The Keeping Hours Page #5

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[chuckles]

I don't understand

any of this.

Maybe he'll stay forever.

Maybe he's an angel.

- [Elizabeth] So you're bunking with Dad now?

- [Jacob] Right.

[Elizabeth] Where's Mr. Bananas?

Here he is. There you go.

- Good night.

- You could stay.

- Please, stay.

- Um...

Please, please, please,

with extra cheese.

[Elizabeth] OK, but just

for a little while.

Can you read me

a story?

Well, um,

I just so happen to have

Pinocchio right here.

Sh*t.

[door opens]

Oh. [exhales]

- You OK?

- Oh.

Just dying of thirst.

I fell asleep.

I did, too.

I should go.

Don't go.

[moans softly]

[softly] Oh, God. Oh, God.

Are you sorry?

- [whispering] See you later.

- Yeah. Be back soon, OK?

Newspaper.

How's the book coming?

Smith?

- What are you doing here?

- Uh...

You told me he destroyed

your life, so...

What?

This is what you want now?

- Someone who...

- No...

abandons you, who's selfish,

who destroys things?

- It's more complicated than that.

- Yeah?

OK.

What's complicated about it?

Can we talk

about this at home?

No. Tell me right now.

Please.

[sobs] I... I can't.

Fine. You know what?

Just stay.

I'll figure out something

to tell the girls.

My girls.

- [car door shuts]

- Smith, wait!

Wait.

Let me...

- Wait... wait.

- [tires screech]

[sobs] Oh, God.

Okay.

[engine starts]

[tires screech]

[mimics train noise]

When's the real train coming?

How soon do you need it?

Soon.

When's Mommy coming back?

I don't know.

- Daddy?

- Yeah.

I pushed the button.

What button?

Don't be mad.

I'm not mad.

What button?

The red button

on the strap.

I wanted to touch the rain

but I couldn't reach.

You took off your seatbelt?

You're not mad?

Is that why you're here?

It wasn't her fault.

I know that.

But she doesn't know that.

[door opens]

Mommy!

I told him that I was

going through some stuff

and that I needed some time

to sort things out.

What did he say?

It doesn't matter.

I'm here.

I wanna be here.

Can I ask you something?

Maybe.

Did you come back

for Jacob or for me?

I just wanna be happy,

Mark, OK?

Let's try and be happy.

Happy birthday, Dad.

[laughs]

Come on, make a wish.

I know about the surprise.

- What surprise?

- The party your mother's throwing for me tonight.

I've told her a thousand times

I hate a fuss,

- but you know how she is.

- She loves a party.

- Mm-hmm.

- Huh?

- [chuckles]

- Oh, you want your present?

Mm-hmm. [chuckles]

Yeah.

Oh.

Oh.

It looks like the real thing.

I know there's no party.

Your mother's

been gone for years.

Heart attack.

That's OK, Pop.

We're having a party

right now.

Maybe next week

Jacob will come by.

Jacob's gone, too.

You're a good son.

- [Jacob] We were camping.

- [Elizabeth] I can't believe you remember that.

- That's me.

- Right.

- What's Upwelling?

- What?

That's your book.

What's it mean?

Oh. Well,

it's when the current

pushes the dark, cold water

from the bottom of the ocean

all the way up

to the surface

and it wipes out all

the worn-out water

and it feeds it nutrients

and food.

- Even though it's cold and dark.

- That's right. Mm-hmm.

You shouldn't be afraid.

I'm not.

[creaking]

OK.

Jacob?

Oh, my God.

[laughs]

What's going on?

Look, it's my mom.

It was my mom

in the house all along.

She's trying to say

something to me.

Elizabeth, come on.

It's just us.

No, she's right there.

She's right by the door.

- She's trying to say... [gasps]

- Elizabeth!

- Hey! Elizabeth, what's going on?

- No. I'm OK.

Oh, no, no.

You're not OK.

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth, what's wrong?

Help.

Help.

OK, Liz, stay with me.

Help! I need some help.

[PA chatter]

[Amy] Hey.

- Hi.

- Hi. I heard your wife was brought in.

Yeah.

Come on.

I'll take you to see her.

Here you go.

- Thank you.

- Sure.

What's going on?

I stopped taking my

antidepressants cold turkey.

Stupid, I know.

Apparently I'm in withdrawal.

Have you ever heard

of a brain shiver?

It's like this tiny jolt

of electricity

zapping through your brain

and then, boom, lights out.

- And that's it?

- That's it.

Just need a little R and R

and I'll be good as new.

Ready to beam me

outta here?

- Yeah. I'll get the car.

- OK.

Hey!

My trains came.

I'm gonna go take a rest,

OK?

OK.

Wow. You've been busy.

I went on a train...

by myself.

You did?

It was a long ride.

Where was it going?

Everywhere.

Mommy's coming with me

next time.

What do you mean?

She's coming with me.

[door shuts]

Are you sick?

Don't bullshit me.

Tell me what

the doctor said.

T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia.

What? What does that...

what does that mean?

- It doesn't mean anything good.

- Elizabeth!

Very aggressive

and very advanced.

- I was sick before.

- What?

- When?

- Right after Smith and I got married.

Why didn't you call me?

What was I supposed to say?

"Hi, I married someone else,

I might be dying."

I thought I beat it, so...

OK. So...

What happens now?

I mean...

When do you start treatment?

I don't.

What are you talking about?

I'm not gonna get better

this time.

You don't know that.

Yes, I do.

There has to be something!

I don't want what

they're offering me.

It's not gonna save me,

it's just gonna make the time

I have left a living hell.

Please understand that.

No. Oh...

[sobbing]

Jacob told me something.

He said...

he took off his seatbelt.

- He took off his seatbelt before the crash.

- [gasps]

[sobs]

It wasn't your fault.

It was nobody's fault.

[sobbing]

[door opens]

[footsteps approaching]

Seed bombs.

I wanted wildflowers

at the wedding

so I threw a bunch

of seed bombs,

because I suck at gardening.

And they worked.

They're still working.

Remember, you had to get

Jacob out of the attic.

He wouldn't put his tie on.

And that dog barked

the whole time.

- [dog barking]

- That dog barks through the whole wedding.

[laughs]

I was scared

I'd mess it all up.

Well, we did.

[laughs]

But we got it back.

Thank you for picking me.

I promise to always

tell you the truth.

I vow to love you.

And I vow to forgive you.

I vow to be a good father

to our boy.

I vow to make you laugh.

[laughs]

To tell the bike trail story,

and don't forget

the Life Savers.

At least I got that part right.

We are so lucky.

[sobs]

Please don't forget that.

Don't forget.

[tinkling]

[train whirring,

whistle blows]

Hey.

Hey.

- Guess what? I caught two rainbow trout yesterday.

- Oh, yeah?

Mom took me fishing

for my birthday.

- Happy birthday.

- Thanks.

Having a party on Saturday.

Cake, clowns, balloons...

Kinda baby-ish, but...

makes my mom happy.

You can come

if you want to.

OK.

Really?

Yeah. I like cake.

Do you still have

the train?

Yeah.

Do you wanna go inside

and look at it?

Cool!

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