[CHORAL MUSIC]
MARY: Dear Adelaide...
..there's a part of me that I'm never able to control.
A trauma that's linked to my past.
It's never going away.
I was planning on being alone.
Every time I build a house with people,
it always comes crashing down.
But I've let people into my life,
and fallen in love with them.
Part of me feels, to protect them,
I need to run away and be on my own again.
How can I do this without hurting them,
or myself?
Sincerely, M.
Dear M...
Whatever your current struggle is,
it can be fixed.
It's not permanent.
Nothing is permanent.
Don't let your past define you,
and don't run away from what you have in the present.
EMMA: Mary?
Oh, hey!
Can I ask you something?
Yeah.
What was David's favourite song?
David's favourite song?
Oh, um... Oh.
Gosh, he had a lot of them. He was, uh...
He had very specific taste in music.
I did back then, too.
What bands did you listen to?
Ah, well, Queens of the Stone Age.
Um... Nine Inch Nails.
He was from Seattle,
so he loved Soundgarden, Screaming Trees,
Pearl Jam, Nirvana.
There was this singer called Mark Lanegan,
and we were both
completely obsessed with his voice.
He also used to love Dolly.
- Dolly? - Dolly Parton.
And Etta James.
Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday,
George Harrison.
Nina Simone.
Bill Withers. Marvin Gaye.
That's what I used to love about him. He...
He wasn't afraid of showing his softer side.
Like your Dad.
Hm.
Lithium.
Is that a band?
It's a song by Nirvana, and he used to play that a lot.
I don't think I could hear it now.
It would make me too sad, but...
- [DOOR OPENS] - That.
That was his favourite song.
GARY: Let's go, Em.
Hey, mind if I borrow the, uh, Jeep?
The Volvo's blocked in.
Come on, grab your bag. We're running late.
MARY: Hey, Emma.
[TEARFULLY] I'm really sorry I ate Anthony Hopkins.
It's not your fault.
Gary...
We need to talk.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARY: The beauty of living comes from the movement of change.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Or, as a famous philosopher said,
"I always get to where I'm going"
"by walking away from where I've been."
And his name -
Winnie the Pooh.
Always, Adelaide.
"If I had a tail"
"I'd own"
"The night"
"If I had a tail"
"I'd swat"
"The flies"
"Yeah, oh, oh..."
"Here comes the sun, little darling"
"Here comes the sun"
"I say"
"It's alright..."
What, um...
What made you play that song?
I'm making a playlist.
Yeah? What for?
For when Mary has the baby.
"Here comes the sun, little darling, and"
"Here comes the sun"
"I say"
"It's alright"
"Little darling"
"It's been a long, cold and lonely winter"
"Little darling, it's been..."
Emma, um...
Maybe we could go get some ice-cream after school?
To talk.
[HERE COMES THE SUN CONTINUES]
[MUSIC ENDS]
Oh, ah, Em! Bunny.
Oh.
[BELL RINGS]
[CRASH!]
Hey, um... I'm so sorry.
I... I don't even know what to say.
Tax man?
- Caroline. - Caroline.
- Right, ah, Gary. - Of course, Gary.
- Hey. - Ah, yeah. Um...
Like I said, I'm so sorry about this.
What's... What's the damage here?
I can give you my information...
Oh, I have it already.
- [BOTH CHUCKLE] - Right, of course. Right.
How's my tax going, by the way?
Yeah, I think you're going to be getting
a pretty good return.
- Emma Fletcher? - Sorry I'm late.
No, I've been meaning to introduce myself.
I'm Melanie. I'm the school counsellor.
- Hi. - Hey.
I heard that you've been having some issues
with some of the girls in your year.
Do you want to talk about anything?
You're not in trouble.
I'm late for class.
Yeah? What's your first class?
English.
- With Miss Shepperd? - Yeah.
I can tell Susie you were with me.
But only if you want. No pressure.
OK.
My office is this way.
- Is that Anthony Hopkins? - Ah, yeah, it is.
[DRIPPING]
[CLANK!]
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
Oh!
[GASPS, BREATHES HEAVILY]
MELANIE: Have you ever spoken to anyone like me before?
EMMA: My dad sent me to a therapist,
but they weren't really for me.
MELANIE: Yeah, don't think of me as a therapist.
You know, when I was your age, I had a counsellor.
There were things that were difficult for me to talk about,
and it gave me a safe space away from my parents.
So don't think of this as anything other than
you've got someone who'll listen to
whatever you want to talk about
no matter how important or...
not important it is.
My dad and stepmum
are having some problems.
- What kind of problems? - It's hard to say.
I don't really know how to talk about it.
It's not the sort of thing that you can just search up on the internet
or talk to a friend about.
It's not normal.
Maybe there's a way we can talk about it
without actually talking about it.
How?
Do you know what a metaphor is?
- I think so. - So um...
Try to think of a way to put this problem
into a different situation.
I mean, it could even be make-believe.
What's a situation that's different,
but you can still talk about the same things?
My stepmum's a werewolf.
And in what ways is your stepmum a werewolf?
Once a month she turns into something else.
And do you or your dad ever feel like
you're in danger when your stepmum is a werewolf?
Dad says we're safe.
And she locks herself away in the basement
so she doesn't hurt us.
She has chickens and stuff down there
so she eats them instead of us.
I know they both love me.
But I just don't know how to help them.
You know, it's perfectly normal
to feel anxiety on behalf of your parents.
You know, if you're not finding the predictability that you need at home,
maybe you can find it somewhere else.
And this is the perfect place for that.
Do you have any friends?
I only just made a friend.
Well, maybe spending more time with your friend
can give you the stability that you need.
And a safe place to go when your stepmum is a werewolf.
It's OK for you to start setting some boundaries.
They'll have to respect that.
And if you look after yourself,
you'll be in a much better position to help them.
Emma, you are entering a new phase of your life,
and that is really exciting.
Trust me.
OK, I'll write you a note for Miss Shepperd, hey?
[RUSTLING]
MAN: You know me, I'm not one to complain,
but me and the boys, we all live with her,
but we're the ones that have to put the toilet seat down. Mmm.
You know, there's three guys in the house, but...
we gotta do it? I just... I don't know.
What kind of precedent is that setting for my boys?
Hmm...
You right, Gaz?
- [MICROWAVE BEEPS] - Yeah.
Sounds like a really tough problem you have there,
especially for the kids.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hi! Um, I used to live here.
Like, before you. I sold you the house.
Sorry, I should have called,
but I thought I'd just come by and ask you.
- It's kinda crazy, but... - MAN: Who is it, Lizanne?
WOMAN: A short, fat lady. Says she used to live here.
- I'm pregnant. - What do you want?
Sorry, I was just telling your wife that I...
- We're life partners. - Life partners? cool.
Um, I was just saying that I left something here.
No. There was nothing left here.
Actually, it's the basement door,
and I was just wondered if I could get it back.
How can you leave a door? That makes no sense.
[SIGHS] Right? I know. But it just...
It has sentimental value, and I really want it back.
Well, you should have put it in the contract.
That door belongs to us now.
I get that, but, um...
I can't explain this to you, but that door
is really, really important.
- And I can pay you... - You need to go away now.
You're upsetting my life partner.
You want me to call the police, huh?
I'm quite prepared to do that.
MARY: What did you do to my hedge?
The doggy.
We don't like doggies.
Strange woman.
[CAR BEEPS]
[CAR DOOR CLOSES]
[ENGINE STARTS]
[TYRES SCREECH]
[ALARM WAILS]
- Hi. - Hey.
Can I go to Abigail's?
We were gonna go get ice-cream.
Can I get ice-cream with Abigail?
I thought... we could talk.
Dad, I don't want to talk with you right now.
I just wanna hang out with Abigail.
Um... OK.
Yeah, yeah. Uh...
[STAMMERS] You want, I'll pick you up
from the ice-cream parlour, maybe?
No, from Abigail's.
[HORN TOOTS]
"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone"
"It's not warm when she's away"
"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone"
"And she's always gone too long"
"Anytime she goes away..."
- EMMA: What about a birdhouse? - ABIGAIL: Yeah, that could be cool.
"Wonder this time where she's gone..."
[GIRLS CONTINUE CHATTING]
"Wonder if she's gone to stay"
"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone"
"And this house just ain't no home"
"Anytime she goes away"
"And I know, I know, I know, I know"
"I know, I know, I know, I know"
"I know, I know, I know..."
Oi!
What the hell are you doing?
You like watching little girls eat ice cream, do you?
- No, no, that's my daughter. - You fucking perve!
No, dude, I swear to God that's my daughter.
- I'm calling the cops, mate. - That's my daughter,
- I swear to God. - Oi! Girls!
No! No!
Do you know this guy behind the bush here?
- Dad? - GARY: Hi.
- What are you doing here? - Me?
I was just, you know, passing by.
Were you hiding behind that bush?
I wanted to make sure you were OK.
I'm setting boundaries for myself.
You have to respect them!
I do respect them, Em, I swear.
Hiding behind a bush is not respecting my boundaries!
- I know, bubs. - I'm so embarrassed.
Sorry, mate.
You can pick me up from Abigail's.
Ah, what time would be good?
EMMA: Later!
You need more chloroform?
I need something else.
[LATCH CLICKS]
So, ah, what are you looking for?
These ones are pretty good.
Well, it doesn't have to be fancy.
That one's pretty good.
Which one is the easiest one to shoot?
OK, I'll take it.
[EXHALES] I... I need to ask you.
I mean, what's a pregnant lady need a Glock for?
I'm worried if I give birth to my baby, I'll eat it.
And if I try to eat it, I...
..I need my boyfriend to shoot me in the head.
Cool.
[ENGINE STARTS]
- [HORN TOOTS] - [SCREAMS]
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
- [HORN BLARES] - Shit!
Fuck.
Fuck!
[ENGINE STARTS]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]
oh, my God.
Hi.
[LAUGHS] Isn't this a coincidence!
You're Emma's Dad?
Yes, I am, and, yeah, it is.
- [LAUGHS] - Wow.
Oh, I heard about the ice-cream incident. Oh... I...
- That is so embarrassing. - Yeah, don't worry about it.
They were actually laughing about it. Oh, were they?
Well, Emma wasn't, to start with,
but she did, eventually.
I don't know what I was thinking. I, um...
Something happened the other day
that brought up some of my, uh...
protective issues.
Um... I'm not gonna go...
I'm just gonna grab Emma. I'll get out of your hair.
They're on the trampoline. Do you want a tea?
Oh, ah, I don't want to impose...
Definitely not imposing.
Come on.
- I won't bite. - Oh, good.
- That's comforting. - [LAUGHS]
- It's so weird. - I know!
[GIRLS CONTINUE CHATTING]
Abigail doesn't really have any friends.
It's just been the two of us since she was a baby.
Emma's got...
zero friends,
to the best of my knowledge.
Where's Abigail's dad?
Oh, he did a runner when I was pregnant.
Oh, God. Sorry to hear that.
Mm, don't be. We're definitely better off without him.
He wasn't stable.
It's easier, just the two of us.
I can definitely empathise with that.
Took me a while after... what I went through
to get into another relationship.
How long since, you know,
you were in one?
Um... One, two, three, four, five...
..six, seven,
eight, nine, ten...
11?
No, 12. 12 years.
- Wow. - Yeah, I've...
I've been too scared to
let someone else into Abby's life.
I haven't wanted her to get hurt.
It's kind of different for a woman.
Yeah.
I know it seems really extreme,
and I'm probably being completely overly protective,
but...
I figure I'll just find someone
when she's old enough to look after herself.
And that's not too far off.
I find that pretty admirable.
Well, either that or really stupid.
No, I don't think so.
[GIRLS LAUGH AND CHAT]
Would you look how well those two are getting on?
I was just thinking that they're...
they're really cute together.
It's a pity you're taken.
[LAUGHS AWKWARDLY]
Oh, I totally forgot.
I, um... got some pastries from the bakery today.
Girls, do you want some?
[KEYS JANGLE, DOOR OPENS]
- Oh, you want dinner? - Oh, no.
Abigail's mum made us savoury pancakes and Danishes.
Well, if you're hungry, I'll put some in the...
EMMA: I've got homework.
- [DOOR CLOSES] - You guys are late.
Yeah.
Yeah, sorry. Um...
Guess I'm just, uh...
you know, having a bit of a hard time
coming to terms with what happened.
Well, I can't be held solely responsible for what happened.
And I appreciate all the work you put into the basement,
but I just wanted the SAME basement.
Mm-hm. If you wanted the same basement,
we probably should have moved into your house.
If I wanted the same basement, Gary,
you should have let me build it.
I didn't need Enigma and humidifiers and...
4K fucking wildlife screensavers.
I just needed a dark, safe space
with a door that locks and stays locked!
8K, Mary, and, uh...
Yeah, you, uh, trashed that
like you trashed everything else of mine.
You literally took a piss on a photo of my dead wife.
Well, I don't know what happens when I'm like that.
- Here we go. - I don't!
OK. OK.
If you don't remember, how is it that
you didn't attack any of your stuff, just mine?
[SIGHS] I don't know how to answer that, Gary.
I just know that is a new environment for me,
and I don't know what goes through my head
- when I'm a wolf! - This is getting so repetitive.
But, wait, why don't you believe me?
'Cause I know what I saw in the outback, OK?
I saw you. I saw you in there.
You recognised us.
You... You recognised us,
and you didn't attack us because of it.
Oh, really? And what about this time?
Did I recognise you this time?
Now do you believe me?
Listen...
I'm a nightmare.
- You are not... - Just...
- ..a nightmare. - Let me finish, please, Gary.
This situation is a nightmare.
And if you think this is too big and too much,
and you think that you're in over your head, then...
..I don't blame you.
I'm never, ever going to blame YOU.
I'm giving you an out.
What does that mean?
It means that maybe the universe
is trying to tell us
that this situation is too dangerous.
[INTRO TO IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON PLAYS]
[SIGHS]
"Ooh"
"Say it's only a paper moon"
"Sailing over a cardboard sea"
"But it wouldn't be make-believe"
"If you believed in me"
"Without your love"
"It's a honky-tonk parade"
"Without your love"
"It's a melody played in a penny arcade"
"But it wouldn't be make-believe"
"If you believed in me."