Aisha The Slap

THIS PROGRAMME CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE Rosie's going to press charges.

-THIS PROGRAMME CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE

-You're coming.

-It's difficult.

When Hugo was six weeks old, did you leave him alone in the house

and drive two hours away to a hotel on the Mornington Peninsula?

-I'm sick of everyone excusing that man, just because he's your fucking cousin!

-All right.

I'll never forgive Harry for what he did,

and it's not that slap.

CAR TYRES SCREECH

DOG BARKS

The hearing was over

and that chapter of their lives had closed.

But for Aisha, nothing was settled or resolved.

Instead it was as if dogs were prowling the neighbourhood in the night,

digging up things long buried.

TYRES SCREECH, HORN BLARES

Can somebody help this lady?!

What's going on? What's happening?

Oh, Jesus, Sandi.

-It's OK, it's OK.

-SANDI CRIES HYSTERICALLY

Come on. Let's get you inside.

GUITAR STRUMS

# Sound of their breath fades with the light... #

STRUMS CHORD

-Hey, that's really good.

-Thanks.

# Sometimes when this place gets kind of empty... #

PHONE RINGS OUT

AISHA EXHALES

-Hello?

-Hey, Gary, it's Aish.

How are you?

Rosie's just gone out. I'll tell her you rang.

AISHA SIGHS

Um... Well, I need to speak to her. When do you think she'll be back?

Well, I can't say exactly.

She's there, isn't she?

What? No, she's not. I said I'll give her the message.

OK.

HECTOR CRIES IN DISTANCE

HECTOR CRIES CONTINUOUSLY

HECTOR MOANS

Hector?

HECTOR CRIES CONTINUOUSLY

A postcard from Yiayia. She misses us.

I'm sure she does. Come and eat.

Adam, food!

I made you guys chicken kalia and satini for tonight.

All you gotta do is cook the rice.

Oh, you said we could have pizza.

-"Dear Mel..."

-We'll see, OK?

"..and Adam.

-"This is the Ac... Ac...ropolis."

-Acropolis.

-Get your schoolbag.

-I don't know where my trainers are.

-Why don't you just follow the smell?

-Oh, well.

-AISHA LAUGHS

HIP-HOP BLARES

Mate, turn that crap off. That's not music.

Want a lift?

No, I said I'd drop the keys to Anouk, so I've booked a taxi.

-No, I can take you.

-Oh. OK.

Guys, so I'll be at the conference for two days

and then Dad and I will be having a holiday for the entire weekend.

That's five days.

It'll be over before you know it.

I love you.

Aish!

-Thanks for looking after them.

-It's absolutely fine.

Is it terrible to say that I don't really feel like going?

I've been trying to call you for weeks.

-Oh, I've interrupted you.

-No, no, no.

No, look, I was just going to drop the keys...

It's fine. It's OK, Aish, you can stay.

You're upset with me.

I'm just going to check my emails.

I was worried about you. Are you OK?

I'm just trying to get on with things, you know?

Yeah.

You didn't call me back.

ROSIE SIGHS

I've got to go.

No, no, no, don't go.

You can't leave me with champagne. I'll drink it all.

It's a Friday. If, um...

If you can be there at three o'clock when the kids come?

-The kids'll be fine.

-Yeah.

Try and have fun.

Try and enjoy yourself, OK?

Maybe we could do a coffee when I get back?

Hmm? Yeah.

Aish.

She's still upset.

SHE SIGHS

Aish.

-Hi. Your name, please?

-Aisha Desessard.

Ah, there we are. I'll get you to fill out this form.

Excuse me. Just pop your details down on the form and I'll...

Dr Ramirez, hi, Katie Freedman.

Thank you so much for coming along to our conference.

It's really lovely to meet you.

AISHA SIGHS

This has not been pursued adequately until fairly recently in China.

But the massacre of 50,000 dogs,

in most instances involving beating the dogs to death

is incompatible

with acceptable international standard of animal welfare.

The good news is, in places like Beijing and Guangzhou,

culling's been replaced by neuter-vaccinate-and-release programme.

Eddie Michaels from Dunedin.

Aisha Desessard.

What do you fancy from the trough, Aisha?

Um... I'll have a champagne, thanks.

One champers coming up.

Is this stool taken?

No.

Art.

Aisha.

Hi, Art. I met you in Paris at the OIE wildlife conference.

You were just excellent.

Your presentation is always very stimulating.

There you go, Aisha.

When I saw your name, I had to come and see you again.

Cheers.

You don't have a drink.

-Here's to the conference.

-Yeah.

Uh... You two coming up for a sundowner?

Oh, goody!

Coming up for one drink?

-Come on, we won't bite.

-OK.

-Why not?

Are you Creole?

Well, half.

My mother's Creole and my father's Indian,

which made for a tense wedding.

Have you been back to Mauritius at all?

Twice, but not for a long time.

What were you doing there?

Oh, working on health guidelines with the Mauritian port officials.

There's this huge export business in wild macaques

and they're treated pretty badly.

But otherwise, I thought it was a great country.

It's good, the work that you're doing.

I'm kind of jealous.

When I was doing vet science, I wanted to work with orang-utans in Borneo.

West Kalimantan is like, um... ground zero for them at the moment.

Well, if you're ever in the neighbourhood, take this email address.

My friend runs a rescue centre in Borneo.

She always needs passionate, talented people.

Wow, yeah.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

SHE CHUCKLES

PHONE RINGS

-Hello.

-Hey, it's me, Art.

Hi.

Can I come up to your room for a minute?

Uh...

I'll be right up. I have to show you something.

Oh, OK. OK.

Shit.

COMPUTER RINGS

TOGETHER: Hi, Mum!

Hey! What's happening?

Me and Dad and Adam are making cake.

Um...what does "fold" mean?

I just... I can't work this thing out. Is fold like stir?

It means slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula,

don't just dump them all in at once.

KNOCK AT DOOR OK, um... I've got to go dinner, guys.

-I wish I could send you a...

-Bye!

KNOCK AT DOOR Um...

-OK, bye. Love you. Bye.

-Oh, bye, Mum!

-Bye.

Hi.

Wow, you look amazing.

AISHA LAUGHS

Oh, don't be silly.

I'm not being silly. It's true.

You're the best-looking woman in this conference.

Want a drink?

-Are you hitting the minibar already?

-Yeah.

I'll take a beer, thanks.

One of my few tricks.

I got an email from my friend in Indonesia today.

She's looking for more vets in the field.

And are you going to go?

I think you should go.

AISHA CHUCKLES

I just thought it was a karmic coincidence, given what you told me.

AISHA SIGHS Yeah, it is.

SHE SIGHS AGAIN

You OK?

We should go down, cos, um... I've got to have an early night.

Has the night begun already?

I'm just saying that, um... I need to go to bed early.

You mean early in the morning after we go dancing.

Mmm...maybe.

ART LAUGHS

HECTOR SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY

-Can I get you a drink?

-Um...

HECTOR SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY

WAITRESS LAUGHS

-No worries.

-Thanks.

Ah, flirting while you wait.

AISHA SIGHS

Have you been waiting ages?

No, couple of hours. So how was the conference?

Yeah, it was...good.

-Partying with vets?

-AISHA CHUCKLES

How'd you go with the cake?

Ah, well, let's just say that cake's not my strong suit.

-Kids still ate it.

-I should call them.

Can I get you another drink?

Another one of these and a, um...

..vodka, tonic and fresh lime, please, for my wife.

All right, then.

BACKGROUND LAUGHTER, CHATTER

Hey. We can get a massage down by the lake.

I just booked us a massage.

Come.

Come here.

WHISPERS: I want to fuck you.

What's wrong?

Nothing's wrong.

I just...

I've just been looking forward to this massage.

I'll be down in a minute.

-Can you zip?

-Yeah.

There you go.

Tie that back.

OK.

-Looks nice.

-Thanks.

Thanks.

We'll start with the, um... the barramundi.

-Excellent.

-Great, thanks, mate.

So, uh... Mum had some news.

Oh, you spoke to her?

Yeah, the kids kept asking to ring.

Uh... You know, I think it's a, uh...

I think it's been a disappointing trip for her.

She's perpetually disappointed.

She'd be disappointed if she wasn't disappointed.

They...they just haven't been able to see everyone they thought they would.

All these friends of theirs are sick.

Anyway, the good news is that, um... Sandi's pregnant, 15 weeks.

Oh.

I think she's been trying to call you. Sandi, I mean.

Well, that's good news for her.

-Yeah.

-She'll be relieved.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, she's been trying for ages.

To get pregnant to a cruel, violent man.

Come on, Aish. He's her husband.

Doesn't change the fact.

Well, nobody else is going to say it, are they?

Yeah, well...

Anyway, maybe you should call her, congratulate her, eh?

I'll send a card.

Fuck.

Fuck. You're fucking incredible.

Can't you just give the poor bastard a break?

I'm not going to give him a break. All we do is give him a break.

OK. Can we just have one weekend where we don't fuckin' fight about this?

Well, none of "this" would've happened if we'd done something the last time.

Oh, Jesus Christ, that was nine years ago, Aisha.

And you're still lying for him.

I didn't lie. How many times do I have to fucking tell you I didn't lie!

WHISPERS: Keep your voice down.

You know, we let Rosie get torn to shreds.

She didn't deserve to have all her secrets paraded up there

as if they were public knowledge.

She told me that stuff in confidence.

And yet, Harry got to keep his secret.

Unless Sandi goes up there, it's nothing, it's hearsay.

Her face, that I saw, that you saw? That's not hearsay.

Yeah, well, he's never done it again, so...

How can you keep defending him?

You didn't tell Rosie either, if you're so fucking concerned.

Don't you think I feel absolutely shit about it?

I don't know what the fuck you feel.

Excuse me. Here's the meze board with the local scallop chorba.

The maitre d' tells me it's your anniversary.

Congratulations.

How many years?

-Oh, it's just 16.

-16 years?

-Yeah.

16, hey?

Guess this is what they mean by "for better or for worse".

Well, nothing like putting it out there.

Cheers.

HECTOR CRIES

Hector.

Hector, look, it's fine.

HECTOR SOBS Look, let's just go back to the room.

Hey.

For Christ's sake, stop it.

HECTOR SOBS

Hey, come on, let's go.

HECTOR SIGHS

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

-HE SIGHS

-Oh, I can't breathe.

It's OK.

HE SIGHS AGAIN

Thank you.

HE BLOWS NOISILY

HE SIGHS

Sorry, Aish. Fuck is happening to me?

Oh!

Oh, fuck, I can't live like this.

Do you want a divorce?

What?

Do you want a divorce?

No.

No, Aish, I love you. I don't want to lose you.

-HE SIGHS DEEPLY

-Fuck, I've been so stupid.

Let's just talk about anything you want.

OK.

Can you hold me?

Shh. Shh, shh.

It's OK.

HE SIGHS It's OK.

Oh, Aish.

I fucked up.

I had an affair.

But it's over. It's absolutely finished.

Who?

-Just this girl.

-It doesn't matter. It's over.

-A girl?

-A woman.

How old?

I don't know. 19... 20?

That's a girl.

Uh... Aish, I promise you,

we were only together twice and we never even screwed.

I don't even want to... I don't want to know the details.

I don't know why you're telling me this.

I had to tell you. It was...it was killing me.

What am I supposed to do with it?

Well, I just don't want to lie to you any more.

I just... I don't.

We've been lying to each other for years.

Aisha watched herself as if from afar.

She knew she should have a position,

but the truth was... she didn't even feel jealousy.

Even that door slam had felt affected.

It was chilling how little she felt.

RAIN PATTERS, THUNDER RUMBLES

What's her name?

What, Aish?

Your teenager.

I told you, it's over.

So she doesn't have a name?

HECTOR SIGHS

Yes, she has a name.

It was Angela.

She your type, then, this Angela?

What?

She white?

You said you didn't want the details.

So she's white.

I thought you didn't care.

She's 19. Of course I fucking care!

Where are you going?

Aish? Aish?

Please leave me alone.

I'm sorry. Aish, please stop!

You're going to do it again.

No, I'm not going to see her again.

I mean with anyone.

-Aish.

-Oh!

Aish! Aish!

AISHA CRIES

Stop!

-AISHA SOBS

-Aish, I'm sorry.

AISHA SOBS

AISHA SIGHS

I want to go home.

I need to see my children.

Sometimes I...

I wonder what I would be like if we weren't together...

..who I'd be, without... you and the kids and your family.

You think I don't wonder that too?

Excuse me, Mr and Mrs Sossidis? Your taxi's here.

Thanks.

Hey.

-Mum's here!

-Hello.

Ah! Hi there, my dear.

Ooh!

Mmm, mmm.

-Hello, gorgeous.

-Hi, Mum.

You take my bag? Thank you.

-Hi, Dad.

-Hi, mate. How are you?

Where's that naughty lady?

Hey.

-How was it?

-Oh.

AISHA SIGHS

Well, the kids have been excellent.

Mum, look! What does it say?

Um...it says...

"Mrs Hector Sossidis,

"we missed you all. Love, Yiayia."

Mm-hm.

Mrs Hector Sossidis.

Mum, look what Dad got Rocco for his birthday.

It's Rocco's birthday?

Yeah, on Saturday. It's a pool party. Dad said we're going.

Are you going to see him again?

AISHA SIGHS I don't know.

I mean, he does sound divine.

And after what Hector's done.

Just don't tell him.

Give me some of your cigarettes.

How's Rosie?

-SHE SIGHS

-Better.

Give her a call.

-Thank you.

-Mmm.

My pleasure.

Melissa wants your help.

Claims I lack talent in the hair-rinsing department.

PHONE BEEPS

Please, tell her to stop contacting you.

It's not her.

Aish, I hate this.

Come back.

I'm trying.

I just wish you'd never told me.

It's here now.

I wanted to be honest.

You can shove your honesty up your arse.

Fair enough.

That's honest.

I need space.

AISHA SIGHS

Keep him still.

That's a good boy, Zeus.

OK.

Zeus had two small lumps on his right foreleg.

Brendan removed them.

Oh, well. They've come back.

But they'd be back anyways.

It was flat out on Saturday.

Tried to get Connie to stay back later

but she's on another planet at the moment.

-Think she's seeing someone.

-Oh, that's nice.

Oh, not really.

Caught her on Facebook in the middle of rush

and came in this morning and there's a pile of files on the bench.

-I mean, I don't want to bitch...

-Well, then, don't bitch.

Ah, well, the bloods have anomalies.

My hunch is it's pancreatic cancer.

-I'll book him in for an ultrasound.

-No, they can't afford it.

He's in a lot of pain. COMPUTER BEEPS

What do you want me to do, then?

Um...I'll have a conversation with them.

Mum, can I have another drink?

-Help yourself.

-I was just asking.

Have you rung Sandi yet?

I don't have her number at work.

OK. Can you ring her tonight?

We really should let her know

that we're all coming over this weekend for Rocco's birthday.

You know Sandi.

She'll want to know how many mouths she needs to feed.

Can we talk about this later, please?

Kids are really looking forward to this, aren't you?

This is our family, Aish.

Hector, I'll prefer not to speak about this right now.

Chill out, Mum.

I am chilled. I'm completely chilled.

CAR ENGINE REVS

CAR APPROACHES

Can somebody help this lady?!

Thank you.

Oh!

It's so good to see you.

You too, sweetie.

Here's some little pressies from the Gold Coast.

Hugo will love that.

Thank you.

-How was the anniversary?

-Oh.

I want to hear about you first.

ROSIE SIGHS

We're good. Really good, really happy.

Gary hasn't been drinking the last couple of weeks,

which has been, you know, fantastic.

Um...we've been thinking about having another baby.

-Ooh...

-Yeah, it's like we're back.

Oh, that's so great.

It's funny, you know.

You wake up and everything's changed, just like that.

I'm really glad you called.

I missed you.

I missed you too.

I have to talk to you.

Um...

What is it?

Look, I've known for some time about something which I should have told you.

I tried to after the hearing.

It's...

It's a family matter which...

Hector and his parents thought should stay in the family

-and I respected that at the time.

-Well, just...just say it.

If I thought that it would have affected your case in any way,

I would've told you.

What are you talking about?

He's done it before.

Not to a child.

To who?

To Sandi.

He broke her jaw.

It wouldn't have made any difference

because Sandi would've... she would've denied it.

And I should've told you.

I knew it.

-I'm so sorry.

-I'm not going to...

I'm not going to fuckin' cry.

I'm not going to cry in front of you.

I'm so sorry.

I hate Harry as much as you do.

You don't.

You couldn't possibly.

How can you protect that animal?

I did it for Hector.

Hector's always been a prick.

You feel better now?

You got it off your chest.

Yeah, you feel good?

Hector...

I don't know, they're my... they're my husband's fam...

I don't fucking care!

Rosie...

You ever speak to that man again, I'll never forgive you.

Can we just let it go?

Fuck you!

Fuck you.

Your whole perfect middle-class life. I fucking hate you!

DOOR CLOSES

Hey.

Where are the kids?

Yiayia, I missed you!

-I missed you.

-Yiayia!

I missed you too.

I look all around Ellada and I say, "Where is Melissa?"

-You didn't miss nothing.

-Oh-h.

Where is my Adam?

Where's my Aisha?

I wish you were there too.

KOULA CRIES

Everybody's dying.

We missed you.

I missed you too.

Yia mas.

I'm making the kids strapatsada.

Not "strap-a-sada" - "strapatzada".

Strap-a-tsada.

-I help you.

-I'm sure.

-I help you.

-Go mix the eggs.

-Hey.

-Hi.

Hey.

Oh, hello, gorgeous, hello.

Mwah! Come in, come in.

-Where's Rocco?

-He's upstairs.

Rocco! They're here.

How are you? Hello.

Oh, it is so good to see you. Hello.

Mwah. Aisha. Ah.

Come in, come in, come in.

Koula and Manolis are on their way and Harry's just gone down to the shops.

-Congratulations are in order.

-Thank you.

Hey, check out my tits. Massive!

I'm going to get you!

-Aish, will you have a drink?

-Oh, definitely.

-White?

-That's good.

Hope we get some sun.

Mmm, tell me about it.

Hey, Adam. Come give me a hand.

Sorry that we haven't spoken for so long.

Oh, it's been a shit of a year.

Everything's OK now.

Yeah, I guess.

I might just go check on the boys.

Be back in a sec.

GARAGE DOOR WHIRRS

Aisha, hey.

Shame about the weather, eh?

Listen, um...

I'll be friends with Sandi and your children

for their sake and for Hector's,

I'll come to your house and play the part at your barbecue...

..but I'm never going to forgive you.

Oh, get a life. The hearing's over, OK? You should be satisfied.

I'm talking about what you did to Sandi.

She might have forgotten. I haven't.

CHILDREN LAUGH, CHATTER

Hector was not forgiven, not yet, not inside her.

But Aisha would forgive Hector,

as Hector would forgive her one day.

She knew that.

Maybe that's what marriage was.

At its core, it was negotiation.

It was surrender.