All language subtitles for ladybird ladybird

♪ Love's too mysterious

♪ A fly girl like me needs security

♪ 'Cause nothin' goin' on but the rent

♪ You got to have a J-O-B
if you want to be with me ♪

♪ Shake, baby, shake, whoo

♪ Shake, baby, shake,
whoo

♪ Shake, baby, shake, whoo

♪ Come on over, baby,
whole lotta shakin' goin' on, let's go… ♪

♪ I like it, I like it

♪ I like the funny feeling
being here with you

♪ And I like it more with every day

♪ And I like it always hearin' you say

♪ You're likin' it, too

♪ You're likin' it, too… ♪

♪ I say love

♪ It is a flower

♪ And you

♪ Its only seed

♪ It's a heart

♪ Afraid of breaking

♪ That never

♪ Learns to dance

♪ It's a dream

♪ Afraid of waking

♪ That never

♪ Takes the chance

♪ Just remember

♪ In the wintertime

♪ Far beneath

♪ The bitter snow

♪ Lies a seed

♪ That with the sun's love

♪ In the spring

♪ Becomes a rose ♪

(Cheering)

(Man) Thank you, Maggie.
We're gonna take a five-minute break.

- Your voice is really beautiful.
- Sorry?

- Your voice is really beautiful.
- Oh, yeah? Ta.

- Um, so you want a drink?
- Sorry?

Would you like a drink?

No, it's all right, cos I'm up there with me
sister and her husband and me mate, Jill.

Well, I, er… I'd like
to talk to you and, er…

Why don't we have one?
Just five minutes?

And it won't be long. I mean…

- I tell you what, I'll have one drink. Just one.
- OK.

- I'll just get me bag.
- What would you like?

- I'll have half a lager.
- OK, can we have it on the other side?

It's quieter there. OK?

Oh, my God! I think I've tacked off
with Julio Ingleses.

Hey, take it easy
and keep your knickers on.

I will.

- Where're you sitting?
- We sit over here.

What's your name anyway?

My name is Jorge.

- Who? Who-hey?
- Jorge.

- Who?
- J-O-R-G-E.

- Jorge.
- Who-hey. I can't say it.

- Come on, it's easy.
- I can't say it.

J-O-R-G-E. Jorge.

- It sounds like George, doesn't it?
- It is George.

- Well, is it all right if I call you George?
- That's nice.

- My name's Maggie, by the way.
- Hello, Maggie.

(Both laugh)

- Where are you from?
- Um… I'm from Paraguay.

- Paraguay?
- It's a little country in South America.

- Here y'are, have one of these.
- OK, thank you. Thank you.

Oh, here y'are.

Um… I think your song was beautiful.

My song?
Oh, thanks, George.

But, um…

I thought you were a bit sad though.

Sad, me? No, I'm not sad.

Well, you looked sad.

Maybe I've got lots to be sad about.
You never know, do you, George?

- You have worries?
- God, we all have worries.

Well, maybe I can help you?

You help me? (Scoffs)

That'd be a laugh.
I don't think you could help me.

Well, perhaps I could, you know?

No.

You got kids, have you, George?

No, I don't.

I have. Four.

Four lovely little babies,
but they're not with me at the moment.

Social Services have got them.

- (Crowd whooping)
- Oh. Oh.

♪ I saw the light on that night
as I passed by her window

(Audience) ♪ La la la, la la!

♪ I saw the flickering shadows
of love on her blind

(Audience) ♪ La la la… ♪

I travel a lot. I've been in Spain,
United States, Manchester, Liverpool…

- Liverpool? I was born in Liverpool.
- Really?

But I haven't been back for years.
God, I don't half miss it.

I've been living up here years.

- I was born in Liverpool.
- Oh, right.

I haven't been there for years, God.

You must have been a pretty little girl.

- Yeah.
- (Laughs)

God, that was a long time ago, wasn't it?
When I was little.

- (Dad, laughing) Come on!
- (Girl squeals)

You're not jumping high enough!

(Maggie) I don't remember much
about being little.

I don't remember much
till I was about five.

- (Dad) Do you think I'm fucking stupid?
- (Woman screaming)

- You fucking twat!
- (Crash)

(Screaming and yelling)

- Fucking bitch! I fucking hate you!
- (Sobbing)

I'll bash the fuck out of you, bitch!

Fucking twat!

Tell her to pick the fucking toys
up off the floor!

Don't cry.
Get in and pick the toys up.

(Mum) Maggie, come on, love…

I'll fuckin' batter you! Fucking cunt!
I'll fuckin' kill you!

- Mummy!
- Fuckin' bitch!

Anyway, I'd really not like to talk about it.
To be honest.

- I would like to know, you know.
- You'd like to know about me? Why?

(Sighs) Well…

Why would they take your kids from you?

As I say… They like to keep busy.
Like to keep interferin'.

- Do you know what social workers are?
- No.

No?

Well… social workers
is what's got my kids.

Maybe I'll get them back, maybe I won't.

♪ Love lift us up where we belong

♪ Where the eagles cry

♪ On a mountain high

♪ Love lift us up where we belong… ♪

There's Sean, with Mary.

There's Serena.

And there's Mickey.

Four different kids to four different dads.

You think I should get it on a t-shirt?
Save everyone asking questions.

- I think you have been unlucky.
- Unlucky?

Mairead wouldn't say that.
Mairead said I was being stupid.

She says I smell trouble
and I go to bed with it.

- Hey, what's that?
- That's made by the children. It's for tourists.

- Is it? Ah, it's lovely, isn't it?
- Yeah, it's nice.

- (Woman) Maggie! We're goin'!
- Oh, shit, that's Mairead.

Look, I'll have to go.

- We'll miss the bus!
- I'm comin' now!

- Don't go yet.
- Nice meeting you. Thanks for the lager.

- Ta-ra! Coming!
- Maggie, wait!

- ¿Qué pasó con la niña?
- Se fue.

¿Otra vez?

Yo tengo dos,
tengo dos esperándome afuera.

- Puta, y dejó la…
- ¿Dejársela?

- Se la voy a dejar.
- Te espero aquí.

- Sí, espérame aquí.
- Bueno.

Maggie!

Maggie!

Maggie, stop!

(Honks horn)

Oh, here it is.

(Maggie laughs)

(Maggie) Are you enjoying that?
(Jorge) Oh… it's OK.

- Let me tell you something.
- Go on.

Do you know where is the best pizza
in the world?

What, where you get the best pizza
in the world?

- Lake Ypacaraí in Paraguay.
- Go away!

Listen…

… you have some wine,
you see pretty lake…

- Yeah.
- Complete paradise.

Mmh.

You have the trees,
the birds, the mountains.

Not even in Italy you get that.

- Are you a travel agent, George?
- (Laughs)

I'm not. I'm a poet.

- A what?
- A poet.

Go on then, tell me a poem.

(Sighs) Let's see.

Candelas encendidas
encienden candelas.

Mm-hm.

Candelas que fueron apagadas
encenderán nuevas candelas.

Así es la lucha.
Candelas que se encienden y apagan.

- What the bloody hell was that about?
- (Laughs)

That means…
Candles light new candles.

Candles that die… still you can
light another one from them.

That's a struggle, and that's hope.

Candles that light and die.

- Oh, that was lovely, that.
- Yeah.

That was really nice.
Was that one of your poems?

- No, it's not mine. Do you like it?
- It was lovely.

You're winding me up,
you're not a bloody poet at all!

You're just winding me up.

- Well… now I travel.
- Mmh?

I've been in Mexico, USA, Spain

and I want to do
the same work I did at home.

To have a home for people
who need shelter.

Now I'm here, it's difficult.
I've got no one.

I have to start from nothing,
so I take any job.

Any job I can get.

(Tuts) Oh… That's dead sad, that.

Will you come home with me tonight?

(Maggie laughing)

- Get it down here!
- (Both laughing)

(Jorge) Come in.
(Maggie) Oh, I'm freezin'!

Close the door.

All right?

Jesus, it's freezin'.

I'm sorry it's so… so messy here.

Sit somewhere.

I'll tell you what, I'll get off
because it's dead late and everything.

- I really should've gone back to the refuge.
- You don't have to go now.

Sorry if you think
I've messed you about, but…

- I just don't want to be here.
- I don't understand. Look…

You've missed the bus,
it's dark, it's late.

It's dangerous, it's wet.
I mean, what are you going to do there?

Let's have a coffee and see…
what more minutes… four, five minutes.

All right, one coffee,
and then I'll get off.

- OK. I'll help you with your coat.
- No, no, you make the coffee.

It's all right, I'll do this myself.

(Sighs, whispers) It's freezing.

What are all these pictures?
Are these of all of your family?

(Jorge) Yes, yes.

- You've got it nice here, haven't you?
- Yeah, it is… I like it.

You wanna see where I live.
It's like a cupboard.

- Milk and sugar?
- Yeah, love. Ta.

- Here's the coffee.
- Oh, ta.

(Sighs)

God, you don't realise how much sound goes
round your head till there's nothing there.

Tell me… why they would
take your kids away from you?

Because…

I went out with this fella…

and… when I first met him,
it was brilliant.

We used to have a laugh.
Everything was great.

Used to follow me down the supermarket
and chat me up.

I used to be dead flattered,
but I'd pretend I wasn't.

Mickey, don't hang on to the trolley.
Get some jelly for us, eh?

Just round there.

Can you rea…?

- (Laughs)
- (Man) Here you go.

- Go on.
- What one do you want?

- Is that the one you want? What is it?
- Orange.

That's my favourite.

- One of yours?
- Yeah.

Where'd you get to last night?

- What do you mean?
- I was gonna buy you a drink.

Who's the man of the house then?

Sean here. He's the man of my house,
aren't you, love?

Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Sean.

(Maggie, narrating)
'You'd have liked the kids.

'Mary, the baby,
she's always laughing.

'Very charming. Then there's Serena.

'She's dead temperamental.

'You've only got to look at her
the wrong way and she cries.

'And then there's Mickey.
He was dead funny.

'Brilliant sense of humour.

'I once asked him what he wanted to be
and he said, "I want to be everything."

'That's brilliant — someone who's got
nothing wants to be everything —'

imagine what's going on in his brain.

He was always last,
always toddled behind.

And then there was Sean.

He was the eldest.

He was like a little crutch to us.
He kept me going.

Sean, will you get the baby
out of the pram while I…

Hi, love!

Put these things away.

Simon, do you want a cup of tea?

- (Simon sighs)
- Simon?

The cups are in 'ere.

(Boy) Did you get left behind?

(Simon) Are you having
a laugh or what?

What?

- What's the matter?
- Where the fuckin' hell have you been?

- Two hours I've been waitin' here.
- (Maggie) I know…

- Am I some sort of cunt?
- No, I'm sorry about being late, but…

Two fuckin' hours.
Two hours I've sat here waiting for you.

I'm sorry, I was at the shops…

- I don't know how I fucking stand it.
- I've got that…

- Shut up.
- The tea…

- Shut up. Shut up.
- I'll make…

- You cunt. You cunt!
- Uh!

You're fucking driving me mad!
Two fuckin' hours!

I mean, two fuckin' hours!

- Simon, don't!
- Cunt!

Fucking Irish slag. Fuckin' two hours.
Two fuckin' hours.

- Two hours! Two hours! Two fucking hours!
- (Screaming)

Every fucking time!

Cunt!

Two fuckin' hours!
Two fuckin' hours you've been!

Two fucking… fucking cunting hours…

I've waited for you to get back!

(Groans)

Fuck ya! Fuck you, fuck the kids!

I was in hospital about two or three days,
and then I came back,

and that's when they started
interfering more then.

They started coming round
making stupid accusations

like if he'd hit me like that
what's he done to the kids?

I mean, for all that he was,
he never ever touched the kids.

You've got to give him that.

The stupidest thing is…

I loved him.

I couldn't help it. I did love him.

So if I loved him,
what did that make me, eh?

Do you want to go and play
out with… the kids?

No?

Sean, this is it.

We're in. Come on, Serena.
Mickey, come on, hurry up.

(Woman) It's the one
right in front of you, Sean.

(Maggie) Just up there, yeah?
(Woman) This is new, isn't it?

(Maggie) Yeah.
(Girl) Yeah.

It's not bad, is it?

When they said a women's refuge,
I thought it was gonna be terrible.

- Well, you've got a bed each.
- It's not too bad, is it?

Oh, let's get this in.

I can too!

Hey, hey, hey,
come on, stop fighting.

You sleep there, Sean,
you go and sleep over there, Mickey.

Do you want to sleep there then, Serena?

My bed's much bouncier than yours.

And anyway, you've got an extra job to do —
shut the curtains.

The roof leaks in here though.

(Maggie) Mind you, where I lived,
the walls leaked in the flat.

And compared to the flat,
this is like a bloody palace.

You'll have to watch yourself
with the lights and all, the wiring's dodgy.

- And… Oi!
- (Children shouting)

- What are you doing?
- Has Gary been in 'ere?

No, he ain't. Out! I've told you about
barging into people's rooms!

- (Boy) Gary!
- You'll have to watch your kids in here.

- There's some right little sods around.
- (Maggie laughs)

Mind you, kids are kids, aren't they?

Social services was asking after you
this morning.

They thought you'd be here this morning.

I don't want nothing to do with them.
They've done absolutely nothing for me.

I don't think we need them anymore,
do you, son?

They've done nothin' for us whatsoever.

George, I shouldn't be here.
I really shouldn't be here. I'll have to go.

What is it? You're up and down,
up and down like… like a flea.

Sit down, it's OK, tell you.

Look, whatever you're after,
you're not fucking getting it off me, all right?

I just want to know you.

Right, I'm the Queen Mother.
Thanks for the coffee. I'll see you around.

Goodbye.

(Banging)

- Stop it, stop it.
- (Sobbing)

Stop.

It just opens like this.

Just leave me alone.

Just leave me alone.

I think you have too much pain.
I've seen it before.

Oh, yeah? Is that
how you get your kicks, is it?

There's a job at the Samaritans.
Why don't you go after it?

It just goes round and round and round
every fucking day in my head

and it won't leave. It won't stop!

- Don't do that. Don't do that.
- (Sobbing)

You won't help yourself.

They're my kids!
Why won't they give me my kids back?

They're not that woman's kids,
they're mine!

I only left them once — just once!

And they've taken them away! My kids…

(Sobbing) I love my kids.

♪ So smile for a while and let's be jolly

♪ Love shouldn't be so melancholy

♪ Come along
and share the good times while we can

♪ I beg your pardon

♪ I never promised you a rose garden

♪ Along with the sunshine

♪ There's gotta be
a little rain sometimes ♪

Whoo! Thank you!

(Man) Maggie! Maggie!

Maggie, hey!

Geezer on the phone!
Trouble at home, love!

- (Maggie) Who was it?
- I don't know. You'd better get there quick!

(Sirens)

Stop! Stop!

Stop!

Stop!

- Sean!
- (Woman) Maggie! It's all right!

(All yelling)

- Oh, what have I done?
- (Woman) They're safe. They're safe.

(All yelling)

(Policeman) Who is she?
You're the mother?

OK, come with me.
I'm gonna take you to the hospital.

(Woman) They're not in there.
They're not in there.

I'll take you to the hospital
to see your children.

(Siren wailing)

(Policeman) Are you all right? Maggie?

- Yeah, yeah. Are we nearly there now?
- Don't worry, love.

(Child crying)

- Can I help you?
- Please… I need to see my children.

- What's the name?
- Conlan.

OK, just hang on a minute.
Sister? Sister.

- You've gotta help me to find them…
- We'll let you see them.

(Sobbing)

They're fine, they're fine.

(Sobbing)

What's happened to them?
What's happened?

- They're going to be all right.
- (Wailing)

Oh, no! Oh, no!

(Inaudible over wails)

Oh, my God, what's happened to him?

- Oh, what's he…
- (Nurse) He's fine, he's fine.

So, you left the children
alone in the room.

- Hang on, hang on, hang on.
- You locked the door…

and gave the key to Sarah
who lives in the house.

No, no, I did not give the key to Sarah.

I gave the key to Jill.

Jill! With a J.

Not Sarah.

Jill doesn't recall you giving her the key.

God…

Do you not fucking listen!

I gave the key to Jill. Oh!

I gave the key to Jill!

Not Sarah!

(Sobs)

(Policewoman) OK, Maggie, come
and sit down. You've had an awful shock.

I know I shouldn't have left the kids alone!
I've never done it before!

I gave the key to Jill.

- (Policeman) Why did you lock the door?
- Because I wasn't locking the kids in,

I was locking the other kids out.

That's when I started to lose 'em.

He left the hospital
and he's gone to the foster mother,

and each time I'm just losing them
more and more.

And it's not gonna be like it was before.

Oh, hello, Maggie.
Nearly given up on you. Come in.

I've got three other kids to look after,
and I have to get two buses here.

I thought you were coming this afternoon.

Oh, Sean's coming on quite well now.

He's made friends with Kevin
down the road.

He's been in Kevin's house
a couple of times, playing.

And Kevin's been back down here.
They're getting on quite well.

- Oh, yeah? Where is Sean anyway?
- Oh, he's up in bed.

Bed? This time of night?
It's only half eight.

Look…

Have your cup of coffee, sit down,

get your breath back
and then you can go up see him.

- You don't mind if I smoke, do you?
- No, I'll get an ashtray.

Here you go.

Listen, there's something
I've been meaning to say,

it's been playing on my mind
for a couple of days now.

Sean's been mentioning
he wants to put sauce on his chips.

- What?
- You know, sauce? Tomato sauce.

I don't like them having that on their food.

It's hard enough for me as it is, Mary,

to try and put a meal together
on not a lot of money

I don't want it spoilt with all that.
It's full of additives and crap.

I don't want him having that.

Besides, if he starts getting used to it,
the other three will want it, and it's not fair.

OK, fine.

Anyway, how's his skin getting on?
Them burns healing?

- He's coming on nicely.
- You put the ointment on?

- Of course, yeah.
- Put it on yet? Tonight?

No, I was gonna go up in a minute, but…

- I do it before he goes to sleep normally.
- Well, I might as well do it.

Yeah, that's OK with me.
But have your coffee first.

There's no rush, is there?

No rush? No rush?
I mean, Mary, no disrespect to you,

but I haven't come here
to drink your fucking coffee.

I've come here to see my son.

Just… just calm down a bit first, Maggie.

Calm down? How can I calm down?
And what's all this crap on the wall here?

I mean, calm down? He's my son.

And what's all this? Fires?

It'd be better if you didn't upset him.

Upset him? What's this doing?

Look where Sean is, Mary.

He's stuck right in the middle.
And where am I? Right on the outside!

- I know what you're feeling…
- You don't!

- I do! I'm a mother, too.
- But you're not my fucking son's mother!

And let me tell you something else,
I know your little games, all your little twists.

Block mummy out. Well,
it won't fucking work cos he's my son!

You're not keeping him!
He's not yours. He's my son.

Cos I know what your little games are like.
I'm his mother.

I'm not here to drink fucking coffee
with you, I'm here to see him.

If you haven't put the ointment on,
I might as well do it while I'm here

cos I'm not sitting here with you.

Hello, son. How you doing, eh?

Ooh, I've missed you.

How are you? Eh?

Oh, God.

- How's Mickey?
- He's great.

Let's see how you are though.
Let's see.

- Oh…
- Has he been borrowing my roller skates?

He has, he has.

Tonight, as a special treat, I'm gonna…
I'm gonna learn to do this.

You'd rather have your mum changing it
than Mary, wouldn't you?

Keep still, keep still, keep still.
I know it's sore, I know it's sore, but…

- Ow!
- I'm sorry if I'm hurting you, but let me do it.

- Come on, let me do it.
- Ah!

(Whispers) Shit. I'm sorry.

- I'm sorry, Sean.
- (Sean crying)

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Oh, what are they doing to us?

What are they doing to us, Sean?

(Sobbing)

(Door closes)

Here. Please.

Oh, don't.

(Man) I thought we'd explained this to you.

You can only get Sean home
under certain conditions.

Now, under the circumstances you're lucky
we haven't started care proceedings.

I'm not going into no detention centre.
OK? I'm not going.

(Woman) Maggie, it's not a detention centre.
It's what we call a family centre.

It's to help you rehabilitate and cope.

We're not trying
to punish you or anything.

- (Baby crying)
- We'd be able to help you there.

(Man) We just want to assess
how you're getting on.

I'm not going.
I'm not going to the detention centre.

If you want to help me, get me a flat,
not stick me in a doss house.

(Man) We just want to assess how you're
getting on, make sure you're coping.

I'll cope much better if my son's home.

Last week he didn't even
want to come to me

because you're trying to turn him against me.
I know what your little games are.

The thing is, Maggie, Sean nearly died.

I know Sean nearly died.

How do you think that makes me feel?
So, rub it in, eh? Let's all rub it in!

Maggie… Maggie, listen to me, please.

Your children are on the at risk register.

We need some reassurance
that you're working with us on this.

(Maggie) They're only on there
because of youse!

Why don't you just leave me alone
and give me my son back?

But no, you can't do that, can you?

(Man) No, we can't do that,
because it's our statutory duty

to provide safe accommodation
for you and your kids.

And your kids' best interest
is what we are concerned with.

My kids' best interest
is to have their brother back.

My best interest is to have my son back!

My son's best interest
is to be home with us,

not with someone
playing fucking happy families!

(Man) Maggie, please listen,
we want you to have Sean back

but unfortunately, the law says
that we have to send you to this place.

Now, if you don't go
and you don't cooperate,

then we will have to take
all your children into care.

(Woman) Just a couple of rules
you should know about —

there's no alcohol on the premises

and no visitors in the rooms.

We lock the door at night for security.

Listen, have you got any baby milk?
I never had a chance to get any.

Oh, no, we haven't got any formula at all.

We haven't had any little ones
for a long time.

(2nd Woman) I've fucking had enough!

Maggie, I'm sorry,
I've got to sort this out.

(2nd woman) I don't care,
just bring him in here!

They're driving me fucking mad!
Get in here now!

- Now! Come on.
- Come on, kids.

We're not putting up with this.
Come on, come on.

Come on, love. Come on.

I don't see why I don't just take you
back to the refuge.

Jesus, Mairead, I've done a runner.

If I go back, the refuge is the first place
they're gonna look for me.

You can't stay at ours, can you?
You two don't get on, you know that.

I just can't take no more.

I really can't take no more.
You just don't know what it's like for me.

Where am I gonna go with the kids?
I can't sleep in the street.

- (Baby crying)
- Hold the door, Mickey.

Come on.

Keep up, Mickey.

- (Baby whimpering)
- (Maggie) Shh.

Go on. Leave the bags, go in.

Leave the bags.

Give us a kiss.

Hello, boy.

- Hello, Mags.
- Hello.

- Are you back?
- Yeah.

Hello, Mary. Hello, darling.

Hello, precious. (Kiss)

I missed you. Come here.

Mickey, come on,
you must keep up. Quickly.

Mum, these bags are heavy!

Have we got everything?
Have we got the baby's bottles, the coats?

We shouldn't have slept in.

- (Woman) Maggie!
- Oh! Mickey! Run!

Get away from him! Get away!

(Woman) Maggie… Maggie…
(Maggie) Fuck off! Get him in the van!

- Don't be a fool, Maggie!
- Whoa! Whoa!

- Maggie!
- No, no, no, calm down.

- We're only going shopping.
- Maggie!

Lock the door.
We're only going shopping.

If you go now, you'll lose the kids forever!
I'm trying to help you, Maggie!

- Go!
- You'll lose the children forever!

(Brakes squeal)

(Horn blares)

- (Maggie) Shit, Simon, watch the road!
- (Laughing, coughing)

She's gonna help us!
She couldn't do shit.

I don't know if I'm right, but ain't today
the day you get paid your money?

Yeah, why?

Well, we could go and pick it up,
that's all.

Simon, we can't stop now,
what about them after us?

We'll be at your sister's soon, anyway.

Mags, just go and get it now.

How can I get it now?

We'll be there before you know it.
Honest to God. Please, don't stop now.

- Maggie… now.
- Oh, don't, please. We've gotta go…

Get out.

What's the matter with you?

What is the matter with you?
You're starting again, ain't ya?

You're gonna fucking start again.
I don't…

You're fucking starting.
What is the matter with you?

Why do you…?
Why do you have to fucking start?

You start every fucking time!

You prat! Why do you fucking start?

Why do you do it, eh? Why do you do it?
Why do you fucking do it?

Go up the fucking Post Office. Get up!

- Get up the Post Office now, you prat!
- (Sobbing)

Get up now! Get up there!

I never saw them again.

I went into town…

phoned the police,

told them that my ex had the kids,
I couldn't get them off him.

They came along and took them.

I never saw them again.

But, Maggie, you will get them back.

No.

I go to court next month though.

See? I told you,
you will get them back.

And now they're trying to say

me ex fella was interfering with the kids.

Well, that I wouldn't have let happen.

I'd have killed him first.

Listen, I'd better get off anyway.

Can you lend us a fiver for the taxi?

Listen…
I have a cake.

- You've got a what?
- I have a cake.

- A cake?
- Yeah.

What are you doing eating cake
this hour of the morning?

Well, we eat it.
Come on, don't say no to a cake.

- (Laughs) Come on.
- Cake!

- A cake.
- And a coffee.

- And a coffee. All right then.
- OK?

We used to have a… a piece of land,
not very big.

And, er, we had all this maize planted,
and pumpkin and other vegetables.

And who are all these?
Are they all your family?

Yeah, that's my uncles.

One died in bed, the other one
was hung somewhere in the farm.

Hung? What was he hung for?

Well, what happened is
that they owned the land

and it's a good land, but these…
other people, rich and powerful,

they… they want that land.

So what happened is that
in all these situation, they…

killed some of them.

There are some people in my country
that… would kill me, you know?

Kill you?

Yeah, you know,
I have, er, political problems.

I don't understand what that means.

It is dangerous to…

alleviate the suffering.

Because suffering has a job to do
for the government.

So you leave these things quiet
and you don't touch them.

But I did.

Then I look after children
whose parents had been killed.

- And then I wrote about it…
- Mmh.

… an article for a magazine,
and then more problem.

Is that why they wanna kill you now?

Well, yes.

And who's that?
Is that you up there?

Yeah, that's me.

- Who's that with you? Is that your sister?
- No, that's my wife.

- Your wife?
- Yeah.

Fucking tell me now you're married.

- Are you divorced?
- I don't know. Now, maybe…

It's been too long time.

Sometime…

Sometimes I find
I don't want to belong to my country.

Don't want to miss it.

I don't want to love it…

because I have no hope left.

But… you have to love something…

or you are empty.

But anyway… none of that is here.

It's you and I, and we know each other.

- We talk a lot tonight, didn't we?
- Yeah.

- We did.
- We can…

We can be close, you and I.
And understand each other and…

Don't you think so?

Yeah.

We can.

(Sighs) Anyway, I have to be going.

Do you wanna give us
that fiver for the taxi?

(Dialogue muted)

Because we can show that you've been
trying to get out of the refuge, haven't you?

- Yeah.
- And you have been living quietly.

Yeah.

- Maggie, there are no men in your life?
- No.

I said no.

Dr Marsden,
if you could just wait there, please.

My friend may have some questions.

Dr Marsden, yes, I've read
your supplementary report as well.

Are you not, in fact, saying in it
that my client is a good mother?

I don't think anyone could doubt
her love for her children,

but I would have to say I have serious doubts
about her ability to care for them.

(Man) Don't you think that's contradictory,
that statement?

No, I don't. No.

But you don't deny that she has an
obvious and deep love for her children?

Yes, but children need more than love.

They need support
and they need security.

(Man) And is there any evidence
to show that my client is deficient

in her ability to provide this support?

Mr Anderson, there's been an abundance
of such evidence brought before us today.

Yes, but Madam, my point is
that my client is not of herself

incapable of being a supportive parent

once she's removed from an inadequate
home and an abusive relationship.

Dr Marsden, can you be certain that
Maggie Conlan's deficiencies as a parent

aren't due to circumstances
entirely outside her control?

Her choice of partner is in her control.

(Maggie) I'm not with anyone now!

The children have been subjected
to scenes of violence and abuse

from an early age.

Ms Conlan seems likely to me to continue
her pattern of abusive relationships.

- (Maggie) I'm not with anyone else!
- I would like to remind you of the fire…

(Woman) Maggie!

George…? George?

Maggie…

- You lied to me, Liz!
- I'm sorry.

I believed you. You said
I'd get the kids back and I never!

(Liz) You never know for sure.
(Maggie) You lied! George!

George! They took all the kids
and they're not going to give them back!

- Maggie, what happened?
- They took all the kids! (Sobbing)

Oh, Maggie. Oh, God.

Some tea and some Jaffa Cakes.

- No, thanks.
- You should eat.

You should eat.

It's only a month since you lost your kids.

And I know the pain is still there,
you cannot think straight…

but you have to eat.

Eat a little bit and drink a little bit.

In another month,
you will be a little bit better.

And in another month
you will be a little bit better.

And one day you will be able
to smile again.

And I'll be here.

Come, eat something.

You know, my visa expired this week.

No, I didn't know.

If I stay, I will be an illegal alien.

Well, don't let me hold you back.

If you don't want me here, just say so.

Just gi' us the taxi money and I'll go home.

You know what this?

This is a ticket from Heathrow to Madrid.

This is the bloody ticket
from Madrid to South America.

Come… Sit.

That's your ticket.

Look…

if you don't want me… I'm here.

If you want me, I'm here anyway.

I want to stay with you, so I'm staying.

If you don't want to see me, it's OK.

Fine. Just fine.

And I'll leave you alone.
But I'll still be here.

But why?

Because I love you.

Because I want to help you.
I can help you.

And because you are a reason to love.

And I need that. I need you.

Here…

Here's your fare for the taxi.

I don't want your money, George.

I never wanted your money.

Just for once I just wanted to be
the one who didn't lose.

You do believe I love you?

Love isn't for me.
Love's for fuckin' fairy tales.

Well, I do.

You believe it or not, I do.
And I'll still be here.

But I'm not worth it anyway.

(Sniffs) I'm just not worth it.

(Woman) Here's the baby — head, body…
little heart beating away. Can you see that?

(Maggie) Yeah.

(Woman) It's got its spine at the top,
just there.

Little legs down here.
That's the bottom end.

It's about 14 weeks.

Look, she's gonna be a girl.

- She's gonna be a girl.
- (Scoffs) How do you know, Dr Spock?

You can't tell whether it's a girl yet.

Can you, nurse? Tell him.
It's doing my head in.

That's actually the head
we're looking at there.

(Maggie) See? That's its head,
it's not its bum. It's its head.

Just going to measure the head now.

Is this your first baby?

- It's our first.
- It is?

Just measuring the baby's head now.

(Dog barking)

It's just here.
Stop complaining anyhow.

- (Dog barking)
- What's the point in that?

Hey, hey, can't you stop that?

Come on, stop it. Leave him alone.

- Come on.
- What do you want?

- Give him to me. What are you doing?
- It's the old bag's dog.

- He wants his food.
- You want me to put you in there?

- Shut up!
- Mind your own business.

- Why don't you get lost?
- Why don't you go back home?

- OK, boy?
- What you doing with my dog?

- Give me my dog.
- They were…

What do you think you're doing
with my dog? Don't know who you are.

- They were trying to…
- Go and play with the traffic.

- Listen…
- I don't know who you are. Go away.

You leave my dog alone,
don't ever touch him again.

♪ Neighbours… ♪
Come on, get in.

What a nice way
of meeting the neighbours.

Oh, get in.

Eh, it's not bad, is it?

Is that the kitchen?

(Gasps)

It's like a palace
compared to what we've had.

Oh. I thought it was too good.
Look, damp.

- Had to be something, didn't there?
- We can do something about that.

But will it come back?

Big enough for a family?

Well, it's possible.

- What's out there?
- Let's see.

- Look at this.
- (Maggie laughs)

Look at the size of it.
It's massive.

We can have a lot of plants here.

Hi, Peter. This is my friend
I told you about.

- Oh, and you are…?
- I'm Jorge.

Pleased to meet you.
When can you start?

- Er, straight away.
- Right.

- Any experience?
- Some, yeah.

All right, start today.
I'll stick you on the payroll tomorrow.

- You got any papers?
- No… I don't.

Tell you what, I'll do a deal with you —

I won't ask no more questions,
and you get two quid an hour.

- Two quid an hour?
- Take it or leave it.

(Jorge) Look at this one.

You like it?

Maggie?

(Whispers) Bastards.

I think it's quite nice.

Just feel.

It's the right size. And I feel like
dancing with my baby already.

You like it?

Let's see, here's the baby.

That's the baby.

Give it a fuckin' rest, George.

What's wrong?

Something you read in the paper?

Oh, shit.

Oh, shit.

I can't believe this.
I've really had enough this time.

George, take these clothes
and get them the fuck out of my sight!

I'm sick of it! I'm fucking sick of it!

They won't leave me alone
for five minutes!

They won't be happy
until I'm fucking dead!

You must live in cuckoo fucking land!
Everything's brilliant, isn't it, George?

What makes you mad?
What makes you tick up there?

Anger is going to kill you, too.

How can it kill me, George?

How can it kill me?
Cos I can't cope anymore!

Look at them, George, smiling down at me!
And what can I do? Nothing!

Maggie, please…

Please…

You want me to build my hopes up again,
that this is gonna be different! It's not!

Maggie…

I'm not angry anymore, George,
I'm not angry!

I'm frightened! I want these back!
I want this baby! I want you!

- Come…
- Get off!

- (Sobbing) I'm just fright…
- Please, Maggie, please…

- I'm not taking any fucking more of this.
- You're not alone, you know that.

You know I'm staying here for you.

(Maggie sobs)

I know…

(Running footsteps approaching)

(Man, banging on door) Oi!

- Oi!
- Oi, you bitch!

Oi, bitch!

What the hell's going on?

- Hey! I've had enough of you!
- (Boy) Shut up!

- (Maggie) George?
- Yeah?

George, I'm going down with the washing.
I won't be long, all right?

Maggie, don't worry about it,
I'll go later, OK?

I'm going round the bend in there.
I might as well go. I've only got a bit.

Is that her going on again?

She's always going on with the kids,
isn't she?

(Yelling)

Don't worry about this, OK?
Just leave her alone, don't get involved.

- Terrible
- Especially her up there.

What you lookin' at, you old cow? You.

- Who you talkin' to?
- You!

I can stand on my own balcony, if I want.

I fucking can! You gonna stop me?

Every night we have to listen
to your business —

the fighting, specially
with a foreign git like him.

- Hey!
- How can you let him lay his hands on you?

He speaks better fucking English
than you!

You can't even speak English
without F-ing all the time!

I only know two words — piss off!

- Don't get involved.
- What are you on about? Listen to him!

I'm talking to the organ grinder,
not the fucking monkey!

At least I pay my rent.
Social Security don't pay my rent!

Go back to Liverpool!
And take that git with you!

- Don't let her talk to you like that.
- Come on, listen, she's angry.

She's happy making you angry,
and you're playing her game.

Scampy's indoors, all right?
And he's all right, thanks.

- Did he get through the window all right?
- You little bastard!

Was it you who put him through the window?
You bastards.

We have our… our life here, just let…

- No, I'm not saying nothing, just…
- Don't get involved, OK?

All we ever got is trouble from you.
Nothing but trouble.

Why don't you just piss off
and get out of it, eh? For God's sake.

Oh!

That's terrible, that.

Please, could you move…?
Excuse me for a minute.

Go on, you squirt her.

Yes!

Oi! What's goin' on?
Get that bloody gorilla off of here!

Get that bloody gorilla back in his cage!

(Laughing)

How do you like it, eh?

OK, you go in now
or you get the same treatment, OK?

Oh, behave! No! I'm gonna go in!

Come on, Maggie.
You will set the bed on fire.

I thought you was asleep.

It's not good for the baby or for you.
And you'll set the bed on fire. Put it out.

- What's happening?
- (Gasps)

Maggie?

- Do you want to go to the hospital?
- Oh, George, not yet.

(Whispers) Fuckin' hell.

- (Straining)
- It's OK.

(Woman) Take the sheet away.

(Grunts)

(Midwife) Just gonna
clean you down below a minute.

OK, when you get the next pain,

if you want to push,
take a nice deep breath in

and push right down into your bottom.

(Jorge) That's it.
(Midwife) Keep going, keep going, good.

- OK, let it out.
- (Maggie strains)

OK, just let this pain go.
Just breathe this pain through.

(Maggie, panting) You bastard, George.

(George) Come on.
(Midwife) You're doing really well.

- The baby's nearly out.
- (George) It will be OK.

(Grunts)

- I'm going to push now.
- (Midwife) OK, big push.

Nice big push, right down to your bottom.

Super. Go on, keep it going.
Keep pushing.

- Keep pushing.
- (Maggie moans)

Keep pushing, keep pushing. OK.

- Let go of my arm.
- (Jorge) That's it, that's it.

(Midwife) OK, just stop pushing,
stop pushing.

Stop pushing.

OK. Baby's head is out, all right?

Just waiting for baby
to come down a bit more, all right?

- (Maggie) What's the matter?
- We're just clearing the baby's airways, OK?

Pain coming up? Pain coming up? No?

(Grunts)

There, it's out.
It's a little girl. A little girl.

(Baby crying)

- You've got a girl.
- Oh! (Laughs)

(Laughs) You… bastard. I wanted a boy.

♪ Me la dio tu amor ♪

♪ Da-da da da-da ba-ba… ♪

(♪ Continues humming happily)

(Peter) What's this,
the Eurovision Song Contest?

And where were you yesterday?

At the hospital.
I've got a beautiful daughter.

Congratulations,
you just lost two days' pay.

But it only was one day out.

You seriously inconvenienced me, George.
Seriously.

- Está caliente el hombre.
- ¿Qué le pasa?

- Hello!
- (Maggie) Who is it?

It's the health visitor, Mrs Modegwa.

- Hi. Mrs Modegwa?
- No.

Oh, I'm sorry. Erm…

I thought… I'm looking for
Maggie Modegwa.

No, you're out of date there, about seven
years ago, love — he's gone back to Kenya.

You've got some old files there,
haven't you?

- Can I see the baby?
- (Door slams)

I just came to see the baby!

♪ Duerme, duerme, negrita ♪

You'll have her as mad as yourself.

♪ Que tu mama
está en el campo, negrita ♪

You like that song?
Listen, I'm singing to you, eh?

I'm singing to you.

Look.

Look at the birds over there.

Look, do you want to look?
Don't you want to look?

- The birds, the sky.
- She can't hear you, soft thing.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

- (Maggie) Who is it?
- It's Moira Denning, your health visitor.

Yeah, what do you want?

I just came to see how you were coping
with the new baby.

- Coping fine, why?
- Would it be all right for me to come in?

- What for?
- To see the baby.

She's all right.
There's nothing wrong with the baby.

It's just routine. We wanna make sure
that you're coping OK.

Is there any reason
you don't you want me to come in?

I never said that, did I?

I never said I didn't want you to come in.
You better come in then.

I'm going out soon.
The baby's over there on the couch.

(Baby whimpers)

Hello. Hello.
Oh, she's gorgeous.

Hello, darling.
Could you pick her up for me?

I've just fed her and put her down.

- Is she feeding all right?
- Yeah.

- Sleeping?
- Yeah.

And how about you, Mrs Conlan?

What do you want to know
how I am for?

I thought you came round
to see the baby.

Could you just sit down
so we can have a chat?

I'm on my way out.

This is your… fifth child,
is that correct, Maggie?

- That's right.
- And how are the other four?

All right.
My sister's got them, Mairead.

She's looking
after them for a couple of weeks.

Maggie, I know
your other kids are in care.

I know about the circumstances,
the fire and everything that happened.

You know that much, couldn't get
my fucking name right last week, could ya?

I'm sorry, but if there's some uncertainty
about the father's name…

There's no bloody uncertainty
about her father's name.

- How are you, Maggie?
- I'm all right, why?

Be a lot more better if you stopped
snooping round every fuckin' five minutes.

Can I ask what that mark on your face is?

Oh, God! You've got such
fuckin' x-ray eyes today, haven't you?

If you must know, it's off this.
That's what that done.

OK.

I think you best get off now, anyway,
cos I'm waiting to go out.

Well, I'm happy with the baby.

Have Social Services been round
to see you?

No, they haven't
and I don't want them here neither.

Can you at least bring the baby
down to the clinic on Tuesday?

I brought her last week,
so why should I bring her this week?

(Thud)

- Is that your bedroom?
- You can't go in, I haven't made the bed.

OK.

- So I'll see you in the clinic on Tuesday.
- OK.

- Make sure you bring her with you.
- I will.

- Thanks.
- Ta-ra.

(Whispers) Shit.

- George! What are you doing?
- Is she gone?

She's gone, she heard you though.
What are you doing?

Why did you put that there?
If my mother was here she would…

(Gasps) Cheeky git! It's all your junk!
Where do you want me to stick it?

Well, shove it up your arse then.
(Laughs)

- You cheeky bastard!
- Oh!

Stick it up your own arse!
And I'm not your fucking mother anyway.

- Come on, let me out!
- I won't. Till you apologise!

Let me out of here!

(Baby crying)

Shh… He's gone now, he's gone now.

Oh, no…

Oh…

Oh, the nosey old bag.

Do you remember the kids' names?

- Yes.
- Go on…

- Sean, Nick…
- Mickey.

Nicky.

- Serena and Mary.
- That's it.

But his name's Mickey,
with an M, not Nicky.

- Where are they now?
- They've had to go away.

- Why?
- Why?

- Cos they did.
- When?

- (Mairead) Katy…
- A while ago now.

Youse want some Coke?

- Do you want some Coke?
- Yeah.

Right, who's for tea?

You want some tea?
Do you want Coke, kids?

Come on, I'll get you some Coke.

- (Knock at door)
- (Mairead) I'll get it!

(Maggie) No, leave it.
(Mairead) No, I'll get it.

- (Maggie) No, don't.
- Shut up, will ya?

- Hello.
- (Man) Is there a Maggie Conlan here?

Er, no, she's away. Why?

- I need to have a word with her.
- No, she's away.

- Are you Maggie Conlan?
- (Maggie) No.

- Can I come in?
- Don't you understand English?

(Maggie) What's going on?
(Man) Can you tell me whose baby this is?

(Mairead) It's my baby.

I see. Can you tell me
which hospital it was born at?

(Mairead and Maggie together)
The Royal.

- Is this your baby?
- I'm Maggie Conlan. What's wrong?

(Man) We have a place of safety order
to remove this baby.

- What?
- You understand?

- No. What have I done wrong?
- I have to take the baby with me.

It's a temporary order.
You can challenge it after 72 hours.

- But I have to take the baby with me now.
- Nothing's happened!

You can attend the case conference.

(Maggie) No, I don't…
I don't even know who you are!

You've made a mistake,
you can't do this to me again.

- I have to take the baby with me.
- Please, you can't do this, you can't…

- You'll be able to see it. It's only temporary.
- You can't take it. It's all different!

I have to take the baby with me now.

- Maggie, calm down.
- Please, you've made a mistake! Please!

We'll have a case conference,
you'll be able to talk about it.

Please, you made a mistake.
I'm not Maggie Conlan.

- Maggie, come on. Please, Maggie…
- No, please.

- Maggie, I have to take the baby.
- Please just wait till her dad comes in.

- No, you can't.
- Calm down, I've got to take the baby.

- You can't do this again to me! Please!
- Come on, Maggie, please.

I have to take the baby.
You can come and…

Go and get George!
Go and get George! Go!

(Woman) All right! All right!

- (Maggie screaming)
- She's just had a baby!

What the fuck are you doing?
She's just had a fucking baby!

- (Policeman) Calm down. Calm down!
- You're gonna kill her!

Please, give the baby to me.

(All screaming)

(Policeman) Calm down.

Do you know
what you've fucking done to her?

Don't! You'll make it worse.

- (Screaming)
- Maggie, listen!

- Listen to me…
- No!

- (Woman) Get away!
- No!

(Policeman) Calm down, calm down.

(Woman) Get off her! Get off her!

- Get off her. Get off her!
- (Policeman) Stop it.

- Fuck off!
- Calm down!

Get off of her. Get off of her.

(Maggie, sobbing)
Oh, go and get George!

I'll get him, I'll get him.

- I'll get him, I'll get him.
- No! No!

(Screaming)

(Policeman) Bob…

- Where's George?
- (Man) In the back.

- George!
- What's happened?

- They took the baby. Come on.
- What?

They took Zoe.
The Social took the baby! Come on!

- Oh, Christ.
- Oi!

Oi! Come back here!

Oi!

How can they do this to us?

How can they do this to us?

They have.

(Sniffs)

You can't go near them
and tell them nothing, George.

- Yes, we'll tell them.
- It's not safe for you to go.

We'll tell them without shouting.

They don't have to think we are mad.

We'll tell them… they will understand
they made a mistake.

But we have to be gentle. (Sniffs)

How can I be nice to them
when they took five of my kids?

One of yours! How can I do that?

How can I stand there
and smile at them?

I can't talk to them.
I can't go back to that court no more.

You don't go shouting.

You have to be gentler.

Explain to them. We have to be nice.
I don't know.

But you have to tell them.
We have to.

- (Baby gurgles)
- Ooh. Have you been crying?

Have you been crying?

Have you?
She knows it's us, look.

Yes, she knows.
She knows our voices, you know.

- She does.
- She knows how we hold her,

- our smell.
- Smells!

Listen to him! Smell!
Speak for himself.

She does remember. She's made of us,
you know? She's made of us.

- Yeah?
- (Baby yells)

Her nose is all running.

There.

How's she got a cold when people
are supposed to be looking after her?

(Maggie) Do you want to hold her?
(George) OK.

Ooh! How are you?
You miss us, eh?

- (Whimpers)
- It's OK, it's OK.

We'll see you again, you know.
We'll see you again.

- Maggie, your time's up.
- Oh, fuck off.

Come on.
Come on, little one.

(Maggie) As I was saying before…

Here y'are, love.
Do you want sugar?

- Here, have a biscuit.
- Thank you.

As I was saying before,

he's all right. I mean, look at him.
He's placid, he's kind…

- Thank you.
- Well, you are.

If anyone's the mouthy one, it's me.

I'm just sick and tired of people,
every time they look at us,

it's like he's gonna kick me head in —
and he's not.

You've only got to… Stick a bomb
up his arse and it wouldn't move him.

And all right, I do lose me temper,
I'm not lying to you about that,

and I can't help it.

I mean, I am angry, I'm fucking…

I mean… (Laughs)

I've said it again.
I said I wouldn't swear. I'm sorry.

I mean, I do get angry,
I'm not lying about that, I don't.

And I know me own throat…
me mouth cuts me own throat.

Me mouth works before me brain.
I can't help that, that's just me.

And all we want is the baby back.

She's done nothing,
George has done nothing

and I can't see
what I've done wrong neither.

- Do you want a biscuit, Mary?
- Mmh. May.

(Maggie) Oh, May. Sorry.

I mean, as I was saying before,

even if I was guilty
of what everyone's saying of us,

I mean, what about… George?

I mean, he's Zoe's dad.

He's being… had all kinds
of fingers pointed at him.

And he's the innocent party in all this.

I mean, I can take it all.

But I don't think it's fair on George

because he's not that type of person to…

- Do you want a biscuit?
- No, thanks.

Oh, go on, you might as well.
Cos I went out of my way to get them. Go on.

Thanks.

How's communication between you two?
Do you speak Spanish?

(Maggie) Me? God, it takes me
all the time to speak English.

He's the one that speaks
all the languages.

Tell her what languages you speak.

Well, it's Portuguese, German, French
and some Italian.

- Apart from my own language, Spanish.
- So he's the clever one.

But we do OK in English.

Do you find if you can't communicate

that you get frustrated at all,
that you might misinterpret each other?

(Maggie) No.
(Jorge) It depends.

How d'you think
he's gonna communicate?

With fucking tom-tom drums
or something like that?

It all depends. It's not only language
you use to communicate to other people,

especially the one you love.

So you feel together
you have a fairly stable relationship?

(Jorge) Yeah, and only
we need our baby, yeah?

Supportive relationship…?

Actually, I can't stand his fucking guts!
Is that what you want to hear?

- Is that the way you talk to your children?
- No, it's not!

With you people I haven't had a fucking
chance to say good morning to my children!

- Perhaps you've never tried!
- Haven't I? How do you fucking know, eh?

Don't, Maggie…

She thinks you're a fucking alien
from outer space, for fuck's sake!

We have to talk to them.

That's what you wanna hear, isn't it?

Do you think, Maggie, that Social Services
like to take your children away?

They love doing things
to fuck people's brains up.

- Oh, do they?
- Yeah.

Do they really?
They're not there to help, are they?

If you would help yourself, Maggie,
the help is there for you and Zoe if you…

If you wanted to help him or Zoe,
you'd bring her back here!

What you see here is pain.
All you are seeing is pain.

And that is part because
our hearts has been broken

because you take our kid away.

- (Woman) We took your…
- Listen, Miss fucking social worker!

You listen to my fucking pain!
What did youse do for me when I was little?

My father sexually abused me!

Was that an environmentally healthy
safe place to fuckin' be?

No! So you whipped me
into the fucking home!

Did it do me any good? Did it fuck!

No wonder I'm fucked up,

these fucked my life up
and they're fucking it up again!

Take the book in your right hand
and read the oath.

I swear by Almighty God
that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth.

(Whispering)

(Woman) Mrs Higgs, would you give
the court your full name and address, please.

Pamela Higgs, 35 Margaret Court.

Mrs Higgs, you say in your affidavit
that in your opinion

the relationship between Miss Conlan
and Mr Arellano is a violent one.

- Yes.
- Why do you say that?

They're always shouting, screaming.
She's always calling for help.

- (Maggie gasps) She's lying!
- I know he's hitting her.

(Woman) How do you…
how do you come to say that?

Every night she screams and hollers
and he hits her.

They're shouting so loud,
you just can't help looking in.

(Woman) And what have you seen?

I see him holding onto her,
and her screaming to get away from her.

A couple of months ago
she had a big black eye…

That's a lie!

I had a black eye cos I fell over her fucking
whisky bottles her and her sidekick left out.

- You vicious old bitch!
- Mr Anderson,

I must refer to you once more
about your client.

This behaviour must not
be tolerated in this court.

Let's see if he's in.

- Yeah, he's got a bit of a beard.
- Yeah, that's him.

Yeah, OK.

(Woman) Mr Arellano, why can you
not return to your native country?

Well, I seem to be an enemy
of the government, so they say.

(Woman) And which government is this?
Which country is your native country?

It's Paraguay.

Mr Arellano, have you taken part,
directly or indirectly

in any violent acts against
the Paraguayan government?

(Jorge) No. No. The whole country
is involved in violence.

Let me say this.
There is a little boy… is about six

in the house where I used to work
in my country.

Every day he tries to drown himself.

He puts some water in a little bath

and he look at it, he want to find a river

he wants to put his face in the water…

He's looking for his mother.

He watched when the soldiers
killed his mother — they drowned her —

so he's looking for his mother
in the water.

And I said, that's wrong.

And I said that to…
to… the people I talked to.

And I'm not a violent man.
I never hurt anybody.

I said, "This is wrong."

I'm not violent, I've never been violent.
I never will.

All right, Mr Arellano,
we'll move on from there.

Mr Arellano, are you married?

- What?
- Do you have a wife in Paraguay?

I… I don't know.

I… just don't know.

(Woman) You don't know
if you have a wife?

Well, you see, it's been…
it's been a long time.

I left a long time ago.
So I don't know.

My Lord, I have no further questions
for this witness.

(Judge) Mr Anderson,
do you wish to re-examine?

(Anderson) No, thank you, My Lord.
(Judge) Thank you, Mr Arellano.

(Lamers muttering)

I'm just going out.
I need to walk, OK?

- Mr Arellano?
- Yeah.

- Mr Jorge Arellano?
- Yeah, yeah, that's me.

I'm serving you with a notice of intention
to initiate deportation proceedings

as an illegal overstayer in this country.

What does that mean?
Did I do something wrong?

When you came here,
you were told not to work

and you took a job at Southern Chicken.

I am asked to make
a very difficult decision.

I have great sympathy for the mother,

but I am bound to consider
the risks to the child.

I have heard evidence
in relation to the first four children

and this weighs very heavily with me.

The mother has not been able to provide
a stable environment for them.

The evidence suggests a woman
of low intellect and little self-control —

as has been borne out
in this court earlier.

She has had a number of partners.

She has put her children,
and now this baby, at risk of violence.

(Maggie sobbing)

Her own violent temper, and her refusal
to avail herself of numerous efforts,

efforts and offers of help from the plaintiff
Social Services Department

suggests she is, in fact, beyond help.

She asserts that her life
has in any case changed dramatically

since she met Mr Arellano.

I see little evidence of change,
and given the defendant's history…

- (Sobbing)
- Maggie!

I can have no confidence
she will ever change.

Miss Moore-Davis…

I confirm the wardship. The minor
to remain in the care of the local authority.

- (Sobbing)
- No access to either defendant.

I give the local authority leave to place
the minor with long-term foster parents

with a view to adoption.

You bastard!

You fucking bastard!

(Screaming)

Bastard!

It's all your fucking fault!

- Get off!
- Maggie, please…

I'll kill that Mrs Higgs!
I'll fucking kill her!

(♪ Humming happily)

♪ Yo te perdí, yo te perdí ♪

(♪ Music and talk on TV)

Maggie?

Maggie?

Hey, Maggie, look.

- What's that then?
- My passport. They returned my passport.

I'm free to stay.

And the judge said,
"Mr Arellano is a man of good character,

"and he's not a threat to anyone."

So… here I am.

So you're stuck here then, are you?

Well, no.

I can stay, can leave.
I got my passport, I'm a free man.

So when you getting off?

Look, I'm telling you I can stay.

I mean, they will not deport me.

I mean, you should have
come with me, you know?

Maybe if you heard it with your own ears,
you would believe me.

What are you stuck here with me for
when you can go anywhere?

I mean, you must be fucking mad if you want
to stay here, so you may as well go.

Cos there's nothing
keeping you here anymore.

Well, it's you, you know?
You are here, my daughter is here.

She's not here, George!

She's not here at all,
or haven't you noticed? She's gone.

So there's nothing keeping you here
so you might as well fuck off.

But this is my house, this is my home.

She's my daughter.

How could I leave?

I don't want you here, George.
I want you to go. I really want you to go.

Cos you've got every intention
of going anyway.

You'll go in the end,
so you might as well just go now

and fucking make it
just as easy for both of us.

God… please, Maggie.

Just listen for once, OK?

You think I'm going to leave you?

You think that?

Look, I tell you —
I've told you over and over again!

Look, I'm here, I won't leave you.

Are you fucking stupid?

Are you fucking deaf?

I don't want you here! Fuck off!

What, you want to hit something?
Just hit it.

Get the fuck out! Get out!

Get the fuck out! Get out!

I want you to get out!

There's door is! Get out! And stay out!

Fucking stay out!

Get the fuck out!

(Sobbing)

(Knocks over milk bottles)

Fuck it!

(♪ Maggie humming busily)

(Women talking quietly)

(Gasps)

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah.

- Is she OK?
- You OK?

- Yeah, I just feel a bit sick.
- You sure?

- Ah…
- What's up?

At least give me the bleedin' heavy ones.

- Oh, behave. What are you like?
- You're not fit for this baby.

I better be, there's nothing
I can do about it.

Do you honestly think
you can hide this one from 'em?

- I'm gonna keep it.
- Where? In the fucking cupboard?

- Look, I'm keeping the baby.
- You're booked into the same hospital.

Of course I have. They've got to stick me
in the same hospital.

Don't you think
you've been through enough?

What were you thinking of,
going in for another one?

Look, Mairead, me and George
are gonna have a family,

if it takes the rest of our lives,
we're gonna have a family.

You've got your two kids,
we've got no one.

So me and George are gonna have ours
whether you like it or not.

Give us me bag, I'm going home.

Maggie!

Maggie!

No!

- (Midwife) Maggie, come on.
- No.

George, tell them, I'm not letting them
get this one, I'm taking it with me.

You must help them,
it will be more difficult.

- No!
- Maggie, please.

- No!
- (Midwife) Maggie, come on, please.

No!

- (Jorge) God, Maggie, help them, please.
- Come on, Maggie.

Maggie, come on now, relax.

Maggie, listen to me.
We've got to get the baby out.

(Maggie) It's staying where it is!
Get away from me!

- (Midwife) Come on, Maggie.
- No! No!

- It cannot stay in there.
- No, George! No!

It can't stay in there. Come on.

Maggie, the baby's head's coming.

- Keep yourself on the bed. Come on.
- No!

- No, no!
- Maggie, push now.

No.

(Midwife) Come on, push! Good!
(Nurse) Push!

(Midwife) That's it! Good!
Well done! Come on, push!

- That's excellent.
- Push! That's really good, Maggie.

- One last push, come on.
- One last push!

(Nurse) And baby's out, well done.
(Midwife) Excellent. Well done.

- You've got a little girl.
- (Baby crying)

Well done.

Hello, little one.

- (Chuckles)
- She looks like you.

- She looks just like you.
- She looks like Sean.

Oh… Oh!

Oh, look at her little…

You go bo-bo's, eh?

There's a good girl.

You go to sleep in there. That's it.

Oh, she's a good girl.

Maggie?

- Oh, George, I'm glad you're here.
- Are you all right?

I don't know why they've stuck us in here.

Have you been to see the solicitor?

Listen, the nurse
just stopped me and, er…

there's two people wanted to talk to me…
and, erm…

Well, I saw them and they said they
wanted to talk to us. To both of us.

Who?

(Sighs) Well, they want to talk to us.

- Who?
- They… they are from the Social… Services.

They just said they wanted to talk.

They didn't say anything else.
Just wanted to talk.

- After all that they've done to us?
- But I…

Hello, Maggie.

I'm just gonna
check the baby's temperature.

At least they want to talk to both of us,
it's not just you on your own.

We are together and we'll talk to them.

I mean they just said they…

Maggie Conlan, erm, I'm Kevin McNally
from Social Services.

- This is my colleague.
- Sarah Thompson.

(McNally) You know there's things
we're concerned about, and…

a decision… we came to a decision
last week, where…

- we will have to…
- No.

… take the baby to a place of safety.

(Jorge) What safety?
The baby's safe and you have no right…

We can go with the baby to the court,
but you don't need to take her.

- (McNally) It is…
- Just go to your office!

- Jorge, it is illegal…
- Just leave us alone! No! No!

Get… Get away from her!
Get away from her!

Get away!

- Fuck off!
- (Jorge) Get away from my baby!

(Maggie screaming)

Fuck! Give me back my baby!
Give her back!

(Jorge) My baby! My baby!

Get off! Get off!

No! (Screaming)

(Jorge) Maggie!

- Maggie, please!
- (Policeman) George, please.

Maggie! Can we have some…?

- (Maggie screaming)
- (Nurse) Doctor!

- (Screams) No!
- She tried to throw herself out the window.

(Maggie) Get off!

(Maggie) No!
(Jorge) Maggie…

Hold her arm, her arm.
Hold her arm down.

(Nurse) It's all right now.
(Maggie) No!

(Doctor) Pull the sleeve right up.
(Jorge) Please, Maggie…

(Nurse) Calm down, Maggie.
(Doctor) OK, hold her arm straight.

(Nurse) OK, Maggie.

You need to hold her arm more secure.

(Nurse) OK.
(Maggie) No! No!

(Nurse) Maggie, it'll be all right.
(Maggie) No!

Swab. Just rub that now.

(Maggie) Get off! Ah!

(Doctor) OK, Maggie, just calm down.

(Nurse) All right, Maggie.
(Doctor) Tell her to calm down.

(Maggie) No!
(Jorge) Bastards!

(Sobbing)

(Doctor) She should be quite calm now…
(Jorge) Maggie…

(Man on TV, laughing)
What a juggler you are!

(Maggie) George, stop tapping the cup.

(Jorge) Just leave me alone.

It's driving me crackers, stop it.

Just lay off, OK?

Stop tapping the fucking cup!

Just don't hit me, OK?
Just don't hit me.

Who's wound you up? Eh?
Got to you, have they?

Wound up like a little rubber band,
are you?

Just don't hit me, that's all I'm asking you.
Just don't hit me.

What are you letting me hit you for?

Any other man
wouldn't let a woman hit him.

Mind you, any other man
wouldn't let a fucking social worker

walk out the hospital with his kids.

What the hell did you want me to do?

I told you there were policemen over there!

I was thinking about you,
about not killing yourself!

Yeah. Thinking about me, my arse.

You could've done something, but no.

And what for?

They would take me out of the country.
They would deport me.

Then you would have been alone.

I'd rather be on my own
than stuck here with you!

You fucking suck-holing bastard!

You've been down there, haven't you?
Smiling to them, apologising to them.

What for, after what they've done to us?

- You know what's the matter?
- Fucking kissing their arse.

You want them to think we're crazy —
both of us crazy.

So you shout, you swear.
You don't listen to anything.

And what do you listen to? Them!

Suck-holing round them.
Kissing their arse.

The only thing you haven't done
is give them a four-course meal. Fuck off!

(Mumbles indistinctly)

I can't believe
that you fucking held me down

while they walked out with the baby.
I just can't believe it.

Do you know what?
No wonder your wife fucking left you

because you're nothing but a fucking
lily-livered, spineless bastard

who won't do nothing except
hold the mother of his fucking child down

while they walk out the door with it!

What the hell do you want me to do, eh?

- I want you to fuck off.
- Take the kids to Paraguay? Run away?

You could've done anything
but hold me down!

They would think we're mad!

Who was it holding me down
and let his daughter get out the door?

You fuckin' know I couldn't do that!

What the hell do you want me to do?
Or to be?

Just one of those men…

that hit you and beats you up?

The ones you want to bed,
to sleep with them so bad

that the social worker don't believe
you should keep your kids?

- Because of you!
- Because of me?

Because you have sex with animals!
Now they think I am an animal!

- At least a fucking animal stays with its litter!
- (Maggie punches Jorge)

Just calm down, OK?

Calm down? Calm down?

- We calm down, then we talk, OK?
- Talk? Talk?

You could've gone out the door
with the baby, but no!

You held onto me!
You weren't supposed to hold me!

They wasn't taking me,
they were taking her!

And I fucking hate you for that!
I fucking hate you!

You bastard! You should have
fucking been there and done something!

- You hate me?
- Yes! I fucking hate you!

- And you want me dead?
- Yes!

- Fuck off!
- Well… go away! Just leave me!

- Go on, get out!
- Just fucking leave me!

- Go on! Fuck off!
- Just kill myself…

Out the window.

(Jorge) I just want to kill myself.

I just want to die.

Just want to die.

They took my babies,
they took my… my daughters.

They rob them from us.

Just want something…
I just want to die.

I just want to… (Sobbing)