CHRISTOPHER. Okay. It’s your job to care for . . . What should we name it?

CATHY. How about Olivia?

CORY. How about Mr. Mouse?

CATHY. Is it a Mr.?

CHRISTOPHER. It is now.

Christopher hands the cage to Cory as the lights begin to dim.

Scene 5

Older Cathy is picked up by the spotlight at stage left. She watches the lights dim to darkness. She turns to the audience.

OLDER CATHY. Momma was in love again. Love. Our grandmother from hell once told us that our mother would do anything to get what she wanted. Now we knew she would even fall in love.

She starts across the stage, then pauses.

OLDER CATHY. Christopher’s duplicate key worked. We made short forays into the mansion, sneaking into Momma’s bedroom, where she had that wonderful swan headboard. We went through Bart’s clothes and found dollars. We took some of Momma’s jewelry and found money in some of her purses. Our forays grew longer. We were bolder and bolder, until the time we spied on Grandmother Olivia and saw her on her knees praying, and she was as bald as I was. She wore wigs. For a moment, we were both shocked and then hysterical. We had to rush back to the attic to let out our laughter.

She crosses to stage right.

OLDER CATHY. It was hard to be patient. I would have left as soon as we had a few hundred dollars, but Christopher was more sensible. He was struggling inside with terrible disappointment about Momma, but Momma lived up to one promise, at least. She brought us those sugary powdered doughnuts that the twins, especially Cory, loved, and for a little while, they were almost back to themselves. All of us were. And then . . . suddenly, I found I had much less energy. I didn’t even have the strength to go hunting for money with Christopher. Cory was the first one to get very sick. Christopher thought it was a bad flu at first, and then . . .

She walks offstage, and the lights come up on the attic.

Scene 6

Christopher counts money at the table. Sitting up, Cory moans and clutches his stomach. Cathy crosses from the bathroom, and Christopher hides the money in a vase. Cathy embraces Cory.

CATHY. Christopher, he’s very sick.

CHRISTOPHER. We’ll need some real medicine this time.

The door opens, and Olivia stands there looking at Cathy holding Cory.

OLIVIA. I told you. Only boys with boys in bed.

CHRISTOPHER. My brother is very sick. I feel sick, and so do Carrie and Cathy, but he’s the worst. He threw up all night.

CATHY [screaming]. Get my mother! Now!

Olivia looks shocked for a moment. She gazes at Cory, who looks more unconscious than asleep, and then she turns and leaves. They hear her lock the door.

CATHY. If she doesn’t come back immediately, we go out, Christopher.