In Who Were We Running From?, Bambi’s mother is driven to protect her daughter because she wants to give her the love that she didn’t receive.
Bambi and her mother spent most of their lives hopping from one hotel to another. Bambi never questions her mother about what they are running from until she finds out that her mother is killing people who hurt her.
Bambi needed to know why her mother would do that, and eventually, her mother told her the kind of life she has lived and the reason she is so overprotective towards her.
Bambi’s heartless grandmother
During a walk on a beach, Bambi and her mother noticed a dark crow that brings back the mother’s painful childhood memories. As a kid, the mother tried to save an injured crow lying on the steep steps of her house.
The crow’s mother misunderstood and attacked Bambi’s mother. According to Bambi’s mother, the crow’s mother did what any other mother would do to protect her child.
Bambi’s mother returned home with blood, cuts, and scratches all over her body and face, but she didn’t find any comfort from her mother.
Bambi’s grandmother didn’t look after her daughter the way the crow’s mother did. Bambi’s mother was terrified of her. When Bambi’s grandmother saw the scratches on Bambi’s mother’s face, instead of comforting her, she told her how terrible she is looking and that her father may not want to see her in this state.
Bambi’s grandmother didn’t come close to her at all. She made their chauffeur take her to the hospital. Bambi’s mother is happy that she died before Bambi was even born. Bambi’s mother didn’t want her to taint Bambi with her horrible ways.
Bambi’s father
On Bambi’s birthday, her mother allowed her to ask for anything from her. Bambi grabs the chance to ask her about her father. Bambi’s father worked as a handyman for Bambi’s grandfather.
Bambi’s parents’ romance was a secret. Just like Bambi, her father had lit-up eyes. He had blonde hair and was very handsome. Maybe that’s why Bambi’s mother adores blonde-haired boys.
Bambi’s mother came from a noble family, and she always knew that her parents would never accept their love. Therefore, while romancing Bambi’s father, she was also reading the car manual of her parents’ vehicle to orchestrate a sinister plan.
The mother’s pregnancy and the puppy
At one of the hotels, Bambi met a cute dog, which led her mother to tell the story of a puppy she took care of when she was young. The mother describes her puppy as noisy and the angriest dog ever.
As expected, Bambi’s grandmother hated the dog. Bambi’s mother lost her puppy around the same time she got pregnant with Bambi. While Bambi’s grandmother scolded her daughter, the dog barked all day long outside.
Bambi’s grandmother ordered the chauffeur to kill the dog. She also demanded Bambi’s father’s name and said that they should get rid of the baby.
Bambi’s mother stayed adamant about not giving up on her baby. That night, she lost her puppy, who was killed by her parents’ chauffeur. From that point on, Bambi’s mother was more determined on keeping the baby.
The death of Bambi’s grandmother
Bambi’s grandmother vowed that she would not even let Bambi’s mother hold that baby. She would make that baby disappear, and Bambi’s mother too, if it came to that.
Only Bambi’s grandfather was a little bit concerned about his daughter. Bambi’s mother didn’t know that. To save her baby from her parents, she meddled with the car her parents drove in after carefully studying it.
The next day, in the same car, Bambi’s grandparents met with an accident. It is later revealed that only the chauffeur and Bambi’s grandmother died in the accident. Bambi’s grandfather is still alive and is attempting to track Bambi and her daughter down.
Did Bambi’s mother plan to give Bambi away?
Though Bambi’s mother forcefully kept the child and gave birth to her, she still wasn’t sure that she was going to be able to take care of this baby.
Bambi’s mother had two options. If she keeps this baby, she will be on the run forever, and if she doesn’t, then she may not have to escape. So Bambi’s mother did think of abandoning Bambi, and she even left the hospital all alone.
Bambi’s mother changed her mind at the last minute and came back for her baby to save her from the wrath of the family she comes from.
Bambi’s mother didn’t want Bambi to experience what she did. She wanted Bambi to grow up with love and wanted her to give that love back to her. So she picked her baby up and escaped from her family, who came to see her at the hospital. Since then, they’ve both been on the run.
When Bambi was little, Bambi’s mother made a promise to her, which they called the ‘Bambi promise’. According to that Bambi promise, only they can hurt or make each other cry, and Bambi’s mother will punish anyone else who tries to hurt her daughter.
Also Read: Who Were We Running From? review: Captivating thriller relies on strong performances