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the rain. Her bottom lip is busted open. She sees Rosie and Nathan together, on the table. She is mortified. Slowly, she picks up the steak knife from the floor. She approaches Nathan.)
     
    NATHAN. What do you mean?
    ROSIE. Your little Britney is having a baby.
    NATHAN. What?
    ROSIE. Relax, bad boy, it ain’t yours.
    NATHAN. You’re wrong. Britney can’t have kids. The doctor told me so himself.
    ROSIE. Why would she lie?
    NATHAN. I could eat you alive.
    ROSIE. Where’s the money?
    NATHAN. You’re so fucking hot.
    ROSIE. Baby, where’s the money?
    NATHAN. I love you.
    ROSIE. I love you, too, Ricardo.
    NATHAN. What the fuck? You just called me Ricardo.
    BRITNEY. I’m taking the money back to the store! ( Britney raises the knife, prepared to stab Nathan in the back. Nathan jumps, rolls off of Rosie and hits the floor. The knife comes down, landing in the               middle of Rosie’s chest. She screams in pain and within seconds she loses consciousness. Britney turns to Nathan.) Look at what you made me do!
    LINDA. (Barefoot, wet and cold, she enters the restaurant. She is dazed and weak. She is very pregnant and very young.) Help me.
    RICARDO. (He enters from the kitchen.)   Rosie?  (A moment of realization:) Oh my God –
    NATHAN. Is she dead?
    BRITNEY. I didn’t mean to do it!  (She throws the knife down and runs out of the restaurant, repeating the same phrase over and over, like a hysterical mantra.)
    LINDA. (She staggers to Ricardo.) Can you please help me?
     
    (Linda faints, falling into Ricardo’s arms. He gently guides her down to the floor.
     
    Nathan scrambles up, goes behind the counter and picks up Rosie’s suitcase. He rips the suitcase open and throws its contents on the               floor. He opens the cash register, and empties it into the suitcase. Ricardo does not try to stop him or intervene. Instead, he grabs a tablecloth and covers Rosie’s body with it. Nathan dashes out of the restaurant.
     
    Ricardo picks up the road map, discarded on the floor. Slowly, he folds it up and puts it into his back pocket.
     
    Lights fade to black.)

ACT TWO: SCENE ONE
     
    (When the lights come up, two hours have passed. Linda is sitting at one of the tables, hunched over a bowl of soup. It is evident she is hungry.
                 
    Ricardo is on his hands and knees, scrubbing the floor. A bucket of water is nearby.
     
    The radio is on.)
     
    RADIO ANNOUNCER. Winds have reached 50 miles per hour in parts of the state. We’ve got enough rain to fill an ocean. The temperature has continued to drop. Folks, it’s getting cold out there. Stay warm and hopefully the storm will pass over us soon. Here’s a little something to heat things up. 
                 
    (Music begins to play. Judy rushes inside from the main entrance, wet from the rain. She is carrying a grocery bag with her. She turns off the radio.)
     
    JUDY. (To Linda:) Oh good. You’re eating. How are you feeling?
    LINDA. Much better, thank you.
    JUDY. You are a precious thing. Do you know that? I could curse your folks for throwing you out. Have they no shame?
    LINDA. I’m the one who shamed them. My father said he’d rather see me dead than pregnant. He almost got his wish. Do you think the storm will hit soon?
    RICARDO. It already has.
    JUDY. Ricardo, this soup is cold. And she needs some crackers. Get her some crackers.
    RICARDO. They’re behind the counter. My shift ended five minutes ago. Kimberly’s running late.
    JUDY. What time is it?
    RICARDO. It’s after ten, Judy. I’ll be leaving soon.
    JUDY. Made up your mind, did you?
    RICARDO. It was made up for me.
    JUDY. Do you think Derek knows about his sister?
    RICARDO. He’s waiting for me down at the bus station. I’ll be on my way soon.
    JUDY. I pray to God that Britney went fast. The sheriff said he only used one bullet. I don’t think she felt anything.
    RICARDO. I’m sure she felt everything. Britney was a sensitive