"(GASPS)" "My name is Emanuel." "I'm seventeen years old and I killed my mother." "I had her sliced open, like a goat for the slaughter, to get me pulled out." "As she bled, the doctor pushed air into my lungs, and pressed his hands repeatedly onto my chest, with the same rhythmic, repetitive motion that he used to jerk himself off that very morning." "It worked." "He came and I came..." "Back to life." "The fact that my mother lost her life for this, for me, is probably just a side note." "The cost of doing business." "But it's me who pays." "It's on my tab." "And it accumulates interest with every passing year." "My point is, there's no place for me." "Because I'm not supposed to be here." "Maybe if I was some sort of Olympic athlete, or a genius scientist, but I'm not." "I'm not any of those things." "I'm just a girl." "A murderer without a motive." "So I serve my time, waiting for my sentence to be up." "DENNIS:" "Mmm." "This is delicious." "It's made with aged gouda instead of cheddar." "That's what gives it its sharp kick." "Mmm." "DENNIS:" "What do you think, honey?" "Sophisticated is the word that comes to mind." "Sophisticated, I like that." "DENNIS:" "How was your day, pumpkin?" "Great." "I met a boy, and we're dating." "It's pretty serious." "JANICE:" "Oh, that's wonderful!" "What's his name?" "Claude." "Claude." "You've just met and it's serious?" "Yeah, it is." "Can you pass the broccoli?" "Well, I think that's lovely." "I think it's about time that Emanuel had a nice fellow in her life." "Why?" "Were you starting to think that I was a lesbian?" "No. (CHUCKLES)" "God, no." "Why would you say that?" "I had a dream about you last week." "Sexual." "Emanuel." "Thought maybe you picked up on it." "No." "No, I didn't." "Hmm." "It's perfectly normal." "Just some hybrid oedipal, Electra complex, nicely tailored for the happy, modern stepfamily." "Relax." "It doesn't mean I actually want to have..." "DENNIS:" "Emanuel." "No offense, but you're not my type." "DENNIS:" "Emanuel, that's enough." "(SIGHS) Ignore her." "(CHUCKLES)" "She always gets this way around her birthday." "(MELODIC MUSIC PLAYING THROUGH STEREO)" "(INAUDIBLE)" "(BELL CHIMES)" "Hey!" "Emanuel, be more careful, please." "No." "I can't." "This isn't your private jerk off closet." "I know." "It's a rickety ladder on which I'm moving some sophisticated equipment." "Hardly consider a penis pump sophisticated equipment." "Why don't you just try one and get it over with?" "Why is it sticky?" "Look." "If I had a penis, I'd try it." "It's like if you worked at a restaurant and they added a new dish to the menu." "You need to try it to know what you're selling." "Don't want to try the dish." "Hmm." "Tickets." "I'm Claude." "I know." "Says on your bag." "Oh." "Uh, this isn't my bag." "Well, I mean, it is, it's from when I was a kid." "My bag got stolen, so I just pulled this out from the depths of my closet." "Tickets." "CLAUDE:" "What's that on your arm?" "My name." "Emanuel." "Isn't that a boy's spelling?" "They thought I was going to be a boy." "(CHUCKLES) But you're not." "Reality is overrated." "So why do you have your name tattooed on your arm?" "Because if I get separated from my bag, I'll still know who I am." "MAN OVER PA:" "Next stop, Benovale." "Bye." "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "(INAUDIBLE)" "JANICE:" "She seems nice." "You know, reserved." "Where's she from?" "Denver." "She got a husband?" "I didn't ask, but it certainly didn't seem like it." "It's just a shame, having to raise a young baby like that all on your own." "Dad did it." "Look how well I turned out." "You might want to go over there and give her some pointers." "JANICE:" "She did mention that she was looking for a babysitter, but I can't think of anyone off the top of my head." "The Denzel twins have moved away, right?" "I'll do it." "You will?" "Yeah, sure." "But you hate kids." "I need the money." "What for?" "Decided I'm going to become a collector of Precious Moments figurines." "Oh." "She's messing with you." "No, I'm not." "I must have them." "As a constant reminder of the preciousness of life." "When do I start?" "JANICE:" "I'll talk to her tomorrow." "(WHISPERING) Would you mind?" "I need to talk to him." "(WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY)" "Excuse me." "What did you say to him?" "I told him that you'd gotten me pregnant." "So I decided to get an abortion, but wanted to tell you on the train, surrounded by people, in case you became violent." "(LAUGHS) Wow." "Well that's certainly one way to liberate a seat." "Hi." "Hi." "I'm Emanuel." "Come in." "Something to drink?" "Just some water." "Thanks." "Okay." "How old are you?" "Turning eighteen this month." "Oh, yeah." "That's a fun age." "I guess." "College plans?" "No." "I didn't really like school very much." "Can't imagine why anyone would voluntarily sign up for more of it." "But I like learning stuff." "I'm teaching myself to speak French." "Oh." "So you're planning on doing some traveling." "No." "Well, it would be a pity to speak French and not go to France." "Well, I've got some errands to run, so..." "I'll see you in about an hour and a half." "Oh, please put your glass in the sink." "Uh, and what about the baby?" "Well, that's why you're here." "Well, I know, I mean, shouldn't we meet before you leave us together?" "Oh, no, Chloe is asleep, and if I wake her up she's going to be very crabby." "Oh." "Just make yourself at home." "There's a stereo in there." "What happens if the baby wakes up?" "Baby monitors." "So..." "You'll know if she needs you." "Okay." "(BIRDS CHIRPING)" "(OPERA MUSIC BLARING)" "(STATIC)" "(BREATHING HEAVILY)" "(CHUCKLES)" "How do you like living here?" "It's fine, I guess." "I don't really know anywhere else." "There's not much going on." "JANICE:" "Hi, guys!" "I figured you could use a little refreshment, in the heat." "There you go." "Very thoughtful of you." "Oh, it was nothing." "(CHUCKLES) Thank you." "Oh, it's looking good." "(SIGHS) It's a start." "Mmm." "Well, I don't want to keep you from your work." "So..." "Oh, here." "Oh!" "No, no, I couldn't." "Oh, please?" "If I put these all in my house it's going to look like a wake." "Oh, thank you, they're beautiful." "Okay." "I'll see you in a bit." "So why don't you like your stepmom?" "She's fine." "It's just been me and my dad for so long, still getting used to having someone else there." "Where's your mom?" "Dead." "Oh." "That's awful." "(STATIC CRACKLING)" "Could you, um..." "Could you pick up these tools and this tarp and put it back in the shed for me?" "Yeah, sure." "(DOOR OPENS)" "(DOOR CLOSES) (WATER TRICKLING)" "LINDA: (CHUCKLES) False alarm." "She was just stretching, and making herself feel comfortable." "Uh, I'd love to be able to take power naps like that." "I have something for you." "Pour toi." "I actually lived in France for a stint." "Thank you." "Are you sure you don't need them?" "Oh, positive." "I don't even know how they got in the moving boxes." "There's a basket of, uh, Chloe's things in the laundry room." "Could you take them upstairs to the hall closet for me?" "Yeah, sure." "(DISTANT OCEAN WAVES)" "LINDA:" "What are you doing?" "(GASPS)" "I thought I heard something, but now I don't." "Huh." "I don't hear a thing." "I'll do this load again." "It's fine." "Just come down." "I don't want to mess with her sleeping schedule." "(DISTANT OCEAN WAVES)" "(DOOR KNOB TURNS)" "Hey, what are you doing out here?" "Studying." "Studying?" "French." "Really." "You must be pretty good by now." "You know, you get that from your mom." "She soaked up languages like a sponge." "She dragged me to so many French films, I can't remember." "Do you ever think about what it would have been like if I'd died instead of Mom?" "No." "Really?" "I do." "You know, Em, I've been thinking." "Maybe this is the year that you come with me to visit your mother's grave." "You know, it doesn't have to be on the actual day of your birthday." "And why would I do that?" "Well, you've never been." "I think it's important on the anniversary of someone's death to pay your respects." "If you want the company, take Janice." "It's not about company, honey." "It's about you." "(DISTANT OCEAN WAVES)" "(OPERA MUSIC PLAYING)" "(DOORBELL RINGING)" "Hi." "Wasn't expecting to see you until this afternoon." "It's the weekend." "You said you wanted help organizing your office." "Right." "Well, uh, just go ahead." "I'll meet you in there." "Chloe's asleep." "Oh." "Where to start?" "Uh-huh." "This was her favorite." "(JANGLES)" "But we dropped it so many times it has now been officially retired." "Linda?" "I'm sorry." "I just," "I just realized how tired I am." "(SIGHS)" "(SNIFFLES)" "You know, I think I am going to take a little nap in the study." "Would you take this box to my bedroom?" "Yes." "(DISTANT OCEAN WAVES)" "(STATIC)" "(GASPS)" "(BREATHING HEAVILY)" "I heard her on the monitor too." "Yes, it's okay." "Oh." "I know." "You don't like it when you do a pee-pee in your diaper." "No, you don't." "It's really the only time she gets fussy." "Can..." "I can feed her off schedule, then put her down to sleep off schedule, but..." "She doesn't get her diaper changed when it's wet, well, it's pretty much all over." "Oh, can you do me a favor and get the onesie with the monkeys?" "For my little monkey." "Yes, for you." "It's in the dresser in the hall." "Will you get it for me?" "(WHISPERING TO BABY) Yes, that's better." "That's much better." "Yes." "That's better." "That's much better." "Getting cold in here!" "Yes we are." "Yes we are." "Gonna get those feet!" "(INHALES) (KISSING)" "I got your toes. (WHISPERS) I got your toes." "Yes I do." "Oh, that's the one we like." "Because it is soft and silly." "Just like you." "Want to come over here and finish?" "No." "Well, come on." "Come a little closer and you can see how it's done." "Now, you always have to remember to support her head a little bit." "You start with the cute little feet first." "I want to eat those feet they're so cute." "And then your cute little butt." "(SOFTLY) Look at that little butt." "Oh, you wiggle worm." "(CHUCKLES) And then we snap you up." "Ooh, and we eat you up." "Yes, we do." "(KISSING)" "(CHUCKLES)" "Here, you hold her." "Oh, come on." "She's not gonna bite." "She doesn't even have her little teeth yet." "There you go." "(BREATHING HEAVILY)" "(WATER SEEPING)" "Herb roasted chicken with porcini mushroom stuffing." "Mmm." "Well?" "Well what?" "Well, how's it going with, uh, what, Linda's her name?" "It's fine." "JANICE:" "Just fine, not good?" "Oh, no, no, this looks delicious." "We're, we're talking about the babysitting." "JANICE:" "Oh." "Yes, how's that going?" "Fine." "DENNIS:" "How is it that a child who had more words at two than an average first grader suddenly becomes monosyllabic at eighteen?" "Maybe I have late onset autism." "DENNIS:" "Maybe you've taken on too much." "You look tired." "You know what, with the job in town, and now this babysitting..." "You know, you really sound like a woman sometimes." "No offense, Janice." "JANICE:" "I am just dying to meet that baby." "Yeah." "Hi." "I'm her parole officer and I need you to leave your seat." "(CHUCKLING) Hey." "Don't you want to know what I told her?" "No." "Are you okay?" "Hey." "Listen." "Did I do something to offend you or something?" "I mean, you seem pretty mad at me, and I have no idea what I've done." "Oh, really?" "You have no idea?" "No." "Where were you this morning?" "I was on the 6 a.m. train." "I looked for you in all 32 cars." "I missed the 6 a.m. because..." "Oh, forget it." "(SCOFFS) Well, why were you on the 6 a.m.?" "Because I wanted to see you." "I'm here now." "It doesn't work like that." "If you're going to be my boyfriend, I can't have you disappearing on me." "I don't take well to people disappearing on me." "Boyfriend?" "Oh, please." "You're gonna pretend like you haven't been thinking about what it'd be like to hold my hand?" "To kiss me?" "Well, maybe." "I..." "Which is it?" "Maybe, or yes?" "Yes." "(BELL TOLLING)" "I'll see you on the train tomorrow." "(DOORBELL RINGING)" "(KNOCKING)" "Hello?" "Linda?" "I'm in the kitchen." "She loves waking up to a bath." "Here, you rinse her." "It's her favorite part." "I'm okay." "I want you to get to know her." "I want her to trust you." "Come on." "Put your hand behind her head like this." "Come on." "There you go." "That's all there is to it." "(EXHALES)" "I think she's pretty well rinsed." "Well then dry her off." "Take her upstairs and put her in something warm." "I'm gonna take her on a sunset walk." "You are?" "Yeah." "It'd be good for some fresh air." "We did garden this morning, but I think it's about time that she get to know her neighborhood." "There's a flu that's been going around." "It's really bad." "I don't think you should go introduce her to new neighbors just yet." "Don't you hear her crying?" "Yeah." "I just didn't know what to do." "You rock her back and forth." "And you talk to her, because she likes that." "She likes to be talked to." "Don't you, Chloe?" "Yeah." "Because you're such a good listener." "Yes, you are." "(SOFTLY) Yeah." "There we go." "Don't worry." "You'll figure it out." "I was so worried when I brought her home." "Was I gonna be able to take care of her?" "(SIGHS)" "What if I was a terrible mother?" "What if I didn't like it?" "But then..." "It just happens." "It just comes to you as you go along, and it's like you were meant to do it." "Like you've been doing it your whole life." "And then you think about your life before her." "It was so pointless, so selfish, and you just can't imagine your life without her." "No, I can't." "No." "I've decided to go for a run instead." "Try to lose these last five pounds." "You can never turn your back on her when you have her up here like this." "I mean, she's a feisty little one." "We wouldn't want her ending up on the floor." "Of course not." "Sorry." "It's okay." "I'll be back soon." "(SIGHS DEEPLY)" "Guess we better get you dressed." "Don't take this personally, but..." "I'm not very talkative to begin with." "So, if we don't really chat a lot, it's not that I don't like you." "It's more that I like to keep to myself." "I just wanted to make that clear." "Okay?" "(DOORBELL RINGING)" "Hi." "What are you doing here?" "I brought cookies." "Linda doesn't want cookies." "(SCOFFS) Who doesn't want cookies?" "She's trying to lose her baby weight." "That is ridiculous." "She's bone thin." "Oh, you're not gonna let me in?" "Linda's not here." "She's gone running." "JANICE:" "Oh." "Well..." "I'd love to see the baby." "You can't." "She's sleeping." "Well, I'll just take a quick peek at her, in the crib." "Oh, this is..." "You know, it's much nicer than I suspected." "She..." "God, she really did the place up quickly." "I mean, what did she do, take measurements months ago, and then just arrive with all the perfect pieces?" "How should I know?" "Oh." "No, don't." "Linda's very specific about disinfecting hands before touching any of Chloe's toys." "Well, I'm sure my hands are nowhere near as dirty as the floor." "No." "No." "She's super particular." "Like verging on neurotic." "Where's the kitchen?" "That way." "Oh, I like that." "Nice." "(SIGHS)" "So, you're enjoying working for Linda?" "Yeah, it's fine." "Oh." "What's she like?" "She's nice." "And..." "And that's it." "Oh." "Just, you've been spending a lot of time together." "I just figured you'd know her a little better by now." "I don't, really." "But you like her?" "I mean, when I saw you two gardening together, you seemed to be having a lot of fun." "You know, talking, and..." "(DOOR OPENS)" "Yeah." "(DOOR CLOSES) (GASPS)" "Hello." "Hello." "Oh, you look like you've had quite a run." "(CHUCKLES)" "No." "Ridiculously short, actually." "I brought you some fresh baked cookies." "That's very sweet of you." "Thank you." "Where's Chloe?" "Sleeping." "Sleeping?" "Yeah." "She fell asleep in my arms, so I put her down for a nap." "Huh." "You know, we would love to have you and little Chloe over for dinner some night." "Oh, wow." "That would be lovely." "Um, but Chloe goes to bed quite early." "Well, maybe Emanuel could stay later one night." "You know, earn a little extra money." "I don't need extra money." "And I use my nights to study French." "JANICE:" "Well, maybe you could study your French here." "You know, while the baby is sleeping?" "Yeah." "Okay." "Great." "It's settled." "How about Friday?" "Okay." "Yeah." "(CHUCKLES) Okay." "Okay." "You girls have a great night." "How many calories do you think each one of these has?" "I don't know." "Lots." "I should really wake Chloe up, otherwise she's gonna stay up all night." "I'll do it." "You know, so she gets used to me." "Trusts me." "Okay." "It's a good idea." "(BREATHING HEAVILY)" "(GASPS)" "What happened?" "I'm sorry." "I'm so sorry." "Are you okay?" "I was gonna take her out for some air, and bumped into the thing, and I..." "(GASPS)" "Oh, my God." "I'm fine." "It's just a little cut." "Oh, that's deep." "No." "I'm fine." "Come on." "Come on, it's okay." "Come on." "LINDA:" "Okay." "This is gonna sting." "Just for a second." "(BLOWING)" "(KISSING)" "Better?" "Yeah." "Look at you two." "You look like sisters." "Yeah." "I hope Chloe grows up to be as pretty and interesting as you." "You've got so much going on behind those blue eyes." "I noticed it the moment I met you." "I see myself in you." "Not necessarily a good thing." "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I'm doing?" "I'm solving world hunger." "Uh-oh." "Very funny." "It's dangerous, that sort of work, okay?" "It's not really fit for a woman." "So why don't you get down and let me finish up, please?" "I got it." "I don't want to take advantage of your manly stacking skills." "Um..." "Go help up front." "I hate customer interaction." "You know it triggers my germaphobia, and Sam won't let me wear the surgical masks anymore." "He says it sends the wrong message." "Oh." "I disagree." "They give you an air of competence." "Just..." "Emanuel, get down." "Let me do my job." "How do you expect to meet any women back here?" "Uh..." "What I'm saying is, you're looking very handsome these days, and it's wasted on me." "Why are you being so nice?" "And happy?" "Guess I'm just a nice, happy person." "EMANUEL:" "Doctor said I have lice." "(LAUGHS)" "Uh, any chance..." "You know, take it on to stationary land, just for a change?" "Okay." "Sure." "Well, how about Friday night?" "I can't this Friday." "I have to babysit late." "Okay, well..." "Actually..." "This Friday night would be perfect." "Can you pick me up at 7:00?" "Yeah." "Great." "(CHUCKLES)" "We're up here." "Shh." "(DOOR CLOSES)" "Okay." "Oh, thank God you're here." "She's just making me crazy today." "How come?" "I don't know." "Usually, I can just sit her in her bouncy chair and she will entertain herself." "But no, not today." "She wants my undivided attention at all times." "(SIGHS)" "Here." "This is her new best friend." "This is terrible, but sometimes I just don't want to be a mother." "I just want to push a button and put Chloe on pause and just get on with my day." "That sounds awful, doesn't it?" "No." "Sounds honest." "Do you want me to give her a bath?" "No, we've already done that." "You know, actually, the one thing that would be really helpful is if you could just honestly tell me which of these sweaters I need to toss." "Okay, but I'm not so good with fashion." "Come on, sit down." "I love your style." "I mean, I think it's too young for me, but I think you have excellent taste." "Okay." "So what should I wear to your house on Friday?" "Actually, I can't babysit Friday night." "Something came up." "That's okay." "What are you doing?" "I sort of have a date." "That's exciting!" "Who is it?" "Just some boy I met on the train." "Does he have a name?" "Claude." "You should wear this." "Here, try it on." "It's really pretty, but..." "Oh, just try it on." "Come on." "(SHUSHING)" "Look at you." "You're beautiful." "It's yours." "No." "I'll borrow it, but..." "Oh, I haven't worn it in ages." "Actually, I think it's..." "I think it's the blouse I wore the first date" "I had with Chloe's dad." "Where is Chloe's dad?" "Let's just say, not all men know how to step up when it comes to being a dad." "And we couldn't have that." "No." "No we couldn't." "(BRAKES SCREECH)" "(LAISSE TOMBER LES FILLES BY FRANCE GALL PLAYING)" "I just don't understand why she would plan her first date with this boy on the night that we're having Linda over, knowing full well that Linda can't come unless she babysits little Chloe." "(SONG CONTINUES PLAYING)" "(DOORBELL RINGS)" "Oh, come in." "Hello." "Hi, I'm Claude." "Claude." "Hello." "Dad, Janice, meet Claude." "Claude, this is my dad Dennis, and Janice." "It's a pleasure to meet you." "I'm Emanuel's stepmother." "Nice to meet you." "Oh, that's such a pretty blouse." "Where did you get it?" "Okay, well, this has been fun." "Now let's go." "Bye." "Maybe you'd like to join us next Friday night." "It's Emanuel's birthday and I'm going to be making her favorite meal, chicken pot pie." "Sure." "Sounds great." "Okay." "Okay, great." "Sounds great." "Have fun." "Bye." "Wanna ride on the back?" "Sure." "It's best if you stand." "It's a little tricky getting on, but once you're up, you're up." "Unless you crash." "Yeah, that wouldn't be good." "But I won't." "Okay?" "Yeah." "(L'ECLIPSE BY SEAN LENNON PLAYING)" "(GASPS)" "(SONG CONTINUES FROM RADIO)" "Well, I hope you're hungry." "I am." "Besides, this is the first dinner we've had just the two of us in a while." "(LAUGHS) I love how you're trying to turn Emanuel's inconsiderate behavior into some sort of a romantic evening for us." "Janice, don't." "No, no, that's okay." "I know how it goes. "Emanuel is fragile." "You don't know what" ""she's been through." "She's not like other kids."" "Let's not do this." "And yes, yes, you're her father and me having no children of my own," "I couldn't possibly know how to raise one." "I didn't say that." "Honey. (SOBBING) Yeah, but that's how you feel." "Oh, this music." "(MUSIC STOPS)" "I wanted to take you somewhere nice." "What, you don't appreciate this romantic fluorescent lighting?" "(CHUCKLES)" "$16.25." "(CASH REGISTER RINGS)" "Thanks." "Can I ask you something?" "Sure." "It's kind of a personal question." "Okay." "Do you mind?" "No, not at all." "I'll just wait outside." "Sometimes, when I'm on my own," "I imagine myself dying." "Life pouring out of me like an open tap." "Creates this river of my blood." "My question is, have you ever noticed me float by?" "No." "I haven't." "I thought this was all privately owned." "It is." "Looks like you're breaking all kinds of laws tonight." "Stealing, trespassing." "What's next?" "Underage drinking." "(CHUCKLES)" "(SIGHS)" "My dad used to bring me here a lot as a kid." "Then it got privatized, and we started going to the other side." "But he knew I didn't like it as much." "There's just something special about this spot." "How come you live with your dad instead of your mom?" "Because she's dead." "That's why I have this tattoo on my arm." "It's the first and only decision she got to make for me, what to name me." "My dad thinks it's probably the name of some boy she had fling with when she spent a semester in Paris." "But he went along with it anyway." "Stupid." "I like it." "The tattoo." "It's kind of badass, like you." "You think I'm badass." "Yeah." "I do." "It's like you live in your own private world." "And the world the rest of us live in has nothing on you because you don't belong here anyway." "(BELLS JINGLING)" "(INDISTINCT)" "LINDA:" "Did you say the youthinator?" "(LAUGHS)" "I wish I did, but I said the eukinator." "Uh, that sounds like you..." "Hey, Emanuel." "I've just met your lovely friend Arthur." "What are you doing here?" "You're sweating." "Are you okay?" "You, you look a little red." "Is Chloe okay?" "She's fine, except for this cold." "So..." "I just thought I would come and see if maybe you had a little baby..." "Nasal..." "Aspirator." "Yeah." "Nasal aspirator." "Arthur, go help the lady in aisle three." "She's looking for something." "Oh." "So, like I said, you just be kind of ginger with her, and this will take care of it, I'm sure." "Uh-huh." "Thank you." "My pleasure." "Sure." "That is perfect." "Oh, um, your stepmother came by and invited me to your birthday dinner." "I know you can't very well babysit Chloe and attend your own party, so I thought maybe there's someone that you know, who you trusted, who, to..." "I can do it." "I'm trustworthy and I like children." "So..." "Really?" "You wouldn't mind?" "No." "I would not." "Arthur!" "I think I'd enjoy it." "Yeah." "Okay." "Well, that's great." "Sure." "Um, when?" "Oh, um..." "LINDA:" "Friday at 7:00." "ARTHUR:" "Friday works." "LINDA:" "Great." "How much do I owe you for this?" "Oh, that's on the house." "That's a gift with purchase." "But this is my actual purchase." "That's correct." "So, it is a purchase that has now turned into a gift." "For you." "(LAUGHS)" "Well, thank you." "Yeah." "Okay, bye." "Okay, bye." "Bye." "(SIGHS)" "(DOOR BELLS JINGLING)" "What was that?" "My heart pumping blood to everything else." "(DOOR SHUTS)" "(SIGHS)" "EMANUEL:" "Start from the start." "DENNIS:" "This is the start." "No." "The part where she wakes you up." "She's having contractions." "You walk her around the room." "I'm walking her around the bedroom." "The sun is just rising." "She sits by the window." "Window." "The first rays of light hitting her face." "She smiles at you in a way you've never seen before." "Like she has a secret she can't wait to share." "She's beautiful." "Calm." "I sit by her side counting the minutes between contractions." "No." "You help her to her feet." "She tells you she loves you." "That she's just had the most amazing dream." "She was swimming underwater in a lake and she could breathe." "It was night, yet she could see." "Because the moonlight made paths through the water like fingers pointing the way." "She was happy." "Swimming amongst the fishes." "(HUMMING)" "DENNIS:" "By the time the doctor arrived, her face had gone ash white." "Her eyes were distant." "But her grip was still strong." "(SIGHS)" "They cut into her and pulled you out." "You were blue." "Not breathing." "The cord was still wrapped around your little neck." "The doctor worked on you." "And as you took your first breath..." "She took her last." "They tried to revive her." "But she was gone." "She was gone." "And I was here." "You were here." "And that's everything." "Yeah." "That is everything." "Do you do this to punish me?" "I'm just making sure you've told me everything." "That you haven't left anything out." "(INAUDIBLE)" "(INAUDIBLE)" "(BLOWS)" "(DENNIS LAUGHING) JANICE:" "Yay!" "CLAUDE:" "Happy Birthday, Emanuel!" "JANICE:" "Yay!" "(APPLAUDING)" "DENNIS:" "Oh, my little girl is all grown up now." "There's no denying that." "Oh, you'll try." "You have to make the first cut." "You do it." "Okay." "JANICE:" "Uh, it, it's..." "It's good luck for the birthday girl to take the first cut." "I'll do it." "Never say no to some good luck." "Right, Claude?" "Right." "JANICE:" "We would love to meet little baby Chloe." "Oh, she has such a terrible cold right now." "JANICE:" "Oh." "Um, but in a couple of days, maybe, when she's not so cranky," "I'll bring her over." "JANICE:" "Oh, we would love that." "I'm glad you've formed such a close bond with Emanuel." "I've been married to her father for almost a year now and (CHUCKLES), well, I wouldn't exactly call us close." "It's different." "You're her stepmother." "That's a whole different ballgame." "Yeah, I suppose." "I was just hoping that I'd get to experience a little bit of, uh, motherhood, with Emanuel." "But, well, I'm seeing that that's not really in the cards for us." "Well, it's probably just her age." "She's quite a troubled young girl, and confused in some ways." "I just need you to know that." "I just don't want her misinterpreting your fondness for her." "I'm not really sure what you mean." "She has never had a mother." "And I think that that has created a longing in her, that's, um, not right." "You know, confused." "I think we were all a bit confused at that age." "I think it's important that you make it clear to Emanuel your interest in men." "You are interested in, uh, men, are you not?" "Claude works in a nursery." "I've seen you a lot in your yard." "Perhaps he could help you, uh, plant your flowers." "I would love that." "(KNOCKING ON DOOR)" "Come in." "Hi." "Hey." "Wow, I like your room." "It's so different from the rest of the house." "How?" "I don't know." "Just feels like you." "Is this your mother?" "What was her name?" "Ava." "You look a lot like her." "She's got an air of mystery and intrigue about her, like someone you've known for many years, but you never really knew them." "She certainly pulled that off." "She left nothing behind." "Not a trace." "She left you." "That's a pretty big trace." "(KNOCKING ON DOOR)" "Oh, there you are." "Well, uh, it's getting late." "I'm sure Claude needs to be getting home." "Well, I should probably be getting home too." "Thanks for coming and sitting through that." "I'm glad I came." "Really?" "Yeah." "I mean, everyone's family is a little odd." "If it's not, then it's not really a family." "So that uncomfortable, annoyed feeling I get whenever I walk in the house is just telling me I'm home." "(LAUGHS) Yeah, pretty much." "(SIGHS) I feel the same." "Same as?" "Before." "It's stupid, but somehow every year on my birthday" "I have this feeling that this year I'll feel different." "But it never happens." "Different how?" "I don't know." "Doesn't matter." "(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS FROM DISTANCE)" "LINDA:" "Okay. (LAUGHS) Well, of course." "Who's that?" "He's my friend from work." "He was babysitting." "I'm gonna be landscaping for her." "What?" "Yeah." "Your dad hooked it up." "You know, because I work at the nursery." "I mean, she may not hire me, but I think I could do a pretty good job." "Look, I don't necessarily want to see you all the time." "I mean, you've been in my house twice already." "What?" "I can't get on the train without you being there and now I can't even babysit without you being just outside the window?" "(SCOFFS) Well, if that's how you really feel, I'll make it easy for you." "You don't have to see me at all." "This one or this one?" "Either." "Yeah, I agree." "Uh, you're fine with me going out with Arthur, right?" "Yeah." "I just don't think he's boyfriend material for you." "Just dinner." "Probably end up just being friends." "I mean, it's all I can really handle right now anyway." "Would be kind of nice, though." "Can't be the three of us forever and ever. (LAUGHS)" "I think she's hungry." "She has really grown a lot over the last couple of weeks, don't you think?" "(DOORBELL RINGING)" "I can't believe I'm doing this." "I can tell him you don't feel well, or that Chloe's sick." "He would totally understand." "It's okay." "I'm gonna be home soon." "This is not going to be a late night." "How do I look?" "You look beautiful." "Okay, bye." "Bye." "I think she's starting to love me the way she loves you." "That's how it feels." "It's how I've always imagined it would feel." "(DOOR OPENS)" "(INDISTINCT CHATTERING FROM DISTANCE)" "Thank you." "LINDA:" "It's just the, the fermenting of a fruit." "Oh, there you are." "Chloe isn't still awake, is she?" "No, she's fast asleep." "Good." "Arthur wants to take a peek." "No." "I mean, I had a hard time putting her down." "What if she wakes up?" "Just gonna have to be very quiet." "Don't." "No, don't worry." "I'm doing okay." "I think you'd be really proud of me." "I like your make-up." "Please." "Please just stay downstairs." "Are you coming?" "(BREATHES HEAVILY)" "Oh." "She's so pretty." "Isn't she beautiful?" "Seems a little stiff." "ARTHUR: (ON MONITOR) Not blinking actually." "Like, not real." "Yeah, she is special." "(LAUGHS) I guess every mother thinks about their kid like that." "So want to go downstairs and have a drink?" "Yeah." "That's not the baby." "It's fake." "This is a doll." "Where's your actual baby?" "Linda?" "(NERVOUSLY) Where's my baby?" "Where's my baby?" "Okay, we're gonna find her." "(SOBBING) Where's Chloe?" "Don't." "I'm sure Emanuel put her down somewhere else." "Where is she?" "Hey, Emanuel?" "ARTHUR:" "Emanuel?" "(BREATHING HEAVILY) LINDA:" "Where is she?" "ARTHUR:" "We'll find her." "It's okay." "We'll find her." "LINDA:" "Where is she?" "(GULPING)" "Where's Chloe?" "Hey, Emanuel?" "Emanuel!" "LINDA:" "Emanuel?" "(SOBBING)" "LINDA:" "She said she was..." "ARTHUR:" "Emanuel!" "LINDA:" "She's supposed to be up here." "Where's Chloe?" "In her crib." "Where?" "(SOBBING) Right there." "It's a doll." "Where's Linda's baby?" "That's her, Arthur." "This isn't funny, Emanuel." "What do you know, Arthur?" "What the fuck do you know about anything?" "Emanuel, please." "(SOBBING) Emanuel, please." "Please, where is she?" "Look." "Answer me!" "(SHOUTING) Where is she?" "You answer me right now!" "What have you done with her?" "Give me my baby!" "Okay, okay." "Hey, hey!" "Hey!" "Give her to me!" "Give her to me!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "It's okay." "We'll find her." "Emanuel!" "Where is she?" "I'll call the police." "Hey!" "Give her to me!" "Where is she?" "ARTHUR:" "All right." "It's okay." "(SOBBING) Emanuel!" "It's okay." "(WAVES CRASHING) LINDA:" "Where is Chloe?" "(THUNDER ROARING)" "(SPUTTERING)" "(BABY COOING)" "(DENNIS' VOICE FROM DISTANCE) Emanuel." "Emanuel, can you hear me?" "Em?" "Can you hear me?" "Take it slow, now." "Okay." "Can you stay here with Linda?" "I need to go with Emanuel to the hospital." "Can you do that?" "She shouldn't be left alone." "We've located Linda's husband." "He's flying in." "But I still need you to answer some questions." "She's in no fit state to answer these questions." "I think it's time you told your father about the baby." "Emanuel, pumpkin?" "You have to answer the officer's questions." "She's gone back to the water." "She's with Mom." "I tried to stop her, but she got away." "They both swam away." "They left me." "DENNIS:" "All right, that's all for tonight." "DENNIS:" "I just wish you'd said something before this happened." "Why would I say anything that would get Linda pulled out of her perfect world and into this?" "What's so great about this?" "I don't want you to cut me out, Em." "This may not be the greatest world, I may not be the greatest, but this, it's what you've got." "We've all gotta work with what we've got." "We don't do that, we're lost." "It's a long way back." "(DOOR OPENS)" "What are you doing with that?" "Oh, um..." "You can't, uh, wash an item like this." "It has to be dry cleaned." "If you want to talk about any of this, now or whenever, I'm here." "I understand more than you think I do." "You know, about Linda?" "And what she's going through." "I can't have kids." "You know my first husband, he left me because of it." "And the grief that I felt..." "It almost put me over the edge." "Anyway, that's all." "Sorry about the other night." "THOMAS:" "Trying for a baby was my idea." "Uh, I actually thought it might fix things between us." "Five years and nearly" "$100,000 later, we finally had our baby." "By then our marriage was all but over." "And then, uh..." "Linda blamed herself." "She was the, uh, she was the one who found her." "Autopsy was inconclusive, so we'll never really know what happened." "My wife refused to go to the burial." "She just couldn't." "That's when the doll happened." "I tried to get her committed and she disappeared." "So that's when I went to the police station and filed a missing person's report." "What's her prognosis?" "Doctors seem less than optimistic." "I want to see her." "You don't want to see her." "Not, not like this." "Besides, it's not possible." "They're only allowing family." "You okay?" "Can you get me in to see Linda?" "Close the door." "(DOOR SHUTS)" "Em, this obsession with Linda has to stop." "She's not your mother." "She's nothing like your mother." "You hear me?" "That doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be saved." "I'm sure the doctors are doing everything they can to help her." "Like they did for Mom!" "Emanuel." "Her husband is gonna let her rot in there." "You don't know what's in people's hearts." "No!" "But I know what's in mine." "(DOOR SLAMS)" "(GLASS SHATTERS)" "Okay?" "Thank you for this." "(SIGHS)" "(SIGHS)" "Where's Chloe?" "I have her." "Is she okay?" "No?" "Did you hurt her?" "She was already hurt." "Well, I want to see her." "Where is she?" "What happened?" "What happened?" "The tide came up." "I was holding her hand and it took her away." "Why didn't you hold her closer?" "I just couldn't." "Tide was too strong." "It took us to where the water is the deepest darkest blue you've ever seen." "And we were happy, swimming amongst the fishes." "Then Chloe let go of my hand." "And I was scared." "But actually, for me, not for her." "She knew exactly what she was doing and where she was going." "I lost sight of her." "And then the fishes brought me back here." "Why?" "Why did they bring you back?" "For you." "This is the place." "(SOBBING)" "(SOBBING)" "I can't do this on my own." "I need your help." "Okay?" "That's good."