3 Days After the Honeymoon

Aron and Lou drinking her homemade iced tea at the kitchen table. Enter Dray from hall. Lou smiles in greeting.

Lou. "What's up, hon?"

Dray. Shrugs (forced nonchalance). "Gonna hang out with some friends, Mom. I'll be home by midnight, okay?"

Lou. Eyes narrow (suspicious). "Which friends?"

Dray. "Football friends. School friends. You know, the usual."

Lou. "Jake and Taylor and Eleanor, too?"

Dray. Rolls his eyes. "Yes, mom, they might be there."

Lou. Impatient. "We've been through this before, Dray. If those three are there, there's going to be drinking, and I don't want you at any party like that."

Dray. Irritable. "Yea, well, Mom, who the hell am I supposed to hang out with? Do you want me to spend the summer stuck at home in a house full of little kids?"

Aron. Reproving. "Dray."

Dray. Cuts him off. "It's going to be at Grace's house, and her parents are there. There won't be any beer, Mom, I promise. Besides, you know I won't drink. You're a cop, for god's sake, and you'd let me rot in jail for a week if I did."

Lou. Sharply. "Damn straight I would."

Dray. "Mom, please. I swear I'll come home if there's drinking."

Lou. Opens her mouth to say something.

Aron. Slowly. "I think it's okay if you go, Dray, but we need your word that if someone brings out alcohol of any kind you come home right away. And whatever you do, don't drive if you've had something to drink."

Dray. Hesitates. Scowls. "Yea, sure."

Aron. Tosses him the keys. "Take the truck."

Exit Dray.

Lou. Shakes Head. "If there is beer there, I don't think any promise Dray makes you will hold up."

Aron. "Let's try trusting him, love, just this once, and maybe our confidence will help him make the right decision."

Lou. Skeptical. "It didn't last time."

Aron. Leans over and kisses her forehead. "Well, my love, I am a firm believer in second chances. And that our son deserves one."

Camera -->Dray, just outside the door, listening. Conflicted emotion: annoyance and something more.