The Time Traveler's Wife

I can't sing.

That was fine, Henry.

I can't sing like you.

Of course not. You're supposed to sing like you.

Dad says I can't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow.

Dad was joking.

I love your voice. We both love your voice.

How about "Jingle Bells"? That you can sing.

Mommy!

Henry.

"For the third time and said:

'What will you give me if I spin the straw for you this time also?'

'I have nothing left that I could give, ' answered the girl.

'Then promise me, if you should become queen, your first child.'

'Who knows whether that will ever happen?' thought the Miller's daughter."

- No! Mommy! - Henry. Henry.

- There's nothing you can do. No. Shh. - Let me go! Mommy!

There's nothing you can do. Listen. Listen to me.

I don't have much time.

You were in the car. It was spinning. And all of a sudden...

you were home and it was two weeks ago...

and you were watching yourself. Watching your mom and dad read to you.

You time-traveled, okay? Just like I did to come to see you.

I'm you, Henry. Understand? When you're grown up.

We're the same person.

I know that's hard to understand, but you will someday.

Oh, my God.

I have to go now.

But you don't need to be afraid, Henry. You're gonna be okay, I promise.

Help that little boy!

- That took you long enough. - You have no idea.

Okay.

So Christmas Eve. Got any plans?

Yeah, yeah. Big plans.

- Anything else? - No, thank you.

Merry Christmas. Thank you very much.

Good morning, Chicago. ChiTown radio time is 8 A.M.

News and sports are coming up next.

Shaping up to be a warm first day of spring here in the Windy City.

Excuse me. I'm looking for something on papermaking at Kelmscott.

Our special-collections librarian can help you with that.

Can I help you?

Henry?

Yes?

Henry.

It's you.

You told me this would happen.

I'm supposed to act normal, but I'm not really acting very normal.

I'm sorry. I really have no idea who you are.

I'm Clare.

Clare Abshire.

Now, I know... I know you don't know me.

Look, I know how odd this must be for you. It's odd for me.

But, um...

would you like to have dinner with me, and I'll explain?

Henry, we've been planning this dinner for a long time.

We have?

Go to the Beau Thai. It's your favorite.

- It is. - Mm-hm.

You look like you've been having a hard time.

You know, everything's gonna be okay.

So, um, is it "yes," then, to dinner?

Okay.

- Okay. - Yeah.

Yeah. Um...

- So Beau Thai, 7. - Mm-hm.

See you there.

Oh, shit.

- Hey. - Oh, man.

Going somewhere, asshole?

I wouldn't bother.

Yeah? Why's that?

- You'll see. - Shut up.

- Dispatch, Unit 11. - Go ahead, 11.

I got a...

Jesus Christ.

- Would you like another glass? - Sure. Thank you.

Sorry. I was, uh, detained.

- Are you okay? - Yeah, no big deal.

Thank you.

You do understand why it is I don't know you?

Uh, of course.

When you're older, you'll travel back to when I'm a little girl.

For me, ahh...

I mean, I've known you since... Since I was 6 years old.

Since, um, you appeared in the Meadow behind my parents' house...

where I used to play.

Um...

You're not really supposed to drink.

Why's that?

Well, you told me that Dr. Kendrick said that you should stop drinking...

because it makes you travel.

- Who's Dr. Kendrick? - He's your doctor.

He wins the Berger for his work in genetics. He... He helps you.

This is too much.

I'm sorry.

You told me to go easy on you, and, um, I'm not.

Ahh...

I wrote down every time that you came to visit me.

Which I gather I did, or will do, fairly often.

The last time that I saw you, I was 18.

Seems that you go back to the same places a lot.

Yeah, it's like gravity.

Big events pull you in.

I was a big event.

So it would seem.

Clare, right?

Yeah.

Could we pretend just for a minute that this is the first time we've met?

Okay.

Sure.

It's just that...

It's just that you're my best friend.

I've been in love with you all my life.

- Is this really necessary? - Yeah. Count to 1000.

Ahh...

Okay.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four hundred.

Six hundred.

Eight hundred.

A thousand.

Do you want a drink?

I don't want a drink.

God, you're so young.

Tell me again.

How did we meet?

You're older than you are now.

Maybe I'm not supposed to tell you.

Well, I think I need to know.

Who's there?

Greetings, Earthling.

Mark, you idiot.

Ow! Clare, I'm not gonna hurt you. Just please don't throw anything at me.

Who are you, how do you know my name, and why can't you come out?

Can you just hand me the blanket?

Maybe I should call my mom.

No, no, no. Don't call your mom, please.

Just hand me the blanket and I'll leave.

What do you need the blanket for?

I'm a time traveler.

I come from the future.

And when I do, I don't get to bring my clothes.

There's no such thing as time travelers.

Yes, there is.

In fact, you and I are friends in the future.

- When you're a lady. - Am I pretty?

Yes.

Very.

Prove you're from the future.

Well, your name is Clare Abshire.

Born May 24th, 1972.

- Your parents are Philip and Lucille... - So you know things.

That doesn't prove you're from the future.

Okay.

This weekend, your brother, Mark, who's a real pain in the ass...

falls out of a tree and breaks his arm.

Yeah, but I won't know till then if you're telling the truth or not.

Well, if you hang around long enough, you'll see me disappear.

But you just got here.

I'll be back again.

Lots of times.

In fact...

I'll be back next Tuesday at 4.

And it'd be great if, when you come then, you could bring me some clothes.

Something your dad won't miss.

Nice to meet you.

Don't worry about that. It's been over for a while.

This is weird.

I never knew you at this age. I mean, I've only known you as this...

mature, worldly person.

I'm competing against myself.

No.

You were just kind of my perfect guy.

I just can't get used to this.

I mean, I just keep waiting for you to disappear.

Oh, it'll happen, believe me.

How's it feel?

I mean, I know what it's like to watch you go...

but what's it like to always be the one that's going?

Sometimes it feels like you've stood up too quickly.

Your hands and feet are tingling, and then they're not there at all.

Sometimes it feels like your attention has wandered just for an instant...

then you're standing naked someplace.

Maybe you've been there before, maybe you haven't.

You don't know how long it's gonna last, so you start walking...

till you find some clothes.

Then you seem just like everybody else.

Except you're stranded and all alone, just waiting to disappear.

But you get to see people from the past.

People who are gone, like your mom.

Yeah, but the thing is, you can't change what happens to them.

I've tried. It just happens anyway.

- It's nice. Hey. - And this is Charisse, my roommate.

- Hi. - My best friend.

- And our excellent cook for tonight. - Welcome.

Because I don't cook.

Well, you should know that going in. She's a lovely girl, but she can't cook toast.