"Earphones?" " Are you alone?" " My mom's in the washroom." "Can I have a pair for her?" " Earphones?" " Yes, please." "Earphones?" "Ladies and gentlemen, next station:" "Barcelona Sants." "Renfe thanks you for using our services and hopes to see you on board again soon." "Please do not forget any personal items." "Have the flowers arrived?" "Leyre, I told you to call first thing." "Tell the sommelier to move his ass or I won't call him for the next wedding." "I'll leave the papers for the bank." "Really!" "I can't be away for even one morning." "Have they arrived?" "Why haven't you called?" "Hang up and call right now." "I don't want to buy anything or donate anything." "Does Félix Ambrós live here?" " There's no one here with that name." " It says here that there is." " Why are you looking for him?" " I want to see him." " Yes, but why?" " Does he live here or not?" "First tell me why you want to see him." "He's my father." "Then you've got the wrong Ambrós." "I seem to remember that the Ambrós who lived here is very young and white." "Hey!" "That's my letter!" "Give it back!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "This is, my son." "M0TH3R" "May I continue?" "Thank you." "Chino, your cell." "Thank you." "The idea is that the volunteers talk about their lives." " What for?" " To record them." "One of the project's aims is historical." "They're creating an archive." "In the future, when people want to know..." "What do I get out of it if a moron studies me in 100 years?" " Who'd study you, bighead?" " This smells of cops." "Yeah, have they got anything to do with it?" " No, they haven't." " Swear by all you hold sacred." "They want to keep an eye on us." "I haven't sold grass for at least two hours." "You're like a crowd of five-year-olds." "It's an OK project, really." "It's a way to change the image shown of you on the TV, in the papers, in the media..." "I'd like to be Public Enemy No. 1." "I want you to have the chance to show what you're really like, how you live..." "Yeah, and then we all end up in the slammer." "It's dangerous." "If I bring a camera into the house my dad will string me up!" "And then he'll sell the camera to fix your face." " Do we get paid?" " What?" " Do we get paid?" " This isn't Hollywood." " It's a project by the Ministry." " Only Nutter gets paid." "Idiot!" "All Nutter needs is a bit of love." " I love you too, guys." " Who'll put it together?" "You think you're Almodóvar?" " They can do what they want with it." " Why not give us the cameras?" " 'Cos they want them back!" " Right!" "Don't say I didn't try." "Screw the project." "No, come on!" "I'll still get my millionaire salary and we'll go back to..." "Hey, how do I know what they'll do with what I do?" "I have to explain everything." "They'll wipe their asses." "What do you think they'll do?" "They can show us any fucking way they want." "I don't like to look scary but I don't want to look pathetic." "He's right." " Here." " What the fuck do I do with this?" "I don't know." "Treat it like a girlfriend." "I'll go screw it." "A threesome!" "Do whatever you want." "That way, you'll understand it." "Surprise us!" "Knock everyone on when they see it." "You're not the worst guys, and you're not pathetic." "Surprise us, Chino, with something no one expects from you." "Hi, this is Felix." "Leave a message and I'll call you back." " Was it your idea to run away?" " Yes." " Your mother didn't send you?" " No." "So she knows nothing about this?" "No." " May I?" " Yes." "Would you like something to eat?" "Call your mother." "When she finds out you've gone she'll get an awful fright." "Is that what you want, to frighten her?" "I just want to meet my father." "Isma, what's wrong?" "Hello, I'm Nora Salmerón, Félix Ambrós's mother." "I'm calling from Barcelona." "Ismael is with me." "Félix's mother?" "What are you doing with my son?" "Excuse me, I'm not doing anything." "He came on his own." "He had this address but Félix hasn't lived here for years." "I want to speak to my son." "She's very angry, very sad and very worried, so take a deep breath and speak very calmly." "Love, what are you doing there?" " I want to meet my father." " You don't know what you're saying." " Yes, I do know." " You can't go off on your own." "Anything could have happened to you." " You should have done it with me." " I asked you a thousand times" " but you never listened." " Isma, this isn't the way." "You're in Barcelona with a stranger." "She isn't a stranger." "She's my grandmother." "What matters now is that my son, a minor, is400 miles from my house and against my wishes." "He came by himself." "What should I do?" "Put him out on the street?" "I want him back here as soon as possible." "Well," "I can put him on a train in a few hours." "Will we risk that he'll run away again?" "I don't want to go home." " What do you want me to do?" " Take me to see him." "I know I'm going to regret this, but I think it's best if I take him" " to meet Félix." " What are you saying?" "The boy ran away." "This obviously means a lot to him." "If he goes home without seeing Félix, how long will it be before he tries again?" " Does Félix live on his own?" " Yes." "Well, I think so." "Don't you know?" " Has he got children?" " No." "Well, I don't think so." "We don't see each other much." "We both work a lot." "What does he do?" "Why not ask him all those questions when you see him?" "What if he doesn't want to see me?" "How could he not want to see you?" "Wait here, OK?" " Those table centers are horrible." " They're ten euros cheaper." " 120 of them, do the math." " Really tacky." " Will we take them off?" " No, not now." "Let's see in here." "Good." "Good." "Good." "Good." "And the puff pastries?" "You'd no time?" " How long has he been here?" " I told him not to make them." "It would take too long." "We didn't hire an assistant and..." "Look, we're gambling our survival." "Where are the chair covers?" " They're on their way." " The wedding's today, not tomorrow!" " We're not used to weddings." " The covers are here." "Great." "Get moving." "I'm going to kill the sommelier." "Well, they arrived in time." "Hey, you!" "What are you doing?" "Who let him in?" " If Nora sees him, she'll kill us." " Leyre..." " What's this wine?" " The washroom is for customers." "This isn't the wine I ordered." "We're throwing him out." "Wait in the car." "You'll have to take charge for the next four hours." " I have to take charge?" " Yes, I've something important to do." " What about the wedding?" " I'll be here before the meal starts." "No, you can't go!" "I can't cope with all this..." "You can cope perfectly." "Four hours, probably less." " The contract depends on this..." " Four!" "FELIXAMBROSE BIOGRAPHYAND LIFE HISTORY" "SAVES WOMAN'S LIFE IN ACCIDENT..." "What happened?" "Why did Ismael run away?" "Did you have a row?" "No." "Hurry up and we'll get there early." "I can go on my own." "Take me to Barajas and..." "And what?" "You get to Barcelona, hire a car, drive to God knows where..." "I'll go with you, we can manage better together." "It's all arranged." "Berta will see my patients, we've cancelled your appointments." "Thank you." "I wonder how he found him." "He's not the only Félix in Barcelona." "Félix." " What is it?" " I'd forgotten that was his name." "How do you get on with your mother?" "Fine, I think." "Normal." "And what does "normal" mean?" "She scolds me when I'm bad and she's happy when I get good grades." "It's him." "Mom, I hope it's an emergency." "I don't want to spend the recess..." "Do you know the name Alika Tchou?" "What do you know about Alika?" "Well," "I've got a little boy called Ismael who says he's the son of you and Alika Tchou." " Do you think that's true?" " She called him Ismael?" "So it's true." " And her?" " Who?" "Who do you think?" "Alika!" "Is she with you?" "Nutter, I've got something to tell you." "No, but the boy and I are on our way to you now." " What do you mean?" " We're on our way to you." " You feeling rough?" " No, I'm fine, go away." " I wanted..." " Get out!" "What did he say?" " Does he want to see me?" " Of course he does!" "Why wouldn't he?" "You look very pretty." "He made that trip on his own and he's so young..." "He's not that young." "Isn't he young to take a train on his own?" " Well, he did it." " Are you justifying it?" "He just wants to meet his father." "You're his father." "I'm trying to understand it." "I know." "It'll be all right, you'll see." "Ismael adores you." "I was coming out of my house..." "Hey, you brute, stop thumping the machine!" "It swallowed my euro!" "If I got a euro every time I heard that..." "Get out of here." "I want my juice, or my money!" "So, I was coming out of my house the other day..." "I want my juice, or my money." "Don't you understand, kid?" "Get out, don't be such a pain." "Are you deaf?" "The boy said he wants his money or his juice." "Hey, these women have monkeys now instead of poodles." "I bet you wish you'd a monkey's intelligence." "What an idiot." "Come on." "It was a miracle he survived." "The worst thing is I didn't want to buy him the damn bike." "The doctors said he'd be fine if he looked after himself, but... he didn't." "You know the first thing he did?" "He gave up architecture even though he was doing well." "Then he went traveling and when he came back he wanted to sell the apartment his father had left him because he'd seen a magnificent house." "Of course, I said absolutely not, the apartment belonged to the family." "But he insisted so much that in the end I bought the apartment and moved there because my house was too big for just me." "And then he comes and says he wants to go into education." "Be a teacher." "A good way to ruin his life." " Why do you keep taking photos?" " When I'm grown up," "I want to remember everything that happens today." "Today is my day." "You came out very pretty." "Take my bag, please, and look in a black diary for Félix's address." "Have you never been to his house?" "Every time I threaten to visit he makes an excuse." "He's got a lot of work, he's going to Barcelona soon..." "Passeig de Pau Casals, number8." "We're in Passeig de Pau Casals, but I don't see number8." " There!" " Where?" "You're right!" "Excuse me, is this 8, Passeig de Pau Casals?" "Yes, but we're closed." "Does live here?" "I'm his mother, Nora Salmerón." " Salmerón?" " Yes, Salmerón." "That's what his I.D. Says." "I'm Ismael González, son." "His son?" "A pleasure." "I'm Jordi." "This was the address I had." "Do you live with him?" "No." "He gives this address to get his mail." "Driving to his house is complicated but it's just along the beach." "I can take you there." " Nutter, I have to talk to you." " I've got no time today, Chino." " We'll talk tomorrow." " It's urgent." " The cops are after Bonobo." " Again?" "They've got it in for him." "But this time he's innocent, I swear." "He hasn't dealt in ages." "You have to tell them" " to leave him alone." " Yeah, and they'll listen to me." "You can convince them with those smart things you say." "Give me a break, Chino." "I can't today." "Tell Bonobo to lie low till tomorrow." "You tell him, you're the only one he listens to." "If he listened to me, he wouldn't always be in trouble." "They're out to get him." "Fuck..." "He's to hide today and tomorrow we'll see what we can do." "I can't do it today, really." "I've got a life too." " Is anything wrong?" " No, nothing." "You looked rough in the washroom." "Even if nothing's wrong, you know..." "Yes, I know." "I know." "Hey, what would you get fora kid who's... eight years old." "Ismael, you'll get wet!" "Let him enjoy it." "He's thrilled with the sea." " Have you known Félix for long?" " Yes, it's been a few years now." "When he decided to settle here I was delighted." "There aren't many good conversationalists, and he's a great listener too." "Are you sure we're talking about my son?" "Does my son live there?" "In a cave?" "Come on." "I'll check the fridge." "This kid must be hungry." "Calm down." "It's all right, you know that." "Look in my eyes." "Look in my eyes." "Look in my eyes." "Ismael, look in my eyes." "Look in my eyes." "Ismael, the problem isn't in your lungs." "It's in your head, it's playing tricks on you." "Look, you don't need this." "Look in my eyes." "Look in my eyes." "Look at me." "Look at me." "Forget about the air in your chest." "Think of something nice." "Something you really like." "A song?" "A film?" "Look at me, love." "A girl?" "Is there a girl at school that you like?" "Yes!" "We got that right." "Very good." "Now, think about her, and all you'll have to tell her when you see her." "That's it." "Good." "Good." "All right." "Come on, love." "You're going to sit here." "Sit down." "I'll be right back." "I'll make him an infusion." "Or whatever I find." "How did you calm him down?" "Félix had the same thing." "The Ambróss' defective genes." "You're good with kids." "He was hypnotized." "Am I like he says I am?" "I don't know what you mean." "My son must have said something about me." "He never talked about me?" "Mom?" "Ismael?" "I'm Félix." ""Sapere... aude."" "It's Latin." " And what does it mean?" " "Dare to know"." "You don't look after yourself." "You're... thinner and more..." "More mature." "When he gets some grey hair he'll be irresistible." "Won't he, Ismael?" "I don't know." "I didn't know him before." "Leyre, I won't get there sooner just because you keep calling." "If everything's OK, that's great." "Don't get rattled, show them you're in control." "Yes, I'm on my way." "OK, so long." "It's a pity you're leaving so soon." "Tell Félix that if they want to eat I'll see them at the hotel." "There's nothing here." "Why are you looking at me like that?" " Like what?" " Like that." "I can't close my business when I feel like it" " or stop working for three months." " I didn't say anything." "The world doesn't stop when..." "When your son needs you?" "Is it true you ran away?" "And does... your mother know where you are?" " Do they hurt?" " Do what hurt?" "Your legs?" "No." "Well, at times they hurt a bit." " I guessed..." " What did..." " Sorry, you first." " It doesn't matter." "What did your mother tell you about me?" "Nothing." "Well, that your name was Félix and you lived in Barcelona." "Is that all?" "Where do you live?" " In Madrid." " In Madrid." "And how..." "How is your mother?" "Today she's really angry with me." "You're in for it when you get home." "Yes, but when she gets like that Luis defends me." " Luis?" " My father." "I mean, my other father." "My mother's husband." "I have a deal with him." "Every month Luis buys me a new videogame." "My mother doesn't like them but Luis thinks they're OK." "Your mother's right." "Videogames are shit." "A lot of people criticize them but they're very useful." "They improve your reflexes, your concentration, and they teach you strategy." "Luis says I'm much better at math" " because of videogames." " Hell of a theory." "No one advances a level without discipline." "That's ridiculous." "For God's sake!" "Mom!" " Sit there." " OK, OK." "Go to the kitchen and get some ice." "And a cloth." "They're in the drawer under the cutlery." "If you wanted to scare off the child you're doing a great job." " That hurt!" " Don't tell me how to talk to him." "You've never known how to talk to me." " In which drawer?" " Under the cutlery." "Do as you wish, but this way you'll never connect with him in 30 minutes, which is the time you have before Alika arrives." "What?" "Alika's coming?" "Of course, to pick him up." "I'd stay, but..." "I've only got the restaurant staff and they're all useless." "If you want, I'll take him to Barcelona and give him to her there." "But now that I think about it," "I won't be able to drive." " I can't find them." " I'm coming." "My ankle is swelling, I can't leave." "It's not swelling." "I miss you... like people miss starless nights," "like they miss beautiful mornings." "Not being with you is hurting me so." "Oh, I miss you when I'm walking, when I'm crying, when..." "Why did you turn it off?" "That slushy stuff makes me sleepy." "But if you want I'll leave it on." "I think we should spend the night in Barcelona." "Driving straight back would be hard on Ismael." "And on us." "want to go home, put him in his bed and forget about today." "DR. JOAN TORRENTS GENERAL PRACTITIONER" " Mom, you hardly let him touch you." " Did you see his hands?" " He was more like a vet than a doctor." " Here." " What did he say?" " That it won't kill me." "No, he said that she's fine." "It was just a little knock and she should walk carefully." "That I'm fine!" "What would he know with those big hands..." "Can you go a bit slower, please?" "That's it, gasp for air." "Is there a lot of crime here?" "You stay here." " Hey, Nutter!" "Look who's here!" " What's up, guys?" "We thought we'd get some images of the town." "Yes, but think before you shoot, I know you lot." "Where's Bonobo?" "He's looking fora place to lie low." "This is my mother, Nora." "Mom, these are Chino, Mogollón and Aziz, friends of mine." " Hello, ma'am." " Hello." "So it was for him..." "This is Ismael." "Ismael is my son." "Shit, a lot of people thought he was..." "I can leave you the camera so you can film the kid and..." "No, you're working." "There'll be other chances to film us, right, Ismael?" " All right, see you tomorrow." " Sure." " Take care." " So long." "Will we go to the development?" "No, I'm going to the whorehouse!" "His mother's expecting me." "Wait." "Ismael!" " Ismael!" " Let him go." "Come on!" "What are you teaching them?" "To love themselves a bit." "I don't have it easy." "I teach in a center for kids with problems." " Delinquents." " No, kids with problems." "So now you're a social worker." "I teach drawing and art in general." "Didn't I tell you?" " What did he say?" " Nothing." " Nothing?" " Nothing." "It's Jordi." "Yes?" " Jordi?" " I've had an accident, Leyre." "No, it's not serious, but I won't be able to drive." "Of course you can do it on your own." "Call me when you need to, OK?" "All right, bye." " Jordi, where are you?" " Hello!" "Why don't you go to the cellar and pick the wine you like most?" "The one I like most, really?" "So, I can't leave you on your own." " What's that noise?" " It's my heart." "The boiler." "You'll have to call the cardiologist." " Lamb?" " Yes, don't you like lamb?" "But when are we going to eat?" "It takes ages to cook." " This is dry and tasteless!" " What do you mean?" "My lamb is always delicious." "Have you any meat stock, bay leaves or honey?" "Something to liven it up..." " Lamb with honey?" " Jordi, is this one good?" " Holy shit, I'll say it is." " Give me that." "There's honey and all you want in that cupboard." "Let's go out to the table." "I'll leave the lamb to you." "Try to leave one bit without honey, if you can." " He doesn't look at me." " What do you mean?" "Félix doesn't look at me." "Of course he looks at you." "Not in the eye." " Come and sit beside Félix." " Let him sit where he wants." "Don't you want to sit here?" "Ismael, you'll have to sit with me, those two will drive you crazy." "Here." "Thank you." "So, do you eat everything or are you the kind" " who lives on hamburgers?" " Everything." "Spinach too?" "My mother says it's good but I think it's disgusting." "There are things we don't like in life but they're good." "How often have I heard that?" "Do you like any sport?" "I play basketball in the school team." "Really?" "You know Félix played basketball at school?" "Volleyball." "I never played basketball." " It's almost the same." " Almost the same?" "Yes, it's with a ball and it's not soccer which is what most kids play." "Why can you never be quiet when you've got nothing to say?" "The lamb won't be ready for a while." "What if I show you my secret room?" "Wii, PSP, Xbox..." " You've got all that?" " It's the only way I can play sports." " May I?" " Come on." "Can I leave you on your own?" "Keep an eye on the lamb, and if you feel like it make the salad." "Come on." "Are you going to tell me?" " How is he your child?" " Do I really have to explain?" "You have an eight year old child, who's black..." "We can act civilized." "I don't care, but he is black." "Get to the point." "Why did you keep it from me?" "Since when do you care what I do?" "Yes, Leyre." "Even now, you can't forget your fucking restaurant." "Hang on." "This fucking restaurant has kept us all our lives because if had been up to your father..." "Leyre, you'll have to sort it out yourself, I can't talk now." "'Bye." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Tell you what?" "That I'd fallen madly in love?" "No." "You wouldn't have understood." "Why do you think that?" "Because you have no idea what it means to love someone." "You ruined my father's life... and you'd have ruined mine if I'd let you." "Pay attention." "This is only for the chosen few." "Why doesn't Félix look me in the eye?" "Do I scare him?" "I guess..." "I should thank you for bringing Ismael." "Alika was the physiotherapist who..." "Looked after me when I came home, after the accident." "Remember her?" "We were together three months." "The best in my life, despite the pain." "I felt really good." "The rehabilitation was working and I was making plans for when it was over." "But some things scared me." "The idea of telling you, among others." "But I wanted to try to stay with her." "I was in love." "I'd never been in love." "Then Alika told me she was pregnant." "I don't know..." "I'd never thought about having a child." "I got scared." "I panicked." "And I acted the way you'd taught me." "I said that the best thing was to get rid of it." "That's normal." "You were young." "Alika didn't want anything." "At most, an embrace." "That I wouldn't make her feel more alone than she already was." "But all I wanted was to get away." "She realized and never came back." "I went to the house where she lived." "They said she'd moved and left no address." "I even thought about going to the police but..." "Alika was illegal here." "She disappeared without a trace, like she'd never existed." "And you never heard anymore?" "I didn't even know the baby had been born, until today." "I beat him at everything!" "Jordi's a fierce opponent, you must have played well." "No one can beat him." " It smells of honey!" " There's honey in it." " And that salad?" " What's wrong with my salad?" "Instead of slicing the tomatoes you crushed them." "Careful, or you'll get no dessert." "Just wait, you'll end up licking your fingers..." "This is delicious!" "It's good, isn't it?" "And I won't give you the recipe." "Don't you like it?" "Neither do I." "I want to take a photo." "May I?" " Not now, afterwards." " Yes, now." " Go over there." " All right." "If you get Félix to look good in the photo," " I'll give you a super-prize." " Really?" "My mother always thought she was a good photographer." "When I was little like you, she put me facing the sun, and I'd keep my eyes open as long as I could, and when I couldn't do it anymore..." "Just like that." "This one's good." " Now you go over there." " Come here." "Sit here." "Attention." "Let's see." "A bit closer together, please." "Félix, move a bit closer." "Let's see." "Big smile." "Look natural!" " Very good!" " That's it." "Is that from Ismael?" "He keeps sending me photos." "It's his way of apologizing." "What's this?" " This is a piano." " Right!" "And the key?" "It got lost." " Have you always been in catering?" " No." "I was a musician, in another life." "And why are you running a hotel in this life?" "Because one day I decided to change and I changed." "Simple as that?" "Just because?" "Simple as that and just because." "Why don't I believe it?" "Because you never believe anything, do you?" " Are you a good friend of my son?" " Hands up." "The interrogation is starting." "Why don't you ask what you really want to ask?" "In another life were you a psychoanalyst?" "I had asthma too." "Nora got rid of it." "I don't know what she did, but she got rid of it." " I don't need the inhaler now." " I know her methods." "It's cool having a grandmother like that." "You know what I'd like now?" "To be like a computer, connect the USB to you, and know absolutely everything about you." "When I grow up, I want to be the captain of a ship." " You like the sea?" " To look for treasure." "You know there are lots of ships at the bottom of the sea?" "I wanted to build cities, in the desert or on other planets." "That would be neat!" " Have you got a girlfriend?" " Have you?" "I asked first." "I don't know." "Her name's Kim." "Sometimes I think she likes me, other times I don't." "It's a muddle." "A while ago, if I did this in front of her," "I was the neatest guy." "But if I do it now she looks at me like I'm a moron." "Shit, this is some place!" "Are you all right?" " Have you got a toothbrush?" " No." "A breath mint?" "You go." "Tell them I don't feel well and I'm waiting here." "Are you sure?" "All right..." " Would you rather I waited here?" " No." "I can't do it on my own." "OK." "There he is." "You go into the hotel." "I'll get Ismael." "Ismael!" "Don't ever do that to me again!" "Luis is inside, go and say hello." "We had to ask directions at one point..." "Luis!" "You really stirred it up." " Were you angry?" " A bit." " And her?" " Loads." "We'll try to sort it out." "You've changed a lot." "I thought I'd never see you again." "I looked for you." "It isn't easy to explain all that's built up inside..." "I've come for my son." "Nothing else." "All I care about is Ismael." "I don't want you to promise him anything you won't keep." "A child understands promises differently." "It's better to say "No" now than disappoint him later, when everything is more complicated." " He knows you now, that's what he..." " Let me speak, please!" " You can't accuse me of..." " He's my son." "He has a life." "Maybe that means nothing to you." " I want to get to know him." " Why?" "Because he came looking for me." "He's my son too, in case you didn't realize." "You have no right to say that." "I was all alone until he was three." "You know what it's like to rear a child on your own, without papers, living in shared apartments," "not knowing if you'll be able to manage?" "No, I don't know." "No." "You don't know." "Of course you don't." "If you don't want to drive, a friend of mine has an hotel near here." "Thank you, but we have to go." "Don't leave anything behind." "Hello, I'm Nora, Félix's mother." "A pleasure." "Thank you for looking after Ismael." "Hello, I'm Jordi." " Can I get you a drink...?" " No, thank you." "We're leaving now." "But you've just arrived." "We came to get Ismael, it's not a vacation." "Apparently there's a hotel near here..." "To save you driving to Barcelona at night." "I don't want to leave." " Or you can stay here." " No, we'd better not." " Ismael, we have to go." " That's not true." "We're closed to the public, but you're Félix's family and this is like Félix's home." "Good evening." "Félix, this is Luis, Alika's husband." " Hello." " A pleasure." "Can I sleep in your house?" "But you've seen what it's like." "I can sleep in the armchair." "I think your mother has other plans." "She can change them." "I've already changed them a lot, because of you." "What you did was irresponsible and dangerous." " Anything could have..." " Nothing happened!" "Get your things, please." "Go on." "We'll talk calmly when we get to Madrid." "I don't want to leave!" "Luis!" "Ismael!" "Ismael!" "Ismael!" " Why did you lie to me?" " When did I lie to you?" "All my life." " Lie about what?" " About Félix." "I never said anything." "That's lying." "I did it to protect you." "Wait!" "I was wrong." "It's obvious." "I thought you weren't ready." " I'm not a child." " I'll tell you what." "We'll stay tonight and tomorrow morning we'll go home." "No." "I want to stay and live with Félix." "You've got Luis but he's got nobody." " What are you saying?" " I want to know my father." " Luis is your father." " Yes, he is too, but I know him." "We won't talk about this now." "Let's go home, please." "Why do you hate him so much?" "Ismael!" "You should go home." "It's the only place he knows." "I'll take the path down to the town." " I'll go with you." " You can't walk." "Of course I can!" "You two staying the hotel in case he comes back." "No, I can't just sit here." "Come with me, if you want." "I'll wait here." "Ismael!" "Where can he be?" " Ismael!" " Nora, this way." "It was her, obviously, because... the child was fine until she arrived." "You saw that, didn't you?" "Ismael!" "Ismael!" "This is Ismael." "If I don't answer I'm in class or very busy." "Ismael, I'm in the hotel, waiting for you." "The others are out looking for you." "Stop messing, you'll regret it later." "Mom's worried." "You know her, she always thinks..." "Shit!" " Ismael!" " Ismael!" "Ismael!" "Ismael!" "Ismael!" "Hey!" "Ismael!" "If he went the other way, the town isn't far." "He'll see the lights." "Every time you come into my life..." "Chino, I said I can't do anything today." "Really?" "I'm a disaster, I can't give you advice." "Lots of times I just did what my friends did..." "And I'd get beaten up or reported to the police." "It was shit." "Once, Nutter..." "I mean, your father, told me something I've never forgotten." "Rage is like a hand grenade fora one-armed man." "Understand?" "He can activate it with his mouth, but he can't throw it." "He can only run." "Can you imagine it?" "The one-armed man running and suddenly, boom!" "The grenade blows up in his face." "You've got a great father." "Hey, don't cry on me." "You want me to start crying too?" "Luis, they found him." "He's with one of Félix's pupils." "Yes, I'm fine." "We're going back now." "You still use it." "It's the one you gave me." "You gave up the rehabilitation." "I couldn't let anyone else touch me." "That's stupid..." "I looked for you." "I looked desperately for you for three years." "I went to all the places you ever mentioned." "I even went to Nigeria," "I showed everyone the photos I had of you." "I never moved from here." "When I was starting to forget you, you started pursuing me." "You'd appear everywhere, in the reflection of a store window," "in the puddle in a train station, in a shadowing the forest." "You never let up." " You pursued me like a curse." " Don't go on." "I didn't come for an explanation." "Call your mother." "Tell her we found Ismael." "She was very worried." " Why do you call him "Nutter"?" " Because he's nuts." "He's not like the other teachers." "He's always direct." "Go on." "I'm sorry." "Thanks." " You'd do it for me." " Did Bonobo find somewhere to hide?" "Yeah, no one will find him." " We hid him in the school." " In the school?" "Are you crazy?" " What's wrong?" " You guys never learn." "Take it easy." "It'll be all right." "Good luck, pal." " Sort it out, Chino." " Don't worry." "Can I sleep over with Félix?" "You go with him." "I'll go back to the hotel." " On your own?" " I know the way." "But it's easy to get lost." "Chino!" "Nutter met my father at the court and told him to withdraw the complaint, to leave me in peace, that I could have a future too, that I was intelligent..." "No one had ever told me I was intelligent!" " I'm sure you are." " It doesn't matter but Nutter thinks I am, and that's neat." "It's like I love myself more." "Nutter's been great to me." "Well, to me and to others." "He gets involved in every mess, he's not afraid of anything." " Thanks for seeing me back." " You're welcome." "Hey..." "You're a real looker, I'm not surprised he's in love with you." "No offense meant." "Are you staying?" "Nutter seems really lonely." "No girlfriends or anything." "We even thought he was a faggot." " Good night." " Good night." "Where's Ismael?" "He's staying with Félix." "He won." "You never told me they were a posh crowd." " I'm going to shower." " OK." "It wasn't a good idea to leave him there." "We have to leave very early." "You go back now, I'll take the train tomorrow." "I thought you couldn't do it on your own." "What happened?" "What have I missed?" "I'm not always like this." " Like what?" " Like the one-armed man's grenade." "But this is a weird day." "Yesterday I didn't even know I had a grandmother, and today I like Nora." "Why do you two always fight?" "I don't know." "Because she wanted me to be what I'm not." "And I blame her for the things in me I don't like." "Your house is cool." "Did you imagine I'd have a house like that?" " No." " And me?" " Am I like you imagined?" " No." "Is that good or bad?" "It's good." "I was afraid I wouldn't like you." "Anytime you want to go to bed, just tell me." "Pick the room you like best, there are loads." "You don't have one with padded walls, do you?" " Hello." " Hi, there." "We've prepared something for you to eat." "Does your husband like beer or wine?" "I don't think he'll come down." "He needs to rest." "He drove the whole way." "You can't eat on your own." "I'll sit with you." "Yes, well, good night." "If you need anything, let me know." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "Ismael has been very good." "And he must have been really tired." "You have a very well behaved child." "What are you getting at?" "I want to talk about Ismael and what will happen now." "Nothing will happen." "That's impossible." "He knows us now." "My son has a life, and he'll continue to live it as before." "And Félix?" "Are you going to stop him seeing his father?" "My son has a father... who gave him his name and helped me rear him." "And that father isn't Félix." "Don't you care what Ismael thinks?" "I'm going to protect him." "Nothing matters more to me than he does, that he's well and grows up happy." "I'm sure Félix thinks the same." "I fit had been up to Félix, Ismael would never have been born." "I don't have much experience as a father." "I should have got you a videogame or something like that." " It doesn't matter." "I'll teach you." " Teach me what?" "To be a father." "Where did you get that cigarette?" "I always have a pack to hand." "In the practice, in the car." "I rarely touch them, but from time to time..." "When you said you'd stopped smoking, I thought that..." "That I was telling the truth?" "I wasn't." "So now you know you're not the only one with secrets." "What do you mean?" "You always said that Félix wasn't important in your life." "It lasted three months." "I saw how you looked at him." "I'm tired." "This wasn't one of the best days of my life." "I saw how you looked at him." "Félix is Ismael's biological father." "He'll always be part of the most wonderful thing in my life." "I know." "You'll have to live with that, because otherwise..." "Otherwise, what?" "I can't change what happened." "Félix is Ismael's father." "Until a few hours ago he was our son." "Now you talk as if he had nothing to do with me." "He's got my surname." "That's not going to change." "But now he knows Félix..." "And what?" "What do you want me to do?" "Stand aside?" "See how they take away the only thing I care about?" "Please, Alika, say something." " I don't want to talk about this now." " But I do!" "What?" "I didn't put Ismael on the train." "Don't blame me for what's happening." "And what is happening?" "Because I don't understand." "Since I arrived here I've become like... a piece of furniture." "Is that my place in this story?" "Look..." "Until today I've been your husband and Ismael's dad." "You have to decide if you want that to continue." "You scared me!" "What are you doing?" "You're covered in grease." "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd do something useful." "I didn't think it would make so much noise when I turned it off." " Do you know about boilers?" " No, but there's nothing you can't fix with a bit of lubrication." "Or with a hammer blow in the right place." "No offense, but I'd rather an expert saw it." "Right." "Are we talking about the boiler?" " Is this your room?" " We'll have a whiskey and you can relax a bit, all right?" "With those grease stains, you're even more attractive." "What?" "How long since you last screwed?" "If you think I accepted a drink to get into your bed, no." "OK, it was just a question." "Let's go back to traumas, they seem to interest you more than sex." " Excuse me, but I love sex." " Really?" "Let's analyze what happened today." "You use an excuse to tum up at your son's house, a son you rarely see." "No, Ismael is not an excuse." "You pretend to have a sprain which no one believes." " But it really hurts..." " And at night, instead of sleeping, you go down to the basement to smear yourself with lubricant." "Why don't you just admit that you find me irresistible?" "What do you feel like?" "I don't have much." " My house isn't like Jordi's." " What do you have?" "I don't think you'll like it." "Quince jelly." "Really?" "I love it!" " Have you no more games?" " Yes, there's a file, but they're old games so don't criticize me." "You're beautiful." "You can't be asleep!" "What?" " You really want me to read to you?" " Yes." "But it's so long." "We've got all the time in the world." "We're going to be here for five days." "I'll stay." "Let's see." ""Call me Ismael." "Some years ago, having little or no money in my purse and nothing particular to interest me on shore," "I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part otherworld. "" "I loved her very much." " And her?" " I think she loved me." "Why did you split up?" "It was my fault." "Why did you never look for me?" "Because I'm a fool." "Luckily you don't take after me in that." "I'm worried about Félix." "He really suffered over Alika." "Come on!" "At 20 you die and revive all the time." "He can't punish himself all his life because once he was carried away by fear." "I blame movies." "They've done a lot of harm." "Love isn't that... slushy, clingy thing that ends with a stupid kiss and violins in the background." "No, you can live without love but not without food and a roof." "And if you fall, you get up." "It's happened to me 1,000times and look, here I am." "That's why I brought him up to be independent." "Hey!" " What's wrong?" " With me, you needn't pretend to be strong, insensitive, all that." "If you go on like that, I get bored." "I see." "When did I last smoke one of these?" "When was it?" "He says that I ruined his father's life." "What does he know?" "And that I was never in love." "He doesn't know what it's like living with a depressive who... pulls you down day after day," "while you try to hide it from your son." "If I hadn't loved him..." "Here, this is poison." "I feel dizzy." "All right, we'll leave the sex for another day." " If you want, I'll put on some music." " And we'll dance." "Did I say we'll dance?" "No, no, no." "No, no, no." "Yes, please." "You can't refuse." "You asked for it." "Didn't you sprain your ankle?" "Stop, Alika." "I don't want to." "We shouldn't have stayed." "I behaved like an idiot." "I know what's wrong with you." "You don't." "Even I don't know." "Why don't you go upstairs?" "Get some sleep." "I'll get Ismael and as soon as we come back, we'll leave." " Is that what you want?" " Yes." "I want to go back to our home and forget about all this." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I was scared." "I was scared." "Couldn't you sleep?" "I'm a sleepwalker." " Does it scare you?" " Being a sleepwalker?" "The piano." "Why not throw it out the window?" " What an idea!" " Out with the piano!" "Why do you want a piano if you don't play it?" "Well?" " Are you going to tell me?" " Tell you what?" "What?" "You know all my family secrets, I should know something about you." "The truth is, a bit of sex would have done wonders for us." "I'll answer all the questions you can ask" " in one minute." " One minute?" "Why do you live alone?" "What happened to you with the piano?" "And why do you always look at my cleavage?" "And there are 30 seconds left." "Why do I live alone?" "Isn't it more than demonstrated that the couple is a factory for making unhappy people?" "Touché." "And the piano?" "The piano..." "This piano... knows I'm the worst musician in the world." "Knowhow I composed my big success?" "In a London pub after drinking eight pints of beer." "I'd gone to an audition for the philharmonic orchestra." "I'd been preparing for two years and they didn't even take me as a substitute." "So, at the bar in the pub, drunk," "I took a ballpoint and a napkin and started to write the first thing that came into my head to show my scorn for music." "I vaguely remember that I was humming and some hooligans repeated it, like at a concert." "Pablo, a friend who was with me, recorded it without telling me, and sent it everywhere." "And, fuck me, three months later the song was playing" " on radios in half the world." " Good Lord!" "Even the Pope in Rome knew it." "And, then, you wouldn't believe the money I made." "And I could buy the hotel." "A napkin, a lousy napkin with a couple of notes, was my big success." "I liked the idea and I wanted to do it again." "I went back to London, back to the same pub," "I got drunk the same way, smudged thousands of napkins," "I even hired some hooligans, but, you know, every time I tried to write a new success, it became a new failure." "And, well, your cleavage isn't the best I've seen but... it has its charm." " Can you play?" " Can you?" " Me?" " Play something." "Go on, even if it's "Happy Birthday To You"." "I don't know at what moment I decided to love you, if it was the day you appeared with your hair soaked by the rain, when I saw you lying on my bed for the first time." "What you see in me, no one saw before." "I was born with you." "Your disabled prince." "I've come for Ismael." "We're leaving now." "You kept it all this time?" "Don't do this to me." "I have to go." "I'm thirsty." "Isma, love, we're leaving now." "Already?" "Hurry, get a glass of water and put on your shoes." "I've never stopped loving you." "I knowhow still love me." "I know it." "I'll never forget your expression when I said I was pregnant." "I was scared to see you again, of what could happen to me if I did." "Tell me nothing happened to you" " and I'll leave right now." " Yes, it happened." "I've been obsessed with you all these years," "but I hated the idea of being unfaithful to Luis with your memory." "Because he loves me too, truly, and with the kind of love I need." "Now I'm going back home to carry on with the life I left yesterday." "Ismael had a right to meet you, and he's done that." "If you want to be in touch with him we can try it." "I won't stop him getting to knowhow." "He has that right." "But don't think fora minute that Ismael will be your way of having me again." "Every time I look at him I'll be seeing you." "Forget me." "I don't exist anymore." "Then I'll have to think that Ismael was never born." "Mom, let's go." " Ismael, say goodbye to Félix." " I don't want to, let's go!" "Ismael!" "He didn't mean what he said, he was talking about me, not you." "You must show me something you've written." "Ismael..." "Ismael!" " What happened?" " We're leaving." "Luis!" "It'll be hard to beat your pinball record." "I'd have liked you to be my grandmother." "I am your grandmother." "I don't know what Félix did or said to you." "At times he's a bit awkward with these things," " but I'm sure he loves you." " I don't want to see him again." "Go on, away you go." "Go and see Félix." "He must be heartbroken." " No, I'm not going." " Why?" "He's got a mother who can look after him." "I saw him pass by a while ago, going to the school." "What a fucking scene!" "Shit, it's crazy." " What happened?" " Same old thing." "It's a real fuck-up." "They came to arrest Bonobo and when he tried to escape they beat him up." " Go away, come back tomorrow." " Excuse me..." " Girls, where are you going?" " Excuse me," " I'm looking for." " He's causing bother, like always." " What happened?" " Come back another day." "Go home!" "Go home!" "You've got no right to do what you're doing!" "You hit a minor in school!" " Are you OK?" " Get the fuck out of here!" "Show me the court order and your badge number!" "Go to hell!" " Chino, film his face!" " Get out of the fucking way!" "Ambrós, get out and let them take him." "Look what they did to his face!" "We should report them!" " Film them!" " That's enough!" "Chino, keep filming!" " You animal!" " I'm sorry." "No, not you." "This animal!" "I pay your wages with my taxes!" " And you treat us like this?" " Don't be fucking stupid." "What are you doing?" "This has nothing to do with you." " You think not?" " No, no, kids!" "Don't be provoked, kids!" "Raise your hands!" "Raise your hands!" "Don't play along with them!" "Raise your hands!" "Not you, Chino!" "You keep filming!" "Let him go!" " Félix, no!" " Let him go!" "I told you to let him go!" " Film him, Chino." " I said, let him go!" "Are you going to tell me what you did?" "What do I have to tell you?" "No one asked you to interfere." "If you hadn't insulted them they wouldn't have arrested you." " He was an animal..." " Shut up!" "You've got no right." "Don't you see those kids adore you?" "Of course they do." "I'm teaching them they've got the same rights as you." " That's why we're all going to jail..." " Shut up." "You've got no right to deprive Ismael of a father like you." "Since when do you care about my life?" " I've always cared." " You should have shown it." "We're not talking about us." "We're talking about your son and about you." "What happened, Nutter?" " What did you do to Ismael?" " I fucked it up." "Well, go... and un-fuck it." "I can't." "Félix, once you lost the thing you loved most out of fear." "Are you going to let fear choose for you again?" " You've told me that a million times." " Don't you understand "Shut up"?" "I can't, really." "What I did was terrible." "He'll never want to see me again." "Look in my eyes." "You're getting on that train because if you don't I swear that I'll kick you on to it so you can go after him." "Mom..." "Ismael!" "Ismael!" "Ismael!" "If you walk that fast I'll never catch up with you."