A dramatic duet about a beaten wife and her mentally ill sister.
Anne: Lizbeth, Lizbeth. Are you okay? Is he gone? Did he hurt you?
Elizabeth: Yes, he’s gone. Is my baby okay? Did you check on my baby?
Anne: Yes, she’s okay. He came after me again tonight, but I hid under the bed. I was praying for you Lizbeth.
Elizabeth: That’s a good girl Anne. It was just another dumb fight. He really loves me. I promise. It was my fault. I knew he needed that shirt. I can take the pain.
Anne: Well, so can I, but what about Ashley? She’s only four. Nita at the center says you have to be easy with little kids.
Elizabeth: You have such a good heart, Anne.
Anne: Nita says if you love people they will love you back. Elizabeth, do you love Ray even when he beats you?
Elizabeth: Of course I love him, he’s my husband. He doesn’t mean to hurt me.
Anne: But it’s just not right. Just not right.
Elizabeth: I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go or what to do.
Anne: Do you know what Nita always tells me? She says when you have a problem you should turn it over to God. He has wings up in Heaven that he lets people borrow to help them. All you have to do is ask.
Elizabeth: That sounds nice. I wish I had some wings right now so I could fly far away from here and never come back.
Anne: Nita at the center makes me feel better. She’s my friend.
Elizabeth: That’s good Anne.
Anne: Last year when Mama died and I came to live with you Nita made me feel better. Did you know Mama watches us from Heaven?
Elizabeth: Mama doesn’t watch me, Anne. Mama wouldn’t be proud of me.
Anne: Yes she would. You’re a good sister.
Elizabeth: No, I’m not. Look at what kind of mother I am. I just let him treat us how he wants. Look at what he’s done to you. He’s hurt you before.
Anne: Yeah, but not too bad. The hurting always goes away. Lizbeth, it’s okay.
Elizabeth: I used to think it was my fault. I used to think I made him drink and it was my own fault that he beat me. I haven’t done anything wrong. I try to be a good sister and a good mother. I do try.
Anne: I know you do, Lizbeth. You do a good job. You know that. I know what will make you feel better. I will sing you a song. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You never know dear how much I love you please don’t take my sunshine away. I like that song. It always makes me feel better.
Elizabeth: When Ray pushed you down the stairs that one time, did it hurt?
Anne: Yeah, I didn’t mean to make him mad. You told me not to ask him to take me to the library, but I did anyway. I had to go to the hospital, but I got to eat lots of ice cream.
Elizabeth: Sometimes when he beats me, I try to fight back, but I know it won’t do any good. I know that he’ll just hurt me more. Anne, do you know what rape is?
Anne: Yeah, Nita taught us about it. It’s a bad thing. A real bad thing.
Elizabeth: Can you get raped if you are married? He did it to me tonight. He’s never done it before, but I have never seen him this mad. I didn’t know what to do.
Anne: Lizbeth, you have to do something. You can’t just let him keep doing this. I know you’ve told me to keep it a secret, but I can’t anymore. Lizbeth, we have to tell someone. It just keeps getting worse.
Elizabeth: Do you not understand what I am saying? I can’t do anything. You can’t do anything. He’ll hurt us. You can’t say anything, do you hear me? Nothing! I’m the one he usually beats anyway.
Anne: You have to do something Anne. God will take care of you.
Elizabeth: I can’t do anything! You don’t understand!
(Elizabeth begins to slap Anne. She throws her around recklessly until Anne falls to the floor).
How do you like it!? It doesn’t feel good does it!? Make me stop Anne!! Make me stop!! You can’t! You can’t do anything!! You’re helpless! You’re helpless and scared, and you can’t do anything! Don’t you dare sit there and tell me everything will be okay, because you can’t!!! It’s easy to say. It’s easy to talk about and make everything perfect in that little world you live in! This is the real world Anne! Real unimaginable things happen, and nothing you, God, or Nita says can change that!
(Anne continues to sit in a ball on the floor sobbing.)
What am I doing? What has he done to me? He’s made me crazy! Anne, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Please don’t be mad at me. I love you, Anne.
(Elizabeth begins to sing You Are My Sunshine and then Anne joins in.)
Anne: You have to get help, Lizbeth.
Elizabeth: I’m going to. We will go to Maggie’s tonight and then the police in the morning.
Anne: God will help you. It will be okay.
Elizabeth: Will you pray with me, Anne?
Anne: Yes. Dear God, please help me and Lizbeth and little Ashley. Help us to be okay God. Please let Ray get some help. God, please send Lizbeth down some wings. If you have an extra pair please send them to my big sister. Please just let her borrow them for a little while. She will give them back. I promise. Thanks God.