Smother (2021) s03e02 Episode Script

and if I see
a sign in the sky tonight ♪
no one's gonna tell me
it's a trick of the light ♪
may never come
but I'm willing to wait ♪
what can I say?
I'm a man of the faith ♪
and there's
an ocean in my body ♪
and there's
a river in my soul ♪
and I'm crying ♪
Another bad night.
I kept you awake again,
didn't it?
It's fine.
I'll survive.
You didn't sign up for this.
It's okay.
I keep telling you it's okay.
We're in this together,
remember?
Stop it.
Stop making me love you.
Get off, I haven't
brushed my teeth.
I don't care.
Paul?
There's a van here.
I think it's for you.
I'll go, I'll go.
No, no, no, no, no.
No way, jose.
Paul, you can't be serious.
Now I've got you
where I want you.
Okay, thanks, anna.
Just let him in, will you?
How are you?
Where do you want the boxes put?
I couldn't care less,
to be honest.
Right. Shall we put
them in the hall so?
Okay, right.
Where's mummy?
Working all hours again, is she?
We'll have to do something
about that,
Won't we, sweet cheeks?
So, I've been signing
in every day at the station.
No, I know.
I just wanted to drop
in and check on you personally.
Not to hound you, understand.
You've done your time.
But it's in my interest you
stick to the probation rules.
There's a history
of bad things happening
When you get involved
with the ahern family.
I'm staying out of trouble.
Let's keep it that way.
Get a job, keep the head down,
Stay away from
val ahern and her family.
I heard you turned up
at the wedding last week.
I was invited.
But did val make a complaint?
Should she have?
I went because
jacob asked me to.
He does live in that house.
Your access to young jacob
is contingent on sobriety.
Are you sober?
Totally.
Going to aa meetings?
Um, that's difficult, because--
Everyone knows my business.
I get that, but the meetings are
About today, not about the past.
Yeah.
I know.
Well, I'll start going again.
Okay.
Good woman.
This is a small place.
Put one foot wrong and
I'll know about it.
Well, it looks like
I'm officially moved in.
Yeah, no more snatched weekends.
This is your home now.
There's no escape from me,
my family,
The whole shooting gallery.
You're so fucked.
Yeah, I've been kind of
Getting that impression,
actually.
It's a lot.
Yeah, look at this face.
Full of regret.
Maybe not right now,
but we'll work on you.
Doesn't help when
my daughter is hammering
On the door first
thing in the morning.
I'll have that chat
about boundaries today.
Right, love.
Sign here.
That's it.
The box was open.
I remember your mum
on the telly when I was a kid.
She was very--
Formidable?
She made toast
of the other panel guests.
Yeah. Sharp as a tack
right till the end.
Three years.
I miss her.
Why haven't you
answered any of my texts?
I wasn't sure what you want.
We should talk.
I know it's a good
while ago now,
But it's awkward,
don't you think?
Living under the same roof.
One person's talk is
another person's confrontation.
Depends on the context.
Please. Don't try any
psychiatry mumbo jumbo on me.
It's just to talk.
Figure out how
we're gonna make it work.
I mean--
What's our story if mam ever
finds out?
Story?
What do you mean, story?
It was one night, and it
was before I met your mother.
Yeah, well,
maybe someone saw something.
Drop by the hotel later on,
we can speak in private.
Where you been?
I had a couple of morning calls.
Without this?
Why are you lying to me, jen?
You've been lying all week,
haven't you?
Sergeant o'rourke called
in at elaine's this morning.
Elaine's?
You've been going there?
What the hell for?
I don't know.
I'm just
keeping an eye on her, okay?
I think that
she could be dangerous.
You know what?
You're dangerous.
This obsession
of yours is just--
And what if I'm right?
What if she had something to do
with grace's death and I--
What, just sit around and wait
for her
To come for the rest of us?
I spoke
to the guards in donegal.
They're completely
convinced it was an accident.
Yeah, and if I can prove that
elaine followed her up there,
Then would you still
think it was an accident?
Would you?
Look, you're full
of guilt about your sister.
I get it, believe me.
But this has got to stop, jen.
Elaine will slap
a restraining order on you
And you're already on a caution.
I know about these things,
And this is going no place good.
You've gotta promise
me you'll stop this, jen.
I won't make
a promise that I can't keep.
These things have
a way of blowing up,
Especially in this family.
At least promise me you won't
say anything to your mother.
That I will promise, for now.
Now will you
take nell to nursery?
I really do
have to get into work.
It's your turn, jen.
It's your turn.
- Jennifer ahern?
- yeah?
I have to ask
you to sign for it.
Sure.
Thank you.
Right, we can fit most of these
things into denis's old study.
This'll go up
first and foremost.
But I'm so sorry, I wanted
All the renovations done before
you moved in,
But it's just so typical,
you know,
The men slowed down,
frank's nowhere to be seen.
I mean, where is he anyway?
I'm gonna have
to have a word with him later.
We could always
postpone the work till summer.
Well, we could, but we won't.
We're just gonna
rip that bandage off.
It's always
better in the long run.
anna!
Joe!
How you doing?
Er, about the night of the
wedding--
Look, you don't
have to say anything, joe.
I didn't read more
into it than what it was.
Two lonely people,
looking for a bit of comfort.
It shouldn't have happened.
If it's grace's memory you're
worried about, it's, er--
I loved her, anna.
Like--
In my bones.
I know you did, joe.
I think she loved
you the same way too.
Did she, though?
I'm not so sure.
Joe!
You know, you're right about
you and me.
Just two lonely people.
But nothing helps, really.
She's a little bit cranky.
She didn't get much sleep
last night, so--
Good luck.
Bye, now.
All right, you got my attention.
What the hell do you want, leon?
Er, a coffee'd
do right about now.
Well, I'm late for work already.
Ooh, get you.
Come on then, quick takeaway.
Yeah, don't want
to be seen with me.
Yeah, I get ya.
Some things never change?
Jacob!
Jacob.
Please, that sound
is doing my head in.
Who stole your creamy bun?
You know,
I don't want to bother val, but
Between the builders and jacob
bouncing that bloody ball--
Pure madhouse.
You're very good
to put up with us all, really.
Now you're mocking me.
A swift kick up the hole would
Sort the little
fucker in a heartbeat.
Yes, you, you I'm talking about.
Come on, I've been beeping.
The car's round the front.
I have to get my phone.
Okay, well,
I'll wait in the car.
No, wait in here.
This is where I live.
I can ask my mother inside,
can't I?
Um, okay.
Yeah, sorry, frank,
I'll be five more minutes.
Yeah, I've just,
just got to sort summat out.
Okay, yeah, bye.
You all sorted at work?
Yes boss, no boss.
Frank's not like that.
He's mr. Construction.
Jenny's the blonde on the beach.
Doctor jenny.
And then there's val.
What are you
checking my family out for?
I thought I was family.
We're not family.
Well, foster family, same thing.
And then there's little nell.
Man, she's, she's cute.
Why are you here, leon?
What do you want?
Want? What could I
possibly want from you, finn?
What could I possibly deserve?
You know what you owe me.
Still, it's a
nice scenery type thing.
I guess you
could get used to it.
Look, I'll try and pull
something together for you.
Then I want you
to get the hell out of here.
And don't come back.
Well, that depends
on what you get for me.
From what I can see,
you've got a lot now.
Cheers.
What's taking jacob so long?
I think he's
working to his own agenda.
It's a family thing.
Jesus christ!
See, this family, you have no
idea what they have done to me.
Why don't you tell them, elaine?
Come on, why don't you
tell them your sob story?
You knew grace was gonna
get me put away
And you knew anna
spiked my drink.
You know everything your
daughters do,
And they do it
because they're your daughters.
I think we should
do this another time.
I can handle this. Listen.
I admit I didn't see the signs
that grace was falling apart,
That she couldn't live with the
lies I'd--
Lies,
Try bringing apart from
your children for seven years
Because you think you
almost killed them in a fire.
Was rory's lie.
I'll get to see my
children again if I sign over
Custody to anna.
Denis's lie.
And of course,
rory killed denis.
Your lie.
To protect the boys.
You agreed, elaine.
But they knew the truth
by the time grace decides she
Can't live
with the lies any longer.
You put it in her head
Because I
was expendable by then.
You get rid of me,
anna gets my sons.
Nothing,
nothing gets in your way.
Alright. Well, I for one have
had enough,
So I think you
should leave now, elaine.
You know, I knew when the guards
Came to my door,
you know, you'd all leave me
To take the fall while
you got away with the rap
On the knuckles and now
you are up to your old tricks.
Guards hounding me,
jenny stalking me.
I-- I don't know
what you're talking about.
Get your fucking hands off me.
Your daughter is
dead because of you.
- that's enough!
- and your lies.
your lies, val!
Get out of this house.
Get out of here.
Don't come back.
Jacob-- don't.
Jacob, she won't, she won't--
Just let me out here.
What about the--
Just stop the car.
I just wanted
you to sit there like
A normal person,
like a normal mother.
I mean, did I?
Is grace dead because of me?
No, of course not.
Elaine is an extremely
damaged and angry woman.
Just eats away
at me all the time.
I mean, to cut herself off from
her entire family like that.
And was she lonely, was she
afraid, all alone in the sea?
If I could just
have spoken to her.
I was trying to let her go.
I just didn't know
it would be forever.
I know, love, I know.
I think elaine had
something to do
With grace's death.
This is the stuff
from grace's inquest.
The garda file is in there too.
I guess they have
to make a report even if it's
Misadventure.
What exactly
where you hoping to find?
I don't know.
Phone records, some connection
to elaine, something.
I reckon the guards
only check phone records if
They think
a death is suspicious.
But there's no
record in there of them
Finding her phone or her laptop.
I'm not disagreeing with you,
jen, but I mean maybe it wasn't
Just the family that
she wanted to cut ties with.
We couldn't look at
anything when you and joe
And finn went to bring her home.
It was too
I know.
Now that I look at this, right,
That is distinct bruising
on the back of her neck.
It's in the written report too,
frank and, and I know rough
Seas but, but that could be
from someone holding her down.
You saw elaine at the wedding.
She could
barely control herself.
Yeah, she was
on a mission alright.
And she told me that grace
went to see her before going up
To the retreat and we
all thought that she went
Home to london
after the garda caution.
So, elaine was the only one
who knew that she was going up
To donegal
and she hates us, frank.
She hates us.
It is like a,
like a heat coming off of her.
I mean, am I mad to think
that she could have
She did kill denis.
You must be frozen.
No, just enjoying the view.
It's so peaceful here.
It's like you're away
from the rest of the world.
Yeah.
It's why I sit here.
I feel close to grace.
I feel as if she's
out there somewhere.
I don't know,
it's the essence of her.
It's kind of soothing.
Yeah, it's, it's what
a healing place should be.
Paul?
What is it?
I really don't want
to spoil this place for you.
No, tell me.
I mean if you're
finding it all too much.
- Are, are we too much?
- Not, not for me.
But I can see
maybe too much for you.
What do you mean?
See I'm,
I'm in a kind of an awkward--
Um, cos there's,
there's the husband that sees
Things and there's
the professional that
Look, your family
makes huge demands on you,
Right, and that,
and normally that's fine,
You're a strong woman.
You like being
the centre of their world.
But they're
struggling with grief too,
So they demand more and you
can't take their pain away.
You can barely
cope with your own.
We're toxically co-dependent.
Don't, don't put words
in my mouth please, val.
- That's--
- no, no, I get it.
I mean, truth is
I've always got it.
You're gonna have to help me,
you're gonna have to stop me
Before I jump in and get
all tangled up in there.
I, I will listen to you.
Even if I, I mean you don't,
you don't have to put up
And shut up for my sake, you,
you, you can be honest with me.
I do need
to be honest about something.
It's to do with anna.
Elaine, what can I do for you?
Well, we told jacob you'd
get me a job, so here I am.
There isn't anything
suitable at the moment.
Not for someone
with your qualifications.
Huh.
It's just that
nowhere local will
Give me so much
as an interview, so.
Well, you can't
be that surprised.
You have a job.
If people knew what you did?
Please, elaine, let's not start.
I saw an ad in the window
for a cleaning job.
Is that still going?
- Well, yes, but--
- because I'll take it.
Val, come back, please.
Let, let me explain.
It was before I met you.
It was one night.
I was staying at the hotel,
there were drinks in the bar
After hours a couple of times
and one thing led to another.
One night.
This changes everything.
It meant nothing.
You slept with my daughter,
and it meant nothing?
No, that's--
Listen, I met you
and mairead on that walking
Tour a couple of days
later and that was it and when
I realized anna
was your daughter,
I wanted to tell
you straight away but,
You know, anna didn't want that.
You discussed it?
You, you both got together,
and you
Left me out
of that conversation?
Jeez.
Why now?
Why are you telling me now?
I wanted you to hear it from me.
Anna keeps
calling and texting me.
For what?
For what!
I'm not even sure myself.
I won't unpack if,
if that's what you want,
And I'll just go.
You can tell
your family you made
A mistake and I
turned out to be a shit.
Well, are you a shit, paul?
Are you?
Cos god knows
my track record isn't great.
My mistake was not telling
you straight away and in that
Sense I married you
under false pretenses
And for that I am truly,
deeply sorry.
Was that anna?
Give it to me.
Do you think anna
still wants to continue her
Relationship with you?
I don't know.
For god's sake.
I have just seen elaine out
there with a mop and a bucket.
What the hell is going on, anna?
I got conned into giving
her a job for jacob's sake.
Right, well you need
to get rid of her, anna.
What choice do I have?
I think elaine
might be dangerous.
I think it started
with grace and now here she is
Where you work.
You need to stay away
from her and keep jacob away
From her too.
She would never hurt jacob.
We need to establish if she
was even in donegal at the time
Of grace's death.
Then we go to the guards.
Don't do anything stupid, jenny.
Promise me.
- Okay.
- And nothing to mam, not yet.
I saw that.
Well, you're always
watching, jenny.
What did you see this time?
You, drinking.
It's that why you've
been stalking my house?
Trying to catch
me breaking the rules.
Were you already on the downward
Slope when
grace came to see you?
God.
Downward slope.
Just listen to yourself,
it's pathetic.
Just piss off
back to your patients,
Jenny, there's
nothing to see here.
What?
You afraid?
Sorry for just turning up.
Should I have phoned first?
Er, lunchtime wine
and the chance to catch up?
No, I'm really glad you came.
So, tell me more about paul
from like, the early days.
You've known him since college.
Yeah.
We met when we were two
wunderkinds on scholarships
In new york.
Is that where he
met his first wife?
Yeah.
Her death was
the reason he left the states.
Just sent him into a spin.
I guess it tore him up
because he couldn't help her.
He kind of attached
himself to various
Clinics around
europe after that.
Spent a year at my clinic
in bristol when it opened.
Well, he certainly gets around.
You're not
worried he'll get itchy feet.
No!
No, I, I just don't think
val could cope with much more.
He is semi-retired
and ready to settle.
Maybe the odd guest appearance
at conferences and the like.
And I wouldn't be
surprised if he writes a book
Like his mother,
leave his mark on the world.
He looks very happy to me,
mairead.
So, I know something's going on.
Paul has told me something
That changes everything.
I don't know who
to trust any more.
But he did tell you.
Didn't wait for you to find
out like with denis?
Was it your pride that's hurt,
Or your heart?
My heart, of course.
Well maybe my pride too,
I don't know.
This thing, was it
before the marriage or after?
Before.
And now you're
wondering if you should burn
Your bridges
before there's an after.
Well shouldn't I be wondering?
Remember the house in raheny?
Dad gambled the house.
And conveniently
popped his clogs
Before he had
to deal with the fallout.
I was on the point
of leaving him.
Would have left
you two girls with him.
You'd have left us?
Maybe I thought it
would straighten him out,
I don't know.
I couldn't stand
him another minute.
Jesus!
You really were the crap mother
mair always said you were.
Then I saw you
locked into the same old,
Same old with denis.
Mind you,
you had this big house.
Jesus christ, mam.
It's the truth.
You stuck it out
because you chose to.
I stuck it out because I had to.
And this touching heart
to heart is supposed
To help me how?
Well, this time,
do you have to stick it out
Or do you
choose to stick it out?
Boss.
Have you got
something to tell me, anna?
About what?
Just answer the question.
Have you got
anything you need to say to me?
I'm waiting, now this is your
chance to tell me the truth.
Mam, I can't say
anything, because I don't know
What you're talking about.
Who, whom we're talking about.
Does that help?
- Mam.
- So, you need more help.
Well, here's a name, paul.
- What about him?
- Anna, this is your chance.
I'm warning you.
Now at least he had
the decency to look me
In the eye when he told me.
Told you what?
You're really gonna do this?
You're just gonna
straight up lie to my face.
You slept with him,
anna, you probably
Want to go on sleeping with him.
- That's not true.
- Which bit?
The past or the future?
All you had to do was
be up front like paul was.
I gave you the chance.
You know what, you can pack your
Bags and be out by this evening.
- Mam, please.
- I am past caring.
I can't believe
how talented you are.
It's just a hobby, since
I retired from art teaching.
But I sell a few
in the local galleries.
If I buy one, will you ship it?
Take one with you.
Seriously, pick one you
like in memory of your trip.
I like you, mairead.
I like your family.
We are going to drive paul nuts,
Dropping in night and day.
I'm trying to get
him some space.
He'll be fine and he's
totally committed to val.
He'll sort whatever he has
to sort about family
In his own way.
Yeah, and I know this
sounds really childish,
I just kind of miss my sister.
Well, we've barely met
But I think I'll miss you.
Can I keep in touch?
Yeah, I'd like that.
Jacob, come on,
I'm trying to work.
I was here first.
Why should I change anything
just cos you live here now?
Because that's,
that's kind of how it works,
You know?
You make changes then,
Then I make
changes to accommodate you.
Look, I'm asking
for a second time.
I waited a,
a full hour of listening
To that effing ball
before coming out here.
Another hour won't kill you.
You're not being reasonable.
Maybe I'm not being reasonable
cos I don't want to be.
Maybe you need
to watch your back around me.
I know where
they've hidden the guns.
Grow up.
What's going on?
- Anna's moving into the hotel.
- Why?
That is between me and anna,
jacob.
This is my home.
How can I stay here without her?
Well, stay, go, it's up to you.
Paul's making you do this.
Well, you can stay with elaine,
if that's what you want.
- It's not what I want.
- Look, I don't care, jacob.
Right now,
I couldn't give a flying
I have to get on
with my own life.
Now you make your decisions,
I make mine,
That's how it is from now on.
Sergeant o'rourke.
I need to speak
to you about elaine lynch.
- What about her?
- I caught her drinking.
Where was this?
At the bar at the coast hotel.
- Is she still there?
- Yes, she, she works there now.
She's working behind the bar.
No, no, er not bar work,
she's cleaning.
She um, she conned my
sister into giving her a job.
So, your sister gave her a job
and you're not happy about it?
No, anna's not
happy about it either.
She er, she really only gave
her the job for jacob's sake.
I see, so you're
both not happy about it.
You don't believe me.
Why would you say that?
That you think we
want her locked up again.
Well, she will be, if she's
breaking her probation rules.
Shame for her sons.
I'm not making this up.
I'm a bit pushed today but I'll
check her out in my own time.
Thanks for the information.
- Hi, maria.
- Hi jacob.
Is mum in her office?
Yeah, I think so.
- Hey.
- What are you doing?
Er well, it was
the only job available, so.
You came in a suit.
You didn't expect
to be scrubbing floors.
Well, it's fine, I mean
it's fine for now, you know.
Floors have to be scrubbed,
it's a fact of life.
They don't have
to be cleaned by you.
The suit looks ridiculous.
You look ridiculous on your
hands and knees.
Jacob, I, er--
I try to be on your side,
try to stick up for you.
Can you even begin to imagine
the sick jokes at school.
Well look, I know, I know how
No, you don't.
You've no idea.
I try to laugh
them off but inside,
You make me ashamed.
You know um, anna doesn't
have to leave on my account.
It's on my account.
Paul
What's this?
Yeah, um I've been
meaning to get rid of it.
It's um, I mean, I don't
use it anymore but it's,
It's a memory box.
When they told us my
wife's cancer was terminal,
She suggested this.
She wrote down her memories
when she was still alive,
And I wrote down
mine after she was gone.
Years later I did it
when my mother passed too.
Did it help?
Not gonna lie
Some days it did
and some days it didn't.
I'd take some days.
Well
You know, I wasn't,
I wasn't gonna tell you this,
But um Actually it's
connie's anniversary today.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Maybe, maybe I should
get back to doing this.
Absolutely, I mean,
I, I want you to
Write memories of her.
Come on,
people shouldn't be forgotten.
Sorry, I, I,
I didn't mean to um
Frank, it's good
of you to come round.
I mean, it's about bloody time.
Come on, let's talk to those
wasters you have working here.
Look at it.
Seriously, just look at it.
I mean,
they were meant to finish
Days ago,
so what is going on, frank?
They're bart cooper's kids,
they've been with me for years.
If they say they need
more time, they need more time.
And all I know is
that the work was a lot
Faster when you
were overseeing it.
I'm not your
personal foreman here, val.
So you do it for denis,
but I don't
Deserve the same treatment?
Look, if you're
not happy with the work,
Bring in your own builders.
- Right, I will.
Tell them to wrap it up.
- What, right now?
- Yeah, frank, right now.
I'm sorry, but family is one
thing, but work is separate.
Is this what
you really want, val?
You need to keep a better
eye on your crew, frank.
Let's just call it quits.
I'm sorry.
Alright,
you heard her, wrap it up.
You think I was too harsh.
I didn't say that.
You said I let
family take the piss.
Come on,
I didn't say that either.
You let people figure
things out for themselves.
All this today,
that's our proper start.
Decks cleared, full disclosure.
On our way.
On our way.
jenny?
Jenny!
I went to look
for elaine after you called.
She'd gone.
Not even a word.
She didn't even
clean half the rooms.
I told o'rourke I
caught her drinking again.
So maybe she called her in.
I doubt it.
Is this the coroner's report?
Yeah.
You can see the, um, the
bruising.
My god.
Jenny, look at this.
Her phone.
It's in this one,
it's not in that one.
That means--
Someone took it.
Mam?
Yeah, I'm in here.
We need to talk.
Alone.
That was really rude, jenny.
Look, I wasn't gonna
say anything,
But there are just
too many things.
I think elaine had something to
do with grace's death, right.
She's drinking,
she hates us so much,
And she said that grace came
to call on her, and--
Enough!
This is just more
of the usual family bullshit.
Paul is so right, you
just suck me into your dramas.
Mam--
Get out, jenny.
Get out and don't come back
Unless it's for a
normal family visit.
I'm serious. Get out!
Get the fuck out of my house!
I've had it
with the lot of you, get out!
Well done.
Mum?
You home?
Mum!
Mum, no!
wake up. Please wake up.
Wake up.
Turn her head
to the side if you can, jacob.
Try and slide a pillow under.
I'll be right over.
Elaine is comatose.
Jacob isn't even sure if she's
alive.
I'll grab my bag.
I'll bring nell next door.
Here, help me
roll her on to her side.
Yeah, her pulse
has slowed right down.
It's ethanol poisoning.
We haven't got long.
Fill a bag for the hospital.
Yeah, it's
dr. Jennifer ahern.
I need an ambulance immediately
to moy cottage, lahinch.
Make sure you've got an emetic.
Bring a saline drip
and a shot of adrenaline.
Jenny!
What?
and if I see
a sign in the sky tonight ♪
no one's gonna tell me
it's a trick of the light ♪
may never come
but I'm willing to wait ♪
what can I say?
I'm a man of the faith ♪
and there's
an ocean in my body ♪
and there's
a river in my soul ♪
and I'm crying ♪
and we carry the sun ♪