[Scene]
Aaron leaves the church after his conversation with Jesus. The evening sun is setting. As he walks across the parking lot, he sees Maria standing beside her car.
Maria
Look who finally showed up,
The man who’s always got an excuse.
Still acting like you’re changing,
Still singing those church songs,
But nothing ever really changes, does it?
You know what?
Child support ain’t enough.
Our son is growing up.
He needs more,
And where are you?
You ain’t a father.
You don’t come see him.
You don’t call enough.
You don’t show up.
Aaron
Hold on, stop right there.
How can I see my son
When every door gets slammed in my face?
Every conversation turns into an argument.
Every message becomes another fight.
All you wanna talk about
Is things I don’t care about anymore.
Me and you?
We’re done.
You had your chance.
I had mine.
Whatever we were is gone.
The only thing I care about now
Is my son.
Maria
Oh, that’s funny.
Now you’re Father of the Year?
Let’s not rewrite history.
Remember the nights I cried?
Remember the fear?
Remember the pain?
Remember when you hit me?
Remember when you hurt me?
Let’s not forget what happened
When I was carrying our son.
Aaron
Don’t act like you were innocent.
You kept pushing.
Kept yelling.
Kept crossing lines.
I told you to stop—
Maria
No!
Don’t you dare.
Nobody forces somebody else’s hand.
That choice was yours.
You made that choice.
Aaron
I was angry!
I was broken!
I was losing control!
Maria
And I paid the price for it!
You keep talking about change,
Then own what you did!
Aaron
I’m trying to move forward!
Maria
Then stop pretending the past doesn’t matter!
Aaron
I’m tired of being the villain!
Maria
Then stop blaming everyone else!
[The argument grows louder. Both are shouting. Years of pain begin pouring out.]
Aaron
You don’t know what I’ve been carrying!
Maria
You don’t know what I survived!
Aaron
You keep my son away!
Maria
Because I don’t trust you!
Aaron
I’ve changed!
Maria
Then prove it!
[Suddenly another voice cuts through the chaos.]
AJ
ENOUGH!
Silence.
Both of you, stop.
I’ve been standing here listening,
And neither one of you is hearing the other.
Maria,
Your pain is real.
Aaron,
Your anger is real.
But this right here?
This ain’t helping anybody.
Especially not that little boy.
Maria
Stay out of this.
AJ
No.
Because somebody has to say it.
This stopped being about the two of you
A long time ago.
There’s a child caught in the middle.
Aaron
You don’t understand—
AJ
Actually, I do.
Because I’ve watched you run from guilt.
I’ve watched you blame everybody else.
And I’ve watched you beat yourself up for years.
Which one is it, Aaron?
Did you change?
Or are you still hiding behind excuses?
Aaron
…
Maria
…
AJ
The truth hurts both ways.
Maria,
The bitterness is poisoning you.
Aaron,
The excuses are poisoning you.
And until both of you face the truth,
Your son is the one paying the price.
AJFarmer1994