Relative Evil Page #8

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the tray right here, okay?

He's been in his room

three days.

He doesn't eat;

he doesn't wash.

We're out

of bourbon again.

How can we be out

of bourbon again?

Well, I guess you and Bull

must have been drinking

more than you thought.

Yeah, I guess.

[sobbing quietly]

Bobby's funeral is scheduled

for JJ's birthday.

Why is it so hard?

Why is everything

so goddamn hard?

Did the autopsy

come back?

Apparently,

he had taken some drugs,

but it wasn't

just drugs.

Somebody had mixed in

a large quantity

of something

called white arsenic.

I guess Bobby had

some rough friends.

[knocking]

[gasping]

Elizabeth,

come in, come in.

Oh, sweetie.

[quiet knocking]

I'm busy!

(Lizzie)

It's me, JJ.

Can I come in?

What do you want?

Please?

(Phyllis)

It happens like this, Benji.

Your friends are all

playing T-ball one day,

and the next day,

they're joining marijuana clubs.

You be careful.

I'll be careful, Mom.

You want a drink?

Yeah, if you got one.

You're at

the Whites'.

There's always

something to drink

at the Whites'.

[can hissing]

[tab popping]

Your mom was real happy

to see me.

Yeah, well,

she has a weak heart.

I'm sorry

about Bobby.

Yeah.

We screwed up.

What do you want me

to say?

That you miss him?

That you loved him?

You left me

for him.

Right when I needed you.

I know that.

I'm sorry.

But you have

to understand--

Understand what?

That I didn't want it

all to end.

That I don't want

to grow old here like my mom.

That you came back,

and suddenly,

it was all over for you.

Is there more

you had in mind, Lizzie?

Is this all right?

Is this what you expected?

It's, um,

your birthday soon.

Here.

(JJ)

It's us.

Bobby's luau.

I'm so sorry, JJ.

Thank you, Lizzie.

JJ.

JJ.

Yeah?

There's something

I have to ask you.

Yeah?

Do you still

have Bobby's stash?

[quietly]

What?

Come on, now, JJ.

I mean, it's not right

that you should get

all of it now.

What?

I mean,

you don't even

do the stuff, right?

Get out.

Wait, no, I mean,

there is just nothing

without Bobby here.

I mean, there is nothing

with him gone.

We can share, JJ.

Get out!

Please, wait, wait.

Just don't throw

everything away.

I can still remember

what you like.

Get out!

Get the f*** out!

You're making

a big mistake, JJ!

Get out!

When are you going to get

another chance like this?

(JJ)

Get out!

(Dot)

One day, you're going

to be out there

pitching touchdowns and making

your loving aunt proud of you.

Hmm?

[slamming

and clattering]

[glass shattering]

[clattering continues]

Hey, Sasquatch,

it's all gone.

(JJ)

There's

apple strudel schnapps.

Where is this from?

All right!

That's enough,

JJ.

Bull, that such some

really great tough love.

Thank you.

All's that I ask is that

you keep it from your mother.

Don't--don't talk

to me about my mother.

You owe it to her.

You owe it to her

to be sober on your birthday.

She can't

take it.

She's no match

for you, JJ.

I'm a real handful,

huh, Bull?

I can imagine

it'd be a lot easier

if I was just

out of the way.

What are you

talking about?

Does Mom know?

Know what?

You stop it.

Stop it, all right?

You bet against me now!

Now, please,

please just tell me, was--

did Phyllis know?

She has no idea.

I only wanted

what was best, JJ.

And at the time,

I believed it was for the best.

Yeah, well, I'm going

into the army tomorrow.

They want me.

Just like your father.

You don't have

any idea, JJ.

You were only three years old

when it happened.

What do you remember?

Remember him bouncing you

on his knee, hmm?

Remember him

changing your diapers

or taking you out

to the Dairy Queen?

Didn't happen.

You want to know

who your old man was?

Finish off that bottle and go

take a good look in the mirror.

Why are you doing this?

You want to know where

that Purple Heart came from?

His still blew up

and shot glass through his leg.

So they sent him home

to wage his own war

against his wife and his son.

I was

his best friend, JJ,

so I stayed around

to watch the carnage

for as much

as I could stand.

Your old man--

standing over your bed,

armed with a bottle,

screaming down

at you,

"Quit your crying!

Soldiers don't cry!"

You're lying.

"Only flatfoots and fairies

and Section 8s cry."

And he'd cry

right along with you,

and your mother

would cry,

and we'd gather around

and watch him drink.

Please stop!

There was no car accident.

We just told you that

to spare you.

Your father bled to death

in his own bedroom,

pissing the bed

blood red on purpose

because he knew your mother

would have to clean it up.

It was the cruelest suicide

ever imagined.

He took

as much of your mother with him

as he could,

and he would've

gotten you, too,

if she hadn't been there

to protect you.

Please stop.

You're f***ing lying.

You want

to kill yourself?

Don't do it

so all of us can see.

[sniffling]

Is that what you want, Bull?

Look, I know

it's been rough.

I know it's been unfair.

Be good to her.

I'm begging you.

[melancholy music]

[liquid sloshing]

Are you ready?

Where are you going?

The hospital--

Ernie woke up, remember?

I'm not feeling

so hot, Mom.

Are you sick,

sweetie?

Have you been

eating strudel?

(JJ)

Why can't we go

visit Ernie tomorrow?

(Phyllis)

Tomorrow's a busy day, honey.

We got the funeral

and then your birthday party.

Reservations

at the Ponderosa.

(Bull)

Hear that, Dot?

Birthday.

Nine short hours

from now.

We can go visit him

tomorrow morning, Mom.

Go.

Just go.

I'll stay

with him, Phyllis.

No, you won't.

All of you,

just go.

What do you mean,

no, I won't?

Your husband just

came out of a coma.

Don't you think

it'd be nice if you were there?

Go, all right!

Just go! Go!

[knocking]

Oh, sweet Jesus.

(Bull)

Now what?

I can't imagine.

Doctor.

(Dr. Charlie)

Hi.

Hello, Phyllis.

(Phyllis)

How are you,

Doctor?

What a nice

surprise.

I understand

that JJ lost a friend.

I know;

I'll go.

Hello, JJ.

(JJ)

Yeah.

It's been hard,

Doctor.

Caring doesn't just happen

in a hospital, Phyllis.

I'll stay too,

if it'll help.

You're coming.

Uh, that's all right, Dot.

It's probably

if we're left alone.

(Dot)

Sure.

All right, Bull,

I'm coming.

Just start the car

without me.

I have to put on

my coat.

[door opening

and closing]

(Bull)

It's over, Dot.

8 hours and 50 minutes.

All that money, Bull--

tell me

you ain't disappointed.

I ain't disappointed.

It ain't over yet.

The fat lady

hasn't sung.

[snickering]

[footsteps

rapidly approaching]

JJ, snow's gone!

JJ!

It ain't snowing.

So you're going

to go outside and play.

Um, JJ said

that I could play with JJ.

You can

play alone, Benji.

I can play with JJ.

No, JJ's

all grown up now.

Time to play

by yourself, Benji.

See you later.

(JJ)

Benji.

Is that you?

What are you

doing here?

Just trying to help you

get what you want.

Apple strudel schnapps.

[chuckling dryly]

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