Lake House, The (2006)

[bunniefuu]

(THE CLIENTELE'S " [I CAN'T SEEM TO] MAKE YOU MINE" PLAYING)

♪ In the silence Of the garden ♪

♪ Moss arising on the wind

♪ And the beast is pondering Love, love, love ♪

♪ Till the rusty nail Grow dim ♪

♪ I can't seem To make you mine ♪

♪ Through the long And lonely night ♪

♪ And I try so hard, darling

♪ But the crowd Pulled you away ♪

♪ Through the rhythm And the rain ♪

♪ And the ivy coiled around My hand ♪

(WHIMPERS)

You coming or not?

♪ I can't seem To make you mine ♪

♪ Through the long And lonely night ♪

♪ And I try so hard, darling

♪ But the crowd Pulled you away ♪

♪ Through the rhythm And the rain ♪

♪ And the ivy coiled around My hand ♪

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

MAN: All right, I'll get her in right away.

MAN 2: Appreciate it.

Hi. Hi.

WOMAN (OVER PA): Dr. Klyczynski to ER, stat. Dr. Klyczynski to ER, stat.

Hi, excuse me. Yeah, just a minute, okay?

Fill this out for me and wait over there.

No, I'm... I'm Dr. Forster.

I was told to report here.

You'll be covering 22 patients on rounds today, this floor and the next.

Twenty-two? Quiet morning.

If you get into trouble, beep me, but don't make it a habit.

The med students will help you out with scutwork.

What's he doing here? I ordered an MRI, stat.

Transport said about four hours.

He could be dead in four hours.

Never mind. Dr. Forster, MRI.

That's a right, two lefts, elevator to two.

Okay.

Follow the signs. Hustle back here for rounds.

Um, Dr. Kly...

Are you taking me somewhere?

I certainly hope so, sir.

How are you feeling today?

Am...? Am I gonna make it?

Uh, yes.

Absolutely.

(SAW BLADE WHIRRING)

(MEN CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY)

Alex!

I made my famous spinach pie. The trailer's nice and toasty.

I can't.

Look, it's really cold out here.

Don't get sick on me or anything.

I never get sick.

So I heard you bought a house, and apparently I'm the last one to know.

I thought I mentioned that.

Wait.

Where?

Outside of town. Up the shore a little bit.

Up the shore? There's no houses...

Oh, God.

You don't mean that thing with the stilts and the...?

(WOMAN YELPS)

You all right?

Yeah.

Are you crazy?

Why would you take that house, Alex?

It's made of glass. There's no privacy.

Mona? Huh?

Get yourself some boots.

ALEX: Hey, Gonzalez!

(MUMBLING)

(GRUNTS)

(WHISPERS) Four-thirty.

You lost?

Yeah.

Takes a while to get your bearings.

I'm Madhvi. Kate Forster. Hi.

Oh, wrong floor.

Where'd you do your residency?

Just a little community hospital up on the North Shore.

(♪)

KATE: Dear new tenant, welcome to your new home.

As the previous tenant, let me say I hope you'll like living here as much as I did.

I filed the change of address with the post office, but you know what a crapshoot that can be.

So if anything slips through, would you do me a favor and forward my mail?

I'd appreciate it. My new address is below.

Thanks in advance.

P.S.

"Sorry about the paw prints by the front door.

"They were there when I moved in.

Same with the box in the attic."

Paw prints?

What the hell is she talking about?

(DOOR SHUTS)

Hey, baby girl. Hi. Hi. Hey.

(FLICKS SWITCH)

(KEYS JINGLING)

Fix the light.

Get dog food, huh?

(DOG BARKS)

Get human food.

(♪)

Hey. Hey.

(DOG BARKING)

Hey, come here.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY)

KATE: Sixty degrees on Valentine's Day.

This can't be Chicago.

KATE'S MOTHER: The TV says it's global warming.

The icebergs start melting, water covers the earth.

Thank God we won't live to see it.

KATE: What's this?

Hm? Oh. That's nothing.

It's one of your father's.

Dostoyevsky? Oh, yeah.

It's about a guy who breaks the neck of a poor woman with an axe and, so far, keeps wandering around regretting it.

Mm.

This is good.

Oh, yeah? Yeah. It's really good.

Mmm.

MAN: I'll meet you there.

What are you thinking?

WOMAN: My folks are coming into town.

Nothing.

When your father passed away, it was hard. It still is hard.

Holding his books, I feel like he's with me somehow.

Knowing that he was once on the same pages, reading the same words.

(VEHICLE HONKING)

(TIRES SQUEALING)

KATE: Dear God.

WOMAN 2: Oh, my God! Somebody call an ambulance!

(PANICKED SHOUTING)

We need an ambulance at Daley Plaza.

A man has been struck by a bus. Get an EMT crew here. Sir...

COP: Get out the street. Get on the sidewalk.

On the sidewalk. Off the street. Sir? Sir?

Get on the sidewalk! Get on the sidewalk!

ALEX: I'd like to get the foundation on number 17 dug today.

MULHERN: Look, I know you're kind of new around here, kid.

What?

I can't get to 17 until at least next week.

Come on, Mulhern. That's bullshit and you know it.

Take Clemens and Rodriguez off of roofing.

Jorge can run the backhoe they're not using on 14, and grab four or five of those other guys who are sitting around doing nothin' on seven and 10.

Paulie, Carlos, Frank, Danny, and what's-his-name, the tall guy.

Rafael. Rafael.

Let's go. Okay.

MAN 1: Ready? MAN 2: Yeah.

MAN 3: All I need's a 10 and 11. (WHISTLES SHARPLY)

Hey!

WOMAN (OVER PA): Housekeeping ER to the Suture Room, please.

Housekeeping ER to the Suture Room.

Hey. Hi.

I heard about Daley Plaza. Mm-hm.

EMT said you fought hard for the guy.

Mm-hm. Yep. Really knocked myself out.

KLYCZYNSKI: Kate, I'm going to tell you what I tell every young doctor.

Hopefully, you'll be the first to listen.

On your day off, get as far away from this place as you can.

Go someplace where you feel... most like yourself.

(♪)

(DOG PANTING)

(DOG WHIMPERS)

ALEX: Dear Ms. Forster:

I got your note, and I'm afraid there must be some kind of misunderstanding.

As far as I know, the lake house has been empty for several years.

Maybe your note was intended for the Sandburg house down the shore...

"... since no one has lived in this house for years.

But I'm curious about the paw prints."

KATE: Dear Mr. Wyler, I'm very familiar with the Sandburg cottage, and I can guarantee I never lived there.

I'm old-fashioned, but I don't think a cottage should be over 6000 square feet.

So let me try again.

I used to live at the lake house.

Then I moved.

Now I live at 1620 North Racine in Chicago.

I'd appreciate it if you would forward my mail if you get any.

Oh, by the way, it's 2006.

Has been all year. Ask anyone.

2006?

What does she mean, 2006?

God.

Oh, God.

MAN: Good morning, Mr. Wyler. WOMAN: Morning, Mr. Wyler.

ALL: Morning, sir. Morning, morning.

Hello, Mr. Wyler.

Mr. Wyler.

Sir.

Well, uh... obviously I derive my inspiration for the metaphor of the fugue, the loop...

Yeah.

(HUMMING)

HENRY: Two hours of that sh*t. You kidding me?

WOMAN: What are you talking about? He didn't say a word.

Sadistic, bitter, bitter old man.

I think you're being a little overdramatic.

Where are you going?

MAN: Oh, I love that place.

I can't believe that thing's still running.

Yep.

You look like sh*t.

I missed you too.

(CHUCKLES)

Hey, forget about him.

ALEX: Condos.

Riviera Estates.

You're joking.

I don't believe this.

I come back after four years, and I get this in front of me. What?

My little brother thinking he's Frank Lloyd Whatever.

Oh, come on.

Dad keeps you hostage in that little mythmaking factory of his, while you haven't built so much as a phone booth or a hamster cage.

That's funny you say that, actually.

I have a hamster cage in mind. A development of them, actually.

Ah. Prefab, no foundations.

What do you think about that?

See, that's what I'm talking about.

You have vision. Ah.

Speaking of which, I'd like you to know... I bought a house.

Where? On the lake.

You bought a lake house. So you are making some money.

Well, it's a dump. Been abandoned for years, but...

Oh, so you got an abandoned, haunted lake hou...

I guess... Yeah, that's as good a reason as any for selling out and joining the flabby-developers' guild.

How about this? I even got a dog.

You got a dog?

He just showed up at the house, from out of nowhere.

(CARLA BRUNI'S "LA NOYÉE" PLAYING)

♪ Ou bien Frôlant quelques ronces ♪

♪ Tu hésites Et tu m'attends... ♪ HENRY: What are we doing here?

ALEX: I have to deliver a letter.

It should be here. 1620 North Racine.

HENRY: But... there's nothin' here.

Are we meeting someone? Does somebody live here? What?

Yeah.

I thought so.

HENRY: Should we ring the bell?

(MAKES BUZZER SOUND)

ALEX: Dear Ms. Forster:

I went to 1620 North Racine, and it's not there.

It's just a construction site.

From the pictures it looks nice, but not for another 18 months.

What am I missing here?

Maybe you got the address wrong, because I noticed you got the date wrong too.

You really wanna play this game.

If you are truly in the year 2004, then...

be forewarned.

Remember that day?

You were not happy. Remember that?

(SIGHS)

I know.

KATE: Okay, my mystery correspondent, I get it.

Just in case you really are where and when you think you are, you'll need this.

There was a freak late snow that spring and everyone got sick.

So plenty of rest, lots of fluids.

Doctor's orders. (SCOFFS)

Snow. Right.

Yeah, come to papa.

(WIND WHISTLING)

(SNEEZES)

(♪)

KATE: Jackie.

Jack. (JACK BARKING)

Jack, come on. Come on, girl. Come on, come on. Jack.

(BARKING)

(BARKING)

"Impossible, I know. Not possible... but it's happening."

Okay.

(SIGHS)

Where am I?

(SNIFFS)

(SIGHS)

Very clever.

"The lake house."

The lake house. Yes, well, as you can see, I, too, am at the lake house, but I'm getting tired of these games so I'm leaving, okay? Bye.

Thank you. Bye.

Maybe we should introduce ourselves properly.

KATE: I'm a doctor, dedicated to curing the sick.

(SPRAYS) At least, trying to.

ALEX: I'm an architect. I like to build.

And while I wouldn't say my current project is ideal, it allows me to be here, in this place, and that's enough for now. (TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

But tell me something.

If you're working in a hospital in Chicago now, where were you before, in my time?

KATE: Two years ago, in your time, I was working in internal medicine in Madison.

(ALARM BEEPING)

ALEX: Tell me about the future.

What's it like in the year 2006?

KATE: Hm. I'm afraid the world's pretty much the same.

Of course, we all dress in shiny metal jump suits and drive flying cars, and no one talks anymore because we can read each other's minds.

(CHUCKLES)

But the truth is, man from the past, not much has really changed in 2006.

(JACK BARKING)

KATE: Speaking of the past, though, I've been thinking about the paw prints.

How is that possible?

Well, I think we have the same dog.

KATE: Oh, yeah? What's yours like?

According to the vet, mine is 8 years old, in my time.

Uh, 6 in yours.

She's skinny, has sad eyes, snores... and sleeps like a person.

I don't know why, but I call her Jack.

Hello, Jack.

ALICIA (OVER TV): It's nice out here.

Let's not go out for dinner. Let's stay here.

Hey.

DEVLIN (OVER TV): We have to eat.

What are you doing? You're supposed to be asleep.

I'll cook.

I thought you didn't like to cook.

No, I don't like to cook.

GIRL: Is she gonna marry him?

What do you think?

I don't know. He's kind of old.

(CHUCKLES)

Okay, he's not that old.

My mom's last boyfriend was bald.

He was nice, but my mom didn't marry him.

No? "There's always somethin' better comin' around the corner."

That's what she says.

Maybe that's what that lady should do.

Wait for something better to come around the corner.

Maybe.

But if she's not careful, she could spend her whole life waiting.

Do you want me to bring anything back with me?

Yes. What about a nice bottle of wine to celebrate?

What time shall I come back? Seven o'clock.

KATE: Sorry I haven't made it to the mailbox lately.

It's been a long week. All night shifts.

ALEX: Good to hear from you. I thought you left me.

You should know that you're my only connection to the future.

How come we never talk about the things we like?

KATE: Hm. Well, let's see. Reading the classics to Jack.

ALEX: Who's his favorite?

KATE: Dostoyevsky.

ALEX: For me, this city, on a day when the light is so clear that I can touch every detail, every brick and window in the buildings I love.

Come on, take a walk with me, this Saturday. Let me show you.

KATE: You're crazy.

Why are you going through all this trouble for me?

ALEX: No trouble. Summer's here.

(EELS' "ANT FARM" PLAYING)

♪ Walk down the street I'm thinking ♪

♪ Everybody move along

♪ I've got a sad-hearted Needing to belong ♪ ALEX: Okay, your turn. Favorite things.

KATE: Where to start? Okay.

When I smell the flowers before I see them.

When it starts to rain just as the picnic is ending.

And I love the smell of Jack's paws.

ALEX: You didn't forget to mention your husband, did you?

KATE: Oh. Well, of course I love my husband, who is also a doctor.

Plastic surgeon for small farm animals.

ALEX: Good. I'm married too.

I've got eight children, and none of them look like me.

I'm worried, Kate.

KATE: I would be too. (ALEX CHUCKLES)

ALEX: I'm single.

KATE: Me too.

Oh. Wow.

Number 27.

ALEX: She's a beauty. My father used to tell me she was the grandma for all the houses in the city.

He used to take me on walks like I'm taking you now.

KATE: Alex?

ALEX: Kate?

KATE: I wish we could have done this walk together.

So, what do you think?

He sounds like a nice boy.

Sounds like a nice boy. Anything else?

He has wonderful penmanship.

Mother, look at the date on the letter.

The date.

Oh, you mean the time thing? Yes.

That's just a detail. Just a detail?

(SIGHS)

(GERRY MULLIGAN'S "ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE" PLAYING)

SIMON: About the, uh... The other day, uh, it was not a good moment. I was in a hell of a hurry.

ALEX: Of course.

You've got some nice pieces here.

Oh, yeah.

Music's fine, music helps.

(CHUCKLES)

It's like Nietzsche says: "Life would be senseless..."

"Without music."

I guess I told you that, huh?

Pour yourself a drink.

Can you appreciate a good wine by now?

You bet.

You know, you'll have to forgive your father for being curious, but where have you been all these years?

I thought your Kerouac days were behind you.

(CHUCKLES)

I'm sorry, what? What?

Oh, you can come up if you like.

What are you working on?

Oh, I'm just... I'm just remembering things.

It's not such an easy job, let me tell you.

Nor is it particularly innocent, in my case.

Your father is writing his memoirs.

Are we in it?

What do you think? Do you wanna be?

Do you?

Of course. You were all a part of your father's life.

Why are you talking to me in the third person?

Well, I... I don't...

Because I'm writing about myself, I suppose.

Why, doesn't it suit you?

I thought you might like these.

What are these? Something you've been working on?

No, they're... They're yours.

From a house I just bought on the lake.

Oh, yes, I heard.

They said some sleazy little condo developer had snapped it up.

Oh, come on. Indulge your father.

Can't you take a little joke, for God's sake?

Come on.

Tell me. Where have you been?

I really want to know.

I was trying to forget you.

Or forgive you.

Did you succeed?

No.

Let me know if you need any help remembering.

Oh, yeah, I will.

KATE: Charging 360. Get 1 milligram of epi.

Have 300 amio ready in case we need it.

All clear? NURSE: Clear.

(HEART MONITOR BEEPING)

Hold compression, start bagging.

He's got a rhythm. Slow.

Do we have a pulse with that?

We got a pulse, thready. It's getting stronger.

KATE: Long days, these days.

I just worked 30 hours straight.

Every time I stop to take a breath, I realize how isolated I've let myself become.

Believe me, you can get a bit desperate.

That one? Okay. There you go.

Nice move. Very nice. Nice.

It's not that I'm complaining. I love my work.

And our tour through Chicago opened my eyes to its beauty.

But my heart still misses the lake house... and its trees.

I miss those trees so much.

(BRAD MEHLDAU'S "WHEN IT RAINS" PLAYING)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

ALEX: Don't worry, Kate. We'll be together in time.

Even if we're far apart, I'll find a way to be close to you and take care of you.

Oh, lu, lu, lu, lu.

Katerina.

Take this.

You should eat more.

You too skinny. I'm not too skinny.

Remember how you used to eat when you were little?

Chuga, chuga, chug, chug.

With your hands. Yes, I remember.

Now, did you or did you not write to each other?

To your father?

No, to Clark Gable.

Yes, to Dad.

I, uh...

What, Mom?

Before your father...

Yeah?

There was this boy.

Did you love him?

Yeah.

Well...

Why...? Why didn't you marry him?

So that you could ask me this question someday.

(♪)

Looks smaller.

Uh, when did he complete it?

You weren't born yet, and I was 8.

God.

Corbusier meets Frank Lloyd Wright.

You know, Dad played cards with both of 'em.

Sharing a joint.

Yeah, well...

(CHUCKLES)

ALEX: Can't swim.

There should be a stairway down to the water, a porch, a deck.

Here, you're in a... In a box.

A glass box with a view to everything that's around you, but you can't touch it.

No interconnection between you and what you're looking at.

HENRY: I don't know, you know.

He's got this big maple growing right in the middle of the house.

Containment.

Containment and control.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

This house is about ownership, not connection.

I mean, it's beautiful. Seductive, even.

But it's incomplete.

It was all about him.

(THUNDER CRASHING)

Dad knew how to build a house, not a home.

But you know, I think he wants us to do what he couldn't.

But admitting that... would mean admitting that he came up short in some way, that he could do more.

And that tortures him.

Do you remember being here with Mom?

I remember she tried to make it work here... with us... with him.

Hey, what about Visionary Vanguard?

What about it?

Come on.

You can't convince me you're gonna be happy building these saltboxes for tourists.

Nobody's gonna admire you for that.

Admire me for that?

Yeah, Visionary Vanguard.

(LAUGHS)

That's your idea.

I can't. But you can keep the name.

No, come on. It's gotta be you and me.

Henry, I'm sorry, I can't. I...

I just, uh...

What?

I've got other plans.

You have a girlfriend?

Nah... Mm, no.

What is that? You hesitated.

No, I didn't hesitate.

Come on, man. I don't have... I don't have any time for that.

What does time have to do with it?

Oh, you're gonna think I'm crazy.

KATE: My dearest Mr. Wyler:

Are you willing to play a game with me?

Two years ago today, I was taking the 145 train to Madison from the Riverside station, and I forgot something there.

It was a gift from my father.

If you find it, can you please put it in the mailbox?

It would mean a lot.

Yours, Kate.

Final call for the 5:46 to Madison.

Do you really wanna know? Come on.

(BOTH GIGGLING)

All aboard. MAN: Okay.

I'll call you.

(♪)

(TRAIN HORN BLARING)

ALEX: Kate, I found it. I have it with me.

One day I'll get it to you. Trust me.

I know how important it is to you.

You might not remember, but we saw each other.

At least, I saw you.

You never told me how beautiful you are.

KATE: Well, maybe you saw somebody else.

That was a bad hair year for me.

ALEX: Long brown hair. Gentle, unguarded eyes.

KATE: Okay, okay, okay, okay.

You saw me.

But I still don't know what you look like.

ALEX: Well, why don't we just get together in the future, and you can let me know what you think.

It's a date.

Okay.

Why don't you call me July 10th, 2006, at...

9:05 p.m.

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

Hello.

MAN: Kate?

Yes.

It's Morgan.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Morgan.

Yeah, I'm here, in Chicago.

I came down for a meeting, but it was canceled, so I thought I'd give you a call.

MORGAN: Hey, uh, have you eaten?

No, but I'm not...

Neither have I.

I just realized I'm totally starving.

We could grab a quick bite.

Okay.

Yeah?

All right.

MAN: Hey, wait up.

WOMAN: Watch out, man.

MAN: All right.

Looks pretty good. Oh.

Perfect.

No, Morgan, it's... It's not.

No, no, trust me.

It's... Okay.

Hi there.

One sec.

Could you hold on for a moment, please?

We'd love a table for two.

The name?

Oh, um... we don't... We don't have a reservation.

I'm sorry, sir, we're booked... until October.

October?

Well...

I'll get back to you.

That went well.

(LAUGHING)

It's no big deal.

(SIGHS)

Oh, come on, stop it.

It's the best restaurant in town.

Nobody gets a table here.

No, it's not that.

Well, what is it?

I didn't do this right.

There wasn't a meeting, was there?

You'd see me if there was no big deal.

If it was just... Mm-hm, ambush.

You know, coffee, and coffee can turn into dinner, and dinner can turn into...

Turn into what?

I'll admit, I do sometimes get a few steps ahead of myself.

Morgan, a few steps?

You're always leaping... 10 steps ahead.

We were dating, what, a week?

And you had our entire future mapped out for us?

Still in my residency, you were picking out real estate.

I would go to your house for the weekend, you'd have the entire town in your house to meet me.

You know, I do seem to remember that you made pretty fast friends with one of them.

What are you talking about?

Oh, you know what I'm talking about.

That guy. What guy?

The guy I caught you making out with.

I wasn't making out with him.

What, are we in... junior high school right now?

What do you call it, then?

A kiss.

It was just one kiss with some random guy that just...

Years... You know what?

Gentlemen... unit 381 on Riviera Estates is complete.

(ALL CHEERING)

Congratulations. You did a good job.

Ah.

One down...

Forty-four to go.

We're not terrifyingly behind schedule, just alarmingly.

(SIGHS) It's gonna be okay.

The guys are getting to know their job, but we could use another backhoe.

And the water on 14 needs to be resealed.

Shut up.

What?

I'm kind of disappointed in you.

Why?

Because you're supposed to be on top of things around here.

I thought I was.

Well, you never noticed these.

Don't you remember? You told me to get 'em.

Right, right.

Wow. Not exactly what I had in mind, but...

You like 'em?

I like them.

I think we should go out. Tonight.

(JACK BARKING)

If you're not doing any...

Jack? Jack.

Hey, Jack.

Jack!

Come on, Jack!

Alex, wait for me!

ALEX: Jack!

Jack!

Jack!

Jack!

(JACK BARKING)

Yours, I take it?

Yeah. Yeah, sorry. Thanks.

Come here, Jack.

What were you thinking, huh, girl?

What were you thinking?

She's never run off like that before.

You gotta keep an eye on them.

What's his name?

Her. Jack.

Jack. It's a good name for a girl.

I should get one like you for my girlfriend.

She loves dogs.

Hey, have we met before?

No, don't think so.

Morgan Price.

Alex Wyler.

Hey, man, you need a hand with this?

MORGAN: Yeah. ALEX: Okay.

MORGAN: Lived here long?

ALEX: Just a few months. I've got a place on the lake.

The lake, really? I've been thinking...

Alex. Oh, good.

(PANTING) Thank God you found him.

Yeah.

Mona, Morgan. Morgan, Mona.

Well, hello.

Hi.

It's good to meet you.

Nice to meet you too.

Nice boots there.

Listen, just so you don't think I'm gonna drink all this by myself, I'm having a bunch of friends over tonight for a party.

You two are welcome to come.

Oh, hey, Alex.

Take my card. I might be looking to rent a place on the lake myself.

Okay.

It's Kate, my girlfriend, she's never really liked this place, and I promised her we'd look for something new once she finishes her residency in Madison.

So if you hear of anything...

Sure. She's a doctor?

Yeah.

Alex.

Great to meet you, Morgan.

Great to meet you. All right.

(CAROLE KING'S "IT'S TOO LATE" PLAYING)

Hey, Morgan, what time's that party at?

Eight o'clock. It's Kate's birthday.

♪ Stayed in bed all morning Just to pass the time ♪ It's Kate birthday. Come on, Jack.

♪ There's something wrong here There can be no denyin' ♪

♪ One of us is changin' ♪

♪ Or maybe we've just Stopped tryin' ♪

♪ And it's too late, baby Now it's too late ♪

♪ Though we really did try To make it ♪

♪ Something inside has d*ed And I can't hide... ♪ Hi. Hi.

What can I get you?

Glass of white wine, please.

♪ It used to be so easy Thank you. You're welcome.

♪ Living here with you

♪ You were light and breezy And I knew just what to do ♪

♪ Now you look so unhappy And I feel like a fool ♪

♪ And it's too late, baby Now it's too late ♪ According to most accepted social norms, a person should not drink alone after 10 p.m., unless they have a good excuse.

Mm. What's yours?

Gosh, don't have one.

(GIGGLES)

I do.

My youngest left for college this morning.

Marie.

One day she's splashing around a wading pool in diapers.

Then she's packing up a Volvo and driving to California.

I just hope she knows what she's getting into.

Don't tell me.

Premed? Bingo.

Hey, how are you? Good to see you.

I'm well, thanks.

I want you to meet some friends of mine.

Alex, Mona, this is the Wootch.

Susan, Johnny. Hi.

Let's get you something to drink.

Come on. Back here. Bar's back here.

Come on. Hey, this is Marjorie.

Why didn't you mention it was today?

We would have had a cake for you or something.

Oh, it's just time passing.

I hate making a big deal out of it.

You keep a lot to yourself.

Nothing wrong with it.

But I've sometimes wondered what else you have in your life besides work.

Family? Boyfriend?

Well, I did. Once.

His name was Morgan.

Morgan? Mm-hm.

Morgan. That's a sexy name.

(GIGGLES)

ALL: Surprise!

(LAUGHING AND CHATTERING)

Happy birthday, Katie.

WOMAN 1: Happy birthday.

MAN: Happy birthday.

WOMAN 2: We got you.

This is Kate, obviously.

Hi, Kate.

This is Alex and Mona.

Hi. Hi.

This guy's gonna help us find our lake house.

Oh. Right?

You haven't had cake.

KATE: Anyway, well, I ended it.

And I'm happy now, and it was the right thing to do.

So who is it you write to?

I couldn't help...

Every time you get a break at the hospital, you're writing something.

There is someone.

It's kind of a long-distance relationship.

How did you meet?

(LAUGHING) We haven't.

What? No.

The story of my life.

You're kidding.

Keep everything at a distance.

Everyone.

The man who was standing right in front of me, the one that wanted to marry me, him, I push away.

I run from him.

In the meantime, the...

The one man I can never meet, him, I would like to give my whole heart to.

He must write one hell of a letter.

Mm-hm.

It's nice.

It's safe.

Christ, he's in prison, isn't he? No.

You're one of those women, aren't you?

No. No, he's just a guy who lives on a lake.

He's an architect.

(♪)

(WHISPERS) Oh, my God.

(DOOR SLAMS)

(SIGHS)

ALEX: Happy birthday.

Thank you.

I hope it's a great year for you.

Thank you.

I'm Alex.

The lake-house guy.

Oh, yeah. How you doin'?

May I?

So you're gonna...

You're gonna find us a place on the lake, huh?

I hope so. Yeah.

If I can.

You're a real-estate agent?

No, I...

I just, uh, have a lake house.

Oh. Is it nice?

Yeah, you'll love it.

You're gonna rent it after I move out.

Oh, really?

Kate, have you... read Persuasion?

What?

By Jane Austen.

I know who it's by.

Yeah, it's, um...

It's my favorite book.

Why...? Why did you bring something like that up?

What made you bring that up?

I just... A friend of mine gave it to me recently, and I was wondering... what it's about.

It's... It's wonderful.

Yeah. Yeah.

It's about, um...

About waiting.

(CHUCKLES)

These two people, they... They, uh... They meet.

They almost fall in love, but the timing isn't right.

They... They have to part.

And then, years later, they... They meet again.

They get another chance.

You know, but they don't know if too much time has passed.

If they waited too long, if it's, you know, too late to make it work.

Why do you like that?

(LAUGHING) I don't know.

No. Don't get me wrong. It's beautiful in a kind of...

No, it's terrible.

It's terrible. Terrible.

That's terrible.

It's terrible.

That's...

Yeah, it's... That's terrible.

It's a personal question, but have you ever been through anything like that?

Me? No. No, no. No.

(SIGHS)

When I was, uh...

When I was 16...

I was completely in love with this guy.

He played guitar, and, um, I ran away from home and, uh, went to San Francisco so I could go live with him.

Yeah, he convinced me I had a beautiful voice, and I, uh... I dreamed of becoming a singer.

I love San Francisco.

Yeah, he was... He was my first love.

Probably the only one.

He must have been a great guy.

I don't... I don't know, I...

He may have been. It didn't last long enough for me to find out.

Yeah. Truth is, I...

I can't even remember what he looked like.

Really? Yeah.

That's too bad.

My dad... My dad showed up, actually.

You were in trouble.

Yeah, he came in.

Yeah, I was in trouble.

He yanked me back to Chicago.

Yeah.

And he was sick, and he, uh...

He had these...

These dreams of me becoming a doctor, you know?

You know, and eventually, they became my dreams too.

He was right.

You know, I... I feel good helping people.

Then he d*ed.

Kate.

What?

(SIGHS)

I, uh...

You...?

(PAUL McCARTNEY'S "THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE" PLAYING OVER STEREO)

I just, uh...

What?

♪ I'm very sure ♪ Do you know this song?

Mm-hm. ♪ This never happened Yeah.

♪ To me before

♪ I met you...

Do you sing?

(KATE CHUCKLES)

No.

Nobody wants to hear me sing.

You don't wanna hear me sing.

I... I didn't mean, you know...

(CHUCKLES)

But, yeah.

♪ This is the way It's supposed to be ♪ But I can dance.

♪ I met you, and now I see

♪ This is the way It should be ♪

♪ This is the way It should be for lovers ♪

♪ They shouldn't go it alone ♪

♪ It's not so good When you're on your own ♪

♪ So come to me

♪ Now we can be What we wanna be ♪

♪ I love you And now I see ♪

♪ This is the way It should be ♪

♪ This is the way It should be ♪

♪ This is the way It should be for lovers ♪

♪ They shouldn't go it alone ♪

♪ It's not so good When you're on your own ♪

♪ I'm very sure ♪

♪ This never happened To me before ♪

♪ I met you, and now I'm sure ♪

♪ This never happened before

♪ This never happened

♪ This never happened before

♪ This never happened

♪ This never happened before

♪ This never happened before

MORGAN: Kate.

Hey, um... Alex was, uh...

Alex was just telling me about the, um... The lake house.

Yeah, it sounds... Sounds really great.

Great.

Alex, it's late.

Yeah.

Yeah. Um...

Good night. Good night.

KATE: It was you.

WOMAN: Do you work tomorrow night?

Why didn't you say anything?

ALEX: You would've thought I was crazy or drunk. Or both.

Yeah, but...

I liked you. You should have said something.

How? You were with your boyfriend.

You know what? Excuses, excuses.

You are a coward.

I'm not a coward.

Oh, really? Well, what about your girlfriend?

What? I told you already, she's not my girlfriend.

He's not my boyfriend either.

Oh, really? Well, what is he, then?

Your brother?

Ah. We have a comedian.

What'd you have, a clown for breakfast this morning?

Wonderful. Our first fight.

You could write a song about it and go sing it in San Francisco.

(PHONE RINGING)

What?

Hello.

Hey, Henry.

What?

MAN: You'll let me know, right?

WOMAN: Yes, I will.

Hi. Good afternoon.

I'm looking for my father.

I don't know which room he's in.

Simon Wyler?

Mr. Wyler, the architect?

Yes.

I'm Anna Klyczynski.

I'm the Attending for your father.

Hey. What happened? How is he?

He's okay. He's had a heart att*ck.

Fortunately, relatively minor.

His vitals are fine, and he's stable, but it will require an intervention.

He's agreed to schedule it for tomorrow.

(MACHINE BEEPING)

Good to see you're taking it easy.

Well, you... You didn't need to come.

I'm perfectly well.

Perfectly all right.

Well, you had a heart att*ck, Dad.

I had an episode, for chrissake.

Nothing more.

Appreciate it if you kept everything in its perspective.

Well, then, I just wanna let you know I'm here if you need anything.

Coffee.

What?

You heard me.

Coffee.

ALEX: There's something I never told you, Kate.

You see, it was my father who built the lake house.

I mean, with his own hands.

And it was a long time ago, before he was famous, when he still had a family and worshipped my mother.

Her name was Mary, and the house was a gift for her.

She was smart and funny.

She could've done anything, but chose to take care of my brother and I and help him build his career.

You see, the more successful he became, the more impossible he was to live with.

Finally, she just couldn't take living with him anymore.

She left him.

Within a year, she got sick.

Unfortunately, she never learned how to stop loving him.

He wasn't at the funeral.

When I asked him why...

Go on, Alex. What did he say?

He said, "She was dead to me the moment she stepped out of the house."

And then he gave me one of his architect-of-the-year grins.

I hope you appreciate this.

I had to sneak past three nurses and your Attending.

Oh, jeez, it's hot.

It's not decaf, is it?

It should be, but it isn't.

Ah... Mm.

That's not bad. Thank you... son.

You're welcome.

Where's your brother?

I sent him away. He wasn't feeling well.

You know how he is. He worries.

Yeah, I know.

He gets that from your mother, I'm afraid.

She always worried too much.

What are you looking at?

Hm?

Oh, yeah, here, take a gander.

It's a proposal for a museum.

Who is it?

Oh, someone new.

Oh, I like the walkways, where the light falls.

What are the materials?

Granite. Aluminum.

White panels are straight out of Meier, but the interior color coming through the front windows, that's different.

It's not new, but it's clean, uncluttered.

I like it.

When was the last time you were in Barcelona?

Years ago, with you, Mom and Henry.

Do you remember visiting Casa de la Caritat?

The almshouse. Mm-hm.

That's right. You mentioned Meier.

His Barcelona museum stands in the same area as Casa de la Caritat.

It drinks the same light.

Meier designed a series of louvered skylights to capture that light and cast it inward to illuminate the art within, but indirectly.

And that was important, because although light enhances art, it can also degrade it.

But you know all that already, you son of a...

(CHUCKLES)

Now, this...

(COUGHS) where do you suppose this is to be built?

I have no idea.

Oh, but you said you liked it.

Conceptually.

Now, come on.

You know as well as I do that the light in Barcelona is quite different from the light in Tokyo.

And the light in Tokyo is different from that in Prague.

A truly great structure, one that is meant to stand the tests of time, never disregards its environment.

A serious architect takes that into account.

He knows that if he wants presence, he must consult with nature.

He must be captivated by the light.

Always the light. Always.

(♪)

Hey. I have an emergency. Take my shift. Please.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello.

KLYCZYNSKI: Mr. Wyler?

Yes.

This is Dr. Klyczynski at Chicago City Hospital.

I'm afraid I have some difficult news for you.

KATE: I'm so sorry, Alex.

I wish somehow I could be there with you, that we could sit together and look out over the water and the light in this house your father built.

I could be a shoulder for you like you've been for me.

And tell you that everything is gonna be okay.

If I could do one thing for you today, from here, one small, simple thing from the future, I hope this is it.

It won't be published for a couple of years, but I don't think you should have to wait that long.

I hope it helps you know how much you were loved.

(SIGHS)

Aw.

(SNIFFLES)

(SIGHS)

(SOBBING)

(NICK DRAKE'S "PINK MOON" PLAYING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

♪ I saw it written And I saw it say ♪

♪ Pink moon is on its way

♪ And none of you Stand so tall ♪

Pick a place. I'll be there, I promise.

Tomorrow, what do you say?

But, Alex, it won't be tomorrow for you.

You're gonna have to wait two years.

I know, I don't care. I'll wait.

Are you sure? I don't know.

I do. I've never been so sure of anything in my life.

Okay. I'll see you in two years, then.

See you tomorrow, then.

Kate, where would you like to go?

Il Mare.

HOSTESS: When were you hoping to dine with us?

Two years from tomorrow.

Two years from tomorrow?

Yeah.

Two years? From tomorrow.

Uh-huh.

Hi. Hello. Name?

Uh, Forster.

Can I have your name? Wyler.

Or, uh, Wyler, I'm... I'm really not sure.

I think we should be able to accommodate you.

Great.

Wyler? Mm-hm.

(CHUCKLES) Wyler.

Your waiter will be right with you.

(ROSEMARY CLOONEY'S "THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU" PLAYING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

♪ And I'll be Standing here... ♪ Good evening, miss.

Complimentary.

♪ There will be

♪ Other songs to sing

♪ Another fall Another spring... ♪

♪ But there will never be Thank you.

(WHISPERS) Good luck. ♪ Another you

♪ There will be other lips

♪ That I may kiss

♪ But they won't thrill me ♪

♪ Like yours used to do...

Another glass for the lady?

(ROSEMARY CLOONEY'S "I WISH YOU LOVE" PLAYING)

♪ And more than wealth

♪ I wish you love

♪ I wish you shelter

♪ From the storm

♪ A cozy fire

♪ To keep you warm

♪ But most of all

♪ When snowflakes fall

♪ I wish you love

(♪)

KATE: You weren't there.

You didn't come.

I don't understand.

ALEX: Something must have happened. I'm sorry.

I've got two years, Kate. We can try again.

KATE: No, Alex, it's too late.

It already happened. It didn't work.

ALEX: Don't give up on me, Kate.

What about Persuasion?

You told me. They wait.

They meet again. They have another chance.

KATE: Life is not a book, Alex.

And it can be over in a second.

I was having lunch with my mother at Daley Plaza, and a man was k*lled right in front of me.

He d*ed in my arms.

And I thought:

"It can't end just like that on Valentine's Day."

And I thought about all the people who love him, waiting at home, who will never see him again.

And then I thought:

"What if there is no one?"

What if you live your whole life and no one is waiting?

So I drove to the lake house looking for any kind of answer.

And I found you.

And I let myself get lost.

Lost in this beautiful fantasy where time stood still.

But it's not real, Alex.

I have to learn to live the life that I have got.

Please don't write anymore.

Don't try to find me.

Let me let you go.

(♪)

(PAOLO CONTE'S "CHIAMAMI ADESSON" PLAYING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello.

What? I'm sorry, hold on. I can't hear you.

I'll be right back, sorry.

Hello. Hold on. Hold on.

Hello.

Hi.

How long are you here?

I'm at a bar with some friends.

Come on.

Well, don't get too excited.

I find that hard to believe.

Mm. It is good.

And it was really good to hear your voice.

I was surprised how good it was to hear your voice.

So how was your meeting?

It was good.

Yeah?

Yeah, I, uh... I got the job.

Really?

Yeah.

Well, congratulations. Imagine that.

Yeah. A telecom company.

I'll be in-house counsel. Pays well.

And it's here, in Chicago.

Well, it's great news.

Hey.

(♪)

What?

(WHIMPERS)

Jack. (BARKING)

Hey, Jack.

Jack.

(♪)

MORGAN: Are you gonna come down this weekend?

Hm?

(CHUCKLES) Don't you miss me a little bit?

Oh, just a little bit. Not a lot, huh?

Okay. No, I heard you. Yeah.

(CHUCKLES)

Um, Kate, I'm gonna have to call you back, okay?

Still wanna rent a lake house?

It's what Kate wants.

How the hell do you know what Kate wants?

Trust me.

(♪)

(BARKING)

Hey, you.

I know you.

MAN: Whatever you want out back.

ALEX: What do you think?

You're fixating. You know?

Why do you keep tweaking the lake house?

Why don't you do your own work.

Because it's hers.

You're, uh, talking about the girl from the future.

Kate.

And you're still writing with Kate?

No.

Why not?

She asked me not to.

Why?

Time.

Hey, come on.

This is a good thing.

You know, you need a real woman.

(LAUGHING) A woman...

Henry, listen.

Listen to me.

While it lasted, she was more real to me than any of that stuff.

She was more real to me than anything I've ever known.

(♪)

I saw her.

I kissed her.

I love her.

And now she's gone.

She's gone.

(SIGHS)

and Duckett squirts through.

First thing...

(UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING)

MAN 1: How could the Ab Scissor four-minute ab machine...?

MAN 2: ... and your potatoes cooking on the top.

ALICIA: It's nice out here.

Let's stay here.

DEVLIN: We have to eat.

We can eat here. I'll cook.

I thought you didn't like to cook.

No, I don't like to cook.

But I have a chicken in the icebox, and you're eating it.

What about all the washing-up afterward?

We'll eat with our fingers.

Could you turn that down a little, babe?

Don't we need any plates?

Yes. One for you, and one for...

(♪)

(SIGHS)

"There could have been no two hearts so open, "no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison."

(SIGHS)

ALL: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

Happy New Year!

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Come in.

(HAMMERING)

Hi.

Hi.

What do you think?

This is what I gave up lunch for?

I know it needs work.

Work? How about a wrecking ball?

(CHUCKLES)

I found an architect who specializes in renovations.

I made an appointment for tomorrow.

Oh.

(NICK DRAKE'S "TIME HAS TOLD ME" PLAYING)

(SIGHS)

Ambush.

(CHUCKLES)

Come on.

We can't stay in my apartment. We've been there over a year.

I wanna keep moving forward.

♪ What I really don't Want to love ♪

♪ Time has told me...

KATE: It's a new firm.

MORGAN: "New" as in inexperienced?

KATE: No. "New" as in cheap.

MORGAN: Ah.

♪ A soul with no footprint...

Hi. Hi, Dr. Forster.

We'll be with you in a moment.

Great, thank you.

♪ Your tears, they tell me

♪ There's really no way ♪ Oh, by the way...

(CLEARS THROAT)

Happy Valentine's Day.

Oh, God, Katie, I didn't get you anything.

I'm sorry. I've just been so swamped and...

Doesn't matter.

♪ And time will tell you

♪ To stay by my side

♪ To keep on trying Whoa.

What is this?

It's global warming.

Dr. Forster?

Hi, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

♪ So leave the ways That are making you be ♪

♪ What you really Don't want to be ♪

♪ Leave the ways That are making you love... ♪

KATE: Good to see you again. Dr. Forster.

You, too, welcome.

Hi, I'm Morgan.

Hey, Morgan. Vanessa Vanderbeck.

Wow.

So obviously, the first thing you see is what we had talked about. The atrium.

Wow. That's stunning.

So we were able to do it with all the... All the...

The glass panels in... In the metal structure?

Yeah. Can I...?

Hey, you wanna get a beer after work?

I'm sorry, I can't.

I'm taking Vanessa out for Valentine's Day.

(CHUCKLES)

♪ For a troubled mind Wait.

Say that again.

It's Valentine's Day today.

I'm taking out Vanessa, my girlfriend.

Cold champagne, some oysters, maybe a little chocolate.

What's the date?

It's February 14th.

February 14th, 2006.

Yeah.

Stunning. Thank you so much.

Our pleasure. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Henry will make sure you have everything.

Great. They were absolutely beautiful, I...

Thank you.

What?

Katie, I gotta get back to work.

Who did this drawing?

HENRY: Uh, my brother did, actually.

Who's your brother?

Alex Wyler.

Did you know him?

Yeah.

Yeah, I know him.

Um, do you know how, uh, I can get in touch with him?

Uh, is... Is he...? Is he anywhere that I can...?

Um... Um...

I'm sorry, um...

He... d*ed.

Uh, two years ago today, actually.

Uh, there was an accident, and...

Where?

(♪)

MORGAN: Kate!

Wait, just stop. Just stop.

g*dd*mn it, answer me.

What is the matter?

Kate.

Kate!

(SOBBING)

(♪)

KATE: Sixty degrees on Valentine's Day.

This cannot be Chicago.

The TV says it's global warming.

Nothing wrong with that.

It's a dangerous thing.

KATE: Alex.

I know why you didn't show up that night.

It was you at Daley Plaza that day.

It was you.

Please, don't go.

Just wait. Please.

Don't look for me.

Don't try to find me.

I love you.

And it's taken me all this time to say it, but I love you.

(CRYING)

And if you still care for me, wait for me.

Wait with me.

Just wait. Wait.

(DINGS)

Wait two years, Alex.

Come to the lake house.

I'm here.

(♪)

(CAR APPROACHING)

(DOOR OPENING)

(DOOR CLOSING)

You waited.

(♪)

(PAUL McCARTNEY'S "THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE" PLAYING)

♪ I'm very sure ♪

♪ This never happened To me before ♪

♪ I met you, and now I'm sure ♪

♪ This never happened before

♪ Now I see

♪ This is the way It's supposed to be ♪

♪ I met you, and now I see

♪ This is the way It should be ♪

♪ This is the way It should be for lovers ♪

♪ They shouldn't go it alone ♪

♪ It's not so good When you're on your own ♪

♪ So come to me

♪ Now we can be What we wanna be ♪

♪ I love you, and now I see

♪ This is the way It should be ♪

♪ This is the way It should be ♪

♪ This is the way It should be for lovers ♪

♪ They shouldn't go it alone ♪

♪ It's not so good When you're on your own ♪

♪ I'm very sure ♪

♪ This never happened To me before ♪

♪ I met you, and now I'm sure ♪

♪ This never happened before

♪ This never happened

♪ This never happened before

♪ This never happened

♪ This never happened before

♪ This never