SCENE 4  – Father John’s room in the seminary.  Tanya is cleaning, singing bits of her song and hugging John’s pillow.  John enters, exhausted from jogging. He tells Tanya to take the day off, but she wants him to hear her confession if he’s not too tired.

JOHN

Will it take long?  Have you sinned much since your last confession?

TANYA

It might take a while.

JOHN

Come.  We'll go to the confessional.

TANYA

No!  That's not necessary.  I'm…allergic to incense.

JOHN

But I can't confess you here, with us looking at each other.

TANYA

There's a way.  I saw it done in a French film.  The priest

confessed a woman through an oven grill.

JOHN

The French have a very different attitude toward this sort of thing.

TANYA

Look.  We could use this.

(She removes the ventilator grill, blows the dust off it, and sits on the bed.)

Here.  Sit next to me.  I'll hold it.

JOHN  (sitting)

Why not?  (Aside)  This can't be any freakier than what's been

happening these past few days.

TANYA (overwhelmed)

I have a better idea.  If you're, so tired, I'll massage your

neck.

Before JOHN can protest, she’s behind him, massaging his neck, helping him off with his sports jacket, letting down her long hair.)

JOHN

That feels good.  I am tired.  I've been jogging for three days.

TANYA

Has it helped?

JOHN

Helped?  You know, you're a strange young woman.  Not at all like our last house-keeper.  She didn't have fires in her eyes, for instance.  But then she didn't give neck massages.

TANYA

Do you like music? 

(Tanya's  theme music begins.)

JOHN

Good Lord.  I know that music.  At night it fills my dreams.  It

tortures my flesh.  I think I've had six hours of sleep in the

past week.

TANYA

It's my music.  At night I wear it like a perfume.

JOHN

Who are  you?

TANYA

(The music stops abruptly.)

Tanya.  The housekeeper.

JOHN

I must be hallucinating,  overtired.  I thought I heard strange

music. 

(Rising, he takes her hands in his)

      I’ve never met anyone like you.

(Releasing her hands, he pushes her gently away.)

But the Lord has heard my vows and some day heaven will be my reward. 

                                                         TANYA

That’s nice.  Uh…what are you doing Friday night?  I hear there’s going to be a midnight mass.