"Captioning made possible by vidmark entertainment." "Memory is a selection of images, some elusive, others printed indelibly on the brain." "The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." "My brother poe was 9, and my sister Cisely had just turned 14." "The town we lived in was named after a slave." "It's said that when general Jean Paul Batiste was stricken with cholera, his life was saved by the powerful medicine of an African slave woman called Eve." "In return for his life, he freed her and gave her this piece of land by the Bayou." "Perhaps in gratitude, she bore him 16 children." "We are the descendants of Eve and Jean Paul Batiste." "I was named for her." "He better grab it now while it still fits in his hands." "From what I hear, ain't just him gettin' it." "You better tell." "You don't let nothin' fall out, baby." "I might have to catch it." "Don't hurt yourself with that thing, boy." "Ain't it lovely?" "Did you see Ethel last night?" "Her face?" "She need to get those teeth fixed." "Harry, why do you always wait to do that when we drunk?" "Put down the camera, darling." "My baby mozelle thinks pictures make her look fat." "Put down the damn camera, Harry." "Harry..." "Man." "Here's your favorite niece." "There she go." "Wait." "Hold on, sweetness." "Hey, red, what you got for me, baby?" "A kiss and a chocolate..." "For a price." "Well..." "A price..." "What do I get..." "For this?" "2 kisses and all the chocolates you can eat." "That's my baby." "Here you go, sweetie." "Thank you." "Eve..." "Where did you get those delicious-looking chocolates?" "You told me to help serve, mama." "Yeah." "Things taste kind of good." "They're crunchy." "Something in 'em." "Well, don't just stand here and let Harry eat them all." "There's my baby boy." "You having a good time, honey?" "Are you?" "Chocolates, poe?" "They're bees." "Chocolate-covered bees!" "Eve Batiste!" "I'll kill you!" "You got a candy!" "Now you gonna turn into a bee!" "Tybalt." "Mercutio." "The prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in verona streets." "Really." "Make yourselves useful." "Help me with the champagne." "Vive les batistes." "Bon chance et bon santé." "Merde." "You in trouble now." "Look at daddy." "Roz, look at your husband." "You must be so proud." "Your son's the best colored doctor in all Louisiana." "Louis got every woman in the parish thinking he the second coming." "Louis, I used to be able to keep up with you." "You're just out of practice, that's all." "Come on, baby doll." "Let's show 'em how to dance." "He, vous aut ga ca!" "Can my daughter dance?" "Hey, Red." "Red, you wanna dance, sweetie?" "No, thanks." "Woman, whispering:" "I can't see a thing." "Just hold my hand." "Shit, don't worry about seeing, all right?" "Matty." "What the..." "Shit." "Come on." "Come here." "Come on." "Come on." "Breathe." "Come on, breathe." "Breathe deep." "Deep breath." "Deep breath." "That's right." "Sor..." "S- sorry." "I was asleep." "Aw." "That's OK, baby." "You scared us, too." "Sure did." "All right?" "You remember Mrs. Mereaux." "Almost gave me a heart attack." "Sorry I scared you, Mrs. Mereaux." "Matty, would you mind going inside and fixing me a drink while I talk to my daughter?" "Of course not." "Good night, Eve." "Good night, Mrs. Mereaux." "Would you like to go outside?" "Good night, Willie." "Bon soir, Louis." "Daddy loves you so much." "I know." "I know you know." "You love mama?" "Your mama..." "Is the most beautiful..." "Perfect woman I ever met." "Your mama's a lady, and I'll always love her." "Always." "You understand?" "Daddy." "Yes, baby?" "How come you never dance with me?" "Baby, how can you say your daddy never dances with you?" "When we're alone and stuff, but not at parties." "You always dance with Cisely." "Tell you what, from now on, we'll dance at every party." "All right?" "Heh heh heh." "There you are." "I was looking for you two." "Eve..." "It is past midnight." "Your cohorts are already in pajamas." "I was talking to daddy." "Well, I guess that's legal." "Hey, you..." "Are you sober?" "Yes, ma'am." "Heh." "Just barely." "You have fun tonight?" "I bet you did." "Well, go straight to bed and don't forget to say your prayers." "Never..." "Cheat the man upstairs." "OK." "Good night, mama." "Good night, daddy." "Good night, baby." "Night-night." "What's wrong with her?" "She'll be all right." "And what about you?" "What about me?" "You sober?" "Barely." "You coming in?" "In a minute." "Hey." "Where were you?" "I looked all over." "I was outside with daddy." "Before that." "I was in the carriage house." "Well, you was in there a long time." "I fell asleep." "What's wrong, rabbit?" "What's the matter?" "What?" "What is it?" "Nothing." "Hey, don't tell me it's nothing." "What's wrong?" "I saw daddy." "I was asleep..." "And I woke up..." "And..." "Daddy..." "What?" "Daddy and Mrs. Mereaux." "What about daddy and Mrs. Mereaux?" "I saw them kissing." "Don't be stupid." "Daddy wouldn't touch that cow." "It's true." "I saw them." "He had his hands on her." "It's true." "He was all up against her, and her dress was... that's a lie!" "I saw them!" "He was all up against her, and her dress was all up, and they were rubbing!" "Stop it." "Just stop it." "I'm gonna tell you what happened." "What?" "I can't see a thing." "You don't need to see." "Just hold my hand, sugar." "They came in to get some more wine." "And daddy told her a joke, and she fell against him laughing." "And they woke you up." "You sure?" "I'm certain." "I mean, what would daddy want with Matty Mereaux?" "Mama's the most beautiful woman in the whole world." "You go to bed." "It's late." "You scared me." "God damn it, Harry, wait a minute." "I'm leaving, I'm driving, and I'm taking my damn wife with me." "Naw, naw, naw." "Hell, no." "Mozelle!" "Now, you're either gonna let mozelle drive, or y'all gonna stay here tonight." "Or... or I'm..." "I'm gonna whup your ass." "Shit." "You better get your hands off me, man." "Look, I may be drunk, but I can whip your butt." "Well, come on, then." "Stop it, you assholes!" "Harry!" "Break it up!" "All right!" "Now... now... now what your monkey ass gonna do?" "Stop it." "Nigger, just 'cause you a doctor, you think you know every fuckin' thing." "You don't know every fuckin' thing." "God damn it, Harry!" "Daddy!" "Uncle Harry!" "Stop it." "It's late." "You wanna raise the dead?" "Cisely, go back to bed." "You're not dressed, and it's bedtime." "Not till daddy comes in." "Toi, tu es vrai cochon parfois, tu connais?" "Fuck you, doc." "I'm sick of your shit." "Come on." "Come on." "Just give me the damn keys, Harry!" "Now get in the goddamn car before I kill you." "Don't talk to me like that, baby." "Dis bon soir, Harry." "Good night." "Good night, slugger." "Bon soir, mozelle." "Good night, aunt mozelle." "Good night, Uncle Harry." "Good night, y'all." "Be good." "Good night, red." "Good night, Cisely." "Fuck you, doc." "Shut the hell up." "How cute." "What do I get..." "For this?" "I'm so sorry to hear about Harry." "I don't know why the lord sees fit..." "Good night, red." "Mozelle, are you... my lord." "Louis!" "Louis, wake up!" "God bless Uncle Harry." "And God bless Uncle maynard and Uncle Anderson." "Aunt mozelle." "Wake up." "What for?" "You got clients coming." "Mozelle." "You don't look so bad." "I loved them." "I swear I did." "I know." "It's not your fault they die." "Which one did you love best?" "I don't know, Eve." "They was all different." "Anderson was the handsomest man" "I'd ever seen." "Your Uncle Harry, he was the sweetest." "And maynard..." "Maynard loved me most of all." "You know, even when I was your age, before I ever did the counseling," "I could look at people, complete strangers, and see their whole life so clear." "But I looked at each of my husbands..." "Never saw a thing." "That's the way it always is, blind to my own life." "Bien." "Now, go on." "Make yourself invisible for a while." "If you're quiet..." "You'll be able to hear." "I'm so sorry about Harry, mozelle." "I don't know why the lord sees fit... we're all servants of divine will." "The lord giveth." "He taketh away." "Well." "Close your eyes." "Lord, lead us in a direction of righteousness." "Advise us that we may become wiser in thy will." "Amen." "Amen." "Speak your mind, my friend." "It's my boy." "My boy has run off, and I don't know where." "My husband and I have been down on our knees praying for 2 months." "I can't take it anymore." "I have to know." "He's alive, hilary." "You'll find him in Detroit..." "At St. Michael's hospital..." "Next Tuesday." "Is he sick?" "Tell me." "Your son's on drugs." "Go home and pray for strength." "You'll need strength to help you through this." "The money is gone, madame renard." "Your niece spent it all." "I'm sorry." "Help me." "My God." "How will I live?" "Please help me." "I want you to get a small bag of the skin of chamois." "In it, place this piece of lodestone and John the conqueror root." "Tie it with a piece of devil's shoestring." "And in your right hand, sprinkle 5 drops of holy oil." "Thank you, madame." "I'm hardly in a position to repay your kindness..." "What with my money gone." "C'est arien, chère." "Keep the bag next to your skin." "I'm so sorry to hear about your husband." "He was such a fine man." "Thank you." "Don't be cute." "You told daddy you didn't practice no voodoo." "She was desperate." "Does it work?" "We'll see." "But what if it don't?" "I don't think she'll sue me." "Lord." "What is it now?" "What did you say?" "I said, well, I've got 3 of his damn babies!" "You got that right!" "How dare that woman call my house!" "There's absolutely nothing in this world lower than eavesdropping on the conversation of others." "This is important." "It's private." "If they'd wanted you to hear, they'd have left the door open." "I'm telling." "Lying about that... woman been lying about that since God invented them..." "Daddy!" "Hey, cis." "You're in trouble." "Go down to kings and come back later." "Go quick." "They're really mad." "Who mad, baby?" "You'd think a damn doctor..." "Who, them?" "They always mad." "He's that old?" "Yeah, he's that old." "He seems like he's a hundred." "He's not a hundred." "I think he used to go out with gran mére." "Grandma?" "Yeah, they do seem like they can make a good couple." "You really think so?" "Gran mére doesn't really seem like she's that old." "Gran mére is old, let me tell you." "You been taking your pills." "Good girl." "Yes, doctor." "I'm feeling much better." "Everything will be just fine now." "Yes, everything is going to be just fine, Louise..." "As long as you keep taking your pills." "I will." "Good-bye, madame renard." "Bye." "Yes, lord..." "Everything will be just fine." "Your lungs are clear as a bell, Stevie." "I think you're going to live." "Doctor..." "Could you give me something for the pain?" "Eve..." "Go on outside and play." "What pain is that, Stevie?" "What was wrong with that lady?" "Mrs. hobbs?" "Well, some illnesses are hard to put a finger on." "Is she having a baby?" "No." "Why you ask?" "You ever want other kids?" "No." "Your mama and I are perfectly happy with the 3 kids we got." "No, I mean other kids." "Besides us." "Open your mouth and say "." "No, I don't see anything in there that would make you say something so stupid." "I got to go to the hospital." "I have to take you home." "No." "Please, daddy?" "Tell you what." "I'll race you." "Give you a head start." "OK." "Bye." "We're supposed to be cheering each other up." "I know." "I was just wondering what happened with that woman." "I suppose he fixed it." "He knows how to fix things." "When I first met Louis," "I watched him set this boy's leg who had fallen out of a tree." "And I said to myself, here's a man who can fix things." "He's a healer." "He'll take care of me." "So I leave my family..." "And I move to this swamp..." "And I find out he's just a man." "We're two of a kind, my brother and I." "One day he'll turn around..." "And he will see you for the first time." "And then he'll stop looking for what he already has." "What if it's too late?" "Let's eat pomegranates..." "Till our hands turn red and..." "And all we can think about is getting the juice off." "Mo!" "Mo, let's get our fortunes told." "Not by her." "Come on, now." "You said you wanted to cheer me up." "Come on." "Roz, that woman couldn't predict heat in August." "Mozelle Batiste..." "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you had a case of professional jealousy." "Roz, I am a psychic counselor." "Elzora's a sideshow attraction." "Well, then there's nothing to be afraid of." "Come on." "Which one first?" "Well..." "My... my sister-in-law is something of a skeptic." "But I'd very much like my fortune told." "Sit down." "Empty it." "You're in pain, my daughter." "Yes." "There is an end to your problem..." "Though not one you imagined." "Stay quiet." "And wait." "Wait?" "Sometimes a soldier fall on his own sword." "In 3 years time..." "You will be happy again." "3 years?" "Look to your children." "Dollar." "That's it?" "Just wait 3 years, and everything will be fine?" "Look to your children." "Well..." "Thank you." "I feel most enlightened." "Good afternoon." "You were right." "Come on." "Wait." "Some things are better left unsaid." "I paid you a dollar, old woman." "Now tell my fortune." "I don't need no cat bones to tell your fortune, mozelle Batiste." "You are a curse." "The black widow." "Next man who marries you is a dead man, like the others." "Always be that way." "You're a horrid old lying witch!" "Wait a minute!" "Mozelle!" "For heaven's sake, what did she say?" "It's all right." "It's just the heat." "I need to catch my... mo, come on." "Let's not be in the street." "Mo?" "It's dead." "Are you sure?" "It's not moving, is it?" "Maybe it's just sick." "It's dead, you little chicken." "Cisely!" "Thank heavens!" "Where are Eve and poe?" "Mama, I don't know." "Lord." "Are you all right?" "No, just go." "Git." "Go ahead." "Come on!" "Just go!" "Don't ask me, just git!" "You're telling me you're going to lock these kids up in the house for the rest of the summer 'cause of something that old fortune-teller told you?" "She just kept saying, "look to your children. "" "And no sooner do we leave than mozelle has this vision of a child getting hit." "Roz, you know I love my sister, but she's not unfamiliar with the inside of a mental hospital." "Louis, not in front of the children." "They know." "Of course we know." "Know what?" "Aunt mozelle's crazy." "She is not!" "She knows things." "People trust her." "Sweetheart, your aunt mozelle's a little eccentric." "That fortune-telling's something we let her do to keep her out of trouble." "She may be crazy, but them visions always come true." "Anyway..." "I've made up my mind." "They're staying in the house." "Till when?" "Well, I don't know." "Till mozelle says it's safe." "I can't believe I'm hearing this." "What if we promise not to play in traffic?" "Don't use that tone of voice with me, Cisely Batiste." "And don't be rolling your eyes at your father behind my back." "You're looking right at us, mama." "Nothing ever happens behind your back." "Don't talk back to your mother, young lady!" "You're not too big to beat." "Don't threaten my daughter, mama." "You let her threaten me." "When I was growing up, children did not participate in the conversation of adults." "You can let them kids back-talk and run wild if you want to." "You won't hear another word out of me." "In my day, we were thankful for signs and warnings." "Go on and let the little hooligans get runned over." "Ca va plus tranquille autour d'ici." "It will be much quieter around here." "I want to thank you all for the delightful family chat." "I have patients to see." "Louis..." "It's Sunday." "When you find a way to put sickness on a 8-hour, 5-day schedule, you let me know." "Well, what's wrong with them they can't wait a day?" "Are you two going to fight?" "Some sickness is hard to put a finger on." "I'll be back soon as I can." "Which one of your patients you going to see, Louis?" "Woman, go get your palm read and let me do my work." "You love your daddy, baby?" "You know I do." "That's all I need." "Excuse me, darling." "Don't you think you're being a little immature?" "I beg your pardon?" "Keeping us in the house 'cause aunt mozelle's seeing things and not wanting daddy to go to work." "What's wrong with you?" "If you're lucky, you might live long enough to one day have a husband and children of your own, but until then, this is my house, and you will do as I say." "Do you understand?" "I said, do you understand?" "Yes, ma'am." "Good." "No one leaves this house until I say so." "What man art thou, that thus bescreen'd in night, so stumblest on my counsel?" "By a name..." "I know not how to tell thee who I am." "My ring says that I am king myself..." "What are you doing in there?" "!" "Go away!" "Ouch!" "God damn it." "Ferme to guele, hein!" "I heard you." "You said "God damn it. "" "Eve." "You shouldn't be sneaking up on people when they're swearing to themselves." "Does it hurt?" "What?" "Your finger, mother." "No, not too much." "You're gonna cut your finger off one of these days." "'Tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve." "Romeo and Juliet." "What?" "We read most of the tragedies." "We're starting on the goddamn comedies." "You are asking to get hit." "Baby!" "Lord have mercy." "What happened, baby?" "You all right?" "Mama!" "Mama, where are you?" "!" "Hey, mo." "Poe, are you all right?" "Look what I found in the attic." "A monopoly board and Chinese checkers." "Girl, you could find the czar of Russia in that attic." "I despise Chinese checkers." "I hate her!" "I hate her!" "I wish she was dead!" "I feel like I walked into the middle of a cyclone." "Eve, what did you do to your brother?" "I'm going to push him out of a window if I don't get out of this house." "Eve!" "Cisely's been in the goddamn bathtub for an hour, you know that?" "She stayed in there 3 hours yesterday." "Fortunately there's more than one bathroom in this house." "Ain't that much dirt in all Louisiana." "Get out of the damn tub!" "You watch your language, young lady." "Mama keeps stabbing herself in the kitchen." "Show her your hands, mama." "I think you better hush." "And where's daddy?" "He's never home." "He's supposed to be home sometimes!" "Listen, you little ingrate..." "Your father works hard so we can have a house with 4 bathrooms." "Not every night, he's not working!" "I know he's not!" "I..." "I mean..." "Let me borrow you for a minute." "Poe?" "Is that your idea of being a good daughter?" "It's true." "He never comes home, and it's making her nervous." "She cuts herself." "And you're just being helpful bringing it up, is that it?" "She's nervous 'cause he's messing with other women." "What did you say?" "Nothing." "Play games with me," "I swear, I'll slap you blind." "It's true." "I saw them." "You saw who?" "You have 5 seconds!" "Daddy and Mrs. Mereaux." "God." "It was at the party." "I was out in the carriage house, and they didn't see me." "And it was worse than just kissing." "They were... hush!" "Hush!" "Let me think a minute." "Have you told anyone?" "No." "Well, that's good." "Because if you tell anyone, anyone at all," "I'm going to kill you." "And if you get careless again with your mama's feelings," "I swear, I'll do you harm." "You understand me?" "Yes, ma'am." "Listen to me..." "Your daddy loves you." "And he loves your mama." "I know." "We are a lot the same, your father and I." "Except I don't have no children to catch me." "Y'all are my children." "That's why maynard got tired of me, 'cause I'm barren." "But..." "Maynard loved you." "Maynard loved you most of all." "I think he did, but I didn't know that until I met hosea." "Tell me about hosea." "You're too young to understand." "But when I was with hosea, it was like my whole body was burning." "I'd come home," "I'd have to rub ice on my face and neck to cool down." "If maynard knew, he never said a word." "And then one night, hosea showed up at the door." "He said, "pack your bags, woman. "" "I've come to take you with me. "" "And God help me..." "I pushed past my startled husband." "I was going upstairs to pack my bags, when I heard maynard say, in a tone I'd never heard him use," ""I don't care who you are, sir," ""but if you don't leave my house at once," "I will hurt you. "" "And I turned just in time to see hosea pull the gun out and aim it at maynard." ""I'm in love with your wife," ""and if you try to stop us," "I'll kill you. "" "Maynard walked right up and pushed his chest in the barrel of that gun, and he said," ""well, then," ""you'll have to kill me, because my wife ain't going nowhere. "" "Eve..." "In that moment, I knew that I loved maynard." "He was so calm and brave, and it was hosea who was trembling." "Maynard said..." ""Mozelle..." ""Tell this man you ain't going nowhere with him, so he can get the hell out of my house. "" "Mama was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, and she was holding her heart like this." "I walked slowly over..." "And I stood next to my husband, and I looked at my lover, this man who had lit this great fire in me, and I said, please, leave our house." "I never want to see you again." "Hosea's eyes went another color, and he stopped trembling." "He looked right at me, and he said..." "All right then." "And he shot maynard in the chest." "And I was alone..." "For a while." "Daddy, it's late." "What you doing up?" "Waiting for you." "What you think I'm doing up?" "What's your pleasure this evening, doctor?" "Scotch and water, bartender." "Hey, daddy." "Hey, pumpkinhead." "Look who's up." "You know what time it is?" "It's time for you gals to be in bed." "No, daddy." "Yes." "Your mama would kill me if she finds out I had you up." "Good night, night owls." "Good night, daddy." "Can I help you?" "Are you mozelle Batiste?" "I am." "Am I disturbing you?" "I don't know yet." "My name is Julian grayraven." "Folks around here say you read the future." "My wife left me a year ago." "I've been to many cities searching for her." "I have no place to return to anymore." "I'm exhausted." "I cannot continue, and yet..." "I cannot stop until I know." "Where's my wife?" "Eve!" "Where's Cisely?" "Officer, you don't understand." "I'm afraid she might be hit by something." "Yeah, day like today, there's bound to be accidents." "Mama, please!" "Cisely!" "God!" "Baby!" "Thank God." "What did you think, running off like that?" "You almost gave your mama a heart attack, chère." "Where the hell did you go?" "I went to visit daddy." "Then I went to the beauty parlor." "You what?" "I walked all the way to daddy's office, and then I caught the bus to opels'." "I had to cross the train tracks to get home, and I'm alive, mama." "I didn't get hit by anything." "Come here, Cisely." "When I was your age, I was just like you." "I thought I knew everything." "Now even the things I'm most familiar with seem mysterious to me." "But I know I love you." "And it's my job to protect you as best I can." "If you disobey my orders and leave this house again," "I swear I'll lock you in your room, do you hear me?" "Yes, ma'am." "Go back to bed." "I'm waiting up for your father tonight." "I don't want you waiting up for him anymore." "But, mama..." "I'll say it one more time, Cisely." "I know you love your daddy, and your daddy loves you." "I don't want you waiting up for him anymore." "You get your shit straight, or you're out of here!" "Look, roz, roz..." "Isn't it beautiful?" "You're beautiful." "Mozelle..." "It's time for me to go." "I have to find my wife." "Mr. grayraven," "I told you, she's not coming back." "She's fallen in love." "I have to find my wife so that I can divorce her and marry you." "Julian." "It's enough that you're here with me." "You have made me so happy." "But you can't possibly marry me." "I can't let that happen." "Is it that you don't love me?" "No!" "No, it's not that." "It's..." "Bear with me." "I'm cursed." "I can't have children." "I'm barren." "You're not barren." "You're wounded..." "Here." "And it's here that I'll plant seeds." "My God!" "Whose baby is this?" "Don't move him." "Whose child is this baby?" "Poor baby." "We're free!" "We're free!" "We're finally free!" "And tonight, we'll barbecue outside and have a picnic." "I'm going outside." "C'est pas jiste feter quand I'enfant de quelq'un est mort." "Mama, these children have been in the house for weeks." "Eve, go upstairs and get Cisely." "She hasn't come down all morning." "I think she's still mad at me." "Cisely!" "It is not right to celebrate when somebody's child is dead." "Well, who's child was it anyway?" "Dickey's boy." "Cisely, wake up!" "We're free!" "We can go outside now, Cisely!" "Go away." "Cisely, look, some other kid got hit." "We're free!" "Go away!" "So that's what's wrong with you." "Look, you think just 'cause you got blood in your pants you don't have to act civilized no more?" "Shut up!" "Cisely's got her period!" "I'm gonna tell daddy!" "Help!" "Stop!" "Mama!" "Cisely's trying to kill me!" "Get over here." "Get over here!" "Cisely's trying to kill me!" "Get off!" "Help!" "Mama!" "Cisely's trying to kill me!" "She's trying to kill me!" "Come on." "No, come on!" "You all right?" "What happened?" "Let me go!" "I'm gonna kill her!" "I don't know what happened." "It's like she went crazy." "We thought she was having a seizure or something." "We were so scared." "Is it my fault 'cause I hit her?" "No, roz, it's not your fault." "Let me look at her." "Louis..." "She started her period." "Did you know that?" "No." "She didn't even tell me." "Go away, daddy." "I don't want you here." "I just want to take your pulse and your temperature, baby." "Doctor stuff." "No!" "I don't want you looking at me." "OK." "I know a nice lady doctor we can take you to." "Would you like that?" "Excuse me." "How much for this pineapple?" "I said, how much for this pineapple?" "25 cents." "You want it?" "That's too much." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Get her!" "Bad girl." "Mechante 'tite." "Bad girl." "Yes, I can!" "No, you can't.!" "Yes, I can!" "No, you can't!" "And I'm gonna be always be able to beat you, 'cause you are a chicken!" "No, I'm not!" "Cisely!" "She blames me for not making you happy, or she thinks I'm driving you away." "She is a child, roz." "Just give her time." "How much time, Louis?" "It's already been 2 weeks." "She won't..." "Eat." "She won't speak." "It's like she's sleepwalking." "This..." "Psychologist fellow seems to think you need kind of a..." "A vacation from us." "It's just a suggestion." "We'd never send you away unless you wanted to go." "Listen..." "Whatever it is, we can work it out together." "Everything's gonna be fine again, I promise." "I want to go." "What?" "What'd you say, baby?" "I said, I want to go." "Well, it's all settled." "I talked to your grandmother, and she just can't wait to see you." "If you leave me alone with them, I'll die." "I'll die, Cisely." "What's wrong with you?" "Why won't you tell me?" "Is it me?" "Is it something that I did?" "Why won't you talk to me?" "Of course it's not you, rabbit." "You're my only friend." "Then..." "What is it?" "Tell me." "I promise I won't tell anybody." "Do you remember the storm?" "The day you cut your hair and mama hit you?" "Did you hear mama and daddy fighting that night?" "Yeah." "Part of it was about me and how he let me visit him that day." "The other thing they were fighting about..." "Was Matty Mereaux." "Mama knows about daddy and Matty?" "Everybody knows." "She's been hanging around his office, right in front of everyone." "You believe me now about what happened at the party?" "I believed you then." "Anyway..." "I waited until I heard mama go upstairs." "I went downstairs." "I was afraid of what she might have said." "I was afraid he would divorce us." "I wanted to make him feel better." "I sat on his lap." "And I was scared." "And I was trying to get away, and he was hugging me and kissing me..." "Until I finally pushed him away with my knee." "I must have hurt him because he hit me." "He's never hit me." "Baby." "Baby, I'm sorry." "And then I ran." "I'll kill him, Cisely." "I swear it." "I'll kill him for hurting you." "Bye-bye, now." "I'll be gone a week or so." "I just want to get her settled in." "Bye, poe." "Be good." "I'm just going to drop them off." "Be back before dinner." "Maybe he ran into traffic." "It's Sunday." "He'll be back and so will Cisely." "I know she will." "Life is filled with good-byes, Eve... a million good-byes... and it hurts every time." "Sometimes I feel like I've lost so much," "I have to find new things to lose." "All I know is there must be a divine point to it all, and it's just over my head." "Then, when we die, it will all come clear, and we'll say..." ""So that was the damn point. "" "And sometimes I think there's no point at all, and that's the point." "All I know is most people's lives are a great disappointment to them." "And no one leaves this earth without feeling terrible pain." "And if there is no divine explanation at the end of it all, well..." "That's sad." "How do you kill someone with voodoo?" "I almost forgot you was there." "I mean, do you just wish real hard that they were dead, or do you have to do something special?" "I suppose you put some of their hair on a doll and stick pins in it or something." "I really don't know." "What makes you ask a thing like that?" "Nothing." "Well, you must have been thinking something right before you were thinking that." "What led you to that particular thought?" "I don't know." "Is there someone around here that you're angry with?" "Someone that you want dead?" "I'm going inside." "No." "I think you better tell me what's on your mind." "You have 5 seconds." "Give me your hands." "Give them to me." "Well, go on and keep secrets if you want to." "I won't squeeze it out of you." "But you can't kill people with voodoo." "That's ridiculous." "Hey, red." "Hah." "Didn't mean to startle you, baby." "Hi, Mr. Mereaux." "Hi." "How's your family?" "Everybody's fine." "How's Matty?" "Hey, same as always." "You know, salty and sweet." "What you looking for?" "Apples." "Well, you know, you just walked right past them." "Thanks." "Lord have mercy." "Mr. Mereaux?" "Yes, Eve?" "You still teaching'?" "Sure, darling." "Down at Xavier, New Orleans." "Been there for years." "That's a long drive." "Yeah." "Well, you know, sometimes, if the weather's bad," "I just stay on campus." "But usually, you know, I try to get home so Matty don't get too lonely." "Matty don't seem like the lonely type." "Nah." "Nah, I guess not." "You must get home real late..." "Well, when you get home." "Sometimes." "So does my daddy." "Every night." "My mama gets real lonely." "But then, she's the lonely type." "Not like daddy and Matty." "Well..." "Bye." "Excuse me." "Mechante 'tite fille." "I remember you, pineapple thief." "Hi." "I've been looking for you." "Only people ever look for me got good reason." "I got good reason." "You got money?" "$20." "20?" "!" "Let me see." "Give me." "Wh-where are we going?" "My office." "Are you related to mozelle Batiste?" "I'm her niece." "And she's the one you want dead." "No." "Someone else." "Too bad." "Tant pis." "Why you want this person dead?" "Quo fais?" "Raisons prive." "This person..." "Harm you?" "Others in my family." "I will give you something to protect you and your family from this person." "I want him dead!" "M'ole li mort!" "For certain." "You are sure." "Yes, ma'am." "People have a way of dying at their own speed." "But I will see what I can do." "I will need some hair from the head of this person." "I brought you some from a comb." "I hope it's enough, though." "Well..." "Bien." "But don't be too eager." "You come back Thursday night." "And we will see." "We'll see." "Get the hell off my property before I cook you and eat you!" "Is that you, pineapple thief?" "Come." "I thought you was one of those town kids, always bothering me." "Is he dead yet?" "How could he be dead?" "You didn't give me the doll." "What doll?" "I didn't say nothing to you about no doll." "The..." "The voodoo doll." "I didn't make you no voodoo doll." "I made you a wax coffin." "I put his hair inside the mouth of a snake, buried it in the graveyard." "He should be dead by now." "I thought I had to do something first, like..." "like stick pins in it or... you did something!" "You brought me his hair." "And you paid me $20." "But..." "I wanted it." "I wanted to have it." "I need it!" "God." "Where..." "Where'd you bury it?" "Down there..." "Where all them batistes are buried." "But..." "I don't think you'll find it." "You said you wanted him dead." "You said you were certain." "Daddy!" "I'm so happy to see you!" "What you doing over here this time of night?" "What's wrong?" "Is it gran mére?" "Daddy, let's go home." "Please, I want you to come home with me." "Of course, baby." "You walk all the way over here?" "What's wrong?" "Looks like you've been busted, doc." "The last one's on me." "Baby, go outside while I say good night to Mrs. Mereaux." "Hurry up." "Hey, Mr. Mereaux." "Hey, baby." "Hey, old man, you're just in time to have a last one with us." "I don't think so, Louis." "What's wrong with you, Lenny?" "You crazy?" "You fucking my wife?" "Don't be ridiculous, Lenny." "You fucking her?" "You're drunk." "You like her?" "She's very beautiful." "Are you fucking her?" "Lenny, Matty and I are old friends." "You know that as well as anyone." "I trusted you, Louis." "And you've been fucking Matty." "I loved you, Louis." "I love you, Lenny." "Come on, daddy." "Let's go home." "That's right." "You're drunk, baby." "Let me take you home." "Listen..." "You so much as speak to my wife again..." "And I will kill you." "Do you understand?" "Gentlemen, take it outside." "Let's get the hell out of here." "You go home and sleep off that whiskey, old man." "You can apologize to me tomorrow." "You speak to her again, you're dead, Louis." "Come on, daddy." "Let's go home." "Please?" "Come on." "OK, baby." "Good night, Matty." "No!" "No!" "No, daddy!" "Daddy!" "No!" ""Our father, who art in heaven..." ""Hallowed be thy name." ""Thy kingdom come," ""thy will be done" ""on earth..." ""as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread. "" "No!" ""Forgive us our trespasses," ""as we forgive those" ""who have trespassed against us." ""And lead us not into temptation." ""But deliver us from evil," ""for thine is the kingdom" ""and the power" ""and the glory forever and ever. "" "Amen." "Last night I had a dream that I was flying." "It was such a fine feeling." "But from the corner of my eye," "I saw a woman drowning in the very same air that was keeping me afloat." "And I knew without looking that it was me." "Should I save her?" "And then I heard Louis' voice saying," ""don't look back. "" "So I kept on flying..." "And I let her drown." "When I woke up..." "I told Julian I would marry him." "He wouldn't have it any other way." "Maybe God will be kind and allow me to go with him." "I'm so tired of being left alone." "Your daddy gave me a message for you." ""Tell Eve I still owe her that dance. "" ""To mozelle. "" ""Mozelle," ""it's been 2 hours since we spoke, and finally... "" "I feel calm enough to write this." "I realize that your accusations, however shocking and cruel, stem from some weakness in myself that allows you to believe the worst of me." "As you and I know," "I'm just a small-town doctor pushing aspirin to the elderly, but to a certain type of woman," "I'm a hero." "I need to be a hero sometimes." "That's my weakness, that much is true." "But how, mozelle, could I have sunk in your estimation to the leechy depths where you would accuse me of deliberately abusing my most beloved child?" "I am guilty in the sense that I adore her, and I allowed her to adore me." "It was a sweet indulgence, but nothing in her behavior prepared me for what happened on the night of the storm." "Roz and I had a terrible fight, and I guess it was inevitable." "Roz!" "I knew Cisely could never sleep through a fight like that, so I wasn't surprised when she came downstairs." "And maybe I was even waiting for her." "I let myself wallow in filial comfort." "Mozelle, I swear, the first kiss was the sweetest kiss a daughter could give a drunk and guilt-ridden father." "A kiss of redemption." "In the next moment, it had gone wrong." "From my scotch haze, it took me a second to realize that my daughter was kissing me like a woman." "This is where I blame myself." "Cisely, no!" "I was so startled that I hit her and she fell to the floor." "The look she gave me almost stopped my heart." "Cisely." "And I knew I had lost her." "Baby." "Baby, I'm sorry." "Mozelle, I would give my life to have that moment back." "I would hold her and comfort her." "We would talk through her confusion, and I would put her to bed with the boundaries between us intact." "I love her more than my life." "I hope that one day she can forgive me." "I felt I could not betray her again by telling you or roslyn." "Forgive me..." "Liar!" "Louis." "What?" "You lied to me about daddy!" "You lied!" "Daddy wrote mozelle a letter!" "You lied!" "I wasn't lying!" "I believed you!" "And I hated him." "I hated him for you." "He hurt me, Eve." "He hurt me..." "So badly..." "I wanted to die." "Tell me what happened." "Please!" "I have to know." "I can't." "Please." "I don't know what happened." "I don't know." "It's OK." "I can't!" "I can't." "It's OK." "The summer my father said good night," "I was 10 years old..." "My brother poe was 9..." "And my sister Cisely had just turned 14." "We are the descendants of Eve and Jean Paul Batiste." "I was named for her." "Like others before me..." "I have the gift of sight." "But the truth changes color depending on the light." "And tomorrow can be clearer than yesterday." "Memory is a selection of images..." "Some elusive..." "Others printed indelibly on the brain." "Each image is like a thread, each thread woven together to make a tapestry of intricate texture." "And the tapestry tells a story." "And the story is our past." 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