"This is Dr Lemaire." "The woman you brought me today..." "What happened?" "Jesus!" "She's not a woman inside - she looks more like ground beef." "Head injuries, internal hemorrhaging, intestinal blockage." "It's bound to get infected." "Signs of old injuries and more recent ones." "She won't go to the hospital or police." "I don't know how she survived it all." "One more thing..." "She had feathers and stones in her buttocks." "That's right." "Stones." "Stones in her ass." "No, not kidney stones." "She said she was bewitched." "Name's Catherine Nicolle, but call me Darling." "That's me, aged 9." "I was conceived here, against the tree." "My parents met when taking a cow to a bull." "Dad worked for Hervieu who had a bull." "Mom worked at Fichepoil who had a cow in heat." "So, Mom brought her cow." "Dad tied it to the tree." "They coupled the bull and the cow and then, did likewise themselves." "I was born on the day of the big cattle market." "My fetus's foot kicked a cow and caused panic all around." "Hundreds of cows and dozens of people were crushed." "I'm afraid of cows." "That evening, Mom got stomach cramps from all the cider she'd drunk and said..." "I hate this baby inside me." "She called the doctor, pushed hard, and I plopped out." "Dad said..." "Shit!" "A girl!" "They already had 2 boys..." "Joseph and Henri." "Wherever I went, things turned to shit." "My first time at church, the priest died during the sermon." "I was only little." "Why didn't you go to church, you disobedient girl?" "The priest saw me and died." "Bullshit!" " It's true!" " Stop telling stories." "It's true." "He saw me and died." "So, Mrs Barrot bought me this." "That's the last time I take you to market!" "He didn't believe me." "And as I was drinking from the bottle, it cut my lip." "There's not a single part of my body that isn't scarred." "People never believe me." "It's like when I say Maurice Chevalier killed Nixon." "You don't believe me, either." "But it's true." "Hurry up." "He's Maurice Chevalier." "You OK?" "He was Nixon." "I thought I'd run you over." "I can do it, Dad." "Smack her ass!" "You can help me tie up her leg." " What've you done?" " I did what you said." "You can catch her now, you jerk!" "He did the slip knot wrong." "The sow squealed her head off." "She doesn't want to croak here?" "Nor do I." "Where have you gone, Joseph?" "Come back to us." "Suzanne!" " What is it?" " A fit." "Henri!" "Call the doctor!" "Quick!" "He was having an epileptic fit." "It runs in the family." "My paternal grandfather had it, and my son will have it." "That day, I began to hear the highway's hum more clearly." "This was the pigs' swill." "I had to do it morning and night." "To me, these cabbages were peasants' heads." "I won't be a farmer's wifey!" "I won't be a farmer's wifey!" "Take me with you, Mrs Clément." " Where to?" " To work with you." "You're too young to work." "It's all I do on the farm." "I hear you can't read and count." "So?" "You can't read the names of cakes." "Get off the road." " Hello, Mrs Nicolle." " Hello, Mrs Clément." "Scram!" "I'll tell your dad." "Here..." "Thank you." "Go on, Barrel-Chest!" "She's such a pain!" "You're so lucky not to have kids." "What's a teepee with a line through it?" "An "A"." "Oh, yeah..." "Elle  Vire cream... 7 years of hidings." "I don't get it." "The jerk who stole my mirror brought it back." "Isn't that weird?" "It's witchcraft." "You better call Joséphine, the exorcist." "What're you laughing at?" "Are you done?" "Go get dressed." "Barrel-Chest has dirtied her clothes before school." "Hey, what's an 8 and a zero?" "It's 80." "Oh, yeah..." "Why are you suddenly interested?" "To get away." "You want to go, too?" "I'm joining the Navy in Cherbourg." "I'll fight as far away as possible." "I'm going to get in a truck and go the other way." "We can drop you off." "Why do you both want to go?" "1, 2, 3, 4, 5..." "C, D, E, F..." "Catherine..." "Let's go see your mother." "My mother packed my bags." "I spent the 6 happiest years of my life." "It hadn't been much till then." "But it got hellish later on." "In the meantime, it was a break." "Be light when you knead the dough." "You're not at the farm here, making swill." "You're making pastry." "If you're gentle it will be airy and make delicious cakes." "Sprinkle more flour so the dough doesn't stick." "Up in the air!" "A cloud!" "With your fingers!" "'Night, beautiful." "'Night." "I wasn't beautiful, but it was nice to hear." "Kids called me Double-Chin." "You've left lots." "Go do your room since you lock it." "Why does she lock it?" "It's my room!" "You're hardly ever in it." "Why did you go to the baker's?" "'Cause I'm bored here." "I'd rather work than stay with you!" "Stop it or he'll get angry." "And my ears and my head will hurt." "I'll go do my room." "Can I have gym shorts for Monday?" "Use Joseph's." "He's excused from gym." "An "O-pé-ra"." "That's it." "Anything else?" "Here, beautiful." "Hello." "8.60, please." "Sure you had enough sleep?" "!" "I'm talking to you!" "I get up at 3 AM all week." "I'm allowed to sleep in." "I don't get to sleep in!" "Do what you like." "Everyone does what they like." "Where are you going?" "Where you going?" "Forget something?" "What?" "Today?" " What's today?" " Dunno." "We not good enough now?" "Your father's birthday..." "Is it too much to say happy birthday?" "You're never here!" " Are we nothing to you now?" " Happy birthday, Dad!" "Happy birthday, Dad!" "Many happy returns!" "I crawled into the yard to wait for Monday to come." "I need a cloth." "Can you lend me a cloth?" "I'll return it tomorrow." "What for?" "Mrs Clément, quick!" "Didn't your mom explain?" "She cares more about her flowers than her kids." "She has hundreds of flowers she tends to." "She's a florist, not a mother!" "I'll look after my kids properly." "I'd have loved a girl like you." " Don't you bleed?" " No." "Put this on." "It'll hide the cloth sticking out of your shorts." "What are those marks?" "A souvenir of the weekend." "What're you doing here?" " It's not Saturday." " I'm busy." " What with?" " Gotta leave something." "What're you leaving?" "Off she goes again!" "The more Barrel-Chest ran, the thinner she got." "The more I ate, the more I shrank." "My rage made me lose pounds and aged my body." "Daydreaming, Catherine?" "No, I'm OK." "Help me with the pastries." "It's time for me to go on the street." "Let's go." "I loved everything about her:" "her body, her smell, her voice." "Everything." "He must love you to do that every day!" "A farmer?" "Never!" "Why not?" "I'll only marry a trucker." "It's that or nothing!" "What a goddam mess!" "Just look at it." "She's never tidied up a thing." "Search the table." "I'll look here." "Under the bed..." "Nothing." " Georges, look." " What?" "What are they?" "What the...?" "Who taught her to write like that?" "Joseph did ages ago." "What a strange girl." "One pastry ball." "A croissant." "Butter or margarine?" "Butter." "One butter croissant." " Anything else?" " A cheese stick." "One cheese stick." "An apple turnover." "I can do a selection if you like." "At this rate, there'll be nothing left." "A waffle." "Oh, yes, a waffle." "One waffle." "Anything else?" "It was like that every day." "I didn't like him, but he was the first to pay attention to my voice." "There were many others." "Hello." "Mom!" "I need a new pair of shorts." "I'm not 12 anymore." "I don't like wasting money." "It's OK, it still fits you." "I'll buy a bigger pair at the market." "Holy cow!" "I'll wait a while." "I can't go out in this." "Really?" "Well, I'm late." "I'm going anyway." " Not eating?" " No." "Fuck me!" "What was that?" "The earth moved!" "I must tell Mrs Clément." "Why are you back so soon?" "Where have you been?" "I have absolutely no idea!" "I ran straight, and here I am." " What about school?" " Tomorrow." "I'm beat!" "I won't go to the Cléments yet." "I've got blisters from running." " On your feet?" " No." "Those shorts are too small." "You can't get upstairs in them." "I'll try and buy a new pair." "No, don't go spending money." "I couldn't wish for a better pair of shorts." "You were right." "I should listen to you more often." "Is she making fun of me?" "I dreamed about it all night, snoring my head off." "She's decided to shame us." "I ran for miles in them, and in all weathers." "But other than pulled muscles, nothing happened again." "What are those bruises?" "Nothing." "What?" "How did you do them?" "I don't know." "You don't know?" "What is it?" "It's Joseph." "He's turned mean." "Promise not to do anything." "What?" "He calls everyday with terrible stories, then he shows up when you're out." "Tell him to come." "Joseph grew up with his epileptic fits." "He couldn't get in the Navy." "That's what made him mean." "You wanted to talk to me, old girl?" " No, Dad, don't!" " Get off, lad." "It's OK, you won't get a migraine." "Now, get lost, you." "Don't call or come back or you're dead." "Are you Joseph Nicolle's father?" "Yes." "Who is this?" "Montebourg police station." "Well, now..." "I'm afraid your son has hung himself." "He hung himself from a telegraph pole." "He did a slip knot." "Mr Nicolle, are you still there?" "Stay there." "We'll call you back." "My sympathy for the loss of your beloved son." "Joseph's killed himself." "Joseph had phoned, pretending to be a policeman." "He'd altered his voice." "Dad didn't recognize him." "He described his suicide in detail, then he came and did it from the pole just outside." "His idea of revenge." "It made me sad." "He liked the smell of my room." "Henri, the younger son, was next." "They say that once death enters a house, it comes right back as if it had the key." "Stop!" "That's my sister." " What?" " He said to stop." "Is he dead?" "I'll never forget that image:" "Henri with a scaffolding tube through his head." "Like a table football player!" "To think he always had earache!" "Suzanne!" "Two children..." "Poor Mom." "Joseph's death had already driven her crazy." "I was knocked out." "For once a truck I waved at stopped." "Listen, Mr Nicolle, you should tell your wife to leave the pole alone." "It interferes with the calls." "Well, I'll be going." "So?" "Why don't you want me to go with the Cléments when they move?" "Your brothers didn't have any luck." "Why should you?" "Is that a reason?" "If you don't let me go, I'll poke my eyes out!" "Bunch of assholes!" "Bunch of assholes!" "Since my brothers died, Mother hated me even more." ""You killed Henri!"she'd say." ""If it wasn't for you, the truck wouldn't have braked!"" "And I'd say, "What about Joseph?" "Who denounced him?" "Not me!"" "I'm going to rot here, along with my dreams." "Why won't you see the Blandamour boy?" "He came to clean the cowshed and looked all over for you." "You won't do better." "No farmers!" "Look at her." "So snobby now she makes cakes!" "Reading about pop stars has gone to her head." "Take a good look at yourself!" "A fine singer you'd make!" "Apart from that lad, you'll be nothing but dust in men's eyes!" "Never a farmer's wifey!" "We'll see about that." "Where you going?" "No more sleeping in all day for you." "I mentioned you to my boss." " You're seeing him tomorrow." " Tuvache?" "Working with animals?" "With truckers." "Hello." "This is Catherine." "Hello, sir." "Your ma said you caused chaos at the cattle market." "Is that true?" "Well, I don't know." "Don't do that here - keep your head down." "Do you go to bed late?" "I don't want a party girl who can't get up early." "She's in bed early." "And on Sundays, she paints red flowers on her bedroom wall." "Oh, I love art, me!" "See these paintings?" "You be careful when you clean them." "Will you do me a painting?" "Sure, she'll do you a flower, won't you?" "Have to wait till next month." " Why's that?" " Georges, you know nothing of art." "Inspiration comes when it comes." "Turn around." "Let me look at you." "Got a boyfriend?" "The Blandamour boy's after her." "That'd be great for you, Nicolle!" "You look strong enough." "Muscular arms." "Big calves." "Do you do sports?" "A bit of running." "Yes, so I heard." "Waving your arms!" "Yes, that's right." "OK, I'm feeling generous." "I'll give you a try." "Thank you." "Thank you, sir." "Mickey Mouse and Teddy Bear warned him." "Oh, Teddy Bear wants his jack back off you." "I'm fed up with this business about the jack." "Ask the Eel." "He'll tell you." " Really?" " He lent it to everyone." "Charlie, Zorro, Tarzan..." "Dish it out." "I didn't get it." "I don't get a word of what they're saying." "Mickey Mouse, Teddy Bear, eels..." "Don't be silly." "It's CB talk." "What?" "I'll finish up, then I'll show you." "OK." " This is a CB." " It's like a radio." "Yeah, with a mike." "It's how they communicate." "It's made for truckers." "Can other people talk to them?" "Yes, you can even have one at home to provide radio guidance." "When one gets lost, you use a map to direct him." "You help them out." "Really?" "Buy one." "They're not very expensive." "They'll like your voice." "Do you think so?" "Your place is ideal." "On a hill near the highway." "You'll get lots!" "But you need a new name." "What's wrong with "Catherine"?" "You can't use your real name." "That's why they're called Zorro and so on." "Call yourself Double-Chin." "No, not Double-Chin." "Coffee!" "Coming." "Some other name..." "They'll hear from me!" "I did what I said." "They heard me -just like you." "Thanks." "Again?" "You're busting our balls, Double-Chin!" "Put another record on!" "From now on, call me Darling." "Darling, my ass!" "No, just Darling." "I like this song, too." "New hairstyle." "It suits you." "There's a surprise upstairs." " What?" " Well, go see." "And be nice." "Oh, right..." "The truckers' channel is 19." "To put out a call, you use Channel 19 or 27." "Then, you have to change channels." "To set up a date, you say," ""Calling all stations." "Anyone there for Darling 5-0?"" "Yes, there is someone!" "No!" "The guy answers," ""OK, I copy." "This is Apollo 28." 28's far away." "You can meet people with that?" "Yes, I met my husband." "Wish I didn't respond that night..." "Attila 34 for radio guidance near Avranches." "OK, I copy." "This is Darling 5-0." " Where are you?" " The D973 is shut." "I'm on a small road and I'm lost." "Go through La Haye-Belfond on the D151 to Le Bourg." "Anyone out there for Roméo 1-4?" "Is there a YL looking for true love?" "Yes, me, me, me!" "He offered me a "barley pop' a drink in his truck." "Take me, I'm yours." "Give me a kiss." "I like your diesel-colored eyes." "Actually, he was drunk." "Go on, drive, drive!" "Give me a kiss later, then." "I promise." " Where to?" " To deliver cows in Holland." "I'm running late." "My boss'll yell." "Screw him!" "I like your rebellious attitude." "Actually, he was a wanker." "Give me a cuddle." "Lower." "What's your name?" " Your real name, Roméo." " Joël." "Joël Epine." "I'm 24." "A little "barley pop"?" "Pure malt." "I've never tried it." "It burns." "Oh, I can't see too well." "Are you allowed to drink?" "What about Papa Bear?" "Screw the cops!" "That's what you'll have to do later on!" "Cut it out, will ya?" "They can sense the abattoir." "I can't carry on." "They're moving too much." "We'll have a break." "They might overturn the truck." "Come on." "Behind me in the trailer, the cows were to be slaughtered at dawn." " Mrs Clément?" " Yes." "Remember me?" "Catherine." "You haven't forgotten us." "How are you, beautiful?" "I'm getting married." "No kidding!" "Hang on..." "Let me guess his job." "Bingo!" "You must be so happy." "Is he handsome?" "He looks like James Dean." "He wears size 36 trousers!" "You live together?" "Yes, since we met 3 months ago." "We live in a house overlooking the sea." "We pay no rent, but we're doing it up." "Mrs Clément, I'm calling to invite you to the wedding." "May 17 in Heurleville." "So soon?" "You don't hang around!" "Mrs Clément... know what?" "I'm pregnant!" "So soon?" "I haven't had my period yet, so I think it was conceived in the truck." "I'll tell you about it." "Hello." "This is Joël." "We're not interested." "I don't like this creature." "Shoulda picked the Blandamour boy." "He's bad meat." "Trust me, I know animals." "He's trouble." "What a joke!" "Know what?" "He was right." "'The best day of a woman's life is her wedding. "" "What bullshit!" "The lovebirds are here." "Let's go." "Protect me." "Don't worry." "My pals have got some jokes planned." "Come on." "Ouch!" "I do." "Do you, Joël Pierre Jean Epine, take as your lawful wedded wife" "Catherine Sophie Cécile Nicolle?" "Screw the mayor!" "I do." " It's not real..." " It is." "We're the lads in the Navy!" "Talking of family curiosities, do you want to see my daughter's paintings?" "Come this way, but I warn you, it's weird." "I couldn't stand it." "I thought I'd go crazy." "I was shaking all over." "It's time to go to the zoo for the photos." "There's the meal after." " Where are they all?" " I dunno." " No, wine." " Water..." "No, red wine." "Today's a party." "Everyone had the address..." "Here, Dad." "A little toast..." " To my wife." " Cheers!" "Sorry." "Have this one." "That one won't drip." "Come on, beautiful." ""A wet bride is a lucky bride."" "That's a pile of crap, too." ""At weddings and funerals, the Devil is busy."" "What's with the car?" "I didn't see anything." "What's wrong?" "A big hole in the windshield." "Maybe last night's storm blew a tile off the roof." "The Granvilles are coming tonight for a party." "Yes, I'll get everything ready." "Gotta be hot." "Here." "What is it?" "We weren't rich, but he always managed to have fun." "It was a game we played." "I could never say no to him." "It was a laugh at first." "OK, Mr Epine." "You have diabetes, high blood pressure, serious eye problems, and high triglycerides, but your alcohol level is off the scale." "33 gammas per liter of blood is the maximum to renew a heavy goods license." "You have 160!" "160 gammas!" "Jesus!" "Do you understand?" "What did they say?" "That I have too many kids!" "No more after this one." "Screw doctors!" "The next day, his boss fired him on the spot for professional misconduct." "Not in front of the TV!" "Where, then?" "There!" "Yeah, much better." "Screw you!" "I liked this little dog." "He was called Flappy, like the flaps on trucks to protect them from mud and water." "He was Mrs Clément's wedding present, because I told her about Nixon." "He was afraid of Joël and hid from him." "But he was always under my feet." "'Night, baby. 'Night, Flappy." "What's he doing there?" "Well, you were out." "Outside, mutt!" "To your kennel!" "Scram!" "Scram!" "Mind the door." "Sit down." "You'll wake Kevin." "Huh?" "Oh, yeah..." "I had trouble getting him to sleep." "Where are you going?" "Not tonight." "I'm tired." "Hang on..." "Is she Mr Cholet's daughter?" "I thought she'd gone." "I came to see my family and friends." "Keep the noise down." "I don't want to sing lullabies all night." " Hang on..." " Pull!" "He was wasted last Wednesday." "He's so thin he can't hold his drink." "I could see he was glassy-eyed." "I know what to expect from his footsteps." "He kicked my dog downstairs, then drove him outside." "My dog started barking." "He went..." "So, my husband got the hunting rifle." "I was mad at my Roméo at the time, but I forgave the love of my life." "He's young, handsome, virile." "Did I say he wears a size 36?" "It was an accident." "He just wanted to scare it by shooting near it." "And my dog was getting old and was starting to stink." "Thursday June 21" "A silent wife is never beaten." "I've got some good news." "What?" "I think you'll be pleased, hon." "I've found a solution." "It'll all be OK now." "Wait!" "Wait a minute!" "I've got good news, too." "Wait..." "What's that for?" "I had it cleaned." "The wine stain's gone." "Who goes first?" "You." "What do you think of Tom?" "Don't know him." "Who is he?" "Your son who's due in January." "Like that name?" "You're joking, I hope." "Don't you like it?" "You think it's too American?" "You're not preggie again!" "I am." "Why?" "Get rid of it." "Now's not the time." "No." "Why?" "It's natural." "Screw nature!" "Since when do you decide on your own?" "Why did I bother having it cleaned?" "He sat there for ages, wondering who would feed him." "That was his good news:" "landscape gardening." "He made me borrow a fortune and stand surety." "That got me into big trouble later." "I became what I didn't want:" "a farmer's wifey!" "Tom's birth was normal, despite my "ironing day"." "1 0 years later, poor Tommy didn't find it such a good idea, but what's done is done." "Still one feed at night." "Two kids are a lot of work." "Tuesday March 29" "A woman falls 7 times and gets up." "I need some cash." "I can't repay the loan if we spend it all." "Screw the bank!" "Hand it over, quick!" "Come on!" "How much?" "The café, the club, and poker." "Give it here!" "He partied with his mistresses." "My husband was very popular!" "But he was weak, influenced by 3 bad boys who called me Fatso." "He joined in." "He said if I was thrown downstairs, I'd just roll." "We were on a crazy train we couldn't stop, either of us." "Oh, Jesus!" "Shoulda put more on!" "Wow, what a beaut!" " Another hand?" " No, I quit." "I'm broke." "So, gamble something else." "Such as... your wife!" "If you win, you take it all." "If you lose, we take the fat cow!" "All together." "Deal the cards." "When I think back on my life, I get dizzy." "There was worse to come." "Mom, my ball's in the cellar." "Dad doesn't want to open the door." "I'll get it, then." "I never should've cut that rope." "He said I should've let him die." "I said, "You have to live"." "He said, "Screw life." "Screw life"." "Twice." "I won't see those guys again." "I won't see 'em again, I promise." "A drunkard's empty promise." "Oh, sorry, Mom." "It doesn't matter." "We'll hire an au pair." "We'll give her bed and board and not pay her." "She'll sleep in the room next to ours." "She'll look after the home and the kids." "Things will be better for me, then." "It seemed a good idea, especially as" "I was pregnant for the third time." "Who by?" "I never found out." "I hate this baby inside me." "It's a girl!" "Thanks." "Océane was in an incubator as she had something wrong." "I didn't want to see her, I didn't love her." "Meanwhile, the au pair looked after the kids." "They called her Auntie." "They saw that Auntie slept with Daddy." "I went to see Joséphine, the exorcist." "She gave me pills of every color." "The au pair's bewitched him!" "She's crazy, very high-strung." "He wants to live with her and keep the kids." "I said no, because I'm his wife and they're my kids." "No, we can't go." "He said if we did, he'd find us and kill them." "I said, "Kill me too!" but he said," ""Not you, that'd be too easy," then he laughed." "Monday September 3" "The stupid fuckin' thing!" "Look, I won a great chicken!" "Cook it for tonight's meal." "Cluck, cluck!" "You're the best." "Yeah, but no." "I just know, so I told him." "What's the point, otherwise?" "It stinks." "Are you fuckin' stupid?" "Look!" "Look!" "Get rid of that." "He won the chicken at the market." "I killed it and plucked it, but with the pills I was on, I forgot to gut it." "So, they put the kids to bed." "She lent over to whisper a secret in Roméo's ear." "He stood up and grabbed me." "They tied my hands and took me outside." "I put up no resistance." "Where does it hurt?" "It hurts all over." "Always has done." "What happened?" "Why didn't you suffocate me at birth?" "Or bang my head against the wall, the way you do with kittens no-one wants?" "Who did this?" "Your husband?" "Tell me the monster's name." "Roméo." "I'll get you treated in St Lô and tell the police." "Don't take me to the hospital." "And don't tell the police or my parents." "I want to get by on my own." "By the way... how are my parents?" "Your ma leaves the post alone now." "Your dad had an accident at the fair." "A bull kicked him against a fence." "Sleep, get some rest." "Then, I'll take you to see a colleague." "Just for X-rays, OK?" "Mommy, Mommy!" "Where were you?" "Mommy, where were you?" "Gone to see your chicks?" "What chicks?" "You're my chicks." "No, the chicks you lay at night in the yard with Dad and Auntie." "Auntie..." "Where is she?" " She isn't here." " Go play." "Where is she?" "Gone." "She was afraid you'd tell the cops." "That why you're acting so dumb?" "Well, yeah." "I only came back for the start of school." "Tommy!" "C'mon, hurry up!" "Goodbye." "Work hard, my dears." "Bye, Mom." "Make me proud of you." "Bye now." "I turned around and didn't see them again for years." "I told them, "I'm Catherine Nicolle." "I've just abandoned my kids." "Don't ask me why." "Not now." "I have to start a new life to get them back." "I need a position, money, a home, and to look after my health." "Give me time." "To get back on my feet and get my kids back." "Nice 'n' slow." "All by myself. "" "I lost time due to health problems from the stones:" "phlebitis, a pulmonary embolism, and cancer of the ovaries." "The judge put me in an emergency shelter until the decision-makers decided." "What I told the judge was pointless, because my husband filed a complaint against me as soon as I left for abandoning my family." "He didn't mention the other woman, or all the rest." "So, I got saddled with all the debts, blamed in the divorce, a 3-month suspended sentence, and a year's probation for not paying the alimony." "And I couldn't get my kids back." "I was the bad guy." "Anyone heading for St Lô?" "Stuck at Montchaton." "Looking for a detour to the N75." "Calling all stations." "Anyone out there to help get me off the D20?" "Oh, OK, I've got it." "It's easier than I thought." "Roger." "Monkey Wrench is cruising the big slab." "Roger." "I'm at La Donneuse truck stop." "Can you tell him?" "This is Darling 5-0." "Anyone out there for Darling 5-0?" "I need to talk." "Anyone out there for Darling 5-0?" "I'm listening, Darling." "He said:" ""I know you're not the bad guy. "" "Phone call for you." "For me?" "I must see Mrs Blanchard!" "Mrs Blanchard's office?" "First right, third door on the left." "Where's Mrs Blanchard?" "I couldn't hear properly on the phone." "What's happened?" "Later." "Here." "I got this today." "I wanted you to know." ""Psychological assessment." "The Nicolle children live with their father as the mother left home." "Decision to put them in emergency care, as a result of" "disturbing behavior, malnutrition," "serious instability, a regressive situation, constant bed-wetting, and illiteracy."" "Illiteracy?" "That's what they say." "I spent months drinking in that café." "Sure I went back to see the judge." "She gawped at me, said, "Sit down' and asked me..." "Why didn't you tell me everything the first time?" "Because I'm too shy." "I wonder how much of your story is true." "I don't really know either anymore." "The shame I feel takes up a lot of room." "Often, truth and lies get mixed up." "It all gets mixed up in my head." "Yet I've always protected my head." "He could hit me anywhere, but I'd always put my hands up like this." "I left to save my kids, I know that." "I shouldn't say this - we find it hard to believe you." "If you want us to progress, you must tell me the real truth." "The truth is impossible to say." "Without padding, there's just shit." "No-one's interested in that." "It doesn't make a nice story." "Your office is full of stories like mine." "But what people all want is nice stories about nice people." "Other people's shit doesn't interest them." "I'm sorry." "OK, I'll try to be as precise as I can." "In exchange, I want to ask you for something." "What?" "Can you call me Darling in your files?" "And also..." "What?" "Can you make me sound nice?" "You'll use fine sentences and fancy words." "But I want to stay nice... in the report you'll write." "I want people to read the files and say:" ""The girl in the story's nice."" "There." "That's all." "OK." "I'm listening, Darling." "That last night," "I looked like a sick old peacock displayed in the yard." "They took some feathers and wanted me to be a hen for a laugh." "They wanted me to lay stones, to punish me." "I didn't want to, so they hit me." "I left, because" "I was at the end of my tether." "So, I screamed till my lungs hurt, like when I was under the table on birthdays..." "Did I mention that?" "I don't remember." "When I was a kid, I had to say:" ""Happy birthday, Dad!" "Many happy returns!"" "That night, I had to go "Cluck, cluck!"" "Worst of all was seeing shadows at the window." "My children's eyes..." "I told you I'd been through worse." "Later on..." "Hello, ma'am." "Well, say hello." "Hello, ma'am." "Sorry, I didn't recognize you." "Me either." "Call her Mom." "She's your Mom." "She's come for you." "What's wrong?" "Why didn't you get in the back, too?" "Tommy scares me." "You OK, Tommy?" "Why did you brake?" "Why didn't you drive into the wall, Mom?" "We'd have all been squashed together." "Look, children." "A teepee with a line through it is an "A"." "That's a "B"." "C'mon, Tommy, "B"." "It's from Belgium." "Look, that one's from Denmark." "Oh, look." "That's an R240." " That one?" " I couldn't see." "Based on a true story." "Darling is now a cleaner for a law firm in Normandy." "She is rebuilding her life, having lost custody of her children." "Subtitles:" "J. Miller" "Subtitling:" "Éclair Vidéo"