Cutting Loose
 

SETTING: SASHA, a tall, skinny twenty year old girl, stands up straight as she views her own art on the wall. The walls are white, her paintings are vibrant, creating a contrast from the basic look of the room she is in.. SASHA began to feel her stomach twist, she rarely ever has this feeling. Her light blue eyes gaze over the room until she is compelled to look at one gallery viewer. This man stands at five foot five with an almost bald head, he is dressed semi casual. SASHA stares for one second too long and the man turns his head, their eyes meeting. This man is RONNY, SASHA’S father. SASHA’S stomach twisted even more as she looked him. She pushes aside her thoughts and begins to take a step forward towards him. They meet each other halfway.

SASHA
  I don’t give a damn about a congratulations when you haven't even apologized. Ronny, you’ve put me through so much Within these last couple of years you can’t just walk in here and expect me to forget what you have done. Unlike you I clearly remember what has happened and the heartache you have caused. Matter of fact how about we go on a little tour of my art gallery. So this painting right here was inspired by the broken promise the last time I saw you, which was about three years ago. You know the time you promised to never leave me again for the sake of your now deceased grandma’s last words. We see a man who appears to be smiling all willy nilly at his two daughters, with love in his eyes but if you look behind his back you see that his fingers are crossed. Sounds a lot like what happened right before you left us. You destroyed the only good relationship in my life and I sure as hell don’t mean our relationship. The day you cut off your ankle monitor is the day I lost my little sister and the closest person I had to a real mom. I don’t know if it was the drugs or if it was the restriction of being on house arrest but you sure made a horrible mistake. Either way I don’t care because your actions have always been louder than your words. As you were on the run I was wiping the blood off of my step mother's face. Which brings me to my next painting of a woman with bright, beautiful green eyes that appears to be crying blood. This indicates the physical pain you left on your girlfriend and the emotional pain you left on my heart, your daughters heart.  The blood that dripped down her face was caused by your own delusion. (Beat) I guess the first delusional thought you had was when you apologized, promising me your promise was sincere and that you wouldn’t up and leave again. You said you wouldn’t hit me or her, you said you didn’t have anymore anger issues or drug issues but clearly you did. Because of you I lost my family and my sanity. You promised you’d stick around until graduation, I was hopeful that I would have someone in the audience as I walked across the stage. For once you would be there on an important day for me. The only birthday you even spent with me was my twelfth birthday and that was to tell me your girlfriend was pregnant. I should’ve known that you wouldn’t make it six months to the day of my graduation. With that promise you went on house arrest to ensure your sobriety. When you cut the ankle monitor off, you cut yourself loose from your position as a father. You broke the last promise I was willing to accept. I don’t know if I can trust your reasoning for being here. (Beat) But you’re here now. I told myself I wouldn't give out any more second chances. In our relationship, I was always the one who would initiate the conversation or attempt on planning a reunion. You may not remember but you got me my first phone when I was nine. We would alway text and call each other but one day the phone was out of service. The phone stayed out of service. A year passed, without any contact so I decided to call you. I was ten years old and I was being the bigger person.  But now you’re the one who has reached out to me. You aren't the bad guy, you’re just afraid of how the drugs affect you. You were afraid to hurt me and you did, which is why you’ve been gone for so long. I hate the outcome of it all, but you’re the only family I have now. Trying to hate you isn’t fair to you or to myself. So here I am accepting the flaws of the past and willing to start a new. The last and final painting, this one right here. Shows my unconditional love for you because I know you love me. Whatever your reasoning is to be here is fine with me. I’ll help you as long as drugs aren’t involved. But I know drugs and money aren’t your motive. Being a good dad is your motive, so let me be a good daughter?