Tarnished Armor
Part 129

Adam and Liza’s bedroom.

Adam is sitting up in bed, writing in a journal.

Liza enters, and Adam looks up.

Adam closes the journal, and puts it aside.

Liza: Dr. Tolan?

Adam: No. It’s just -- something for Hayley.

Liza walks over to her dressing table. There’s a snifter of brandy sitting upon it.

Adam: Everything is as you left it.

Liza: Except for the brandy.

Adam: Yes. Except for the brandy.

Adam looks around the room cautiously.

Liza wanders over to an area by the bathroom.

Liza: The globe is missing.

Adam: Well, I’m not planning on doing a lot of traveling these days.

Liza: No?

Adam: I have things to take care of here.

Liza turns and faces Adam.

Adam: If you’re worried about me being around when you win custody --

Liza: -- if I win custody.

Adam is silent.

Liza: The Couple of the Year plaque is gone.

Liza wanders over in front of the clock by the bed.

Adam: Is it? I can ask Winifred about it in the morning.

Liza: You’re up late.

Adam: That’s nothing new.

Liza: No, I guess not. What time is it, anyway?

Adam: I’m not sure.

Liza: I left my watch in my room. What time do you have?

Adam: I seem to have misplaced my watch.

Liza is quiet for a moment.

Liza: I’m no fool, Adam. You probably fired Winifred the day I left. I doubt that her last act was to remove the plaque.

Adam: If you must know, I thought it was better to take it down. I thought it was inappropriate to have it hanging around.

Liza: I see.

Adam: Well, as you said, it’s late. So maybe we should both --

Liza: I was just in the study.

Adam doesn’t speak.

Liza: I saw the box for Junior. I saw your watch. Are you going somewhere?

Adam: Yes. Not until after the custody hearing, though. If you still want me to be there, I’ll go.

Liza: A minute ago, you told me that you weren’t going to be doing any traveling anytime soon.

Liza goes and sits at her dressing table. She picks up the snifter of brandy and sniffs it.

Liza: One of the great things about alcohol is that when you drink way too much of it, you can’t really think about anything. Belinda would never let me drink. I think it’s because of her mother. I don’t know for sure. She doesn’t like to talk about it.

Liza puts the brandy down.

Liza: Does it bother you? My being in this room?

Adam doesn’t answer.

Liza: I guess that’s an unfair question. Because everyone knows that the media whore can put any sort of spin on any answer you give, and you’ll come out the villain of the piece.

Liza looks away from Adam and runs her hand over the edge of the dressing table.

Liza: We’re both broken, aren’t we? I mean, we look the same, and everyone else seems to think we’re the same, but we...

Adam: Liza, I will never be able to tell you how sorry I am. I think -- no, I know -- that there is someone out there who will love you the way you were meant to be loved, and you will love him too. And he’ll deserve all of the love you give him. You were meant to have the world at your feet.

Liza looks up at Adam, and then quickly turns away. She leaves the room.

Adam turns out the light.

 
Tarnished Armor Index
Part One Hundred and Twenty Eight
Part One Hundred and Thirty