Check on Your 'Strong' Friend

Characters: Nia, Cheyenne, Lily

Setting: It’s nighttime. They are sitting in Nia’s backyard. Nia is on the patio chair, while Cheyenne and Lily sit across on the patio couch. A table sits in the middle.

Cheyenne pours a glass of wine in each of their glasses.

Nia waves her hand to refuse it.

Cheyenne: Girl, you better have at least one glass of wine. This wine is One. Hunnid. Dollars. Ya here me? Damn, this shit probably be good for the baby.

They all laugh.

Nia: Man, I wish! If I could I would finish that whole damn bottle to myself. I legit get mad if Gordon comes home with even a hint of liquor on his breath. Liiiike you in this with me, or what?

They all laugh.

Nia: I’m serious. I’m about to tie weights to his waist so we really in this together. She is not light. (She rubs her belly).

Lily: Hey, if we suffer, they suffer with us.

Lily raises her glass and Nia raises her glass of water.

Nia: That’s marriage.

Lily: Damn straight.

Cheyenne: Ya’ll stay trying to sell marriage to me like it’s a Lexus when we all know damn well, it’s a Honda.

Lily giggles: It’s both to be honest. There’s good and bad. Bad and good.

Nia tips her glass, and rubs her belly.

Cheyenne: And single is ONLY good. I hook up when I feel like it, send them home, and still get the bed to myself.

Lily: And you think I don’t? If I want the bed to myself, I just pick a fight about anything, the way he folded the laundry, or how he chews his food at dinner, lit-er-a-lly anything. Come bedtime, Kirk is sleeping on the couch.

Nia laughs: Girl, you are terrible!

Lily shrugs and sticks out her tongue: Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

Cheyenne glances at Nia’s belly quickly: 8 whole months…

They all look to Nia. She smiles and rubs her belly.

Nia: Everyday I pinch myself.

Lily: I knew you would be the first to have a child.

Cheyenne: Really? Why? Cause I just keep picturing her stumbling downtown, taking her heels off and asking every man on road for a piggyback ride.

They all laugh.

Cheyenne: Or that time she kissed Max on the dancefloor of HIS own wedding.

They all laugh again.

Nia smacks her forehead: Why do you have to bring up Max?

Cheyenne: How can we not? And like, how did Melissa never find out?

Lily: True story, they still married with three whole kids.

Nia: Ugh, thank heavens she didn’t. I was a terrible drunk in my twenties.

Lily: You were a slightly less terrible drunk just 8 months ago.

Nia throws a pillow at Lily.

Lily: Hey! I’m just being honest. We all know it was the x amount of liquor in ya’lls system that made you both forget to wrap Timmy up.

Cheyenne: Did you just name Nia’s husband’s penis…Timmy?

Lily throws her hands up, spilling a bit of the wine on the floor: I call all men’s penises Timmy.

They all burst out laughing.

Cheyenne: You definitely just ruined the name Timmy.

Lily: But it makes sense though, no?

Nia: It kind of does.

Cheyenne: Don’t egg her on.

Nia laughs and rubs her belly: I’ll admit it wasn’t planned. But every morning I wake up and see my belly, and feel her kick, or move around and it’s like nothing else in the world matters.

Lily smiles: Awww.

Cheyenne puts her finger in her mouth and pretends to gag.

Lily: Chey! Ya know what? I have a confession to make. Kirk and I are officially trying!

Nia shrieks: Ahhhhh! Yes! Baby twins!

Lily: Chill, Nia. We only just started, who knows if it will happen quickly.

Nia: Glass half full, you could be pregnant like right now! (she claps).

Lily smiles: You just want me to stop drinking cause you feeling left out.

Nia: How rude. I’m genuinely excited for you.

Cheyenne: Wow. You sure it ain’t just baby fever being round Nia?

Lily shrugs: What can I say? We’re ready.

Silence.

Cheyenne chugs her glass: And how does one know when their ready? Eh?

Lily sighs: Well, we’ve been married 2 years. We’ve spent the last two years travelling, partying, fighting, forgiving, and just… growing together. And now we feel like we want to take the next step.

Nia dabs at her eyes: Awww, so sweeeeet.

Lily: Ah, Nia, don’t start getting emotional. This is a rare occasion and we don’t want to scare Cheyenne away, you know how she gets with all that mushy mushy stuff.

Cheyenne: Hey, what does that mean?

Lily: Don’t worry it’s a compliment. You’re not like us ‘romcom’ women. It just means you’re tough.

Nia: Cheers to that. (She tips her glass of water).

Cheyenne looks away and nods.

Nia: I’m so glad you could make it tonight, I was so sad you missed the baby shower.

Cheyenne: Well, I didn’t get the invite till like a week before.

Nia: That was an honest mistake. I think I had your old email. You know I love you girl. Since elementary.

Lily smiles: Since elementary (she tips her wine and takes a sip)

Cheyenne coldly: Since elementary. (she talks a long sip from her glass).

Lily: Plus, you’re so busy all the time, Chey. Just making dem moves, always on the go.

Cheyenne: I’m a CEO and yes it takes up a lot of my time but it’s still just a job to me. I can’t just post a picture to Instagram and make 300 dollars.

Lily: Hey! Don’t get defensive. We just saying we miss you.

Cheyenne nods and finishes her second glass.

Lily: Also, rude that you think I only make $300 a post. Do you see how many followers I have? (she dramatically flips her braids).

Cheyenne flat tone: Enlighten me.

Lily: Well, not with that energy.

Cheyenne: What? Do you need a drumroll?

Lily: Maybe.

They all laugh.

Nia sighs: It has been a long time.

Cheyenne pours another glass of wine.

Cheyenne turns on music from her phone. Roll it Gal by Alison Hinds plays.

Lily: Ahhhh our song!

Cheyenne stands and starts dancing and singing. Lily gets up with her and dances. Nia dances from her seat.

Cheyenne: Come on, get up Nia!

Nia: Oh no! I’m carrying a whole ass human being.

Lily: Come on, you still got it. You used to wine like you were a slingy.

Cheyenne laughs: Did you just call homegirl a slingy?

They all burst into laughter.

Cheyenne grabs Nia by the hands and pulls her up.

Cheyenne: No sitting during our song!

They all dance. Nia attempts to wine to the ground and fails, she pauses mid crouch and does an awkward wine.

Cheyenne and Lily chant: NIA! NIA! NIA!

Nia shouts: Since elementary!

They all shout: Since elementary!

They all laugh even harder as the song ends.

Nia slams back into the couch.

Nia: Ah! Ya’ll gunna give me heartburn.

They laugh, as Lily and Cheyenne sit down across from her.

Lily: That likkle jiggle you just did was trending material.

Nia: I would have broken your damn phone, if you dare!

Cheyenne: That song used to get us all ready to bruk it down.

Nia: And bruk it down we did. Now my knees would def give out.

Cheyenne: I swear I’ll need a cane in the next few years, due to the damage caused by all those nights. I’ll straight up be suing soca.

They all laugh.

Nia: Ah! She’s kicking! Come, come quick. (she waves them over).

Lily jumps up and rushes to Nia’s belly, placing her palm on it.

Nia: Chey, come!

Cheyenne doesn’t move.

Lily: Omg! I can feel her!

Nia: Hurry! You’ll miss it, she seems to stop whenever I tell people she’s kicking.

Cheyenne acts like her phone buzzes and starts typing: Sorry, this is important.

Lily: Damn, she stopped. But at least I got one kick. (She goes and sits back down)

Cheyenne puts her phone down: Sorry, a work email.

Nia: At 9, on a Saturday?

Lily: Hey, don’t judge miss C-E-O over here.

Nia raises her hands in defense: Eh, I couldn’t imagine that level of responsibility.

Lily: You remember in grade one when she was in charge of the art supplies. (mimics Cheyenne’s childhood voice): You can have the red crayon for 2 minutes than you must pass it on to Bobby.

Nia laughs: Yes! Sharing is caring!

Lily: Sharing is caring!

They both burst into laughter.

Cheyenne: Ya’ll done?

Nia: We jus saying, you was a boss lady from time.

Lily: Only complimenting. Since when you get so sensitive, Chey?

Cheyenne: Y’all swear I’m a robot.

Nia: Not at all. You just have a strong work ethic, which we admire.

Lily: Like the energizer bunny. You just keep going and going and going and going…

Cheyenne sighs and sips her wine: You don’t think I take breaks? I might not be out taking stupid hikes every damn Sunday morning, but I do slow down.

Lily and Nia look to each other.

Cheyenne rolls her eyes.

Lily: Was that shade?

Cheyenne: If the umbrella fits.

Lily: What?

Cheyenne: Never mind.

Nia: Chey…we just live close to each other. And we have similar schedules.

Cheyenne: Ya’ll don’t even know my schedule.

Lily: Is that our fault?

Cheyenne: And the captions on your stupid photos: (high pitch voice) “since elementary!” I can’t help but notice that something is missing. (she sips her wine and mumbles into the glass), or someone.

Nia: Guys, can we not argue. She doesn’t like it when I’m tense. (she pats her belly).

Cheyenne (sarcastic tone): Oh, of course, we wouldn’t want to hurt the baby’s feelings.

Lily: The baby you wont even go near.

Cheyenne: Excuse me?

Nia: Guys…

Lily: Just forget it. Nia’s right. We haven’t been together like this in over a year. Let’s not do this.

Cheyenne finishes her third glass of wine.

Silence.

Nia turns towards the open grass in her backyard.

Nia: Gord and I are thinking of getting a pool.

Lily: What! That’s awesome! That’s it, I’ve decided. I’m moving in.

Nia laughs.

Cheyenne tops up her wine glass, finishing the bottle.

Lily: Why couldn’t you have done that before the baby? We coulda had lots of pool parties.

Nia: We still can, just with more floaties, less drinking and ya know…responsible adults.

Lily: Hm…do we know any responsible adults?

Nia: Ha! Well I would like to think that-

Cheyenne: I had a miscarriage.

They turn to Cheyenne.

Nia gasps.

Lily: What?

Cheyenne drinks from her glass: 2 years back.

Lily: Years? Are you joking?

Cheyenne looks at her coldly.

Cheyenne: Do robots tell jokes?

Lily: No one said you were a robot Chey…

Cheyenne: Ya’ll sure treat me like one.

Nia: When did you have a miscarriage, Chey?

Cheyenne: I said, 2 years back.

Nia: Chey…I-

Lily: Why didn’t you tell us?

Silence.

Cheyenne: That’s why me and Dame broke up.

Lily: Shit…

Cheyenne: I was five months pregnant and I was fucking scared…but so fucking happy.

Lily: Why didn’t you tell us?

Nia: Let her talk, Lil.

Cheyenne: I was in this bubble with Dame. It was our own little secret and we were figuring shit out…and I just wanted to figure it all out without anyone else…around. And then … (she chokes up) she was gone.

Silence.

Nia and Lily look at each other concerned.

Cheyenne: Dame left after 2 months. He said when he looked in my eyes he couldn’t see me anywhere, like I disappeared, and that scared him.

Nia: We could have been there for you-

Cheyenne: Seriously? I had not heard from you two since– You know why it was so easy to not tell ya’ll I was even pregnant, because you guys never messaged or even called during those whole five fucking months!

Lily: It’s a two-way street, Chey.

Nia shoots Lily a look.

Cheyenne: I would go on Instagram and see you two all cozied up all the damn time and wonder where was my invite? Yes, I pushed away but that’s because I felt pushed away.

Nia: We just thought you were too busy for us. You’re such an independent go-getta. We didn’t want to disturb you- we-

Cheyenne: Funny how all your excuses make me the problem.

Silence.

Cheyenne: I took 3 months off work, flew to Trinidad, and stayed with my grandma.

Nia gets up and sits on the table across from Cheyenne.

She takes her hands in hers. Nia: I’m so sorry, Cheyenne.

Lily shakes her head: You should have told us, Chey. It’s not fair, the way you throwing this out here and making us villains.

Nia: Lil!

Lily: What?

Cheyenne: I- that– (She stands) I should go.

Nia stands and stops her: No! Please. You can’t go like this.

Cheyenne steps around her and storms off.

Nia turns to Lily: Really?

Lily: What? I feel bad, okay? I just don’t understand-

Nia: Then say that! Don’t shame her.

Lily stands up and nods and runs into the house, while Nia follows behind holding her belly.

They meet her outside, where Cheyenne is about to get in her car.

Lily: Chey, wait!

Cheyenne pauses.

Lily rushes down the stairs and meets Chey at her car.

She stares into her eyes for a long moment: I see you.

Cheyenne starts crying.

Lily: I’m sorry you went through that alone.

Nia is at the top of the stairs and shouts: I’m sorry we didn’t reach out more.

Lily: I’m sorry we excluded you.

Nia shouts: I’m sorry we thought you didn’t need us.

Cheyenne smiles: Okay, okay stop shouting! Your neighbours’ bout to call the cops.

Nia: On a pregnant woman? I dare dem!

They all laugh. Nia comes down the stairs and towards Cheyenne’s car.

Cheyenne: My grandma said this to me while I cried in her arms and I want to share it: “A Black woman must brave face, but pay attention to the slight limp hidden in her stride”

Nia and Lily nod and wipe tears from Cheyenne’s cheeks. Nia is crying too.

Nia: I hear dat.

Lily: Cheers to dat.

Nia: We’re here now, till we’re seniors.

Lily: Since elementary.

Cheyenne: Since elementary.

They all hug.

Lily: Now, this is a real Instagram moment.

Nia: Girl, you’re always looking for that money shot.

Lily laughs: I’m just saying…

Nia: Oh! She’s kicking again!

Lily quickly places her hand on Nia’s belly. Cheyenne places her hand on the other side and they all look down at Nia’s belly.

Silence.

Cheyenne: I can feel her.

Nia: She real busy, busy eh?

Lily: You woke her up with all your yelling.

Cheyenne: I think she’s just getting her 2 cents in. She’s gunna be a force, this one.

Nia: I have a confession to make… I’m terrified.

Lily: Aw… you shouldn’t be. You’re going to be an amazing mother.

Cheyenne: And if you ever find yourself limping, even slightly you know who to call.

Lily: The doctor?

Cheyenne: Lil, you always ruining a moment.

They laugh.

Nia: Chey, I know you weren’t about to drive with all that wine in your system.

Cheyenne: Naw, I was about to get real cozy in the back.

Lily: Ha! It’s settled then. We just gunna have a sleep over. Like the good ol’ days.

Cheyenne: I’m down.

Nia: Deal. Now, let’s go back and put that song on again. I think baby wanna dance.

Lily: Oh! I’m getting my camera readyyy.

Nia: You betta don’t!

Cheyenne closes her car door, and they all walk up the steps and into the house together.