The curtain opens on an unoccupied set. A kitchen. Everyday items placed here and there indicate clutter. There are school pictures and children’s drawings on the fridge. There is a half-full bottle of wine on the counter and two empty glasses beside it. From somewhere comes the twitter of birds: morning. The stage light shines warm on the table and four chairs.

A small girl walks into the kitchen. She is in flannel pajamas and here hair is in two messy braids. She holds an undistinguishable stuffed animal in the crook of one arm. This is ELOISE. She is seven years old.

She looks around the empty room and rubs her knuckles to her eyes to demonstrate she is still sleepy, she yawns widely. She goes to the counter and picks up a box of cereal, but shakes it–it’s empty. She shrugs, drops the box and goes over to the wine bottle where there is also a bowl, she sticks a hand inside and brings out some piece of food, tastes it, shrugs again and takes the bowl and her stuffed animal over to an arm chair placed at the very corner of the set. She curls up and begins to systematically eat whatever is in the bowl.

After a minute or so a woman in a robe enters the kitchen. She is moving faster and looks around rapidly. This is REBECCA. She is the mother of Eloise. She is forty-five. She is attractive but disheveled and slightly haggard. She looks at the wine bottle and shakes her head but leaves it there. She does not seem to see her daughter who is still in the chair, now quietly feeding the stuffed animal. Rebecca glances around the room again and her attention is caught by something on the far end of the counter. She moves to it stealthily and picks it up. An I-phone. She puts it back on the counter then picks it up again and slowly slides her finger across it, then makes a motion of frustration. She taps on it, then shakes her head again. She glances to the far side of the room, then tries again.

When Eloise drops her stuffed animal and makes a small noise, Rebecca jumps, and puts the phone down quickly.

Rebecca: Nervous but trying to sound cool

Honey! I didn’t see you there. What are you doing? It’s early for a Saturday.

Eloise:

Fidelia couldn’t sleep, he was hungry, he wanted breakfast.

Rebecca:

So you’re feeding him last night’s old popcorn?

But she does not wait for an answer, she picks the phone back up and her voice goes crafty.

Ellie, what’s your daddy’s passcode?

Eloise: Through a yawn

Five-four-three-two-one. I don’t think that’s very good, do you? What’s for breakfast? Fidelia wants waffles.

Rebecca taps the phone again and leans over it intently, finger jabbing at it. For several minutes the room is quiet as she examines the phone and Eloise babies her animal. Then, still silently, Rebecca stands up straight and staggers back several steps as if stabbed in the stomach by an invisible enemy. Her hands go to her mouth as if stifling a cry. She teeters for a moment then, still holding the phone, she hurries from the room, robe fluttering behind her.

Rebecca: from off-stage

I’ll make you waffles in a little bit, Ellie, ok?

Eloise looks at her animal and shakes her head then hops down from the chair.

Eloise:

Fidelia you sit here and I’ll get started.

She sets the stuffed animal on the chair and goes to the fridge.

For the next few minutes Eloise moves around the kitchen making waffle batter. She cracks eggs and mixes, humming off-key as she does. While she is working, a teenage boy walks into the room. This is MICHAEL. He is wearing sweats and a t-shirt. One half of his head is shaved, the other side is messy. He is holding a phone in one hand. Eloise looks up as he comes in, surprised.

Eloise:

What are you doing up? You never get up on weekends. Wanna help me and Fidelia make waffles?

Michael: sleepy and slightly exasperated

How can anyone sleep when mom and dad are making all that noise? What’s going on?

Eloise:

What do you mean? Mom was just in here. She’s going to come back and do the waffles. Were they fighting?

Michael: trying to sound off-hand

Fighting? No. They’re just loud, you know. Now come on, I’ll give you a hand, you don’t even have the waffle iron plugged in.

Eloise: delighted

You will? Fidelia’s happy too, he says she never sees you anymore. The waffle iron is up there. Can you reach it?

Michael:

Of course Fidelia never sees me, that old thing doesn’t have eyes anymore.

He moves to a cupboard and reaches up while Ellie giggles happily.

A man enters the kitchen. This is KEVIN. He is Eloise and Michael’s father. He walks in abruptly with an upset look on his face but stops, seemingly surprised to find his children happily cooking. He is wearing pajamas and has stubble on his face. He looks around, shakes his head, and rubs his eyes. He goes to the counter and takes the pot from the coffee maker, but it is empty. He puts it back.

Kevin:

What’s going on in here? Looks like entirely too much cooperation to me.

Eloise: laughs.

We’re making waffles. Fidelia is telling us the recipe. It’s a special one.

Michael:

That old thing can’t talk, can it? It doesn’t even have a mouth.

Eloise:

He can too talk! Daddy, where’s mommy? She said she was going to help.

Kevin: gruff

I’ll go get her. Just let me make some coffee.

He moves back to the coffee pot and fills it, then stands with his hand to his face briefly, before making himself remove it. He watches his children working together. He shuts his eyes as if this pains him. His children are busy and do not notice. Michael is holding the stuffed animal over the bowl of batter and pretending he is about to dunk it in, and Eloise is hopping around and laughing.

Kevin: abruptly, his voice thick.

I’ll go get your mom.

Eloise:

Tell her Fidelia’s waffles are better than hers.

Kevin walks off the stage and Eloise and Michael start preparing plates.

Eloise:

Let’s wait until they’re here and we’ll all eat together.

Michael does not answer. He looks off-stage for a moment, his face clouded, but then it clears and he looks more intently.

Michael:

Here they come.

Rebecca and Kevin walk into the room together. Both their faces are grave, but as they move into the room, they make an effort to make them more cheerful. They do not look at one another. Rebecca kisses Eloise on the top of the head.

Rebecca:

It smells delicious in here! Waffles. And you made them all yourselves.

Eloise:

Fidelia helped, and Michael too. Are you hungry?

Rebecca: struggling to keep voice even.

We’re starving. Right honey?

Kevin:

What? Oh yes, starving. Can’t wait to try Fidelia’s famous waffles.

They all stand around the counter and prepare plates, then sit down at the table together and begin to eat.