Humble Boy by Charlotte Jones

but I want him to be happy. He deserves to be happy.
    Felix    No, don’t leave me, Rosie.
    Rosie    I have to. I’ve got to get back for the babysitter.
    Felix    What? Oh yes. I’m sorry. Your baby! You haven’t said anything about your baby.
    Rosie    I don’t remember the conversation ever being steered in the direction of my life.
    Felix    I’m sorry – I wasn’t thinking. Tell me about your … baby.
    Rosie    ( curt ) Well, she’s not a baby any more, thank you for asking.
    Felix    Oh. Right. I’m sorry – I’d forgotten – not forgotten – it had slipped my – I can’t imagine you – with a child –
    Rosie    Thank you.
    Felix    No, I mean – I don’t know what I mean. I’m sorry.
    Rosie    So you did know about her?
    Felix    Yes. Yes. My mother told me you’d had a child, not long after –
    Rosie    ( quickly, quietly ) No, not long after.
    Felix    But I was in the middle of, you know – and I should have written to congratulate you – but I didn’t know if it was appropriate.
    Rosie    No.
    Felix    How old is she now?
    Rosie    ( slowly, looking at Felix ) She’s nearly seven. Her name is Felicity. And yes, she’s just like her father.
    Felix    What? What? Rosie? Are you saying…?
    Rosie    For someone who is supposed to have a brilliant mind, you really are slow on the uptake, aren’t you?
    Felix    But my mother said – she said you’d – she said you were with –
    He trails off. Rosie smiles wryly.
    Rosie    And Felix always believes everything his mother tells him. ( She goes to go. ) I’ll see you around.
    Felix    Wait, Rosie. I need to talk about this. You can’t just –
    Rosie    Felix, do your trousers up, eh?
    Rosie exits. Felix stands there. He does his trousers up slowly. The humming starts again but it is more dissonant now. The humming increases in volume.
    Felix    I can’t be her – I’m not a – I don’t even have a –
    He lies himself face down on the lawn on his stomach by his father’s ashes. He stretches himself out.
    Suddenly a light is shone in his face. He looks up blinkingly. Jim, the gardener walks on. He is holding a torch and a packet of salt. He walks up to Felix lying in the middle of the lawn. The humming starts to recede or become more harmonious.
    Jim    Hello. ( He shows him the salt. ) I was just looking for slugs.
    Felix    ( indicating himself ) Bingo.
    He holds out a hand and helps him up. Jim shines his torchlight once more round the garden. It is almost black except for the torchlight. He shines the torch on the hive. He lingers for a moment. Then the light snaps off. The humming stops.
    End of Act One.

Act Two
    Late summer.
    As for the first act, except now the garden is set for a party. There is a large table which has been laid for five people. Flora has gone to quite a lot of effort. During this act the light fades very slowly.
    Jim is there. He is tidying up round the garden. He sees the pot of ashes on the floor. He absently picks it up and places it on the table. He exits at the same time as Mercy enters. Perhaps he makes way for her.
    Mercy comes out, carrying a very large bowl of soup, with a ladle. Her shoes are a little too high and she proceeds with extreme caution. She is dressed rather eccentrically for the party and in a state of excitement.
    Mercy    ( shouts back towards the house ) I can manage! ( She places the soup and ladle on the table. Shouts back: ) Oh it looks heavenly out here, Flora. ( She puts out her hand to check for rain. Shouts back: ) I think it’ll hold out, you know. ( She adjusts several settings on the table. Shouts back: