Wives with Knives

A RESILIENT TEENAGER LEARNS TO DEMAND RESPECT.

WELL, YOU GET EVEN. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TAUGHT.

SHE FAST-TRACKS HER WAY TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER...

- WHERE WERE YOU? - BUT IS UNLUCKY IN LOVE.

HE JUST COULDN'T SHAKE IT.

I WAS LIKE, "LORD, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?"

EDNA?

THEN, A CHANCE ENCOUNTER DELIVERS TRUE LOVE.

WE ASKED EACH OTHER, "DO YOU REALLY LOVE ME?"

AND I SAID, "YEAH, I DO."

SHOW ME YOUR PHONE.

BUT THIS PERFECT MARRIAGE

IS ABOUT TO GO UP IN FLAMES.

SHE BLEW THE SMOKE IN MY FACE. I HATED THAT.

YOU'RE GONNA DIE TONIGHT.

NOT ALL FAIRY TALES HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS.

WHEN LOVE GOES WRONG, A WOMAN CAN DO THE UNTHINKABLE.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

- HEY! - HEY. HOW YOU DOING?

DAD, LOOK.

IT'S A SUNNY SUMMER AFTERNOON,

AND 13-YEAR-OLD EDNA HARRIS

IS HELPING HER FAMILY PICK FRUIT AT THE LOCAL ORCHARD.

HEY, MOM!

- HEY, BABE! - HEY, LOOK WHAT I GOT.

OH, YOU DID AWESOME!

YOU GOT A BASKETFUL. I LOVE IT.

EDNA COMES FROM A STRONG, TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY...

- CAN WE MAKE SOME PIE LATER? - ABSOLUTELY!

...WHERE EVERYONE HAS EACH OTHER'S BACK.

THERE'S NINE KIDS IN MY FAMILY.

MY DAD'S FROM NINE.

MY MOTHER'S FROM NINE.

BUT TODAY,

A CHAIN OF EVENTS WILL CHANGE THE FAMILY DYNAMIC FOREVER.

SHE WAS REACHING OUT AND REACHED TOO FAR.

AAH!

AND THE LADDER FELL.

MOM!

THE BIG BONE IN HER LEG CAME OUT OF HER ANKLE.

AAH! AAH!

HER MOTHER'S LEG FRACTURE IS SO SEVERE,

DOCTORS WANT TO AMPUTATE HER FOOT.

- BETTER GET THE AMBULANCE! - OKAY!

EDNA'S FATHER REFUSES.

BUT HER MOTHER WILL NEED TO SPEND THE NEXT YEAR

AND A HALF IN REHAB.

OH, GOD!

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I CRIED.

MY MOM, YOU KNOW, BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR SO LONG.

I FELT REALLY BAD, YOU KNOW,

THAT MY MOM WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

SINCE EDNA'S FATHER

WORKS LONG HOURS AS A TRUCK DRIVER,

HER AUNT STEPS IN TO HELP AROUND THE HOUSE.

IS THIS YOUR MOTHER'S SISTER?

THAT'S MY MOM'S SISTER.

IN THE BEGINNING, SHE WAS NICE, BUT...

EDNA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

IT WAS A VERY SHORT TIME WHERE SHE BECAME A WITCH.

YOUR MAMA AIN'T DEAD, GIRL. SHE JUST FELL.

SHE AIN'T DEAD. GET UP.

- SHE REALLY WAS A NASTY PERSON. - I MEAN NOW.

JUST RUDE TO US, YOU KNOW?

OH, COME ON. GIVE ME SOME, GIVE ME SOME.

ACCORDING TO EDNA,

IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE SHE DISCOVERS HER AUNT

IS DOING A LOT MORE THAN JUST HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

I KNOCKED ON MY FATHER'S BEDROOM DOOR.

AND I OPENED THE DOOR.

THE TWO OF THEM WERE IN THERE.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

SHE WAS ON TOP OF HIM.

AND I SCREAMED BLOODY MURDER.

- DADDY, HOW COULD YOU? - EDNA, GO.

- DADDY! - GO, EDNA. GO.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK. GO.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. THIS IS MY MOM'S SISTER.

NOTHIN' HAPPENED. THIS IS BETWEEN...

EDNA CLAIMS THAT HER FATHER BEGS HER

NOT TO TELL HER MOTHER.

HE PROMISES IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN AND KICKS HER AUNT

OUT OF THE HOUSE.

THIS COULD DESTROY HER.

MM-HMM.

DR. CASEY JORDAN STUDIES CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

13 IS VERY YOUNG FOR EDNA TO BE WITHOUT HER MOTHER.

NOW SHE ALSO HAS THE BURDEN

OF DECIDING WHETHER TO KEEP HER FATHER'S SECRET.

EITHER WAY, HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHER

WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

WHAT A HORRIBLE, HEAVY SECRET.

- MOMMY! - HEY! HEY, BABY.

I SWORE I COULDN'T KEEP A SECRET, I HAD TO TELL HER.

OH, MY GOODNESS. YOU LOOK GOOD.

- WHAT'S WRONG? - I SAW DAD WITH AUNTIE.

HOW WAS IT, TELLING YOUR MOM?

HE TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL ME YOU SAW HIM?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

SHE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.

AND DADDY'S STANDING THERE SAYING THAT I'M LYING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.

- YOU TOLD ME NOT TO TELL HER. - I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU ANYTHING.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING YOUR MAMA?

I'M IN HERE AND I CAN'T BE HAVING THAT!

YOU'RE IN THE BED WITH MY SISTER IN MY HOUSE.

NO. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO...

I NEED YOU TO STEP OUT.

DADDY'S TRIED APOLOGIZING TO MY MOM.

BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR THAT AT THAT POINT.

MY BABY HAD TO SEE THAT?

YOU AIN'T GOT TO GET ALL LIKE THAT.

I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.

SIX MONTHS LATER,

EDNA'S MOTHER IS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.

GOD, I LIKE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE PLACE.

ACCORDING TO EDNA, HER AUNT DECIDES TO DROP BY THE HOUSE

TO WELCOME HER SISTER HOME, THINKING HER SECRET IS SAFE.

- SHE WHOOPED HER BUTT. - WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

MY MOM SNUCK RIGHT IN ON HER.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

YOU WANT TO BRING ME FLOWERS?

I STOOD THERE LAUGHING 'CAUSE

IF SHE HAD TRIED TO DO SOMETHING TO MY MOM,

I WOULD HAVE HELPED MY MOM.

YOU ARE MY SISTER!

BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.

MY MOM HANDLED IT. SHE HANDLED IT.

GET UP AND GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.

YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE. YOU GET OUT.

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. COME ON, BABY.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR YOU.

YES. WHEN YOU GET EVEN, YOU KNOW,

YOU TRY TO HANDLE IT YOURSELF, BASICALLY.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TAUGHT.

IT'S A LESSON THAT YOUNG EDNA WILL TAKE WITH HER

FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.

EDNA'S GOT GOOD ROOTS, AND SHE'S A GOOD PERSON.

JUST DON'T STEP ON THAT WRONG NERVE.

- I GOT TO RESPECT YOU? - THAT'S RIGHT.

WHY DIDN'T YOU COME HOME LAST NIGHT?

SHORTLY AFTER,

EDNA'S ONCE IDYLLIC LIFE BEGINS TO CRUMBLE.

YOU ALWAYS OUT THERE? YOU WANT TO BE IN THE CLUB?

THINGS DID CHANGE IN THE FAMILY. THERE WAS A LOT LESS TRUST.

WHO WERE YOU WITH?

MY FATHER STARTED DRINKING AND WOULD GET PAID ON FRIDAY.

AND WE'D SEE HIM ON SUNDAY MORNING, 2:00 A. M.

- HE CHANGED COMPLETELY. - YEP.

LIKE, BECAME A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSON.

YES. AND THERE'S A FEW TIMES

WHERE HE DID HIT HER, AND I HIT HIM.

THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND YO MAMA, GROWN-UP BUSINESS.

- GET DOWN OVER THERE! - GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!

EDNA'S MOTHER FINALLY GIVES HER HUSBAND AN ULTIMATUM.

YOU GET SOBER, OR YOU GET OUT OF HERE.

- I DON'T NEED - - GONE!

I'M GONE!

WHEN EDNA'S FATHER CHOOSES TO LEAVE,

SHE FEELS ABANDONED.

SHE WILL ALSO ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW HER FATHER

DISRESPECTED HER MOTHER AND VOWS TO NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN TO HER.

IT LOOKS SO GOOD, YOU GUYS!

JUST MAKE SURE IT'S KIND OF MORE THAT WAY, YOU KNOW?

THOUGH EDNA'S HOME LIFE IS IN SHAMBLES,

SHE'S A SHINING STAR AT SCHOOL.

YEAH, YEAH. THANKS, THANK YOU.

HEY!

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE PRETTY

AND POPULAR TEEN.

SHE HAD A WAY OF GETTING ALONG WITH EVERYBODY.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO YOU WERE.

I KNOW IT'S KIND OF HEAVY, BUT YOU GUYS WILL WORK IT OUT, HUH?

GIVE ME THAT STRING. WHAT DO YOU HAVE STRING FOR?

AS EDNA AND HER FRIENDS SET UP

FOR A LOCAL COMMUNITY DANCE THAT EVENING...

- HEY. BILL. - HEY.

...SHE'S APPROACHED BY ONE OF THE DANCE'S MUSICIANS.

- CAN I START? - IT'S ALL GOOD.

YEAH. WE ACTUALLY SET UP A MIKE FOR YOU.

BILL IS SHY AND A COMPLETE GENTLEMAN.

- WHAT'S YOUR NAME? - I'M EDNA.

- EDNA. - NICE TO MEET YOU.

AND EDNA FEELS AN INSTANT ATTRACTION.

HE WAS SO CUTE STANDING UP THERE PLAYING THAT GUITAR.

I LOVED WHAT I SAW.

AND, YOU KNOW, BIG, BIG SMILE.

HE WOULD SMILE AT ME, YOU KNOW?

MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF EDNA WAS THAT SHE WAS CUTE.

AND THEN WE SMILED AT EACH OTHER AND JUST CAUGHT EYES.

I WAS THE TYPE OF GUY THAT WAS FAIRLY SHY AT THE TIME.

HEY! THANK YOU MUCH FOR...

BUT I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN HER.

IT'S COMING TOGETHER.

- YEAH. - IT LOOKS NICE.

EDNA HAS NEVER HAD A BOYFRIEND.

IT WAS NICE. IT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION.

AND HE ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, "DO YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND?"

AND IT WAS LIKE, "NO."