The Keeping Hours Page #2

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To the dark

[yells]

[panting]

[clicking]

- Daddy.

- [yells]

[groans]

[sighs]

Sh*t.

[breathing shakily]

Mark, I've been trying

to call you.

- What...

- My phone is dead.

- And there are some pictures on here that I need.

- All right.

I will take care of it.

I'm sure it won't be a problem.

Listen... No, no, no.

Don't go in there yet.

Kate's in the conference room

with everyone already, OK?

They've been waiting for you.

Mark, are you all right?

OK. Um...

Here.

Eat these.

I'll tell 'em

you'll be right in, OK?

[woman] We know your project

is on an accelerated schedule

with extensive

environmental issues.

Our firm is prepared to

represent your interests

at every level of local

and state government.

Mark actually has a lot of

expertise in the area,

he used to counsel

the other side.

Mark?

[clears throat]

Mark?

[exhales sharply]

Hey, new phone.

They couldn't bring

your old one back to life,

but they recovered

all your data.

Thank you.

Y-you're welcome

Thanks for those Goldfish,

and the Band-Aids.

How is your shoulder?

Are you OK?

Listen, I would appreciate it

if you asked your kid not

to play in my house anymore.

- Dash? In your house?

- Yeah.

No, no.

He... he stays here.

Sometimes he plays

out in the yard, but...

Well, someone was running around

in my attic last night.

Um, maybe you have rats.

[clears throat]

[Jacob whooshing]

[whooshing]

[humming]

- [whoosh]

- [grunts]

Where's Mommy?

Where's Mommy?

[children chattering]

- [woman speaking Spanish]

- [child giggling]

- Elizabeth.

- Mm-hmm?

- Someone's here.

- Hmm?

- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

- Mark.

- I, uh... I called you.

- Wow. Um...

Hi.

Did you get my messages?

I'm not sure.

I've just... I've been, um...

Who is he?

Oh, um...

Emma, Isabelle,

this is my friend, Mark.

- OK... OK.

- [Mark] Just five minutes.

I'm gonna go over there.

Will you stay with Marta?

[Marta] Come, nias.

If it's about the house,

you don't need my permission.

I need to talk to you.

Look, I don't really

have time to chat.

It's your house now,

you bought me out.

I need you to

come out there with me.

I-I'm busy, Mark.

I-I'm working.

I have a deadline.

- I have the girls.

- It's important.

Elizabeth, it's about Jacob.

- [giggling]

- I don't need things to remind me of my son.

It's been six years.

- I don't ask you for anything.

- OK.

Um, obviously there's something

going on with you.

Whatever it is,

I-I hope it works out.

Sell the house or

don't sell the house,

you do whatever

you need to do, OK?

Goodbye, Mark.

Girls, are you almost

ready for lunch?

Jacob?

I tried.

But your Mommy's...

on a trip.

So she can't see you right now,

but... she told me

to bring you a present.

You wanna see it?

Army men.

You always wanted army men,

but...

we never let you have them

because they're violent,

and barbaric, and

probably toxic, but...

all that seems

pretty stupid now, so...

[can opens]

Army men.

[mimics gunfire]

All right, Mr. Bananas...

it's me or you.

[mimics gunshot]

[mimics horn fanfare]

Stress.

Early-onset dementia.

Accidental mescaline ingestion.

Drunk. You're drunk.

I lied.

I want the stuff.

Cool. Good.

Come in.

Um... you want a drink?

Nice army men.

Uh...

Thank you.

I thought

you stopped drinking.

I did, mostly.

Mostly...

I did.

[sighs]

I just want the stuff,

Mark.

Is this it? Did you already

take what you wanted?

Yeah.

- [rumble]

- [clattering]

- I gotta show you something.

- What are you doing?

- I gotta show you this.

- Mark.

Mark, stop it!

[thud]

Boo!

Boo, Mommy!

[giggling]

[Mark]

Wait! That was him!

Elizabeth!

That-that was Jacob.

Hey, he was there!

You didn't see him?

[grunts]

You're sick, Mark.

You get yourself some help.

- [car door shuts]

- [engine revs]

- [footsteps]

- [door shuts]

[grunts]

Jacob.

[ball bouncing]

[boy] Hey.

- Hey.

- Hey.

I know I'm not supposed

to be in your house,

but the door

was wide open.

And I wanted to see

if you were dead.

- [sighs]

- [liquid pouring]

Thanks.

She hit you really hard.

I'll live.

Keep your hands up in front

of your face, like this,

if she wants to fight again.

Who taught you that?

My taekwondo teacher.

It's a good tip.

Is she your girlfriend?

My wife.

We're divorced.

My parents are divorced.

I don't see my dad.

He doesn't like kids.

I'm sure that's not true.

I don't think

you like kids either.

I like kids.

Why don't you have any?

I did.

I had a son.

He died when he was five.

My cat died last year.

He had eye cancer.

What happened to your son?

[siren wailing in the distance]

Car crash.

It was raining,

I swerved,

he was thrown from his booster

seat and his head hit the glass.

It happened fast.

I always wear my seatbelt.

Even on the school bus. All the

other kids make fun of me.

F*** 'em.

[laughs]

[Amy] Dash!

Time for school.

OK, don't-don't tell

my mom I'm here!

So, uh, you're a dog walker

slash medium, huh?

I walk dogs on the side.

It's good money,

it's steady work.

Plus, dogs are awesome,

unlike people.

[whistles]

So what's goin' on?

I saw my dead son

in the house.

You saw him?

- You didn't conjure him, did you?

- No.

You have a brain tumor or some

other terminal condition?

Not that I'm aware of,

no.

Family history

of mental illness?

My father has dementia.

Technically that's a cognitive

disorder, not a mental illness, so...

[blows]

What did he want?

Wh-what did you talk about?

It wasn't exactly a

conversation, but, uh...

He wants his mother.

Oh.

Well, bring her to him.

I tried, and, um...

she didn't believe it was him.

[laughs]

Then I guess it's up to you.

What is up to me?

Your son is dead.

So what is he doing here,

in the land of the living?

Maybe he's lost, maybe

he has some unfinished business.

What kind of unfinished business

could a five-year-old have?

How should I know?

I'm not a child psychiatrist.

The point is he needs you

to help him move on.

What if I don't want him

to move on?

Your son does not

belong here.

He's lost, and

he needs something from you.

You need to ask him

what he wants, be direct,

and then give it to him.

OK.

Good luck.

- Hey.

- [gasps]

My room's all back.

My fort!

You made this train.

I remember.

I stayed up all night sanding it

so I could give it to you

on your birthday.

Can I ask you something?

OK.

Do you know why you're here?

I lived here.

Do you need

something from me?

You promised me

you would get me

a real train set,

that runs by itself, with bridges,

lights, and little houses.

- I did?

- At the wedding.

That rings a bell.

When's Mommy coming back?

[whispers] Hey.

It might just be

you and me for a while, buddy.

Mommy can't see you

like I can.

Yes, she can.

She's just afraid.

[children chatter]

- I just wanna talk.

- Talk to a shrink.

Please come back

to the house with me.

You don't believe in God,

now you believe in ghosts?

He says you knew

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