by Debra Oswald
DOROTHY looks to the audience—see what I mean? CELIA signals goodbye to JOE as she exits.
JOE walks by SHEENA.
Sheena. I spoke to the mechanic. The parts came, so your car’s ready to pick up whenever—
SHEENA: When I get the money.
JOE: Sure. Right.
SHEENA realises she sounded snappy and rude.
SHEENA: Sorry. Sorry… I’m just—
JOE: You’ve got a lot to worry about.
SHEENA: Yeah.
JOE: Give me a yell if you guys need anything.
SHEENA: You’re being so nice to us. That’s your job in town, isn’t it?—being the nice, helpful guy.
JOE: Eh?
SHEENA: Oh, I’m not having a go at you. I’m saying it’s a good thing. Decent.
JOE: Oh, well… I don’t know if—
SHEENA: I’m just saying I reckon—Look, y’know, thanks.
KIERAN and ZOE have a parting kiss before SHEENA drags
KIERAN off. JOE goes to leave. ZOE steps in his path.
ZOE: What were you talking to Mum about? I saw her doing the worried face.
JOE: Yeah, well, she’s—
ZOE: She thinks I can’t see it. But I’ve been copping that face all day.
JOE: Go easy on her.
ZOE: Come on, you must know what it’s like. You’ve got a crazy paranoid mother, too.
JOE: Your mother’s not crazy, Zoe. I don’t know how much she talks to you about the past.
ZOE: I do think about what happened to Mum. I’m not heartless.
JOE: I know you’re not.
ZOE: But it’s a bit unreal, y’know. I’ve got photos of my dad and I try to imagine stuff, but…
JOE: My mother and father never talked much about the war and ’56 and after. But there’d be odd mentions—people who died, went missing. I kept a mental tally, adding up all the dead people in my head. I think—when your parents have huge loss like that—you grow up with an extra burden. Extra pressure to stay alive.
ZOE: And stay happy. I can’t even let on if I’m feeling down, in case she gets panicky.
JOE: [smiling] Yeah. But they still know. You can’t fool them.
ZOE: You think I should let her lock me away.
JOE: No. Just understand where it comes from.
ZOE: I can’t let that decide everything.
JOE: Well… maybe that’s right.
He squeezes her in an affectionate hug.
Take care, Zoe.
JOE exits.
CELIA enters and watches ZOE tip her head back and let water from a bottle run through her hair and down her singlet. She inhales deeply, stretching her limbs with achy pleasure. CELIA watches ZOE.
ZOE: I know you’re there.
CELIA: I was thinking how beautiful you are.
ZOE: You want to reach into my head and check out every thought that’s in here.
CELIA: You used to tell me every thought. But I know that time’s over.
ZOE: Yeah?
CELIA: I just want you to be careful. You know so little about Kieran and maybe you should—
ZOE: You don’t understand.
CELIA: It’s exciting. This is the first time you’ve really liked a guy.
ZOE: ‘Liked’.
CELIA: Okay, more than like. I’m saying I understand you’re giddy with this and—
ZOE: No. You don’t want to understand.
CELIA: Of course I want to understand. Why would you say that?
ZOE: I can see the way you’re setting your jaw, that warnings will come out of your mouth and ‘what ifs’ and ‘always remember’.
CELIA: But can’t I—?
ZOE: No. Shut your mouth. I won’t listen to you pour your poison on this.
ZOE walks off and CELIA retreats inside.
SCENE SIX
Night.
KIERAN emerges from the shack, towelling his hair dry. ZOE comes running out of the orchard, breathless.
KIERAN: What’s up? You okay?
ZOE: I was thinking.
KIERAN: Yeah?
ZOE: That we should have sex now.
KIERAN: Oh. Right. If you want to. I mean, yes yes… y’know, great. That’d be great.
ZOE: But then I was thinking, what are my reasons? Would I just be using Kieran?
He laughs and reaches for her.
KIERAN: You can use me. That’s cool. Use me.
She pulls away, yabbering.
ZOE: I mean, would I just be fucking you to rile up my mother? Or for the sake of getting rid of it? I’ve never understood why people say ‘losing virginity’. What are you losing? The absence of something. Which is nothing. Really you’re gaining non-virginity. You’re gaining sexual experience. Which in a way is—
KIERAN: Zoe.
ZOE: Sorry. I’m raving on.
KIERAN: Which is cool. I just don’t know—
ZOE: Nervous. Sorry. But it’s complicated. I want to be sure what my reasons are. Sorry.
KIERAN: I’m not sure what you want me to do. We can keep talking if you—
ZOE: No. No.
KIERAN pulls her close and kisses her. He starts to unbutton her clothes.
Your hands are shaking.
KIERAN: [looking at his hands] Oh. Yeah.
ZOE: Why should you be nervous? You’ve done this before.
KIERAN: Never when I wasn’t off my face on something.
ZOE: Which is different, I guess.
KIERAN: Yes.
He stops for a moment, dropping his head on her shoulder.
And I’ve never done this with you.
ZOE: And what, that makes you nervous because—?
KIERAN: Doesn’t make me nervous. It amazes me.
ZOE grabs him, kissing him hungrily. Then she starts yanking at his jeans with mock desperation, making KIERAN laugh. She drags him into the orchard, offstage.
DOROTHY: [to the audience] Sometimes—if you make yourself still and quiet—you can tap into things that are going on in the world of people. Like tuning in to an underground radio station. Listening to the powerful moments from a thousand years ago, fifty years ago, or happening right now somewhere. For example, a moment of passion happening as I am speaking to you now.
SHEENA comes out of the shack just as KIERAN wanders back, dreamy, euphoric.
KIERAN: From over there, you can get a big lungful of warm peaches and it’s—ah…
KIERAN inhales deeply and staggers, mock stoned.
SHEENA: Kieran, we need to—
KIERAN: I’ve been thinking—I could get a job on a farm growing stuff. That’s something I could do, I reckon.
SHEENA: We could follow the picking circuit if you like. Grapes in Mildura, then head along the Murray in time for the tomatoes.
KIERAN: Why leave here? There’s plenty of work. We could finish the peaches, then the apricots.
SHEENA: The mother’s sniffing around, asking questions.
KIERAN: She’ll be right. Celia’s a bit freaked out, sure. You know what happened to Zoe’s dad. I mean, that poor lady. That’s why she gets worried.
SHEENA: I’m worried. This little girl’s using you.
KIERAN: What?
SHEENA: I watched that girl from the first day we got here. She’s out to get her thrills and give mummy the shits and have something to boast about to her little princess friends at school. ‘What I did in my summer holidays: I fucked a wild, trashy boy from Sydney.’
KIERAN: That is not true.
SHEENA: It’s gonna end up bringing big trouble for you. And when she’s had enough of her little adventure, that girl won’t give a toss what happens to you.
KIERAN: Sheena, don’t talk like that, okay.
SHEENA: You’ve gotta trust me on this. The sooner we get away from here—
ZOE: [whispering from the orchard] Kieran. Kieran.
ZOE holds up an armful of blankets. KIERAN’s face lights up the instant he sees her.
SHEENA: Kieran—
KIE
RAN: I don’t want to fight with you, okay Sheena, and I know you’re looking out for me and everything, but… y’know…
KIERAN runs off with ZOE into the orchard.
DOROTHY: [to the audience] There were three clear nights in a row.
KIERAN and ZOE appear out of the orchard, wrapped in blankets. They flop down on the ground together.
KIERAN: You’re so lucky to live here. I like that if you felt like a feed, you’d just reach up and grab something.
ZOE: It’s not always like this, you idiot. Only for three months.
KIERAN: Sure, sure—
ZOE: Half the year it’s just grey sticks.
KIERAN: But you know that inside the grey stick trees there’s little tiny peaches waiting to come out. [He flops flat on his back, staring at the sky.] I’ve been off my face a fair whack of the time since I was thirteen. Since I’ve been out on the road with Sheena, it’s like I’m waking up and seeing things for the first time. It’s like—oh, I want to explain this to you. I’ve been replaying stuff in my head.
ZOE: Like what?
KIERAN: Dumb stuff I did like going to a meeting with bikers, off my face, knowing Mick had a shotgun in the boot. It didn’t rattle me then, but now I’m scared shitless. It’s like now I’m feeling the fear I should have had then. My brain’s catching up with what my body’s been doing. Crazy, eh? All out of sync.
ZOE: Maybe you were out of sync before. But not now.
KIERAN: But the trouble is, trouble is—
KIERAN jumps to his feet, suddenly hyper.
ZOE: [with a laugh] Sit down. What are you doing?
KIERAN: Just let me say this, okay.
ZOE: What?
KIERAN: You know I got in trouble with the cops when I was younger.
ZOE: Yeah.
KIERAN: Well, there’s been some other stuff in the last few months. Then I didn’t show up in court and that means I’m in deeper trouble.
ZOE grabs at his hand, trying to make him stay still.
ZOE: I don’t care. I trust you, Kieran, whatever happens.
KIERAN: But I don’t trust myself. Sometimes I only see what’s in front of me. A mate’ll say, ‘Let’s do this or that, Kieran’, and I think, ‘Why not?’, and I forget the important things and I mess up and—
She grabs his hand.
ZOE: I’m right here.
KIERAN: You are. Why would you want me? I mean, I’m just—
She pulls him back down to her.
ZOE: You’re the most alive person I ever met.
SCENE SEVEN
Day. The sound of heavy rain.
CELIA dashes around the yard, pulling gear undercover.
DOROTHY: [to the audience] We had twenty-four hours of heavy rain. No good for picking—because of risk that the fruit takes in too much water and the skins will split.
JOE enters.
CELIA: Come in the house, out of the rain.
JOE: No, I kinda like being out in this. I spend most of my waking hours in offices.
CELIA: Dorothy’s not here. We won’t be packing any fruit on a day like this.
JOE: I came to see you.
CELIA: Oh.
JOE: I talked to a bloke I know in Sydney. A cop.
CELIA: Oh… Did he know anything about—?
JOE: Kieran was in some trouble as a juvenile.
CELIA: He’s legally an adult now, though.
JOE: That’s right. There are a couple of warrants out on him.
CELIA: Warrants for what?
JOE: Minor stuff mostly. A break-and-enter. Story is he got caught up with some nasty characters and police want to talk to him about a couple of things.
CELIA: Oh my God, Joe… what should I—?
JOE: The wisest thing is for them to move on. You could ask them to leave now rather than stay for the rest of the pick.
CELIA: Zoe talks about travelling with them when they move on.
JOE: Well, tell her she can’t.
CELIA: She wouldn’t listen. And she’d hate me for it.
JOE: Kieran seems like a good-hearted kid. Obviously Sheena’s trying to straighten him out.
CELIA: Listen, I don’t want to hurt this boy. All I’m thinking about is Zoe. I don’t know what I should do.
ZOE enters, noticing CELIA and JOE talking.
JOE: Talk to her. That’s the best thing. Talk to Zoe.
JOE exits. ZOE walks up to where CELIA waits.
ZOE: What were you talking to Joe about?
CELIA: I have to ask Kieran to leave.
ZOE: I knew it. I knew you’d end up—
CELIA: He’s wanted by the police.
ZOE: I know. He told me.
CELIA: Wanted for robbery. Serious stuff. Did he tell you that?
ZOE is thrown for a second, then rallies.
ZOE: Yes. He told me. Because he trusts me and I trust him. Which you wouldn’t know any fucking thing about. Since you don’t trust me one tiny—
CELIA: I do trust you.
ZOE: Bullshit. Did you sick Joe onto Kieran? To spy on him. That’s disgusting. No, actually, it’s sad. Is your life so dried-up and gutless that you have to snuffle around in the dirt ’til you find a way to destroy what other people—?
CELIA: You can say as many cruel things to me as you like, Zoe. I have to do what I think is right.
ZOE: You really don’t want me to have anything, do you?
CELIA: No… Zoe sweetheart, you’re wrong. It’s because I want you to have everything—
ZOE: If you make Kieran leave, I’ll go with him.
CELIA: Please… if you need to have a battle of wills with me, don’t do it about this.
ZOE: You don’t get it. It’s not about you. I love Kieran.
CELIA: Zoe, you’re sixteen.
ZOE: Kieran sees me. I can be my whole self with him with no editing bits out or worrying that bits of me cause him pain. I didn’t know a person could feel a connection this strong and still bear it. Feels like I can go out there and take on anything. What I couldn’t bear is being apart from Kieran.
ZOE stares at CELIA challengingly, then walks off.
DOROTHY: [to the audience] The rain dried up by the afternoon. But when I walked to the house—to see if we would start picking again, Celia wasn’t there. Later, I saw her car come back from town.
SCENE EIGHT
Night.
SHEENA is outside the shack. CELIA approaches. She’s shaky but determined.
CELIA: Sheena.
SHEENA: Do you want help with those crates? I’m not sure where Kieran is but—
CELIA: I want to do a deal with you. I want you and Kieran to move on.
SHEENA: That’s what I want. Soon as I get enough money together.
CELIA: I paid the bill at the mechanic’s. I’ve asked Joe to drive the car out here tonight. I withdrew the cash I had in the bank. Two thousand six hundred. It’s yours. Travelling money.
She hands SHEENA an envelope of cash.
I want you and Kieran to leave tonight, without Zoe knowing about it.
SHEENA: Kieran won’t go for that idea.
CELIA: You should know that I know about Kieran’s police trouble.
SHEENA: Oh. Right. So you’ll go to the cops if we don’t—
CELIA: I’m not threatening you.
SHEENA: Yeah, you are.
CELIA: Well, I don’t want to make threats. I’m just trying to—Look, you want to stop this before it gets out of hand?
SHEENA: Yes.
CELIA: So do I. This is a solution that suits both of us.
CELIA waits while SHEENA looks at the money in her hand.
SHEENA: Fair enough.
CELIA: Thank you. Make sure Zoe doesn’t know about this. Please.
SHEENA: She’s going to wonder what the hell—
CELIA: I’ll work that out. Once he’s gone.
SHEENA nods. CELIA exits, back to the house.
SHEENA looks at the money, then shoves it in her pocket.
KIERAN enters. He’s hyper, bouncy.
KIERAN: Sheena! Zoe showed me this swimming hole at the river! You gotta check it out later! Swimming in the rain—it was so—
SHEENA: Pack your stuff. We’re leaving.
KIERAN: What? Why?
SHEENA: Celia knows about the Sydney stuff. She’ll dob you in to the police if we don’t clear off. We leave as soon as the car gets here.
KIERAN: What are you talking about?
SHEENA: She’s given us a wad of money. The deal I made with Celia is we go tonight.
KIERAN: No. Hang on. I gotta talk to Zoe.
SHEENA: That’s the other part of the deal. You can’t tell Zoe.
KIERAN: No way, no way, no way—
SHEENA: There’s no choice.
KIERAN: Wait, wait. Let me think a second. Let me think.
SHEENA: Plenty of time to think once we’re in the car. I reckon this is the best thing.
KIERAN: It’s not the best thing for me! Fuck!
KIERAN is circling, agitated, muttering to himself.
SHEENA: What makes you think you’re a good thing for this girl? The way you are. Wake up. No wonder her mother wants you gone.
KIERAN: Why would you say that to me?
SHEENA: I’m sorry. But I’ve gotta look out for you.
KIERAN: Listen, listen—
SHEENA: What if Celia goes to the cops? Do you want to get done for the vet lab thing?
KIERAN: No.
SHEENA: Do you want to go to jail?
KIERAN: No, no.
SHEENA: So we have to go.
KIERAN winds up into a panic, cursing to himself.
KIERAN: Listen to me. I can’t leave without seeing Zoe.
SHEENA: I’m the one who has to look at things realistically. We have to—
KIERAN: You’re not listening to me. I love Zoe.
SHEENA: I know you think that. I know—
KIERAN: You don’t know. You don’t. When I’m with Zoe, things are so clear in my head. It’s not all a screeching, tangled mess in here. And I think, ‘Right, Kieran, this is what it should feel like’. And when Zoe looks at me, it’s amazing—she doesn’t see some hopeless case. When Zoe looks at me I feel like I could do anything in the universe. Are you listening to me?
SHEENA: Yes.
KIERAN: Please, Sheena.
SHEENA: What if I said you’ve got ’til midnight? But then we stick to the deal. You don’t want to go to jail, do you? And you don’t want to get Zoe in big trouble, do you?
