Get out of the game (goes directly to SCENE 2)

"Tell me a secret about...Oh, I don't know," you say. "Tell me a secret about James' family or something. Tell me the gossip."

Sara gives you a quizzical look—she doesn't seem to understand you response. A moment later her face falls, but she catches it and recomposes herself with a downward tug on her shirt. You have a sense that she didn't want to gossip with you; what she wanted was something different.

Sara's slightly bored explanation covers James' family—his biological family, the scandal of his birth mother getting pregnant by one of her community college professors, and how James was foisted on his cousins at 3 so that his mother could pursue a career as an artist. Apparently she had had some success before dying of cancer. Everyone assumed it was from exposure to polyester resins that she used in some of her work. As her heir, James was left with a handful of works that he had to decide whether to sell, loan, or find a place to store.

"Also, James doesn't really know his dad—biological dad—but he tracked him down," Sara said, "and invited him to the wedding. Because family is family. But it could make for some drama. Who knows?"

The glint of Sara's engagement ring and her offhand tone give the impression of an authority who is plaining laying out facts. She finishes up, empties the last of her beer, and puts the glass back down on the table.

The two of you make polite talk for a few more minutes. You finish your beer as well. Neither of you makes a move for more.

"So I'll see you at the rehearsal for set-up?" Sara asks.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," you reply.