Our Souls at Night Page #5

through the spray, you know, and...

Gene was five at the time.

Connie was 11.

And he was chasing her

around the yard with the hose,

and they were laughing

and screaming and...

And I went inside to check on dinner.

I was making tomato soup.

And I heard the screech of car tires

and, uh, a thud and a scream,

and I ran outside and...

Uh, the driver was standing

next to his car,

and he kept saying, "Oh, God. Oh, God."

It was...

I don't know who called the ambulance,

but it got there pretty quick.

She was still alive.

My little girl.

And we rode to the hospital,

and I held her head in my lap.

Two days later, she was buried.

Her body was buried.

And I don't remember anything else

about that time.

I don't remember

Gene going back to school.

I don't remember Carl going back to work.

But things were never the same between us.

Never. Our relationship, our marriage...

In what way?

Just in every way possible. It was...

I don't know. We stopped talking.

We stopped being intimate.

It's tough for a marriage to survive that.

You know, you wake up one morning,

and you have everything.

Then the next morning it's all gone.

That's how fast it can happen,

just like that, in an instant, you know?

- You two aren't fighting again...

- No, Mom, come on.

She can't keep doing this, Gene.

It's not right.

- Mom...

- And it's not good for him.

Mom, it's not what you think it is.

We don't have a problem, okay?

Just... Just take him for a couple of days,

that's all I'm asking. Help me out.

Take him?

Yeah, until Bev comes back

or he goes back to school in September.

She's not gonna just go

and leave her son, is she?

No, Ma.

No. No. She's not.

Of course I'll take him.

How's your shop?

It was wonderful. I lost it.

You know, nobody's buying unpainted

furniture nowadays,

and... and I can't help it, you know?

Yeah. So what are you gonna do?

Uh...

I'll, uh... I'll figure it out.

You need money?

No.

I'll see you soon.

All right, now, give me a hug.

You're gonna be all right, okay?

All right, now go inside.

She's waiting for you, come on.

Come on, go inside.

Go on. Jamie, go up.

Come on, we're gonna have a good time.

I guess that's it for us, then.

Well, it... it doesn't have to be.

You don't think?

I don't know. Let's see how it goes.

Heck, I might need you

to help me with him, actually.

Been quite a stretch

since I took care of a seven-year-old.

Yeah, you and me both.

Jamie, hi.

How are things at home?

Uh...

Well, we're gonna have a good time,

you and me, okay?

Okay, so let's go to bed now.

- Nana?

- Yeah?

Can I sleep in your room?

Sure.

Pretty good cupcakes.

Try.

Hey, Jamie, how do you like school?

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