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A DESK COVERED IN SHOES – some white, some half-done, some painted completely. An old, black, Casio boombox sits on the counter above the desk, alongside hundreds of paintbrushes, acrylic paint, water jars, sketches, colour swatches, and inspirational imagery. about the desk are newspaper laid on the floor, a multitude of plants, and in front of the desk a wooden stool, unvarnished. a spring light shines into the greenhouse.

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MAGDA sits at the desk upon the stool, painting a shoe with a delicate design. Her hair is done up in a messy bun, and held in with pencils. She wears denim overalls and wide, round spectacles. She hums along to the tune from the Boombox – a 90’s slow jam.

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MAGDA:

(half humming, quietly) Lately, been thinkin’ ‘bout you baby…

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ADELE is Magda’s grandmother. She has long, silver hair and a knowing, wise smile. She is still full of vim despite being over 60. She enters through the glass conservatory door with a tray of tea and biscuits.

 

ADELE: 

What’s today’s design?

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MAGDA:

(not looking from her work) Good morning, Nana. Today I’m doing cherry blossoms.

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ADELE:

Ah, it’s that time of year again.

(pause)
(wistfully) Has it really been a whole year?

 

MAGDA sets her brush down in the water jar, and looks over to ADELE, who sets the tray down carefully on the desk, looking meaningfully at the shoes in Magda’s hand.

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MAGDA: 

It has, Nana. (she puts the shoe down)

How are you feeling? Do you want to go and visit her?

 

ADELE: 

(firmly) She’s not there.

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Silence

 

MAGDA:

Nana… it might help?

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ADELE: 

Tea? I brought you that raspberry and lemon stuff – not proper tea, doesn’t even have any milk—

 

MAGDA:

(interrupting)—Nana, please.

 

ADELE: 

I know, I know, you don’t drink milk anymore, it’s all about that vee-jun stuff.

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MAGDA:

I’m talking about Mam.

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Pause

 

ADELE:

I know what you’re talking about, Mags.

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MAGDA:

Why won’t you go see her?

 

ADELE:

Because. She’s not there.

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MAGDA:

Even so, Nana. It might help.

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ADELE: 

With what? Losing my child? (backtracking a moment)

Not that I’m not grateful you chose to stay with me. I appreciate that you could have taken your inheritance and run off to London. I am grateful, Mags. I just… I miss her, but she’s gone. And she’s not in that grave. She’s just… gone.

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MAGDA:

She’s still here, really. You gave half of yourself to her. Half of her blood runs in my veins. You and I, Nana, we have her. She’s still here.

 

ADELE:

I’m glad you see it like that, my darling, but I simply can’t.

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MAGDA slides off the stool and wraps her arms around ADELE in a gentle, heartfelt hug.

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The stage lights turn from spring daylight to a gentle blue. The Boombox music fades with the light to silence.

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ADELE breaks from MAGDA’s embrace, who stays frozen in time. ADELE approaches the front of the stage, and speaks with depression in her tone.

 

ADELE:

Her name, I don’t dare to say, for fear it will break not only the silence, but also my heart. Sometimes I see too much of her in Magda’s face and wonder if it is pain, or gratitude, or envy?

     (turning back to Magda as she speaks)

I will not stand at her grave and weep
She is not there; she does not sleep.

(turning back to stage front)

 The heartbreak to see her staring back at me from beyond the grave. The warmth at the sight of them in the face of a girl I love, too, the way I loved her. Wondering why there isn’t enough of myself in there to feel that the connection remains? I must keep this one a little longer. Just a little while longer…

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ADELE moves back to embrace MAGDA, and both freeze once more.

 

The light turns from blue to blood-red.

 

MAGDA breaks free from ADELE and moves to take the former front of stage position held before her.

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MAGDA:

Her name was irrelevant to me, because to me, she was “Mam”. Mother. And she abandoned me. I want to do the same to Nana, I want to run away to London with the money Mama left. With the money she racked up while I waited at home, with a plate of smiley potato faces, off-brand ketchup, and a rip-off of a Disney princess movie.

(turning back to Adele)

In spring the flowers bloom for all
Then summer comes and down they fall.

(turning back to stage front)

I can’t do it, though. I can’t be the woman who runs, who leaves, for whatever purpose. I’ll stay and wait it out, no matter how long the grieving takes. No matter how many times Nana looks in my eyes, as if for the last time.

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MAGDA returns to hug ADELE.

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Light returns to a spring day.

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MAGDA and ADELE are animated once again. They both separate from the embrace, but maintain their held hands.

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ADELE: 

I simply can’t see it that way.

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MAGDA:

I know, Nana. But I’m still here.

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Pause

 

 ADELE lets go of MAGDA's hands, turning to pick up both of their mugs of tea. She offers one to MAGDA, who takes it with a warm smile. She slides back up on to her stool and dries out her brush, as ADELE wanders a few steps to gaze out over an unseen garden beyond the greenhouse windows.

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ADELE:

It’s nice out here. You can see the garden.

 

She takes a sip of tea, and as she swallows, nods her head towards a bloom.

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A dappled pink and white light flickers against Stage-Left background. The effect almost touches Adele’s figure but not quite. A flute plays a soft, sorrowful melody.

 

ADELE:

Is that what’s inspired you, love? The blossoms?

 

MAGDA:

I’ve made them permanent, now. Now that they’re on these, I can see them all year ‘round.

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ADELE:

You’re very clever, Mags. Are you making enough out of this talent of yours?

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MAGDA:

I make enough.

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ADELE:

You’d make more if you opened a boutique? (shrugs)

 Still, I suppose you’d have to settle down somewhere to do that. And there’s not exactly a trade to be done out here in the back end of nowhere.

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Silence

 

MAGDA:

I’m making plenty, Nana. Don’t you worry.

 

The light fades so that only the pink dapple effect remains, just for an extra 5 seconds. Then lights cut to black.

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