You. Me. Movies in the Dark on my Bed (Heaven & Home)

THE SETUP

Cian has come to Gabby for comfort – their traditional movie marathon routine which they pull whenever they want to retreat from the men in their lives – in this case, Cian is retreating from Andrew, and Gabby is retreating from Cian’s brother Vincent.   But Gabby realizes that she’s not solving anything by substituting the emotional intimacy she gets from Cian for what she should be getting from Vincent.

GABBY

I can’t do this.  This.  What we’re doing.  You.  Me.  Movies in the dark on my bed.  This.  I can’t.  Or I shouldn’t.  I won’t.

You and your brother.  Together, you’d make a great catch.  As it is — I’ve got to stop torturing myself and you’ve got to help me.

You take advantage.  You do.  I’m not saying it’s calculated.  You know I like you too much and I can’t say no, so it’s easier, it’s comfortable.  But you have a perfectly decent, caring, adorable guy who, as far as I can see, has re-shaped his entire life just so he’d have a shot at being with you.  And you’re using me to avoid him.  And I’m letting you. 

I should leave well enough alone.  God knows I’ve got my hands full with your brother, as usual.

Still having trouble?  We’re always having trouble.  He’s the emotional equivalent of a long distance phone call.

But I don’t say anything because I’m normally too worried about when you’re going to decide to get on with your life — And sure, you let me do all this, but it’s me that did all the work so I can hardly blame you for the corner I’ve painted myself into.  I have to stop.  Don’t get me wrong.  I still care about you.  But I have to stop.

(photo: 1997-1998 production by The Subterranean Theatre Company (Los Angeles, CA); Doug Sutherland as Cian, Tania Gutsche as Gabby)