Episode 1 Broken

This programme contains some strong language.

Please, God.

Not this time.

GENTLE PIANO MUSIC

# Broken windows in empty hallways

# A pale dead moon in a sky streaked with grey

# Human kindness is overflowing

# And I think it's going to rain today. #

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

We've some... we've some guests here today -

parents with children

who are making their First Holy Communion next week,

so I'm just going to stop and explain things at times.

That might make the Mass a little longer,

but hopefully, more enjoyable. HE LAUGHS GENTLY

Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,

and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

I confess to Almighty God...

-ALL:

-And to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned...

And it's now that God changes the bread into the body of Christ

and the wine into His blood.

There's going to be a bell that we ring here, and that dates back

from the old days, where everything was in Latin

and no-one knew what was going on,

so the bell meant "this bit's important".

BELL RINGS

For on the night he was betrayed...

he himself took bread...

..and giving you thanks,

he said the blessing,

broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying,

"Take this, all of you, and eat of it...

"..for this is my body, which will be given up for you."

BELL RINGS

In a similar way, when supper was ended,

he took the chalice and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,

and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying,

"Take this, all of you, and drink of it...

"..for this is the chalice of my blood..."

You dirty, filthy beast.

You horror!

"The blood..."

Have you got no shame?

-"The blood..."

-Have you got no bloody shame?

"..of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you..."

You dirty, filthy beast!

"Do this...

"..in memory of me."

BELL RINGS

No, that's all gone, thank God.

I mean, the idea of a child of nine having anything to confess,

let alone a list of things... MOBILE PHONE RINGS

Well, I find that a bit, erm... I find that a bit harsh.

Erm...

What we do now is a general absolution at the start

of the Mass, and that includes everyone, of course...

PHONE RINGS ..not just the, erm, children, every...

-The, er, the children, everyone.

-I'm sorry.

-It's all right, you've obviously got a lot on your plate.

-Yeah, I have.

I'm sorry, I'm not playing the naughty little schoolgirl thing.

I have got a lot on my plate. I was, erm, I wasn't expecting this.

I wasn't expecting an hour-long Mass before the meeting.

I'm really sorry, darling. I run a shop,

-I'm...

-Yeah.

-..I'm 40 minutes late, I wasn't there,

the boss is now going to open it up and I'm going to be in the shit.

-Er...

-Sorry, I'm not swearing, I'm...

-PHONE RINGS Is your mum at home?

-What?

Is your mum in? I mean, you could get off and we could

-drop Lisa... It's Lisa - is it Lisa?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-We could drop Lisa off, couldn't we, Miss Pickering?

-Yeah?

-Honestly.

-Are you going to be all right?

-Yeah.

-She'll be fine.

-I'm sorry, love. I'm really sorry.

-All right, don't worry.

-I'm really, really sorry.

It's all right, see ya.

OK?

It's Christina Fitzsimmons here, Jean, I'm returning your call.

Erm, I couldn't talk in church, it's a long story,

I'll explain when I get there.

I should be about ten minutes, all right? Thanks, bye.

I'm sorry, Jean. I'm really, really sorry.

Our Lisa's taking her First Communion next week.

I know you don't like hearing about other people's kids,

but anyway... The meeting was supposed to be at nine o'clock,

but what they didn't tell me

is there was going to be an hour-long Mass

before that even started, so... I'm so, so sorry I'm late.

What's that?

It's an IOU.

-60 quid?

-Yeah.

Well, what's a 60 quid IOU doing in one of our tills?

-I borrowed 60 quid.

-No, no, no, you took 60 quid.

-No, I didn't...

-You stole 60 quid.

-I didn't.

-You're a thief.

I'm not a thief, Jean, because a thief doesn't leave...

-You are.

-..a note saying that I owe you 60 quid, do they?

-Well, would you take ten grand, then?

-No.

You wouldn't take ten grand and sign a note saying, "I owe you

-"ten grand"? That'd be theft, yeah?

-Yeah, course it would.

-Why ain't THAT theft?

-Because, Jean, it's 60 quid,

and I can pay back 60 quid.

-I couldn't pay back ten grand, could I?

-Show me, then.

-Show you what?

-Show me the 60 quid.

-I haven't got 60 quid.

-Then, when were you thinking of paying it back?

-Payday.

I'm sorry if you've heard this before,

but I've got three kids to feed, Jean.

And the shitty money that YOU pay, a pound an hour

above the minimum wage, won't cover that, which is why I took 60 quid.

In fact, I didn't take 60 quid, I borrowed 60 quid.

-You're sacked.

-What?

-You heard me, you're sacked.

-Now, piss off before I phone the police.

-Please do not sack me.

You've just said yourself, it's shitty money,

so sod off and find something better.

Right, well you owe me, erm, you owe me two weeks,

two weeks' wages.

-Well, you'll get 'em in due course.

-No, I need it now. I'm skint.

Halfway through the month and you're skint already?

-Yeah, I am.

-And what were you going to do?

Take even more out of my till?

Yeah, I was, because half the staff are doing it.

They're all borrowing from the till, because the money you pay is shite!

Well, then, at the risk of repeating myself,

you sod off and find something better.

-You and your three bleeding kids.

-You...

Get off me!

THEY STRAIN

Get off me!

Get...

off me...

What are you doing here?

Oh, love, I'm sorry. I forgot that he was bringing you home.

-What's happened?

-Lise...

Lise! Lisa!

I've, erm...

I've had a barney with the area manager, after she sacked me.

-Sacked you?

-What, for being late?

-Yeah.

Well, no, not quite, but if I hadn't have been late,

then she wouldn't have opened up and found an IOU for 60 quid.

So, yeah, basically for being late.

-Sorry.

-Thanks.

-Why do people go to Mass, Father?

-Lots of reasons.

-But they get something out of it, yeah?

-Yeah.

Well, I got this and this,

and I got the sack.

So if I go tomorrow, what am I going to get - cystitis?

-Sorry.

-See ya, boys.

Erm...

If there's anything I can do.

Oh, come on, Lisa.

All right, I'll let you get on.

Thanks, Father.

Lisa, will you move away from the door?

I'm going to come in and I don't want to hurt you,

so just move away from the door, please. Lise...

All right?

You see this?

That's all going to be gone by the time it's your Communion.

It will all be gone.

Look at me.

I'll be all gorgeous again.

Come 'ere.

You know that...

you know that lovely dress that you wanted?

The one with the veil? I'm going to get you that.

It's too much.

No, it's not.

It's not, I'm going to get it for you.

Hmm. Nothing's too much for you, is it? Hmm...

MAN: 'I'm going to read you a poem about a hawk.

'You will take it home and you will write about it.

'Whoever writes the best composition'

wins this, which is also about a hawk.

WHISTLING IN BACKGROUND

"I caught this morning morning's minion,

"kingdom of daylight's dauphin,

"dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon in his riding

"of the rolling level underneath him, steady air, and striding

"High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing

"In his ecstasy!

"Then off, off forth on swing

"As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend..."

HIS VOICE ECHOES "My heart in hiding Stirred for a bird, the achieve of,

"the mastery of the thing!"

Brute beauty and valour...

"And the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion

"Times told lovelier, more dangerous

"O, my chevalier!"

-CHILD'S VOICE:

-"I like 'caught' - I caught this morning.

"It's as if we've caught hold of the tail of the hawk

"and it's taking us with it, swooping and soaring.

"And the Ms are good too - morning morning's minion -

"because M is the shape of a bird

"and 'orning, 'orning's and 'inion trailing after it,

"and that could be us, hanging on.

"And then it drops so fast, you can't say 'down'...

"Because it's quicker than down, so it has to be dom.

"And you can't say words beginning with D easily, it takes effort,

"and that is the effort the hawk is making to climb back up there."

Father?

Who helped you?

SMACK

'It's not the pain!'

-TANNOY:

-..arriving into Sheffield.

Sheffield's your next station stop.

If you're leaving us here in Sheffield...

VOICE FADES

-So, we do it, yeah?

-Yeah.

We draw up a roster.

Beth will still do her two nights, I'll do my one.

That leaves four nights between the seven of you.

-Phil won't do one.

-He will.

He didn't know Mam was dying, but he knows now and he will.

Just when you need a miracle, it happens.

It works out at just over once a fortnight. It's nothing.

-You're second.

-Second, third, fourth, there's nothing in it...

So who's going to do it?

How can you go for me when he's 80-odd in the lead?

It didn't stop you going for me two hands ago,

you devious, little shit bag.

-You weren't 80-odd behind two hands ago.

-62...

You were practically level two hands ago, you crying git.

I was NOT practically level, I was 62...

-Who's going to do it?

-I've got...

-So, who's going to do it?!

-What's up with you?

-She's dying.

She can't be left alone overnight.

Beth and Ness can't do it all on their own,

so we'll have to do our bit, yeah?

-Yeah.

-All right, so who's going to organise that?

-You!

-16...

No, not me.

-62... 62.

-There you are.

-That's what I bloody told you!

-Right, I'm going.

Well, what about us?

-I don't know, you'll have to have a three-hander or something.

-Aw...

Three-handers are shite.

Sorry about that.

-Hiya.

-Hi.

-You all right?

How's she been?

Not bad. Michael's here, Mam.

Hiya, son.

Hiya, Mam. I'll be up in a minute.

-She made me do her hair for you.

-Aye.

Tell her it looks nice.

I will.

Bye, Mam!

-Bye, love.

-Bye.

-Bye. See you later.

-See you later.

-Yeah.

Hiya, Mam.

How are you, son?

I'm great.

You?

I'm great, too.

-Your hair looks nice.

-Oh...

Beth did it.

It's lovely.

# Unforgettable...

# Ooh...

# That's what you are...

# Unforgettable...

# Ooh...

# Mmm...

# That's what you are...

# Ooh...

# Unforgettable...

# Ooh...

# Lonely or far...

# Like a song of love

# That clings to me

# Ooh, how the thought of you

# Does things to me

# Never before...

# Ooh...

# Has someone

# Been more...

# Mmm, unforgettable...

# Ooh...

# Ooh, in every way... #

# Ooh... #

-Right, how many 12s are in 60?

-MUSIC IN BACKGROUND

-I'm not having it.

-Yes, you are.

-It's black.

It's fine. Oh, my God, will you turn that down?!

-Five.

-Five's right.

I'll just have some porridge.

No, you're going to have THAT. Will you turn that down?!

Five miles at 30mph.

Right. Mam, have you got any money?

Er, 15 quid and some coppers.

You're going to have to say that you've forgotten your dinner money.

-Right, eat it!

-Can't he say it?

-No, he can't say it. 5 into 30?

-6.

That's right. And then 6 into 60?

Ten.

Simple.

Will you lend us it?

Of course.

-Will you give me a letter?

-Saying what?

That you forgot your dinner money, but you remembered to bring

a letter saying that you'd forgotten it?! I think they might, somehow...

Ow!

BELL RINGS

Mrs Fitzsimmons.

-Hi.

-I've got your form up on screen, Mrs Fitzsimmons.

-Right.

-Have you claimed job-seeker's allowance before?

No, I've worked since I left school -

I mean, crap jobs, but I've always worked.

And you know it's not for me to decide on the merits of your claim?

Yeah. Yeah, they explained that.

Nevertheless, you've put down here you resigned.

-Yeah.

-Well, that's making yourself intentionally unemployed,

Mrs Fitzsimmons, which usually means you can't claim for 13 weeks.

-13 weeks?

-Yeah.

I was sacked.

-You were sacked?

-Yeah.

Then, why did you put you resigned?

Erm...

Cos I was ashamed of being sacked.

Why were you sacked?

It was just a misunderstanding.

We do check with the employer, Mrs Fitzsimmons.

I borrowed some money out the till.

I mean, she'll say that it was theft, the area manager,

but it wasn't. I was going to put it back.

I see.

-Anything else?

-Yeah, I punched her.

But that's not why I was sacked, cos technically, erm,

-I was already sacked when I punched her.

-I see.

That's, erm...

as bad as resigning, yeah?

People might think it worse, Mrs Fitzsimmons,

but the penalty might well be the same.

13 weeks. But we'll notify you of that by letter.

I've got three kids.

I'm sorry.

Right, well, there something I can claim? Social security? Something?

I'm afraid not.

Is there a Mr Fitzsimmons?

Yeah, but he hasn't given a penny since the day I threw him out.

-Well, maybe you should ask...

-No, there's no chance of that.

Do you know anyone else who could lend you some money?

Bono, McCartney, Elton John.

Personally, I mean. Brother, sister...?

I don't know anyone who isn't skint.

I've got three kids and no money.

There must be something I can claim to feed my kids.

There might be the possibility of an emergency loan, but we'd

consider that only when you've made genuine attempts

to borrow the money yourself.

All right, and who decides what's genuine?

Well, obviously a successful attempt must have been genuine.

But I wouldn't need the money then, would I?

No.

-Sorry I'm late.

-It's OK.

Next is the First Holy Communion.

Nothing but praise for last year's, Pauline, thanks very much,

so if you're prepared to take it on again?

Yeah, yeah.

In that case, same again this time - yes?

Yeah. Just one thing.

Yes, Father.

It's just the cost with that.

The cost?

Yes.

I know last year a few families got into debt with everything,

you know, the dress, the party, other bits and pieces.

And I just think this year there'll be more doing it.

But the ceremony itself costs nothing, Father.

We ask them every year to keep it simple, and they just get more

and more, well...

-..vulgar.

-Mm.

But there's one thing we could ask them to do.

Yeah?

We could ask them to do it in their school uniform.

No suits, no fancy frocks.

Pauline?

Would people want that?

Yeah, perhaps.

But it would look like an ordinary Mass.

There would be nothing you could do to make it any different from a...

Look, Father, you say "fancy frocks",

but they're not just fancy, are they? They're white.

-They're symbols of purity.

-They're eight years old.

Dress them in rags, they'd still be pure.

Look, I'm not criticising you in any way whatsoever, Miss Pickering.

I just think people are taking on years of debt

for a ceremony lasting less than an hour.

I've got to go, I'm afraid.

You know, I thought I was helping people celebrate

a blessed sacrament, but it seems I was wrong.

It seems I've just been driving people deeper and deeper

into poverty and despair.

-Pauline...

-No, I've got to go. I've got marking to do.

SIGHING

CHEERING ON TV

-TV:

-'Hi, everyone.'

KNOCK ON DOOR

That's Mariella.

Mariella?

-She's taking you out.

-I'll get it!

Mum, I can't go out looking like this...

She's taking you out.

INDISTINCT TV VOICE AND CHEERING

THEY LAUGH

Have you tried Tom?

Yeah.

-And?

-And he says he's skint.

Do you believe him?

-You can't half pick 'em.

-Thanks.

-You're welcome.

So there's this banana and a vibrator,

and they're in the top drawer,

and the banana turns around and says,

"Well, I don't know what you're shaking for, she's going to EAT me."

LAUGHTER

I mean, my missus, she's in front of the mirror and she says,

"I think I'd like me boobs to be a bit bigger."

I said, "Right, once or twice a day,

"get a bit of tissue paper and give them both a good wipe with it."

She said, "How's that going to make 'em bigger?"

I said, "Well, it worked on your arse, didn't it?"

LAUGHTER

Oh, here she comes. What a beauty. Hello, love!

What a gorgeous outfit that is.

-Thanks very much.

-You're welcome. Eh, you two must be sisters.

What's the matter? Couldn't Cinderella make it?

LAUGHTER

-Do you want one of these?

-You what?

-Do you want one of these?

Oh, yeah, it was a black eye? I didn't realise, love.

I thought I was talking to a panda.

You can't beat a good laugh,

it's got to be the best medicine in the world, innit?

Eh? Unless you're diabetic, then insulin's fairly high on the list.

Never thought I'd make myself laugh with that one, that's dangerous.

Apart from one. Oh, hello, love. Hello. Are you enjoying yourself?

Well, tell your face that.

What you drinking - Night Nurse?

GENTLE PIANO MUSIC

# I get along without you

# Very well

# Of course I do

# Except when soft rains fall

# And drip from leaves Then I recall

# The thrill of being sheltered

# In your arms

# Of course I do... #

'..becoming moderate.

'Thames, Dover, Wight.

'South-westerly five or six, increasing gale eight for a time,

'occasional rain, good becoming moderate.

'Portland...'

VOICES ECHO

VOICES GET LOUDER

SHOUTING AND WAILING VOICES ECHO

WHISTLE BLOWS

SHOUTING

-Keep it going, John.

-Great ball, John!

Skin that fat bastard, Harry! Skin him. Good lad. Get it over!

Get it over, Harry! Cross it!

That's it - go to him!

Come on!

COME ON!

Yes!

That's what you get when you press. Right?

So press them.

Eh, you!

Get here, you bastard!

Hey, you. Get on.

Ref. Ref! Sub, Ref!

Can't sub a man who runs off.

He's run off cos we're subbing him.

No chance. No chance.

We told him he was coming off so he's ran off.

Would this man lie? Would this man lie?

Would a man like this lie? Ref! Ref!

BELL RINGS Morning.

If you wouldn't make a bit of a palaver and eat your blummin' toast,

-it wouldn't happen, would it?

-Morning.

Morning. ..Eh, not you.

-In the wars again?

-What?

Get your hand caught in the till?

Joke. Sorry.

Mrs Evans, she's usually on the gate.

Oh, I'm standing in.

She won't be in till mid-morning, so... Why - is there a problem?

He's got no dinner money and he's not going to have it for the rest of

the week and he's embarrassed about it, so I said that I'd tell her.

It's all right. Well, I could tell her if you want?

-Would you?

-Yeah, no problem.

-Did you hear that?

-Yeah.

-Right, well, what do you say?

-Thank you, Father.

-Ah, you're welcome.

-Thank you.

-Anything else I can do?

Um...you could lend me £1,000 and I'll pay you back

10p a week for the next 200 years?

Can I come and see you some time?

Um... Why?

Cos I think you're in pain.

No - REAL pain.

I'm just skint, Father.

Can you look into this, please?

It's company policy.

We can only pay the meltdown price.

Nine carat - can't give them away.

Common occurrence, is it - woman flogging their rings?

Yeah.

How much?

30.

No, I'm selling. I'm not pawning.

It's the same thing.

Emerald.

Yep. Blame Frankie for that.

Sorry?

Dettori. Came third in the 2005 Derby.

If he'd have come first, I'd have got a diamond.

Right.

All right, so how much?

I can go to 70. 70, 30 - that's 100 in total.

No, 150.

We don't bargain, I'm sorry. 100 and that's it.

Right, well, you can take your 100

and shove it up your hole.

Shit!

Ah...

Don't gloat.

I won't.

Oh, my God! You knew I was coming back, didn't you?

Yeah.

How? How did you know I'd come back?

You didn't put the ring back on.

The ones who tell me to shove it up my hole as they're putting

the ring back on - they don't come back.

The others do.

I've never had a millionaire in here, love.

You come in here, you're skint...and angry.

But there's no politicians here, so they give it to me.

And I don't think that's fair, love, cos I'm skint, too.

And though I'd like to give everyone a break, I can't,

because I'd get sacked, and even though it's a shitty job

that gives me nothing but grief, it's still a job and I need it.

Thank you.

Right.

Thanks.

I'll just be a minute, all right?

Hiya, Mam.

TV PLAYS

Oh!

Mam?

Mam?

Mam?

Mum?

Mum...

Mum?

Mum!

Oh, no, Mum...

Mum!

Oh!

Oh, no!

BEEPS

-Are you still getting the flashbacks?

-Yeah.

Are they just as frequent?

More.

I have done one or two decent things in my life, Peter, I really have,

but I never flash back to THEM.

PHONE RINGS

It's on answer.

'You've reached Father Michael Kerrigan. I can't get

'to the phone at the moment.

'If you'd like to leave a message and your phone number,

'I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks.'

Um...

BEEP

I hate that.

A sane priest would assume it wasn't important,

otherwise they'd have left a message, but I can't do that.

I assume they didn't leave a message cos it was TOO important,

too heart-breaking, too gut-wrenching

to speak to a bloody answering machine.

And what a shitty priest I am to expect them to do so.

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

RINGING

H-Hello?

'Hi, there. It's Father Michael Kerrigan here.

'You rang me just now.'

Yeah, Father, I dialled the wrong number.

KISSES

KISSES

SHE CRIES

KISSES

Yeah, I thought their nan was picking them up

and she thought I was picking them up,

so I'll be there in two minutes, all right?

Come here. I want hugs!

I want big hugs...

What's up?

Nothing.

Why are you crying?

I'm not. I just...I just want big hugs.

Hello, Jean.

Had a fight.

-Anyone

-I

-know?

Yeah, um...Rosie Lunt's daughter.

Right.

I told Stephen it was over work, but it wasn't really.

I, um...found out it's my fault that we can't have kids.

I think he always knew, but just didn't say anything...

which shows how good of a man he is, how good a father he'd have been.

It just makes it all the more...

painful.

Shall I let you into a secret?

Yeah.

I'm not the Virgin Mary's biggest fan.

No?

No.

I think a few hundred years ago, a cardinal went to see the Pope

and he said, "Have you seen what this guy Christ actually said?"

And the Pope looks at it and goes,

"Let's start talking about his mother. She said nothing."

But she did find it easy, though,

didn't she, ridiculously easy, to get pregnant?

So, I think this is her department, don't you?

Yeah.

Shall we pray to her?

Yeah, please.

Hail, Mary, full of grace.

BOTH: The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb - Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Right... Now, listen.

I need to tell you something very important -

your nan's ill and she's in bed,

and you're not to go up to her until I say so, right?

-Promise me.

-All right.

-All right.

She needs peace.

-Right?

-All right.

BIRD SCREECHES

-My shorts...

-I just told you that -

I don't know how much is going to go in there.

It could be half a month's wages, it could be nothing... Put that down.

Will you get off that? ..Well, no, but whatever it is,

it's not going to be enough to cover the direct debit

and then you're going to charge me,

-and I don't want you to do that.

-They're wet.

Yeah? Well, hopefully, in the future, you'll remember to put them

in the dirty washing, won't you?

-Sorry, I'm trying to get my kids ready for school...

-They're wet.

Yes, I know they're wet.

-I can't go to school with these shorts wet.

-Excuse me.

Sorry. You're just going to have to wear them wet, aren't you?

I can't wear 'em wet! I'll look like a right idiot.

Sorry, I'll have to call you back.

-Mum!

-What are you doing? Get down here.

What do you think you're doing?

Taking Grandma a cup of tea.

But I told you not to go in there, didn't I?

Her head's banging and she needs peace and quiet,

absolute peace and quiet.

Right.

Hey...

Look, it's not your fault. Go on, go in there.

13 weeks till I can claim?

-Yes.

-Sorry.

Well, you said I might be able to get a loan.

It's unlikely, I'm afraid, so if you...

All right, so what do I do?

Well, we'll find you a job, if you just take a seat.

I'm a betting shop manager who stole from her employer -

what kind of chance does that give me?

Well, there are other jobs.

Oh, yeah, I sold 'em! You clocked 'em last time.

I sold them, I got 100 quid and I didn't piss it up a wall

or go down the bingo - I filled the fridge with it.

What do I do?

Well, maybe there are other things that you could sell.

KNOCKING

Hiya. You all right?

-Hiya, Father.

-Is your mum in?

Yeah.

Can I see her?

She's sick.

-I know.

-You know?

Yeah, she phoned me, said she couldn't make the meeting,

so I thought I'd bring it all round.

Um...yeah. I'll give it to her.

There's stuff I said we'd talk about.

No, she's too sick for that.

I'm a priest. I'm used to seeing sick people.

Dead ones, even.

Sorry.

-All right, well, I'll tell her you called.

-Well...

..I brought you these.

What are they?

Er, they're vouchers for the food bank.

We all need a bit of help now and again.

Will you...um...will you go, Father?

It's not what you imagine. They're good people.

-Please, Father, will you...

-They judge no-one - they...

..will you just go?

OK.

If you change your mind...

I won't change my mind.

You'll tell your mam I called in, yeah?

Yeah. She'll be really pleased you called. Thanks.

Sorry I've upset you.

All right.

KNOCKING

Thought you'd be out. I didn't get you a cake.

Where's Mam?

-Out.

-Where?

I don't know. She said, but...

It's Wednesday. I always come round on a Wednesday.

Well, you know what she's like.

All right. You can have her cake.

Did she go to the doctor's?

What?

Did she go to the doctor's?

No.

No? She said she'd go this morning.

-Why?

-She's getting chest pains.

-Why didn't you tell me?

-You live under the same roof as her.

-I thought you'd know.

-Well, I did...I don't.

Can I go for the kids?

No.

Well, we usually pick them up, me and Mam.

Yeah, well, um...

I've got to be there or Mam's got to be there, so...

All right, I'll go with YOU, then. Is that a problem?

No.

-They like it when I go for them.

-Great.

-Summat wrong?

-No, not at all.

SIGHS

Come 'ere, trouble!

Gosh!

-Who's this for?

-Grandma.

She been sick?

Um... A couple of days but she's all right now.

Well, what was it?

Just a bit of a cold.

We can't go in her room.

-What - she went to bed with it?

-Yeah.

-A bit of a cold?

Yes, but she's all right now!

You all right?

Go on, in you get.

Come on.

My coat.

Eh, eh! Where are you going?

What are you... Shush! What are you doing?

I'm taking this up to Nan.

Go on. I'll give it to her. Go in there.

Mam's bag.

Yeah?

What? She took the small one.

Mam's purse.

Where is she?

Upstairs.

Right, kids.

We're, um... We're going to go and see Nan. Can you guys stay here?

Stay here.

Eh!

Come 'ere. Eh, eh! She's dead.

SHE EXHALES AND GASPS

Mum?

How?

I just... I found her like that. Well, not like that, but...dead.

Did you get her a priest?

No.

She'd want a priest.

You know what all that meant to her.

You got his number?

We can't call him yet.

Why not?

Because she gets her pension tomorrow.

What?

I'm skint. No job, no dole, no nothing. I'm...

I need her pension.

-Oh, my God, you...!

-I've got three kids to feed.

That's why you lied to me and said she was out!

Yeah.

You weren't even going to tell me!

Oh, my God!

Please - I don't want the kids to hear.

-When did this happen?

-Mariella...

How long's she been like this?

Please, I don't want the kids to hear, do I? I don't... Three days.

You heartless...

..scheming bitch.

I'm sorry.

Can you leave her with me, please?

-I'm sor...

-Can you leave me alone with my mother? Please?

I'm sorry.

DOOR CLOSES

I'm sorry.

-You took her ring.

-Yeah, but...I didn't sell it.

Look, I didn't sell it. I couldn't sell it. Look. Look, here.

Please, don't say anything, will you, please? Please don't...

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

Who's that for?

My mam.

Um, yeah, I've come to get my mum's pension.

All right. Stick your card in the machine, then.

It'll just ask you for its PIN.

How is she?

Yeah, she's not too good.

Is it her chest?

-What?

-She said last time.

Oh, um...yeah.

She's doing all right now.

Tell her I was asking.

I will.

-Thanks.

-Bye.

RINGING TONE

'Hello. It's Father Michael Kerrigan here.'

It's Christina Fitzsimmons, Rosie's daughter.

She's...died suddenly, Father.

'Christina, I'm so sorry.'

KNOCKING

I'm so sorry, Christina.

Thank you, Father.

I'll miss you, Rosie.

When did she die?

Between ten o'clock last night and ten o'clock this morning, Father,

when I found her.

Would you mind if I lit a candle?

No.

It's easy to forget that Christ is here, giving us strength,

easing our pain.

The candle reminds us of that fact.

She's been dead a few days, Christina.

That's not possible, Father.

I'm sorry, Christina, but, um...

was it her pension?

I don't know what you're talking about, Father.

Christina, we'll need a doctor to certify death.

He'll know she's been dead for days. He'll call the police.

First thing they'll do is check when her pension was last drawn.

When was that?

Did you know that she was having chest pains?

-Yeah.

-Did you know she was having chest pains? Cos I didn't.

-Yes...

-Everyone else knew, but I didn't know!

When was her pension last drawn, Christina?

An hour ago.

Oh, Christina.

SHE SOBS

-Come 'ere.

-Am I going to go to prison, Father?

I don't know.

It's all right.

Will you join me in a prayer?

Our Father...

BOTH: Who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name...

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

What now?

# Tell me what it's like in heaven

# I hope it's kinder than it is down here

# With all the trials and tribulations

# All the worry and living in fear

# Hallelujah

# Hallelujah

# We might be bruised but we're not broken. #