Plot Points

He was washing the mugs in the sink when the aluminium door slammed. Mark winced – he’d lost track of time. 1

“You!” Romaine hissed. “Why in the hell are you here?” 2

“Hello, Romaine. How was rehearsal?” 3

“No!” she snapped, “No, you are not going to change the subject, just like you are not going to stand here in my kitchen and act like nothing is wrong! How dare you show your face here after what you did!” 4

“I wasn’t aware that I’d done anything to you."5

“Bull. You knew that crap with Chloe’s dad would hurt her. And when you mess with her, you mess with me,” she fumed. 6

“No, you and Chloe are, in fact, separate people,” he said coolly. 7

“Don’t be a smartass – I love Chloe, you hurt Chloe, and I’m going to protect her. I…”8

“…am not her mother?” Mark interrupted quietly. “I will not discuss Chloe, or my behaviour towards her, with you, Romaine. My relationship with her is none of your business." 9

“Damn it, Mark! What is your problem?! It’s not just the thing with her dad, either. You’re always picking at people! You can’t leave anything alone, you’re like a plague! Some things are just meant to be left alone!” 10

“Is this Chloe’s position, or yours?” 11

“Yes. She doesn’t like to be pushed,” Romaine sniffed.12

“And neither do I. I understand that you love Chloe, or believe you love her. I respect your relationship, I’m glad you’re happy together. But, believe it or not, you aren’t entirely self-sufficient. You aren’t enough for her, you never will be. Love isn’t two halves completing each other, it’s two whole, independent people complementing and enriching each other’s lives. People need to be pushed to grow,” he asserted.13

“She doesn’t! She doesn’t need some asshole who claims to know her, claims to be good for her, screwing with her head! We’re fine, we’ve gotten past the stuff with her parents, we’ve made a life...“14

“You don’t know anything about life,” Mark interrupted. “Chloe is seventeen, you’re eighteen. You’re here on a theatre scholarship. Yes, you’re on your own, you have a place – but you don’t realise how much Rita takes care of for you. All of life isn’t putting a check in a fishbowl and having all of your needs met.”15

“Don’t be condescending, and don’t change the subject. You’re an ass! How dare you claim to know anything – about my life, about her life, about life at all! You don’t!” she screamed. 16

“Darling, I don’t need to justify myself to you. I don’t treat Chloe any differently than anyone else – it’s in my nature to say what needs to be said, regardless of what or to whom.”17

“So, you’re going to stomp all over people because you have a big mouth? You’re worthless! For all your talking and intruding, you’ve never done anything for anyone! You’re a selfish bastard!”18

“You may very well be right. But I am a selfish bastard that dearly loves the people who call this building home, so mayhaps you should consider working on your Understanding Friend, my typecast little tragedy. You’ve obviously spent more than enough time on your Frigid Bitch,” he said icily, turning and loping out the back door.