Scene 75
Scene Seventy-five...Vivien
Time: After dark, Monday, September 16, 1946
Place: William's boat
Storyteller: Vivien
I give the boat a once over. It's definitely Bill's. In my purse is a .38 revolver. I knock on the door.
"Victoria...come in." Betty says cheerfully.
William stands and extends his hand. I refuse it and look him in the eye. "You killed Bill."
Betty gasps.
"No, Vivien. You killed Bill."
Betty drops onto the sofa.
"You're Vivien Winters. I figured it out in the middle of that beautiful song," says William, "but I didn't kill him."
"Then how did you get his boat?"
"He gave it to me because he was dying."
"So he's dead?"
"He's M.I.A. under my name, Moses Smith. Sit down, Vivien. Would you like a drink?"
"Gin and tonic."
Betty mixes three.
"Did Bill write you about training me to function as a doctor?"
"Yes, you're a medic."
"He taught me well. Thank God, because after you sent him that 'Dear John,' he drank himself into an alcoholic. Eventually he couldn't work."
"All because of me?"
"Yes. Long story short, there was a jeep accident. He found me unconscious and switched our identities...shirt, dog tags...left me his lock box key and wallet. Disappeared."
"That's crazy."
"Not if you're dying and want your best friend to be able to practice medicine."
"How do I know you didn't kill him and switch I.D.s?"
"I keep checking. His body hasn't been found. He's still M.I.A."
"So the last time you saw him, he was sick and in France?"
"Very sick. How did you find me?"
"The marina in Cape May said Bill...you do look like him...took the boat out of dry dock and was headed for Miami. I was looking for Bill, but found Paul."
"Oh, money is money." Betty finds her voice.
"After waiting a decade for Bill to propose, I deserve his money. You can keep 'The Vivien.'"
"'The Betty.'" She stands erect. "We'll keep the money, too."
"I won't pay blackmail," he agrees.
"You won't lower yourself to blackmail, but you'll practice medicine without a license?"
"When necessary."
"If you loved Bill, why did you leave him?" Betty asks.
"I thought he'd die in Europe; it was just a matter of time. My daddy didn't return from the first war. Jimmy was here, and I assumed he would live forever. He didn't."
"Nobody does," he says.
"Back to reality, you have forty-eight hours to gather up all Bill's cash for me. Otherwise, I'll tell the police who you are...Moses Smith...with no medical degree."
"I won't be a slave to blackmail," he repeats.
"What good is money, if you're in jail?"
"None, so I gave it to Betty, when we married."
"I'll give Betty two days to change your high and mighty mind for you." I kick the cat on my way out the door.
"Meow!"
Time: After dark, Monday, September 16, 1946
Place: William's boat
Storyteller: Vivien
I give the boat a once over. It's definitely Bill's. In my purse is a .38 revolver. I knock on the door.
"Victoria...come in." Betty says cheerfully.
William stands and extends his hand. I refuse it and look him in the eye. "You killed Bill."
Betty gasps.
"No, Vivien. You killed Bill."
Betty drops onto the sofa.
"You're Vivien Winters. I figured it out in the middle of that beautiful song," says William, "but I didn't kill him."
"Then how did you get his boat?"
"He gave it to me because he was dying."
"So he's dead?"
"He's M.I.A. under my name, Moses Smith. Sit down, Vivien. Would you like a drink?"
"Gin and tonic."
Betty mixes three.
"Did Bill write you about training me to function as a doctor?"
"Yes, you're a medic."
"He taught me well. Thank God, because after you sent him that 'Dear John,' he drank himself into an alcoholic. Eventually he couldn't work."
"All because of me?"
"Yes. Long story short, there was a jeep accident. He found me unconscious and switched our identities...shirt, dog tags...left me his lock box key and wallet. Disappeared."
"That's crazy."
"Not if you're dying and want your best friend to be able to practice medicine."
"How do I know you didn't kill him and switch I.D.s?"
"I keep checking. His body hasn't been found. He's still M.I.A."
"So the last time you saw him, he was sick and in France?"
"Very sick. How did you find me?"
"The marina in Cape May said Bill...you do look like him...took the boat out of dry dock and was headed for Miami. I was looking for Bill, but found Paul."
"Oh, money is money." Betty finds her voice.
"After waiting a decade for Bill to propose, I deserve his money. You can keep 'The Vivien.'"
"'The Betty.'" She stands erect. "We'll keep the money, too."
"I won't pay blackmail," he agrees.
"You won't lower yourself to blackmail, but you'll practice medicine without a license?"
"When necessary."
"If you loved Bill, why did you leave him?" Betty asks.
"I thought he'd die in Europe; it was just a matter of time. My daddy didn't return from the first war. Jimmy was here, and I assumed he would live forever. He didn't."
"Nobody does," he says.
"Back to reality, you have forty-eight hours to gather up all Bill's cash for me. Otherwise, I'll tell the police who you are...Moses Smith...with no medical degree."
"I won't be a slave to blackmail," he repeats.
"What good is money, if you're in jail?"
"None, so I gave it to Betty, when we married."
"I'll give Betty two days to change your high and mighty mind for you." I kick the cat on my way out the door.
"Meow!"