“All it takes is one red leaf
and I see us lying in the mounds,
in the fall, in your arms,
sky spinning round and round.
Sometimes I think, nothing can heal this.
Sometimes I think nothingness would be better than this emptiness.”
- ‘One Red Leaf’ by Ana Porter
QUEENIE
Thank you for meeting me.
ALICE
Of course. I’m glad you called.
[pours the tea and brings both mugs to the table]
Now, let’s talk.
QUEENIE
This is harder than I thought it would be.
ALICE
Take your time. I’m yours for the morning.
QUEENIE
I know I’ve been distant and that I needed time and I’m so grateful that you’ve let me work through this and given me the space I asked for. I want you to know, I have always loved you.
ALICE
And I you.
QUEENIE
And I will always love you.
ALICE
But…?
QUEENIE
But, I can’t be with you anymore. Because I do love you. But I’m not in love with you.
ALICE
Mmmhmm.
QUEENIE
I’m so sorry. And when you are ready to try to be friends, I hope you know, that I will be here and I want you in my life, I just… I don’t want you the way you want me.
ALICE
I see.
[stands and begins to tidy up]
Well, thank you for letting me know. Thank you for making a clean break. Thank you for not rushing into someone else’s arms before-
[She sees the two wine glasses in the sink from last night.]
Oh.
QUEENIE
That’s just from Dina coming over last night. It’s nothing.
ALICE
Of course.
QUEENIE
You don’t have to clean up, I’ll do that.
[stands up and puts herself in-between the sink and ALICE, as if she can erase the image by blocking it from view.]
ALICE
Yes. I should get going.
QUEENIE
Wait! Just a minute, I…
[grabbing a grocery bag with miscellaneous items]
These are yours. There might be more but this was what I found doing a quick walk through. I didn’t want you to have to look through everything if you needed time before we try to be-
ALICE
Thank you, Queenie. I appreciate it. I’ll give your things to Blanche and she’ll pass them on to you.
QUEENIE
Oh, no rush, we can -
ALICE
No. We can’t. If you weren’t in love with me anymore, you should have just ended it.
[opens the door]
I hope you and Dina are very happy together.
[leaves]
QUEENIE
Wait, Alice, it wasn’t like that it-
[with the slamming of the door, she realizes it’s no use.]