Title: “The young couple”.
Author: Manuel Martínez
6 characters:
- FRAN.- 17 years old, intelligent and mature for his age. Laura’s boyfriend is going to be a father with Laura and they go to the house of both parents to tell them the news.
- LAURA.- 17 years old, Fran’s girlfriend. She is pregnant with Fran’s child.
- FRAN’S FATHER.- 43 years old. He has older ideas than his wife.
- FRAN’S MOTHER.- 40 years old.
- LAURA’S FATHER.- 45 years old. Together with his wife, they are a married couple with very conservative ideas.
- LAURA’S MOTHER.- 42 years old.
ACT I
Fran’s parents’ house. It is evening and Fran’s parents, Fran and his girlfriend Laura are sitting in the dining room for dinner.
Fran interrupts the dinner by hitting her plate with a fork.
FRAN: Excuse me, but I have something to tell you.
FRAN’S FATHER (the father with a sardonic tone): Have you become a vegan?
FRAN’S MOTHER: Shh, shut up and let him talk.
FRAN: As I was saying, Laura and I are very good together, the truth is that we’ve been dating for two years now…
FRAN’S MOTHER: Are you getting married?
FRAN: Please, let me finish.
FRAN’S FATHER: Right.
FRAN: What I was saying is that…
Laura, sitting next to Fran, looks at him, he looks back at her and they shake hands.
FRAN’S FATHER: Well, if you’re not getting married, what then?
FRAN’S MOTHER: Are you going to live together?
FRAN: Neither… well yes, yes, we are going to live together, but that wasn’t the news.
FRAN’S MOTHER: So?
Fran takes a deep breath and squeezes Laura’s hand.
FRAN: Well… that Laura is pregnant, that we are going to be parents. Well, and you’re grandparents.
There is silence in the room, Fran’s parents look at each other.
FRAN’S MOTHER: But… how…
FRAN’S FATHER: Are you crazy! a baby is not a toy that costs a lot to raise.
FRAN: We know that, Dad. We’re not stupid
FRAN’S FATHER: Well, it doesn’t seem so, because what a way to ruin your youth.
FRAN’S MOTHER: Let’s see, it’s not bad, but you’re very young, maybe later when you’re a little older.
FRAN’S FATHER: It’s not bad, it’s very bad.
FRAN: Let’s not be silly, I have already started working in the supermarket, is not much, but I can move up little by little, Laura will continue studying as long as the pregnancy allows it.
LAURA: We know it’s going to be difficult, but we love each other very much and that’s important, isn’t it?
FRAN’S FATHER: Yes it is important, Laura, but… you have your whole life ahead of you….
FRAN: How old were you when you had me?
FRAN’S MOTHER: It’s not the same thing.
FRAN’S FATHER: Of course, it was a different time.
LAURA: We know it will be very difficult.
FRAN: But we are very excited about it.
FRAN’S FATHER: You’re wrong, seriously, you’re making a huge mistake. But okey, it´s your choice.
Fran’s father leaves the room, they are silent for a moment.
FRAN’S MOTHER: Forgive him, deep down he’s glad.
FRAN: Yes, but deep down.
ACT II
Laura’s parents’ house. Fran and Laura have gone to lunch to tell them the news as well.
LAURA’S FATHER: Whatever I tell you, I’ll never take my car to that garage again, what a bad mechanic and such a bad way to serve customers. But of course I’m out of town and I couldn’t bring the car any closer.
Fran and Laura eat from their plates almost without looking at Laura’s father.
LAURA’S MOTHER: And tell us Fran, have you already found a postgraduate course for after high school?
FRAN: Well, not yet, in fact we wanted to talk to you about it.
LAURA’S FATHER: What’s the matter, have you found a course abroad, is that what you want to talk to us about, that you’re going abroad?
LAURA’S MOTHER: Actually, we wouldn’t like it very much if you went abroad together, but I guess it would be better.
LAURA: Not exactly. We want to tell you something and before you say anything, let us finish and above all think that we are adults and we know what we are doing.
LAURA’S FATHER: We’re off to a good start, look at what I imagine it is, we’re going to have it.
LAURA’S MOTHER: Well let them talk.
LAURA: Fran and I are going to be parents.
LAURA’S FATHER: Excuse me, you’re kidding, right?
Fran and Laura shake their heads.
LAURA’S MOTHER: Are you sure, my girl?
LAURA: Yes
Everyone is silent for a moment.
LAURA: Don’t you say anything?
LAURA’S FATHER: What do you want us to say? That you’re irresponsible and that you’ve just ruined your lives?
LAURA: Or you could also give us your opinion and support us.
LAURA’S FATHER: I can’t support an act of immaturity. You just screwed up your future. And the worst thing is that I know how this is going to end. You…
(pointing to Fran)
… you’ll get tired in a few months and the child will end up being taken care of and raised by your mother and me, and I refuse.
FRAN: You’re wrong and you’ll end up realizing your mistake.
LAURA’S FATHER: I can only tell you one thing, if you expect us to end up taking care of your problems, you are very wrong, because you will live here because you are our daughter but we will not pay for all your broken dishes.
LAURA: Well, don’t worry, all that has a solution. We are a couple, we have thought about it very seriously and we know it will be difficult. We are going to go to live together and if you accept it, fine, but if not, don’t worry, we won’t bother you anymore.
ACT III
Fran and Laura’s house, the house is almost empty, it has only the essential furniture such as a couple of chairs and a table.
Fran and Laura enter the house, Fran carries a box on top of her and a bag hanging from her shoulder. She sits on one of the chairs and approaches the table with a very serious look on her face.
FRAN: I’ll leave the box here and we’ll put the inside in place little by little this afternoon.
Fran stops and looks at Laura.
FRAN: What’s the matter, little one?
LAURA: Nothing.
Tears begin to flow from Laura’s eyes and trickle down her cheeks.
FRAN: Is something wrong?
LAURA: What if we’re wrong?
FRAN: With what?
LAURA: With us, the child, the house. What if our parents are right?
FRAN: Well, you know what, they might be right.
LAURA: Yes, do you think so too?
FRAN: Of course, what kind of brainless person would I be if I wasn’t afraid. But it’s normal.
LAURA: How normal?
FRAN: Well, normal, to be afraid means that we are worried. And it’s normal because it’s something very complicated. But you and I together, I’m sure we can do it.
Laura smiles.
FRAN : And we may make mistakes and have many more problems than we thought, but I can’t think of a better partner to carry out this adventure.
LAURA: I love you.
FRAN: I know.
They both laugh and kiss.
THE END