Mommy (1995) - full transcript

(children chatting)

(birds chirping)

(bus engine roaring)

(bell ringing)

(children cheering)

♪ Mommy, mommy I've been good

♪ Just like mommy
said I should ♪

♪ Mommy, mommy I love you

♪ Mommy, mommy loves me too

♪ Mommy, mommy
please don't cry ♪

♪ Soon ill be a #* sky ♪



♪ Mommy, mommy some fine day

♪ Daddy will come
home to stay, ♪

- Did you see that?

Good idea.

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy tuck me in

♪ Let me know I'm safe within

♪ Mommy mommy's loving arms

♪ Mommy sees that no one wants

♪ Mommy, mommy

(children chatting happily)

(car engine roaring)

(foreboding music)



- Mommy, please don't,

I don't want you to make
Mrs. Withers mad at me.

- It's only a matter
of what's fair dear,

you have better grades than
that little foreign student.

- He's not foreign mommy,
Eduardo is Hispanic

and he's a good student too.

- Not as good as you are.

Do you mind?

- Yes ma'am.

- Thank you.

The award is for outstanding
student of the year,

you have straight A's
perfect attendance.

- But mommy--
- No buts about it, dear.

Is that little Mexican in the
talented and gifted group?

No.

- It's just a student plaque,

I don't need another
I got one last year.

- And the year before,
and the year before that

and you deserve it
again this year.

I think,

maybe this should be
a private conference.

- Mommy, please, please
don't embarrass me.

- I would never do that.

Who's your best friend?

(sighing)

- You are.

- Who loves you more than
anything on God's green earth?

(soft music)

- You do mommy.

- That's right,
now, you run along,

I'll meet you on the playground.

- Yes mommy.

- Jessica Anne!

- Yes mommy.

- Posture.

- (sighs) Yes mommy.

(door knocking)

- Good afternoon Mrs. Sterling.

I hope you don't mind if I
continue with the decorating.

The Spring Festival means
so much to the children.

- We did have an appointment
for a conference.

- Mrs. Sterling, we
had our conference

for the quarter just last week.

I would like to get these
decorations up for the children.

So if you don't mind,
we'll talk as I work.

- I don't mind.

You're presenting the plaque

at the PTA meeting
tomorrow evening.

- That's right.

- You know that my daughter
deserves this award.

- Your daughter is
a wonderful student.

So is Eduardo Melendez

- Are his grades as
good as Jessica Ann's?

- Actually, Mrs. Sterling,
that's none of your business.

Neither is how I arrived

at who the year's
outstanding student is.

- Really?

- Really.

Eduardo faces obstacles
that your daughter does not.

And when someone
like Eduardo excels,

it's important that he
receive recognition.

- Because he's a Mexican?

You're punishing my daughter
because she's white,

and comes from a good family.

(sighing)

- Well, now, I don't
look at it that way.

When a person of
color like Eduardo.

- You're not going
to give this award

to Jessica Ann are you?

(tense music)

- It's been decided.

- There's no name on the plaque.

It's not too late for you
to do the right thing.

- It is too late.

What are you teaching
your daughter

with behavior like
this as an example?

- Well, what are
you teaching her?

By taking something
that's rightfully hers

and giving it to somebody,

just because he's
a person of color.

(sighing)

- I have nothing more to
say to you Mrs Sterling!

Good afternoon.

(foreboding music)

(screaming)

(tense music)

- Is something the matter?

- Yes, there's been
a terrible accident.

When I went to see Mrs. Withers,

she was lying on the floor.

She'd been up the ladder

decorating the room
for you children.

- Oh mommy, oh no!

- She must have been a very

thoughtful teacher.

- Mommy, and you make
it sound like she's--

- Dead, yes, she's dead dear.

I think she may have
broken her neck.

(crying)

Well, I stopped by the office
and asked the Secretary

to phone for an ambulance.

I think maybe we should wait
until help comes, don't you?

- Yes mommy.

Why did they call for
an ambulance I wonder?

Mrs. Withers was dead.

What good would the doctor do?

- People die dear, it's natural.

- What's so natural about
falling off the ladder?

- Is that a smarty tone?

- No Mommy.

- Because I don't think Mrs.
Withers would like you speaking

to your mother in a smarty tone.

- No mommy.

- Anyway, people fall
off ladders all the time.

All the time.

More accidents happen at
home, than anywhere else.

- Mommy,

Can we go now?

- No dear, I will have to
speak to these gentlemen first.

(911 operator speaking)

(upbeat music)

- Mr. Spellman.
- March.

What are you doing here?

This isn't a murder
investigation.

- We'll get to that later
where is our witness?

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
They asked mommy questions

for a long time, Lieutenant
March seemed grouchy,

I don't think he
wanted to be there.

- [Lieutenant March] Well
why don't you answer me?

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
I didn't mean to eavesdrop,

but Lieutenant March had a
loud voice, and it got louder.

- So, you didn't speak
to Mrs. Withers at all?

- How could I?

She was lying on the floor
with her neck broken.

- But you had an appointment?

- Yes, a parent
teacher conference.

- Were you on time
for the conference?

- I'm never late lieutenant.

Is there anything else?

- No,

not right now anyway.

- Thank you, Lieutenant.

You have my address, my number.

- Oh yeah, I got your number.

- Let's go dear,

Your Aunt Beth is
waiting dinner.

(melancholy music)

- So what's your story?

(upbeat music)

- [Jessica Ann
Voiceover] Our house

on Rockwall road
was really cool.

We lived here for two years

ever since mummy
married Mr. Sterling.

Mr. Sterling was really old 60,
the paper said when he died,

but mommy loved him a lot.

He had an insurance agency and
was kind of rich or anyway,

we always kind of
thought he was.

I heard mommy tell Aunt Beth,

that Mr. Sterling wasn't as
rich as he pretended to be,

plus, a lot of his
money and property

and stuff went to his kids,

or those other two
witches he married.

Oh, only mommy
didn't say witches.

Aunt Beth was really cool.

We've been seeing a lot of her
since she divorced Uncle Bob

and moved to that apartment.

- Oh, you poor
dear, you poor dear.

Did she see?

- No, I discovered the body,

Jessica Ann was
on the playground.

- Oh, thank God.

Do either of you even
feel like eating?

- Not really?

- Jessica Ann!

Your aunt came all
the way over here

at the last minute to
fix us some supper.

- Don't worry about that.

- Smells like spaghetti.

- That's what it is.

I made a big bowl of
Italian salad too.

- Can I just go
in my room please?

- No, no, a little
unpleasantness

is not going to stand in
the way of good nutrition.

- Please if she doesn't want--

- Now you march in
there, young lady.

- Yes mommy.

- Your salad too.

- Yes mommy.

- Don't you ever contradict me

in front of my daughter again.

You know how impressionable
young girls can be.

(tense music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
But I didn't eat much.

All I could think
of was Mrs. Withers

and how nice she was,
and how she was dead now.

(door knocking)

- Mind if I come in?

(soft music)

Don't feel bad about crying,

It's good to get it
out of your system.

- Do you think Mrs.
Withers had any children?

- Probably, maybe
even grandchildren.

- Do you think I should
write them a letter?

- Why dear?

- To tell them what a
good teacher she was.

(soft music)

- I think that's
a wonderful idea.

- I'll write it tonight,
and add their names later,

Aunt Beth, do you remember,

when Mr. Sterling wanted
me to call him daddy?

- Well sure honey,
what about it?

I told him that I didn't
wanna call him that,

and I'm afraid it might
have hurt his feelings,

and now he's dead.

(crying)

- I'm sure he understood.

- I never explained it.

It's just that I still
call my real Daddy, daddy.

I talk to him at night.

I was only six when he
drowned in that accident.

But I still remember
him real good.

- Sure you do.

- I was mad at mommy for
marrying Mr. Sterling.

- That's only natural dear.

- But sometimes,

I don't think she misses
either one of them.

Daddy or Mr. Sterling.

- You know, Jessie your mother,

she's kind of a special person.

- I know.

She's very smart and pretty.

- She has some
wonderful qualities.

- She does everything for me.

- She does a lot for you,

but she doesn't always feel
things like maybe she should.

- What do you mean?

- It's hard to explain.

She was pampered a lot.

There were four of us, you know,

but she was the
first and favorite.

Your grandparents, rest their
souls gave her everything.

And why not?

She was so pretty, so perfect.

- She always got
her way didn't she?

- And how did you know that?

- 'Cause she still does.

- Jessie,

I always kind of looked after
your mother, protected her.

- What do you mean Aunt Beth?

- It's just as you grow
older, try to understand.

Try to forgive her
if she seems well--

- Cold?

(soft music)

- Just remember in her way,
she loves you very much.

- Yeah.

- Am I interrupting?

- No, not at all,
just girl talk.

- Isn't that sweet?

But not as sweet
as chocolate cake

Anybody interested?

- Is Mark here?

I thought I heard his car.

- Right downstairs.

- So, what do you think?

- Yeah.

- Mark and chocolate cake,

that's a combo few
girls could resist.

(soft music)

- There's my girl,

Well come on.

Are you okay angel?

- Sure.

- Your mom told me about
today, it's awful rough.

- I'm fine Mark, really.

- Step into my office.

Angel.

If you need somebody
to talk to--

- Mark, I'm fine, really?

- You know when I was 10
my boy scout leader died,

he was killed in a car accident

and I didn't have a dad around,
he and my mom were divorced.

That scout troop leader

kind of became a
surrogate father to me,

you know what that means?

- Kind of took the
place of your real dad?

- Right.

Anyway, when he
died, I felt empty.

And then I started
to feel afraid.

- Afraid?
- Mm-hmm.

See, for the first time I
started to think about dying,

and I had trouble sleeping.

And I had nightmares.

And for the first
time, I realized that

nobody lives forever.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
Mark was so sweet.

But I had known about
people done for a long time.

- Anyway, if you ever have
any trouble like that,

I just want you to
know I'm here for you.

- Whose for dessert?

- I am.
- I am.

Mommy met Mark at a
country club dance.

He had his own business, some
kind of mail order thing.

(soft music)

Mommy said he moved
here to get away

from the urban life,
where he used to live.

- Wow, kill me with kindness.

(laughing)

- I'll just have the ice cream.

- Oh, what is wrong with me?

You're allergic to chocolate.

How about some strawberry
compote on that ice cream?

- Oh, that does sound good.

- There's a jar in the fridge.

- Those are pretty good pearls.

- Thank you honey.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
Maybe it wasn't right

to assume how Mr. Sterling died,

but I hope mommy
would marry Mark.

I didn't think it would be
so hard calling him daddy.

- Oh here, let me
have a crack at that.

- Here.

(cracking)

- What do you know?

Mommy's pretty
strong for a girl.

- Now there's a sexist remark.

- I've seen her do that
with ketchup bottles,

pickle jars lots of times.

- Remind me not to cross you.

- Don't cross me.

(tense music)

- What's a matter
Little Miss perfect

get called to the
principal's office?

- You mind your own business?

- There's some policemans
waiting to talk to you.

- What?

- Maybe they wanna
ask you what your mama

was doing in Mrs.
Withers room yesterday.

- Everybody knows what
my mother was doing

in Mrs. Withers room,
she found the body.

- Maybe I seen your
mama go in there

and stay for a good long while.

Maybe I heard them
talking in there.

- You don't know anything.

- I see everything that
goes on around this place,

nothing gets past
these eagle eyes.

- You're a liar, and my
minister says liars go to hell.

- Don't you go talking
to me like that.

I'm like a teacher,
you can't talk to me--

- Don't, get back to your work.

Jessica Ann move along.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Yes I'm.

(foreboding music)

- Jessica Ann, you remember me?

I'm Lieutenant March.

Now Mrs. Evans has given us
permission to use her office.

Can we talk for a minute?

- Okay.

- Okay.
- Thank you.

Come on.

Sit down here.

Jessica Ann,

Why did your mother wanna speak
to Mrs. Withers yesterday?

- They had a conference.

- Oh, yes, the Parent
Teacher Conference.

- Yes, sir.

- No, you don't have to
call me sir Jessica Ann.

Candy?

- Mommy says not to take
candy from strangers.

- Hmm, I don't want
us to be strangers,

I want us to be friends.

- Friend or stranger, candy
rots your teeth mommy says.

- Maybe,

Mommies don't always
know best, hmm?

Jessica Ann, do you know
how your teacher you died?

- Fell off a ladder?

- Oh yeah, she fell
off a ladder, yes.

But Jessica Ann your teacher

died of a broken neck.

- Once she fell up the ladder.

- Now

we have a man called
a medical examiner.

And he says that's not
the way it happened.

Mm-mm.

He says it's very likely
that a pair of hands did it.

Now, there was something
missing from Mrs. Withers desk.

- Could I please go?

My stomach hurts.

- It was a plaque for the
most outstanding student

of the year which I understand
that you won last year.

- Yes sir.

- There's that sir again.

Now Mrs. Withers told
a lot of her friends

that your mother
called up complaining

that you didn't
win it this year.

- She thought I deserved to win.

- I'm sure you did.

But the mother of the boy,
who won the plaque, Eduardo,

Eduardo yes.

Mrs. Melendez,

I'm sure she'd love to have
that plaque, and Eduardo.

Now if you found that
plaque, would you tell me?

- Why would I find it?

- Well, I don't know,
maybe your mother

took it off the desk when she
was leaving the classroom.

- Who said she did?

- Nobody.

- And anyway, that
wouldn't prove anything.

- Who said anything about
proving anything Jessica Ann?

- I think if you have any
more questions for me,

Lieutenant March, you should
talk to my mother first.

- Jessica Ann.

- Try this one.

Jasper bought a newspaper
for 10 cents more

than a fourth of $1, a
card for five cents less

than half of $1, and a magazine.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
If that policeman

has anything else to
say, I didn't hear it.

I didn't hear anything any
of my friends said either

or the substitute teacher.

I had a lot of thoughts too,

but I try not to
listen to them either.

(cracking)

- How was school today dear?

- Okay.

- Anything special happen?

- I talked to that policeman.

- What police man?

Lieutenant March?

- He just has some questions.

- About what dear?

- Mrs. Withers, nothing special.

I just hope he doesn't
talk to Miss Jones.

- Who?

- That awful janitor.

She was teasing me
saying terrible things.

- Like what dear?

- That you were in
Mrs. Withers room

a long time talking to her.

(tense music)

- She's just a stupid
woman and a menial job.

Ignore her.

Oh!

How I hate this instant!

Ah!

We're out of everything
in this house.

I think I may make
a run to the store

and get some fresh ground.

- Can I come along?

- Why don't you just stay
here and finish your homework?

And

maybe later we
can watch a video.

- Great.

- I'll swing by Video
factory and pick up.

How about Beauty
and the Beast again?

- Excellent.

(soft music)

(foreboding music)

You were bothering
my daughter today?

- I wasn't bother nobody.

You got permission to
be in here after hours?

- I'm a taxpayer, I don't
need your permission.

- Well, you just get
along about your business.

- What were you saying
to my daughter today?

- Well, you mean that
I seen you in there

in Miss Withers room yesterday?

That I heard you two
to talking in there?

- Is that what you
told the police?

- I didn't tell
the police nothing.

- I want you stay
away from my daughter!

- And the police,

maybe I should go see them,

maybe I'd get a
big old horse laugh

out of a fine lady like you

putting up with
all that bullshit.

You'd make the papers and not
the society page this time.

- I won't have you bothering her

or embarrassing me.

- Maybe you should
make it worth my while.

(foreboding music)

I know you didn't do
nothing, fine lady like you,

but maybe it'd be
worth your while.

(tense music)

- God damn fuse!

Let me fix those
little assholes again.

(both shouting frightened)

- Better go get
those lights fixed.

- No shit Sherlock.

(tense music)

(coughing)

(tense music)

(tense music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover] My
mind is full of awful thoughts

did Mr. Sterling really
die of a heart attack?

What really happened
that afternoon

when mommy and
daddy went boating?

- Jessica Ann!

Oh, I didn't mean to
startle you, honey.

I'm sorry I took so long.

I ran into an old
friend at the store.

Ready for

Chinese and a movie?

- Great.

- Class please, I have
something very important

to say to you, let's
all settle down now.

Class please!

Mrs. Evans has
something to say to you.

- People.

I'm sorry to have
to tell you that

there has been another
tragedy here at McKinley.

Our janitor

Miss Jones died last night

in an unfortunate accident.

- See, I told her she got fried.

- [Substitute Teacher] Quiet!

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
It was my fault, wasn't it?

I had told mommy
about Miss Jones,

and now Miss Jones is dead.

Mrs. Evans said that she
was arranging for counselors

to help any of us
who might be troubled

by what had happened
at McKinley lately.

If I told the counselors that
my mommy maybe killed my daddy

and Mr. Sterling
for their money,

what advice would they have?

- Jessica Ann.

You have anything to tell me?

- No sir.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
I might be wrong

and even if I wasn't,
she was my mommy.

But then I thought about
Daddy and Mr. Sterling.

And I thought of
somebody else I cared for

who might be in danger.

(soft music)

- Well,

we shouldn't be any
later than mid night.

- Stay out as long as you
like, enjoy yourselves.

- You are so sweet to do
this Beth, I owe you one.

- I stopped keeping
track a long time ago.

- Good bye angel.

- Bye.

- Jessie Is something wrong?

- No, nothing.

- You do know, don't you?

That there's nothing you
can't talk to me about.

Is it what happened
at school last week?

Your teacher?

That janitor?

- Can we watch Seinfeld?

Mommy doesn't like
comedies, but I do.

(upbeat music)

- Have you noticed anything
odd about Jessica Ann lately?

- Not really!

- I have.

For the last week or so
she's been avoiding me,

snubbing me even.

- Oh, I never noticed that.

- You don't think she's
been kind of moody?

- Well, maybe she's jealous.

(both laughing)

- What does that mean?

- I think she has a little
girl crush on you Mr.

What's been added around
the Sterling house,

this last week or so?

You've been staying
over occasionally.

Right?
- Right.

Right, right, right.

♪ Movin on

("Movin on")

♪ Called on a client she
sure looked heaven sent ♪

♪ She had a husband

- Don't be to surprised
to see me here,

this is where all
the dicks hang out.

- March are you out of your
mind talking to me here?

- Why?

Mrs. Sterling can find is here?

(laughing)

Unless you two kids have
something kinky in mind.

Yeah.

I go to all these charity balls.

What can I tell you?

My wife is loaded.

- Yeah well so are you.

Mike I don't know any more
today than I did yesterday,

and you are gonna blow my damn
cover if you keep this up.

- This woman has killed
two people in two days.

- We don't know that.

- Don't we Mr.
Consolidated Life?

What?

what?

The longer you stay on the
job that big of the paycheck

or is little mommy a good lay?

Get your hands off me.

Get them off now.

Now.

- Look, I do not work for you.

Just stay away.

If I get anything.

(laughing)

- I already know you're
getting something

But you know what I wonder,

if you know the kind
of game you're playing

and who you're playing it with.

There's as a little
child involved.

Huh?

♪ It's time

♪ For movin' on

("The Party" Cruisin')

♪ Life is like a party

♪ A party without end

♪ So it seems when
you are younger ♪

♪ Until you lost a friend

(phone beeping)

(tense music)

- What in the hell
is wrong with you?

Never beep me at night!

Is everybody gone
crazy on this thing?

I swear, I'll take a hammer
to the beeping thing.

No, you don't contact me at all

if you need to get in touch
with me, do it through that cop.

Because I'm spending too
much time with her now

and you'll be blowing my cover!

(tense music)

Damn!

(door knocking)

- Yes.

- Did I wake you Angel?

- No.

- Can I come in for a second?

- Okay.

- What is it Angel?

- What's what?

- What's wrong?

- Nothing.

- You've barely
spoken to me for days.

You know you're number one on
my personal chart, don't you?

- I know.

- Is it something I said?

Is it something I did?

Is it because I've
been sleeping over?

Don't you think I'd
make a good daddy?

Oh, Angel!

(soft music)

- I wanted to chase you away.

- You wanted to chase me away,

why on earth would you
wanna chase me away?

- Because,

because, you would
make a good daddy,

but I don't want you to die.

I'm having bad thoughts.

- What bad thoughts angel?

- That mommy killed Miss Jones,

and Mrs. Withers.

And maybe even Mr. Sterling

and daddy for their money,
and you have money too.

(crying)

- How grown up can
you be Jessica Ann?

- I don't know, real grown
up I hope, if I have to.

- Good.

Because I wanna level
with you about something.

Something that may
make you mad at me.

- Why Mark?

- You heard me talking
downstairs, didn't
you Jessica Ann?

On the phone.

You see, I haven't
been completely honest

with you, Jessica Ann, in
fact, I've lied to you.

- What?

- My real name is Mark,
but it's not Mark Jeffries

I'm what they call
an investigator.

I work for an insurance company.

That's the company
that's looking into
Mr. Sterling's death.

- But you and Mommy.

- That wasn't very nice, but
it wasn't part of any plan.

It just sort of happened.

- Do you love her?

- Well, your mommy's very
beautiful woman and charming.

- Do you love her?

- No.

Just again, what I
did wasn't very nice,

but I had to get
close to your mommy.

- You sure did.

- I had to get the
truth, Jessica Ann,

I think your mommy
is a murderer.

But with your help--

- My help!

- Actually your mommy is
the one who needs the help.

See if she's doing these things
and we both think she is,

then she's a sick person
and she needs to be stopped,

and she needs to be helped.

- Helped.

- If you could just think back

and tell me some of
the things you've seen,

then we might be able to.

- Close your eyes dear.

(gun shots)

(Jessica Ann screaming)

(crying)

Come on sweetie,
come on sweetie.

(crying)

(soft music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
I couldn't remember

ever seeing mommy cry before.

She seemed to cry
at daddy's funeral,

and Mr. Sterling, but I'm
pretty sure she's faking,

not this time.

I hope she wasn't sad
because she's thinking

of doing something
bad to me too.

- We have to call
the police now dear.

- Yes mommy.

- And when they come, we
have to stick together.

Do you understand dear?

- I'm not sure.

- We have to tell them
things that fit together.

Like a puzzle fits together.

Do you understand dear?

- Yes mommy.

(foreboding music)

- Mark did

bad things to mommy tonight.

Bedroom things

that I didn't want him to do.

You do understand?

- I think so.

- And when mommy heard
Mark in your bedroom,

she was afraid he
might be trying to do

those same bad things to you.

- But he didn't.

- That doesn't matter,

and you don't have
to say he did either.

- I'm glad mommy.

- Because I don't
want you to lie.

And all those
things Mark told you

about being an investigator
for an insurance company.

Forget them.

He never said those things.

- Oh,

okay mommy.

- Because if you tell,

it would get mommy
in a lot of trouble,

and we don't want that, do we?

- No mommy.

- Who's your best friend?

- You are mommy.

- Who loves you more than
anything on God's green earth?

- You do mommy.

- Good girl.

Here baby.

(upbeat music)

- Please help!

Please hurry, we
need an ambulance!

(crying)

I was molested, my
daughter, I shot him.

Yeah, I shot him, I shot him.

(crying)

(tense music)

(call operator talking)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
There were a lot of people

in the house almost all night.

- [Ambulance Attendant]
Thank you honey.

- [Ambulance Attendant]
That's a nice little girl.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
Mark looked like a ghost.

(scary music)

Lieutenant March said I
couldn't use my bedroom tonight,

and maybe not for
a while after that.

That was okay, I didn't
wanna sleep in there anyway.

- You don't have to tell
me if you don't want to.

- Nothing to tell,
mommy thought Mark

was going to do something bad
to me, so she protected me.

(soft music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
Lieutenant March

talked to mommy for a long time.

Most of the time, I couldn't
hear what they were saying,

but sometimes it
was easy to hear.

- Am I under arrest?

- No, you are not under arrest.

And yes, you should
contact your lawyer.

- More coffee lieutenant?

- Yeah.

Your sister is quite a woman.

- You don't believe her, do you?

- [Lieutenant March] Do you?

- Of course I believe
her she's my sister.

- Yeah.

And Jeffrey Dahmer
was somebody's brother.

- That was uncalled for.

- [Lieutenant March] Is it?

I suppose it is, it's
been a long night.

I'll talk to Jessica
Ann in the morning.

- Thank you for
that much anyway.

- [Lieutenant March] Maybe she
should stay with you tonight.

- That isn't my decision.

- Maybe it should be.

Thanks for the coffee.

- You aren't really
asleep are you?

- No.

- What you told me,

is that what really
happened Jessica Ann?

- Mommy thought Mark was going
to do something bad to me,

so she protected me.

- You love your
mommy, don't you?

- Yeah.

- I love her too.

- I know.

- But you're afraid
of her, aren't you?

- Sure, every kid's
afraid of their parents.

- Beth!

Maybe you better go now.

- Maybe I should take
Jessica Ann tonight.

- I think you've done more
than enough already Beth.

- I can stay if you like.

- We appreciate your concern,

but we've been through a
lot of tragedy together,

Jessica Ann and I,

and we will get through
tonight, just fine.

Won't we dear?

- Yes mommy!

(soft music)

- You take the couch,
I'll take the chair

it'll be just like camping out.

(soft music)

(foreboding music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
The next afternoon,

Lieutenant March and some
other people questioned

both me and mommy,
together and separate.

Sometimes mommy's
lawyer, Mr. Ekhardt

wouldn't let mommy
answer a question.

- So you didn't know

the man you shared your bed
with was investigating you?

- Absolutely not.

- Hasn't that been
established Lieutenant?

- I suppose so.

But we've also established
that the men she slept with

had a bad habit of dying.

- That's inappropriate
Lieutenant.

- Conveniently dying, that is.

- Lieutenant!

- How much money did you inherit

when your first husband
died Mrs. Sterling?

- How much money did
your wife inherit

when her parents died?

And where were you at the time?

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
I didn't lie, not exactly.

Nobody asked if I knew
Mark was an investigator.

- Jessica Ann,

did Mark Patterson

or Jeffrey's as you knew him

did he ever make

an advance toward you

of a a sexual nature?

- You know, there really
should be a representative

from Child Welfare if
you're gonna keep on--

- I am trying to confirm
your client's story, Okay.

Now I apologize for asking
Jessica Ann but did he?

- No, but mommy thought so.

- Oh really?

Why?

- Because he was in my
bedroom in his pajamas

in the middle of the night.

- I think that's quite enough.

Good afternoon.

- Do they have
enough to hold me?

- Not yet.

- What do you mean not yet?

- I don't think this
thing is gonna lit up,

from the looks of that
lieutenant in there,

This is only the
start as (mumbles)

- Well, thank you Neal,

I'm sure that with
you in our corner,

everything will be just fine.

- I gotta give you this,
you know what you're doing.

You take care of you.

(ominous music)

- We're going on vacation, dear.

- Where mommy?

- To a foreign land,
it will be a surprise.

- But I have school.

- School will be
out in a week or so,

with your grades
it won't matter.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
The plaque was gone.

Mommy was a lot of things,
but she wasn't a fool.

And it's probably
in the river by now.

But what about my friends

- You'll make
wonderful new friends.

Here.

Pack this suitcase
with your own things.

- What about my stuffed animals?

- Pick your favorite, and
Beth will send the rest along

after we get where we're going.

- Okay Mommy.

- Jessica Ann.

- Yes mommy.

- Whose your best friend?

- You are.

- Who loves you
more than anything--

- You do.

(soft music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover] I
knew it wasn't a vacation,

I knew we were moving.

What could I do about it?

Every kid knows that when
your parents decide to move,

the kid has no say in it,
you just go where they go.

(soft music)

You have to go where
I tell you Daddy.

(upbeat music)

We drove for a long
time, a couple hours.

Mommy looked different,

was she frightened too?

(upbeat music)

- You about ready to
stop for the night dear?

- Oh could we mommy?

Sleeping in the car
makes my tummy hurt.

- We'll pull into the
next vacancy we see.

(car engine roaring)

(upbeat music)

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover]
We were on the outskirt

of some town, with lots
of factories and stuff.

(upbeat music)

(foreboding music)

This wasn't like
the fancy hotels

we usually stayed
in on vacation,

I thought it was a little scary.

(foreboding music)

All I wanted was
a nice soft bed.

- Well, this isn't
so bad, is it?

- No mommy.

- All right, get
your jammies on.

(upbeat music)

How's my angel doing?

- That's what Mark
used to call me.

- I miss him too.

- Do you mommy?

- I'm sorry,

the accident happened.

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover] Did
Mommy really believe that?

Could she make herself
believe that lie?

Or did you just wanna
know if I believed it?

Do you miss daddy?

- I miss daddy most of all.

You probably won't have

any trouble sleeping
tonight, will you?

- No mommy, I'm really tired.

- Do you know how
proud I am of you?

For being such a

good student.

Such a good girl.

Say your prayers dear.

- Yes mommy.

(soft music)

Good night daddy.

(yawning)

(foreboding music)

- She is a sick person,
and she has to be stopped,

and she has to be helped.

(foreboding music)

- Sometimes mommies have
to make hard decisions.

(foreboding music)

If they take mommy away,

who would look after you?

- [Jessica Ann Voiceover] Mommy
was telling me these things

only because she didn't
think I could hear them.

(foreboding music)

(screaming)

- Mommy!

- Jessica Ann!

Jessica Ann!

- No mommy.

(crying)

- Jessica Ann, open the door.

- No!

- You just had a bad dream dear,

a nightmare.

Now open the door.

- No way!

- Come out and we'll
go back to sleep now.

- No!

- We have a big day tomorrow
Jessica Ann a lot of driving.

I need my good little navigator.

Open the door.

(upbeat music)

Jessica Ann!

Jessica Ann.

Come back here this instant.

(upbeat music)

(breathing heavily)

(crickets chirping)

(foreboding music)

Just what do you think
you're doing young lady?

(dog barking)

Shit!

Stay.

Stay.

(dog barking)

(screaming in pain)

- Mommy?

Mommy!

(foreboding music)

- Now do you see why I'd
never let you have a dog?

- Mommy don't!

Please don't.

- This hurts me more
than it hurts you, dear.

- Yes mommy.

(screaming)

- Who loves you
more than anything

on God's green earth?

- You do.

(crying)

(gun shot)

- Jessica Ann get
away from your mother.

I'm gonna do the world a favor.

(foreboding music)

(crying)

Come on.

- Jess.

Are you all right Jess?

- Yeah.

- You are one brave girl.

- Aunt Beth, what
are you doing here?

- Lieutenant March

was keeping your mother
under surveillance,

he asked me to come along
in case you needed me.

- I'm glad.

- It's over Jessie, it's over.

- She couldn't do it.

- I know honey.

- Mommy does love me.

(crying)

Mommy had done a
lot of bad things

but she couldn't bring herself
to kill her little girl.

- Why didn't you do it?

She was the only one who could
really testify against you.

Why did you hesitate?

- For a moment there,

in the moonlight,

she looked like me.

♪ Mommy, mommy I've been good

♪ Just like mommy
said I should ♪

♪ Mommy, mommy I love you

♪ Mommy, mommy loves me too

♪ Mommy, mommy
please don't cry ♪

♪ Soon it'll be a bluer sky

♪ Mommy, mommy some fine day

♪ Daddy will come home to stay

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy tuck me in

♪ Let me know I'm safe within

♪ Mommy, mommy's loving arms

♪ Mommy sleeps in no one arms

♪ Mommy mommy (mumbles)

♪ Safe at home
when day is done ♪

♪ Mommy mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Mommy, mommy

♪ Please

(upbeat music)

("Movin on" Cruisin')

♪ She's got a husband
who's getting kind of old ♪

♪ She wishes he were dead
is my coffee gettin cold ♪

♪ She's fine but it's
time for moving on ♪

♪ Selling insurance was
a way to pay the rent ♪

♪ Called on a client she
sure looked at heaven sent ♪

♪ She has a husband who
wasn't worth much alive ♪

♪ She had an idea of how
we could really thrive ♪

♪ She's fine, but it's
time for movin' on ♪

♪ Here we go

♪ Met the wrong woman she
was sweet and she was kind ♪

♪ But she had a sister with
something on her mind ♪

♪ The little sister put her
hand where it don't belong ♪

♪ She said don't worry I'll
be fourteen before long ♪

♪ She's fine, but it's
time for moving on ♪

♪ She's fine but it's
time for moving on ♪

♪ She's fine but it's time

(upbeat music)