Pierre Do you think so?
Nicolas appears in his bedroom door.
Ah. Nicolas …
Nicolas You going for a walk in the park?
Sofia Just Sacha and me. Your father’s staying here. He has work to do.
Pierre Anyway, I wanted a word with you before I get back to it …
Nicolas Now?
Pierre Yes.
Nicolas What about?
Sofia In that case, we’ll leave you … All right?
Pierre Yes. See you soon, darling. Have a nice walk.
Sofia See you soon.
She goes out with the pushchair.
Nicolas What’s going on?
Pause.
Is there a problem?
Pierre Yes.
Brief pause. Pierre searches for a way to introduce this delicate topic.
Why have you hidden a knife under your mattress?
Nicolas What?
Pierre There’s a knife under your mattress. You know about this?
Brief pause.
What’s it doing there?
Nicolas Nothing.
Pierre What do you mean, ‘nothing’?
Nicolas It’s just there. In case.
Pierre In case of what? What are you talking about?
Nicolas I don’t know. If there was a burglar … or … Makes me feel safer.
Pause. He’s well aware his father is not convinced by this explanation.
The other night, I thought I … I heard a noise, even though there was no one there. For a moment, I was afraid. Sometimes, I get a bit paranoid … No need to make a fuss about it.
Pause.
Pierre Show me your arm.
Nicolas What?
Pierre Show me your arm.
Nicolas No.
Pierre grabs hold of his arm and sees that there are recent scars.
Pierre Nicolas …
They look at each other for a moment without speaking.
Why do you do this?
Nicolas Do what?
Pierre You know very well.
Nicolas shrugs his shoulders.
Explain it to me. Why do you do this?
Nicolas I don’t know.
Pierre seems irritated by these perpetual refusals to answer.
Pierre I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Do you understand me?
Nicolas I don’t hurt myself.
Pierre Have you seen these scars? That’s what I call hurting yourself.
Nicolas It’s the opposite.
Pierre What do you mean, the opposite?
Nicolas Nothing.
Pierre No, explain it to me. Explain it to me, Nicolas.
Nicolas tries to find an explanation.
Nicolas It relieves me.
Pierre Relieves you of what?
Nicolas shrugs his shoulders.
Relieves you of what?
Nicolas When I’m in pain, I … It’s a way to channel the pain …
Pierre But what pain?
Pause.
(Perturbed.) Nicolas … A way to channel what pain?
Pause. Pierre pulls himself together.
I don’t want you to do it any more.
Nicolas But …
Pierre It’s not up for discussion. I forbid you to do this. Is that clear?
Pause.
Nicolas. Is that clear?
Nicolas Yes.
Pierre I don’t accept this way of … There are things in life you don’t do. I mean, do you realise? With a knife?
Nicolas Was it Sofia who found it?
Pierre Doesn’t matter.
Nicolas What’s she doing searching through my things?
Pierre She’s not searching through your things. She was kind enough to make your bed. As you never make it yourself!
Nicolas (trying to gloss things over in adolescent fashion) Oh, come on …
Pierre What?
Nicolas It’s not as if …
Pierre (interrupting him) It’s not as if what? You admit you took a knife out of the kitchen so you could …
Nicolas I didn’t take it for that originally. I just told you. I just wanted to have a knife with me. To defend myself.
Pierre Defend yourself? Defend yourself from what? What are you talking about? You realise this makes no sense at all?
Nicolas Well, you have a gun!
Pierre What?
Nicolas In the utility room, behind the cupboard, there’s a gun.
Pierre Mm? Yes, but … That’s … That’s got nothing to do with it. It’s …
Nicolas watches him, waiting for him to complete the sentence.
It was a present.
Nicolas A present?
Pierre Yes. But that’s got nothing to do with it. It has nothing to do with our discussion, Nicolas.
Nicolas Who gave you a gun?
Pierre clearly doesn’t want to go into the details, but he feels obliged to offer some explanation.
Pierre My father. A long time ago. He loved hunting. It was his passion. It’s a hunting rifle. See, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about it. It’s not there so I can ‘defend myself’.
Nicolas Why did he give you a hunting rifle?
Pierre To … He must have thought I’d like it. That it was something we could do together. That … But, you know, I never used it. I loathe hunting. And everything that goes with it.
Nicolas So why do you keep it?
Pierre If you must know, I’d forgotten I had it … It was in the cellar for years. I found it when … the time when I moved … And I stuck it behind the cupboard … For the time being. Because the flat doesn’t have a cellar … As stupid as that.
Nicolas Is it loaded?
Pierre Nicolas … This is not what we’re talking about.
Brief pause.
Why do you do this sort of thing? Honestly, I don’t understand …
Nicolas I know.
Pause.
Pierre What happened at your last school?
Nicolas doesn’t answer.
This might be the time to tell me about it, don’t you think?
Pause.
Something must have happened … Otherwise, you wouldn’t have this kind of … You wouldn’t do these things.
Pause.
I won’t be able to understand, if you don’t say anything … I’m here to help you, Nicolas.
Pause.
If you don’t want to talk to me about it, maybe there’s someone else you could talk to … What do you think?
Nicolas I don’t want to talk about it.
Pause.
Pierre Anyway, if you’re in pain, there are other ways to channel it. Why have you given up sport? You ought to go running in the park! We could go together if you like. On Saturday mornings … Or whenever you like! But this, this is unacceptable. Do you understand?
Brief pause. Pierre takes Nicolas’s arms.
I’m going to give you some disinfectant.
Nicolas No, no … it’s just scratches.
Brief pause. Pierre makes an affectionate gesture towards Nicolas.
Pierre You know, when you hurt yourself, it’s as if you were doing it to me.
Nicolas (cold, reproachful) And when you hurt Mum, you were doing it to me.
Pierre is caught offguard. Pause. Blackout.
TEN
A Saturday evening. Pierre’s doing up his tie in front of the mirror in the drawing room. Behind him, Nicolas arrives with a bowl of cereal and settles down on the sofa.
Pierre You eating cereal?
Nicolas Yes.
Pierre You wouldn’t like to try something a bit more exciting?
Nicolas looks at him uncomprehendingly.
I don’t know, it’s Saturday evening …
Nicolas So?
Pierre Don’t you want to see your friends? … Or go to the cinema? …
Nicolas I don’t have any friends.
Pierre Why say that?
Nicolas Because it’s the truth.
Brief pause.
Pierre You used to have … Sebastien. You used to see him a lot. And … what was he called? Mathieu … The one with the long hair … Why don’t you see them any more?
Pause.
And what about that party you told me about …?
Nicolas All right … Dad …
Pierre What?
Nicolas Can you stop now?
Sofia comes into the room. She’s wearing a dress.
Sofia You haven’t seen my earrings, have you, darling? I had them in my hand just now … Since when they’ve disappeared …
Pierre Mm? No. Have you looked in the bedroom?
Sofia I’ve looked everywhere … I can’t understand it. I’m losing my marbles.
Pierre’s mobile rings.
Pierre Ah … Just a minute. Hello? Yes … Yes …
He goes out. Sofia puts on lipstick, looking at herself in the mirror.
Sofia You haven’t seen them?
Nicolas What?
Sofia My mother-of-pearl earrings … The ones your father gave me … They were round here somewhere a minute ago …
Nicolas No.
Sofia I keep losing things at the moment …
Pause.
Nicolas You changed your dress? That one really suits you.
Sofia That’s a nice thing to say.
Nicolas No, it’s true. You look beautiful.
Sofia smiles.
Where are you going?
Sofia Nowhere particularly special … Dinner with some friends … Laurent, do you know him?
Nicolas No.
Sofia Well, I say ‘nowhere particularly special’, but in fact it is pretty special … It’s practically the first time we’ve gone out since Sacha was born … Some good advice, if you want to go on having a life, don’t have a child!
She smiles, but immediately thinks better of it.
I’m joking.
Nicolas You know, I know you … I mean, you didn’t choose to live with me … And I … I do … I appreciate the fact you … Because you weren’t against my moving in here …
Sofia Why should I be against it?
Nicolas I don’t know.
Sofia You’re Sacha’s brother. So it’s your home as well here.
Nicolas Yes.
Nicolas looks sad. Suddenly, Sofia has an idea.
Sofia Are you still thinking about that girl?
Nicolas looks at her, astonished.
Your father told me … What I mean is … He told me you’d finally explained to him what happened … At your old school.
Nicolas What did he tell you?
Sofia He just said … I mean, that you’d had this girlfriend and that you’d broken up …
Pause.
(Kindly.) Don’t worry. In the end, we forget these things.
Suddenly, Pierre comes in.
Pierre Right. Bad news … Laetitia’s stood us up.
Sofia What?
Pierre I’ve just had her on the phone.
Sofia But … Just now? At the last minute?
Pierre She’s ill.
Sofia Is this a joke?
Pierre I’m sorry.
Sofia She might at least have said a bit sooner.
Pierre She was really apologetic, but she has a temperature …
Sofia Yes, but just like that, at the last minute … What are we going to do?
Nicolas Who’s Laetitia?
Pierre The young woman who was going to look after Sacha this evening.
Sofia Should I call Marie?
Pierre I already have. She’s not free.
Sofia Great. The one time we were able to go out!
Pierre What shall I do? Call Laurent? Cancel?
Sofia exhales.
Nicolas You want me to look after him?
Pierre You?
Nicolas If you like. I could take care of things.
Pierre You … you think you could manage it?
Nicolas (as if it were self-evident) Yes.
Sofia is hesitating.
Pierre What do you …?
Sofia No, it’s kind of you, but …
Pierre Why not?
Sofia No. You know, he’s only a baby. It’s …
Nicolas It’s your decision … I only suggested it to help you out …
Sofia It’s very sweet of you. But I think it would be better if …
Pierre Are you sure? Because …
Sofia Yes. Very nice. Call Laurent. We’d better cancel.
Nicolas Just as you like.
Nicolas leaves. Pierre looks daggers at Sofia.
Sofia What?
Pierre Nothing.
Sofia Why are you looking at me like that?
Pierre Why do you think? He made a kind suggestion … I don’t know why you’re refusing.
Sofia You don’t see why?
Pierre No. He’s his little brother.
Sofia So?
Pierre So he can look after him.
Sofia I’m just not sure. He’s only a baby, and …
Pierre And what?
Pause.
You always see things in such a black light.
Sofia Better to see them in a black light than not to see them at all.
Pierre What do you mean?
Sofia Nothing.
Pierre Yes. Tell me … What am I not seeing?
Sofia Never mind.
Pierre You really believe Nicolas is not capable of looking after his little brother while he’s asleep?
She doesn’t answer.
You have to trust him, Sofia. Otherwise how is he going to recover?
Sofia He’s … You know very well. He’s coming out of a depression. He’s still unstable. And he’s even … I’m sorry if this shocks you … But I’m not trusting my son to …
Pierre To …?
She doesn’t answer. Nicolas appears in the doorway. He’s holding the earrings in his hand. But Pierre and Sofia aren’t aware of his presence.
Go on, say it. You’re not trusting your son to …
Sofia Stop it.
Pierre Say it.
Sofia He’s weird, Pierre. Don’t say he isn’t. In fact, he’s ultra-weird. The look in his eyes, it’s worrying sometimes. He … I mean, let’s face it, open your eyes, he’s not right in the head!
Suddenly Sofia becomes aware of Nicolas. Pierre, seeing Sofia’s aghast expression, turns towards Nicolas.
Pierre Nicolas … You … What are you doing?
Pause.
Nicolas? You … Ah, you’ve found the earrings.
Sofia Where were they?
Pause. Nicolas doesn’t move.
Pierre Nicolas … You mustn’t think … We were arguing because … Well, you understand the situation … It’s nothing to do with you … We were just disappointed about not being able to go out tonight … Do you understand? Sofia got a bit over-excited, she wasn’t thinking about what she was saying. Do you hear what I’m saying?
Pause.
Nicolas? I’m speaking to you …
Nicolas moves slowly towards Sofia and hands her the earrings.
Nicolas They were out in the corridor.
He half turns towards his room.
Pierre Nicolas?
He doesn’t turn back.
Nicolas?
He leaves. Pierre and Sofia are alone in the room. Pierre takes a painful breath. Then he aims a black look, full of reproach, at Sofia. Blackout.
ELEVEN
Anne’s flat. Nicolas is on his own. He’s writing in an exercise book. Suddenly, the door opens and Anne appears. Seeing Nicolas makes her jump.
Anne Nicolas? You gave me a fright … What are you doing here?
Pause.
You … You should have told me you were coming by … I … I didn’t know.
She comes up to him and greets him.
Are you all right?
Nicolas What about you?
Anne I’m happy to see you. You … Were you waiting for me?
Ni
colas shrugs his shoulders.
What’s the matter?
Nicolas Nothing. I wanted to talk to you.
Anne Do you have a bit of time? What time is it? Shouldn’t you be at school?
Nicolas I was just in the area.
Anne Would you like something to drink or …?
Nicolas No, thanks.
She sits down.
Anne How are you? I’ve left you I don’t know how many messages but you never answer … Tell me. Are you all right?
Nicolas So-so. That’s why I came. I wanted to ask you …
Anne What?
Nicolas I mean, I wanted to know … in fact, I’ve changed my mind.
Anne What about?
Nicolas About … Do you think I could come back and live here?
Anne Here? But why? I mean … Aren’t things going well?
Nicolas shrugs his shoulders.
I thought everything was going well. Your father told me you were happy at your new school … Aren’t you?
Pause.
Why don’t you ever answer me? I left so many messages on your voicemail and …
Nicolas I know. I’m sorry …
Anne Are you angry with me?
Nicolas No.
Pause.
Anne Towards the end, things got difficult between us. It’s true. But, you know, I’m so happy you’ve come here to talk to me. I’ve missed you.
Nicolas I’ve missed you too.
She smiles.
Anne Why do you want to come back here? … I mean, it’s your home … That’s your room. But I mean … have you discussed this with your father?
Nicolas No.
Pause.
Anne What’s going on, Nicolas?
Nicolas I don’t feel good, over there. I was hoping … I thought …
The Son Page 4
