Good American Family (2025) s01e04 Episode Script

1
[reporter] [on TV]
Local mother and author
Kristine Barnett tonight is
out on bond
after being arrested for abandoning
her adopted daughter.
Why are you watching these lies?
How did they find enough
evidence to arrest you,
if none of it's true?
[dramatic sting]
[Michael Barnett] Previously,
on Good American Family
- Something is off, I feel it.
- Ow, ow, ow!
Her behavior in a seven-year-old
is one thing.
What if she isn't a kid?
[unsettling music plays]
She's been hiding her period.
- For how long?
- [Natalia] I don't know.
Mommy said it, ask her.
[spits]
- Did you try to poison me?
- No!
Hey, hey, hey! Kris, Kris, you can't
yell at her like this.
[Kristine Barnett] You live in denial
about the fact that
there's a sociopathic con artist
making a fool of you.
I'm not scared of you.
- [Kristine] Natalia!
- [tires screeching]
- Natalia!
- [crash]
- Daddy, that was so scary!
- Okay, okay, it's okay.
[Kristine] She's got you
wrapped around her finger.
You refused to give up
on one disabled child.
What's Glenn Beck gonna think
when he finds out
that you gave up on another one?
You threatening me?
Fine. Not paying for
her surgeries.
- And you can take care of her.
- Gladly.
[Kristine] And don't let her
out of your sight.
["Sometimes When We Touch"
by Dan Hill playing]
[vehicle engine humming]
You ask me if I love you ♪
[Kristine]
It's been like this since 1995.
- I choke on my reply ♪
- Come on, come on.
- I'd rather hurt you, honestly ♪
- Where are you?
Back then, I'd wake up
in the middle of the night
and roll over,
and he'd be gone.
[sighs]
And who am I to judge ya ♪
On what you say or do? ♪
I'm only just beginning ♪
To see the real you ♪
- And sometimes when we touch ♪
- [tires screech, brakes squeak]
The honesty's too much ♪
[Kristine] Over the years,
he tried so many things
to make himself feel better,
but nothing ever worked
for very long.
[indistinct conversation]
In these moments,
all I wanted was to hold him
and to take care of him.
'Til we both break down
and cry ♪
But that night,
things were so bad,
I realized
I was the helpless one.
I just had to convince him
of that,
how much I needed him,
that without him, I'd be toast.
And so, finally, I did what
I probably should have done
in the first place.
Leaves me battling
with my pride ♪
I told him to ask
me to marry him.
But through the insecurity ♪
And he did. And I said yes.
tenderness survives ♪
[music swells]
Sometimes when we touch ♪
The honesty's too much ♪
- And I have to close my eyes and hide ♪
- [giggling]
I wanna hold ya 'til I die ♪
'Til we both break down
and cry ♪
[Kristine]
I saved him from himself then,
and it's the same thing today,
25 years later.
'Til the fear in
me subsides ♪
I make him feel needed,
when really, we both know
he's the one who's
always needed me.
And that's why I can
get him to fall in line,
even after the divorce.
But, he talked to the cops
about you?
Because of his new wife.
And look what happened.
He went and told a bunch of lies
and got himself arrested.
But I-- won't she try and pin
this whole nonsense on you?
Nah.
She can't give him
what I give him.
Back in the day, when he would
have one of his episodes
[unlocks phone]
this is how I'd get him
to pep back up.
[gasps]
[Kristine laughing]
- [gasps]
- Shh.
I mean, you look hot as hell.
But Kris,
you're not gonna send him
one of these now, are you?
Val, he's a married
man. I would never.
But the point is, in the end,
I'm the only one who knows
how to make him feel like a man.
[curious theme music playing]
[flag flapping in breeze]
♪
[bridge cracking]
[engine humming]
[TV static buzzing]
[paper cutting]
[theme music fades out]
[Michael] It was 2011,
a few months after
our trip to New York.
I was still looking for work,
but basically being
a stay-at-home dad,
doing housework, doing errands.
I mean, somebody had
to do this stuff,
'cause Kristine had just gotten
a big fancy book deal
from all of her TV appearances.
I just wanna make sure
we get everything in, you know?
There's just so much.
Where do I even start?
[Ginny] [on phone]
Oh, don't worry, lovie,
Myra knows how to write a book.
She's the best ghostwriter
we've got.
Wrote two bestsellers
for us last year,
- although I'm not allowed to say which.
- Wow.
[Steven] This first visit today is just
to orient her in your story,
give her enough to go away
and get started with,
and then she'll be back.
I think we've got you,
let's see, uh,
four visits budgeted
over the next few months.
Honestly, my biggest
piece of advice is just
let her into your life.
Take her to your
favorite coffee shop,
introduce her to your friends.
Make her feel like
a part of the family.
[Kristine] Don't worry,
she'll be a Barnett in no time.
[Steven] Yes!
That is exactly the feeling
we want from the book.
All of us at Random House
have fallen in love
with your story.
[Kristine]
Oh, stop. You're too nice.
[Steven] No,
honestly, you were incredible
on 60 Minutes last night.
- You had us bawling.
- [dryer door closes]
[knobs turning]
I just wanna help families
help their kids.
Uh, let me go freshen up,
will you?
I'll let you know
how it turns out.
What are you still doing here?
Well, you know, it
takes me a while
to get her out of the house,
Kris.
Well, just go already.
She's in pain. She moves slowly.
You know, this would be
a heck of a lot easier
if I could just plop her
in front of the TV upstairs,
- while you--
- [Kristine] No!
Not an option.
I'm not taking any chances
having her pull
any of her nonsense
while the ghostwriter's here.
What would she possibly do?
Oh, I don't know,
maybe poison her coffee
or put a tampon in her lap.
- Kristine.
- This book advance and Jacob's Place
has us barely squeaking by.
- Kris.
- So, until you get a job--
[doorbell rings]
Oh, she's early.
Go. Go, keep her quiet.
Oh, sure, sure. Yeah, yeah.
Welcome to--
I'm sorry. Are you Myra?
Oh, no, ma'am. I'm Ted Jones,
and this is Melinda Aguilar,
and we're with, uh,
Child Protective Services.
[light, tense music playing]
- What?
- Well, we're here
because there's been some
concern about the safety
of the children in your home.
So, we're gonna have
to have a look around.
Well, you must have
the wrong house.
You are Kristine Barnett,
and your husband is
Michael Barnett?
Okay, well, we'll also need
to speak with Jacob,
Wesley, Ethan, and Natalia.
[birds chirping]
[grandfather clock ticking]
[Kristine] Do you know how much longer
this is gonna take?
I have somewhere to be.
Maybe if you could just
tell me who called you,
I could clear up any
misunderstandings,
save you all a lot of time.
I can't go into specifics.
[Ethan] Mommy, are they gonna
take us away
like in Lilo & Stitch?
No, sweet boy.
No one is taking anyone away.
[light, tense music playing]
Nobody's taking anyone.
[Melinda] Removing children
from their homes
is never our intention.
[door opens]
Okay, we're done for today.
Uh, there are a few loose ends.
We'll follow up after
Natalia's foot surgery,
you know, see how she's doing.
Talking to them was
so scary, Mommy.
You were brave, sweet pea.
- We'll, uh, talk soon.
- Uh, yeah.
[front door opens]
Boys, go upstairs.
[kids chattering]
[grandfather clock chimes]
You told them
you were having foot surgery?
I-I w-- I was trying to help.
I didn't want you to go to jail.
You see this, right?
- What?
- [Kristine] Come on, Michael.
She called CPS and told them
she has to have foot surgery,
so now we're on the hook for it.
She has us over a barrel,
and she knows it.
Or it was Mrs. Murphy.
You know, she-she-- she's always
complaining about the noise.
- We don't know.
- [Kristine] Michael.
I have no time for this.
Myra will be here any minute.
Get her upstairs.
Yeah. Come on, sweetie.
- [Natalia mutters]
- [Michael] Okay.
[Natalia Grace]
Can you help me please, Daddy?
Yeah, of course
I'll help you, yep.
Come on, baby, it's okay.
I know you were only
trying to help.
[Kristine] I wanted to give my kids
the kind of childhood
I didn't have,
where their dreams
were encouraged,
- where they could each find their spark
- I'm Wesley.
[Kristine] the thing that
gets them up in the morning.
- I'm Ethan.
- [Kristine] Getting to write this book
shows the world that's
possible.
Oh my gosh. They're scrumptious.
So now, I need to know
everything about you.
[Kristine chuckles]
- [loud thud upstairs]
- [gasps]
We, um, had to crate the dog.
- She's terrible with strangers.
- Ah.
But what you need to know
about me is I love a latte.
I'm gonna take you to Norma's,
it's my favorite.
Okay, uh, now?
- Yeah.
- Yeah? Okay.
[Kristine] I wanna write about
how even in dark times
- Um, okay. Bye.
- [Kristine] there's hope.
After you.
As happy as my family is now,
we've had those dark times.
We're not proud of it,
but that first therapist
that said the word "autism"
talking about Jake?
- Mm-hmm.
- Michael fired him on the spot.
Wow.
I just cried.
[monitors beeping]
I want people to know that,
that getting a diagnosis
for your kid
can be scary and destabilizing.
Recovery from clubfoot
surgery is long.
She's gonna need to be
off her feet
for a couple months and
[Kristine] And we felt that too,
the hopelessness.
But we got through it
together.
[Myra Grant]
I'm impressed that you
and Michael seem so strong.
It could be such a strain
on a marriage to have
kids with medical issues. It--
You know, it's a pretty
high divorce rate, actually.
[Kristine]
We took our vows seriously.
- You are crushing this.
- [Natalia chuckling]
- [Michael] Does it hurt?
- [Natalia] A little.
[Michael]
You're doing great.
I know him better than
I know anyone.
Probably better than
he knows himself.
We're a team.
- [indistinct shouting]
- [Myra] Mm, that's very,
very inspirational.
How'd you too meet?
It was a frat party.
- [both laughing]
- I think the theme
was, uh,
"Neanderthal Free for All"?
Something like that.
Basically, Mike was,
uh, Fred Flintstone.
[softly] Oh, God.
And I guess I was sexy Wilma.
♪
It's funny having
so much history with someone.
We started dating so young.
We learned to face life
together.
I was so focused on Jacob.
I'd forget to take care of me.
But Michael never did.
Sometimes he'd bring
home dinner,
and after Jake had gone down,
we'd spread out a blanket
on the living room floor
and have a date-night picnic.
So, if anything,
Jacob's diagnosis
brought us closer.
- [Michael and Natalia chattering]
- We didn't always agree,
but we were always
each other's port in the storm.
Our marriage really
got us through.
- Wow.
- Um, I thank God every day for Michael.
This is great. It's total gold.
You know, I, I hate to say it,
but I think I've got
most of what I need
for one hell of a book.
- [laughing]
- Mm! [clapping]
They're already on me
to send in a draft.
They want to fast-track
this one.
That's good news, right?
The best news.
Um
one last ask.
I would just love to
spend more time
at your house, for color.
Uh, aside from the first day,
I, I haven't really been there.
It's such a mess.
I love a mess.
I'm a mess.
And a mess is
what grounds the story.
[light, tense music playing]
- Let's go.
- Okay.
Just
- no judgments.
- [laughing]
♪
Here we are,
back at the living room.
Pretty standard stuff.
[music fades out]
Did I tell you Jacob
has been accepted
to the Perimeter Institute
for graduate work?
Oh. Is that the one in Pasadena?
No, it's in Canada.
Super prestigious.
Oh, personal question.
How do you pay for
Jake's schooling?
I know that you have
the book advance
and Jacob's Place.
Does Michael bring in a lot?
Oh, Michael's been
out of work for a while.
Oh, that must be really hard.
Your career is taking off
as his is struggling.
You know, Mike's always
been a dabbler.
He's into music,
and writing, and cars.
- [Myra] Mm-hmm.
- [Kristine] Retail was
good for him until recently,
and probably not what
he wanted to do.
- It's maybe not his dream.
- Mm. Yeah.
It seems like he never
found his spark.
[Kristine] Hmm.
[Myra] Hmm.
You know, in our wedding vows,
I said that Mike makes
the impossible possible
every day.
What do you think about that,
for the dedication for the book?
- Has a nice ring to it.
- [door closes]
Really sells the romance.
Oh.
Changing gears
- [front door opens]
- Dad! Dad!
- Jacob, what is it?
- Mom, you have to come now.
[Kristine]
Why, what's wrong?
- Uh
- What's wrong?
- Natalia.
- Where's your dad?
- I don't know!
- Who's Natalia?
- Wes! Ethan!
- [traffic rushing]
[Wesley Barnett]
Natalia, what are you doing?
- That's my toy!
- [Kristine] Natalia! Stop!
- [toy clatters]
- [Wesley] No!
- [Michael] Wes, don't! No, no, no!
- [Kristine] Wesley!
- Don't!
- [tires screeching]
Wesley!
- Come on! I got ya!
- [both grunting]
- [tires screeching]
- [horns honking]
- [Michael] Natalia!
- [Ethan Barnett] Wes!
- [Natalia] We were just playing.
- Stay away from us!
- Kris, what the heck?
- Where were you?!
Mrs. Murphy's battery died.
It just took one minute.
Well, that's all it takes!
- [Michael] Natalia, you--
- [Natalia grunting]
What happened? Wait.
Are you okay?
[Natalia whimpering]
[unsettling music playing]
[Kristine]
I don't like to hide things.
It's not in my nature.
I just didn't know
how to tell you.
We're in such a hard situation.
- I can see that.
- I want the best for Natalia.
I do.
We adopted her because
of how much I care
about these kids.
But this book is supposed to be
an inspiration for families.
And if I write about Natalia,
it might discourage people.
So, please don't tell
your editor.
- Please.
- [Myra] Kristine,
I've written books
for all sorts of folks,
athletes, politicians, billionaires.
Natalia would hardly
be the first secret kid
that I have buried.
You decide what's in this book.
You're the author, not me,
and not Michael, not Natalia.
You.
[light music playing]
But if this is the
version of the story
that you're going to tell
make sure everyone around you
is telling it too.
Or it might come back
to bite you.
[suitcase thudding]
Hey, Kris, what--
what are you doing?
Wait, wait, where are you going?
I'm taking the boys to my mom's.
- Wait, for how long?
- I don't know.
Wait, hold on, we don't-- W-We--
Let me just talk to her.
We don't even know
what happened yet.
She tried to kill our boys.
I'm not sticking around
so she can succeed next time.
Kris, don't-- don't do this.
Like I said,
she belongs in an institution.
No, you don't just
lock people away
because they're suffering.
What are you-- What are you--
Y-You're gonna--
You're gonna commit me
every time I'm having a, a low?
Is that it?
If you try to kill
our boys, yeah.
Kris, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Kris, please, come on.
Just give me some
more time, okay?
I swear, I can figure this out.
Michael, she's been
with us for two years.
You had your chance.
You made your choice.
- I'm leaving.
- Wait, wait, wait. What?
I, I heard you talk
to the writer, you know?
You said, um [sighs]
I make the impossible possible.
Oh, Michael.
I said that for the book.
It's not true anymore.
[somber music playing]
Oh, but now ♪
["No More 'I Love You’s'"
by Annie Lennox playing on stereo]
Whistling my conscience
to make me cry ♪
No more I love you's ♪
The language is leaving me ♪
[Kristine]
[sighs] Okay.
No more I love you's ♪
- Changes are shifting ♪
- Grandma!
[Almeda] Get over here,
you little dickens!
- Grandma!
- [Almeda laughing]
Hello. Hello. Oh! Boys,
you're in the upstairs
bunk room.
- I got top.
- I call bottom.
[kids chattering]
[Almeda] I got your room
all ready for you.
I'll clear out the
closet tomorrow.
Not moving in, Mom.
It's only temporary.
Uh-huh.
Desire, despair, desire ♪
So many monsters ♪
[Natalia] Do you think
they're coming back?
- [song stops]
- [crickets chirping]
What?
Don't be silly, sweetie.
It's just gonna be a few days.
Come on, let's get you in bed.
You're gonna turn
into a pumpkin.
[Natalia] [chuckles]
Okay, Daddy.
[Michael] Okay.
- [crickets chirping]
- [dog barking]
[somber music playing]
[grunts]
[pill bottle lightly rattling]
[sighs]
[phone beeps]
[line ringing]
[Kristine] [on voicemail] Hi, you've
reached Kristine Barnett.
If you know me,
you know I'm most likely
on the other line.
- Leave a message at the beep.
- [beep]
[Michael] [over phone]
Hey, did you hit ignore?
'Cause that's not cool,
unless you're sleeping.
Um,
in which case,
I guess that is cool,
'cause it's late,
and people need their sleep.
Anyway, um,
when you do get this,
gimme a call.
And you're gonna--
you're gonna laugh
'cause this is classic me.
Tomorrow's that big
Skype interview.
T-Mobile.
And I, I can't find
my lucky red tie.
I know what you're thinking.
I would lose my head
if it wasn't screwed
on straight.
Um, but I--
Do you have any idea
maybe where it is?
Um, the tie. I mean,
not my head,
'cause that's on my shoulders
while I'm leaving you
a message here.
Um
it's the-- it's the,
the silk one
with the little,
tiny little dots on it.
You got it for me in Chicago.
Um, I don't know
if you remember.
It was that last trip we took
right before we had Jacob.
And I was a doofus,
and I spilled wine
on my first lucky tie,
which was the one that
I wore at our wedding.
- Um, anyway. And I, um--
- [Kristine sighs]
I looked everywhere.
I looked in the hall closet,
and I looked, uh,
in our closet,
and I can't find it
anywhere, so, um
You know what, I'm sorry.
This is stupid. [laughing]
Uh, you don't need to, um,
worry about this,
'cause I'm a grownup,
and I've got this,
and we're good here.
And, um
it's awesome sauce,
is what it is.
And, uh, I'm gonna
wear another tie.
It's just as good.
It's a great tie.
And I'll talk to you later.
[hangs up]
Oh, you're so fucking stupid.
A fucking tie? [laughing]
Come on. Come on, Michael.
Come on. You got this.
[softly weeping]
Come on, Michael!
Come on, Michael!
You got everything
you could possibly need, okay?
- [Natalia humming]
- Now, listen, Natalia,
I have to ask you something.
- Natalia.
- [continues humming]
I'm sorry, can you stop, please?
The humming is really--
Okay, thank you. Look
this interview is
very important.
And I just need--
W-- How do I say this?
Uh
[with silly voice]
I need you to promise me
that you will
um
No funny business, okay?
Hang out quiet in here
- until Daddy's finished.
- [giggling]
No jumping out, or scaring,
or harming--
[chuckling] I'll be good.
[normal] It'll be an hour, tops.
Good luck, Daddy.
Thank you, sweetie.
You know what?
If this goes well,
I think the whole family's
gonna, gonna come back.
Everything's gonna go
back to normal, right?
[sighs]
[exhales deeply]
Okay, here we go.
[interviewer] [on computer]
Sounds like you're pretty good
- on your feet.
- Thanks.
Can you tell me about
how you deal with conflict?
[exhales sharply]
Good question.
Conflict, gosh, um
Well, I avoid it. [laughing]
Who likes conflict,
you know what I mean?
Anyway, well, that's--
I was joking.
- Um, serious-- Um
- [doorbell ringing]
- One of my tasks at Circuit City
- [doorbell ringing]
uh, was being a team builder,
making sure this was a place
- where-- where everybody--
- [banging on door]
- [banging intensifies]
- You know what?
There is somebody at my door.
People-- people knocking down
my door trying to hire me.
[laughs]
Um, I will be right back.
Don't go anywhere. One second.
- Okay.
- So sorry.
- [banging continues]
- Fucking shit!
[interviewer]
I can still hear you, man.
- [doorbell ringing]
- Jesus Christ, what?!
Oh, I'm-- I'm sorry, Officer.
We've received several
911 calls from this address.
Is this your house?
It is, but I was just on
an important Skype call,
- so I wasn't--
- What about her?
[birds chirping]
Uh, that's my daughter, Natalia.
Wait, Natalia,
did you just call 911?
- I wanted pizza.
- You--
Uh [chuckles] I'm sorry.
Apparently, pizza constitutes
an emergency.
[chuckling]
You know how it is.
You think this is funny, sir?
Folks die when 911 is busy.
No, I didn't mean that.
I-- I'm so sorry.
Listen, man, I-I just-- I became
a single parent all of a sudden.
My wife just left me,
like, yesterday,
and I'm unemployed,
and I was on this job interview,
which is why I'm dressed
like this,
and we're just really--
we're just having
a really hard time, okay?
And-And, man to man,
if you could please just--
Could you let--
let this one slide?
Man to man, you need to get
your act together, for your kid.
Okay, yeah. Thank--
Thank you, thank you.
Sorry, sorry, okay.
Okay, coming.
I'm--
Wait, no. No!
[sighs] Goddammit, Natalia.
Are you mad at me, Daddy?
Natalia, that was very--
What the heck was that?
Uh, I was hungry. You were busy.
S-So, you call 911?
That doesn't make any sense.
I was bored.
You we're-- Well, which was it?
Were you bored, or did you
want pizza, 'cause y--
Wait. Did--
Did you call CPS
like Mommy thinks you did?
[chuckling]
Why would I do that?
I told you how important
that interview was to us!
What the hell are
we supposed to do now?
How are we gonna get
the family back?!
I don't want them to come back,
I want them to die.
[tense, unsettling
music playing]
What?
Don't say that.
You don't mean that.
[music intensifies]
Shit.
[kids playing outside]
[Kristine] Boys, be careful.
The fence is on.
- [Jacob Barnett] Okay, Mom.
- [kids clamoring]
- [Almeda grunting]
- [Kristine] Let me do that.
I would be doing it
if you weren't here.
But I can do it faster.
[Almeda scoffs]
You know, I hate that you
and Michael are having trouble.
No, you don't.
Oh, what do you want me to say?
- The man's an empty shirt.
- Ha!
Michael's not empty,
he's completely full of it.
[both chuckling]
But the thing is, honey,
you let him know it.
Ask me, I think that's what
sent him into that girl's arms.
Mom, that's revolting.
Get your mind out of
the gutter, Jezebel.
I am saying that you
gave him an ultimatum,
and look who he chose.
She makes him feel big.
You made him feel small.
You think you're better
than everyone else.
- That is not true.
- No?
Isn't that why you left home?
You thought you were
better than us?
Now, you're out there
writing a whole book
about how you're a better mother
than I am.
My book has zero to do with you.
Oh, please.
It's always about the mother.
[Kristine] If you wanna talk
about what kind of mother you were,
I didn't leave home because I thought
I was better than you.
I left home
because you didn't make it safe.
You're always so dramatic.
What about when he
tried to make us eat
only saltines and sugar water
- for a week?
- Oh, for Pete's sake!
You were getting chubby.
It's called a diet.
Okay, what about when
he tried to make us eat glass?
Was that a diet too?
See, this is--
This is what I mean.
Even now, you think
you have all the answers,
but it wasn't so easy.
[tense music playing]
You don't know how hard I fought
to keep our family together.
You should have fought
to keep us safe.
[scoffs]
Daddy was sick.
He was seeing things,
and you saw nothing
- and did nothing.
- Don't be ridiculous.
I kept the worst of it from you.
Nobody really ate glass,
did they?
[Kristine] You should have
cut the cancer out
and divorced him.
Maybe you tried to
keep us together,
but look at you now.
You're alone.
[Wesley] Ow! It bit me!
Mom! Mom! We found a turtle.
- Can I hold it, Wes?
- And Dad's here.
[Michael] Here you go.
I'm just gonna go head up to the house
and talk to Mom real quick.
Okay?
- Hi.
- The boys are inside.
I'm gonna go talk to her.
[tense music continues]
[electric fence humming]
- Mommy.
- [Kristine] Nope.
Don't "Mommy" me.
Tell me what it's gonna take
to make you go away,
to leave us alone.
You want me to go away?
You manipulated us
into paying for your surgery.
What else do you want? Money?
Why would I want money?
What are you doing
this for then?
Just torturing us for fun?
Why do you keep saying
all these mean things about me?
I am not going to keep
putting my children in danger.
I'm not going to let
you keep doing this.
It hurts my feelings.
Why don't you love me
Kristine?
What's up, my dudes? Hug attack.
The plastron is flat,
not concave.
Whoa, is that a turtle?
Love turtles.
That is awesome.
[Ethan] He's so cute.
[Wesley] Cool.
I missed you guys so much.
Come here.
Gimme a hug. Come on.
- No. Dad.
- Yes, yeah.
[Wesley] It was just one night.
I saw you yesterday.
- [Natalia] You never loved me!
- Chill.
- [brothers chattering]
- [Kristine] Ow!
- [electricity zaps]
- Michael! Michael, help!
[dramatic music playing]
Oh! Oh, my God, Kris!
[medic] The main thing is
make sure you keep
- the burn clean.
- [Michael] But she's okay?
Yeah. Yeah. We were super lucky
the voltage was low
on the part of the fence
where she fell.
But in the meantime,
keep drinking that Gatorade.
- Okay, Mrs. Barnett?
- Okay, thank you so much.
- Absolutely.
- [Michael/Kristine] Thank you.
- [light music playing]
- [birds chirping]
[ambulance door opens, shuts]
[Michael] Kris, I'm--
I'm so glad you're okay.
You do realize I didn't fall, right?
You do realize
she tried to kill me, again?
What is it gonna take
for you to believe me?
- Does one of us have to die?
- No.
Kris, no.
I'm so sorry. You're not alone.
I'm so sorry I doubted you,
but I believe you.
I believe you.
Just please,
please just don't leave me.
I want-- I just want us
to go back to normal, okay?
I'm-- I'm an idiot.
I'm so-- I'm so sorry.
[Michael sobbing]
It's okay, baby.
You're not an idiot.
I'm the idiot.
I let her break our
family apart.
You were just trying
to keep us together.
[Michael]
That's all I wanted. [sobs]
[sobbing]
[sobbing continues]
[Kristine] [softly]
It's okay.
But Michael,
what are we gonna do?
[Michael sighs]
You were right.
She's a freakin' psycho.
[light, tense music playing]
We can't take her home.
We can't.
[sighs] Okay.
So what, I don't know, what, do we call
the police, or?
[sniffling] No.
- We can't call the police.
- Okay.
If we do that,
she can spin the story
and make us the bad guys.
- Right. Yeah.
- And that's why she called CPS.
So, we have to have
her committed.
[gentle, curious
music playing]
Okay. Okay, yeah.
You take the boys home and,
and I'll take her to Providence.
- [dramatic music playing]
- [rain pattering]
[thunder rumbling]
How did it go?
[thunder cracks]
- What the heck happened?
- The kids' wing at Providence was full.
They said maybe try this other place,
Larue, in the morning.
What do we do tonight?
Do I bring the boys
back to my mom's?
No, no. I have an idea.
- [banging]
- I know you can hear me! Hey!
Are we sure this is okay?
I-I mean, she has everything
in there she needs,
you know,
and it's just one night.
No, I mean, can she get out?
[Natalia] [over monitor]
Don't you love me?!
Oh yeah, no.
I took the garage door
off the tracks.
- [Natalia yelling]
- Uh, the button doesn't work.
I-It's fully secure.
[thunder crashing]
We just gotta keep watch,
I guess,
you know, take turns tonight.
It's just one night.
- [Natalia shouting]
- [boxes thudding]
Exactly. It's just one night.
- [Natalia shouting]
- [Ethan] Mommy?
Uh, what--
What do we tell the boys?
I'll be right there, sweet boy.
[thunder continues]
We're gonna tell them the truth,
that we are getting Natalia
the help she needs,
and that they're safe.
We are gonna take care of them.
[lion roars]
[dramatic music
playing on video]
- I know you can hear me!
- [banging]
I hate you!
[banging continues]
I'm gonna kill you!
- [raises volume of video]
- Let me outta here!
Can you go try and
get her quiet?
- The neighbors.
- Yeah, okay.
[Natalia]
Let me outta here!
[dramatic orchestral music
continues on video]
[Natalia]
I hate you!
[raises volume higher on TV]
Let me out of here!
[indistinct shouting]
[banging continues]
[TV volume increasing]
- [electricity zaps]
- [TV and video stop playing]
- [Ethan] Mom!
- [Kristine] It's okay, just
power went out, that's all.
- [rain pattering]
- [thunder rumbling]
It'll be fine.
It'll come back on.
What about Natalia?
- She's fine.
- But it's quiet.
Daddy must have talked to her.
- [door banging]
- Is that the front door?
[thunder continues]
[door banging]
I-- I-I think it's the police.
[thunder cracks]
[door banging]
[door opens]
[officer]
Sir, I'm Detective Taylor.
Do you live here?
Uh, I'm Michael Barnett.
This is my wife, Kristine.
We live here, yes.
We received a complaint
from a neighbor.
They said they heard screaming.
Sounded like a child.
- We-we-we can explain.
- I'd like to take a look around.
[tense music playing]
Our boys are upstairs
in our room.
The storm's got us
all a bit jumpy.
I don't wanna be out
in this either,
but we've received
multiple complaints
at this address.
There's an open CPS
investigation,
and now sounds of
a child screaming.
I think what our
neighbor heard was
our adopted daughter,
Natalia.
- She's not well.
- Where is she now?
Well, we-- we have her isolated
from the rest of the family.
- Where?
- In there.
In-In-- In, uh, the garage.
It's in here. It's--
It's a, a finished room, though.
Yeah, it-- We're--
it's just temporary
until we get her a room
at a hospital.
Okay, I think I'd like to hear
what she has to say.
Well, you have to understand,
she's dangerous.
She's hurt me and my boys,
and she's lied about who she is.
Her papers are all fake.
- What papers?
- [Kristine] Everything.
Birth certificate, immigration.
- Go get the folder.
- Yeah. Yeah.
How old is your daughter?
Well, that's the problem,
Officer.
This is gonna sound nuts.
I mean, like, horror movie nuts.
But she's an adult.
She's a sociopath.
She's impersonating a child.
- Have you called the police?
- We can't.
As soon as I got suspicious,
she called CPS.
And now, there's a file on me.
All she has to do is
call the police
and say I've abused her,
and the state will
take my boys away.
I mean, she's got us trapped.
[thunder crashing]
- Wait.
- Ma'am.
I just-- I know how this looks.
And I'm just telling you,
I'm a mother, and I'm a teacher,
and I'm a Christian,
and all I'm trying to do
is keep my family safe.
I'm going in there now.
Okay. Okay.
Natalia.
You in here?
[dramatic music playing]
It's okay, honey.
I'm Detective Taylor.
Can you come out from there?
[Kristine]
This is her birth certificate.
It's in Ukrainian.
And this is everything we have,
but this is what did it for me.
Look, that's not her.
[sighs]
[tense, curious music playing]
What did she say to you?
About what you'd expect.
She denied everything.
Said it was you who
tried to hurt her.
All we've ever tried
to do is help.
That's right.
You know James,
chapter one, verse twenty-seven?
"Religion that is pure
and undefiled
before God, the Father,
is this: visit orphans"
"and widows
in their affliction."
Yes, exactly.
Exactly what we have
tried to do.
[sighs]
Hm.
Seems to me
she took advantage
of your faith and generosity.
Yes, that is exactly
what she's done.
You have evidence,
not of a crime, per se,
but I can tell that
she's much older
than what she says.
Like here.
She hasn't grown at all
since she came to the U.S.
four years ago.
If she's a kid,
she would have grown, right?
- I I didn't even think of that.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- So, what can we do now?
Well, why not, uh,
dissolve the adoption,
give her up to the state?
Well, but then she could
just go and con another family.
It hurts my heart that you felt
like you couldn't come to us.
If you're good people
and keep to the law,
we're here to help you.
You know,
there's a legal process
to correct someone's birth date.
We did it with
my sister-in-law's parents.
They're from Tanzania,
and their birth certificates
were off by a few years.
Got tricky with Social Security.
Wait, so you can just do that?
It's basically just correcting
a clerical error.
Then, you can make her legal age
match the age she is.
And because of her disability,
you can probably elect
to stay on as her guardian,
make sure she doesn't
target anyone else.
It's a simple process
if you have documentation.
What kind of documentation
do you need?
Probably just what
you have here.
Maybe a letter from a doctor
reviewing her records.
I can recommend a lawyer,
if you need,
gal I know from church.
[sighs]
That would be great. Thank you.
["No More 'I Love You’s'"
by Annie Lennox resumes playing]
[Kristine] This probably feels
quite sudden to you.
We were surprised
at how quickly things moved
once we got started.
But eventually,
the truth was always
gonna catch up to you.
While you've been
getting the help you need,
we met with a bunch
of doctors and lawyers.
They looked through
all your records, and agree.
You're an adult.
One of the doctors wrote
a letter for us.
And we took that to a judge,
who signed an emergency
petition.
So, it's official now.
We've taken care of
everything for you,
but you're gonna have to start
living on your own
as an adult.
It's time.
[Michael]
We got you an apartment.
It's really nice inside.
The kitchen's full of
your favorite foods.
The closet's full
of new clothes.
Kris even bought you
some new makeup.
We also got you a bus pass,
a new ID,
and an EBT card so
you can buy food.
[Kristine] The court allows
some adults with disabilities
to have legal guardians,
so we've decided to do that.
[Michael] So, even though
you'll live on your own,
we'll make sure rent
and bills get paid,
and we'll check up on you.
But otherwise, you're
pretty much all set up
and good to go.
[Kristine] It may feel strange
telling the truth,
you've been lying for so long.
So, if anyone asks,
you can tell them
you look young,
but you're actually an adult.
You're 22 years old.
So, no more tricks,
and no more little kid act.
It's right there in
black and white.
You're 22.
I know this must
be overwhelming.
You've been telling
this lie a long time.
But this is a clean slate,
a new beginning.
[birds chirping]
Do you have anything
you wanna say?
No.
[walker rattles]
Okay, well, um
[keys jingling]
Voila! There you go.
Well, go on, Natalia.
We talked about this.
Focus on staying out of trouble.
[walker rattles and thumps]
[thumping]
["Sometimes When We Touch"
by Dan Hill resumes playing]
[door creaking]
Whew.
- Okay. You okay?
- Yeah.
You ask me if I love you ♪
- I love you.
- I love you too.
- We're gonna be okay.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- And I choke on my reply ♪
- We're gonna be okay.
- Okay.
I'd rather hurt
you, honestly ♪
Than mislead you with a lie ♪
And sometimes when we touch ♪
The honesty's too much ♪
And I have to close
my eyes and hide ♪
I wanna hold you 'til I die ♪
'Til we both break down
and cry ♪
I wanna hold ya ♪
'Til the fear in me
subsides ♪
At times I'd like
to break you ♪
And drive you to your knees ♪
At times I'd like
to break ♪
[fanfare playing]