Smother (2021) s01e01 Episode Script

[waves crashing]
[Denis] I'm sorry.
I apologize, please.
We can still fix this.
[grunting]
[screaming]
[thud]
And if I see a sign
in the sky tonight
No one's gonna tell me
it's a trick of the light
May never come but
I'm willing to wait
What can I say?
I'm a man of the faith
And there's
an ocean in my body
And there's a river
in my soul
And I'm crying
[indistinct chatter]
-Hi, how are you?
-[woman] Great to see you.
Thank you,
so good of you to come.
Hey Grace,
where are your sisters?
They're down in the
sitting room, Anna's driving
them mad taking photos.
[laughs] Come on,
let's rescue those boys.
Happy birthday, Val.
Alannah thank you so much
for coming, now there's
champagne in the living
room and there's
whisky for you Ned.
See you in a bit.
-Rory!
-I'm sorry.
Nice big smiles.
Thank you.
-Let's get one with Auntie
Jenny and the bump.
-No, I don't think so.
Jenny I would like a photograph
with my three daughters; Grace.
It's rare I get you all
in the one room.
I'd like to mark the occasion.
Val, would you mind?
Sure.
Come on everybody,
Grace, please stop
doing that pout thing.
Come on proper smiles,
everybody.
Now one with us all,
for the night that's in it.
One for Anna to take back
to Singapore.
Frankie, you're up.
Come on, Uncle Frank.
-Come on in, Mum.
-All right.
-Next one.
-[Frank] Okay.
Oh, lovely.
-Lovely.
-Let's see?
Happy birthday.
Well, it would be perfect if
Mam was looking at the camera.
I'll be back in
two minutes, okay?
Oh this is so cute,
look at the bump, aw.
Dad, Dad,
I just need five minutes.
Later sweetheart.
I'm tired of being an oven.
The next time
we're all together,
it'll be a christening.
-Hey Denis, evening.
-Carl.
Oh, my God, you look great.
Did you ask him?
Is he coming?
I think so.
Grace, I need to talk
to you about Joe.
Cathy!
Oh, Cathy, oh my goodness.
Come on, come on,
I want to show you Anna's boys,
you won't believe
the size of them!
So brother, enjoying the party?
Eh, you know yourself.
Getting older, makes you
realize certain things.
How so?
Who's got your back.
Who's waiting to stick
a knife in it.
-Denis, I--
-We'll speak, but not now.
Cathy was like, she was
like a fourth daughter,
practically lived in the house.
Except this one took my
stuff home with her.
-Just eyeliner.
-And a lip gloss.
Yeah.
Go easy soldier, you don't
want to miss the cake.
[chatter]
Come on now love,
remember what the doctor said.
Do we have any fizzy water?
Do we have any fizzy water?
Ah here! Why don't I just
open the fridge for you,
you can come and have a look.
I want that, going into
old age, that thing.
Never being lonely.
Don't you?
Elaine.
-Who asked her?
-I did.
Grace, please
just act casual, relaxed.
I need to keep her sweet.
But the boys are
yours now right?
Grace, now's not really the
time for that conversation.
Right.
Casual, got you.
Thank you.
Hey, Carl,
can I get you something?
He's looking for that
special Pilsner I got in.
There you go.
Thanks.
[whispers] But you couldn't
find the water.
-I'm sorry, what?
-Hm? I said who's
drinking water?
Elaine, she's arrived.
You should come and say hello.
Hey.
Joe, I didn't get a chance
to say anything.
You shouldn't have
to tiptoe around Grace.
Not after all this time.
I know but she's, you know
she can be delicate.
Yeah well,
we can be delicate too!
Come on.
We are very glad you
could make it, Elaine.
You know, I was--
I was thinking of the boys.
You know?
What would be easier for them?
Like, not make the first meeting
too formal, after so long.
Do you know where they are?
I'll track them down.
Why don't we just jump
right in, you know?
-Okay, okay.
-Okay.
Come on.
-Hi.
-Hi.
-Hello.
-Hi there. Thank you for coming.
Put out that cigarette.
[chuckles]
Finish the beer and
no more drinking or smoking
for the rest of
the evening, okay?
Now come on,
your mother's arrived.
Do we have to?
You can keep it as
low key as you want.
Hello, how are you,
blah, blah, blah.
Blah, blah, blah.
See, you're a natural.
Jacob, come on, get a
move on, back inside.
Did it look like
he was standing still?
Sorry, what did you say to me?
Rory
They're grand.
Can you get me more
napkins from the van?
Hello.
Joe!
Well.
Prawn?
-Yeah.
-Mind they're hot.
Cathy told me you
transferred from Ennis,
so I asked her to ask you,
how's it feel to be back?
You have to come to
my cafe, Grace's,
and look at you
a detective now.
Oh just, I think we're
nearly ready for the cake.
-Oh, hiya, Joe.
-Hiya, Jenny
All right.
Well it's good to see you.
Yeah.
It's good to see you.
Better cheers.
[dance music plays]
[laughter]
Never leave me like that.
Grace?
Grace.
Are you okay?
We're on.
[glass clinking]
Okay. Come on,
let's be having you.
-Do we have to do this?
-Yes you have to do this.
Oh, God.
-[groans]
-[laughs]
-Well,
-[crowd shushes]
well, I want to say,
well, this is
the best birthday
that I could ever
wish for, you know.
No, no, no, everyone, all of you
here for the first Easter in
Well, thank you.
[applause]
-Suppose I better
-[glass clinking]
You just couldn't resist, Dad!
Well as you've cued me up,
well now.
Here we all are.
We've been the best of friends
for 25 years.
I mean, yeah, okay, the odd bare
knuckle fight along the way.
[laughter]
Somehow, we managed to
blend it all together.
My Anna, your Jenny.
No one gave us a choice.
And then our own Grace came
along to seal the deal.
We made it work, Val.
And we are going to go on
making it work.
We are going to go on being
the best of friends.
Why wouldn't we celebrate that
with our nearest and dearest.
-Woo!
-Here, here.
Okay.
We're both still young
enough to grab what life
has in store for us
and old enough and mature enough
to make that decision together.
-What's he saying?
-[whispers] No, no, no, no.
We are going to be telling
them tomorrow anyway.
[whispers] Do not do this
now Denis, please, Jesus.
So what better than
a joyous party to celebrate
the end of our
journey as man and wife
and the beginning of our
new journey as best friends.
My birthday gift to you, Val.
And I give it with love
and respect.
Your freedom.
Happy birthday.
To Val!
-This isn't funny.
-Dad, what possessed you?
-Why are you doing this?
-Look, there are
no victims here.
We are both good with this.
We've been living separate
lives for a long time.
The plan is that I'm
going to stay here in
the house and your mother
is going to move in
with her friend Carl.
-Denis!
-Carl?
-Get out!
-Grace.
Everyone get the,
get the hell out!
Get out!!
[glass shatters]
Get out!
This shit show is over, get out!
-I, I'm so sorry.
-Get out.
[Val] Everyone, I, I just,
I'm so sorry everyone.
Grace, come on, deep breaths.
It's going to be okay.
-Why would you do this?
-Denis! Denis!
Why are you doing this?
-It's only--
-Denis!
Grace, stop!
Grace,
please let me explain.
Grace!
Please wait Elaine.
Are you happy with the boys
seeing that madness?
No, no, I'm not.
I knew I should
never have come here.
Please.
Can we just talk things
through tomorrow?
Please?
Yeah.
Yeah, okay.
Do you want me to stay or do
you want to wait for you?
No, no, I'm coming with you,
I just need five minutes.
Sure.
-Val, I'm sorry.
-Don't!
Can everyone please just
keep their phones on tonight
in case Grace calls?
Are you really going, Mam?
Yeah, I'm really going
because I just can't bare
to be around your
father right now.
We'll talk about
this tomorrow, okay?
[sighs]
I don't know what
I was thinking.
I don't know what you
were thinking either.
Val will be along in a second.
I didn't know I was going
to be brought into
any birthday speech.
Yeah.
I'm sorry about that.
Just kind of slipped out.
I don't know, I thought maybe
I could ease the girls into it.
I really wish you hadn't.
-Not like that.
-Believe me,
I wish I hadn't either.
You fucking gobshite!
You think you can just
waltz away with my wife?
You know she's gonna come
running back to me when she
learns the truth about you.
It's all coming your way.
Just you wait.
Would you like me
to call you a taxi?
No, they're on the way.
[Val] It's like the hangover,
you know, when you try
to think about the worst thing
that could've happened
and then you remember, it did.
[laughter]
It'll blow over.
Oh, my God,
I'm really sorry you
got dragged into all of that.
Really I am.
You'd think wouldn't you,
after all this time,
I would have smelt
he was never going to
let us split up my way.
Hello.
It's Anna isn't it?
I wonder if I could have
a word with Val please?
Why do you want her?
I need to speak with
your mother.
She's not here.
Do you know where she is?
Let me get dressed
and I'll take you to her.
Do you think it's all over?
I mean, Jesus come on,
that you know, the party,
the last family hurrah,
it was all his idea.
What does he get out of it?
Um, hard done by
magnanimous dad.
I mean think about it,
all the years he played around
and I never said
a word to the girls.
Did he say anything to you?
Just said he regretted
the way it all went down.
And you?
-Any regrets?
-Yeah.
I should have left
him years ago.
-Hello.
-Hi.
Is Mrs. Ahern here?
Yes, yeah, come in.
Just one second.
-Dad!
-[Carl] Yeah.
He's looking for Mam.
Val!
[Val]
Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Hi.
Hi.
What's the matter Anna,
is it Grace?
Morning Mrs. Ahern.
A body was found this morning.
And we have reason to believe
that it's your husband,
Denis Ahern.
You'll need to come with me
to the hospital morgue for
the purpose of identification.
I'm very sorry.
[Denis]
Think of the girls,
think of Grace.
[Val]
Don't you dare tell me
to think of Grace.
Did you think of your daughter's
feelings when you were shagging
Alannah, my best friend?
What is wrong with you?
A mistake, it's over!
For you maybe, I have to pass
her on the street every day.
-I know that that's rough.
-Rough?!
It's obscene!
[Val] You say all the sorrys,
like you're at the mercy
of some uncontrollable ego.
You make decisions, Denis,
the same as the rest of us.
[Denis] I admit
I've made some bad ones.
You hurt me.
Can't you see that?
Of course I can see that.
And I'm sorry.
Truly, genuinely.
Stay with me.
Stay with the girls.
We've been through a lot.
All of us.
It suits us to be together.
It suits me Denis.
Until it doesn't.
Why don't you
eat up there, Calum.
[Val] Is there
any news from Frank?
He's waiting on Grace waking up.
[Anna] Why did she end up
at Uncle Frank's anyway?
Who knows with Grace?
She was here.
Aunty Grace.
What do you mean she was here?
Last night.
Everyone was asleep and I heard
her looking for Granddad.
Why didn't you tell us, Jacob?
Because I thought
maybe I was dreaming.
Jacob, did she find Denis?
I don't know.
She was crying.
Like, really hard.
Did you hear anything, Calum?
Not a thing.
Grace.
Why is everyone here?
Grace.
Remember I explained
to you Grace.
Do you remember, about your dad?
-The accident.
-Where's dad?
What's wrong with her, Mum?
Gracey, look at me. Gracey.
Do you remember what
Uncle Frank said, Dad fell.
-Where's Dad?
-She's not been
taking her meds.
Come and sit down, good girl.
Where is he?
Gracie
Dad's dead, Grace.
Gracie
[muttering]
Sweetheart, it's all right.
Open the fucking door!
[door knocks]
-Hi.
-Val, I'm so sorry.
Come on in, come on in.
-It's so good to see you.
-Good to see you.
-We're all in here.
-Okay.
-You're very good to have come.
-No, not at all.
Can I offer you a drink?
No, I won't stay.
I just, ah,
what happens now, Joe?
Well I'm only here as a friend
of the family, not official
capacity you understand.
I understand that, but is
there anything you can tell us?
Well, there'll be
a formal inquest,
blood tests, toxicology,
that sort of thing.
They'll retrace his
every step to the cliffs.
I'm so sorry for you all.
Sorry.
So how long could
this take, Joe?
It could be two weeks before
the autopsy results come back.
I, uh, I didn't like
to say it in there,
but they'll have to check
for evidence of foul play.
Foul play?
Standard procedure.
All unusual deaths have
to be investigated.
Sergeant Manning will be talking
to everyone at the party.
[arguing]
How's uh, how's Grace doing?
Ah, she
you can imagine we're
all beside ourselves, you know.
You'll keep an eye on her?
Yeah.
I'll let you go.
So sorry.
Thanks for coming.
Take care.
[chatter continues]
-I know.
-Just calm down.
We're trying to get her
to take a sedative
-till we can get a hold--
-Don't talk about me
as if I'm not here.
-Grace
-I know.
I know the truth now.
Dad is dead.
He's dead.
-He's dead because of you.
-Ah, Grace!
Well that's the truth isn't it?
Just take a couple
of steps down now Grace.
You didn't even like him!
Of course I liked him,
I loved him.
-He was my father.
-No, he wasn't.
Not really.
Am I the only one with the guts?
Grace.
Our father is dead, Anna.
My father is dead because
she drove him to suicide.
There, I've said it.
I can't believe you would
even think that Grace.
It's what everyone thinks.
Ask them, everyone in
this room thinks it,
it's what everyone
in town will think.
You broke his heart.
You might as well have
put a knife in it
while you're at it.
No, I am not responsible
for your father's death.
Just take what I said, Mam.
No I will not, that man was not
capable of committing suicide,
he was not that kind of man,
Grace. He just fell, Grace.
I don't believe that
for one second and I don't
think you do either.
You know what I think?
I think we're all in shock,
we all just need to come
together. We need to calm down.
-I think you should leave now.
-No, I think we should
be together.
I don't think that you live here
anymore, so you should leave!
-Grace!
-Piss off!
Grace, Grace, Grace. Okay, okay.
You broke up this family,
this is your fault,
so leave this house.
It is not your
house anymore, go!
Why are you doing this?
Have you considered a part of
Denis's, I don't know what,
performance
a grand final gesture?
Not him, he'd miss the applause.
Too much to drink,
went for a walk?
Carl
Jacob thinks Grace
went back to the house.
-Okay, so what are you saying?
-I don't know.
I don't know,
I don't know what I'm saying.
It's just
I got the feeling, Joe Ryan
I caught him looking at Grace.
Now they were together for
a couple of years, but this,
this was, this was more.
What if
Oh, I'm sorry, I mean
you think he suspected her?
No, I just,
what if?
What if they found
something of Grace's
to show that Grace was there?
Honey,
you're fixating on Grace,
anything to avoid dealing with
the real thing.
You are allowed to grieve.
[chatter and laughter]
I know you're grieving
and I didn't want to
interfere,
but you girls should have
spoken up for your mum
last night when Grace
I know, Mairead.
I feel guilty enough.
Once Grace has slept
last night off
I'll get her to come
with me to see Mam.
Did you both know
they were splitting up?
We knew about Carl,
the split was news to me.
I knew.
Your mother wanted to tell
the three of you together.
She deserves to be happy.
You have no idea
what she had to
Sorry, he was your father.
I'll shut my mouth.
-Oh God!
-[glass smashes]
Jesus!
For God's sakes, Jacob.
[Carl] What the hell
are you playing at?
[Jacob] Sorry, Dad.
I was trying to be careful.
Really.
-It was me with the ball.
-Don't lie to me.
Do not lie to me.
He's already admitted it.
I can't leave you alone
for five minutes.
Leave mum out of it.
Sorry, It's a mistake okay,
it's just,
we're all in a heap,
it won't happen again.
[Carl] Damn right it won't.
Because it's banned.
Give me that!
What else are we supposed
to do around this shithole?
Are you giving me lip?
He's not, he's just saying
Look, let's all go back inside,
I'll make some pancakes.
It's over now, come on.
Asshole.
Rory!
You haven't given us enough
trouble have you, you want more?
You, get inside!
In!
And don't come out
until I say you can.
Calum, don't push him
like that, not for me.
Please Mum, please don't.
Mam, about yesterday
You know what, we'll get
through it, is Grace okay?
Yeah, hangover food.
We all sat up most of
the night talking about Dad.
We missed you being with us.
Yeah?
Well it was not exactly
my choice either.
Mum
Ah, she's on the roam.
Is she at the cafe do you think?
Maybe, but
But what?
Well last night
I was putting her to bed
there was a lot of drunken
babbling about Cathy
and something about
what happened between them
the night of the party.
And she seemed
pissed off with her.
You know, like, angry,
as she can get.
[phone ringing]
[voicemail]
Hi, this is Grace,
leave a message.
Grace, it's Mam, listen,
would you please call me?
I'm just-- we're all
very worried about you, hon.
Just want to know you're okay.
Please call me Grace, come on.
[answering machine beeps]
[knocks]
[door opens]
I'm so sorry about Denis.
Come in.
Joe?
I'll put the kettle on.
I was hoping maybe
Grace was here.
She's missing?
No, no, she's probably at her
flat, nothing to worry about.
I think you should be worried.
Why would you say that?
Because of us, Val.
Me and Joe.
I wouldn't hurt Grace for
the world, please believe that.
I should have told her that
we'd started seeing one another.
Why didn't you?
I didn't have the heart.
She went on and on straightaway
they'd get back together.
This time it would
work out great.
Look it was years ago,
I didn't think it meant that
No, no,
you were very loyal, Joe.
I mean, come on.
She was a nightmare
to deal with back then.
I wish you'd told me, Cathy,
you know.
I didn't know how to tell
her we're getting married.
I, I couldn't help noticing
about the broken window and
What happened?
Was Grace here?
Was she here
the night Denis died?
We heard a crash downstairs.
Open the fucking door!
[Cathy] Joe ran down
to have a look.
[banging on door]
Grace, Jesus Christ.
Grace?
Grace, stop, you can't come in.
Stop it!
[Cathy] I came down
and she went for me.
She was raging.
[smack]
Joe tried to protect me.
Christ sake she's pregnant!
She's pregnant.
[hyperventalting]
Her face, I'll never forget it.
Joe checked I was all right,
then he went after her,
but she had vanished.
Um, well, thank you
for telling me.
I am very happy for both of you.
Just going to see her out.
Val?
What is it?
I did catch up with Grace.
She was hysterical.
On about Denis.
Well, what about him?
I don't know, look, like I said,
she was in a state.
Why are you telling me this?
I still care about her.
The thing is, she ran off again.
Heading home,
to confront Denis.
That's a nice one.
Maybe that one.
For the coffin.
Thanks.
We'll get through this.
Okay.
What do you think
happened to Dad?
I think that night
was a disaster.
Dad hated that, you know,
things out of his hands.
He went for a walk,
clear his head.
He forgot how dangerous it is.
He slipped and fell.
That's what I told the boys.
Grace!
Grace!
Hi.
I heard at the guesthouse,
I'm so, so sorry.
Thanks, Elaine.
That's very kind of you.
The kettle's on all day
if you'd like to come in.
Oh, I'd love a coffee, yeah,
if it's not too much trouble.
Summer Camp.
Some of us, some of the mothers
go along as supervisors.
-Not the dads?
-Rarely the dads,
you know it is.
[phone buzzes]
[laughs]
Oh, yeah, you've
a million things to do.
It's just
I've missed out
in so much.
It's my own fault, of course.
Well you're sober now.
That's the main thing.
I never did you
down to the boys.
I promise you that.
Look, Anna I know
from your letters
how much this custody
stuff means to you.
It's just I'd like a little
time with them first.
I don't understand.
I thought you being
here was about dotting
the I's crossing the T's.
No, it is and I will,
just how would it look?
A mother is signing off
on her children
the day after they've
lost their grandfather.
How are they taking it?
Are they all right?
I don't know if it's
a good thing or a bad thing
that they really didn't
know him all that well.
-Listen--
-Elaine, what do you want?
[Anna] She bought flowers.
I also wanted to check
on the boys.
I want to spend time with them
Rory, I think it's important.
Oh yeah, for them or for you?
For all of us.
Any objections?
I guess not,
as long as you're not pissed.
-Hey.
-Hello.
Calum, I barely get
a chance to talk with you.
What happened your cheek?
Ball hit me in the face.
We'll catch up.
What, you sticking
around are you?
Yeah, I've holidays due.
Thanks for the coffee, Anna.
[footsteps]
Denis kept a key for Grace's
cafe in his office, didn't he?
Yeah, I'll see
No, no, no, I'll look,
you're grand.
You knew about this?
Denis was selling the cafe
over Grace's head?
How could he do that to her?
I don't know.
But that's just a drop
in the ocean.
This house is for sale on
the foreign markets as well.
What?
But I own half this house.
What is going on Frank?!
It's the Seaview Estate.
Yeah, yeah, sales were great,
what's the problem?
He had to return all
the deposits.
You know, Denis,
he was always cutting corners.
He didn't get the
fire stuff into code.
Investors found out,
they pulled out their money
and they closed him down.
So we were scrambling
around looking for money
from whoever he could,
wherever he could.
I signed a lot of documents
for you Frank, I trusted you.
But now that Denis has gone,
well you're no longer liable.
It's the creditors
who'll bare the brunt.
Oh God, you weak bastard.
I'm really sorry, Val.
You know how persuasive
Denis could be.
Could Grace have seen these?
Yeah, yeah, I think she could.
The night of the party
she came to my house
and she was rambling
and ranting about how
could he do this to me and,
and then she collapsed
on the sofa,
and when she woke up
she didn't even
remember getting there.
I mean, she couldn't even
register the fact that Denis
was dead when I told her.
Jesus, she walked to your house
in the middle of the night,
three miles away.
Walked, crawled, I think
she came through the fields.
Well he was selling her life.
And you let him.
So what so she comes
back here, yeah?
Wants to confront him
about something,
something she told Joe,
she looks for him.
She finds her life on sale.
Maybe she found him.
You say nothing about this to
the Guards, do you hear me?
-Yeah, but
-No buts, no I mean,
the house will
be legally mine now, yeah.
Yeah, we cancel
the sale of the cafe.
Grace came to you that night
looking for comfort, Frank.
She didn't know
the cafe was for sale.
But eventually Grace
is gonna remember.
Grace will remember what I
tell her to remember, Frank.
The Guards sure to
find accidental death.
People in town are going
to gossip about suicide,
let them,
I don't care if everyone
thinks I'm to blame.
-But sure that isn't
fair on you--
-Life isn't always fair.
Is it though Frank?
Just do what I say, okay.
Don't let me down on this.
-Grace's car is outside.
-Where is she?
I've searched the house,
she's not here.
Grace.
Grace.
Grace.
Mam, mam!
Grace!
Grace!
Grace!
Grace!
Grace.
Grace!
No!
Grace, Grace!
No!
Grace, Grace!
And if I see a sign
in the sky tonight
No one's gonna tell me
it's a trick of the light
May never come but
I'm willing to wait
What can I say?
I'm a man of the faith
And there's an ocean
in my body
And there's a river
in my soul
And I'm crying
And we carry the sun