Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Keeping Up Appearances - full transcript

JEANNE TRANTEL
SEEMED TO HAVE IT ALL...

TWO BEAUTIFUL BOYS
AND A HANDSOME HUSBAND.

MY GIRLFRIENDS WERE JEALOUS.
LIKE, EVERYONE WANTED STEVE.

WE WERE ADORABLE TOGETHER.

BUT BEHIND
THIS PICTURE-PERFECT MARRIAGE

WAS A SHOCKING SECRET.

JEANNE'S HUSBAND
WASN'T WHO SHE THOUGHT HE WAS.

THIS WAS ONE FOR THE BOOKS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL EVER SEE
A CASE LIKE THIS AGAIN.

HONESTLY, I WAS PETRIFIED.
I WAS PETRIFIED OF HIM.

WHEN IT COMES
TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,



THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS
AS THEY SEEM.

A GOOD MARRIAGE IS BUILT
ON LOVE...

TRUST...

AND HONESTY.

BUT IF ANY ONE OF THEM
IS MISSING,

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

AND NO ONE KNOWS THAT BETTER
THAN JEANNE TRANTEL.

I'M A PERSON WHO LOVES TO LAUGH.

IT DAWNED ON ME ONE DAY.

IT WAS LIKE THE IRONY
OF MY LIFE.

LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1990,

WHEN THE FUN-LOVING GIRL
FROM LONG ISLAND

WAS OUT WITH HER FRIENDS



AND FIRST LAID EYES
ON STEPHEN TRANTEL.

HE WAS 5'9", BLOND HAIR,

GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS
LIGHT-BLUE EYES.

AND WE HIT IT OFF RIGHT AWAY.

HE WAS PERFECT FOR JEANNE,

'CAUSE THEY BOTH HAD THAT
OUTGOING, VIVACIOUS PERSONALITY.

WE'RE LIKE, "OOH, WE LIKE HIM."

AS A COMMODITIES
TRADER ON WALL STREET,

STEPHEN HAD A GOOD JOB

AND SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT HE WANTED IN LIFE.

AND HE BELIEVED JEANNE
COMPLETED THE PICTURE.

THREE YEARS AFTER THEY MET,
JEANNE BECAME STEPHEN'S WIFE.

IT WAS AMAZING.

I HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
WEDDING DRESS.

I REMEMBER WALKING UP THE AISLE
AND MY HEART WAS MELTING.

ABOUT TO CELEBRATE
THIS MARRIAGE

IN YOUR PRESENCE...

THEY COULDN'T WAIT
TO DO THE KISS

'CAUSE THEY'RE BOTH
KIND OF SHOW PEOPLE.

JEANNE AND STEPHEN
EVENTUALLY BOUGHT A HOME

IN THE CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY
OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE,

JEANNE'S HOMETOWN.

AND BEFORE LONG,
THEY WERE THE PARENTS

OF TWO BEAUTIFUL BOYS.

JEANNE QUIT HER JOB IN SALES
TO STAY HOME FULL TIME.

STEPHEN WAS AN INCREDIBLE DAD.

HE WAS VERY, VERY INVOLVED
WITH THE CHILDREN RIGHT AWAY.

STEPHEN WANTED TO MAKE
EVERYBODY HAPPY,

WHETHER IT WAS HIS FAMILY,
HIS NEIGHBOR, HIS BOSS,

HIS LITTLE-LEAGUE TEAM.

THAT WAS WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.

SAY, "I LOVE YOU, DADDY."

FOR STEPHEN,
PROVIDING FOR HIS GROWING FAMILY

APPEARED TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.

STEPHEN'S MAIN GOAL ALL THE TIME
WAS MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.

HE TALKED ABOUT WALL STREET,

MAKING IT BIG ON WALL STREET,
ALL THE TIME.

BUT THE WORLD OF
TRADING HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS.

ONE WEEK, YOU ARE FLYING.

YOU HAVE MADE $25,000.

YOU'RE PAYING YOUR MORTGAGE.
YOU'RE GOING ON A VACATION.

YOU'RE... YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE GOING SHOPPING.

MONEY'S NO PROBLEM.

THE NEXT WEEK, WE'RE DEAD BROKE.

WE HAVE NOTHING.

JEANNE WEATHERED
THE UPS AND DOWNS

BY FINDING SOLACE IN HER FAMILY.

STEPHEN HAD HIS OWN PASSION.

HE LOVED TO FISH.

THAT WAS HIS ESCAPE FROM LIFE.

FISHING WAS HIS RELAXATION,
I THINK.

BY NOVEMBER 28, 2003,

THE COUPLE HAD BEEN MARRIED
FOR NINE YEARS.

BUT THEIR PERFECT LIFE TOGETHER
WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

AND IT ALL STARTED WITH ONE
OF STEPHEN'S FISHING TRIPS.

HE LEFT FOR THE MORNING.

I REMEMBER HIM
WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS

AND THEN WALKING UP THE STAIRS
AGAIN TO KISS ME.

STEPHEN LEFT
WITH JEANNE'S UNCLE ROD.

THEY PLANED TO RETURN
JUST AFTER LUNCH.

AT NOON, STEPHEN CALLED TO SAY
HE WAS ALMOST HOME.

BUT BY 1:30,
HE STILL HADN'T ARRIVED.

I CALLED UNCLE ROD,
AND UNCLE ROD SAID,

"NO, HE DROPPED ME OFF
ABOUT 12:00 AND CALLED YOU."

SO I'M THINKING, FROM
MY MOTHER'S HOUSE TO MY HOUSE,

WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED
TO THIS MAN?

BY 5:00, I REALIZED,
YOU KNOW WHAT?

HE HASN'T CALLED HER.
HE HASN'T COME HOME.

SOMETHING IS DESPERATELY,
DESPERATELY WRONG.

I CALLED EVERY HOSPITAL,

ASKING IF THERE WAS A MAN
THAT CAME IN

IN SOME KIND OF CAR ACCIDENT,
YOU KNOW, BLOND HAIR, BLUE EYES.

NOTHING.

BY 6:00 P.M.,

STEPHEN HAD BEEN MISSING
FOR SIX HOURS.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO ATTEND
A WAKE THAT EVENING,

BUT JEANNE HAD TO GO ALONE.

I WAS AT THE WAKE
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,

FEELING VERY STRANGE.

LIKE, WHY WOULD STEPHEN
MISS THIS WAKE?

LIKE, HE WOULD NEVER MISS
THIS WAKE.

IT WAS OUT OF HIS CHARACTER.

BY THE TIME JEANNE
AND HER GOOD FRIEND BROOKE

RETURNED HOME THAT NIGHT,
JEANNE WAS PANICKED.

IT WAS EERIE OUT.
IT WAS DARK OUT.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THE MOOD
THAT WE WERE IN IN THE HOUSE.

THEN, AT 9:20 P.M.,

NINE HOURS AFTER JEANNE
LAST SPOKE TO HER HUSBAND,

A CALL CAME IN THAT WOULD
CHANGE HER LIFE FOREVER.

AS THE CALLER ON THE OTHER END
WAS SPEAKING,

I WATCHED THE COLOR
DRAIN OUT OF JEANNE'S FACE.

I WAS TOTALLY IN SHOCK.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2003,

NINE MONTHS
BEFORE RECEIVING THE CALL

THAT WOULD FOREVER CHANGE

WHAT JEANNE TRANTEL BELIEVED
ABOUT HER HUSBAND,

SHE NOTICED A CHANGE
IN HIS BEHAVIOR.

IT WAS APPARENT
THAT HE WAS SO NOT HIMSELF.

STEPHEN USUALLY LEFT
HIS TROUBLES AT THE OFFICE.

BUT ONE DAY HE CAME HOME
IN A FOUL MOOD

THAT HUNG OVER THEIR MARRIAGE
FOR WEEKS.

HE WOULD COME HOME,
AND HIS ANXIETY WAS SO HIGH.

I'D SAY,
"STEVE, IS EVERYTHING OKAY?"

AND HE WOULD ALWAYS COMPLAIN
HE WAS STRESSED AT WORK,

THAT THE FLOOR WAS STRESSFUL.

GOOD FRIENDS, LIKE BROOKE JONES,
NOTICED THE CHANGE.

HELLO?

HE WAS JUST
A HAPPY, HAPPY GUY.

AND NOW HE WAS A LITTLE SNIPPY,
AND HE JUST WASN'T HIMSELF.

HE GOT VERY MEAN AND VERY NASTY.

WAS WORK TO BLAME
FOR STEPHEN'S UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR,

OR WAS SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON?

LET'S SEE, WE CHALKED IT UP
TO AN EARLY MIDLIFE CRISIS,

BOREDOM, DA-DA-DA-DA-DA.

YOU THINK HE'S GOT
A GIRLFRIEND ON THE SIDE.

I SAID, "YOU'RE DEFINITELY
HAVING A MARITAL AFFAIR."

I WAS REALLY CRAZY ABOUT THAT.

STEPHEN DENIED
HE WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR,

BUT THAT DIDN'T MAKE JEANNE
FEEL ANY BETTER.

I REMEMBER GIVING HIM
MY WEDDING RING AT ONE POINT,

LIKE, THAT NEXT WEEK,

SAYING, "IF YOU DON'T CHANGE,
HERE'S MY RING,

BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THE MAN
I MARRIED."

I'M NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST,

BUT HE JUST WAS NOT...
HE WAS NOT HAPPY.

HE WAS NOT HIMSELF.

SOMETHING WAS GOING ON.

THEN IN THE FALL OF 2003,

JEANNE GOT HER FIRST HINT
OF WHAT THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE.

THE MORTGAGE COMPANY CALLED

TO COMPLAIN THAT THEIR BILL
WAS OVERDUE.

I SAID,
"STEPHEN, WE'RE IN TROUBLE.

THE MORTGAGE COMPANY CALLED US.
WHAT'S GOING ON?"

HE WOULD TELL ME TO IGNORE IT.
HE'S TAKEN CARE OF IT.

YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY DID
SIGNAL TO HER,

LIKE, MY GOSH, SOMETHING
IS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WRONG.

JEANNE DECIDED
TO IGNORE THE MORTGAGE CALL,

BUT SHE FELT HER MARRIAGE
WAS STILL IN TROUBLE.

ON NOVEMBER 27, 2003,

THE FAMILY TOOK A TRIP
TO NEW YORK CITY

TO SEE THE THANKSGIVING DAY
PARADE.

WERE DRIVING INTO MANHATTAN,

AND HE'S DRIVING LIKE A LUNATIC.

AND I WAS LIKE,
"STEVE, SLOW DOWN."

HE WAS GOING
IN AND OUT OF THE...

NO, IT WAS CRAZY.

IT WAS LIKE A SPEED CHASE.

STEPHEN'S ERRATIC BEHAVIOR

ONLY GOT WORSE
LATER THAT EVENING.

HE WAS SO COLD AND SO MEAN,
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO HE WAS.

HONESTLY, I WAS PETRIFIED.
I WAS PETRIFIED OF HIM.

AND THE KIDS HEARD THAT NIGHT.

JUST GO AWAY, JEANNE!

THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING,

HE WAS
HIS OLD CHIPPER SELF AGAIN

BECAUSE HE WAS GOING OUT
FISHING.

ACTUALLY,
I WAS HAPPY HE WAS GOING AWAY.

I WAS SO TIRED OF HIM.

I WANTED HIM
TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.

BUT JEANNE'S LIFE WAS
ABOUT TO TAKE AN UNEXPECTED TURN,

AS HER WORLD COLLIDES
WITH A NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL.

HE WAS A BIT OF A RISK TAKER.

HE TOOK THE WRONG RISK.

I WAS SPEECHLESS.

NINE YEARS INTO HER MARRIAGE,

JEANNE TRANTEL'S PICTURE-PERFECT
LIFE WITH HER HUSBAND STEPHEN

SEEMED TO BE FALLING APART.

MEANWHILE, NOT FAR
FROM ROCKVILLE CENTRE,

DETECTIVE SERGEANT JAMES SKOPEK
WAS HAVING TROUBLES OF HIS OWN.

HE WAS TRYING TO CATCH
THE MOST UNCANNY CRIMINAL.

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS

WAS EVERY STEP I MOVED
IN THE CHESS GAME WAS MET.

IT WAS MATCHED.

FOR FOUR MONTHS,

THE MAN KNOWN
AS THE LONG ISLAND BANK ROBBER

HAD GIVEN POLICE THE RUNAROUND,

EASILY NABBING OVER $65,000.

EACH HEIST WAS CAUGHT ON TAPE,

BUT POLICE HAD NO IDEA
WHO THE ROBBER WAS.

IF YOU NOTICE,
HE KNEW WHERE THE CAMERA WAS,

BECAUSE WITH HIS BASEBALL HAT,
HE IS NOW LOOKING DOWNWARDS.

SO IF YOU LOOK
AT THIS FIRST FRAME,

HE KNOWS
THE CAMERAS ARE RUNNING,

AND YOU CAN'T GET ANY FACIAL
FEATURES FROM HIM WHATSOEVER.

SKOPEK KNEW HE WAS
DEALING WITH A SUSPECT

WHO'D DONE HIS RESEARCH,

A MAN WHO STAYED AHEAD
OF THE GAME

BY CAREFULLY HIDING HIS IDENTITY

UNDER A BASEBALL HAT,
GLASSES, AND GLOVES,

A MAN WHO PRETENDED TO BE
A CUSTOMER

WITH CHECKBOOK IN HAND,

A MAN WHO WAITED PATIENTLY
IN LINE

BEFORE HANDING THE TELLER
A STICK-UP NOTE

DEMANDING A BAG OF MONEY.

AND HE DID IT ALL
WITH DARING PANACHE,

ALWAYS STAYING
ONE STEP AHEAD OF POLICE.

I'LL EVEN GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.

I SET UP ON THE SOUTH SHORE

WITH DETECTIVES, SURVEILLANCE,

HELICOPTERS STANDING BY,

EVERY BIT OF RESOURCES WE HAVE,

AND THE BANK GETS HIT
ON THE NORTH SHORE.

CATCHING A THIEF WHO THINKS
OF ALMOST EVERYTHING ISN'T EASY.

BUT INVESTIGATORS
FINALLY CAUGHT A BREAK

WHEN THE CRIME LAB
EXAMINED A STICK-UP NOTE

LEFT BEHIND AT THE SCENE
OF ROBBERY NUMBER NINE.

THIS NOTE WAS DIFFERENT
THAN THE REST.

THE LAST NOTE THAT I NOTICED

WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS RIPPED
FROM A SPIRAL NOTEBOOK.

THINK FOR YOURSELF, WHEN YOU GO
TO A SPIRAL NOTEBOOK,

ARE YOU GONNA PUT ON YOUR GLOVES

AND THEN RIP THAT PAGE OUT
OF THE SPIRAL NOTEBOOK?

IT WAS THE MISTAKE
POLICE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR.

LAB TECHNICIANS RECOVERED
A CLEAN FINGERPRINT,

AND THEY WOULD SOON HAVE A NAME
TO MATCH IT.

ON THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING,

STEPHEN TRANTEL WENT OUT FISHING
AND NEVER RETURNED.

NINE HOURS AFTER
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOME,

JEANNE WAS FRANTIC.

THEN A PHONE CALL
FINALLY CAME IN.

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET
A REAL BAD KNOT IN YOUR STOMACH

AND YOU'RE GONNA THROW UP?

I JUST DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO
ANSWER IT.

BUT I PICKED UP THE PHONE,
AND HE SAID, "MRS. TRANTEL?"

AS THE CALLER ON THE OTHER END
WAS SPEAKING,

I WATCHED THE COLOR
DRAIN OUT OF JEANNE'S FACE.

I THOUGHT THAT STEPHEN,
GOD FORBID, WAS DEAD.

THE NEWS WAS BAD

BUT NOT AT ALL
WHAT JEANNE EXPECTED.

STEPHEN HAD BEEN PULLED OVER
BY POLICE

FOR DRIVING
WITH A BROKEN TAILLIGHT.

THEN HE WAS PROMPTLY ARRESTED
FOR SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY.

HE SAID,
"WE HAVE STEPHEN IN CUSTODY

FOR ROBBING FLEET BANKS
ALL OVER LONG ISLAND."

I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.

I SAID, "YOU HAVE THE WRONG MAN.

STEPHEN WOULD NEVER ROB BANKS."

THE FIRST THING THAT I DID,
AND I'LL BE HONEST,

WAS I ALMOST LAUGHED.

I SAID, "WHAT?!"

THAT IS THE MOST ABSURD THING
I'VE EVER HEARD.

I SAID, "ALL RIGHT,
WHO'S PLAYING A JOKE ON YOU RIGHT NOW?"

BUT IT WAS NO LAUGHING MATTER.

STEPHEN WAS NOT ONLY CHARGED
WITH ONE BANK ROBBERY,

BUT 10.

JEANNE'S HUSBAND,
THE SON OF A RETIRED COP,

WAS FACING CHARGES THAT COULD
LAND HIM IN PRISON FOR DECADES.

I SAID, "MAY I SPEAK TO HIM?"

SO STEPHEN GOT ON THE PHONE.

HE SAID, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
DON'T PANIC.

IT'S NOT TRUE."

WELL, WE ALL AGREED
THAT THEY HAD THE WRONG PERSON

AND THAT THIS COULDN'T POSSIBLY
BE TRUE.

AND JEANNE WAS CONVINCED
HE HAD THE PERFECT ALIBI.

I WOULD SAY,
"STEVE, YOU HAVE RECORDS

OF YOU WORKING,
LIKE, ON THE FLOOR."

SO I SAID TO HIM, "OF COURSE
THIS IS GONNA BE FINE."

SO WAS IT A CASE
OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY,

OR WAS STEPHEN TRANTEL
FOOLING EVERYONE?

DO I THINK STEPHEN
HAD IT IN HIM TO DO THIS?

I DON'T THINK SO.

IN DECEMBER 2003,

A MONTH AFTER HER HUSBAND'S
ARREST FOR BANK ROBBERY,

JEANNE TRANTEL
WAS LIVING A NIGHTMARE.

I DID NOT SLEEP, DID NOT EAT.

I WAS SO NAUSEOUS AND SICK,
THAT I WAS TOTALLY IN SHOCK.

INVESTIGATORS WERE
CERTAIN THEY HAD THE RIGHT MAN.

BUT STEPHEN CLAIMED
HE WAS INNOCENT.

AND JEANNE WAS SURE
HE COULD PROVE IT.

I WOULD SAY, "STEVE,
YOU CAN CLEAR YOUR INNOCENCE,

BECAUSE YOU HAVE RECORDS OF YOU
WORKING, LIKE, ON THE FLOOR."

SO I SAID TO HIM, "OF COURSE
THIS IS GONNA BE FINE."

HE WOULD ALWAYS BE BLANK
WHEN I WOULD SAY THAT.

MEANWHILE, THE EVIDENCE
AGAINST STEPHEN WAS OVERWHELMING.

ACCORDING TO POLICE RECORDS,

STEPHEN HAD BEEN ARRESTED
AND FINGERPRINTED

BACK IN 1983 FOR A D.U.I.,

AND THOSE PRINTS
MATCHED THE NOTE

LEFT BEHIND
AT THE NINTH ROBBERY.

THE FINGERPRINTS DON'T LIE,

SO THE FINGERPRINT
WAS A TELLTALE SIGN.

THEN WE DID LINEUPS,

AND HE WAS IDENTIFIED BY
THE VICTIM TELLERS AND WITNESSES

ON SEVERAL OF THE BANKS.

SO WE WERE LOCKED.

IT WAS A LOCK.

MY DAD CAME INTO MY HOUSE,
AND HE SAID,

"JEANNE, I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU."

WE WENT INTO MY DEN.

WE WENT ON MY COUCH,
AND HE TOLD ME,

"STEPHEN ROBBED THE BANKS.
HE'S GUILTY."

JEANNE'S DAD,
A RETIRED NEW YORK PROSECUTOR,

HAD REVIEWED THE EVIDENCE

AND CONVINCED JEANNE
THAT STEPHEN WAS GUILTY.

JEANNE ALSO SOUGHT OUT
SOME OF STEPHEN'S COLLEAGUES

AT THE COMMODITIES EXCHANGE.

I HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE
THAT ALSO CAME OVER

AND STARTED SAYING, LIKE,
"HE WASN'T ON THE FLOOR."

I HAD PEOPLE
THAT USED TO WORK WITH HIM

THAT SAID HE'S BEEN MISSING
FOR MONTHS.

NO ONE KNEW WHERE HE WAS.

SO I STARTED GETTING ANGRY
AT STEPHEN,

'CAUSE HE WASN'T TELLING ME
THE TRUTH.

FINALLY,
AFTER WEEKS OF CRYING FOUL,

STEPHEN CAME CLEAN.

HE HAD BEEN BANNED FROM
THE NEW YORK COMMODITY EXCHANGE

FOUR MONTHS EARLIER
FOR LOSING TOO MUCH MONEY.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL
HE CONFESSED TO.

THAT'S WHEN I HAD TO,
LIKE, REALLY PULL IT OUT OF HIM.

AND HE SAID HE DID IT.

HE RAN OUT OF MONEY.
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.

HE WAS IN FEAR.
HE WAS STUCK.

WE WERE LOSING OUR HOUSE.

AND HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF
ONE DAY,

"I HAVE TO ROB A BANK.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

EVERY DAY, HE GOT UP,
HE'D PUT ON HIS WORK CLOTHES,

AND I GAVE HIM HIS LUNCH
AND KISSED HIM GOODBYE.

AND HE WOULD CALL ME DURING
THE DAY, TALK ABOUT WORK...

IT'S SO STRESSFUL.

BUT REALLY,
THE GUY WAS OUT ROBBING BANKS.

ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS,

STEPHEN CAREFULLY STUDIED
THE INS AND OUTS OF BANK ROBBERY

AT A LOCAL LIBRARY
BEFORE MAKING HIS FIRST HEIST.

ALMOST EVERY TIME,
THE PLAN WAS THE SAME.

STEPHEN WALKED INTO A BANK
AS A CUSTOMER,

THEN, WITHIN SECONDS,
WALKED OUT WITH A BAG OF MONEY,

DUMPED HIS DISGUISE
IN THE TRASH,

THEN CALMLY WALKED AWAY,
SIPPING A CUP OF COFFEE.

I MEAN, HE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD
AT IT, ACTUALLY.

I MEAN,
HE WAS UP UNTIL HE WAS CAUGHT.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS GOOD
AT KEEPING HIS CLUES HIDDEN.

AND HE LIVED A LIFE OF A LIE
FOR A LONG TIME.

AND ALL ALONG,
JEANNE WAS COMPLETELY FOOLED.

I'M SURE THERE WERE
SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN

THAT THOUGHT,
"HOW DIDN'T SHE KNOW?"

BUT I DID NOT KNOW.
I DID NOT KNOW.

STEPHEN WANTED HIS LIFE
TO BE PERFECT.

HE WANTED THIS HOUSE
IN ROCKVILLE CENTRE.

HE WANTED HIS BOYS
TO HAVE EVERYTHING.

HE DID WANT ME
TO HAVE EVERYTHING.

I HAVE TO SAY HE DID.

BUT INSTEAD
OF ENJOYING THE GOOD LIFE,

STEPHEN WAS SENTENCED
TO NINE YEARS BEHIND BARS.

I STILL, TO THIS DAY,
CAN'T WRAP MY WHOLE BRAIN

AROUND WHAT HAPPENED.

WHY WOULDN'T HE CHOOSE ME
TO TALK TO

AND JUST TELL ME
WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING?

BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN
WORKED OUT.

JEANNE KNEW
THE FAIRY TALE WAS OVER.

IN MAY OF 2004,

SHE DIVORCED STEPHEN SHORTLY
AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON.

I WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT
ON MY WEDDING DAY,

WHEN I TOOK MY VOWS, THAT,
"BY THE WAY, IN THE FUTURE,

"YOU WILL BE HAVING A HUSBAND
IN PRISON,

AND THESE KIDS WILL LOSE
THEIR DAD TO PRISON"...

I WOULD NEVER BELIEVE IT.

IRONICALLY,

STEPHEN'S ARREST
CAME JUST THREE WEEKS

AFTER THE COUPLE ATTENDED
A HALLOWEEN PARTY

IN JAILBIRD COSTUMES.

AFTER YEARS OF LETTING
HER HUSBAND CALL THE SHOTS,

TODAY, JEANNE'S FULLY IN CHARGE.

I'M WORKING THREE JOBS TO PAY
THE BILLS AND THE MORTGAGE,

AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE
OUT THERE.

JEANNE WENT FROM BEING SOMEONE
WHO WAS ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF.

NOW SHE WAS THE PERSON
WHO WAS TAKING CARE OF THE BOYS.

SO THAT WAS A DRAMATIC 360
FOR HER.

I'M A CHANGED PERSON NOW.

THERE'S NO GOING BACK
TO WHAT I WAS.

WITH HER EYES WIDE OPEN,

JEANNE TRANTEL NOW KNOWS
THAT IN LOVE AND LIFE,

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

HOW WOULD SOMEBODY THINK BEING
WITH SOMEBODY FOR 10 YEARS,

MARRIED TO, YOU KNOW,
YOUR CLOSEST FRIEND,

SLEEPING WITH HIM EVERY NIGHT,

YOU KNOW, HAVING THESE TWO KIDS,

THAT HE WAS LIVING ANOTHER LIFE?

BUT IT CAN HAPPEN.
IT CAN.

AND IT DOES HAPPEN.
IT'S REAL. IT'S REALITY.