Play # 6

Vestibule

__________________________

By Joseph Frost

Originally written for the 2019 "31 Plays in 31 Days" challenge

Contact:
Joseph Frost
710 Newland St
Jackson MS 39211
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
 A small vestibule of a wedding chapel. To the
right is outside, to the left is the sanctuary.

From the right, bursts in ALEX, sloppily

dressed and anxious. He stops for a moment
and tries to straighten himself up, is not
particularly successful.

Alex opens the door to the left, and goes

through.

ALEX
(offstage, loudly)
I am here... to speak now... and... not... forever hold my peace!

A commotion is heard off to the left.

Alex is tossed back into the vestibule.

MIA follows him. She is well dressed, but in a

relaxed way.

MIA
Alex, what the hell are you doing here?

Mia shuts the door.

ALEX
I’m here to speak now, and... like... speak my peace.

MIA
I’m going to rip you a new peace if you don’t get the hell out of here.

ALEX
Mia, listen...

MIA
No. I will not listen. You have to go. Now.

ALEX
I’m not going anywhere.

MIA
Alex...
 2.

Alex starts toward the door, but Mia holds him

back.

ALEX
I have to talk to her, Mia.

MIA
She does not want to see you.

ALEX
I have to.

MIA
Absolutely not.

ALEX
This is a mistake. It’s a huge mistake.

MIA
She’s made her choice, Alex. It’s not you. It’s him.

ALEX
But I love her.

MIA
That really doesn’t matter. She loves him.

ALEX
I don’t accept that.

MIA
Well...

ALEX
I don’t believe that.

MIA
Where are we right now, Alex?
(beat)
There is no more definitive statement that she loves him and not you than having a
wedding. And marrying him. And not you.

Alex stops struggling and steps back.

 3.

ALEX
Oh god, Mia.

MIA
I know.

ALEX
I really screwed up.

MIA
Yeah. You shouldn’t be here.

ALEX
No, not that.

MIA
No?

ALEX
Maybe also that.
(beat)
I mean, what I did. Before.

MIA
Breaking up with her?

ALEX
Letting her go.

MIA
Dumping her.

ALEX
No, that’s not--

MIA
You dumped her hard. Off a cliff.

ALEX
I know.

MIA
Into a vat of acid, or something.
 4.

ALEX
I know, and I know now that it was a mistake. So I’m going in there right now and
telling her that.

MIA
NOPE!
(beat)
If you go back in there, you’re a dead man.

ALEX
I’m not afraid of you, Mia.

MIA
Are you afraid of her dad? Her brother? Her three uncles. His dad. His grandfather who
is an ex-Marine. Oh, and him.

ALEX
I’m not afraid of him.

MIA
He’s an MMA fighter.

ALEX
He’s not a professional. He’s an amateur.

MIA
He’s undefeated.

ALEX
He’s only had a couple fights.

MIA
23.

ALEX
One of them was a draw.

MIA
You like your chances do you?

ALEX
I have love on my side.
 5.

MIA
When was the last time you fought?

ALEX
Me?
(beat)
3rd grade?

MIA
Right.

ALEX
I kicked the crap out of that kid.

MIA
You snuck up behind him and kicked him in the butt.

ALEX
He was asking for it.

MIA
You still lost the fight.

ALEX
Technically.

MIA
Alex.

ALEX
I have to go in there, Mia. I have to. It’s what I have to do.

MIA
Listen to me. You say you love her.

ALEX
I do.

MIA
I don’t think you do, but that’s not my concern right now.

ALEX
I do.

MIA
Let’s say you do. You love her. What does that mean?
 6.

ALEX
I... what?

MIA
What does it mean for you to love her?

ALEX
I... I want to be with her.

MIA
Ok. That’s not everything love is. What else?

ALEX
I don’t...

MIA
What else? Do you want her to be happy?

ALEX
Of course.

MIA
Do you want what’s best for her?

ALEX
Yes.

A moment.

MIA
You’re not going to like what I say next.

ALEX
Come on.

MIA
She loves him.
(beat)
She does.
(beat)
And she doesn’t... she doesn’t love you. Maybe she did. Maybe she didn’t. I don’t
know. But she loves him now.

ALEX
If I don’t go in there right now and tell her how I feel... I have to hold my peace forever.
 7.

MIA
Well, first, this is a rehearsal, the wedding is tomorrow. You could do this tomorrow, but
that is absolutely not what I’m suggesting.

ALEX
What are you suggesting?

MIA
That you go. Now. Away from here. That you consider that you don’t really love her.
That she loves the man she’s in that chapel with. That this marriage is what’s best for
her. That it will make her happy.

A moment.

ALEX
I don’t know what to say.

MIA
I hate to see you like this.

ALEX
I hate feeling like this. I can’t stop thinking about her. That if I let her go... there’s no
future for me. There’s no one else for me.
(beat)
I wish I didn’t feel like this anymore.

Mia crosses to Alex.

Mia kisses him on the mouth.

Mia steps back.

MIA
You should go.

ALEX
Yeah.

Mia opens the door to the left.

ALEX
Mia.

MIA
Yeah?
 8.

ALEX
Can I --

MIA
Tomorrow.

ALEX
Right.

MIA
Evening.
(beat)
I’m... busy... in the afternoon.

ALEX
Right.

Mia exits into the chapel, closing the door

behind her.

Alex touches his fingers to his lips.

Alex turns and goes out the doors to the right.

Lights down.

End.