Gold Digger (2019) s01e05 Episode Script

1 We're getting married.
What about Dad? Leo is on my side.
Leo is on my side.
Then why didn't he tell you about me Marsha? Because he knew, and he never said a word to you.
It's not often that I'm grateful for the fact that I've got no family.
I want you to be protected.
If Benjamin's intentions are good, he won't object.
I'm starting to wonder whether this is just some way of getting back at Ted.
Why today? Because of her.
This has nothing to do with Julia! [LOW CHATTER.]
[BIRDSONG.]
Everything's upside down.
Our happy family the one I remember, it doesn't exist any more.
Mum.
Dad.
And it's all down to one person.
Remove him remove the problem.
[JULIA GIGGLES.]
Can I help you? I hope so.
I'm looking for Benjamin.
Sorry, and, er you are? I'm his brother.
[LEO LAUGHS.]
What are the chances of getting a little sliver of cake before he gets back? [JULIA CHUCKLES.]
You're not having any.
- Meanie.
- Benjamin.
There's someone to see you.
Kieran.
Mum, this is, er Benjamin's brother.
Half.
My my half-brother.
Half, whole, it's all the same thing.
I'm sorry to just turn up.
I could have sworn you told us that Benjamin was an only child, Mum.
Oh, you must have it, er confused.
It's lovely to meet you.
I'm Julia.
Kieran.
It's nice to meet you too.
So, how you been? Is this your wife? [STIFLED LAUGHTER.]
Er not so much Julia is my We we're getting married.
Oh, well, it's even nicer to meet you, then.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
Kieran here's a bit late to the party, wouldn't you say, Benjamin? Well, we we haven't seen each other in a while.
Define "a while.
" 17 years, give or take.
Well, that's that's that's biblical.
What happened? Just one of those things.
That's a detailed explanation.
Come on, why don't we, er get some privacy? Give us a chance to catch up.
Give him a hug, then.
Poor bloke's come all this way.
From somewhere very far from Kent, by the sounds of things.
We should sing.
Er Della, would you help me light the candles? Are you seriously going to pretend that that didn't just happen? I'm not pretending anything.
I have to be honest, Mum, I've never heard mention of his brother.
Well, why would you have? You can barely bring yourself to exchange pleasantries with Benjamin.
Either way, it's hardly the most attractive of qualities, not speaking to your brother for half your life.
It's kind of psychopathic.
It's not always easy family.
Delicately done.
Why can't you just think first, engage your mouth second? The man is a liar, end of! So, this is your solution, to leave? I'm done trying to tell Mum things she doesn't want to hear.
I've got my own family to worry about.
Newsflash, we're your family too! [MESSAGE ALERT.]
You're not going to believe this, but Oh! Patrick goes and you follow.
Nice.
Two words, bro, and they're words you won't recognise, insufficient funds.
I can't turn down a free lift home.
Anyway, you don't want to spend your birthday night with your dry, old siblings.
No, you're right, I can't think of anything worse.
Yeah.
See you.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Happy birthday, Leo Lion! Rawr! She rides well, doesn't she? She's, er she's great.
Oh, you haven't scratched it already? No, that that was Patrick.
So, along with lunch, you've also missed out on the latest absurdity with our resident toy boy.
I'm thinking you, me, birthday dinner at The Oak, I'll regale you the story, you keep my glass filled up everyone's happy.
I-I think we've got him this time, Dad.
I can't say it again.
No more Benjamin, no more your mother.
It's all [HE SIGHS.]
It's not good for me.
There's still time to stop this wedding.
We could Be quiet, Leo.
Remember whose house this is.
Dinner, the two of us, sounds great.
Just not tonight.
Sure, whenever.
Just Patrick's having an affair.
Like father, like son, I guess.
No, that's different.
He wasn't just bored or randy, like my shit of an older brother, he was lost.
I mean, you work all your life and you give everything you have and then it's just, like, boom, retirement.
So all that doing the right thing comes to nothing.
So, when the wrong thing presents itself Did you just describe my mother as the wrong thing? Well, she produced you, which I consider one of her more redeeming features, but, then, she did split up my parents.
Who were both faultless, right? So, if it wasn't for the witchery of my mother, they'd still be together? Yep.
And thriving.
We'd all be.
Well, you might be able to test your theory soon.
Don't just say that, then go all Coy Roy.
What do you mean? I mean they're sleeping in separate beds.
The kiss of death.
So, maybe there's a way.
With a little helping hand.
Don't look at me.
[HE SIGHS.]
You do realise that if our 'rents weren't together there'd be none of this icky pseudo-stepkids' vibe and we could we could be more open? History has a funny way of repeating itself.
The same mistakes made again and again.
[DOOR SLAMS SHUT.]
Ending up with me trapped in something I don't want to be in.
With a man I can't trust.
[FOOTSTEPS.]
[SHE EXHALES.]
[KNOCK AT DOOR.]
Kieran he's, er he's going to stay at The Oak.
You told me that you were an only child.
And you made me stand in front of them, in front of all of them, and lie.
You didn't have to.
You think my kids need any more excuse to go against us? No.
No, look look, I know I know that they don't I know that they don't, and I and and I can explain, but but first, you you just have to believe, I It's the size of it that upsets me, because it's not a small thing, is it? It's not something that I can just It's H-He's He's your family, he's your flesh and blood.
And if you can lie about that, you can lie about anything.
Er You have to understand I've I've spent my whole life trying to get away from him.
From from the the past.
And when I came down to London, it meant that I could be who I wanted, I could say what I wanted! So, I just I ended up telling people the easiest thing! That I'm an only child.
And the more I said it, the m Well, the more it stopped being a lie and just became normal.
And and so then I-I met you and you were just so clever and and and cultured, and I just wanted to keep up! Right.
So, it's on me, then? No.
No! No, it's not! You you you wouldn't understand.
You couldn't! That level of of shame, of just wanting to claw at your own skin until you just don't exist any more! I didn't have a choice, okay? I-I-I did it to survive.
And what does he want from you? Um I-I think he wants to I think he wants to show me that he's changed.
[SHE CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
And you, what do you want? I want you not not to look at me like that.
Like what? Like like I've broken something.
I I can fix this! I can fix it.
'Cos I am not I am not letting you go! Do you understand? I'm not letting you go! 'Cos you are you are everything! You are everything! Everything! Then why risk it? What were you so ashamed of? [HE HYPERVENTILATES.]
Benjamin? Okay.
Breathe.
Breathe.
In [HE GASPS FOR BREATH.]
Breathe.
It's okay, it's okay.
It's okay.
[HIS BREATHING REGULATES.]
Breathe, that's it.
That's it.
Keep going.
It's okay, it's okay.
It is? Is it? - Is it? - Yeah, it's okay.
It's okay.
So, this evil plan of yours How can I help? You keep your mum busy for the day.
Shopping, manicures, or whatever mind-numbing activities you girls enjoy.
Ow! Your understanding of the female species is second to none.
[HE CHUCKLES.]
Then leave the rest to me.
[BENJAMIN MOANS SOFTLY.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
[HE GASPS.]
You all right? Yeah.
I've, erm, been lying awake, thinking about it.
Wanting to start over, I do understand.
Forgive But I do need to know that's it.
There's nothing else.
I think anything else would just destroy me.
I want to get to know Kieran.
Me too.
Hm.
I think we should ask him to stay here.
You're too good for this world, you know that! [SHE SCOFFS.]
I think he said he's not stopping though, he's got some work on back home.
He'll be gone after the weekend.
So, let's ask him over, make him feel welcome.
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
Hey.
These are for you.
Oh, they are so sweet.
Go on in.
Eat.
Please.
Otherwise I'll be inundating you with questions and everything will get cold.
Oh, fire away.
I hardly know where to start.
Yeah, I know the feeling.
This is a photo of the two of us when we were bairns.
Don't judge the haircut.
You were blond? Blond-blond.
Hm.
How many other things do I not know about you, I wonder? It was the day after his tenth birthday, he went dark overnight.
I mean, the fuss he made.
There were tears and everything.
Do you have any other photos? Er, not many, but, yeah.
Back at the flat.
What, you're still? Yeah.
I've given it a lick of paint.
Turned our room into a weights room.
Sorry, you, er, you weren't around to ask.
You'll have to come and visit some time.
Oh, I'd love to! See where you grew up.
What was he like as a child? He was He was always in his own head.
Not like me, you know, I'll chat to anyone.
But my little brother, he had these felt tips, and they went, I'm not kidding, they went everywhere with him.
I'd be playing football and look over, he'd be no more than six, writing stories about King Arthur and dragons and stuff I didn't know anything about.
I knew then that he'd be somebody.
That he'd leave us behind.
LEO: Rolling back the years over potted eggs? Is there any other way? - I've got some for you in the Aga.
- Oh, no.
You carry on.
I just came to ask something.
Could I steal my mother from you tomorrow? You don't need to ask my permission.
He's a top man, your brother.
Should we hide the silver? [HE LAUGHS.]
It's a joke, Mum.
You're very buoyant today.
You're very buoyant today.
What, I can't be excited to spend the day with my mother? Course you can.
I'm actually really pleased that you suggested it.
I know that the last six months haven't been exactly Really, it should have been me to to make it right.
Okay, I think we seriously need to manage your expectations of this day trip.
It's not some luxe spa.
Will you allow your old mum a little sentiment? It doesn't matter where we go, I'd be happy with corned beef sandwiches in the car, so long as it's us two.
Aw.
We haven't been to Becky Falls since you were kids.
Was this your idea? No.
No, this wasn't my idea.
Did you hear anything I said the other day? I did, actually.
Is there any reason that you're both avoiding each other? - We're not avoiding each other.
- There's no avoiding going on, son.
Good then there's no reason that you both can't spend the day with me.
[HE SIGHS.]
It's seriously slippy.
So, Dad, give Mum a hand up.
Oy! I'm not that ancient.
Don't be so stubborn.
[SLIGHT CRY.]
[SHE LAUGHS.]
[HE LAUGHS.]
Okay.
Because I was in charge, instead of chunks of already browning apple Are you denigrating my picnic skills? - ta-da! - [PHONE BEEPS.]
Oh, I haven't had one of them in years.
The biscuit of champions.
Benjamin checking up on you, is he? Mum, Rocky bar? Oh, he's not checking up on me.
We just have a lot to sort with the wedding.
Oh, of course, the big day gallops ever nearer.
I haven't received my invite yet.
I've taken to waiting by the postbox.
It's just a small affair.
I mean, really, it's a it's a party.
To be honest, I didn't think you'd want to come.
Why's that? Surely someone's got to help me with this caramel goodness? In the spirit of playing happy families Consider yourself invited.
We should head back, we've got the meerkats at 3.
00.
Obviously I'll require a plus-one.
For Marsha.
This isn't the first wedding I've planned, although this one differs, because this time I'm actually allowed to do what I want.
You had the wedding you wanted.
No, I had the wedding you wanted.
Sorry, dictated.
Which, let's be honest, set the theme for everything that followed, didn't it? Mum.
Please.
Thank you, son.
Told you he was on my side.
I'm not on a side.
Oh, so you didn't pick your father's side when you hid his affair from me? Why did you tell her? Because he wanted to hurt me.
And guess what, it worked.
Mum This was a bad idea.
Finally, we're agreed on something.
Okay, look, we can reset.
I know we can.
We just Take a few minutes out, then wander back, feed the meerkats.
Enough with the bloody meerkats.
You're not five years old any more.
I didn't want to see anything.
I didn't want to know anything.
Believe me, Mum.
I When I thought about telling you, I just couldn't hurt you like that.
Dad swore he was going to fix things with you.
- Make it how it was.
- How it was? How was it? You were happy.
You and Dad.
And not in a grim all-over-each-other way, just working quietly.
It made me feel safe.
Like our family was the one solid thing.
But now? We're being ripped apart and it's all his fault.
Whatever you think went wrong, Leo, it went wrong long before Benjamin.
[PHONE DIALS.]
Mum and Dad, they loved each other, didn't they? Ease me into the conversation, why don't you.
But they did.
I know they did.
Didn't they? Why don't you call Patrick? He loves a deep-and-meaningful.
I'm not calling Patrick.
- I'm calling you.
- Okay It's just now's not a good time Say hello to my baby brother, everyone.
I'm not your baby brother.
Oh, it's a term of affection, numbnuts.
And also, I'm afraid, factually correct.
What's up with you? Nothing's up.
Nothing.
I took Mum and Dad to Becky Falls today.
Why the fuck would you do that? What do you mean? We used to have fun there.
By fun, do you mean that it literally rained every time we went? Dad kicking off about how expensive the cream teas were, so we'd end up driving back hungry, one of us in tears.
Usually you.
Actually, always you.
Why do you always do this, you and Patrick, make out like it wasn't the way it was? No, you're quite right, we all held hands at Becky Falls, made daisy chains and skipped through the woods singing Kumba [CALL ENDS.]
[ELECTRONIC MUSIC.]
[MUSIC DISTORTS.]
[SIREN WAILS.]
They're both in.
Don't sweat it.
I was born stealthy.
How did it go? Can we skip the talking? Slow down.
What are you doing? Stay.
We can watch a movie.
I don't want to watch a movie, I want to have sex.
That is what young people do, you know? We're not some boring middle-aged couple with our cocoa and some boring subtitled [HE LAUGHS.]
We're not even a couple.
Why are you being so cruel? What can I say? It comes naturally.
MARSHA: Cali? Have you got someone in there? What's wrong with the front door? I was helping Cali with her job applications.
Your specialist subject.
[SHE CLEARS THROAT.]
I'm just going to bounce.
Well, before you do, I'm sure you'll be wanting to see your father.
Edward.
Don't you think you've caused enough trouble today? [RAIN FALLS.]
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
I guess, all being well, you you'll be my step-uncle.
Why are you fine with it, him being with her? You're seriously saying the age gap doesn't bother you? I'm just happy that he's happy.
However that looks.
Fuck.
Fuckin' weird, that's how it looks.
I mean, there's your brother like some kind of poster boy and then there's her.
I mean, she hardly in the shape of her life.
That's a nice way to talk about your mum.
You look like you're having a big one.
It's called having a drink.
Do you not have any mates? I'm sorry.
It's my bad.
Let me get a drink.
Same again please, love.
You know that I will never learn You going to tell me, then, why you really stopped speaking to Benjamin and why you're so different? From the accent to everything.
Different dads.
Different schools.
Different mates.
And the 17-year big freeze? I did some shitty things, things that you should never do to family.
I lied, stole - Great stock we're marrying into.
- No.
No, that's me.
That's not my brother.
Oh, because he's such an upstanding guy.
Keeping you hidden away like some dirty secret.
You know, I would forgive him almost anything because he's blood.
And in the end, that's all we have.
[LAUGHTER.]
[INDISTINCT SPEECH, LAUGHTER.]
That's the way to do it, lad.
[HE SPITS.]
Can you not tell my mum about this? Cold Chinese a can of Coke, you'll be sweet tomorrow.
Sounds grim.
And, remember, don't let my little brother get you down.
He's not a bad guy.
Hey.
Another piece of advice, which you can choose to completely ignore.
Don't make the same mistakes I did.
When I was your age all I seemed to do was prove people right about us.
Goodnight.
[UPBEAT MUSIC.]
It should say, "Leo and Kieran's Company," 'cos we're going to be partners.
I know what you're thinking.
You're thinking, "What do we do out of festival season?" "What don't we do?" would be the better question.
I'm actually quite impressed.
What, impressed like, "Well done" or impressed like, "I'll invest?" It's not a matter of trust.
I just wonder whether it wouldn't be better for you to earn the start-up capital yourself.
And then your enthusiasm won't wane.
It won't.
I'm serious about this.
Like you were serious about surf school? The bike rental app? Your poetry nights? Okay, you're ridiculing me.
Don't ridicule me.
I'm not, darling.
I'm I'm I'm just trying You were going to say yes earlier, I know you were.
And now, miraculously, you've changed your mind.
You spoke to Benjamin, didn't you? Of course I did.
He's my fiance.
And he told you not to help me? Because he wants all your money for himself.
Because he can see that by continuing to enable you, I am doing you more harm than good.
Are you seriously taking his word over mine? Don't make this about Benjamin.
Everything's about Benjamin.
Everything's been about Benjamin since the day you met.
I'm sorry, I can't help you.
All of my mates, all of them moved straight in to London after uni, into flats, into having proper lives.
But I came back.
For you.
You came back because it suited you.
Which is what you always do.
Ah.
Right.
Right, so, you pretend to move out so I give you what you want.
That's very mature.
I'm not pretending.
Don't be ridiculous.
Where are you even gonna go? Where I'm wanted.
Dad's.
Anywhere but there.
Please.
What would you care? You've made it quite clear that you only need one thing.
Benjamin.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
I hope Benjamin's worth it.
[INDISTINCT VOICES SPEAK.]
PATRICK: Benjamin shouldn't have to call us.
I don't like being told about my own mother by someone else.
But we're here now.
Look, you want Leo to move back, I assume which won't be easy the way he is about Dad.
Unless - If he knew about that night.
- We need biscuits.
If he knew, he'd come back.
It's time, Mum.
Time you stopped lying to him.
I've never lied.
I've just not said.
And in the not saying, you spare pain.
Protect.
What's wrong with that? So much, Mum.
All this silence, this denial, it's a mind-fuck.
Not just for Leo, who doesn't understand why things are the way they are, but for me, for us Don't speak for me.
What, you're really going to play the well-adjusted card? Fine.
So it's just me, then, turning it all over again and again, thinking maybe it was a dream or maybe I got it wrong and I didn't see my dad beat the shit out of my mum and then try to kill himself? There.
I've said it.
And we didn't all combust.
I thought I thought you didn't remember.
You wanted us not to.
There's a difference.
Della, is he? Do you? No.
We're having this conversation.
Of course she remembers.
We were there together.
No.
You went to get Mum.
Left me on my own with with him.
And I didn't I didn't do anything.
I didn't help.
[SOBBING.]
I just watched him.
Darling, you were only eight.
[WEEPING.]
Conversation had.
Now, can I please be allowed to stand the fuck up? Dell.
You never said that.
How many times, Mum? A Ryvita is not a biscuit! I thought that I was doing the right thing by not talking about it.
And it was meant to keep you safe.
I'm so I didn't tell you all this so you can feel bad.
I told you so that it could be different for Leo.
I can't I can't do that to him.
His father is his whole world.
He's not a child any more.
None of us are.
We'll go and speak to him, but if we could tell him then Dad wins again.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[MUSIC DISTORTS.]
How did you come by your injuries? I've colleagues who can help.
[BABY CRIES.]
I fell.
[MUSIC FADES.]
Leo, he he wasn't in the listening mood.
You tried.
Does he know how much he's upsetting her? Yes, we equipped him with the facts.
Some of the facts.
All he had to say for himself was he thinks you're exerting undue influence over our mother's finances.
He thinks? Fine, I think.
We think you're marrying our mother for her money.
Well, there it is out in the open.
Don't say we didn't warn you.
Is everyone's family like this? So I'm told.
It's hard to believe, isn't it? [CAR HORN BEEPS.]
You deserve to be happy, Mum.
[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS.]
[HE TURNS MUSIC OFF.]
You're not upset with me, are you? For interfering, calling Patrick and Della? It was nice.
Showed you cared.
You must never ever, ever doubt that I care.
That's insanity.
Are we okay? We'd better be.
JULIA: I thought that organising a dinner this close to the big day was a kind of madness, but maybe we can call this a new start.
And if not quite that, I hope at least a chance to practise being civil to one another before we're all on public display.
[DELLA LAUGHS.]
- Cheers, everyone.
- ALL: Cheers.
Patrick? ALL: Cheers.
Are you sure we shouldn't wait for Leo? He knew the time, he knew how important this was to you.
Us.
His loss.
- Oh, fuck.
- Sorry.
- The gloves are on your shoulder.
- I know.
I'm an idiot.
- DELLA: A lovable idiot.
- Why, thank you.
Your glass is empty, my love, which is entirely unacceptable.
You keeping me pickled to get me down the aisle? I'm onto you, Mr Greene.
Busted.
Patrick, would you mind grabbing us another bottle? They're just in the garage.
Well, we can't be low on champagne, what with everything we have to celebrate.
Thanks, mate.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
[HAMMERING ON GLASS.]
Mum, I'm sorry, but he's not a good man.
There are so many things that I will say this one last time, Patrick.
Do not make me choose.
[CAR PULLS UP.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES.]
Hey.
Sorry to just pitch up.
We It's just amazing you're here.
I thought you were heading home.
- What can I say? I couldn't stay away.
- Sit down.
So, have you guys eaten? - No.
- Do you want some moussaka? - Yeah, that'd be great.
Thanks.
- Please.
I'll be right back.
Kieran.
Thank you.
No problem.
I like Leo.
He's a good lad.
Me too.
Hey, bro, listen.
I've got some really good news and I wanted to tell you in person.
Tell me what? Leo's dad's agreed to back his venture which means I've got myself a job.
A job where? Here, of course.
I hoped it'd give us a chance to properly get to know each other again.
What are you doing? I want us to elope.
Imagine it, just us.
We we can have the wedding the way that we want it, and then we can go, we can hole up in your villa and and we can try we can get back to way that things were when we when we first met.
This is odd behaviour.
Well, I prefer impulsive.
Our wedding is in two days, Benjamin.
Two days.
Everything is ready, all the money's been spent.
I thought I thought you didn't care about money? That's not what this is about.
This is about Kieran coming back.
- No, it's not.
- There's something that you're not saying.
And I'm not an idiot, despite the fact that everyone seems to treat me like one.
Okay.
Okay, I I sat around that table tonight and I thought I thought, "Who here is actually happy for us?" And I I I have kept hoping that that that by the time that we got married, that there would be [HE SIGHS.]
that things would change.
That there would be, I don't if not love for us me, that there would be I don't know, at least good will.
But there's just There's just not.
So.
You and me.
Hm? What do you say? I'd say it sounds a lot like running away.
One more sleep.
Apart.
I didn't think you were being serious.
I'm afraid so.
Separate beds for the bride and groom the night before or else terrible things will befall us.
[HE SCOFFS.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hello.
DELLA: Mum! Where are you? You've been gone for hours.
Benjamin's been calling.
We're not supposed to speak before the wedding.
Right.
Tell him that.
And tell him I'm there with you.
Okay, but you're not.
Then lie, Della.
I'm sure that's not beyond you.
What? What's going on, Mum? Something is going on.
I know it is.
Mum? You don't know a Benjamin Greene, do you? He used to live across the road on the Chethurst estate? Benjamin Greene? No, I can't say I do.
And I like to think I know most folks 'round here.
Do you know Kieran Marshall, his brother? Oh, Kieran.
Oh, aye.
Everyone knows Kieran.
But his brother's called Sean.
Look, er This is Benjamin.
Well, bugger me! Who is he to you? I'm marrying him tomorrow.
After what he did? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
BENJAMIN: Marriage is forever.
It's being able to say, "What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine.
" If you tell Eimear, I swear I will kill you.
It's us.
It's always been us.