The lights are full. Older Cathy slips back into the wings.

The twins are asleep. Cathy is at the laptop. Christopher reads but looks up at her frequently.

The door opens, and Corrine enters. She is in an expensive designer gown and dripping with diamonds and pearls.

CATHY. Where are you going?

CORRINE. I have a surprise for you. My parents are going to do something they haven’t done for years. They’re having a gala holiday ball.

CATHY. Why is that a surprise for us, Momma?

CORRINE. I’m going to tell you exactly where you can hide and see it all, but you have to promise me you won’t go anywhere else and you’ll come back here after an hour.

CATHY. That’s it. That’s the surprise?

CORRINE. You’ll see elegance like you’ve never seen and hear music from an orchestra. You’ll finally know what I mean by great wealth and why this is all worth it.

CATHY. And your father?

CORRINE. He’ll be in a wheelchair and using oxygen, but I don’t expect he’ll be there long.

CATHY. So that’s why you’re all dressed up?

CORRINE. Yes. I wanted you to see the jewelry my mother let me wear. [Modeling and turning.] Jewelry that will someday be mine and then yours. Now, here’s what you do. I’m leaving the door unlocked with the key in the lock. In a few minutes, you go out and down to the second floor. There’s a large armoire against the railing. It’s empty. You can both crawl in and look down into the ballroom through the opening in the rear.

CATHY. Crawl in?

CORRINE. It’s very large. When I was a little girl, I’d crawl in there and look out the back to see my parents’ grand parties. They never knew. In a little more than an hour, I’ll come back up and lock the door, so you’d better be back in here, or the twins will be terribly frightened. Okay?

Corrine puts a bag on the table.

CORRINE. That’s another little present. There’s wine in there for you two to have a holiday drink. Be sure you hide it well so my mother doesn’t find it, okay? Happy holidays, children. Enjoy.

She leaves quietly.

CATHY. Happy holidays? Enjoy?

Christopher takes out the wine.

CHRISTOPHER. Let’s have a little before we go.

CATHY. I don’t know if I can stand the excitement.

Cathy goes to the table. Christopher opens the wine bottle and pours two glasses.

CHRISTOPHER. Merry Christmas, Cathy.

CATHY. Merry fucking Christmas, Christopher.

They drink.

CHRISTOPHER. Ready?

They go to the door, hesitate, and then open it. It’s as if they’re going under water. They walk out and close the door softly behind them.

Orchestra music starts. Many people are heard talking and laughing.

The lights go out on the attic.

Christopher and Cathy enter at stage right in a dim spotlight and move slowly, holding hands, until they reach stage left, where there is the rear of a large armoire, the back partly open.