Act 3 Scene 1

The scene opens showing a dusty office with paper strewn all over the floor. There are steel drawers every other foot overflowing with papers. Gayle’s ghost comes into the scene, followed by Freddie, Mrs. Arthur, Bill, Frank, and Erica. Frank and Erica are holding hands and Freddie is looking around curiously. Mrs. Arthur and Bill keep casting glares at each other. Gayle’s ghost stops, and everyone else stops as well except for Freddie, who is still looking around and ends up bumping into Frank, who glares at him. Freddie holds up his hands apologetically.

Gayle’s Ghost: Well, we start searching.

The characters spilt up at once, opening drawers and searching for the copy of the will. Frank gets a piece of paper and struggles to get it off. Gayle’s ghost opens a drawers, rifles through it and withdraws from it a piece of folded paper. She looks at it closely.

Gayle’s Ghost: Reads “Jacob Arthur”. This must be what we’ve been looking for.

Frank: The copy.

Mrs. Arthur snatches it up, and puts her hand on the sealed end. She hesitates, and then gives it back to Gayle’s ghost.

Mrs. Arthur: I don’t dare to open it.

Bill snatches it and makes to open it but hesitates, and thrusts it at Erica. Erica takes it and puts her hand on the sealed end. She makes to open it but hesitates and gives it to Freddie. Freddie tosses it into the trashcan at the side. Mrs. Arthur and Bill yell “No!” and rush to pick it up from the trashcan. Bill takes it and gives it to Frank.

Bill: You read it.

Frank opens the letter and reads it out loud.

Frank: “I am particularly fond of sunsets, and on this sunset, I, Jacob Arthur want to ensure that when I leave this world, all my wealth will be given to…” no.

Mrs. Arthur: Frantically Well? Given to?

Frank: It ends, it ends abruptly.

The young lady’s ghost slowly slides into view. She walks, slowly, sadly, cautiously to the back of the stage, clutching a piece of paper. They do not notice her until she is well in the middle of the back of the stage. She cries out to the rest

Young Lady’s Ghost: You won’t find anything there. Hides piece of paper behind her back and slowly walks to the middle of the stage Its nothing but a tampered copy of the copy of the will.

They all turn to look at her.

Frank: Gently Lady, what is the meaning of all this.

Young Lady’s Ghost: Do not address me as “My Lady!”.

Frank: But you are a lady!

Young Lady’s Ghost: No, I am not!

Freddie: Walks up to her swinging his arms with hilarious authority and intimidation Well then, am I to believe that you are, a man?

Young Lady’s Ghost: Well, no…

Freddie: In a sing-song voice HM?

Erica walks forward and pushes past Freddie.

Erica: That is hardly the point. Lady, what is there you have behind your back?

Young Lady’s Ghost: It is nothing but what you all have been looking for. The will. Emphasis on “The Will”

Erica holds out her hand for it. The Young Lady’s Ghost and her stare eye to eye for a while. T

Young Lady’s Ghost: Answer this question and you can have the will.

Erica: Well fine. What is it?

Young Lady’s Ghost: Moves to the front of the stage and reminisces I went to my fiancé, he saw my in this state, and he refused to accept me. Turns sharply to the rest of the characters. Tell me, my friends! How do you fix a broken heart?

The characters ponder and think, never coming up with an answer until Freddie steps forward and gives a polite bow to the Young Lady’s Ghost. He takes her free hand in one of his, still in his bow and looking up into her eyes. He speaks in a low voice.

Freddie: By finding someone else who can mend it, my lady.

Freddie slowly kisses her on the hand. The Young Lady’s Ghost slowly hands him the will and faints, hitting the floor slowly. Freddie looks at the folded will and throws it into the trashcan.

Mrs. Arthur: Freddie!

Freddie: She thrust garbage at me!

Mrs. Arthur: Dear boy that was not garbage!

Runs to the trashcan and picks it up. She takes a look at the folded sheet and thrusts it at Bill, who does the same and thrusts it at Frank. Frank sighs and gently unfolds it, reading slowly.

Frank: Reads “I am particularly fond of sunsets-“

Mrs. Arthur: Impatiently Yes, yes we know! Who does it say?

Given to, “my boy Frederick Blacksblood the Second”

Everyone except for Frank and Freddie speak at the same time.

Everyone: WHAT!

Bill lunges for the will and reads it again out loud.

Bill: Reads “my dear boy Frederick Blacksblood the Second, whom I met at the Cemetery Street theatre. I never laughed before he made me.”

A five second pause.

Freddie: Does this mean…

Mrs. Arthur: It means you’re the sole beneficiary of the will.

Bill: Because you made him laugh.

Mrs. Arthur: I can’t believe this. I took care of him on his deathbed, I was the best daughter.

Bill: But you never made him laugh.

Bill start’s laughing, followed by Mrs., Arthur, and then Frank and Erica, and then Gayle’s Ghost. The Young Lady’s ghost jerks awake and laughs along. Freddie stares at them all, wide-eyed.

Freddie: Flips his hair I don’t know what I did.

Freddie stalks off the stage. The rest of the characters continue laughing. The lights dim and the play ends.

-End-