The Commons (2019) s01e01 Episode Script
Episode 1
1 [flash bulb igniting.]
[submerged heartbeat.]
[squelching.]
[Eadie.]
Hello? [Eadie.]
Hello? [clatter of door opening.]
Hello? [gentle piano music.]
[birds chirping.]
[groans.]
[bats screeching.]
[groans in pain.]
[haunting orchestral music.]
[bats screeching.]
[inaudible.]
[pastoral flute music.]
[woman.]
lungs and chest.
Again, there are no signs telling you which way to go [wails.]
No [woman on tape.]
You have found it - the reason for your journey.
One slow glance ahead bears unimaginable beauty and calm there [sighs.]
Having one of your dreams? The ones where you can't have a baby.
No, I wasn't.
Dad says that's why you cry in the night.
I wasn't crying.
- Yes, you were.
- No, I wasn't.
I don't think happy dreams make that kind of mess.
[Lloyd.]
Good morning, poppet.
Right, now Would madam like her injection before or after her tea? [Eadie.]
Oh, before.
Hello? Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? Hello? [laughs.]
I don't think it works like that, like a phone.
What can I tell you about day 29, then? Your mother's more beautiful than day 28? [laughs.]
- Despite these panda eyes.
- Mmm.
And you survived your first Category Five wind storm last night.
You slept through all the excitement.
[sighs.]
How, after two years, are you getting worse at this? I know, I know.
It's a gift, right? I'm sorry.
You'd better get all Velcro, OK, because, uh, Mum can't take any more of my needlework.
OK? [phone notification.]
Not even the teensiest bit excited? Would be, but Dreams? [rustling.]
[soft poignant orchestral music.]
[radio.]
Towns in northern New South Wales could run out of water as soon as next week.
Twelve regional centres face the much-dreaded day zero [saw whirring.]
as the state's water crisis continues.
Hopes dashed [construction noises.]
Sorry, babe.
Water's bad today.
Greetings and salutations.
Sorry, maybe I'm still dreaming, but I swear I thought I just saw Shay come into our house using his own key.
But that's impossible, because you'd never give him a key.
That is something I would definitely never do.
And if I did, it would've been for an incredibly good reason.
There's no reason in the universe good enough for him to have a key.
And if I don't get it back by the end of the day, you'd better lawyer up, because we'll be getting divorced.
[Shay.]
I just want everyone to really, to hear that - if Eadie doesn't get the key back by the end of the day, she's going to divorce Lloyd.
Could it really be that easy? I've been thinking of bumping him off so I can have you all to myself, but, you know, divorce would be a lot tidier.
Still want the key back.
You didn't just do that.
So is the end of the day sundown or close of business? - OK, baby.
I love you.
- Love you.
Bye.
OK, baby, I love you.
- Have a good day.
- What is on your face? Don't do one for me.
I'm home again today.
[Eadie.]
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Rain acidity is in the top level.
Yes, but it's not going to rain today.
We get sent home if it's over ten percent.
- I read the e-mail, but seven is not ten.
- It's near enough.
- And yet so far school says ten.
Who are we to argue? Take it.
Turn.
Walk.
Go.
[chainsaw whirring.]
[Ivy.]
I said it was going to rain.
I'm sure I said that.
Three spots of water does not a rain event make.
[phone notification.]
Now, your chariot approaches.
Just keep your hood on and stay under the umbrella.
[dog barking.]
[saw whirring.]
[indistinct chatter.]
[phone notification.]
OK, she's nearly here.
[thunder.]
Ivy, come on.
[thunder.]
She's gonna be here any second.
[car horn beeps.]
Here she is.
Come on.
Argh! Aw, my eye! Ah! - Ivy - Ivy! What happened? What happened? Show me.
Show me.
Sweetie, show me.
Ivy, show me your eye.
- Ow! Hey, not having the best of starts Because you made me get acid rain in my eye! Born for the stage.
Ivy, sweetie, let's take a peak at that eye, shall we? Oh, God.
I might just run her by the school nurse.
- I want to go to Mum's! - Aw.
Come on, let's go and get you fixed up.
Let's put this on.
Ivy's hurt her eye.
[friends.]
Ivy! [tense, energetic violins.]
[drone whirring.]
[sirens.]
[Eadie.]
I really thought she was just being a bit dramatic, but there you go.
Stepmonster status confirmed.
Anyway, call me when you can.
Alright.
Love you.
Bye.
Hey.
Turn around and run.
That bad? Storm injuries up to the eyeballs.
But if you won't be told, I need a neurological consult.
So what have you got? Hey, Ben.
This is Dr.
Boulay, the neuropsychologist I mentioned.
Hey.
Eadie.
It looks like they've done a good job with the brown paper and string.
So, Ben, you work out on the Richmond border implementing the new residency measures? [Ben.]
Yeah.
Every time there's a big weather event, we get smashed with people trying to come in who don't have permits yet.
Saw it on the news.
Looked like a shocker.
[tense music.]
Yeah, 3000 arrivals a day.
[cars honking.]
[Ben.]
Traffic backed up for miles [man over loudspeaker.]
Please remain inside your vehicle.
[Ben.]
Farmers walking off their land, people leaving towns that can't be supplied.
[man over loudspeaker.]
Have your D9 city permit ready Everyone wants to move in closer.
[man.]
Can I just speak to the border [Eadie.]
And something happened with one of the cars you stopped? Yeah, a guy from out west, he didn't have a permit.
And I'm giving him the spiel - he's a visitor, he needs to pay for a visitor's permit.
If he wants to move in, he has to get a residency permit, et cetera.
How does he respond? I'm not moving my truck! I got the address Oh, he's pretty agro.
He's banging on about why he can't just move in with his friend who lives in the inner-west.
Happens all the time.
Um, I'm trying to calm him down [Ben.]
That's fine, if you need to No-one's saying he can't move in eventually, it's just about slowing down the number of people coming in, until the infrastructure can cope.
[Eadie.]
He's gotta get in the queue? [Ben.]
You got a different solution? What happens next? Um [indistinct arguing.]
I point him to the holding bay.
[Eadie.]
What does he do? [tense music.]
So you point him to the holding bay Um, he [deep breath.]
I point him to the holding bay.
I told him to get out of the car.
He won't get out of the car.
[exhales.]
And then he's, uh He's reaching.
[exhales.]
- [Eadie.]
And then what? Ben? Can you try and tell me what's happening? I'm not sure if Salinda explained much about the treatment I use.
Every time we remember something, we deepen the bond between what happened and the emotion we felt.
There's a window here to interrupt that process.
It won't erase the memory.
You won't forget what happened.
But the emotion you feel can be reduced - Third in the convoy.
Third truck.
What's the third truck in the convoy? Would you like some pants? [gunshot.]
[deafening white noise.]
Look at me, look at me.
OK.
I'm sorry to do that.
Lots of veterans get work on the border patrols, don't they? Yeah.
Yeah, they do.
- [sighs.]
- [Salinda.]
OK, so for the removal of doubt, if something horrible ever happens to me, you are not invited.
I'm not coming, even if you beg me.
There was no startle assessment done on admission.
I had to.
And yet, you haven't taken him right up here to neuro.
I want to know what's in the third truck.
Could you hold onto him while I do some background? [Salinda.]
Sure - I mean, as long as he doesn't mind spooning with one of the 50 people waiting for a bed.
This is not for you, it's for the baby.
[Salinda.]
Oh, my God.
It's a steak.
My gestation stats go to Lloyd.
I was low on iron last week.
Alright, hold still.
Got any symptoms besides eating like a savage? Just the dreams.
As the clock ticks down, they're getting worse.
'Cause I know, if this pregnancy doesn't work, on Thursday, instead of the florist sending me a bunch of flowers for my birthday, I'm going to get an e-mail saying that unless we come up with a catastrophic amount of money, my IVF journey is done.
I could sell an organ? I'd propose to you if I wasn't so committed to penises.
That's disturbing.
I'm going to go back to work and pretend that never happened, OK? Thanks.
Hey.
It's me.
I haven't got time to go through the proper channels.
I wondered if you could pull a string or two and try and get me a military history on a Benjamin C-H-I-L-D-E-R-S.
Thanks.
I owe you.
More.
[chirpy piano and cello music.]
[heartbeat.]
[loud beep.]
[knocking.]
I've had a thought - let's just include a pre-emptive third warning at your performance review and call it a day, shall we? That's up to you, Herm, I'm just trying to make it easy for you.
I've commandeered you a couple of field volunteers.
They're just here to help.
Lloyd Green, Shay Levine, leading the charge against Chagas disease.
I'll let them catch you up.
Great.
OK.
Well, I'm about to go feed the beasts.
Better come and meet 'em.
[Lloyd.]
So, Chagas disease.
20 million infected.
Ten percent die in the first week.
It attacks the liver, the spleen, then the eye, ultimately the heart.
Spread by a parasite that's found in these little babies - triatominae, commonly known as the Kissing Bug.
They creep out in the middle of the night and they very gently bite you on the face.
They take a blood feed and because they have no manners whatsoever, they take a dump on you before they leave.
The parasite which carries the disease is found in their faeces.
That enters our bloodstream when we scratch the bite.
It used to only be found in the equatorial regions but now, as the weather hots up, they're on our doorstep.
Time to saddle up the ponies.
Let's go.
[loud insect chirping.]
[Lloyd.]
Herm emailed this morning telling us they're re-assessing all the projects for peer review.
They want whatever we've got by the end of the day.
Well, that should be easy.
How long does it take to collate sweet FA? He tells me Wilson's team is going gangbusters.
Of course they are, with their army of researchers and their extra funding from their special friends in the private sector, as opposed to us, with 25 cents and a well-intentioned gang of goody two-shoes Speaking of which [zipper noise.]
Seems one of our dedicated volunteers looks like she could use a little one-on-one guidance.
Hey.
Hey.
Citizen, scientist and supermodel.
How does that work? [Corrine.]
Not by accident.
Double degree in molecular biology -[Shay.]
Yet here you are - [Corrine.]
Can't resist the call of the wild.
[tense percussion.]
Hey, there.
Wait - no, no, don't, don't run.
Don't - oi! [tense strings.]
[dog barking.]
Mate! [tense energetic music.]
I just wanna talk! Hey! Shit [panting.]
I'm not from the police, OK? I'm a scientist.
I'm The little boy, his eye, his - the Romaña sign - I'm trying to stop the bug that causes that disease.
The Chagas disease.
Can you- [Shay.]
[speaks Vietnamese.]
I spent a lot of time here when my parents split.
Right.
[Shay.]
[speaks Vietnamese.]
Lloyd.
I want to speak to the boy - [speaks Vietnamese.]
- Thank you.
[speaks Vietnamese.]
[mother.]
My boy, Sang [speaks Vietnamese.]
OK, Sang speaks a bit of English.
Speak to Sang.
- Sang.
Hey.
Hey.
This.
How long ago did you get bitten? Last year.
OK, and what about your grandmother? When was she bitten? How long ago? [translates in Vietnamese.]
- [speaks Vietnamese.]
- [Shay.]
A long time ago.
[Lloyd.]
OK.
Have you been tested? Has she been tested? - No.
- No? OK.
You must go to the hospital and get a test.
If you have Chagas, it can go to the child.
OK? Sang, can you tell her? [exchange in Vietnamese.]
- [speaks in Vietnamese.]
- [Shay.]
OK [speaks in Vietnamese.]
She doesn't want to go to hospital.
They don't have city permits.
She's scared they'll send her back.
She's right, man.
She's right.
- Hey, it's OK.
Sang, I want you to make sure all the bugs are gone, - OK? You need to shut the windows.
- [Shae.]
Lloyd - And shut the doors, OK? - [Shae.]
Lloyd You've got to keep the bugs out.
And the bed, you gotta - [Sang.]
What's wrong with the beds? -Just check the beds.
[mother.]
[speaking Vietnamese.]
-We have to burn the beds, OK? We have to burn the bed.
Come on.
[Shay.]
Good.
[violin music.]
Right, time to get out and about, I reckon.
Come on, then.
In you get.
You're quite bossy, aren't you? It has been said before but only by Libras.
So, I'm seeing a lot of the classic Oh, sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Classic PTSD symptoms.
- Thanks.
- Are you one of those people who still own a car? - No.
Good.
[peaceful music.]
[birds chirping.]
I've seen more healing happen here than anywhere else in this place.
I'm guessing there are a bunch of other symptoms you've been dragging around with you for years, too.
Nightmares, rage, substance abuse.
Stop me if I'm wrong.
I think what happened at the tollgates was triggered by an earlier trauma, by something that happened on tour.
What you need to know is, I can't guarantee the therapy will work.
It depends on how willing you are to walk right up to the trauma of what's happened.
If you only bring ten percent, the therapy can only work on ten percent.
[running water.]
If you want to be free of it, you need to leap into the abyss and stand toe to toe with the demons.
- And if I can't? - Then I have to write a report to the department saying that, in my professional opinion, you are unfit to work with weapons.
When do I have to decide? Wish I could say as long as you need, but Unless you're booked in for treatment by the end of the day, people will be screaming for your bed.
It won't be pretty.
[inhales sharply.]
[tender orchestral music.]
Excuse me a second.
[breathes shakily.]
[mechanical hum.]
[reporter.]
Clean up crews are out in force after today's heat claimed the lives of thousands of bats around the city.
Wildlife rescuers calculate the current death toll to be 20,000.
But with temperatures set to climb over the coming days, they expect that number to rise.
[phone notification.]
[heartbeat.]
[phone notification.]
[driver.]
Resident or guest? [gentle orchestral music.]
Are you a resident or guest? I've gotta pick one or they won't let us through.
- Hello? - Guest! I'm visiting, OK? I'm a visitor.
[birds chirping.]
[staff.]
Welcome to Stonehewen residences, ma'am.
- [Eadie.]
Hey.
- [staff.]
You're here to see - The Boulay family.
Dominic Boulay.
- Of course.
And you are? - His sister.
He's expecting me.
Of course.
I just need to see some ID.
Now, Miss Boulay.
Just like the last time I was here, visiting my brother - who, funnily enough, shares the same surname as me.
- [woman.]
Come on, children.
- [child laughing.]
[woman.]
Joshua, hold your loop, please.
[staff.]
Ah.
You're good to go up.
Thank you.
Welcome to Stonehewen, ma'am.
[elevator PA.]
Level 16.
Hey.
- Oh, here she is.
Hi, Eadie.
- [Francesca.]
Hey! How are you doing? [Dom.]
Hey, look who's here! Come and say hello to Aunty Eadie.
[faint electronic music.]
- Hi, Cos.
- Hi.
Sorry to drag you away from work.
The school couldn't get a hold of you or Lloyd, so - Yeah, sorry.
- It's fine, it's fine.
Chesca was happy to get her.
It's just, we had an incident here last week and they've suspended all guest passes to the climate lounge.
Otherwise, we'd have been happy to have her with us.
- All good.
It's ten minutes until brown out! Come on! Let's go! Chesca, get them off their tech, will you? - It's only for two hours.
You'd think we were going to the moon.
Girls, let's hustle.
Thanks for that info, by the way.
It was really helpful.
I should probably have said it was a two-part favour.
What's part two? Well, I need to make a sensory package for the same patient.
[beeping.]
I need visuals to get him from the border tolls back to the initial military trauma.
Any of your guys out at the Richmond border last night? Yeah, I'm sure we can find something.
Why don't you come with me back to the office? We've got power there, too.
Everybody ready? - [Francesca.]
Yes.
[PA system.]
Please make your way to the climate lounge [overlapping speech.]
[Ivy.]
Definitely not my homework.
[Eadie.]
I'll give it to you when we get down.
- H.
- H? Alright.
Let's go.
- Go on.
- Can I have that please? - Go with your mummy.
- Thank you.
[sighs.]
- Your eye seems better.
- It's killing me.
[Don.]
Give me a kiss goodbye.
See you later.
- See you soon.
- Bye-bye.
Why do they have so many kids? [sighs.]
Dunno.
Maybe they watched The Sound of Music too many times.
[Dom.]
Alright, let's go.
[birds chirping.]
[elevator ding.]
[elevator ding.]
Thanks for that.
I know.
It's Harlow's brilliant idea.
- Hang on a minute, will you.
- Sure.
[Harlow.]
This is the guy I was telling you about.
So, I want you to meet my partner, Dom.
Hello.
Ainsley and Jonah are moving back after two years in Singapore and they're keen to make sure everything is organised before they land.
- It's good to meet you.
Now, I'm going to make sure all the numbers make sense, but Dom's got ten years with the Air Force under his belt, so if there's a real problem, Dom's the man who's going to come and get you.
Well, I hope I don't have to.
No offence.
I'll leave you guys to it.
Alright? See ya, buddy.
This guy's amazing.
- Don't.
- I didn't say a word.
- You didn't have to.
Come in.
Is that live? Afraid so.
Look's like the wind storm's reforming.
Your lease must be up for renewal soon, right? Can't say I know off the top of my head.
You know there's an apartment coming up - tenth floor.
I had a chat with a couple of the board members.
I think I could swing it.
I think I could get you approved.
Even if we could afford it, we like our place.
I know it's not your cup of tea, but it's - Falling apart? - We like it, Dom.
- You like the crime? - It's real.
We like the real.
You say that now, but when there's a baby in the mix, it It changes things.
- If you can't find that footage, don't worry, because - Alright, alright.
We should get a move on.
I'm just trying to see if I can access the body cam.
I just don't want to get caught in the outage -Do you want this footage or not? - Yes, please.
- Alright, well just give me a second, will you? It's downloading.
How are things? All good.
Barren, but All good.
- I'm sorry.
Next week I think we have to face the fact that the baby train has left without us.
I can help, you know - financially.
You know Lloyd would never agree to it and it's just something, we have to do it on our own.
But thank you.
Can I have that now? I actually am on a real deadline, so Thank you.
[clears throat.]
Ivy? Are you ready? Ivy.
Bye.
[Ivy.]
Is there actually a reason that you won't let us move in there or are you just being perverse? [Eadie.]
I thought you were listening to music.
Because right now, they're all sitting in a private climate lounge with a back-up generator and cheese plates.
It doesn't sound so horrible to me.
[indistinct PA announcement.]
Somewhere like that, you can't just knock on someone's door.
You have to go through the concierge.
And that's a problem how? If you need something, you can't just reach out to the people next door and see if they can help you out.
You have to go down to the concierge and he'll fix it.
Not because he wants to but because you've all contributed to the fees that pay him to help you out.
It's lose-lose.
Here I was thinking it was sounding all win-win.
It's like living in an egg carton, while our street, battered and run-down as it is, is like a beehive.
[PA announcement.]
Scheduled voltage reduction in ten seconds.
[electronics powering down.]
[powering off tone.]
Shit.
People don't just get a car this close to the outage, they plan ahead.
[drone hums.]
[tense music.]
[computing noises.]
[computing noises.]
Really? How old are you? What the hell? Mum was right, you're seriously unhinged.
Goodo.
You lead the way.
[powering up noise.]
[indistinct footage audio.]
[message tone.]
[dramatic music.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[dramatic music builds.]
Hey.
Your room is ready, sir.
This helps me see what's going on for you.
I'll be controlling the sound.
You'll be able to hear my voice through the speakers in the chair.
The temperature, the light, the smell, it'll try and help reactivate the memories as vividly as possible.
We need to get as close to maximum discomfort as we can.
100 out of 100.
Flush all the ghosts out.
And then what? Then you take the beta-blocker and during your sleep cycle tonight, the emotional charge won't be able to resettle into the memory.
The shell of the building remains but there'll be no furniture, none of your belongings, nothing to make it feel personal.
You ever done it? No, I've never done it.
I just imagine it'd be tempting to do it, a bit of mental spring cleaning.
Chase off whatever haunts you.
Nothing ever haunts you? Lucky old you.
You ready? OK.
We're going to start at the border.
What time is it? It's, um Just after midday.
And it's hot, right? Just hit 40 degrees? [Eadie.]
Tell me what's happening.
- [Ben.]
Um, I'm just checking permits.
- [woman.]
It's under a month.
[Ben.]
Oh, if it's under a month it's fine.
Just make sure you update it Helping people work out what they need to do.
[Eadie.]
And then what? [man.]
This is why I'm here.
[indistinct ranting.]
[Eadie.]
Ben, you're doing great.
So, you're heading up to the car.
Which one is it? Third in the convoy.
[loud traffic, horns.]
And there's a chopper.
[Ben.]
Suddenly there's so much dust, I can't see.
What's the chopper doing? On the radio, they said there might be food drops.
In Idlib? [helicopter passing overhead.]
[Ben.]
That's why there are so many people on the road.
They've been starving them out since the beginning of the de-escalation.
There's been an accident, about half a K ahead.
Third truck in the convoy.
And more and more cars are arriving.
They're blocking us in from both sides.
[cars honking.]
And we're in the middle lane.
We shouldn't be in the middle lane.
I tell them I tell them I've got a bad feeling.
But they just They just say, "Suck it up, buttercup.
" [gunshot.]
[gunshot.]
[short gasp for breath.]
Tell me what's going on.
I can't - I can't do this.
Ben.
Ben, you can do this.
You're doing so well.
You can do it.
[Eadie.]
See if you can stay.
We'll take it as slow as you need, OK? I don't know why, but I look [Ben.]
I look into the car next to us.
There's this guy staring at me.
He's just staring and something bugs me.
He leans down to the front of the car and I realise he's not a civilian.
[gunfire.]
And then he He's just pointing at me.
Forever.
[truck drives away.]
[gunfire.]
And then they're gone.
[distant gunfire.]
[sharply inhales and exhales.]
That's it.
You did great.
Enough ghosts for you? Is that what happened at the border? The driver reached for something? Yeah.
Yeah, just pulled me right back there.
[gentle dramatic music.]
[storm rumbling.]
Thanks.
[thunder.]
I'm not gonna be a mum.
And even though, logically, I knew that was a very real possibility when we started, I don't think I ever really believed it.
[thunder.]
I said I did, because Because that's what a realist would do.
Because it proved I wasn't one of those desperate nutters who could only imagine life worth living if they have a child to love.
But I never really Let it in.
And now I have to.
'Cause it's true.
And it's harder than I thought it would be.
[thunder crashes.]
What do we do with the last embryo? Donate or destroy? Well, we don't have to decide right away.
We can work that out later.
It's funny - someone on the forum Raised the possibility of doing it offline.
Yeah, right.
I thought about it for a second.
They do post-38 IVF.
They also offer the immunosuppressant drug therapy.
At a price we could afford.
- It's not about the money.
- I know, I just - It's not about the money, it's about the risk, and it's bombing your immune system.
It's inviting every cancer in town over to play.
Let's call a spade a spade.
But what if it's lucky last and we'll never know? If I lose you to cancer, it's not going to feel lucky last to me.
I can't.
I'm not I can't risk you to have a child.
I can't, it's I won't.
[rumbling thunder.]
Let's go home.
OK.
[dogs barking distantly.]
Oh, look.
It's our private clown.
I'll get rid of him.
It's OK.
It feels normal.
You said close of business.
You know, you guys should just go and cook that steak out the back.
I'm gonna take a shower.
What? What? What? She lost the baby.
- Oh.
- "Oh.
" Is that it? - Well, no.
- You know what, mate Alright - I'm a cock.
I'm a cock.
I see I took my usual base sensitivity and stooped to a new low.
I unreservedly apologise.
I'll see you tomorrow, man.
Enjoy the steak.
[sighs.]
[sobs.]
["I love you" by Billie Eilish.]
It's not true Tell me I've been lied to Crying isn't like you Ooh-ooh What the hell did I do? Never been the type to Let someone see right through Ooh-ooh [indistinct footage audio.]
Mm-mmm, mm-mmm Maybe won't you take it back Say you were tryna make me laugh And nothing has to change today You didn't mean to say I love you I love you And I don't want to Ooh-ooh The smile that you gave me Even when you felt like dying Ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh Little cloak and dagger, isn't it? If I had someone else I could ask, I would.
And what exactly are you asking? I need my fertility stats taken offline.
I'm thinking of an off-the-books insemination.
That Lloyd won't know about? - Why? - He's done.
And you're not? Next week, I'm going to get a notification saying that I've been re-categorised as sub-fertile 38-plus and no longer a candidate for IVF, except at the maximum rate, and I'll be offered a choice whether to donate our last embryo, destroy it or bring it home for a private ceremony.
Or I can take it to this private clinic and have it implanted.
I'm still not getting why you just can't tell Lloyd.
I haven't been able to keep any of my pregnancies going because there's a kink in my immune system.
It doesn't recognise them as being part of me.
My body thinks the baby's a foreign invader that needs killing off.
There's a drug protocol that would suppress my immune system for the first 12 weeks.
Which leaves you open to Bone marrow problems, any opportunist infection I might come into contact with, a whole menu of cancer options - [groans.]
But I stay healthy, I'm careful.
It's 12 weeks R and R.
I just need my real hormone data masked 'til we see if it takes You're like a loop of where you're at now.
I have to keep a data patch on for a month after my last official treatment so the insurance company can clear me of any ongoing complications And then what? Hey, presto - look, honey, I've got a bun in the oven! Is that your strategy? I don't know, OK? All I know is I'm going to walk out of there with a fertilized embryo and I can either bury it in the garden, or It might not work.
There might be nothing to explain to Lloyd, to anyone! But if I don't try it It will haunt me for life.
Fuck.
Eadie [thunder rumbling.]
Me? Really? I'm the only one to ask? Maybe you're the only one who would do it.
I'll ask around.
[thunder rumbles.]
Thank you.
[dramatic music.]
[thunder crashes.]
[deep thunder rumbling.]
[dramatic music.]
[submerged heartbeat.]
[squelching.]
[Eadie.]
Hello? [Eadie.]
Hello? [clatter of door opening.]
Hello? [gentle piano music.]
[birds chirping.]
[groans.]
[bats screeching.]
[groans in pain.]
[haunting orchestral music.]
[bats screeching.]
[inaudible.]
[pastoral flute music.]
[woman.]
lungs and chest.
Again, there are no signs telling you which way to go [wails.]
No [woman on tape.]
You have found it - the reason for your journey.
One slow glance ahead bears unimaginable beauty and calm there [sighs.]
Having one of your dreams? The ones where you can't have a baby.
No, I wasn't.
Dad says that's why you cry in the night.
I wasn't crying.
- Yes, you were.
- No, I wasn't.
I don't think happy dreams make that kind of mess.
[Lloyd.]
Good morning, poppet.
Right, now Would madam like her injection before or after her tea? [Eadie.]
Oh, before.
Hello? Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? Hello? [laughs.]
I don't think it works like that, like a phone.
What can I tell you about day 29, then? Your mother's more beautiful than day 28? [laughs.]
- Despite these panda eyes.
- Mmm.
And you survived your first Category Five wind storm last night.
You slept through all the excitement.
[sighs.]
How, after two years, are you getting worse at this? I know, I know.
It's a gift, right? I'm sorry.
You'd better get all Velcro, OK, because, uh, Mum can't take any more of my needlework.
OK? [phone notification.]
Not even the teensiest bit excited? Would be, but Dreams? [rustling.]
[soft poignant orchestral music.]
[radio.]
Towns in northern New South Wales could run out of water as soon as next week.
Twelve regional centres face the much-dreaded day zero [saw whirring.]
as the state's water crisis continues.
Hopes dashed [construction noises.]
Sorry, babe.
Water's bad today.
Greetings and salutations.
Sorry, maybe I'm still dreaming, but I swear I thought I just saw Shay come into our house using his own key.
But that's impossible, because you'd never give him a key.
That is something I would definitely never do.
And if I did, it would've been for an incredibly good reason.
There's no reason in the universe good enough for him to have a key.
And if I don't get it back by the end of the day, you'd better lawyer up, because we'll be getting divorced.
[Shay.]
I just want everyone to really, to hear that - if Eadie doesn't get the key back by the end of the day, she's going to divorce Lloyd.
Could it really be that easy? I've been thinking of bumping him off so I can have you all to myself, but, you know, divorce would be a lot tidier.
Still want the key back.
You didn't just do that.
So is the end of the day sundown or close of business? - OK, baby.
I love you.
- Love you.
Bye.
OK, baby, I love you.
- Have a good day.
- What is on your face? Don't do one for me.
I'm home again today.
[Eadie.]
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Rain acidity is in the top level.
Yes, but it's not going to rain today.
We get sent home if it's over ten percent.
- I read the e-mail, but seven is not ten.
- It's near enough.
- And yet so far school says ten.
Who are we to argue? Take it.
Turn.
Walk.
Go.
[chainsaw whirring.]
[Ivy.]
I said it was going to rain.
I'm sure I said that.
Three spots of water does not a rain event make.
[phone notification.]
Now, your chariot approaches.
Just keep your hood on and stay under the umbrella.
[dog barking.]
[saw whirring.]
[indistinct chatter.]
[phone notification.]
OK, she's nearly here.
[thunder.]
Ivy, come on.
[thunder.]
She's gonna be here any second.
[car horn beeps.]
Here she is.
Come on.
Argh! Aw, my eye! Ah! - Ivy - Ivy! What happened? What happened? Show me.
Show me.
Sweetie, show me.
Ivy, show me your eye.
- Ow! Hey, not having the best of starts Because you made me get acid rain in my eye! Born for the stage.
Ivy, sweetie, let's take a peak at that eye, shall we? Oh, God.
I might just run her by the school nurse.
- I want to go to Mum's! - Aw.
Come on, let's go and get you fixed up.
Let's put this on.
Ivy's hurt her eye.
[friends.]
Ivy! [tense, energetic violins.]
[drone whirring.]
[sirens.]
[Eadie.]
I really thought she was just being a bit dramatic, but there you go.
Stepmonster status confirmed.
Anyway, call me when you can.
Alright.
Love you.
Bye.
Hey.
Turn around and run.
That bad? Storm injuries up to the eyeballs.
But if you won't be told, I need a neurological consult.
So what have you got? Hey, Ben.
This is Dr.
Boulay, the neuropsychologist I mentioned.
Hey.
Eadie.
It looks like they've done a good job with the brown paper and string.
So, Ben, you work out on the Richmond border implementing the new residency measures? [Ben.]
Yeah.
Every time there's a big weather event, we get smashed with people trying to come in who don't have permits yet.
Saw it on the news.
Looked like a shocker.
[tense music.]
Yeah, 3000 arrivals a day.
[cars honking.]
[Ben.]
Traffic backed up for miles [man over loudspeaker.]
Please remain inside your vehicle.
[Ben.]
Farmers walking off their land, people leaving towns that can't be supplied.
[man over loudspeaker.]
Have your D9 city permit ready Everyone wants to move in closer.
[man.]
Can I just speak to the border [Eadie.]
And something happened with one of the cars you stopped? Yeah, a guy from out west, he didn't have a permit.
And I'm giving him the spiel - he's a visitor, he needs to pay for a visitor's permit.
If he wants to move in, he has to get a residency permit, et cetera.
How does he respond? I'm not moving my truck! I got the address Oh, he's pretty agro.
He's banging on about why he can't just move in with his friend who lives in the inner-west.
Happens all the time.
Um, I'm trying to calm him down [Ben.]
That's fine, if you need to No-one's saying he can't move in eventually, it's just about slowing down the number of people coming in, until the infrastructure can cope.
[Eadie.]
He's gotta get in the queue? [Ben.]
You got a different solution? What happens next? Um [indistinct arguing.]
I point him to the holding bay.
[Eadie.]
What does he do? [tense music.]
So you point him to the holding bay Um, he [deep breath.]
I point him to the holding bay.
I told him to get out of the car.
He won't get out of the car.
[exhales.]
And then he's, uh He's reaching.
[exhales.]
- [Eadie.]
And then what? Ben? Can you try and tell me what's happening? I'm not sure if Salinda explained much about the treatment I use.
Every time we remember something, we deepen the bond between what happened and the emotion we felt.
There's a window here to interrupt that process.
It won't erase the memory.
You won't forget what happened.
But the emotion you feel can be reduced - Third in the convoy.
Third truck.
What's the third truck in the convoy? Would you like some pants? [gunshot.]
[deafening white noise.]
Look at me, look at me.
OK.
I'm sorry to do that.
Lots of veterans get work on the border patrols, don't they? Yeah.
Yeah, they do.
- [sighs.]
- [Salinda.]
OK, so for the removal of doubt, if something horrible ever happens to me, you are not invited.
I'm not coming, even if you beg me.
There was no startle assessment done on admission.
I had to.
And yet, you haven't taken him right up here to neuro.
I want to know what's in the third truck.
Could you hold onto him while I do some background? [Salinda.]
Sure - I mean, as long as he doesn't mind spooning with one of the 50 people waiting for a bed.
This is not for you, it's for the baby.
[Salinda.]
Oh, my God.
It's a steak.
My gestation stats go to Lloyd.
I was low on iron last week.
Alright, hold still.
Got any symptoms besides eating like a savage? Just the dreams.
As the clock ticks down, they're getting worse.
'Cause I know, if this pregnancy doesn't work, on Thursday, instead of the florist sending me a bunch of flowers for my birthday, I'm going to get an e-mail saying that unless we come up with a catastrophic amount of money, my IVF journey is done.
I could sell an organ? I'd propose to you if I wasn't so committed to penises.
That's disturbing.
I'm going to go back to work and pretend that never happened, OK? Thanks.
Hey.
It's me.
I haven't got time to go through the proper channels.
I wondered if you could pull a string or two and try and get me a military history on a Benjamin C-H-I-L-D-E-R-S.
Thanks.
I owe you.
More.
[chirpy piano and cello music.]
[heartbeat.]
[loud beep.]
[knocking.]
I've had a thought - let's just include a pre-emptive third warning at your performance review and call it a day, shall we? That's up to you, Herm, I'm just trying to make it easy for you.
I've commandeered you a couple of field volunteers.
They're just here to help.
Lloyd Green, Shay Levine, leading the charge against Chagas disease.
I'll let them catch you up.
Great.
OK.
Well, I'm about to go feed the beasts.
Better come and meet 'em.
[Lloyd.]
So, Chagas disease.
20 million infected.
Ten percent die in the first week.
It attacks the liver, the spleen, then the eye, ultimately the heart.
Spread by a parasite that's found in these little babies - triatominae, commonly known as the Kissing Bug.
They creep out in the middle of the night and they very gently bite you on the face.
They take a blood feed and because they have no manners whatsoever, they take a dump on you before they leave.
The parasite which carries the disease is found in their faeces.
That enters our bloodstream when we scratch the bite.
It used to only be found in the equatorial regions but now, as the weather hots up, they're on our doorstep.
Time to saddle up the ponies.
Let's go.
[loud insect chirping.]
[Lloyd.]
Herm emailed this morning telling us they're re-assessing all the projects for peer review.
They want whatever we've got by the end of the day.
Well, that should be easy.
How long does it take to collate sweet FA? He tells me Wilson's team is going gangbusters.
Of course they are, with their army of researchers and their extra funding from their special friends in the private sector, as opposed to us, with 25 cents and a well-intentioned gang of goody two-shoes Speaking of which [zipper noise.]
Seems one of our dedicated volunteers looks like she could use a little one-on-one guidance.
Hey.
Hey.
Citizen, scientist and supermodel.
How does that work? [Corrine.]
Not by accident.
Double degree in molecular biology -[Shay.]
Yet here you are - [Corrine.]
Can't resist the call of the wild.
[tense percussion.]
Hey, there.
Wait - no, no, don't, don't run.
Don't - oi! [tense strings.]
[dog barking.]
Mate! [tense energetic music.]
I just wanna talk! Hey! Shit [panting.]
I'm not from the police, OK? I'm a scientist.
I'm The little boy, his eye, his - the Romaña sign - I'm trying to stop the bug that causes that disease.
The Chagas disease.
Can you- [Shay.]
[speaks Vietnamese.]
I spent a lot of time here when my parents split.
Right.
[Shay.]
[speaks Vietnamese.]
Lloyd.
I want to speak to the boy - [speaks Vietnamese.]
- Thank you.
[speaks Vietnamese.]
[mother.]
My boy, Sang [speaks Vietnamese.]
OK, Sang speaks a bit of English.
Speak to Sang.
- Sang.
Hey.
Hey.
This.
How long ago did you get bitten? Last year.
OK, and what about your grandmother? When was she bitten? How long ago? [translates in Vietnamese.]
- [speaks Vietnamese.]
- [Shay.]
A long time ago.
[Lloyd.]
OK.
Have you been tested? Has she been tested? - No.
- No? OK.
You must go to the hospital and get a test.
If you have Chagas, it can go to the child.
OK? Sang, can you tell her? [exchange in Vietnamese.]
- [speaks in Vietnamese.]
- [Shay.]
OK [speaks in Vietnamese.]
She doesn't want to go to hospital.
They don't have city permits.
She's scared they'll send her back.
She's right, man.
She's right.
- Hey, it's OK.
Sang, I want you to make sure all the bugs are gone, - OK? You need to shut the windows.
- [Shae.]
Lloyd - And shut the doors, OK? - [Shae.]
Lloyd You've got to keep the bugs out.
And the bed, you gotta - [Sang.]
What's wrong with the beds? -Just check the beds.
[mother.]
[speaking Vietnamese.]
-We have to burn the beds, OK? We have to burn the bed.
Come on.
[Shay.]
Good.
[violin music.]
Right, time to get out and about, I reckon.
Come on, then.
In you get.
You're quite bossy, aren't you? It has been said before but only by Libras.
So, I'm seeing a lot of the classic Oh, sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Classic PTSD symptoms.
- Thanks.
- Are you one of those people who still own a car? - No.
Good.
[peaceful music.]
[birds chirping.]
I've seen more healing happen here than anywhere else in this place.
I'm guessing there are a bunch of other symptoms you've been dragging around with you for years, too.
Nightmares, rage, substance abuse.
Stop me if I'm wrong.
I think what happened at the tollgates was triggered by an earlier trauma, by something that happened on tour.
What you need to know is, I can't guarantee the therapy will work.
It depends on how willing you are to walk right up to the trauma of what's happened.
If you only bring ten percent, the therapy can only work on ten percent.
[running water.]
If you want to be free of it, you need to leap into the abyss and stand toe to toe with the demons.
- And if I can't? - Then I have to write a report to the department saying that, in my professional opinion, you are unfit to work with weapons.
When do I have to decide? Wish I could say as long as you need, but Unless you're booked in for treatment by the end of the day, people will be screaming for your bed.
It won't be pretty.
[inhales sharply.]
[tender orchestral music.]
Excuse me a second.
[breathes shakily.]
[mechanical hum.]
[reporter.]
Clean up crews are out in force after today's heat claimed the lives of thousands of bats around the city.
Wildlife rescuers calculate the current death toll to be 20,000.
But with temperatures set to climb over the coming days, they expect that number to rise.
[phone notification.]
[heartbeat.]
[phone notification.]
[driver.]
Resident or guest? [gentle orchestral music.]
Are you a resident or guest? I've gotta pick one or they won't let us through.
- Hello? - Guest! I'm visiting, OK? I'm a visitor.
[birds chirping.]
[staff.]
Welcome to Stonehewen residences, ma'am.
- [Eadie.]
Hey.
- [staff.]
You're here to see - The Boulay family.
Dominic Boulay.
- Of course.
And you are? - His sister.
He's expecting me.
Of course.
I just need to see some ID.
Now, Miss Boulay.
Just like the last time I was here, visiting my brother - who, funnily enough, shares the same surname as me.
- [woman.]
Come on, children.
- [child laughing.]
[woman.]
Joshua, hold your loop, please.
[staff.]
Ah.
You're good to go up.
Thank you.
Welcome to Stonehewen, ma'am.
[elevator PA.]
Level 16.
Hey.
- Oh, here she is.
Hi, Eadie.
- [Francesca.]
Hey! How are you doing? [Dom.]
Hey, look who's here! Come and say hello to Aunty Eadie.
[faint electronic music.]
- Hi, Cos.
- Hi.
Sorry to drag you away from work.
The school couldn't get a hold of you or Lloyd, so - Yeah, sorry.
- It's fine, it's fine.
Chesca was happy to get her.
It's just, we had an incident here last week and they've suspended all guest passes to the climate lounge.
Otherwise, we'd have been happy to have her with us.
- All good.
It's ten minutes until brown out! Come on! Let's go! Chesca, get them off their tech, will you? - It's only for two hours.
You'd think we were going to the moon.
Girls, let's hustle.
Thanks for that info, by the way.
It was really helpful.
I should probably have said it was a two-part favour.
What's part two? Well, I need to make a sensory package for the same patient.
[beeping.]
I need visuals to get him from the border tolls back to the initial military trauma.
Any of your guys out at the Richmond border last night? Yeah, I'm sure we can find something.
Why don't you come with me back to the office? We've got power there, too.
Everybody ready? - [Francesca.]
Yes.
[PA system.]
Please make your way to the climate lounge [overlapping speech.]
[Ivy.]
Definitely not my homework.
[Eadie.]
I'll give it to you when we get down.
- H.
- H? Alright.
Let's go.
- Go on.
- Can I have that please? - Go with your mummy.
- Thank you.
[sighs.]
- Your eye seems better.
- It's killing me.
[Don.]
Give me a kiss goodbye.
See you later.
- See you soon.
- Bye-bye.
Why do they have so many kids? [sighs.]
Dunno.
Maybe they watched The Sound of Music too many times.
[Dom.]
Alright, let's go.
[birds chirping.]
[elevator ding.]
[elevator ding.]
Thanks for that.
I know.
It's Harlow's brilliant idea.
- Hang on a minute, will you.
- Sure.
[Harlow.]
This is the guy I was telling you about.
So, I want you to meet my partner, Dom.
Hello.
Ainsley and Jonah are moving back after two years in Singapore and they're keen to make sure everything is organised before they land.
- It's good to meet you.
Now, I'm going to make sure all the numbers make sense, but Dom's got ten years with the Air Force under his belt, so if there's a real problem, Dom's the man who's going to come and get you.
Well, I hope I don't have to.
No offence.
I'll leave you guys to it.
Alright? See ya, buddy.
This guy's amazing.
- Don't.
- I didn't say a word.
- You didn't have to.
Come in.
Is that live? Afraid so.
Look's like the wind storm's reforming.
Your lease must be up for renewal soon, right? Can't say I know off the top of my head.
You know there's an apartment coming up - tenth floor.
I had a chat with a couple of the board members.
I think I could swing it.
I think I could get you approved.
Even if we could afford it, we like our place.
I know it's not your cup of tea, but it's - Falling apart? - We like it, Dom.
- You like the crime? - It's real.
We like the real.
You say that now, but when there's a baby in the mix, it It changes things.
- If you can't find that footage, don't worry, because - Alright, alright.
We should get a move on.
I'm just trying to see if I can access the body cam.
I just don't want to get caught in the outage -Do you want this footage or not? - Yes, please.
- Alright, well just give me a second, will you? It's downloading.
How are things? All good.
Barren, but All good.
- I'm sorry.
Next week I think we have to face the fact that the baby train has left without us.
I can help, you know - financially.
You know Lloyd would never agree to it and it's just something, we have to do it on our own.
But thank you.
Can I have that now? I actually am on a real deadline, so Thank you.
[clears throat.]
Ivy? Are you ready? Ivy.
Bye.
[Ivy.]
Is there actually a reason that you won't let us move in there or are you just being perverse? [Eadie.]
I thought you were listening to music.
Because right now, they're all sitting in a private climate lounge with a back-up generator and cheese plates.
It doesn't sound so horrible to me.
[indistinct PA announcement.]
Somewhere like that, you can't just knock on someone's door.
You have to go through the concierge.
And that's a problem how? If you need something, you can't just reach out to the people next door and see if they can help you out.
You have to go down to the concierge and he'll fix it.
Not because he wants to but because you've all contributed to the fees that pay him to help you out.
It's lose-lose.
Here I was thinking it was sounding all win-win.
It's like living in an egg carton, while our street, battered and run-down as it is, is like a beehive.
[PA announcement.]
Scheduled voltage reduction in ten seconds.
[electronics powering down.]
[powering off tone.]
Shit.
People don't just get a car this close to the outage, they plan ahead.
[drone hums.]
[tense music.]
[computing noises.]
[computing noises.]
Really? How old are you? What the hell? Mum was right, you're seriously unhinged.
Goodo.
You lead the way.
[powering up noise.]
[indistinct footage audio.]
[message tone.]
[dramatic music.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[message tone.]
[dramatic music builds.]
Hey.
Your room is ready, sir.
This helps me see what's going on for you.
I'll be controlling the sound.
You'll be able to hear my voice through the speakers in the chair.
The temperature, the light, the smell, it'll try and help reactivate the memories as vividly as possible.
We need to get as close to maximum discomfort as we can.
100 out of 100.
Flush all the ghosts out.
And then what? Then you take the beta-blocker and during your sleep cycle tonight, the emotional charge won't be able to resettle into the memory.
The shell of the building remains but there'll be no furniture, none of your belongings, nothing to make it feel personal.
You ever done it? No, I've never done it.
I just imagine it'd be tempting to do it, a bit of mental spring cleaning.
Chase off whatever haunts you.
Nothing ever haunts you? Lucky old you.
You ready? OK.
We're going to start at the border.
What time is it? It's, um Just after midday.
And it's hot, right? Just hit 40 degrees? [Eadie.]
Tell me what's happening.
- [Ben.]
Um, I'm just checking permits.
- [woman.]
It's under a month.
[Ben.]
Oh, if it's under a month it's fine.
Just make sure you update it Helping people work out what they need to do.
[Eadie.]
And then what? [man.]
This is why I'm here.
[indistinct ranting.]
[Eadie.]
Ben, you're doing great.
So, you're heading up to the car.
Which one is it? Third in the convoy.
[loud traffic, horns.]
And there's a chopper.
[Ben.]
Suddenly there's so much dust, I can't see.
What's the chopper doing? On the radio, they said there might be food drops.
In Idlib? [helicopter passing overhead.]
[Ben.]
That's why there are so many people on the road.
They've been starving them out since the beginning of the de-escalation.
There's been an accident, about half a K ahead.
Third truck in the convoy.
And more and more cars are arriving.
They're blocking us in from both sides.
[cars honking.]
And we're in the middle lane.
We shouldn't be in the middle lane.
I tell them I tell them I've got a bad feeling.
But they just They just say, "Suck it up, buttercup.
" [gunshot.]
[gunshot.]
[short gasp for breath.]
Tell me what's going on.
I can't - I can't do this.
Ben.
Ben, you can do this.
You're doing so well.
You can do it.
[Eadie.]
See if you can stay.
We'll take it as slow as you need, OK? I don't know why, but I look [Ben.]
I look into the car next to us.
There's this guy staring at me.
He's just staring and something bugs me.
He leans down to the front of the car and I realise he's not a civilian.
[gunfire.]
And then he He's just pointing at me.
Forever.
[truck drives away.]
[gunfire.]
And then they're gone.
[distant gunfire.]
[sharply inhales and exhales.]
That's it.
You did great.
Enough ghosts for you? Is that what happened at the border? The driver reached for something? Yeah.
Yeah, just pulled me right back there.
[gentle dramatic music.]
[storm rumbling.]
Thanks.
[thunder.]
I'm not gonna be a mum.
And even though, logically, I knew that was a very real possibility when we started, I don't think I ever really believed it.
[thunder.]
I said I did, because Because that's what a realist would do.
Because it proved I wasn't one of those desperate nutters who could only imagine life worth living if they have a child to love.
But I never really Let it in.
And now I have to.
'Cause it's true.
And it's harder than I thought it would be.
[thunder crashes.]
What do we do with the last embryo? Donate or destroy? Well, we don't have to decide right away.
We can work that out later.
It's funny - someone on the forum Raised the possibility of doing it offline.
Yeah, right.
I thought about it for a second.
They do post-38 IVF.
They also offer the immunosuppressant drug therapy.
At a price we could afford.
- It's not about the money.
- I know, I just - It's not about the money, it's about the risk, and it's bombing your immune system.
It's inviting every cancer in town over to play.
Let's call a spade a spade.
But what if it's lucky last and we'll never know? If I lose you to cancer, it's not going to feel lucky last to me.
I can't.
I'm not I can't risk you to have a child.
I can't, it's I won't.
[rumbling thunder.]
Let's go home.
OK.
[dogs barking distantly.]
Oh, look.
It's our private clown.
I'll get rid of him.
It's OK.
It feels normal.
You said close of business.
You know, you guys should just go and cook that steak out the back.
I'm gonna take a shower.
What? What? What? She lost the baby.
- Oh.
- "Oh.
" Is that it? - Well, no.
- You know what, mate Alright - I'm a cock.
I'm a cock.
I see I took my usual base sensitivity and stooped to a new low.
I unreservedly apologise.
I'll see you tomorrow, man.
Enjoy the steak.
[sighs.]
[sobs.]
["I love you" by Billie Eilish.]
It's not true Tell me I've been lied to Crying isn't like you Ooh-ooh What the hell did I do? Never been the type to Let someone see right through Ooh-ooh [indistinct footage audio.]
Mm-mmm, mm-mmm Maybe won't you take it back Say you were tryna make me laugh And nothing has to change today You didn't mean to say I love you I love you And I don't want to Ooh-ooh The smile that you gave me Even when you felt like dying Ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh Little cloak and dagger, isn't it? If I had someone else I could ask, I would.
And what exactly are you asking? I need my fertility stats taken offline.
I'm thinking of an off-the-books insemination.
That Lloyd won't know about? - Why? - He's done.
And you're not? Next week, I'm going to get a notification saying that I've been re-categorised as sub-fertile 38-plus and no longer a candidate for IVF, except at the maximum rate, and I'll be offered a choice whether to donate our last embryo, destroy it or bring it home for a private ceremony.
Or I can take it to this private clinic and have it implanted.
I'm still not getting why you just can't tell Lloyd.
I haven't been able to keep any of my pregnancies going because there's a kink in my immune system.
It doesn't recognise them as being part of me.
My body thinks the baby's a foreign invader that needs killing off.
There's a drug protocol that would suppress my immune system for the first 12 weeks.
Which leaves you open to Bone marrow problems, any opportunist infection I might come into contact with, a whole menu of cancer options - [groans.]
But I stay healthy, I'm careful.
It's 12 weeks R and R.
I just need my real hormone data masked 'til we see if it takes You're like a loop of where you're at now.
I have to keep a data patch on for a month after my last official treatment so the insurance company can clear me of any ongoing complications And then what? Hey, presto - look, honey, I've got a bun in the oven! Is that your strategy? I don't know, OK? All I know is I'm going to walk out of there with a fertilized embryo and I can either bury it in the garden, or It might not work.
There might be nothing to explain to Lloyd, to anyone! But if I don't try it It will haunt me for life.
Fuck.
Eadie [thunder rumbling.]
Me? Really? I'm the only one to ask? Maybe you're the only one who would do it.
I'll ask around.
[thunder rumbles.]
Thank you.
[dramatic music.]
[thunder crashes.]
[deep thunder rumbling.]
[dramatic music.]