Duet – tender, asymmetrical, emotionally off-balan

[woman] You said you’d stay You said you’d try You said tonight No goodbye [man 1 – defensive] I didn’t choose I never choose It pulls me under I just lose— [woman] Lose what Lose me Lose time Lose truth [man 1] I’m still here [woman] For how long [man 1] I don’t— (beat — he vanishes) ⸻ [woman] Oh don’t you dare Don’t you dare Don’t you— ⸻ [man 2 – appearing mid-thought] —understand it’s not a switch It’s not a door It’s more a glitch [woman] When are you from [man 2] Thursday [woman] What Thursday [man 2] After the fight [woman] We’re in the fight [man 2] Oh Right (he flickers — gone) ⸻ [woman – breathless] Unbelievable Unforgivable Unstable Unlivable ⸻ [man 3 – older, tired] Clare please We survive this [woman] When are you from [man 3] After the hospital [woman] What hospital [man 3 – realizing] Oh no (he disappears) ⸻ [woman] Stop Stop Stop appearing mid-sentence Stop arriving with future tense Stop telling me what I will forgive ⸻ [man 4 – younger, almost boyish] You always yell right here [woman] When are you from [man 4] Before the wedding [woman] We’re married [man 4] We are [woman] Not if you keep vanishing (he flickers — gone) ⸻ [woman – accelerating] Different shoes Different scars Different versions Different wars How many men Am I supposed to love How many futures Am I made of ⸻ [man 5 – desperate, overlapping] Clare it’s gravity Clare it’s chemistry Clare it’s entropy Clare it’s me [woman] Which you Which year Which lie Which fear [man 5] I don’t know (he disappears mid-word) ⸻ [woman – now alone but still arguing] Of course you don’t Of course you don’t Of course you— (another Henry appears) ⸻ [man 6 – calm, distant] You asked for this [woman] When are you from [man 6] After you leave [woman – stunned] After I what [man 6] Clare— (he vanishes) ⸻ Silence beat. Breathing. Then final escalation. ⸻ [woman – full voice, breaking] I’m done Do you hear me I’m done No more Henry’s No more vanishing No more fragments No more managing No more futures Breaking through No more loving All of you If you disappear Again It’s my turn No more Henry’s No more time It’s time For me To disappear