Mary and Martha Page #5

You can't sue a mosquito.

I'm just... I'm trying

to work out if there's

anything I can do

about anything else.

Of course.

I-I do have

to go, Mary,

but it was good to meet you.

Yeah.

Good luck.

Thank you.

I hope we meet again.

Oh, and senator?

Yes?

My local school's

no damn good either.

Heh.

OK, buddy.

Let's do it.

[CHILDREN CHATTERING]

Wha... ha ha ha!

Offside! Offside!

Now you see this?

We're going to turn all

those pieces of fabric

into one of these nice bags,

and then we're going to

take it down to market,

and we're gonna sell them

for lots of money.

Now then, fold it

in half like that.

MICAELA:
Martha!

You have a visitor.

Oh, a visitor.

Who's gonna visit me?

Fold it in half...

Hello, darling.

What are you doing here?

I'm full of surprises.

No, you're not.

Only two kids have died

since I've been here.

What'd they die of?

Malaria.

Yeah.

Um, when are you

gonna come home?

Where is that, then?

Where is home?

It's where we live.

No, I don't think I can

live in that house anymore.

But you've been living

here where Ben was,

and he'd be leaving anyway,

and we'd be alone

together anyway.

Yeah, I know.

I've thought about that, too,

And I'm sure we'd

have been fine,

but I'd have lived on hope,

telephone calls, Christmases,

photographs of babies.

I am so sorry, Charles.

I clearly misjudged things,

put too many eggs

in one basket,

loved him too much.

And me not enough.

We both let things slide.

Yes.

I've wasted you

and my lovely, noisy boy.

What an epic miscalculation.

[KEYS JINGLE, DOOR OPENS]

Hey.

I've been calling

you for hours.

Oh, I'm sorry.

My phone died.

I'm sorry.

Where were you?

I went to Washington.

Today?

Yeah, I went to, uh,

talk to our senator about malaria.

And how did that go?

Very badly.

He didn't have a huge gap

in his schedule,

and he asked me a bunch

of questions about policy,

things I didn't have

any of the answers,

but I'll be prepared next time.

So there's gonna

be a next time?

Maybe.

Maybe, I don't know.

The only person who

knows anything

about government policy now

that works is your dad.

If I remember right,

you're not too thrilled

about what the time

he spent on that did

to your family.

That's not fair.

Now if you'll excuse me,

I'm gonna go find someone

who does know something

about this,

and I'm gonna write to them.

Write them?

To say what?

I don't know.

My son died.

Their sons are dying.

Help us.

[CELL PHONE DINGS]

I know.

I guess among other things,

I'm just jealous.

You got those 5 weeks,

the last ones.

[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]

Hey, Martha.

How you doing?

Oh, it's not the middle

of the night

again, is it?

Yes, it is, but don't worry.

I was awake.

I'm starting a campaign.

I am going to write

to everyone,

every address I can find

on anyone with anything to do

with U.S. aid

or malaria funding

or the State Department.

I'm even gonna write

to the president.

What, the president?

God, you are busy!

And you're never gonna guess

who popped in to see me.

Who?

Charles!

No!

You could've knocked

me down with a feather.

I've never known him to leave

home except on business.

Do you know what?

I think he's more affected by it all

than I am.

So, Martha,

how long were you still thinking

of staying with us here?

Hmm?

You must be missing home.

Oh. Heh heh heh.

You'd have thought,

wouldn't you?

But what would I do there, hmm?

Who would I be?

It's just that, um,

I got a letter

from the aid agency,

and it looks like

they found

a replacement for Ben.

Oh.

Yes!

What?

I got a letter from a McDonald,

from the State Department,

which is perfect,

and he wrote,

"Dear Mrs. Morgan,

"Thank you for your letter.

"We at the

State Department have

"an ongoing commitment

to the fight against malaria

"with our partners in Africa

"and around the world.

"If you're interested

in learning more,

"the Senate appropriation

subcommittee that deals

with malaria is scheduled

for October 7."

What do you think?

Maybe I should go.

What?

You can't go, Mary.

It would be a waste of time.

If you get in at all,

you'll just sit there

and watch these

politicians do their jobs,

and you... you can't

say anything,

and you can't do anything,

and you're gonna be heartbroken

when you realize that you

can't help with this.

Well, maybe I can

learn something.

Maybe I can meet someone.

I'm just starting

to get replies.

If I can just get

to the right people,

write to the right people,

maybe I can do enough to save

one life,

and that will be enough for me.

Save a life, lose a marriage.

That's what you've

been thinking?

While I've been writing my letters

and trying to do all I can do,

that's where you've

been heading?

I have to fight

here, sweetheart.

You're fighting all the time,

and I have to fight, too.

Do you remember

before you went away,

we were up in the bedroom,

and you said to me,

"I'm leaving you"?

Yeah, I was joking.

It was a joke.

The joke came true.

If that's a threat,

it's really unforgivable.

Maybe we both have too

much forgiving to do.

OK.

OK. You're right.

I'm not a politician,

and I'm not gonna

change the world.

I'm just a mom,

but of course I'm not

even that anymore.

I want to show you something.

PETER ON COMPUTER:

Hey. How you doing?

I hear you're going on a trip.

GEORGE ON COMPUTER:

It's gonna be wild.

What do you mean, girls and drugs,

that kind of stuff?

I mean, really wild, wild,

"Swiss Family Robinson,"

"Castaway."

Mom won't even let me

bring my iTouch...

What?

Because there's not gonna be electricity.

Are you gonna survive?

I'm gonna kill

crocodiles and eat them.

Did you say crocodiles?

Yeah.

I think that's a little

bit of an exaggeration.

Maybe bugs.

Well, we'll eat the bugs.

Hi, honey!

Hi, love.

[KISSING SOUNDS]

I got to go,

but how are things with you?

I'm getting a lot of work done.

I'm watching a lot of bad TV.

We really miss you.

You'd be useful on

the crocodile hunt.

But you're happy?

And hungry.

Mom, the food machine

is on its way.

Dad, I got to tell you a secret

I don't want Mom to hear.

Yeah?

Just come loser.

Closer.

Closer, come on.

Come on, Dad, closer.

OK. Really, Dad?

Come on, closer.

Closer.

Ha ha ha!

I love you.

You got me.

[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]

Hello?

MARTHA:
Hello, Mary?

Oh, I can't believe it.

This is incredible.

Sorry.

What?

This is the right time of day.

I know!

It's 11:
30.

At night?

In the morning.

Well, that can't be right.

No, it is.

Well where are you?

Outside.

My house?

Heh.

Ha!

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

What are you doing here?

Hi!

Oh!

I had to leave,

and I suppose I'm heading home,

but I thought I'd

come the long way,

see you first,

support you in your big fight.

Is that OK?

Yes. Thank you.

Come in! Come on.

MARY:
So this is my place.

MARTHA:
Wow.

Stylish, right?

And this is Peter.

Peter, this is Martha.

Oh, hello, Peter.

Very pleased to meet you.

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