Cardinals Page #3

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You know, me keeping you updated

about what's happening here

is not a cry for help, right,

you know that?

Yeah,

yeah, I just thought

it would be better

if I was here.

[clears throat]

Who let him in?

[Eleanor] Mom did.

And... and you think he's...

I don't think that he thinks

it was an accident.

Unfortunately.

Have you talked to her?

[Eleanor] No.

She said that she wants to,

but I don't know

what she expects me to say

"Hey, Mom,

you made it worse for me"?

What she's done

shouldn't be on your conscience,

not... not for a second.

[scoffs] Okay.

That's a relief.

Well... if she had

telephoned the police,

Mr. Loekner would be getting

out of prison now.

She's never even admitted to me

that she killed him on purpose.

[sighs]

Sometimes I do feel happy

that he's dead.

But there are other times

when I would just

like to talk about it.

I'd just like

to have that option.

I don't know,

I've read it's...

valuable.

You can talk to me about it.

Do you actually want to listen

to me talk about it?

[footsteps approach]

- Am I interrupting?

- [clears throat]

I had it in my head that

we agreed you'd come tomorrow.

Yeah, yeah.

We had agreed on that, yeah.

Um... I don't have to sleep

here if it bothers you.

[Zoe] No, I don't want

to trouble you.

What time is the Internet

guy coming tomorrow?

Um,

between 10:
00 and 12:30.

Okay.

[garage door rattling]

Hi.

It's a... a frittata.

I figured you'd be hungry

after all the work

you've been doing.

I didn't get a chance

to bake it,

so it needs about 25 minutes

at 350, and it should be fine.

I was going to bake it,

but I didn't want

to miss my chance

to give it to you.

That's very nice,

thank you.

I, um... I thought it was

uncomfortable at breakfast.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, I gotta say,

I just don't understand

your fascination with the dog.

That's okay.

You know,

if it was to embarrass me, I...

I'm not trying

to embarrass you.

Well, what then?

You know...

my mom was on a lot

of medication before she died.

But she told me that she thought

she understood what you did.

What do you think that means?

I think it means she was on

a lot of medication.

Maybe.

Okay, great chatting

with you as always.

I'm pretty sure

it's gonna snow.

So it might be a good excuse

for you to go inside now.

[man]

What are you measuring?

Uh, it's to optimize

your installation.

[man] Yeah, but how?

[worker]

So I can put the router here.

[man] What if we want it

in the kitchen?

[worker]

Sure, yeah, cool.

Could've just told me where you

wanted it off the top,

but it's all good.

How was your night

last night, Zoe?

Uh, okay so just right here

by the, uh, phone?

- [man] It's fine, Greg-

- Yes, thank you.

My night was fine.

Good.

What'd you two talk about?

Is there a problem?

Have you guys talked

about this already?

[Eleanor] She has to live

across the street from him.

[Zoe] I know, but I don't

really understand

why you guys don't

feel bad for him.

If there's nothing

to talk about,

there's no need

to get defensive.

There is, though,

'cause all of a sudden,

I feel like

I'm betraying my family.

What are you worried about?

I don't understand.

I'm only worried

if there's reason to worry.

But if you're telling us not,

that's the end of it.

So, going to the parade still?

Yep.

[bright music playing]

[woman singing operatically

in foreign language]

[singing continues softly

on stereo]

[gas hissing softly]

Can I get you anything, Mom?

- Want some coffee?

- No, I'm fine.

Can I take your coat?

No.

Okay.

Uh, that was Eleanor

who dropped you off?

Yes.

- How's she doing?

- She's well.

- Oh, good.

- Mm-hmm.

I guess I should come out

with it and...

and tell you I'm sorry

I didn't visit you in there.

No need.

Okay.

So you, uh...

you have a grandson.

I saw the picture.

I didn't know.

- Yeah.

- Ah.

Dylan.

Dill, I call him.

Ah.

Dill.

So that's Kathleen's kid?

Mm-hmm.

Well, I'd like to

meet him some time.

Mmm.

So you're doing crafts.

You work in a craft, like...

Craft store.

- Oh, do you like working there?

- I do, yeah.

And you never thought about

going back to bookkeeping then?

No. No.

When did you quit

at the plant?

Uh, not long after.

A few weeks.

That was fast.

Yeah.

Did anybody ever ask any

questions, like why you quit?

Well... in the normal

process of leaving, sure.

I just said

"personal reasons."

I didn't mean in the company.

Uh, Wendy,

you don't have to do that.

No, it's okay.

Mom doesn't mind.

What do you mean,

you didn't mean the company?

The police?

I didn't talk to the police.

What about Mark Loekner?

No, I have not spoken

to Mark Loekner.

I guess...

I can only guess at

what you saw that day

when you walked

into that room

and the kind of hatred

that would cause.

But I'd rather be 99% sure

than the full 100.

I'm not a good enough liar.

Okay.

- I...

- [knock on door]

Hello, nice to meet you.

Oh, you, too.

That was very polite.

[boy] Thank you.

Grandma, I know you said

I wasn't supposed

to come downstairs,

but I can't get the tap

to shut off.

Okay, I'll be up in a sec.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Now I met him.

Let's try this again

on another day.

I think you should

give Eleanor a call

before she gets too far.

The phone's

where it always was.

[sighs]

How'd it go?

Funny.

I think one of us

needs to tell Mark.

No.

Yes.

- It would destroy him.

- I think he needs to know.

I think that it's going

to be brutal at first,

and it will be a lot

to contend with,

but I think that's it gonna

give him somewhere

to direct his anger

other than just at you.

I'd rather he direct

his anger at me.

I don't think that that's

going to be good enough.

Okay, that's fine.

At what point do I get

to call the shots

on what happened to me?

Well, if we tell him,

it'll implicate me for murder,

you realize.

No I don...

what's he gonna do?

Go around and tell everybody

that his father's a rapist?

What if he does?

Well, he...

what does he say?

Just...

I'll handle Mark.

Okay, you'll handle him.

You're gonna make him

another f***ing casserole.

It was a frittata.

- [Mark] Hi.

- [woman] Hi.

- I'm Mark Loekner.

- Hi, I'm Karen.

- I thought you might be.

- Yeah, nice to see you.

I didn't think you were Karen.

[laughs]

- So you gonna join us?

- That's right, yeah.

- If that's all right.

- Absolutely.

I'm not sure if there's

anything I need to sign.

[Karen] Oh, yeah, there's...

But we can do that after.

Make yourself comfortable.

We've got some coffee

over there and some treats.

- You can meet everybody.

- Great, sounds great.

- Thanks very much.

- Well, thank you for coming.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Oh, that's empty.

The last of it's in here.

Someone had the good idea

to make a pot of decaf.

[both chuckle]

Is it okay that I'm here?

I've been meaning to come

to these meetings for some time.

But I never imagined I'd pick

the same one as you.

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