Leah You can’t just lurk outside my house. Mischa’s house, like that –

Tara I wasn’t lurking –

Leah How long have you been here?

Tara Only like . . . ten minutes –

Leah This is a bit fucked up, T.

Tara I’m sorry. I know you said you needed some space but –

Leah So you turn up outside my house?

Tara Mischa’s house.

Beat.

Did you get my messages?

Leah I saw them. I haven’t listened to them because, like I’ve said I’m trying to take some space.

Tara My uncle died.

Leah What?

Tara My Uncle Teju. Suicide.

Leah Oh my god.

Tara That was why I was calling –

Leah Tara, I’m so sorry.

Tara I found out . . . my mum told me he was gay.

Leah (beat) What?

Tara Yeah. He was gay . . . and I didn’t know. The police found out. He was up for trial over there.

Leah In Nigeria? Jesus.

Tara I feel like if I’d known I could have helped him.

Leah You don’t know that.

Tara If they’d told me.

Leah I don’t think things are ever that simple, babe.

Tara All this time, I had someone I could talk to. In my own family and I didn’t even know. If someone had told me, maybe he would have felt less alone.

Leah There was probably a lot of other stuff going on for him. Just because you didn’t know, doesn’t mean that if you had you could have saved him. That’s not how any of this works.

Tara I feel like I’ve lost him twice. Like I’m mourning a relationship I never had.

Leah I’m sorry.

Tara Yeah.

Pause.

I miss you. I’m so sorry about everything. I was an idiot.

Leah No.

Tara I want to marry you. I do. I don’t give a shit what my parents think, whether they come or not.

Leah We can’t do this now.

Tara I mean it, Lee.

Leah Babe.

Tara I can’t lose you.

Leah You won’t.

Tara I don’t want to end up like him.

Leah You’re in shock. You’re grieving. I don’t want to make this huge decision in the wake of all of this. I don’t want it to be a knee-jerk reaction –

Tara It’s not.

Leah You don’t know that.

Tara Yes I do.

Leah I said I needed space and that hasn’t changed. I’m sorry.

Tara Please! I need you.

Leah But there are things I need! Things that . . . I don’t know if I’m getting them from you.

Tara What are you talking about?

Leah I just . . . I spent so many months waiting for you to suck it up and tell your family about me. About our wedding. And the moment you finally did, you freaked out and call it off!

Tara And I’ve said I’m sorry!

Leah I know, but . . .