Original subtitles

[sound effect]

[music playing]

[music playing]

[SINGING] Hide.

Reveal.

Hide. Reveal.

Hide. Reveal.

Hide.

Hide.

Hide.

Antidote.

WINSTON'S WIFE: Five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three.

Reveal, hide.

Run, two, three, four.

Reveal, hide.

And run, two, three, four.

Reveal.

Hide.

Now group two, three, four.

Reveal. Hide.

Now tighten it up.

Two, three, four.

Reveal. Hide.

Good.

Run two, three, four.

Reveal.

Hide.

Run, two three, four.

Reveal.

Hide.

And one, reveal.

Hide.

Good.

Reveal-- mind reveal.

Hide.

Step, kick, three, for.

Slow, six, seven, eight.

Now tighten up two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Reveal.

Hide.

Reveal, good.

Hide.

Reveal.

Hide.

And step kick, three, four, turn--five, six, seven, eight.

Now tighten it up, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

And one, two, three, four--

Winston, how nice to see you.

[kiss]

I'm sorry I can't break for lunch.

How'd the market?

[sigh]

I played stronger.

[music playing]

What is it?

[music playing]

Oh, I'm so sorry.

[music playing]

Hide, reveal.

I talked to her just last week.

She wasn't even 60.

Look.

Just give me a couple minutes, OK?

And I'll wrap this up.

WINSTON: You can't-- you can't leave.

I'll, uh--I'll come back right after the funeral.

Kiss the kids for me.

WINSTON'S WIFE: I love you.

[kiss]

[music playing]

HEIDI [VOICEOVER]: If you can't guess, you lose three steps.

[music playing]

You won't ever guess that one.

WINSTON [VOICEOVER]: Put a lid on it.

I'm trying to concentrate.

[horn honking]

HEIDI [VOICEOVER]: You won't ever guess--

Put a lid on it!

I'm trying to concentrate.

What?

What?

WINSTON [VOICEOVER]: Just be quiet!

[music playing]

[loud road noise]

WINSTON: I still can't believe she's gone.

I always thought she was indestructible.

She was in every way that mattered.

[subtle ding]

WINSTON: What time is the service?

10:00 tomorrow morning.

People are coming from all over the state.

[subtle ding]

She touched so many lives.

[phone ringing]

I know.

I was thinking about her driving here.

I was trying to remember the first time I saw her--

HEIDI [VOICEOVER]: You'll never guess.

I know it was on a Friday.

How could I forget that.

I hated Fridays.

If you can't guess, you lose three steps.

WINSTON: Why don't you go into the other room

and have Luellen teach you how to do two things at once?

Like, put your head in an oven and turn on the gas.

You said something.

You said something.

What did you say?

I didn't say anything.

Mommy says you shouldn't whisper behind my back.

A-ha!

It's a toilet paper roller.

HEIDI: All right.

Three steps-- all--

[doorbell ringing]

[LOUDLY] Winston, you can't!

It's against the rules!

Winston! WINSTON: Who is it?

HEIDI: You can't!

That's no fair, Winston!

It's against the rules!

WINSTON: Excuse me? HEIDI: You can't do that!

It's against the rules!

Will you be--

CAROLINE: I'd like to see Mr. Car--

Ow!

Animal!

You know what Mom said about biting.

You're in a lot of trouble, Heidi.

SIMMONS: Easy now, young fellow.

You know what Mom said about biting and scratching--

HEIDI: I can't hear you. I can't hear you.

You know you're not supposed to bite people, Heidi.

I can't hear you!

WINSTON: You know what Mom said about it.

Winston, you hush up now.

Animal.

Sh.

Uh, excuse me.

Who is it, please?

I heard screaming.

Is someone hurt?

Yeah, everything is fine, thank you.

How may I be of help?

CAROLINE: I'm here to see Mr. Carmichael.

SIMMONS: He's not in at the moment.

Did you have an appointment?

CAROLINE: No.

SIMMONS: Well, I suggest you call his office

and arrange one.

Whom may I say called?

[music playing]

This is Caroline.

SIMMONS: May I ask Caroline who?

CAROLINE: Caroline.

Just tell Mr. Carmichael Caroline.

SIMMONS: Very good, Ma'am.

[music playing]

[door opening]

[door closing]

[moaning]

[kiss]

Tell Mommy what Heidi and Winston

did while I was at the Garden Club this afternoon.

Heidi, don't.

Don't now.

Mr. Steve just fixed my hair.

Don't.

I want the scarf.

WINSTON: Mother?

[click]

Winston.

Mommy will give Heidi a scarf of her own.

Yours.

I want yours.

Winston, would you please?

Why haven't you changed out of your school uniform?

You know you're not allowed to play in that.

Caroline came today.

GRACE: Caroline?

Caroline who? - I don't know.

She just said Caroline.

She insisted on seeing Father.

Did Simmons get her last name?

WINSTON: No, she wouldn't give it.

You could wash your hands once in a while.

It wouldn't kill you.

[piano playing]

[crickets chirping]

[doorbell ringing]

SIMMONS: Yes?

Who is it, please?

I'm Caroline.

I'm here to see Mr. Carmichael.

Ah, you're the young woman that called this afternoon.

[piano stops]

Did you arrange an appointment?

CAROLINE: I'm not leaving until I see him.

Where is he?

I must see him.

SIMMONS: Uh, one moment, please.

PAUL: If I can't get controlling interest,

I don't want the company.

I thought that was clear.

Let's not waste any more time on this.

Hold on. Yes, Simmons?

Is there a problem?

SIMMONS: Excuse me, Sir.

But there's a young woman that calls herself Caroline

and insists upon seeing you.

Caroline who?

SIMMONS: She wouldn't say, Sir.

Let me call you back.

Let her in.

SIMMONS: Very good, Sir.

Come in, please.

Hello, Father.

[music playing]

GRACE: Who are you?

How dare you play this cruel joke.

Caroline's dead.

I'm not dead.

I've come home, Father.

[music playing]

Good God.

Listen, I can't think about this now.

I've got some personal things here at home I have to see to.

You send me the numbers.

And if they're-- if they're as you say,

I will finalize it on Monday.

Yes.

Thank you.

Did Simmons take her back to the hotel?

Yes.

And I've arranged for Bradley Phillips to be here tomorrow

morning to question her.

Well, you shouldn't have done that without asking me.

Well, I'm only trying to save time, Paul.

We have to find out who she is.

I could question her by myself.

I don't need a lawyer to tell me if my daughter is--

yes, Winston?

Mother said you'd explain things--

[phone ringing]

--now would be a good time, if it's good for you.

Yes?

Only if it goes up half a point tomorrow.

Ye-- right.

Thanks.

Well, uh-- why don't you get your sister.

And, uh--and we'll talk about it now.

Well, I thought that you and I--

well, I thought it would be the two of us.

Winston, just because Heidi doesn't understand everything

doesn't mean that she's not a part of this family.

Now, I'm sure you would prefer her to be here, wouldn't you?

Go get her, please.

I don't prefer it at all.

I had a daughter in my first marriage.

Her name was Caroline.

She was bright, impulsive, willful, disobedient,

but I absolutely adored her.

She disappeared in a terrible plane accident coming home

her first year in college, coming home for Thanksgiving.

We thought she had been killed.

She was killed, Paul.

PAUL: Well, there was never any proof.

And this girl does look very much

like her, incredibly like her.

Don't you think it's strange that she

appeared just before the deadline to claim

the Atkins' inheritance?

PAUL: Yes, I do.

And I will have that checked out, but--

[sigh]

--there's no point in rejecting this girl out of hand, Grace.

[phone ringing]

Yes?

Well, I'm interested in any real estate venture you're in, Don.

I'll take three units, depending--

Mrs. Atkins had a lot of money?

Who is Mrs. Atkins?

Give me the bracelet, Honey.

Caroline's grandmother.

Don't you remember?

We went to see her in that nursing home.

Oh, it had a funny smell.

Oh, I think we've discussed this enough, Winston.

Will you take your sister upstairs?

WINSTON: May I look at the scrapbook?

GRACE: Perhaps another time.

Now, I want you to go upstairs and get yourself ready for bed.

And Mummy will come up and kiss you

good night just as soon as she's finished talking to Daddy, OK?

HEIDI: OK.

OK.

Good night, children.

WINSTON: Night, Father.

[music playing]

I don't know why you've got that old book out.

[chuckle]

That's another life, Paul.

[sigh]

I don't want our children confused.

[sigh]

I wish you'd put it away.

[kiss]

[music playing]

[crickets chirping]

[door opening]

HEIDI: I want to look!

Sh!

Go back upstairs!

I want to look, too!

WINSTON: Don't you have a volume knob on that voice of yours?

Sometimes, I swear, I should hire a doctor

and have you surgically removed.

HEIDI: I'll tell if you don't let me.

WINSTON: All right.

You can look, but you have to be quiet.

What are you doing up so late, anyway?

You know Mom would have a hissy.

Who's the baby?

It must be Caroline and Mrs. Atkins.

You know who--

What?

[FRUSTRATINGLY] It must be Caroline with Mrs. Atkins.

Just look at the pictures.

Don't ask me to read them.

I can read.

WINSTON: Sure, and I can run 100-yard dash in 10 seconds.

That's Father.

He's smiling.

He never smiles.

Who's that?

That's his first wife.

Caroline--

What?

That's his first wife, Caroline's mother.

HEIDI: Is that Caroline?

WINSTON: I don't know, but it sure looks like her.

LUELLEN: Put your crayons in your pocket.

And you have your coloring book in case

you get tired at the library. GRACE: OK.

Be a good boy.

Did you remember your library card?

Yeah, I think I have it.

Here it is.

GRACE: Heidi, the library is a special place.

You can't talk loud.

HEIDI: Winston has to sit in back.

GRACE: What's gotten into you, Winston?

Why aren't you riding in the back with Heidi?

About this Caroline, is she my sister or what?

I don't know.

Just get in the backseat and stop fooling around.

HEIDI: If I can't sit in the front, he has to sit--

All right. All right.

All right. GRACE: --honey.

He's getting in the back.

Now keep your coat on in the library if you get chilled.

You two have a good time, OK?

Bye bye.

WINSTON: Excuse me, please?

I was wondering where we could find old newspapers.

I'm looking for an obituary.

How long ago?

Well, about 14 years ago.

But I'm not sure of the exact date.

I'll have to look through them.

But I have a library card.

I'll show you where they are.

But you sure have your work cut out for you, Son.

[phone ringing]

I'm hungry.

WINSTON: Well, then go suck on a lemon.

If you'd be quiet for a few minutes, I'll be done.

And then we can go eat.

What are you looking for?

Clues, Heidi. Information.

About what?

About this.

Look at that.

Just before midnight Friday night,

a Zenith Airlines passenger--

That's Caroline--

WINSTON: --carrying 79 passengers

and 7 crew members crashed and burned shortly after takeoff.

There were no survivors.

[music playing]

HEIDI: That's Father.

WINSTON: Paul and Anne Carmichael distraught.

BRADLEY: You were how old when you went to college?

18.

But it wasn't much of a college, more of a finishing school

for rebellious debutantes.

BRADLEY: And you were coming home for the Christmas

holidays when all of this--

CAROLINE: Thanksgiving.

Yes, of course.

Thanksgiving.

And somehow you survived the crash?

I didn't get on the plane.

GRACE: You just walked away and never said anything to anyone?

That's what I did.

[clock ticking]

You just walked away?

I got to the steps of the plane, and I turned around.

And I walked away.

BRADLEY: And when the plane crashed,

and when you heard about it, you just disappeared?

That's exactly what I did.

But how could you do that to us?

Just tell me that.

How?

That is the single most inexcusable, cruel--

do you know what it did to your mother?

Do you have any idea what it did to her?

It killed her.

You said we could go.

Uh-oh.

Here's something else.

What?

It says here that she died of mysterious circumstances.

HEIDI: Who?

WINSTON: Caroline's mother.

I think that means she committed suicide, Heidi.

What's su-- icide?

And where did you go after your Father--

I'm sorry. I can't talk now, Don.

Can you call me back in an hour?

What's that?

Excuse me, Bradley.

BRADLEY: And where did you go after you found

out about the plane crash?

I saw that I was listed as dead.

I saw my chance to get away.

I'm sorry, Father.

But that's how I felt at the time.

I had money.

I had what I needed.

And the truth is I--

I didn't like myself.

I went to Paris.

I took the chance that no one would find out,

and that's what happened.

But why?

[sigh]

I--I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I was-- I was hiding--

thank you.

M-hm.

And I partied until I didn't know who I was anymore.

I didn't care.

When I learned of Mother's death, everything changed.

That's when I decided to go to India.

PAUL: India?

CAROLINE: I was looking for a way

to make my life count for something.

Up until then, I'd lived only for myself.

It wasn't enough.

So I changed my name to Martha Sedgwick

and tried to lose myself in work.

BRADLEY: But you said you weren't trained for anything,

that you had no skills.

CAROLINE: I had two hands.

They needed help.

I learned as I went.

I studied.

Studied what?

CAROLINE: I became a nurse, finally.

I worked with the sick, the worst of them.

What did you do with Grandmother's rug?

I loved that rug.

WINSTON: There's something wrong.

Why did she show up all of a sudden, just now?

It must be to get the money.

Will you eat your pie?

The pieces aren't small enough.

If they were any smaller, you'd

need a microscope to find them.

Why do Mother and Father think it's so

important to hide everything.

There's something definitely wrong.

There you are, Winston.

See you next week.

WINSTON: Thank you.

WAITRESS: Same as always.

WINSTON: Come on, Heidi.

I want to go home.

I'm not done.

You can have two pieces of pie next week.

You can eat them tweezers.

Come on.

Put your arms in.

PAUL: I thank you for putting up with the third degree.

I think-- GRACE: All right.

OK.

BRADLEY: Good.

Well, I think get everything i--

well, we'll see.

I understand.

[engine starting]

I don't want you to have any doubts.

Yes, in that.

[music playing]

BRADLEY: Well, she's got the facts down cold.

If it's not Caroline, she's the best actress in the world.

GRACE: Well, perhaps she's got them down just

a little bit too cold.

I want you to hire a private investigator.

And I want her watched every minute of the day.

BRADLEY: I'll get someone on it right away.

But there are bound to be gaps.

You can't watch them every minute.

Well, just be thorough, Bradley.

I want progress with this.

All right.

GRACE: Hello.

Paul, if there's anything to find, we'll find it.

Thank you, Bradley.

[music playing]

Paul?

The thing that appalls me is that I'm not sure.

I didn't know my daughter well enough to be sure.

[music playing]

My own daughter.

[music playing]

GRACE: You know, it might be a good idea if Caroline

came to live with us here.

Oh, thank you, Luellen.

PAUL: I'd like that.

GRACE: Well, we really should get to know her better, Paul.

PAUL: It's an excellent idea.

Winston?

I know you've been curious about this.

Is Caroline going to live with us here?

Well, we're going to invite her.

Now, I'd like to ask something of both of you,

something important.

When Caroline disappeared, there was a--

a lot of publicity.

And until we are sure about this young woman,

we don't want any more.

So I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak

about this at school and you didn't have any

of your playmates over here.

You understand the need for secrecy?

Yes, Sir.

Good.

Thank you.

Now you two better change your clothes if you

intend to play this afternoon.

Come on.

Gee, I wonder why he asked us not to have anyone over.

When have we ever had any one over?

When have we ever had any playmates?

Thank you, Simmons.

SIMMONS: No running, Master Winston.

Is she here yet?

Is Caroline here yet?

She only brought one suitcase.

WINSTON: Well, yeah?

Well, what'd she look--

[sigh]

What'd she look like? Did she say anything crazy?

Uh, what was she wearing?

She's not very pretty.

Well, I think if you ever said anything nice about anybody,

your tongue might fall out from the surprise.

Mommy doesn't like her.

I don't like her either.

I think she's a fake.

PAUL: Ah, thank you, Luellen.

You're welcome, Sir.

What are those for, Paul?

You remembered.

Remembered what?

Anemones.

Thank you, Father.

I know they're anemones.

What's the occasion?

CAROLINE: My mother would have been 52 today.

They were her favorite flower.

That was very thoughtful of you, Paul.

Oh, no, no, no.

Mustn't touch, Darling. These are--

I want to.

--very special flowers.

HEIDI: I want to.

I can if I want to.

I don't think so. No--

HEIDI: I can if I want to. GRACE: No.

Heidi, now. No.

HEIDI: No. [sigh]

Can she hold-- HEIDI: Mommy!

Can she hold them for a moment?

Of course. GRACE: All right.

OK, now.

OK.

OK.

Give them back, Darling. HEIDI: Let go, Mommy.

Let go. - Please.

Heidi. HEIDI: No!

Let go!

Please be Mommy's good girl.

Be a good girl!

Mommy-- GRACE: Yes.

No, Heidi. [sigh]

[sigh]

There you go.

They don't smell, anyway.

Guess who I saw today.

Who?

Sarah Lampson.

You remember her.

I'm afraid I don't.

Well, you should.

Oh.

[snap]

That's right.

She was Sarah Tyrone when you knew her.

Sarah?

GRACE: Really?

Hm.

I'm surprised.

You're all she talks about.

She goes on and on about you, about your school days

together, how wild you were.

[laugh]

Sarah-- Sarah Tyrone.

Silly Sarah.

She was easy to forget.

Heidi?

She always does that, but it's usually off my plate.

CAROLINE: Well, I don't like it.

Heidi has certain privileges.

Heidi is rude, if that's a privilege.

[whining]

PAUL: Heidi?

Caroline is a guest in our house.

And--

Darling, you know it's not good to criticize and push her.

You know that.

[whining]

Shh.

Darling, it's OK.

Come on.

Have a glass of milk, Baby. That's my Baby.

[whining]

Yeah, yeah. It's OK.

[whining]

[thundering]

[thundering]

[gasp]

WINSTON: I was going to my room, and I saw the attic door open.

And I didn't know it was you.

You see.

We're not supposed to be up here.

I sure hope Heidi doesn't see all this stuff.

She'd bring it all downstairs for her invisible game.

[thundering]

May I help you look for something?

I found it already, Winston.

I thought I'd visit my crazy past.

WINSTON: My history teacher tells me

that the secret to the future is often found in the past.

CAROLINE: Ah.

I'm very interested in history.

CAROLINE: M-hm.

[thundering and raining]

So where were you before you came here?

[chuckle]

CAROLINE: India.

Ah, India.

Was it interesting?

CAROLINE: Yes, Winston.

It was.

India was very interesting.

[thundering and raining]

India is one of the places I'd like to go someday.

But what were you doing there?

CAROLINE: I was working.

With your friend, Martha Sedgwick?

She wasn't my friend, Winston.

I was Martha Sedgwick.

That's the name that I used in India.

Tell me something.

Don't you and Heidi have any friends?

Oh, I have tons of friends at school--

Uh-huh.

WINSTON: Too many.

Sometimes they get to be a pain.

Oh.

I was just wondering because you and Heidi

always seem to be together.

Is that your job to take care of her?

No, it's not my job.

She's my sister, and I want to do it.

Uh-huh.

[thundering and raining]

Did that belong to Caroline?

It was mine, yes.

You must have had some reason for going

away and changing your name.

And why did you come back?

Was it to get Mrs. Atkins' money?

I came home because I couldn't stay any longer.

It became too depressing for me.

I loved somebody who died.

[thundering and raining]

He was--

[sigh]

There was nothing left after that.

I tried to throw myself into work, but it didn't help.

It just got worse.

I finally realized that I couldn't make a difference,

that I didn't--

well--

[thundering and raining]

WINSTON: Do you know who that is?

It was my Grandmother Atkins.

And you knew that already, didn't you?

[chuckling]

Well.

She was a very special lady.

WINSTON: What's that book? CAROLINE: It was hers.

[thud and thundering]

She loved poetry.

So do I.

[thundering and raining]

Heidi, don't you know how to use a fork?

HEIDI: I can't.

I don't have to.

The other 10-year-olds I know use forks and chew

with their mouths closed.

Mommy said I don't have to.

CAROLINE: That's right.

You don't.

But I don't think you enjoy being like this, Heidi.

I think you'd rather be like other 10-year-olds.

And I'll bet you could be.

I'll bet there are lots of things you can do.

I'll bet there's lots more to you than people know.

Mommy says there's a lot more to you, too.

[chuckle]

[chuckling]

GRACE: The-- oh, yes.

I am aware of it.

Her story in India checks out.

She used the name Martha Sedgwick

while she was over there.

Why wouldn't it?

CAROLINE: Do you want a glass of w--

HEIDI: M-hm. CAROLINE: All right.

Well, what about the detective you hired?

CAROLINE: [inaudible]

[chuckling]

GRACE: Well, Bradley, we wouldn't be paying

you if it wasn't difficult. No.

Now you listen.

This is a very clever woman.

She's wormed her way into my home,

and she's interfering with my children.

CAROLINE: Heidi, [inaudible].

It just isn't right.

CAROLINE: Well, I know it was like a little cube.

I never--

PAUL: Oh, we could miss it because he

might as well not play.

CAROLINE: Well, I'm not very good at games.

But at least you didn't drown me this time.

I think it's because we switched colors.

PAUL: Well-- - Well, there you are.

You've kept us waiting.

Oh, we lost track of time.

[kiss]

CAROLINE: It's my fault, Grace.

I just kept jabbering.

And I help up--

No, it isn't.

I was the one because we were playing Backgammon.

And I insisted we finish the game.

[chuckle]

Well, I met the most unlikely person in the beauty parlor

today.

PAUL: And who might that be?

Agatha Trollope.

Who's that?

GRACE: Caroline will tell you.

Caroline knows Miss Trollope better

than anyone at this table.

Winston, will you pass the rolls, please?

Oh, right away.

CAROLINE: I'm starving.

This looks delicious.

Thank you.

Miss Trollope is the Headmistress of Finchley,

the girls' school I went to.

I don't want to go to Finchley.

I don't like Finchley.

Heidi, you'd love it. It's--

Oh, don't worry, darling.

You won't have to.

Obviously it didn't make Caroline very happy.

That isn't true, Grace.

Oh?

Well, then why did you stay away so long and cause your father

all this pain?

That isn't what happened.

You don't know--

That is exactly what happened.

This has nothing to do with--

GRACE: Why didn't you call your father

or mother after the crash?

Even if you didn't want to come home, it's the least--

PAUL: Grace-- GRACE: --you could have done.

PAUL: Grace, we've been through all that.

GRACE: Not enough.

We haven't.

I know I was wrong.

[exhale]

GRACE: And I suppose the Flora Atkins' inheritance has nothing

to do with your being here.

It doesn't.

Oh, the hell it doesn't. PAUL: All right.

That's enough, Grace. Stop it!

My daughter has come home.

No, this woman has come into our hou--

PAUL: No, Grace. No!

My daughter!

She's as much a part of this family as anyone else.

Excuse me.

Father?

[coyotes barking]

I never-- I don't--

[sigh]

Perhaps it isn't the right time for me to be here.

I--

PAUL: Why did you allow me to live with so

much pain for all those years?

I ache with it, Caroline.

I don't think I'll ever be rid of it.

I lost you.

And then when your mother died--

when she died, I thought I couldn't go on.

I-- I couldn't face you then, Father.

I hated myself.

I blame myself for Mother's death.

Hello there.

I figured that the only way I could make things better

was to do something for other people.

And the more time passed, the more difficult

it became to come back.

But I had to.

I had to ask for your forgiveness.

You're so unpredictable.

You were always such a wild child.

We could never control you.

Did it ever occur to you, Father,

that maybe that wild child needed your attention,

your interest.

You were always in the office, or on the phone,

or traveling somewhere.

I didn't really know you, Caroline.

I realize that now.

I realize what I missed.

Oh, Daddy.

I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused you.

I will not have you calling her a fortune hunter.

GRACE: I don't think you should do anything hasty.

I don't want to see you get hurt.

PAUL: Grace, she is my daughter.

Well, you'll forgive me if I'm not so trusting.

I think you should continue the investigation.

PAUL: Well, it really doesn't concern you, does it?

Oh, it doesn't?

I am sorry, Paul.

But I'm your wife.

If this family isn't my concern, then what is?

I just think that if, at any time in the future,

it's discovered that she isn't Caroline,

the money should be returned.

PAUL: Grace!

And I think you should get it in writing.

PAUL: I know she's Caroline.

Well, if she is, then there's nothing to worry about,

is there?

And, if she isn't, she doesn't have a right to it.

I'm just thinking about Heidi and Winston.

They're your children, too.

PAUL: I'll have Bradley draw up the papers that way

if it'll make you happy.

But I don't want any more of this nonsense.

My daughter's come home.

GRACE: All right.

[music playing]

And if you'd sign this last copy right here, please.

That's the amendment.

All right.

Very good.

There.

All done.

BRADLEY: Congratulations, Mrs. Carmichael.

Thank you.

PAUL: Thank you, Bradley.

You won't mind if Simmons sees you out, will you?

Not at all. GRACE: Goodbye, Bradley.

BRADLEY: Grace.

PAUL: Oh, surprise.

Oh, it's lovely.

PAUL: Remember?

CAROLINE: Well, it does look familiar.

It was your mother's.

You used to love to wear it when you were a little girl.

Oh.

[chuckling]

PAUL: Put it on.

[music playing]

CAROLINE: Thank you, Father.

[kiss]

Paul, I think it's high time we through Caroline a party.

Oh, no. Please don't.

PAUL: Sure.

Everyone will want to see you again.

Oh, I'm sure you want to see all of your old friends

and the relatives.

No, that's really not necessary.

Now, now, now--

GRACE: --cooped up in this house long enough.

I have nothing to wear.

GRACE: There are millions of stores.

I'm sure you'll find something.

WINSTON: This is fun.

Thank you for taking me with you.

CAROLINE: Don't you ever go shopping on your own.

WINSTON: No. No.

My mother has the sizes sent out, and then we choose.

I guess it's a lot easier that way.

Mother likes to shop.

What's the matter?

CAROLINE: Oh, well, I--

I just can't picture myself in that big room in this dress.

I wish your mother hadn't invited all those people.

WINSTON: Oh, it's just a dumb, old party.

You won't have any fun, anyway.

Oh, thank you for that, Winston.

I have to find some shoes.

WINSTON: Well, then I'll meet you around the corner

in 15 minutes.

CAROLINE: All right.

Secrets?

Well, this is a bit awkward.

But would it be possible for me to borrow some money?

I never carry any with me, and I usually sign for things.

But I want to buy something very special--

Well, of course.

How much?

$50 will do.

Oh, it will, will it?

Well, how about $10, for starters?

$10 will do nicely.

Thank you.

[chuckling]

[register dinging]

WINSTON: I'd like to buy this book, please?

It's for my new sister.

Well, Sir, the children's books are right over there.

WINSTON: My sister is in her 30s.

In her 30s?

WINSTON: I'd like this gift-wrapped,

and I don't want any cute paper.

It's for a party, and it's very special.

STORE CLERK: OK.

This isn't more than $10, is it?

STORE CLERK: Oh. No, sir.

It's not.

This is a good gift, isn't it?

She loves poetry.

The Rubaiyat is a lovely gift.

She'll like it.

[piano playing]

[party chatter]

HELEN: Caroline!

Caroline, my dear.

Oh, it's so great.

Oh.

Aw, Aunt-- Aunt Helen, I've missed you.

Well, let me look at you.

You're as pretty as I remember.

CAROLINE: Oh, I don't--

HELEN: Oh, what were you thinking of, child?

I know you did a lot of odd things when you were young,

but I can't understand this--

- Oh. - Why?

Why did you--

Helen, how have you been? Hm?

Well, Paul, my liver has been bothering me.

PAUL: Aw. [inaudible]

PAUL: M-hm.

HELEN: The edema in my left foot--

PAUL: Yeah.

HELEN: Then now, Paul.

It doesn't pay to get old.

[applause]

Emily, how are you?

HARVEY: Honey, I can't believe how much

you look like your mother-- CAROLINE: Oh.

--which is better than looking like you, Paul.

Well, thank you, Harvey.

Let me get you a drink. HARVEY: Thanks.

[piano playing] - Agnes?

AGNES: Oh, no thanks.

I'd just start playing that rowdy bar room music.

Well, that's perfectly all right with me.

Caroline, I know you remember this one.

[piano playing]

AGNES: [SINGING] After the ball is--

You used to always drive us crazy with this.

Oh, I remember that bit.

AGNES: [SINGING] --after the break

of morn, after the dancers leaving,

after the stars are gone.

Many a heart is aching.

If you could please them all.

Many dear hopes that have vanished after the ball.

[piano playing]

[SINGING] After the ball is over--

LARRY: You still have the softest shoulders

east of the Mississippi.

AGNES: -- [SINGING] the break of morn after--

I haven't changed that much, Larry.

Larry!

How are you?

Married and divorced.

Doing quite well now.

So are you, I understand.

All that money.

Larry, I'd like you to meet my stepmother.

Grace?

Grace, this is Larry. - How do you do, Larry?

LARRY: Grace, nice to meet you.

GRACE: Nice to meet you.

LARRY: You know, the truth is, it hasn't been

the same since that weekend we spent

together all those years ago.

Oh.

The lost weekend?

How romantic.

Where did you go?

What did you do?

Tell me all about it, Caroline.

PAUL: Don't tell me you're embarrassed.

You know, back in the old days, nothing

could embarrass this gal.

Remember that night at Enrico's?

Danced on our table with nothing but her slip on.

CAROLINE: Oh.

LARRY: Sensational.

[exhale]

Larry, really.

GRACE: Well, how about it, Caroline?

What was this rascal like when--

I'm Caroline's brother, Winston.

How do you do?

LARRY: Nice to meet you, Winston.

I wasn't exactly a plum, or was I?

What's your sense of this?

WINSTON: Oh, I feel fine.

How about you, Larry?

Doing fine, Winston.

Thank you.

CAROLINE: There's Miss Trollope.

Excuse me.

It was very nice meeting you, Larry.

Please enjoy yourself.

CAROLINE: Miss Trollope, I didn't think

you were going to make it.

Who are you?

CAROLINE: Caroline, I'm so glad to see you.

MISS TROLLOPE: I want to ask you something, child.

Why have we not heard from you in all these years?

I was in love.

And then there was my work.

Oh, did love breed amnesia?

No, it bred selfishness.

MISS TROLLOPE: Are you married?

CAROLINE: No.

Were you?

No.

Where is he?

CAROLINE: He's dead.

Why don't you sit down?

You must be tired.

I am not tired.

I want to talk with you.

Let me order you some champagne.

We'll have plenty of time to talk later.

[kiss]

We will, indeed, young woman.

Agatha, Agatha, it's so lovely to see you again.

- Oh, hello, Grace. - Yes.

Won't you sit down?

Yes.

I'm so glad you could come.

SERVER: Champagne, Madam?

Thank you.

Thank you so much for your help with the guest list.

Oh, I think the party is quite a success.

And Caroline looks so well.

How does she seem to you?

Peculiar.

Oh.

There is Bunny.

Now, she was Caroline's best friend.

GRACE: Oh, so that's Bunny.

Oh, thank you, Agatha.

I'll be back in a bit.

[singing with piano]

GRACE: Caroline?

Caroline, come.

There's someone here that you simply must see.

BUNNY: Caroline!

[gasp]

Bunny! BUNNY: Caroline!

Oh!

[laughing]

Oh, honey.

BUNNY: Oh, my-- after all these years, I don't believe it.

CAROLINE: Look at you!

BUNNY: You look wonderful! CAROLINE: So do you.

BUNNY: I hate you. [laughing]

Oh, you're so funny.

CAROLINE: Oh.

You remember this guy?

I finally took pity on him and said yes.

Freddie!

Oh, Freddie.

You're as handsome as ever!

FREDDIE: You're not doing so bad yourself, kiddo.

[laughing]

CAROLINE: Grace?

Grace, I'd like you to meet Bunny and Freddie.

This is my stepmother, Grace Carmichael.

It's a pleasure Mrs. Carmichael.

Yes, hi. How do you do?

Bunny, I know your mother from the club.

We play bridge together.

BUNNY: Oh, yes.

Would you excuse us, Mrs. Carmichael?

GRACE: Well, of course. - Come on, Caroline.

You and I have got a lot of catching up to do.

Freddie, honey, uh, play the piano.

For a long time.

Not until I get a drink.

BUNNY: Absolutely, Honey.

You know you play much better that way.

Really, you do. [chuckling]

Oh, your father married a young one, didn't he?

- I'll say. - Eh, not bad.

[chuckling]

Now, you've got to tell me everything

about the last 14 years. - Look.

Just grab a chair.

BUNNY: You're incredible.

Really awful for scaring us like that.

I'm serious. Listen, children?

- One. - One?

Only one?

BUNNY: Between that and my work, that's enough.

Are you kidding?

CAROLINE: What do you do?

I'm a psychologist.

Can you believe it? - No.

BUNNY: One day to school, and now I'm a psychologist.

I know.

[laughing]

[inaudible] final exam, and then you flunked anyway.

[guests chattering]

PAUL: Golf is for conducting business, Arthur.

ARTHUR: Oh.

Now come on, Paul.

Golf is for pleasure.

PAUL: Well, the pleasure of golf is the business, Arthur.

[laughing]

BUNNY: No, you didn't CAROLINE: Yes, I did.

[laughing]

BUNNY: You have not changed. WINSTON: Here.

This is for you.

Here.

Let me help you unwrap it.

[piano playing]

You'll like the pictures.

Heidi, you'll like the pictures.

[piano playing]

[tapping on a glass]

PAUL: Ladies and gentlemen--

What'd I do that for?

PAUL: --may I have your attention for just a moment?

Caroline?

[applause]

WOMAN: Caroline, over here.

[applause]

[piano playing]

[applause]

Uh, my-- my father has asked me to say something.

And so I will.

Uh, I would like to thank you, Father, not only for your--

your loving welcome but for your forgiveness, as well.

And I thank you, Grace, for being so kind and accepting.

I thank my-- my new brother and sister, Winston and Heidi,

for taking me into their lives.

And-- and to all of you here, I--

I-- I thank you for being here.

It's-- it's very good to see you again.

AUDIENCE: Aw.

[applause]

MAN: Caroline?

Caroline?

What?

But I don't understand.

You just got here.

You were away for so long.

There's lots of the world I haven't seen, Winston.

Lots of countries to visit and things to see.

No.

No, erase that.

I want to be honest with you.

My being here isn't doing this family any good.

It's disruptive.

And your mother is afraid that I--

She'll get over it.

You don't have to go now.

I'll come back.

No, you won't.

If you go now, you'll never come back.

Winston, when you grow up, you'll realize there's

a right time for things.

And now is the time for me to leave.

You just came for the money.

That's all you care about.

How can you say that, Winston?

That isn't true.

HEIDI: Luellen?

WINSTON: We're trying to have a conversation here.

--untrue.

HEIDI: I want breakfast!

Will you--

[groaning]

Just a minute, Heidi.

Don't you look pretty today.

All right.

Careful.

Watch your feet.

You have your new book.

Do you like your book?

The Rubaiyan of Omar Khayyam is for grown-ups.

Which poem did you like the best?

WINSTON: She doesn't know anything about them.

They're about guys.

WINSTON: Oh, you didn't read them.

All you did was look at the pictures.

You don't know how to read.

CAROLINE: Winston, leave her alone.

I'll bet she could learn if she wanted to.

Oh, sure.

Well, if you know how to read, read.

After silence sp--

spot a vessel of a more un--

game-- ly, they sneer at me for leaning all a--

--awry--

HEIDI: --what did the hand then of the patter shake?

Liar!

You can't read!

Winston!

[sobbing]

Chimpanzee!

She's really nothing but a monkey.

The words don't mean a thing to her.

You could teach a monkey to read the way she does.

Do you know what just happened?

Do you know what she just did?

And you can't discuss anything with her

because all she ever thinks about is getting her own way.

CAROLINE: That's all she's been allowed to think about.

WINSTON: Oh, please.

Her ability to read shows she has

a tremendous capacity to learn.

Oh, what do you care, anyway?

[sobbing]

You're going away.

GRACE: What's going on out here.

What happened to Heidi?

Nothing happened to Heidi.

What did you do to her?

WINSTON: I didn't do anything.

I want to see you in my room, young man.

[sobbing]

Heidi can read.

She read to us from this book.

[scoff]

[sobbing]

Shh. Shh.

Shh.

Shh.

[sobbing]

Caroline, Heidi doesn't read.

And she doesn't have to.

[sobbing]

Do you, Darling?

Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Caroline will be gone soon.

She'll be gone soon.

Shh.

And then everything will be all right.

Shh.

[honking]

Look, it's Caroline.

[chuckling]

[inaudible]

[chuckling]

Hi, Bunny.

BUNNY: Hi, Caroline.

CAROLINE: What a lovely house.

BUNNY: Oh, thank you. Come on up.

I'll show you around the castle.

[chuckling]

Hello, Winston.

Hello, Heidi.

This is Simon.

CAROLINE: Heidi, that's Simon.

HEIDI: Hi.

BUNNY: We live very informally here, as you can tell.

[chuckle]

My office is around back, separate entrance--

very professional.

CAROLINE: Oh.

Gosh, you know, it's gonna take another 14 years for us

to catch up.

Where-- oh. Oh.

Here it is.

Here it is.

Heidi, would you like to read Simon a story?

[laughing]

I hope Simon has all day.

That's how long it's going to take her to read it.

HEIDI: It's "The Wind in the Willows."

Heidi, don't you like that story?

I don't have to read.

That's right, Heidi.

You don't.

But you know what?

Simon would like to hear that story, wouldn't you, Simon?

Yes.

Yes.

Heidi, it's OK not to read.

You're not very good at it, anyway.

Whatever you decide.

By the way, your dear friend, Larry's, been after me.

He says you won't return his phone calls.

CAROLINE: Would you?

[laughing]

Not even if I was desperate.

HEIDI: --mole had--

BUNNY: Miss Trollope's been asking about you.

CAROLINE: Oh, really? BUNNY: Oh, yes.

Really. HEIDI: --all [inaudible].

BUNNY: I, uh, test some of her students--

my alumni contribution.

HEIDI: --cleaning--

BUNNY: You know, you're not going to be able to avoid

our dear old mistress forever.

HEIDI: --he flung down his brush on the floor and said,

"my goodness" and bolted out of the--

Simon keeps smelling the book.

Oh, nap time.

SIMON: Oh, darn it.

BUNNY: Uh, come on.

SIMON: No.

Heidi, thank you very much for reading to Simon.

[laughing]

Let go.

That was very nice of you.

You know, Miss Trollope isn't going to let you off the hook.

She's going to put you to work fundraising or something.

This isn't just a visit, is it?

BUNNY: You know, whenever I went anywhere with you,

there was always a risk of getting into trouble,

a sense of danger.

Why are you doing this?

CAROLINE: It wasn't that bad.

BUNNY: No, no, no.

It was wonderful.

Hey, hey.

Remember that time that you snuck out of school

and dragged me with you to meet those terrible town boys?

[laughing]

Oh.

The guy on the motorcycle--

he was all dimples and muscles--

what was his name?

[chuckle]

You rode off with him.

You must know his name.

[laughing]

Another time, another life.

BUNNY: Get back in there and stop stalling.

You know, I can't believe it.

You've changed so much.

I really can't believe it.

We all change, Bunny.

We have to go.

I can't be late.

Oh, no.

Winston, could you bring Heidi, please?

BUNNY: Well, there are obviously physical problems.

And her hearing is very bad.

But I don't see any indications of retardation at all.

Now I know it'll be difficult, but I really need a whole day

with her in my office.

CAROLINE: I don't know.

The children usually go to the library.

If I can manage it, how about tomorrow?

Winston, let her do that.

No, no, no. She can.

Let her try. - But--

CAROLINE: No.

Let her do it.

How's tomorrow?

BUNNY: Tomorrow's fine.

CAROLINE: Mm.

You don't mind missing your trip to the library this once,

do you?

No, I guess not.

CAROLINE: I think it would be better

for Heidi if we didn't say anything

until I talk to your mother.

Can you keep a secret?

I thought you were going away.

I was, but I can change my mind, can't I?

- Mm, I can keep a secret. - Good.

I hate it when you do that.

[chuckling]

Sorry.

Thank you, Bunny.

Any time, Caroline.

I'll see you tomorrow.

All right.

All right.

CAROLINE: Can I speak to you for a moment?

Oh, yes, if you like.

Bunny is having a birthday party tomorrow for her son.

GRACE: Oh.

And she'd like to invite Heidi and Winston.

Oh, well, that's nice.

But, oh, tomorrow. That's Saturday.

Oh, I don't think it's possible.

The Garden Club, I'm hostessing.

I'd be glad to drop them off.

Well, Bunny Miller--

she's a lovely woman.

Yes, well, I don't see why not.

All right.

Is there something else?

CAROLINE: I've noticed how bright Heidi is.

I-- I thought she might be tested.

[clock ticking]

No.

CAROLINE: Why not?

Why not, Grace?

She was tested when she was younger.

It was torture for her.

What were the results?

GRACE: The results?

They claimed that they had to do an electroencephalogram to test

her neurological functions.

[clock ticking]

And they stuck needles into her scalp.

[clock ticking]

How do you explain to a frightened four-year-old

that the needles in her scalp are necessary?

[clock ticking]

She was terrified, and it drained her.

I won't subject her to that again.

Her life is hard enough.

The methods have changed.

I think there's every chance that she would respond--

GRACE: I'm not interested in chances.

Heidi will be loved and cared for by me and Paul

long after you have gone.

Actually, my plans have changed.

If you don't mind, I'd like to stay a while longer.

[clock ticking]

Hm.

Well, I am sure that that will make Paul very happy.

If that's your way of saying it's all right, thank you.

GRACE: You're welcome.

[clock ticking]

HEIDI: No!

You said party!

I want to go to a party!

CAROLINE: It'll be like a party. You'll--

HEIDI: No! CAROLINE: --play games.

You like Bunny.

No!

You'll spend--

[sigh]

Heidi, you'll spend the day with her.

And we'll pick you up at 3:30. HEIDI: No!

You said party!

I want to go to a party!

Winston, help me.

Look, Heidi.

You know Bunny won't hurt you.

You're just being stubborn. HEIDI: No!

Heidi--

HEIDI: You said party!

Calm down.

Listen to me.

You don't have to go if you don't want to go.

Maybe you wouldn't have such a good time, anyway.

Let's get in the car and go home, all right?

I hate you!

Let go.

[doorbell ringing]

CAROLINE: You worry about Heidi a lot, don't you?

WINSTON: No, not really.

It's just that sometimes I wonder

what's going to become of her.

[animal sounds]

Sometimes I think she'll always be the same

and that she'll never grow up.

And if she doesn't, what's going to happen then?

WINSTON: Then I'll take care of her.

CAROLINE: You know what I've decided to do?

I'm going to learn how to teach the handicapped.

WINSTON: Is Bunny [inaudible] the one who got you interested?

CAROLINE: No.

Heidi is the one.

WINSTON: Oh, Heidi.

Heidi.

Everything is Heidi.

It's always Heidi.

Why does Heidi deserve everything?

Why does Heidi deserve you?

Winston, listen to me.

Heidi is my second order of business.

You're my first.

I'm doing this for you.

For me?

CAROLINE: Don't you sometimes feel that you

and Heidi are in a cage?

I thought if I could stretch the bars a little

that you could walk through them.

And then we could stretch them together just a little more,

and Heidi could walk through after you.

But I had it backwards.

Heidi has to go first.

You're tied to her, Winston, because she's dependent on you.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Sure.

Well, I think so. No, I guess not.

BUNNY: There's no question about her brightness.

She's way above average.

Way above average?

Absolutely.

Runs in the family.

[laughing]

Listen, whatever you're going to do for her, Caroline,

do it now.

As she gets older, it'll only more

difficult, physically and psychologically--

perhaps impossible.

Thank you, Bunny.

BUNNY: You're welcome.

I'll call you.

BUNNY: Do soon.

GRACE: There you are.

I've missed you so much!

Caroline, Miss Trollope called three times.

I think she really wants to talk to you.

CAROLINE: I'll take care of it, Grace.

--Darling.

Did you have a wonderful time at the party?

Hm?

Were there lots of other children

there and lots of yummy, yummy things to eat?

Hm?

Did you have fun?

Tell Mommy all about it.

Heidi, tell me all about it.

Hm?

Aw, did they have prizes?

Heidi?

Heidi?

Tell Mommy all about it.

I bet you were the prettiest one there.

Hm?

[sobbing]

What happened to her?

Nothing happened.

CAROLINE: I think she's tired, Grace.

I'll take her upstairs. Hei--

GRACE: No, that's all right.

Honey, Heidi, tell Mommy what happened.

[whining]

No.

Heidi, tell Mommy what's wrong.

Tell me.

It wasn't a party.

They gave me tests.

[sobbing]

GRACE: Winston, take your sister upstairs.

[sobbing]

Shh.

OK.

I'll be right up.

Caroline, may I see you in the living room, please?

WINSTON: Why didn't you tell me you could read?

HEIDI: I did.

You didn't believe me. - OK.

Sh. Sh.

Sh. Sh.

GRACE: Who in the hell do you think you are?

You come into my home, turn my children against me,

defy my wishes--

Grace, what are you afraid of?

Aren't you interested in how Heidi did?

If she were my daughter--

GRACE: But, you see, Caroline, she's not your daughter.

She's mine.

Mine.

You had no right to put her through those tests

when I specifically told you not to.

CAROLINE: The point is she's way above average.

She has all kinds of potential.

With special education, this girl can do anything she--

Why are you telling me these lies?

CAROLINE: They aren't lies!

And if you don't do something now--

GRACE: I have been doing something,

Caroline, for several years.

Where were you?

I want you to stay away from my children.

I don't want you to see them.

I don't want you to talk to them.

I will not have you destroying my family.

CAROLINE: Grace, don't sacrifice your own children.

I am not sacrificing my children.

How dare you!

I am doing what's best for them.

Paul and I have planned this all out,

and we have given Heidi's future a great deal of thought.

CAROLINE: You are holding her back.

You're not helping her.

I don't want you here anymore.

You should have gone when you said you were going.

You've got your name.

You've got your money.

I want you out of here today, now.

[door slamming]

[engine starting]

No, wait!

Caroline, wait!

Wait, Caroline!

Wait!

Wait!

Caroline, come back.

[music playing]

Caroline, come back!

Come back, Caroline!

Caroline!

[sigh]

[music playing]

There you are.

Did you have fun at school today?

Did you make something special?

I made a horse.

You made a horse?

Heidi Carmichael, what a big girl you are!

Surprise.

What's this for?

Surprise because you're my children, and I love you.

Open it.

WINSTON: It's a radio.

[chuckling] - Yes, It is.

And you can plug it in or use it with batteries.

Do you like it?

WINSTON: I love it.

Thank you very much.

GRACE: Oh, you're welcome, Darling.

[kiss]

Do you like it?

When Mommy saw this baby, she said, this is a doll for Heidi.

[chuckle]

Isn't she a sweet baby?

HEIDI: Sweet baby.

[kiss]

You'll always be Mommy's sweet baby.

HEIDI: Thank you, Mommy.

GRACE: Oh, you're welcome, Darling.

Mm--mm.

When you did not return my calls,

I was tempted to go to the police.

Before you ask your questions, may I tell you why I've come?

You may.

But I will ask them.

And you will answer.

I'm applying to the University,

and I was wondering if you still have my academic records.

Oh, I have them all right.

But I do not think they will be of much use to you.

You should know that.

CAROLINE: Yes, I do.

But I need a master's in special education.

A master's?

I want to teach the handicapped.

I'd like to use my inheritance to start a school someday.

MISS TROLLOPE: Really?

Your principle interest in life used to be organizing parties.

Some people grow up, Miss Trollope.

MISS TROLLOPE: Well, your highest grade

here was a C. You were lazy.

Your work, when you did it, was sloppy.

The Caroline I knew could not possibly

pass a college entrance exam.

I'll pass.

I have to.

I know my old records won't help.

The fact is, I was hoping that you

wouldn't have them, that enough time had past that, perhaps--

Oh, I will not destroy them, if that's

what you are suggesting.

I see.

MISS TROLLOPE: I imagine you do.

Oh, you do not really expect me to believe any of this.

CAROLINE: I don't care what you believe, Miss Trollope.

With the Atkins' inheritance in your pocket,

I would have thought you would be long--

The money only matters because it can

help me do what I want to do.

[chuckling]

Oh, teach the handicapped.

Forgive me.

That is hard to believe, impossible to believe

of Caroline Carmichael.

You can think what you like of me.

You can do whatever you want with those records.

I'm going to college.

I'm going to get my master's.

Didn't you see that little girl at the party, Miss Trollope?

She's my sister.

I've got a lot of work to do.

And I won't be stopped by you or by anybody.

[clapping]

You used to tell us in assembly not to prejudge people,

to walk through life with an open mind and an open heart,

ready and willing to help the less fortunate.

What's happened to you, Miss Trollope?

You must love that little girl very much.

What is her name?

Her mother calls her Heidi, but her name is really Hilary.

And you really think you can help her?

Yes, I do.

It's for her brother as well as her.

He needs help as much as she does.

Wait.

All right.

When they call me from the University,

I will say I do not have your records anymore.

Thank you.

They are lucky children to have

someone like you helping them.

I'm the lucky one.

MISS TROLLOPE: Oh, by the way, I never speak at assembly.

I never have.

But tolerance and commitment to others

is certainly the theme of my school.

I'm glad you invited me to lunch.

It's good to get away from the office.

CAROLINE: I can't believe you still work on Saturdays.

[chuckling]

Oh, it's habit, I guess.

I don't understand why you moved out of the house.

Was it Grace?

It was time to be on my own, that's all.

Well, I liked having you there.

We were just getting reacquainted.

Father, I wanted to talk to you about Heidi.

She's quite remarkable, you know.

She's really very intelligent.

We had her checked.

She's slow.

CAROLINE: She's not slow.

She's bright and eager.

If you spent some time with her-- if you took

an interest in her, you'd--

Well, of course I'm interested in her.

It's just that she's--

[dog barking]

--she's limited.

[doorbell ringing]

I've invited Heidi and Winston to lunch, as well.

Oh, well, fine.

It's just I--I don't have a lot of time.

CAROLINE: Hello.

Come in.

It's so good to see you two.

Hello, Heidi.

Father.

PAUL: Hey, surprise.

- Let me show you the apartment. - Oh, yeah.

Right.

Take off your coat.

WINSTON: Neat.

CAROLINE: Heidi?

Heidi?

Take off your coat.

HEIDI: I can't.

PAUL: Here, I'll help.

She can do it.

Show Father you can do it.

I can't.

What are you doing, Caroline?

Father, ask her to do it.

She can.

Heidi, can you take off your coat?

I'll try.

Well, very good.

[clapping]

I hate it when you do that.

Heidi?

Would you bring me a can of soup?

It's in the pantry.

It says "chicken" on the label.

HEIDI: OK.

PAUL: Winston, you help Caroline.

You better make that two.

We have a hungry crowd here.

Are you trying to tell me she can read the labels?

Chicken soup.

CAROLINE: Excellent.

Now open the cans while I get the crackers, all right?

HEIDI: Sure.

[can opener running]

Heidi, read the directions for me.

HEIDI: Add one can of water.

That's all it says.

Well, I'll be damned.

Thank you, Heidi.

Will you open the other can now?

[can opener running]

You have no idea, Grace.

It was remarkable, absolutely remarkable.

I resent you going behind my back.

She can read.

She can take off her own coat and put it on.

She used a can opener.

She's not a baby, Grace.

She's not slow.

She has taught herself to read.

I saw her.

CAROLINE: You can't keep disguising

her handicaps with ribbons and ruffles

with every kind of indulgence.

GRACE: Heidi is a happy child the way she is.

- She needs a hearing aid. - They don't work.

CAROLINE: Not a pretty one, a massive one.

Paul, will you please--

CAROLINE: And she needs a lot of physical therapy.

Physical therapy is painful.

And they told us that it would not

substantially affect her legs.

PAUL: Grace, the child is capable of a lot--

GRACE: No. No.

No. No.

No. No.

No. I have been a good mother.

No one can say that I haven't.

I did not put her in an institution.

And I have done my best.

Nobody's saying you haven't, Grace.

That's not what we're talking about.

CAROLINE: It isn't your fault Heidi is the way she is.

No one can help that.

Don't be ashamed.

You don't have to feel guilty.

I don't feel ashamed.

And I don't feel guilty.

You're the one who should be ashamed!

You've done nothing but lie since you came here!

You've done nothing but cause trouble.

And you have come between me and my children!

Are you against me, too?

Darling?

GRACE: Has she done that to us, as well?

PAUL: Caroline is just trying to help.

Well, we don't want your help, Caroline!

Grace, would you just listen to her, please?

Don't deny Heidi the only chance that she has.

If I'm the problem, I'll leave.

If it's the money, you can have it.

But please let Heidi grow up.

Winston can't be responsible for her forever.

You can't do that to him.

Paul-- Paul, remember, we agreed

to remember when she was born.

Remember?

I would raise her.

I would take care of her.

You had your work.

And I had the children.

Oh, God.

I love them.

I really love them.

You can't do this to me.

You can't.

You can't.

You can't.

PAUL: Grace?

[door slamming]

Father?

PAUL: We'll have to give her time, Caroline.

She loves those children.

Heidi doesn't have time.

Can't you understand that?

She'll change her mind.

I'll talk to her.

You just be patient.

You can't put it all on Grace.

You have to make a decision.

All right.

I think it might be better if you didn't

see the child for a while.

Just stay away from her.

What?

PAUL: Just for a while.

Grace will change her mind.

CAROLINE: When I came back, I thought we could be a family.

But this isn't a family.

It never was because you won't take responsibility for it.

Don't you tell me about responsibility!

You were the one who vanished for 14 years!

I lost your mother because of your selfishness.

I do not intend to lose Grace.

HEIDI: No! WINSTON: Shh.

It's Friday.

Mother won't know.

HEIDI: I'm not going to Caroline's after school!

You have to, Heidi.

Mommy says I have to go get my hair done.

I have to go to Mr. Steve's.

Upsie-daisy, young lady.

WINSTON: You can't do that.

Caroline can help you.

It's important, Heidi.

HEIDI: Leave me alone.

Girls get their hair done.

It's what we do.

Mommy says it's what we do.

Caroline doesn't go to Mr. Steve's.

Mommy doesn't want me to grow up like Caroline.

[door bell ringing]

[clearing throat]

CAROLINE: Winston.

Oh, Heidi won't come.

I tried, but I couldn't get her to come.

I told her to.

But she went to go get her hair done instead.

Winston, calm down.

She has to come.

She has to.

I can't force her to.

I can't help her unless she wants me to.

But you have to help her.

There isn't anyone else.

I can't, Winston.

I've been forbidden to.

Forbidden?

Who-- who would do that?

Mother?

No.

No.

Let me make you some tea.

Mother doesn't have to know.

We could do a lot of other things.

It's Father.

Why?

Because he's a coward.

A coward?

CAROLINE: Winston, I have cookies to go with this.

What right do you have to call my father a coward?

As much right as you do.

WINSTON: You do not.

I'm his son, and I'd never call him a coward.

CAROLINE: Well, I'm his daughter, and I would.

WINSTON: Oh, sure.

Sure you're his daughter.

Sure you are.

Winston, I'm tired--

tired of all the suspicion.

I can't help you anymore.

I'm going away.

WINSTON: You can't go.

CAROLINE: Here.

This should tell you what you want to know.

Please don't go.

CAROLINE: I want you to take it, open it, burn it.

You decide.

It's yours.

Go on.

Take it.

Take it and go home.

I love you, Winston.

[dog barking]

WINSTON [VOICEOVER]: Dear Winston.

I must tell you the truth about myself

to do with as you see fit--

CAROLINE [VOICEOVER]: --for without the truth,

our friendship will have meant nothing.

I am not Caroline Carmichael.

My name is Martha Sedgwick.

I returned from India seven months ago

and accepted duty at a nursing home

because it mostly kept me free of people.

That's how I met Mrs. Atkins.

NURSE: Martha, the new patient in 12A

was moved in from the West Wing.

Her name is Flora Atkins.

Ah.

Uh, had a terrible [inaudible] with her in-laws,

the Carmichael's.

They are really something.

How is she now?

I finally got her quieted down.

I'll do the paperwork on her tomorrow.

See what you can do about being on time tomorrow.

MARTHA: I'll be early. [chuckling]

NURSE: That I've got to see.

You're up late, Flora.

What seems to be the trouble?

[music playing]

Are you all right?

FLORA ATKINS: Come here.

[music playing]

Caroline.

I'm Martha.

Come here.

Oh.

[sobbing]

I always knew you'd return to me in my hour of need.

I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else.

I'm-- I'm Martha Sedgwick.

We won't tell Paul you're back, not yet anyway.

Paul?

Your father.

My parents are dead.

They were missionaries in India.

I've just returned.

FLORA ATKINS: No, no, no.

No.

Your mother is dead, not your father.

Oh.

Whatever you say, Flora.

Grandmother.

I must insist you call me Grandmother.

After all, I've waited a long time to hear it.

Let me put these by the bed.

FLORA ATKINS: Oh.

What lovely children.

FLORA ATKINS: Oh, I don't get to see them anymore.

That Grace won't allow it.

Go on.

Look at it.

That's your half sister, Hilary.

Really?

- Her mother calls her Heidi. - Uh-huh.

FLORA ATKINS: She has problems, poor dear.

And, Winston, her brother, he's very bright.

Very handsome.

And very nice.

He's twelve.

M-hm.

Your coming back will be a big help to them.

They need someone.

Why don't you get some sleep, Flora?

FLORA ATKINS: Oh, don't tell Paul.

MARTHA: Don't worry.

I won't.

[music playing]

FLORA ATKINS: And you remember when this was taken?

It looks like me.

Well, of course it does.

You're just as lovely as you ever were.

I liked your hair better it's natural color.

Didn't you like it that way?

Let me see the old Caroline, the hell-raiser.

I'll get fired.

Oh, fiddlesticks.

You won't need this job much longer.

Come on.

Step on it.

OK.

MARTHA [VOICEOVER]: Flora was one

of those indomitable old ladies who'd spent

a lifetime getting her own way.

At first, I dismissed her confusion as simply old age.

But I began to see how important it was to her that someone

help you and Heidi.

FLORA ATKINS: Unless you make a claim on my estate soon,

the money will go to the Carmichaels.

And they have enough.

And I don't want my son-in-law's present wife to have it.

When Paul's gone, she will.

But now that you're here, she won't.

It belongs to you, Caroline.

It's yours.

Study the scrapbook carefully.

It's your past.

It's a proud past.

[music playing]

MARTHA [VOICEOVER]: I found myself wondering

if I could carry it off.

The more she talked, the more I began to think like Caroline.

[music playing]

FLORA ATKINS: When it appears in the paper, Caroline,

I don't want them to say "death attributed to heart attack

or cerebral" something or another.

I want them to say "death due to old A--G--E" Yeah.

That has a ring of dignity to it.

Those children need you.

Their mother indulges them.

Their father takes no interest.

[sigh]

Consider the inheritance came in an advance.

Go do it, Martha girl.

Go do it.

Don't let anything stop you.

Do it for me, Martha.

Do it for me.

I will, Grandmother.

[kiss]

I promise.

MARTHA [VOICEOVER]: I tried to keep that promise, Winston.

I did the best I could.

Someday you may tell--

[paper ripping]

HEIDI: No.

No.

No!

[heidi sobbing]

No.

[heidi sobbing]

What's wrong with you?

[sobbing]

They can hear your crying in Cleveland.

What's the matter, Heidi?

[sniffling]

HEIDI: Look at what they did to me.

I hate being a baby.

And Mommy wants me to be a baby forever.

Help me, Winston.

[sniffling]

Take me to Caroline.

[sniffling]

[dog barking]

Thanks for the ride, Sir.

That's $12.60.

But I appreciate the thanks.

I'd be happy to sign for it.

Cash, kid.

That's how the system works.

But I never have any money.

I always sign for things.

TAXI DRIVER: $12.60, or I'll take you back

and get it from your parents.

Except then, it'll be $25.

You keep my sister, and I'll go upstairs and get the money.

TAXI DRIVER: What do I do with her if you don't come back?

Just kidding, kid.

Go on.

MARTHA: There you go. TAXI DRIVER: Thank you, Ma'am.

[inaudible] MARTHA: Heidi, what happened?

[sobbing] - We need your help, Martha.

We need you.

[sobbing]

Let's go inside.

It's all right.

Just tell me what you want.

I want to be normal.

I want to be like other kids, please.

You can't be normal, Heidi.

If I've given you that hope, then forgive me.

What Caroline means Heidi is--

What Caroline means is that she wants you to be yourself.

We can't pretend you're not handicapped, Heidi.

That would be lying.

I won't lie.

Good.

But if you want to become Hillary--

if you want to work very hard, then

maybe, just maybe you can be that special person

you have inside you.

But how?

You have to learn.

You have to become independent, and useful, and grown-up.

But it's going to be scary.

You have to tell me you want this no matter what.

No matter what anyone says or does,

you have to stick with it.

Do you understand?

I will.

I want to.

I don't want to be a baby anymore.

Then I'll stay and help you.

I'll go back to your parents.

I'll keep going back.

It's not that they don't love you, Hilary.

They do.

They just don't want to see you fail.

But we won't fail, will we?

We'll do it together.

I promise.

$12.60.

That's about all you were worth in those days.

Well, maybe $13 since you became head of Caroline's school.

HEIDI: Caroline made us all grow up, didn't she?

Even Father.

WINSTON: Do you think he ever questioned who she was?

I think he wanted his daughter back.

Did you ever talk to Mother about this?

HEIDI: No.

Part of the war zone, I guess.

I know she loved me, meant well.

But, um, part of me can't ever forgive her for being ashamed.

She's proud of me now, proud of both of us.

I want you to see something down the hall.

[music playing]

That's very good.

[children chatting]

HEIDI: Look at this.

Do you know what they're doing?

The children are going to put on a little performance

as a memorial.

Caroline would've loved it.

KEVIN: Look at me, Mrs. Hilary.

[gasp]

HEIDI: Oh.

KEVIN: Look what I did.

What?

KEVIN: I made me.

[music playing]

HEIDI: Oh, that's wonderful, Kevin.

Oh.

Mrs. Caroline would be so proud of you.

I'm so proud of your, too.

Out of my reach, yes.

[beep]

[music playing]

[children chatting]

MARTHA [VOICEOVER]: But if you want to become Hilary--

if you want to work really hard, then maybe--

just maybe you can be that special person

you have inside you.

[music playing]