Cast of Characters

Miriam Fairfax: A woman of about 50, she is Andrea’s mother and is concerned for the family name if their financial troubles are revealed.
Andrea Fairfax: A girl of about 20, she is loyal to her friends and family and a strong-willed person.
Hector:  A man of about 25, he is shallow and conceited, but his negative traits are often overlooked because he is from a wealthy family.
Mary, a maid

(Lights come up on a parlor with a doorway [UR] with a small entry and imaginary front door behind it. The parlor is furnished with a fancy highbacked chair [DR], a matching couch [DL], and tasteful rug [C/DC] in front of a fireplace and mantle [UC] with a Faberge egg resting in the center. MIRIAM stands in the door. She walks [DC] while studying the room and nodding her head slightly.)

MIRIAM
Ah, my Andrea… I suppose she is getting to the marrying age. And just in time, as well.
(Settling into the highbacked chair, she smoothes out her dress.)
I can’t bear to see my baby go, but she will be married into a good family. That is what a mother must do- find her a man that treats her well, has money and good standing. Like my mother did for me, I found Andrea a future. Hector is the perfect fit for my girl. I know he’s not the affectionate type but Andrea has never needed much coddling. With him, she will have a good reputation, money, a beautiful house- everything a girl could need.

ANDREA
(Enters through the doorway and pauses just inside the parlor)
It was Evelyn calling, mother. She asked if I can see a movie tomorrow.

MIRIAM
Of course you can’t. You are seeing Hector. A picture made for the masses is not nearly as important as your date.

ANDREA
Well, I thought I might call it off.

MIRIAM
Hector is a nice man, Andrea. It’s rude to cancel on such short notice. You need to put time and effort into a man if you intend to keep him.

ANDREA
(Walking slowly towards [C] and MIRIAM.)
I’m not sure about Hector, Mom. He never stops talking about himself and Evelyn said she heard-

MIRIAM
Evelyn is a gossip, darling; I wouldn’t trust a word she says.

ANDREA
(Stopping abruptly near [C].)
Mother! Evelyn is a dear friend of mine. I won’t have you speaking of her that way.

MIRIAM
You need to hear the truth, no matter how harsh.
(Leaning towards ANDREA.)
See here darling, Evelyn envies your success with men. It’s natural instinct for girls to fight over men. She’s only jealous of you. She’s telling you lies because you have a future with Hector. That’s petty, Andrea, and you can’t associate with such shallow people. You know what kind of family she comes from- in fact, I’ll guess she wants Hector for herself. She’s trying to steer you away from him and you can’t let her do that.

ANDREA
Evelyn is concerned for me, Mother. She’s looking out for my well-being.

MIRIAM
You can’t be sure of that, honey. I know about her type-

ANDREA
You mean poor.

MIRIAM
Financial status doesn’t always correspond to their values, but it is a fact that wealthy people have better morals. It is not rude, it is simply a fact of life.

ANDREA
You can’t see past the surface.  All you see is money so you refuse to give Evelyn a chance.

MIRIAM
The very same with you and Hector.

ANDREA
I’ve given him a thousand chances, Mother.

MIRIAM
Perhaps a thousand one is what he needs.
(MIRIAM stands and crosses to the fireplace, looking at the egg.)
When I was a girl I had the same conversation with my mother. Can you believe I was adventurous like you? I snuck out at night to see my little boyfriend and got caught all the time. But I will never forget what my mother said when I got to be your age. She sat me down and told me, Miriam, you need to take responsibility for your future.
(Reaching for the egg and turning towards Andrea.)
She entrusted me with our heirloom then and I’ll tell you what she said. Andrea, life and this egg are much alike. Beautiful, priceless, and fragile. You have to care for yourself, because if you fall you may break. When an egg breaks, a life is lost, but if you care for it, it hatches. The hen doesn’t want to sit on a nest all day, but she knows she needs to keep the egg safe, and sometimes that takes sacrifices.

ANDREA
So you’re saying I have to sacrifice my happiness and marry Hector so I don’t ruin my life.

MIRIAM
True happiness lies in security, Andrea. Contentment is the most we can ask for.

ANDREA
It’s not the most I can ask for.

MIRIAM
I didn’t believe my mother either. Here, just hold it a moment.

(MIRIAM hands ANDREA the egg. ANDREA turns it over and MIRIAM waits expectantly.)

ANDREA
I don’t want it.

MIRIAM
(nervously)
Of course you do, dear. You deserve it.

ANDREA
I won’t settle for contentment, mother. I don’t think Hector could give me even that. Take it back.
(Holding the egg away from herself)
It may be enough for you, but I don’t want Hector, and I don’t want your approval, and I don’t want the stupid egg!

(MIRIAM steps forward and reaches for the egg, but trips and knocks it from ANDREA’S grasp. They both fall and the egg smashes on the floor.)

MIRIAM
(Pulling herself up by the arm of the chair, tearfully)
Now look what you’ve done.

ANDREA
Oh, mother, I never meant to- What’s this?
(Finds a small piece of paper among the pieces, holding it up)
“Made in Illinois.”
(Looking at MIRIAM, who brushes away tears daintily)
It was a fake. Did you know?

(MIRIAM sinks back into her chair, ANDREA stands across from her)

MIRIAM
Oh, Andrea. We sold the Fabrege years ago, when your father was having his- gambling phase. We were losing so much money.  I couldn’t bear for anyone to know and so I- I bought a ceramic replica. It looked almost identical, didn’t it?
(MIRIAM gives a small laugh and wipes her eyes.)
No one could tell. Not even your father.

ANDREA
It wasn’t as bad as that, was it? I don’t remember-

MIRIAM
You were still a little girl, dear. I didn’t tell you. I told no one but the collector I sold it to.
(A short silence while ANDREA picks up a few egg shards.)
You see now why you must marry Hector. I know you have your fun, but Hector can support you, and when I am older- I could never work, Andrea, do you know what that would do to our image? The Fairfax name will be tainted when our “lack of funds” gets out. Hector can change all of that, if only you would let him.

(While they argue, MARY answers the door and gestures to the parlor. HECTOR gives her his hat and goes to greet ANDREA and MIRIAM. He stands in the doorway for ANDREA’S last sentence.)
ANDREA
You only like him for his money, don’t you? You’re defending Hector because he doesn’t know we’re poor and he can dig our family name out of the dirt. What do you think would happen if Hector found out about our little predicament?

MIRIAM
Andrea! How dare you. Hector is a respectable man from a respectable family. I’m certain he’s pursuing you because he enjoys your company.

ANDREA
I don’t enjoy his. He doesn’t care about me at all. He only talks about his interests, his accomplishments, what he wants from me. He doesn’t take a moment to consider what I may want from him, and now you’re telling me the only thing that matters is money. You and Hector are so similar- it’s the exact same way of thinking.

ANDREA
I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks. I know what he’s like, and I’ll tell you one thing for sure! Hector wouldn’t give me a second look if he knew!

HECTOR
If I knew what?

MIRIAM
Hector! Andrea and I were just having a little squabble, weren’t we dear? Do come in, please, to what do we owe this occasion?

HECTOR
I thought I’d pay Andrea a visit and make sure we’re still on for tomorrow night.
(HECTOR crosses to ANDREA [C], stepping on a small piece of egg as he reaches her, and lifts his foot to examine it)
Did someone drop a cup?

MIRIAM
Oh dear- Yes, yes, exactly that. Mary! Mary, bring a broom. She dropped it when she brought afternoon tea- I should let her go. What do you think, Hector? I do think I pay her too much.

HECTOR
Likely you do. Maids these days just sit around and steal liquor when they should be making themselves useful. That’s what our maid did, and I fired her myself. You have to take charge with these people, make them take you seriously.

ANDREA
Mary has never stolen from us.

HECTOR
You don’t know that, sweetpea. They can be very good at hiding it.
(MARY enters with a broom and dustpan and sweeps up the remaining shards. ANDREA reaches out to hand her the large pieces she has and HECTOR stops her, giving MARY all but one)
Here’s a tip for when you’re managing a house, Andrea. Keep one of these larger pieces so that you can match the cup.
(MARY moves to exit)
Now wait here, Mary. Did you apologize to Mrs. Fairfax for breaking her cup?

MARY
Sir, I didn’t break any cup.

HECTOR
What do you think is in that dustpan, then? Looks like you’re having a lapse of memory here, Mary. I do say your cheeks look a little pink- wouldn’t you agree, Mrs. Fairfax?

MIRIAM
Well, I imagine there’s any number of explanations for that-

HECTOR
Now Mrs. Fairfax, listen here because I know how they do it, too. If you ever notice your drink seems watered down, you can’t just go blaming it on the ice. No, that’s how they do it. They’ll take a little bit for themselves, just a little, and make up for it with water. Just enough so they get their nip, but not enough that you can taste it. Do you keep vodka in the house, Mrs. Fairfax? That’s the worst one because they don’t have to worry about the color change. It’s more common than you think. I wouldn’t have suspected our dear Ruth of anything, but it turned out she had been taking it little by little for years. It was a shame to see her go but you have to understand letting it go once will just encourage-

ANDREA
Leave her be, Hector.

HECTOR
Andrea, darling, I know you don’t want to believe it, no one would, but you have to wonder what she’s been doing while this mess just sat here.

MIRIAM
(Standing, placing a hand on MARY’S shoulder)
She’s been preparing dinner, haven’t you, Mary?

MARY
Yes ma’am.

MIRIAM
You’re dismissed, dear. Thank you.
(MARY exits)
I do not appreciate your “taking charge” of my house, Hector.

HECTOR
Just sharing my knowledge, Mrs. Fairfax. I wouldn’t want you to be taken advantage of. In any case, it’s a shame that teacup broke. The set won’t be complete and the coloring!
(Gestures to the shard ANDREA is holding)
You certainly know interior decoration, Mrs. Fairfax. I’d say that teacup perfectly matches this room, and especially that beautiful Fabrege on your mantle.
(Looking for the egg and not finding it)
Say, where is it?

MIRIAM
Ah, Hector, why- Andrea is holding it.

HECTOR
But that’s a ceramic shard. I haven’t had a chance to closely examine your particular piece, Mrs. Fairfax, but I do consider myself a bit of an expert on art, and I do believe Fabreges are made chiefly out of precious metals, not ceramics.

MIRIAM
It was a fake Fabrege.

HECTOR
It was stolen? Have you alerted the authorities? I know of a private detective who-

MIRIAM
You misunderstand. It wasn’t stolen; I bought the fake myself after I sold the real egg.

HECTOR
You sold the Fabrege? Your family heirloom?

MIRIAM
I never wanted to. Andrea’s father left us with a great deal of debt. It was the Fabrege or the house.

HECTOR
And the Fairfax fortune-

MIRIAM
Oh, that was nearly gone before dear Edmund passed away. I’m afraid we’re living on the last of it now.

ANDREA
Mother, you didn’t tell me that.

MIRIAM
I suppose it was time that I did.

HECTOR
(Moving towards the door)
Well, I’ll let you two talk privately. The reason why I stopped by, Andrea, was to tell you I might not be available tomorrow. In fact, I would guess I’m not going to be able to make it. I am sorry to tell you on such short notice but ah, you can’t help what comes up, can you?

ANDREA
It’s all right, Hector. I wasn’t coming anyways.

(HECTOR exits. ANDREA takes a seat on the couch and MIRIAM joins her.)

MIRIAM
We’ve had quite an eventful day, haven’t we? Much more exciting than a date with Hector.

ANDREA
Mother, I’m so sorry you had to tell him all of that.

MIRIAM
No, no, it was quite a weight to get off my chest. I do feel much better with everything out in the open. Besides, Hector certainly does grate on the nerves. I can’t imagine being trapped in a house with him.
(Both laugh)
Say, Andrea, would you mind terribly if I joined you going to that picture tomorrow? It’s a bit spur-of-the-moment but I’m feeling inspired to get in touch with that side of me again. After all, the hen can only sit for so long before she realizes it’s quite boring.

(ANDREA laughs and embraces MIRIAM. The lights dim.)
END