A rewrite of the ending of "A Streetcar named Desire"

Scene 11

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 Two long weeks had passed.The warm light of the sun could be seen through the drapes of the living room.Blanche had been awake all night,shuffling throughout the halls of the house.She hadn’t spoken to anyone but stella since the incident.Outside,Eunice could be seen in a light blue sundress swaying to the sound of the piano,looking away from the house.Her face showing a look of a disdain and sadness.The sad song could be heard throughout the house,slowly hitting blanche as she picked up the phone.Stella,still in bed,awoke slowly to see her sister in the kitchen holding the phone to her ear,biting her nails with a hint of unease on her face.

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Stella [rubbing her eyes] Blanche?

Blanche:...

[Stella,wondering what her sister was saying , got up and put on her robe being as quiet as she could to not disturb her sister]

 [She slowly walks up to her door and peeps around the corner]

Blanche:..I understand that you won’t be able to drive down here [Man voice] If you do send that car then send it in the mornin [Man voice] Cause I don’t wanna scare my sister with the news….. well ...I…

Stella: Blanche?

Blanche: Oh stel! [puts the phone back on the wall] I didn’t know you would wake up so early…

[Stella looks at her in silence]

Blanche: [smiling as best as she could] Do you want me to get Eunice to make ya somethin?

Stella: No,I don’t wanna bother her any more than I already have.

Blanche: Oh no,I’m sure that Eunice would want you to get some energy in ya.[goes to the window] 

Stella: Blanche,please leave Eunice alone.Let her have some time alone.

Blanche:...Fine,but you know I’m not good at cookin so i don’t know how you'll–

Stella: Were you on the phone with someone this morning?

Blanche:....

[Blanche looks at stella with a concerned look on her face,the silence between them growing louder with every passing second]

Blanche: I don’t know what you mean darling..I was just..talkin to Eunice.

Stella: Really? 

Blanche: Mmhm

Stella: [Yawns] I just thought I saw you this morning talkin to someone on the phone.

Blanche: [looking away from stella] Well I wasn’t talkin to no one.

[The conversation ends there.The silence between them becomes drowned out by the piano.Distancing them even further]

[A few minutes later,Blanche had left the room and the sun draped the kitchen in warm light]

Eunice: Hey Stel. [pulling out a chair] I was wonderin what you wanted to eat for lunch?

I know you don’t want me cookin but I haven't seen you touch a thing since this morning.

Stella: Oh,I’m not hungry..

Eunice: Are ya sure hun?

Stella: Mm..[putting a fist up to her cheek to hold her as she rubs her temple]

Eunice: Somethin on ya mind?

Stella:...

Eunice: I’m sure it could help if ya talk to me.

Stella: Well…[an intense silence fills the room] Blanche lied to me this mornin.I saw her talkin on the phone with someone,saying to pick her up tomorrow.When i asked her about it she said that she was outside talkin to you.

Eunice: [Looks at stella with a look of unease]

Stella: I’ve been noticing other things as well.Like how her luggage is packed and how she shuffles around the house at night.

Eunice: Well then..seems you’ve been observing things.[She says with an uneasy chuckle]

Stella: I guess so.[She looks up at Eunice] Hey,Eunice?

Eunice: Yes Stel?

Stella: Do you know anything about why she didn’t tell me the truth?

[The air went cold right then there.Eunice's silence was telling and Stella knew exactly what it meant for her question]

Stella: [Covering her face,tears streaming down her face] She’s leaving ain’t she?

Eunice: [She looks at Stella with a look of understanding and sadness] Can you blame her?

Stella: [Tears stream down her face,quicker than ever] Why? Why would she wanna leave?

Eunice: You know why she would wanna leave.What happened wasn’t supposed to happen and the fact that it did,in the position that she was in,It makes sense.If that happened to me,I woulda done worse then leav-

Stella: Please don’t say that,don’t even mention the idea that she would do that!

[The silence is now filled with sobs.It was hard enough that she knew now that Blanche was gonna leave her,but the idea that blanche could have done worse than that…It was dreadful]

Stella: [through tears] Where is she?

Eunice:I don’t think I should tell you..

Stella:[wiping tears from her face] Please…just tell me where she is.

Eunice:.... Sigh, She’s in my house.Said she didn’t want ya to find her bags before she leaves tomorrow.

Stella:I need to see her [getting up] . I want to see my sister.

Eunice:Stella,I know you’re hectic right now but I don’t think seein her will help.

Stella: [wiping her face]...

Eunice: So please, let her tell you herself.I knew I shouldn’t have opened my mouth when you asked that question.

[Eunice,trying to get stella to sit down,walks up to her and puts her hand on stella shoulder]

Stella: Get away from me! [Pushes Eunice away] I need to go and talk to her!

Eunice: [Now on the floor] Wait!

[Stella runs up the stairs frantically,wiping tears from her face as she does.She bangs on the door hard,to no response.]

Stella: [Knocking harshly] Blanche~!

[No one comes to the door]

Stella: [Banging her fist on the door] BLANCHE~!

[ Someone steps behind her, grabbing her arms tightly trying to pull her away]

Mitch: Why in the world are you bangin so loud?

Stella: [Flailing in his arms] Let me go! I need to see her!

Mitch: [Struggling to hold her] See who?

[Finally,Blanche opens the door. She looks upon the sight with a mixture of confusion and worry.Stella finally seeing her sister pushes off Mitch and runs to her]

Stella: Oh Blanche! [pushing her into the house]

Blanche: Stella! [grabs Stella into her arms] What are you so hectic about now?

Stella: [Ignoring her remark and holding her tightly] Oh please don’t go! *sobbing* 

Please don’t leave me!

Blanche:[Hesitantly] I..I don’t know what you mean dear stella.

Stella: [pushing her off] Don’t lie to me! I know you’re leavin tomorrow mornin with some man I don't know!

Blanche: Darlin..How do you know about that?

[Eunice appears up the stairs,out of breath.]

Blanche: Please don’t make this harder than it already is.

Stella: Why? Why would you up and leave me in this place!?

Blanche: [Fumbling with her hands] What do you want me to say? I was neva supposed to be here in the first place and look at what I did with my presence. I ruined your relationship with my past and I gave you so much stress while you were pregnant that you…you..

[Everyone was quiet.No one knew what to say to what was just brought back to memory. Stella was frozen to the floor and couldn’t hold her tears back.She turned away from her sister and left through the door,hiding her face as she passed Eunice and Mitch]

Blanche: I didn’t mean-

Eunice: [Grabs blanche’s arm] Blanche, I don’t think you should worry too much.Give her some time to just catch up.

Blanche: [Looking down the stairs] Are you sure?.

Eunice: I am,but enough of that.You need to get packin for your roadtrip tomorrow.

[It was a few hours before the sun would rise.Stella didn’t sleep a wink.Throughout the afternoon she just sat in the kitchen looking through the window, listening to the piano play emotions by brenda lee.In that moment she never related better.Moments after,Blanche would come down to collect the rest of her things.]

Blanche: Hi darlin [she gave off a sheepish smile]

Stella: …

Blanche: [She walked up to her and held her in her arms]I know you can’t live alone,especially with what you’ve been goin through.I understand that this should’ve been somethin i told you before sugar.

[The music got louder]

Blanche: [Tears in her eyes] I just can’t stay here anymore,with that terrible memory.Please tell me you can see all my mistakes here.Tell me you don’t hate me for such mistakes.

Stella: [She wraps her hands around blanches face] Oh sugar…I could never hate you.Even if you left me.

[They sit in silence,letting the music hold them close.It felt like before everything went wrong. allowing the moon to cast a shadow of two heartbroken people, hoping for the other to have better.]

[It’s morning now.Blanche is packing her bags into the car,Stella watching]

Eunice: I can’t believe you’re goin already Blanche.

Blanche: [Smiling more than ever before] Trust you miss me and my burdens.

Eunice: Couldn’t imagine my summer without it.

Blache: [putting the last of her things in the car] Thank you…for takin care of me.

Eunice: Stop it. Don’t make this harder on me.[That same look of sadness comes back for a split second] You should hurry and say goodbye to stel.

Blanche: You’re right,I’ll stop and give her the grandest of goodbyes.

[Blanches runs into her sisters arms,holding her as tightly as she did the night before.She was smiling ear to ear.Stella held on for dear life as if it was her last]

Stella: Will you send me a letta everyday once you arrive?

Blanche:[Holding Stella at arms length ] Darlin,is that even a question?

Stella:Oh and remember to send me a wonderful trinket!

Blanche: [walking to the car,holding stella’s hand] If my husband can bring me a car then I'm sure he can afford a trinket.

[They continue to banter as Blanche enters the car, letting go of Stella’s hand as she closes the door]

[Eunice holds Stella back a little as the car starts]

Blanche: [Looking into Stella’s eyes] I’ll miss this.

Stella: [Crying once again] I’ll miss this too.

[They both sit there until Blanche jumps up and hugs Stella while kissing her cheek.]

Driver: Ma’m, we need to go.

Blanche: [muffled] Oh please don’t rush me.

Stella: [Pushing her sister away] Blanche you have to go.

Blanche: I will, I will

[Blanche lets go,giving the driver the go ahead]

Blanche: [Car sounds] I Love You Stella~!

Stella: [Covering her eyes from the sun] I Love You too Blanche~!

Stella: I love you too…

[As Blanche disappears into the city,Eunice hugs Stella to reassure her that Blanche will be ok with her new life and a smile creeps up on her face as they hear the piano play an opening to a wonderful song. Like a new beginning]

[CURTAINS CLOSE]