It was almost there. A play for 4 people. Comedy

Scene 2. Shhh…

night.

Very poor lighting.

Alarming soft music!

Irina comes home.

He steals cautiously, settles down on the sofa. Quickly throws on a housecoat, lies down, falls asleep.

Danil enters. Quietly, quietly on tiptoe sneaks, looks around. Quietly changing clothes in a hurry. He goes to bed somewhere else. He doesn't notice Irina.

…

You can beat the change of scenes of Nina and Irina's apartments with light. Danila and Irina need to be removed at this moment.

…

The same night in the apartment of the second married couple. Oleg walks back and forth in a very, very weak light, he does not find a place for himself. He attaches himself to some corner, sits down. He falls asleep just like that. Nina enters. Oleg passes by very quietly. Notices him, thinks about it. He covers his mouth with his hand. She doesn't know what to do or how to be. Rushing around in thoughts, whether to wake up, or leave everything as it is. He does not dare to wake up. Quietly goes into another room.

The music stops.

Scene 3. Misunderstandings.

Morning.

The light turns on.

Oleg wakes up on the floor. I managed to slide out of a sitting sleepy position during the night. Wakes up, stretches, gets up. He looks at his watch.

Nina's traditional snoring comes from the next room.

Oleg turns around at this snoring.

Oleg (partly relieved). Yeah…, so – at home. When she just brushed past me.

Oleg stretches once more. Shouts to his wife in a dissatisfied voice, with a hit-and-run.

Oleg (sternly, loudly). EEEEE! Night bird! Let's stop snoring there already. Come on, we need to talk.

Nina, who has not slept well, comes out, yawns.

Nina (yawning). What are you making noise about?

Oleg (sternly, quietly, looking away). We need to talk.

Nina is wary. Sleep flies off her in one fell swoop. She is nervous, she also looks away.

Oleg (cautiously, moderately severely). You… is there anything you want to tell me?

Nina (cautiously, also with a hit-and-run). And you to me?

Oleg (cautiously, moderately severely). Willingly. So I came home yesterday, but I didn't find you. You sat down, drank… Then you disappear, and then you come from nowhere at night. What should I think? So, I repeat the question. Is there anything you want to tell me? Explain?

Nina (cautiously, also with a hit-and-run). I want to remind you that we had visitors yesterday. You behaved very "manly". He left me here alone with them and took off. And I'm still to blame for you now!

Oleg (cautiously, moderately severely). Let's clarify a bit. You spent time here yesterday not with guests, but with a guest. Irina jumped out almost after me. I met her not far from home. You stayed here with Danil. You sat, drank, then left, then you came at night. And I really don't like what you're doing. I've been loyal to you all my life and I deserve to know the truth. Did you have something with Danil last night?

Nina (cautiously, also with a hit-and-run). What about you and Irina? Where were you hanging around with her and what were you doing?

Oleg (nodding, disappointed). Everything is clear… Okay, you can go back to sleep. I don't want to talk to you right now. I don't know how and what will happen next. But now I want to be alone.

Sad music is playing.

Oleg leaves.

Nina waves her hands excitedly, goes back to the bedroom in her thoughts.

The music subsides along with the blackout.

ZTM.

Scene 4. Misunderstandings 2.

Morning.

The light turns on.

Danil and Irina are sitting in different places, this time without phones in their hands. They look at each other sideways. They keep quiet.

Danil is the first to break the silence.

Danil (on a heavy exhalation). Tell me.

Irina looks at her husband in surprise.

Irina (indignantly). That is, I also tell you?

Danil looks at his wife with an onslaught.

Irina (giving up, throwing up her hands indignantly). Okay, I'm telling you. You jumped on me. I ran away. Aired, paused. I came back – and you're gone. And Nina, by the way, too. So now, my dear, the story begins with you. Where did you and my friend go, I wonder?

Danil (indignantly). Where have we gone? We went to look for you! Where did you go with my friend? You jumped out after him right away. Oh, how I doubt that your paths have diverged.

Irina (excusing herself). Yes, I really met Oleg. We sat at the house on the playground, talked. We made a circle around it and returned. And there's no one at home.

Danil (indignantly). That's right – no one! We went looking for you!

Irina (with a smile). And where were you looking? In a rented apartment?

Danil (indignantly). What are you talking about? In which apartment?

Irina (pressing). I do not know which one. But we've been waiting for you for quite a long time. By the way, I called. Why didn't you pick up the phone, huh? Tell me, did you accidentally put it on silent mode?

Danil takes out his phone, looks at him in surprise.

Danil (surprised). Oh, really, missed. Yes, exactly on silent. Strange.

Irina (not believing). Yes, yes… Strange. There's not one missing. I called several times. And since you say you went looking for me, why didn't you call? I didn't turn off my phone and didn't translate it to silent. What do you say, seeker?

Danil is lost for a while, but quickly comes into offensive form.

Danil (with attacks). I didn't call on purpose. In order not to tell you too much in a hurry. And there was something to say, believe me!

Irina (not believing). Oh, oh, what a noble… I do not believe.

Irina defiantly turns away from her husband.

Danil gets up from the sofa.

Danil (exhaling, offended). Okay, everything is clear with you. I walked up – I came. I'm happy for you. I've never forbidden you anything like that. If you walk, walk to your health, but with my friend, why? (He waves it away nervously.) Ah…

sad music sounds.

Danil leaves.

Irina looks after him doubtfully.

The music subsides along with the blackout.

ZTM.

Scene 5. Male conversation.

A playground near the house, where men have already had the good fortune to watch an entertaining scene through the window.

Sounds intriguing, decisive music.

Men (Oleg and Danil) come out from different sides. They are resolutely heading towards each other.

The music stops.

Danil (brusquely, defiantly). Olegych, hello, dear! That's what I wanted to tell you!

Danil makes a right hook (you can do it from the left), but Oleg dodges. A fist sweeps past his jaw.

Danil, by the inertia of the swing, flies a little to the side. He gathers his thoughts. So far, it does not attack anymore, because it is somewhat complicated.

Oleg looks at the whole situation with a surprisingly condescending eye, and it even seems to please him.

Oleg (sternly, but at the same time with warmth). You know, but I wanted to talk to you about the same thing. And in about the same form.

Danil (looking away sternly, somewhat embarrassed). It was so accepted in my village, where I come from. In all questionable situations, fists were used first, and then they talked. Sorry, it worked… What's his name… instinct, genes, or habit… Damn him.

Oleg (with understanding). Yes, we had about the same thing. As you can see, even the reaction has been preserved. So what? Shall we talk?

Danil (exhaling heavily, thinking about the upcoming conversation). Let's be honest. Oleg, you know that I am quite calm about my wife's frivolity. We have been doing this for a long time, everything is fine. But this frivolity should not have affected our friendship in any way. The fact that I know about Irka's lover, and I'm not doing anything, does not mean at all that I won't hit him sometime somewhere. You know, someone else's family is dark. Why did you get into this situation? I trusted you, didn't I?

Oleg nods.

His nods are vague.

Danil does not understand what he means by this.

Oleg (calming down). So you're saying that you didn't have anything with my Nina?

Danil (surprised). What kind of questions? Of course not! I had no idea. We sat with her for a while, and then went outside. Your wife clearly needed to talk, breathe, and put her thoughts in order. You got her, buddy, over the years of living together – specifically! So you're still owed for a session of psychotherapy. I was steamed up to listen to her, but where to go – a friend's wife.

Oleg listens attentively, nods with understanding, calms down.

Danil (cautiously). Well, did you have something with my Irka, or not?

Oleg looks at Danil very seriously.

Oleg (seriously). Should I tell you honestly?

Danil (tensely). If you're a man, then tell it like it is. I'll find out the truth sooner or later anyway.

Oleg (seriously). I say it as it is. Your Irina and I could really have had everything. But thanks to the fact that your friend, as you rightly put it, is a fool, the danger has passed.

Danil (still not too believing what he heard). Wait, wait. I mean, what are you… You mean you didn't have anything there?

Oleg (smiling cautiously). I'm sorry, but I didn't let her near me.

Danil (on nerves, on emotions, with relief). Oh, you damn blasphemer!

Bright loud music sounds with pleasantly dramatic overtones.

Danil approaches Oleg, the men hug each other tightly, like a man, with sincerity, strength and countless respect.

The music sounds for a while longer, and stops along with the blackout.

ZTM.

Scene 6. To the world.

Nina and Oleg's house.

A lyrical musical composition sounds. Softly. Background.

Nina walks around in frustration and confusion.

The music becomes barely audible.

Nina (a little nervous). Yeees… Situation. From scratch, practically, the relationship can be said to have been undermined. Although… Although they haven't really held on for a long time. He doesn't want to talk to me. Yes, please. Do I want to?

Nina comes to the forefront, thoughtfully communicates with the audience.

Nina (to the audience, thoughtfully, sadly). But I was actually one step away from cheating on Oleg. I saw how Danil's eyes sparkled. I was confused myself, and I saw this confusion in his eyes, and in general non-resistance to the possible development of events.

Damn, how is that? We have been wearing the mask of decent, light-minded people for so many years, but here is the situation, and I am already afraid of my thoughts. How is it? Is everything really so shaky in a relationship?

And I admit, I'm not even so much interested in whether Oleg and Irina had something… Now I'm more worried about how to look into Danilo's eyes after all this! No, of course there was nothing like that, but we both experienced something that we hadn't experienced for a long time… I know it for sure, it was a mutual feeling, it doesn't resonate so much alone… My God, am I really such a person in my essence?

Nina and the psycho leave the stage.

Nina (emotionally). I don't even want to think about it… No, no, no… Some kind of episodic turbidity. For sure, it's all wine. I love Oleg. I've never cheated on him and I'm not going to… It would be necessary to quickly throw all these thoughts out of my head and forget like a terrible dream.

Oleg enters.

Oleg and Nina meet eyes.

They stop. They look at each other. They are silent.

The background music stops playing.

Silence.

Oleg (seriously, every now and then, lowering his gaze). I had nothing with Irina… You wanted to know. If I had stumbled for some reason, I would have found the courage to say it, and you know it perfectly well. But I also know that you and Danil didn't have anything either. By the will of fate, we found ourselves in a strange situation, which, needless to say, gave rise to certain questions and doubts.

Oleg sighs, lowers his head.

Oleg (a little quieter). I want to apologize for doubting you. I'm sorry, Nina.

Nina approaches her husband.

Nina (warmly, a little guiltily). Forgive me, too, for my stupid words. I've never allowed myself to do anything like that, and now I blurted it out. Let's forgive each other and live as before. Ok?

Oleg (cautiously). Let's try to live at least a little better than before. I don't know how, but I suspect that it makes sense to think about it, and perhaps take some measures so that you and I never have such questions to each other again.

Nina (warmly, sincerely). I love you, Oleg.

Oleg (warmly, sincerely). I have always loved and love only you. Come quickly, let's hug.

A pleasant lyrical composition sounds.

Nina and Oleg approach each other, warmly, warmly embrace.

The light goes out smoothly.

The music increases in sound.

The music keeps playing.

The music stops and ends. The light turns on smoothly.

Somewhere… It doesn't matter where exactly.

The dark background hides the interior of the apartment.

Irina comes to the forefront. Not too much, but still looks around a little interested. Looking out for her husband. Doesn't find it. He addresses the audience as neighbors in the entrance.

Irina (relatively calmly, to the audience). Hello. Have you seen mine? He probably went to beat Oleg's face, I know him.

Biting his lip, thinking. Eyes are running. Irina puts her hand to her mouth.

Irina (in her own way, to the audience). He doesn't touch my lovers… but this time he definitely won't tolerate it.

Another very short pause between the lines.

Irina (in her own way, to the audience). In fact, I've never had lovers before. It's just me, I wanted to resurrect Danil's feelings. To be jealous, to be overwhelmed by passion again… everything like that. And he's not jealous. I provoke, and he is calm. I'm still and still – zero reaction. As a result, I changed it. And you know – not poisoned, as they say. I even liked it. I was surprised myself. I didn't plan it, I'm talking like a spirit, I just played too much. But I liked it. Yes, my husband's feelings did not soar, but I blossomed with renewed vigor. I understand that there is nothing good in this, of course. I'm not agitating anyone, but Danil is to blame himself. If he stopped paying attention to me, what could I do? I tried to resuscitate him… As I could. It didn't work out. As a result, the novel is on the side… Then the second, the third… But these are matters of bygone days. I've settled down now. Nonsense in the past. I've had one man for a long time… And the husband, of course.

Irina takes a short pause. He sighs languidly.

Irina (warmly, sincerely, to the audience, as to herself). I don't want to change anything. I don't want to divorce Danil, just as I don't want to leave someone who sees a woman in me, who admires me, spoils me and gives gifts.

Irina guiltily, at times lowering her gaze, looks into the auditorium.

Irina (a little guiltily, sincerely, to the audience, as to herself). Judging me, right?

…

I judge myself. I was being prepared for another life. To the fact that there will be a strong reliable family, a stable cell of society. That we will hold on to each other, support each other. That our hearts, having merged together, will go through one joint, single path from the beginning to the end, from the moment when we say "Yes" to each other in the registry office.

To say – they said, but then everything went not according to the script, not according to textbooks. Everything went very differently… It seems like we both tried to adhere to the canons and family values known to everyone… But, what to hide… Neither Danil nor I are role models. We tried, really… It didn't work out. And how many of you did it? Well, how is it? To be honest? Everyone is their own here.

You… You will forgive me for this question. I have no right to meddle in my own business, and I'm not going to hide behind someone's failures, if there are any, either. I'll speak for myself. I do not know how to live properly. Don't know. The only thing I know is that Danil and I are relatively honest. We play the games that we both understand. We don't always live together, it's true, but we don't hate each other either, which I think is an achievement. He and I are often fine. And, despite the fact that it seems that outwardly we are like a cat with a dog – we still haven't divorced. Not because they didn't dare, no. There is plenty of determination. I just don't want to.

Perhaps… I may be wrong, of course, but perhaps the secret of the integrity of marriage is precisely that the spouses play those games that are understandable to both of them. Only them. And let the whole world twist at the temple, looking at certain pairs.

Abnormal?

Yes!

Wonderful?

For God's sake.

Let them say and think what they want. But the most important thing is that other people's opinions, other people's advice, under no circumstances penetrate into a particular family. Even if this family is wrong a thousand times… This is their way… This is their life… And it should only be their decisions…

Irina returns to the center of the stage together with the inclusion of lighting in the apartment.

We emit Irina's arrival into the house from somewhere on the street.

Danil enters. Irina turns to him. She looks him seriously in the eyes.