To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday

Gillian falls from the mast during a family yacht outing and dies, leaving her husband and daughter stunned. The loss drives David into a deep grief that shapes his subsequent actions and memories. This tragedy sets the tone for a family trying to cope with memory versus the need to live in the present.

Distraught, David converts the summer cottage in Nantucket into a permanent home and spends most of his time on the beach. He communicates with Gillian's spirit, often at the expense of his relationship with Rachel. The oceanside ritual begins to blur the lines between mourning and fixation.

On the second anniversary of Gillian's death, Esther Wheeler and her husband Paul are invited to stay for the weekend. Esther insists on bringing her friend Kevin Dollof, hoping David will be drawn to him. David continues with the ritualistic celebration of Gillian's birthday despite Rachel's growing unease.

During a formal dinner, Esther accuses David of holing himself up and neglecting Rachel. David defends his sabbatical as a writing break, then storms off to walk on the beach. The confrontation deepens the rift between the family and David's obsessions.

On the shore, David speaks with Gillian and is reminded that Rachel must come first. After Gillian disappears again, David comes face-to-face with Rachel and admits that he talks to Gillian's imagined ghost and that he isn't truly writing a book. The apparition and the admission blur the line between fiction, memory, and reality.

That night, Paul discovers Esther has a court appointment on Monday to petition that David lose custody of Rachel due to neglect. Rachel already seems withdrawn, and her grades are slipping, intensifying the weekend's emotional stakes. The threat of losing her child shadows every decision.

The next day, David throws himself into a sand sculpture contest he has prepared for weeks, determined to win. Rachel's friend Cindy pressures her to wear a provocative bikini and draw attention, including Paul. When David sees Rachel ogled, he rushes to shield her from the scrutiny.

David calls out to a woman, possibly Gillian, due to heat exhaustion and collapses. He wakes to find he has won the contest, a hollow triumph that deepens Rachel's concern about his inability to move on. The episode underscores the fragility of his grip on reality.

Paul informs David about Esther's court date, urging him to hide his unusual behavior. David tells Esther to leave, and she reveals that she once thwarted his past suicide attempt. The exchange crystallizes the danger signs of David's obsession and the fragile family dynamics.

Rachel attends a party with Joey, while David converses with Gillian along the coast. Esther sends Kevin to talk to him, suggesting that David idolizes Gillian instead of recognizing her flaws. The weekend's tensions spill into social circles and challenge the family’s dynamics.

Rachel returns home drunk after Joey's influence, though she hadn't consumed alcohol previously. She dreams of Gillian taking her night cycling and wakes screaming when a tractor-trailer nearly hits her. She tells David she cannot stay with him because he cannot let Gillian go.

The weekend's events force Esther and Paul to re-evaluate their own relationship. Cindy's flirtations and Paul's reactions cause friction, and Paul refrains from acting on his impulses. They acknowledge envy of David's enduring bond with Gillian, even as they stand as companions in the present.

Seeing the Wheelers off at the ferry, David shares a final goodbye with Rachel, who half-turns back to declare she won't leave him. He resolves to stay one more day to board up the house, realizing he can be an attentive father without betraying Gillian's memory. The weekend closes with a hesitant, hopeful shift toward balance.