Swimming Home

You're very quiet, Joseph.

How was your flight?

Great.

Thanks for picking me up, by the way.

I'm sorry you had to wait so long.

No, no. Vito was the one who had to wait in the car.

, Vito.

- -Uh-oh, Vito,

don't let, uh, Laura's politeness fool you.

How are you?

I'm okay.

You sure?

How long were you home before you had to come here?

A week.

Not too long. I just slept most of it.

Was it tough, this time?

No.

No more than usual.

It smells so different here.

It's like... like musk.

No, it's, uh, Vito's beauty wax.

Bum-bum cream.

He's been telling us all about it.

It, uh, it comes from Brazil.

It has five times the amount of caffeine that coffee does.

Interesting.

My bum-bum could use some coffee.

-Me too, constantly. -

-How does it work? -Uh, you rub it on.

The oil squeezes the molecules of your skin, and tightens it.

Like a-- Like a drum-drum.

Yes.

We're getting close.

You must be tired.

You can just relax by the pool this afternoon.

The forest is full of bears.

When it gets dry like this,

they come down from the mountains,

and they drink from the swimming pools.

I didn't know you had bears.

The Ottomans brought them here from the Urals.

They lived in the mountains until the road was built.

Last week,

a dog had its ear bitten off.

Oh, here we are.

Hmm. I think...

Joe thinks it's terracotta, but you know.

-Hi. -Hey!

Hey.

I've missed you.

There's a woman in the pool.

What the hell is this?

Is it a bear, Joe?

Hi.

Hi.

I'm waiting for Vito. And the gate was open.

Vito, there's someone here for you.

Which gate?

I hope you don't mind me using the pool.

I was waiting and I was hot.

We don't mind.

We thought you might be a bear.

Hi.

What's your name?

Nina.

I like your hair.

Do you think I look like a bear, Nina?

No.

Where are you from?

Here, sometimes.

Sometimes?

What the hell does that mean?

I'm gonna wait at the gate.

What are those?

My plants.

I'm a botanist.

You've got some good peculiar words in botany.

Vito, your friend's here.

Hi. Sorry, I thought we'd be back.

No, it's our fault he's late.

Laura's flight was delayed.

Uh, this is my friend, uh, Kitti.

I'm Isabel.

-Hi. -Hi.

I'm, uh, finding her an apartment.

- Where? - Near the beach.

Why don't you stay here?

We have a little house in the garden.

There's a gate to the beach.

You can come and go as you please.

-You're sure? - Yes.

-I don't want to be any trouble. -No, it's no trouble at all.

Joseph loves to talk about plants,

and, I mean, Nina's bored of us already.

Well, thanks.

Nina.

Do you want to show her down to the little house?

Thanks, Nina.

What are you up to?

Vito knows her.

You could have said no, Joseph.

Hey, Laura, let me show you where you are.

The room looks sweet.

That's cool.

These?

Have it.

It'll suit you.

Really?

Your mom is nice.

Not always.

She's a war journalist, right?

How do you know that?

Your parents are famous.

People always think what she does is really special.

But really, she just goes to other countries

to watch people kill each other.

Does it upset you?

It used to.

She's always pissed off when she comes back.

Sounds like you do care.

I don't.

Where was she last?

Sudan.

And your dad?

Dad never goes anywhere.

He just locks himself in his study all day.

Writing?

He says he doesn't write anymore.

Why?

He won't really talk about it.

Trying to write words?

Yeah.

Who looks after you at home?

We used to have a lodger called Marta.

And she was really nice,

but she got in a big argument, and left.

They're both really weird, Mom and Dad.

Neither of them can cook or drive.

Dad used to drive, but now when we go on holiday,

we always get a driver.

It's pretty weird.

It's not strange if you don't drive.

It's embarrassing.

How old are you?

15.

Do you like boys or girls?

Boys, I guess.

Do you want one?

They smell like parsnips.

What are they?

They're roots.

I collect roots.

They can think, and solve problems.

Sh. Sh. Sh.

Can you show me your parents' room?

Sure.

They're my dad's books.

He's supposed to be making a collection of his old stuff,

but I don't think he's read them yet.

"Take Him."

He was very handsome.

From Bosnia.

Was he very young when he left?

He won't talk about it.

Do you think he'll mind if I take it?

He definitely will.

Do you go to the beach?

Not yet.

Let's go tomorrow.

I'll show you the rocks where the boys are.

-Boys on the rocks! -

I borrowed one of your books.

I read the back cover.

Nina said it was okay.

To read the back cover or to take the book?

To read your poems.

You want them to be read, right?

Good luck with finding anything useful inside.

Where's Mum?

Isabel likes to do her own thing in the evening.

Which means she's never fucking here, even with guests.

Sweetheart, your mum...

Goes to some weird sex club every night.

Your mom needs time on her own.

And she's been back only a few weeks.