SCENE 1: BETHANY AND LYNETTE’S ROOM

The afternoon was quiet. Bethany sat on the edge of the bed, looking frustrated and emotionally exhausted. Lynette sat beside her, listening carefully.

BETHANY:

Lynette, I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m Larry’s wife, but sometimes I feel like I’m living alone in this marriage. He doesn’t come to me the way a husband should. I try to get close to him, but he always finds an excuse to stay away.

LYNETTE:

Bethany, I’m surprised you’re telling me this. I never imagined things had gotten that bad between you and Larry.

BETHANY:

I have needs, Lynette. I need affection, attention, and love. I need to feel wanted by my own husband. But Larry doesn’t seem to understand that. He acts like everything is fine, while I’m sitting here wondering what happened to the man I married.

LYNETTE:

Honestly, I don’t know why Larry is acting this way with you. When he was with me, things were different. He knew how to make me feel wanted, and I never had to beg him for attention.

Bethany turned toward Lynette, shocked by her answer.

BETHANY:

Wait. Are you telling me Larry never treated you like this?

LYNETTE:

I’m telling you things were different between us. He was affectionate with me. He made me feel like he wanted to be around me. That’s why I don’t understand what’s happening in your marriage.

SCENE 2: THE CONVERSATION TAKES A DARK TURN

Neither woman noticed the shadow moving beneath the bedroom door. Larry had returned home earlier than expected. When he heard his name, he stopped in the hallway.

BETHANY:

Sometimes I wonder whether Larry even wants to be married to me anymore. He doesn’t act like a husband. He doesn’t show me the affection I need, and he doesn’t seem interested in fixing anything.

LYNETTE:

Have you actually talked to him about it?

BETHANY:

Of course I have! Every time I try, he tells me I’m overthinking everything. He makes me feel like I’m the problem for wanting attention from my own husband.

Outside the room, Larry stood motionless, listening to every word.

BETHANY:

And the worst part is that he expects me to keep smiling like nothing is wrong. How am I supposed to do that when I feel unwanted in my own marriage?

LYNETTE:

Maybe he has something going on that he hasn’t told you about.

BETHANY:

Then why won’t he tell me? I’m his wife! If something is wrong, shouldn’t I be the first person he talks to?

Larry clenched his jaw as Bethany continued.

BETHANY:

Sometimes I even wonder whether he’s capable of being the husband I need. What if there’s something wrong with him that he doesn’t want to admit?

LYNETTE:

Bethany, that’s a serious thing to say. Maybe you shouldn’t go there.

BETHANY:

I’m serious, Lynette! What if his machine doesn’t even work anymore? What am I supposed to do then?

Larry’s face turned red with anger. He had heard enough.

SCENE 3: LARRY WALKS IN

The bedroom door suddenly flew open. Bethany jumped, and Lynette sat upright. Larry stood in the doorway, his expression cold and his eyes fixed on Bethany.

LARRY:

What did you just say about me?

BETHANY:

Larry! How long have you been standing there?

LARRY:

Long enough to hear everything! Every single word!

LYNETTE:

Larry, listen. You need to calm down. We were just talking.

LARRY:

Stay out of this, Lynette! I wasn’t talking to you. I want to hear what my wife has to say.

BETHANY:

Larry, I was upset. I was just telling her how I’ve been feeling. You don’t understand what I’ve been going through.

LARRY:

Oh, I understand perfectly! You think I’m not enough of a husband for you? You think there’s something wrong with me? And you have to discuss our private life with Lynette?

BETHANY:

That’s not what I meant!

LARRY:

Then what did you mean, Bethany? Because I heard you questioning me as a man! I heard you making jokes about something that should never have been discussed like that!

Bethany’s eyes filled with tears. Lynette stepped forward, trying to calm the situation.

SCENE 4: THE SLAP THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

BETHANY:

I wasn’t trying to humiliate you. I’m unhappy, Larry. I’ve tried to tell you that so many times, but you never listen to me!

LARRY:

And you thought humiliating me behind my back would solve everything?

BETHANY:

I needed someone to talk to!

LARRY:

Then you should have talked to me!

Bethany reached toward him, hoping to stop the argument before it went any further.

BETHANY:

Larry, I’m your wife. Please don’t do this. We can work through our problems if you just give me a chance to explain.

LARRY:

My wife? Is that what you call yourself after talking about me like that?

In a sudden burst of anger, Larry slapped Bethany across the face. She stumbled backward, bringing a hand to her cheek. Lynette gasped and immediately moved between them.

LYNETTE:

Larry! What is wrong with you? You cannot put your hands on her!

BETHANY:

You hit me?

Bethany stared at her husband in disbelief. The person she had expected to protect her had become the person she feared.

BETHANY:

I know I said things that hurt you, Larry. But you had no right to hit me. Argue with me, tell me you’re hurt, but don’t ever think being my husband gives you the right to do this!

LARRY:

And you had no right to disrespect me like that!

SCENE 5: LARRY MAKES HIS DECISION

Larry paced across the room. Bethany remained beside Lynette, tears running down her face.

LARRY:

You know what, Bethany? I’ve had enough of this marriage. If you think I’m such a terrible husband, then you don’t need to stay with me!

BETHANY:

Larry, you’re saying that because you’re angry. Please, let’s not make a decision we’ll regret.

LARRY:

I’m not changing my mind!

He turned toward her, his voice growing louder.

LARRY:

I’m going to divorce you, Bethany! Do you hear me? I’m going to give you a divorce, and I’m sending you straight back to your father’s house!

BETHANY:

You’re going to divorce me over one conversation?

LARRY:

You sat here and questioned me as a husband. You let Lynette compare our marriage to her past with me. And then you made comments about me that no husband should have to hear from his own wife!

BETHANY:

And what about everything I’ve been trying to tell you? Does my pain mean nothing to you?

Larry fell silent for a second, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to admit that her complaints might have come from genuine loneliness.

LARRY:

You should have thought about that before you opened your mouth.

BETHANY:

And you should have thought about our marriage before you decided to throw it away!

LARRY:

Pack your things. You’re not staying here much longer.

SCENE 6: BETHANY BREAKS DOWN

The sound of Larry’s footsteps faded down the hallway. Bethany slowly sat on the bed, overwhelmed by everything that had happened.

BETHANY:

Lynette, what am I supposed to do now? He hit me, and then he threatened to divorce me. I never thought things would get this bad.

LYNETTE:

Bethany, none of this makes it acceptable for him to hit you.

BETHANY:

I just wanted him to understand me. I wanted my husband to care about what I was going through. Was that really too much to ask?

LYNETTE:

No. You deserved to be heard. But you need to consider what is best for you now instead of trying to make Larry change his mind while he’s this angry.

BETHANY:

What if he really sends me away? What will everyone say when they find out my marriage has ended?

LYNETTE:

Let people talk. Your safety matters more than what anyone thinks.

Bethany nodded slowly, but another thought suddenly crossed her mind.

BETHANY:

Lynette, there’s something else I’m worried about. Larry said he would speak to my father himself. You know how my father is. If Larry tells him everything we discussed, he’s going to blame me for all of it.

LYNETTE:

Don’t rush into anything because you’re afraid of what other people will say. You need to think clearly about your next step.

BETHANY:

I don’t even know whether Larry will give me a chance to explain. He walked in, heard those words, and decided our entire marriage was over.

LYNETTE:

Maybe he needs time. But you shouldn’t have to accept being hit just to keep your marriage together.

SCENE 7: A PHONE CALL THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

Downstairs, Larry stood alone in the living room. Beneath his anger was a feeling he didn’t want to acknowledge: uncertainty.

He picked up his phone and found Bethany’s father’s number.

LARRY:

If she wants to talk about me behind my back, then let’s see what her father has to say about it.

He pressed the call button. The phone rang three times before someone answered.

BETHANY’S FATHER:

Larry? What’s going on? Is everything all right?

LARRY:

No, sir. Everything is far from all right. I need to talk to you about your daughter.

BETHANY’S FATHER:

What happened to Bethany?

LARRY:

Your daughter has been saying things about me that I never expected to hear. I’ve reached my limit, and I’m ready to end this marriage.

BETHANY’S FATHER:

Hold on. What exactly are you accusing my daughter of doing?

Larry explained the conversation he had overheard, including the remarks that had humiliated him. But he left out one important detail: he didn’t mention that he had slapped Bethany.

Upstairs, Lynette overheard part of the call and immediately returned to the bedroom.

LYNETTE:

Bethany, you need to know something. Larry is on the phone with your father right now.

BETHANY:

What? What is he telling him?

LYNETTE:

He’s telling him about our conversation. I don’t know what else he’s said, but he’s making it sound like you’re the only person responsible for what happened.

BETHANY:

I need to talk to my father before Larry twists everything around.

Before Bethany could dial, her father’s name appeared on her screen. She answered immediately.

BETHANY:

Dad?

BETHANY’S FATHER:

Bethany, I just spoke to Larry. He says you’re disrespecting him, and he’s talking about divorce. Tell me what’s going on!

Bethany opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. She glanced at Lynette and then toward the bedroom door.

BETHANY:

Dad, there’s something Larry didn’t tell you.

BETHANY’S FATHER:

What didn’t he tell me?

BETHANY:

Dad… Larry hit me.

Silence. For several seconds, her father said nothing. Then his voice changed completely.

BETHANY’S FATHER:

Put Larry on the phone. Right now.

Bethany’s eyes widened. Downstairs, Larry’s phone suddenly vibrated with another incoming call. It was Bethany’s father calling him back.

Larry answered, unaware that the conversation was about to take a turn he hadn’t expected.

LARRY:

Hello, sir?

BETHANY’S FATHER:

Larry, I heard what my daughter said. Now I want you to answer one question honestly.

LARRY:

What question?

BETHANY’S FATHER:

Did you put your hands on my daughter?

Larry froze. Upstairs, Bethany stood beside Lynette, listening to the silence coming from the phone. For the first time since the argument began, Larry had no immediate answer.

He had expected Bethany’s father to blame his daughter. He had not expected him to call back so quickly. Slowly, Larry looked toward the staircase, realizing that his next words could change everything.