Accused

Remember, you're calm and contrite.

Calm and contrite.

Can you say that and breathe, too?

We need you to appeal to the jury.

Is she testifying for me?

The state's bringing her.

She's testifying against me?

We have to keep moving.

You have to help me, Jordan.

Val, we can't talk to her.

Your first aid and CPR certifications are current?

Yep. Just renewed.

Mm-hmm. You were a paramedic?

An EMT. I... I loved it.

Um, being calm in an emergency.

Yup, I love helping people, you know, all of that.

Yeah. Can I ask why you're not looking for an EMT position now?

Uh, ambulance hours are long,

and I have primary custody of, um...

Yeah, so I... I need something flexible.

Okay. Um...

I'm seeing a long gap here with no employment.

Right. So, I, um, I stopped working when I had a baby.

My ex-husband, uh, thought it would be best.

-Okay. -I'm a really hard worker.

You're overqualified to just be driving patients to medical appointments.

Yeah, I know. Um...

I just, uh, my...

My alimony has run out,

and I could really use this job.

Do you have your own car?

Yes, I do! The car's not overqualified.

I mean, it's not fancy.

Uh, but it is reliable. Uh, like me.

Okay. Uh, thank you for coming in.

-We'll get in touch. -Oh, thank you.

-Yeah. -Thank you so much.

And thank you for letting me bring in Oliver.

You're welcome.

-Buddy, can you say thanks? -Thank you.

Whatcha drawing there, Oliver?

It's a "Destroy Anything in Its Path" Robot.

These are all things it's destroying.

Oh! Yeah.

Okay, buddy, let's get you to your dad's, okay?

Did you get the job?

Well, fingers crossed. Let's go.

Jason's dad is moving out of their house.

Why do you have to move, and Dad lives here?

Uh, well, that's just the way the judge decided things.

And besides, I like our little place. Don't you?

I guess.

So, uh, your dad is gonna drop you off on Sunday night, okay?

Okay.

And you can call me, for any reason.

-All right? No matter what. -

Oh, not now, predatory lender.

Who's Preta Torilender?

Um...

It's like if you borrowed a candy bar

from that destroying robot, and it wanted five back.

-Oh. -Yeah. But it's fine.

I'm... I am fine! No robot is gonna destroy me.

All right, you got a stuffie and a toothbrush?

I have like a million stuffies from Jordan.

Right. Of course you do.

I know you don't like Jordan, but she's nice.

No, I... no, I-I do, I do like her.

I do. And... and what matters is that you like her.

-Yeah. -Okay.

Oh, wait. Wait, wait, hold on, buddy.

We have to ring the doorbell, okay?

-It's my house. -Yeah, I know.

Just stay with me. Okay?

Ha! Hi, Ollie!

Hi, Jordan.

Oliver is ready for his weekend.

Oliver. I missed you.

I think, uh, I think he's got everything.

We have everything he needs here.

So, I hear.

Hey, I need you to sign this waiver.

We're going to an E-games place on Sunday.

-Cool! -Why does it need a waiver?

I don't know. It's just bumper cars and laser tag.

I'm sure it's safe.

Okay, you need to tell me ahead of time

about these kinds of things.

It just came up. I'm looking at it for an event.

Yeah, okay, well, still, we should've had a conversation.

Come on, Mom. Just sign it!

Okay. Signed.

-Thank you. -Mm-hmm. Okay, I love you.

-Love you too. -Have fun.

Hey, there's a present waiting for you upstairs in your bedroom. Go on.

Uh, listen, I needed to talk to Trey about that sculpture.

-Okay. He's in the garage. -What kinda mood is he in?

His moods fine, Val. It's always fine.

I didn't make up what he was like.

-I just... -I didn't.

-Okay. -Okay.

Trey. Trey.

I need to talk to you.

So, I'm... I'm a little behind on my car payments,

and I need my car for this new job,

so I wondered if I could have this back.

Why?

Well, Annie's really having a moment,

and her pieces are selling for a lot of money online.

I don't want to sell it.

You never even liked it.

We're not selling it.

Trey, she was my friend.

I should've put it on the list I gave the judge.

Yeah, well, you didn't,

and it was a wedding present to the both of us, so...

I was very agitated at the time.

Look at yourself, you're pathetic!

No kidding.

Okay, I... I'll split it with you, the money.

Fifty-fifty, okay?

I just, I need a car.

I need to take Oliver to school,

and... and to pick him up.

And what are you doing with the child support?

Paying rent. I'm feeding and clothing our son.

Look, Val, if this is all just too hard,

Jordan and I can just take custody.

You can't have him.

Well, he could use some stability.

Look, Val, let's just be honest, okay?

You lost your last job, you can't hold down your new one

and you are one mess-up away from being a drunk again.

I'm only like this because of you.

Because of... because of what you did to me.

No. No, no, no.

You were crazy when we met.

Which at the time, was kind of hot. But now?

Mm-mm.

So, I'll just take this.

It's mine!

-Take it from me. -Mom!

Look at my new toy.

It's cool, bud. I'll see you Sunday.

I don't know.

Ugh!

Okay. Okay.

Oh. I get it.

That blabbermouth Junior filed a complaint...

...'cause I pushed him around.

I'll get you a punching bag for Christmas.

...and we'll be adding the Tuesday night group,

that people have been asking for.

And now, I'll open it up.

Uh, yeah, I'll go.

Uh, yeah, I'm really struggling this weekend.

Val, uh, you're on mute.

Oh, sorry. Uh... here we go.

Yeah, I-I said I'm... I'm struggling.

Uh, my kid is at his dad's this weekend, and...

I just... I hate dropping him off there.

I worry.

He drew this, uh, this picture

of a "Destroy Anything in Its Path Robot,"

and I thought, "Oh, it's your dad. Looks just like him."

And then I thought, I don't know, maybe...

maybe I'm the destroy everything robot.

I mean, I... I chose my ex.

And his new wife, she's so perfect.

You know? Everything is... is calm, and everything is clean,

and I just... I don't know how she's doing it,

because I feel like a mess.

I... I... I can't even work as an EMT,

a job that I-I loved to do,

because I have panic attacks.

And... yeah, I know... I know I shouldn't compare...

But I do.

Anyway...

I really, really, really wanted a drink last night,

and I didn't have one.

Because the most important thing

is that I get to raise my kid.

Yeah, that's where I am today.

Thank you for sharing, Val.

-We're glad you're here. -

-Yeah. -Can I offer a reflection?

- -Um, can you just hold on for a second?

God! Oh, shoot!

Hey! Hey! What are you doing? That's my car!

I just go where they tell me.

No, no, no, no, no. It's, uh...

Yes, hi, this is Valentina Pearce.

Uh, case number 9-4-6-3-2.

Yeah, yeah. No, look, I know you called.

I was with my son, I couldn't answer the phone.

Well, yeah, I can give you a credit card now.

Actually, I'm gonna have to put this on two cards.

Just gimme a second? Do not take my car!

You will hear that the defendant described herself to the police

as a long-suffering single mother