Hopeless

Act Three

(Lights shine on the patient room, where Husband and Wife are)

Wife: (Silent)

Husband: (Tears forming; in extreme anguish) We have to talk about this. Please, Darling. I know it's hard... But we simply must decide what to do. I need to know what you're take on it is. The doctor gave us three options. Which one do you think is best?

Wife: (Hesitantly) I don't like any of them.

Husband: (Throws hands in the air yet again, rather theatrically) Oh, perfect. Now we're back at square one.

Wife: (Quietly) I cannot justify murdering a child–my child. (Puts hand on stomach)

Husband: (Raising voice) We don't have a choice!

Wife: (Silence)

Husband: Having more than one child is a national crime. There is no way to keep them both. (Getting no response from Wife he continues while pacing) I say we go with the third option. It seems to be the safest, and that way we can still have one kid.

Wife: (Becoming more expressive) How can you say that?

Husband: (Stops pacing) What?

Wife: (Looking at him harshly) How can you justify killing a baby?

Husband: (Trying to comfort her) Please, Darling, don't say it like that. It's a necessary action.

Wife: (Still quiet, but spitting the words in his face) It's murder.

Husband: Don't look at it that way–

Wife: I will look at it that way because that's what it is.

Husband: (Wipes away a few tears) I don't see how it will make a difference.

Wife: (Calmly) It will, trust me. Someday, maybe a long time from now, we will be overwhelmed with guilt. It will encase us in an airtight box of sorrow. And we won't be able to break free. Every time we look at our child we'll think of the one we murdered. The pain will engulf us and infringe upon our lives. We will begin to hate ourselves and begin to blame each other. (Pauses) I'm not okay with that. I don't care if you are.

Husband: (Softly; blowing off steam) Of course I'm not okay with that... This just seems like a terribly hopeless situation.

Wife: I have a solution of my own, if you're willing to hear it.

Husband: (Once again stands before her) What is it?

Wife: (Looks Husband in the eye) Keep both of them.

Husband: (Rolls eyes) Don't be ridiculous.

Wife: I'm not.

Husband: (Trying hard not to become riled again) How on earth would we manage that?

Wife: (Silent, scrunches eyebrows, thinking hard)

Husband: Even if we decide to do that, the doctor would turn us in right away. There is no way for that to work.

Wife: (Perking up) What if we didn't tell him?

Husband: And say what, exactly?

Wife: What he wants to hear.

Husband: You mean lie?

Wife: (Nods)

Husband: (Turns to wall; rubbing temples) But if we tell him a false decision he'll be with us the entire process and we won't have a way of escaping.

Wife: Not if we claim to transfer to a different doctor.

Husband: That would be impractical in any situation! He would see right through it.