Lonely Hearts, Part 1

Setting: McKinnon cottage

Vicky is dusting around the pictures on the coffee table. She picks up a framed photo of her, Jake and the boys. She gazes at it intently and smiles.

Steven: (comes in the front door) Hey, mom! I’m going to Matthew’s, okay?

Vicky: (replaces the picture) Matthew who…?

Steven: He’s a new kid. He lives across the street.

Vicky: Oh, okay, well let me come with you.

Steven: (groans) Mom!

Vicky: Okay, I promise I’ll pretend I don’t even know you. I just want to go and introduce myself to Matthew’s parents.

Steven: Matthew’s dad is dead.

Vicky: (pauses) Oh. Did Matthew tell you this?

Steven: Yup. He lives with his mom, and she works a lot. So his sister usually takes care of him.

Vicky: (follows Steven out to the front porch) Well, let’s go say hello!

Setting: Matthew’s house

Steven knocks on the door. It is answered by Matthew, and Steven and Vicky step into the small, cozy house.

Vicky: (puts out her hand) Hi, Matthew. I’m Steven’s mom. Is your mommy home?

Matthew: (slowly shakes his head) No. Mom’s at work. My sister is here.

Steven and Matthew run upstairs as a young girl in her teens comes into the hallway.

Vicky: Hi, I’m Vicky, your neighbor.

Girl: I’m Katie.

Vicky: (shakes her hand) I just came over to say hello. I understand you’re new here.

Katie: (tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear) Um, yeah, we just moved in.

Vicky: Oh, really? From where?

Katie: (looks back into the living room) Actually, I’m kind of busy right now.

Vicky: Sorry, I didn’t mean to—

Katie: If you want to talk to my mom, she’s not home. You should come back later.

Just then a woman enters carrying a large bag over her shoulder. She is tall and pretty, with wavy blonde hair and baby blue eyes. She sets down her bag and looks at Katie.

Woman: Kate? (looks at Vicky)

Katie: Well, you can talk to my mom now. (walks away)

Vicky: (turns around) Hi, my name is Vicky McKinnon. I live across the street. My son is friends with Matthew.

Woman: (smiles) I’m Christine Connors. It’s nice to meet you.

Vicky: Yes, you too. I just wanted to come over and say hello. It can be pretty busy and crazy here in Bay City sometimes.

Christine: Tell me about it! (looks at her watch) I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to be somewhere by 4pm and I have to get dressed, too.

Vicky: Oh, no problem. Let me get Steven. (calls upstairs to her son)

Steven comes downstairs.

Christine: Sorry about this. We’ll talk again.

Vicky: See you later.

Setting: The Herald

Chris: (shakes his head, confused) Jake, I’m telling you, when you left Amanda with the paper for two whole weeks, things really got screwed up. I’m just thankful everything is back to normal!

Jake: She really did that bad of a job?

Chris: (with a blank expression on his face) No comment.

Jake: (handing Chris a file and some papers) Okay, Chris, I need you on this story.

Chris: (opens the file, looks up at Jake and sighs) Please don’t tell me it’s another one of those boring city counsil reports.

Jake: (slightly smiles) I think you’ll find this one is a bit more interesting.

Setting: the cottage

Alli knocks on the front door. Vicky opens the door.

Vicky: (greeting her) Hi Alli.

Alli: (smiles) Hey Vicky. Is Sean here?

Vicky: (laughs) Sure. Come on in.

Alli comes into the living room. Vicky calls up to Sean and returns back into the kitchen. Kirkland runs in the back door.

Kirkland: Hey Alli!!!

Alli: Hey Kirk.

Kirkland: Mom, is Alli babysitting tonight?

Vicky: (walks back into the living room, holding an oven mit) Not tonight, sweetheart.

Alli: (laughs) You mean to tell me Sean can’t take care of these guys?

Vicky: (raises her eyebrows) Oh, he probably can.

Alli: Probably, huh? (shakes her head in amazement)

Kirkland turns to go back outside.

Alli: (calls to him) Hey! Think fast! (throws his soccer ball to him)

Kirkland: You want to play soccer with me and Steven and Jake out in the backyard?

Alli: (jumps up) Sure!

Sean comes downstairs. Alli grabs his hand and pulls him out the door.

Alli: Come on, slow poke!

Sean: Where—what are you doing?

Alli: We’re going to play some pro soccer!

Setting: The Herald

Chris: (sets down a paper on his desk, thinking hard) K.C.!

K.C.: (comes to his desk) You know, the summer is over. I am no longer an interne.

Chris: I know, I know. I need I favor.

K.C.: (pretends to look shocked) Oh no! I hate to ask!

Chris: (rolls his eyes) I’m serious. Dead serious.

K.C.: What is it?

Chris: I need you to get on the web and try and pull up any drug dealings here in Bay City.

K.C.: Time period…

Chris: …The past ten years. And cross reference them with any murderings or killings. Understand? Are we clear?

K.C.: Crystal. (goes to dig up the information).

Chris sits back in his chair and stares into space.

Setting: The Connors’

Katie pulls out an old photo album from under her bed. Matthew looks through the crack into his sister’s bedroom.

Matthew: (in a soft voice) Katie?

Katie: (quickly turns around) I thought I told you to leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m busy?

Matthew: I think something is wrong with mom.

Katie: (mutters under her breath) Welcome to the club.

Matthew: (a little confused)…She looks really sad. After you left the table, mommy started to cry, and she couldn’t stop.

Katie: (rolls her eyes) Just get out, Matthew. Go play with your little friends or something. (turns back to her album)

Matthew slowly takes one step backward.

Katie: (yells) Leave!

Matthew quickly closes the door.

Katie opens her photo album. There are only two pictures in the whole book. One is of her, her sister, and Matthew standing beside their father’s truck. The other was of the whole family, or what was left of them, anyway. Katie, Annie, Matthew, Christine and their father John.

Katie stared at the picture, looking closely at Annie. It had been so long, and Katie often wondered what had happened to Annie. If she was dead or alive, happy or troubled. Somewhere she was, without a family, without a mother and without her siblings. Katie glarred at the image of her father. Long ago, she had taken a pair of scissors and poked a hole through his face. Katie knew she would never get over her anger towards her dad. He would never be forgiven for leaving his family miserable and alone, and for taking Annie. Katie took the photos and stuffed them in her pocket. She stands up and opens her window.

Setting: The cottage

Vicky: Are you positive? It’s kind of last-minute.

Alli: I’m sure! You guys go! Have a great time!

Vicky grabs her purse. Jake is waiting patiently by the door.

Kirkland: Yah, Alli is babysitting! (comes running down the stairs) Steven! (calls up to his brother) Come on down!

Vicky: We shouldn’t be any later than 11 or 12, is that okay?

Alli: (nods) Fine.

Vicky: All right, we’ll be at the Harbor Club. Donna is there working, so if you need to get a hold of us, or if—

Jake: Vicky, let’s go. Everything will be fine.

Vicky: (looks back at Alli)…

Alli: (answers reassuringly) Everything will be fine.

Vicky: Okay, bye boys! Be good!

Vicky follows Jake out the door.

Kirkland and Steven are whispering somewhere in the room.

Alli sneaks up behind them (they are hiding behind the couch) and yells "Boo!" The two boys jump up and start running around the living room. Alli chasses them up the stairs, everyone laughing and screaming.

Sean: (sitting on the sofa) It’s gonna be a long night.