The Good Mothers (2023) s01e04 Episode Script

1
Based on a true story.
Some characters and events
have been fictionalized
for narrative purposes.
Rome, November 2009
[Denise] This new lawyer…
Do you trust her?
Yes, I do.
-Hi, Lea.
-Hi, Dalia.
-Hi, Denise.
-Hi.
[Dalia] Are you sure
you want to take this trip?
You have my number.
If anything happens, call me. Understood?
Understood.
Mama, it'll be fine, okay.
You and me in Milan.
I know.
I'm gonna get some fresh air.
[sighs]
Denise.
Your mother needs to call me every day.
Or leave me a message. Sound good?
Remind her that she must.
I will. I'm glad you're here.
Mama likes you.
This is for you. It's my last one.
Thank you. You're very sweet.
Do you think my parents
will get back together?
[Dalia] I understand you want them to,
but I really don't think so.
[alarm blaring]
[doctor] One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
No pulse.
One, two, three, four, five, six--
[gasping]
[alarm continues]
[singer] Ninna ninna, ninna ninna neda ♪
The wolf eats the little lamb ♪
Little lamb of mine ♪
When you found yourself
In the mouth of the wolf? ♪
[vehicle approaching]
[Angela Palaia] Gaetano!
Come give your aunt a kiss.
Mmm!
You're growing up so much!
You look just like your papa.
Gaetano, is your grandpa home?
[Gaetano] He's in the cellar.
Did you know you're going to be staying
at my house now?
Mm-hmm [chuckles]
Has Mama been arrested?
Angela, honey. Yes.
They took your mother, your grandma.
They took everyone.
But we're dealing with it.
It's up to us women now.
Angela, look at me. Look at your aunt.
You are half Pesce, half Palaia.
You couldn't be stronger.
[Salvatore] I would like to apologize
to the Palaia family.
Rocco deserved much better
than my daughter.
She has behaved like a whore.
And she will answer for the shame
she has brought to my door.
The children will stay with Angela Palaia.
They need to be closer
to their father's family.
The boy is too soft.
He needs to learn.
Of course,
this is all their mother's fault.
She put a noose around her neck
and tried to hang herself.
I expected more steel
from an 'ndranghetista.
But there is nothing normal
about her case.
We have a camera inside her cell.
Good.
I'll talk to her.
I'll remind her of her options.
Anna, becoming a witness
is a tough decision.
A decision only she can make.
For now, we protect her and give her time.
-[Beatrice knocks] Dottoressa?
-Yes.
Maria Concetta Cacciola is back online.
She has been messaging a man named Pietro.
Who is he? Do we know him?
I've never heard of him.
We know he works a normal job
and has no ties to 'ndrangheta.
He's asked her to meet him.
Is she just sending messages
or making calls?
So far it's just been messages.
Okay, keep your eye on her.
She's Giuseppina Pesce's friend.
[Anna Lazzaro] Let's go. Come on, kids.
It's late. Come on.
God, you look terrible.
[cell phone buzzes]
Pietro
Cetta, you disappeared.
Weren't we meant to see each other?
[door opens]
What's up?
Where's Mama?
Taking the kids to school.
[radio tuning]
['Maracaibo' playing]
Breathe it in! The Mediterranean breeze!
Smell it?
That's the smell of sea salt.
Refreshing.
[music continues]
Denise,
your father wants to see you happy.
Please, do him a favor and smile.
[music ends]
Go see your father.
[breathing heavily]
[door closes]
Denise.
Hey.
Look at me.
Things will get better. I promise.
You understand?
Is Carmine around?
He's taking care of you, yes?
-Yes.
-I didn't hear you, Denise.
Tell me what just came out
of your fucking mouth
because I didn't hear a thing you said.
I said yes.
Good.
I don't know what they told you,
but it's not true.
This is all a mistake.
I don't even know why I'm in here.
Those Campobasso cops have the wrong guy.
Anyway, I'll be out soon.
So we'll be together before long.
My princess.
[sigh]
Leave me alone.
I don't want to.
What's wrong, Denise?
I can't take it anymore.
Take what anymore?
I can't live like this.
I had no choice but to sit there
and listen to him tell me
everything's fine, that it'll all be fine.
That nothing ever happened,
and I'm his princess.
He's in prison for trying to kill
my mother and he says nothing's happened.
No, Denise. You can't talk like that.
Why not? I want to talk like that!
You can talk like that in front of me
but that's it.
I miss her.
I miss my mother.
[sniffs] And I wish she was still alive.
Come here. Hey.
[drawer opens]
[door buzzes, opens]
[Anna] Please give us a moment alone.
[door slams]
How are you feeling, Mrs. Pesce?
Do you want to talk to someone?
A psychologist?
No.
I don't believe that you actually
attempted to commit suicide.
Why exactly are you here?
We're transferring you today
to San Vittore in Milan.
Did you come here
to make me feel even worse?
No. I came here to give you a chance.
The chance of a new life.
But you have to want it.
I have nothing to say to you.
You have no obligation to say anything.
Mrs. Pesce, unlike my colleagues,
I do not see a difference between men
and women. To me, you're all the same.
You're all mafia.
I have no problem making you
do all ten years of your sentence.
That said, a small part of me admires you.
You live under the rule of men
but you did not buckle.
You were rarely appreciated,
but you kept going
in order to do something
with your life.
We are similar in that respect.
What would you have done with your life
if you had the freedom?
What did you ever choose
for yourself, Giuseppina?
Was it your choice to get married?
I told you I didn't want to talk.
All the men I've arrested and detained,
they are respected by their clans.
All of them.
You won't be, Giuseppina. Remember that.
[knocks]
[door opens]
[cell phone beeping]
[bell ringing]
[train whistle]
[door opens, closes]
She only took some of her clothes.
The rest of them are here.
-That means she's coming back.
-Oh, yeah?
She didn't say where she was going?
She didn't say anything.
Marisa. She didn't say anything?
[clicks tongue]
[Edoardo] Carmine. Carmine.
If she knew, she would've told you.
-Of course she would have, right?
-Hey.
Are you gonna tell her father?
Yeah, of course.
Why don't you go and tell her father?
Why not? [scoffs]
Why don't you tell him, Marisa?
You won't.
So I have to tell him?
[sighs]
[Carmine] Carlo, really, don't worry.
We'll find her.
She couldn't have gone too far.
I'm on it.
My daughter. You understand?
I'm worried about her because…
Sure, of course.
I told you.
She's like her mother.
Just like her.
You need to find her, Carmine.
You make sure you bring her
back home. Immediately.
[Pietro] Cetta. You called me.
I wanted to know
what your voice sounded like.
Really? Where are you?
I'm under my blanket.
So no one can hear me.
Why? Do you live with the police?
My parents are a little old-fashioned.
Your voice
is exactly as I imagined it would be.
Is it?
So, it's beautiful?
I like it. It sounds alive.
When can I see you?
[inhales deeply]
Cetta, are you there?
Maybe we can see each other.
But we mustn't speak.
POLICE PENITENTIARY
[inmates clamoring]
[door opens]
[baby cries]
[door slams]
[line ringing]
[phone ringing]
[footsteps approaching]
Hello?
-Who is this?
-Giuseppina.
Angela Palaia. How are you?
Are the kids there?
I want to talk to them.
No, they're not here right now.
The children are at my house.
I came here to get their clothes.
Angela, please listen.
I need to talk to them.
I'm their mother.
You understand that, right?
You're also Rocco's wife,
but you forgot about that.
Don't worry about the kids.
I'm taking care of them.
They're going to school.
They're seeing their friends.
They'll be with my family for a while.
They're learning
an important lesson, Giusy.
About loyalty.
[line clicks, beeps]
[church bell tolls]
[Anna Lazzaro] Cetta?
Cetta, you come right home
after you drop them at school.
Understand?
I'll be keeping track of the time.
Mama, I'm 30 with three kids.
What makes this normal?
That's the way it is, my dear.
Your life is my life.
You come right home
after you drop them off.
Mama, your perfume smells really good.
Oh, yeah? Thank you.
I missed taking you to school.
-Are you coming to pick us up?
-Yes, sweetie. I'll see you later.
-Bye, Mama.
-Gaetano, come on.
-Hey, Angela.
-Let's go.
[Angela Palaia]
So, did you bring sandwiches today?
[Cetta] Bye, Alfonso.
Alfonso! You never say goodbye to me.
[school bell rings]
-Bye, sweetie.
-Bye, Mom.
Bye.
-Bye.
-Bye.
[both] Bye.
Hello, good morning.
Good morning.
How is Giusy doing?
I'm Maria Concetta Cacciola, her friend.
She's fine. She's tough.
Tell her Cetta says hi
and that I'm thinking of her.
-[cell phone ringing]
-I'll do that.
Hello?
-Cetta, is that you?
-Giusy?
Thank God I remembered your number.
Listen, are you at the school?
Are my kids there?
Giusy, I can't believe it's you.
Cetta, are they near you?
Can you see them?
They just went inside.
Oh, good. Can you please go inside?
Give one of them the phone.
Give the phone to Angela, please!
I'll try. Wait a minute.
I'm heading back to school.
How are they treating you, Giusy?
I've been so worried.
I miss them. I miss my kids.
Can't they come visit you?
No, they won't let me talk to them.
I haven't talked to them in weeks.
-Do you see what I'm saying?
-I'm almost at the school.
The door is open.
Are you inside yet?
I am, Giusy. I'm inside.
[school bell ringing]
Are they in the hallway
or did they go into class already?
I don't know. I don't know how it works.
Angela never tells me anything.
Okay, I see her. I see her!
Angela!
Angela!
-What do we have today?
-History.
Angela. It's your mother.
Talk to her. Please. She's worried.
[sighs]
Mama.
Angie… [sighs]
Hey. Hi, my love. How are you?
I wanted to hear your voice.
I wanted to talk to you.
-Mama, I'm at school.
-Listen to me.
Tell me how you're doing.
I'm-- I've-- I've been worried sick.
Gaetano, Elisea, how are they?
I miss you all so much.
You know that, right?
[sighs]
Angela, listen to me. You need--
You must believe your mama
when she says she loves you very much.
You need to believe me.
Okay?
Is it true you have a boyfriend?
Who told you that?
Tell me. Who-- Who told you that?
Okay, so it's true.
-What about Papa?
-Angela, you can't listen to them.
Nothing that they tell you is true.
You can't believe what they tell you.
You need to only listen to me.
I'm going to class.
-Hello?
-Giusy.
-Angela.
-Giusy, Angela went to class.
Giusy, are you there?
No lawyer.
Just like you wanted it.
But the conversation will be recorded.
I imagine you have something to tell me.
Yes.
[clicks, beeps]
I want to go to a safe house.
And I want my children with me.
They need to be with me.
We can do that, but you need to earn it.
I know that.
I can give you two names.
There are two men, in hiding,
men you've been looking for.
I can help you find them.
You'll be on the news,
and you'll make you
and your colleagues look really good.
They're big names.
In return, I want a safe house,
and I want my kids.
That's my offer. Take it or leave it.
[beeps]
Where are you going?
This is not a negotiation, Giuseppina.
You asked me to come here, and I came.
I'm hearing you out
because I'm interested,
but your power ends there.
If you want to be safe with your children,
then you need to become my witness.
And you need to tell me everything.
Names, places, bunkers, cellars.
You need to tell me who is moving
the cocaine, who is laundering the money,
who owns what, who meets with whom
and when, where and why,
who pulls the trigger,
who gives the orders.
You need to tell me everything you know.
Every single thing,
or else you can forget about your kids.
Clear?
If you need some time to think about it,
I can come back in six months time.
H-- Hold on a minute.
Could you please sit down?
Everything I say, I say it for my kids.
Let's make that clear.
Your kids will thank you for it.
[cell phone buzzing]
[cell phone beeps]
[Marisa] Denise.
It's your Aunt Marisa.
I can hear you breathing.
If you don't want to talk,
you can simply listen.
You need to come home immediately
and you need to be smart.
You need to convince them
that you're on their side.
You need to convince your own father.
You're not a threat to anyone.
You need to prove that to him.
That's the only way
you'll be able to live your own life.
Your mother would tell you the same.
[cell phone beeps]
[knocks]
Denise, it's Dalia.
[Denise] Dalia.
Come in.
Your mother wasn't a stupid woman.
She knew that something
might happen to her.
She would always tell me,
"Take care of my daughter.
Make sure she studies."
"Tell her never to give up."
Those were her words?
I wouldn't lie to you
about something like this.
But I don't want you to feel bound
by what Lea wanted for you.
You must think about what Denise wants.
I can help you with that.
I can give you guidance.
What would you do if you were in my shoes?
I would stay in Rome.
He'll find me.
He can try. Absolutely.
He'll be looking for me now.
Denise, it's Carmine. Where are you?
I'm worried about you, Denise.
Denise, come home.
There won't be any trouble. I promise.
You did nothing wrong.
Trust me.
Don't make it look like you
turned your back, that's not you.
-It-- It's not good.
-Carmine, stop.
Look, you still have time.
Nothing's going to happen to you.
I swear. Everything's fine.
What do you mean by "everything's fine"?
Tell me what that means.
Just come home.
Come home so you can see for yourself.
Denise, please come home.
Do it for me.
I miss you, Denise.
I miss everything about you.
I miss the way you get angry,
the way you laugh.
I mean, I just miss you. What can I do?
Come home, Denise.
Come back because I'm asking you to.
[Carlo] How's she doing?
She'll turn up.
She said she's been confused.
Everything's all right.
She's doing fine, though.
She said that she needed some time,
you know?
To be alone.
She's writing you a letter.
-[Carlo] A letter?
-Yeah.
What the fuck am I going to do
with a letter?
According to the lawyer,
they've got one witness.
I don't know their name.
The only other person
who knows anything is Denise.
My daughter.
I haven't been sleeping well. You see?
We need her safe, Carmine.
That way I won't worry anymore. Got that?
You can take care of it, right?
Can you take care of it, Carmine?
Yeah, I-- I can take care of it.
And then I can get a decent night's sleep.
Bye, Carmine.
What are you thinking about?
I've missed you.
And I'm thinking
that today is almost over…
but we have the whole night ahead of us.
[Carmine breathes shakily]
This can't last, can it?
Me and you.
I want to be alone with you,
away from everyone else.
Okay, let's go.
[thunder rumbling]
[Anna] This is my car.
They don't open, for safety reasons.
Do the windows to your house
have locks too?
[Anna] I live inside a police barracks.
That's your safe house, then.
There are people
who would like to kill me.
They don't like me.
Can you believe it?
They obviously haven't met you.
[lawyer] She's not seeing anyone.
She only speaks to the prosecutor.
[Ciccio] What prosecutor?
It's a woman. Her name is Colace.
As you all know, I've tried
to meet with her every day to talk to her,
at least on the phone.
Nothing. She won't do it.
[Salvatore] She's making deals
for herself. She's a traitor.
She's not my daughter.
She's my shame.
But we'll get to her.
We need people to know
that everything she says is bullshit.
[Salvatore] How do we talk to her?
We need people who are close to her.
Right now, we've got no-one.
Write her some letters. It's the only way.
Salvatore, may I speak with you?
If she's a witness now,
they'll put her in a safe house.
And if they do that, she'll want her kids.
They will be with her day and night.
She talks with the children.
The children can change her mind.
They can get to to her.
This room is beautiful.
[Anna] It is.
I'll put Angela in here.
[police radio chatter]
Did you guys get everything?
-Yes.
-[Elisea] Yes.
Elisea.
[Elisea] Auntie isn't coming?
[Angela] No, Auntie isn't coming.
Come on.
[engine starts]
[radio beeps]
[radio static]
[police officer on radio]
They're five minutes away. All clear?
[police officer 2] All clear.
[radio beeps]
[footsteps approaching]
You heard?
-They're almost here.
-Yeah.
Let's go.
[Gaetano] Mama!
Mama!
[cries]
[kisses] Hey.
Hey, you. Hi.
[sighs] Hi.
Hi, Mama.
You okay? Huh?
[panting, laughing] Huh?
Hey, let me see your face.
-There. How was the little car trip?
-Fine.
It was fine? Yeah?
Are you all tired?
Let me see your face.
[sighs] Come here. Come here! Oh!
-Do you want to see the house?
-[Elisea] Okay.
-Do you want to go see it?
-[Gaetano] Yes.
Let's go up the stairs.
Are you okay?
You're getting unpacked? Wow, it's all--
it's all folded so nicely.
Who helped you pack your suitcase?
Aunt Angela.
I like her.
It's better this way.
The police took my phone.
We can't keep our phones up here.
They'll give us new ones.
Hey.
I really missed you.
I missed you.
So much.
You know that, right?
Will you give me a hug?
[sighs]
[Giusy sighs]
[cell phone buzzing]
[buzzing continues]
Hello?
[Angela Palaia] Hello, Angela.
It's your aunt.
Are you alone?
Ninna ninna, ninna ninna neda ♪
The wolf eats the little lamb ♪
Little lamb of mine, what did you do ♪
When you found yourself
In the mouth of the wolf? ♪