Love              

                by Allyson Yang 楊婷雅

Scene:  There are a comfortable double bed, a television, a classic wardrobe, and a dressing table in this bedroom.  Ben sits gloomily on the bed, and Charlotte stands angrily in front of the dressing table.  They both dress in pajamas.  On the wall, there is a huge and beautiful picture in which Ben and Charlotte hug together with big smiles on their faces.

Charlotte [shouting at Ben]: You do not love me! You don’t care about me at all!

Ben [trying to comfort Charlotte]: Of course I love you. It’s my fault. I’m so sorry. Ok? I have apologized. So…shall we stop this quarrel?

Charlotte [still shouting]: I don’t want your apology! You don’t even know why I am so angry! You apologize to me because you want to bury the problem.

Ben: I know why you are angry. Of course I know! I apologize to you because I know it’s my fault. I apologize not just for the sake of apology, but also for you to know that I love you and I don’t want you to be so angry and unhappy. So I want us reconcile as soon as possible instead of quarreling all the time.

(Charlotte remains silent for a while.  However, her anger does not diminish.)

Charlotte [calming down a little]: All right. Then, go ahead and tell me. Tell me why you think it’s your fault to make me angry. If you tell me, then I will know if you understand the problem clearly or not.

(Ben does not say a word but looks blankly with his head lowered.)

Charlotte [getting impatient]: Why don’t you answer me? Why don’t you say a word? Why? You say you know it, then just go ahead and tell me!

(Ben still does not answer.  The couple in the picture on the wall still smiles happily and hugs each other tightly, and it seems that they love each other very much.  However, Ben and Charlotte are still in bad mood and do not see it at all.)

Charlotte [shouting again]: I know it! I know you actually do not understand the problem! We have known each other for seven years and have fallen in love for five years. But you still don’t understand what I care about? Hanh? Hanh?

Ben [getting angry too]: Can you stop this?  Why are you always shouting at me?  Why do you always get angry so easily?  Your ill temper almost drives me mad.  And I can’t stand it anymore!

(Charlotte gets shocked.  She starts crying.  She cries louder and louder.  It looks like that she really gets hurt from what Ben says.  But the couple in that big picture still looks very happy.)

Ben [shouting]: Of course I know what you care about!  And I care about how you feel!  I just make a little mistake, a very little mistake.  Then you get angry at me and shout at me.  Why???  I just make a little mistake!  I don’t mean it!

Charlotte [saying in little voice, crying]: If you know what I care about, then why do you still make this kind of mistake?  Why don’t you know what I want?

Ben [stammering]: I…forgot…

Charlotte: You forgot?  How could you forget what I care about?  How could you forget something that is important to you?  How could you?  Ain’t I important to you?

Ben: I have bad memory.  You know that!  I just can’t remember things well and usually forget them.  Don’t you know that?

Charlotte [shouting]: You are so selfish!!!  You will only remember yourself!  And you don’t care about my feeling!  If you do, you will remember what I want, what I care, and what I don’t like!!!

Ben [angrily]: I have apologized for what I did!  I’m sorry!  All right?  I have apologized to you!  Why can’t you just forgive me?  Why can’t you just tolerate the little mistake I make?  You really have a very ill temper!

Charlotte [extremely angry]: You want me to tolerate your mistake.  But why can’t you tolerate my bad temper?  Can you?

(Both Ben and Charlotte are fiery at each other.  However, they do not want to say a word and just remain quiet.  They do not look at each other at all and both have terrible faces.  Not until they turn their head unconsciously and see their lovely picture on the wall, do they look at each other.  They look at each other for a while and their terrible faces slowly turn into peaceful and melting faces.  However, they do not say a word but look at each other tenderly for a long time.)

Ben [tenderly]: I am so sorry that I make you angry.  I am sorry that I lay a stinky fart between the sheets on bed.  I know you hate that.  I’m sorry I forget it and do it carelessly.  I am sorry.  Can you forgive me?  I promise that I will never do that again.

Charlotte [meltingly]: I’m sorry too.  I shouldn’t get mad and shout at you just because you carelessly make a little mistake.  I am sorry too.  I think we should show more understanding for each other and be more thoughtful because we do love each other very much.  Right?

Ben: Right.  And we are going to love each other for a very long time, so we should be more considerate to each other.  So…shall we……can I…hold you?

(Charlotte does not answer him but just goes to Ben and gives him a tight hug with a kiss.  And they hug together tightly and have big smiles on their faces just like the picture on the wall.)

THE CURTAIN COMES DOWN.

THE END.