Original subtitles

Contains strong language throughout and scenes some viewers may find upsetting.

Have you climbed down here a lot?

Yeah, I have.

Are you nervous?

No!

A little bit scared?

No, not at all.

Just a teeny-weeny bit?

No! (LAUGHS) No, they look fine.

You're nearly there!

Come to me, baby!

(LAUGHS) I'm comin'!

I's a comin'!

'Life was really good.'

'35 years old, challenging job, great social life.'

'But it would've been good to share it with someone.'

You saved my life!

I saved your life(!)

'So when I met Pete, I was ready to be in a proper relationship.'

'He was funny, bright, good-looking -

and, above all, interested in me.'

That's it. Just on your right. >

There's a foothold on your right.

'A friend persuaded me to come climbing.'

'I liked the idea - scaling the heights.'

'An antidote to the weekly drama and misery of corporate PR.'

'Clare was so competitive.'

'You don't often see women like that.'

'Plus she had a body that was worth watching.'

'I liked the complete package. She was something a bit special.'

Tell you what I could do with.

A pint!

Yes! Can we go back down?

Yeah. Do a bit of abseil.

SIREN

What do you think?

(NONCOMMITTAL) Mm.

Come on. What do you think?

I think...

you are completely and utterly

smitten.

LAUGHTER

So he looks the QC in the eye and says "What exactly is taking it up the arse?"

Hello, darling. Back already?

Mwah!

Not enough gossip, obviously.

So? The punchline is...?

Smart people don't need a punchline.

LAUGHTER

'Jackie was right. I was absolutely smitten.'

You don't need a punchline, do you?

'There was no doubt in my mind at all.'

'He was what I wanted -

a man who knew his own mind and, like me, didn't want to compromise.'

'He had such energy.'

'I couldn't get enough of it.'

'Or of him.'

'Before long, we were virtually living together.'

< Oi, shift up.

Yeah? Make me.

Yee-ha!

(GROWLS AND LAUGHS)

Don't... (LAUGHS) Listen. Listen.

There's something I want to tell you

What?

Erm...

Happy anniversary.

Which anniversary is that, then?

Ours.

It's not a year yet.

No, but it's more than six months.

Yeah, I s'pose it is.

In fact, it's eight months and three days.

(LAUGHS) From when?

Since I first had carnal knowledge of you.

That is something worth celebrating.

That's what I thought.

Which is why...

I want to give you this.

That's beautiful.

So why did I want to marry Clare?

Why does any man want to marry any woman?

I suppose for some, on-tap sex is a big incentive,

but I never had any problem getting sex - sex without commitment.

No, what I liked

was the idea of a wife.

A perfect match. And I really loved Clare.

She was more intelligent than most,

more confident.

She was a challenge, even.

I really fancied her and I didn't want to lose her to someone else.

(GRUNTS)

I've got a favour to ask.

Get it in quick before I have a heart attack.

(LAUGHS)

Will you be my best man?

Fast bloody work. What's the hurry?

If you know what you want, why wait?

Oh, bastard!

Hah!

'I didn't want a marriage like my parents had.'

We'd each have our own careers,

but enjoy doing things together.

Making decisions together, caring for each other,

and then one day have children together.

That's what I wanted.

Everybody bunch in a bit more. That's lovely. >

I need everybody to see me.

Just go over a little bit for me.

OK, everybody ready? One, two, three

Cheese!

Kiss the bride. >

Oh, lovely! >

Everybody look at the bride and groom, please. >

Everyone's looking at us.

LAUGHTER

I'm sorry we haven't been in touch more since the wedding.

I seem to have come over all domestic goddess at home

and battling with high finance at work.

But you're happy?

Mm, yeah, I am. Very.

Few niggles.

He doesn't like it when I work late,

but says it's OK for him.

Of course(!)

He says I'm working too hard, but I know he's uncomfortable that I'm earning more than him.

Still, it's got to be give and take, hasn't it?

As long as it's not one doing all the taking and one all the giving.

< You know that's not my style.

(LAUGHS)

Bloody nice to see you.

Get that down you.

'I've got a boss called Roger.'

'He's a weak, pathetic yes-man, but he is my boss.'

'When I wanted to warn shareholders about a possible drop in profits,

old nervous dithering Roger says no, and overrules me.'

'When I'm proved right, Roger expects me to take the blame.'

'Luckily I get a call from the vice president.'

'He's seen a copy of my warning e-mail - I wonder how?'

'He's impressed with my foresight and blah blah blah.'

'A pat on the back and a bonus.'

'So what started out as a crappy day turned out to be an excellent one.'

(WHISTLES HAPPILY)

Hi.

Hi, darling.

Crap day?

Really crap.

No, worse than crap.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.

I can't believe Roger's being such a bastard.

Me neither.

PHONE

Sorry.

Hello?

Hi, Mum.

Yeah.

He's just got in. Yes, we are going to try to come down.

Yup.

As far as I understand it, we're coming on Friday,

but I haven't spoken to him properly yet.

No. >

Yeah, well, that was the intention.

(STIFLES LAUGH) Yeah.

Listen, I'm going to go, because...

Mm. >

He's just got in. I'll talk to him and call you back later.

OK. Bye.

You are such a child!

(CHUCKLES)

You just want all my attention!

You can talk to your mum when I'm at work.

(BOTH STRAIN)

(LAUGHS)

THUMP

(GASPS)

Pete...

That really fucking hurt.

I'm the one in pain here.

Fuck, Pete!

You always up the ante, don't you?

Fuck. That... really... fucking hurt!

(GROANS) >

I'll get you a glass of water.

(MOANS)

You give as good as you get.

< You're stronger than I am, you fucker.

Here you go.

You're so bloody competitive.

You shouldn't start what you can't finish.

Owwww.

You all right?

193

How are you doing?

Take it in a bit.

'The first few months after the wedding were great.'

'We were just living it - married, in love.'

'I just never thought life could work out like that.'

'He wasn't perfect, but then neither was I.'

That's really good.

Let me just get my foot up.

Yeah, OK.

Well done, sweetheart. That was fantastic.

Well done, babes.

How did that feel?

Good.

Perhaps everyone disappoints when you eventually get to know them.

I was so in love with Clare I overlooked certain things.

Her constant yakking on the phone to her mother.

Her untidiness.

Her bossiness.

Her selfishness, I suppose.

I hope your meeting goes OK. You're right, you have to be firm.

Yeah, I will be.

"And I hope your meeting goes well, too, Clare -

your big, important presentation", you were going to add.

Yeah.

What's wrong?

You really going to wear that?

Yeah.

It's just a dress, Pete. I thought you liked it.

Not exactly banking, is it? >

It's just a fitted dress.

Worn with fuck-me shoes. >

What?

S'pose it depends what kind of signal you want to give out.

'At the time, they were just little things.'

Criticism,...

put-downs he passed off as jokes.

Irritations, sulks if I went out with friends of mine,

Individually, quite insignificant.

And I suppose I never really wanted to put it all together.

I never seemed to be able to give him

enough.

Then he'd text me,

ring me at work...

I mean, it became quite embarrassing.

But it was lovely as well

to know somebody thought about you that much,

so I suppose I thought he was worth a few sacrifices.

What time did you get in last night?

About 1, I think. >

More like 2. What kept you this time?

Work. What I do for a living.

Since when have you worked in a pub?

Same time you started in the vineyard.

Does "work" include shagging Sally?

I can smell her Calvin Klein all over your clothes.

Sally my assistant? Sally I work with every day?

Don't start, Clare!

"Don't start, Clare"(!)

Is this your mobile bill? >

Yes. Leave it, it's mine!

Your mother, your mother, your mother... Mummy. Mummy. Mummy.

Six calls to your mother in one day. One of 54 minutes.

What the fuck do you talk about?

Leave it! It's mine.

What's that number?

< Probably the dry-cleaner's to see if your suit was ready.

And this? This is Mick's number.

Just shut up, will you?

What the hell are you doing phoning your boss at your office?

Just leave it.

Mick who won't let you have your phone on so I can't phone you?

You know we're not allowed incoming calls at work. It's disruptive.

So I, your husband, am disruptive for calling you at work?

Don't be a child. Actually, Mick was impressed by your devotion.

Oh, was he?

I can't tell you how chuffed I am.

So that makes me disruptive as well as impressive?

I didn't buy you this to talk to your mother God knows how many times a day

AND YOUR FUCKING FAT-ARSED BOSS!

CROCKERY CRASHES

Well, that was so grown up.

Madam!

What are you doing here?

We understand some complete prat broke madam's mobile phone today?

Management would like to offer an improved model to compensate for the inconvenience.

What was all that about, anyway?

I'm sorry. It was just stress and work.

Your management will be very stressed if he falls on his arse.

Well, management will do anything to satisfy, as madam knows.

You frightened me, Pete.

You've got no need to be frightened.

And you were teasing me about work.

Yeah, I was.

I'm sorry.

Management can't do much about the rain, unfortunately.

(LAUGHS) Haven't you got an umbrella?

I didn't bring one.

Why not?

How was work?

Good, thanks. You?

If that's when he's going to be there, I'll be there.

I don't want you going alone. No.

DOOR OPENS

Hi, darling.

I'll drive down Monday night and come in on Tuesday morning...

Hi, darling!

Who's that? >

8.30.

Sweetheart, who is it?

(My mum. Just wait a minute.)

Oh, God.

Yeah.

No, Mum, I don't want you going on your own.

Sweetheart, are we going to the park?

Stop it! Hang on, Mum. (Shut up.)

When are we going to the park? When are we going to the park?

Yup.

Yeah.

Yup.

Oh, God, Mum.

I know.

Mummy. Daddy.

(LAUGHS) Mummy.

Oh, come on!

Not funny. Give me a minute!

No, Pete's just got in, Mum. He's being an arse.

Don't worry. I'll drive down Monday night and we'll go first thing.

Yeah.

SMASH

Mum, gotta go.

I've got to go. I'll call you back. Bye. >

Shit.

What the fuck? That's my picture of... YOU...

...DID THAT ON PURPOSE!

Temper, temper!

Pete!

It was an accident.

I didn't mean it. >

You...

Come on, fight me!

Just let me up!

Look what you fucking did, you...

I didn't mean it.

LET ME GO!

(SOBS)

< You...!

I'll get a towel.

(WAILS)

(SOBS)

Here you go.

Here, use that.

(SOBS)

KNOCKING

Shit! (Shit. Shit.)

Shit.

KNOCKING

Let me in, you bastard.

Who is it?

It's Rob! >

You all right, mate? >

How are you doing? >

Good, thanks. >

You left that in the car last night.

Thanks. Mind the glass.

Hi!

You OK? What's happened?

I just cut myself on some glass. D'you want a coffee?

No, thanks. I'm off to buy some paint.

Oh, yeah? Portrait? Still life?

Ha-ha. No, I'm doing the bedroom.

Turning it into a boudoir of love.

Uh-huh. Who's the victim?

No, no. I'm not telling you that.

The secrets of the boudoir of love are sacrosanct. >

See you, Clare. Hope your hand's all right.

Bye. Thanks.

See you. Thanks for bringing that back. >

Sorry, sweetheart.

Sorry. Is it painful?

Yup.

I really didn't mean to break the picture. I'm so sorry.

Forgive me?

I just got carried away. It was really stupid.

(Does it hurt? I'm sorry. So sorry.)

Will you forgive me?

Will you forgive me?

'I'd go along with things just to keep the peace, really.'

'But I did worry about it.'

'You know, "Do other couples live like this?"'

I'm sorry.

Then I suppose I thought "At least it's not boring".

"We always make up. It's not like he really means to hurt me."

But I knew we had to talk about it.

I never, ever, ever want to hurt you, Clare. >

It's just work at the moment, it's...

Well, you're going to have to stop taking your problems out on me.

I just want to help.

And you do. You do help me.

I just lose it sometimes.

I don't understand.

People make choices. Are you saying this violence is something...

Violence? Hold on.

What violence? This isn't just about me.

Is it?

You're pretty volatile yourself, sometimes.

It's not as if you're some... battered wife.

No.

But you hurt me

and you frighten me.

I'm sorry. It won't happen again.

Let's not spoil it, Pete.

CHATTER

Sally, can I tempt you to a little more retsina?

'I decided that if work was a problem, we'd take the PR approach -

be proactive.'

'So I arranged a dinner party - Roger, his wife, Michelle,

Rob and Sally.'

'Maybe they'd hit it off and that'd be another problem solved.'

'I mean the whole Sally thing.'

'I did believe Pete, but he spent more time with her than with me,

so no wonder I felt a bit uneasy about it.'

Thanks, Rob. Would you like a Bendicks, Sally?

I don't eat chocolate.

I know. I just asked her.

You don't eat chocolate? Worried about getting fat?

Yeah, actually.

She might just not like chocolate.

Yeah, I don't have a sweet tooth, actually.

< I'm a savoury girl.

'Anyway, the plan was that I'd cook a wonderful meal,

Pete would be charming - though hopefully not to Sally -

and Roger would remember why he employed him in the first place.'

That's really principled of you, to teach in the state sector.

The pay could be better, but it's a good school.

You'd send them off to public school, wouldn't you, darling?

No, I wouldn't. Not if there was a good state school...

You'd want something out of the Beano - all gowns and wood panelling!

And bring back corporal punishment. >

He likes a bit of whipping. >

Yeah. Whatever you say, darling.

Sally, you should come climbing with us one weekend.

I don't think she'd like that, Rob. You can't climb in stil...

stiletto heels, can you?

Vertigo is what would stop me - and the mess it would make of my nails.

(CHUCKLES)

Clare, that was delicious, but we have to make a move.

Oh, no. Don't go.

Our baby-sitter has to be back by midnight.

Would you like a lift, Sally?

Yeah... Yes, get a life with them.

Thanks for coming.

< It's been really, really nice.

< Would you like a cab?

Bye.

Thank you, Clare. Thank you.

Thank you very much for coming.

I'll see you at 9.30 tomorrow.

Sure.

Oopsy! Steady, Rog!

Bye. Bye. See you.

< Nice evening, wasn't it?

Are you determined to embarrass me? Or just too drunk to realise?

(GIGGLES) Are you joking?

It was a nice evening. Everyone had a really nice time.

"Pete, you don't think that." "Pete, you're a liar."

You're so oversensitive. Is that why Sally fancies you?

FOR FUCK'S SAKE! This was really important to me!

You embarrassed me in front of Roger AND HIS FUCKING WIFE!

GLASS SMASHES

DON'T FUCKING DO THAT AGAIN!

DON'T COME NEAR ME, OR I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD...!

Don't come anywhere near me!

DON'T EVER DO THAT TO ME...

DON'T FUCKING COME NEAR ME!

Oh... Jesus, Clare.

Who's got the violence problem?

DOOR SLAMS

(WHIMPERS)

'I'd drunk too much and behaved badly, I knew that.'

'But this time he really had frightened me.'

'I didn't know what to do.'

I... didn't go to work today.

I've done some hard thinking, made a few decisions, and...

< I don't want things to be the way they are.

< I managed to get an appointment at the doctor's.

< And I told her everything.

I told her about the rows, I told her that I just...

lose it sometimes. The lot.

And she was helpful.

(SNORTS)

...and, er, we talked a little bit about counselling,

< which I'm going to think very seriously about.

I don't want to lose you.

It's just, sometimes...

sometimes I think I'm cracking up. (SOBS)

Oh...

I'm really, really sorry.

(SOBS)

(Sweetheart.)

(CRIES)

Darling.

497

What, so Pete's had some kind of breakdown or something?

I suppose that's what you'd call it. I shouldn't talk to you about it.

He's really ashamed.

I can keep a secret. He never found out how much your wedding shoes cost

No. I think he was just under a lot of stress at work

and took it out on me and it got a bit physical.

Violent? Did he hurt you?

He didn't beat me up or anything.

Nothing life-threatening.

Just pushes, shoves.

< A lot of shouting.

Why didn't you leave him?

He wasn't like it all the time.

And I know that's not really him. It's not who he is.

And also it was not one-sided.

< I did say I'd leave him if he didn't stop,

< so he went to get help.

What do you mean, not "one-sided"?

Well, I'm no doormat, am I?

No, but...

< I give as good as I get.

He's stronger than you!

I mean, God, I'd be terrified.

I was, sometimes.

Promise me that if he gets violent again you'll get out. Please.

It's not going to happen again.

Please, Clare...

He's confronted it. I love him so much,

I really do.

And I know he loves me.

(LAUGHS) I like you in the helmet.

Look at this. Look.

Look at you in your helmet.

This is a great shot.

(LAUGHS) I want to do the higher grade next time we go here.

Good. I'll tell Rob or John this weekend.

I can't, darling.

What?

I told Mum I'd take Dad to the hospital.

< "Yay!"

Do we get to talk about this?

No. You knew it was on the cards.

If it's my company you're missing, why've you avoided me all week?

That's not fair. You know it's work.

You've been to Torquay every other weekend for weeks now.

I thought your dad was at death's door. How long does it take?

Don't talk about him like that!

Want a fight?

No, I don't! I don't!

YOU'RE DETERMINED TO START A ROW!

I'm not!

Anger management.

The basic principle is take time out.

'He'd do this.'

'Take "time out" and, er,

I wouldn't know if he was going to come back in a furious temper

or loving and apologetic.'

'Or when he'd come back.'

'I wouldn't know what to do. Go to my parents'? Would that make it worse?'

'So I'd just wait.'

'Heart thumping, just wait.'

KEYS JINGLE

< I'm sorry, darling.

You OK?

Mm.

Yeah, I'm fine now. I just...

(SIGHS) ..needed some time on my own

OK.

Are you all right?

Mm.

This could get interesting.

Do you know what?

What?

On second thoughts, I don't think I'll bother.

< DOOR CLOSES

'You have to work at marriage.'

'That's what everyone says.'

'It's bloody hard work, sometimes.'

'I don't seem able to get it right with Clare.'

'She seems to have lost her sense of humour. I don't know why.'

'People change.'

'Maybe if she could laugh off my moods a bit more...'

'I always seem to be having to apologise.'

'I just like some old-fashioned loyalty.'

'My mother was very loyal to my father -

too loyal, sometimes.'

'Mind you, she'd sneak in at night and give me an extra cuddle

and tell me how Dad really did love me.'

'Not that I want that kind of relationship with Clare -

times have changed.'

'I just wish she'd get her priorities right -

think a bit more about me and less about her bloody career, her friends and her parents.'

'It's a long queue and sometimes I feel like I'm at the end of it.'

Hi.

Hi, darling. Did you have a nice day?

No, I've had a shit day.

Roger had me running around over unnecessary paperwork.

I'm sorry, darling.

(SIGHS) What are you making? >

Pasta.

You drinking?

< Yeah.

Is it your first bottle?

I'm having a glass of wine while I make your supper, OK?

While you're standing around getting pissed,

I can't find my grey suit.

Shit.

Did you pick it up? >

No, I didn't.

Why?

I didn't finish work till 6. Sorry.

I gave you the fucking ticket this morning because I was running late.

Darling... Just wear the blue one.

I need the grey one because I've got an important meeting tomorrow!

You look gorgeous in your blue suit.

I DON'T WANT THE FUCKING BLUE SUIT! I NEED THE GREY SUIT!

Sweetheart...

Darling, I'm sorry.

You look gorgeous in your blue suit.

I don't want to wear the fucking blue suit, all right?

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

I love you.

Yeah, I love you too.

Hey. Hey!

FUCK YOU, YOU...!

(GASPS) You fucker...

I can't believe you...

That went right in my eye!

You...!

(GROANS)

(I can't believe you...)

(SCREAMS)

I ASKED YOU TO DO ONE FUCKING JOB!

COLLECT ONE SUIT FROM THE CLEANER'S! YOU CAN'T EVEN FUCKING DO THAT!

YOU STUPID, DRUNKEN, FUCKING B...!

(SCREAMS AND SOBS)

< (SOBS HYSTERICALLY) It hurts!

RUNNING WATER >

< It really hurts!

Here you are.

I don't want...

Drink it.

I don't want to!

Calm down. Have a glass of water.

Come on.

(GASPS)

You won't forget it next time, will you?

DOOR SLAMS

(SOBS)

Hey.

How are you feeling?

(DULLY) Fine.

Here you go.

What did the doctor say?

Couple of cracked ribs.

They'll be sore but they'll heal by themselves.

What did she say about Pete?

I didn't tell her.

I said I did it climbing.

I don't think she believed me. She saw the marks on my neck.

I said I got it caught up in the rope.

Why didn't you tell her?

What he's done is serious, Clare. He's a violent bastard.

< Look, I know he's got a problem, Jackie.

< But he's not very well.

I'm not excusing what he did. I know, he's a bastard.

I just feel really ashamed.

And I missed that board meeting.

(MUMBLES)

< What a mess.

He's been trying to ruin your career all along.

All this stupid, attention-seeking behaviour.

He's so demanding, Clare - like some giant, nasty baby.

Apart from being a violent bastard.

You're not going back to him. Promise me.

Clare...

I hated it.

I hated it that she'd left me.

I was hurt, too,

that she'd given up on me so easily.

But I did feel bad about what had happened.

Hi, Jack, is Clare...?

You've got a fucking nerve.

Can I speak to Clare, please?

No. No, you can't.

I've been out of my mind with worry.

So I decided to go back and see the doctor.

I went to see a man this time - I thought a man'd be more sympathetic.

I told him...

I had a problem with anger

and although I hadn't actually hit my wife,

I had pushed her and she'd hurt herself.

You broke her ribs, you fucking...

Where is she? In hospital?

No, the police station. Now FUCK OFF!

He suggested an anger-management course.

He said it took two to make a relationship

and it could be hard if the woman had a successful career

because she couldn't always be sympathetic to the man.

So I sat down and wrote a long letter to Clare,

telling her I would do the course.

I also wrote in the letter that

I needed her

and that, erm, I loved her.

< Won't you stay a bit longer?

< Have you thought about contacting Women's Aid?

No! I am not a battered wife.

I know he was out of line,

but it's not like he comes home pissed

and starts knocking me about.

I just don't...

Look, you're my best friend, Jackie.

I've told you things, things I shouldn't have.

You've just heard one side, but there's another side.

< I'm sorry you feel I'm letting you down.

It's not about me being let down! I'm scared for you!

It'll be all right.

And if it's not, I'll deal with it. But I've got to try and make it work.

What makes you think he'll change?

Because I know he loves me.

720

...second time we went up, you don't think of yourself as being safe.

You're just on this rock face 30ft above the ground.

'I wanted the chance for myself, really,

to prove I could make our marriage work.'

'To prove that he loved me enough to change

and that I loved him enough to make him change.'

'It worked for a few months. We just started to live again.'

'He got on the waiting list for that anger-management course and seemed in control.'

'I wanted to help him, compromise if need be,

so I tried to go along with his moods, keep him happy.'

'Because if he was happy, I was happy.'

'It was our own little world with its own rules.'

'Only it wasn't our world.'

'It was Pete's.'

When did you stop taking the Pill?

A few months ago, I think.

It's more like six, isn't it?

I don't know, darling.

I think it takes a while.

I wish there was a little baby girl growing in there.

It's not for want of trying, is it?

No.

You wouldn't be holding out on me, would you?

Why would I do that, Pete?

I want a baby as well.

Things have been a bit fraught again recently, haven't they?

Fraught? Whose fault's that, then?

It's not to do with fault, Pete.

It's just you seem quite angry again.

Well, if I didn't come home to such a miserable face every night...

You don't!

You just seem a bit tense again...

Oh, do I? SO IT IS MY FAULT?

< I didn't say that, Pete! I didn't say that!

Oh, Christ, don't cry!

DON'T CRY!

HAVE I GIVEN YOU ANYTHING TO CRY ABOUT? >

HAVE I?

Pete, I don't want to do it.

What?

I don't think I can do it. >

What do you mean?

I don't want to do it.

You've done it loads of times before

What's the matter?

Nothing's the matter. I just don't want to do it.

BIRDSONG

'Dad went back into hospital, so I went to stay with Mum for a few days'

'Anyway, I needed a break. I felt worn down.'

Mum.

Oh, hello, darling.

Mm. Come on in.

Have some tea.

'While I was there, I found out I was pregnant.'

Mum, when you married Dad,

did you plan to start a family right away?

No, dear. Your father wasn't keen at all. Not at first, anyway.

So what did he say when you got pregnant?

Oh... he wasn't very pleased.

He even said that I...

Well, it's all water under the bridge now, isn't it?

And when you were born, he was a complete convert.

So proud of you, his little princess.

'I knew I wanted to have that baby.'

I felt really strong,

there was a future to look forward to, it was what Pete wanted,

it was a fresh start.

It just felt right.

I decided to give it 24 hours, see if it was my hormones stopping me thinking straight.

If I still felt the same, I'd tell Pete we were going to have a baby.

Hiya!

Hello, what's going on?

I'm going round to see Jackie.

You don't mind, do you? I know you've got that briefing you want to work on

When did you fix this up?

Today. That's OK, isn't it?

A bit of notice would've been nice.

I won't be late. And when I get back, I need to talk to you.

Bye!

Bye.

DOOR OPENS

(Pete?)

Night-night, darling.

I'll talk to you in the morning.

(Wakey wakey.)

(SCREAMS)

THUDS

(SCREAMS AND SOBS)

PETE, GET OFF!

GET OFF!

THUD

REPEATED BLOWS

(GROANS)

(WHIMPERS)

< (MOANS AND SOBS)

< (SOBS)

'They wouldn't let me see her.'

A security guard escorted me off the premises

and a nurse told me she'd lost the baby.

We loved each other.

We wanted to live happily ever after, and I fucked it.

'I don't even know how I got into this mess.'

'I know I don't want it.'

'(SIGHS DEEPLY)'

'I don't want to be that man.'

The man that got angry when he saw she was scared.

'The man that got angry when he saw she wasn't scared.'

'That man.'

So I feel like I'm making some kind of headway.

It's great seeing my kids again.

Good.

Pete, as our new member, tell us a bit about what brought you here.

Er, it was recommended to me.

Yeah, we know that. Just a brief outline of what led to that.

Well, erm...

I hurt my wife.

I didn't know she was pregnant,

and she lost the baby.

I bet it wasn't the first time.

What's that supposed to mean?

< You wouldn't be here if it was the first time, right?

Was it the first time?

It's not any of your business.

The reason we're here is because of what we did, right?

Do I have to answer that question?

It's not the first time, is it? Tell me.

No, OK, it wasn't.

I'm just saying we've all been there, that's all.

I can't understand why she can't clean the mantelpiece every day,

keep the place in order.

If it's that important, you could've dusted it.

Oh, yeah, I can just see meself with a feather duster(!)

Why not? >

I'll tell you why not. I work what, 16 hours a day, 6 days a week?

'No quick fix, they said. Mustn't see Clare.'

'Respect her wishes.'

'Not like anger management. You have to commit for at least a year.'

'I'll end up committed if I have to put up with much more of this.'

'Morons.'

< Pete, you were gonna tell us about when the violence started.

About the time I found out my wife was having an affair with her boss.

We've all tried that one.

It happens to be true.

You won't get sympathy for hitting your wife even if she's sleeping with the milkman.

Remember, we've all been through it.

He kept calling,

leaving messages,

sending flowers, knocking at the door.

Wouldn't leave me alone.

So I went away.

But when I came home it just carried on.

You know, he'd sob and cry,

but he wouldn't really listen.

Sometimes I got really upset,

other times I just felt completely detached.

Then it got ridiculous, just wouldn't leave me alone, so...

I had to take an injunction out.

When the baby died, that was it for me, really.

Who I loved didn't really exist.

It was just a fantasy.

Pete's a violent man.

He's got to solve his own problems. I can't solve them for him.

< Different numbers meant different things.

< I'd text her or slip one into conversation.

What did the numbers mean?

< 3 meant I wanted sex.

< 7 meant, er, she'd be in trouble when we got home.

I'd watch for a reaction.

That is sick!

At least I'm owning up to it!

I didn't play sick games.

No, you just hit her till she miscarried.

Let's just calm down, eh?

< Pete, can you see similarities in your loss of control?

No. My dad hit me, I've been programmed, I used to hit my wife.

That's it.

You can exercise choice.

Yes. And next time I won't hit her.

If only it was that easy.

For some people it is that easy.

In fact, I'm exercising my choice right now. I've had enough of this.

That was typical, weren't it?

Nice place, isn't it?

I'm renting at the moment.

But I've got the option to buy.

(CLICKS FINGERS)

Feeling all right, considering.

Ian and Roger have been surprisingly supportive,

especially when I told them about Clare losing the baby

and the marriage collapsing and everything.

I did try and get Clare back.

Even went to that men's group full of psychos and losers.

But it wasn't enough for her.

I don't think anything would've been, to tell you the truth.

And that hurt.

Because I love Clare.

I guess she didn't really love me.

Well, not enough, anyway.

On reflection, though, I'm well out of it.

It's not easy living with a drama queen - the baby thing, for example.

Three out of five pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage, yeah?

We have a fight, she has a miscarriage,

suddenly I'm a murderer.

I hate to bring it up, but what sort of mother would she have made?

She's too selfish.

Work's going bloody well now I'm not distracted by a miserable home life.

I don't see Rob any more,

but he was a bit of a loser anyway, wasn't he?

Jesus, last thing I heard, he's even seeing Jackie now.

And I'm having a high old time being single again.

But then I've never had any problem getting a woman.

It's finding the right one, isn't it?

The one that understands me.

Intelfax Subtitles Cat Wiener