- 6 hours ago
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Short filmTranscript
00:02the surgical light burned into my eyes i lay on the delivery table listening to my own blood
00:08pouring out of me not an exaggeration eight years of medical school meant i recognized every signal
00:13of a blood pressure cliff dive she's hemorrhaging where the hell is her husband isn't he supposed
00:18to be here the attending's voice came from somewhere far away i wanted to say that dominic
00:23was a doctor that something must have come up but i couldn't speak then my phone lit up
00:28amber thompson his high school friend the woman he trusted most in this world had sent me a photo
00:33a wedding photo hers and dominic's thanks for lending me dominic sis best day of our 18 year
00:40friendship don't worry we won't actually sleep together promise in the photo dominic was wearing
00:46the suit i'd had custom made for him his arm was around amber's shoulder they were both smiling at
00:51the camera their old high school crew stood around them grinning like this was the happiest day of
00:56their lives my contraction monitor started screaming a nurse glanced at my phone and went pale
01:02bp 7080 she's losing blood fast we can't reach the husband take her to the or now
01:08as they wheeled me away my phone lit up again amber had sent another photo a hotel lobby all gold
01:14and
01:14crystal with a massive flower arch dominic was fixing her bail he said he owed me a ceremony
01:21you don't mind do you sis i stared at the screen the pain of the contractions and the pain in
01:26my
01:26chest blended together until i couldn't tell them apart dominic my husband of seven years the father
01:32of my child he was playing groom for another woman the moment the or doors closed i heard a nurse
01:38shout call him again keep calling until he picks up i closed my eyes my consciousness started to fray
01:44memories shattered like broken glass the shards cutting everywhere seven years ago on our wedding day
01:49he was two hours late he said the hospital had an emergency i believed him five years ago he said
01:56amber had just gone through a breakup and needed him he stayed with her for a week came back wearing
02:01a
02:01scarf she'd knitted him a friendship scarf he called it i believed him three years ago the day i got
02:06my
02:07medical license amber just happened to get into a minor car accident he left my celebration dinner to go
02:13to the r with her didn't come back until morning i still believed him because i loved him because i
02:19thought
02:19seven years together meant more than a so-called high school friend until this moment i reached for
02:24my phone with everything i had left not to ask him to come not to confront him i just wanted
02:30him to
02:30know i was dying the mother of his child was dying and he was playing groom for another woman
02:35the message went out red no reply we've got blood starting transfusion
02:43bp still understable does anyone have consent from family forget consent we're operating i'll take
02:47responsibility the attending's voice sounded like it was underwater i dimly realized it was familiar
02:53then a face appeared in front of me samuel my senior from medical school two years ahead of me
02:58known as the ice king in the lab he'd made me cry three times jessica listen to me your situation
03:06is critical but my team and i are going to do everything we can the only thing you have to
03:11do
03:11is stay alive your baby is in the ncu waiting for you i couldn't move but tears slid down my
03:17face
03:17he wiped them away don't cry you don't have the energy to waste then he turned and started giving
03:23orders fast precise like a scalpel for the first time i thought maybe i wouldn't die i don't know how
03:29long the surgery took when i woke up samuel was standing beside my bed checking my monitors your
03:34husband called three times i answered for you what did he say he said he said he couldn't get
03:41away he booked a beachfront suite he'll take you there when you're discharged i waited that's it oh he
03:47also said to feed amber's cat she forgot to leave food out i stared at the ceiling samuel yeah help
03:53me
03:53draft divorce papers he looked at me no surprise no pity just the quiet calm of someone who'd been
04:00waiting for this okay he said the messages from amber didn't stop during my hospital stay they
04:07weren't accidents i knew that she sent photos of dominic cutting her wedding cake of their high
04:12school care drinking champagne of fireworks over the ocean at 3 a.m 35 never looks so good when you've
04:17got your best friend by your side i didn't reply to any of them on the sixth day she sent
04:22a message
04:23with an invitation attached my first solo exhibition sis you have to come the invitation read birth the
04:31truth and courage of the female body i stared at the invitation something sank in my chest i opened
04:37her social media pinned at the top was a preview three photos all black and white silhouettes faces
04:42hidden the caption read to all the brave mothers out there including my dearest sister below it hundreds
04:49of comments amber's work is always so powerful this is what real female art looks like i didn't reply to
04:55the message but i asked samuel to look into it two days later he came back with answers that exhibition
05:02he said his voice flat but i could hear the anger underneath is centered around your maternity photos i stopped
05:07breathing the ones dominic took when you were eight months pregnant amber turned them into a series called raw beauty
05:13he paused she didn't ask for your permission 12 photos all blown up to four feet by four feet
05:20hanging in the center of the gallery i sat down my water glass the reception is friday yeah
05:30get me an invitation samuel looked at me you don't need an invitation he said you're the subject
05:38you just show up friday night 7pm light box gallery chelsea i wore a black trench coat pushed the
05:45stroller up to the entrance jason was asleep inside it his tiny fists clenched i handed him off to samuel
05:53he was waiting outside the gallery was packed art world types media photography critics amber's old high
05:59school crew all of them a three-tiered champagne tower perfect lighting every photo matted and framed
06:05hanging on white walls my photos 12 of them me at eight months pregnant belly huge stretch marks like
06:11worms crawling across my skin some photos i was in lingerie some i was wrapped in sheer fabric some were
06:17taken while i was changing angles i never knew existed every photo blown up to life size every photo
06:23labeled with one word wrong people stood with their champagne glasses pausing in front of my four foot body
06:29commenting nodding power amber's vision is extraordinary this is what real female art
06:35looks like amber stood beneath the largest white suit champagne flute perfect smile her high school
06:42friends crowded around her phones out amber this is incredible this is gonna put you on the map
06:48does your sister know is she gonna be mad amber smiled her voice was light but i heard every word
06:54from the entrance she won't mind she said it herself these photos are beautiful they shouldn't be hidden
07:00i did say that but i said it to dominic to my husband when i trusted him enough to give
07:05him my
07:06most vulnerable self i didn't say it to her i didn't say it to everyone in the gallery i pushed
07:12open the
07:12door and walked in my coat caught a champagne glass of the entrance shattered on the floor everyone turned
07:18and amber's smile froze when she saw me jess what are you doing here you just had the baby i'm
07:24out of
07:24the hospital i said her voice faltered you got my invitation i was going to you were going to what
07:32i walked toward her you wanted me to come and play nice or you wanted me to stay away so
07:38your art
07:38could keep selling the gallery went silent everyone with champagne everyone with phones everyone who had
07:43been nodding and commenting all staring amber's face went white for a second then recovered jess let me
07:47explain she reached for me her voice suddenly loud like she wanted everyone to hear this series is
07:53about the raw truth of the female body i asked you back then and you said it was fine let
07:58me ask you
07:58something quiet but every word clear the photos you took while i was changing when did i said those
08:05were fine she froze four of these 12 photos were taken without my knowledge you had dominant keep
08:14shooting while i was changing clothes you think i didn't know i turned to the crowd you want to know
08:19how this art was made the day i almost died giving birth her photographer my husband was playing groom
08:26for another woman while i was bleeding out on an operating table she was sending me wedding photos these
08:32photos were taken because i trusted my husband to document our child's arrival i gave him my most vulnerable
08:37self i didn't give it to her i didn't give it to any of you i turned back to amber
08:42you call this art
08:44her lips were trembling she couldn't speak her high school friends looked at each other a few started
08:49backing away i pulled an envelope from my coat pocket and placed it in her hand that's a cease and
08:54desist
08:56you used my image without consent for commercial gain take down the exhibition apologize pay damages
09:03i pulled out my phone opened a document held it up so everyone could see it was a surrogacy contract
09:09it was a surrogacy contract client dominic harrison surrogate amber thompson relationship high school
09:16friends note embryo provided by client five prior attempts current pregnancy confirmed this i said you
09:24signed a surrogacy contract with my husband you started trying on our wedding day seven years five rounds
09:30the gallery was dead silent no champagne glasses clinking no whiskers amber's face went from white
09:36to gray dominic pushed through the crowd his face was ashen jess what are you doing here i came to
09:41see
09:42the show he opened his mouth nothing came out i looked at them both of them my husband the woman
09:47i
09:47thought was my friend standing beneath my photos the gallery lights on their faces caught like thieves at
09:53the scene i pulled the divorce papers from my coat held them out to dominic i pulled the divorce papers
09:58from my coat you keep nothing the baby is mine child support according to the law his hands were
10:03shaking as he looked down at the papers amber grabbed his sleeve her voice going sharp dominic
10:09don't sign sign he signed he signed i took the papers and turned to leave i stopped in front of
10:17the largest photo four feet by four feet my belly my stretch marks my body hanging on a wall like
10:23merchandise i reached up and took it down the frame was heavy but i could carry it no one stopped
10:28me
10:29i carried my photo out of the gallery into the night samuel was leaning against the car jason was still
10:35asleep inside he saw the frame in my hands didn't say anything just open the trunk done he asked
10:42done get in i put the frame in the trunk climbed into the back seat jason stirred in his car
10:49seat
10:49opened his eyes looked at me and smiled a gummy smile soft simple i smiled back after the divorce
10:56i took jason and moved to the west coast
11:00samuel found me a job obstetrics attending at a private hospital
11:03don't waste what you learned he said
11:06i didn't as for dominic and amber i thought the divorce closed that chapter
11:10i was wrong amber disappeared from social media for two months
11:13i thought she'd finally back down then she came back one post new chapter the photo was a marriage
11:20certificate the groom wasn't dominic it was warren foster another member of their high school crew
11:26family money the guy who gave us the biggest wedding gift i stared at that photo for a long time
11:31amber was carrying dominic's baby but she married warren i called samuel he asked you saw it
11:37i saw it voice had an edge there's more warren signed a prenup three days before the wedding
11:42amber takes half his asset i was quiet for a moment does dominic know you tell me i didn't know
11:50but i guessed it wouldn't matter if he did he'd never said no to amber
11:53i put down my phone and went back to making jason's bottle this wasn't my problem anymore
11:58but it didn't stay that way six months after the divorce i got a text from an unknown number
12:04jessica it is warren can we talk i hesitated then i called back warren's voice wasn't how i
12:10remembered it harder colder i need a favor what kind of favor amber is suing me for divorce
12:17she hired the best lawyers in the city they're coming for half my net worth my lawyers say if i
12:24can prove she married me under false pretenses i have a case what does that have to do with me
12:29i need what you have the surrogacy contract the photos the messages she sent you i was quiet for
12:36a long time you want to use them against her i want to use them to protect what's mine
12:41i'm not asking for charity i'm offering a deal you help me i put her down for good
12:47she never comes near you again i'll think about it i hung up and sat by the window
12:54watch jason chase a butterfly in the yard samuel came out of the kitchen handed me a coffee
13:01warren called how did you lucky guess he sat next to me he wants your evidence give it to him
13:10you're not gonna tell me to think it over no samuel took a sip of coffee people like amber don't
13:16stop
13:16you let her go she comes back warren's got the resources and the motive let him do the work
13:22i watched jason catch the butterfly he crouched down to look at it then he let it go okay
13:30i said yeah i gave warren's lawyers everything the surrogacy contract every photo amber sent
13:37every message the exhibition invitation the call logs in the night i was hemorrhaging warren's team
13:43put it together in one thick file three months later the case went to trial three months later the
13:49case went to trial i didn't go samuel did he told me what happened warren's lawyer played a recording
13:54in court amber's voice came through sweet as honey the way i knew too well dominic's baby is my baby
14:00warren's just a name on paper it is not like he cares he just wants the company anyway the courtroom
14:07went quiet amber sat in the defendant's chair white as paper dominic took the stand the opposing lawyer
14:12took him apart piece by piece mr harrison where were you on the day your wife nearly died giving
14:18birth amber thompson's birthday party your wife was dying and you were at a party he didn't answer
14:23mr harrison did your wife know about the surrogacy's contract with amber thompson
14:29did she
14:32no how many attempts did you make
14:36five when did you start
14:38on my wedding day someone in the courtroom gasped
14:45the judge's expression didn't change but samuel her voice was colder than usual warren won
14:50amber got nothing she had to pay warren damages for fraud dominic was suspended from the hospital
14:56pending investigation he used his position to arrange private medical services their old friend leo
15:01published a long post on social media he called it i thought we were friends amber played everyone he
15:06wrote dominic was her accomplice they used the group one for money one for biology the post went
15:11viral but that didn't undo the damage what happened after was almost too dramatic to believe
15:17amber lost everything her marriage her reputation lightbox canceled her show permanently she went to
15:24dominic but dominic had nothing left to give the hospital didn't fire him but they sent him to a
15:29satellite clinic in the middle of nowhere he spent six months there drank too much sent gifts for jason
15:36i sent them all back when jason was three dominic came back he was thinner i took jason to the
15:43park
15:44let him watch from a distance jason was playing in the sandbox he built a crooked castle turned around
15:51and yelled dominic stood 30 feet away watching crying i didn't go to him he left a year later amber
16:01died in a car
16:02accident she ran a red light a truck hit her she was alone in the car samuel saw the news
16:07he was quiet for a long time
16:10what are you thinking
16:15i'm thinking about dominic
16:19i waited
16:20after the surrogacy news broke the pregnancy didn't stick
16:23dominic all five rounds nothing by the time amber married warren she'd given up on the baby
16:29dominic ended up with nothing
16:30his voice was calm
16:31like he was analyzing a case
16:34no you
16:36no baby
16:37no amber
16:39no friends
16:42you feel sorry for him
16:47no i'm thinking about how a person can destroy their own life like that
16:51i didn't say anything
16:53jason was stacking blocks on the floor humming to himself
16:56mom let's go high
16:58that's high
16:59i'm going higher
17:01okay
17:02samuel looked at me and smiled
17:04he rarely smiled
17:05the ice king who'd made interns cry in the oar
17:09who'd yelled at patients families in the ar
17:11who'd pulled me back from the edge of death on a delivery table
17:15but he smiled then
17:17jessica
17:18have you ever thought
17:19thought what
17:21nothing
17:22forget it
17:23when jason was five
17:25i got a letter from dominic
17:26handwritten
17:27messy
17:28he said he was working at a small clinic in a rural town
17:31didn't make much but enough
17:33he said he'd stop drinking
17:35he said he sometimes dreamed about the day in the park
17:37watching jason play in the sand
17:39he said he'd replayed that moment a hundred times
17:42and every time he wanted to walk over
17:44and every time he couldn't move his feet
17:46i read the letter
17:47put it on the table
17:49jason came over
17:50picked it up
17:51flipped through the pages
17:52mom what's this
17:54a letter from someone
17:56what someone
17:58you don't know him
18:00why is he writing to you
18:01i thought for a second
18:03because he did something wrong
18:05he wants to say sorry
18:07jason tilted his head
18:09did you forgive him
18:10i was quiet for a moment
18:13not yet
18:14when will you
18:17maybe never
18:19jason nodded like that made perfect sense
18:22then don't
18:23then he ran off to play with his dinosaurs
18:25i watched him go
18:27i remembered what the nurse said in the delivery room
18:29your baby is waiting for you in the neq
18:32that was the only reason i fought to live
18:35now that reason was running around the house telling me not to forgive his father
18:38that was a nut
18:40i put the letter in the drawer
18:42didn't reply
18:44when jason was seven
18:45something happened
18:46his school had an event
18:48parents were supposed to bring a family photo from the classroom wall
18:52jason came home and told me while i was cooking
18:57mom we don't have a family photo
18:59yes we do
19:00we took one when you were little
19:01that one has just you and me
19:03the teacher said a family photo needs a mom and a dad
19:07i turned off the stove
19:08crouched down to look at him
19:11jason
19:12your father
19:13i know
19:14he's not a good person
19:15you don't have to explain
19:17he looked at me eyes clear
19:20but what about samuel
19:21does he count
19:22i didn't know how to answer that
19:24that night after jason fell asleep
19:26i sat in the living room and thought
19:29samuel
19:30he'd been there since the night i almost died
19:33he'd drafted me to the divorce papers
19:35he'd investigated amber's exhibition
19:38he'd found me a job on the west coast
19:41he'd helped jason get into a good school
19:44every birthday he came with gifts and a cake
19:47sitting beside jason with his cold unsmiling face
19:49while he blew out candles
19:50he'd never said anything
19:52i'd never asked
19:54i wondered if we were both waiting for the right moment
19:57for one of us to speak
19:58for jason to get a little older
20:00for
20:01for what
20:02i didn't know
20:03the turning point came sooner than i expected
20:05jason was eight
20:06his school had career day
20:08parents were invited to come talk about their job
20:11samuel came
20:15white coat
20:15a model surgical setup
20:17he demonstrated a heart surgery for the kids
20:19fake of course with a pig heart
20:21and teaching tools
20:22but jason's eyes went wide
20:25after the event
20:26jason held samuel's hand and walked him around the schoolyard
20:29lap after lap
20:30i stood at the gate and watched
20:32the sun was setting
20:33their shadows stretched long
20:36jason said something i couldn't hear
20:38samuel bent down to listen
20:41and then
20:42he smiled
20:44not the polite
20:46tight-lipped smile he used with patience
20:48a real smile
20:50his eyes crinkled
20:51his whole face softened
20:52something in my chest cracked open
20:55on the way home
20:56jason was in the back seat
20:57he said
20:58mom
20:59samuel was happy today
21:01how do you know
21:03he smiled
21:04he never smiles
21:05but today he smiled a lot
21:06i glanced at him in the rear view
21:08do you like samuel
21:10of course
21:12he's a million times better than that guy
21:16what guy
21:17the guy who wrote you that letter
21:19the guy who wrote you that letter
21:19the guy who wrote you that letter
21:19the guy who wrote you that letter
21:19the guy who wrote you that letter
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