The 9th Life of Louis Drax Page #5

- Are you ready?

- Uh-huh.

Three, seven...

five, one.

Well, I don't feel comfortable

with him going down there alone.

He won't be going down there alone.

I'll pick him up, and plus,

my mother will be there with us.

- Right.

- Divide ten by five is two.

Subtract one and... too easy.

Are you lost?

No.

I'm not lost.

I love birthdays.

I think you passed

that sign ten minutes ago.

Louis, you want to help your father out?

- Mmhm.

- Hey, bud, I don't need any help.

I know where I'm going. I promise.

Let him help you, Peter.

He's great with directions.

- Give him the map.

- Okay.

Here you go, buddy.

Thank you.

Dr. Perez? Candy? Peeing my pants?

This is not a map. This is my brain.

- Evening, Dr. Pascal.

- Everything okay?

Mm.

Sophie, wh... what are you doing here?

You're hardly at home anymore.

So I figured I'd bring your mail.

It looked important.

W... why'd you open this?

It's addressed to me.

Sophie.

Don't do that.

So there's no way Louis

could've written the letters?

It's impossible.

But he sat up and spoke, right?

Why not possible?

The seizure was a fluke,

a muscle spasm maybe,

a brief return to apparent consciousness.

If you're waiting for him to wake up

and give you a statement,

I wouldn't hold your breath.

You think Drax is stalking her?

How is she coping?

She's distraught.

- You think she's headed for a breakdown?

- No.

I mean, she's in a vulnerable state.

Yeah, but is she, like,

breakdown material?

I can't see how she can stand

this kind of pressure

much longer, if that's what you mean.

I'd like to hear

what you know about Louis' fall,

the version Natalie told you.

Uh, why?

I thought that since

you had a certain... friendship with her,

that you might

have some insight that would help us.

I don't think I do.

Did you know that Peter Drax

isn't Louis' biological father?

I did.

So if she told you that,

she probably also told you

that she put Louis up

for adoption when he was just a baby.

I... I didn't know that.

But I'm not surprised she didn't tell me.

That's pretty private, don't you think?

Of course it's private.

Oh, one more thing.

Peter Drax's mother is coming to town

so we can ask her some questions

about the letter.

She asked to see Louis.

I don't have any reason to stop her.

I'll be sure to let reception know.

A little word of advice, you might want

to keep her away from your girlfriend.

From what I hear,

they're not the best of friends.

I'll keep that in mind.

I was looking for you.

Do you have a second?

I want to talk to you about something.

Macy said I could use the showers.

It's not about that.

Come in.

Do you want to sit down?

No.

I have to thank you again.

Everyone here has been so supportive.

One of the guys

at the front desk even said

he could get a TV in here for me.

Why didn't you tell me

that Peter isn't Louis' father?

I know it's probably none of my business,

but you volunteered to me that Peter

was the only man you'd ever been with,

and I don't know,

why tell such a specific lie?

Can you give me a moment

to put myself together?

Sure.

Would you mind turning around?

Of course.

Okay.

Who's the father?

His name was Joe.

Joseph. We only spent one night together.

It's not exactly my favorite subject.

- It might help to tell me.

- It won't.

- Well, if other people know...

- Other people don't know,

and there's a good reason

for that, trust me.

But... as Louis' doctor, as your friend...

The nature of Louis' conception

isn't something I'd wish on any woman.

Natalie, I am so sorry.

The birth was terrible.

It nearly killed us both.

But I don't regret any of it.

If it weren't for what happened,

Louis would have never have been born.

It was brave of you to keep him.

Who told you about that?

Inspector Dalton.

She came to the ward today.

What else did she tell you?

Nothing.

She just... she wanted to meet Louis,

put a face to the name.

I'm sorry.

I just feel like my life

is at the mercy of predators.

Including me?

Do you kiss the mothers

of all your patients?

I'm sorry if I made you feel that way

because that is the last thing

that I meant to be.

Maybe I'm being unfair.

I've just had a tough time

with men, that's all.

We're not all bad.

Not... completely.

It took him two months

to open up to Perez.

...I'm the person who

had to take him every...

Louis! He was comfortable.

And what else?

And I had to talk to Perez...

All right, well, I'm the one...

- ...every single weekend.

- Hey, hey.

I'm the one who gets to decide

whether or not he has to see him anymore.

He's just now starting all over again.

- I don't understand what the point...

- He's starting all over again.

- You're not even here anymore.

- Stop.

Is everybody sad?

No, no, no, no one's sad.

It's gonna be a happy day.

Come on, we're celebrating.

Here.

I packed all your favorite things.

- Want some of these?

- Yeah.

- I know you like these.

- Thanks.

Before I met your father,

it was just you and me.

I never told you that.

Maybe you figured it out.

Sometimes I think you figured it all out.

I nearly lost you that night.

I nearly lost you so many times.

But that was the first time.

I called this man I hardly knew.

We met when you were just

a tiny, little baby.

Hey.

He came, and he comforted me,

and he stayed with me while we waited

to see if you would die.

He held my hand all night.

Mr. and Mrs. Foster.

The doctor made a mistake.

He thought Peter was your father.

He thought we were married.

A year later, we were.

It was difficult for Daddy's first wife.

But he didn't love her.

It was me he loved.

But he scares me now, Lou-Lou.

I can feel him.

It's like he's here somewhere.

Why is she telling me these stories?

All this stupid blah,

blah, blah in my ear.

I can feel him getting closer and closer,

trying to take you back.

Always whispering,

like she's going to break.

You don't have to listen.

She won't know.

She knows everything.

No, young sir.

Children think that about Moms and Dads,

but it isn't true.

We're going to the dark place,

the darkest place on Earth.

People will say that I've stolen you,

but that's not how it is.

You know that, don't you?

I don't think anyone will notice if I go.

Are you coming with me?

It's time for you to see something.

Where is it?

It's deep in a cave.

Will I ever be able to come back?

That depends how brave you are.

Dr. Davis, telephone please.

Dr. Davis, telephone please.

You couldn't have had us write something

slightly less ominous?

I'm afraid you're going

to spook the staff.

"Bad things will happen."

It's the only sentence

that appears in both letters.

Oh.

Dr. Pascal, I think you need

to come with me.

- What's happening?

- It's Mrs. Drax.

I'm his mother,

and I didn't approve any of this.

- Please, let go of me!

- Ow!

What's going on?

Now, look. I barely touched you.

She attacked me.

Who are you?

I'm Violet Drax. I'm Louis' grandmother.

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