Message in a Bottle Doctors

MUSIC: "Message In A Bottle" by The Police

# Just a castaway

# An island lost at sea, oh

# Another lonely day

# With no-one here but me, oh

# More loneliness

# Than any man could bear

# Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh

# I'll send an SOS to the world

# I'll send an SOS to the world

# I hope that someone gets my

# I hope that someone gets my

# Message in a bottle, yeah

# Message in a bottle, yeah

# A year has passed

# Since I wrote my note... #

-All right, Jimmi?

-Sorry?

Thought I'd make the most of the day. What you doing here? Are you all right?

# Love can mend your life

# But love can break your heart

# I'll send an SOS to the world

# I'll send an SOS to the world

# I hope that someone gets my

# I hope that someone gets my

# I hope that someone gets my

# Message in a bottle, yeah... #

Hello, Imogen! Hope you're working the light!

Mrs Drake.

Great to see you.

Sadie. I'm off duty. What's the project?

I'm updating my portfolio.

Ah. Polarising filter?

-Ooops!

-Reflections will ruin your composition.

-What can I say?

Since my favourite teacher retired, everything's fallen apart.

Relocated, not retired.

This is brilliant.

You're free to go wherever you want.

Totally, this would be my dream.

Your field of view always was weird.

More quirky, I'd say.

Makes for better photos.

-If it's quirky you want, I'm heading up to Perrott's Folly later. Fancy coming along?

-Really?

My pleasure. Just don't fall in.

-MOBILE PHONE RINGS Someone's keen.

-Let's hope it's you.

-Always raring to go.

-What are you wearing?

Isn't that meant to be my line?

Your brown jacket?

I want you to feel inside the pocket.

-A pebble?

-Think you can follow my trail?

That depends where it leads.

-Wherever I want it to.

-Really?

Really.

I'll be in touch.

KNOCKING AT DOOR

KNOCKING CONTINUES

You look awful. What's happened? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I just couldn't believe it when I got Jimmi's message.

Harcourt actually took you hostage?

Thank goodness the police have arrested him.

Oh, Cherry, I'm...

-Don't touch me Julia, OK?

-What?

You knew, didn't you?

-What?

-You knew that Eva wasn't dead.

Did you paint these?

When you live on a narrowboat, there's lots of hours to fill.

Seriously, how could you not love all of this?

There's lots of things I miss.

A bath.

Heat. Space.

There must be some good points.

Morning.

The people are really friendly.

Canal etiquette. Everyone smiles, even if they hate you.

It's not the done thing to kick off.

Ah, for pity's sake! Haven't they heard of paths?

Think it's funny, do you?

-Are you all right?

-Not really.

She wasn't due until this afternoon.

Cherry?

Please let me explain.

I'm sorry. I really am sorry. It's just, I couldn't say anything. Neither of us could.

You know, no-one could have predicted this and even if you'd known you'd...

Julia, if I had known, then I could have protected myself.

-It's not quite that simple.

-Julia, he let me walk straight into this.

-He believed he was doing the right thing.

-Right for who, Julia?

-For you.

Look, even if he had told you about Eva,

that would have put your life in more danger.

You could have become a target, as well.

I was living with him, Julia. We were getting married. I was always going to be a target.

Yes, I know, but he was trying to shield you from that.

He was trying to protect you.

No, Julia, he wasn't trying to protect me.

He was trying to protect Eva. I was never top of the list.

Cherry...

So, all this time, you've known Eva was alive? That must have killed you.

You couldn't even speak to her?

Didn't know where she was.

And now Cherry's left you?

It's just a reaction.

After everything he's been through?

None of this is Cherry's fault.

So, what happens now?

This time yesterday, I had a fiancee.

She'll come back, mate. It's Cherry.

That's the thing about secrets, completely corrosive.

Avoid them at all costs.

-You must have been two, or was it three years above me at school?

-Four.

Breakfast's on its way.

Great, thanks.

-So, what do you do?

-Linguist.

She's fluent in five languages.

You still up for a crash course in Italian?

Don't tell me you've turned it down.

-Mother, it's the job you've always wanted.

-I'm not sure.

-It's been three months!

-I've still got things to do.

-Well, why do you think I'm here?

Where is the old sod, anyway?

Under the sink.

My husband, Ernest. He had dementia.

-He died in June.

-I'm sorry.

Right, let's sort this out once and for all!

When are you going to scatter these, sell the boat, and get on with the rest of your life?

'Hi, this is Cherry.

'Leave a message. Bye!'

She's got a right to be angry.

You've been living in this tin can for more than a year.

It's not that bad.

You only did it because Dad insisted. You gave up the house, your job...

I'm not ready to leave.

-Thanks.

-He's dead, move on, get over it.

-Where's your respect?

-That disappeared a long time ago.

-Should I put the kettle on again?

-Do you want more tea?

-What I want is for you to start living your own life. That job's perfect.

A photography lecturer, based in Venice.

Wow, that sounds amazing!

-Apparently not.

-Ann! We've got a guest.

-Sorry.

-Don't stop on my account. I'm used to family drama.

Spare me the teenage angst. You know nothing about our family.

Can I ask, actually, why are you here?

Because your mum invited me. And for your information, I'm not a kid. I know exactly what's going on.

-Really?

-Really.

-Right.

And?

And I know a bully when I see one!

I'll put that kettle on.

You know, what hurts the most...

..is that he didn't trust me.

-That's not true.

-No?

-No.

We tell each other everything.

Problems, dreams...

I've got a patient from hell.

-But none of that matters now because he didn't tell me the one thing he should have told me.

-He couldn't.

-Why?

-Because the police wouldn't let him.

-He couldn't tell anybody.

-He told you.

Not by choice, I can assure you.

He was just trying to make the best of an impossible situation.

Maybe.

Or maybe he still loves her.

I won't be the consolation prize.

Jimmi's crazy about you, everybody can see that.

-I've been here before, Julia, remember?

-Oh, come on, Scott was completely different.

Jimmi lied to me. He knows I can't handle that.

He didn't have a choice.

He did, Julia. He chose her.

He's marrying you, Cherry.

Don't you think he deserves a chance?

I can't risk it.

You should be going, because you're going to be late for work.

Look, if there's anything at all that I can do...

Please, just promise me that you'll take things slowly, OK?

-Jimmi!

-Tell him to go away!

Cherry, please, just let me talk.

-What, so you can lie to me again?

-I was wrong, I know that.

-It's all an act.

-Let me explain.

-Just go away and leave me alone.

I think it might be best.

Just give her a bit of space.

Do you still love him?

He's the only man I've ever really loved.

Then this shouldn't be over.

Useless thing. Just work!

Ernest's pride and joy.

He liked pretending he was still in the Navy.

If it ever decides to work again...

..we might just make it to the folly.

Are you sure? If you'd rather I went...

You can't bail out on me now. You're my escape plan.

I thought that was Venice.

No. That's just a dream.

This is reality.

You wouldn't see me for dust if I got offered a job like that.

Can we just leave it, please?

Is this Ernest?

Yes.

We met on a beach.

I'd gone to throw my message in a bottle out to sea.

We got talking.

Never did throw it in.

You old romantic.

He was at sea for nearly 40 years.

Wow. That must have been difficult.

When he came home on leave, I always wanted everything to be perfect.

No pressure, then!

Sometimes.

It was easier just to let him have his own way.

What, you? Demanding Drake, a push-over?

-Surely not.

-Only with Ernest.

I suppose that's why Ann always felt protective.

She's a good girl, you know?

Don't let her convince you otherwise.

Right, let's give her another go.

You untie me at the front.

-I take it there's a point in you summoning me here today?

-Eight, nine, 10.

-Yes!

-Well?

Yes, there's a point.

I've made a decision.

Push me off when you're ready, Imogen.

-You're not going to Italy, are you?

-No, I'm going to France.

Your Dad had been planning a special trip.

He always wanted to take the boat across the Channel.

I'm still doing it.

I'll scatter your dad's ashes at sea.

OK, Imogen, let's go.

Suits you.

Actually, no,

-I'm not really into this New Agey stuff.

-You said you'd try.

-Yeah, but science does it for me, you know?

-It's part science.

And the other part?

Helps you relax, detox, heal.

Doesn't your body deserve to be pampered?

Yeah, it kind of feels better when it's in control.

Not too old to learn something new, are you?

That depends on what you had in mind.

The ultimate journey.

Mind, body and soul.

Will you just stop and listen!

I don't want to go over it again.

-Emphasize the height. Lose the clutter.

-You're crazy!

-I've made up my mind.

-It's insanity.

It's what Ernest would have wanted.

Exactly! You don't have to do everything that he wants anymore.

Perrott built this place to keep an eye on his wife's grave.

It was 10 miles away. He needed the height.

The things people do for the dead.

Mum, please, just talk to me.

Why are you so determined to do this?

You never went on any of Dad's Navy trips.

The sea brought me and your dad together. That's where I want to say goodbye.

-It's dangerous.

-The boat's completely watertight, everything's prepared.

What about the weather? It's unpredictable. Anything could happen.

I'll wait until it's calm.

You won't change my mind. I'm doing this for Ernest.

After the way he treated you, you'd seriously risk your life for him?

-He was my husband.

-He was a control freak.

-He looked after me.

He bullied you and you never fought back.

I couldn't. I wouldn't. I loved him.

He didn't deserve your love.

-Why not?

-Because he lied to you.

It wasn't old age that gave him dementia. It was syphilis.

I need to speak to Mum.

Alone.

I hope she's all right.

Sadie, are you OK?

Not really.

I'm pathetic.

I can lecture 30 opinionated art students.

When it comes to my own daughter...

Just point and shoot. That's what you always taught us.

Don't spend ages setting up a shot.

There's something Ann doesn't know.

Well, then you need to talk to her, change what happens next.

-What are you doing?

-What you should have done three months ago.

-Please, Ann, stop!

You don't need these anymore. You don't have to go on this stupid sea thing.

-I do.

-Didn't you hear what I said?

You owe Dad nothing.

I owe him everything!

I already knew he was ill.

It was me who gave him the disease.

# I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue

# I'd go crawling down the avenue

# Though there's nothing that I wouldn't do

# To make you feel my love... #

PHONE RINGS

'Hello!

-'This is Jimmi.'

-'And Cherry!'

-'Sorry, we can't take your call. Just leave a message. Bye!'

'Hey, it's me.'

I never wanted to lie to you.

'When Eva left,

'I didn't have a choice and I hated it.

'Then there was you.

'And you made everything OK.

'If I'd known any of this was going to happen...'

Cherry, I don't blame you for hating me, but, please, don't doubt what we had, OK?

Because that was real.

I love you.

And I'm sorry.

# To make you feel my love. #

I'm sorry.

It was 15 years ago, a drunken, stupid mistake. When I realized

that I'd caught something, I saw a doctor.

I was lucky.

Did you tell Dad?

Just hoped I hadn't passed it on.

Hoped?!

We're talking about a sexually transmitted disease. You were playing with his life.

I was wrong.

I just hoped it wouldn't happen.

So, when did you realise it had?

The confusion? The rash? Or was it the sores that gave it away?

-Does it matter?

-Yes!

It matters.

I told you I was worried about Dad.

I knew it wasn't just dementia.

So did you.

What good would telling you have done?

It was already too late by then.

I know.

It's amazing what the internet can reveal.

Type in a few symptoms, press a few buttons,

hey presto! Your dad's in the late stages of syphilis and your whole world falls apart!

I couldn't even admit it to myself.

If you had told me, I wouldn't have confronted him.

I forced him to admit there'd been other women.

You didn't know?

Dad's Navy life was certainly eventful.

Why do you think Dad stopped speaking to me?

I never even got to say goodbye.

I think I've died and gone to Heaven.

Nirvana.

Bless you.

Makes you feel beautiful, doesn't it?

Thank you.

I didn't know what I was missing.

So, you don't mind losing control?

If you can do it, I can.

Hey, I'm not a control freak!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

All the phone calls, the notes, the "follow my trail"?

OK, maybe a little.

Maybe I like taking the lead.

Doesn't everyone sometimes?

Mmm, it's so much better when you learn to let go.

Why haven't you left?

I wanted to make sure that Sadie was OK.

She's in there.

You've got me all wrong, you know. I'm not like my dad.

I just thought that your mum needed someone on her side.

Me, too.

How wrong was I?

What are you doing?

Imogen's right - I can't change the past,

but I can change what happens next.

So, here's to my new job

and laying the past to rest.

I didn't know how to talk to Ernest, but that's no excuse.

You shouldn't have had to do it for me.

-I'm sorry.

-Are you sure?

Bye, Dad.

I'll miss you, too.

No, wait! I can't. It's not right.

Your father belongs at sea.

I owe him that much.

I'm still doing the trip.

For pity's sake!

Use this. Now you're going to Venice, put the ashes in here.

Write a note, asking whoever finds it to throw it back in, that way the adventure continues.

But Ernest really wanted to take the boat to sea.

But you don't.

OK.

On one condition. I'll ask whoever finds it to send me a postcard.

At least I'll finally get to know what he's up to.

I'll drink to that.

-Cheers!

-Cheers!

-Cheers!

Hi.

Should I get rid of that?

Thanks.

So, I've been thinking, this Harcourt character.

He's in custody, yeah?

So, does that mean Eva can stop hiding? She can come back?

He's the father of this child, you get me?

It could be coming any time now.

Your girlfriend is now your career advisor, is that it?

I want to be about for my kid, yeah? Not working all hours.

I can have you out that door so fast you won't have time to cry to Mummy.

I'm Peggy Hardcastle

and I'll be your dedicated midwife

-throughout your pregnancy.

-Really?

-This is my class!

-You're ruining it.

-Shut up, you skinny bitch!

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