A Lover Betrayed

You wanna tell me what happened?

I can't say.

It's okay, honey,

just take a deep breath.

You can tell me anything.

Just tell me, are you okay?

He... put his hands on my...

And he tried to kiss me.

I pushed him away, and he, he bit my lip.

And then he... then...

Okay, okay, who did this?

Was it one of our students?

No, it was...

It was Principal Timmons.

Are you sure she's telling the truth?

I don't know, I don't know.

She was so upset, she had a bloody lip,

and she has never lied to me.

Just... it doesn't make sense.

We've known Blake, what, five, six years?

He's always been a straight arrow.

People just aren't what they seem to be.

Tess, you realize if you go to the police

you're gonna ruin this guy's life,

you're gonna ruin his family.

Everybody in the community's gonna be against us.

Look, I don't wanna do this any more than you do,

but I don't have a choice.

Hey, Mason, I think that I've got some apple pie.

I just don't know where I put it, so...

All right, slow down there, tiger.

Mason.

Honey, what's wrong?

Whoa.

You have a beautiful family, Tess.

Blake, what're you doing here?

I don't have any other choice.

You've taken everything from me, Tess.

This crazy, put the gun down.

Let's talk about this.

Mason, go on upstairs.

No.

He stays.

Come on, people, 20 seconds, you can do it.

Nice work, Susan, keep getting it.

All right, don't wimp out on me, little sister.

Show me what you got, show me what you got.

Time's up everybody, okay, grab a water.

Great job, you guys, nice work, ladies.

Hey, you're good.

What is this, boxing class or should we do yoga?

Oh, it's like that?

All right, ladies, sorry about this.

No break, everybody back on the speed bags.

- Give me a break. - We're going round two.

Thank you to my little sister.

Anytime.

Good morning, Mason.

I know it's not your birthday, but...

World Series starting next week.

Remember when we used to watch it together?

Still waiting to hear from my publisher.

Keep my fingers crossed on our book deal.

And tonight,

I am doing my very first public reading.

Your dad said he'd be there.

It'll be good to see him again.

It's so cool, 'cause it's not only helping me,

but Mason, it's helping a lot of other people too.

Seven years ago, a scared little girl came into my office.

I wanted to help her, so I did.

Our principal was a dangerous man,

and I stopped him from hurting other girls.

A part of me was so proud I was making a difference.

But sometimes when you help one person

you end up hurting another.

And this man had done something so terrible

he was going to jail.

He thought his life was over, so he came and found me.

No... he stays.

He's just a kid, he's just a kid, Blake.

Okay.

Mason, get upstairs and get into bed right now.

- Mason, go, now! - It's gonna be okay.

Blake, please, please don't make this any worse.

Than what?

Than it already is?

I'm about to lose everything, Tess.

How much worse can it get?

Go home, go home, Blake.

I made a mistake, Tess.

One slip.

Why can't you just forget about it?

I'm so sorry, but I can't do that.

You know I can't, I have to report this.

No, no, no, no, no, no, you don't.

You don't have to do anything.

I can make a deal with this girl,

and it'll just go away.

Then we can just forget about it.

- You know I can't do that. - Tess, Tess.

Maybe you can, just stay calm.

Let's just hear what he has to say.

Maybe we can work something out.

Rodger.

- She's not gonna listen. - Yes, she will.

- Tess! - Okay, look.

I'm willing to forget that you've come here

if you would just please leave.

That's not good enough.

If I never get to see my boy again.

If I'm gonna lose everything that I love...

- So are you. - Mommy, Mommy!

- Shut up! - Mason, go to your room!

- Now! - Look,

you are not a murderer, Blake.

- You don't know me. - I do, I do.

You just told me, you're a family guy.

You made one mistake, please God.

Please, please, just don't do this.

Come on, Blake.

- Oh, no. - No, no, no, no!

Blake, no, no, no, Blake!

- Don't, Blake, Blake! - No!

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

Oh my God, Rodger, call someone.

Yes, I need to report a shooting.

- A suicide. - Rodger.

Rodger, why can't I hear Mason?

Mase?

Mase, Mase, Mase!

Mase, Mason, Mason!

No.

I can still smell the bullet smoke.

I lost my son.

Then I lost my husband.

And I almost lost myself.

Until one day I realized that every day

that I spent in that dark hole

I was disgracing my beautiful boy.

So I had to live on for him.

"No longer mourn for me when I am gone,

then the surly sullen bell."

Grieve your loss but don't ever let it become you.

Thank you.

You're my hero.

Thank you, thank you so much.

- It was very moving. - I appreciate it.

- Wow. - It meant a lot to me.

- Thank you so much. - Great turnout.

Combining the reading with the blood drive

really paid off.

I'm sorry Rodger didn't show up.

I really wanted him to as well.

Okay, I'm gonna grab us a coffee for the road.

- Oh, please. - Be right back.

"For I love you so that I in your sweet thoughts

would be forgot if thinking of me should make you woe."

That's Shakespeare, right?

Wow, a solider that knows his sonnet.

You'd be surprised what you end up reading

- out of boredom over there. - Wow, I bet.

What you said, it really hit home.

- Well, um... - Wow, I'm sorry, I just...

Your blog kept me alive overseas, ma'am.

I've been wanting to shake your hand for a while.

I'm sure it's not all the blog.

You really have to give yourself a lot of credit.

Right, you gotta move on, like in your speech.

I really think it's the start of something for me.

Wow, that's just so sweet, Mr....

Winters, like the season kind of winters,

and I already know yours, obviously.

Look, if you, if you ever need to, you know, talk...

A cup of coffee would be nice.

Oh, oh.

You know what, actually, I've been having bad dreams.

Haven't been sleeping that well.

Maybe an evening coffee's a bad idea.