Mother and Child Page #7

Sometimes there is

just nobody,

and this is

one of those times.

Lucy,

this little girl,

you're crossing paths

with her today.

If you let it pass,

it will be gone forever.

(BABY CRYING)

Okay. Okay.

Okay. Okay, okay.

(BREATHING EXCITEDLY)

(LUCY EXCLAIMS IN FRUSTRATION)

(DOORBELL CHIMES)

(HUSHING)

She's down.

That won't last.

Maybe not.

Let's wait and see.

Mom, what am I

gonna do?

I can't do this.

It'll pass.

I don't love her.

(CHUCKLING)

Yes, you do.

It's lack

of sleep, girl.

You shouldn't...

You're not yourself.

When she's...

She's like this thing,

she's this creature

in my bed.

And, oh,

I'm so angry at her.

For what?

For taking over

everything.

Day and night.

It's me, me, me.

She just wants,

feed me, and clean me,

and hold me.

And I do,

and she just

cries anyway.

Who the f***

does she think

she is?

Well, I'll be goddamned.

Do you think

you're the first woman

who ever had a baby?

What the hell did you think

this was gonna be?

Stop all the

goddamn whining,

grow the f*** up

and get your act together.

Be the mother.

This envelope

was found in the files,

no file number on it.

Thank you.

No name, nothing?

No.

Oh, I hate to

do this.

We have a birth date.

Great.

(SIGHS) There it is.

See that it

gets into the file.

Will do.

Thank you.

Evette.

(DOOR OPENS)

Karen, thank you

so much for coming in.

What's happening?

(SIGHS)

Sit down, please.

No. (CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY)

What's going on?

This letter

is for you.

It's from her?

Yes.

Oh.

Did you meet with her?

No.

She must've spoken

to one of my coworkers.

And, Karen, I'm afraid

it was a while ago.

The letter

was misplaced.

I'm very sorry

about that.

(SOFTLY) What?

(SNIFFLING)

She's been dead

for over a year.

There's a daughter,

a baby girl.

And

she was given up

for adoption.

That's it.

That's the end.

Why did you

make me look?

Until I found out

that she was dead,

she was alive to me.

She would be

alive to me now.

Oh, Karen.

(SOBBING)

The mother has agreed

to let you see her.

Saturday afternoon.

Now they've asked me

to remind you

that you have

no legal claim

over the baby.

Now legally, Elizabeth

was not your child

and so you

have no claim

over her children.

Also, a good faith

effort was made

to publish the news

of Elizabeth's death,

and to look

for her relatives.

What kind of effort?

In local newspapers

and on the county Web page.

Nobody came forward.

Oh.

Will the child

know who I am?

That's up

to the mother.

Will I be allowed

to visit her again

after this time?

I don't know.

She's not obligated to.

Don't think

about that, Karen.

You'll meet her,

you'll see how it goes.

This is the address.

And the

little girl's name

is Ella.

Oh.

(CHUCKLING)

Can you say

bye-bye to Karen?

Can you say

bye-bye?

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Oh, kisses.

You okay?

Really?

She has

my mother's eyes.

That a good thing

or not?

(CHUCKLES)

Yes.

Thank you.

(SOFTLY) Thank you.

KAREN :
I never saw you

with a new haircut,

with new shoes.

When was

your first period?

Was someone there to help?

Did anyone explain?

Did you hear

the rain one night

when I heard it?

What gave you comfort?

I've missed it all,

and I've accepted it.

But today I met Ella.

(CHUCKLES SATISFACTORILY)

Her little face

is like a bird

that flies high

over 38 years,

that have gone

on and on and on,

like a horrible parade.

But now it's past.

Only Ella remains.

God bless her.

Ella is peace.

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

(LITTLE ONE PLAYING)

---the end---

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