Mother and Child

Arun's collections

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(GROANING)

(BABY CRYING)

(GASPS)

Oh.

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

(CLOCK CHIMING)

Her birthday

is coming up.

She'll be 37.

(SIGHS)

I spoke to Bill Colden

about you.

He says you're one of

the best lawyers

he's ever worked with.

And I know Bill.

Praise doesn't

come easy to him.

We had

a good relationship.

He runs that firm well.

Yes, he does.

So, in your estimation,

what are your

professional strengths?

Well, I don't believe

in improvisation.

I prepare

my cases rigorously.

I'm on top of clients.

I handle them well.

I protect them

from themselves.

I prefer to work on

a project by myself,

but I can work

just as well in a team,

if necessary.

I work equally well

with men or women,

but I prefer

to report to a man.

Why's that?

Many women

find me threatening.

Would I be

reporting to you?

Yes.

So, we'd have nothing

to worry about, then.

(CHUCKLING)

Why do you think women

find you threatening?

I'm not in the sisterhood.

I'm my own person.

I saw from this

that you moved to and from

this area several times.

I've gone wherever

I've had to go

to get ahead.

But you always

return here.

This part of the world

is as good as any.

Well, Elizabeth,

your resume

is very impressive.

It's no secret

you'd be a great asset

to us.

I would not

disappoint you.

If you wouldn't mind,

could you give me

some of your

personal background?

I was born here

in Los Angeles.

And I was given up

for adoption

on the day of my birth.

My mother was 14

when she had me.

And that's all I know

about her.

My adoptive father died

when I was 10.

My adoptive mother and I

are not close.

My name,

Elizabeth Joyce,

is one I picked out

for myself

in junior high.

It's my legal name now.

I don't go by any other.

I live alone.

I have

since I turned 17.

I've never

been married,

and I have no plans

to marry.

I value my independence

above all things.

That way I don't have

any expectations to fulfill

other than my own,

which are great enough.

That's all she wrote.

LUCY :
We've been married

for four years.

And we've been trying

from the beginning.

But we just haven't

been able to.

And we've been hoping,

you know, against hope,

as they say.

But that just

isn't going to be.

And we've accepted that.

And we're not bitter.

I mean, I don't think.

Do you think

we're bitter

about it?

No. No, we're not.

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

So, we could be

good parents, you know.

Joseph is

a very tender man.

He's affectionate.

And, we could learn

to love a baby

in a minute,

even if

it wasn't ours.

Would we get to name

the baby ourselves?

It depends on

the circumstances.

Sometimes

the biological parents

and the adoptive parents

agree on a name.

We could agree

to agree.

(CLEARING THROAT)

Well, we're ready now,

to adopt.

I mean,

blood is important,

but it's the time

spent together

that really matters.

Isn't that right?

Oh, my God.

What? What? What?

Why didn't you

shut me up?

It's all right, Lucy,

everyone who goes to

her office is nervous, okay?

Gave that whole speech

about time spent together.

Where the hell did I get that?

Baby, I have no idea.

Why didn't you

open your mouth?

Lucy, don't try...

Why didn't you

say a word?

Sweetie,

she liked you.

(SIGHS)

Do you think?

Yes, I think.

Just relax.

Okay.

How does that feel?

(CHUCKLES)

It feels okay.

Just okay?

It feels good.

Please, God,

let us find a baby.

(SIGHS)

I got you.

Oh.

(LAUGHS)

Good, Louise.

Put your arm on the side.

There you go.

This is our

general therapy area

where we treat patients

with chronic pain

and acute injuries.

Hi. Janelle.

Hi. Paco.

Here.

Thanks.

Is that man

flirting with you?

Yes, he was.

(SPANISH SONG

PLAYING ON RADIO)

Hi.

Hello.

Say hello

to Karen, mija.

Hi.

Your mother

had a good day.

She ate

really well.

And how long's

she been asleep?

For about half an hour.

She really needed it.

I can change her

into her nightgown

before I leave.

I'll do that.

I'm gonna be

a little late tomorrow.

It's back to school

for this one.

Ah.

(SOFTLY)

I'll see you tomorrow.

(SIGHS)

These need clipping.

Mom, I'm gonna look

for a new person for you.

Sofia never asked me

if I minded

that she brought

the girl over

while school was out.

I don't know

what I would've said,

but she should've

asked me.

You cannot fire her.

(DOOR BELL RINGING)

(EXHALES IN FRUSTRATION)

TRACY :
Hi.

We're Steven and Tracy

from next door.

We just wanted to

come by and say hi

and welcome

to the building.

Thank you.

We only moved in

two months ago,

so, you know,

we know what it's like

not to know anyone.

It's a pretty safe

building though,

don't you think?

I mean, we think so.

Yes, it's quiet.

Yeah.

So, you're here

all by yourself, right?

Yes, that's right.

Yeah. I told Steven

that I thought so.

Didn't I?

STEVEN :
Yeah, yeah.

It's mostly single people

in the building,

you know, no children.

So far.

You know, I was just

in the middle of something.

Oh, don't worry.

We'll talk again.

I'm home most days,

and so just, you know,

come by and borrow

a cup of sugar

or something.

(CLEARS THROAT)

It was nice meeting you.

(MOANING)

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

ADA :
(ON ANSWERING MACHINE)

Lucy, are you there? Lucy-Lu!

Are you there,

or aren't you?

(ADA WHISTLING)

Lucy.

Lucy.

(CONTINUES WHISTLING)

Oh.

Why does she do that?

Okay, you're not there.

(CONTINUES WHISTLING)

I'm not home!

Okay, call me back.

I'll try you back

in a little while.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

I don't know if this thing

is still recording

or if I got cut off.

Is this thing still recording?

I can't. I can't.

No, I can't.

Lucy?

I'm sorry, I can't.

Don't stop.

I lost it.

I lost it.

Lucy! Okay, okay.

Okay, I'm gone.

Okay, bye.

I lost it.

(ADA LAUGHING)

KAREN :
I had a new dream

a couple of days ago.

I come home

and try to get in

but my key breaks

inside the lock.

I look through the window

and I can see you

in my bed sleeping.

I go in

through the back door

and walk up to you

and smell your breath.

It smells of another

woman's breast milk,

not mine.

And the bed is wet.

You've wet the bed

and I start to cry

because I don't

have clean sheets

to make it fresh.

Sorry, I didn't

mean to stare.

Paco. Karen, right?

Clara told me

your name.

Clara?

What else did

she say about me?

Nothing else.

She always has time

on her hands to be

talking to someone.

That's why

her work stinks.

(LAUGHS)

So, was it

your idea or his?

Oh, please don't, okay?

I just need

your support on this.

Oh, I'm with you.

I was just wondering

whose idea it was.

It was my idea. Okay?

(CHUCKLING)

Your mother-in-law

is gonna blow a gasket.

Her prince

raising the child

of a stranger.

(CHUCKLING)

What about you?

Are you gonna love

this baby or no?

Well, there is no baby

to speak of yet.

What's the next step?

We are meeting a woman

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