Scene 20 & 21
Scene XX
[Ivy and Jude walk into the little bakery, which is decorated with an eclectic style. It obviously was just the kind of place that Ivy and Sidney probably went to on many occasions. Jude absently touches his neck, realizing that he probably looked very out of place. Ivy reassures him with a small, gentle pat on the arm. The woman behind the counter smiles at them pleasantly, barely seeming to notice that a random priest has walked into her indie style café.]
Café Woman
What can I get you two?
Ivy
We need some blueberry muffins. And some of your finest cheese and basil bagels.
Café Woman
Excellent. I’ll get those for you right away.
[She waddles away quickly to go get the food. Ivy and Jude exchange glances at one another.]
Ivy
You don’t like bagels?
Jude
I love bagels.
Ivy
Then what’s your problem?
Jude
I’m just thinking that this might be the last time we ever walk somewhere together. We have been doing that a lot.
Ivy
[Rolls her eyes] Must you keep bringing it up?
Jude
I can’t help it. It’s on my mind.
Ivy
I liked you better when you were super nervous all the time and painfully polite.
Jude
Is it rude to say I’d prefer if you didn’t leave?
Ivy
Oh, shut up.
[The café woman comes back and hands Ivy a paper bag full of baked goods. Ivy thanks her, pays her, and she and Jude move on their way out of the shop and back to walking along the street.]
Ivy
So, when are your desperate attempts to get me to stay going to end?
Jude
Maybe when I see some results.
Ivy
I’m not going to stay here. My friends will be fine without me.
Jude
I am your friend, and I can definitely attest that there’s a great chance I won’t be fine.
Ivy
I’m still going to keep in touch with everyone. It’s not like I’m dying.
[For the rest of their walk home, they don’t talk much. Neither of them seems to know what to say to the other one. They obviously don’t want to continue arguing. When they reach the house again, Sidney has returned, though he is obviously still upset. For the rest of the evening, they continue to pack boxes and things though they generally refrain from any meaningful conversation.]
Scene XXI
[It is a few weeks later. Jude once again sits with Dr. Schmidt. Jude sits awkwardly and they stare at each other silently for a few minutes before speaking.]
Dr. Schmidt
How have you been doing?
Jude
Fine. How are you?
Dr. Schmidt
Aside from a few stubborn, difficult patients, I’ve been doing just great. Are you sure that you’re fine?
Jude
Of course I’m sure.
Dr. Schmidt
Your friend just moved across the country. It’s okay if you tell me that you’re not fine.
Jude
I’m not a child. I know when it’s okay to tell someone how I feel and when it isn’t.
Dr. Schmidt
I know you know.
Jude
Then don’t tell me.
[He sighs with intense frustration. Dr. Schmidt writes something down on her clipboard once again.]
Dr. Schmidt
You seem tense.
Jude
Okay, I’ll give you that much. I’m a bit tense, sure.
Dr. Schmidt
Are you still angry with your friend for leaving? Angry with Ivy?
Jude
Of course I am.
Dr. Schmidt
Is it more than that though?
Jude
[Sighs again] No. It’s not more than that.
Dr. Schmidt
Okay then.
Jude
Yes, it’s more than that. You know as well as I do that it’s more than that.
Dr. Schmidt
Okay then.
Jude
I miss her. I didn’t even realize that I could miss another person so much. I miss seeing her nearly every day and talking to her. Even when we were arguing about her leaving, it was still better than not being able to talk to her at all. I think she’s screening my phone calls.
Dr. Schmidt
Well, she did say that she was leaving partially because she couldn’t cope with feelings for you. Maybe you just need to give her some space.
Jude
How much more space could she use? There’s hundreds of miles between us.
Dr. Schmidt
Perhaps she meant mental space as well.
Jude
Of course. I can’t seem to get any of that between us either.
Dr. Schmidt
She’s obviously trying to. Do you not want to have that space?
Jude
I didn’t want any space. [Pauses to think] A little space is fine, actually. That didn’t come out quite right.
Dr. Schmidt
I know what you mean, don’t worry.
Jude
I just… I don’t want to be all alone here.
Dr. Schmidt
You have other friends though. What about your friend Sid?
Jude
Sid is great. He’s just…
Dr. Schmidt
Not Ivy.
Jude
Right.
Dr. Schmidt
Again, we return to the subject of how you would be the most happy.
Jude
I’m happy now.
Dr. Schmidt
No, you aren’t.
Jude
No, I’m not. I’m miserable. You’re right.
Dr. Schmidt
Now then, how can we get you to move past this dark place?
Jude
I don’t know. And I don’t like referring to my misery as “a dark place.”
Dr. Schmidt
Very well. How can we get you to move past this miserable time?
Jude
That’s better. And I don’t know. If I knew how to fix it, I would have already.
Dr. Schmidt
Let’s figure out how to fix it then.
Jude
Okay then.
Dr. Schmidt
We’ve already addressed the fact that you’d be happy if you were around Ivy.
Jude
Yes, that’s true.
Dr. Schmidt
Are you happy with your life now?
Jude
Obviously not.
Dr. Schmidt
Do you think that you would be willing to sacrifice the aspects of your life that make you less happy than you would be with Ivy?
Jude
Again, are you suggesting I abandon the priesthood? Didn’t the people of my church force me to come here because they wanted me to do my job better? You want me to quit all together. How is that serving their needs?
Dr. Schmidt
I’m paid to serve YOUR needs, Jude. Not what everyone else wants from you. Like I said before, my job is to make sure you are happy with your life. Do you think being a priest is more important to you than being happy?
Jude
I never said that being a priest was keeping me from being happy.
Dr. Schmidt
Is it?
Jude
Of course not! I mean… I don’t know. Maybe it is. Do you think so?
Dr. Schmidt
I think that you feel alone right now and that you’ve felt alone for much of your life. You use your vocation as an excuse for your loneliness and having that to blame makes you feel better about your lack of relationships in your life.
Jude
And that’s what you’ve been figuring out the entire time that we’ve been talking together? All these weeks?
Dr. Schmidt
I could see it in you the moment we met.
[They stop talking for a while and simply sit awkwardly in silence for the last few minutes of the meeting. Jude checks his watch every few seconds before standing up abruptly.]
Jude
I should get going. I have… people to counsel, you know.
Dr. Schmidt
I understand. We’ll have a chance to talk again next week.
Jude
Our last meeting. Right. I’ll… I guess I will see you then.
Dr. Schmidt
Yes. That sounds good.
Next Scene...
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