The Book of Henry Page #3

that one at home today.

Yeah, I'm sorry, sir. I don't

run that kind of establishment.

And what if Dominic sent me?

Eleven hundred.

Yeah, okay.

Come around back

in half an hour.

Give my regards

to Dominic.

Jesus, mom. Really?

Know why they call me

"The Can Opener," Henry?

No. But I'm guessing it has

something to do with whoop-ass.

Come on.

Turn it off.

Just as soon as I level up

on these motherf...

Mom!

Enchilada number one.

Enchilada number two.

How come he gets

to be Enchilada number one?

'Cause he's older.

It's fine.

You can be Enchilada number one.

Alright.

Enchilada number one.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Mom. Not again.

Sing it.

Okay. Fine.

Goodnight.

I love you.

Me too.

Love you.

That is not a one-way street,

you know.

Love you, mom.

On or off?

- On.

- Off.

Open or close?

- Open.

- Closed.

Mom! Mom!

God. What is it?

Go! Mom!

I'm coming.

Mom! Mom! Mom!

Henry?

Henry. Henry, baby.

Honey. My God.

Call 911, Peter!

I got you.

My, God. Henry.

He looks postictal,

but we've got a pulse.

Henry? Henry?

Henry, can you hear me?

- Mrs. Carpenter, your son.

- Henry?

Your other son!

- Where's my CT?

- Still waiting for it.

Thank you, Kathy.

Mrs. Carpenter,

my name is David Daniels.

- I'm a neurosurgeon.

- Hi.

Let's see what's going on

with you, pal. Now, Henry...

I'm gonna shine this light

in your eyes.

- Did you witness the seizure?

- Yes.

What did it look like?

His whole body

was shaking, and jerking.

Has he been having headaches?

No. N-nothing major.

Just...

- You have? For how long?

- Three, three, four months.

- Dr. Daniels you asked for these.

- You said it wasn't anything serious.

Why didn't you

say something, honey?

Kathy, we need to

take him upstairs.

What? Where are you taking him?

We need to take him to surgery.

Your son has a definite mass,

and it looks swollen.

It's abutting

some critical structures.

I know this hard for you but we

need your consent to proceed.

- Dr. Daniels, he's seizing.

- Mom.

- Push one mil of Ativan, stat.

- Henry.

Mrs. Carpenter, we need you

to sign off on this.

I can't sign this with,

without asking him.

We need parental consent.

It's alright, Henry.

It's alright.

Come on. Alright, let's go.

Alright. You're alright.

You're alright.

Henry, we're gonna

take you to the OR. Okay?

Mom.

Hey, baby.

Yeah. I'm here.

I'm right here.

Is... Is everything okay?

What about this?

Will you at least

eat the brownie?

Hey, kiddo.

Glad to have you back.

You must be Peter.

What do you say you give me a moment

to talk to Henry and your mom?

That be alright?

Yeah.

Why don't you come with me?

Henry, you've got something

in your head right now.

Something we call a tumor.

It's not a good thing.

So, we had to see

if we could remove it

without hurting

any part of your brain.

It's tricky stuff.

And we were able

to get some of it.

Come on, man.

Excuse me?

This kind of rapid onset,

cutting right away

the expression on your face,

the way I see it,

it's got to be a high grade

ependymoma or glioblastoma.

I don't know why

I didn't think about that.

What with the headaches

and the blurred vision

I just thought it was stress.

Large mass?

Yeah.

Extended?

Yeah, it is.

Has it spread

to critical structures?

Well, we tried to resect it,

but unfortunately...

I see.

My MRI?

Irradiate?

I'm sorry.

I'd like to be alone, please.

Sweetie, I don't think...

Mom...

I'd like to be alone.

Okay.

Okay, class. Henry is going to be

in the hospital for a little while.

He's really sick.

So, I thought

it would be a nice idea

if we all sent him

some Get Well cards.

Is he gonna be alright?

- Well, Tommy...

- Well, he has to, doesn't he?

I mean, it's Henry.

He's gotta be okay.

We don't know just yet.

Hello, Hank.

Hey, fashion road kill.

What you doin'?

Workin' on some notes.

Think you're pretty

brilliant, don't ya?

I prefer precocious.

Sh*t, Hank. Why'd you

have to go and do this?

Henry.

Look, even though we...

I know.

It's called reaction formation.

What?

It seems we have

an antithetical relationship

but... we're just

behaving towards each other the

opposite of how we really feel.

I think you're pretty,

thus I insult you.

Childish, yes.

But... I am a child.

You take care, Hank.

Do you have a nine?

Do you have a ten?

Go fish.

Hey, Peter...

they have good ice cream

in the cafeteria.

Would you mind

grabbing me some?

Here, sweetie.

So, I was thinking

when we get outta here...

Mom, I need you to bring in

the financial files.

- Don't you worry about that.

- They're in the second file drawer in my cabinet.

- Not now.

- I also need to get a hold

- of the retirement statements.

- Let's talk about it next week.

I may not be here next week.

I'm...

I'm just gonna get some water.

I don't want any.

Me neither.

Peter... I have to tell you something

and it's very important, okay?

After...

After...

It's essential that you make

sure mom reads my red notebook.

Okay? But not you.

Just mom.

I want you to make her yourself.

Peter,

I'm trusting you to do this because

you're the person I

trust most in the world.

Take care of mom. Okay?

Where are you gonna be?

I don't know.

It'll be good.

Everyone'll want

to be friends with you.

Come here.

It's okay.

I'm gonna

make everything better.

And if Liffcon gets above 200,

dump it.

I think we've leveled down

the energy sector,

so all good there.

You listening to me?

What?

You need to buy a new car

already.

There's nothing wrong

with the old car.

Put you in some long-term bonds.

Triple tax-free.

I said, I didn't

wanna talk about that.

You'll have to read the

statement and check in with Rob

every once in a while.

Mom, this is really important.

No, it's not important at all.

Keep an eye on the tech stocks.

You have to watch them

closer than the others.

I said, I don't want to talk

about it. Okay?

I don't give a sh*t

about any of it.

I'm sorry.

I'm scared.

I don't know how to...

I don't know how to do it

without you.

I don't know

how to be a mother.

I never taught you that.

You always knew

how to be a mother.

You're the best part of me,

Henry.

The best part of me.

Can't...

Henry?

- Mommy.

- What are you...

Baby, what are you doing?

Henry? Henry?

Hello. What?

What's going on?

What's going on?

What is it baby, what is it?

It's okay.

- I'm gonna get a doctor.

- What is it? Breathe.

- Breathe. Breathe.

- Mommy.

- Yes. I'm here. I am here.

- Mom. I want mommy.

I'm here. Mom's here.

Mommy's here.

- Mommy.

- It's okay.

- I want to see the sky. So...

- It's okay.

- I want to see the sky.

- You want to see the sky?

Look up. Look up, baby.

Mom?

Hey!

So... I had an idea.

I had an idea.

It's just a start,

but it's something.

See, we're gonna eat dessert

all week.

Nothing else.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

- F*** it.

- Don't swear in front of me.

- Look at this beautiful day.

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