Pieces of a Woman Page #9

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[door closes]

[Martha] Could I just have a word with the judge?

[clerk] Directly?

– [Martha] Yes.

[clerk] That’s not usually allowed.

– [Martha] I know. But do you mind asking?

I will ask him.

– Thank you.

Please wait here.

Judge, Miss Weiss would like to address the court.

That’s highly unusual, but I’d like to hear what she has to say.

Miss Weiss, you wish to address the court?

Yes, thank you.

This woman…

did not intentionally harm my girl.

She only wanted to deliver a healthy baby that night. [sobs]

And I do not think it is your fault.

I do not think it is her fault.

And thank you.

There might be a reason for what happened, but we are not gonna find it in this room.

And if I stand here and ask for compensation or money,

then I am…

I’m saying that I can be compensated, and I can’t.

I can’t bring her back.

No money or verdicts or sentences can…

can bring back what…

How can I give this pain to someone else?

Someone who’s already suffered?

And I know she would not want that.

At all.

That is not why my daughter came into this world

for the time that she did.

[laughs, gasps]

And that is all I have to say. Thank you.

[crying]

– Thank you, Miss Weiss.

[clerk] All rise.

[birds chirping]

[Anita] Base panel.

And he looked in and I was like, “What? It was from a cartoon.”

I remember ’cause it was like a neon green.

– Yeah, do you remember this, Mom?

Thank you.

But we didn’t order that.

Yes, you did, Mom.

I did?

[Anita] Mom, it’s lemon poppy. You love it.

Lemon poppy? I don’t love lemon poppy.

– Oh, my God, um…

No.

[Elizabeth] No?

– Okay.

Jerry Thompson.

[Anita] Jerry Thompson.

– [Martha] That was it.

[Anita] Yeah.

– Yes.

[Anita] One year we went to that party.

It was like some older guy was throwing a party, and we snuck out.

– Sorry, now you know.[Elizabeth chuckles]

And we went as, like, two pieces of candy.

[Martha] Yes!

[Anita] No, you know what you’re thinking of,

’cause you made our Thanksgiving costumes.

What do you remember?

[birds chirping]

[Martha] Lucy!

Lucy!

Luce!

Lucianna!

Hey, baby.

It’s dinner.

Come down. Time to eat, bug.

[Lucianna] Okay.

[Martha grunts] There you are.

[Lucianna] I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?

[Martha] It’s your favorite.

[Lucianna] Popsicle?

[Martha] Mm-mm.

[Lucianna] Tacos?

[Martha] No.

[Lucianna] Jelly sandwich?

[Martha] Definitely not.

– [Lucianna] Popcorn? Mm-mm.

[Lucianna] Then I’m not hungry.

[Martha] You wanna run in?

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