Two mornings later.  The sound of rain is prominent, falling heavily outside.  CAROLEENA paces the living room floor.  LEAVELL ENTERS, sets the dripping umbrella he carries to the side, open, and sits.  He is exhausted from two sleepless nights.  Caroleena busies herself with finding newspaper to place under the umbrella to keep the floor dry, and to maintain a sense of normalcy.

 

                                                   CAROLEENA

You came back empty handed. 

 

                                                      LEAVELL

                    (Quietly)

I know.

 

                                                    CAROLEENA

                    (Strained)

Sunday morning.  The Lord’s day.  She would be off to church in a little while.  What do you think happened to her, Leavell?

 

                                                       LEAVELL

                    (Quietly)

I don’t know, Mama.  I don’t know.  I’ve been all over this town looking.  Spent nearly every minute since she went missing searching and I haven’t seen the smallest sign of her.  Nobody else seems to either.   I can’t understand it.

 

                                                   CAROLEENA

You look so tired.

 

                                                      LEAVELL

We’re all tired.  Nobody’s had any sleep.

 

                                                   CAROLEENA

Except Delia.  Her...attack...whatever it was...took a lot out of her.

 

                                                      LEAVELL

They sure let her out quick.  Didn’t it seem awful quick to you?

 

                                                   CAROLEENA

Couldn’t find anything wrong with her.

 

                                                      LEAVELL

She say anything about what happened?

 

                                                    CAROLEENA

Hasn’t been awake more than two minutes at a time to say anything.

 

                                                       LEAVELL

She’s lucky.

                      (Closes his eyes, rests a moment)

I’m going to take five minutes on this couch, Mama.  Then I’m going back out.

 

                                                     CAROLEENA

Yes.  Take a little nap.  I’ll wake you.  We can plot out where you looked on the map.  Find some new places.

 

                                                        LEAVELL

                    (Lies down on the couch)

Yeah, find some new places, yeah.

 

                                                                        LEAVELL sleeps.

 

                                                                        CAROLEENA moves to the screen                                                                                               door, opens it, sticks her head out,                                                                                             reenters.

 

                                                          CAROLEENA

                    (Absently)

Still raining outside.  Raining on my poor baby somewhere outside...

 

                                                                          CAROLEENA turns and moves to the                                                                                          couch, sits on the couch arm at                                                                            LEAVELL’s feet and stares at him, as                                                                                            though fearful he too will disappear.

 

                                                                           DELIA ENTERS from the interior of                                                                                              the house.  She is fully dressed, though                                                                                    not quite a hundred percent back to                                                                                          normal.  She is pensive.  She has                                                                                                something dreadful to say, and she’s                                                                                        unsure how and when to say it, but she                                                                                    knows she must.

 

                                                                    DELIA

                     (Softly)

I’m sorry, Mama.

 

                                                               CAROLEENA

                    (Gazing on LEAVELL, speaks less tenderly than

                      you might  expect)

You ain’t got nothing to be sorry for.  You’re awake.  How you feeling?

 

                                                                   DELIA

                    (She meant something else)

There’s nothing wrong with me.  Not now.

 

                                                             CAROLEENA

Good.

 

                                                                             DELIA sits, and stares at the open                                                                                              door, at the outside, where she knows                                                                                      what awaits them.

 

                                                             CAROLEENA

                      (Makes an effort)

You slept through the last day and a half, mostly.  You know you were at the hospital?  X-rays and tests--couldn’t find what was wrong.

 

                                                                  DELIA

I remember the hospital...a little.  A needle, a nurse maybe...

 

                                                            CAROLEENA

                    (Sharply)

Don’t you wonder what happened in your absence?  Don’t you even want to know what’s happened to your sister?  If we found her?  Been missing for two whole days, and you ain’t even concerned!

 

                                                                 DELIA

                    (Shocked, but quietly, like it’s a surprise

                     yet it makes sense)

It’s been...been two days?

 

                                                           CAROLEENA

                    (Loud and angry)

Your granma was here for a while, but I sent her back home.  Just makin’ me more nervous.  You been asleep, girl!  Don’t you even want to know?

 

                                                                DELIA

I know...I know what happened...