(The camera opens just outside of a cozy looking home with a large wooden porch, a white picket fence, and a matching white porch swing. Crunching through the vibrant red and orange leaves, a small woman in jeans and a red flannel with pink hair and her arm in a sling makes her way up the nearly buried paved walkway leading to the comfy abode. She flinches as a hand gently clasps the shoulder of her injured arm from behind. She puts her guard down as Percy appears at her side with a pink duffle bag under his arm.)
Percy: Did I hurt you?
Cynthia Rose: No.
Percy: You sure you're up to this after the last few weeks you've had?
Cynthia Rose: It's not like I have much of a choice even if I weren't.
Percy: Sure you do. You could go back to the island, hull up in Eden, and get fat on room service like me.
Cynthia Rose: I'd feel a lot better if you stuck around, ya know?
Percy: Nah, it ain't my scene. Besides, I don't think my presence here will get either of us off the hook. If anything, they'll just take turns chewing us both out.
Cynthia Rose: They're not going to yell at us, they'll just be really passive-aggressive and make you wish they would. I wouldn't mind someone here to at least take half of the side eyes, tsks, and tuts I'm about to endure. I mean they can't side eye us both, they'd go wall eyed.
Percy: If this weren't my first time meeting them?...nah, I'll be honest with you here; I'd probably still bail.
Cynthia Rose: Gee thanks coach. Way to send your injured prized pupil to the wolves.
Percy: Uh uh, the injury sympathy only gets me to carry your bags and tie your shoes. Besides, they're your wolves, not mine. At least you stand a chance of them smelling their own and showing mercy.
Cynthia Rose: Yeah, no kidding. We couldn't take a week off of training?
Percy: Your legs aren't broken! You can run laps! Now quit stallin' and get in there and fight the good fight for the both of us.
(Cynthia lets out a sigh as Percy carefully places her duffle bag strap around her neck. She glances up at the house and sees a middle aged woman standing in the doorway just behind the front screen door leading into the house. The woman's face sparks with the glint of recognition, and then quickly melts into a worried scowl as her shoulders loosen. Cynthia averts her eyes and kicks at some leaves anxiously.)
Cynthia Rose: You could at least say-HEY!
(Cynthia looks up to find that Percy has ditched her. She spins around just in time to see their rental kick up gravel and then launch down the residential road and disappear at the top of it in no time, leaving her nothing to stare at but the tail lights disappearing into the sunset. Cynthia snaps back around to face the house as the unmistakable sound of a screen door gently slamming on it's frame catches her ear brings her eye to eye with the middle aged woman in her Sunday best, now a quarter down the walkway. The middle aged woman studies Cynthia with a distant coldness, before her eyes land on the cast once more and she lets her head fall to the side in a barely restrained groan. Cynthia shakes the self-pity off of her face and gives the woman a stern look, while still maintaining a polite tone and disposition.)
Cynthia Rose: It's okay, I promise.
Kay Rose: And you're sure it'll wash out?
Cynthia Rose: Ugh...not the hair mom, my arm. It isn't as bad as it looks.
Kay Rose: It looks like a broken arm.
Cynthia Rose: Yes'm, that's because it is. But I'll be o-
(Before Cynthia can let out another letter or syllable, her mom rushes forward and gently clasps onto the arm as Cynthia lets her head and eyes roll in frustration.)
Cynthia Rose: mooom..
Kay Rose: Oh sweetie, I knew this wrestling thing was a bad idea.
Cynthia Rose: Mom...
Kay Rose: It's that filthy uncle of yours that got you and your aunt into this mess in the first place. I swear, the next time I see him I'm going to rip that mask right off of his-
Cynthia Rose: MOM!
(Kay jumps with surprise, nearly jerking her daughter's arm in the process. She lets go of the arm and clasps her mouth, the fear of failure as a mother in her eyes as they begin to well up. Cynthia gingerly grabs her mother's wrist and pulls it away from her face and holds her mother's hand in hers, stroking the top of it with her thumb.)
Cynthia Rose: It's fine. It's going to be fine.
"Are you two going to sit outside arguing all day or are you going to come in here and help your mother finish dinner!"
Cynthia and Kay in unison: WE'RE NOT ARGUING!
(A disinterested grunt comes from inside of the house as both generations of Rose women scoff and give one another a knowing look.)
Cynthia Rose: Have you done it yet?
Kay Rose: Well, I mean, you're here so clearly I've-
Cynthia Rose: OHMIGOSH! GRODY! MOM, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!
Kay Rose: No, no, I haven't...gag...married your father yet. Ugh, just saying it out loud makes my skin crawl.
Cynthia Rose: So I'm just going to remain a bastard child, huh?
Kay Rose: LANGUAGE YOUNG LADY!
Cynthia Rose: Hey, it's in the Bible, and it's proper usage.
Kay Rose: It's just not the right time.
Cynthia Rose: No no no, none of that classic Kay Rose talk. It's been nearly three decades since you've attended any kind of school, you've paid your tuition off, you've bought a house, you have a steady career; there aren't any more rational excuses for not marrying that blob of a man that I proudly call papa.
"HEY!"
Kay Rose: QUIET CURTIS! I can think of plenty of reasons not to marry him.
Cynthia Rose: Liiiiike....?
Kay Rose: Well his last name goes terribly with my first name for one.
Cynthia Rose: No way! Kay O'Shea sounds wicked!
Kay Rose: It sounds like a wrestling name.
Cynthia Rose: Exactly! It's sweet. Ohmigosh, I could be Cynthia O'Shea! I could change my hair to red and-
Kay Rose: Well this branch of the family tree isn't interested in breaking bones for a living!...or at least it wasn't.
Cynthia Rose: Oh geez, and so it begins. So keep your last name. It's not like you're not already doing that.
Kay Rose: Well...he's gassy.
Cynthia Rose: So? You've been sharing the same bed out of wedlock for over twenty years now. Marriage isn't going to change the scent of daddy's farts, ma.
Kay Rose: Well we each have our own stuff.
Cynthia Rose: Sh'yeah! In the same house!
Kay Rose: Well if something went South we wouldn't want the legal mess.
Cynthia Rose: Then don't be petty if you call it quits. Get a prenump, not that I'm insinuating you should separate. If anything I'm trying to push you to the courthouse and make sure common law isn't still a thing and you aren't already legally bound without knowing it.
Kay Rose: Speaking of separation, what's the damage?
(Kay gives a meek point to the arm, careful to keep at a distance as to not disturb it again. Cynthia looks down at the cast, and then past her mother with a dull gaze.)
Cynthia Rose: It's fine. It...It'll be fine.
Kay Rose: Are you on any painkillers that'll keep you from celebrating?
Cynthia Rose: You know I wont take painkillers, and even if I were I still wouldn't be celebrating like that. Not after getting my kicks on Route 66.
Kay Rose: So you've kept yourself parched long enough to get it all out of your system, huh?
Cynthia Rose: Yuuupuh, and I don't plan on kicking the tires and filling up the tank again anytime soon...literally or figuratively.
Kay Rose: Speaking of, how's the leg?
Cynthia Rose: Oh you know, it has it's days. Sometimes it gets in the mood to snap and pop and scare the living tarnation out of me by bending back just enough to make me worry that it'll hyper-extend again. Some days it's fine, some days it's numb and filled with the staticky sensation of pins and needles, and it swells when it rains. Luckily there isn't much rain on our little slice of paradise out in the ocean.
Kay Rose: I'm sure the elbow will be the same when your arm finally heals up.
Cynthia Rose: I'm sure it will.
Kay Rose: How's the rest of you doing?
Cynthia Rose: What? You mean outside of the one side of my body that's suffered from two broken limbs within the span of a few years? banged up and bruised I guess, but the ropes don't cut into me anymore and hitting the canvas on my back with all of my weight behind me doesn't knock the wind out of me or leave me feeling momentarily paralyzed before I muster the will and energy to kip right back up to my-
(Cynthia's eyes bulge out of her head in surprise as her mother lunges into her, hugging her neck as she openly sobs with her head on her daughter's good shoulder.)
Kay Rose: When are you going to stop doing this to yourself?
Cynthia Rose: Doing what? pursuing a passion? excelling at it? putting pride back on a last name that you doggedly refuse to give up?
Kay Rose: Oh you know darn well what I mean Cynthia Cora Rose! When are you going to stop beating yourself up for every little thing that goes wrong in your life? When are you going to end this crusade to-to-to fix every mistake and foolhardy youthful display of defiance and arrogance?
(Kay pulls herself off of her daughter, wiping her eyes on her forearm as she gently clasps her daughter's face, forcing Cynthia to look her in the eyes.)
Kay Rose: You don't have to keep doing this to yourself. Nobody wants you to. Nobody expects you to-
Cynthia Rose: Succeed?
(Kay's body begins to tremble as another wave of sorrow washes over her.)
Kay Rose: w-what?
Cynthia Rose: That's what you mean, right? Nobody expects the washout to accomplish anything. You all expect me to buckle again, right? Y'all believe that my best days passed me by when I left myself for dead out on the side of Route 66. They just...drove passed me in a black Cadillac with my hopes and dreams laid out in the back in a pine box!
Kay Rose: I-I didn't mean-
(Cynthia pushes her mother's hands away from her face and bucks up to her, taking the middle aged woman by surprise.)
Cynthia Rose: You meant that nobody expects anything of ol' Cynthia "Broken Stem" Rose. She wont become no world renowned name in 'rasslin'. She wont win prestigious matches, accolades, and titles in her first two years in the sport! She'll just break another bone, take another drink off the shelf, and then hop up there kickin' her feet up and sit up there in it's stead as she tries to find the prize at the bottom of the bottle!
Kay Rose: You're putting words in my mouth!
Cynthia Rose: Then say what you mean and quit dancing around it like everyone else in Hickory! I couldn't make it a mile into town without catching someone double-taking at the sight of me, as if they'd seen a ghost! And then after confirming that I'm a corporeal being, they look away again.
Kay Rose: Well what'dya expect? every single rube in town to gawk at you because you're some TV star?
Cynthia Rose: No! I'd at least like for people to not avoid eye contact. I spent two minutes in Big Lots circling my old AP Bio teacher after I caught him looking at me in his periphery. That old coot literally stood there and spun around on his heels just trying to avoid looking me in the face! I would've been there all day circling him like a buzzard if Percy hadn't caught on to what I was doing and pulled me away!
Kay Rose: So what?!
Cynthia Rose: So I'm a failure! I failed this town! my alma mater! my coaches! my family name!...I failed...I failed YOU!
Kay Rose: Oh sweetie, you didn't fail me. And fuck this town if it thinks you owe it anything!
Cynthia Rose: LANGUAGE!
Kay Rose: Naw I mean it! You jeopardized your body, your future, your sanity, and your heart for this town. If they think my daughter a failure, then I say they failed her.
Cynthia Rose: I'm sorry. I just...I just don't feel the same. If it makes you feel better ma, just know that this is just as much for me as it is for Hickory.
Kay Rose: That's fine, just so long as you don't drag me into this mess. If it were up to me, you'd be a happy and healthy hairdresser down at Great Clips.
Cynthia Rose: Mooooooooom!
Kay Rose: Or a teacher or something. Who knows? Maybe you could find a sugar daddy and make me some grand babies?
Cynthia Rose: Ugh...ugh no, that...that isn't going to ever happen. At least not that way.
Kay Rose: I'm just saying...if you plan on putting my name out there as motivation for you to do anything, it'd be for poppin' out 2.5 children and settling down. Do you at least have me any son in laws lined up?
Cynthia Rose: Nohoho. I mean I've tried a few times to make some male friends, but it just never pans out to anything romantic...or platonic for that matter. Your baby girl isn't making many friends at all, ma. She tries. She really...really does, but no takers so far on any front.
Kay Rose: What about that Percy fella?
Cynthia Rose: Ew, you mean my trainer!?! The guy whose probably closer to your age than mine?
Kay Rose: It would make for some cute children, you have to admit.
Cynthia Rose: And there's reason number one for why I'm glad Percy didn't stick around.
Kay Rose: Oh don't you dare paint me as some sort of ignorant woman! I'd loooove for you to hook up with any guy. Oh, that Nobi in particular. He's almost single right? You could do with a wealthy good lookin' guy like-
Cynthia Rose: Ew, mom I don't think you understand what hooking up means! and Nobi's-
Kay Rose: Or woman if that's what makes you happy. I'm not judging, just adopt and-
Cynthia Rose: MOM!!!!!!!!!!!
Curtis O'Shea: Can you two yard birds stop bawkin' and peckin' on the lawn long enough to get in here and make Thanksgiving dinner before it's Black Friday? The game's about to start and I'd love to see my beautiful daughter before my attention's taken up by the Cowboys stomping the Raiders!
Kay Rose: That depends: Can you peel your bubble butt out of that recliner and help us peel and mash potatoes, or are you permanently fused to it!?!
Curtis O'Shea: Yeah,yeah, yeah...
(Kay turns back to Cynthia with a roll of the eyes and a smile. Her daughter shares her bemused annoyance as her mother once again clasps her hand between hers and gives her another maternal once over before nodding toward the house. Cynthia nods back in silent agreement and follows her mother into her childhood home. The camera cuts to black as the screen door gently slams shut behind them.)
Sat Dec 03, 2022 4:36 pm by 
Subject: Wing or Leg? 
