Pieces of a Woman Page #7

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It’s true. If they sucked and they were brother…

– Yes, so my point. – [Chris chuckles]

Hey, so what happened with your band?

[Chris] Uh, I don’t know. So stupid.

Everybody kind of grew up and moved on.

[soft music playing]

[Sean] To different bands or different sounds?

[Chris] No. It’s just…

It’s like, “Okay. Great. You go be a dad. You don’t have time for this.”

– Looking at me like I’m a child. – [Sean] Rest of the band?

[Chris] Yeah. I mean, the way he talked to me, I didn’t like that.

[Sean] Well, he was older than you.

[Chris] Yeah, but it was just so condescending.

Like, “I’m so much better than you because I have kids.”

Yeah, that wouldn’t be right.

[Chris] Right. It’s like, “What does it matter?”

– It doesn’t change your life. – [Martha] No, to go do that.

When you’re young like that, on the verge of breaking through.

– [Martha] No. Makes total sense. – [Chris] What’s that tone?

I don’t understand.

– What’s going on? – [Martha] What tone?

– Martha, we’re just talking. – [Martha] What? I was agreeing with him.

[Sean] Yeah, we’re agreeing also. Everybody’s agreeing.

– So what’s the problem? – [Martha] The problem?

Don’t give him a hard time. We’re just talking.

[Sean] We’re just trying to keep it light.

[Martha] Right. Light.

Yes. I am…

Okay, okay, okay.

I am sorry. I did not put that together.

– “Baby,” I didn’t know. – [Martha sighs] Oh, my God.

What are we even doing here? This is completely nuts. What the f***?

[Elizabeth] Well, as long as you’re asking.

Um,

Suzanne… I’ve consulted with her about the…

– [Martha] About what? – About the case.

[Martha] You’re the prosecutor on the case?

– Yeah. – Yes. She’s an excellent lawyer.

And she’s family, you know?

She loves us. She’s here to make sure we get the right thing.

Look, the case is already won. People hate this woman. So, I’ll just…

Yes, exactly. And I don’t want them to judge you.

– [Martha] “Them”? – The people.

[Martha scoffs] “People.” By “people,” you mean Judith?

– [Chris] I really… – F*** off, Chris.

If you’re talking about her, I went to a store to get an apple.

Twenty minutes later, I’m in the same store

getting the same apple.

I know because I met him late. How late, 25 minutes?

I spent a minute getting an apple.

The rest of the time, I spent there stuck, stranded, getting grilled by your friend,

trying to figure out what the f*** she wants from me.

And you’re worried about them judging me?

[Elizabeth] Martha.

[Martha] It’s not even about them judging me, actually.

It’s about how you want me to be to fit their opinion.

You wanna arrange me.

– [Anita] You need therapy! – I do not need therapy. Thank you, Anita.

– [Anita] You do. A**hole. – All right.

Who cares about what they think? This is about me. This is about my body.

This is me. Do you understand that?

Yes, I understand that, dear.

But have you decided to go to the trial?

– I’m not going to your f***ing trial. – [Elizabeth] Why not, honey?

She has to pay for her incompetence.

– Is this about money? – [Elizabeth] No!

Is it about what people think?

It’s about you.

It’s about you having to face this thing…

I am facing this! I am facing it! I am facing this!

Well, I don’t think you are.

We need… we need some justice here.

No, you need. That is what you want. That is what you need. That is your way!

[loudly] That is not my way! That is what you need!

[Elizabeth] Martha, if you had done it my way,

you’d be holding your baby in your arms right now.

[gasps]

You know what? You…

You’re ashamed.

You’re so ashamed of me.

You’re ashamed because I failed. “Oh, what a disgrace!”

“What a disgrace!”

I failed!

– [Elizabeth] Yes. – You’re f***ing ashamed.

And I’m ashamed of me.

That I wasn’t a good enough mother

to teach you how to stand up and speak for yourself, for God’s sakes.

And to deal with this. Like my mother taught me.

After my father went into the ghetto, my mother found a shack, an empty shack,

that she went into and gave birth to me.

Without any help at all.

She stashed me under the floorboards when she had to go out and steal food

so she could make milk enough to keep me alive,

but just alive.

Not strong enough to cry, or we’d be caught.

When she finally got me to a doctor, he advised her to just let me go.

That I wasn’t…

I wasn’t strong enough to survive.

But when she absolutely insisted,

he picked me up by my feet and held me up like a chicken and said,

“If she tries to lift her head,

then there’s hope.”

And you know what I did, Martha?

I lifted my head.

That’s what I’m asking you to do now.

Lift your head and fight for yourself, for God’s sakes!

Go out there and face that woman.

Tell her what it’s like for you now, what this feels like.

You have to do this, Martha. You have to speak your truth.

Otherwise, you’re never gonna be able to deal with this.

You’re never gonna be able to move on.

You’ve got to move on past this, Martha.

[Martha whispers] Stop it. Stop it.

[gasps]

[hesitates]

[Sean] Maybe I’ll go make some tea. I know my dad always makes tea when…

When his daughters loathe him?

I think Martha’s starting over.

Good. I’m sorry. I…

I never liked you.

– And it’s not because you’re poor. – No, it’s ’cause I’m, um…

‘Cause I’m not an intellectual, and I’m not… I don’t use big words.

And ’cause I’m rough and I’m…

Well, here’s a Scrabbleword. ‘Cause I’m boorish.

[chuckles] Ooh.

[laughs]

What do you want?

What do I want? I want to…

I probably want to go home.

Yeah, that’s what I want the most.

And why don’t you?

We don’t all live like this, you know.

[chuckles softly]

Take it and…

don’t come back.

Just tell Martha… Tell her anything you want.

Tell her your father’s sick or you fell in love with somebody else.

I don’t care what.

But just make sure she knows you are never coming back.

[chuckles softly]

[door opens]

– Found a little party pooper here. – Huh?

– Party pooper. – [chuckles] Oh.

Right.

Uh,

I just wanted to say that I didn’t know

that she didn’t tell you I was gonna be here.

Oh, that’s all right.

You a cat or a dog person?

– Cat person. – [Sean] Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

I’m a cat person too.

– Bullshit. – [Sean laughs]

You know what a cat’s favorite breakfast food is?

– [Suzanne] What? – Mice Krispies.

[both chuckle]

You are far too entertained by that.

I wish we’d met earlier, you know.

[Sean sighs]

Yeah, same.

[Sean] You ever been to Seattle?

– [Suzanne] No. You? – Yeah.

I’m headed up there now.

It’s nice there.

Yeah, I’ll bet.

[airplane flying overhead]

[crowd clamoring]

[reporter] The manslaughter trial

of former midwife and passionate home-birth advocate,

Eva Woodward, is wrapping up in court today.

The 45-year-old is charged with the home-birth death of a baby.

[security machine beeps]

[clamoring continues]

Okay, good. Thank you.

Well, she could have told… Just give me one second. Hey, Martha.

Thank you for agreeing to this.

I can assure you she will serve time in prison.

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