Sleepwalker

Honey.

Honey, wake up. Wake up.

I'm here. You're okay.

You were dreaming.

It got me. It got me.

Oh, baby. Baby, it's okay.

You were sleepwalking again. Oh, you're all right, honey.

Baby, calm down.

You're okay. You're okay.

Mm.

Careful, it's hot.

You want marshmallows?

No?

You feelin' a little bit better?

Mom, does everyone sleepwalk?

No, not everyone. Some people.

I stopped when I was about your age.

How did you make the nightmares go away?

Well, you remember the trick I taught you?

You look down at your hand and you count your fingers.

You can't count when you're dreaming,

you'll never get to five.

That's when I'd know I was asleep

and I'd wake myself up.

What are you doing?

Just making sure.

Mm-hmm.

Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?

What?

How can I say no to that face?

Mom?

Yeah?

How do we know we're not dreaming right now?

'Cause we're awake,

we're having a normal conversation,

and we're gonna go to sleep,

and we'll wake up again in six hours, hopefully.

But when I wake up, sometimes I'm still dreaming.

Mm.

Get some sleep, baby. We gotta get up early.

Love you, Mom.

Love you, too. So much.

Aimee?

Aimee?

Aimee?

Where are you?

Answer me, please.

Hello?

6, 10, 3, 5, 2, 7, 14, 9--

Hey, sweetheart. You okay?

5, 2, 6, 11, 4--

Wake up, baby.

6, 10, 3, 5, 2, 7--

Hey, you're sleepwalking again.

No, you are.

You're not gonna bring her back

by staring into the void, you know?

God, Mom, you scared me.

Jumpy?

Bad dreams again?

So real this time.

She was alive.

I held her in my arms.

You were sleepwalking again, weren't you?

Yeah.

You have to start locking your bedroom door at night.

Do you know how many people fall to their deaths each year

from sleepwalking out of windows,

down the stairs?

It's a fact. I read it on the internet.

Sarah, hon, have you thought about going back

to that support group?

I told you it didn't do anything for me.

It was an accident.

A horrible, terrible accident, but it wasn't your fault.

Sometimes the universe just allows things to happen--

I don't wanna hear that the universe allows

or doesn't allow bullshit.

I am tired of it. I've heard it all my life.

Holden, we gotta go.

You're gonna be late for school.

Grandma packed your lunch, right?

Hello?

Can you at least text me from that thing

if you're not gonna talk to me?

Wow.

Okay.

You can stay here and catch the bus.

Put that down for a second, please.

Listen, I know things have been hard on you

after what happened.

New school, new friends--

No friends, you mean.

That'll change, okay?

You have to try to make friends.

Put in some effort. Things will get better.

You'll see.

We're gonna move back home?

You know we can't afford to do that right now.

I don't mind living with Grandma.

She's nice.

Yeah, well, not a fan.

That house gives me bad dreams.

Oh, um, listen.

I have to drive into the city this afternoon,

so Grandma's gonna pick you up after school, okay?

Got it?

Um, bye?

Oh, I love you, too, sweetheart!

I haven't sleep walked since I was a kid.

But it was never like this. Never.

Every single night. It's out of control.

It only makes sense.

Look at everything you went through.

All that trauma, for years. And then your daughter.

I mean, you're haunted.

You're haunted by her memory.

Oh, yeah. It's overwhelming.

I wake up every single night in a panic,

can't go back to sleep, and then I'm walking around

the next day like a damn zombie.

Hmm.

Well, you just need to channel all of that into your art.

Pull it out of your psyche. Let it free you.

I mean, it is the best form of therapy.

You know this.

-I do. -Yeah.

So, you wanna talk about the new work?

I know. It's gotten darker.

I mean, I think it's great. Really strong.

And you know me, I'm not just saying that.

I think it's the start of something new.

Mm, God, that's all I want, the start of something new.

Listen, I wanna put your work in next month's group show.

It'll draw a big crowd. Cavanaugh will be featured.

Like, Lawrence Cavanaugh?

Mm-hmm.

What? -Yeah.

Why not give him a solo show?

He only has a few new pieces, but it'll be huge,

and it'll bring collectors from all over New England.

And I think they'll love your new work.

Oh, my God!

Aniya, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Oh, that's amazing.

Oh, of course. What are old friends for?

But I need you to finish up the new pieces, okay?

-I will. -No pressure.

That's incredible.

Holden, look what I got. Celebratory pizza.

It's your favorite, extra cheese and pepperoni.

Oh, all that cheese binds me up.

You didn't put olives on that thing, did you?

You know I hate olives.

No, Mom. No olives.

Oh, geez, hon. You're looking rough.

Your eyes have serious baggage under--

Really?

Not even "Congratulations on the show, Sara.

Happy for you."?

You need spiritual alignment.

You are all out of whack, you know?

All pent up in here. All the time.

Is it possible to eat without getting a lecture

like I'm still a hapless teenager?

Or is it just in your DNA to give ridiculous advice?

Just trying to help.

I don't need advice, Mom. I need sleep.

Oh, my gosh, they have ponies.

It's your favorite! Pretty.

-Look at that big one. -Whoa.

Oh, look at the goats. They got the weirdest eyes.

Yeah.

Hey, can we get some cotton candy?

Absolutely not. That stuff is poison.

They can have a little bit.

They never have that kind of stuff.

Here, baby, I'll buy you some.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What did I just say?

What did I just say?

Michael, let them be kids for once.

Stop.

Holden, Holden, here.

Then you have to share it with your sister though.

-Are you serious right now? -I want to ride the horses!