(At rise, LAWRENCE, a young man in 

his mid-20s, stands in front of a 

grave, holding a bouquet of 

lilies. He carries a backpack. The 

lighting is dim. He sets the 

bouquet down and sits next to the 

grave.) 

LAWRENCE 

Hey, Dad. It’s been a while. I just wanted to stop by and talk. How are things going for you? 

(Enter JAMES, the late father of LAWRENCE. His side of the stage lights up. He stands behind the grave,  facing his son.) 

JAMES 

Hey, champ! Nice to see you again. The afterlife is stagnant, but everything’s going well. 

LAWRENCE 

(He continues talking to the headstone.) 

I’ve been doing well myself. So is Mom. We both miss you a lot.

JAMES 

I miss you guys, too. 

LAWRENCE 

(He reaches for his backpack, opening and rummaging through it.) 

You haven’t missed out on much, but I wanna show you something. Guess. 

JAMES 

(Curious, JAMES looks over LAWRENCE’s shoulder, trying to see what LAWRENCE is getting.) 

I have no idea. What? 

LAWRENCE 

(He pulls out a large book titled “A New Chapter” out of his backpack and faces it to the headstone before placing it on his lap.) 

I’ve been working on this scrapbook three weeks after your death, and I finally finished it last night. I showed it to Mom and everyone on Facebook. They loved it. I’m sure you will, too. 

JAMES 

(JAMES sits down next to LAWRENCE and looks through the scrapbook with him.) 

Okay. 

LAWRENCE

(LAWRENCE opens the scrapbook and reads the dedication on the front page.) 

To the man who taught me everything there is to know about everything. Thank you, Dad. 

JAMES 

(smiles) 

Aw. 

LAWRENCE 

(turns the page and gestures to the pictures in it)

 Here’s me, Mom, and the rest of the family taking group pictures. 

JAMES 

(takes a closer look at the pictures and nods) 

Okay. 

LAWRENCE 

It was hard for us all, knowing that we lost a major family member. 

(turns to next page) 

And here’s Mom and I at home. The house felt completely empty, despite us being the only ones there. 

JAMES 

Who’s taking your pictures? 

LAWRENCE

If you’re wondering who’s taking our pictures, we’ll get to that in a bit. 

JAMES 

I see. Carry on. 

LAWRENCE 

(LAWRENCE turns to another page and points at a 

picture.) 

Here is a picture of me and a woman I met. Her name is Meredith. She’s a photographer. We met a week after the funeral. 

JAMES 

(JAMES observes the picture and smiles.) 

She looks nice. I hope she’s treating you nicely after everything that’s happened. 

LAWRENCE 

Ever since we met, my sadness has left little by little. I’m glad to have her in my life. 

(LAWRENCE proceeds to turn a page.) 

This is us three months into our relationship. Every weekend we would go on these dates and enjoy spending time together. 

JAMES 

What does your mother think of her? 

LAWRENCE 

(He looks away for a second, then looks at the headstone.)

Whenever I’m at work, Meredith would visit our house when she’s not busy. Mom enjoys her presence. It’s like she’s her personal therapist. 

(chuckles) 

JAMES 

(smiles) 

It’s good that she’s there to help you and your mother cope. 

LAWRENCE 

I even introduced her to Grandma and Grandpa. They got along well the first time they met. Grandpa told me she’s a keeper. 

JAMES 

(He laughs) 

The same thing he said to me when I dated your mother. 

LAWRENCE 

But yeah, I couldn’t agree more. 

(LAWRENCE flips a page and points to a picture of him proposing to his love interest.) 

JAMES 

(His eyes widen in astonishment) 

You proposed to her? Wow. 

LAWRENCE 

After 10 months, I finally proposed to her. And look!

(LAWRENCE presents his engagement ring to the headstone.)

JAMES 

That’s great news! 

LAWRENCE 

(He places his left hand on the scrapbook.) 

You must be very happy for me. 

JAMES 

(jubilant) 

Of course! You’re meant for each other. 

LAWRENCE 

(hesitant) 

I have a few doubts, though. 

(closes the scrapbook) 

JAMES 

What’s the matter? 

LAWRENCE 

(stares at the ground, then looks at the headstone) I’ve never gotten this far into a relationship before. I have no knowledge on marriage or starting a family, so I came to you for help. What should I do? 

JAMES 

(thinks for a moment) 

Well, I’ll be honest with you. I’ve felt the same way before I married your mother and started raising you. 

LAWRENCE

What if things don’t go the way I want them to be? She might say no at the wedding. And I’ve never raised a child, so I don’t know what to expect. 

JAMES 

That’s why you’re here. You came seeking my help, and so I want to give you the best of my advice. 

LAWRENCE 

(sets the scrapbook aside and stands up, exasperated) Ah, who am I kidding? I’m taking advice from my dad beyond the grave. 

JAMES 

Lawrence. 

LAWRENCE 

(paces back and forth) 

Can anyone believe I’m talking to a ghost right now? 

JAMES 

(impatient) 

Lawrence. 

LAWRENCE 

Not only that, I can’t even see or hear him! 

JAMES 

(shouts) 

Lawrence!

(A cold breeze blows near LAWRENCE, which catches him off guard. He looks around the area as if sensing a presence close by.) 

LAWRENCE 

Dad? 

JAMES 

You may not see or hear me, but know that I’m here whenever you need help. 

LAWRENCE 

Okay, Dad. Let’s get through this. 

(sits down next to the grave) 

I remember seeing a picture of you and Mom at your wedding. Mom knew you were nervous, but deep down she was nervous, too. She really needed you. 

JAMES 

Right. But the thing is, most couples get nervous during their wedding day. It’s totally normal. 

LAWRENCE 

And if I get nervous, then Meredith will know. But it’ll be fine. She’s helped me calm down numerous times, so there’s nothing to worry about. 

JAMES 

(He nods) 

Absolutely.

LAWRENCE (CONT’D) 

Also, about raising a kid. How do you do it? 

JAMES 

When I raised you, I felt like I had a huge responsibility. So, I devoted my time to playing with you to make you happy. 

LAWRENCE 

Maybe if I spend quality time with my child, then everything would be fine, right? 

JAMES 

There’s more to it than that. Raising a child takes patience and devotion. You’ll need to keep them safe and loved. LAWRENCE 

I guess I’ll need to give them some love and warmth if I want to make them feel safe. 

(A ping breaks the silence. LAWRENCE checks his phone and puts it back in his pocket.) 

LAWRENCE (CONT’D) 

I’d better get going. Mom wants me home to celebrate Meredith’s birthday. Thanks for the advice. 

JAMES 

All right. Say happy birthday to Meredith for me. And please drive safely. 

LAWRENCE 

I almost forgot.

(LAWRENCE places the scrapbook in his backpack.) 

I’ll come back again and show you the rest. I’ll see you soon. (waves goodbye) 

JAMES 

(waves back at LAWRENCE) 

Bye.

                                                                  
PHILIP JACOB is a senior pursuing a degree in Dental Assisting.