"A FAMILY SECRET" "hello." "hello, ladies." "glad to see you." "hello, happy New Year." "Are we too early?" "No, everything's ready." "please..." "hello." "Goodness... it looks like a garden!" "It's so beautiful!" "will you look at that!" "Farewell." "Your sisters-in-law..." "It's so nice." "They're lovely!" "Come here." "Come on." "How handsome he is!" "Nice work." "Dad wasn't the type to wear makeup." "So what?" "I don't want to be laid out looking sickly." "Something's not right." " Besides that he's dead?" "Mom, stop." "I know." "His part's on the wrong side." "I told them!" "Come on, Jeanne." "No one will see." "He was no model." "Give me your brush." "Not a chance!" "You're not using my new brush on him now!" "Why not?" " His hair's full of dandruff." "Jeez, Mom!" "Dandruff's just flakes of dead skin." "I bet you have dandruff." "I have less dead skin than him, and you can't use it." "My sympathies, Mrs MarteI." "Thanks, David." "And happy New Year!" "May it bring you success and love!" "Happy New Year to you." "Come see." "How does he look?" "I can't really say." "You're not looking." "Are you ok?" " I'm just a bit hot." "Nobody likes dying, but you have to live with it." "I know, you're right." "Death makes me want to talk about life." "Like, his brow..." "Don't worry, I won't tease you today." "See that little scar?" "Know what it is?" "Jeanne's birthmark." "What do you mean?" "You don't know about Jeanne's birth?" "Or why we call her St Jean Baptiste?" "Nope." "Hard for an anglo bloke to take." "I guess." "Jeanne was born the night of St Jean in 1968." "Ouch, that hurts!" "You said it." "Took me 1 0 years to get pregnant." "First the little scamp made us wait 1 0 years." "Then she took 24 hours to arrive." "24 hours of intense pain before the doctor decided on a caesarian." "The demonstration started at 8:1 5. it was calm at first." "A few hundred separatists shouted, "Trudeau, you sell-out!"" ""Trudeau the traitor!" "Quebec for Quebecers!" etc." "I hear screams, there are clashes all along Sherbrooke St." "Trudeau to the gallows!" "Christ, all hell's loose tonight!" "They're the radicals." "It's going to get worse." "While I was giving birth to Jeanne, in absolute agony," "Joe was out partying, playing at revolution." "Trudeau, go screw yourself!" "You're not wanted here!" "This is a holiday for French Canadians, not for AngIos!" "So of course he spent the night in the cooler." "Next morning my little sister Cécile went to pick him up." "Let's get you to hospital." "That's ok, it's just a scratch." "And your little girl?" "holy Christ!" "congratulations, Joe!" "A girl?" "A little girl?" "Can I take her?" "Wait, I've only held her a minute." "Come on!" "Here." "You know, for me it was a big event." "Three of my sisters already had kids." "Finally it was my turn." "You know how Mom exaggerates." "God strike me if I lie!" "I Iove to add color." "Like I said." "So, ladies, are you satisfied?" "Yes, very satisfied." "It's not cheap, but it's top quality." "There's just one thing..." "His hair's not right." " It isn't?" "Maybe it's not too late." "well, you see..." "Give me your comb." "On the right." "It looks so stiff." "Like you used a whole can of hairspray." "By the way, the caterer will come by later." "shall I show you the room?" "Yes!" "Are you ok?" "Yes, sure." "He and I will get along fine today." "Better late than never." "Hey, Joe!" "BIanche, mind your dress!" "I'm pretty, huh?" "It's like a wedding dress." "God, I'm sorry!" " Look what you did to my dress!" "You dummy!" "hello, CéciIe." "Auntie, how are you?" " I'm fine." "Lousy time to die, New Year's." "Poor uncle Joe." "Anyway, my sympathies, Auntie." "Thanks, Annie." "Just calm down." "Happy New Year!" "That's right." "Happy New Year, Auntie!" "So, I guess I'II go see uncle Joe." "What were you doing?" " Nothing." "You touched him." " I did not!" "What's in your purse?" " I was getting gum." "Do you have any gum?" "You can't chew gum in a funeral home!" "really!" "Your girl's all worked up, CéciIe." "She's been asking questions non-stop." "Why Jeanne, it's been ages!" "Hi, Annie." "The last time we met was in summer at your boutique." "I Iove your outfit." "Is it from your new line?" "Yes, my latest funeral collection." "What a dummy!" "Forgive me, Jeanne." "I'm so wired." "Look, my condolences." "Thanks, Annie." "But don't worry, I'm ok." "You're very sweet." "I visited him in hospital." "But you hadn't seen him in years." "No, but when I heard he was..." "well..." "That he was..." "Dying." "That he wasn't well," "I wanted to." "He didn't tell me." "He was sleeping, I didn't wake him." "Sorry." " No, that's ok." "Let me introduce you to my cousin Annie." "My boyfriend." "delighted." "Me too." "I guess I should be going." "You must have stuff to discuss, and I must have stuff to do." "See you." "welcome to the family." "Are you coping?" "Sure, I'm fine." "You must find him changed." "I hardly recognize him, he looks so old." "He has barely any hair, and he's so thin." "He's unrecognizable." "When you knew him he was much peppier." "For sure." "Goodness!" " What's wrong?" "I forgot to cancel my turkey!" "Isn't that just like me?" "I have to go call." "hello, BIanche." "Remember me?" "Goodness, Bertrand, it's been a while." "It's been ages, huh, BIanche?" "Funny, I was just thinking of you." "Fond memories I hope." "Very fond memories." "You'II buy me a new dress, you hear?" "He was my closest friend." "I know." "You haven't changed, I see." "Damn drink!" "You and your bottle." "Your fault Joe drank." "You planning to get him plastered one last time?" "I'll wait for you" "Day and night I'll wait for you to come back to me." "A currant?" "Give me your hand." "With pleasure." "What are you doing?" "Reading your future." "It must be dark, with my dirty paws." "Quite a nice life line." "Do you see yourself there, Miss?" "I had a quick smoke to calm down." "You seem anxious." " She's always stressed." "What a pain!" "You sure aren't stressed, Simon." "I started doing Tai Chi." "Have you heard of Tai Chi?" "Right." "It's so relaxing." "Seems to work for you." "I guess." "I'm with my uncle." "No, I can't." "He's dead." "Sorry." "He's got no class." "How's your dad's health, Annie?" "He's certainly in better shape than him." "But I haven't seen him in ages." "He and I, you know..." ""The girl found in a dump."" "The girl found in a dump?" "Sorry." "What lovely flowers!" "GiIIes and Pierrette." "Don't know them." "They're pretty." "hello, Miss." "Room A..." "hello." "An angel..." "hello, Aunt RoIande." "hello." "I almost didn't make it, you know." "I took a taxi, but forgot the address." "We could've brought you." "Don't be silly." "Remind me, who died?" "It was Joe." " Joe?" "My father, Joe." "BIanche's husband." "Right, Joe." "Of course." "I hadn't seen him in so long, I thought he was dead." "I hope he'II forgive me." "My boyfriend David, my aunt." " hello." "RoIande, Mom's sister." "My pleasure." "Me too." "Oh, we have to wish happy New Year." "We can't forget - it's New Year's." "We'II wish each other good health." "So we're not back here too soon." "CéciIe!" "BIanche!" "Merry Christmas!" " Thanks." "Happy New Year!" "My sympathies, CéciIe." "Here..." "Who is it who died again?" "Now I recognize him." "He was a handsome man." "He hasn't changed." "It brings back lots of memories." "You forgot him?" "completely." "But Dad," "Joe's the best pool player in Quebec." "He could play in the States." "He'd be rich." "You need a real trade to start a family." "pool's not a trade." "No trade, no wedding." "Now I remember!" "He was your pool player!" "He won again!" "Again?" " He always wins!" "You finally came." "It reeks of tobacco and sweat." "This isn't Sunday school, Germaine." "Have some fun!" "Babe, tonight we go to a hotel." "I'm sure your sisters don't mind." "So, girls, did you enjoy the game?" "My dear, you are a veritable virtuoso with your pool cue." "congratulations." "really!" "A virtuoso with my cue." "FIeurette and her flowery speech!" "You, RoIande?" "Fantastic." "You played wonderfully." "I was so impressed." "Germaine?" "I don't know much about pool." "You just hit the ball into the hole." "What's there to know?" "Dad's right, it's not a real trade." "He was quite a guy, your Joe." "You know, maybe we should pray for the peace of his soul..." "He could use it." "Jeanne doesn't care much for praying." "And I already prayed." "I'm not the weeping widow type." "In your case widow's stretching it." "Why?" "I'm a real widow." "Isn't he dead enough for you?" "You'd been separated 20 years." "Right." "But not divorced." "I'm a widow." " Get out your hankies!" "It's you who'II need a hanky!" "No fights in front of the deceased." "Mom and Dad did nothing else." "In the name of the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit..." "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, ...our trespasses, as we forgive those... against us." "Let us not..." "Lead us not..." "That's it... into temptation, and protect us from evil." "Amen." "Sorry about before." "You must think I'm crazy." "I know I Iook ridiculous." "I'm at my wits' end." "Know when my birthday is?" "I was born in july, 197 1 ." "Know what that means?" "I'II tell you what it means!" "I was conceived in October 1970." "October 1970!" "The Crisis!" "exactly, the October Crisis!" "Some crisis, too!" "Mom had just married my supposed father." "But she had a secret lover!" "...Quebec Liberation Front." "Manifesto..." "My real father is him!" "Don't get up." " Hi." "Poor guy..." "I'm telling him all my loony ideas." "I heard you." "I'm trying not to obsess about it." "You have a ways to go." "Think it's time for a smoke." "Jeanne, my sympathies." "Donna..." "Thank you." "It's been a while." " It sure has." "You look great." "Pretty good." "I don't have a boyfriend, unlike you." "I'm Donna, Jeanne's cousin." "And I guess you must be David." "Yes, it's a pleasure." "Donna babysat for me and my cousins." "Your mother..." "How is she?" "Not taking it too hard?" "No, she's ok." "You know, Dad and her..." "Of course." "But still..." "When I think of them," "I have such happy memories." "Auntie, will you sew me a dress like that one day?" "But Roger, this is my wedding dress." "I'II sew you a suit for your wedding." "My parents will be home soon." "They've agreed." "Come on, we have time." "Oh, Mom!" " Are you alright?" "What?" "Sure, Mom and Aunt Germaine arrived." "It's a real blizzard out there." "My sympathies." " Thanks." "My sympathy." "My friend David." "My aunt FIeurette." "hello." "Aunt Germaine." "hello." " hello." "FIeurette!" " Germaine." "Germaine, Iike I said." "hello, RoIande." " Hi, FIeurette." "My sympathies." "Thanks." "Happy New Year." "My condolences." "Life is so impermanent." "It all comes to an end one day." "We're all together." "Let's not look so mournful!" "How are you, my dear?" "I'm alright." "Up and down." "It's hard losing someone you love." "He's not gone, you know." "He'II always be with you." "You'II always have your fond memories." "That's true, Auntie." "Except my memories aren't only fond." "Dad and Mom fought so much." "Sometimes that's all I remember." "That's what you experienced at home." "But don't forget, your dad and your mom truly loved each other." "Very much." "That's for sure." "Goodness, how they loved to smooch!" "Mom kept telling Blanche to go to confession." "When your parents got married, they couldn't afford to pay rent, so they moved in with Mom and Dad." "Christ!" "Hard to imagine, it's so different from what I knew." "What can I say?" "Life's not Iike in fairy tales." "I know, Auntie." "I Iearned that long ago." "I'II go chat with my sisters." "Are you ok, my dear?" " Yes, thanks." "What do you want?" " A cocomber." "Cucumber, darling." "Cucumber." "Turn off the game, we're eating." "Try, Jeanne." "Cucumber." " Cucumber." "You speak worse than she does, shit!" "You have to enunciate." "You should know, you're the great teacher." "Professor Joe!" "Don't fight." "You're the only one with brains around here!" "We're all dummies." "You're all martyrs in your family!" "You have a persecution complex." "How dare a shit like you mention my family?" "I'II show you how to enunciate." "Kiss my roy-aI fan-ny!" "Shut up!" " Come any closer," "I'II kill you!" "Fuck, you aren't joking!" "You're such a bastard!" "I'II kill you!" "I'II kill you!" "You goddamned bastard!" "You don't scare me!" "You don't scare me!" "Are you ok, sweetie?" "I'II be fine, Mom." "Don't worry." "It's hard, isn't it?" "It's not easy." "Good night, dear." "Good night, Mom." "Good night." "Good night." "Daddy?" "Yes." "Does it hurt?" "No." " Good." "Mom's right, you have a hard head." "Yeah, Mom's right." "Good night." "Good night." "He had the loveliest voice." "Nobody else could match it." "That's for sure." "Mom and I saw him when he performed here." "Shit, it was packed." "Mom said you had a nice voice too." "Did you ever want to be a singer?" "Your mom was biased." "No, it's true." "I've heard you sing myself." "Sing with him." "Come off it." "Go on!" "Sadly, with a heavy heart" "And yet I will await your return..." "It smells good!" "RoIande?" "No thanks, donald dear." "I don't drink." "David." " Who's he?" "That's my name." "I'm David." "I'm RoIande." "delighted." "Cremated?" "No way!" "You try to convince him." "He always ignored me." "Now he can't interrupt." "I'm not getting cremated." "I've already chosen my plot." "We can't wait to see it!" "If you're cremated the worms won't eat you." "And being burned is better?" "I hear cremation is bad for your soul." "Rubbish." "The soul leaves the body." "The body can burn, dry up, rot, be eaten by worms..." "No matter." "Great conversation for New Year's Eve." "We shouldn't laugh." "If you're scared we'II wake him, we'II close the lid." "I'II go say my hello's." "Ironic that it's New Year's." "He always worked over the holidays to avoid the family." "What a Iout!" "That's unfair." "Joe wasn't so bad." "He drank, lacked ambition, swore all the time." "always badmouthing people, Germaine." "It's true." "He had roaming hands." "Look what he did to blanche." "Smoking is prohibited." "It's bad for my flowers." "Four aces!" "You witch!" "That's what you were hiding." "Good bluff." "I had a handful of kings!" "Too bad." "CéciIe, why don't you come play?" "I'm watching the game." "Since when does she like hockey?" "Acey, deucey, one-eyed jack, two penny ante." "Ok." "I'm going to watch the game." "Two cents." "What was that?" "I tickled her." "Ok, who's winning?" "Did you take my pennies?" "What did you see?" "Nothing." "What do you think I saw?" "Those stories about him and CéciIe, time to bury them." "CéciIe meant no harm." "She was just a kid." "A lying idiot, you mean." "If you'd gone through the same as a child..." "Don't give me that crap about her heart murmur!" "She's strong as an ox, has five kids," "lovers galore..." "She'II outlive us all!" "Maybe, but as a girl she expected to die any moment." "That's why she was so deviI-may-care." "That's all I'm saying." "I agree with FIeurette, as usual." "Germaine, if you'd been in her shoes, you'd be marching to a different beat." "That's..." "I found it in a bouquet." "Care for a nip?" " How can I refuse?" "Don't I know you?" "You don't remember?" "help me out." "Roger." "Roger?" "little Roger." "I don't believe it!" "Roger!" "You've changed." "I know." "We're not getting any younger." "Smoking on the sly?" "I can't hide anything." "I wouldn't say that." "Stop all this insinuation!" "I'm tired of your questions and taII tales." "This isn't the time." "It never is." "When's the right time, Mom?" "I don't know, but it feels urgent." "Why?" "My uncle Joe." " What?" "I know." " Nothing happened." "Not according to Germaine and blanche." "finally!" "You made it!" "Come in, Germaine!" "Hi." "How are you?" " I'm fine." "Hi, Annie." " hello, Auntie." "And your mom?" "She's working, but I wanted to come." "Good idea." "Jeanne's in back." "Are you thirsty?" " Sure am." "Have a seat." "Why doesn't CéciIe have the day off?" "I don't know." "At least she has a job." "I'm not complaining." "As long as she earns a living and stops asking us for help..." "well, she's all on her own, and she doesn't make much." "You've been on your own since your separation." "In two years you never asked for a cent." "CéciIe does her best." "You still take her side, even after what happened." "You forgave her!" "You know very well why I forgave her." "She and I don't discuss it." "It's over." "Let me tell you, if it had been my husband, I guarantee..." "That's enough." "I don't want to discuss it." "Damn Germaine!" "always stirring up trouble." "And will you stop your questions and accusations?" "I just want the truth." "Maurice is your father." "will you get that in your head once and for all?" "will you get that in your head once and for all?" "Don't move, Jeanne." "I Iike your hair." "You should've seen Maurice's face!" "Yeah, my dad would've flipped too." "He's not my dad." "Excuse me?" "What do you mean?" "He says I was found in a dump." "C'mon, Annie." "Your dad's only joking." "Oh yeah?" "Think I found it funny?" "That means your mom had a lover." "exactly." "And one day I'II find out who." "You're really serious." "It's normal to ask these questions." "Isn't it?" "My legs!" "That's it, take a load off." "You're too fat to stand so long." "I'II "too fat" you!" "It's all about gravity." "I don't see many familiar faces." "Of course, there's Joe's relatives, workmates..." "Joe's?" " Yes, Joe's." "They're here to see him." "That's right, I forgot!" "Joe!" "There's something I have to tell you." "I wasn't sure, but..." "I think it's better you know." "This should be good." "You know, Joe..." " Yeah?" "He left the cottage Saturday?" "Yes." "Do you know what he did in montreal?" "Of course I do." "He went looking for a job." "Yeah." "But that's not all." "And he wasn't alone, either." "What are you insinuating?" "Your Joe took CéciIe out dancing." "They spent all evening together." "You better keep an eye on your Joe." "And on CéciIe." "Because if you ask me, they're up to no good, those two." "That's over and done with, CéciIe." "Look around you." "Joe's dead." "We're in a funeral parlor." "How'd he die?" "Sudden death." "Took 3 days." "well, so much for him." "Forget what I said." "Sure, RoIande..." "That's ancient history." "Ancient history." "Nice catch!" "Not bad." "We'II feast tonight." "Good tan." "You look great." "This is paradise." "I wish I couId stay with you." "Why not?" "You're on vacation." "Want me to do your back?" "God, your skin is so soft." "Jesus!" "What the fuck are you doing?" "Everyone warned me, and now I know it's true, you bastard." "You're imagining it!" "I was just oiIing her back." "You're getting upset for nothing." "Wait, hold on a sec." "She's a bit upset, but she'II calm down." "I'II comfort her, she'II be fine." "holy Christ, what are you doing?" "You'II drive to montreal and find a real job." "I don't want you around here right now." "Come on, BIanche." "Can we talk?" "Nothing happened, I swear!" "BIanche..." "Maybe this isn't a good time." "I wanted to pick up the jacket I Ieft at the party." "No, Robert." "It's a perfect time." "Your cousin CéciIe needs a lift into town." "Her vacation's over." "Annie, I want to speak to you." "Come with me." "Come on." "Jeanne, what's going on?" "Hand me your purse." "Why?" " I want to look." "Why?" " Annie, please." "I wanted a memento." " A memento?" "For a paternity test?" "Yes." "You imagined your dad was the Pope, elvis," "Santa claus, the beatles..." "Why not Joe?" "It's hard, telling your cousin, "Your dad slept with my mom."" "Without any proof." "I know lots." "Like what?" "You've asked yourself questions too, right?" "Your dad, your mom..." "This is about you." "I put myself in your shoes..." "We're in the same shoes." "No.Your stories are getting to me." "Look, I know you've wondered too." "I know it's normal." "Course it is." "You're an only child, and all only children wonder." "But the years don't match." "I've done the math, it doesn't match!" "What math?" "I did the math." "Don't laugh." "I doubIe-checked." "I listen." "And analyze." "Boy, do I analyze!" "It doesn't fit!" "What are you saying?" "I think you're my sister." "Not just haIf-sister." "... modern-day Robin Hoods, a group of Quebec workers determined to do everything..." "We have the same father." "And the same mother." "When I was 13, Gran said something strange about Mom." "You shouldn't walk too much when you have your period." "It's not good for your organs." "That's how your Aunt blanche got sick and needed to have a hysterectomy." "Poor girl, on her 21st birthday!" "What's a hysterectomy?" "They take out everything." "You can't have children anymore." "alright, time to go to sleep." "Good night, Grandma." "I didn't dare tell you." "For years I had my suspicions, but no proof." "It's funny, you know." "I was raised by my real mom and pretend dad." "And you were raised by your real dad but not your real mom." "So in a way, you're from the dump, too." "You're crazy." " No!" "Enough of this crap." "My mom's my mom." "My dad's my dad." "Your mom's your mom." "As for your dad, we'II never know." "Not so fast!" "I'm not bilingual like you." "Speak slowly." "Gracious!" "You don't look well, dear." "Want to sit down?" "Yes." "Come, have a seat." "You ok?" "I told you 1000 times, Jeanne." "I know, but it's hard to imagine." "It took months to realize you were pregnant?" "We'd tried so hard to have a baby." "But it never worked." "The doctor thought I was sterile." "Even I believed it." "Didn't you notice your tummy was growing?" "I was already overweight." "What can I tell you?" "I didn't believe it, so I never got tested." "Why do you keep asking me?" "Worried you were adopted?" "Be serious!" "You look just like Grandma Marguerite." "How could you look like her if you weren't my daughter?" "I always looked like Grandma." "How could I suspect?" "You were... a good friend of Dad's." "That's right." "Were you with him that St Jean?" "In 1968?" "I sure was." "We were together that night." "I remember like it was yesterday." "C'mon, Joe." "Let's get you to hospital." "Nah, it's just a scratch." "And your little girl?" "holy Christ!" "congratulations, Joe!" "It's a girl?" "A little girl?" "That's not what I was told." "I have to go." "You're gone, Dad." "I remember being told that your hearing goes last." "So maybe you can hear me." "Bon voyage, Dad." "Journey in peace." "I Iove you." "I never told you because... because that's not how it was between us." "But I hope you can hear, it's not too late." "I Iove you." "And I'm so glad I'm your daughter." "What?" "You know Joanne, who was adopted?" "She's trying to find her real mom." "What do you mean?" "Her real mom's the one who raised her." "Sure but... she has a right to know who gave birth to her." "Think how that'II hurt the one who's cared for her." "Why react like that?" "Because it's unfair." "You know I Iike fairness, and that isn't." "Here." "shuffle and make a wish..." "Mom, we have to talk." "Later, we have to look after our guests." "This isn't a New Year's party." "I need to ask." "Mom?" "What do you want to ask me?" "If you have something to tell me, now's a good time." "I don't know what you mean." "If you have a secret," "I'd prefer you tell me before the others do." "Mom?" "You know." "No, I don't know." "I know nothing because you're telling me nothing." "talk to me, Mom." "Mom, is it true I'm not your daughter, I'm CéciIe's?" "Yeah, so what?" "Father!" "Thanks for coming." "Happy New Year!" "Thank you, madame." "We'II pray for Joe." "Come with me, CéciIe." "Jeanne, Iet's pray for your father." "I'm Annie, not Jeanne." "No difference." "Come, Iet's pray." "In the name of the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit..." "What is it, Jeanne?" "We should pray." "It seems blanche isn't my mom." "My God." "You slept with Joe." "I'm your girl." "You're wrong." "It's true I'm your mom, but I never slept with your dad." "If I'm your daughter, you must have slept with Joe, no?" "Great start to the year!" "So then who's my father, CéciIe?" "Isn't it time I met him?" "You can't." "He's dead." "Perfect, two for the price of one." "Great." "Who is he?" "You met your father, Jeanne." "It was Robert, my cousin." "The love of my life." "When Mom saw we were in love, she forbade me to see him alone." "But we kept meeting in secret." "In 1967, we spent the whole summer together." "That fall," "I got pregnant." "Mind if I smoke?" "I don't think you're allowed to." "Thanks." "Then, who's Annie's dad?" "Annie's also Robert's daughter." "I'd gotten married, so had he." "But in 1970 we had another fling." "...a group of Quebec workers determined to do everything they can so that Quebecers..." "And Annie was born." "Poor Annie." "Did Robert have kids with his wife?" "Five." " Five?" "You had four." "With me that makes ten!" "What happened to Robert?" " well, he was a Don Juan." "Even married, he fooled around." "One day, his wife's brothers taught him a lesson." "They beat him to death." "He died?" "No, he was still alive." "What a way to go!" "He was dazed, I suppose, but not dead." "I don't believe it." "Annie..." "You have to tell her." "Yes, I know." "I guess I'II have to now." "Too bad, but that's how it is." "It'II save her a DNA test." "But I don't want to tell her now, not just yet." "Now's not the time." "More secrets!" "Lying, pretending..." "You're a bunch of liars!" "We do our best, Jeanne." "You weren't unhappy..." "Raised like a princess." "I wouldn't complain if I were you." "If you were me?" "No one can speak for me." "I was an only child." "Now I have a sister and nine haIf-sibIings." "My dad lying in the casket isn't my dad." "Mom's not my mom, she's my aunt." "My dad's her cousin." "He died in his underwear, run over by a taxi." "What a bunch of weirdos!" "Jeanne!" "Did you hear about CéciIe?" "I'm not interested." "well I think you should know." "Jeez, FIeurette!" "Stop trying to patch things between me and CéciIe." "We haven't spoken in two years, so lay off!" "She's pregnant." "Who did it?" "Our cousin Robert, of course." "She's five months." "well it was bound to happen." "The poor kid doesn't have a penny." "She's freaking out." "The poor kid!" "The poor kid!" "Poor CéciIe, I feel so sorry for her!" "She'II put it up for adoption." "Joe?" "Are you sleeping?" "Yeah." "I have to talk to you." "That's what you're doing." "It makes no sense for the baby to be adopted by strangers." "It's not right." "No, it's not right." "I had an idea." "I figured as much." "What do you think?" "I won't do it if you disagree." "Yeah." "Ok." "Like some coffee?" " Sure." "Have a seat." "I hadn't seen your new place." "It's no palace." "So, how are things?" "Things are ok." "I'm looking for work." "Not easy, huh?" "I was working at MacdonaId's Tobacco." "But the smell made me ill." "I couldn't stay." "Of course not." "In your condition." "Yeah." "So I hear, everything's arranged." "Pretty much, yeah." "well, I have an idea for you." "Here." "Thanks." "So..." "What do you think?" "well," "I want it to stay a secret, ok?" "Why a secret?" "I feel plenty guilty as it is." "I don't want him to think I abandoned him." "We don't have to tell him." "Let's go downstairs." "The buffet's served." "Coming?" " Not just yet." "Here, Jeanne." " Thanks, Auntie." "There you are!" "donald, how are you?" "David." "David, I know you." "You never told me what it is you do." "I'm a family therapist." "A family therapist?" " Yes." "What's that good for, tell me?" "Aren't they coming?" "Let them be." "Come on." "When I married Joe in '56," "I'd already had my hysterectomy." "You said the scar was from the caesarean they did, finally, after 24 hours of labor." "You stared at me, wide-eyed." "And for me it became true." "I'd given birth to you by caesarian." "You were mine." "For years I watched my sisters give birth to an army of kids." "And me." "I watched the train go by." "until I heard CéciIe was going to put her baby up for adoption." "Just imagine!" "Being raised by AngIos in Westmount!" "It was inconceivable." "CéciIe and I weren't speaking." "Because of her and Dad?" "How do you know about that?" "She denies it." "She always was a liar." "Anyway, now it's of no importance." "Your dad went along wholeheartedly." "He always, always treated you as if you were his own." "I know, Mom." "I know." "Good, because it's true." "You must've loved each other a little bit, to do that, to take me in with you?" "You must've been in love, no?" "I should've told you before." "But what would it have changed?" "After we decided you were our girl, you were our girl." "The rest didn't matter." "Love is love." "When I held you close in my arms, there were no questions," "and no complications." "You were my little treasure, my gift from heaven," "my very own little girl." "I should've told you." "No, that's alright." "It's alright, Mom." "Don't cry." "please don't." "I Iove you so much, Mom." "Nothing else matters." "I don't want you to be sad." "Coming?" "You go ahead." " Ok." "Thanks, Dad." "I'm really glad to be your daughter." "Come, they're waiting." "For my mother" "Joe, we were expecting you!" "Madame MarteI!" "Hi, Joe." " hello, sir." "Christ." "Bertrand!" "What happened?" "As I was leaving the funeral parlor," "I was hit by a bus." "It hurts!" "You son-of-a-gun!" "well, happy New Year." "Happy New Year, Christ!" "translation:" "Robert Gray, Kinograph" "SubtitIing:" "CNST, montreal"