White Oleander Page #2

Oh, Astrid, look!

Look at that. That is gonna go

perfect with your new shoes.

I mean, I thought:

"Who cares if I hang my tits in a

stranger's face? It's nobody's business."

You know what?

This is gonna be good on you.

Astrid, those are ugly shoes.

Snakes don't bite above the ankle.

You're better off being bitten

by snakes than dressing for them.

We need to get her a bra. Carolee

had her first bra when she was 9.

You don't want them hanging

to your knees when you're 30. Try it on.

Carolee, will Ray love that?

Look at that. That is so nice!

Hurry, Astrid, it's here!

I told you you were gonna miss it.

Astrid. This one's for you.

Who's it from?

My mother.

I didn't think she knew where I was.

Dear Astrid, have you been getting

my letters?

It's been six months.

Why don't you write?

It's only a few minutes

before they turn out the lights.

I can hear the women screaming

in their cells.

We're both in prison, you and I, punished

for our strength and our independence.

Don't forget who you are.

The best part of me is well-hidden

and you have to do the same.

Remember it all,

every insult, every tear.

What are you doing?

I'm writing a letter to my mother.

You ever write your dad?

I don't know where he is.

I never met him.

He left when I was 2.

- Your mother tell you much about him?

- No.

- Well, aren't you curious?

- I think about what he would think of me.

He probably thinks you're still 2.

That's how I remember my son, Seth.

- You have a son?

- Yeah.

- Hey, Ray.

- Hey, Patty.

So you're going to the Jesus show?

- Aren't you coming?

- To Bible study? No.

In my opinion, if there's a God,

he sure as hell ain't worth praying to.

That sounds like

something my mother would say.

She wouldn't take me

to the Christmas pageant.

She made me beg a ride

off another kid.

Hey, Ray.

Leanne, hi!

How you doing, Reverend?

I don't think he likes me very much.

Why don't you and Starr

get married?

'Cause I'm already married.

- Astrid, come on in. We're starting.

- Okay, I'm coming.

Where's your wife?

Who knows?

I haven't seen her or my son

in over five years.

I baptize you in the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Do you believe in God now?

Maybe it's not such a bad thing

to believe in something.

- It's better to know things.

- Why?

What does it get you? Does it tell you

the difference between right or wrong?

She didn't kill that guy alone.

I knew what my mother

was doing, you know?

I could've saved his life,

but I didn't.

Come on.

I'm gonna kill you, Ingrid! Open the door!

Think there was something

valuable on that hard disk?

Maybe a collection of essays

due at the publisher's this fall.

You bloody b*tch!

You can't do this to me!

You don't know what I can do.

Fill out your registration slips.

Know your inmate's number.

No number, no visit.

Hey, baby.

Astrid Magnussen?

Astrid?

Follow me.

Mama!

No, no, no, no, no.

Don't cry.

We're not like that.

We're the Vikings. Remember?

You're so beautiful.

Prison agrees with me.

There's no hypocrisy here.

Kill or be killed,

and everybody knows it.

Do they hurt you?

Not as much as I hurt them.

I won't be in here forever.

I promise you that.

One day you'll look out your window

and I'll be there.

Your hair smells like clover.

I wanna remember you just like this,

in that sadly hopeful pink dress.

- Starr picked it out.

- Of course she did.

What's that?

Nothing. It's just a cross.

I know it's a cross.

Why are you wearing it?

It's a present from Starr.

She force you to go to church?

They're really nice people.

It's called the Assembly of God.

To join you have to accept Christ as your

personal savior. And you're baptized.

They call it being washed in the blood

of the Lamb. But really, it's just water.

Have you accepted Christ

as your personal savior?

- There's nothing wrong with Christians.

- Are you out of your mind?

How did this happen? I raised you,

not Bible-thumping trailer trash.

I raised you to think for yourself.

No, you didn't.

You raised me to think like you.

Maybe thinking for yourself isn't so

great. Reverend Daniels says it's evil.

Evil? If thinking for yourself is evil,

then every artist is evil.

Is that what you believe, now that

you're washed in the blood of the Lamb?

- Man's ability to reason is evil? Am I evil?

- No.

No.

But killing people who

don't want you is evil.

We pray for your redemption.

F*** my redemption. I don't want it.

I regret nothing.

Attention. Visiting hours are over.

Visitors, return to the holding area.

It's good that you're trying

to identify evil, Astrid.

But evil is tricky.

Just when you think you know

what it is, it changes its form.

Learning its nature takes

a lifetime of study.

I will not lose you.

Not to them.

Those people are the enemy, Astrid.

- Visiting hours are over.

- Write to me.

- Time's up.

- Write to me...

...at least once a week.

- I love you.

I'm the only person you know

who can keep you honest.

- Okay?

- Okay.

Don't forget who you are, Astrid.

You're my daughter

and you're perfect, remember?

How far away is it?

About a mile. Maybe two.

Shouldn't we pack up and go?

No, not yet. The wind's still in our favor.

My mother used to love fire season.

She made me decide what I'd take

if we had to go.

She said if I was brave,

I wouldn't take anything.

Your mother sounds tough.

Not like you.

What am I like?

You? You're a sweetheart.

Astrid, honey?

Astrid?

You come on in here a minute?

Well, sit down. I won't bite.

You having fun here, aren't you? Making

yourself at home, getting comfortable?

Little too comfortable, I'd say.

I might not be a genius, but I get your

game. And it takes one to know one.

- One what?

- Always hanging around...

...handling his tools.

"What's this for, Ray? Can I help you?"

We're not doing anything.

I'm calling Children's Services.

- It's all over.

- But...

Don't "but" me.

He is a man. And he sees what he sees,

and he does what he can.

I've got a nice thing going here.

Ray's the best man I ever had.

And I've lived too long

and come too far to blow it now.

I never had a father...

Don't.

I've got myself and my kids to worry

about. We hardly know each other.

I don't owe you a thing.

- Jesus would give me a chance.

- Well, I'm not Jesus. Not even close.

He might be mad...

...if he knew you sent me away

because you were jealous.

You're trying to make him a prisoner.

He's gonna hate you.

What do you know?

I know that men don't like women

who try to own them.

I like you. I like the kids. I would

never do anything to screw it up.

You swear you're not

interested in him?

I swear to God.

- There. Did you see it?

- I'm not sure.

- See anything yet?

- It's just starting.

But we should be getting

The Quadrantid is the shortest

meteorite shower, but the densest.

Except for the Perseids.

You and Starr, you having a beef?

No.

Why?

Just something she said.

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