Original subtitles

Well, today is the first day of school. Yeah, and I don't believe I'm saying

this, but I can hardly wait. See, this is going to be our year. Up till now,

it's been... Okay, I'll be the boy. Okay.

Well, hello there, typical male student at Roosevelt High.

Whose name did you write all over your notebook?

Rhonda.

If I bought you a brand new Beamer and more gold jewelry than Deion Sanders,

would you dump me for in a Detroit minute?

Rhonda.

Well, you see, that was last year.

Now, we're upperclassmen. We're mature.

We're sophisticated. And who's going to get some serious competition?

Rhonda.

We'll see you next time.

She better watch her back this year. Yeah, because we're going to get all the

teachers. Hi,

Tia. Hi, Tamara.

Uh, hi.

So, how was your summer?

Uh, fine.

Really great. How was yours?

Oh, not so good. I mean, by our age, we're supposed to have already been done

growing, right?

But between July and August, I just kind of, uh...

Blew up.

Um, I'm sorry, but do we know you?

It's me, Rhonda.

Yeah.

Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me.

I'm built like a diva.

But I went.

What are you celebrating?

Tuesday?

Hilarious, Ray.

I'm just trying to pick out the right cake for my birthday tomorrow.

You didn't forget, did you?

Uh, no!

Of course not forget your birthday. Don't be ridiculous.

Did I forget last year?

Yes.

Exactly. But, um, I made up for it this year by getting you something really

special. Oh, Ray!

What'd you get me?

Uh, guess, guess.

I just knew if I dropped enough hints that you'd come through for Mama.

You sure you can afford it?

God, I hope so.

What happened to Rhonda?

She used to be so pretty.

Well, T, you know, she was always better looking than the rest of her family.

I guess heredity finally caught up with her.

You know what, Tamira? You're right.

Her father dropped her off at school once.

Huge, hairy guy.

One big eye rolling around in his head.

Tia, that was her mother.

Oh.

Hey, Tamera.

That couldn't happen to us, could it?

Tia, don't be silly. We have the best jeans in town.

I mean, look at our parents. They're gorgeous.

Knock, knock.

truth about her jeans.

Oh, Lord.

I knew this would happen someday. You better sit down.

All right, now.

This may come as a shock.

Go ahead, Mom.

Just say it.

Well, they're Korean.

I got them three for a buck at a race track swap meet.

And I sold them to little designer ladies. I'm sorry, honey, but I just

see shelling out $200 for a pair of designer jeans, not even with Denzel in

them. Um, we weren't talking about pants.

Oh. Oh, then neither was I.

Lisa, we were just wondering about our birth parents, what they really looked

like. Okay, should I put these in the fridge or just dump them in your feed

bowl?

Uh -oh, what happened?

Did they find out about their career in jeans?

No, Ray, actually, our kids, they want to know who their parents are.

What? No, we already know that. Dad, you're my dad. Yeah, and Mom, you're my

mom. We're just asking about our, you know, biological roots.

The question is purely scientific.

No, is something wrong? Because you never asked before.

Because we didn't want to hurt your feelings.

No, no, no, no. Come on, now. You have every right to ask.

It's not a problem.

Here they leave.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

Yeah. Nope.

Okay, uh, sit down. Go ahead and ask.

Thanks. Well... We know they passed away right after we were born. Yeah, but

that's all we know.

So, can you guys tell us anything else?

Nope. Oh, none of us is bad as I thought it was gonna be.

Okay, now, who wants cake? I got fudge, mocha, coca -mocha, mocha, mocha, mocha,

mocha. Letha.

Unfortunately, girls, we don't know anything.

Except that you were born in Florida.

What? Weren't we born here in Detroit?

Yeah, our birth records are at Children's Hospital.

Only your medical records are there.

No, I remember your first visit to the doctor.

Room full of prune -faced, squawky little babies.

I walked in with you.

You were so beautiful.

Nurse looked at you and she said, ooh, what a perfect child.

Who is your mama, sweetie?

I said, I am.

I'm a mama.

What about the adoption agency? Can't they tell us anything?

No, no, no, no. They're not allowed to do that, honey. Now, the file is sealed.

The folder is closed.

Elvis has left the building.

I'm really sorry, girls.

Yeah, well, you're okay now, right, honey? We don't need to talk about this

anymore. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. I am not going to upset you

anymore. Yeah, it was silly to bring this up in the first place. Yeah, it's

okay, Mom. The subject is closed.

Good.

So, are we really going to give up on this?

Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

Cynthia, I found my baby box.

Come on, help me look for some clues.

Samira, I've been thinking.

You know, Mom would be really hurt if she knew what we were doing.

Let it go.

Nuh -uh.

Not this twin. If I'm gonna wake up looking like Sinead, I'm gonna need a

makeup.

Mira, that won't happen.

Look, I think we're just overreacting, that's all.

But, you know, I've always tried to picture what our real mom was like.

She was probably a nice, average...

Fairly attracted lady.

Yeah. With exotic, mysterious eyes.

And a really beautiful smile.

An incredible dark, wavy hair.

Yeah. And a really cute nose with fabulous high cheekbones.

That's her.

I bet she was the coolest mom in the world.

Yeah. I wonder what our lives would have been like if she was still around.

I wish she could talk to us, you know, just once.

And tell us something about who she was.

Yeah.

It's funny.

Just thinking about her makes me feel so close to her.

Oh, come on, Tia.

Let's put this old junk away.

Yeah, and get on with our lives. You know, this is really dumb. I mean,

nothing in here but teething rings and baby shoes.

Yeah, and a blanket from... Sarasota Baby Hospital.

Sarasota?

Tamara, that's in Florida where we were born.

A clue!

Hey! I read something about Sarasota. Isn't it famous for something like...

millionaires? Yeah, yeah, or movie stars, or... The greatest show on Earth?

That's what it's famous for!

It's the home of the circus!

Oh, right!

The circus?

Oh, my gosh, Tia. A little baby clown nose.

Look, look.

The property of Ringling Brothers.

Oh, no, Tia.

We're circus people.

No way.

Uh, way?

Mom?

Mom?

Well, if it isn't the soon -to -be birthday girl.

What? Oh, I forgot all about that.

What do you say we just table that sucker till next year?

Oh, what is it, Lisa? A little case of the birthday blues?

How about a deluxe beauty makeover at your favorite salon, the mighty

I'm through with that dump.

Are you sure?

I understand their gift certificates are non -refundable.

Yeah, I'm sure.

That place is so out of date, their jet store has Rodney Allen Rippey on the

cover.

What? Oh, Lisa.

Here, come on. No, no, no, no. No way.

There's no reason to be this down in the dumps.

There isn't? No.

It's just a birthday.

Everybody gets older.

But you're not that old. Exactly.

I mean, you're a few years older than me, but you don't look it.

Usually.

Well, I mean, you look a little nasty in the morning sometimes, but... After you

do whatever it is you do for three or four hours up there in the bathroom, you

look okay.

Feel better, huh?

Yeah,

I do now.

Lisa, I thought women loved that kind of talk.

Worse with my mom.

You are a sad, sad little man.

Now, look, I didn't mean to bite your head off. I just... I'm having an antsy

little problem, and... Well, it's just sort of nagging at me.

Oh? What?

My baby, she don't love me no more.

Are you kidding me? Tia adores you. Where'd you get such a crazy idea?

I heard her say so.

Ooh, I bet Mama was pretty. Ooh, I bet Mama was perfect.

Ooh, and there I was, little old Miss Nothing out in the hall with a tray full

of nutter butters.

Dad, I think it's over.

I want to look like I'm telling a story.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Pull over.

Enunciate. Why?

horrible thing that could ever happen to us.

Do I amuse you?

Am I a clown?

Forgive me, girls, but you're way off.

You mean that's not me in the picture?

Oh, that's you, all right. The day I took you to the circus.

The circus?

Oh, Ray, that child's barely a week old.

Two weeks exactly.

I was so excited about being a daddy for the first time, I couldn't wait.

I also took you to the zoo and the rodeo and a few ball games and a really bad

dinner theater production.

You mean that's not our mother?

We're not going to be ugly?

Oh, for heaven's sake, of course not.

Oh, is that why you were asking about your birth mother? Because you were

of what you'd look like?

Oh, Ray, you were all worried about nothing.

What was I thinking about?

Girls, look, you're two lovely young ladies.

And that's not going to change. Except maybe you'll get more beautiful.

Now go to bed and stop worrying.

Oh.

Oh, I'm so glad that that is all cleared up. Oh, I tell you what, tomorrow,

let's be bad. Let's go down to the mall and shop till we drop my treat, my

birthday.

I guess we should be relieved.

No, we're not.

You see, when we started finding those clues in that old baby box, we felt like

finally we were going to know who our birth mom was.

But up till now, Mom, I've only been able to dream about her. And for a

she was almost real.

Now she's just a dream again.

And, uh, that's not enough, is it?

We have to know who she was.

Yeah, I'm sorry, Mom, but we have to.

I know. I understand, babies. I do.

Good night, Mom.

Good night.

Whoa,

down, Simba. I only had one piece.

I am not mad at you, Ray. I'm mad at me. Now I could just slap myself all around

this room in the back again.

Wait, I'll go get the video camera.

I'm serious.

So am I.

Oh, Ray. Oh.

Well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but God help me.

I'm jealous.

Tia's never gonna let her mother go.

Her birth mother? Well, she passed away years ago.

It doesn't matter. She is very much alive in Tia's heart.

And I can't compete with that Ray. I just don't know how to.

But, Lisa, you're fighting a ghost.

That's what scares me. I mean, if I was fighting a flesh -and -blood woman for

my child, I'd win, but the fact that she's not alive, it makes her bigger

life. She sure isn't bigger than you.

I mean, in Tia's eyes, in her eyes.

Lisa, you are a wonderful mother.

Oh, really?

Hurting my child?

All she wants is a little information, and, well, I'm not coming through.

Well, how come? Bridger, you don't have any information.

Lisa?

No. There was that old Bob at the adoption agency.

That real blabbermouth. I could have got something out of him.

Wait a minute. I remember Bob. He never said more than two words to me.

Then you weren't wearing spike heels and a tank top.

Well, you know, maybe he's still there. Why don't you call him and ask him? No,

no, no. I can't now. I can't. I can't call over there. I'm not calling over

there. I do not want to know anything about him. Lisa, Lisa, Lisa.

I don't care who her birth mother is.

You are her mother now.

Act like it.

Good morning.

Happy birthday.

I called the adoption agency.

Oh, and?

And old Bobby was still there, much as a blabbermouth as ever.

Of course, I did have to remind him about the tank top.

Raysell Gavin?

That was their mother's name.

She was born right here in Detroit, Ray. That's why you and I lucked out. She

wanted her children raised right here in her hometown.

Ooh, I don't know what to say.

I mean, finding this out after all these years.

Mm -hmm, well, there's more.

He told me there was a picture of her.

It's a dress.

Picture?

Um,

I'm gonna tell the girls to get right.

This neighborhood is completely deserted.

Wait, are you sure you have the right address?

Yeah, I'm sure. That old Bobby repeated it over and over and over and over.

Girls, girls, obviously there's no one around here.

Wait, but there's got to be.

Look, I know how you two got your hopes up, but if there ever was a picture of

Ray selling there, it's long gone now.

No, it's not.

I think I found it.

Beautiful.

Which one's Rachel?

Maybe it's that one.

No, it's got to be that one. Or her. Or... God, I can't believe this. I'm

looking right at her and I don't know which one she is.

Right.

Her picture.

Rachel Gavin.

This is her picture.

She painted it.

Your mom did that?

Yes, she did.

And in a way, it tells you more about her than any photo ever would.

It does?

Yeah, well, baby, don't you know what you're looking at?

You're looking right into her heart.

Into your mama's heart.

She was a wonderful artist. And the two of you should be very proud of the

spirit of that beautiful woman.

living right inside of you.

Thanks, Lisa.

I love you, Mom.

Happy birthday.