The Peach Season

by Debra Oswald

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] The boy cried for a long time. Big sobs tearing out from his belly. Celia could not ask any more questions. Eventually he cried himself to sleep on the couch and she covered him with a blanket.

  SCENE FIVE

  A Sydney house.

  SHEENA enters, carrying a supermarket bag with bottles and packets in it. She kneels down on the floor next to a mattress where ZOE is asleep, covered in a blanket. SHEENA checks ZOE’s forehead, tucks the blanket around her more snugly and waits.

  ZOE stirs awake. She’s dark-eyed, weak, febrile.

  SHEENA: Gets noisy in his house once the trucks start.

  She pours Lucozade into a coffee mug and helps ZOE drink, then swallow two aspirin.

  Temperature’s down a bit compared to last night. Drink more of the Lucozade. The chemist said it’s good stuff when a person’s rundown.

  ZOE: I don’t understand… how come you—?

  SHEENA: I was looking for Kieran. Found you.

  ZOE: I don’t get why you’re helping me. You hate me. You think I’m some—

  SHEENA: I think you’re a selfish, little bitch who doesn’t have any clue how lucky she is. You deserve to sit in your own mess.

  ZOE: I know you blame me about Kieran… and you’re right.

  SHEENA: Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart. Kieran would’ve got himself into major shit without any inspiration from you.

  ZOE: It’s my fault we broke into that house with the dogs. Kieran only went along with Mick because he wanted to get some money together. To take me up the coast. Mick knew where this guy kept big rolls of cash.

  SHEENA: Why did Kieran take you with them?

  ZOE: I wanted to make sure it didn’t get out of hand.

  SHEENA: But you can’t stop a creature like Mick.

  ZOE shakes her head. She describes everything like it’s a dark dream.

  ZOE: ‘Don’t worry. Mick’s just a bit amped up.’ That’s what Kieran said—before. We got inside… Mick started smashing things with a crowbar. Set the alarms off. Kieran’s yelling at him—upset about what Mick did to the dogs. Mick got even more aggro… like someone’d flicked a switch in his brain. Mick’s girlfriend—Jade—she was there too. Jade was screaming and he hit her with his fist—so hard she slammed into the edge of a table—here. [Indicating her abdomen] The look on Mick’s face at the moment he hit her. I can’t describe it.

  SHEENA: I can imagine.

  ZOE looks at SHEENA. Maybe SHEENA can imagine.

  ZOE: Kieran put himself in front of Mick. ‘Stop it, Mick. Calm down.’ Mick thumps him down, pushes Kieran’s face into the broken glass. Kieran couldn’t see… because of the blood on his face. Mick’s yelling nonstop for everyone to shut up. He looks straight at me… his eyes… like he wasn’t a human being anymore. I was on the floor. Mick jammed down the heel of his hand here—[Indicating her neck] I felt the weight of him pressing on my throat. This is it. He’s killing me. I’m going to die right now. But then the pressure of his hand weakened for a second… I rolled sideways… I had to get away. I ran and Jade did too. We ran across a paddock until we got to a school bus shelter. Jade had bad pain where she hit the table. I said we should go to a hospital but she wanted to lie down for a while first. It was so good to close my eyes, somewhere quiet. I must’ve fallen asleep. When I woke up, it was cold. I touched Jade’s arm, whispered in case she was asleep—‘Does it still hurt?’ Her skin felt like plastic. She was dead. Right beside me on the bench.

  ZOE and SHEENA sit in silence for a moment. SHEENA refills the mug with Lucozade.

  SHEENA: You look terrible. Keep drinking this stuff.

  JOE calls from outside.

  JOE: [offstage] Sheena?

  SHEENA: In here!

  ZOE: Joe… is that Joe?

  SHEENA: I rang him.

  JOE enters and goes straight to enfold ZOE.

  JOE: Zoe. Are you okay? You feel feverish. Are you all right?

  ZOE: I’m all right.

  SHEENA: She needs to see a doctor.

  JOE: Yes. We’ll get you to a doctor. Oh, Zoe… it’s so wonderful to see you. [To SHEENA] She’s okay?

  SHEENA: Not pregnant, not addicted to heroin, alive.

  JOE: Thanks, Sheena. For taking care of her.

  SHEENA: I just found her.

  JOE: [to ZOE] It’s going to be difficult for me to ever forgive you. If you weren’t so sick right now, I’d shake you hard. I’d shake the teeth right out of your stupid head.

  ZOE: I tried to ring. Couldn’t ever do it. I was scared if I heard her voice, I’d—I don’t know…

  JOE: It was cruel, Zoe.

  ZOE: I didn’t think…

  JOE: So cruel.

  ZOE: I’m sorry.

  JOE rushes to hug her, as ZOE crumples into tears.

  JOE: It’s so good to see you. Let’s get you home.

  ZOE: I can’t go home. There’d be too much. I can’t do it.

  JOE: She’ll want to see you so badly.

  ZOE: You understand why, don’t you, Sheena?

  SHEENA: I think I do.

  ZOE: How can I describe things to her? I can’t. I can’t face her.

  SHEENA: Yeah, you can. Go home.

  JOE: Let me drive you home.

  ZOE: [to SHEENA] Would you come with me?

  SHEENA: Oh… I don’t think that’s a good idea. What difference would it make if—?

  ZOE: I know you understand things. It would just feel right… easier.

  SHEENA: No, look, Joe can take you back.

  JOE: It’d be helpful if you come along and look after Zoe—I mean, if you—

  ZOE: Please, Sheena.

  SHEENA: If you want.

  JOE and SHEENA stand either side of ZOE to steady her as they walk out.

  SCENE SIX

  Late afternoon. The farm.

  CELIA and DOROTHY are in the yard.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] In the last two days, the boy has begun to do jobs around the farm, fixing things, on his own accord—as if this earns the right to stay. Today he is in the orchard clearing weeds.

  As soon as CELIA sees JOE approach, she’s breathless, overwhelmed.

  JOE: Don’t panic when you see her. She’s sick, but she’s all right.

  ZOE enters, steadied by SHEENA. CELIA hurries towards her and ZOE runs the last few steps to meet CELIA. They hang onto each other, weeping, CELIA sometimes laughing with disbelief. CELIA holds ZOE away a little, so she can look at her, then folds her in close again.

  CELIA: Dorothy. Where did he go?

  DOROTHY indicates the orchard.

  ZOE: Who?

  CELIA: Kieran’s here.

  SHEENA: He’s alive?

  DOROTHY: Working at the far end of the orchard.

  CELIA: Call him.

  DOROTHY: [calling] Kieran! Kieran!

  ZOE runs closer to the orchard, watching KIERAN approach.

  [To the audience] There are things you can solve by throwing effort at them, by doing something. But some necessary things—like letting your child go out into the world—the beautiful, perilous world—require you just to sit. Sit with things gnawing in your belly and learn not to do anything.

  KIERAN emerges from the orchard. He and ZOE fly into each other’s arms, kissing and apologising, talking over each other.

  ZOE: I’m sorry I said those things. I never meant those things.

  KIERAN: I thought Mick was gonna kill you. I stuffed up. Everything.

  ZOE: No. That’s not true.

  KIERAN: I dragged you down.

  ZOE: No. Don’t say that. I’m sorry I ran. I was sorry straight away. But then I couldn’t find you.

  KIERAN: I got so worried. I went looking for you.

  ZOE: I thought you’d given up on me.

  KIERAN: No, no, I was looking. That’s why I came here. I thought you’d come home.

  ZOE: I ended up at Mick’s house last. I thought you’d go back there.

  KIERAN: I’m sorry. That’s
my fault. I’m sorry. You’re shivering. Keep warm.

  KIERAN wraps his jacket around ZOE and leads her towards CELIA.

  ZOE: I need to lie down. Here is good. [She climbs up to stretch out on a stack of palettes.] I’m okay. Just need to sleep.

  CELIA: I think so.

  KIERAN: You’ll be okay, now. You’ll be looked after, now.

  ZOE: Things are in a mess, Mum… I can’t think properly…

  CELIA climbs up on the palettes so ZOE can rest her head in CELIA’s lap.

  CELIA: We’ll work it out. Tonight you sleep, and in the morning you’ll be able to think.

  ZOE lies with her head in CELIA’s lap, with CELIA stroking the hair back from her forehead. ZOE falls asleep.

  Sheena. Thank you so much. For bringing her home.

  SHEENA: You’re welcome.

  CELIA: Stay the night here, won’t you?

  SHEENA: Oh, well—

  CELIA: Please.

  SHEENA: Okay. Ta.

  SHEENA is still and impassive as KIERAN bounds up to her.

  KIERAN: Sheena, it’s so great to see you!

  SHEENA slaps his face hard.

  Yeah. Yeah. Fair enough. I deserve that. Have you been good? Have you been—?

  She slaps him hard again.

  Okay, Sheena. I reckon you’ve got a right to do that. You got every right to be—

  SHEENA raises her hand to slap again, but this time KIERAN ducks away.

  I’m sorry if you were worried about me.

  SHEENA: I wasn’t.

  KIERAN: Yeah? Good. Great.

  SHEENA: I decided months ago not to give a flying fuck about you anymore.

  KIERAN: Yep. I can see why. Excellent decision. Good one.

  SHEENA: I should’ve let you get yourself arrested last year.

  KIERAN: You probably should’ve.

  SHEENA: I should’ve left you to clean up your own filthy messes.

  KIERAN: Maybe that’s right.

  SHEENA: I should’ve walked away three years ago when you were frying your brain with chemicals.

  KIERAN: Maybe.

  SHEENA: I should’ve left you to kill yourself.

  KIERAN: I’m glad you didn’t.

  SHEENA shrugs then looks away.

  How are you, Sheena? Be happy. I want you to be happy. I wish I could give you that.

  SHEENA: Well, you can’t.

  KIERAN: Nah, making Crankypants happy is beyond even the powers of a legend like me.

  SHEENA smiles despite herself.

  Ha! A smile! Or nearly. I can do that. Which is not much. Not a tiny, fucking scrap of what you deserve, Sheena.

  SHEENA: Just shut up for a second, Kieran. Can you do that?

  KIERAN: I can do that.

  KIERAN and SHEENA sit together.

  JOE goes over to CELIA, who has ZOE curled in her lap.

  JOE: Is she asleep? Should we carry her in to bed?

  CELIA: In a minute.

  JOE nods, seeing how happy CELIA is like that.

  JOE: Don’t worry about police and any of that tonight. I’ll find out more. Find out where we stand.

  CELIA: You’re a good friend to us, Joe.

  JOE shrugs, smiles.

  Maybe I should’ve locked her in a room for a few years. There are parents who do that. Until social workers break into the house years later and find the children squinting against daylight.

  JOE looks at her.

  I’m joking.

  JOE: I realise that.

  CELIA: What do I do now?

  JOE: I don’t know. I guess I think you’ve gotta ask yourself what you want. Do you want Zoe to throw herself into the things she loves with all her soul?

  CELIA: Yes.

  JOE: But you never want her to experience misery or failure.

  CELIA: No.

  JOE: Do you want her to travel the world and see mind-blowing things?

  CELIA: Yes.

  JOE: And have lots of intense, spontaneous, unpredictable moments in her life?

  CELIA: Yes.

  JOE: But you don’t want her to face any possibility of pain.

  CELIA: No.

  JOE: Can you hear what you’re—?

  CELIA: Yes.

  They exchange a smile.

  JOE: Anyway, it’s good to see you looking—You’ve been so unhappy and I can’t bear to see that.

  She smiles, surprised by his intimate tone.

  CELIA: It’s getting cold out here. Can you help me carry her inside? JOE and CELIA carry ZOE inside. KIERAN doesn’t take his eyes off ZOE until she’s gone.

  SHEENA: Where’s Mick now?

  KIERAN: Shot through. He knew some guys in WA. He might’ve gone there.

  SHEENA: Will the police blame you for all of it? And what happened to Jade?

  KIERAN: Oh. Hadn’t thought of that. Maybe. Poor Jade.

  SHEENA: I can’t get you out of this one, Kieran.

  KIERAN: I know that. Yep. I made this stuff-up and I’m gonna have to wear it.

  SHEENA: Even if I wanted to, there’s nothing I can do.

  KIERAN looks to the spot where ZOE was sleeping a moment ago.

  KIERAN: She’s so beautiful… so beautiful. None of that muck should’ve ever touched her. [Jumping to his feet, suddenly wired up] You know what I should do?

  SHEENA: Get a good night’s sleep and in the morning ask Joe for proper advice on—

  KIERAN: No, no. I’ve gotta fix it so Zoe doesn’t get dragged down into any of it. I’ll go to the cops… in Sydney, right away from here. They don’t ever have to know Zoe was with me. I’ll say it was just me and Mick.

  SHEENA: Kieran. Hold on.

  KIERAN: No, no, don’t you get it? This way, Zoe doesn’t get tangled up in it. This is the right thing to do.

  SHEENA: But you gotta make sure it’s the right thing for you, mate. What if the cops never get hold of Mick, they might blame you for—

  KIERAN: Doesn’t matter. I have to do this—before anyone talks me out of it.

  SHEENA: If this is a mistake, don’t expect me to bail you out or feel bad for you.

  KIERAN: I don’t.

  SHEENA looks at him for a moment, then gets her wallet out.

  SHEENA: Sixty-five bucks. That’s all I’ve got.

  KIERAN: Ta. I can hitch, get to a bus or a train.

  SHEENA gives him the money as they exit.

  Night falls.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] The boy waited until everyone was asleep. Then he headed off. I saw the headlights of a truck cut through the dark at the crossroads. I saw the truck stop to give the boy a lift. But the rest were deep asleep.

  SCENE SEVEN

  Dawn.

  CELIA emerges from the house, stretching, happy. SHEENA wanders in from the orchard.

  SHEENA: Good morning.

  CELIA: Reckon I had the deepest, sweetest sleep I’ve had in months—no, years.

  ZOE comes outside, a quilt wrapped around her.

  How are you feeling?

  ZOE: Better.

  CELIA: There’s colour in your face again.

  ZOE: Is Kieran awake?

  SHEENA: He’s gone. Hitched to Sydney.

  ZOE: What?

  SHEENA: He’s gone to turn himself in. He wants to keep Zoe out of it completely. The police don’t have to know she was ever there.

  ZOE: What? Why?

  SHEENA: He wants to protect you. Keep you away from all of it.

  ZOE: Who told him to do that?

  SHEENA: No one. He decided it’s the right thing to do.

  ZOE: It’s a dumb thing to do! Shit… I can’t believe he’d—Why didn’t you talk him out of it? Why didn’t you make him wait until—?

  SHEENA: He wants to do the right thing.

  ZOE: But this is crazy! Mum, tell her it’s a stupid idea.

  CELIA doesn’t respond.

  SHEENA: Y’know, it’s not a stupid idea. Kieran’s in deep trouble anyway. Doesn’t mean you have to be.

  ZOE: No no, thi
s is not right… no way… For one thing, I can tell the police what really happened. What if Kieran gets blamed for everything? I can tell them it was Mick. That it wasn’t all Kieran.

  SHEENA: He wants to save you from that mess. [To CELIA] Explain to her why this is a reasonable idea. Why should she be dragged down into it if she doesn’t have to be?

  ZOE: You don’t think that, do you, Mum?

  SHEENA: She can stay here. No one ever has to know she was anywhere near that place.

  ZOE: I was there. I was with the girl who died. I have to go and tell what happened. Don’t you think? Mum? Mum?

  CELIA is silent, not revealing her response.

  I can’t hide here and pretend nothing ever happened.

  CELIA: Well, I think—

  ZOE: I should go to the police, say what happened.

  CELIA: Yes. If that’s what you want to do, I’ll drive you into town.

  ZOE: Yes. Please.

  SCENE EIGHT

  The glare of a hot summer day.

  Bins full of peaches. Harvest is in full swing. CELIA is working hard.

  DOROTHY: This summer, our old pickers are back. Not so much fruit to pick—because of Celia letting the trees go in ruin last winter.

  JOE enters. He kisses DOROTHY hello.

  JOE: I dropped another carload of boxes on your back porch.

  DOROTHY: [to the audience] Josef is moving in with me—just for this autumn while he renovates the house he bought in town. [To CELIA] Have you laid your eyes on the ugly, fibro hovel?

  CELIA: Not yet.

  DOROTHY: What can you say when you discover your child has no taste? Sandor and I brought him up looking at books about the great cities and their fine buildings, appreciating what is well-proportioned and elegant.

  CELIA: And yet now he buys an ugly house.

  DOROTHY: Celia, we are talking make-you-want-to-slit-your-throat ugly.

  JOE: I explained to you that it’s a matter of—

  DOROTHY: None of my business. I keep my mouth shut.

  ZOE comes out of the orchard. Hot and sweaty, she stops to guzzle water and trickle some over her face and neck.

  [To the audience] Zoe goes now to a school in the city, living with her aunt. Celia has had her home for the summer. Today she leaves us again to go back. Zoe went to court and has what is called a ‘good behaviour bond’ on her. Hunh—I don’t know so many people who would last long if they were supposed to have always good behaviour. Kieran, he spent some time in prison. Zoe and the boy do the email to each other.