Day 4: My Bedroom

Scene:  3 bright white walls, a king size bed, overstuffed with decorative pillows, one seemingly homemade painting hung on the stage left wall, 50 or so paint chips strewn on the floor. 

L:  (Pushing her hair around uncomfortably, squinting) Blue Danube or Galapagos Turquoise?  What do you think, Kaiya?

K: (Crossing from stage left, she puts her chin on Lyra's shoulder)  The turquoise, for sure.  It lends a little contrast to the darker blues in the curtains, ya know, for interest.

L:  Hmmm.  Yeah, I think you're right.  I was leaning that way, but I'm so torn.  I don't want it to be too dark or too green.  Michael hates green, he really does.  I don't understand it.  Who hates green?

K:  Well, he does, I guess.  Lyra, you know it doesn't matter, right?  He's not going to care what color you paint the wall.  If you like it, he'll like it.

L:  I don't know.  Maybe I just should leave it white.  We'll have to paint it back anyway.  Then that really doubles the cost, right?  Because we'll have to pay to paint it now and pay to paint it again when we move out.  That seems silly.

K:  Ok, whatever.   Do whatever you want to do, Lyra.  I'm getting hungry.  I think you should just paint it the turquoise because you obviously want to paint it and you went to all the trouble of asking me here to help you decide.

L:  No, no I'm just starting to think it's a bad idea.  And, besides, I asked you over for more than help with paint.  You're my sister!  Can't I ask for your help and not have to take your advice?  If Michael were here, he'd know exactly whether this color would be too much.  For some reason, he just knows stuff like that.  He has a better sense for it than I do.

K:  Well, for Christ's sake, Lyra, then just wait until he gets home and stop obsessing.  Can we go to lunch?

L:  Sure, yeah, yeah, let's go.  I'm just going to get some tape and tape these up here.  Maybe they'll look different at night.

K:  Yeah, yeah, do that.  When does Michael get home anyway?

L:  Next week.  Tuesday, I think.

K:  Really?  Gone for two weeks this time, then?  That's longer than usual.

L:  Yes.  But, I was thinking I'd surprise him, you know, with the painted room.  I was thinking I'd make good use of the time.

K:  Yeah, I can see that.

L:  What does that mean?  What do you mean?

K:  Lyra, it's just, you're just.  There's a hundred paint chips in here.  What have you been doing since Michael left?

L:  I'm fine, Kaiya.  I'm totally fine.  I've been taking walks, I've been helping Shane at the school, I've been painting.  You know, yesterday I went over to the school and worked with a couple of kids.  I was there, I don't know, maybe 4 or 5 hours.  It was good.  I've been keeping busy, I have.  And there's the garage, and her bedroom, that's getting done.  I'm totally fine.

K:  You are, huh?  You're working in her room?

L:  Sure, I am.  Yesterday, I drank my coffee in there and changed a lightbulb.

K:  That's not what I meant.  Lyra, I meant...

L:  I know what you meant...

K:  Lyra, Lyra, listen to me.  I don't think you know what I meant. 

L:  Michael's not coming home.  Is that what you meant?

K:  No.

L:  Well, I think he's not.  I think he's probably not.