One True Loves (2023) Movie Script
1
It's really not fair.
[person] Come on, Jesse,
you got this!
[crowd cheers]
Look, the guy is training
for the Olympics, right?
He shouldn't be allowed
to throw around
his diving skills at parties.
[people cheer]
At least he could keep
his shirt on. Geez.
He should never
have a shirt on.
[crowd cheers]
He has no idea
who I am.
How sad is that?
[clicks tongue]
Yeah.
How sad is that?
Here we go. Here we go.
I don't understand
what you're asking.
You just gotta hold it.
I'm holding it.
I thought you used
one of these.
Aw, man.
You drained the keg.
Uh, yeah.
Gotta move fast around here.
[person] Holy shit.
It's the cops!
[siren wails]
[Emma narrating] The future
is so hard to predict.
If I had a time machine,
would it even make a difference
to try to go back and explain
to my young self what was ahead?
[indistinct chatter]
[Marie] Okay, uh,
show me the other one.
This one, I like.
Yes. Definitely
more affordable.
Larger, but it's not
as, like, all-inclusive.
-Right.
-So there'd be a lot more...
Okay. Whiskey sours
up, everybody.
-[both] Thank you.
-You're welcome.
Bud Light seltzer
for the gentleman.
Thank you for not
making me have to say it.
[Colin] Oh, my God.
[Ann] Sorry.
So, I just wanna say,
Sam, Emma,
we are so excited for you.
Thank you
for helping our daughter
find a second chance
at life.
Welcome to our family,
Son.
Thank you.
The downstairs toilet
is clogged.
I had to put my arm
all the way down.
Hey, Michael. Wow.
What?
You're welcome.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sure.
Well, I also have some--
some words to share.
I am so proud of the life
that you've made, Emma.
And I know
it hasn't been easy,
and there are a lot of people
who would've let that stop them.
[sighs] But not you.
And, look,
I know you and I,
we drive each other nuts
sometimes...
-What are you talking about?
We drive each other nuts?
-[Colin] Ladies.
[laughter]
What I'm trying to say
is that...
even though
you're my little sister, I--
I hope to have
as big a heart
as you do one day.
-Oh. I like that, honey.
-Thanks, Mama.
Well, since
we're all making speeches
and making
each other cry,
I'd like to thank you,
Marie,
for pushing me
to learn an instrument,
because I didn't end up
learning one.
But I did run into
an old friend.
My best friend.
All right, we get it.
You like your fianc.
How nice for you.
You are so lucky.
You have me.
[laughter]
Wow.
Wow.
Uh, I guess
that leaves me.
I guess you all know
that I've been
madly in love with Emma
for a few years now,
give or take.
-It was eighth grade.
-Oh, wow, Colin. Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, I didn't realize
we were keeping track.
Um, I remember meeting her
for the first time
and thinking,
"That's it.
That's the girl."
And then life took us
in separate directions,
and when we ran back
into each other,
we had both grown up
quite a bit,
you could say.
But some things
don't change.
And, uh, when I look
at you now, Emma,
it's like I'm right back
in the eighth grade again.
And I'm thinking,
"That's her.
That's the girl."
And I look at you all
and think, "That's it.
That's the family."
-To family.
-[all] To family.
[Michael]
Cheers, cheers, cheers.
-[Sam] What are you cheering?
-I left my glass over there.
[lively conversations]
Hi.
Take me home.
Bye, everyone.
Look around
Where you are
Yo!
[screams]
See my love shine
Light the stars
Take a breath
Where you stand...
[phone ringing]
Who's calling you
on Saturday night?
I don't know.
Hello?
Sweetheart,
it's me, Jesse.
I'm alive.
Can you hear me?
Emma, I'm coming home.
[gasps]
Emma? Honey?
What is it?
What's going on?
Yeah. Gotta move fast
around here.
Yes, you do.
[person] Holy shit!
It's the cops.
-[police siren blares]
-Emma, come on.
[Jesse]
My ride's gone,
and your ride.
Sam.
[scoffs]
So, uh, Sam--
he's your boyfriend?
He's my best friend.
Ah. So, he wants to be
your boyfriend,
but you're not
into it, right?
No, no. It's not--
It's not like that.
Sure.
I mean, maybe
it's a little like that.
A little like that?
Shut up.
[police siren wails]
[Emma] I can't believe
I failed my Breathalyzer.
My parents
are gonna kill me.
That sucks. Do you ever feel
like everyone's always
telling you who you are?
All the time.
My parents own the bookstore
in town, Blair Books.
Yeah, yeah,
I put that one together.
Emma Blair.
They think that me
and my sister are going
to take it over.
And they don't listen
when I say
that I never
want to do that.
No.
Marie wants that,
and that is fine for her.
She's always been the perfect
little bookseller's daughter.
But... not me.
I'm getting out of here.
-Where are you gonna go?
-I'm gonna go see the world.
I like that.
You're not what I imagined
you'd be, you know?
You imagined me?
Oh, my--
My ex, she-- she thought
you had a crush on me.
She said she caught you
looking at me sometimes.
No, that's not-- That's--
That's--
That's completely un--
I don't know.
Maybe for, like, a day,
freshman year.
There it is.
No, but...
I obviously don't have
a thing for you now.
Why don't you?
Why don't you have
a thing for me now?
I think I do, actually.
As of about
an hour and a half ago.
But if you
aren't interested--
I'm interested.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
You ready?
Yeah.
Whoo! Let's go!
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Tell me what it takes
To get you feeling alive
Tell me how to show you
It's a beautiful life
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll do anything to
Pull you into the light
'Cause everything will change
When you open your eyes
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Yeah
So don't you let the sunlight
Go by without you
Don't you realize
How lucky we are?
Open up your heart, baby
Let it all go tonight
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Live your life like
It was running out
Be alive
We gotta scream it out
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Breathe it in
And feel the rush again
You're not lost
No matter
Where you've been
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
You've been trying hard
Just to make it alone
But I can help you baby
Let me carry the load
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll do anything to make
You see what it's like
'Cause everything is different
When you open your eyes
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Yeah
So don't you let the sunlight
Go by without you
Don't you realize
How lucky we are?
Open up your heart, baby
Let it all go tonight
-Oh, oh, oh
-Mmm
Live your life
Like it was running out
Be alive
We gotta scream it out
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
You gotta breathe it in
And feel the rush again
You're not lost
No matter
Where you've been
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
You know, do they even know
we're gonna be there?
Well, I know
we canceled Thanksgiving
with my parents last year
because of your shoot
in Peru,
and Marie's being
a real Marie about it.
Yeah. Acton for Thanksgiving
is a good idea.
We should probably tell them
the news in person.
What news?
The past six years
have been the greatest adventure
I could've dreamt of.
I wanna spend
the rest of my life
with you.
Emma Blair,
wanna get married?
No.
No?
I'm sorry, no.
-I'm so heartbroken.
-[giggles] Yes!
Yes, yes, yes!
Yes!
[birds chirping]
Mmm.
[Marie] Really?
Huh?
Really? You're late
to your own wedding?
Get your asses
to the altar.
I have the perfect
Jane Austen quote.
Let's go.
Come on!
She's right.
We wouldn't want
to ruin her big day.
Mmm. The bookseller's
daughter strikes again.
Should we get married?
Okay.
It's my lucky day
It's my lucky day
It's my lucky day
Hey, hey, my lucky day
It's my lucky day
Don't need a pot of gold
A rabbit's foot
Or to be told...
Ladies and gentlemen,
Jesse and Emma Lerner!
[all cheering]
Slept in
'Cause I don't care
And didn't make the bed
Sipped coffee on my couch
What can I do instead?
I can't just fly off
to Alaska. My Madrid piece
is due tomorrow.
I can't
not fly to Alaska.
This is my chance to shoot
a real documentary.
It's also
our first anniversary.
You're right.
I'm sorry.
We'll celebrate big
when I get back.
Okay? I promise.
We'll get a cheap flight
somewhere to, like, uh...
Iceland.
-Mmm.
-Croatia?
-Mmm.
-Bali?
Mmm, maybe just dinner
on the beach down the street.
Okay.
Dinner on the beach
down the street.
-It's a date.
-Okay.
-Love you past forever.
-Love you longer than that.
Do you know
how long that is?
Really long time.
So long.
[person] Your husband
was on a helicopter
that went down yesterday
in the Pacific.
We found the remains
of both pilots,
but we've not yet
found your husband.
And we do not believe
he would have been able
to survive the crash.
I'm so sorry.
We're still searching.
If we find anything, of course,
we'll let you know right away.
We understand this must be
a terrible shock...
Emma.
It's your third day
out here.
I'm gonna stay out here
as long as it takes.
As long
as what takes?
He's lost, and he's coming back,
and I'm gonna be here.
You-- You can't.
I mean,
that won't work.
I'm not giving up on him.
Emma, give me
the binoculars.
No.
Jesse's coming back.
He was a long-distance swimmer.
He was the best in state.
He can do this.
He's not
coming back.
You don't know that.
Yeah, Em, I do.
It's been a week.
They've given up the search.
You just can't stand
that I'm no longer
in your shadow.
Well, I know my husband,
and I know how incredible
he is.
And I'm not gonna let you
say he's anything less
because you like it better
when I feel small.
Emma--
No.
Emma--
Don't console me.
I'm so sorry, Emma.
He's dead.
I'm so sorry.
No, he's not.
No, he's not.
[sobs] Yeah.
No, he's not.
I'm sorry.
No, he's not dead.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry,
honey.
[sobs]
I don't know...
I don't know
how I can live without him.
I know.
I know.
But... you will.
How?
You're gonna
come home to Acton,
and you're gonna
move in with me.
And I'm going to make
your breakfasts
and your lunches
and your dinners,
and-and...
we're just gonna
build you a new life.
But not-- not right now.
Now you get to
just be broken,
and-and I'll hold you
together.
I'll hold you together.
Hey.
Walking down memory lane?
Sorry.
Did I wake you?
No. Not at all.
How are you feelin'?
I can't sleep.
How are you feeling?
I don't know.
But I, uh, ran you a hot shower.
The old Sam Lee special.
[chuckles]
What's the Sam Lee special?
Well, it's-- it's me
turning on the shower.
[Colin]
Oh, hey, honey.
Emma!
I don't like that you're
understocking the classics.
Obviously, Dad.
But not now.
I am not understocking
the classics. You are
overstocking the classics.
-Colin, focus.
-Sorry.
We'll-- We'll give you
some space.
So, how are you?
Really?
[sighs]
I don't know
how I'm feeling.
I mean, you're
probably feeling confused.
-I mean, yeah. But--
-I wasn't finished.
You and Jesse, you had
this beautiful life
together,
and then he got on a helicopter,
and it crashed,
and-and we all thought
he was dead,
and you--
you-you picked yourself up
like this incredible person
that you are,
and you found love again
with a great guy.
Right, and now--
I'm still not finished.
And now what is
probably the happiest
day of your life
is also the most complicated
and probably saddest day,
because no matter
what you do or how you feel,
you're gonna break
somebody's heart.
You've gained something,
and you'll lose something.
So it's okay to feel happy
and heartbroken.
Oh, you can talk.
I'm done.
Oh.
That was incredibly
verbose, but accurate.
Thank you.
[sighs] Why did I spend
my childhood hating you?
Oh. Because I hated you.
-Why did you hate me?
-Because you hated me.
Oh, my God, Emma.
Um, you can't wear that
to reunite with
your long-lost husband.
[gasps] Oh, my gosh.
[Colin] Wow.
You look amazing!
[Ann] Wow!
The color. The color.
Well, I think this works.
Mm-hmm.
Just not
so sure about this.
-Yeah.
-I'm engaged,
and I'm also married.
-I'm not sure
what the protocol is.
-What does your gut tell you?
To throw up, mostly.
Oh, yeah.
You could wear that one.
Yeah.
Or, you could wear both.
Yeah.
[scoffs] I just
won't wear either.
Okay.
Here we go.
Oh. Okay.
Go get 'em.
[sighs]
Hey, Joe.
Emma.
-Francine.
-Emma.
Wow.
You look different.
[police siren blaring]
Our boy is coming home,
Frannie.
Oh. We've decided
not to tell Jesse
that you've
already moved on.
He's been through enough,
don't you think?
Let's go.
Come on.
Take a moment
To join the dance
Emma!
[sobs]
Wait but never
Miss your chance
[camera shutters
click]
No more walls
Your destiny
Is facing you
Hi. Hi.
[reporters clamoring]
Do you want to get
out of here?
Come on.
[door closes]
Come on.
[breathing heavily]
Are you okay?
[sobs]
[Jesse sobs]
[Emma sobs]
It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay. It's okay.
[TV reporter]
We're coming to you live
from the home
of Jesse Lerner...
God, can you imagine?
Your fiance has a husband.
An alive husband.
[person] You know she's
gonna go back to him, right?
He came back
from the dead.
Tell me it doesn't get
any more romantic than that.
Sam's toast.
[person] Totally.
[clears throat]
-Morning.
-Hey, buddy.
Janis.
Hi. We were just
talking about you.
Mm-hmm.
Behind your back.
Mmm.
Um, actually,
that's my lunch.
I guess
now we're even.
Um...
I swore if I ever
made it back to you,
I'd tell you how sorry
I was for leaving.
I'm going to spend
the rest of our lives
making it up to you.
I'm engaged.
What?
I'm engaged.
To be married.
You are married.
No. To someone else.
[laughs]
What?
[laughs]
What?
What is so funny?
It's not. No.
It's horrible.
[laughs]
Yeah, it's terrible.
You know, I think
that's the worst thing
I've ever been told.
-Jesse, I didn't know
that you were--
-You thought I was dead.
You didn't know.
There you are.
Oh, you can't just
disappear like that.
Come on. Everybody's
waiting for you. Come on.
[stammers]
It's too much.
It's okay.
Just breathe.
[mumbles]
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, I'm here.
It's--
It's been a long time
since I've seen so many people.
I--
I should get going.
Okay.
I'll stay here tonight,
'cause I figure
they need me.
But then I need to be with you.
Can we go somewhere tomorrow?
-Of course.
-Let's go to Maine,
to the cabin.
-Sure.
-First thing.
Yeah. First thing.
Bye.
Okay, bye.
[Sam] Hey. You're home.
You're still making me
a grilled cheese
with dairy-free cheddar?
Yeah, well, I figured
just in case you came back,
you know, a little
lactose intolerant.
So, how is he?
Still very, very,
very, very handsome?
Uh, he seems good.
A little overwhelmed,
uh, but good.
Good, mostly. Um--
Good.
Good that he--
that he seems good.
I saw you
kissing him.
On the news.
I'm not upset
about it.
I just--
Not telling you felt
wrong somehow,
so I-- I just
wanted you to know.
I'm really sorry, Sam.
This has all been so...
confusing.
Confusing.
It's-- It's confusing.
Hey. It's gonna be
all right.
It's gonna be okay.
Gonna be okay.
I love you so much, Sam.
I love you.
I need you.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
[moans]
[crickets chirping]
Where's your ring?
You're gonna have
to choose, you know.
I mean,
he's your husband.
I think we should
call off the wedding.
What?
I mean,
can you honestly say
that no matter what happens
from this moment on,
that you're ready to spend
the rest of your life
with me?
You know, if we're
gonna have a future,
you gotta go.
You gotta go and do
whatever you need to do
in order to know.
You could stay at a hotel,
or you could stay at Marie
or your parents'--
No, I get it.
I need to be
on my own.
Woke up with a cloud
Over my window
Some days I swear
The weatherman is out for me
I've been locked inside
Thinking about sunlight
Woke up with the thought
Maybe it's all for naught
All packed up?
Yep.
Uh, here.
I don't trust myself
not to set it on fire
when you're gone, so...
You are a good man.
Get me, you see
I'm all right.
I'm just not into it
I'm broke down
Exposed now
With no clouds
There's nothing
To cover me
There's nothing
To cover me
The highs and the lows
Get me, you see
I'm just not into it
I'm broke down
Exposed now
How are you?
It's low clouds
There's nothing to cover me
Jesse wants to go
to Maine.
For a few days.
Oh, my.
Would you run the store?
Are you able to?
Yeah.
I'd be happy to.
Do you think
you can be in love
with two people
at the same time?
Maybe some people can,
but...
I don't even think
that's the point, though.
You're a different person
with Sam than you were
with Jesse.
And maybe it's not about
who you love more.
Maybe it's about
whether you wanna be
the person you could be
with Jesse
or the person that
you're becoming with Sam.
Wow. You're good lately.
I just know you.
[Emma whispers]
Thank you.
You look great.
You do.
Oh. You gotta drive
the whole way.
My license expired when they
issued my death certificate.
-Okay.
-Good times.
[dog barks]
[beeps]
[groans]
[phone beeps]
[phone beeps]
Uh, hey, do you mind
if we stop by the store?
I guess I left some stuff
at Marie's last night.
Sure. Your stuff
isn't at your place?
No. I'm not currently
at my place.
Okay.
I'm looking forward
to seeing everyone.
Your parents still
recommending Walden Pond
to anyone who walks in
and then going,
"You know, Walden Pond
is just down the road"?
[chuckles] Well,
my parents are retired now.
Really?
Good for them.
So Marie's finally
inherited her birthright?
The bookseller's daughter
has become the bookseller?
Actually, I run it.
Oh, yeah. You run it.
No, I'm serious.
I run the bookstore.
-Oh.
-I know. [chuckles]
I used to hate it, but...
I lost you,
and I had nothing,
so I moved back home,
and... there it was.
Oh, Em.
What?
Come on. Let's go.
You are a sight
for sore eyes.
We're so happy
you're okay, Jesse.
I missed you guys too.
Hi.
Oh, my God. A real-life
Odysseus back to Ithaca.
Good to see
you're still reading, Sis.
Hi, Sophie.
Ooh!
You're hungry?
Uh, wait a minute.
I want you to meet someone.
Jesse, this
my daughter, Sophie.
Sophie, this is Jesse.
-Hey.
-[everyone laughs]
[Colin] Okay. Hey.
Welcome back.
Thank you.
Good to see you.
Well, I guess
a lot's happened
since you've been gone.
She is adorable.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
-Said hi to Mike for me.
-Oh, you could
tell him yourself!
Hey!
How you been?
Stranded
on a desert island, man.
Oh, right.
Must've been nice
to get away.
For a bit, yeah.
We should, um,
hit the road.
-[Marie] Yeah, yeah.
-[Michael] You're gonna
head to the cabin?
[Jesse]
Oh, just for couple days.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Actually,
can I drive?
Without a license?
Well,
it's a technicality.
Come on.
It'll be fun.
-Okay.
-Thank you.
[bell rings]
-Good morning.
-[all saying "good morning"]
Liz, you are
a trumpet player.
Please spit out
your gum.
The rest of you,
let's jump right in.
So, Debussy is considered our
first Impressionist composer.
Impressionist-- Can anybody
tell me what that means?
-Zoey.
-It doesn't have
a melody or something?
Right, right.
Debussy was less concerned
about a melody
and more about, um,
evoking a mood
and an emotion.
[plays piano]
He used notes
like a paintbrush,
painting colors
that conveyed an impression.
So, what moods are being
conveyed right now?
-Go ahead. Shout 'em out.
-Uh, sadness?
Loneliness.
Fear you might lose
Emma forever.
[bangs piano keys]
Really? Really, Zoey?
You got the from the song?
No, I got that from how
you were playing the song.
Are we really
not gonna talk about
your husband-in-law?
-My what?
-That guy that's married
to your wife, man.
Your brother-husband
or whatever.
Marcus, he's not
my brother-husband.
My cousin is in
a closed quad, and it
really works for them,
so I don't see
why a triple can't work.
First of all, Dylan,
it's called a "thruple,"
and sec--
Okay, we're not having
this conversation, all right?
Let's go. Instruments up.
Hey. "Clair de lune."
Come on.
You're trying to give
palm readings?
No, no, no, no.
Okay, the most romantic
place we ever went to.
Ooh.
I know I'm supposed
to say... Paris.
[both]
But it's Amsterdam.
Yeah.
New Year's Eve.
We fought about that stupid
bike lock until 11:59.
Yeah.
And then the clock turned,
and you said,
"I don't care who lost it.
I just wanna spend
my whole year with you."
Then you kissed me, and--
and then it felt like
nothing mattered except us.
And you were right.
You did lose that lock,
by the way.
No. I didn't lose--
You lost the lock by the river.
No, no. I've had a lot
of time to think about this,
and I have decided
I remember you losing it.
[chuckles] Okay.
Agree to disagree.
Okay.
[both chuckle]
[phone chimes]
[slow music playing]
[Jesse] Hey!
Come on.
Our cabin awaits.
[slow music continues]
[sighs]
Oh, come on!
Tuba.
Come on, tuba,
get it together.
-I thought
I did pretty good.
-You are, Marcus.
Yeah. You are.
You're-- You're great.
You're...
[sighs] Great.
We haven't been here
since--
Our wedding.
Right.
That old thing.
[chuckles]
[clears throat]
Do you want a drink?
-Please.
-Okay, great.
Let's see
what we can find here.
So you can build
a fire now?
So you get tattoos now?
I guess
a lot has changed.
Some things, yeah, sure.
But nothing
that really matters.
To us.
Finally.
Finally.
[coughs]
Whoo!
[coughs]
Smooth. [chuckles]
[clears throat]
What does it say?
Oh.
[clears throat]
Um,
"And so I walked on."
I'll never leave
your side again.
All I ever wanted was...
one more day
to be with you.
Oh, I missed your face.
I missed your voice.
I missed...
God, I missed
the feel of you.
[pilot] Out of control.
Got a flagging stick.
Mayday!
[gasping]
Hey!
[screams]
[birds chirping]
[alarm clock ringing]
[exhales]
[water running]
Jesse?
Just... turns on
when you need it.
Off when you don't.
Yeah.
Faucets are wild, huh?
What happened out there?
Nah, I just wanna focus
on us right now.
I'll tell you
what I do need.
I mean, what I really...
really need...
is breakfast.
Oh, you're such a jerk.
Mm-hmm.
You know that?
Yeah.
-Mr. Lee, just a couple
of questions.
-Oh, shit.
-Mr. Lee,
is the wedding off?
-Um...
-Is Emma here?
-Um...
Can we just get
a little privacy, please?
-We? Does that mean you're
still getting married?
-No, I--
-It's off?
-I honestly don't know.
Are you afraid that your fiance
is gonna leave you and go back
to her husband?
Sam, have you
talked to Jesse yet?
[reporters clamoring]
[sighs]
I feel bad you had to
move back to New England.
It's cold.
[Emma chuckles]
You don't have to feel bad.
Well, I'm just glad that
neither of us is stuck anymore,
and we can start
living again.
Go traveling.
Traveling?
You don't want to settle
somewhere safe?
Well, we'd have
a home base,
sure, but...
I was thinking Venice Beach.
Anywhere in California
would be good.
That was the best time
of our lives.
Mexican food
was top-notch.
And you can work
from anywhere, right?
Travel writing can be
wherever you want.
Well, I don't, um...
I haven't written
a travel piece in years.
Really?
I know you do the store.
I just assumed you were still
doing what you wanted to do.
The store--
It is what I wanna do.
You know?
I like seeing the regulars,
getting a crack
at the new releases.
This coming from the girl
that wouldn't read
The Hunger Games?
Well, it turns out
The Hunger Games is
actually pretty great.
Hey, how you doing?
Uh, can we please have
two bacon, egg
and cheese biscuits
with home fries, please?
Um, actually I--
I don't eat cheese
anymore.
It's, like,
a whole thing.
Okay.
Uh, one egg and cheese
biscuit with home fries,
and my beautiful wife?
Um, fried egg
on toast.
Yeah.
Fried egg on toast.
New normal.
Yes.
Emerson and Alcott
and Thoreau
were all from Concord.
I had a lot of time
to do reading
while you were gone.
A lot of existential dread,
you might say.
But you know what?
Thoreau, he knows what's up.
And, uh, Walden Pond...
[both]
Is just down the road!
Yes, yes.
Oh, and when the leaves
change in autumn...
When you died--
When I-- When I thought
you were dead,
I had nothing and...
came back here.
My parents and Marie,
they basically
nursed me back to life.
They picked out
all these books
to distract me.
And that's when I read
The Hunger Games, by the way.
And Wild.
And Octavia Butler
and Joan Didion, and...
that's when I realized
that... I wasn't alone.
All these people that had
come before me, they--
they felt this pain
that I felt, and...
they found
a way through, and...
I could too.
Then this place...
This place put me
back together.
[sighs]
You and I, we had this--
We had this idea
that our adventures
had to be grand.
Right? That we had
to go to Madrid
and the Great Wall and...
Mm-hmm.
...go everywhere
extraordinary,
but, uh,
extraordinary
is everywhere.
Running a bookstore
and being with our families
and raising our kids here,
that's--
that's a--
a great adventure.
Kids?
I wasn't sure you ever
wanted to have any.
I wasn't sure either.
But I am now.
I could build
a family here.
It's home.
Well, I am very thankful
to this place for taking
such good care of you...
while I was gone.
[Sam]
Sorry I'm late.
[Marcus] It's all good.
All right, everybody,
phones away.
Seriously. Debussy.
Let's go.
Put away
the goddamn phones!
Sorry. That was, uh--
That was excessive.
[static]
I'm going through a real
stressful time right now,
and, uh...
Penny, Tom, please explain
why you're in my class.
We all wanna
be here for you.
In case you explode,
we wanted to
watch it happen.
[groans]
And if you do explode,
then we wanna
be there for you.
Thank you,
but, uh, I'm fine.
And you're not in orchestra,
so please get out of my class.
The rest of you,
instruments up.
Actually, can-can
somebody please tell me
what the hell it means
when someone is--
is texting you for 18 hours
and-and doesn't hit send?
I mean, what the crap
are these dots?
Is she texting me?
Is she not texting me?
Is it good news?
Is it not good news?
If I want it to be good news,
does that make me a bad person?
Is it-- Is it selfish?
Is it selfish to want
my fiance to be my wife?
Apparently, it is.
Well, I'm sorry that I didn't
survive a plane crash
and spend four years
on some small island somewhere!
I guess that makes me
an asshole somehow.
[sighs]
Of all the people in the world,
why did it have to be him?
Why is it always him?
I met her first, you know?
I loved her first!
Finders, keepers!
Not that she's
some soccer ball
on the playground.
Obviously, she can make
her own decisions.
[clears throat]
As can all of the bright,
capable young women
in this class.
But I do think that
"finders, keepers" applies here.
No, no, I don't.
No, I don't.
That's the patriarchy talking,
and we must all
fight it together.
I just...
[sighs]
I just want her to love me
more than she loves him.
Well, that was
wildly inappropriate.
Um, I'm gonna stop.
No! Man, for God sakes,
just keep talking!
[engine revving]
[Jesse] Whoo!
Maybe we should go
a bit slower.
Really?
Yeah.
Come on.
It's a little fun, right?
[laughs]
[police siren blaring]
This is not good.
It'll be fine.
It's okay.
You don't have your license.
It'll be good.
I told you earlier,
you don't have your license.
Okay, here he is.
Hello, Officer.
Uh, how can I help you?
You were speeding.
License and registration.
That was
an honest mistake.
Truly. And, uh,
I'm very sorry.
Maybe we can get off
with a warning?
License
and registration.
I technically
don't have a--
He's been lost at sea.
Maybe you've heard
about it.
Um, it's been
all over the news.
If I could reach back,
I can grab an article
to show you.
Here.
This doesn't explain
why you're driving,
let alone speeding.
He just wanted everything
to feel normal for once.
We both did.
-Do you have a license, ma'am?
-Me? Yes. Yes, I do.
Okay, Ms. Blair.
Looks like
you're driving now.
Please try to keep it
under 55, all right?
Welcome home.
Thank you.
[sighs]
You changed
your name back.
I thought
you were dead.
So you went to
the Social Security office
and changed your name back?
There's more to it
than that.
Okay.
She should be with the person
that she loves the most,
not necessarily the person
that loves her the most.
'Cause I love her the most.
I love her the most.
I know everyone thinks that
he must love her the most
because he survived
a desert island for her,
but I comforted her
while he was on that island.
You know, I sat with her
while she cried for him.
And I figured out
a way to love someone
with my whole heart,
knowing that a part of her
would always love him.
-And I did that for her.
-[bell rings]
Well, you should probably
get out of here.
Oh, yeah, like American Lit
can hold a candle to this drama.
It's inappropriate
to keep you
from your classes, Dylan.
On the other hand, there is
still a lot to discuss here.
All right. Hit me.
[students chattering]
Honestly, you know
what the weirdest part
about all this is?
Everyone thinks they're
the hero of their own story.
Everyone.
Maybe I'm not the hero.
Maybe...
Maybe I'm the bad guy.
[sighs]
Jesse, please.
Jesse, talk to me, please.
I was supposed to
come home to my wife,
who waited for me.
Jesse, I did wait.
You got engaged
to someone else!
Because I thought
you were dead!
So you replaced me?
No, I didn't replace you.
I loved you.
I still love you.
This fianc--
You love him too?
Do you love him or not?
Yes.
Yes, I love him.
Do you love him
more than me?
Wh-What is it?
Is he better than me?
Jesse, no.
It's not like that.
It-It's...
-Sam and I--
-So he's got a name.
His name's Sam.
Sam Lee.
And I bet this was a dream
come true for him.
That is not fair. You have
no idea what I went through!
What you went through?
I was on a dead rock
for four years.
Alone!
Starving and just
trying not to die.
And that whole time,
you know what
I thought about?
This.
You!
I just thought
about us!
Right now was supposed to be
the good time.
I was supposed to come home
to a life I was missing.
My part was to get back to you,
and your part was to wait.
I did my part, Emma.
-What did you do?
-I had to live my life!
I had to learn
how to live without you.
You managed
to do that.
[door opens, closes]
Jesse?
[Sam's voice] They say
if you love someone,
you should
set them free.
I'm starting to realize
that if you--
if you love someone,
you don't let anything
stand in your way.
You shout it
from the mountaintops.
You race through traffic.
You survive being marooned
on a desert island
and swim for miles
just to get back to them...
Son of bitch, I'm screwed.
[birds chirping]
[Emma's voice]
Dear Jesse,
you've been gone
more than three years now,
but there hasn't been a day
when I haven't thought of you.
At first, I refused to
admit you were gone.
I couldn't sleep.
I couldn't eat.
Even after the search
was called off, and they
said you were dead,
it was so hard to let go.
[voice mail] Hey, you've
tried to call Jesse Lerner.
I obviously have
better things to do.
So leave a message,
and I'll call you back.
[Emma's voice] I felt pain
that I didn't think
was humanly possible.
At times,
it nearly broke me.
Hey. I came across this
at the store.
It's by Joan Didion,
about the death of her husband.
-I hate being given books.
-I know.
Just a shot in the dark.
Just in case you wanted to read
how someone else got through it.
[sighs]
At least give me a happy book.
I don't want to read
about people dying.
Okay.
I can work with that.
How about
Pride and Prejudice?
Or falling in love.
Okay. Wow.
So, no death or love.
[chuckles]
I'll make a list.
There's gotta be, like,
three books in existence
that don't deal with either.
[Emma's voice] I used to
think grief was chronic.
Just a never-ending
cycle of bad days
with the occasional
good day.
No "D" or "L."
This one's complete.
Cut what makes you
Tethered
Tethered
Trust when you fall
In every risk you take
Knowing redemption's
Always on its way
Let all the courage in
You start to wake
Unafraid
Unafraid
Unafraid
Unafraid
You were right.
I loved it.
What else you got?
Uh, that can have
love or death in them?
Tons.
[Emma's voice] But then
I started to think that maybe
the good days could be
good weeks or good months.
Look for
Better measures
Oh, just say it.
My baby's finally
a bookworm.
Doesn't mean
that I wanna let go
of the memories of you
or the love I have for you.
But it does mean that I'm ready
to let go of the sadness.
I will carry you
with me always.
But I cannot define myself
by the loss anymore.
And that's four.
But you already know that,
'cause you're super good at it.
So let me just play it
for you just for fun.
Oh!
-Emma?
-Sam?
Here.
Hi. Um, here,
let me help you with that.
-Oh, my God. Still works.
-Still-- You're good.
Yeah. You don't
have to buy it.
Oh, my God.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
How are you?
I'm-- I'm good.
Have you been-- I mean--
I can't believe--
Yeah, you look, uh--
You--
Yeah. Wow.
Emma Blair. Wow.
Can't believe it.
[wind howling]
Keep reading.
[Emma's voice] I'm going
out into the world
with an open heart now.
And I'm going to go
where life takes me.
So, you wanna
learn an instrument.
Yeah. We can't all play
every single one
of them yet.
Hey, I will have you know
I'm actually pretty bad
at the harp.
-Oh, okay.
-No, that's a lie.
I'm pretty good.
I don't know why
I said that.
Well, I thought I'd start
with something easy,
like piano.
Oh. Well,
if you want my advice--
Yes, your advice is
the exact advice
I would like.
Uh, you should definitely
go for this one.
It's 88 keys.
Uh, it's weighted.
It's perfect to learn on.
-Great. I'll take it.
-Great.
You're a good salesman.
Uh, do you ring me up
here or up there or...
Oh. No, no, no.
I don't--
I don't work here.
Oh! Oh, my God.
Yeah.
I came for a pedal,
and I've just been looking
for an excuse to keep
talking to you, so...
Jesse's dead.
Yeah. Yeah, I heard.
Um, I'm-- I'm so sorry.
I should have called.
Oh, no, no.
It's okay. I--
When I started
dating him,
I guess I stopped being
a good friend to you.
So it's okay.
It's on me.
So, what do
you do, then,
when you're not...
-Oh, when I'm--
-...pretending to work here?
-I teach orchestra at A.B.
-Wow. That's crazy.
Yeah. I know. I know.
Um, I'm back in Acton.
Running the store.
-Blair Books?
-Yeah.
You used to hate it there.
-People change, I guess.
-Yeah. Thank God for that.
Yeah. I agree.
Thank God.
Uh, well, I'll have to
drop by sometime.
Say hi.
I'd like that.
That would be nice.
[Emma's voice]
I'm happy to say
I've reached a place
where your memory
brings me joy.
I have found meaning in life
that I never would have guessed.
[Sam] Wow.
See, the funny thing
about this is that you do
actually work here.
Well, I'm so glad
you stopped by,
because I've actually become
quite good at the piano.
-Really?
-Yes. You'd be
very impressed.
I know "Chopsticks"
and "Heart and Soul."
It's like the core
of Western music right there.
Very good.
Well, uh, show me
what you've got.
-Well, I don't have a piano.
-Sure, you do.
Anything you can play
on the piano,
you can play on the counter.
It's an old
music teachers' trick.
Here, um, give me a song.
Um, Beethoven.
Okay. That's less of a song
and more of a person,
but I think
we can work with that.
[clears throat] Ready?
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
[humming "Fr Elise"]
Oh, I know this one.
[both humming]
You wanna take this one?
[humming]
Oh.
[both hum]
There we go.
[humming]
-What is your sister doing?
-That's more like it.
Living.
Oh, so that's what
that looks like.
There. Good.
[hums]
[humming]
So, I should probably
buy a book,
so it doesn't seem like
I came here just to talk to you.
Hmm. This one.
On the house.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
Or you can just--
You can owe me.
Or how about, um,
I take you to lunch sometime?
Lunch?
Yeah. Yeah.
I was thinking sometime
between breakfast and dinner.
[chuckles]
Lunch sounds nice.
Great.
Okay.
Hey.
Tell me everything.
[Emma's voice] I think
if I work hard,
I can have the sort of life that
you would have wanted for me.
I can't go on a date, right?
Like, that's crazy.
I can call him
next year,
maybe,
if he's still single.
Shutting yourself off
from the world
doesn't prove how much
you loved your husband.
You have your whole life
ahead of you, so live it.
[Emma's voice] I believe
I can have a happy future,
where I love
and am loved in return.
So, we've been dating
six months now.
Yeah.
Well, one of the months
was February,
so it's a light six.
It's a tight six.
Come on.
Well, long or short...
I think I'm in love
with you.
But I don't think
I'm ready to say it.
Or hear myself say it.
Hmm.
Well...
don't tell anyone
I told you,
but I think
I'm in love with you too.
I always have been.
I don't know. It all kinda
sounds the same to me.
But I know that you love it,
so I appreciate it.
Thank you.
Hey, um,
you wanna go this way?
Come on.
Let's go for a walk.
I'm sorry, my love.
We're gonna go down
some steps.
[gasps] What?
Okay, yep. And you're
gonna keep your eyes closed.
Because you trust me,
right?
I do.
Okay. One foot--
There we go. That's perfect.
You're doing great.
I'm sorry. Are we--
Are we going onto
the Green Line?
Uh, we are not going
onto the Green Line.
It feels like
you're taking me
onto the Green Line.
That's not true.
Oh, Jesus.
The lighting here
is much better.
I promise you.
Okay.
So, here's the thing.
Yeah?
All right? Um--
Where am I going?
You're here.
[chuckles] Okay.
I got you.
Okay.
So, here's the thing.
Um...
I bought something
a few weeks ago.
Okay.
And I haven't been able to
decide when to give it to you.
I was doing some thinking,
and I realized
that it should probably
be you that decides.
Okay.
[guitar strumming]
Oh, my gosh!
Your students!
[Sam]
We have been working on this
for a few months now.
Um, I'd call it "Your Song,"
on account of it being yours.
But Elton John kinda
beat me to the punch,
so, uh,
it's currently untitled.
Uh, guys, actually,
can we cut the music?
Sorry. The sound is
really traveling in here.
-Sorry, Mr. Lee.
-No, you're-- It's fine.
Hey.
Hi.
Um...
Emma, I was put
on this earth to be yours.
And I am so,
so lucky
to be able to
call you mine.
I believe in us,
I believe we're good
for each other,
and I believe that
I'm a better man
because of you.
[gasps]
Here it is.
And I don't want you
to do anything
except hold on to it...
and just
keep it safe.
And, um,
when you're ready,
if you're ever ready,
I'll be ready.
[chuckles] Oh!
[exhales]
I love it,
and I love you.
Thank you.
[chuckles]
I love you so much.
[Emma's voice]
So I'm going to say yes
to Sam Lee.
I think that you would
like him for me.
He's kind,
he makes me laugh,
and he makes room
for you.
He accepts the full me.
And he knows the full me
includes you.
[clears throat]
Sam.
-What are you doing?
-I'm proposing to you.
-I'm in my underwear.
-I don't care.
Sam Lee,
you are my second chance.
You are the arms that helped me
pull myself back up.
You're the life
that I never saw coming.
You are my reminder that life
can be unexpectedly beautiful,
and I promise I will spend
the rest of our lives
trying to be
that reminder for you.
-Will you marry me?
-Yes!
[laughs]
Yes!
Will you marry me?
Yes! Yes!
Yes!
Yes! Yes!
I want to be happy,
and I want more love
in my life, Jesse.
So I'm asking
for your blessing
to embrace it.
Your love, Emma.
You know what I thought
on our wedding day?
What?
I was putting on my tux.
I was a little nervous,
but then I just thought...
"At least I picked
the right person."
I always thought
no matter how hard it got,
at least we picked
the right person.
But you gotta keep being
the right person.
You have to change
together
so that you can stay
the right person.
I want to be
with you.
So if staying in Acton
for a bit is important,
then I will do it.
A bit?
As long
as you need.
Jesse,
I want to stay here always.
I want to continue
my life here.
-Because of the store?
-Jesse, it's not just
because of the store.
How about this:
We go on a big, famous
bookstore tour of Europe...
No.
...and see the world's
greatest libraries--
Jesse, I wanna stay here.
I want to be with my family.
You're asking me,
now that I am free,
now that I can go
anywhere,
to chain myself to a life
that I can't live.
My world is here, Jesse.
[Emma]
I have people I love.
I feel like
I belong, like--
like I'm a part
of something,
and I have found a piece
of myself here
that I never expected.
This life that
my parents pushed on me,
I left it, and then
I lived my own life,
and then life brought me
back to them.
And now...
I've chosen all of this.
I've chosen it
for myself.
This is who I am now.
You're different.
Not in a bad way.
You just...
changed.
See, the Emma I knew,
she wanted to be
as far away
as humanly possible
from Blair Books.
And she was--
She was never
gonna sit still
until she had seen
the entire world.
She loved me
and only me.
That's not you
anymore.
No, it's not.
I promise we can live
any life you want,
but just not--
not Acton.
You're asking me
to be someone
that I'm not anymore.
You're asking me
to be someone
I always told you
I wouldn't be.
We didn't stay
the right person.
I could try and be
the right person for you.
You can try and make yourself
the right person for me, but...
That's not real love.
We should head back.
Do you want to stay here
just a little bit longer?
Okay.
You know, there was a game
I used to play out there.
I'd just ask myself,
"What's Emma doing right now?"
And I'd say
something like,
"I bet she's eating tapas
in Barcelona"
or "She's on the beach
in Malibu."
In Berlin...
But I was always wrong.
You were here.
And I--
And I never guessed here.
I'm starting to see it.
It suits you.
I never stopped
loving you.
Do you believe me?
I'm really trying to.
One day you might.
I hope so.
Come on. Let's go.
Now our wild songs
Are oldies
Passion has begun
To slip away
The past spirals
Behind us
The future is a mystery
The sky is our blanket
And we are the stars
That used to be
After all that,
we weren't meant to be, huh?
I don't think things
have to last to be real.
We can be meant
to have been.
Meant to have been.
Yeah.
Thank you.
For what?
The thought
of seeing you again.
You saved my life.
I know that for her,
it's sometimes been him
and sometimes been me.
For me,
it's always been her.
[bell rings]
All right,
that's the end of the day.
I'm out of things to say.
It is what it is.
It's out of my hands now.
It's Emma's choice to make.
Mr. Lee,
isn't that exactly
what you did
in high school?
-What are you talking about?
-She's right.
You never just told Emma
how you felt.
You hinted at it,
but you never said it.
Yeah, this Jesse guy,
he never makes it unclear.
He wants her, and he always
let her know that.
He puts it all out
on the line.
-Yeah. If you're gonna go down,
Sam, go down swinging.
-[all murmur agreement]
Go tell this woman
how heartbroken
you'll be without her.
Remind her of the life
you two could've
had together.
-I can't lose her.
-Then do something about it.
[all agreeing]
I gotta go.
I gotta go. I gotta go!
Thank you.
Sam!
Sam?
Damn it.
Pick up your phone, man.
[groans]
[line ringing]
Oh, hey, Marie.
I, uh--
Hello.
Uh, I'm looking for Emma.
Hey. Hey.
Um, she's not here.
Any idea where she went?
Um, she, um...
Just tell me.
-I don't wanna tell you.
-Marie?
She...
You know, um, she's--
She's with Jesse, right?
Look, I-- I know.
Okay? I know.
And-And it's fine.
Just-Just tell me
where they went.
I can take it.
They went to
the cabin in Maine.
[groaning]
Mother... Shit!
As friends?
As-As friends, right? Right?
It's a simple question, Marie.
As friends?
Did they go as friends?
Were they friends?
Were they friendly?
Are they platonically friends?
I don't know
how to answer that.
[sighs]
Sam!
-You're back?
-Is Sam here?
Yeah, he was just here.
He was looking
for you, and--
He was looking for me?
How did he seem?
Hopeful?
Angry? Devastated?
-Uh, at first,
he was hopeful.
-Oh, that's great!
And then I told him
you went to Maine with Jesse,
and he got sorta devastated.
[groans]
Oh, my God, Marie.
-I've ruined it.
-No.
I've completely ruined it.
By loving them both--
-Also no. Um--
-I've lost them both.
Don't you think
maybe you should be
a little more mad at me?
No, I'm not mad at you,
because you were there for me
through all of this.
No, I'm not mad.
You're not even a little mad
for that day on the dock
when I convinced you
your husband was dead,
and I was wrong?
No! Marie, I was insane
that day on the dock.
If I had spent
the last four years
believing he was alive,
I would've lost my mind.
No. I did the best I could
with the information that I had,
and that led me to Sam.
[sighs]
I can't lose him, Marie.
So don't.
Go tell him
what you just told me.
You're right.
This isn't over yet.
[door bells jangle]
[Sam] Come on! Let's go.
Come on! Come on!
-Come on, come on--
-Pick up. Pick up, pick up.
[phone rings]
-Hello?
-Sam, can you hear me?
Emma, yeah, I can hear you.
Can you hear me?
Sam, I need you back.
[static]
Hello?
Jesse was gone,
and I was broken--
You're breaking up.
Hello?
But then I pulled myself
back together, and--
[static]
Oh, shit!
And the person
that I became chose you!
-[tires screech]
-[gasps]
[car horn honks]
Sam?
Sam!
Sam, don't hang up!
Um, I just hit somebody.
Uh, honey?
You hit me.
Holy shit!
Are you okay?
No. No, I'm not.
I haven't slept in days.
There's reporters camped
outside of our house.
I've lost all semblance
of privacy with my students.
I'm-- I'm terrible.
Sam--
No, no.
I need to say something.
I need to...
I have loved
every version of you,
and I will love
every version of you
that you become.
[motorist]
Get out of the road!
I am madly in love
with you, Em.
And I'm in.
I swear to God,
with every fiber
of my being, I am in.
But I refuse to settle
for part of you.
I need you to be in too.
I'm in. I'm in.
I'm so sorry
it took me so long
to understand that.
Jesse was right
for me once, but you
are right for me now,
and I promise
I will work
for the rest of my days
to be the right person
to you.
No, you be
whoever you want.
If you're in, I'm in.
Nothing you do
could ever change that.
I went to Maine
with Jesse--
No, no, no, no.
I already said
that I was in.
Okay? Save the rest
for couple's therapy.
Okay.
[sniffles, sighs]
Our life starts now.
Together.
You're a good man.
I'm all right.
[motorist]
Get out of the way!
Oh, oh, oh.
Oh, whiplash, whiplash.
Oh, my God. Are you okay?
Yeah, yeah. I just need
to sit down for a minute.
Oh, it's a little spin-y.
Okay.
Just breathe...
Uh, excuse me.
Can somebody call
an ambulance?
Yeah, thank you.
[horns honking]
Hey, shut up!
Just go around!
[bystander] Come on!
We're fine,
thank you.
I love you.
Oh, I love you too.
[mumbles] Honey...
[winces]
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, no, no. It's fine.
I just wanna be--
I just wanna be close to you.
[siren blaring]
See the clouds
And let 'em be
Keep every story
Of your days a mystery
Hear the songs
In the breeze
Sing out your winds
And trials like a melody...
[Jesse's voice]
Emma, I met someone.
Her name's June.
Somehow she's convinced me
to get back in the water.
But it feels freeing now.
I'm out there swimming
almost every morning.
I can see now
that the only way
to get my life back
was to move forward.
I know that's what
you had to do too.
I get it now.
Loving you got me through
my darkest days.
And now I have a future
because of it.
A future that
I'm discovering every day.
And for that,
I owe you everything.
Love, Jesse.
Light a flame
Inside your heart
See every finish line...
You okay?
Yeah.
Raise your fist
To the sky
Lightning
And mountaintops
Are made for you and I
-Morning comes
-[Emma] I'm good.
When the nightfall goes
Don't turn back
To the road below
You ready to check out?
Okay.
It's really not fair.
[person] Come on, Jesse,
you got this!
[crowd cheers]
Look, the guy is training
for the Olympics, right?
He shouldn't be allowed
to throw around
his diving skills at parties.
[people cheer]
At least he could keep
his shirt on. Geez.
He should never
have a shirt on.
[crowd cheers]
He has no idea
who I am.
How sad is that?
[clicks tongue]
Yeah.
How sad is that?
Here we go. Here we go.
I don't understand
what you're asking.
You just gotta hold it.
I'm holding it.
I thought you used
one of these.
Aw, man.
You drained the keg.
Uh, yeah.
Gotta move fast around here.
[person] Holy shit.
It's the cops!
[siren wails]
[Emma narrating] The future
is so hard to predict.
If I had a time machine,
would it even make a difference
to try to go back and explain
to my young self what was ahead?
[indistinct chatter]
[Marie] Okay, uh,
show me the other one.
This one, I like.
Yes. Definitely
more affordable.
Larger, but it's not
as, like, all-inclusive.
-Right.
-So there'd be a lot more...
Okay. Whiskey sours
up, everybody.
-[both] Thank you.
-You're welcome.
Bud Light seltzer
for the gentleman.
Thank you for not
making me have to say it.
[Colin] Oh, my God.
[Ann] Sorry.
So, I just wanna say,
Sam, Emma,
we are so excited for you.
Thank you
for helping our daughter
find a second chance
at life.
Welcome to our family,
Son.
Thank you.
The downstairs toilet
is clogged.
I had to put my arm
all the way down.
Hey, Michael. Wow.
What?
You're welcome.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sure.
Well, I also have some--
some words to share.
I am so proud of the life
that you've made, Emma.
And I know
it hasn't been easy,
and there are a lot of people
who would've let that stop them.
[sighs] But not you.
And, look,
I know you and I,
we drive each other nuts
sometimes...
-What are you talking about?
We drive each other nuts?
-[Colin] Ladies.
[laughter]
What I'm trying to say
is that...
even though
you're my little sister, I--
I hope to have
as big a heart
as you do one day.
-Oh. I like that, honey.
-Thanks, Mama.
Well, since
we're all making speeches
and making
each other cry,
I'd like to thank you,
Marie,
for pushing me
to learn an instrument,
because I didn't end up
learning one.
But I did run into
an old friend.
My best friend.
All right, we get it.
You like your fianc.
How nice for you.
You are so lucky.
You have me.
[laughter]
Wow.
Wow.
Uh, I guess
that leaves me.
I guess you all know
that I've been
madly in love with Emma
for a few years now,
give or take.
-It was eighth grade.
-Oh, wow, Colin. Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, I didn't realize
we were keeping track.
Um, I remember meeting her
for the first time
and thinking,
"That's it.
That's the girl."
And then life took us
in separate directions,
and when we ran back
into each other,
we had both grown up
quite a bit,
you could say.
But some things
don't change.
And, uh, when I look
at you now, Emma,
it's like I'm right back
in the eighth grade again.
And I'm thinking,
"That's her.
That's the girl."
And I look at you all
and think, "That's it.
That's the family."
-To family.
-[all] To family.
[Michael]
Cheers, cheers, cheers.
-[Sam] What are you cheering?
-I left my glass over there.
[lively conversations]
Hi.
Take me home.
Bye, everyone.
Look around
Where you are
Yo!
[screams]
See my love shine
Light the stars
Take a breath
Where you stand...
[phone ringing]
Who's calling you
on Saturday night?
I don't know.
Hello?
Sweetheart,
it's me, Jesse.
I'm alive.
Can you hear me?
Emma, I'm coming home.
[gasps]
Emma? Honey?
What is it?
What's going on?
Yeah. Gotta move fast
around here.
Yes, you do.
[person] Holy shit!
It's the cops.
-[police siren blares]
-Emma, come on.
[Jesse]
My ride's gone,
and your ride.
Sam.
[scoffs]
So, uh, Sam--
he's your boyfriend?
He's my best friend.
Ah. So, he wants to be
your boyfriend,
but you're not
into it, right?
No, no. It's not--
It's not like that.
Sure.
I mean, maybe
it's a little like that.
A little like that?
Shut up.
[police siren wails]
[Emma] I can't believe
I failed my Breathalyzer.
My parents
are gonna kill me.
That sucks. Do you ever feel
like everyone's always
telling you who you are?
All the time.
My parents own the bookstore
in town, Blair Books.
Yeah, yeah,
I put that one together.
Emma Blair.
They think that me
and my sister are going
to take it over.
And they don't listen
when I say
that I never
want to do that.
No.
Marie wants that,
and that is fine for her.
She's always been the perfect
little bookseller's daughter.
But... not me.
I'm getting out of here.
-Where are you gonna go?
-I'm gonna go see the world.
I like that.
You're not what I imagined
you'd be, you know?
You imagined me?
Oh, my--
My ex, she-- she thought
you had a crush on me.
She said she caught you
looking at me sometimes.
No, that's not-- That's--
That's--
That's completely un--
I don't know.
Maybe for, like, a day,
freshman year.
There it is.
No, but...
I obviously don't have
a thing for you now.
Why don't you?
Why don't you have
a thing for me now?
I think I do, actually.
As of about
an hour and a half ago.
But if you
aren't interested--
I'm interested.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
You ready?
Yeah.
Whoo! Let's go!
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Tell me what it takes
To get you feeling alive
Tell me how to show you
It's a beautiful life
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll do anything to
Pull you into the light
'Cause everything will change
When you open your eyes
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Yeah
So don't you let the sunlight
Go by without you
Don't you realize
How lucky we are?
Open up your heart, baby
Let it all go tonight
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Live your life like
It was running out
Be alive
We gotta scream it out
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Breathe it in
And feel the rush again
You're not lost
No matter
Where you've been
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
You've been trying hard
Just to make it alone
But I can help you baby
Let me carry the load
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll do anything to make
You see what it's like
'Cause everything is different
When you open your eyes
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Yeah
So don't you let the sunlight
Go by without you
Don't you realize
How lucky we are?
Open up your heart, baby
Let it all go tonight
-Oh, oh, oh
-Mmm
Live your life
Like it was running out
Be alive
We gotta scream it out
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
You gotta breathe it in
And feel the rush again
You're not lost
No matter
Where you've been
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
You know, do they even know
we're gonna be there?
Well, I know
we canceled Thanksgiving
with my parents last year
because of your shoot
in Peru,
and Marie's being
a real Marie about it.
Yeah. Acton for Thanksgiving
is a good idea.
We should probably tell them
the news in person.
What news?
The past six years
have been the greatest adventure
I could've dreamt of.
I wanna spend
the rest of my life
with you.
Emma Blair,
wanna get married?
No.
No?
I'm sorry, no.
-I'm so heartbroken.
-[giggles] Yes!
Yes, yes, yes!
Yes!
[birds chirping]
Mmm.
[Marie] Really?
Huh?
Really? You're late
to your own wedding?
Get your asses
to the altar.
I have the perfect
Jane Austen quote.
Let's go.
Come on!
She's right.
We wouldn't want
to ruin her big day.
Mmm. The bookseller's
daughter strikes again.
Should we get married?
Okay.
It's my lucky day
It's my lucky day
It's my lucky day
Hey, hey, my lucky day
It's my lucky day
Don't need a pot of gold
A rabbit's foot
Or to be told...
Ladies and gentlemen,
Jesse and Emma Lerner!
[all cheering]
Slept in
'Cause I don't care
And didn't make the bed
Sipped coffee on my couch
What can I do instead?
I can't just fly off
to Alaska. My Madrid piece
is due tomorrow.
I can't
not fly to Alaska.
This is my chance to shoot
a real documentary.
It's also
our first anniversary.
You're right.
I'm sorry.
We'll celebrate big
when I get back.
Okay? I promise.
We'll get a cheap flight
somewhere to, like, uh...
Iceland.
-Mmm.
-Croatia?
-Mmm.
-Bali?
Mmm, maybe just dinner
on the beach down the street.
Okay.
Dinner on the beach
down the street.
-It's a date.
-Okay.
-Love you past forever.
-Love you longer than that.
Do you know
how long that is?
Really long time.
So long.
[person] Your husband
was on a helicopter
that went down yesterday
in the Pacific.
We found the remains
of both pilots,
but we've not yet
found your husband.
And we do not believe
he would have been able
to survive the crash.
I'm so sorry.
We're still searching.
If we find anything, of course,
we'll let you know right away.
We understand this must be
a terrible shock...
Emma.
It's your third day
out here.
I'm gonna stay out here
as long as it takes.
As long
as what takes?
He's lost, and he's coming back,
and I'm gonna be here.
You-- You can't.
I mean,
that won't work.
I'm not giving up on him.
Emma, give me
the binoculars.
No.
Jesse's coming back.
He was a long-distance swimmer.
He was the best in state.
He can do this.
He's not
coming back.
You don't know that.
Yeah, Em, I do.
It's been a week.
They've given up the search.
You just can't stand
that I'm no longer
in your shadow.
Well, I know my husband,
and I know how incredible
he is.
And I'm not gonna let you
say he's anything less
because you like it better
when I feel small.
Emma--
No.
Emma--
Don't console me.
I'm so sorry, Emma.
He's dead.
I'm so sorry.
No, he's not.
No, he's not.
[sobs] Yeah.
No, he's not.
I'm sorry.
No, he's not dead.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry,
honey.
[sobs]
I don't know...
I don't know
how I can live without him.
I know.
I know.
But... you will.
How?
You're gonna
come home to Acton,
and you're gonna
move in with me.
And I'm going to make
your breakfasts
and your lunches
and your dinners,
and-and...
we're just gonna
build you a new life.
But not-- not right now.
Now you get to
just be broken,
and-and I'll hold you
together.
I'll hold you together.
Hey.
Walking down memory lane?
Sorry.
Did I wake you?
No. Not at all.
How are you feelin'?
I can't sleep.
How are you feeling?
I don't know.
But I, uh, ran you a hot shower.
The old Sam Lee special.
[chuckles]
What's the Sam Lee special?
Well, it's-- it's me
turning on the shower.
[Colin]
Oh, hey, honey.
Emma!
I don't like that you're
understocking the classics.
Obviously, Dad.
But not now.
I am not understocking
the classics. You are
overstocking the classics.
-Colin, focus.
-Sorry.
We'll-- We'll give you
some space.
So, how are you?
Really?
[sighs]
I don't know
how I'm feeling.
I mean, you're
probably feeling confused.
-I mean, yeah. But--
-I wasn't finished.
You and Jesse, you had
this beautiful life
together,
and then he got on a helicopter,
and it crashed,
and-and we all thought
he was dead,
and you--
you-you picked yourself up
like this incredible person
that you are,
and you found love again
with a great guy.
Right, and now--
I'm still not finished.
And now what is
probably the happiest
day of your life
is also the most complicated
and probably saddest day,
because no matter
what you do or how you feel,
you're gonna break
somebody's heart.
You've gained something,
and you'll lose something.
So it's okay to feel happy
and heartbroken.
Oh, you can talk.
I'm done.
Oh.
That was incredibly
verbose, but accurate.
Thank you.
[sighs] Why did I spend
my childhood hating you?
Oh. Because I hated you.
-Why did you hate me?
-Because you hated me.
Oh, my God, Emma.
Um, you can't wear that
to reunite with
your long-lost husband.
[gasps] Oh, my gosh.
[Colin] Wow.
You look amazing!
[Ann] Wow!
The color. The color.
Well, I think this works.
Mm-hmm.
Just not
so sure about this.
-Yeah.
-I'm engaged,
and I'm also married.
-I'm not sure
what the protocol is.
-What does your gut tell you?
To throw up, mostly.
Oh, yeah.
You could wear that one.
Yeah.
Or, you could wear both.
Yeah.
[scoffs] I just
won't wear either.
Okay.
Here we go.
Oh. Okay.
Go get 'em.
[sighs]
Hey, Joe.
Emma.
-Francine.
-Emma.
Wow.
You look different.
[police siren blaring]
Our boy is coming home,
Frannie.
Oh. We've decided
not to tell Jesse
that you've
already moved on.
He's been through enough,
don't you think?
Let's go.
Come on.
Take a moment
To join the dance
Emma!
[sobs]
Wait but never
Miss your chance
[camera shutters
click]
No more walls
Your destiny
Is facing you
Hi. Hi.
[reporters clamoring]
Do you want to get
out of here?
Come on.
[door closes]
Come on.
[breathing heavily]
Are you okay?
[sobs]
[Jesse sobs]
[Emma sobs]
It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay. It's okay.
[TV reporter]
We're coming to you live
from the home
of Jesse Lerner...
God, can you imagine?
Your fiance has a husband.
An alive husband.
[person] You know she's
gonna go back to him, right?
He came back
from the dead.
Tell me it doesn't get
any more romantic than that.
Sam's toast.
[person] Totally.
[clears throat]
-Morning.
-Hey, buddy.
Janis.
Hi. We were just
talking about you.
Mm-hmm.
Behind your back.
Mmm.
Um, actually,
that's my lunch.
I guess
now we're even.
Um...
I swore if I ever
made it back to you,
I'd tell you how sorry
I was for leaving.
I'm going to spend
the rest of our lives
making it up to you.
I'm engaged.
What?
I'm engaged.
To be married.
You are married.
No. To someone else.
[laughs]
What?
[laughs]
What?
What is so funny?
It's not. No.
It's horrible.
[laughs]
Yeah, it's terrible.
You know, I think
that's the worst thing
I've ever been told.
-Jesse, I didn't know
that you were--
-You thought I was dead.
You didn't know.
There you are.
Oh, you can't just
disappear like that.
Come on. Everybody's
waiting for you. Come on.
[stammers]
It's too much.
It's okay.
Just breathe.
[mumbles]
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, I'm here.
It's--
It's been a long time
since I've seen so many people.
I--
I should get going.
Okay.
I'll stay here tonight,
'cause I figure
they need me.
But then I need to be with you.
Can we go somewhere tomorrow?
-Of course.
-Let's go to Maine,
to the cabin.
-Sure.
-First thing.
Yeah. First thing.
Bye.
Okay, bye.
[Sam] Hey. You're home.
You're still making me
a grilled cheese
with dairy-free cheddar?
Yeah, well, I figured
just in case you came back,
you know, a little
lactose intolerant.
So, how is he?
Still very, very,
very, very handsome?
Uh, he seems good.
A little overwhelmed,
uh, but good.
Good, mostly. Um--
Good.
Good that he--
that he seems good.
I saw you
kissing him.
On the news.
I'm not upset
about it.
I just--
Not telling you felt
wrong somehow,
so I-- I just
wanted you to know.
I'm really sorry, Sam.
This has all been so...
confusing.
Confusing.
It's-- It's confusing.
Hey. It's gonna be
all right.
It's gonna be okay.
Gonna be okay.
I love you so much, Sam.
I love you.
I need you.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
[moans]
[crickets chirping]
Where's your ring?
You're gonna have
to choose, you know.
I mean,
he's your husband.
I think we should
call off the wedding.
What?
I mean,
can you honestly say
that no matter what happens
from this moment on,
that you're ready to spend
the rest of your life
with me?
You know, if we're
gonna have a future,
you gotta go.
You gotta go and do
whatever you need to do
in order to know.
You could stay at a hotel,
or you could stay at Marie
or your parents'--
No, I get it.
I need to be
on my own.
Woke up with a cloud
Over my window
Some days I swear
The weatherman is out for me
I've been locked inside
Thinking about sunlight
Woke up with the thought
Maybe it's all for naught
All packed up?
Yep.
Uh, here.
I don't trust myself
not to set it on fire
when you're gone, so...
You are a good man.
Get me, you see
I'm all right.
I'm just not into it
I'm broke down
Exposed now
With no clouds
There's nothing
To cover me
There's nothing
To cover me
The highs and the lows
Get me, you see
I'm just not into it
I'm broke down
Exposed now
How are you?
It's low clouds
There's nothing to cover me
Jesse wants to go
to Maine.
For a few days.
Oh, my.
Would you run the store?
Are you able to?
Yeah.
I'd be happy to.
Do you think
you can be in love
with two people
at the same time?
Maybe some people can,
but...
I don't even think
that's the point, though.
You're a different person
with Sam than you were
with Jesse.
And maybe it's not about
who you love more.
Maybe it's about
whether you wanna be
the person you could be
with Jesse
or the person that
you're becoming with Sam.
Wow. You're good lately.
I just know you.
[Emma whispers]
Thank you.
You look great.
You do.
Oh. You gotta drive
the whole way.
My license expired when they
issued my death certificate.
-Okay.
-Good times.
[dog barks]
[beeps]
[groans]
[phone beeps]
[phone beeps]
Uh, hey, do you mind
if we stop by the store?
I guess I left some stuff
at Marie's last night.
Sure. Your stuff
isn't at your place?
No. I'm not currently
at my place.
Okay.
I'm looking forward
to seeing everyone.
Your parents still
recommending Walden Pond
to anyone who walks in
and then going,
"You know, Walden Pond
is just down the road"?
[chuckles] Well,
my parents are retired now.
Really?
Good for them.
So Marie's finally
inherited her birthright?
The bookseller's daughter
has become the bookseller?
Actually, I run it.
Oh, yeah. You run it.
No, I'm serious.
I run the bookstore.
-Oh.
-I know. [chuckles]
I used to hate it, but...
I lost you,
and I had nothing,
so I moved back home,
and... there it was.
Oh, Em.
What?
Come on. Let's go.
You are a sight
for sore eyes.
We're so happy
you're okay, Jesse.
I missed you guys too.
Hi.
Oh, my God. A real-life
Odysseus back to Ithaca.
Good to see
you're still reading, Sis.
Hi, Sophie.
Ooh!
You're hungry?
Uh, wait a minute.
I want you to meet someone.
Jesse, this
my daughter, Sophie.
Sophie, this is Jesse.
-Hey.
-[everyone laughs]
[Colin] Okay. Hey.
Welcome back.
Thank you.
Good to see you.
Well, I guess
a lot's happened
since you've been gone.
She is adorable.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
-Said hi to Mike for me.
-Oh, you could
tell him yourself!
Hey!
How you been?
Stranded
on a desert island, man.
Oh, right.
Must've been nice
to get away.
For a bit, yeah.
We should, um,
hit the road.
-[Marie] Yeah, yeah.
-[Michael] You're gonna
head to the cabin?
[Jesse]
Oh, just for couple days.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Actually,
can I drive?
Without a license?
Well,
it's a technicality.
Come on.
It'll be fun.
-Okay.
-Thank you.
[bell rings]
-Good morning.
-[all saying "good morning"]
Liz, you are
a trumpet player.
Please spit out
your gum.
The rest of you,
let's jump right in.
So, Debussy is considered our
first Impressionist composer.
Impressionist-- Can anybody
tell me what that means?
-Zoey.
-It doesn't have
a melody or something?
Right, right.
Debussy was less concerned
about a melody
and more about, um,
evoking a mood
and an emotion.
[plays piano]
He used notes
like a paintbrush,
painting colors
that conveyed an impression.
So, what moods are being
conveyed right now?
-Go ahead. Shout 'em out.
-Uh, sadness?
Loneliness.
Fear you might lose
Emma forever.
[bangs piano keys]
Really? Really, Zoey?
You got the from the song?
No, I got that from how
you were playing the song.
Are we really
not gonna talk about
your husband-in-law?
-My what?
-That guy that's married
to your wife, man.
Your brother-husband
or whatever.
Marcus, he's not
my brother-husband.
My cousin is in
a closed quad, and it
really works for them,
so I don't see
why a triple can't work.
First of all, Dylan,
it's called a "thruple,"
and sec--
Okay, we're not having
this conversation, all right?
Let's go. Instruments up.
Hey. "Clair de lune."
Come on.
You're trying to give
palm readings?
No, no, no, no.
Okay, the most romantic
place we ever went to.
Ooh.
I know I'm supposed
to say... Paris.
[both]
But it's Amsterdam.
Yeah.
New Year's Eve.
We fought about that stupid
bike lock until 11:59.
Yeah.
And then the clock turned,
and you said,
"I don't care who lost it.
I just wanna spend
my whole year with you."
Then you kissed me, and--
and then it felt like
nothing mattered except us.
And you were right.
You did lose that lock,
by the way.
No. I didn't lose--
You lost the lock by the river.
No, no. I've had a lot
of time to think about this,
and I have decided
I remember you losing it.
[chuckles] Okay.
Agree to disagree.
Okay.
[both chuckle]
[phone chimes]
[slow music playing]
[Jesse] Hey!
Come on.
Our cabin awaits.
[slow music continues]
[sighs]
Oh, come on!
Tuba.
Come on, tuba,
get it together.
-I thought
I did pretty good.
-You are, Marcus.
Yeah. You are.
You're-- You're great.
You're...
[sighs] Great.
We haven't been here
since--
Our wedding.
Right.
That old thing.
[chuckles]
[clears throat]
Do you want a drink?
-Please.
-Okay, great.
Let's see
what we can find here.
So you can build
a fire now?
So you get tattoos now?
I guess
a lot has changed.
Some things, yeah, sure.
But nothing
that really matters.
To us.
Finally.
Finally.
[coughs]
Whoo!
[coughs]
Smooth. [chuckles]
[clears throat]
What does it say?
Oh.
[clears throat]
Um,
"And so I walked on."
I'll never leave
your side again.
All I ever wanted was...
one more day
to be with you.
Oh, I missed your face.
I missed your voice.
I missed...
God, I missed
the feel of you.
[pilot] Out of control.
Got a flagging stick.
Mayday!
[gasping]
Hey!
[screams]
[birds chirping]
[alarm clock ringing]
[exhales]
[water running]
Jesse?
Just... turns on
when you need it.
Off when you don't.
Yeah.
Faucets are wild, huh?
What happened out there?
Nah, I just wanna focus
on us right now.
I'll tell you
what I do need.
I mean, what I really...
really need...
is breakfast.
Oh, you're such a jerk.
Mm-hmm.
You know that?
Yeah.
-Mr. Lee, just a couple
of questions.
-Oh, shit.
-Mr. Lee,
is the wedding off?
-Um...
-Is Emma here?
-Um...
Can we just get
a little privacy, please?
-We? Does that mean you're
still getting married?
-No, I--
-It's off?
-I honestly don't know.
Are you afraid that your fiance
is gonna leave you and go back
to her husband?
Sam, have you
talked to Jesse yet?
[reporters clamoring]
[sighs]
I feel bad you had to
move back to New England.
It's cold.
[Emma chuckles]
You don't have to feel bad.
Well, I'm just glad that
neither of us is stuck anymore,
and we can start
living again.
Go traveling.
Traveling?
You don't want to settle
somewhere safe?
Well, we'd have
a home base,
sure, but...
I was thinking Venice Beach.
Anywhere in California
would be good.
That was the best time
of our lives.
Mexican food
was top-notch.
And you can work
from anywhere, right?
Travel writing can be
wherever you want.
Well, I don't, um...
I haven't written
a travel piece in years.
Really?
I know you do the store.
I just assumed you were still
doing what you wanted to do.
The store--
It is what I wanna do.
You know?
I like seeing the regulars,
getting a crack
at the new releases.
This coming from the girl
that wouldn't read
The Hunger Games?
Well, it turns out
The Hunger Games is
actually pretty great.
Hey, how you doing?
Uh, can we please have
two bacon, egg
and cheese biscuits
with home fries, please?
Um, actually I--
I don't eat cheese
anymore.
It's, like,
a whole thing.
Okay.
Uh, one egg and cheese
biscuit with home fries,
and my beautiful wife?
Um, fried egg
on toast.
Yeah.
Fried egg on toast.
New normal.
Yes.
Emerson and Alcott
and Thoreau
were all from Concord.
I had a lot of time
to do reading
while you were gone.
A lot of existential dread,
you might say.
But you know what?
Thoreau, he knows what's up.
And, uh, Walden Pond...
[both]
Is just down the road!
Yes, yes.
Oh, and when the leaves
change in autumn...
When you died--
When I-- When I thought
you were dead,
I had nothing and...
came back here.
My parents and Marie,
they basically
nursed me back to life.
They picked out
all these books
to distract me.
And that's when I read
The Hunger Games, by the way.
And Wild.
And Octavia Butler
and Joan Didion, and...
that's when I realized
that... I wasn't alone.
All these people that had
come before me, they--
they felt this pain
that I felt, and...
they found
a way through, and...
I could too.
Then this place...
This place put me
back together.
[sighs]
You and I, we had this--
We had this idea
that our adventures
had to be grand.
Right? That we had
to go to Madrid
and the Great Wall and...
Mm-hmm.
...go everywhere
extraordinary,
but, uh,
extraordinary
is everywhere.
Running a bookstore
and being with our families
and raising our kids here,
that's--
that's a--
a great adventure.
Kids?
I wasn't sure you ever
wanted to have any.
I wasn't sure either.
But I am now.
I could build
a family here.
It's home.
Well, I am very thankful
to this place for taking
such good care of you...
while I was gone.
[Sam]
Sorry I'm late.
[Marcus] It's all good.
All right, everybody,
phones away.
Seriously. Debussy.
Let's go.
Put away
the goddamn phones!
Sorry. That was, uh--
That was excessive.
[static]
I'm going through a real
stressful time right now,
and, uh...
Penny, Tom, please explain
why you're in my class.
We all wanna
be here for you.
In case you explode,
we wanted to
watch it happen.
[groans]
And if you do explode,
then we wanna
be there for you.
Thank you,
but, uh, I'm fine.
And you're not in orchestra,
so please get out of my class.
The rest of you,
instruments up.
Actually, can-can
somebody please tell me
what the hell it means
when someone is--
is texting you for 18 hours
and-and doesn't hit send?
I mean, what the crap
are these dots?
Is she texting me?
Is she not texting me?
Is it good news?
Is it not good news?
If I want it to be good news,
does that make me a bad person?
Is it-- Is it selfish?
Is it selfish to want
my fiance to be my wife?
Apparently, it is.
Well, I'm sorry that I didn't
survive a plane crash
and spend four years
on some small island somewhere!
I guess that makes me
an asshole somehow.
[sighs]
Of all the people in the world,
why did it have to be him?
Why is it always him?
I met her first, you know?
I loved her first!
Finders, keepers!
Not that she's
some soccer ball
on the playground.
Obviously, she can make
her own decisions.
[clears throat]
As can all of the bright,
capable young women
in this class.
But I do think that
"finders, keepers" applies here.
No, no, I don't.
No, I don't.
That's the patriarchy talking,
and we must all
fight it together.
I just...
[sighs]
I just want her to love me
more than she loves him.
Well, that was
wildly inappropriate.
Um, I'm gonna stop.
No! Man, for God sakes,
just keep talking!
[engine revving]
[Jesse] Whoo!
Maybe we should go
a bit slower.
Really?
Yeah.
Come on.
It's a little fun, right?
[laughs]
[police siren blaring]
This is not good.
It'll be fine.
It's okay.
You don't have your license.
It'll be good.
I told you earlier,
you don't have your license.
Okay, here he is.
Hello, Officer.
Uh, how can I help you?
You were speeding.
License and registration.
That was
an honest mistake.
Truly. And, uh,
I'm very sorry.
Maybe we can get off
with a warning?
License
and registration.
I technically
don't have a--
He's been lost at sea.
Maybe you've heard
about it.
Um, it's been
all over the news.
If I could reach back,
I can grab an article
to show you.
Here.
This doesn't explain
why you're driving,
let alone speeding.
He just wanted everything
to feel normal for once.
We both did.
-Do you have a license, ma'am?
-Me? Yes. Yes, I do.
Okay, Ms. Blair.
Looks like
you're driving now.
Please try to keep it
under 55, all right?
Welcome home.
Thank you.
[sighs]
You changed
your name back.
I thought
you were dead.
So you went to
the Social Security office
and changed your name back?
There's more to it
than that.
Okay.
She should be with the person
that she loves the most,
not necessarily the person
that loves her the most.
'Cause I love her the most.
I love her the most.
I know everyone thinks that
he must love her the most
because he survived
a desert island for her,
but I comforted her
while he was on that island.
You know, I sat with her
while she cried for him.
And I figured out
a way to love someone
with my whole heart,
knowing that a part of her
would always love him.
-And I did that for her.
-[bell rings]
Well, you should probably
get out of here.
Oh, yeah, like American Lit
can hold a candle to this drama.
It's inappropriate
to keep you
from your classes, Dylan.
On the other hand, there is
still a lot to discuss here.
All right. Hit me.
[students chattering]
Honestly, you know
what the weirdest part
about all this is?
Everyone thinks they're
the hero of their own story.
Everyone.
Maybe I'm not the hero.
Maybe...
Maybe I'm the bad guy.
[sighs]
Jesse, please.
Jesse, talk to me, please.
I was supposed to
come home to my wife,
who waited for me.
Jesse, I did wait.
You got engaged
to someone else!
Because I thought
you were dead!
So you replaced me?
No, I didn't replace you.
I loved you.
I still love you.
This fianc--
You love him too?
Do you love him or not?
Yes.
Yes, I love him.
Do you love him
more than me?
Wh-What is it?
Is he better than me?
Jesse, no.
It's not like that.
It-It's...
-Sam and I--
-So he's got a name.
His name's Sam.
Sam Lee.
And I bet this was a dream
come true for him.
That is not fair. You have
no idea what I went through!
What you went through?
I was on a dead rock
for four years.
Alone!
Starving and just
trying not to die.
And that whole time,
you know what
I thought about?
This.
You!
I just thought
about us!
Right now was supposed to be
the good time.
I was supposed to come home
to a life I was missing.
My part was to get back to you,
and your part was to wait.
I did my part, Emma.
-What did you do?
-I had to live my life!
I had to learn
how to live without you.
You managed
to do that.
[door opens, closes]
Jesse?
[Sam's voice] They say
if you love someone,
you should
set them free.
I'm starting to realize
that if you--
if you love someone,
you don't let anything
stand in your way.
You shout it
from the mountaintops.
You race through traffic.
You survive being marooned
on a desert island
and swim for miles
just to get back to them...
Son of bitch, I'm screwed.
[birds chirping]
[Emma's voice]
Dear Jesse,
you've been gone
more than three years now,
but there hasn't been a day
when I haven't thought of you.
At first, I refused to
admit you were gone.
I couldn't sleep.
I couldn't eat.
Even after the search
was called off, and they
said you were dead,
it was so hard to let go.
[voice mail] Hey, you've
tried to call Jesse Lerner.
I obviously have
better things to do.
So leave a message,
and I'll call you back.
[Emma's voice] I felt pain
that I didn't think
was humanly possible.
At times,
it nearly broke me.
Hey. I came across this
at the store.
It's by Joan Didion,
about the death of her husband.
-I hate being given books.
-I know.
Just a shot in the dark.
Just in case you wanted to read
how someone else got through it.
[sighs]
At least give me a happy book.
I don't want to read
about people dying.
Okay.
I can work with that.
How about
Pride and Prejudice?
Or falling in love.
Okay. Wow.
So, no death or love.
[chuckles]
I'll make a list.
There's gotta be, like,
three books in existence
that don't deal with either.
[Emma's voice] I used to
think grief was chronic.
Just a never-ending
cycle of bad days
with the occasional
good day.
No "D" or "L."
This one's complete.
Cut what makes you
Tethered
Tethered
Trust when you fall
In every risk you take
Knowing redemption's
Always on its way
Let all the courage in
You start to wake
Unafraid
Unafraid
Unafraid
Unafraid
You were right.
I loved it.
What else you got?
Uh, that can have
love or death in them?
Tons.
[Emma's voice] But then
I started to think that maybe
the good days could be
good weeks or good months.
Look for
Better measures
Oh, just say it.
My baby's finally
a bookworm.
Doesn't mean
that I wanna let go
of the memories of you
or the love I have for you.
But it does mean that I'm ready
to let go of the sadness.
I will carry you
with me always.
But I cannot define myself
by the loss anymore.
And that's four.
But you already know that,
'cause you're super good at it.
So let me just play it
for you just for fun.
Oh!
-Emma?
-Sam?
Here.
Hi. Um, here,
let me help you with that.
-Oh, my God. Still works.
-Still-- You're good.
Yeah. You don't
have to buy it.
Oh, my God.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
How are you?
I'm-- I'm good.
Have you been-- I mean--
I can't believe--
Yeah, you look, uh--
You--
Yeah. Wow.
Emma Blair. Wow.
Can't believe it.
[wind howling]
Keep reading.
[Emma's voice] I'm going
out into the world
with an open heart now.
And I'm going to go
where life takes me.
So, you wanna
learn an instrument.
Yeah. We can't all play
every single one
of them yet.
Hey, I will have you know
I'm actually pretty bad
at the harp.
-Oh, okay.
-No, that's a lie.
I'm pretty good.
I don't know why
I said that.
Well, I thought I'd start
with something easy,
like piano.
Oh. Well,
if you want my advice--
Yes, your advice is
the exact advice
I would like.
Uh, you should definitely
go for this one.
It's 88 keys.
Uh, it's weighted.
It's perfect to learn on.
-Great. I'll take it.
-Great.
You're a good salesman.
Uh, do you ring me up
here or up there or...
Oh. No, no, no.
I don't--
I don't work here.
Oh! Oh, my God.
Yeah.
I came for a pedal,
and I've just been looking
for an excuse to keep
talking to you, so...
Jesse's dead.
Yeah. Yeah, I heard.
Um, I'm-- I'm so sorry.
I should have called.
Oh, no, no.
It's okay. I--
When I started
dating him,
I guess I stopped being
a good friend to you.
So it's okay.
It's on me.
So, what do
you do, then,
when you're not...
-Oh, when I'm--
-...pretending to work here?
-I teach orchestra at A.B.
-Wow. That's crazy.
Yeah. I know. I know.
Um, I'm back in Acton.
Running the store.
-Blair Books?
-Yeah.
You used to hate it there.
-People change, I guess.
-Yeah. Thank God for that.
Yeah. I agree.
Thank God.
Uh, well, I'll have to
drop by sometime.
Say hi.
I'd like that.
That would be nice.
[Emma's voice]
I'm happy to say
I've reached a place
where your memory
brings me joy.
I have found meaning in life
that I never would have guessed.
[Sam] Wow.
See, the funny thing
about this is that you do
actually work here.
Well, I'm so glad
you stopped by,
because I've actually become
quite good at the piano.
-Really?
-Yes. You'd be
very impressed.
I know "Chopsticks"
and "Heart and Soul."
It's like the core
of Western music right there.
Very good.
Well, uh, show me
what you've got.
-Well, I don't have a piano.
-Sure, you do.
Anything you can play
on the piano,
you can play on the counter.
It's an old
music teachers' trick.
Here, um, give me a song.
Um, Beethoven.
Okay. That's less of a song
and more of a person,
but I think
we can work with that.
[clears throat] Ready?
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
[humming "Fr Elise"]
Oh, I know this one.
[both humming]
You wanna take this one?
[humming]
Oh.
[both hum]
There we go.
[humming]
-What is your sister doing?
-That's more like it.
Living.
Oh, so that's what
that looks like.
There. Good.
[hums]
[humming]
So, I should probably
buy a book,
so it doesn't seem like
I came here just to talk to you.
Hmm. This one.
On the house.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
Or you can just--
You can owe me.
Or how about, um,
I take you to lunch sometime?
Lunch?
Yeah. Yeah.
I was thinking sometime
between breakfast and dinner.
[chuckles]
Lunch sounds nice.
Great.
Okay.
Hey.
Tell me everything.
[Emma's voice] I think
if I work hard,
I can have the sort of life that
you would have wanted for me.
I can't go on a date, right?
Like, that's crazy.
I can call him
next year,
maybe,
if he's still single.
Shutting yourself off
from the world
doesn't prove how much
you loved your husband.
You have your whole life
ahead of you, so live it.
[Emma's voice] I believe
I can have a happy future,
where I love
and am loved in return.
So, we've been dating
six months now.
Yeah.
Well, one of the months
was February,
so it's a light six.
It's a tight six.
Come on.
Well, long or short...
I think I'm in love
with you.
But I don't think
I'm ready to say it.
Or hear myself say it.
Hmm.
Well...
don't tell anyone
I told you,
but I think
I'm in love with you too.
I always have been.
I don't know. It all kinda
sounds the same to me.
But I know that you love it,
so I appreciate it.
Thank you.
Hey, um,
you wanna go this way?
Come on.
Let's go for a walk.
I'm sorry, my love.
We're gonna go down
some steps.
[gasps] What?
Okay, yep. And you're
gonna keep your eyes closed.
Because you trust me,
right?
I do.
Okay. One foot--
There we go. That's perfect.
You're doing great.
I'm sorry. Are we--
Are we going onto
the Green Line?
Uh, we are not going
onto the Green Line.
It feels like
you're taking me
onto the Green Line.
That's not true.
Oh, Jesus.
The lighting here
is much better.
I promise you.
Okay.
So, here's the thing.
Yeah?
All right? Um--
Where am I going?
You're here.
[chuckles] Okay.
I got you.
Okay.
So, here's the thing.
Um...
I bought something
a few weeks ago.
Okay.
And I haven't been able to
decide when to give it to you.
I was doing some thinking,
and I realized
that it should probably
be you that decides.
Okay.
[guitar strumming]
Oh, my gosh!
Your students!
[Sam]
We have been working on this
for a few months now.
Um, I'd call it "Your Song,"
on account of it being yours.
But Elton John kinda
beat me to the punch,
so, uh,
it's currently untitled.
Uh, guys, actually,
can we cut the music?
Sorry. The sound is
really traveling in here.
-Sorry, Mr. Lee.
-No, you're-- It's fine.
Hey.
Hi.
Um...
Emma, I was put
on this earth to be yours.
And I am so,
so lucky
to be able to
call you mine.
I believe in us,
I believe we're good
for each other,
and I believe that
I'm a better man
because of you.
[gasps]
Here it is.
And I don't want you
to do anything
except hold on to it...
and just
keep it safe.
And, um,
when you're ready,
if you're ever ready,
I'll be ready.
[chuckles] Oh!
[exhales]
I love it,
and I love you.
Thank you.
[chuckles]
I love you so much.
[Emma's voice]
So I'm going to say yes
to Sam Lee.
I think that you would
like him for me.
He's kind,
he makes me laugh,
and he makes room
for you.
He accepts the full me.
And he knows the full me
includes you.
[clears throat]
Sam.
-What are you doing?
-I'm proposing to you.
-I'm in my underwear.
-I don't care.
Sam Lee,
you are my second chance.
You are the arms that helped me
pull myself back up.
You're the life
that I never saw coming.
You are my reminder that life
can be unexpectedly beautiful,
and I promise I will spend
the rest of our lives
trying to be
that reminder for you.
-Will you marry me?
-Yes!
[laughs]
Yes!
Will you marry me?
Yes! Yes!
Yes!
Yes! Yes!
I want to be happy,
and I want more love
in my life, Jesse.
So I'm asking
for your blessing
to embrace it.
Your love, Emma.
You know what I thought
on our wedding day?
What?
I was putting on my tux.
I was a little nervous,
but then I just thought...
"At least I picked
the right person."
I always thought
no matter how hard it got,
at least we picked
the right person.
But you gotta keep being
the right person.
You have to change
together
so that you can stay
the right person.
I want to be
with you.
So if staying in Acton
for a bit is important,
then I will do it.
A bit?
As long
as you need.
Jesse,
I want to stay here always.
I want to continue
my life here.
-Because of the store?
-Jesse, it's not just
because of the store.
How about this:
We go on a big, famous
bookstore tour of Europe...
No.
...and see the world's
greatest libraries--
Jesse, I wanna stay here.
I want to be with my family.
You're asking me,
now that I am free,
now that I can go
anywhere,
to chain myself to a life
that I can't live.
My world is here, Jesse.
[Emma]
I have people I love.
I feel like
I belong, like--
like I'm a part
of something,
and I have found a piece
of myself here
that I never expected.
This life that
my parents pushed on me,
I left it, and then
I lived my own life,
and then life brought me
back to them.
And now...
I've chosen all of this.
I've chosen it
for myself.
This is who I am now.
You're different.
Not in a bad way.
You just...
changed.
See, the Emma I knew,
she wanted to be
as far away
as humanly possible
from Blair Books.
And she was--
She was never
gonna sit still
until she had seen
the entire world.
She loved me
and only me.
That's not you
anymore.
No, it's not.
I promise we can live
any life you want,
but just not--
not Acton.
You're asking me
to be someone
that I'm not anymore.
You're asking me
to be someone
I always told you
I wouldn't be.
We didn't stay
the right person.
I could try and be
the right person for you.
You can try and make yourself
the right person for me, but...
That's not real love.
We should head back.
Do you want to stay here
just a little bit longer?
Okay.
You know, there was a game
I used to play out there.
I'd just ask myself,
"What's Emma doing right now?"
And I'd say
something like,
"I bet she's eating tapas
in Barcelona"
or "She's on the beach
in Malibu."
In Berlin...
But I was always wrong.
You were here.
And I--
And I never guessed here.
I'm starting to see it.
It suits you.
I never stopped
loving you.
Do you believe me?
I'm really trying to.
One day you might.
I hope so.
Come on. Let's go.
Now our wild songs
Are oldies
Passion has begun
To slip away
The past spirals
Behind us
The future is a mystery
The sky is our blanket
And we are the stars
That used to be
After all that,
we weren't meant to be, huh?
I don't think things
have to last to be real.
We can be meant
to have been.
Meant to have been.
Yeah.
Thank you.
For what?
The thought
of seeing you again.
You saved my life.
I know that for her,
it's sometimes been him
and sometimes been me.
For me,
it's always been her.
[bell rings]
All right,
that's the end of the day.
I'm out of things to say.
It is what it is.
It's out of my hands now.
It's Emma's choice to make.
Mr. Lee,
isn't that exactly
what you did
in high school?
-What are you talking about?
-She's right.
You never just told Emma
how you felt.
You hinted at it,
but you never said it.
Yeah, this Jesse guy,
he never makes it unclear.
He wants her, and he always
let her know that.
He puts it all out
on the line.
-Yeah. If you're gonna go down,
Sam, go down swinging.
-[all murmur agreement]
Go tell this woman
how heartbroken
you'll be without her.
Remind her of the life
you two could've
had together.
-I can't lose her.
-Then do something about it.
[all agreeing]
I gotta go.
I gotta go. I gotta go!
Thank you.
Sam!
Sam?
Damn it.
Pick up your phone, man.
[groans]
[line ringing]
Oh, hey, Marie.
I, uh--
Hello.
Uh, I'm looking for Emma.
Hey. Hey.
Um, she's not here.
Any idea where she went?
Um, she, um...
Just tell me.
-I don't wanna tell you.
-Marie?
She...
You know, um, she's--
She's with Jesse, right?
Look, I-- I know.
Okay? I know.
And-And it's fine.
Just-Just tell me
where they went.
I can take it.
They went to
the cabin in Maine.
[groaning]
Mother... Shit!
As friends?
As-As friends, right? Right?
It's a simple question, Marie.
As friends?
Did they go as friends?
Were they friends?
Were they friendly?
Are they platonically friends?
I don't know
how to answer that.
[sighs]
Sam!
-You're back?
-Is Sam here?
Yeah, he was just here.
He was looking
for you, and--
He was looking for me?
How did he seem?
Hopeful?
Angry? Devastated?
-Uh, at first,
he was hopeful.
-Oh, that's great!
And then I told him
you went to Maine with Jesse,
and he got sorta devastated.
[groans]
Oh, my God, Marie.
-I've ruined it.
-No.
I've completely ruined it.
By loving them both--
-Also no. Um--
-I've lost them both.
Don't you think
maybe you should be
a little more mad at me?
No, I'm not mad at you,
because you were there for me
through all of this.
No, I'm not mad.
You're not even a little mad
for that day on the dock
when I convinced you
your husband was dead,
and I was wrong?
No! Marie, I was insane
that day on the dock.
If I had spent
the last four years
believing he was alive,
I would've lost my mind.
No. I did the best I could
with the information that I had,
and that led me to Sam.
[sighs]
I can't lose him, Marie.
So don't.
Go tell him
what you just told me.
You're right.
This isn't over yet.
[door bells jangle]
[Sam] Come on! Let's go.
Come on! Come on!
-Come on, come on--
-Pick up. Pick up, pick up.
[phone rings]
-Hello?
-Sam, can you hear me?
Emma, yeah, I can hear you.
Can you hear me?
Sam, I need you back.
[static]
Hello?
Jesse was gone,
and I was broken--
You're breaking up.
Hello?
But then I pulled myself
back together, and--
[static]
Oh, shit!
And the person
that I became chose you!
-[tires screech]
-[gasps]
[car horn honks]
Sam?
Sam!
Sam, don't hang up!
Um, I just hit somebody.
Uh, honey?
You hit me.
Holy shit!
Are you okay?
No. No, I'm not.
I haven't slept in days.
There's reporters camped
outside of our house.
I've lost all semblance
of privacy with my students.
I'm-- I'm terrible.
Sam--
No, no.
I need to say something.
I need to...
I have loved
every version of you,
and I will love
every version of you
that you become.
[motorist]
Get out of the road!
I am madly in love
with you, Em.
And I'm in.
I swear to God,
with every fiber
of my being, I am in.
But I refuse to settle
for part of you.
I need you to be in too.
I'm in. I'm in.
I'm so sorry
it took me so long
to understand that.
Jesse was right
for me once, but you
are right for me now,
and I promise
I will work
for the rest of my days
to be the right person
to you.
No, you be
whoever you want.
If you're in, I'm in.
Nothing you do
could ever change that.
I went to Maine
with Jesse--
No, no, no, no.
I already said
that I was in.
Okay? Save the rest
for couple's therapy.
Okay.
[sniffles, sighs]
Our life starts now.
Together.
You're a good man.
I'm all right.
[motorist]
Get out of the way!
Oh, oh, oh.
Oh, whiplash, whiplash.
Oh, my God. Are you okay?
Yeah, yeah. I just need
to sit down for a minute.
Oh, it's a little spin-y.
Okay.
Just breathe...
Uh, excuse me.
Can somebody call
an ambulance?
Yeah, thank you.
[horns honking]
Hey, shut up!
Just go around!
[bystander] Come on!
We're fine,
thank you.
I love you.
Oh, I love you too.
[mumbles] Honey...
[winces]
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, no, no. It's fine.
I just wanna be--
I just wanna be close to you.
[siren blaring]
See the clouds
And let 'em be
Keep every story
Of your days a mystery
Hear the songs
In the breeze
Sing out your winds
And trials like a melody...
[Jesse's voice]
Emma, I met someone.
Her name's June.
Somehow she's convinced me
to get back in the water.
But it feels freeing now.
I'm out there swimming
almost every morning.
I can see now
that the only way
to get my life back
was to move forward.
I know that's what
you had to do too.
I get it now.
Loving you got me through
my darkest days.
And now I have a future
because of it.
A future that
I'm discovering every day.
And for that,
I owe you everything.
Love, Jesse.
Light a flame
Inside your heart
See every finish line...
You okay?
Yeah.
Raise your fist
To the sky
Lightning
And mountaintops
Are made for you and I
-Morning comes
-[Emma] I'm good.
When the nightfall goes
Don't turn back
To the road below
You ready to check out?
Okay.