The Humans (15 page)

AIMEE

Can I crash with you guys post-surgery? / . . . thought I'd let you guys take care of me?

ERIK

Yeah, God, we might . . . of course you can, God, / of course, Aimee . . .

Aimee notices Deirdre is on the verge of tears.

AIMEE

Mom, I'm gonna be fine don't freak out—

AIMEE

Really?—I thought—the sewers won't be in yet . . .

Deirdre continues to roll Momo toward the basement door.

Deirdre and Momo exit.

RICHARD

Sure . . .

Richard goes upstairs, opens the upstairs door and waits in the hallway for Momo and Deirdre to get off the elevator.

AIMEE

Are you sick?

ERIK

No no, no one's sick, we're good, just . . . we sold the lake property, okay? / To help with—

ERIK

[Not important] . . . St. Paul's let me go, okay, so we've had to / tighten our belts and we're figuring out—

BRIGID

Why would they let you go?

ERIK

—that's not [important]—I'm not getting my pension now, they could fire me before it kicked in, all right / so now—

AIMEE

They can take away / your pension—?

ERIK

It's [complicated]—they're a private school so / they can do whatever—

AIMEE

But—why did they fire you?

ERIK

It's [complicated]—they have this morality code, okay?, / St. Paul's makes—

AIMEE

Okay . . .

ERIK

—you sign it / and if you—

BRIGID

Why would a morality code—were you, like, selling drugs on the playground?

ERIK

There was an incident and . . . all right?, so / they could—

BRIGID

What kind of—

ERIK

They could fire me . . . because of this incident, it's—

AIMEE

What are you talking about?

ERIK

I cheated on your mom, with, uh, a teacher from school and . . . we're okay but, I realize this is a lot to just [unload] . . . you guys okay?—

ERIK

—we worked through it, okay?, / we met with Father Quinn and . . .

AIMEE

Okay . . .

ERIK

. . . we're good, but people talk and we don't want you hearing from other people, okay? / We'd rather you hear it from us, okay? . . .

AIMEE

Okay, so . . . okay, so you guys . . . you just want us to . . . just . . . to know? . . .

ERIK

Yeah, and I'm already at a Walmart in Danville / just to keep money coming in—

AIMEE

God, Dad . . . for how long?—

BRIGID

Why the one in Danville?

ERIK

I don't want kids from school seeing me there. Something full-time should open up this spring, so . . . / the trick's been . . .

AIMEE

. . . so . . .

ERIK

. . . the cost of taking care of Momo's been a surprise, / you wouldn't even believe how much the [medical stuff costs]—

AIMEE

Would I be able to help out? . . . or—is it too much for me to even—

ERIK

I think—you've lost your job / and'll have your own medical stuff to [worry about]—

AIMEE

Okay, I know, I know but I still want to know how deep a hole you're in.

Being buzzed almost makes things worse for Aimee and Brigid.

UPSTAIRS
:
Richard now holds the door open; Deirdre wheels Momo inside. She doesn't get far before she begins to hear the argument downstairs; it stops her from taking Momo to the bathroom.

ERIK

The plan is to sell the house and rent an apartment, we don't need space / anymore . . .

BRIGID

Are there even apartments in Scranton? / Who lives in—

AIMEE

It doesn't sound good, Dad / —it sounds like you're in a deep hole—

ERIK

I'm working it out, Aimee—

AIMEE

Do you have
anything
saved?
Dad
, do you have any / savings?—

ERIK

We don't
have
savings, Aimee /
we've been stretched—

AIMEE

—okay, okay
well you're telling us this when you're drunk
/ so sorry if I'm getting frustrated . . .

ERIK

—well we haven't had savings for years.

BRIGID

Have you asked Uncle John to help?

AIMEE

He lives in a trailer, / you think—

BRIGID

That doesn't mean he has no money—

AIMEE

That's
exactly
what it means, / grow up . . . [fucking baby] . . .

AIMEE

Right, you've got no choice but to collect unemployment / while you try to—it's not unfair for you to get some marketable skills—

Brigid isn't sure what to do; something's fallen apart for her, thoughts spinning . . .

UPSTAIRS
:
Hearing their argument, Deirdre heads for the staircase. Richard attends Momo.

BRIGID

No, I'm glad you're working it out but—

you're
good
but you're not sleeping and Mom's still eating her

feelings, / it's freaking me out—

AIMEE

     
(Referring to Deirdre at the top of the stairs)

Brigid.

Brigid turns, sees Deirdre at the top of the staircase. She heads upstairs to apologize.

BRIGID

Mom . . . / I didn't mean it . . .

ERIK

Stay here . . .

Aimee goes after Brigid.

ERIK

Would you stay down here, please? Brigid!

BRIGID

Mom—I will, but—I don't [think that]—I think something's wrong with
everyone—
please don't act like a martyr / when I'm trying to apologize . . . you think
I'm
wrong to not wanna get married in a church so—

ERIK

Can you guys come down and talk to me please!

Thud.

Thud.

AIMEE

Dad, / please shuttup . . .

Momo's growing agitation captures Aimee's attention.

Deirdre is massaging Momo's hand, for herself as much as for Momo.