Letting Go

Nearly three years after her husband Michael’s death, Eileen Sellars begins spending time with Blake Anderson, a man who works in the same building. Blake’s wife, Gloria, died of cancer two years ago, and he is raising his ten-year-old daughter, Jill. Eileen enjoys Blake’s company, but she is unsure how Zachary will react and wants their first proper meeting to be a simple dinner at home.

Zachary unexpectedly returns while Blake and Eileen are taking a walk. Once Blake leaves, Eileen explains that their lunches and walks amount to dating, though she has known him for only a month and does not know where the relationship will lead. Zachary says he sees nothing wrong, but his uneasiness grows when Blake and Jill come for dinner. Blake tries to ask about science, trains, and model airplanes, while Jill eagerly joins every conversation. Zachary answers as little as possible.

After the guests leave, Zachary complains that the evening felt false. Blake pretended to care about his train only to make a good impression. Eileen admits that Blake wants Zachary to like him, but she does not consider that dishonest. She is not planning a marriage; she simply likes Blake and hopes her son will give him a fair chance. Zachary reluctantly agrees to another outing.

At a large mall in Connellsville, Eileen and Jill explore a hat shop while Blake and Zachary discover a machine that measures the speed of a baseball pitch. Blake boasts that he threw ninety-five miles per hour in college and was once drafted by the Yankees. He strains a muscle and manages only fifty-six, giving Zachary a welcome chance to laugh with him. Their connection disappears when Blake suggests that they attend a baseball game by themselves. The invitation reminds Zachary of outings with his father, and he abruptly refuses.

Jill is already imagining a shared future. While baking cookies, she asks whether she and Zachary will become brother and sister, discusses possible houses, and wonders whether he will change his last name. Zachary is alarmed, but Jill explains that Blake has rarely smiled since Gloria died and now smiles all the time. His happiness makes her hopeful instead of afraid.

Before taking Eileen to the Harlequin Theatre, Blake confronts Zachary’s coldness and asks him to be honest. Zachary accuses him of inching into the family by pretending to like trains and offering baseball games. Blake assures him that he is not trying to replace Michael. From everything Eileen has said, Michael was a good father, and Blake would be foolish to imagine taking his place. But Blake also reminds Zachary that more than one person’s feelings are involved.

After they leave, Zachary watches a home video of Michael’s birthday. His father says he needs nothing more than his wife, son, and home. Eileen returns early because her conversation with Blake has replaced the play. She and Blake both believe they may have moved too quickly, but Eileen also admits that she is ready to move forward with life. When Zachary protests that their next outing falls on Michael’s birthday, she says remembering him should not force her to remain trapped in grief. She and Zachary pray together for guidance.

On Michael’s birthday, Eileen stays home and cries. Blake comes to check on her, understands because Gloria’s birthdays affect him too, and offers to drive Eileen and Zachary two hours to Michael’s grave in Richland. At the cemetery, he remains by the car so they can have privacy. Eileen and Zachary share their grief and happy memories, including Michael’s whispered question at the altar: “You don’t squeeze the toothpaste from the middle, do you?” Making Eileen laugh had been one of his great joys.

Zachary asks whether Blake makes her happy. Eileen promises that she will always love Michael and that no one can replace him. Blake’s presence does not mean she is ignoring the past; it means she has decided not to live inside it forever. Zachary believes his father would want her happiness and would respect a man who drove them so far to visit his grave. He agrees that Blake deserves another chance.

Soon Eileen, Zachary, Blake, and Jill set out together for a baseball game. Eileen brings a book and Jill brings homework because neither expects to love the sport, but Zachary is ready to watch. Whatever happens to their families in the future, all four can enjoy being together while they move forward one day at a time.