The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years Page #2

-Mommy! Mommy!

Dane, come back here this instant.

You haven't finished school.

Justine?

-...so I thought we'd lost you both.

-No, because it's boring.

-Justine.

-She can't hear.

Have you been studying

as well as your brother?

-Yes, Mrs. H.

-It's Mrs. Henderson, Justine...

not Mrs. H. Mind your

manners, thank you.

Then she asked me about Rome.

That's where your friend

the Archbishop is, isn't he?

-That's right.

-Does he know the Pope?

I think he's met him a

couple of times, yeah.

Any luck?

They're not going to be drilling

anymore, Mom. Tony's joined up.

-It's got to rain.

-It will, dear, in God's good time.

After a week of it, we'll

be wishing it'd stop.

Come on, you.

That's it for today, then, children.

Talk to you all again on Monday.

Over and out.

Why does she call me

''children''? Im not a child.

You are for just a little

while longer yet, Justine.

Tell you what, why don't you go

and make us a nice cup of tea?

Why is it always me?

Why can't Mrs. Smith?

Because she's busy cooking

your dinner. Now, go on.

I have half a mind to go out

and drill that damn well myself.

No, Meggie, that's men's work.

So is running this place. Ive

been doing quite well at that.

-Isn't right. Your brothers should

be here. -They're not.

Bob and Jack are fighting

a war in New Guinea...

so Im afraid running

Drogheda's up to me...

whether you like it or not.

Why bother? We don't

even own this place.

-It belongs to the Church.

-That's why we have to take care of it.

My daddy would find

water if he was here.

The only liquid your father could find

would be the beer at the nearest pub.

Im sorry, Justine.

I didn't mean that.

Yes, you did. You always do.

lf you hated him so much,

why did you marry him?

-Justine.

-Ill take care of her, Mom.

You must guard your tongue, Meggie.

That girl shouldn't grow up believing

her father is the devil incarnate.

-Why not? It's true.

-Then she has a point.

lf it's true, why did you marry him?

-Mom, it's old ground.

-Not to her.

And what's Dane to think?

-I mean, Luke isn't even his real father.

-He'll hear you!

No, he doesn't.

lf anyone knew, it would destroy

Father Ralph's position in the Church.

Mom, Luke isn't here.

Ralph isn't here. Im

Dane's mother and father...

-and that is all he need ever know.

-And you don't think blood will out?

That boy already has his heart

set on becoming a priest...

-just like his father.

-He's a child, he'll grow out of it.

I hope so. Otherwise, you'll

lose him to God as well.

Please...

just let it rain.

Dear God, please bring some

rain to stop the drought.

And God bless Justine,

and Grandma Fee...

and Uncle Jack, and Mommy...

and a very special blessing

for my daddy, wherever he is.

Amen.

Right, into bed.

Do you miss your father, Dane?

Well, I don't know him,

so I can't really miss him.

-I miss not having a daddy, though.

-Yeah, I know.

-Justine thinks you hate him.

-Hate?

That's a very strong

word, my darling.

-I don't hate your daddy.

-Do you think he'll ever come back here?

Why? Aren't I enough for you?

Yes. You're the best

mommy in all the world.

Yeah, you say that now,

but you know, one day...

you're going to meet

a beautiful girl...

you're going to fall in love...

get married, and

have lots of babies...

and then she'll be the

best mommy in all the world.

No, Im going to be a priest.

Priests don't get married.

You are much too young to be

thinking about things like that.

Why? Would you mind?

No, not if it's what

you really wanted.

But it's a big decision to make.

Wait until you're much, much older.

-All right. Night, Mom.

-Good night, my darling.

Sleep tight.

-Don't let the bedbugs bite.

-Don't let the bedbugs bite.

Good night.

What on earth are you doing?

Just practicing for

when Im an actress.

-It makes you look awfully grown up.

-I am grown up.

Not to me. You're

still my little girl.

I do try, Justine.

I know you miss your

father, but he's not here.

You always call him ''your father.''

You never say ''my husband.''

That's because I don't think of

myself as married to Luke anymore.

You're not divorced. You're

Catholic, you can't be divorced.

-And you must've loved him to marry him.

-Oh, for pity's sake, Justine.

Yes, I thought I loved him once.

It took me a while to

realize I was wrong...

but he gave me you,

so it wasn't all bad.

You're right about one

thing:
I do wish he was here.

That's not going to happen. Im

sorry, but that's the way it is.

-At least he'd love me.

-And do you think I don't?

You know, your father wasn't

the man you think he was.

Wash that makeup off

before you go to bed.

...on rural properties in Australia,

as the two-year drought continues.

Overseas, Australian troops have

gained more ground in New Guinea...

but the Japanese continue

to inflict heavy casualties.

And, following the

invasion of Sicily...

the Allies have announced that

none of the Italian cities...

including Rome, will be

excluded from bombing raids...

because of historical

importance. Meanwhile...

They won't bomb the Vatican.

He'll be safe.

...is besieged. It is

being softened up...

with fierce bombardment

from sea and air...

Sweet Mary, mother of Jesus...

have mercy.

Take this burden from me.

I think of her...

every minute of my life.

Let me forget her.

Let me serve you in peace.

I have repented my sin.

I will never see her again.

Only please, I beg of you...

take this burden from me.

''Dead.''

''Dead, and never

called me mother! ''

What are you laughing at?

-You. You look funny.

-This is a melodrama.

It isn't supposed to be

serious. I was very good.

Why do you want to

be an actress, Justie?

I love being other people.

I don't like being me.

I hate it out here

in the Never Never.

-No one to talk to, nothing to do.

-You can talk to me.

Yes, but you go on

about Jesus all the time.

It gets a bit boring.

I want to be like

her, Aunt Mary Carson.

-Rich and interesting.

-She loved Jesus.

She must have. She left all

of her money to the Church.

She didn't really.

She left all her money to that priest

Mommy's so fond of, Father Ralph.

He's an archbishop.

I bet there was something

funny going on there.

-I bet really she was in love with him.

-You can't love a priest.

Yes, you can. You can't marry one...

but there's nothing to stop

you being in love with him.

It's very romantic, being in

love with a man you can't have.

Do you think Mommy ever loved Daddy?

Probably, when they got married.

Why does she hate him so much now?

-He left her.

-No, he didn't.

He was wonderful to her.

She left him. Mrs. Smith

told me. Id never do that.

Id never walk out on a

man if I really loved him.

I wish Daddy would come here.

I know he'd take me away from

here, and we'd go to Sydney...

and Id become a great actress and

look after him for always and always.

Grandma's home.

We'd better get cleaned up.

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