[bee buzzes]
[young Scottish man] It's hard to remember,
to hold on to more than a few hugs.
The line between what I saw and what I thought I saw is blurred.
I remember it was a cold summer.
There was more cold to come.
Cold in our house, too.
And in the town, they'd watch my mother's every step.
I remember moments,
half understood then, and now too long gone.
The bees dancing.
The sound of whispers.
Secrets everywhere.
How could I have known what would happen when they were told?
[car door shuts]
[bees buzz]
[loud buzzing]
[machines clatter and whir]
[metallic pounding]
[factory whistle blows]
[children chatter]
♪ Down by the river
♪ Where the green wicks grow
♪ There sat Irene giving him a bow ♪
♪ Up came Charlie's dad and kissed her on the bum... ♪
[young woman] You all right, Charlie boy?
[Manchester accent] Uh, have you been scrapping, Charlie Weekes? [sighs]
-Joe took my marbles. -Well, did you count to ten?
I did, but he still had my marbles.
Come on home for your tea.
So where shall I say you are tonight if your mum comes looking?
-Church. -[chuckles]
You should come. Mum said you used to like a dance.
She said more than that, I bet.
Uh, Charlie, I don't want these in the house.
They're for skimming. Dad said we could go in the summer.
I'm not sure when your dad's gonna be back, Charlie.
I want to find more stones for Dad.
He's rooming with her, apparently. Sneaking past her landlady.
Wave at your Aunty Pam.
-Well, I'll see you tomorrow. -Hm-hmm.
-[Charlie] Bye! -[chuckles]
Charlie, boots.
[boots clatter]
Uh...
[water sloshes]
[door opens and closes]
[sobs]
-[Charlie] Mum? -Yes, love?
-Do you want me to read to you? -[sniffs]
Yeah.
That'd be nice.
"It was one o'clock when we left No.3, Lauriston Gardens."
"Sherlock Holmes led me to the nearest telephone office..."
[children shout out]
Get off me!
[children gasp]
[sobs]
Charlie?
Whoa, whoa, slow down, slow down.
What's the matter?
They were saying things about Mum.
Come on.
I don't want Mum to know I was scrapping.
[young woman] Don't worry, we'll think of something.
-[knocking at door] -[woman] Come in.
Oh, dear. What's happened here?
I tripped over a stone.
Can you show me where it hurts?
I'm Dr. Markham. What's your name?
-[winces] Charlie. -When did you hurt it?
-[Charlie] After school. -You're his sister?
-Cousin. -Where's his mother?
She's got chickenpox.
Charlie.
Well, it's just a bruise.
Nothing broken.
[Dr. Markham] That's a honeycomb. Do you like bees?
Hmm.
They make these with their mouths.
A man made that one with a chisel and a mallet.
-[Charlie] Who was it? -My father.
He was the doctor here.
-Where is he now? -He's gone.
There are hives in your garden.
Would you like to see them?
[Dr. Markham] All right. Come by on Sunday and I'll show you.
[cousin] Thank you.
[faint knocking at door]
[louder knocking]
[sniffs]
[knocking at door]
[cousin] Don't worry, I've got him. So sorry.
-There you are. -You must have tea on.
-Where have you been? -I took him to the sweet shop,
and his shirt got all sticky, so I got another one.
What's happened?
-I tripped over a stone. -Oh.
Are you all right?
Oh, let's get you changed. Thank you, Annie.
-All right. Do you want me to stay? -Uh, no.
Let's get a shirt on.
[bees buzz]
[Dr. Markham] Got to be careful this time of year. Make sure they don't swarm.
If the colony gets too big,
some of the bees leave to find a new home.
Look. There's honey.
-Where do they go? -[Dr. Markham] Anywhere.
Somewhere dark and warm.
-I found them in the chimney once. -[Charlie] Look at this.
-[Dr. Markham] She likes you. -She's a girl?
[Dr. Markham] Most of the bees you'll ever see are girls.
You know my father used to say you should tell the bees your secrets,
then they don't fly away.
Do you tell the bees your secrets?
[Dr. Markham] I used to.
-Did it work? -Well, they're still here.
Maybe they remember.
[buzzing]
[Charlie] Why'd you leave home?
-I went away to boarding school. -Then why did you come back?
I wanted to come home again, and the bees were going to die without me.
Here.
You can take down what you observe.
Changes in the weather, where the flowers are growing best,
anything that might be significant.
-Is that what you do? -Well, doctors have to.
We observe and we listen.
If you listen carefully enough,
you can understand people even when they don't speak.
Same with the bees.
[buzzing]
[whispers] My mum is sad.
I don't know what to do.
[buzzing]
[knocking at door]
[man] Mr Weekes?
Mrs Weekes? The rent's overdue,
still.
[sighs]
[clock ticks]
Mrs Weekes, this is your last warning.
[sighs]
[radio crackles]
[jazz music]
-Why don't you go out for a dance, Mum? -Oh.
I'd rather dance with you.
[laughs]
-Come on, Mum. -Go on.
[laughs]
These aren't from the library, Charlie.
The new doctor gave me a present.
[book thuds]
[inhales]
[exhales]
[footsteps approach]
Can I help you?
I'd like to speak to the doctor, please.
And I'd like to ask him why he's inviting a ten-year-old to his house,
and bribing him to come back with these.
-Heidi? -Yes, with Heidi.
Mum!
-Are you expecting the doctor home? -Hello, Dr. Markham.
Hello, Charlie.
Oh.
Charlie wanted to see the bees. Bribes were not discussed.
-Oh... I didn't think... -You said you liked Heidi,Mum.
Oh, I do. The film.
-Shirley Temple? -The dancing.
-Oh, my shoes don't match. -No, they don't.
[laughs]
[mother] I'm sorry if he's been a nuisance.
He hasn't.
He can come any time.
He's telling them secrets.
He never used to keep things from me.
"Hide from your neighbors as much as you please,
but everything that happens you must tell the bees."
Something like that. That's Kipling, isn't it?
I thought it was a local superstition.
Oh, there's plenty of those.
The bees actually do start to recognize voices.
And footsteps sometimes.
-The vibrations. -Huh.
I'm sorry, I don't have any spoons.
My father auctioned almost everything before he died.
He expected you to live here without spoons?
He expected me to sell the house.
Probably would be the sensible thing to do.
He'd be proud though, no, if you'd taken over his practice?
-I think he'd be surprised. -Yes.
Dunloth might take a while getting used to a lady doctor.
It's a little modern for them.
I like that about it.
This town has always seemed... outside of time to me.
Like Tam o' Shanter might sit on the bus stop alongside the millworkers.
I can't say I've noticed.
-You're not from Dunloth. -No, I'm from near Manchester.
My father and Rob, that's Charlie's dad, didn't... see eye to eye.
So, when I found out I was having Charlie,
we moved to Rob's people.
And then he went back to the war.
He left me here, with my different voice
and a baby older than my marriage.
When he came, back he'd changed,
as though he never really came home.
No one spoke to me except Charlie. Sorry.
Sometimes it feels like...
..I'm separated from everything.
Even Charlie.
Do you know that feeling?
[Charlie] Mum! They recognize me!
[buzzing]
She laughed.
Did you do that?
Well, we better go.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Both of you.
You know you can always tell me things.
If you promise to always tell the truth,
I promise I'll always believe you.
Will you always tell me the truth?
Yes.
Promise.
Can I visit the bees again?
Yes.
Yeah, you can.
[gentle jazz music]
[gentle jazz continues]
-[music fades] -[clears throat]
[machines thud]
[indistinct chatter]
Rob's stopped paying the rent.
You know where to find him.
[scoffs] You think she'd open the door to me?
Can I get a few more hours? Just a few?
We've got more girls than hours as it is.
What was my brother thinking of bringing back a wild one like you?
[factory whistle blows]
[man] Break's over. Back to work now.
[child squeals]
[hens cluck]
Not too high. I've seen measles much worse.
I'll check on him in a few days.
It's good for him to have had it at his age.
Might be better if your wee girl stays away though.
Off you go, Connie.
I remember you.
-Do you? -Yes. From school.
I don't need advice from you on how to look after my daughter.
Of course.
[car door slams]
[children squeal]
[Annie] You don't have to go to her house.
You could try the pub. Or the dogs.
He'll turn up somewhere.
Mum said the war made it so he can't stay still.
Sorry.
You can find someone else any time you like.
-Hmph. -You're pretty enough.
Yeah. Men round here see Rob ten paces behind me
-even when he's off work or in town. -[whistle]
[mother] Is that George?
-Yeah. -Should you really be meeting him here?
If she asks, say I was with you. Come on.
-Come on. -Go on. Be careful.
Hello.
Charlie said he'd bring those next time he visited.
Oh, I was passing after work, so...
-From the mill? -Oh, I went the long way round.
-I have to... -How are the bees?
Oh. They're fine, thank you.
Rob's left us.
It's been happening gradually. I...
My pay won't even cover the rent, and...
..I keep thinking I should just take Charlie and pack a bag and leave, but...
..train fare past Stirling's beyond me currently.
-Do you need money? -No, no, that's not... I, umm...
I've written to my father. He'll help.
I just... wanted to tell you.
Sorry. Perhaps I've caught you at a bad time.
Thank you for the books.
[exhales]
[man hums]
[exhales]
[man hums]
So this is how you say goodbye now?
The last of your things?
[sighs]
[mother] Charlie was playing with it.
It's not a toy.
He misses you.
[sighs] He's all right.
[hums]
Do you remember, Robbie?
[continues humming]
[big-band music plays in the distance]
[continues humming]
[big-band music]
[laughs]
You're like no one I've ever met.
Give me a proper goodbye, then.
We're gonna be evicted.
You have to learn to look after yourself.
[sniffs]
And that boy of yours.
No, ours.
-Don't talk clever. -Oh.
[sniffs]
-It's what you always do. -[closes case]
Make things difficult.
[laughs]
-Robbie? -[footsteps recede]
-Robbie, we're your family. -[front door opens and closes]
So you say you've had this pain since your son was born.
-Yes, that's right. -How long ago was that?
Thomas will be ten on Tuesday.
-You know it doesn't cost any more. -Yes.
You didn't want to ask my father about this.
Next?
The promise we made was medicine for all
and now we're charging for prescriptions.
Jean, I'm a solicitor.
I charge people just to sit in my office.
So, she carried on going into work, the girl with the throat infection?
They do, these women.
They work and they keep quiet
and they don't complain.
I think I could make a difference there.
Mmm. Have you got any help for yourself?
No. I think it'd be odd to have a stranger in the house.
-Worried they'll learn your secrets? -[chuckles]
What about you?
Sarah's sister's been helping. She...
She looks just like Sarah.
After Mum, my father never bought the soap she used ever again.
Silly old me.
I'm sorry I wasn't here for the funeral.
-We... We don't have to be alone. -Jim.
We could sit together and...
..complain about the state of British politics until one of us dies.
I think we'd be happy.
We would.
[Jim] Will you think about it?
[bees buzz loudly]
Charlie, I'm going. Your sandwich is on the side.
[exhales]
[sighs]
[machines rattle and clunk]
[clunk]
[machine whirs and clunks]
[metallic clunking]
[metallic creak]
-[alarm bell rings] -[mother] Annie!
My scissors. My scissors!
Get it out. Be careful!
Get it out!
-What's going on? -[both talk at once]
Out of the way.
Ruined.
Bloody women!
Lydia, you know how he gets in the afternoons.
Calm down. Just talk to him.
Oh! Sodding mills.
-I hate them. -I know, but...
Annie!
-What? -Get back here now.
[panicked breaths]
[sobs]
[sniffs]
Huh.
Fuck him.
-[dog barks] -[hens cluck]
Hello, Mrs Bewick. I'm sorry, it's been a few days...
It's Connie, she...
I tried to keep her away. We've only got one room.
Mum?
Mum!
[indistinct chatter]
[gramophone] ♪ When he went away
♪ The blues came in and met me ♪
♪ If he stays away
♪ Old rockin' chair will get me ♪
♪ All I do is pray
♪ The Lord above gonna let me
♪ Walk in the sun once more
♪ Can't go on
♪ Everything I have is gone
♪ Stormy weather
-♪ Since my man and I... -[laughs]
♪ Ain't together
♪ Keeps rainin'...
[chuckles]
♪ Stormy weather
♪ Since my man and I ain't together... ♪
[Lydia] Oi!
Charlie.
Excuse me.
Charlie!
Charlie, wait. What are you doin'?
I was looking for you.
You can't go running around the streets like that.
-[Charlie] What were you doing? -[Lydia] Nothing.
[Charlie] That's not the truth.
Are you all right?
Can I drive you home?
I was sacked. [laughs]
So I had a drink.
Danced with a man whose name I didn't ask.
[laughs]
You must think I'm awful.
I don't.
-The other day, you were so cold. -I'm sorry.
-I thought that we... -[Jean] It's nothing you did.
What's wrong?
A little girl died today.
Oh.
If I'd visited earlier,
if she'd... called me...
I should've just gone.
[sniffs]
Come on.
[car door shuts]
Mum!
[Lydia] Now what?
Oh, God.
[car door shuts]
[Lydia sighs] We've been evicted.
[bees buzz]
[loud buzzing]
[Jean] The last housekeeper left just after my father died.
And... do we eat with you?
Oh.
Of course.
So, this could be your room.
Sorry, it's a bit...
No one's slept in here in about 20 years.
[chuckles]
-[Lydia] Where are you? -[Jean] Just downstairs.
I thought I'd put Charlie in here.
This used to be my bed. It probably won't survive being jumped on.
Do I seem like the kind of person who might jump on a bed?
[chuckles]
-A little. -[laughs]
[loud buzzing]
[Charlie] Bees have five eyes and one spit of bone.
And at the back of their abdomen is the stinger.
Unlike the rest of the bees,
the queen bee does not die when she stings
and her body is twice as large,
her life 30 times longer.
Oof!
[Charlie] The queen doesn't rule the hive.
No one does.
Everything's decided in harmony,
except they don't use words. They dance.
If you pay attention, they're talking to us all the time.
[Jean] Next.
Please take a seat.
Dr. Markham says if a beekeeper's worried the hive wants to swarm,
they can calm the bees by tapping and the bees will answer by humming.
Without bees, there would be no flowers and no fruit,
and all we would have are enormous fields of grass.
Dr. Markham says when all the honey bees die, the world will end.
Fly over to the purple flower.
[buzzes]
[chuckles quietly]
[jazz music]
[both laugh]
-Dr. Markham, dance with us. -No, no. No.
Come on.
Come on, move your feet.
Charlie.
It's fine how you're doing it.
Maybe lots of...
And back.
Yes.
Back. Yes.
Just like that.
[Charlie] A bike?
-Oh. -[chuckles]
[door opens]
[Lydia] You didn't?
Mr Wells was going to throw it away.
It just needed a bit of oil.
I can't...
Thank you.
[Lydia] I used to go out every Saturday, even after Charlie.
I'd dance until my shoes wore out. [laughs]
And then I'd dance barefoot.
How do you manage to be so...
...yourself?
[chuckles]
Do I?
You can't help it.
[Charlie] Mum!
[Lydia] Uh-oh.
Charlie. Charlie, we'll just have to leave it.
Oh...
[Lydia] What are you doing?
[chuckles] Jean, be careful.
It's freezing.
[Charlie] Dr. Markham!
[Lydia chuckles]
[laughs]
Yay!
[laughs]
You must be freezing.
Thanks, Lydia.
[Lydia] I'll get you some tea.
What do you say, Charlie?
-Thank you. -[Jean] You're welcome.
Thank you.
[grunts]
[exhales]
Do you have a husband?
You know she doesn't, Charlie.
[door opens]
[door shuts]
It's scandalous what they put back on shelves.
Dr. Markham's got you scrubbing floors.
I'm busy, Pam.
Careful to stay respectable,
or Robert will have something to say about where his son is.
Dr. Markham's given us a home.
-Your brother got us thrown out. -You know what she is? She's...
She's made up wrong.
There was rumors about an incident.
With another girl.
Wait, what do...?
Pam, what do you...?
[shop bell tinkles]
[Charlie mimics rapid gunfire]
Quick! Quick! In the foxhole!
There's a bomber comin'!
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Boom!
What is that?
What is it?
I don't know.
Well, anyway, you can have it.
-No, I'm not having it. -Yeah.
Nope, I'm not having it. I don't even know where it's been.
[boy] I wonder what it is.
Ooh.
Is it...?
-Ooh! -[laughs]
My mum said sweethearts come here to kiss.
So, is Dr. Markham your mum's best friend?
No. Dr. Markham's my friend.
Does she have a bath in her house?
Yeah. It's a big one.
It's even fixed to the floor.
My mum said she was a dirty dyke when she was young.
Come on.
[birdsong]
[bees buzz]
Go away.
Oi!
Oi, oi, get off.
Oh, oh, oh! Get off!
Oh, it's on me! Get it off me! Jean, get it off me.
-Get it off me. -Stay still.
-[whimpers]
Shh. Shh...
[buzzing]
No.
[Jean] We mustn't.
[Charlie] What did you do to the bees?
No, nothing. I, umm... I...
[clears throat]
[water sloshes]
[exhales]
[buzzing]
[hollow knocks]
[loud knocks]
[loud buzzing]
I'll wear my sister's dress but taken in. I'm smaller in the waist.
[heels tap on stairs]
[indistinct chatter]
[Irene] Three tiers high and as sweet as when we were little.
-Mam may be hiding her sugar rations. -[Pam] You're late.
We've got 25 ounces now. He's gonna give us a proper place to live as well soon.
We haven't set a date for the wedding yet, have we, Robbie?
Wants everything yesterday, this one.
Who gave you away, Pam?
Your parents were dead, weren't they?
That's right, yes.
You did a fine job bringing this one up.
[Rob] Aye, she did.
We managed.
I saw Lydia in town.
She's got a job now.
Charwoman to that lady doctor.
Housekeeper.
Respectable.
She looked well.
Charlie's loving it too. He's taking care of the bees.
I wouldn't be surprised if she's got someone looking after her now, too.
[soft music plays]
-[pounding on door] -[Rob] Lydia!
It's nice.
What are you doing here?
A job the only new thing you got?
[scoffs]
-I think you'd better go home. -You've got someone then?
-[Lydia] Do you care? -[Rob] Of course I do.
Charlie's my son.
He needs me to teach him how to be a man.
You might need me too.
What about her?
She's not you.
Don't you want me back?
[Lydia] I never wanted you to go.
No.
[sighs]
[sniffs]
I can take Charlie...
..any time I want.
[slams door]
[buzzing]
[loud buzzing]
Do you have someone?
Uh...
I have you.
Night-night.
Sleep tight.
[door shuts]
[heavy breathing]
[moans]
[Lydia gasps]
[distant thunder]
[rain]
[Lydia chuckles quietly]
Mmm...
You talk in your sleep.
Do I?
-Hmm. -What did I say?
I don't know that I should say.
What?
You listed types of penicillin.
[laughs]
I only have very dull secrets.
That's not true.
Did you always know?
I loved someone.
Rose.
I suppose I didn't have those words.
But that's what it was.
We used to walk to that loch.
There were some... boys.
Rose was badly hurt.
After that...
...my father felt that I couldn't stay.
He said this town was too small for secrets.
So I left.
I never stayed anywhere long enough for people to know me.
But secrets find a way out in big towns, too.
Then my father died.
And there was his house.
And they needed a doctor here.
And I suppose I wanted to stop running.
To do some good here this time.
Oh!
Shit!
[buzzes]
[Charlie] It recognizes you.
How could a bee recognize you?
Not it, she.
-Do women ever kiss each other? -Huh.
[Annie laughs]
Shh.
[breathes heavily]
[church bell rings]
[boy] Charlie?
[church bell rings]
-Has Charlie been past? -No, I haven't seen him.
-Sorry about that. -He's probably just playing.
I just want to know where he is. Sorry.
Hmph.
[Jean] Lydia?
Charlie! There you are.
You weren't back for your dinner. You must be starving hungry.
Are you OK?
Are you all right? What's wrong?
You've not been scrapping again, have you?
[loud buzzing]
George touched her...
...down there.
Why would she want him to do that?
-Sorry, Jim. Thanks. -[Jim] All right.
Thank you.
All right. Here you go.
-[Jim hums] There we go. -Thank you.
[Jim] And there you go.
Thank you.
[loud buzzing]
[jazz music]
[chuckles]
[jazz song]
Oh, no, my love, I can't dance like you.
-[both laugh] -[Jean] No!
-[needle scratches on record] -[both stop laughing]
Uh, I, umm, better clear up.
[exhales] I should take Meg home.
We've... We've become very close.
It's a small town, Jean.
No one knows anything.
-Her husband's left her. -He's still her husband.
The law is entirely on his side. He could take Charlie away.
Does Lydia know that?
What does Charlie know?
-Nothing. -That's good.
There... There was a time...
..when I would have given anything for you to look at me
the way you looked at her.
Wouldn't it have been easier?
I'm sorry.
We'll see you and Meg again soon?
Yes, yes.
Of course.
This is irresponsible, Jean.
Meg's sound asleep.
I'm gonna take her home. But thank you.
-[Lydia] Thank you. -[Jim] We'll see ourselves out.
[Lydia] Goodbye.
[door closes]
It'll be all right. I promise.
Oh. Can't sleep?
Is someone gonna take me away?
Why would you think that?
Charlie, why would you think that?
I don't know.
Night.
[church bell rings]
[indistinct chatter]
[laughs]
We have so much time to decide.
[indistinct chatter]
-So why didn't you tell me earlier? -I don't know.
[Annie] I didn't know about it.
[Annie giggles]
-Shameful. And with the doctor. -I know.
-[Charlie] Oh, Mum. -Charlie.
-Have you said something? -About what?
Please don't lie to me.
I'm not lying.
Remember, I promised to always tell the truth.
[sighs] Yeah, I know. Sorry.
All right, Charlie.
Well! What, no cuddle?
Come here.
-Hi. -[laughs]
-[Lydia] How are you? -I'm good.
-This is so nice. -I know.
Wow.
-Come in. -Thanks.
[groans]
I have been on my feet all day.
George says I need to take care of myself.
-Oh. -He's getting a job in a hotel.
-Oh. -Hm-hmm.
You won't rush things, will you?
Well...
[tuts] Umm...
Hm-hmm.
Yeah.
Oh.
-I see. -Yeah. We'll be fine.
You don't know that, though.
I didn't.
I do.
He makes me feel like I can have whatever life I want.
You know what I mean?
-[Lydia] Hmm. -You do, don't you?
Hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah, I do.
[pigeon coos]
[clock chimes]
[turns handle]
[sounds of lovemaking]
-Mum? -[Lydia] Charlie.
Charlie?
Charlie.
Love, did you see something just then? Shall we talk about it?
Stop talking.
-Charlie, please. -[Charlie] Stop it!
-[Lydia] Let's... -Stop it!
You promised to tell me the truth!
You're always keeping secrets and leaving me out!
You're dirty dykes!
[gasps]
[door slams]
[sighs]
I don't know what to tell him.
I'm so sorry.
I...
How do we explain?
He has to understand that he must keep quiet.
Is that what you're worried about?
-If he tells anyone... -He starts school next week.
You can't make a ten-year-old keep a secret.
Then what are we going to do?
I want this.
Remember that... in the next few days and weeks.
Try hard to remember that.
[Jean and Lydia whisper]
[loud buzzing]
[pants] Is Dad here?
Come on upstairs.
Come on.
[buzzing]
-[Lydia] Charlie? -[bees buzz]
He's not in the house.
His bike's gone.
-Can we...? -Yes.
Mum and Dr. Markham kiss on the mouths.
I saw them.
They kiss each other all over.
[Rob] What?
She touched her.
-Down there. -Oh, Jesus!
-Rob... -Christ!
You saw this, Charlie?
Will I be taken away?
[sighs] What?
Am I going to be taken away?
No.
No, no, no.
Not while I'm around.
[Irene] And where's he gonna go?
There's no room at mine.
He'll stay here for now.
What if she comes looking for him? Am I to deal with that, am I?
-Of course not. -He's your son, Robert.
-You're to see he's looked after. -Then I'll stay here as well.
-What? -Till we find somewhere with more room.
-And when will that be? -Soon.
[Lydia] Charlie!
Charlie! Is he here?
Charlie. Charlie, love, I'm sorry. Let's go home.
-Come on, let's go home. -Charlie's gonna stay here with me.
Charlie? Charlie, come on.
I want to stay with Dad.
No. No, love, you don't realize what you're saying.
Didn't you hear him? You, go.
No.
Rob. Rob, I mean... What, you're not gonna look after him.
Don't you tell me what I can do with my son. Charlie, go upstairs. Upstairs!
-Charlie! -[Rob] Now.
-Rob, please. -Charlie stays here.
-Or we'll see what a court of law says. -What?
He'll tell them the disgusting things he's seen.
[spits]
Disgusting? What's he...?
If you come back here, I'll call the police.
You'll never see Charlie again.
-Maybe we need to go. -[footsteps recede]
[man] Margaret, what's going on out there?
[indistinct chatter]
[exhales]
Mmm...
[children shouting]
Charlie.
Come with me.
[keys jangle]
[spits]
[exhales]
I...
[wheelbarrow rattles]
Does it hurt the tree when you cut it down?
It's a tree.
But trees are alive.
[sighs]
[Jim] If you take him to court,
he'll testify to the nature of your relationship.
And no judge would award the two of you Charlie in that circumstance.
There are notices in every paper.
They need doctors.
Only ones with good references.
You are never going to make that town home,
not living like this.
Those sort of people don't change their minds.
They'll never have a doctor like you again.
They don't want a doctor like me.
No.
Thank you for seeing me, Jim.
You'll visit again soon?
With Meg?
I'll see.
It's a long drive.
[Rob] She thinks she's his father
just 'cause she's with my wife?
[Pam] It doesn't matter what she thinks. The law's on your side.
[strikes match]
Nobody wants her here.
She can't work. She can't walk down the street.
[buzzes]
[Pam] You'll be here tonight to help with Annie?
Does she know what's happening?
We've had words.
[Rob] She'll kick up a fuss.
[Pam] She knows what's good for her.
Stop!
[buzzing]
[sighs]
[Lydia] I need to think straight.
Jim says there are lots of career opportunities out there.
-Not just doctors; all kinds. -I'm gonna go and get him.
-You can't! -I have to.
If I was any kind of mother, I wouldn't have let him stay.
I can't stand being here without him.
-Can't you? -Of course I can't.
We should've thought about what would happen.
I did.
I tried to keep away from you.
Lydia, Lydia! Please. You know Robert will call the police.
I don't care.
-I just want him home. -But what then?
We need to think this through.
We can't just bring him back here. It won't be like it was.
If we tell Robert that we'll leave quietly,
that no one has to know,
he might just let Charlie go.
[knocking at door]
[Pam] Thank you for coming.
[indistinct chatter]
-[footsteps approach] -[door opens]
Who's at the door?
-[choral music] -Stay in here.
What's going on?
[Charlie] What's going on?
[sighs]
All right, Annie, I need you to lie down.
We're gonna fix your situation. I just need you to stay calm.
Ow! Get off!
-Rob, I need... Rob... -[Annie] Ow! Get off me!
-[Pam] Shh. -[Annie screams]
Get off me! Get off me! Mum!
-[Annie screams] -Shh, shh, shh.
[Annie sobs] No!
-[Annie yells] -[choral music continues]
[Annie yells]
[Annie] No!
[Annie] No! No!
[Annie sobs loudly]
[screams]
[Annie] No! No!
[pants]
[exhales]
[door opens]
[Charlie] What's happening with Annie?
[sniffs] Nothing.
You're not to say anything about this, do you understand?
I think I should go to Dr. Markham's. I need to go check on the bees.
Hey. It's time you stopped going on about those bees.
They listen to me.
No, they don't.
[sighs]
[sniffs]
You can't be like this, Charlie.
Be a man.
What if I can't?
Not everyone knows how to be like you.
What are you talking about?
-[music ends] -I said what are you talking about?
I'll speak to you later. Stay here.
[door shuts]
[distant thunder]
How are you doing, Annie, love? Hmm?
How are you feeling? Are you all right?
[Pam gasps]
[Pam breathes heavily]
[Pam whimpers]
[Pam sobs]
Help me!
Dr. Markham!
-Charlie? -Charlie.
-[Charlie] Annie needs you. -What?
-[Charlie] It's bad. -I'll get my things.
-Well, let's... -No, stay. I'll deal with this.
-Charlie, what's happened? -You promised you wouldn't lie to me.
I know.
I'm sorry.
-I've missed you so much. -You won't tell me the truth.
I love Jean.
I do.
But I'm still the same person.
Nothing else has changed.
Look,
a lie and a secret aren't the same thing.
You can't ever know everything about me,
like I can't ever know everything about you, but...
that's all right, isn't it?
[Jean exhales]
She's tachycardic.
What did they use? Was it something sharp or was it a tube?
It was a tube.
How long ago did it happen?
-How long? -About an hour ago.
[Jean] What you've done is illegal.
[labored breaths]
Oh. She needs a hospital.
She needs a dilation and curettage procedure.
Have you done that? Can you do it, please? Please?
-I don't know. -Please? Please?
[Pam] Please? Please?
[Jean] Get her head down and her legs up, quickly.
[Jean] All right.
[Jean] I need to sterilize.
[loud thudding on door]
Charlie, go upstairs.
Charlie, go up to your room and stay there.
[thudding on door continues]
-Charlie's not here. -Get out of the way! Charlie!
Where is he?
-Stop it, stop it. -Get out of my fucking way. Charlie!
-Rob! -Get your fucking hands off me!
-Charlie! -Come back!
-Get out. -Where is he?
-Get out of this house. -Where the fuck is he, Lydia?
Is he in there? Charlie!
[lock clicks]
-Is she man enough for you? -[laughs]
She's more than you ever were.
It's filthy, Lydia. I won't have it in my town.
[Rob] I'm warning you. I'm warning you!
-[Charlie] Mum! -We'll do what we want.
And then what?
[kicks door]
Whatever I do next, I decide.
I won't go with you because you're a joke!
-[yells] -[screams]
Come on!
[Annie groans]
[groans]
[gasps]
-Get off me! -Stay still!
[Annie groans]
-Stop it! -Stay still!
Mum!
[Rob] Lydia!
-[Rob yells] -[stockings rip]
Stay still!
Wake up! [echoes]
Come on, wake up! [echoes]
Wake up, please!
-No, no! -Look at me.
You're still my wife.
[low buzzing]
Come on!
[loud buzzing]
[Lydia] No!
[loud buzzing]
[gasps]
[Rob yells]
[yells]
[grunts]
-Mum! -[Lydia] Charlie.
Charlie, Charlie...
It's all right, Mum. They're swarming.
Mum, look. They're dancing.
[pigeon coos]
Annie?
[mumbles]
Annie?
You try and sleep. Doctor.
Thank you. Thank you.
You'll be here, won't you?
[sobs]
[sniffs]
-[car door shuts] -[bees buzz]
[bees buzz]
[sighs]
[bees buzz]
[Lydia hums in the distance]
[Charlie] As summer comes to an end, the bees gather inside the hive.
[Lydia hums]
[sighs] What?
I'm watching your feet dance around.
[Lydia laughs] Well, you can watch later.
Right now, I need you to make sure that Charlie's packed.
[buzzing]
I won't be able to talk to you.
You won't know what I'm doing, but...
..you'll be all right.
What do they do in there in the winter?
Sleep. Eat.
Wait for the warmth to come again.
Mum says you're going to meet us in a few months.
I have to put things right here, then I'll be along.
You won't though, will you?
I won't say anything.
Thank you.
You're my best friend.
[inhales]
Come home one day, will you?
[sniffs]
[Charlie] Take care of the bees.
Charlie, would you run and find a porter?
It'll be a while, won't it,
before you can join us?
There's a lot to do.
I love you.
I love you too.
[guard blows whistle]
[train whistle blows]
-Mum. -[both laugh]
-[guard] All aboard! All aboard! -[bell clangs]
[train whistle blows]
[guard blows whistle]
[laughs]
[Lydia] Bye.
[Adult Charlie] So much has faded now.
But I remember my mother waving.
And I remember Jean walking away.
I remember what their time together meant.
My mother's life was brighter than it ever would've been
had Jean not shown her the way.
And my mother's love gave Jean the strength to stop running,
to be proud.
The buzz of change was coming even to that town,
although it was too soon and quiet for my mother and Jean to hear it together.
But I had heard the echo.
And so many of us would follow it.
[buzzes]