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Rooms Of Experience - Act 3 · Table Read

• 0:04
  Speaker 1: As the case bills momentum, so do Dana's doubts. Every
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: piece of evidence paints a different picture than the one
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: in her file, a mother who gave everything, who could
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: have hidden her crime but didn't, who spent decades trying
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: to protect her son from a system that repeatedly failed
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: families like hers. Dana speaks with witnesses who've lived the
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: same story, caregivers of disabled family members, experts who've seen
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: institutional abuse firsthand. These aren't just character witnesses for Ada.
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: They're witnesses to a broken system, a kind of system
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Ada feared would swallow her son the moment she was gone.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: Act three, Interior courtroom, Day Corta's in session. Ada on
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: the stand to resume her testimony.
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: Ada, in your own words, can you tell us what
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: happened the night of April twenty fourth of this year.
• 0:58
  Speaker 3: It had been a good day, as close to perfect
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: a day as could get for us, no miltdowns, no outbursts.
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: The rain had held off till evening, so Teddy was
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: able to lie in the garden, feel the sun on
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: his face.
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: Insert flashback montage. Teddy lies on his back in the garden.
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: Ada watches him from the doorway. Ada runs a bath
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: for Teddy hours bubble bath into the tub. Teddy enters
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: the bathroom. He wears a robe. Ada brings Teddy a
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: dish of ice cream. Teddy gets into bed, Ada tucks
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: him in, sits next to him, checks her watch. Ada
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: picks up a cloth hood from the nightstand. Ada connects
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: a tube to the helium tank, turns a valve on
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: the tank. Ada sits on the bed with Teddy, holds
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: his hand. Ada checks Teddy's pulse, strokes his hair, and
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: kisses his cheek. Then lays her head on his chest
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: and sobs. Ada removes the yellow balloon from a package
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: and uses the tank to fill it. Back to scene.
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: Ada, by your own admission, you're telling us you took
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: your son's life.
• 2:15
  Speaker 4: Why did you do it?
• 2:17
  Speaker 3: About a year ago, I read an article about a
• 2:21
  Speaker 3: woman who lived with her eighty four year old mother,
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: just the two of them. The woman was deaf, blind,
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: and mentally disabled. Her mother had taken care of her
• 2:35
  Speaker 3: for so many years, just like Teddy and me. When
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: the mother died at home, the woman crawled around on
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: the floor over her mother's dead body, looking.
• 2:48
  Speaker 4: For food and water.
• 2:50
  Speaker 3: Before before she was finally found a week later. She
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: was so traumatized they had to put her into the hospital.
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: All I could think was that was that that could
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: have been Teddy, all alone, unable to even walk out
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: the front door for help.
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: But Ada, there are State Hospital's residential living facilities. Why
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: didn't you just find somewhere else for him to go?
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: Sixty five years Teddy lived in that house with me.
• 3:29
  Speaker 3: He knew every spot where the floor creaked, exactly how
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: long it took the toaster to pop up when it
• 3:37
  Speaker 3: was time to plant the strawberries. That was his home,
• 3:42
  Speaker 3: his sanctuary. It was where he belonged, where he felt secure,
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: even happy. How could I take all that away from him?
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: Her voice breaks, but she keeps going.
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: Where else in the world would they let him play
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: piano at two o'clock in the morning if he woke
• 4:03
  Speaker 3: up from a bad dream. Where would they let him
• 4:09
  Speaker 3: lie in the dirt and take comfort from the earth.
• 4:16
  Speaker 4: Where would they.
• 4:19
  Speaker 3: Hold him and stroke his hair and tell him how
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: beautiful he was, how truly beautiful?
• 4:29
  Speaker 4: Where would he be safe?
• 4:32
  Speaker 3: Where?
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: Just where is that place? A jerror fumbles for a tissue.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: Alexis waits a moment before continuing.
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: Ada, did you also plan to take your own life
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: that day?
• 4:49
  Speaker 3: I did.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: What stopped you.
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: I had to tell our story.
• 4:56
  Speaker 5: I couldn't bear.
• 4:57
  Speaker 3: Anyone thinking I took my son's life because I didn't
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: love him, or because I thought he was a burden,
• 5:05
  Speaker 3: or I was tired of taking care of him, even
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: when I was exhausted and sad and I couldn't understand
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: what Teddy needed. Never, for a moment did I ever
• 5:17
  Speaker 3: wish he wasn't my son.
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: Tears fall freely down her face.
• 5:25
  Speaker 3: I'm not saying I never wished he didn't have autism.
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: I wish that a lot, especially when he was young.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: It's only human to feel that way. You never expect
• 5:42
  Speaker 3: you to have a child with a disability. It catches
• 5:46
  Speaker 3: you completely off guard, changes the way you think about everything.
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: I hated watching Teddy's struggle.
• 5:55
  Speaker 3: He had so much to offer the world and would
• 5:59
  Speaker 3: never get the chance.
• 6:00
  Speaker 4: It made me so angry.
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: It was so unfair. But having Teddy in my life,
• 6:08
  Speaker 3: even with autism, it's always what I would choose over
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: never having had him at all. How empty my life
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: would have been without him.
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: Ada looks out into the gallery. In the front row,
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: she sees her twenty four year old self with infant
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: Teddy in her arms as she coos to him and
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: lulls him to sleep and brings him to her chest,
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: kisses the top of his head, breathes deep in contentment.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: Alexa steps closer to Ada, puts her hand on the
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: rail of the witness box.
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: Ada, On the day you took your son's life, did
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: you believe at that moment what you were doing was wrong?
• 6:57
  Speaker 6: No?
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: Thank you, Ada, No more questions, your witness. She walks
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: back to her seat. Dana stands, straightened her jacket, steps
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: around to the front of the prosecution table.
• 7:14
  Speaker 7: Just so we're perfectly clear, missus Wells, did you kill
• 7:17
  Speaker 7: your son?
• 7:21
  Speaker 3: Yes?
• 7:23
  Speaker 5: And do you believe killing a person is wrong.
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: Under most circumstances, Yes.
• 7:32
  Speaker 7: But not in your circumstance because you didn't think your
• 7:35
  Speaker 7: son could adapt to living anywhere else, a theory which you.
• 7:39
  Speaker 5: Could have easily tested while he was still.
• 7:41
  Speaker 7: Alive, but you chose not to without exploring any other options.
• 7:46
  Speaker 7: You planned and carried out the manner of your son's death.
• 7:50
  Speaker 7: You murdered your son because you alone decided that your
• 7:53
  Speaker 7: son's life would be worthless without She.
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: Exterior at his house day flashback nineteen ninety, Ada in
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: her mid fifties, stands on the front porch, the door
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: wide open in the early morning. The air is still,
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: the street quiet. She motions with her hand, Oh.
• 8:10
  Speaker 3: Come, come, look, Teddy, it's so beautiful after the rain.
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: No movement from inside.
• 8:19
  Speaker 3: Please, Teddy, I promise nothing bad will happen.
• 8:22
  Speaker 4: You're all grown up now you can do it.
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: Teddy, around thirty years old, appears in the doorframe.
• 8:29
  Speaker 5: That's it.
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: Come see the red bud tree. It's bursting with flowers.
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: She points towards the front yard. Teddy peers out in curiosity,
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: but does not step outside.
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: Please Teddy, just one step. I promise you'll be safe.
• 8:50
  Speaker 3: I'll be right here with you always.
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: Teddy hesitates, slides one foot a few inches forward. Suddenly
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: the stillness is broken by the thudt out of a
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: newspaper against the wooden port railing. A boy on a
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: bicycle whizzes down the sidewalk. A second later, an avalanche
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: of sounds of irregular day, the wail of a siren,
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: a barking dog, a door slams, a baby cries. Teddy
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: lets a cry of distress, claps his hands over his ears.
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: He sinks to the floor, rocks back and forth. Ada
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: rushes inside interior Ada's front hallway continuous. Ada quickly but
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: softly closes the door behind her. Teddy, still on the floor,
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: hits the back of his head against the wall. His
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: cries of distress continue. Ada, in tears, runs past him,
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: returns a second later with a well worn but soft
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: plush blanket. She slides down next to Teddy, rubs the
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: blanket on his arm and cheek.
• 9:45
  Speaker 3: I am so sorry. I'm so sorry.
• 9:48
  Speaker 4: I won't ever ask.
• 9:50
  Speaker 3: You that again. I'm so sorry, Teddy, I should have
• 9:54
  Speaker 3: known better. Please forgive me. I'm sorry.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: Oh, I'm so sorry. She rocks with him as she
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: soothes him with a blanket. Interior courtroom, day Ada looks out,
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: lost in thought and turns directly to Dana.
• 10:11
  Speaker 3: All I can say to you, who is Everything I've
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: done in the past sixty five years was what I
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: believed to be in the best interest of my son
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: for our situation.
• 10:27
  Speaker 4: No one in this room can truly know what that was.
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: I realize, though, that you still have to judge me
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: from a place of law or maybe your own personal feelings,
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: because that's what keeps order and helps you make sense
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: of something like this. I never thought Teddy's life had
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: any less worth, any less meaning, because he had autism.
• 10:59
  Speaker 3: What I it wounded me in a way I could
• 11:03
  Speaker 3: never make you understand, but I wouldn't change it.
• 11:09
  Speaker 4: It's all right.
• 11:10
  Speaker 3: You do what you need to do. It doesn't matter
• 11:14
  Speaker 3: what happens to me. I just want you to see
• 11:19
  Speaker 3: we all have our own peace to make in this world,
• 11:23
  Speaker 3: however we may find it.
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: Dana is silent.
• 11:32
  Speaker 5: Counselor no further questions.
• 11:35
  Speaker 4: The defense rests, your honor.
• 11:37
  Speaker 8: Does the prosecution wish to call any rebuttal witnesses, Yes,
• 11:41
  Speaker 8: your honor.
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: Then we'll resume after lunch. Dismissed. Raps are gavel.
• 11:55
  Speaker 5: By the way I think.
• 12:07
  Speaker 8: Them.
• 12:07
  Speaker 9: When you're ready.
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: I just didn't want to be discussing, okay.
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: Interior Courthouse, Attorney conference room day. Gina opens a bag,
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: takes out food. Alexa sits at the table, reviews notes.
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: Ada stands at the window, looks down on the crowd
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: of demonstrators below.
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: All those years, barely anyone knew I even existed.
• 12:38
  Speaker 4: Now, look at all the fuss you made people think, Ada,
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: that's never a bad thing.
• 12:44
  Speaker 3: Did I ever tell you about Teddy's art.
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: The drawings in his room.
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: Oh, to most people, they probably look like nonsense, but
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: they were his way of expressing himself. They represent how
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: he saw the world and how he saw himself in it.
• 13:06
  Speaker 3: I understood that every time something upset him, he would draw.
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: It's how he worked through it.
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: The chance of the protests wafted up. Ada gazes out
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: squints against the bright sun.
• 13:20
  Speaker 3: But no amount of drawing could ever make the world
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: a safe place for him. I did try, but I
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: couldn't make it safe for him either. So making our
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: home his sanctuary was all I could think to do.
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: She coughs, gets louder and more insistent. Gina and Alexis
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: exchange glances. Gina brings Ada a box of tissue.
• 13:50
  Speaker 4: Here, Ada, why don't you come sit down, have something
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: cold to drink.
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: She ushers Ada over to the table in the courtroom.
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: Day court is back in session.
• 14:03
  Speaker 5: The state calls doctor Monique Ogden.
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: Doctor Ogden late forties, stylish appearance, walks with authority, enters
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: the courtroom, sits in the witness box. The bailiff approaches,
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: Please raise your right hand, do you square refirm to
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: tell the truth?
• 14:17
  Speaker 4: The whole truth and nothing but the truth.
• 14:19
  Speaker 7: I do your honor, Doctor Ogden is testifying.
• 14:23
  Speaker 5: As an expert in the field of autism.
• 14:25
  Speaker 8: Please state your qualifications, Doctor Ogden.
• 14:28
  Speaker 5: Certainly your honor.
• 14:29
  Speaker 6: I hold a PhD in childhood development with a postgraduate
• 14:32
  Speaker 6: work at Harvard School of Medicine. My educational expertise is
• 14:36
  Speaker 6: in the areas of developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology. I
• 14:40
  Speaker 6: am the director of the Autism Clinic at the University
• 14:43
  Speaker 6: of California, Santa Barbara and former co director of the
• 14:45
  Speaker 6: Marcus Autism Neurodevelopment Center in Atlanta. Additionally, I am a
• 14:50
  Speaker 6: professor of child in adolescent Psychiatry. I have worked with
• 14:53
  Speaker 6: children with autism and their families for almost thirty years.
• 14:57
  Speaker 8: The court is satisfied, doctor Ogden, has I've met the
• 15:00
  Speaker 8: requirements of Rule seven two. Any objections from the defense, No,
• 15:06
  Speaker 8: your honor, You may proceed.
• 15:09
  Speaker 5: Doctor Ogden.
• 15:10
  Speaker 7: Kid a person with severe autism, such as Theodore Wells,
• 15:15
  Speaker 7: learn to adapt to a new environment after spending his
• 15:17
  Speaker 7: entire life in the same house with the same caretaker.
• 15:20
  Speaker 6: Yes he could, It would take some special consideration. Someone
• 15:26
  Speaker 6: to get to know him and how he communicates. Before
• 15:28
  Speaker 6: his mother was gone, along with recreating a similar environment
• 15:31
  Speaker 6: and routine in his new living space. But it most
• 15:34
  Speaker 6: certainly could be done. People with low functioning autism navigate
• 15:39
  Speaker 6: their world almost like a movie with no sound trick.
• 15:42
  Speaker 6: They don't want their routine broken because they are unsure
• 15:44
  Speaker 6: how to restore the track. It would take some time,
• 15:47
  Speaker 6: but with intense therapy, I'm sure it would not only
• 15:51
  Speaker 6: be possible, but a highly successful transition in which he
• 15:54
  Speaker 6: could thrive.
• 15:55
  Speaker 5: Just so I have it straight.
• 15:56
  Speaker 7: In your expert opinion as it relates to this case,
• 16:00
  Speaker 7: Theodore Wells could have adjusted to living in a new
• 16:03
  Speaker 7: home without his mother as this caretaker and lived in
• 16:05
  Speaker 7: equally fulfilling.
• 16:06
  Speaker 6: Life in my expert opinion, yes, thank you, doctor Ogden,
• 16:13
  Speaker 6: your witness.
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: Alexis smiles in anticipation. Dana returns to her table while
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: Alexis remains seated.
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: Doctor Ogden, do you work with many older autism patients?
• 16:25
  Speaker 5: I have worked with them.
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: Yes, the keyword there was many. Almost all of your
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: work is with children, isn't that correct?
• 16:35
  Speaker 5: Children and teenagers.
• 16:36
  Speaker 4: Yes, you don't have a child with autism, do you?
• 16:41
  Speaker 10: No?
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: I do not have you personally as an autism expert. Ever,
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: come across a case such as this, a man with
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: severe autism being removed from his only home, his only
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: family member, after six and a half decades and continuing
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: to thrive.
• 16:58
  Speaker 6: I don't have any personal experience with the case exactly
• 17:01
  Speaker 6: like this.
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: Have any of your colleagues, I'm not certain. I would
• 17:06
  Speaker 4: have to check convenient.
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: How about any case studies read any of those sixty
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: five years, same home, same caretaker, moved him and he
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: was fine, anything like that.
• 17:24
  Speaker 6: There have been some similar situations.
• 17:26
  Speaker 4: Really similar.
• 17:28
  Speaker 6: How I've worked with adults with autism after they were
• 17:32
  Speaker 6: removed from their family homes.
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: You have how old were these adults?
• 17:37
  Speaker 6: To my recollection, the oldest was twenty three.
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: Dana bites the inside of her lip. A low murmur
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: is heard through the courtroom.
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: Twenty three. That's not quite sixty five, is it?
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: Did these patients of yours still have living family members, parents, siblings,
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: loved ones to visit, monitor their care, take them home
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: for visits and holidays.
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: I'm not sure.
• 18:00
  Speaker 4: You're not sure. Weren't these your patients?
• 18:03
  Speaker 5: Doctor objection asked and answered.
• 18:07
  Speaker 4: I'll allow it.
• 18:08
  Speaker 6: Please answer the question, doctor, reflecting back, Yes, they had
• 18:13
  Speaker 6: family who visited, so.
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: Even with all your expertise, you can't say with any
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: degree of certainty that Teddy Wells would have been just fine.
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: You can't say that he wouldn't have been utterly traumatized
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: by the sudden upheaval in his life, unable to respond
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: or communicate.
• 18:28
  Speaker 4: In any meaningful way.
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: You don't know, because you've never come across a single
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: case study even remotely like Teddy's.
• 18:36
  Speaker 4: Have you?
• 18:37
  Speaker 6: I can't say definitively, but based.
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: On Alexa stands, leans across the table and interrupts the
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: doctor with force.
• 18:43
  Speaker 4: Just answer the question yes or no?
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: Doctor, do you have any actual experience with the case
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: as extreme as this?
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: No, Alexis gives a dismissive wave of her hand sits
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: back in her seat.
• 18:57
  Speaker 4: That's what I thought. I'm through with this witness redirect.
• 19:01
  Speaker 8: No, your honor, you may step down, doctor Argudon.
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: She quickly leaves the courtroom. Dana does not look at her.
• 19:07
  Speaker 8: Does the State wish to call any further witnesses?
• 19:10
  Speaker 5: The State rests, your honor.
• 19:12
  Speaker 8: Courts journed. We will reconvene at nine am tomorrow for
• 19:16
  Speaker 8: closing arguments.
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: The judge wraps her gavel. People gather their belongings and
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: file out. The noise level rises. Dana stays seated. Carter
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: speaks to her, but she isn't listening. She notices Ada
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: looking at her and holds her gaze and turns away
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: when she realizes Carter is talking. Exterior Dana's car moving night.
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: Dana drives slowly down a residential street. She stops in
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: front of Ada's house turns off her lights. Interior Dana's
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: car night. Dana stares at Ada's house. Light shines from
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: a front window. Ada appears at the window, looks out
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: into the night. The house goes dark. Dana sits for
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: a moment and drives away. Interior cor day. The room
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: is packed, everyone in position except the judge. People fan themselves.
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: Dana dabs discreetly at her forehead and upper lip with
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: a tissue. Ada does not look well. The judge enters
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: takes her seat.
• 20:14
  Speaker 4: All rise, the cord is noun such.
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: Everyone rises.
• 20:17
  Speaker 8: Good morning, he settled. As there are no more witnesses,
• 20:22
  Speaker 8: we will proceed to closing statements, beginning with the prosecution.
• 20:26
  Speaker 8: Are you ready to begin, missus jeffries.
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: Dana remains standing as the rest of the room sits.
• 20:31
  Speaker 5: Yes, Your honor.
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: Dana turns to address the jury.
• 20:35
  Speaker 7: Ada Wells committed murder. She told you so, right here
• 20:39
  Speaker 7: in this very courtroom. She searched the internet, gathered the
• 20:43
  Speaker 7: equipment she needed, selected the day, and killed her son.
• 20:47
  Speaker 7: And no matter what the reasoning was behind it, no
• 20:50
  Speaker 7: matter how sorry you may feel for her and what
• 20:53
  Speaker 7: she has been through in her life, remember that she
• 20:57
  Speaker 7: had a choice, and that choice was murder her. When
• 21:01
  Speaker 7: you cut through all the emotion, all the heartbreak, you're
• 21:05
  Speaker 7: still left with murder, plain and simple, and that is
• 21:08
  Speaker 7: what you must find Ada Wells guilty of. Thank you.
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: She steps back as Alexis comes around the defense table.
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: Some Buddhist teachings justify taking human life on the grounds
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: of compassion in dire circumstance. One text says taking life
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: is unreprehensible when it develops from a virtuous thought.
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: Ada's only thought was.
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: That her son should die at peace, in the only
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: place and what the only person he'd ever known, comforted
• 21:38
  Speaker 2: and secured in her love, rather than lost and confused
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: alone amongst strangers. There was no malice, no deceit, no
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: attempt to cover up what she had done, because there
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: was no crime committed on the day Ada took Teddy's life,
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: she believed fully and completely that what she was doing
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: was not wrong. In her mind, she was taking care
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: of her son, just as she always had. John Steinbeck wrote,
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: there are those among us who live in rooms of
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: experience that you and I can never enter.
• 22:16
  Speaker 4: Ada Wells lived with her son in such.
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: A room, a room where none of us have ever been,
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: for sixty five years, not because she had to, not
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: out of obligation, but out of love. And her final
• 22:32
  Speaker 2: act for her son was out of love too.
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: She takes a moment to let that connect, returns to
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: her seat.
• 22:40
  Speaker 5: Ever rebuttal your honor, the.
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: Judge nod Stana Stands steps right up to the journey.
• 22:45
  Speaker 7: I don't think anyone here doubts that Ada Wells loved
• 22:49
  Speaker 7: her son.
• 22:50
  Speaker 5: That's not in question.
• 22:52
  Speaker 7: But Ada Wells isn't on trial for loving her son.
• 22:55
  Speaker 7: She is on trial for killing him. Ado Wells thought
• 22:58
  Speaker 7: her son would be better off dead if she were
• 23:00
  Speaker 7: not around to take care of him.
• 23:02
  Speaker 5: But that was not her decision to make.
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: Sorry, Ada Wells is on trial for not loving.
• 23:14
  Speaker 7: For great I don't think anyone here doubts that Aida
• 23:24
  Speaker 7: Wells loved her son.
• 23:25
  Speaker 5: That is not in question.
• 23:27
  Speaker 7: But Ada Wells isn't on trial for not loving her son.
• 23:31
  Speaker 7: She's on trial.
• 23:32
  Speaker 5: For killing him.
• 23:34
  Speaker 7: Adowell thought her son would be better off dead if
• 23:36
  Speaker 7: she were not around to take care of him, but
• 23:39
  Speaker 7: that was not her decision to make. Missus Wells had
• 23:43
  Speaker 7: cared for her son all by herself, and maybe that
• 23:46
  Speaker 7: was part.
• 23:46
  Speaker 5: Of the problem.
• 23:47
  Speaker 7: Maybe by not seeking out others to share her burden,
• 23:50
  Speaker 7: she in fact created the very situation she felt she
• 23:53
  Speaker 7: only had one solution, killing her own son. Missus Wells
• 23:59
  Speaker 7: told us that there was no one else, no family,
• 24:03
  Speaker 7: no one who would care for Teddy as she did.
• 24:06
  Speaker 7: And you know, and maybe in the first few years
• 24:07
  Speaker 7: of Teddy's life that was true, But now there are
• 24:11
  Speaker 7: numerous organizations, agencies, schools, therapy centers, assisted living facilities. Any
• 24:17
  Speaker 7: number of these places would have taken Teddy in, given
• 24:20
  Speaker 7: him the care and attention he needed, and even given
• 24:23
  Speaker 7: her some of her life back in the process. Sadly,
• 24:27
  Speaker 7: Ada Wells had no trust, no faith in these systems
• 24:31
  Speaker 7: based on what her intuition.
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: Sweeps her arm in AIDA's direction.
• 24:36
  Speaker 7: And that gave her the right to decide her own
• 24:38
  Speaker 7: child would be better off dead and perhaps if she
• 24:43
  Speaker 7: had just let go of struggling alone and simply asked
• 24:46
  Speaker 7: for help, none of us would.
• 24:48
  Speaker 5: Be here today.
• 24:50
  Speaker 7: I have no doubt it was frightening for missus Wells
• 24:53
  Speaker 7: to think of leaving her son to the care of strangers.
• 24:56
  Speaker 5: But where then, do we draw the line?
• 24:58
  Speaker 7: At what point do we make the distinction of whether
• 25:00
  Speaker 7: or not a life is worth living?
• 25:03
  Speaker 5: Worth continuing?
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: Takes a quick breath, keeps going.
• 25:07
  Speaker 7: We talk about quality of life as though it takes
• 25:10
  Speaker 7: a certain amount of it for life to be justified.
• 25:14
  Speaker 7: Teddy Wells had music, he had art, he had his garden,
• 25:18
  Speaker 7: and by AIDA's own account.
• 25:20
  Speaker 5: He was happy.
• 25:22
  Speaker 7: This is a life that had value. Don't you think
• 25:25
  Speaker 7: if Teddy could have spoken, he would have said the same?
• 25:29
  Speaker 5: Be his voice and return with the verdict of guilty.
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: She sits down the judge's instructions to the jury. Drone
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: in the background. Exterior Dana's office.
• 25:38
  Speaker 4: Day.
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: Dana stands on the doorway, glances around at her books,
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: her degree, her pictures. She walks to her desk, opens
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: a bottom drawer, sifts her hand through the collection of
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: unopened letters. Interior Dana's home office.
• 25:53
  Speaker 3: Night.
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: Dana sits at her desk in near darkness, still in
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: work clothes, but for once they are wrinkled and in disarray.
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: A spot of light from a lamp illuminates one of
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: the colored envelopes, open with a letter and small picture
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: next to it. Ethan pokes his head in. It's late.
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: Dana gathers up the letter and the picture. Yeah, I'll
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: be there in a little bit.
• 26:14
  Speaker 9: Okay, Dana, Yes, you could talk to me. There isn't
• 26:22
  Speaker 9: anything you could tell me that will make me love
• 26:24
  Speaker 9: you less. You're safe with me, you know that, right,
• 26:29
  Speaker 9: Sometimes you just have to let go and trust someone.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: She does not respond. He waits, gives a small sigh,
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: walks away. She lifts her hand off the picture, looks
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: down at it. Interior Dana's home office day. Dana sits
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: in the same spot as the sun comes up. Interior
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: Ata's house, front hallway. A knock on the front door.
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: Ada enters from the kitchen, her movements labored. She opens
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: the door to find Dana on the porch, dressed us earlier.
• 27:02
  Speaker 5: You don't have to speak with me.
• 27:04
  Speaker 7: In fact, I shouldn't be here, and this will probably
• 27:07
  Speaker 7: so likely get.
• 27:07
  Speaker 4: Me dispar.
• 27:09
  Speaker 3: Is the verdict in.
• 27:12
  Speaker 5: No, this isn't about the case.
• 27:16
  Speaker 4: Oh, come in.
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: Ada unlocks the screen door, pushes it open. Interior Ada's
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: kitchen day. Dana sits at the table. Ada pulls a
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: whistling kettle off the stove, crosses to the table, and
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: pours water for tea. Her hand shakes noticeably.
• 27:34
  Speaker 3: You know, for years the medical community said I didn't
• 27:37
  Speaker 3: love my son enough, and that's what caused his autism.
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: You're the first person who ever accused me of loving
• 27:47
  Speaker 3: him too much. I am. You may have been right
• 27:54
  Speaker 3: in a way. I had held on for so long.
• 27:58
  Speaker 3: I didn't know how to let go. Doctors always talked
• 28:03
  Speaker 3: about Teddy like he was broken and needed to be fixed.
• 28:08
  Speaker 3: I was afraid of what that meant. I really did
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: believe I was the only one who could ever truly
• 28:15
  Speaker 3: care for him and know what he needed.
• 28:20
  Speaker 5: And so you just accepted it. It was it was
• 28:23
  Speaker 5: just that easy.
• 28:24
  Speaker 3: Oh No, it was never easy. I was depressed. I
• 28:29
  Speaker 3: was angry. Sometimes, after Teddy would finally fall asleep, I
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: would scream into a pillow until I had nothing left.
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: I was angry at my husband for not even trying
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: to understand, angry at my family for not being there
• 28:49
  Speaker 3: for me. I wondered what I had done to deserve it.
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: Then I used to feel guilty until I realized none
• 29:00
  Speaker 3: if it was a reflection on who I was as
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: a person or my ability to be a good mother.
• 29:07
  Speaker 7: Did you ever have any doubts about your feelings for Teddy?
• 29:13
  Speaker 3: My sister asked me once if I found it difficult
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: to love Teddy. I told her, it's only the disability
• 29:22
  Speaker 3: you struggle to embrace, not the child.
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: Dana removes the colored envelope from her purse, opens it.
• 29:29
  Speaker 7: I asked my parents never to send anything after I left,
• 29:32
  Speaker 7: but they did frequently all these years.
• 29:37
  Speaker 5: I never opened any of them, though I don't know why.
• 29:41
  Speaker 3: I didn't know.
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: Dana takes the picture out of the envelope.
• 29:45
  Speaker 7: I told them after I left, I never wanted to
• 29:47
  Speaker 7: talk about it.
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: She pushes the picture across the table to Ada, picks
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: it up close on a school picture of a little girl.
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: She's about eight years old and has Down syndrome. Ada
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: studies the picture, then looks at Dana, this is your child.
• 30:05
  Speaker 7: I mean, I haven't seen her in almost eight years,
• 30:07
  Speaker 7: since she was five months old. She was born with
• 30:11
  Speaker 7: a hole in her heart. Was coming for babies with
• 30:13
  Speaker 7: Down syndrome. The pregnancy wasn't planned. I was twenty nine
• 30:18
  Speaker 7: and my fiancee, Chris had started his career, and I
• 30:21
  Speaker 7: was just about done with law school.
• 30:26
  Speaker 5: Those first few months were.
• 30:27
  Speaker 7: Just a blur doctor's appointments and tests and people constantly
• 30:32
  Speaker 7: in and out. I was still trying to study in
• 30:35
  Speaker 7: the midst of all of it so I could graduate,
• 30:38
  Speaker 7: pretending I could keep it all together and that was
• 30:41
  Speaker 7: and that everything was just perfect.
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: Danna takes a sip of tea.
• 30:48
  Speaker 7: Chris was so thrilled to be a dad. He was
• 30:51
  Speaker 7: an only child, adopted and a family was everything to him.
• 30:56
  Speaker 7: He didn't seem at all concerned about her disability. She
• 30:58
  Speaker 7: was just his beautiful little girl, and it made me
• 31:03
  Speaker 7: feel like something was wrong with me for feeling so cheated.
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: Insert hospital room flashback. Dana stands in a back corner
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: of the room. Her fiancee, Chris early thirties, bends over
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: the bed strokes the hair of a baby girl as
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: a nurse removes wires and tubes from her. A doctor
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: speaks to Dana and Chris. Chris nods at the doctor.
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: Dana stares off into space. Choose a nail. The nurse
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: smiles at Chris and wheels the baby out of the room.
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: Chris and the doctor follow. Dana remains rooted. She looks
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: around the room at all the cards, flowers, and stuffed animals.
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: Her gaze lifts to a floating bouquet of get well balloons.
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: Dana crosses over to the window, takes a small stuffed cat,
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: and walks out back to scene. Dana stares into her cup.
• 31:52
  Speaker 7: I sat there in the waiting room while she was
• 31:54
  Speaker 7: having surgery and thought, maybe she'll die, Maybe she'd be
• 31:59
  Speaker 7: better off, maybe I'd be better off. Like what kind
• 32:03
  Speaker 7: of person has those thoughts about their own baby. I
• 32:07
  Speaker 7: wasn't worthy of being a mother, and I felt guilty
• 32:11
  Speaker 7: and ashamed and lost. I was angry at myself and
• 32:15
  Speaker 7: angry at Chris because he seems so unaffected by it all,
• 32:18
  Speaker 7: and I really needed someone to talk to, like someone
• 32:23
  Speaker 7: it would tell me it was okay to feel this way, someone.
• 32:27
  Speaker 5: Who went and judge me for wanting back the life
• 32:29
  Speaker 5: i'd lost.
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: Daniel looks up at Ada, but.
• 32:33
  Speaker 5: I didn't have that, so I just walked out.
• 32:37
  Speaker 7: I walked out of that hospital, and I never went back,
• 32:40
  Speaker 7: not to see if my daughter survived, not even to
• 32:43
  Speaker 7: see my parents again.
• 32:46
  Speaker 5: I couldn't I couldn't face anyone.
• 32:50
  Speaker 7: I was a coward of failure as a mother, and
• 32:53
  Speaker 7: as far from perfect as I could possibly get. I
• 32:57
  Speaker 7: didn't know how to love my own daughter. And here
• 33:00
  Speaker 7: I've been in court trying to judge you. I'm so sorry, Ada,
• 33:07
  Speaker 7: I don't know why I put you through this. I
• 33:09
  Speaker 7: think I want it so desperately to prove leaving your
• 33:12
  Speaker 7: child to someone else was the right thing to do,
• 33:15
  Speaker 7: because because it meant that I made the right choice too.
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: Ada closes her eyes. Insert continuous. Ada sees herself standing
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: side by side with adult Teddy as he lets a
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: yellow balloon drift up towards the shining sun. Back to scene,
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: Ada opens her eyes looks closely at Dana.
• 33:37
  Speaker 3: There is an enormous sense of loss that comes with
• 33:41
  Speaker 3: being the parent of a child with a disability. It
• 33:44
  Speaker 3: never fades, but in time you learn to live with it.
• 33:50
  Speaker 3: Life grows in and up and around it, even though
• 33:54
  Speaker 3: it waits below the surface and bubbles up just when
• 33:59
  Speaker 3: you thank you for gotten it. But that part of
• 34:03
  Speaker 3: you that feels that pain or confusion or resentment, that's
• 34:10
  Speaker 3: the same part of you that feels love and tenderness
• 34:18
  Speaker 3: and care.
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: She picks up the picture, looks at it, and puts
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: it back on the table and slides it over to Dana.
• 34:25
  Speaker 3: Not all choices are permanent.
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: She removes her hand from the picture and places it
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: on top of one of Dana's.
• 34:31
  Speaker 3: Do you realize in telling me your story? Not once
• 34:35
  Speaker 3: did you ever speak your daughter's name.
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: Dana looks at the picture.
• 34:43
  Speaker 3: Maddie.
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: Dana looks up at her.
• 34:45
  Speaker 5: Her name is Mattie.
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: Her eyes well with tears. Interior Dana's office Day. Dana
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: reads at her desk. She is dressed in court attire.
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: The desk phone rings. She picks it up, listens, I'm
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: on my way down. She hangs up, grabs her briefcase,
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: yells as she hurries out.
• 35:04
  Speaker 5: Carter verdicts in.
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: Her door slam shut. Exterior Ada's backyard Day. The sliding
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: glass door opens from inside. Ada steps out into the
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: brilliant sunshine. Teddy beckons to her from the garden. Interior
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: courtroom day. Everyone is present except for Alexis and Ada.
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: Dana glances over at the empty defence table and checks
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: her watch. Alexis enters the courtroom, walks to the front.
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: Her usual energy is missing.
• 35:32
  Speaker 4: Permission to approach your honor, counselor's approach.
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: Dana joins Alexis in front of the bench. Alexis speaks
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: in a low voice. The judge nods. Dana and Alexis
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: return to their seats. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: thank you for your service. This case has been dismissed,
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: and you are hereby released from duty. There's a murmur
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: about the courtroom. The jurors look at one another, confused,
• 35:59
  Speaker 1: gather themsels to leave. Dana approaches Alexis.
• 36:03
  Speaker 4: When did she die sometime last night?
• 36:07
  Speaker 2: An autopsy's pending, but she'd probably been built for several months.
• 36:11
  Speaker 4: She knew it was her time.
• 36:13
  Speaker 1: Was she alone?
• 36:14
  Speaker 4: Not completely? She was in the garden.
• 36:18
  Speaker 2: I'm glad she had just laid down and went to
• 36:20
  Speaker 2: sleep in a big, hollowed out spot, a little bigger
• 36:23
  Speaker 2: than she was where Teddy used to lay.
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: I just saw her. Alexis gives her a questioning look.
• 36:30
  Speaker 5: I'm sorry I didn't know for you a deal.
• 36:33
  Speaker 1: Alexis nods and walks away. The last jury member steps
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: down from the jury box. Dana calls out, oh wait,
• 36:39
  Speaker 1: She rushes over what was the verdict? Exterior Adi's backyard Day,
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: Ada and Teddy lie side by side in the dirt,
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: hold hands. They watch a yellow balloon lift higher and
• 36:51
  Speaker 1: higher into the blue sky. Exterior Cemetery Day, Alexis and
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: Gina stand by Ada's graveside. A reverend reads from the Bible.
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: Dana approaches, but keeps her distance, stands off to one side.
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: The reverend finishes, the casket lowers into the ground. Alexis
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: and Gina hug. Alexis notices Dana says something to Gina
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: and breaks away. Dana watches as Alexis walks toward her.
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: I was hoping you'd be here. She pulls an envelope
• 37:22
  Speaker 1: out of her purse. She left this for you. Dana
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: takes the envelope from her. Their eyes meet, Take care, Dana,
• 37:31
  Speaker 1: Alexis rejoins Gina. They walk towards a waiting town car.
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: Dana walks over to Ada's grave, takes a flower from
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: a wreath.
• 37:39
  Speaker 5: Best in Peace, Ada.
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: She places the flower atop the casket. Interior Dana's car Day.
• 37:46
  Speaker 1: Dana sits parked in front of Ada's house. There's a
• 37:49
  Speaker 1: moving van in the driveway, A government car parked behind it.
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: She watches mover's load furniture into the van. Interior Ada's
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: living room day. Dana enters from the front hallway, looks
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: around the room. Moving boxes are everywhere, laden with Ada's possessions.
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: She crosses to the piano, picks up a framed photo,
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: close on a photo of young Ada holding Teddy as
• 38:10
  Speaker 1: a toddler, a rare photo of both of them smiling
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: into the camera, sets the picture back on the piano.
• 38:17
  Speaker 1: Walks over to the sliding glass door, looks out of
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: the garden. She opens the door. Exterior backyard continuous. Dana
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: steps out, glances around her eyes land on the hollowed
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: out spot in the garden. She crosses to the spot,
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: kneels down, presses her hand to the earth, closes her eyes.
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: The court appointed administrator for Ada's estate appears in the doorway.
• 38:42
  Speaker 4: Can I help you?
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: Dana stands up, whorls around.
• 38:45
  Speaker 5: I'm from the DA's office.
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: The administrator just stares at Dana. Dana fishes in her purse,
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: produces her credentials.
• 38:52
  Speaker 7: I need to finish some paperwork in regards to the
• 38:55
  Speaker 7: legal proceedings.
• 38:56
  Speaker 5: I won't be long.
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: The administrator a peers at Dana's identification.
• 39:00
  Speaker 3: Take your time, we'll be sorting through this junk for
• 39:03
  Speaker 3: a while.
• 39:03
  Speaker 1: Disappears back inside, Dana follows. Interior living room continues. Dana
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: re enters from the back yard. She takes the photo
• 39:12
  Speaker 1: from the piano, looks at it, and brings it to
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: her chest. She glances around the room one last time,
• 39:18
  Speaker 1: walks to the front door, takes the photo with her.
• 39:21
  Speaker 1: Interior Dana's Home Office Night. Dana sits at her desk,
• 39:25
  Speaker 1: Ada's unopened letter and the framed photograph she took from
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: Ada's house in front of her. She opens the letter
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: and reads. A range of emotions play across her face.
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: She struggles to rein them in. Finally, she can no
• 39:38
  Speaker 1: longer hold back and breaks down sobs as she gets
• 39:41
  Speaker 1: to the end of the letter. Interior Dana's House Foyer Night.
• 39:55
  Speaker 1: The front door opens. Ethan enters, hangs up his jacket.
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: He hears crying, calls out. Dana hurries towards the back
• 40:03
  Speaker 1: of the house. Interior Dana's home office continues. Ethan rushes
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: in kneels in front of Dana's chair, still clutching the letter.
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: She dissolves in his arms. She clings to him. As
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: they sink to the floor, he rocks her close On
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: Dana's laptop screen open to a social media account for
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: Christopher Moreland, there are multiple photos of a man with
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: a young girl with down syndrome. Exterior airport day, Ethan's
• 40:30
  Speaker 1: car pulls up in the departure lane, stops. Ethan exits
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: the driver's side, steps back to the trunk, removes a suitcase.
• 40:37
  Speaker 1: Dana exits the passenger side, stands on the curb. Her
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: hair is loose, flowing, and she is dressed in a
• 40:42
  Speaker 1: sun dressed and sandals. Ethan brings the suitcase to her.
• 40:45
  Speaker 1: They kiss, I love you, I love you too. She
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: takes the suitcase walks into the airport. Interior airplane day.
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: Dana boards the plane, finds her seat, settles her. The
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: flight crew prepares for takeoff. She leans back in her seat,
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: pulls a small stuffed cat out of the pocket of
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: her sweater, pulls it in her lap, closes her eyes
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: as the plane shuttles down the runway. Montage during Ada's
• 41:14
  Speaker 1: voiceover the plane lands. Dana walks through the airport. Dana
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: reunts a car. Dana drives through the suburbs. Dana pulls
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: into the parking lot of a ball field.
• 41:24
  Speaker 3: When you're going to have a baby, It's like planning
• 41:27
  Speaker 3: a fabulous trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of
• 41:32
  Speaker 3: guide books and make your wonderful plans. After months of
• 41:37
  Speaker 3: eager anticipation, the day arrives, you pack your bags and
• 41:41
  Speaker 3: off you go. The stewardess comes in and says, welcome
• 41:46
  Speaker 3: to Holland, Holland. Do you say, what do you mean Holland.
• 41:51
  Speaker 3: I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've
• 41:55
  Speaker 3: dreamed of going to Italy. But there's been a change
• 41:59
  Speaker 3: in the flight. Place They've landed in Holland, and there
• 42:03
  Speaker 3: you must stay. The important thing is they haven't taken
• 42:08
  Speaker 3: you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place. It's just a
• 42:13
  Speaker 3: different place. So you must go out and buy new
• 42:17
  Speaker 3: guide books, and you must learn a whole new language,
• 42:22
  Speaker 3: and you will meet a whole new group of people
• 42:27
  Speaker 3: you would have never met. It's slower paces than Italy,
• 42:32
  Speaker 3: less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for
• 42:37
  Speaker 3: a while and you catch your breath, you look around
• 42:40
  Speaker 3: and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, and
• 42:45
  Speaker 3: Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you
• 42:53
  Speaker 3: know is busy coming and going from Italy, and for
• 42:58
  Speaker 3: the rest of your life you will say, yes, that's
• 43:02
  Speaker 3: where I was supposed to go, and the pain of
• 43:06
  Speaker 3: that will never ever ever go away, because the loss
• 43:12
  Speaker 3: of that tream is a very significant loss. But if
• 43:16
  Speaker 3: you spend your life warning the fact you didn't get
• 43:20
  Speaker 3: to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the
• 43:24
  Speaker 3: very special, the very lovely things about.
• 43:29
  Speaker 10: Holland exterior ballfield day softball game in progress, Challenger League
• 43:37
  Speaker 10: for children with a range of special needs.
• 43:40
  Speaker 1: Some kids are in wheelchairs, some cannot speak or see,
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: but everyone is having a great time. Parents in the
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: stands clap enthusiastically. Dana exits the rental car watches the game.
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: A big cheer erupts as a child gets a hit
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: and their buddy pushes the wheelchair to first base. He
• 44:00
  Speaker 1: starts towards the stands behind the backstop. Chris kneels next
• 44:04
  Speaker 1: to Mattie seven. He sees Dana approach, stands up. She
• 44:08
  Speaker 1: gets closer. He puts a protective arm around Mattie. Dana
• 44:12
  Speaker 1: stops a few feet away. Chris speaks to Mattie then
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: walks forward to Dana.
• 44:16
  Speaker 4: I didn't believe your mom when she said you were coming.
• 44:19
  Speaker 4: You have no right to be here, not after all
• 44:21
  Speaker 4: this time. What makes you think you can walk back
• 44:24
  Speaker 4: in here like nothing happened?
• 44:26
  Speaker 5: Something did happen?
• 44:28
  Speaker 4: What does that mean?
• 44:29
  Speaker 3: Why are you here? What do you want?
• 44:32
  Speaker 1: I made a mistake.
• 44:33
  Speaker 7: It's terrible a mistake because I didn't know who I was,
• 44:36
  Speaker 7: and I didn't believe in myself. I didn't think I
• 44:39
  Speaker 7: could be a mother or a good one anyway, so
• 44:41
  Speaker 7: I did what I thought was best for everyone. I
• 44:45
  Speaker 7: failed you, and I failed our daughter.
• 44:48
  Speaker 5: I don't expect you.
• 44:49
  Speaker 4: To forgive me.
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: She spots Mattie running towards.
• 44:51
  Speaker 5: Them, but maybe she can't.
• 44:55
  Speaker 1: Mattie runs up to Chris. Daddy, it's almost my turn. Okay, sweetheart,
• 45:01
  Speaker 1: I'll be right there. Mattie looks at Dana.
• 45:04
  Speaker 6: Hi, who are you here to watch the game.
• 45:09
  Speaker 1: Dana looks at Chris.
• 45:11
  Speaker 4: Would that be all right?
• 45:13
  Speaker 1: Sure?
• 45:15
  Speaker 5: Are you for the home team or the away team?
• 45:18
  Speaker 5: I think home?
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: That's my team. She takes Dana's hand. Come on, I'll
• 45:25
  Speaker 1: show you where to sit. She leans Dana towards the stands.
• 45:29
  Speaker 1: Dana turns to look back at Chris, tears in her eyes.
• 45:32
  Speaker 1: He puts up a hand and shakes his head as
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: if to acquiesce. Makes no move to stop them. That's
• 45:37
  Speaker 1: a really pretty dress.
• 45:38
  Speaker 6: Your hair color is just like mine.
• 45:40
  Speaker 5: Do you have any pets. We have two cats and
• 45:42
  Speaker 5: a hamster.
• 45:43
  Speaker 1: My name's Mattie.
• 45:44
  Speaker 5: What's yours?
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: Chris watches them walk away fade out the end. Yes, emotionals, guy, Yeah,
• 46:03
  Speaker 1: you guys gon't me to.
• 46:07
  Speaker 3: Thank you very much.
• 46:11
  Speaker 7: M