Scene one
The bell rings as a woman in her 20’s opens the door to the café. An older woman, already seated looks up at the sound and they make eye contact. The young woman walks over to her.
EMMA
Hi! It’s Maggie isn’t it? You are Maggie, right?
MAGGIE
Yes, hello!
Emma
Phew, that could have been awkward. I’m Emma. Have you been waiting long?
Maggie
No, I only just got here really. What would you like to drink?
Emma
Shall we get cappuccinos?
Maggie
Yes, alright. Do you want a cake or…?
Emma
How about I get the cakes if you get the coffee?
Maggie
Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.
They place an order for two cappuccinos and two Chelsea buns.
Emma
So, you need a travel companion for a weeks holiday in Scotland, that you what? Won in a competition?
Maggie
Yes, that’s right.
Emma
What made you look online?
Maggie
Is it alright if we go for a walk? I don’t want to talk about it here….
Emma
Sure. There’s a nice park near by here.
Scene two
Usual park sounds in the background, dogs barking, children playing.
Maggie
I work in a supermarket, you know? On the checkout. Oh I know it’s a silly job at my age, it’s something school kids do isn’t it? But while I’m on my shift I feel like a normal person, like I’m part of the human race…then I go home to an empty flat and the spells broken…My mother never loved me, and she made it abundantly clear that she didn’t…. I’ve always had trouble forming good relationships and real friendships; I suppose if you can’t make your own mum love you, it’s very hard to make anyone else! People lose themselves in me for a bit, and then they lose me… But I decided to make a change recently; I’m not going to waste my time and energy on people who don’t spend any time or energy on me! I’m finally putting myself first, but unfortunately the holiday is for two…turns out I didn’t have any friends I could ask.
Emma
I’m sorry, that sounds tough. Good for you though, making yourself your top priority!
Maggie
But what about you? Why did you answer my ad?
Emma
My mum, she was great, she was amazing ! But she fell ill when I was nine and she didn’t get better…she just got worse, until I ended up having to take care of her…and me, and the house and the dog.
She died last year-
Maggie
Emma, I’m so sorry!
Emma
It’s fine, really, it’s what she wanted come the end…now I just have all this time to myself…thought I might as well have a holiday before I have to look for a job! But why Scotland though? I’m guessing it wasn’t random?
Maggie
No, no, it wasn’t random…I entered after a channel 5 documentary
Emma
Have you always had a burning desire to see a man in a kilt?
Maggie
Oh my goodness, no! They can keep to themselves, thank you!
They laugh like old friends.
Maggie
No, it will sound silly.
Emma
I promise I won’t laugh.
Maggie
Well I’ve wanted to go for quite a while now…I had a book of Scottish wildlife when I was a child; the pine martins and the wild cats stuck with me…and, I don’t know…I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries recently, it’s so beautiful and peaceful! It looks like somewhere where you can really truly breathe.
Emma
That doesn’t sound silly, it sounds nice. Do you want to know a secret? I’m scared.
Maggie
Of Scotland?
Emma
Yes, I’m worried I won’t be able to understand the accent. No, of course not, although…I’m scared that I don’t know who I am without my mum to take care of…I don’t know what I like, or what I want!
Maggie
We can find out together if you like? Does Emma like whisky? Or log throwing? I think that’s a thing there, or maybe only during the Highland Games…perhaps Emma likes bagpipes? I hope Emma likes rain, because there’s bound to be a lot of that!
Emma
I think Emma would like a place to breathe.
Megan Romaine has, in one way or another, been telling stories all her life. In the last few years she has been taking it seriously and trying to get it off the ground- to make a dream come true. She has had a piece and a short fantasy love story published on girltellme.com, and a story in six words coming in issue four of Type! Bookmark Magazine.
Featured Image by Elle Hughes from Pexels
