10,000 Saints Page #8

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Ha, that sounds like a

polite way of saying bumpkin.

Gosh!

I've insulted you

already, haven't I?

No, no. It's fine.

Lam a bit of a bumpkin,

and I'm hardy too.

It's okay, it's okay.

But you know what, believe it or

not, I don't drive either.

- Really?

- Mmm-mmm.

God, how do you

manage that out here?

You're in the middle

of nowhere.

Wow!

What's so funny?

Do you think that when

we get older and...

We've, like, drifted

apart 'cause...

Let's face it, the odds

are that we will, right?

Will you remember me as the most

f***ed up girl you ever knew?

Hmm.

I would.

And in the East Village

the police set up a perimeter

around Tompkins Square Park

in anticipation of a clash over

the community board's new rule.

Angry locals blame

gentrification...

Just leave us off here.

Excuse me?

What is all this?

F***ing mayor wants

a curfew in the park

to get rid of the homeless.

But we know he wants

to get rid of us too.

Come on, let's get out of here.

I really don't know how to thank

you for everything you've done.

I feel like I should offer

you money or something.

Don't be silly, I've enjoyed

having Eliza here.

I think it was good for me.

In what way?

I don't know, really. I...

I suspect it had

something to do with

the idea of Jude's

birth mother.

She was apparently

the exact same age.

- Was she?

- Mmm-hmm.

What happened to her?

I don't know.

I do think that even

with all this mess

we've somehow managed

to raise spirited,

smart kids, you know?

Right, in spite of ourselves.

Yes, and especially

- despite Lester.

- Yeah.

Hey, Mr. Clean.

Come on in, there.

- Yeah.

- Hi.

Okay, I, uh, I

organized this little soiree.

Have a seat, uh...

These two showed up

at my doorstep.

And it seemed like

there was some serious air

that needed to be cleared.

Yeah, I know.

You haven't called us

for two weeks.

You really think

that's acceptable?

Only because I needed to wait.

For what, Johnny?

For the baby to be born?

No. To be 100% sure,

but now I am.

So I'm really glad

you're both here.

Sure about what?

What is this?

That's Ravi Milan

and his wife, Arpeeta.

Ravi's a lawyer.

Why do we need a lawyer?

Ravi's also Teddy's dad.

I knew, I knew from my mom

he was in New York somewhere

but I, I never

attempted to find him.

I, I always figured that Teddy

would do that someday, but...

You know, lately,

it occurred to me

that Teddy's dad might be able

to help us out with money.

You know, for the baby.

And, and after having

finally met him,

I think he can help us out

with so much more.

Like What?

Well...

Like with a home.

What're you saying?

The Milans, they have

no children.

When I spoke to Ravi

he was crushed by what

happened to Teddy.

He felt like he completely

missed out on the chance

to ever get to know him

because of my mom's insanity.

What're you saying?

Adoption is something the

Milans have discussed

for some time now.

Oh, my God.

This is what you've wanted

the whole time, isn't it?

- No, no.

- Isn't it?

Well, why didn't you

just f***in' say so

from the beginning?

Why did you have to put me

through all this?

Eliza, Eliza, what I wanted

was for Teddy's child

to be with family.

Teddy's child?

Teddy's child.

It's Teddy's child?

At the time I thought that

that could only mean me.

I can't believe this.

I can't f***in' believe this.

But Ravi has so much more

to offer a child than us.

It's everything

we wanna give Annabelle.

But better.

I can't believe this.

Oh!

Hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa,

whoa, whoa! Hey, Jude...

You're a fraud! He just wants to

be with his f***in' boyfriend.

He wants to run to California,

just toss Eliza and

the baby aside.

That's not how it is.

Tell the truth!

Jude, hey, hey.

F***in' liar!

Eliza!

Excuse me, excuse me.

I don't really know

what's going on.

Jude is right.

I've f***ed everything up.

All I wanted was to finally

do right by Teddy.

We say f*** you!

We say f*** you!

Eliza!

We say f*** you!

We say f*** you!

Eliza!

Eliza!

I have the right to be here!

Eliza!

Eliza!

Get back here!

Hey, hey!

Eliza!

A**hole!

Hey, Eliza! Are you okay?

All right, watch out, all right?

She's pregnant!

Nobody gets to lay a claim

on this baby but me, Jude.

- I know.

- Nobody!

I wanted to have a family.

Just a family, a good family

who wants a baby,

not people trying to

bring Teddy back,

not some long-lost father

who's trying to make up

for his shitty past, okay?

I know.

I just want a family,

that's all I want!

Whatever you want,

that's what we'll do.

Okay?

Now let's just get

the f*** out of here.

Is the baby okay?

Oh, hey, hey, hey,

the patient speaks.

Baby's right as rain,

sweetheart.

How are you?

Oh, I kept my eyes shut

tight the whole time.

I didn't want to see anything.

Then I asked for them to

give me something to sleep.

You know, you've been

asleep for seven years.

This is your fourth child.

Stop it, Lester.

It's okay, Harriet.

He means well.

Sweetheart,

the nurse wants to know if

you'd like to hold the baby.

They say it's too easy

to fall in love.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

But I want Jude to.

Now?

Yeah.

Follow me, Jude.

Oh, my girl.

My brave, brave girl.

You know, I was

thinking that, uh...

You know, if you wanna be

we could be roommates again.

- Really?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I got a lead on

an apartment that...

Looks like it could be a lot

bigger, you know, two rooms.

- Yeah, that'd be awesome.

- Hmm.

If a guy's gonna get

his sh*t together,

you know, he needs

a little space.

And I'm speaking

for both of us.

Here it is.

I always thought

he'd look like Teddy.

He doesn't look

like Eliza either.

He just looks like himself.

You think I'll ever

see him after this?

In 10 years, he's going to be

a completely different person.

And so are you, champ.

Go in there. Go say hi.

There you go.

Make sure to support his head.

It's okay.

If Teddy hadn't

left us for good,

if he was still somewhere

up there, 10 years later

hovering above the city in the

troposphere of the earth,

he'd see a little part

transformed.

He'd find Eliza in Brooklyn,

starting her own family.

And his best friend,

believe it or not,

about to become

a father himself.

He'd know that he had

not been forgotten

even if the outlines

of his face

grow fuzzier with

each passing year.

Maybe he'd also see

how fragile each

and every life is.

And that they all just fall

to earth and scatter

hoping to settle

somewhere and stick

like big, dry snowflakes

from a white Vermont sky.

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