THE SETUP
Cian has just asked Gabby if her boyfriend Vincent (Cian’s older brother) has said “I love you” yet.
“It’s just — words. Three words. They don’t mean anything anymore.”
GABBY
It’s just — words. Three words. They don’t mean anything anymore. No one believes them anymore. I’m not even sure I’d believe them if he said them. I probably wouldn’t.
It’s funny, but it’s easier to believe God loves me. Because I can’t see Him. He’s not standing right in front of me. He’s not sitting across the kitchen table waiting for his newspaper, wondering why I’m out of milk, waiting for me to leave for church so he can play basketball and not feel guilty. It’s easy to believe God loves me. He doesn’t have to say it. Someone else tells me and I take it on faith. I read it. I don’t have to face him. Look in his eyes and wonder. Vince — it’s things he does, things I do. He’s an easy movie rental. He’ll stay up all night just talking, holding me in bed. I can’t remember the last person I felt comfortable enough to talk with in bed. Laugh with in bed. He shows me. I believe he loves me. Even though we both scrupulously avoid saying it.
Is it enough for me?
(pause)
It’s more than I’ve had in a very long time.
And no. It’s not enough.
(photo: 1996 production by The Early Stage (Minneapolis, MN); Eriq Nelson as Vincent, Renee Werbowski as Gabby)
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