Women

(Adult content below)

Lem throws himself back on the bed next to Lacey’s feet.

“It’s my day today!” he says in his possibly-gay-voice.

Michael walks and throws a dozen long-stem red roses at Lacey. Then he takes off his shoes and gets in bed, pulls the covers over his head and pretends to go to sleep.

“Let’s dance!” says Lem in a particularly effeminate voice.

“But it’s my day.“ says Lacey.

Jack zooms across the Arizona desert in his Segway. Past a dead tribe of Native Americans who seem confused by him.

Gabby Petito talks to another dead woman. “Is that JFK?!?”

They stare as he zooms by extremely quickly like a mirage faster than a speeding train.

“And there he goes!” says Gabby.

Rococo by Arcade Fire plays.

“Ride on, baby!!” says the woman with Gabby.

Suddenly Jack arrives in Lacey’s living-room. Throws a bunch of red roses and a card on her bed and then turns and takes off.

It reads:

“Hey loser,

I’m not your son. But I maybe could have been. I’m sorry.

Love,

John F. Kennedy.”

“I suppose that’s true. The maybe included, of course. But if he had been though, he’d have been a wildly different person.” says Lacey. “Only if it’s technically possible in God’s eyes of course. …But…if it was possible I’m not sure we’d have stayed with Joe Sr.. I might have not been able to stay married to Joe. He seemed very disturbed, possibly.” She thinks. “I need to pray he moves forward with God, should that be possible.”

“Would I have been your husband ever?” asks Lem.

“Or me??!?” Michael pops up and asks.

“Lacey you drowned.” says a witch in the Illuminati.

“No, I doubt that.” she says.

“Lacey, I’m the only Kennedy you could have ever been truly loved by.” says Joe Sr. from the past. “I win, turns out. My intelligence, possibly.”

“No, I wouldn’t have allowed it!” says Tom Banks to someone asking if he’d ever have let them get married. But with the right heart…of course.

“Well, regardless, I want the best for Jack.” says Lacey.

“Lacey…when you imagine us pushing you under the water…do you stay there or do we manage to drown you?” asks a witch in the Illuminati of Lacey.

Lacey thinks. “I die. And breath again.” says Lacey.

“As you? Or what?” asks the witch.

“No. And yes.” says Lacey.

“You aren’t reincarnated. You just…are you?” asks the witch.

“Yes.” she says.

Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush plays.

And at that Lacey realizes that she and Michael are the only ones who drown. Out of Louis, Lem, everyone else…it’s only she and Michael who drown when they all take turns imagining it. What if they really are the ones who belong together?

Hey Kids by Molina plays.

“Nooo!” yells Lem.

But as per usual…Lacey listens…doesn’t hear “I love you.” takes off and finds herself staring at Michael. Louis watches, stoically.

But what if…they are the only ones? Just she and Michael?

Lem smiles.

“Imagine us!” says Lem.

Lacey tries to cuddle with Lem but finds herself on the floor. “Hi.” he says to her.

Lem falters. Lacey stares at him after he places her on top of him. Their eyes meet he smiles.

Lacey feels like crying. Does anyone really love her?

She closes her eyes. Takes a deep breath. Twists her lips to the side. Then she takes one more perfunctory breath and gets up. Walks out the front door and just keeps walking.

Louis races out and catches-up with her. Lem’s breathing quickens as he lays on the bed.

She’s not coming back.

Lem gets up and races out the door.

“Hey, hey!” says Louis throwing his arm around Lacey to catch her. He swirls her around to face him. He smiles at her. Wraps his arms around her. He holds her as she falls apart and cries.

Lem watches.

“Why don’t we go back?” he asks. “First back to Michael. Completely. And then me. And then if Lem can kiss you first the next time he sees you…we’ll take him seriously. And if he can’t then he’s GONE!” Louis seethes.

A moment later.

“Just imagine being alone with us. Nobody else. Forever.” says Louis.

Lacey tentatively picks Lem.

He weeps, realizing he’s screwed-up.

Louis laughs at Lem, but not cruelly.

“I need you. Forever. …And I think…we may have lost ourselves to each other. …Unless there’s someone really better, we’re never getting over each other. …Really. …You’ll never get over me!” says Lem to Lacey. “Even you. You can’t.”

And no, Jack and Lacey are two different people. Poor us, in this fallen world.

The other two are fine. And waiting to hear from God…