The arrangement ( one act play)

        
                          
                         

                Jessica Murphy: single, 35 year old, best friends with Nancy Rose

                Nancy Rose: Married 36 year old just wants her friend to be happy

                Time: Walking down town. Just came from the movie.

Nancy: Come on Jess, that guy at the movies was totally checking you out!

Jess: No he wasn’t Nanc, he was checking out the girl behind me!

Nancy: Sure he was. (sarcastically)

Jess: How’s you and Mac?

Nancy: Good. My Joey is good too by the way.(rubbing her stomach) He does like kicking  a lot when I’m eating  ice cream though. He is definetly his mamma’s boy. I can’t wait him come out though.

Jess: Come on! Your excited about having your first baby. I better be the godmother by the way. Im gunna spoil that kid rotten with tons of toys!

Nancy: Yeah, I might think about that. (jess slaps her friend on her arm playfully).Hey don't hit me im carrying a very pressious item in my stomach! Speaking of family hows mike your boyfriend?

Jess: Well.. um… I kind of broke up with him like oh I don’t know… a year ago!

Nancy: WHAT! You told me you had a date with him yesterday!

Jess: Yeah umm well I lied because I know how you are. You will be pressing me to find a guy. My dad is the same way. Almost every friday, he has one of his work buddies bring their son for dinner. I hate it their so yucky!

Nancy: You do need to get married though. its been four year since Eric's death. you’ve have to start  finding a husband.

Jess: I’m fine. I love single life. I wouldn’t like to settle down yet and yes, i know he died that long ago but we were married for a year and i can't just let him go. He died so sudden, i can't believe he's gone.

Nancy: I know its been hard for you, but come on Jess you’re not going to be young forever!(elbowing her friend playfully) I mean look I’m already getting gray hair. GRAY HAIR! I’m so old!

Jess: Your so pretty Nanc, you don’t have to care about age. Mac loves you just the way you are.

Nancy: Yeah, he does. Hey you want to have a lady's night out tomorrow at chateau?

Jess: Sure I’ll love it. We haven’t had one in years. I’ll pick you up at seven.

Nancy: well …um actually I’ll meet you there. I…um have something to do before it.

Jess: Okay, You better not be setting something up again. I’m not going to have another date with your cousin Jeff. He creeps me out.

Nancy: Oh, don’t worry none of that. Just a night out with your best friend.(she hugs her best friend and goes in the opposite direction)

                                                Jess enters the restaurant. Hoping to see her best friend waiting for her)

Jess: Hi, I’m looking for my friend have you seen her, my name is Jessica Murphy. (Asking the receptionist)

Waitress: Yes, right this way Ms. Murphy.(walk to the table) Oh! My he’s a cute one!Good luck.(she whispers and winks at her before she leaves)

Jess: Umm…. I think I have the wrong table so…

Cody: (overlapping) No you’re in the right place. Hi I’m Cody, Nanc’s step brother.

Jess: So you’re telling me she set me up with another one of her family relatives. (Sigh) You must think I’m a loser. Your sister makes you go on a date with her best friend who has no life. Cody, you don’t have to do this. I’ll just g-

Cody: (over lapping) No it’s okay I’m actually the one who gave her the idea. I want to have this date.

Jess: well umm…okay. If you say so. (sitting down at table)I’m so going to kill Nancy for this and she can’t blame her hormones on this one for sure.

Cody: Yeah, sis can be like that sometimes.

Jess: So your Nanc’s step brother. I never knew. I’ve been her friends for ten years and yet I still didn’t know she had a brother.

Cody: she found out she had a step brother six months ago. I came to her house out of the blue. She ran up baby bump and all and hugged me.

Jess: ( laughs and wipes a tear from her eye). That sounds like nanc .

Cody: Yeah, why is Nanc so adamant about you dating?

Jess: She’s just worried about me.  After my husband Eric died from cancer, she has been trying for me to start dating again . Its been four years and I haven't dated anyone but people from Nanc's family. Which is quite embarresssing by the way!She says I have to marry soon. She just wants me to be happy like her.

Cody: I'm sorry Jess, i didnt know. What was Eric like?

Nancy: He was the nicest man ever. the old saying "the good always dies young" ring a bell when ever I think about him. It's been hard with out him.

Cody: I'm glad you stayed for dinner then. I'm sorry you must be still grieving him. I'm such an idiot. You probably want nothing to do with me.

Nancy: Not true at all. I'm not grieving over him anymore. Your not an idiot either, you didn't know.(grabs his hand ) I would love to enjoy time with you.

                Cody payed for dinner and drove her home. They are talking in front of her house.

Jess:  I had a lovely time Cody.Much better than cousing Jeff, i had a date with two weeks ago. Call me when Nancy has her baby.

Cody: yeah, I will. Eww! You had to go out with smelly Jeff. Looks like i don't got much competition then.

Jess: Yeah, don't remind me of those dates. They were quite traumatizing experience for me.
(cringing)

Cody: Would you like to go out next friday night?

Jess: I would like that a lot. Cody thanks for everything. Tonite has been… amazing. I can’t wait for next Friday. Good night Cody, i'll be counting the days till our next date.