Part VI

At Company

Olivia: What's wrong with you?

Josh stares into the air as Olivia inquires again.

Olivia: Josh?… Josh?!

Josh: (waking up from his trance) Huh?

Olivia: What is wrong with you?

Josh: Uh… nothing.

Olivia: So where did you just drift off to?

Josh: Um… I was just thinking about one of these contracts.

Olivia: Okay… well, which one (she moves closer to him as he is oblivious to her movement)… maybe I can help ease your mind.

Josh: (forgetting what he said) What?

Olivia: (frustrated) Which contract are you thinking about? I can help you if you just tell me…

Josh tries desperately to figure out what she is talking about. He is so lost in his thoughts of what happened the previous night that he is unable to hold a complete thought about anything but his wife.

Josh: (grasping) Um…. Contract?

Olivia: (skeptical) Yes, contract. You know, the things we use for business arrangements.

Josh: (irritated) I know what they are.

Olivia: (frustrated) Okay, let's start over.

Josh: With what?

Olivia: What is wrong with you?

Josh: I am perfectly fine. (Gets up from the table) I just have a lot on my mind right now.

Olivia: Obviously. Mind telling me what it is?

Josh: (pauses for a moment) Actually, I do.

Olivia: Excuse me?

Josh: I didn't mean that the way it sounded.

Olivia: What other way could you have possibly meant it?

Josh: I just… it's nothing of your concern. (catching himself) Nothing that you should be concerned about.

Olivia: Is that so?

Josh sits down beside her, finally remembering that he is supposedly in a relationship with this woman. He tries to comfort her verbally.

Josh: I'm sorry. I'm not making any sense. It's just been an odd day already. I am sorry, I'm here now, and I'm listening.

Olivia: (still questioning) Why is it so odd?

Josh: (reaching for something to hide the truth) The kids. I'm um…. I'm just really worried about the kids today.

Olivia: Did something happen?

Josh: (relieved she took the excuse) No, nothing really happened. I just… I'm just in one of those moods where I feel like I'm neglecting them or something. I don't know.

Olivia realizes she wasn't being understanding and she reaches out to touch him, to comfort him.

Olivia: I'm sorry Josh, I should have realized.

Josh abruptly pulls away at her touch as Olivia looks on, shocked. Josh quickly realizes what he has done as he has shocked himself also. Her touch was so foreign after the night he had spent with Reva. He immediately tried to justify his action.

Josh: I'm sorry. I didn't mean…

Olivia: Something else is wrong with you. Why are you treating me like I'm a stranger?

Josh: I don't mean to do that. I'm not trying….

Olivia: Just talk to me, tell me what is wrong.

Josh stops for a moment as he remembers his pact to be honest with Olivia about everything. Of course, he's broken that pact on several occasions already. How could he possibly admit what happened the night before? How he woke up this morning in the arms of his wife; and how elated that made him feel. Josh promptly decides to keep the truth from her. As much as he longs to be with Reva right now, that isn't possible. He cares about Olivia, he does. Not the way he does for Reva, but that is a moot point. He is with Olivia now and he can't destroy that. Josh brings himself to put his arm around Olivia.

Josh: (sincerely) Nothing is wrong. Honestly, I'm fine.

Olivia: (believe his gesture) You are serious?

Josh: Yes, I am. I just get in these moods sometimes, these weird places. I guess you just don't know that about... I'm sorry. Everything is fine now, I swear.

Olivia: (convincing herself) Well, if you swear.

Josh masks his confusion by smiling at Olivia. She accepts this as his answer as she draws in closer to him. Inside, Josh wants to pull away, but in order to keep up the facade, he knows he can't. Olivia begins to kiss Josh as he lets himself get wrapped up in her comforting touch. If he can't be with the one he loves… well.

Josh and Olivia hold each other and continue kissing, oblivious to the sudden sound of the door to Company slamming.

Marah stands in the doorway, appalled.

Marah: (screaming) Get your hands off my father!

Josh and Olivia quickly react to Marah's request as they break their embrace without thinking twice. Josh begins to try and cover.

Josh: (getting up quickly) Marah, sweetie… what are you…

Marah: Save it Dad! (she walks toward Olivia) I thought you were supposed to be my friend?

Olivia: Marah, I…

Marah: Is this how friends act in San Cristobel? No wonder mama doesn't want any part of it anymore.

Josh: Sweetheart, just…

Marah: No Daddy! I can't believe you. I can't believe you would do this to mama.

Josh: I'm not…

Marah: And you? (to Olivia) Don't you realize he's a married man? He's married to the woman he loves! The woman he will always love… MY MOTHER!

Olivia turns away from Marah in acceptance of her comment.

Josh: Marah, stop this… you…

Marah: Stop what? Stop telling the truth? You were the one that always taught me to tell the truth, that's what I'm doing now… and suddenly, it's wrong? Of course, who would believe you anyway after you lied to mama?

Josh: What are you…

Marah: You promised her Daddy (Marah's anger begins to turn to sadness). You swore to her that you would stand by her no matter what happened?

Olivia continues to hide her face as she listens to Marah's disturbingly truthful words. Josh begins to give up his pursuit of interrupting Marah.

Marah: (continues) Those were just lies, weren't they Daddy?! You are just a liar and now you are messing around with another liar. I guess maybe the two of you are made for each other. I'd believe that if I didn't know how much you still loved your wife!

Josh: Marah, please.

Marah: What! Please what? Am I making a scene? Is this too much for you to handle? You made this mess, Daddy and I'm not leaving here until you tell me you're going to fix it.

Olivia: (getting up and walking towards Marah) Now just a minute, young lady. (Josh tries to hold her back) You have no right to come in here screaming at your father like that. He didn't cause all the problems in your family, your mother did.

Josh: Olivia…

Marah: Excuse me? My mother did what? What do you know about my mother? Did you know that she gave up her life with my dad so that Shayne and I could be happy? She pretended to be happy for our sakes but I know she wanted more than anything to be with us again. And she's doing the same thing with Jonathan. Don't you think it's killing her knowing that Jon will never call her mama?

Josh stands there reflecting on the past as Olivia and Marah continue to have words.

Olivia: She was just using Jon because she wanted Richard.

Marah: (fuming) Oh… My mother is no saint but she would NEVER use her kids. She may have had some problems, she may have had some things that she needed to deal with, but at least she admitted them. She didn't go running off to be with a married man.

Josh: Marah, just…

Olivia: Well, she did the next best thing. She ran off to be with an engaged man. My finance.

Marah: Oh yeah, I forgot. You and Richard were a thing before Mama was forced to find out about her past.

Josh: (finally losing control) She wasn't forced!

Both Marah and Olivia look at Josh. Josh is attempting to compose himself before he completely loses it. Marah takes a moment, then starts to dig into her father once again.

Marah: What do you mean, she wasn't forced?

Josh: She wasn't. She wanted to find out her past. No one made her, Marah.

Marah: You made her! You made her stay in San Cristobel. She didn't want to stay, she was scared of finding out the truth but you made her stay! And you said you would stand by her NO MATTER WHAT! And you are sure standing by her right now. Nice promises, Dad.

Josh: Marah you don't know what you are talking about.

Marah: Yes I do. Mama and I had a long talk and she told me all about San Cristobel. How scared she was and how you promised to stand by her. How you wanted her to find out about her past so you could move on. She told me everything.

Josh: Everything?

Marah: Yes Daddy. (She turns to Olivia) Everything.

Josh stands there dumbfounded, realizing just what "everything" was that Marah knew. In his moment of stillness, Olivia steps around him and to Marah.

Olivia: Did it ever occur to you that your mother could be the one that is lying.

Marah: Mama wouldn't lie to me…not about this. How dare you!

Olivia: How dare I? You are the one coming in here throwing accusations at your father and I.

Marah: They aren't accusations. They are the truth. I know what I saw, I know the two of you are together.

Olivia: Yes Marah, we are…

Josh: (coming to his senses and interrupting) Just stop. Both of you.

Marah and Olivia both refuse to retreat so Josh tries yet another tactic.

Josh: Marah, let's talk. Just you and I, okay?

Marah: (eyeing Olivia) Fine.

Josh gives Olivia a look and then proceeds to lead Marah to the other side of the room. He pulls out a chair for her to sit and she reluctantly does. Josh sits across from her and tries to maintain a civilized tone.

Josh: (shakes his head) You are so much like your mother, Marah. Do you know that?

Marah: Funny, just a few hours ago, she was telling me how much I was like you.

Josh smiles briefly at the thought then continues his pursuit for understanding.

Josh: I didn't want you to find out about Olivia and I this way.

Marah: Did you want me to find out at all?

Josh: Well, I…

Marah: No, you didn't. I know, I know. But it's okay. (she smiles) Because the way I see it. If you are trying so hard to hide it, it means it's not going to last.

Josh: Marah, that's not true.

Marah: What do you mean?

Josh: I care about Olivia, a great deal.

Marah: So what? You love Mama.

Josh: It's not that simple, sweetheart.

Marah: Yes, it is that simple. I don't know what you are doing with Olivia. I used to like her; she saved me from that guy and all. But then she lied to me and I don't trust her anymore. But that doesn't matter anyway. What matters is that you and mama belong together.

Josh: I don't know if that's true anymore.

Marah: (starting to become very angered) How can you say that?

Josh: Sweetie, I know this is hard on you. But your mama and I, we aren't going to be together any time soon. There's just too much of a mess between us and I don't know if we will ever get it worked out.

Marah: (jumping up and screaming) IS THAT WHY YOU SLEPT WITH HER LAST NIGHT?!

Olivia quickly looks to the other side of the room, she knows that Josh wasn't in her bed. Guilt covers Josh's face immediately as he becomes speechless. He just stares at his daughter, trying desperately to explain to her what he can't even understand himself.

Marah: (repeating just in case someone in the crowd missed the declaration) Is it, Daddy?! Did you spend the night with her because you guys are such a mess?! Did you spend the night with her because you think things will never get back to the way they should be? Did you spend the night with her because you don't love her?!

Josh can't utter a word.

Marah: I didn't think so. You were with Mama last night because you can't live without her. You love her and you always will. I don't know why you are spending your time with that one (points to Olivia, looking dejected).

Josh is still searching for the right thing to say.

Marah: Oh I get it. I finally get it. You're with her because you want to make mama upset. You want her to pay for going to Richard to figure out her life.

Josh: (finally able to defend himself) That's not true Marah.

Marah: Yes it is! Mama broke your heart and now you are trying to break hers!

Josh: Marah…

Marah: I can't believe you can be so mean. (Marah begins to cry) How could you do this to her?! How could you do this to us! I thought you loved us.

Josh: You know I love you.

Marah: You have a funny way of showing it. I don't know what is wrong with you Daddy, but you are not the man that I thought you were. (sobbing) How could you do this to us?

Josh: Marah, I haven't done anything to you. This isn't about you or your brother. It's about your mother and me.

Marah: Don't you see you didn't just leave mama? You left us too. You don't see it, do you daddy? You are so worried about your own pain that you can't see what you are doing to us. You are spending so much time with HER--instead of with Shayne and me. Are we not important to you anymore?

Josh: Marah, how can you even think that? You and Shayne are the most important people in my life.

Marah: Then why did you leave us…you swore you'd never leave us.

Marah stands there crying. Josh can't stand to see his daughter in pain as he slowly gets up from his seat to comfort her. As he approaches Marah, she pulls away.

Marah: No. Don't touch me. (she looks him directly in the eyes) I want my daddy back. Where is he?

With those words, she is out the door. Josh watches her leave as his entire body becomes still. Moments pass before he remembers that Olivia is still there. Defeated and dejected he turns to face her. He is faced with the decision of going to comfort his daughter or trying to smooth things over with his lover. Immediately knowing where his priorities lie, he conveys his resolution with his eyes. Silently he turns away from Olivia and goes toward the door.

Olivia collapses into her seat as she attempts to process all she has heard.

Olivia: My God, he does still love her. He will always love her.