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ActOneSceneOneMidApril.Earlyevening.LIGHTSFADEUPontheMontgomery'slivingroom.DavidandDelilahsitonthecouch,discussingJames'acceptancelettertoUSC.Bothhaveaglassofwinetocelebrate.Excitementisintheair..Delilah:

Unbelievable!Oursonisjustunbelievable!Itlookslikeallofthoseyearsoffootballtrainingpaidoff.

David:Ourson,finallymakingsomethingofhimself.(HetakesletterfromDelilah)Doyouthinkthatheunderstandstheconditionofthisscholarship?Imeanit'sprettyclearwhattheschool'sintentionsarewiththeathleticsprogram.

Delilah:

Whataretheconditions? David:

ItsaysherethatJameshastoleaveaweekafterhisgraduationtobegintrainingwiththeteam.(Helooksathiswife).Iguesswewon'thavehimaroundforverymuchlonger.

Delilah:

I'msoproudofhim,butIwishwegottoholdontohimlonger.Doyouthinkhereadtheconditions?He'llhavetotellMarysoon.

David:

I'mnotworriedaboutthem. Delilah:

Iam.They'retooyoungtobesoserious,andnowthatJameshasthisfootballscholarship,he'llhavetofocusextraonfinishinghissenioryear

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David:(interrupting)He'llbefine.He'sasmartkid.

Delilah:

Isuppose. Delilahtakestheletterandwalkstowardsthewindow.ShenoticesJamesandMary(offstage)talkinginthebackyard.Sheturnsbacktoherhusband. Delilah:

David? David:

Yes,mydear? Delilah:

Ithinkyouneedtotalktohim.AboutMary,Imean.Shehastoknowsoon.Ithinkitwouldbeashameiftheytriedtocarryontherelationshipwhilehewasacrossthecountry.

David:

Dee,whatareyoutalkingabout?WasMarynotacceptedtoUSC?Ithoughtsheappliedmonthsago?

Delilah:Lydiacalledmelastweek.ShehadmentionedthatMarywasrejectedoronthedelayedacceptancelistorsomethinglikethat.Maybeshewillstayinstate...

David:That'shorrible.Maryisasmartgirl.Sheshouldhavegottenin.

ENTERJamesandMary.Theycarryintheirschoolbooks,notebooks,etc.DelilahtensesatthesightofMary.

James:

Heyguys.I'mgoingtodriveMaryhome.It'sgettinglate,andshehasatesttomorrow.

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Mary:Thankyou,Delilah,David,forlettingmestayfordinner.

David:Itwasourpleasure.Tellyourparentswesayhello.

Delilahnoticesthetime.

Delilah:Mary,it'sonly9:30,whynotstayfordessert.I'msureJameshassomeexcitingnewsforyou.

Mary:I'vealreadyheard.FullridetoUSC.

Delilah:

Andhowdoyoufeelaboutthat?Haveyoudecidedonaschoolyet?BecauseIwastalkingwithyourmotheryesterday...

Mary:Well,actually

Delilah:YourmothertoldmewhathappenedwithUSC.I'mverysorry.

Mary:

Itwasoutofmycontrol,andyouknowhowthingsgetlost

Thatslifeforyou.Mistakeshappen,especiallywhenyouare(careless)...

Mary:Icanalwaystryfornextschoolyear.

James:(hesitantly)Yeah,wellmom,Ineedtogetherbackbeforecurfew.Besides,you'veinvitedherforFridaynightdinner...

Mary:Mrs.Montgomery,Iwouldlovetocomebackanothertime.It'sjustIhavesomuchmorehomeworktodoandhonorspaperworkand...

Delilah:(firmly)I'mnotholdingyouback,dear.

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Silence.Tensionrises.Marylooksand

JamesDavidandDelilahexchangesternglances.Davidbreaksthesilence.

David:

James,goonandtakeMaryhometoherparents.IwouldnotlikeanotherphonecallfromMarkabouthermissingcurfew.Again.

MaryandJamesmakeadashtowardsthedoor.

David:

James,youmustbebackby10:15pm.Understood?

Jamesnods.MaryandJamesEXIT.DavidstandsandaddressesDelilah.

David:

Dee,I'mnotgoingtoletyoutreathisrelationshipwithMarythisway.It'snotfairtothem.They'regoodkids.Theywouldnevergetintrouble.MaryhasbeenoneofthebestthingsforJamessincehegotintroublewiththeboardhisfreshmanyear.Letthembe.

Delilah:David.Somethingiswrongaboutthatlittlegirl.

David:We'veknowMarkandLydiaforyearsandyou'veneveractedthiswayabouttheirdaughter.

Delilah:David,Icanjusttellsomethingisnotquitetherewithher.Idon'tbelievethatsheistrouble,butthereisalwaysacalmbeforethestorm.

DavidtakesDelilah'shands.

David:Dee,therecouldn'tpossiblybeanythingwrongwiththeirrelationship.DidwenotagreetoletJamesbemoreindependent?Thiswouldincludelettinghimdatewhohewantsto.They'vebeentogetherforthreeyears!Weshouldbecelebratingtheirrelationship.

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Delilah:

Idon'tthinkateenageboyshouldbesoseriousaboutagirl.

David:Dee,Wewerenineteenwhenwemet.Twentytwowhenwegotmarried.Helovesher.Can'twesupporthim?

Delilah:Idon'twantoursontobesoserious.Whatifsomethinghappenswiththem?Idon'tthinkIcouldhandleLydiaifJameseverhurtMary.

David:Idon'tseeanyreasontoworry.(Hecheckshiswatch).Hehasfiveminutestowalkthroughthatfrontdoor,orhe'sgrounded.Ha,ha,wehavetopreparehimforfootballbootcamp.

Delilah:Ihaveanidea.

David:Thiscan'tbegood...

Delilah:Let'slockthefrontdoor.We'llseeifherememberedhiskey.Ifhedid,thenImightconsiderhimresponsible...

David:Idon'tseewhereyou'regoingwiththis.

Delilahtakeshiswineglassandfillstheirglasses.

Delilah:

(Withaforcedyawn)Ah,DavidAlexanderMontgomery?Ibelieveyouknowwhatathirdglassofwinemeans?

David:Mydear,youneedtogotobed.(Hetakesthewine)Iwillwaitupforhim.Gotobed.

Delilah:Fine.Iwasceasingthisrareopportunity...

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David:Goodnight,Dee.

DelilahEXITS.Davidfixesthecouch,

setsthewinedown,andthesoundofthefrontdoorisheard.James,

slightlydisheveled,entersthelivingroom.

James:Dad,Iloveher.She'stheone.Ijustknowit.

David:James.WeneedtotalkaboutyouandMary.

BLACKOUT.