STACEY: OH, IT IS COMIN’ ON ME! WAIT, IT’S COMING, I FEEL IT, THE GIFT OF TONGUES! WHAHOOOOOOOOOOO! BE-BE, YAIS, BAH! OH, BLESSED! BE, BE, BE, BE, LIEVE! ALL, ALL, ALL COME FORTH! BAH! BOW! WALLAH, YAIS, WALLAH! SALVAREDEMPTION IN ME, DEEP, DEEP SALVAREDEPMTPION, GLORY IN ME, AH, GLORY, GO DEEP IN ME IN GLORY, AH, AH, GAH, WALLAH, WOMB! WOMB I WOMB. . . . [As if arrived at orgasm, she falls back onto the carpet.]

BELLA: Charlie, think she’s in labor, hope she don’t drop the baby. Excuse me honey. [Steps over Stacey’s head.] Cornelius, call the hospital.

CORNELIUS: I’m callin’ the POLICE! [He is on the phone.]

BELLA: Wha’s your father say, Charlie?

CHARLIE: Pop! Whacha doin?

CORNELIUS [on the phone]: POLICE! QUICK! SEVENTEEN SOUTH ELMA!

[No further sound from Stacey as she lies as if in post-orgasmic exhaustion. Charlie wrests the phone from Cornelius.]

CHARLIE: Police? Ignore that call. My Dad is— [He jiggles the hook.]

CORNELIUS: Is what? Say it. I want to hear it!

CHARLIE: Vicious, crazy ole man!

[Cornelius plunges toward him but falls to the floor. Stacey, already on the floor, writhes about like a snake.]

CORNELIUS: Said it! —Confounded—!

BELLA: Cornelius, he didn’ mean it!

CHARLIE: I did mean it, Mom! —How can you conterdict me? In this house all these years? Destroyed a son, a daughter! Persecuted us all!

STACEY: Amen.

BELLA: Charlie, be still! Cornelius is your father!

[A relative quiet descends. Stacey lies spread-eagle on her back.]

CHARLIE: —Stacey, can you get up?

STACEY [moans]: Nooo.

BELLA: How long is she been—?

CHARLIE: Seven months.

BELLA: I better make her some cocoa.

CHARLIE: You said the milk’s gone sour, Mom.

BELLA [inspired]: Call the Moose Lodge and ask for one to come over. Several if—

CHARLIE: The police had hung up before!—

BELLA: The Moose Lodge will come over. Cornelius belongs, is a Moose.

[Soft yap and scratch of dog at the door is unheeded. It pushes its way in and slinks warily to its basket. Stacey has noticed only the opening of the door, she is repossessed by rapture.]

STACEY [springing up, arms aloft]: CHRIST COME IN THE DOOR! Enter this—

CHARLIE: Stacey, no, just the yard dawg!

STACEY: BLESSED SAVIOUR HAS VISITED THIS HOUSE! Where, where, where? [Etc.]

CORNELIUS: Shudder up!

[Stacey rushes blindly downstage. Charlie clutches her just before she falls into the pit.]

BELLA: Son, set her down somewhere—comf’table.

CHARLIE: Tryin’ t’ hold her, Mom.

BELLA: Careful, don’t hurt the baby! What’s her name?

CHARLIE [struggling to restrain her]: Stacey! [He wrestles her to the carpet and straddles her swollen belly.]

[From outside, sound of motor approaching, screeching to halt in front of the house. A car door slams. This activates Cornelius. He stumbles over Charlie and Stacey in his arthritic charge out the door.]

BELLA: Cornelius, where are you goin’, what is Cornelius up to? [She rushes, panting to door]