Mum? Mum! (She goes to DAWN) What are you doing? Dad’s going out of his mind.

He’ll be alright.

The whole hospital’s turned upside down. Everybody’s looking for you.

But you’re the only one who found me. (Pause)

How did you get up here?

There’s a hole in the fence.

I know but how did you get up here? The steps almost killed me.

I’m not sure.

It’s a good spot. Wonder more people don’t get up here.

They don’t know about the hole. (Pause) Shouldn’t you be at your party?

I was until Dad called and told me you’d vanished.

He will be annoyed.

Dad?

No. What’s his name?

You know his name.

Do I? What is it again? Gordon, Gormond –

Garan.

That’s right – Garan. Sounds like some kind of rash. “Oh no. I’ve got a nasty case of Garan on my arse.”

Mum, he’s my husband.

More fool you. I always liked that other one. Simon. He was –

Wet.

Considerate. He was always so nice to me.

Probably fancied you.

Me? Really?

Really.

But I’m twice his age.

Trust me.

Garan reminds me too much of someone else.

Who?

My husband.

Dad’s alright.

You try being married to him for forty years. (Pause)

Come on, we better get you back.

I’m not going back.

Don’t be silly Mum. Come on.

Helen – I’m not going back. I hate that awful room full of all that stuff. People keep ringing me and saying “What can I bring you?” I say, “Don’t bring me anything!” I don’t want any more things. (Dawn taps the bench alongside her. Helen sits) Beautiful clothes. They look very expensive.

They are. So I guess Gormond is good for one thing.

(Tapping Helen’s stomach) Maybe two. How did you work it out where I was?

It wasn’t hard. New Year’s Eve. Where else would you be?

My chair. My view. Surprised you remembered where it was.

Come on Mum, it hasn’t been that long.

Five years.

Five? Really. (Dawn nods. Pause)
Did you ever bring Dad here? (Dawn shakes her head)

No matter how much I loved your father I needed to keep something to myself. And this was mine. My chair and my fireworks.

But you brought me here.

Back then when I thought of you - it wasn’t like we were two people. We were the same person so it made sense to bring you. I knew it would mean the same for you as it did to me. Maybe I thought you needed to see it.

Do you still think that? We’re one person.

Sometimes. (Pause) I knew you’d come. I wanted it to be just the two of us. Me and you. Our twentieth anniversary fireworks.

It’s not fair to Dad. He should be here too.

I’ve said my goodbyes to him. And besides forty years of being a wife, thirty years of being a mother. About time to just be me.

Mum –

This is my last fireworks Helen. And I wanted to share them with you. If I can’t play favourites now, then when can I. (Helen wipes away a tear) Don’t be sad my daughter. I’ve had a good life. People who loved me. A husband who worshipped me. A daughter. I had a home. I had a family.

I’m going to miss you.

And I’m going to miss you. Just don’t be so successful in your work you forget to be a good Mum. And if Gormond ever starts rooting around – tell him to piss off.

Thanks for the advice.

You’re welcome. (DAWN looks at HELEN. She takes HELEN’S face in her hands and strokes her hair) Twenty years. It all goes by so … fast. (HELEN smiles. DAWN lies down on the bench. She puts her head on HELEN’S lap) I’m just going to lie down for a little while. Wake me up when they start.

Mum …

Quiet now. No more words. No … more … words. (DAWN closes her eyes. Pause. We hear a distant explosion. Fireworks explode overhead, showering them in bright bursts of colour)

Mum … It’s starting. (DAWN doesn’t respond) It’s starting. (But DAWN doesn’t move. HELEN watches the fireworks).