The Guardian (2001) s03e07 Episode Script
Hazel Park
Okay, so you'll need to put in five dollars a month if you drink coffee.
Uh, let's see Oh, as you know, Adoption Day's Saturday.
And, uh Burton Fallin has been kind enough to donate his attorneys and his offices so we can make the whole thing happen.
But, you need to remember that you'll be working with lawyers that aren't familiar with the adoption process.
So oversee their work, definitely, but don't offend anyone.
Okay? Uh, that's it.
Your case assignments are in the meeting room.
See ya tomorrow.
Nick.
Nick.
Your probation officer just called.
Why? There was an incident over at the Hazel Park playground.
A three-year-old kid stepped on a discarded needle and got hepatitis.
What has that got to do with me? Well, the City wants to clean up the park now, like a photo-op kinda thing, and they want to use community service probationers to do it.
- I'm gonna be on a clean-up crew? - Yeah.
It credits against your hours and, you know, it's for the kids.
Hey, man.
Spare some change? Okay, probationers.
My name is Chuck.
Listen the hell up.
There's rules here today, gentlemen.
[Scoffs.]
Mr.
Fallin.
No cell phones and no pagers.
- Hey.
- I catch you talking on a cell phone.
Hey.
Lonnie.
Lonnie Grandy? Yeah, what're you doin' here? Just, you know, helping out.
Uh, I thought this was just for, uh - Right.
- You know? All right, just pick up your rubber gloves over here at the picnic benches.
Discard all drug paraphernalia, condoms and beer bottles into the medical waste bags.
I was worried about you, man.
- I thought you, like, died or something.
- No.
Yeah, I thought like something had happened but, uh, I mean, I guess You don't remember me, do you? I'm sorry.
You represented me a couple years ago.
I stole credit cards from my foster parents.
They kicked me out.
Right.
Right.
You know, I tried calling you a couple times, like, a few months ago.
- Did you get my messages or - No.
Nope.
No messages.
Huh, well Yeah, I tried calling you a bunch of times.
All right, we'll start working from the outside of the park, in.
And remember tomorrow we start painting, so wear old shoes.
Shh.
It's okay, Virginia.
[Baby cries.]
- You got money? - Yeah, right here.
[Sighs.]
[Baby continues to cry.]
Hello.
Is is this your kid? [Sighs.]
[Keypad beeps.]
~ Well, there is trouble ~ ~ In my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There is dark and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos ~ ~ And there is crime ~ ~ There is no one ~ ~ Home tonight ~ ~ In the empire of my mind ~ ~ There is trouble in my mind ~ - Hi.
- Hey.
How was the clean-up crew? Oh, it was fine, I guess.
Uh, you don't need any help around here, do you? Uh, well, how about changing a diaper? I'll be in my office.
Okay.
No, no, no.
Come with me.
Ileana.
Raphael.
See you on Saturday then.
Okay? Thank you so much, Mr.
Fallin.
Good luck.
Okay, uh, Hal and Ria Lewinski.
- Lewicki.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Burton Fallin.
- Hi, I'm Hal.
This is Ria.
And this is Terence.
Hi.
How are you? Hey.
- Go right on in.
- Thanks.
- This is such a blessing.
- Yeah.
We've been through so much to make it to this day.
I'm sure.
Before this we, uh It was, uh Well, we were, uh well, this was before we met Roz, Terence's birth mother.
We were scammed.
We tried to adopt over the internet.
They told us the baby had died during childbirth.
- Oh.
- Ria was Ria was devastated.
Hal talked me into trying to adopt again.
I didn't want to but Hum, well Oh, there she is.
Roz! Roz! In here.
Roz is a cleaning lady at the Ft.
Pitt Hotel.
Oh.
Hi.
Sorry, these guys, uh That's all right.
Come on in.
Come on in.
Roz, this is Burton Fallin.
He's handling Terence's adoption.
- How are ya? - Hey.
Good to see you.
Sit down there.
Filling out this last form for the Lewickis here.
- Do you want to hold Terence? - No, no, no.
I think I think I'd better not do that.
'Cause I'll just bawl so Roz has two other children.
They're teenagers.
And she's had a hard time supporting them.
And, well, the older one's been in a few foster homes.
And Terence here was unexpected.
That's why I'm doing this.
'Cause I can't afford to keep Terence.
Oh, I'm sure it was a very difficult decision for you to make.
It was.
And, signing those papers was, like [sighs.]
Can I hold him now, please? Here.
Okay.
I'm gonna go back to work 'cause I told my manager that l I was gonna go to the bathroom so thank you.
Good luck.
God bless.
Where ya going? Well, I can't find my wallet.
I think I might've dropped it in the park.
- Oh.
- Do you need money or anything? No.
No.
You know, it's probably in my car.
Okay.
Where's the elevator? - Are you okay - I'm fine.
I'm just Where's the elevator? It's over there.
Could I help you with something? No, I'm fine.
I just wanted to know where the elevator was? - Aah! - Oh, my God.
Oh no.
Call call an ambulance.
[Baby cries.]
[Chatter.]
Hey, did you find your wallet? No.
You remember a kid named Lonnie Grandy? - Who? - Lonnie Grandy.
He says we represented him about eighteen months ago.
No.
Why? Uh, no reason.
Okay.
Well, um I'm gonna bring dinner home tonight.
I'll see you at seven.
All right.
You and Lulu living together now, or Yeah.
Oh.
She tell ya about the accident? What accident? Well, this woman fell over a box of files in the lobby and broke her arm in a couple places and Any witnesses? About a dozen.
Well, great.
So if she wants to sue us she won't have any problem proving negligence.
Yeah.
I already called Alan Berkowitz over at Northeastern.
All right.
Good.
Yeah, okay.
Well, hey, um 'bout Lulu, I'm, uh I'm happy as hell for ya.
Thank you.
I was thinking about getting you guys a gift or something.
Is there anything you you need or - A gift? - Yeah.
No.
Uh, thank you, uh, but we're fine.
Well, I'm I'm just very pleased about the way everything's turning out and all the way around.
I'm just very pleased.
Right.
There ya go.
Well, it's gonna be exciting all these kids being having their adoptions finalized on one day.
In court? Yeah.
And they're already living with their families, but it takes a judge to make it legal so Kinda like getting married.
Yeah.
Maybe even better.
Shannon.
Yeah? How would you feel about, uh I mean, what would you think about my, uh, adopting you? You got a light? Excuse me.
Hey, you got a light? - No.
- Where you from? - Shadyside.
- Shadyside? Not a lot of laborers from Shadyside.
Well, I'm not a laborer.
The doer alone learneth, Shadyside.
What's that? You want a date? Twenty bucks.
What's your name, son? What's that? - Your name.
- Nick Fallin.
Get your back into it, Franklin.
We can't spend a month out here.
Chuck supervised me last month highway clean-up.
He just picks on the new guys.
Cancelled my cards.
What're you talking about? My wallet.
You know, when you represented me I really looked up to you, man.
After you helped me out, I thought what you did thought you were, like, the greatest guy.
So you did steal my wallet.
You don't get it.
Uh, once you're eighteen you just disappear.
I mean, one day I had all this help.
Social workers acting like that you gave a crap about me and then the next day Well, the next day, I was on my own, you know? Yeah, I was totally lost.
So then this guy, you see, he tells me if I invest my school loan money with him he can, like, double it in a week or a month or something, yeah? So I give it to him.
- That was smart.
- This guy, he said he, uh he said he lost it all on some biotech stock, but So then I called you to see if you might help and you never called me back.
Lonnie, I just want me wallet back.
And the college, right? See, they're weren't paid.
And I can't come up with the money, right? So So sometimes I hang around Carnegie Mellon.
I ripped off this rich kid's credit card - and I got caught.
- You not hearing me? - I want my wallet back.
- See I'm not in college! I'm on probation.
All because you never bothered to call me back.
The upper humerus was shattered.
Displaced fracture of the radius.
Compound fracture of the ulna.
It's gonna take several surgeries and a long rehabilitation period.
All right.
We've run some numbers.
Medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering.
Five hundred thousand dollars? Mr.
Fallin's premises.
Mr.
Fallin's hazard.
Mr.
Fallin's liability.
We'll never go to five hundred thousand.
Ms.
Kempf may not regain full use of her wrist.
A jury might give her seven figures.
Fifty.
Light.
Ron, you've been working on this case one day.
I mean, you're walking away with $20,000 for one meeting.
All right, the fair number is three hundred.
It's gonna take a lot of work on your part to get to the fair number.
- One fifty.
- One thirty seven.
Done.
I'll call you later today.
Okay, Ron.
Thanks.
- Sure.
- Good to see you.
- Nice seeing you, too.
- Your deductible is 50,000 Burton.
I'll have our rep contact you with your new premium.
Yeah, thanks, Al.
Thanks.
You know, uh, Lulu, she feels she feels terrible about this.
Oh, no.
Tell her not to worry about that.
But, uh, I did want to talk to you about something, Nicholas.
I'm, uh I've been seriously considering adopting Shannon.
Oh.
Asked her consent last night and, she said, 'yes', so Right.
Well, you need my help with anything? No.
But, thanks.
Matter of fact, Lulu's helping me out.
Lulu.
Great.
Well, she knows what she's doing.
- Good.
- All right.
Okay, take care.
Oh, by the way, did you ask her about that housewarming gift? No.
Forgot.
Well, ask her.
Laura Donnellon? What? Oh, that's me.
So Miss Donnellon, there will be a shelter hearing later this afternoon.
Right.
And, uh, given your situation there's no way that the judge will grant you custody of your child.
Got it.
Do you, uh, have any family in the region that might be willing to take Virginia? Yeah.
My family.
I've got a son.
My parents took him and won't let me see him, if that's what you're talking about.
Do your parents know about your daughter? Guess they're about to find out, huh? Yeah, well, uh, do they live in Pittsburgh? Yeah, in Fox Chapel.
My dad has that construction company by the airport.
Donnellon Construction? My dad, that's his company.
Huh.
Okay.
Uh, well, the best thing for you to do is to go to the hearing this afternoon and, just be open to taking parenting classes and finding a job and definitely a drug treatment program.
Been there.
Laura, you're coming here tells me that you want help.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestation.
Ever desireless, one sees the mystery.
What? The Tao.
It means wanting things makes you blind.
So then you don't want help? I am not a problem to be fixed.
Okay, um Well, we'll just tell the judge that you're, willing to start making some changes and we'll go from there.
Laura? What? Nothing.
I called the community college.
They've agreed to set up a new payment plan for you so you can re-enroll.
Oh, man.
You just, like, totally fixed my life.
I just made a call.
You I can't even believe it.
I don't I don't know what to say.
Call this number.
Use my name and they'll work it out with you.
I just tell them my attorney, Nick Fallin, told me to call and then they'll help? Yeah.
I'll pay you back.
The cash I took.
- Right.
- Yeah, so You want to come in or something for a beer? Hey, Nick? Virginia Donnellon was found unattended in the front seat of an old car.
Her mother, Laura Donnellon, is believed to be a drug addict.
She has been arrested twice for prostitution since her return to Pittsburgh in the last six months.
[Judge.]
Your recommendation? Well, Virginia cannot be returned to a car.
Her maternal grandparents, Richard and Mary Donnellon, have agreed to provide a home for the child.
They're prepared to raise an infant? Richard and Mary are already raising Laura's first child, a fourteen-year-old boy named Thomas.
But, they do, however, have one condition.
A condition? They request that, uh their daughter, Laura, not have access to Virginia until she completes a drug rehabilitation program.
Ms.
Archer, is your client coming? Uh, I think that she's on her way, Your Honor.
You think? I'm not prepared to enter a ruling until I meet the mother.
We'll reconvene tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock.
[Gavel slams.]
You missed your hearing.
My dad was there.
- Yeah, he was and - No.
I mean, my dad was there.
I don't understand.
I don't talk to my dad.
Your parents have taken temporary custody of Virginia.
You think this is about drugs? Well, Laura You know, I graduated second in my class at Fox Chapel High School.
I went to Brown for three semesters.
Okay.
My dad, Dick, drives up to Providence in his Mercedes.
I was pregnant with Thomas.
He walks into my dorm room and he tells me to pack.
He tells me that we're going home.
All the way back, Dick doesn't say a word until we pull up in front of Mercyhurst Rehab Clinic then Dick finally talks.
He says, "Get out.
" What do you want me to do, Laura? 'You are free, therefore choose.
' I'm gonna tell the court that you are amenable to your baby being placed with your parents.
Yeah.
And I'll tell the court to support your rehabilitation and to give you all of the services the County has to offer so that you can go back home.
Your hearing is tomorrow at eleven.
Tomorrow morning.
I'll see ya there.
Well, I appreciate you coming by, Roy.
Sure.
Here ya go.
So how was how was Florida? You know that lady I introduced you to, - Cheryl Ann? - Yeah.
Took my money and dumped me.
- Really? - Uh-huh.
Well, I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah, well, I'm sure you don't have those kind of problems.
Not with your success.
I don't know about that.
But, Roy, l I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about Shannon's future.
Okay.
Well, you can imagine, you know, the best high schools, college, and graduate degree.
A solid job.
And you're saying I can't provide those things.
I'm not so sure you can, Roy.
See Shannon could be whatever she wants to be.
Have the opportunities to make choices that, uh well, you and I never had when we were growing up.
Yeah? That's what this is all about.
Having options for Shannon, but So that lawyer lady that called said something about, should I choose to do this, that I'd be terminating my parental responsibilities.
You would be.
- I have time to think about it? - Absolutely.
Oh, and if you do sign, there will be a forty day revocation period, so Okay.
- Okay? - Uh-huh.
[Door opens.]
Burton, I'm home.
Hey, honey.
Hey.
Hey, Roy.
Hey, sweetheart.
Hey.
Hey.
This is for you.
Thanks.
So I called that guy at the community college, bursar's office, and he's willing to set up a payment schedule with me.
And, if I keep up my first three payments, they'll re-issue my loan.
- There ya go.
- Yeah.
See the thing is, though I don't have a job.
I mean, thanks and that, but, you know, I can't really afford to pay anything right now.
Okay.
Uh, can you help me get a job? Well, I don't know.
Oh, come on.
You must know somebody at the clinic who can help me get a job.
Franklin, I hope you brought enough coffee for everyone.
Ask you something? Sure.
I got this girlfriend.
Her name's Cindy.
She's from Fox Chapel.
She's a she's a drama major at Carnegie Mellon.
She wants to be a movie star.
So I've been telling Cindy that, you know, that I go to CMU.
That I'm working with computers.
Oh.
You know, if I told her I was an orphan or who doesn't even go to community college You know, who's on probation for stealing credit cards, and That's not exactly what a girl like that wants to hear.
- No.
- Right.
So maybe, like, if you can help me get a job and that and I re-enroll in school then she'll think I'm a guy with a future.
Yeah, she might.
Well? Thanks for helping me.
How are you, Roz? I'm It hurts a lot.
I'm so sorry.
Listen, l I just I want Terence back now.
What? The only reason I gave him up was because I couldn't afford another kid.
So if we could just tear everything up.
But, you signed the papers.
The form said I could change my mind.
But, you had a time period that's run out.
Right, Mr.
Fallin? Well, this is not my area of expertise but, yeah, your revocation period has come and gone, but But the adoption hasn't gone through yet.
No.
This is No.
He's ours now.
We've been through the process.
Tomorrow is just supposed to be a formality.
Please, give Terence back to me.
Give him back.
Please.
Your Honor, my client requests two hours of supervised visitation per week as well as one Sunday a month.
If any visitations are scheduled my clients would like them to be contingent upon Laura's successful completion of a drug rehabilitation program.
Well, Your Honor, Laura Donnellon is willing to enter a drug treatment program, but she would like immediate access to her child.
Again, my clients are only willing to take the child if their daughter is not allowed access until after her rehabilitation.
Otherwise, as much as this pains them, they will not take the child.
Your Honor, may I speak? Go ahead.
Um, Nietzsche wrote that family love is messy of an annoying and repetitive pattern.
Like bad wallpaper.
And I've been kinda like that to my parents.
I mean, repetitive in my actions and probably more than annoying.
What I mean to say is that I would like to go home, too.
Lf, um if this is an appropriate time to say so.
We are here only to discuss the placement of your daughter.
Right.
I'm sorry.
If Laura Donnellon wishes to visit Virginia, she must give twenty-four hours' notice and she must be sober.
[Chatter.]
My clients accept the terms.
[Gavel slams.]
This is a done deal, right? I mean, they can't make us give Terence back.
I'm not sure, but, uh She already walked away from Terence.
She signed the forms.
She waited through the revocation period.
It's done.
Fine, let's just move on with the adoption proceedings.
I think you're right.
Roz did say that she only gave up the baby because she couldn't afford him.
Right.
And now she has the money to take care of him.
Right.
So I don't know if I can take this baby from her, if she doesn't want to give him to us.
Ria.
[Baby coos.]
I can't do it.
I can't take this baby if she doesn't want to give him to us.
Look, let's just meet with the judge first before you decide anything.
Okay? I was so stupid.
I made a fool of myself.
No, you didn't.
You were great.
I, uh I talked to your parents.
We scheduled a meeting tomorrow morning.
Ten o'clock.
My office.
- Tomorrow morning.
- Right.
Now, if you can make the meeting, I mean, if you can be straight.
Right.
Then, they'll discuss the possibility of you going home.
Okay.
So this is great news.
It's a great start.
They seemed into it? Yeah, they did.
They did.
Uh, so you know, if you're gonna have trouble getting to the meeting, uh there's a shelter on Stanwix.
You can stay there tonight.
No.
I'd rather not.
Tomorrow morning.
Ten o'clock.
I'll be there this time.
You better.
Mr.
And Mrs.
Lewicki, are you saying you will not finalize the adoption tomorrow? Yes, Your Honor.
Okay.
The child will remain under the jurisdiction of this court.
Mrs.
Kempf, there will be a shelter hearing on Monday, regarding your becoming a foster parent to your own child.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You understand, all of you, this is a highly unusual situation.
But, the Lewickis said they'll give him back.
And I have some money now.
So Shannon.
Hi.
I thought maybe we should talk.
Why? Your dad wants to adopt me.
Uh, I heard.
And, I want him to and my dad agreed, so it's gonna happen.
Okay.
And I'm real excited.
But then I started thinking about you.
'Bout me? And I started to think you might be feeling kind of jealous.
Right.
Well, uh I'm not jealous.
I just want to know if you're okay with all of this? Are you? - I'm fine.
- [Phone rings.]
Yeah, this is Nick.
- Beer, please.
- I'll have the same.
Thanks.
Love in this world that is a hard thing for a man like me to find.
Well, I think we all struggle with that particular little deal.
So I thought about what you said.
And at first I thought you were right.
Opportunities are what my little girl should have.
Then, you know, I started thinking, I love my girl.
And she loves me.
And that love deserves an opportunity, as well.
So what I decided to do is establish myself here in town and I'm gonna do my best to see if I can set up some kinda life here.
I'm, uh not real sure what what you're saying.
Mr.
Fallin, don't think of this as a competition, please.
It's not that.
Hey, Nick.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I hope you don't mind I'm up here.
No, it's Got a job.
Henry's Burger House.
Great.
Start next week.
Minimum wage plus tips.
Congratulations.
I just wanted to, you know, thank you.
Yeah, well, you could've waited till tomorrow.
I was thinking, now that I got this job and the whole school thing's working out Right.
I was thinking maybe I'd, uh I tell Cindy the truth about who I am.
D'you think I should do that? Yeah, I guess.
Whatever.
Okay.
Then I'm gonna do that.
Wish me luck? Good luck.
You going out this way? I'll come.
- Hey, honey.
- Hey.
Want something to drink? Sweetheart, about the adoption.
Yeah? Your father changed his mind.
He's, uh he's not willing to give his consent.
What's that mean? Well, you'Il you'd still be living here.
You said you were going to adopt me.
I know.
I want to, honey.
You said it.
I already told my friends.
Shannon Tell my dad that he's not my dad anymore.
You tell him that.
It's not that simple, okay? That would have to play itself out in court and I, uh But, that's good 'cause you're, like, this great lawyer, so you could win.
Yeah.
You can win, Burton.
I called Cindy.
Told her the truth.
Took her out to dinner.
And like you seemed to think I should do, I told her.
Yeah.
About not really going to CMU.
The fact that, in reality, I know crap about computers in general.
- Okay.
- And she dumped me.
You'll find another girl.
I don't want to meet another girl.
I want Cindy.
Now she hates me, so thank you.
What if I bought a really expensive ring or something? - Oh, Lonnie.
- No, no, no.
If I bought her something that no one had ever gotten her before so she'd think I was somebody who could provide for her.
Don't don't do that.
Hey, maybe later, the Penguins are on We could hang out.
Hey, you know what? I I got I gotta go to the bathroom.
What about what about tomorrow night? No, I gotta work.
Oh, yeah? What about next week? Well, I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Hey, they're ready to come in.
I've been in this situation before.
Right.
Many times before.
Okay.
I think it's best not to go through the whole charade.
It always plays out the same way.
So let's just skip the hopeful part of it and get on with the way that it is.
- Get on with what? - You know, life.
Life? Life being what? You smoking crack in the park and having sex with strange men for money? Yeah in one iteration.
Yes.
In one iteration? These problems with your dad, are they worth dying over? That's melodramatic.
People like you don't survive very long.
- Like me? - Yeah, like you! This is my choice! Why did you come back to Pittsburgh in the first place, huh? If you hate your parents so much, why are you here? I just want them to take care of my kids.
What happened, huh? You said you wanted to live with your parents! No, you did! So you Just tell them, okay? Tell them thank you very much.
Mr.
Fallin, we detained a young man who attempted to withdraw five thousand dollars from your checking account.
He had all of your information.
Now, we were going to call the police, but he insisted that you knew he was here and had given your permission.
[Knocking.]
Would you like us to call the police? Hey.
Hey, you know I would I would've paid you back.
I I just I wanted to get that ring for Cindy, you know? I really appreciate you not taking this badly, Mr.
Fallin.
I mean, uh I really appreciate it.
[Burton.]
Do you understand that if this adoption decree is granted, Henry will be the same as a natural child? [Raphael.]
Yes.
That you will have the duty to educate, support, and provide moral guidance and upbringing? Yes.
That you have a duty of love and affection to show to this child? Yes.
That he may inherit from you and you from him? Yes.
That there can be no discrimination between this child and any natural or adopted child you may have now or in the future? [Both.]
Yes.
Understanding these responsibilities, do you wish to adopt Henry? [Both.]
Yes.
Your Honor, I move the adoption decree be be entered.
So ordered.
Congratulations.
Thank you, Mr.
Fallin.
So I tried to call Cindy last night.
She still won't talk to me.
Yeah, so I'm over her, man.
Hey, and you're right.
You know that? There are lots of hot girls at community college.
Not so, uh, stuck up.
That looks good, huh? Franklin, you missed a spot.
Hey, my friend's name is Nick Fallin.
Not Franklin.
Fallin.
Well, he missed a spot.
You know you didn't miss a spot.
You know that, right? Hey, Shadyside.
Hey.
Uhh.
Mmm.
It's getting cold.
[Coughing.]
Uh, let's see Oh, as you know, Adoption Day's Saturday.
And, uh Burton Fallin has been kind enough to donate his attorneys and his offices so we can make the whole thing happen.
But, you need to remember that you'll be working with lawyers that aren't familiar with the adoption process.
So oversee their work, definitely, but don't offend anyone.
Okay? Uh, that's it.
Your case assignments are in the meeting room.
See ya tomorrow.
Nick.
Nick.
Your probation officer just called.
Why? There was an incident over at the Hazel Park playground.
A three-year-old kid stepped on a discarded needle and got hepatitis.
What has that got to do with me? Well, the City wants to clean up the park now, like a photo-op kinda thing, and they want to use community service probationers to do it.
- I'm gonna be on a clean-up crew? - Yeah.
It credits against your hours and, you know, it's for the kids.
Hey, man.
Spare some change? Okay, probationers.
My name is Chuck.
Listen the hell up.
There's rules here today, gentlemen.
[Scoffs.]
Mr.
Fallin.
No cell phones and no pagers.
- Hey.
- I catch you talking on a cell phone.
Hey.
Lonnie.
Lonnie Grandy? Yeah, what're you doin' here? Just, you know, helping out.
Uh, I thought this was just for, uh - Right.
- You know? All right, just pick up your rubber gloves over here at the picnic benches.
Discard all drug paraphernalia, condoms and beer bottles into the medical waste bags.
I was worried about you, man.
- I thought you, like, died or something.
- No.
Yeah, I thought like something had happened but, uh, I mean, I guess You don't remember me, do you? I'm sorry.
You represented me a couple years ago.
I stole credit cards from my foster parents.
They kicked me out.
Right.
Right.
You know, I tried calling you a couple times, like, a few months ago.
- Did you get my messages or - No.
Nope.
No messages.
Huh, well Yeah, I tried calling you a bunch of times.
All right, we'll start working from the outside of the park, in.
And remember tomorrow we start painting, so wear old shoes.
Shh.
It's okay, Virginia.
[Baby cries.]
- You got money? - Yeah, right here.
[Sighs.]
[Baby continues to cry.]
Hello.
Is is this your kid? [Sighs.]
[Keypad beeps.]
~ Well, there is trouble ~ ~ In my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There is dark and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos ~ ~ And there is crime ~ ~ There is no one ~ ~ Home tonight ~ ~ In the empire of my mind ~ ~ There is trouble in my mind ~ - Hi.
- Hey.
How was the clean-up crew? Oh, it was fine, I guess.
Uh, you don't need any help around here, do you? Uh, well, how about changing a diaper? I'll be in my office.
Okay.
No, no, no.
Come with me.
Ileana.
Raphael.
See you on Saturday then.
Okay? Thank you so much, Mr.
Fallin.
Good luck.
Okay, uh, Hal and Ria Lewinski.
- Lewicki.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Burton Fallin.
- Hi, I'm Hal.
This is Ria.
And this is Terence.
Hi.
How are you? Hey.
- Go right on in.
- Thanks.
- This is such a blessing.
- Yeah.
We've been through so much to make it to this day.
I'm sure.
Before this we, uh It was, uh Well, we were, uh well, this was before we met Roz, Terence's birth mother.
We were scammed.
We tried to adopt over the internet.
They told us the baby had died during childbirth.
- Oh.
- Ria was Ria was devastated.
Hal talked me into trying to adopt again.
I didn't want to but Hum, well Oh, there she is.
Roz! Roz! In here.
Roz is a cleaning lady at the Ft.
Pitt Hotel.
Oh.
Hi.
Sorry, these guys, uh That's all right.
Come on in.
Come on in.
Roz, this is Burton Fallin.
He's handling Terence's adoption.
- How are ya? - Hey.
Good to see you.
Sit down there.
Filling out this last form for the Lewickis here.
- Do you want to hold Terence? - No, no, no.
I think I think I'd better not do that.
'Cause I'll just bawl so Roz has two other children.
They're teenagers.
And she's had a hard time supporting them.
And, well, the older one's been in a few foster homes.
And Terence here was unexpected.
That's why I'm doing this.
'Cause I can't afford to keep Terence.
Oh, I'm sure it was a very difficult decision for you to make.
It was.
And, signing those papers was, like [sighs.]
Can I hold him now, please? Here.
Okay.
I'm gonna go back to work 'cause I told my manager that l I was gonna go to the bathroom so thank you.
Good luck.
God bless.
Where ya going? Well, I can't find my wallet.
I think I might've dropped it in the park.
- Oh.
- Do you need money or anything? No.
No.
You know, it's probably in my car.
Okay.
Where's the elevator? - Are you okay - I'm fine.
I'm just Where's the elevator? It's over there.
Could I help you with something? No, I'm fine.
I just wanted to know where the elevator was? - Aah! - Oh, my God.
Oh no.
Call call an ambulance.
[Baby cries.]
[Chatter.]
Hey, did you find your wallet? No.
You remember a kid named Lonnie Grandy? - Who? - Lonnie Grandy.
He says we represented him about eighteen months ago.
No.
Why? Uh, no reason.
Okay.
Well, um I'm gonna bring dinner home tonight.
I'll see you at seven.
All right.
You and Lulu living together now, or Yeah.
Oh.
She tell ya about the accident? What accident? Well, this woman fell over a box of files in the lobby and broke her arm in a couple places and Any witnesses? About a dozen.
Well, great.
So if she wants to sue us she won't have any problem proving negligence.
Yeah.
I already called Alan Berkowitz over at Northeastern.
All right.
Good.
Yeah, okay.
Well, hey, um 'bout Lulu, I'm, uh I'm happy as hell for ya.
Thank you.
I was thinking about getting you guys a gift or something.
Is there anything you you need or - A gift? - Yeah.
No.
Uh, thank you, uh, but we're fine.
Well, I'm I'm just very pleased about the way everything's turning out and all the way around.
I'm just very pleased.
Right.
There ya go.
Well, it's gonna be exciting all these kids being having their adoptions finalized on one day.
In court? Yeah.
And they're already living with their families, but it takes a judge to make it legal so Kinda like getting married.
Yeah.
Maybe even better.
Shannon.
Yeah? How would you feel about, uh I mean, what would you think about my, uh, adopting you? You got a light? Excuse me.
Hey, you got a light? - No.
- Where you from? - Shadyside.
- Shadyside? Not a lot of laborers from Shadyside.
Well, I'm not a laborer.
The doer alone learneth, Shadyside.
What's that? You want a date? Twenty bucks.
What's your name, son? What's that? - Your name.
- Nick Fallin.
Get your back into it, Franklin.
We can't spend a month out here.
Chuck supervised me last month highway clean-up.
He just picks on the new guys.
Cancelled my cards.
What're you talking about? My wallet.
You know, when you represented me I really looked up to you, man.
After you helped me out, I thought what you did thought you were, like, the greatest guy.
So you did steal my wallet.
You don't get it.
Uh, once you're eighteen you just disappear.
I mean, one day I had all this help.
Social workers acting like that you gave a crap about me and then the next day Well, the next day, I was on my own, you know? Yeah, I was totally lost.
So then this guy, you see, he tells me if I invest my school loan money with him he can, like, double it in a week or a month or something, yeah? So I give it to him.
- That was smart.
- This guy, he said he, uh he said he lost it all on some biotech stock, but So then I called you to see if you might help and you never called me back.
Lonnie, I just want me wallet back.
And the college, right? See, they're weren't paid.
And I can't come up with the money, right? So So sometimes I hang around Carnegie Mellon.
I ripped off this rich kid's credit card - and I got caught.
- You not hearing me? - I want my wallet back.
- See I'm not in college! I'm on probation.
All because you never bothered to call me back.
The upper humerus was shattered.
Displaced fracture of the radius.
Compound fracture of the ulna.
It's gonna take several surgeries and a long rehabilitation period.
All right.
We've run some numbers.
Medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering.
Five hundred thousand dollars? Mr.
Fallin's premises.
Mr.
Fallin's hazard.
Mr.
Fallin's liability.
We'll never go to five hundred thousand.
Ms.
Kempf may not regain full use of her wrist.
A jury might give her seven figures.
Fifty.
Light.
Ron, you've been working on this case one day.
I mean, you're walking away with $20,000 for one meeting.
All right, the fair number is three hundred.
It's gonna take a lot of work on your part to get to the fair number.
- One fifty.
- One thirty seven.
Done.
I'll call you later today.
Okay, Ron.
Thanks.
- Sure.
- Good to see you.
- Nice seeing you, too.
- Your deductible is 50,000 Burton.
I'll have our rep contact you with your new premium.
Yeah, thanks, Al.
Thanks.
You know, uh, Lulu, she feels she feels terrible about this.
Oh, no.
Tell her not to worry about that.
But, uh, I did want to talk to you about something, Nicholas.
I'm, uh I've been seriously considering adopting Shannon.
Oh.
Asked her consent last night and, she said, 'yes', so Right.
Well, you need my help with anything? No.
But, thanks.
Matter of fact, Lulu's helping me out.
Lulu.
Great.
Well, she knows what she's doing.
- Good.
- All right.
Okay, take care.
Oh, by the way, did you ask her about that housewarming gift? No.
Forgot.
Well, ask her.
Laura Donnellon? What? Oh, that's me.
So Miss Donnellon, there will be a shelter hearing later this afternoon.
Right.
And, uh, given your situation there's no way that the judge will grant you custody of your child.
Got it.
Do you, uh, have any family in the region that might be willing to take Virginia? Yeah.
My family.
I've got a son.
My parents took him and won't let me see him, if that's what you're talking about.
Do your parents know about your daughter? Guess they're about to find out, huh? Yeah, well, uh, do they live in Pittsburgh? Yeah, in Fox Chapel.
My dad has that construction company by the airport.
Donnellon Construction? My dad, that's his company.
Huh.
Okay.
Uh, well, the best thing for you to do is to go to the hearing this afternoon and, just be open to taking parenting classes and finding a job and definitely a drug treatment program.
Been there.
Laura, you're coming here tells me that you want help.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestation.
Ever desireless, one sees the mystery.
What? The Tao.
It means wanting things makes you blind.
So then you don't want help? I am not a problem to be fixed.
Okay, um Well, we'll just tell the judge that you're, willing to start making some changes and we'll go from there.
Laura? What? Nothing.
I called the community college.
They've agreed to set up a new payment plan for you so you can re-enroll.
Oh, man.
You just, like, totally fixed my life.
I just made a call.
You I can't even believe it.
I don't I don't know what to say.
Call this number.
Use my name and they'll work it out with you.
I just tell them my attorney, Nick Fallin, told me to call and then they'll help? Yeah.
I'll pay you back.
The cash I took.
- Right.
- Yeah, so You want to come in or something for a beer? Hey, Nick? Virginia Donnellon was found unattended in the front seat of an old car.
Her mother, Laura Donnellon, is believed to be a drug addict.
She has been arrested twice for prostitution since her return to Pittsburgh in the last six months.
[Judge.]
Your recommendation? Well, Virginia cannot be returned to a car.
Her maternal grandparents, Richard and Mary Donnellon, have agreed to provide a home for the child.
They're prepared to raise an infant? Richard and Mary are already raising Laura's first child, a fourteen-year-old boy named Thomas.
But, they do, however, have one condition.
A condition? They request that, uh their daughter, Laura, not have access to Virginia until she completes a drug rehabilitation program.
Ms.
Archer, is your client coming? Uh, I think that she's on her way, Your Honor.
You think? I'm not prepared to enter a ruling until I meet the mother.
We'll reconvene tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock.
[Gavel slams.]
You missed your hearing.
My dad was there.
- Yeah, he was and - No.
I mean, my dad was there.
I don't understand.
I don't talk to my dad.
Your parents have taken temporary custody of Virginia.
You think this is about drugs? Well, Laura You know, I graduated second in my class at Fox Chapel High School.
I went to Brown for three semesters.
Okay.
My dad, Dick, drives up to Providence in his Mercedes.
I was pregnant with Thomas.
He walks into my dorm room and he tells me to pack.
He tells me that we're going home.
All the way back, Dick doesn't say a word until we pull up in front of Mercyhurst Rehab Clinic then Dick finally talks.
He says, "Get out.
" What do you want me to do, Laura? 'You are free, therefore choose.
' I'm gonna tell the court that you are amenable to your baby being placed with your parents.
Yeah.
And I'll tell the court to support your rehabilitation and to give you all of the services the County has to offer so that you can go back home.
Your hearing is tomorrow at eleven.
Tomorrow morning.
I'll see ya there.
Well, I appreciate you coming by, Roy.
Sure.
Here ya go.
So how was how was Florida? You know that lady I introduced you to, - Cheryl Ann? - Yeah.
Took my money and dumped me.
- Really? - Uh-huh.
Well, I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah, well, I'm sure you don't have those kind of problems.
Not with your success.
I don't know about that.
But, Roy, l I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about Shannon's future.
Okay.
Well, you can imagine, you know, the best high schools, college, and graduate degree.
A solid job.
And you're saying I can't provide those things.
I'm not so sure you can, Roy.
See Shannon could be whatever she wants to be.
Have the opportunities to make choices that, uh well, you and I never had when we were growing up.
Yeah? That's what this is all about.
Having options for Shannon, but So that lawyer lady that called said something about, should I choose to do this, that I'd be terminating my parental responsibilities.
You would be.
- I have time to think about it? - Absolutely.
Oh, and if you do sign, there will be a forty day revocation period, so Okay.
- Okay? - Uh-huh.
[Door opens.]
Burton, I'm home.
Hey, honey.
Hey.
Hey, Roy.
Hey, sweetheart.
Hey.
Hey.
This is for you.
Thanks.
So I called that guy at the community college, bursar's office, and he's willing to set up a payment schedule with me.
And, if I keep up my first three payments, they'll re-issue my loan.
- There ya go.
- Yeah.
See the thing is, though I don't have a job.
I mean, thanks and that, but, you know, I can't really afford to pay anything right now.
Okay.
Uh, can you help me get a job? Well, I don't know.
Oh, come on.
You must know somebody at the clinic who can help me get a job.
Franklin, I hope you brought enough coffee for everyone.
Ask you something? Sure.
I got this girlfriend.
Her name's Cindy.
She's from Fox Chapel.
She's a she's a drama major at Carnegie Mellon.
She wants to be a movie star.
So I've been telling Cindy that, you know, that I go to CMU.
That I'm working with computers.
Oh.
You know, if I told her I was an orphan or who doesn't even go to community college You know, who's on probation for stealing credit cards, and That's not exactly what a girl like that wants to hear.
- No.
- Right.
So maybe, like, if you can help me get a job and that and I re-enroll in school then she'll think I'm a guy with a future.
Yeah, she might.
Well? Thanks for helping me.
How are you, Roz? I'm It hurts a lot.
I'm so sorry.
Listen, l I just I want Terence back now.
What? The only reason I gave him up was because I couldn't afford another kid.
So if we could just tear everything up.
But, you signed the papers.
The form said I could change my mind.
But, you had a time period that's run out.
Right, Mr.
Fallin? Well, this is not my area of expertise but, yeah, your revocation period has come and gone, but But the adoption hasn't gone through yet.
No.
This is No.
He's ours now.
We've been through the process.
Tomorrow is just supposed to be a formality.
Please, give Terence back to me.
Give him back.
Please.
Your Honor, my client requests two hours of supervised visitation per week as well as one Sunday a month.
If any visitations are scheduled my clients would like them to be contingent upon Laura's successful completion of a drug rehabilitation program.
Well, Your Honor, Laura Donnellon is willing to enter a drug treatment program, but she would like immediate access to her child.
Again, my clients are only willing to take the child if their daughter is not allowed access until after her rehabilitation.
Otherwise, as much as this pains them, they will not take the child.
Your Honor, may I speak? Go ahead.
Um, Nietzsche wrote that family love is messy of an annoying and repetitive pattern.
Like bad wallpaper.
And I've been kinda like that to my parents.
I mean, repetitive in my actions and probably more than annoying.
What I mean to say is that I would like to go home, too.
Lf, um if this is an appropriate time to say so.
We are here only to discuss the placement of your daughter.
Right.
I'm sorry.
If Laura Donnellon wishes to visit Virginia, she must give twenty-four hours' notice and she must be sober.
[Chatter.]
My clients accept the terms.
[Gavel slams.]
This is a done deal, right? I mean, they can't make us give Terence back.
I'm not sure, but, uh She already walked away from Terence.
She signed the forms.
She waited through the revocation period.
It's done.
Fine, let's just move on with the adoption proceedings.
I think you're right.
Roz did say that she only gave up the baby because she couldn't afford him.
Right.
And now she has the money to take care of him.
Right.
So I don't know if I can take this baby from her, if she doesn't want to give him to us.
Ria.
[Baby coos.]
I can't do it.
I can't take this baby if she doesn't want to give him to us.
Look, let's just meet with the judge first before you decide anything.
Okay? I was so stupid.
I made a fool of myself.
No, you didn't.
You were great.
I, uh I talked to your parents.
We scheduled a meeting tomorrow morning.
Ten o'clock.
My office.
- Tomorrow morning.
- Right.
Now, if you can make the meeting, I mean, if you can be straight.
Right.
Then, they'll discuss the possibility of you going home.
Okay.
So this is great news.
It's a great start.
They seemed into it? Yeah, they did.
They did.
Uh, so you know, if you're gonna have trouble getting to the meeting, uh there's a shelter on Stanwix.
You can stay there tonight.
No.
I'd rather not.
Tomorrow morning.
Ten o'clock.
I'll be there this time.
You better.
Mr.
And Mrs.
Lewicki, are you saying you will not finalize the adoption tomorrow? Yes, Your Honor.
Okay.
The child will remain under the jurisdiction of this court.
Mrs.
Kempf, there will be a shelter hearing on Monday, regarding your becoming a foster parent to your own child.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You understand, all of you, this is a highly unusual situation.
But, the Lewickis said they'll give him back.
And I have some money now.
So Shannon.
Hi.
I thought maybe we should talk.
Why? Your dad wants to adopt me.
Uh, I heard.
And, I want him to and my dad agreed, so it's gonna happen.
Okay.
And I'm real excited.
But then I started thinking about you.
'Bout me? And I started to think you might be feeling kind of jealous.
Right.
Well, uh I'm not jealous.
I just want to know if you're okay with all of this? Are you? - I'm fine.
- [Phone rings.]
Yeah, this is Nick.
- Beer, please.
- I'll have the same.
Thanks.
Love in this world that is a hard thing for a man like me to find.
Well, I think we all struggle with that particular little deal.
So I thought about what you said.
And at first I thought you were right.
Opportunities are what my little girl should have.
Then, you know, I started thinking, I love my girl.
And she loves me.
And that love deserves an opportunity, as well.
So what I decided to do is establish myself here in town and I'm gonna do my best to see if I can set up some kinda life here.
I'm, uh not real sure what what you're saying.
Mr.
Fallin, don't think of this as a competition, please.
It's not that.
Hey, Nick.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I hope you don't mind I'm up here.
No, it's Got a job.
Henry's Burger House.
Great.
Start next week.
Minimum wage plus tips.
Congratulations.
I just wanted to, you know, thank you.
Yeah, well, you could've waited till tomorrow.
I was thinking, now that I got this job and the whole school thing's working out Right.
I was thinking maybe I'd, uh I tell Cindy the truth about who I am.
D'you think I should do that? Yeah, I guess.
Whatever.
Okay.
Then I'm gonna do that.
Wish me luck? Good luck.
You going out this way? I'll come.
- Hey, honey.
- Hey.
Want something to drink? Sweetheart, about the adoption.
Yeah? Your father changed his mind.
He's, uh he's not willing to give his consent.
What's that mean? Well, you'Il you'd still be living here.
You said you were going to adopt me.
I know.
I want to, honey.
You said it.
I already told my friends.
Shannon Tell my dad that he's not my dad anymore.
You tell him that.
It's not that simple, okay? That would have to play itself out in court and I, uh But, that's good 'cause you're, like, this great lawyer, so you could win.
Yeah.
You can win, Burton.
I called Cindy.
Told her the truth.
Took her out to dinner.
And like you seemed to think I should do, I told her.
Yeah.
About not really going to CMU.
The fact that, in reality, I know crap about computers in general.
- Okay.
- And she dumped me.
You'll find another girl.
I don't want to meet another girl.
I want Cindy.
Now she hates me, so thank you.
What if I bought a really expensive ring or something? - Oh, Lonnie.
- No, no, no.
If I bought her something that no one had ever gotten her before so she'd think I was somebody who could provide for her.
Don't don't do that.
Hey, maybe later, the Penguins are on We could hang out.
Hey, you know what? I I got I gotta go to the bathroom.
What about what about tomorrow night? No, I gotta work.
Oh, yeah? What about next week? Well, I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Hey, they're ready to come in.
I've been in this situation before.
Right.
Many times before.
Okay.
I think it's best not to go through the whole charade.
It always plays out the same way.
So let's just skip the hopeful part of it and get on with the way that it is.
- Get on with what? - You know, life.
Life? Life being what? You smoking crack in the park and having sex with strange men for money? Yeah in one iteration.
Yes.
In one iteration? These problems with your dad, are they worth dying over? That's melodramatic.
People like you don't survive very long.
- Like me? - Yeah, like you! This is my choice! Why did you come back to Pittsburgh in the first place, huh? If you hate your parents so much, why are you here? I just want them to take care of my kids.
What happened, huh? You said you wanted to live with your parents! No, you did! So you Just tell them, okay? Tell them thank you very much.
Mr.
Fallin, we detained a young man who attempted to withdraw five thousand dollars from your checking account.
He had all of your information.
Now, we were going to call the police, but he insisted that you knew he was here and had given your permission.
[Knocking.]
Would you like us to call the police? Hey.
Hey, you know I would I would've paid you back.
I I just I wanted to get that ring for Cindy, you know? I really appreciate you not taking this badly, Mr.
Fallin.
I mean, uh I really appreciate it.
[Burton.]
Do you understand that if this adoption decree is granted, Henry will be the same as a natural child? [Raphael.]
Yes.
That you will have the duty to educate, support, and provide moral guidance and upbringing? Yes.
That you have a duty of love and affection to show to this child? Yes.
That he may inherit from you and you from him? Yes.
That there can be no discrimination between this child and any natural or adopted child you may have now or in the future? [Both.]
Yes.
Understanding these responsibilities, do you wish to adopt Henry? [Both.]
Yes.
Your Honor, I move the adoption decree be be entered.
So ordered.
Congratulations.
Thank you, Mr.
Fallin.
So I tried to call Cindy last night.
She still won't talk to me.
Yeah, so I'm over her, man.
Hey, and you're right.
You know that? There are lots of hot girls at community college.
Not so, uh, stuck up.
That looks good, huh? Franklin, you missed a spot.
Hey, my friend's name is Nick Fallin.
Not Franklin.
Fallin.
Well, he missed a spot.
You know you didn't miss a spot.
You know that, right? Hey, Shadyside.
Hey.
Uhh.
Mmm.
It's getting cold.
[Coughing.]