by Pandemonia - Contributing Writer
Friday October 3rd
KITCHEN – FAMILY BASTIAENS:
Marianne and Ann are sitting at the breakfast table.
MARIANNE: You did what?! You asked a patient if she would give you her child?
ANN: Yes, she probably thinks I have gone mad.
MARIANNE: Of course she did. She came to you to ask for advice and you asked her to give the baby to you…
ANN: At that time it seemed a logic solution to our problem.
MARIANNE: One thing is for sure, you want a child really bad. So there’s only one solution and that’s adoption. I know it’s going to be a long and difficult process but I’m here for you and so is Geert.
Ann is looking pensive, knowing her mother is right but somehow still hoping Peggy is going to consider her proposition.
Fade out.
KITCHEN – FAMILY BASTIAENS:
Ann and Marianne are talking (and laughing) about Nancy, the cleaning lady, who had given Marianne her take on the relationship of Geert and Claire without realizing he was standing behind her. Ann tries to get her mother talking about her feelings for Geert, but she answers all evasive.
Fade out.
Monday October 6th
DOCTOR’S PRACTICE:
Ann is lost in thought, Nancy enters the practice to clean it. She notices Ann’s sad expression and tells Ann her opinion about Ann’s mood, that is: Nancy thinks Claire is the cause because Ann knows Marianne and Geert are made for each other. Ann convinces Nancy Claire has nothing to do with, that something totally different is bothering her. Ann leaves the practice so Nancy can do her job, Nancy stares after Ann not understanding what’s going on but starts to clean anyway.
Fade out.
LIVING ROOM – FAMILY BASTIAENS:
When you thought you had had all the psycho-analyzing a person can take in one day, you enter the living room and there is your mother… With her overdeveloped sixth (mother)sense she turns to you and tries to get everything out of you because she of course notices something is bothering you as if it is not clear to all to see and besides you are in no mood to talk about it but when your mother is Marianne Bastiaens then there’s no denying her wishes so you comply and sit next to her and answer all her questions. This is exactly what Ann does when she enters the living room and spots her mother who immediately adopts the I’m-your-mother-you-can-talk-to-me expression. Marianne with her enormous gifted senses tries to comfort her daughter but they end up arguing about the fact Ann’s proposition was serious, she really wants to try to adopt Peggy’s baby. Marianne however sees a lot of errors in Ann’s plan, Marianne would not be Marianne if she of course didn’t feel the need to inform Ann how bad an idea she thinks it is.
MARIANNE: Adopting the child of one of your patients is unethical! If word gets out you’ll lose patients and worse you’ll lose Geert.
Ann doesn’t listen to her mother, she thinks she’s overreacting.
ANN: Spare your breath, it doesn’t matter anyway.
MARIANNE: Doesn’t matter?
ANN: While you are trying to convince me this is a bad idea, that woman has had the abortion.
Ann is very sad and sick and tired of her mother always trying to force her thoughts and ways on her and so she does what Ann does best – lately – she leaves the living room and her mother.
Fade out.
Tuesday October 7th
LUNCH – FAMILY BASTIAENS:
During lunch there’s a light banter, until the subject of the conversation changes to the annual doctor’s celebration. Last year they had a great time there, that’s because Geert asked Marianne to go with him and Ann took Sandrine with her. It was a very enjoyable evening. Ann doesn’t want to go this year, it will be the first year she’s going to miss it but she’s not up to it yet. Not without Sandrine. Also Marianne is not looking forward to the celebration, because her beloved friend is still dating her sister thus Geert takes Claire with him.
Fade out.
DOCTOR’S PRACTICE:
A happy ending to a bad day? Maybe it is because the door opens and Peggy steps in, she was invited by Ann who wants to apologize for her behavior the last time.
ANN: I shouldn’t have asked you to keep your baby.
PEGGY: Maybe not, however it was kind of good. I went to the hospital but I couldn’t go through with it. I didn’t do it, I still have the baby.
Ann is stunned and although Peggy didn’t say she was going to give her child to Ann, hope has returned to Ann’s eyes.
Fade out – end of episode.
Wednesday October 8th
DOCTOR’S PRACTICE – CONTINUOUS:
ANN: That’s fantastic news!
PEGGY: Some people do so much to get pregnant and fail and I am accidently pregnant and I don’t want it. It so unfair, I couldn’t let it happen.
ANN: Adoption is the only solution then.
Ann is really hopeful and obviously cheerful, but Peggy has a doubtful expression on her face. Somehow you know Ann’s hopes might be crushed.
Fade out.
DOCTOR’S PRACTICE – CONTINUOUS:
ANN: I think it’s wonderful news and I promise to take really good care of your child.
PEGGY: Actually… I haven’t decided yet.
ANN: Rosa?
PEGGY: Yeah, it’s her grandchild and if you’ll adopt it, it will be Marianne’s as well and I don’t know if I can put my mother through that. I have no doubt you will be the best mother this child could have but I’m not sure if I want to go through all the fighting and arguing.
ANN: We are all grownups, we will find a solution. If I have to go through the normal procedure to adopt a child it could take years before I’m even considered to be able to adopt one.
PEGGY: I know and I also know how much you crave for a child but I have to think this through thoroughly first. Nine months it’s going to grow inside of me, it will be hard for me…
ANN: I know that but …
PEGGY: Don’t you get selfish now, Ann.
ANN: I’m sorry, you’re absolutely right… It will be hard for you and I’m not going to push you. Take your time to think this through.
Peggy smiles and leaves, Ann looks hopeful at her now closed door. Will there finally be a light at the end of this dark tunnel or will the powers that be decide to torment Ann a bit further?
Fade out.
KITCHEN – FAMILY BASTIAENS:
Sometimes a talk with your mother can help, this is when you initiate the talk yourself. Ann and Marianne are enjoying a cup of coffee and they are discussing Claire’s restyling of Geert, she’s trying to have him wear less classic clothes. They are both certain she’s going to fail in her attempt to restyle him. They’re laughing until the conversation once again changes to the annual doctor’s celebration.
ANN: You remember last year… You and Geert, me and Sandrine. Sandrine was so happy, we talked about children for the first time that evening.
They both fall silent, lost in thought however they’re not alone for long. Claire enters the kitchen and takes Marianne shopping, before Marianne can utter one word she’s whisked away by Claire and they both disappear.
Ann is left behind to deal with her demons, tears are forming in the rims of her eyes. She takes her cell phone and looks at it, then the camera shows us what she’s looking at: on her display we see the number of Peggy. After a moment she decides not to call and puts her phone away which was probably for the best. She shouldn’t push Peggy, that’s not fair. I was practically shouting at the television to “PUT THE CELL AWAY!”, although she can’t hear me I was glad she did put it away.
Fade out.
Thursday October 9th
LIVING ROOM – FAMILY BASTIAENS:
Forbidden love: Claire and Marianne are discussing the clothing they bought, Claire can’t decide which new dress she should wear to the celebration. Marianne decides for her, because this is what she’s best at - deciding for other people. Claire leaves to put on her dress, while Geert enters. He is having trouble with his bow tie. Marianne helps him and they have an intimate moment. At that time Ann comes out of the kitchen and sees them. Claire ends their moment by happily announcing she’s ready to go. When they’re gone, Marianne notices Ann, who just looks at her mother disbelievingly and shakes her head. (Tsk, tsk, tsk!)
Fade out.
LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS:
Marianne retrieves a bottle of Port and two glasses from her liquor cabinet and joins Ann on the couch, they watch television while sipping their Port.
Ann wants her mother to finally admit her feelings for Geert and she plays her mother very well, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Ann talks about the celebration and dancing with Geert, her mother oblivious to her intentions spills how she felt when they were dancing. Ann just stares at her mother and finally Marianne isn’t able to stay silent any longer, she tells Ann how she really feels about Geert.
Fade out.
Friday October 10th
LIVING ROOM – FAM. BASTIAENS:
Claire, Ann and Marianne are talking about the celebration, apparently things didn’t go that well. Geert had a headache and they returned home really early. But after he dropped her off at Marianne’s place, he went to his own apartment. Although Marianne feels sorry for her sister, you see her eyes show hope and happiness at the same time.
Fade out.
LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS:
Claire takes a cracker with something delicious looking from the tray and disappears to her room. Ann and Marianne talk about what has happened at the dance last night and they come up with a plan to make Claire see that Geert isn’t Mr. Right. Well I’m surprised, I know although Ann and her mother have their differences that Ann genuinely supports and cares for her mother but that she is joyfully helping her with this little scam is something I hadn’t expected from Ann. She’s normally a little Miss Goody Two-shoes. Of course this could have an ulterior motive… make your mother happy so she doesn’t interfere with your own plans. I like this tactic, it’s one I used on my own mother a lot of times…
Fade out.
OUTSIDE BASTIAENS’ RESIDENCE – LATE AFTERNOON:
Peggy is walking towards the front door, she hesitates then turns around and walks away. Well that were an interesting three seconds. Somehow I doubt the powers that be will come up with a happy ending for Ann.
Monday October 14th
KITCHEN – TER SMISSEN:
Ter Smissen is a) a restaurant, b) a café and c) a place where you can live in a rentable room. This is the place Rosa (Peggy’s mother) lives and works. Rosa fell in love several years ago with Marianne’s late husband, afterwards she and Marianne fell in love with the same man again. Both times it was Marianne who won in the end and ever since these two women genuinely dislike each other. Rosa can’t stand Marianne because of her I’m-better-than-everyone attitude and because she outbid her when Ter Smissen was for sale and Marianne thinks Rosa is below her standards and should know her place in life.
Rosa’s sister Jenny is Marianne’s best friend, although Rosa and Jenny are very close sisters. A long time ago Jenny was married to Frank Bomans, but Rosa had a one-night-stand with him and ended up pregnant, this pregnancy gave her Peggy. She kept the identity of Peggy’s father hidden and raised her on her own. When Peggy was almost an adult, she wondered who her father was and finally learned the truth along with everyone else.
Jenny forgave her sister and Frank was shocked to learn that he had now two daughters: his niece Peggy was actually his daughter. Jenny and Frank had a daughter as well: Bianca, Peggy’s niece and half-sister, she doesn’t live in Belgium anymore and Frank is now married with Simone and they have a son together, Franky Jr.
This was all very complicated, but this information is necessary to understand certain events that will happen in the future.
A couple of episodes ago Jenny could see something was bothering Peggy other than her ‘abortion’, Jenny is a silent but attentive woman and saw right through the charade Peggy was trying to portray. Peggy told her the truth about the baby and that she was considering to give it to Ann. Jenny didn’t judge Peggy nevertheless she understood this would break Rosa’s heart. She told Peggy her secret’s safe with her but Peggy would have to tell the truth to Rosa soon or Jenny would.
In today’s episode Peggy finally tells her mother that she didn’t go through with the abortion and is considering to give the baby to Ann. As predicted Rosa doesn’t deal well with this news.
Fade out.
DOCTOR’S PRACTICE:
Ann and Geert are talking about the annual doctor’s celebration, Ann wants to know if he had a good time. Actually she’s trying to find out if her mother’s feelings are reciprocated, she has a strong feeling they are but she wants to make sure. But she also has more selfish reasons to talk about the celebration with him, she starts to talk about her and Sandrine and how they enjoyed themselves last year and how much in love they were, she also tells him they talked about children for the first time afterwards. Now the conversation changes or at least Ann tries to, she talks about Peggy and her unwanted pregnancy. At this point it becomes even more clear Ann is fishing for a reaction from Geert, because she wants him to be okay with it. But he’s not up for that kind of conversation and sends Ann away.
Fade out.
KITCHEN – FAM. BASTIAENS:
Geert enters the kitchen and spots Marianne there, he sits himself across from her and they start to talk about Ann and Sandrine and Ann’s need to have a baby. When you saw Ann and Geert together earlier you got the idea he wasn’t really listening or at least not paying full attention, it now seems he did. Marianne tells him Ann is considering adoption without telling him about her proposition to her patient.
Fade out.
KITCHEN – TER SMISSEN:
Rosa tells Peggy she wants to adopt her child before Ann can, Peggy doesn’t agree with her. She doesn’t want her mother to adopt her child. As predicted Rosa’s heart breaks and pigheaded as she is, she refuses to accept Peggy’s decision.
Fade out.
Thursday October 16th
LIVING ROOM – FAM. BASTIAENS:
After two days of no Ann, she is back. She and her mother are talking about her almost kiss with Geert, Ann confesses she saw it. Marianne wants to deny it almost happened but is saved by the cell phone of Ann who bleeps a couple of times, announcing she received a text message from Peggy saying: I’ll want to speak to you tomorrow.
When Ann’s attention shifts back to her mother, she is again saved but this time by Geert, who announces Claire has found the perfect house for them. Marianne can’t take this news, she leaves the room crying. Geert is confused not understanding what made her cry or maybe he does but he’s trying really hard to deny he knows what’s wrong.
ANN: Is this what you want?
Fade out.
