The Baby Tree, part 4

Amazing Photo by Tabitha Soren

The Baby Tree
continued...

KEVIN

(Speechless at first.) Whoa. Hello. That’s enough. It has been a sheer pleasure meeting you, Miss Louise. Can I drive you home?

MISS LOUISE

(Grumbly.) No need for a car, I can walk. Moon’s full.

ELIZABETH

Wait! Who was he? Who was she? What happened?

KEVIN

(Exasperated) Here we go…

MISS LOUISE

In the order of the askin’ darlin’ - My dead uncle. His dead daughter. Incest. That’s cutting to the chase without too many grisly details so the Doc here won’t have nightmares. Squeamish ain’t ya? I’ll be goin’…

ELIZABETH

Kevin!

KEVIN

Hold it!  Ok, I give up… Are you saying this shadow lady with the hat and shawl Beth saw is a ghost of this woman?

MISS LOUISE

Girl. My cousin Fiona. She was 21 when he finally kilt her. But not before he put a couple a babies on her. One day pregnant, next day not. No sign of the babes. We reckoned they were adopted out for money. She just wanders lookin’ fer ‘em…

ELIZABETH

Poor soul. Maybe she just needs to know where they are so she can rest. She seemed so sad and tired. (She gazes out the window.)

MISS LOUISE

Yeah, I imagine she’d want to know what happened to her children. I would. We’re pretty close to the veil out here in the boondocks, y’know. All our kin make what you might call spectral appearances, especially when there is business left undone. No news there.

KEVIN

I don’t understand. This guy was sleeping with his daughter, selling babies and you did nothing? Where the hell were you and her family? Why didn’t you step in?

MISS LOUISE

That ain’t how it’s done out here. We mind our business. I don’t like the tone of that. I’ll be goin’…

KEVIN

We just met, and I apologize if I am stepping out of bounds, but Louise it was your business. You didn’t stop it so you are to blame.

MISS LOUISE

Blame? What do you know from blame? You don’t think I grieve everday of my life? I am punished more than you know. I just came here to get my apples…

ELIZABETH

(Transfixed at the scene out the window) Wait! Miss Louise can you see her? Oh God! Can you see the babies?

KEVIN

Ok damn it…See what you’ve done? The power of suggestion…

MISS LOUISE

(Talking to Kevin.) Y’ know, bein’ pregnant is confusing. She needs to go to bed. Good bye.

ELIZABETH

No really, I can see them. She’s holding them in her arms. They’re so small and cold… Why aren’t they crying? We’ve got to get them. They’ll die… (She runs to the door and is restrained by Kevin.)

MISS LOUISE

Now that is spooky. My hackles are all raised up. See? If I don’t look, they ain’t there… That’s my rule.(She shows them her arm and shivers.)

KEVIN

Miss Louise and I will go out and check on her way home. Relax, honey please. This is too stressful for you. Sit. There now. We’re going out to check…And if there is a Mama and her babies outside, I swear I’ll bring them in. I promise.

ELIZABETH

You believe me? Thank God… What in the world have we gotten into here?

KEVIN

Louise and I will look all over for them, right Louise? We’ll be right back…

MISS LOUISE

I’d rather not. I think I should stay here. You go on…

KEVIN

What?  (Taking her by the arm and moving away whispering.) You have got to be shitting me, woman!

MISS LOUISE

I got my reasons and you let go of me before I knock you in the head so hard you’ll think you’re in jail from looking through your rib cage.

KEVIN

Look, now you even have me spooked and if some impaired inbred smart ass relative of yours is outside messing with us by backing up your bizarre, and might I say sick stories, I want you along to call off all the fun! What is all this anyway? Some sort of warped welcoming committee? I’d have been happy with just the pickles. C’mon. (They exit)

(To be continued...)