling her armpits. They start giggling together then sudden laughter.)
OKAY! My dear
bestie, what can I do for your Majesty.
(He stands up, curtseys and sits back on the unoccupied
side of the bench. His back resting on the backrest, he sighs as if he had
something deep and disturbing. His eyes wander around and then settle on
NYABOKE who has been staring him without a word.)
NYABOKE
What now?
OTIENO
Nothing! I feel like myself around you. You are the
third person who knows who I really am without showing any signs of
restlessness. Out there I am a real man but inside I am a little boy who needs
something forbidden. My boss really likes me, how I do my work but loathe the
little boy inside me. I honestly don’t know who he really likes…
(OTIENO looks at the dejected NYABOKE. He pauses and
clears his throat)
Ahem! I’m sorry. I really was carried away there. What
can I do you for?
NYABOKE
(Rubbing both of her triceps simultaneously while
breathing in, she hesitates in her first words)
I...I, I had nothing. Yes, nothing in particular. I
just wanted your company and I needed...
(He interrupts)
OTIENO
Speaking of which, I have a gig for you. I can hook you
up with my boss. He is an old timer who likes his birthday parties’ coloured by
shade of bikini and those disgusting features women have all over them, Yuck!
(Both laughing hysterically)
He really is a beast when it comes to your kind. He is
having his 59th birthday coming up.
NYABOKE
Wow...I now see why he keeps you close to him. Your charm,
charisma and stature are an asset. You are a bikini magnet.
(OTIENO listening intently)
You are kind of bait that ensnares the young and
beautiful and he is the shark that feeds on them when they find out you are not
who they thought.
(They stare and laugh)
OTIENO
The guy is crazy. He is a shark. I guess that’s why he
is holding the after party away from familiar faces of the family. It is a
secret from the wife and the son. I am to come with a plus one. I nominate you
baby girl.
NYABOKE
Plus one? How is it a gig again?
OTIENO
Cool your heels. You’ll see. Tomorrow night, the
rendezvous will be communicated 1 hour before time.
NYABOKE
Whatever you say...
(Embracing, OTIENO looks at her eyes and sees tear
marks.)
OTIENO
You’ll be okay. Whatever the reason you were weeping
and refused to share, you will find a way.
(BLACK OUT)
(END OF SCENE)
ACT I
Scene 2
SETTING: At NYAKUNDI’s home. A modern rich man’s home;
littered and balloons and “Happiest 59th Birthday” banners hanging
from the front of the house and bottles of ‘Club Soda’ and cans of beer
floating in swimming pool.
AT RISE: BRIAN staring at his phone relentlessly. He
puts it on his ears and pauses then walks away to the kitchen counter frowning
and frothing, an empty bottle of Effen in his left hand. He drops the bottle
and reaches out for another one. PRISCA and DINA follow him. PRISCA snatches
the fresh bottle of Cîroc from his grip. He scuffles. DINA reaches out to help
PRISCA who is losing.
PRISCA
(To BRIAN)
Stop this nonsense. You’ve had a little bit too much to
drink, don’t you think?
BRIAN
How could she do this to me? She didn’t even turn up
mum. Then she break’s it off over a text! Who does that mum?
PRISCA
(Concerned)
If she did what you say then she doesn’t deserve you.
When the right one comes you will know. Just relax.
(DINA pulls her weight behind PRISCA who is withdrawing
to allow DINA to say a word to BRIAN. PRISCA leaves for upstairs.)
DINA
Hey B, relax. She doesn’t know how precious you are to
some of us. She lost you but we’ve got you.
(DINA sitting in a position where she has BRIAN between
her. BRIAN’s head resting on her chest. She is rocking him back and
forth...then she notices his gaze on her. She stops, a little surprised)
Are you okay?
BRIAN
I am feeling better now. Thanks to you.
(DINA tries to disengage. BRIAN is a little resistant...she
stops. He lays his head in its initial position but this time applying a little
back and forth rubbing on a static host. She looks in the direction of the
staircase breathing heavily. She swallows hard as she tries to say something)
DINA
He...y, B... not here, not now. Please, she might climb
down any moment.
(BRIAN stops and looks at her red face, drying lips and
patchy cheeks.)
BRIAN
(Soft whisper in her ears)
Not here, where?
DINA
I will call to tell you where and when.
(DINA stands up; walks straight ahead turns left and
calls for KIMANI.)
KIMANI
(Peeping the door half open)
Okay babe, I will see you back at the house.
(PRISCA walks downstairs, looks in the direction where
her son was sitting and sees that he stopped his melodrama. She is grateful to
DINA who is set to leave.)
PRISCA
(To DINA)
Thank you so much. I don’t know what I could have done
with this drama king. And thank you for helping me out with the whole party. I
don’t know what I will ever do without you.
DINA
(Stealing a glance at BRIAN by the corner of her eyes, their
eyes meet. She stares away)
Please...what are friends for? Don’t sweat it! I have
to take my leave now. See you around BRIAN.
BRIAN
See you later.
(DINA opens the front door and when she’s about to walk
out, she collides with OTIENO who drops some files. They are apologetic to one
another. They help picking up the files. PRISCA is angry and can be heard
complaining as she approaches the door.)
PRISCA
OTIENO, don’t you know when to leave work away from
NYAKUNDI? It is his birthday and not his workday. Please turn back and leave.
(A voice from inside the house is heard approaching them.
It is NYAKUNDI’s voice. He is pleading with the wife to allow OTIENO in.)
NYAKUNDI
Please, My Love. I am the one at fault. I called him to
fetch some documents from the office. Yes, it is my birthday My Love yet we
have to replenish the coffers, especially after today. Please allow the poor
man in.
(KIMANI joins in.)
KIMANI
It is my father...it’s not anyone’s fault. He went for
the Council of Governor’s Conference at the Capital and he needed some
documents for reference and they happened to be in possession of NYAKUNDI.
(Beat)
PRISCA
(To OTIENO)
You got lucky.
NYAKUNDI
Thank you My Love.
(NYAKUNDI, KIMANI and OTIENO head into a room. It is a
private office NYAKUNDI refers to as ‘study’.)
NYAKUNDI
Hey you should call the next time you come over. Let’s
see what you have got for me.
(He peruses through the files. He nods satisfactorily.
Then he sees something or someone he likes in the photos then he pauses.)
Who is she?
(OTIENO looks at the photo he is holding then he tells
him something)
She’s the one I need. What does
it take?
OTIENO
I will find out.
NYAKUNDI
Go find out.
KIMANI
(Staring at Otieno intently and then to OTIENO he asks)
And where will you be when
everything goes down?
OTIENO
I will be right with the boss.
(NYAKUNDI looking at KIMANI disgust written all over his
face. OTIENO leaving the room)
NYAKUNDI
Nooo...not in my study. Please KIMANI, I thought you
were not interested in the after bash?
KIMANI
No! Not before I saw that. Will
he be there?
NYAKUNDI
(Nodding)
Yes, but be careful my friend. Careful. One of these fine days you will risk my
fortune. If your families sniff the homo stench on you I will be losing half my
fortune. You know I am not in good professional relationship with anyone in the
board and if you are removed from the CEO position I am done. So in as much as
I am playing safe with this secret, please exercise due diligence on your part
because from where I am standing I will not be the only one losing... you too;
lest you forget DINA’s family own majority shares in the company.
KIMANI
(A little rattled and trying to compose himself)
Okay… Okay… no need for a script. I know.
(Pause)
KIMANI
(Enraged)
I didn’t ask for all these. They felt that I be
everything they ever wanted me to be. I never got the opportunity to be myself.
My name, my life, my money is all theirs. Even my... “Wife” is their own
chosen. What made them think I ever needed a wo...
(Interrupted by NYAKUNDI)
SHUT UP! Please, KIM! Stop this nonsense; I am not one
of your parents. Can we please leave, it’s time.
(They leave the study and head out in the dark.)
(BALCKOUT)
(END OF SCENE)
ACT I
Scene 3
SETTING: In a contemporary executive suite offering
living room, working and dining area. An executive lounge access with
complimentary breakfast and refreshments, a mini bar stocked with varied liquor
brands, energy drinks. The room is with a king-sized bed. Some feet from the
bed is a bathroom with translucent panes, fluffy bathrobes with “H” logo
hanging at the entrance. The right side of the bed has an auto wake up clock and
a telephone installed. A 37-inch LED TV mounted on the wall facing bed’s
headboard. An air conditioner is also fixed on the same wall inches away from
the TV. The king executive room also provides a mini-refrigerator and tea and
coffee making facilities with a basket of biscuits, complimentary water bottles
and slippers. From the 17th floor of Hiltop Hotel, scenic beauty of Harmony is
captivatingly breathtaking.
AT RISE: A house keeper swipes a keycard over the
electric lock which beeps changing the pulse on the electric lock from red to
green, the door automatically opens. He stretches his left hand ushering in
OTIENO, bows stiffly and takes his leave. OTIENO walks about his eyes surveying
the elegance. He can’t find what he seems to be looking for. In his right hand
he is holding a Louis Vuitton handbag; he places it on a coffee table and calls
out in desperation.
OTIENO
I am here, anyone?
(His eyes wandering, he moves from living room to the
dining area and finally to the bedroom)
Where are you!?
(He gives up and sits on the bed. He hears sound of
draining water from the washroom)
NYABOKE
(With an enchanting smile while tying up her robe he
approaches OTIENO who is glad)
I know that look. What?
OTIENO
(Grinning)
You are right; I should stop watching horror movies. I
thought...
(Interrupted by NYABOKE’s roaring laughter)
Why are you laughing...these things happen, don’t they?
NYABOKE
(Walking towards wardrobe still smiling while nodding to
affirm OTIENO’s question)
Yes, they do. People are kidnapped in hotel rooms a
night after...I get it.
OTIENO
(He notices that she didn’t complete her statement but
didn’t like the direction it took. Feeling stupid, he changes the topic)
And...I have something I am instructed to give to you.
Please after me.
NYABOKE
(Dressed up, she follows him to the living room where she
sees a black Louis Vuitton handbag on a coffee table)
What do we have here?
OTIENO
I was called by the boss who instructed me to hand over
to you this bag and further instructions for you to check under your pillow.
(She goes away and comes back with a note which she
reads, rips and throws away.)
What does the note say?
NYABOKE
Nothing important. Let’s see the contents of the bag.
(They open the bag and look inside then they look each
other. They go mute. OTIENO slowly remove a handful of new thousand shillings notes...he
smiles, chuckles and then shouts! Throwing the notes in the air)
OTIENO
Make it rain baby! Make it rain ‘honey’! Make it raaain!
(NYABOKE joins OTIENO. After 2 minutes of littering the
room with cash, they are tired and decide the next cause of action)
OTIENO
I hope this is enough to take care of whatever problems
you had days before.
NYABOKE
Yes, it’s sufficient to solve some issues. However, how
long before he depletes mine and moves on for another comb?
OTIENO
Don’t you think it is a small price to pay in the long
run?
NYABOKE
(Seemingly lost in her thoughts and a sudden monologue
with some element of pain and anger)
...When it comes to that I think I shall have done
“enough”, greedy pigs.
OTIENO
Are you Okay?
NYABOKE
Yes, I am okay. Just carried away by this sh** load of
cash. So much that I don’t know which problem to solve; fees, wardrobe, accessories
or my iPhone X issue... Where do I begin OTI?
OTIENO
I don’t know. He told me to tell you that there is more
from where that came...enough to send a population of a thousand NYABOKES to a
psych ward.
NYABOKE
(Chuckling)
I honestly don’t give a rat’s ass how much this is. You
can tell him I have enough ammunition to keep him sending you over...and
probably a holocaust of his kind!
OTIENO
That wasn’t funny. Your Nazi attitude is intoxicating.
Since I came through that door, my positive vibes left me. I thought you would
be happy when I told you a secret..
NYABOKE
...okay, violate the pristineness out of the
information.
OTIENO
(His face beaming and smile emerging from corners of his
mouth)
I must confess...I am lousy with secrets. It is no
longer a secret now.
(Beat)
I met someone...
NYABOKE
(Hugging his still body tightly)
Aww... I am happy for you, Is that the secret?
OTIENO
(Trying to free himself, responding and complaining)
Nooo...A little tight, don’t you think. The hug,
enough! I can’t breathe. I am not a hugger. I feel like I am in prison.
(She sets him free)
The secret is that he’s an undercover lover. His
family’s pride will be dented if it leaks.
NYABOKE
And are you comfortable with the
arrangement?
OTIENO
(Stammering)
You should meet; his face deprived me the will to even
say no. I understood. Why should I make it exclusive yet he is playing hide and
seek with his family and wife!?
NYABOKE
(Puzzled)
‘WIFE’!?
OTIENO
(Spreading his arms apart,
palms facing up just below shoulder while elevating the shoulders a little bit.)
Beats me!
NYABOKE
(Speaking as if she noticed
something)
And that’s all; do you feel like you left anything out
of your story...?
OTIENO
Nothing! What else should I say?
NYABOKE
(Pointing at his untucked
shirt)
You missed a button and you have a strange cologne on
you...anything I should know?
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF SCENE)
Act I
Scene 4
SETTING: In front of Harmony Royal Hospital. Huge neon
sign written “ROYAL HOSPITAL” is standing over the wide walkway; adjoining the
walkway is a car park reserved for various department heads. Far behind the car
park are ambulances lined up facing exit of the entrance of “EMERGENCY”. At the end of the walkway is “MAIN ENTRANCE”
of the hospital. Its door is transparent window panes. Patients are leaving
hospital in wheelchairs, some still sitting on them probably waiting for their
loved ones to come and pick them up.
AT RISE: A white sedan inscribed “Uber Chap Chap”
pulls over. She walks out from the back left seat, walks to the passenger
window bends over and hands out cash to the driver sitting on the right side of
the car. The car drives away leaving her standing by the walkway just below the
neon sign. She pulls her iPhone from her purse, swipes through her contacts and
finds the one she needed and calls.
DINA
Hello B. I have been trying to reach you; every time I
try, my calls go straight to voicemail. I can’t remember the last time we
talked. Mmh... 1 month or what, 2? I can’t remember. However, I don’t know what
I did but I think you should know something; I am at the hospital. I have not
been feeling okay lately, especially in the morning 3 days in a row. See you
later.
(She puts the
phone back in her purse and walks into the hospital. She heads to the reception
counter and talks to a lady dressed in sky blue apron. The lady looks at her
computer and points in a direction. She confirms the direction by pointing at
it again, the lady says something while nodding. She then picks her buzzing
phone.)
DINA
(Smiling)
Hey B. Yes I’m good; I mean not so good... a little
fever and headaches... It’s nothing. I will be okay...that would be sweet of
you. Can’t wait... Yes, Royal. Okay, bye for now.
(She seats on a bench facing a door with a name “LUCY
AKINYI HEAD OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY”. The door opens; a woman in
glasses comes out looking in her direction and calls her in smiling)
AKINYI
Long time, prodigal daughter come
in please.
DINA
Thank you. Not so long. How are
you?
AKINYI
I am good. So what brings you here
today?
(DINA narrates her ordeal gesturing now and again. She
touches various parts of her body. Then before she completes her narration,
AKINYI interrupts!)
When was the last time you had
your cycle?
(DINA stops talking and looks at her doctor mouth wide
open hands frozen at gesturing positions)
DINA
(Fidgeting, avoiding eye contact...she pulls lapels of
her furry trench coat together. She grabs glass, pours water from the jag on
the table and takes one, two and three gulps. She then returns the red-lipstick
stained glass on the table and clears her throat.)
Ahem! I haven’t seen any. It is normal right... to have
irregular cycle? C’mon doc, I am in my 30s I know the drill...
AKINYI
Yes, but everything you say points in the direction of
pregnancy. You should do hCG test now. Just to be sure.
(She hands her pregnancy test kits and shows her the
direction of washrooms in her office. Clumsy and confused, drops and picks the
test kit on her way to the toilet.)
Sorry!
(10 minutes later, she emerges from the toilet and hands
the kit to AKINYI who reads it.)
WOOOW! Congratulations madam, the test is positive.
(Silence engulfs the room. AKINYI looks at her face and
keeps quiet. An ambulance’s siren is loud just behind her office which
overlooks the “EMERGENCY”. AKINYI stands up and walks to the window. She looks
out and sees a woman being pushed by a drop leg stretcher into the emergency
section.)
I am not sure why you have that face. I thought you’d
be happy. Not preempting but you should be happy regardless of the situation. I
see people die, some fight for their lives and some wish to have a second
chance at life. You have been given what most women wish for. Be happy.
(DINA’s phone buzzing.)
DINA
Hello...hey, take it easy! What’s wrong? I can’t hear
you, walk away from the siren... you are not clear. Where are you?.. Royal?
Yes. Hello... hello!
(In a sudden haste, she walks to the window and looks
outside. She must have seen something. Faster than before she picks her purse
and dashes to the door)
I’m sorry doc. Thanks but let’s
do this next time.
(Closes the door and leaves)
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF
SCENE)
ACT I
Scene 5
SETTING: At Harmony Royal Hospital. The benches at the
waiting bay of an Emergency Room are crowded.
AT RISE: NYAKUNDI, KIMANI and OTIENO come rushing in.
OTIENO last among them is panting and sweating profusely. NYAKUNDI is untucked,
his coat held in his right hand. He is drenched in sweat. KIMANI rushes and
embraces his wife who is happy to see him. NYAKUNDI sees his son, walks towards
him and embraces him.
NYAKUNDI
(Pacing back and forth)
BRIAN, what happened?
BRIAN
She was driving from the market when she collided with
a moving truck.
(NYAKUNDI sees a doctor coming out of the ER. He
confronts him with questions. The doctor holds his hands and walks with him
away into a room. 3 minutes later. NYAKUNDI comes out and goes to the waiting
bay.)
NYAKUNDI
(Akimbo)
Good news and bad news. Bad news: She has lost a lot of
blood and the hospital has not enough in the bank for her and the rest of the
patients. The doctor says that she is down the list of patients eligible for emergency
transfusion because others need specific types of blood owing to their blood
groups. Good news: her blood group type is AB+. That means any of us
can donate blood for her.
DINA KIMANI
(Simultaneously)
HALLELUJAH!
(OTIENO sitting behind DINA excuses himself to answer a
call)
OTIENO
Hey NYABOKE, what is it? I am at Royal Hospital...with
my boss. The wife was involved in an accident. She is undergoing a procedure
right now...NO. You can’t do anything to help...
(Sudden change of mind)
On second thought, yes you can do something...we need
blood... I can’t donate, I recently suffered VDs, I can’t... stop laughing
Psycho...Hmm... You know what, just come over.
(OTIENO follows the rest to the hospital’s blood
transfusion center. NYAKUNDI, KIMANI and BRIAN are undergoing blood testing for
suitability of donation.)
DINA
(Hesitant to undergo the procedure, she stands some feet
from the doctor who is wearing nose mask. He is testing the 3 others. The
doctor walks out to get more test kits for the other 2, DINA and OTIENO. She
follows him out)
Excuse me doctor, I am sorry I can’t donate because of
my condition.
(She is stressing the word “condition” as she touches her
lower abdomen. The doctor looks at her and nods affirmatively.)
OTIENO
(Answering his phone while excusing himself)
Hey, are you here already? Come over to the ER section,
west wing of the building...just ask around. Please be quick. I have no excuse
to make over here. Hurry!
(The doctor comes in. Summons the potential donors one at
a time. NYAKUNDI goes in first... 30 seconds later; he comes out dejected, he
sits on the waiting bench face down, hands on the head. KIMANI looks at him as he
goes in... He doesn’t take long he walks out grinning but face and teary eyes
don’t lie; he walks over to the wife who looks worried. Finally, BRIAN goes
in...Then sobs can be heard. BRIAN walks out and his eyes meet an unexpected
familiar face of NYABOKE coming in).
NYABOKE
(Shocked. To OTIENO)
OTI, you didn’t tell me NYAKUNDI and BRIAN would be
here. What’s happening?
(To
BRIAN)
Why are you crying?
NYAKUNDI
(Trying to swallow at the same time trying to talk
coherently)
What are you doing here? And how do you know BRIAN?
OTIENO, what’s the meaning of this?
BRIAN
(Wiping his face with sleeve of his shirt)
She’s my ex-girlfriend!
OTIENO
(To BRIAN, perturbed)
NO WAY! You know her? How come I didn’t know?
(To NYABOKE)
What the Hell is he talking about!?
KIMANI
(To NYAKUNDI, Stammering and incoherent)
Is she the... the one from the photos you sent me?
NYAKUNDI
(Gasping for breath)
Oh My God! What have I done?
(To NYABOKE)
Is it true you knew BRIAN before
us?
(Pause)
BRIAN
What do you mean ‘us’? NYABOKE what is my dad talking
about? Dad what have you done??
(DINA still concerned with what the doctor must have told
the three. She interrupts, worried)
Why the sudden change in faces of the three of you?
What did the doctor tell you, KIM?!
(NYAKUNDI is quiet. He starts shaking and throws up. DINA
calls out for the doctor who comes out rushing. He is supported and laid on a
stretcher as DINA flaps his coat to ventilate him.)
DINA
(Finally breaks her silence)
Someone to please tell me why he is suffering panic
attacks?
NYAKUNDI
(Amidst froth and coughs as he chokes in his puke)
I am not eligible to donate blood to my wife... I am
HIV positive.
DINA
(Horrified, she looks across the room and her face meets
her husband.)
And does that apply to you two...
(Beat)
I’m talking to you KIM and BRIAN. I need to know!
(KIMANI nods. OTIENO looks at him concerned than before.
He looks at KIMANI again. KIMANI suddenly wears hostile face towards OTIENO)
WHAT!! Please B, tell me you are eligible. Please...
(BRIAN walks out weeping. DINA stops flapping the coat.
She leans her back against the wall; she starts breathing heavily as she gasps
for breath. The doctor rushes to hold her.)
I am pregnant.
(She passes out)
KIMANI
What did you say? DINA! What did
she say?
OTIENO
(Agitated and angry)
She’s pregnant with your child! Are you sick; were you
sick all along, KIM I am talking to you?
KIMANI
(Angry. To OTIENO)
Were you?
(OTIENO walks out followed by NYABOKE. Disturbed and
sobbing, he turns to the doctor who is busy administering first aid to DINA)
That can’t be... I mean how? Doc, please wake her up,
please doc...
(OTIENO is sitting in the corridor head bent facing the
floor. He is crying. NYABOKE looks at him and walks away.)
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF SCENE)
ACT I
Scene 6
SETTING: Next to Harmony Catholic Church. The church
bells can be heard, “ding-dong” Six times. It was 6.00 p.m. in the evening;
summoning the Christian faithful’s to recite the evening Lord’s Prayer in
honour of incarnation of God.
AT RISE: NYABOKE still walking, 5 kilometers from the hospital.
She looks like she was deep in thoughts when the church bells waivered them. On
her right side, she sees the peaceful environment of the church. The nuns
walking around, some heading to the church while others to the adoration chapel
20 meters west of the Holy Fountain with statue of baby Jesus in Mary’s arms,
located at 50 meters north of the gate of the church. She proceeds past the
gate of the church then halts. She looks back and sees the inscription at the
gate: “MATTHEW 11:28, COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED AND I WILL
GIVE YOU REST”. She relates. Her heart is heavy, her eyes soaked in tears, her
sole blistered, her head clogged; she turns back and walks in. She reaches the
Holy Fountain and sees another inscription: “JOHN 4-14 BUT WHOEVER DRINKS THE
WATER THAT I GIVE HIM WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY...” she doesn’t complete the
reading as she paces through to the entrance absent minded. She opens the door,
looks around almost empty church. She stops looking when she sees that one
thing in her absent mind; a wooden structure with a center compartment with a
door; the confessional. She walks and enters it. Inside is a latticed opening
separating her, the penitent and the priest. Someone walks into the other side
of the booth.
NYABOKE
Forgive me father for I have
sinned against man and God.
PADRE
When was your last confession?
NYABOKE
I have never confessed before, my
first time.
PADRE
Go on my child.
NYABOKE
I was born free of AIDS. However, I contracted it when
I was raped at 17 years old. That is the day I lost my pristineness. The
prosecution lost the case and the rapist was set free. I have lived with anger
since then, 6 years now. I learnt of my condition 3 years ago and since I come
from a broken home I kept it to myself as everyone was busy with who remains
with what after the divorce process.
(Beat)
I joined university sick, lonely and no care-giver.
Back home skirmishes unending, they forgot about me their only child...stopped
caring and offering support. I didn’t really care about the support because I
had people who loved and cared for me in OTIENO and BRIAN. OTIENO would do
everything for me and BRIAN was heads over heel in love, something that I never
felt but slowly grew in me...
(Pause)
I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just needed to be
loved and cared for...
(NYABOKE starts weeping)
PADRE
It’s okay my child. Please, proceed.
NYABOKE
He really loved me. I was afraid he was going to leave
me. For the first time in my life I felt something but I was afraid he would
walk away if I didn’t give in to his not so obvious desire to have sex with
me...so I gave in. I knew he would be responsible enough to protect himself and
use a condom but I realised his naivety in the process. Afterwards I cried the
whole day in the university’s botanical garden.
My guilt clouded my love and I became too blind to see
he was hurt that he really cared and that he did not walk away even afterwards.
I decided to let him go because he was a reminder of damage I had done. He
fought for me to stay and even was ready to introduce me to his family at his
father’s birthday but I broke it off.
(Beat)
Desire to live the life I ought to and to have fun and
forget I hurt someone, I got reckless and slept unknowingly with his father. It
wasn’t entirely my fault but now that I see, they are always someone’s father.
I infected him knowingly out of anger I had for his kind as it reminded me of
the rapist. Little did I know I had just infected an innocent woman who just
died. I have caused a cycle of infection from BRIAN to OTIENO, my queer friend.
I need absolution Father.
PADRE
God the father of mercies, through the death and
resurrection of his son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy
Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church
may God give you pardon and peace, I absolve you from your sins in the name of
the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirits.
Go in Peace your sins have been Forgiven.
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF SCENE)
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