Original subtitles

Hello, everyone. Look what I brought.

Wow! Looky there.

Oh, you know what?

We can set up a play area over in the corner.

Except that we're a bar.

What's all this?

I'm giving it away.

I don't need this baby stuff anymore.

This morning, I woke up

and for the first time in a while, I felt good.

Really good.

I mean, that's okay, right?

That doesn't make me shallow

for wanting to move on from having a baby?

No, no, not at all.

No, it makes you a very resilient, very healthy person.

Gabby, I am so proud of you.

It takes a strong person to go through the storm

and come out with a smile on the other side.

Thank you.

This looks much older than everything else.

Oh, no, that's-- that's Laughing Diana.

Somehow I knew you'd have a haunted doll somewhere.

She's not haunted.

She was my favorite doll from when I was a little girl.

It's... adorable?

It was.

In the beginning.

Did the lights just dim?

It was my sixth birthday.

Laughing Diana was all that I wanted.

She'd just come onto the market,

and I had been begging my mother for weeks.

I could hardly believe my eyes when I unwrapped her.

That sounds like a pretty caring thing to do.

It does seem that way, doesn't it?

And for days,

our house was filled with the angelic sounds

of Diana's gleeful giggle.

What happened?

My mother hated her.

She called it a horrible sound.

And then one day, when I was at school,

she went upstairs and plucked Diana

from her little circle of doll friends

and threw her out into the rain.

She bought it and then wrecked it?

Are you sure? - Oh, I'm sure.

Sometimes when she thought I wasn't listening,

I could hear my mother imitating Diana's giggle.

And then laugh.

♪ You belong in Happy's Place ♪

Do we believe all of Gabby's stories about her mother?

Of course we believe her. She's our friend.

Right.

What if she wasn't our friend and some stranger told them?

Lying through their teeth.

I know, right?

If her mother was actually like that,

then she probably has some issues

she could use some help dealing with.

And if those stories are just made up,

then there are other issues

she could use some help dealing with.

Who would have guessed? The woman needs help.

Excuse me.

I couldn't help but notice your accent.

Is that Colombian?

Yes. You have a very good ear.

Oh, my girlfriends and I once took a cruise to Cartagena.

Oh, the architecture alone.

How could you bear to leave?

Oh, helps that my father lives there.

- Can I get you something? - Sure.

I'll have whatever it is that makes your skin so perfect.

Oh, my.

Oh, I remember when I had flawless skin like yours.

Ah.

You're-- you're so very beautiful.

Oh, you're so very sweet.

And I have to confess,

I still have my share of hot young men hitting on me.

That's nice for you.

Mom?

both: Mom?

Don't stand there with your mouth hanging open.

You'll catch flies.

Okay, all right. What's--what's happening?

Are you falling?

Oh, you and your sense of humor.

You're gonna make your friends think

we don't hug each other.

We don't.

Do we?

Excuse me, Mrs. Hansen.

Oh, no. Please, it's Valerie.

Val to my friends, which is everyone that meets me.

- Mom... - Mm-hmm?

What are you doing here?

Well, I'm visiting you, of course.

Yeah, but you've never come to Knoxville before.

Well, I've never been invited to Knoxville before.

That is until Bobbie did.

- Um, excuse me, Mom. - Mm-hmm.

I need to speak with Bobbie in the office.

Mm-hmm?

About the--the place.

Use your words.

In which we work.

Right, well, you say whatever you want about me.

Just don't tell her my age.

Well, there she is, Bobbie.

The root of all evil.

I think that's money.

Money can't buy that kind of evil.

How could you invite her here?

I don't really think I did.

And if I did, I don't remember that I did.

Well, think, dang it.

When did you last have contact with her?

Just once.

I mean, she wrote a beautiful condolence card

when Daddy died, and I just wrote her back

and said thank you.

Oh, no, that wouldn't be it.

She'd never show up without an invitation.

She's like a vampire.

Uh-oh.

- Uh-oh? - Yeah.

Uh-oh? What uh-oh?

Uh, well, I did say I look forward to meeting her someday.

That's it.

That's all she needs.

Gabby, I'm sorry.

Just when you were getting your feet on solid ground,

I go and invite the one person here that could ruin it.

Don't blame yourself. Okay?

It's all just part of her evil powers,

her ability to warp reality to fit her whims.

Well, I'm not gonna let her do anything to hurt you.

I'm gonna go out there and set her straight!

Oh, you're cute.

That's not gonna work. Don't you get it?

Facts don't matter.

So what are we gonna do?

We can't just hide out here in my office all day long.

She saw us come in here.

Hey, you know what? I can handle it.

You know, whatever my mom wants, I'll just--

I'll get rid of her.

- You sure you can do that? - Of course.

You know, I'm not that scared little girl anymore.

I've come through the storm and came out the other end

with a smile, remember? - Yeah.

Yeah. Okay.

I'll be here for you.

- Thank you. - Yeah.

All right.

What's wrong?

My feet won't move.

They're smarter than me.

- Here. - Mm, mm.

What are these? - Zucchini sticks.

I made the easiest thing on the menu since I don't, uh,

know about you just yet.

Well, I appreciate them nonetheless.

Well, these are exceptional.

- Really? - Mm-hmm.

They practically melt in your mouth

while also having a very satisfying crunch.

- Well, thank you. - Mm-hmm.

A lot of people don't appreciate zucchini.

I think that they are the forgotten squash.

Mm-hmm.

You know, I once spent an entire spring in Sicily,

and there was this incredible capocuoco

who was obsessed with me.

But he made the most delicioso zucchini sticks.

Mmm.

But Emmett, yours are better.

I'm gonna whip you up some zucchini blossoms

with burrata.

- The forgotten cheese. - Mm.

Grazie mille.

Wait, what are you doing?

Oh, I'm taking this stuff over to the lockers.

Oh, my goodness.

I haven't seen this in years.

Oh!

We, uh, heard you weren't a fan.

Not a fan?

Oh, I drove all over hell's half-acre

to get this giggling little girl

for my sweet Gabby's seventh birthday.

Gabby says it doesn't work anymore.

Do you remember what happened?

You mean do I remember

the day that broke my daughter's heart?

How can I forget?

There was a tornado that day.

Winds faster than a cheetah.

Clouds like black ink stains.

I sat at the window, gazing at its fury.

And I saw that Gabby had left her precious Diana outside.

Risking my own safety in the storm,

I fought my way to her.

But--

It was too late.

Diana's laugh...

was silenced forever.

Wow.

You're a good talker.

But why on Earth is Diana here and all these baby toys?

Gabby stocked up on baby stuff

when she started trying to have a kid.

What?

Gabby's trying to get pregnant?

Mom, I need to talk to you.

Oh, my baby.

I heard!

Oh, you're trying to get pregnant!

Oh! Has it happened yet?

What? No.

No, no, no, it will. Don't worry, it will.

Oh, honey, I am so delighted for us.

Oh, look at my little girl!

She's not a little girl. She's a grown woman.

She's been through the storm!

- Okay, hand on. She's got-- - Hang on.

Hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on.

Um, Mom, what do you mean by delighted for us?

I always dreamed that you'd have a baby one day

and that people would say to that baby,

you are so beautiful.

You look just like your grandmother.

You dreamed of me?

Gabby, listen to your feet.

Oh, honey.

Oh, I'm going to spend a lot of time with you

because there's a lot to learn about being a good mom.

And you never were the fastest learner.

- Thank you, Mommy! - Aw!

Okay, so I've done more research on our little

Laughing Diana mystery.

Wow, maybe this could be a true crime podcast

like the 20,000 others.

Stay with me.

You remember how Val

said that Gabby got the doll on her seventh birthday,

but Gabby said it was her sixth?

That's right. They did say different ages.

Well, Laughing Diana hit the market

just before Gabby's seventh birthday,

so Val was correct.

If this were a true crime podcast,

now would be the dun-dun-dun.

Then, three days after Gabby's seventh birthday,

there was a tornado.

Okay, I hate to say this,

but I'm starting to think Val is telling the truth.

And if Gabby's story wasn't real...

Are any of them?

both: Dun, dun, dun!

Oh, you stop it.

Hi.

Another big adventure?

- Oh! - Oh, yeah.

We went to the Museum of Miniatures.

Everything was just so cute and little.

And she's so big.

Wow, three days in a row.

You know, this is Knoxville.

You've probably seen everything by now.

And it's all amazing.

Next week, I wanna go to one of those painting classes.

Many people have told me I have the soul of an artist.

Next week?

Well, I figured you'd be

heading on home to Wisconsin by then.

Oh, no, no. Mom is staying for a while.

Oh.

This way, she can focus on getting pregnant

and I can focus on my Gabba-Dabba-Doo.

Gabba-Dabba-Doo! She has nicknames for me now!

Happy day.

Well, Ms. Duke, can I talk to you in my office, please?

Ruh-roh.

That's Scooby-Doo.

Oh, yeah. Well, how would I know, Mom?

You never let me watch cartoons.

Gabby, you're probably not gonna wanna hear this,

but-- - But I've let this go too far.

Well, yeah.

I know you've enjoyed the last few days.

Enjoyed?

How about it's filled a dark hole I've had

in my soul since childhood?

Honey, I know it feels good right now, but--

But I can't keep letting my mom

think I'm trying to have a baby.

Because the longer I let this lie go on,

the madder she's gonna be

when she finds out that I can't.

You know, you're making it real hard

for me to point stuff out when you already know it.

You need to tell Val the truth.

Definitely.

In a couple weeks.

And we just booked the coolest--

I know. You're right.

I promise, it'll be better once you deal with it.

I know.

You're right.

Hey, any chance you wanna go

see a Segway tour of Dollywood with me next week?

The tickets are non-refundable.

And if you're ever in Manchester, Vermont,

you should visit my friends, the Goulds.

They have the best B&B in town and they're obsessed with me.

Oh, there she is.

I was telling them all about the Goulds.

Yeah, okay.

I don't know who those people are.

Well, it doesn't matter,

because they're obsessed with me.

Hey, guys, why don't we give them some privacy?

both: Because we don't want to.

Get over here.

Honey, is everything all right?

No, Mom. Not really.

Um, so I haven't been completely honest with you.

Well, what do you mean? About what?

Well, I was trying to get pregnant,

but I found out that I can't.

Oh, honey. Come here.

Oh, my poor baby.

Oh.

Okay, So you're--you're not mad?

No.

Why would I be mad?

Well, because you wanted a grandchild so bad.

I mean, you were gonna

interrupt your life and everything.

Ah, well. Stuff happens.

Stuff happens?

Okay. Hang on, hang on.

Something's weird here.

Oh, well, I suppose you'd find out eventually.

It's no big deal, but your father and I got divorced.

What?

You got divorced?

As in, it's already happened?

Close your mouth, dear.

You'll catch-- - Flies! I know!

I'm hungry!

Okay. So Mom, like, what happened?

And why am I just finding out about this now?

I don't wanna go into the boring details,

but apparently, somebody finally feels free.

All you need to know is that

I can be with you for as long as you need.

Mm?

Uh-huh. That's why you're here.

You can't go home, can you?

Why don't we talk about this later, okay?

I wanna get to know your friends better.

No, no, no.

Mom.

So what?

All this caring was just pretend?

You didn't come here to see me.

You came here because you have nowhere else to go.

You make it sound so ugly.

Can you hear yourself?

You wanna be alone or is it okay if I'm out here?

It's okay.

Good 'cause I was gonna come out here anyway.

So what are we looking at?

If it's that crow, he owes me a car wash.

I'm looking for shooting stars.

When I was a kid, whenever I saw one, I would make a wish.

Yeah, me too.

I think all kids do that.

I'd wish for a different mom.

Oh, I just wished for candy.

I can't believe they got divorced.

Yeah, well, there's nothing you can do about that now.

But there is something you can do about your mom

wanting to stay here with you.

I know.

Part of me liked that she came here because she needed me.

Actually needed me.

But is that a reason to risk your peace of mind?

You have no idea if your mom's gonna change.

I know.

But I have.

Yep. You did that. Yep, yep.

Going through this whole wanting to have a baby thing

made me realize that I was searching for connection.

Maybe I can find that with my mom.

Hmm.

Oh, God, does that make me crazy?

No.

Makes you a resilient and healthy person.

- Yeah? - Heck yeah.

I'm gonna do it.

I'm gonna tell her that she can stay with me.

I wanna try.

She's the only mom I got.

There you go.

Shooting star!

No. You know what? I don't need a wish.

I need to work to make this happen.

Good, 'cause I already wished for candy.

I feel terrible.

Why would we believe Val over our good friend Gabby?

I don't know.

Maybe because Val is the most charming woman we've ever met.

Right?

She loves my skin.

Check it out.

I took a look at Gabby's doll and got it working.

It's really sweet.

Aww. No wonder she loves this thing.

It kind of makes you wanna laugh, right?

Yeah.

What is that horrible sound?

Hey, Mom.

Oh, hello, darling.

Listen, um,

I was thinking about how you want to stay with me.

No, no, no, no, no. It's okay.

I have plenty of friends just begging me to visit them.

Mm.

The Goulds would love to have me.

Oh, brother.

You know what, Mom? Um, I want you to stay.

I need you.

Well, that's what I thought.

And that's the only reason I came in the first place.

You didn't know anything about it.

Hang on.

Mom, I'm glad you're staying.

Me too.

And don't feel bad about not being able to get pregnant.

Children can ruin your life.