Fleur de Lys. Maxim Titovets
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approaches Anna’s portrait and looks at it, silently.
Marina. This is Anna Sokolova. She’s our lawyer’s girlfriend.
Sergey. Girlfriend? Seems that I haven’t seen Igor for quite a while.
Marina. Anna commissioned me to paint some portraits of her dancing school’s students. She is supposed to get them today. Thanks for the reminder. There’s another painting waiting for her in the study. I’ll go and fetch it. [She goes to the study.]
Sergey. [He stares at Anna’s portrait as if trying to remember something.] You have Terpsichore’s eyes. I will catch a beam of sunlight and give it the shape of a golden lily. You are my muse.
Anna appears. She’s well-dressed and good-looking.
Anna. Hello.
Sergey. Greetings, magnificent Fleur de Lys.
Anna. Are you drunk?
Pause
Sergey. And yet you don’t have any boxer husband! The murderer is the gardener. Or rather, my own lawyer!
Anna. There is no gardener in «Cinderella».
Sergey. Who’d believe in fairytales today?!
Anna. Those who work hard to make fairytales come true. You alright? You look odd.
Sergey. Never trade love for money or a career. I made a mistake and cast in my lot with a witch.
Anna. I always considered Marina a kind fairy. She helped me when my husband left. I am grateful to her. Don’t look at me this way.
Sergey. Don’t be so beautiful then. You owe me a kiss!
Anna. I’m not in the habit of kissing someone else’s husbands.
Sergey. Me neither.
Sergey approaches Anna. She steps back but Sergey kisses her on her hand. Marina appears.
Marina. Welcome to the Fleur de Lys Studio.
Sergey. I need to go to the office.
Marina. Come back before dinner, my dear.
Sergey leaves
Anna. Hi, Marina.
Marina. Hi, Anna. So, what do you say?
Anna. How marvelous. These paintings are lifelike. You are a miracle woman.
Marina. Thank you.
Anna. My driver will come for them tomorrow afternoon.
Anna produces a wad of notes and hands it over to Marina.
Marina. It’s more than we agreed on.
Anna. Trust me, the paintings are worth it.
Marina. Thank you.
Anna. There’s sadness in your eyes, Marina. What’s the matter?
Marina. That’s none of your fucking business! [She scowls at Anna furiously.] When I came in… He had this look, – he never looked at me this way… I overheard your conversation.
Pause.
Anna. I don’t know what to say.
Marina. I hate you … [She turns away from Anna and sobs quietly.]
Anna approaches Marina and puts her arms around her.
Anna. I am no thief, Marina. Be strong. All is well.
Scene 7
24 hours later.
Frolov and Co. Law Office.
Sergey. Igor, is your relationship with Anna serious?
Frolov. Why do you ask?
Sergey. You are my friend and my family’s lawyer, I’ve got nothing to hide from you.
Frolov. Can you be more specific?
Sergey. I love Anna. I always did, since I first met her. I realized it yesterday.
Frolov. For goodness’ sake, old chap … [Pause.] Thanks for being honest. [He takes a Hennessy XO bottle and fills the glasses.] A month ago I proposed to Anna. And this morning she said yes. The wedding’s in September.
Frolov’s mobile phone rings.
Frolov. Speaking, go ahead. Yes, I am her lawyer. Come again? I can’t hear you, say that again! Alright. I’ll be there in thirty minutes, allowing for traffic delays. [He ends the call. Pause.]
Frolov. Sergey. Marina got into a car accident. Her car collided with a truck. She’s now in the emergency ward of the regional hospital.
Sergey. Holy crap!
Sergey and Frolov leave hurriedly.
ACT III
Scene 8
One year later. July. Evening.
Frolov and Co. Law Office.
Marina and Frolov come in through a side door. Marina adjusts her clothes. A few buttons on Frolov’s shirt are undone.
Marina. I’ll do a new painting for your library. And we should get a comfier sofa.
Frolov gets a bottle of cold champagne and fills the glasses.
Frolov. What painting? Are you talking about Anna’s portrait?
Marina. Oh no. That painting is gonna stay right there. I want her to watch.
Frolov. Here’s to you. To your second birthday.
Marina. To us. I am grateful to you, Igor, for being by my side. I would never get out of this hell without you.
Frolov. We must thank the doctors. They put you back to your feet.
They drink champagne. Marina kisses Frolov.
Marina. Pour me some more.
Frolov. [Filling the glasses.] We’re gonna get chubby!
Marina. Are you kidding?!
Frolov. To our success.
Marina. We drink to those who love us, we drink to those who don’t. We drink to those who fuck us, and fuck those who don’t!
They drink
Frolov. Speaking of… Your husband… Are you sure you want to go all the way?
Marina. I’ll bury him. And you will help me do it.
Frolov. I admire your ability to defend your interests. As for Sergey… He never learns from his experience.
Marina. I want this drunkard to drop dead!
Frolov. There, there, my love. You are going to take away everything he has, turn him into the street. Isn’t it enough?
Marina. I don’t know what «enough» means! Take what you can. Give nothing back. That’s a rule of thumb. When