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VOWS
(A Monologue About A Marriage
in Seven Scenes)

by
Jose Victor Z. Torres

I. Ceremony

(The lights open on onstage. Angeli is standing in the middle of the stage. She is

dressed in a simple white dress and holding a small bouquet of flowers.)

ANGELI : I, Angeli, take you, Cedric, to be my husband, to have and to hold

from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in

health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part...

(The lights fade onstage.)

(Blackout)

II. A Question of Vows

(The lights fade in. Angeli is standing in center stage. She is now dressed casually in

pants and a blouse.)

ANGELI : I could never answer in a simple way when people ask me what

was my idea of a good relationship in a marriage. I tell them it comes in many ways.

But one of my classic answers is to listen to the marriage vows.

We begin with our names. Something I had always believed that it asserts

who you are… (pause) “I, Angeli”. Then what we are going to be— “to be your

wife.” Then the list of what would happen next in a marriage— “to have and to

hold”, “for better, for worse”, “richer or poorer”, “in sickness or in health”

(pause) “to love and cherish” (pause) “till death do us part.” (smiles) I do make
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an exception on those last words. (pause) I am a cynic. We all know that nothing

lasts forever.

(Another light opens on one part of the stage. Cedric enters.)

I met Cedric after I broke up with my first boyfriend. Cedric was working as a

manager in one of those celebrity-owned diners slash drinking places. It was my

usual hangout with Anton after work when we both used to handle shoots and

editing work for production houses. That is, until we broke up.

That night I stayed at the bar and my first night going solo ended with me

throwing up in the ladies room. Cedric took me home, where… nothing happened.

(laughs) I still lived then with Mama and she found Cedric quite the gentleman. He

became my boyfriend then a year later he proposed. (pause) So, it’s just your

common boy meets girl—boy marries girl kind of story. Or rather, boy meets girl,

boy and girl always tries to find time to meet each other with their busy skeds until

they finally gave up and boy said to girl, “Let’s get married.”. And when we did

get married, we tried to surprise each other… if we could. (pause) It is love. But there

is always that reality that can surpass the illusion… sometimes.

(The lights change. Cedric exits. Angeli continues her monologue but in a

conversation with Cedric.)

ANGELI : So. (pause) Two years. (pause) It’s been two years. Who

would’ve thought? (pause) What do I mean by that? (pause) I don’t know.

(laughs) Maybe I meant who would’ve thought that we… we would’ve lasted this

long. (pause) Not that it means anything… (pause) Forget it. Let’s celebrate.

(pause) Why? (pause) Why? Anniversaries are supposed to be celebrated every

year. So we should celebrate this year. And the year after. And all the coming years.

(pause) What? You have to go to work? (pause) I dropped an editing schedule just…

just to have this afternoon. (pause) Oh, I know it’s payday night. But you could

have at least…. (pause) And I ordered. (pause) I ordered. For lunch. (sighs) But if

you have to go, well… I guess you’re right. We can have it for dinner… (pause) …

if our nightly skeds will allow us to have some time to have dinner. (sarcastically)

Maybe a midnight snack, if you like. (pauses then raises her hands in surrender) Fine.

Fine. Go. (pause) Just go. Shoo! Get away from me!

(The lights changes. Angeli turns her back to the audience and vents her frustration

by screaming angrily. A brief pause. The light changes on Angeli as she turns and

faces the audience.)

ANGELI : Two and half years, actually. (pause) Yes, I’ve been counting.

And no, I’m not keeping tabs on what we were doing during those years. And like

all marriages, I had to admit we started out a bit rocky. And always… always we

were told to work things out. That’s what our friends usually say. We have to work

things out. Marriage is something for partners who placed this idea in their heads

and hearts that in order for the marriage to last, they should understand each other.

(pause) And love. (pause) Heads and hearts. Understanding and love. (pause) If I

had listened and written to all what our parents and friends said about marriage, I

would’ve written an instruction manual by now, “How to Keep a Marriage Going”

Cedric and I? We had our share of understandings, misunderstandings, busy

schedules, lazy do-nothings, dinners, movies, sex, fights, make-ups, jealousies,

space, and those little things that make up a marriage. (pause) Can you imagine all
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of that in just thirty months? (pause) And anniversaries. Well, at least we had an

actual celebration in a year so far. (pause) Two years and six months. (pause) I kept

count because I always wanted to fix something for this special day. (pause) Did I

miss anything? Should I remember something? I mean, I don’t keep a planner or a

list or one of those Starbucks notebook things or anything. I usually keep things in

my head. Or on the phone. Or…. (pause) What else did I forget?

(A light fades open. A table set up for a dinner of two can be seen. A slow dance

tune begins to play. Cedric enters, smiling as he stands on one part of the stage.

Angeli turns and faces him. She wipes the tears from her eyes and smiles back.)

ANGELI : Oh, yes. (pause) Surprises. Who would want to forget surprises?

(to Cedric) Happy Anniversary.

(Cedric goes up to Angeli and extends his hand, asking her for a dance. Angeli

hesitates, nods and takes his hand. The two begin a slow dance as the lights fade

out on them.)

(Blackout)

III. Offspring

(The lights open onstage. Angeli is standing on center stage. A table is behind her

downstage on top of which a teddy bear has been placed. Angeli pulls out a letter

from her pocket.)

ANGELI : (reads the letter) Dear Angie. I know this kind of letter would be

a bit early to write. I don’t even know what you look like yet. I cannot even predict

what gender you will be when you’re going to be born. You could probably be a

boy and we will name you “Angelo.” (pause) But Cedric and I always wanted a
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girl. And when you start reading, this letter would be the least thing you would

choose to read over Snow White or Goldilocks or Red Riding Hood or later, whatever

young adult book I will buy for you.

But it became a habit with me to anticipate things. My job, you see. For

something you shoot on film to look good, always anticipate the best shot. And

since your Papa will be quite busy for the time trying to feed three mouths, I might as

well write this letter… this letter of…”introduction” to your parents

You were still a wish when we decided to name you Angelina. Or Angie for

short. Or “Angelo” if you’re going to be a boy. But as I said, I wish you would be

a girl. But your father and I were not sure if we wanted to have two girls named

Angelis in the house. Can you imagine a situation where your Papa would call an

Angeli and both of us come running? (laughs). So we agreed on An-ge-line.

Nickname Angie.

If there was something that I can think of as love in a family, it was to have a

daughter like you, Angie. I can imagine the feeling enveloping me once I will hold

you in my arms. It would be a feeling that will only come once in a lifetime. My

offspring. My daughter. My Angie. I told myself I wouldn’t let anything happen to

you. Until my last breath, I will whisper to you. I will love you until beyond with my

last breath. (pause) If only… if only you became a wish fulfilled.

(The lights change. Angie folds the letter and places it beside the teddy bear. She

faces the audience.)

I cant remember anymore the medical term the doctor used for it. It didn’t

matter. It sounded like… like an alien language. I asked her, “Can you give it to me
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in more simpler terms?” She said it was faulty plumbing. (pause and laugh sadly) I

think that was a bad term. (pause) Now I felt like a dirty, clogged sink. Or a blocked

toilet that needs to be unclogged. (pause) Faulty plumbing.

“Can it be cured?” I asked. “Or can something be done?” She said there

are vitamins. Medicines. Surgery is a possibility. But everything seems so iffy. And

everything will always depend how my body will respond. (pause) No matter how

Cedric and I tried… It’s almost four years already. (smiles sadly at the thought)

Faulty plumbing. (pause) Adoption was a possibility. But we wanted one of our own.

(pause) Our own. (pause) Our Angie. (pause) And all, I could do at the moment is

hope. (pause) I mean, we still have each other. (pause) Then it turns out, I was

mistaken.

(The lights fade out.)

(Blackout)

IV. The Illusion in Reality

(The lights open onstage. Angeli enters and pauses. She faces the audience.)

ANGELI : What would you do when the illusion you always had about a

marriage was replaced by a reality you knew existed? And you were sure that it

wouldn’t happen to you? (pause) Four and half years. (pause) Happy Anniversary.

(pause) Yes, I’ve been counting.

(The lights change Angeli is talking to Cedric.)

ANGELI : (angrily) Where have you been? I’ve been messaging and

trying to call you all night! You were always out of the service area. Was your phone

turned off? (pause then shakes her head) No. No, don’t tell me you were doing
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overtime. (pause) I know it’s payday night. (pause) I called up the diner. They

said you left like an hour before closing. You didn’t even tell them where you’re

going. That was four hours ago. (pause) Where did you go? (pause) DON’T GIVE

ME THAT KIND OF ANSWER, CEDRIC! I am not spying on you! I want to know why I

came home and you’re not here. You know we were finishing a shoot and I was

going to do some editing. I come home and no one’s here! (pause and sniffs) Are

you drunk? (pause) Oh, you had fun with the boys. (pause) Where? (pause) Where

have you been? (pause) One thing I had always learned about you, Cedric, in our

four years of being together is that I know when you’re lying. (pause) DON’T TELL

ME IT’S NONE OF MY BUSINESS! I’M YOUR WIFE! (pause and begins to tear up)

I’m… your wife. (pause) Oh, don’t you shove that baby and family shit in my

face. You know I tried! (pause) Is there someone else? (pause) Cedric? Is there

someone else? (angrily cries) God damn you, Cedric! WHAT DID YOU WANT?

MAKE A BABY SOMEWHERE ELSE! Prove to your fucking machismo that you can

be a father? No! Don’t come near me! I can face my fucking body problem

without you if you wanted to. (pause) I didn’t want to think about it but I somehow

felt something like this might happen. (pause) I had always… always made sure I

can save this marriage! (pause) Then why don’t you just bring your fucking whore

in this house and make a baby on our bed? Stupid fucking macho man! NO! I’M

NOT GOING TO SHUT UP! I’LL SAY WHAT I WANT TO SAY! NO, I WON’T SHUT

UP! (pauses then eyes widen in panic) NO! CEDRIC! NO! I’M SORRY! CEDRIC,

NO!

(The light dim as Angeli screams in pain as she is beaten by Cedric.)

(Blackout)

V. Passive Reality

(The light fades in. Angeli is sitting uncomfortably on a high stool. During the entire

time she is delivering the marriage vow, Cedric is hovering around her, staring

emotionlessly at her, intimidating her whenever she pauses. Cedric’s voice is an

offstage voice that sounds like that of a cruel authoritarian figure.)

ANGELI : (in a quivering voice) I, Angeli, take you, Cedric….

(Angeli pauses. Cedric’s voice rings loudly onstage)

CEDRIC : Say it!

ANGELI : (whispers) To be my husband. (louder in a shaking voice) To be

my… husband. (pause) To have… and to… hold… from this day forward.

(Angeli pauses and begins to cry.)

CEDRIC : Say it!

(Angeli shakes her head.)

ANGELI : Please… Cedric…

CEDRIC : Say it!

ANGELI : (in a shaking voice) For better… For better… (pause) or for…

(Cedric goes up to Angeli, slaps her, then exits. The lights changes. Angeli stands up,

head bowed. She is in tears. She looks at the audience.)

ANGELI : What would you do when the illusion you always had about a

marriage was replaced by a reality you knew existed. (pause) And refuse to accept

that it can happen to you? (pause) That reality has been going on for me for almost a

year now.
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(Pause)

I am sorry. (pause) I’m sorry. (pause) This is not my fault. I tried to talk it

over with you but every time we did so, all we did was thread through mazes and

end up in dead ends. And after almost five years … I don’t know who you are.

(pause) The anger. (pause) The fists. The belt. (pause) You are no longer the man I

married.

It is not my fault. I did not even know my body would be this way. I did not

even know that despite every love and care I can give to someone like you, my body

acted in a different way. Didn’t you even think about me? Didn’t you even think

that I wanted much of what you also wanted?

It is not my fault. I just became the reality that you had to face. I may have

changed in your understanding of me being your wife but I am still that person who

can… who still loves you. But you have to understand that we change and things

will never be the same. Except for what we supposedly have for each other. (pause)

That would’ve been our anchor but it just became a stone that sank us.

It is not my fault that things became too complicated. And I had to deal with

everything in any way I can. My work is one of them. My life beyond these four

walls is one of them. (pause) Did I become too strong? Did I become too complex

for you to understand? Too alive in many ways that I may have scared you. (pause)

You have to understand, I had to replace something that I knew I could never give

you now. (pause) People told me it was a big mistake that I still decided to remain

your wife in spite of the complications that happened. (pause) Was I wrong? I still

want this marriage. (pause) But it seemed that you were no longer able to accept it.
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How do you know that the illusion of a marriage you had always dreamed of

became a reality? Does it start with the words that hurt you? With the mental abuse

of insecurities because he said that without him you would be nothing? When does

it start? Does it begin with the physical when he slaps you across the face? When

he hits you in places where the bruises will not show? Or when he just hits you just

so the bruises will remind you that things will happen now on his terms? (pause) The

cut on your lip that replaces a kiss with blood?

(A light fades in upstage. The table with the teddy bear on top can be seen in the

background. Angeli looks at the teddy bear, reaches for it but pauses and changes

her mind.)

ANGELI : I now think it was right that I didn’t have you. (pause) Because

I would never ever break your heart with what I will do now.

(Pause. Angeli takes up the letter she had wanted to give Angie and tears it up. She

places the fragments on the table. She faces the audience and walks downstage.)

I thought I knew you well enough, Cedric. But not this. Not this. (building up

her anger and frustration) Your anger. This… this… bad side. (inhales as her

features harden) WHAT DID I DO WRONG? DID I HURT YOUR PRIDE? DID I DO

SOMETHING THAT PUT YOU ASIDE AS A HUSBAND? THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER

THE MAN OF THE HOUSE? (calms down) Please help me understand. (pause) I

love you… still. (Inhales deeply then sighs) But no more. It ends now. It has gone on

too long. (pause then firmly) If you ever… EVER… lay a hand on me again… I will kill

you.

(The lights fade out)

(Blackout)

VI. Beguilement

(The lights open onstage. Cedric is facing Angeli but Angeli is facing the audience.

The recitation of the vows by Cedric is a voice-over onstage.)

CEDRIC : I, Cedric, take you, Angeli, to be my wife

ANGELI : (silent)

CEDRIC : to have and to hold from this day forward

ANGELI : (silent)

CEDRIC : for better, for worse,

ANGELI : (silent but begins to tear up)

CEDRIC : for richer, for poorer

ANGELI : (silent but tries to hold back tears)

CEDRIC : in sickness and in health

ANGELI : (silent but bites her lip holding back tears)

CEDRIC : to love and to cherish

ANGELI : (silent but wipes her face)

CEDRIC : until death do us part.

(Silence. Then Angeli turns to face Cedric. Although her face is tear-streaked there

is a fierce determination in her features.)

ANGELI : (inhales) No.

(The lights fade out)

(Blackout)

VII. Estrangement
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(The lights open onstage. Cedric is standing on one side of the stage. Angeli is

facing him. The table with the teddy bear is in the middle between them. A trolley

suitcase is near the table.

ANGELI : It ended in six years. (pause) I was counting (pause) Four, if you

didn’t count the bad things. (pause) Whatever we had after four years was no

longer a marriage. (pause) Where do we go from here? (pause) For you? (shakes

her head) It is not my place to say, Cedric. (pause then smiles sarcastically) You?

Setting me free? What do you mean? Our marriage wasn’t something we locked

ourselves into. (pause) You were not a jailer. You were my husband. (pause) Yes, I

may be too kind. (pause) Because this is the only way I can hurt you back. (pause)

From today onwards, you were my husband.

(The light changes. The table where the teddy bear once was is now empty. Angeli

goes to the table. She removes her wedding ring, places it on the table then turns to

Cedric.)

ANGELI : Take care of yourself, Cedric.

(Cedric looks at her. He is about to say something but changes his mind. He turns

and exits.)

(The lights fade out on the scene except a light on Angeli. She faces the audience. )

ANGELI : (pause) I, Angeli…

(Angeli pauses then repeats in a firmer voice)

I. Angeli.

(The lights fade out.)

(Blackout)
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CURTAIN