"I had a dream and it wasn't so long ago." "I stood in front of the mirror and I didn't know who I was." "And in the morning Day knocked on the door and I woke up and it became true." "Suddenly I walk on this path called Life and I see no signs saying Destination." "My feet carry me forward mechanically." "In me something quietly shouts No I don't want this." "Lucca!" "In a minute!" "Your poor old Dad needs you." "For what?" "What does he need?" "Will you help me look at the case files?" "It's a really interesting case." "Now?" "It's Sunday night!" "you used to love it." "Forget it, I'm coming." "Your songs are always so dark." "Can't you sing something a bit more cheerful?" "Not my style." "It seems she like it." "You want to defend the case?" "Of course, the other tenants can hardly be expected to put up with him peeing in the garden all the time." "He could rent a bush just for himself," "Obviously he is very in touch with nature...diagnosis." "Bladder dysfunction due to mental health problems." "You probably would have managed to get him off the hook." "Shall we have a bite to eat?" "Well, I'm really not hungry." "I'd like to walk home." "All on your own?" "Yes, on my own." "But you've got an exam tomorrow." "That hasn't stopped you from exploiting me for your work." "Sometimes I feel boundaries get blurred and I don't know how to live." "Then I'm frightened that nothing will make sense any more." "I'm scared that I don't make sense." "I want to show my true colours but grey is all the rage right now." "I want to make a mark but the ground stays clean because my feet aren't stamps." "And then I wish I could just leave." "Sorry, I have to take that." "Don't you dare!" "No really, it's important." "Val?" "It's Sabine here." "Can you come over please?" "Herma is not well." "I'm coming right now." "Isn't it better for you to stay in bed?" "I can bring you the tea." "No!" "I'm sorry to bother you." "You never bother me." "Freedom for all living creatures!" "What's that swimming in circles all about?" "Oh - that's your job - i see." "You're helping people understand your Amazonian buddies." "A diplomatic mission so to speak." "What are you rabbitting on about?" "So, who do we have here?" "The door was open and so I thought..." "And what about this crowbar?" "That's not mine..." "Ouch, my ear - that's assault!" "I'd call it malicious damage." "Freedom for all living creatures!" "Well, that message will find a lot of followers." "Ouch - and you should also stick to that!" "I'll so drag you to court!" "We'll see who's going to be dragged to court, miss." "We'll wait for the police in my office." "Community Service." "For breaking and entering." "Lucca?" "Come on, I didn't break in, the door was open so I walked in." "Could have been Open Night at the aquarium." "This isn't a joke!" "And it's not trivial either!" "This could have major repercussions!" "This could ruin your entire future!" "And why is this the first time I hear of this?" "Lucca, we could have sorted this out somehow." "I don't know." "This is such a betrayal of trust." "I am really sorry." "This is not the end of the matter." "It smells so nice - maybe it's nearly autumn..." "That one!" "Dog, cat, mouse, err... castle." "Princess!" "Sorry, is this the right way to the hospice?" "Just follow your very pretty nose." "Thank you." "For the compliment or the directions?" "That one!" "Dog, cat, mouse..." "Ruediger's failed investment project." "You must be Lucca." "Hi, I'm Sabine." "I need a coffee first." "Will you join me?" "I'm sorry you had to wait for me but sometimes" "Things don't always go according to plan here." "You don't really look like a vandal." "Well, it was actually a misunderstanding..." "well, a miscarriage of justice actually." "Hmm, this doesn't sound like a misunderstanding." "Breaking and entering a public building, damage to property." "20 hours of community service." "Okay...you know where you are here?" "Yes..." "A hospice is a very special place." "I expect you to be respectful." "Well, you certainly have my respect." "It was..." "I was..." "Misunderstanding." "You're making muffins?" "With weed?" "Did you have to sneak up on me like that?" "I just forgot my bag here." "But...you can't do that." "Surely not here." "Where else if not here?" "That's true I suppose It's really depressing here." "To know that everyone here is just going to die." "We're all going to die." "Die soon I mean." "Like, in the foreseeable future." "If the proverbial bus runs you over today, most of these people have survived you." "So don't be so sure." "And...not a word about this here." "Loosen up!" "Ah, there you are again." "We are slowing arriving in the 21 st century here." "Can you do Excel?" "All this has to be put into tables." "Meal plans, cleaning supplies, medication, purchases, running costs." "If you have any questions, or you need anything, just give me a shout." "Error... please re - enter all data." "Shit!" "I've tried to reach her son a thousand time He's just not answering." "Hardly surprising." "Ruediger is a complete prick, he is only waiting for Herma to be carried out of here feet first so that he can get his grubby hands on everything." "It's giving him ulcers already that she is hanging on this long." "Val, come on!" "Muffin?" "Don't take the ones with the smarties." "Yes, I'd love one." "Good." "Sabine?" "There is something wrong with the computer." "Does everything have to go wrong today?" "Don't worry, I'm coming." "Hey, watch out!" "The bus can also be an SUV you know." "Can I give you a lift?" "The muffins?" "It's Herma's medicine." "It helps with the pain." "Ok, I need to go into the town centre." "I'm going to the Sis Club." "Does that help you at all?" "Yes." "Hello?" "Sabine, how many times has he said that already?" "Thanks anyway." "Bye." "What's up?" "It's about all or nothing." "Love?" "Dignity." "You can't trust love, it's not the measure of all things." "You can't generalise like that." "Just think about how many compromises you enter into every day, in the name of love." "You want to please, not disappoint, do the right thing." "And then one day you've lost it, your dignity." "Here we are." "Thanks for the ride." "No worries." "Fear of making the wrong decision, fear of not deciding." "Fear of leaving a place and yet wanting to stay." "Fear of making mistakes and yet knowing they are important." "Fear of noticing too late which path is the right one." "Fear of time passing quickly and not making good use of it." "Fear of not being able to complete what I've known for so long." "Fear of not being able to learn things and yet wanting to learn them." "Fear of being myself and fear that even that won't be enough." "Monday, 9 pm: 'V' on stage" "Hi, gin and tonic?" "It's happy hour." "Had a bad day?" "Mine was fucking awful." "I met my ex with her new flame, in the DIY shop in the power tools aisle." "You know what that means?" " two beers please" "No?" "They're moving in together." "After two months!" "Incredible, don't you think?" "But, never mind, it won't last." "She always does that." "Quickly move in together, quickly make the place look nice, and then, when all the lights are fixed up, looking for the next girl." "Oh God, she drives me wild" "Hi, what are you doing here?" "Well, I..." "I saw on the net...and I thought..." "Did you like it?" "Yes, it was beautiful." "Val, you coming?" "Sorry, I have to..," "Sure, no worries, see you tomorrow then" "It's better like that." "Good morning." "We shall see if it's going to be good or not." "Talk to me." "I am really sorry." "I don't know what's the matter with me right now." "Well, you know, I think you are simply scared of going to uni." "But Lucca, you are talented." "Maybe I'm just not ready yet." "You worked so hard to get this far." "And it's perfectly okay sometimes to get cold feet." "But you have to promise me never to do anything like this again." "I mean, we got through puberty without any troubles, and now you are clearly too old for such nonsense." "And it was always your dream to join the law firm." "Well, yes..." "You see!" "And I'm still here, I can help you." "Shall we go to the cinema later?" "Sorry, I have to be at the hospice again." "I don't think they should have sent you there" "You're way too young to be confronted with death like that." "Didn't they have anything else, like, street cleaning, or kindergarten?" "Dad!" "Seriously now." "shall we try and get a deal to get you out of there?" "No, I'm going to see it through." "Good luck with that." "Valerie!" "What a sad occasion to meet again." "How about going out for dinner?" "Oh right, you're into women... well, bring your girlfriend along..." "Oh Ruediger!" "What I don't get is how come you don't disgust yourself." "At least today, you could leave your ego in the closet." "What have you got going with my mother?" "You want a slice of the cake don't you" "Forget it!" "You are not even invited to the funeral." "It's private." "Family only" "You prick!" "At least Ruediger came right away." "He's only here to check that she's really dead." "Val!" "I can't stand this hypocrisy any longer." "Oh shit." "What's happened?" "Herma's died." "But... only yesterday we..." "Lucca, people come here to die." "I have my life, which is finite and I can't take it for granted, a soul that is maybe eternal even though I find the thought disconcerting." "I have something else I often forget that." "I have to reevaluate." "Everything okay, Lucca?" "Yes." "Thank you." "Fancy a coffee?" "Definitely." "Val, what are you doing?" "This creeping up all the time." "Just go and get your coffee." "I forgot my bag again." "You should try a shoulder bag." "What is it you're doing there?" "Lucca, let it go." "Leave it." "Just go now, okay?" "Sure, I'm leaving." "I'll tell Sabine that you're up to something." "No!" "Then you're coming with me now." "Come on, now, before someone starts suspecting something." "Leave it out!" "Either you're going to tell me what you were doing at the computer or I'll hand you over to Sabine." "Even though it's absolutely none of your business" " I checked my emails." "Of course you did." "Lucca, I'm serious." "So am I. This is about data protection." "Hey, you two!" "Herma passed away very peacefully." "Is she still here?" "The undertaker has just collected her." "Her son is having her cremated in the Netherlands." "Why the Netherlands?" "No doubt a special offer." "Happy hour for a happy end." "Val, your anger is not going to bring her back." "Excuse me." "You know, Herma's son has decided everything behind her back." "He wants to bury her in the family grave supposedly to honour tradition, but I reckon it's to save money." "Plus, her sister-in-law Louise is buried there." "Those two couldn't stand each other." "Herma can't lie next to her." "You understand that don't you?" "What about her husband?" "He died over 30 years ago, he missed all that." "But Val, that's the family's business, you can't just interfere in that." "You mean the family who left her alone?" "Who didn't give a shit about her?" "We were her family." "We cared about her." "And I want to respect her wishes." "You know, after the stroke, Herma was a shadow of her former self." "When I first met her... there are not just written laws..." "Lucca, you're still here!" "I've locked up upstairs, do you still need to go back up?" "No, I've got everything, thanks." "Ok, see you tomorrow then." "Oh no, are you performing today?" "I'm already in a bad way." "You always are, listen, I need your help." "That's a new one." "This Sandy who you used to like, she knows about computers doesn't she?" "This Sandy that I used to like, she actually knows about my ex, you know," "I saw those two in the DIY store, in the power tools aisle..." "Her number?" "Just give me her number?" "I'll text it." "Thanks." "Hi." "Have I missed something?" "Harvard Law School have accepted you." "The ticket to your life!" "Hey, congratulations, well done." "Lucca..." "Lucca!" "Lucca!" "I really don't feel like celebrating." "You know in the hospice someone died today, a sweet old lady." "Well, if she was old, she'd had a long life, hadn't she?" "That's not the point, Dad." "Hi, you got it?" "Money first." "Thanks." "Irie rims!" "Sabine speaking." "Come on!" "Come on!" "So Lucca, the final stretch." "Your last day." "It went quicker than you thought, didn't it?" "Yes, but I am sick of spreadsheets." "Oh well, never mind." "Hi, it's about Herma Hofmeister." "I am her granddaughter, Susie Hofmeister." "There is a problem with her last will." "No, that must be a misunderstanding." "Can you hold on just a moment please." "Sorry, I quickly need to check something." "Herma Hofmeister - file not found" "Oh shit!" "What?" "All the data is gone." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Ruediger went absolutely mad." "No one is safe from hackers." "He can't blame the hospice." "What's up?" "Just my nerves." "I have a headache, it'll be gone in a minute." "Shall I get you an aspirin?" "Thanks, I'll be fine." "And...what's next?" "I'm going to the Netherlands," "I'm meeting Ruediger there and I'll be discussing a new last will that suddenly appeared." "I have to at least try." "I owe her that much." "Move over." "I'll drive you." "Rubbish, you can't do that." "I'll be fine in a minute." "Move." "It's a long drive." "Move over." "Negotiation is my middle name." "I'm going to study law." "Well, we're safe then." "Val." "Val, wake up." "Do you think we might have taken a wrong turn somewhere?" "Oh fuck, I've typed in the wrong address." "Fuck." "I'm going mad." "Calm down." "I would suggest we have a bite to eat and try again." "We're too late." "I'm going to take you home and then I'm going to try again tomorrow." "Rubbish." "We're here now." "If I may quote you:" "loosen up!" "Very funny." "Fuck!" "It's quite funny really." "I lose the whole night." "Maybe we gain the night." "Are you flirting with me?" "Me?" "No..." "Yes you are." "I'm not..." "Gay?" "Straight?" "I don't want to be labelled, thank you." "So you want to study law?" "Yes, I'm going to Harvard Law School and then have my own law firm." "A lot of people have managed to mistake their career for their life." "You have devoted your whole life to your career." "Music is my hobby." "I could never live on it." "I've always had other jobs." "But it fulfils you." "Because I give it meaning." "You have groupies." "Nothing but meaningless sex." "You could give it meaning." "Let's find somewhere for the night." "If I haven't made another mistake, it's here." "This is such a backwater town." "I can't believe we can't get a room." "Beach or car?" "Let's try the beach first." "I love the sea." "We used to go to Timmendorfer Strand when I was little." "You?" "That's so provincial." "How is that provincial?" "Of course, it actually stands for individuality, freedom and rock'n roll." "Life was free of any worries then." "Although - there was always fighting." "You know that endless nagging?" "Don't do this, don't do that." "I always wanted a brother." "Why not a sister?" "Didn't like girlie things." "I would have liked a sister." "It's really stressing me out that I am always the centre of attention." "Come on, let's go inside." "Cold?" "Shall we?" "In a minute." "We are wasting your youth" "A sister would have been quite cool actually." "I know that now." "Hi Dad, it's me." "I'm just calling to let you know that I'm not coming home." "Okay, and where are you?" "I'm helping a colleague from the hospice." "It's an inheritance issue." "Hey, Lucca, we're not specialists in inheritance law." "This is not about written laws, it's about the laws of friendship." "And Dad... stop working for today." "Just call it a day." "Try to enjoy." "See you tomorrow, okay?" "What are you doing?" "Just enjoying." "What made you decide on law?" "Why?" "Well, law is kind of dry..." "Everything is regulated, everything is a case." "My father studied law." "And so I kind of grew up with it." "And what did you get from your mother?" "My parents had me when they were very young." "I guess my mother wasn't ready." "She left us right after I was born." "I'm sorry." "And what about your family?" "I cut them off." "I think birth families are overrated." "I am my own family." "And Sabine." "And Herma was my family." "Shall we?" "Can you give me five minutes?" "Sure." "Of course," "I'll just wait out here for you." "Thanks." "You're a great girl." "Woman." "A great woman." "Right." "Just hold that." "What is it?" "Herma." "Why do we have Herma?" "Where are we taking Herma?" "There was a slight modification to the plan." "We'd better hurry up now." "We are kidnapping her, right?" "Err...yep!" "You planned this from the start!" "All that talk of discussions and negotiations, that was just a trick, right?" "Yes." "I can't believe you involved me in this!" "You involved yourself." "You forced your way into this." "I beg your pardon?" "I thought you needed help because you weren't feeling too good." "Well, I'm sorry, but what was I supposed to do?" "You just weren't giving up." "Calm down." "How am I supposed to do that?" "Okay, so we have disturbing the peace of the dead'... can we have this before the burial?" "unauthorised carrying of an urn..." "is that a criminal or administrative offence?" "kidnapping...definitely a criminal offence!" "What the hell are you doing in there?" "I am liberating Herma from her 'label'." "If she can't be identified, she can't be buried against her will." "Seriously: why is her last wish your life's task?" "I mean, how can you even be so sure?" "Maybe she didn't really mean it and things weren't that bad between her and her sister-in-law." "Rubbish." "Is this about her or about you?" "It's about all that's left at the end: dignity." "Fuck!" "It's Ruediger and his spoiled-daughter." "Hello?" "Yes, we're just on our way to you." "What?" "When?" "Who?" "Around 30?" "Dark curly hair?" "You look older." "Yes, I know that bitch." "I gave him the brush-off once." "Now go out there - this is your opportunity to negotiate." "I'll fucking wring your neck!" "Then again - maybe not." "Yes, I'll contact the police." "Come on, let's go before she comes back out of there." "A black SUV, okay, thanks." "Give me my mother back!" "Oh my god!" "I'm going to get you!" "Easy, Dad, chill." "I'm coming." "You're finished!" "I can't see much of a possibility for negotiations here." "Good job I'm here, you'll need me." "Seriously, Lucca." "Thank you." "This means a hell of a lot to you doesn't it." "Yes." "Maybe we should'stick to minor roads until we've crossed the border." "Sabine speaking." "This is Ruediger." "That dyke and..." "Who?" "Is there just one?" "Does she have a name?" "Val." "Val and her little blonde girlfriend stole my mother's urn." "Oh shit." "Just call her back." "What am I supposed to do?" "Hold on a moment, I have another call." "Hello?" "Hello." "My name is Georg Arnold." "Oh, you're Lucca's dad, have you managed to find her?" "Pardon?" "Listen, my daughter is travelling somewhere on your behalf and I do not consider that to be within the terms of her community service." "Oh, I'm sorry, but whatever happened is not on behalf of the hospice." "It's not?" "Excuse me, I have another call." "Sabine, I am serious." "I can't believe that first documents disappear, then supposedly a new last will turns up and now my mother has disappeared." "Ruediger, I totally understand that you are very upset." "But you have to believe me that the hospice is NOT responsible for any of this." "Did you help Valerie?" "Maybe you're into the ladies too?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "I think you're breaking up." "Hello?" "Who's that?" "Err." "Arnolds." "I'm Lucca's father." "Ah, yes, the little blonde playmate." "I beg your pardon?" "The little blonde playmate?" "Listen, I think there is some sort of misunderstanding here." "Dad, you urgently need to reconsider your attitude towards gays, and especially lesbians." "Hello?" "It's my dad." "Hi dad, it's a bad time, I'm driving right now and I don't have hands-free." "Never mind hands-free, you should worry about the bad company you keep and the stolen granny in the car you're driving." "And about her son who is absolutely livid!" "Dad, I'm sorry but it's a bit more complicated... and who incidentally claims you're a lesbian." "Are you a lesbian, darling?" "What?" "Well, that's what this Ruediger character claims." "And why on earth did you steal his mother?" "Dad, I can explain." "Great." "Later." "Now is not a good time." "Lucca what the hell are you doing?" "Dad, I'm innocent until proven guilty." "You know what - forget it!" "The evidence against you is overwhelming." "Lucca, pull over." "Lucca, please." "Oh man, I am so angry now." "Of course you are." "He doesn't trust me." "You can't expect him to be pleased when you suddenly..." "When I do things differently for a change?" "It's MY life, my decisions, which right now are a bit hard for him to understand." "Seriously?" "Why are you defending him, right now?" "You should be glad I'm here to help you." "Yes, of course I am." "Are you feeling better now?" "Should we leave the car here, now that they are looking for us?" "Okay, what have we got?" "Concealment, possibly theft, disturbing the peace of the dead, disregard of burial laws..." "None of them are criminal offences, only administrative ones..." "You're a first-time offender I take it?" "Absolutely." "No previous records." "Ok, so they can stop us and press charges but then they need official authorisation to make us give up the urn, blah, blah, blah, which means time is on our side." "Are you okay, Lucca?" "Yes." "Absolutely." "Are you sure?" "Yes, it's just... at first I just wanted to help... and now...it's personal... very personal." "Weren't you the one who was dumbfounded that I made Herma's business my business?" "Indeed." "We should go." "Dad, I'm starting to feel sick..." "Shh, I-have to concentrate..." "I wonder which exit they could have taken?" "Damn!" "Ah!" "Jesus, you can't cope with anything." "You get that from your mother." "I'll pull over." "Dad, you have no hard evidence." "This is about me having to be perfect." "Is that what you want for me or for you?" "It's only ever about him." "Hey, come down." "Just calm down." "We have to... do nothing." "Except die." "When everything seems crazy - stop." "Take your time." "Rubbish." "Feel." "Look." "You know, my dad never really got over my mum leaving." "We get on...we always got on really well." "We were a team, unbeatable." "But lately I kept getting this feeling of living in some sort of bubble." "Somehow nothing felt the way it should feel and everything seemed kind of strange and wrong." "And then you came along with your stuff about love and compromises" "I don't think before I ever really thought about dignity." "And..." "I don't know but... somehow that resonated with me." "I know it sounds crazy." "No it doesn't." "You've been a single parent daughter for too long." "But seriously, the question is whether you are true to yourself or whether you are living the life that your father mapped out for you." "Yes, and there is no way out." "Shall I hurt him or myself?" "My dad." "I'm not answering." "And you don't have to." "It's your life, Lucca, your decision." "You want to know what I do?" "I keep away from people who want to impose their ideas and solutions on me." "You have to ask the right questions." "What do you want?" "What is good for you?" "I'm glad I've met you." "Apropos question Is that a roadblock?" "And if so, why?" "Oh shit!" "But you said they have no evidence." "I'm absolutely sure." "Think again." "It's impossible." "I can't have missed anything." "Sure." "Who is it?" "Answer it." "Yes." "The kidnapping of the granny's urn has somehow become the kidnapping of the granny." "That makes it a capital offence." "How could you do that?" "It's for your own good." "The sooner they find you the sooner I can make the whole thing go away." "And don't forget that with your stupid games you also damage my reputation." "Dad, this is not a game." "There is much more at stake than your bloody reputation." "Forget it." "I'll never forgive you." "What happened?" "Nothing." "Everything's fine." "Even better now." "Ok, we leave the car here, we're walking." "Lucca, I heard you mention a capital crime, and I don't know why but that makes me a bit nervous." "Trust me." "He escalated the whole thing in order to stop us, to have us detained." "Then everything gets cleared up, Ruediger apologises for the misunderstanding, he was so upset, blah, blah, blah and we come to an agreement, or not." "You get a fine and I get off because if we pull this whole thing off would have a criminal record, my career would be ruined and that would show him in a most unfavourable light." "No, actually it feels really good." "I am doing what I think is the right thing." "Fuck it." "I've created a monster." "Hello?" "Shit, what's happened?" "Is everything okay." "Yea, sure." "Yea." "Yea?" "Sure?" "Mhm, yea." "Everything's fine" "And what are you doing here in the... okay, well, I'll go then." "Or do you need a lift?" "Well, that's not a bad idea actually." "I mean if you want to stay here..." "No no..." "Cool." "Thanks." "And where are you going?" "Near Cologne." "Oh cool, I'm going that way, to Essen." "I'm a student there." "In Essen I mean, not Cologne." "And what do you study?" "Dance." "I'm Germany's Billy Elliot." "I have an important exam tomorrow and I'm really nervous." "I'm scared shitless I'll throw up on the dance floor." "That's all part of it isn't it?" "What, throwing up?" "Well, if you say so." "Oh shit." "Oh fuck." "A police blockade." "Girls, what are we going to do now?" "Give me Herma!" "Girls?" "Where are you going?" "You can't just..." "I really have a lot of weed on me." "Because of my nerves." "I really have a stolen urn on me." "You have a what?" "Oh God..." "I feel sick, I feelt really sick." "Come on, you can do this." "You'll wrap them round your little finger." "Good afternoon." "Person and vehicle identification check." "Shall we do the person first or start in the vehicle?" "Excuse me?" "Sorry." "Papers please." "And where is your front plate?" "Err... here." "That's a piece of paper, not a number plate." "I know, but the numbers are all there." "Papers please." "Papers." "(Police radio) To all forces." "Target vehicle found." "End of operation." "You can go now." "But the missing number plate that's normally a fine." "Yes." "Thank you." "Have a nice day." "You too." "So what was that story about an urn?" "A long one." "Good, we still have a long drive ahead of us." "Are you serious?" "We have a dead body in here?" "Thank you for the ride." "You are welcome." "So, this is Herma's lake?" "He worked at the land registry office ..." "Mysteriously, the Herm lake one day became the Herma lake." "This is where she wanted to rest." "And now she will." "Sabine speaking." "Yes, I looked after her in our hospice here." "No no, she has not been kidnapped at all." "I mean, at least not the person." "She passed away very peacefully here." "Well, it is possible that right now the whereabouts of her ashes are a little unclear." "We just have a problem with her file because our computer was hacked." "But I already reported this to your colleagues." "Okay, good-bye." "We could protect you from that bastard son." "and you don't have to lie next to your awful sister-in-law." "If there is anything after death." "What is your most treasured possession?" "My dignity." "Bingo!" ""It is not death that man should fear but he should fear never beginning to live." Marcus Aurelius." "We're closed" "I'm sorry." "Do you know someone called Val?" "Forget it." "You're not her type." "It seems my daughter is her type." "Well, that is what I've been told anyway." "You see, the son...well, anyway..." "I put the police on their trail." "Homosexuality is not a crime in this country." "Because of the kidnapping." "Kidnapping?" "Val?" "Never!" "Excuse me for a minute." "Shouldn't we leave now?" "Your exam..." "It's okay." "My dance exam is not until tomorrow evening." "I'm glad I met you two." "It gives me courage." "How you support each other and stand up for your cause." "This is really cool." "I was only 19 for God's sake." "What was I supposed to do?" "I took her with me." "In a sling, like that, see?" "'Not without my daughter'." "But - she understood." "Everything." "Nope." "Criminal law." "That's what she found most soothing." "Well, she was always with me." "In a sling just like this." "Law lectures were her mother's milk." "And where was the mother of the milk?" "She took off." "But" " I managed it all by myself." "Alone." "And everything was fine." "Always." "Until now." "Now she's grown up." "Does she look like her mother?" "She's the spitting image." "I'm over her." "There just wasn't another woman who got to my heart." "Ueber-love." "Stage mother syndrome." "Sorry, but I'm her father!" "It's about projection." "You'll have to let go." "But kidnapping...?" "Please - don't." "I want this." "I'm sure." "Oh, that's good." "I know what you mean." "I'm a complete coffee junkie." "It's my only vice." "Morning." "Good morning." "Coffee?" "How do you take yours?" "Black and sweet." "Bye." "Girls, it was great to meet you." "Likewise." "And best of luck for the dance exam" "Thank you." "You've got a tough nut to crack there." "Take care." "Okay, Lucca, I'll..." "I'll be off then." "You can't be serious." "You can't just leave me here like this." "Have you completely lost it now?" "!" "Most likely yes." "Do you have any idea what you are putting Herma's family through?" "What?" "A family that was completely dysfunctional?" "A family that just tried to keep up appearances?" "A family that didn't give a shit about anyone's needs and fears?" "Who operated only with expectations and emotional blackmail?" "Who are we really talking about now?" "About you, Herma, me, what?" "Hell you have no idea!" "Oh God!" "Sabine...?" "What are you doing here?" "What do you think?" "I'm looking for you." "Val has disappeared." "What the hell were you two thinking?" "Herma s needs..." "Herma needs you all to be friends again." "Where is she?" "Who?" "We buried her by her lake." "I'm glad Val has got you." "But don't mistake her fight for your own." "Not doing that." "Val is so damned stubborn." "When she was a resident in the hospice for the first time... she had completely given up on herself." "Hey, is Val in here?" "So, you're gonna buy me a drink too?" "Val, do you still have sand in all sorts of places?" "Horrible, isn't it?" "On the other hand I suppose it's quite romantic." "Last night at the lake we had such a hot" "Lucca right, sure...excuse us for a moment." "What's the matter?" "Is that what you're asking?" "You of all people?" "We had a great time." "Just leave it at that." "What did you expect?" "That we're together now?" "A couple?" "Yes, maybe that is what I expected." "You're a coward." "A bloody coward." "I know you have feelings for me." "Now you want to take off because what?" "Because you have to die?" "Sabine came to see me." "I guess she thought I knew." "It would have been nice to hear it from you." "And fair." "Yes, you're right, it would have been fair." "But I just couldn't." "Last week was like a holiday, time off from being sick," "from dying." "I felt so alive." "And free." "You talk of moments and of life, of courage and freedom." "So have the courage to not send me away." "I have to go." "I don't understand any of this." "I have a brain tumour." "Inoperable." "Two years ago they gave me three months to live." "Then it stopped growing." "I am still alive." "But I have a fucking time bomb in my head that can go off at any time, do you understand?" "Any time at all." "The fear in your eyes, that pity." "I can't bear that." "If I mean anything to you, then just let me be." "Hi, good to see you here." "Sit down." "You gave everyone here the runaround, and your families too." "And while I understand your reasons, Val," "I don't think it'^right that you deprive Herma's family of her." "They have a right to her." "Yes, I thought so." "That's why..." "I would like you to meet my uncle Jacob." "During his lifetime he was such a spendthrift that there was not a penny left for his funeral." "And so myjsister and I took him home with us." "He had a nice com y place in our basement." "And now I would like to suggest..." "you give him to Ruediger." "Jacob turns into Herma." "Incidentally Herma's sister-in-law used to secretly fancy him so really we are doing a good deed." "You're a darling." "If anyone finds out..." "Hey, it's a kind of happy end, right?" "Nothing is happy without you, Val." "In that place between mountains of thoughts and rivers of questions, where tulips blossom tentatively in between the tall grass, where the sun pushes in front of the clouds, where you can see the heart of the world beating," "there is a place beyond Neverland, and there, behind a time-space-wall is a place like a still life." "There I would like to rest in the soft grass, only move in tune with the world, give things time, and only breathe...and still live." "My daughter." "Good, isn't she?" "She could have studied at Harvard." "But she is taking some time out now." "To try things out, you know." "Do you know what kind of money poets or artists earn?" "Because of the security?" "Security doesn't exist until after you die." "Anything before that is probability." "You're right." "I'm a coward." "I couldn't resist you right from the start, your youth," "your shyness, your anxious fearlessness," "but falling in love was not part the plan." "Crappy timing." "Crappy is if we hadn't met." "How is this supposed to work?" "If the world starts going nuts, we'll stop it." "Your poems are beautiful." "I'll write some for you every day." "Do you have any idea what you're letting yourself in for?" "Val had another three months." "Three months of us trying to outwit time every day." "Then she got very bad, very suddenly." "She chose assisted suicide in Switzerland." "Dignity and self-determination were always her most important values and they had to be most important ones in her death." "I never thought it was possible to feel such pain let alone survive it." "Of course I had promised to take her to be with Herma." "Tracing eternity, second by second." "I decided to study psychology as well as law." "I volunteer at the hospice whenever I have time." "I want to start a funeral parlour, no, more than that, a funeral meeting parlour." "There I would want to make death part of normal life again, not locked away in a society obsessed with youth and dreams of eternal life." "Move away from statistics." "Nobody has the right to reach an average age of 78 but many are lucky to reach it." "and I want to call it Happy End." "I don't know if people will find that too tacky, but" "Val would say: try it out."