SETTING:

The big top.

AT RISE:

FIRENELLI and TIM are in the big top. MR. BEANS, DAVID, ANGELA, SUE, TONI, and TERRI are also in the big top going about their business. MR. BEANS is watching TIM and FIRENELLI. FIRENELLI is teaching TIM a trick. THEY face one another and lock arms. FIRENELLI puts one leg back and the other forward so that TIM can step up on HIS knee.

FIRENELLI

Hup!

(TIM steps up on FIRENELLI'S knee and goes into a handstand on FIRENELLI'S shoulders. HE is very shaky.)

Keep your legs together! Together.

(TIM tries to compensate. HE falls.)

TIM

I'm sorry.

FIRENELLI

Why? If you never fall you never tried. Now, let's try again.

(THEY face each other again.)

Hup!

(TIM goes up. HE is a little steadier.)

Don't try to balance. Remember, you are the dummy. There. There. Now stretch. Arch your back. No. No. Look at me!

(TIM wavers. HE loses HIS balance and falls.)

Don't worry. That was much better. Point your toes. And remember, I will do the balancing. You are the dummy.

TIM

I'll try. It's hard.

FIRENELLI

It's not hard. It's so easy you think it's hard. Now relax.

(THEY face each other once again. LAURA enters. SHE is disheveled and fatigued. She stops short upon seeing TIM. SHE is not noticed by the OTHERS.)

Hup!

(TIM goes up.)

TIM

Hey!

(TIM is steady this time.)

FIRENELLI

Good! Good! Do you remember what I showed you about the dismount? Ready? Hup!

TIM

Hey!

(TIM flies up, does a half twist, and lands in a sitting position in FIRENELLI'S arms.)

FIRENELLI

Perfect!

TIM

I did it!

FIRENELLI

Of course you did it. You are a Firenelli.

(TIM sees LAURA.)

TIM

Mom!

(LAURA crosses to FIRENELLI, TIM, and MR. BEANS.)

LAURA

What do you think you're doing?

TIM

Did you see me? I did it! Did you see me Grandpa Beans?

MR. BEANS

It was incredible.

TIM

It's easy.

MR. BEANS

No.

TIM

It's so easy it looks hard. Grandpa Roberto could teach anybody anything. I bet he could even teach you. Did you see me Mom?

(To FIRENELLI.)

When can I go on the trapeze?

LAURA

No! Tim Smith. Look at me. What do you think you're doing?

TIM

Learning how to go on the trapeze.

LAURA

Who told you you could do that?

TIM

Nobody. I just am.

MR. BEANS

We tried to call you but there wasn't any answer.

LAURA

I wasn't there. I was driving.

MR. BEANS

Driving?

LAURA

How do you think I got here? Somebody kidnapped my son. I had to come get him.

MR. BEANS

Kidnapped? Nobody kidnapped Tim. We didn't know anything about it.

LAURA

I suppose he ran along behind the train and you never knew a thing until he walked into breakfast.

TERRI

He hid in my trunk.

LAURA

What?

TERRI

My trunk. He hid in it.

LAURA

A trunk? When did you find him?

TERRI

When we got here. I went to get my bath robe and there he was.

LAURA

He rode in a trunk all the way here? Tim, you could have suffocated!

TIM

I'm all right.

TERRI

It's an old trunk. It has a lot of holes.

LAURA

Three hundred miles in a trunk.

MR. BEANS

Two hundred fifty.

LAURA

What were you thinking of? What if nobody had come to get you out? You could have been trapped in it and nobody would have had any idea. How in the world did he ever get into a trunk without anybody seeing him? Tim, how did you get in the trunk?

TIM

I just snuck in. I saw this trunk and I got in it.

LAURA

You're lucky you're not still stuck in that thing. Didn't anybody see him? How can a ten year old boy walk in in the middle of a strike and stow away in a trunk?

(LAURA is on the verge of hysteria.)

MR. BEANS

You know how confused it gets.

LAURA (to TIM)

Do you know what you did? Do you know how dangerous it was?

TIM

I...

LAURA

We don't need to talk about it now. I'm not ready to talk about it. We'll talk later.

(TIM knows HE is in very big trouble.)

TERRI

It's not his fault. He didn't know any better.

LAURA

He knew better. What kind of crazy place is this?

FIRENELLI

It is where he belongs.

MR. BEANS (to FIRENELLI)

Shh!

LAURA

I put my son to bed at eight o:clock last night. At one o:clock I go in and he's gone.

MR. BEANS

We're sorry Laura.

LAURA

What are you sorry about? You didn't know anything. He was locked in a trunk. What if nobody had been there to get him out?

(MR. BEANS reaches to hold HER to comfort HER but SHE breaks away across the tent. LAURA is shaking from the strain. ANGELA catches up with HER to comfort HER.)

LAURA

I'm sorry. I'll be all right

ANGELA

It's all right Laura. It's all right. It's over now. Tim is safe. Do you want to go sit down?

LAURA

No.

(After a moment LAURA does sit. ANGELA sits beside her. ANGELA puts HER hands on LAURA'S. LAURA calms down. FIRENELLI tentatively approaches LAURA.)

FIRENELLI

Laura. It is time we should make peace.

(SHE turns to FIRENELLI.)

LAURA

Peace?

FIRENELLI

You are the wife of my son. Tim is his child. We are a family.

LAURA

In your family men die. What were you teaching him?

FIRENELLI

What I taught my son. What my son would have taught his son.

LAURA

You want to make Tim into another Bobby?

FIRENELLI

It would be a fine thing for Tim to be like Bobby.

LAURA

Bobby is dead!

FIRENELLI

He is a Firenelli.

LAURA

He is my son. I am the mama. With the papa dead my word is the law.

MR. BEANS

He's our grandson.

(MIKLOS enters from the opposite side of the big top and crosses to the OTHERS.)

MIKLOS

Laura! You are here. I tell George, don't worry, she is on here way here, but still he worries. George, don't worry, look, she is here.

(Silence from EVERYBODY.)

What is wrong? Laura has come here to stay with us, to say I love all of you, I have made a big mistake, the circus is my home. --- Yes?

(The silence says no. MIKLOS speaks to Laura)

You look horrible. I am sorry. I forget my manners. Of course you don't look horrible. But you don't look good. You are unhappy. You would look better if you were happy.

LAURA

We have to go.

MIKLOS

Go? Look at you. You are too tired to go.

LAURA

I'll get a motel room and sleep for a few hours.

MIKLOS

A motel room? Do you hate us so much? We are your family. (To Jaspar) Give me an idea. (To LAURA) Look at Tim how happy he is here.

LAURA

He was happy before.

MIKLOS

He didn't know any better. How could he be happy? If he would have known he would have been unhappy.

(To Jaspar, aside.)

Happy-unhappy, unhappy-happy. This is not a very good idea. I need a better one. --- What?! No, I won't do it. Are you sure? If Laura gets in her car and drives straight home it is all your fault.

(To LAURA.)

You are a selfish woman. When Bobby dies you think only of yourself.--- When we need each other the most you turn away from us. George, how do you feel when Laura left us? --- Come! Come! Why are you so shy?

MR. BEANS

I felt bad.

MIKLOS

George, you are eloquent. You see, you made your father feel bad.

MIKLOS

Roberto, how did you feel?

FIRENELLI

Like my heart was cut out of me.

MIKLOS

That is better. Angela? How did you feel?

ANGELA

I don't remember.

MIKLOS

Come, tell us.

ANGELA

I don't remember. I was only nine.

MIKLOS

You try to protect Laura's feelings. Tell us.

ANGELA

I felt like she died too. Bobby, and Laura, and little Tim. All dead at once!

(SHE sobs. LAURA crosses to comfort HER. LAURA is sobbing too.)

Why can't you leave her alone? Can't you see how she feels? You're not being fair.

MIKLOS

I am very fair. I am not nice. Do you remember Bobby?

ANGELA

Of course I remember Bobby.

MIKLOS

But you were only nine. (To Laura) Angela missed you very much. She cried every night. It is true. You were a sister to her. You see how much she loves you still.

LAURA

Stop it Miklos. What do you want me to say, that I'm a monster?

MIKLOS

You are no monster. Roberto is the monster.

LAURA

Do you want me to say that everything was all my fault? I'll say that if you want. When Bobby fell, that was my fault. When he missed the net, that was my fault. When he died, that was my fault. It was all my fault.

MIKLOS

When Bobby fell, we all hit the ground.

LAURA

What do you want?

MIKLOS

To get back up again.

(There is a long pause.)

LAURA

I got back up. I made a new life.

MIKLOS

I am happy for you. Go back to your happy life. Go back to your PTA, your job from nine to five, your crabgrass, your weeds, your house that is just a house and no home because you have locked your family out.

(Pause.)

We will miss you at the wedding.

(There is complete silence. The only one who knows anything about a wedding is MIKLOS.)

LAURA

Wedding?

TERRI & SUE

Wedding?

MIKLOS

Yes, David and Angela. Didn't you know?

ANGELA

What?

MIKLOS

Come, come. There is no need to keep it a secret.

FIRENELLI

What is he talking about?

MR. BEANS

A wedding.

FIRENELLI

I heard that. I have ears.

MR. BEANS

Why didn't you tell us?

FIRENELLI

Why didn't they tell me? What is he talking about Angela?

ANGELA

I don't know.

FIRENELLI

Angela, I am the papa!

MIKLOS

It is no use Angela. You will have to invite your father to the wedding.

FIRENELLI

Angela?!

(MIKLOS takes FIRENELLI aside.)

MIKLOS

Roberto, today, this hour, Laura is with us, but tomorrow, in another hour, she will be gone. What do we do? What will make her to stay? She will stay for Angela.

FIRENELLI

Angela? What are you talking about?

MIKLOS

Look at how your daughter defends her. See how they stand together. She will stay for Angela's wedding.

FIRENELLI

What good will it be for her to stay for a wedding? After the wedding she will still be gone.

MIKLOS

We will worry about after the wedding after the wedding.

FIRENELLI

Angela is not getting married. It is one of your tricks.

MIKLOS

It is not a trick. Angela must be married.

(FIRENELLI breaks back to the rest of the group.)

FIRENELLI

No! Miklos is making crazy plans. He has made up the whole thing. There will be no wedding.

DAVID

Why not? Why shouldn't there be? Angela, why not?

MIKLOS

Good David. Good.

(DAVID crosses to ANGELA.)

FIRENELLI

No.

DAVID

Will you marry me Angela?

ANGELA

Papa?

FIRENELLI

I forbid it. She is too young!

ANGELA

I am not too young. I love him.

FIRENELLI

You want to leave your Papa?

ANGELA

No.

FIRENELLI

There will be no wedding.

(MIKLOS takes LAURA aside.)

MIKLOS

You see how it is? Roberto will never give his consent--- unless we can make him think the wedding might bring you back to the circus. Of course there can be a wedding and you don't have anything to worry about, because nothing could bring you back to us.

LAURA

You haven't changed one bit, have you? You're still a devil.

MIKLOS

I have been talking with Jaspar late into the night.

(ANGELA crosses to the opposite end of the tent. LAURA lays into FIRENELLI.)

LAURA

Why won't you let her live her own life?

FIRENELLI

She is my daughter!

LAURA

She is old enough to make her own decisions.

FIRENELLI

The Papa must have a say.

LAURA

The Papa can't live his daughter's life!

FIRENELLI (Appealing to Angela)

Angela!

LAURA (to Angela)

Do you want to get married?

ANGELA

Yes.

FIRENELLI

I forbid it!

LAURA

It's not his decision. It's yours.

ANGELA

Papa.

FIRENELLI

How can you marry this boy Angela? He is clumsy. He is a clown. He is the favorite of the man who has kept my grandson hidden from me for ten years.

MR. BEANS

I did not!

LAURA

It's your life Angela.

ANGELA

I want to get married Papa.

FIRENELLI

You can't. Not without the permission of the Papa.

LAURA

David?

DAVID

Will you marry me Angela?

ANGELA

Yes.

FIRENELLI

No.

LAURA

If you're the man Bobby thought you were they will be married with your blessing.

FIRENELLI

Look at him. He would trip over a breeze.

TIM

I like David. He's funny.

FIRENELLI (to MIKLOS)

What kind of children will she have with this funny clown?

MIKLOS

Wonderful children. They will make perfect babies together. So many you can't count.

FIRENELLI

He has two left feet.

MIKLOS

Ah, but if your two left feet are born of a Firenelli you could dance on the stars. When you are old like me you will have a whole troop of clowns and fliers hanging on your knee, soaking up every word from their famous grandpapa Roberto.

FIRENELLI

No. It is too fast. Too fast.

(FIRENELLI exits.)

ANGELA

Papa!

(SHE is about to start out after HIM but MIKLOS intercepts HER.)

MIKLOS

Now, when is the wedding? The day after tomorrow I think.

DAVID

The day after tomorrow?

MIKLOS

You would rather wait?

DAVID

No.

MIKLOS

Laura, you will stay for the wedding?

(LAURA will not speak to MIKLOS.)

TIM (to LAURA)

Can we?

(ANGELA'S look pleads for LAURA to stay.)

LAURA

We'll stay for Angela.

MIKLOS

(Indicating SUE, TONI, and TERRI.)

These three I think would be happy to help. They would make very good bridesmaids. What do you say Angela?

(ANGELA nods yes. SHE is dazed. DAVID takes HER and THEY exit.)

It is about time we had this wedding.

(He looks at LAURA.)

You will be here for Angela? She needs your help. She has never done this before.

(LAURA turns and looks very hard at MIKLOS. SHE then gathers up TIM and follows DAVID and ANGELA off.)

TERRI

Bridesmaids! I don't have anything to wear.

SUE

What about that green dress in the trunk?

TERRI

Not that one. It won't fit. I know it won't fit. It's the first time I've ever been a bridesmaid and it won't fit.

SUE

It can't fit if you don't try it on.

TONI

It fit me.

(TERRI looks TONI up and down.)

TERRI

It won't fit!

(SUE, TERRI, and TONI exit as they talk.)

MR. BEANS

What next? What are we going to do? What's your plan?

(MIKLOS is silent.)

Well, at least she'll be here for the wedding. What kind of flowers do you think we should get?

MIKLOS

Flowers?! What do I know about flowers? Do I look like a bee?

(BLACKOUT)

End of Scene 2