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Alisdair Adams' One Act Plays- The Light Within(070824)

Peter has died due to complications caused by HIV; leaving his husband, ex-wife and son to pick up the pieces. We join them as they prepare to move out of their central London apartment, thinking about the past they all shared and what a new uncertain future might bring. Secrets will be shared and broken relationships explored in this new audiodrama about a modern blended family which will warm your heart.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:
37m
Broadcast on:
08 Jul 2024
Audio Format:
mp3

Peter has died due to complications caused by HIV; leaving his husband, ex-wife and son to pick up the pieces. We join them as they prepare to move out of their central London apartment, thinking about the past they all shared and what a new uncertain future might bring. Secrets will be shared and broken relationships explored in this new audiodrama about a modern blended family which will warm your heart. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Monday matinee on the mutual audio network. The following audio drama is rated PG-13, suggesting that all children under the age of 13 should listen accompanied with an adult. Cornucopia radio presents. All to see without my eyes, the first time that you'll kiss me boundless by the time I cried, I built your walls around me. What is our life? A play of passion? Our mirth, the music of division? Our mothers wounds the tiring houses be where we are dressed for this short comedy. Heaven, the judicious sharp spectator is, that sits and marks still who doth act amiss. Our graves that hide us from the setting sun are like drawn curtains when the play is done. Thus march we, playing to our latest rest. Only we die in earnest. That's no jest. 400k profit. Not bad for an investment we made years ago. Who doth thought? OK, all done. Born scrubber me. Bathroom clean as a wisp. Thanks Jo. You owe me big time. I know, I know, thanks so much. I couldn't do this on my own. I tell you what, for all the help you've given me, I'll let you play on minecraft with Dylan Momma- No, one. Sorry. Yeah, no, you've been amazing. Isn't that what big sisters are for? No, they're flipping not. Big sisters are to be adored or worshipped with bottles of Pinot Grisio, but alcohol. Or dom perignon champagne. Pushing it at the Savoy in London. And she's gone over the edge. Well, you and Richard are selling this place and getting 200k profit each, so you can well afford it. So? Oh god, I'll miss that view over London. I love this place. The parties we've had here. Yeah. I'd have loved to have kept it, but... Well, after. Yeah, yeah, I understand. I think that's best for both of you. Yeah, it is. Dylan's singing, walking in here. Is Christmas? Are you serious? Are your ears full of wax? His voice is breaking. He's a bit down because Channel 4 haven't booked him since his voice started breaking, but he managed to get through. Here's everybody talking about Jamie Tour without his voice cracking. So, well, they offered him a few parts in Hollyoaks, and we have an audition for Waterford Road Book, so let's just see. I don't want to put too much pressure on him after everything that's happened. What with his dad and, you know, Dil's health last week. Have you told Rich about Dylan? Not yet. I thought I'd tell him when he gets here. It's still sinking in, to be honest, and I can't talk about it too much or I'll just go to pieces. Plus, Dylan's had a tough time of it at school, and one of his mates came out as non-binary last week, and his mate, Holly, thinks... I say thinks because I don't think he is, but we think he's gay. His mate, Katie, is transitioning to Kyle, and he's been really upset about all of that, and add to that no walking in the air, and with his dad and now his health, how are we going to get through this? Hey, come here. You need a big hug. Dil will cope. We will cope. Well, you know what teenagers are like. I had all of this with my two before they did me the greatest honour of buggering off to university. You know, one day you'll throw all the insults under the sun at you. You'll be devil mother from hell. The next, he'll want cuddles, and then ask for them. Oh, and boy will he need cuddles with what he'll be facing health-wise over the next few months. Come here. You need a big sister hug. Thanks. Oh, God, you've had a crap here. But look, things will get better. Hmm. Lesbians, I sense this, you know, you two can't show each other. Oh, Dil, for God's sake, you little bastard. You're still not too old to have your ass whacked by your old aunt Joe. Come here. Oh, God, for me you're a fucker. Oh, God. Do we have to sell this place? Well, we already have. Dil, we need to move on. Too many memories here, plus Richard wants to sell it, and he part owns it. Oh, so it was his fault we have to sell it. Oh, Dil, you know that's not fair. This place was special to your dad, mum, and Rich, and, well, you know, it's just time to move on. I guess. I just thought that when I get older and go clubbing, wow, we're a great place to invite mates, but, too. You have Rich's place in Bethnal Green and our place in Kensington. I wouldn't trust you in this apartment with your clubbing mate. It'd be a bloody mess in no time. No, it wouldn't. And I use a scrubber to tidy up. And I throw him off the terrace. We're only 12 floors up at his little arse or slap-like raspberry jam when it hits the street below. Be my guest. Yeah, go on then, you're a prue. Because the boy I'm playing in Waterloo Road chucks himself off the school roof and episode 4. We've got practice. You haven't got the part yet. Wait until you meet. Yeah, you have. It takes me to ask you to we're yapping away out here about HRT. You can watch. Well, that's amazing love. How come, though? They'd seen the stuff I did this year and everyone's talking about Jamie. I'm going to be a star. I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille. Well done, Sophie. You've raised your boy to think he's Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard. Norma, I am the light that kisses a thousand stars. It won't be easy, you'll think it's strange when I try to explain how I feel. But I still need your love after all that I've done. Yeah, need our love. You'll be needing Bus Fair Home if you carry on screeching like that Elaine Page. Boy, you two are as bad as each other. Dylan, that's brilliant that you got the part, but love. Let's chat about how we can fit all this in with school and, well, you know, other things. What are the things? You know, there's lots to juggle and get sorted. You know how tired you were after that Jamie tour and we're still waiting on what the hospital says after you've fainted the other week. I think you need a bit of a rest, love. Rest? I'm Tony Stark. Iron Man. Yeah, well, Tony Stark doesn't face plant into a bowl of broccoli on the kitchen table like you did last week when you fainted. Er, that were your cooking. You know I ate all them vegetables, especially those mangy toots or whatever you call them. Mosh to you, either. Enough for you to. But let's see what the doctor says. And we'll talk next week. I'll need to speak to school and bend your agents about this TV water crest road thing. Water. Lou. Road. And then so do you get inboxed. Hey, Richard. Yeah, we're up here. Come on up. Yeah, no, no. You're not early. It's really weird to think this won't be ours from next week. I mean, no more views across London on NYE. Then why? New Year's Eve. Yeah, yeah, it's open. Just come in. Okay, yeah. Yeah, see you soon. You're going to tell Rich about... Yeah, it's not going to be easy. We haven't spoken in weeks. I'll be in the study if you need anything. Okay, Tarjo. I haven't seen Richard since the funeral. Why don't you talk to him about your new acting part? He'd be really good being the old room. Oh, Christ. I hope this isn't all going to blow up in our faces. Come on. All the memories in here. These walls could talk. What a book it'd be. It'd be on the Times Best Seller list for months. Are you okay? Oh, yeah. Oh, stupid question. Sorry. Before you called about selling, you hadn't called in weeks. Sorry. I know. I needed some time. You needed time? What did you think I was doing, passing at the nearest gay bar? I didn't mean it like that. Oh, sorry, sorry. Neither did I. Well, the last few weeks must have been tough. Yeah, they were. I should have called more and maybe come to help. Well, yeah, maybe you should, but... I did my best. I just feel like... I meant to ask about that night. Oh, so if I'd really rather talk about it. Please. Rich. I know it can't be easy, but I'd really... I need to know. I wanted to ask. Did you help him? What do you mean? Well, to end it. No, no, God, no. Even if he'd asked me to, well, you know, assist him, I couldn't have done it. That night, I'd fallen asleep on the sofa for a few hours. When I went back to check on him, I could... I just... I could see all the pills by his bed all over the floor. Weirdly, I didn't panic. Anything I could have tried to do would have damaged him further. Plus, it was his choice. His breathing was intermittent, and I knew. I knew that he was slipping away. He had no life or fight left in him. And he looked peaceful. Dial 999, and sat there holding his hand, talking to him. Talked to him about all the wonderful holidays we'd had together, the good times. Hey, beat. Remember the time he went whitewater rafting with Dylan Africa? How he capsized, and I had to life save Dylan because you were clinging onto the raft for dear life. Yeah, and there we had to lifejack it on, but the sight of our boy getting swept away in the Zambezi shot narrow through both of our hearts. The instructor right at the raft and shouted at me, spiraling away down the river, clinging on to deal. The guy is in the kayaks, or catching him. You as Mama Rose with dealing that awful drag bar in Bali, saying out, loyees, everything's coming up rosers. I wish you could have seen him on his Jamie tour. He slayed the audience every night. You'd have been so proud of our boy. Then silence, all I could hear was my own heartbeat. The ambulance arrived 20 minutes later. That's what I called you. Anyway, I think I'm beginning to turn the page in the book of life. Things are getting better. I'm getting better. I've got such good friends around me. I'm sorry, I didn't do more. Yeah, but in a way it was up to me to deal with it. So on, was it upwards as they say? Yeah, keep moving forward. Dil needs his other dad too. Oh, hey, Dil got that part in Waterford Road he went up for. Lou. Okay, down the hall on the right, but why are you asking me? You know where it is you lived here. No, that's the name of the drama, the teeny drama. Waterloo Road. Flippin' heck, I can't keep track. Ever since he turned 14, him and Ben, his agent, have been thick as thieves. Messages, Zoom calls, team invites. I mean, he's almost handling his acting career all by himself now. And it's all thanks to you. You were the one who saw what he had way back when. When you started teaching him... Well, it's all his own doing. Who couldn't see how talented he was. I guess I just helped him on his way a bit and pointed him in the right direction. He was just so eager to learn. He's gonna have a great career. I think he's already got one. And we just need to get through the next few months. If you remember when you sent him up for his audition for everybody's talking about Jamie? He sang the song you taught him from Bette Middler's Beaches. The same one you had pennecing at the funeral. You gotta give a little. Take a little. Let your poor heart break a little. That's the story of. That's the glory of love. You've got to laugh a little. Cry a little. Until the clouds roll by a little. That's the story of. That's the glory of love. Oh, that was so saccharin. Why did I choose that song? Because Dil could emote at his audition, you said. Really? Well, yeah. Andy got the part with all the dots she's been earning. He's insistent that he pays for our holiday this year. All four of us, me, him, Joe and you. Me? Oh, hey, how is Joe? Is she? At six months, not touched a drop. That's brilliant. Is she? Yeah, she's in the study. I think work called or something. Or something. You mean she thought she'd give you a new space? Well, yeah. But there's still a few things that we need to discuss. Look, I'm not ready to deal with the ashes, not yet. Just give me a few. Of course, that's fine. Fine, actually. These last six months must have really taken its toll on you. Look, if there's anything-- Here's where they've taken their toll. Comfort eating. I've been inhaling doughnuts for months. You look great. I look great. I look like I've swallowed three big bags. Look, we're having a dinner next week at mine. Just a few friends just celebrate Pete's birthday, you know. So, if you fancy coming, I mean, you'd want us all to be together. Oh, no, no, no, no. Why didn't you ask me before on this? Oh, sorry. I don't know. I've had lots going on. We all make mistakes grieving. We all remember him differently, so where will you come? Are you cooking? Hell no. Then I'll come. OK, to bring my posse, Penny, et cetera. Penny, yeah, no party is complete without Penny, of course. Look, I'm sorry I didn't talk to you at the inquest. It's just so, so raw, and I still felt it was my fault. I mean, if I hadn't fallen asleep. No, no, look. It was brutal for all of us, and please, please don't blame yourself. Pete knew what he was doing. I think he did it to save all of us from the pain, and maybe to save himself from that, too. But I was the one here with him. Rich, it was his choice. His viral load was way off the scale, and he was picking up every little bug virus cold. I mean, HIV was killing him. You know that. You did everything you could for him. Now we just have to pick up the pieces and move on. Yeah, picking up the pieces. It's like that claw at the arcade. You aim for it, but your grasp is weak. So, Dil must be on cloud nine with all those great reviews of Jamie. I went to see him and not see him when it toured. Really? Dil never said. I think not. I was there. Which is just as well. There was only a few months after the funeral. I was in puddles of tears at the end. And I was, of course, a very, very proud stepmother, or whatever I am to him. You're rich. Richard, one of his dads, one of his three parents he has, had. He was truly amazing in that role. His charisma lit up the stage, broke my heart with his solace. Yeah, I know I'm biased, but the boy has talent. He doesn't get it from Pete, because Pete sang like a pissed Barry Manolo on ecstasy. No, we all know where he gets it from. It's you. Not just what you taught him, but when you and Pete would come round and you'd have Dylan and his mates putting on shows and plays and musicals in the back garden, it was like a panto and a drag race in our garden some summers. Well, it was Dil's choice to drag up his normal desk and sunset boulevard, not mine. We left Dylan and his mates in the garden to work on a scene from Taming of the Shrew. When Pete and I came back, it was a drag show. It was the day after you and Joe had taken him to see Patti Loponin in the West End. I knew it would bone him over and he'd come away singing all the songs. He made us play them in the car all the way home. I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Dremille. Dil just did that ten minutes ago to me and Joe before you came up. Yeah, we know who he takes after. Maybe. Well, it's spoken to him in months and I'm not sure what he'd want to speak to me. Don't be silly. You went to see his Jamie in Derby, Wakefield, Norwich, Chesterfield, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. Yeah, he was amazing. He lit up the stage. The audience gave him standing ovation and I thought, there's my boy. Sophie wouldn't meet me. A few times I left messages at the stage door. I was sent in text telling him I was in the audience, but he didn't respond or reply. Only once, once when he came out at the stage door, he caught my eye and the crowd's waiting for him. The light in his eyes, it broke me. My Dil only couldn't bear to look at me. I know he thinks I'm responsible for his dad die. Oh, stop. I've told him that his dad died from complications with HIV. He knows all about it. They cover it all at school. He understands all about non-binary, trans issues, LGBTQI and gender liquids. Fluid! What? It's gender fluid. Yeah, sorry. Well, I mean, he knows more than I do and that's what I wanted to tell you. Look, I guess he'll come round eventually. I'm adamant that he has a chat to you. Just let it all out. Look, he might shout and scream the place down or he might be completely calm and rational. Teen hormones unpredictable. Yes, that'll be one difficult conversation. Join the club. I've also got to have a difficult chat with Kensington's answer to Timothy Sharmay. What do you need to talk to? You know, his own health. You know, the birds and the bees or the bees and the bees or the birds and the birds or the bees and the goats. The bees and the goats? No, it's not like it was in our day. Everything's a bit more fluid. Ooh, never like the word fluid. It always sounds a bit messy. I feel like I need a mop and a pan scrub. Yeah, I suppose it does. Anyway, last week, well, Dil fainted, just went, sparked out when we were having dinner. We went to the doctor and got his blood tested and it's not good. What is it? What is it? What? Cancer. Some form of lymphoma. I can't talk about it too much right now. I need to hold it together for Dil. Oh, God. Oh, no. Have you told him? No, no, not yet. I'm telling him next week. Oh, fuck, fuck, bugger, bugger. Please stop fucking and buggering, Rich. It's not helping. Sorry. I'm so sorry, sorry, sorry. Did you say that word once more? I'm going to slap your silly and throttle you with Penny's feather boa. Well, the prognosis is really good. We got it early. I've spoken to a consultant and been in touch with the teenage cancer trust. He will. We will get through this. We might lose his hair and there'll be loads of other side effects. I mean, it could make him sterile. Oh, God. Talk about a double whammy. Is Dad then this? No, I know. That's why I need you. And so does Dil. He may not think he does and he may be confused and upset with Pete dying, but he's got the fight of his life on his hands. Hey, our Dil's a fighter. He'll come out the other side. Yeah, I keep saying that to myself. He's our light, Rich. We can't lose him. We won't. If they say they've got it early, there's a really, really good chance. I just hope there's no long lasting effects. I mean, he might want to have kids when he's older. It'd be awful if he couldn't. How the hell do you tell someone you're dating that you've had a terminal disease and it's now in remission? Dropping a bombshell like that could ruin any relationship. Oh, God. Being there, seeing it, bought the t-shirt. One of my exes years ago now. We dated casually at first for about a month. Both of us had come out of, you know, long-term relationships. Bit bruised. So we agreed to keep it casual. Well, we didn't. Couldn't. Came back after a heavy night drinking and clearly remember saying to him, "Look, what the hell? It's clear we both love each other and want to be together. Let's make it official. It's not like you're HIV or anything." He burst into tears. But I'd already fallen for him. I loved him. And it really didn't matter. We would say, always. And I managed to dodge that shitty bullet to this day. I loved him. HIV and everything. What ended it was that, well, he couldn't get his head around being positive and refused to seek any form of counseling or medical help. He was in that huge Egyptian River denial. I just don't want Dil to be rejected. Well, he might be. There are some ignorant people out there, but love will always win through. I completely believe in karma. You love someone, no matter what. I need your help. Can we tell him together? Sorry, what? Can we tell him together? Of course, sure. I mean, if he'd even speak with me, you've kept all this to yourself for a week and not told me, or come on. I know. Well, I know. I just couldn't deal with that news and Pete dying. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. I understand. I do. Yeah. And of course we'll tell him together. Not now, though. And not here. You didn't tell Pete? God, no. No, with his health failing and everything you two were going through. I thought that was the last thing that you both needed to hear. Look, there's never a right time, but now that we've sold this place, I thought today was possibly the time I told you. School? A job to do in the next few weeks after we've told him together. You know, you have to stop and check yourself sometimes. When life is all calm and everything is joyous, gorgeous, beautiful, you know, right around the corner, there'll be some stinking box of smelly crap to spoil. No pleasure without pain. Oh, fuck pain. A little discomfort along life's journey, but this? Pete's death and now, Dil fuck. Oh, you know, only once when Pete was really, really ill, the last few weeks that I'm losing. I thought, I can't do this. I can't. I couldn't stop crying. It was the middle of the night. Oh, what did you do? You should have called me. I called the only person who I knew would cheer me up and pour me out of it. That terrible whole penny. Amazing wit. Takes no shit. Penny Tracer. Yep, good old can't do. I line up a toffee worst drag queen in the world, Penny Tracer. She got me through that, right? Well, Penny in a bottle of whiskey. Hey, am I interrupt? No, no, Joe, no, not all that. Oh, Rich, it's great to see you. You look good. You need to get a spec savers. And you need to get over yourself. I've got this really good one out. It's just coming with the other five. So what, you're fat, eat less, move more. I've got to move the car. Look, Rich, I'll see you next week. Are you coming for Pete's birthday? Yeah, yeah, of course. I'm cooking. Not so... You're joking. You're cooking. I'd rather shoot man's in class. Hey, hey, hey, I've got Chile the other night. No, so the mi crawave cooked the Chile. You merely ushered it in and pressed a few buttons. I hate you. Right, I'm going to check on Dil and see what he's up to. Okay, I'm popping downstairs to Waitrose. See you there in a few seconds. Hey, Rich. I overheard you and Soph talking about Pete's birthday. I know it's tough time right now. I guess Soph told you about Dil. Oh, God, yeah, awful. First Pete, and then this? Yeah, I know the next few months are going to take its toll on all of us. We've just got to be strong for Dil. Oh, God, listen to me. Already churning out stoic platitudes. I'm only just starting to get back on an even keel after Pete. I'm still... You know, you're hurting. I get that. But Soph and Dil have been hurting too. The times, Rich, I have held them both as they've been in floods of tears over Pete's day. Oh, you're just trying to say that? Look, we're all a little broken. And now we've got to pull on our big girl pants and be there for Dil. Oh, I'm surprised all this hasn't driven me back to the bottom of a bottle. But I try every day to work through how I'm feeling about Pete dying, about the journey Dil's about to go on. We all feel a bit spiky, you know, a bit brittle because of what's happened, and he's going to happen. Yeah. Yeah, I just don't want Dil to be frightened of what's ahead of him. Well, he will be, and we've got to be there for him. You know, what do they say? A life lived in fear is a life half lived. Face the fear and do it anyway. Well, now we've all got to help Dil face his fears. I know he's been distant from you recently, but that will change. How do you know? Has he said that? Oh, it's what he hasn't said. He used to come back from performances and tours you'd both been at, praising you to the high heavens. With his Jamie toy, he didn't say a word. And when I mentioned you were, his face just fell, he glazed over, and he changed the subject. None of us really know what's going through Dil's head right now. You know, he's probably- You're right. You're right. I know I've been wrapped up in my own work. It's not just mine. No, it isn't. We all feel Pete's loss in our own ways. And that's okay. Get angry with him. He'll have a right to. But the light we all hold within us. It's got to keep us moving forward. I mean, look at our little blended family. Me divorced. Two boys in their twenties. So, Dil, you. Come on. We're a close-knit bunch. Hold onto that light within, because it's going to get tougher when we tell Dil about his cancer diagnosis. Yeah. Yeah. Well, Soph and I aren't going to tell him together. Thank God they caught it early. Yeah. Well, we'll all be there for him, cause we are family, yeah? Don't get too melancholy and start churning up stuff. It'll eat you up. Dil's the light of our lives. Listen to sober full of wisdom, Joe. Enjoy the present. Enjoy now. Otherwise we'll be all losing our minds. You know, that song. At the end of that schmaltzy over-the-top charity cabaret show you directed at that gay club in London. The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in January. Oh, no. Not one of my final moments. I should never have given Penny that closing number. The sun comes up. I think about you. The coffee cup. I think about you. I want you so. It's like I'm losing my mind. Take it away, Soph, Joe. I do the lies and think about you. Spend sleepless nights to think about you. You said you loved me. Oh, you're rich. Oh, were you just being kind? Oh, am I losing my mind? Enough, enough. Thank you, Idina Menzel. That was definitely more Adele disease. Okay, okay, okay. It was a crap show. And Penny was a Penny Dreadful. Poor old Penny Tration. When will someone show her how to do drag makeup? Doesn't she watch RuPaul's drag race? Well, I mean, she does it with the lights off. Right, I'm going. See you next week, Rich, for Pete's birthday. I'll be downstairs in Waitrose when you're ready, Soph. I've already got to go soon. Yeah, okay. Bye. See you next week. Bye. See you later. If there's a God, and I don't think there is, Joe got the balls in our family. Oh, you know, I'm really going to miss this view over the West End. Me too. But soon I'll be standing at the Sky's Edge. What? Well, it's really important. The apartment, looking down over Sheffield's amazing. I'll be near a Penny and my brother, and I'll kill all sound times. What? What? When were you going to tell me? What about Dale? I need you here. Hey, hey, look. I'm still keeping my flat, Bethel green, and I'll be between the two. I mean, recruitment. All I need is my laptop, Wi-Fi, and a good phone. It's only two hours on the train to Sheffield, you know? Plus, you and Dale can come and stay whenever you want. Look, I'll be here in London for all his therapy treatments. You're not going through this alone, promise. Thanks. You know, Sheffield has a great drama call. Oh, Dylan's set on Central or Rose Bruford, or is it Guildhall that changes every week with him? Now, that's cool. You're so much part of his life. You can't lose his other dad, too. I'll always be here for both of you. How can I not? He's my light. Oh, that is, of course, until Brad Pitt or Illy Redmayne sweeps me up and keeps me prisoner in a sex dungeon. Look, Dylan, we need to get going. Joe's downstairs in Waitrose. Before we go, though, isn't there something you wanted to do? Oh, come on, Dylan. Don't be so evasive. Mum, I don't know if I can. Please? You can chat another time, Dylan. That's fine. I don't know if I-- Hey. What? Oh, with all that's happened, you need your other dad, too. He loves you, and you love him. I know you do. So, please. Harwich. Hey, Dylan. We can talk later. We don't need to do this now. No. No. I do. I've been selfish. I'm really, really sorry that I've ignored you. I didn't come to the stage door all those times you left those messages. And that time I did see you at the stage door. I didn't know what to say. I was scared because I knew at some point I'd have to talk about dad. If you and I talked about him, then you really would be gone. When I was doing my solos on stage, sometimes I could see you. I knew where to look. Door is hitting the fifth row in the stalls, right in the middle. Best seat in the house. You told me that when you told me to see Cheetah Bong Bong when I was a kid. I'll never forget it. I had a child catching me and pissed myself. You traumatized me. I shouldn't see you. In PSAT, we got to draw our family tree. Mine had two dads and one mom. I thought my mates would take the piss out of me. They didn't. They thought it was really cool. When dad got ill, I had you and mom. When mom was away with work, I had you. You and my dad too. You always were. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I missed you, Rich. I missed Dad. Dad died. I was angry. Really? It's okay. I was lucky. Really lucky. I had two brilliant dads. I love you. I really do. I love you too. You're my boy. My light. Okay, Jill. Okay, let go of Rich or you'll squeeze all those donuts he's been eating out of him. Get yourself down to Waitrose and Auntie Jo. I'm ready for my close up, Mr. W. Right. I'm off. I'm emotionally exhausted. I've got too many paws all and I can feel a massive fart building up from the yoghurt and quinoa brand diet I'm on. If I let rip in here, I'll gash you in half of Kensington. Well, see you next week for Pete's birthday. Love you, Rich. Love you too. ♪ I've never cried ♪ ♪ The way I cried over you ♪ ♪ As you flew to the telephone ♪ ♪ And the world had carried on ♪ ♪ Somewhere else ♪ ♪ Someone else is crying too ♪ ♪ And the man has lost a friend ♪ ♪ But it feels the way I do ♪ You've been listening to The Light Within. It was written by Alistair Adams. It featured the voices of Sarah Betts as Sophie. Mandy Sims as Joe. Alfie Evans as Dylan and Alistair Adams as Richard. If you've enjoyed this production, then you can discover more work written by Alistair via our website, conicopia-radio.co.uk alongside other productions by hundreds of different writers and performers. Thank you very much for listening. [BLANK_AUDIO]