Narrator: “It was safer for Anna to tell Ma by letter rather than phone.” Word balloons come out of a partially open window: “Oh no! Anna’s engaged! She CAN’T get married!” A man asks, “Did you know about this? Have you met - what’s-his-name… Marcus?” A woman, Judy, shrugs. Judy-as-narrator says, “Anna, my sister, was getting married at 19. It was a way to put distance between herself and Ma.” On the phone, a woman with glasses, Anna, says to Judy, “You’ll love Marcus! We want to have a spring wedding.” Anna continues, “He has a sailing boat and lives in a cottage.” “I know how difficult things are between you and Ma… You must see our home as your home!” “It was not long before I met Marcus. Ten years older than Anna with a steady job as an accountant - he seemed ideal.” “I eagerly accepted an invitation to stay with them.” Anna and Marcus stand in the doorway, saying, “Welcome to our cottage!” Judy approaches and says “Hello!” Anna says, “If you two do the painting I’ll start lunch!” The narrator writes, “Marcus and I were to decorate MY bedroom…” Someone, presumably Marcus (face is not visible), says, “Do you like sailing?” Judy replies Yes! and Marcus says, “You MUST come out on my boat next time you’re down!” Marcus, still cut off at the shoulders and holding a paint brush, says, “Did you splatter me with paint?” Judy, also holding a paint brush, smiles and says, “No! But…” Judy-as-narrator says, “…I had a new friend: my brother in law!” Judy smiles widely and says, “I can!” while splattering paint on Marcus, who calls out, “Whoa!” “That evening Anna and I cooked supper. The three of us sat up late chatting, laughing and telling funny stories until I began to feel sleepy.” Anna says, wine glass in hand, “Night, night, Judy. Sleep well!” “I climbed into bed feeling happy and fortunate to have Anna as my sister and a fabulous soon-to-be brother in law.” A shadowy figure stands in the bedroom doorway and says, “Comfy in your bunk bed?” Narrator: “It didn’t seem odd that Marcus would come into my room…” Marcus leans against Judy’s bed and says, “My boat has two bunks…next time you to stay I’ll show you…” “…but then he slid his hands under the covers…” Marcus says, “We could sail to the Isle of Wight and…” Narrator: “…I knew it was wrong for him to touch me ‘there.’ But…” Marcus continues, “…stay overnight.” Narrator: “…he was my friend, he was kind to me…” “There was no one I could tell. No one would believe me.”
Narrator: “It was safer for Anna to tell Ma by letter rather than phone.” Word balloons come out of a partially open window: “Oh no! Anna’s engaged! She CAN’T get married!” A man asks, “Did you know about this? Have you met - what’s-his-name… Marcus?” A woman, Judy, shrugs. Judy-as-narrator says, “Anna, my sister, was getting married at 19. It was a way to put distance between herself and Ma.” On the phone, a woman with glasses, Anna, says to Judy, “You’ll love Marcus! We want to have a spring wedding.” Anna continues, “He has a sailing boat and lives in a cottage. I know how difficult things are between you and Ma… You must see our home as your home!” “It was not long before I met Marcus. Ten years older than Anna with a steady job as an accountant - he seemed ideal. I eagerly accepted an invitation to stay with them.” Anna and Marcus stand in the doorway, saying, “Welcome to our cottage!” Judy approaches and says “Hello!” Anna says, “If you two do the painting I’ll start lunch!” The narrator writes, “Marcus and I were to decorate MY bedroom…” Someone, presumably Marcus (face is not visible), says, “Do you like sailing?” Judy replies Yes! and Marcus says, “You MUST come out on my boat next time you’re down!” Marcus, still cut off at the shoulders and holding a paint brush, says, “Did you splatter me with paint?” Judy, also holding a paint brush, smiles and says, “No! But…” Narrator: “…I had a new friend: my brother in law!” Judy smiles widely and says, “I can!” while splattering paint on Marcus, who calls out, “Whoa!” “That evening Anna and I cooked supper. The three of us sat up late chatting, laughing and telling funny stories until I began to feel sleepy.” Anna says, wine glass in hand, “Night, night, Judy. Sleep well!” Narrator: “I climbed into bed feeling happy and fortunate to have Anna as my sister and a fabulous soon-to-be brother in law.” A shadowy figure stands in the bedroom doorway and says, “Comfy in your bunk bed?” Narrator: “It didn’t seem odd that Marcus would come into my room…” Marcus leans against Judy’s bed and says, “My boat has two bunks…next time you to stay I’ll show you…” Narrator: “…but then he slid his hands under the covers…” Marcus says, “We could sail to the Isle of Wight and…” Narrator: “…I knew it was wrong for him to touch me ‘there.’ But…” Marcus continues, “…stay overnight.” Narrator: “…he was my friend, he was kind to me…There was no one I could tell. No one would believe me.”
Published On: October 18, 2024

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