Our Mother's House

Good evening, Mr Halbert.

I've done shopping, Hugh.

What are you doing? -They're for mother...

When she's better.

She'll love it.

Have you paid Mrs Quayle? -Yes, she's still here.

Come on... we'll be late.

Dunstan...Are you coming? It's nearly "mother-time".

Hey, wait, Jimminy darling!

Did you call, Mrs 'ook?

She's been asleep, Mrs Quayle. -Oh, I won't disturb 'er then.

Elsa! Tell your mum I'll be in Saturday next week, alright?

I'll tell her, Mrs Quayle. -Alright then.

Hope your mum'll soon be better. Well, I'm off then. Cheery-bye!

Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

You know who I am...I'm... -Dad?

No, I'm... -Mother?

No, I'm Mrs Quayle... old "Snail Quayle"...

And I'm going to give you a proper dusting.

Sh!..She'll hear you!

"Mother-time"

What's wrong, Diana? -Nothing.

Jimminy, you bring the little ones in. They're in the garden.

"All things bright

...and beautiful..."

Elsa...

Is she still asleep?

So... is she...?

Is it mother?

Mother... please!

Don't, Hugh! She's...

It's all over.

But she can't be dead! -She IS, Hugh...I know!

She...

She's gone.

Stop it Gerty... Stop it at once!

You gotta tell them, Else.

Don't be telling ME what to do! I'm the eldest.

Alright, Else.

Please, Hugh... The little ones mustn't see you've been crying.

Alright, Hugh...I'm ready.

Sh!..Here's Hugh.

Elsa says... you can come in now.

Read to us!

Mother...

Mother has passed on.

Mother has passed on.

You're cold, Mother!

It's alright, Diana... It's alright.

But she's cold!

She's cold!

Mother's... d...

Dead.

What's dead?

Like...

Like...Jesus? -That's right.

She's gone to join Jesus.

Crucified... dead and buried...

And on the third day, He rose again.

And He rose...

Mother won't rise again.

She needs some blankets... she's cold...

She's not dead!

She's alright... she's not dead ...she's not!

Stop it, Diana, stop it!

Stop it Di... she IS dead!

I am the rose of Sharon...

...and the lily of the valleys.

As the lily among thorns...

so is my love among the daughters.

As the apple tree among the trees of the wood...

so is my beloved among the sons.

I sat down under his shadow...

You forgot my food!

Jimminy!

You haven't fed him!

I forgot.

I do forget things, you know.

Mother knows.

Doesn't she...Else?

You never do anything but draw all the time...

I suppose you think drawing's more important...

Don't be foolish, Dun!

It's alright, Jimminy... you can do it later.

Mother wouldn't have minded.

I mind! I mind! It does matter!

We're gonna be finished!

Whither is thy beloved gone

O thou fairest among women?

Whither is thy beloved turned aside...

that we may seek him with thee?

My beloved is gone down into his garden...

to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens,

and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved and my beloved is mine...

He feedeth among the lilies.

For what we are about to receive...

...may the Lord make us truly grateful.

Amen.

More sugar.

You've got it.

Well, it's not sweet enough.

She shows no respect.

Don't, Dun... she's only a baby.

Here you are.

We ought to tell someone, Elsa.

Tell who?

The doctor.

What doctor?

The one down Millet Rd...

Dr Meadows.

We could tell him...

Couldn't we?

Mother wouldn't want any doctor messing about...

...touching her!

When I had measles, mother...

That's different, Gerty...

Mother isn't ill any more...

Mother's dead.

God will keep us well if He wants us well...

...or He'll take us to His bosom when our time is done.

Remember?

She always said that.

We're going to keep the budgie... aren't we?

Of course we are.

Everything's going to be exactly the same.

Everything.

That's Mother's comb!

Can't I keep it now, Else?

Certainly not!

Mother won't need to comb any more.

Gerty!

Well, she won't... will she, Else?

Mother and I called it wiggy-wiggy!

Stop it!

Both of you... stop it!

Now, straight to bed!

Good night!

Wiggy!

Goodnight... wiggy wiggy wiggy...

Listen!..I remember...

Mother left a will.

Perhaps there's something in it...

Something Mother wanted us to know.

Well, where is it?

It's in Mother's desk.

What's a... will?

What's a... will?

"Last Will and Testament"

I, Violet Edna Hook...

being of sound mind, hereby bequeath...

the need for my home, house, all the furniture...

...and contents therein...

...and the money in my Post Office Savings Account...

...to my dear children.

In death, as in life, I shall be forever near them.

And so long as they remain together, cherishing each other...

...and living in Christian harmony...

...no harm shall come to them.

To my...

What else does it say?

Nothing.

Let me see!

There's nothing else, I tell you!

We're going to get out it.

Please...I want a biscuit.

Biscuit! You can't have a biscuit every time you want one.

Yes, she can!

Well, she's not gonna get anything she wants at the orphanage, is she?

Keep it, Dun!

What's an... orphanage?

It's a place with bars on the windows...

Big iron bars that you can't get out!

And you're not allowed outside, except when they say.

And they whip you... they whip you with whips!

And they never give you enough to eat.

And you wear sack-cloth and sleep on bare boards.

And they put the girls in one place and the boys in another.

And you're not allowed to talk... or they'll whip you!

Why do we have to go to an orphanage?

Because we're... orphans.

No... silly!.

We won't tell them.

Please, Elsa...

Can I have a biscuit now?

They'll find out! The funeral men will tell.

Any grown-up will tell.

We won't tell them, then.

We have to tell them... we have to have a funeral.

Why?

Because you have to bury the dead... that's why.

Why?

Because God said so!

What did God say, Dun?

For dust thou art...

...and dust to dust thou shallt return.

What happens, Dun?

The funeral man puts the body in a box.

And he carries it to the graveyard.

They dig the ground...