Family Secrets

By Beverly Boone

Della Lewis Reid and her husband, Paul, have been married for 20 years. A retired educator, she is well-known in her community and church as a tireless volunteer at the Womens Shelter, innovative church leader, and excellent mother and wife. On the outside, she looks like she has it all. However, Della is hiding a terrible family secretshe is a victim of domestic violence. Della is living in denial by minimizing the abuse she suffers at the hands of her husband. But Della is not the only family member with a secret. Her teen-age daughter, Cyndi, has a devastating secret as well. When Della realizes Cyndis secret, she is shaken to the core and vows to take action.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496901521

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© 2014 Beverly Boone, Ph.D.. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse   04/16/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-0153-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-0152-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014906128

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CONTENTS

CAST OF CHARACTERS

ACT I

ACT II

ACT III

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: STATISTICS & FACTS

Dedication

Each year, one in three women will be victims of homicide by her current or former partner. Family Secrets is dedicated to those who have suffered injuries or lost their lives due to domestic violence and sexual abuse. For the thousands still living in a violent situations, my prayer is that you will find the courage and strength to reach out for help; to move from the shadows of family secrecy into the light of peace and healing.

Special Thanks

To my beautiful daughter, Sylvia; her wonderful husband, Tim; and my adorable grandson, Wesley, with great love.

To Garrett Davis (Gdavis Productions), whose dynamic casting and directing of the 2013 debut of Family Secrets, in Greensboro, NC., offered inspiration for this publication.

To family, friends, and co-workers who supported the writing of this play through words and deeds.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Della Reid: Mother, wife, community activist

Danny Reid: 9-year old son of Paul and Della Reid

Cyndi Reid: 16-year old daughter of Paul and Della Reid

Paul Reid: Della’s husband, salesman for World-Wide Electronics.

Claudine: Della’s best friend who works as a social worker

Pastor James Fuller: Pastor of Love of Life Church

Fletch: Cyndi’s abusive high school boyfriend

Dennis Campbell: Paul’s boss at World-Wide Electronics

Debbie: Teen-age friend of Cyndi and Fletch

Jake: Teen-age friend of Cyndi and Fletch

ACT I

SCENE I

(It’s Monday morning and Della Reid is serving breakfast in her home to her husband of 20 years, Paul; her 16-year-old daughter, Cyndi; and her nine-year-old son, Danny. The family is hurriedly trying to finish breakfast and get to school or work. Della is a retired educator.)

Della: Who wants this last chocolate chip pancake? Going once… going twice…

Danny: I’ll take it, Mom. Umm… these pancakes are delicious! Can I have more eggs too?

Cyndi: (Jokingly) My