The Drowning

I've just seen him, our son.

he died judy.

It's Tom.

They dredged the lake. He wasn't there.

He wasn't found?

He has a scar. He still has it to this day.

You'll need an up-to-date DBS certificate.

Would that be an issue?

Your work papers - just need to know where you got them.

Mark Tanner.

Daniel's father.

I thought we'd met, made me curious to see you for myself.

All right, all right.

Just let Mummy put some on.

OK, that will protect you.

All right? OK, you go and play.

Ben!

Where is he?

Tom!

Tom!

Shouldn't that be a major seventh?

Um...

Um, there's some wine open, if you'd like, or a beer? Or...

I'd love a tea.

No sugar.

OK.

There are no pictures of you as a baby.

Oh.

Where was this taken? Er, don't know.

We've moved all over, so...

Why?

Dad's work.

Um, I'm afraid we're out of milk, so...

I suppose I can pop to the petrol station.

Will you be all right, Daniel? Yeah.

Back in a minute.

Is your bathroom down the hallway?

Uh, yeah, yeah.

Don't stop.

Are you looking for something?

I was looking for the bathroom.

I saw the model and got distracted.

TAP RUNS

Thank you. You've been great. How much do I owe you?

Oh, no, it hasn't been an hour yet.

He has homework for tomorrow.

OK, well for next week, I think you should...

He doesn't need lessons.

I really think it could help.

Well, he's been doing pretty well without you so far,

so shall we call it 30?

Say goodbye to Miss Walsh.

Daniel!

Say good...

Where did you get that?

It's mine.

It has an app on it that helps him with his practice.

Give it back.

It's fine.

It's fine, I don't need it.

Now!

Thanks.

I'm sorry things didn't work out.

Yeah, DS Harvey, please.

It's Jodie Walsh.

Well, can you get him to call me, please? It's urgent.

Wow!

What? Just every time my back's turned,

I expect you to have vanished into the mist.

I hope you never need time off for anything.

Time off? Doesn't ring a bell.

So, why were you summoned to the house?

Well, she loves what we're doing. OK.

But she wants to hold off phase two till the autumn.

Shit! You're kidding?

And we have to get this lot done by Friday.

How? Yeah.

Apart from that, it's all good.

Hey, which of you upset Ade? He's a nightmare this morning.

Your department.

Ade, wait a minute!

I'm busy.

Ade, just wait!

Ade, I thought you'd be happy about Yazza going to keep you on.

You know we're taking a risk.

YOU are taking a risk?

What's happened?

Not your problem.

Ade!

The people who got me my papers and yours - they want more money.

But we agreed on a price and we paid it.

Yes.

Well, it's gone up now. Well, they're trying it on. We're not going to give them any more.

Then they called the Home Office, or do something worse.

How much do they want?

500...

..today.

Jodie, is this a joke?

I'll be back as soon as I can.

But where are you going?

It's just a health thing. What?

My doctor's had a cancellation. What is it?

Probably nothing - I'm just going to make sure.

We used to talk, Jodie! Remember them days?

I'll tell you when I can.

Yeah, yeah.

I need to transfer it from the business account to the personal account.

500, yeah.

Thanks.

Hello?

Hello?

Jodie! Oh!

Fuck's sake, Jason!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

You used to find it hilarious when I used to sneak up on you.

Yeah, when you were eight and, no, I didn't.

What the hell are you doing here, anyway?

I'm picking you up. Huh?

It's the family meal.

Got Tom's birthday coming up.

It's in the diary.

Yeah. No, I can't make it.

Jodie, I'm supposed to be in court.

I just sent in a colleague,

so I'm sure you can get out of pulling up a few weeds.

Oh, come on!

It'll do you good, all of us.

I'm driving.

Where is it?

It's at Ben's. Oh, fuck.

Yeah, Mum and Kate - they've been cooking all morning.

You're really not selling it.

Hiya! Look who I've got!

Hi. Hey.

Keep them coming.

Hi, Jodie.

Kate.

Glad to have you with us, love.

We all are.

Hi, Lola. Hi. Is that your new doll?

Yeah.

Yeah? What's her name?

Annabelle. Oh!

That was lovely, Lynn, thank you.

We mustn't forget Kate now.

No. To the chefs.

Your father would have loved this, all of us here together.

Only if we were talking about him. He'd have adored his funeral.

Been the last to leave.

How can you say that?

Come on now, Mum.

I've only just lost him.

And already she starts.

Right, I think Lola and I will leave you to it.

Leave us to what?

Come on, sweetheart.

You do know that you're all being a little bit weird?

Well, weirder.

If there's any good to have come from your father's passing...

Quite a bit. ..it's that, hopefully, in the future,

we can all start seeing a bit more of each other.

Oh, that is a truly terrible idea!

Why are you like this?

I don't even know where to start!

These family get-togethers are to help you.

Right. Right.

An annual lunch to celebrate the disappearance of my four-year-old son.

His birthday.

At the house of my ex-husband and the woman who stole him

from me with my scarily successful brother

and a mother who can barely disguise her disappointment in me.

Some celebration I could do without, to be honest.

Jason?

OK.

OK.

Here it is.

What's that?

It would have been Tom's 14th birthday this week...

..and we haven't come to this lightly.

But we think it's time.

Jason, what are you talking about?

Tom's been gone ten years now.

Oh, really, Ben? Because I hadn't noticed!

It's a legal document, Jodie.

This is a declaration of presumed death.

Now, if a person is missing for seven years or more,

it can help with closure.

Look, if you and Ben sign this, we can turn over the next page.

It might even bring us closer. Yeah, yeah. If we all just agree to forget about him.

No! Jodie, you know that's not it.

If we just accept the fact that he's not coming back.

And remember him for the wonderful little boy he was. Right.

So, you've all been talking about my son behind my back without involving me!

It's not only you going through this, you know.

We all lost him.

It's just some of us chose to suffer in silence.

Did you know?

They've been planning it for a while.

Right.

What would you do?