Endless Love

David tries to contact Keith by phone, but Keith quickly hangs up on him. Undeterred, David sends Keith a letter, only for it to be returned to him in pieces, with an added note from Keith threatening to call the police if David attempts to contact him or the family again.

David comes across an article about Sammy, now attending a private school in New York. The article mentions Sammy’s refusal to accept an endowment to the school from a friend of Spiro Agnew, the former vice president under Richard Nixon. Intrigued, David calls Ann to ask about it, but she expresses frustration with his constant inquiries, especially regarding her children. Despite this, David writes Sammy a letter congratulating him on his actions. When he receives no reply, David sends another letter, asking for information about Jade.

Ann sends David another long letter in which she vents her frustrations about Hugh and nostalgically reflects on the past. She suggests that her family’s dissolution was directly tied to the loss of their house, as the space had allowed them to conceal their problems. Ann also reflects on the intensity of David and Jade’s love, noting that, at the time, it seemed impossible for anyone to keep them apart.

David buys a ticket to New York, rationalizing the trip as a work-related necessity after his role at the clothing workers’ union shifts from picketer to researcher, though privately acknowledging he wants to see Ann. He briefly mentions his plan to Dr. Ecrest and his parole officer, Eddie Watanabe. However, Eddie immediately forbids David from traveling.

A few weeks later, Eddie moves their weekly meeting to a restaurant. Eddie attempts to create a more relaxed environment, hoping to encourage David to be more open. Eddie expresses his concerns, revealing that Hugh Butterfield recently returned to Chicago to have David’s parole revoked. Hugh accused David of sending a letter to his son, which David vehemently denies. Though Eddie worries about Hugh’s intense animosity, David remains largely indifferent.

That night, David dreams of crying in Rockville, torn between his longing for Jade and a desperate wish for his love to fade.

David boards a flight to New York City without informing anyone. He adopts a carefree demeanor at the airport and on the plane, masking his underlying anxiety about reuniting with Ann. As the plane ascends, David reflects on the nature of love and his connection to human history, contrasting it with the banality of everyday life.

On the plane, David unexpectedly runs into Stu Neihardt, a former high school acquaintance. Their conversation highlights the passage of time and the changes in their lives since graduation. Stu reminisces about high school, revealing his feelings of exclusion and sharing a provocative anecdote about his old crushes. David feels a mix of discomfort and nostalgia, aggravated by Stu’s insensitive comments and his apparent awareness of David’s past.

Triggered by Stu’s crude remarks about Jade, David suddenly grabs Stu’s lip and twists it. Stu, shocked and frightened, does not retaliate but continues to speak, expressing his own disillusionment and search for satisfaction through various experiences.

As they arrive in New York, David feels a mix of relief and anxiety. Stu proposes sharing a cab, but David evades this by fabricating a story about his pickup time and location, revealing his desire to distance himself. Stu asks David to call him before leaving.

David checks into a hotel and explores New York before heading to Ann’s place. Outside her building, he encounters a stunning woman, Miss LaFarge, who inquires whether he is okay. David is momentarily stunned by her beauty but manages to ask for directions to a phone booth. Miss LaFarge offers to wait for him, but David declines, troubled by his attraction to someone other than Jade.

Feeling a deep sense of loneliness and yearning, David calls Ann. She mentions that Keith has been staying with her for several days and invites David up. When he arrives at her apartment, he is greeted by sunlight and personal touches. Ann, dressed only in a robe, engages in a reflective conversation about their past and the people in their lives. Sammy is at prep school, Keith is now a woodworker and carpenter, Jade is in college, and Hugh plans to move to Utah to join a community. David inquires about Jade, but Ann is reluctant to share details, suggesting that David might be disappointed by the changes in her.

Ann talks to David, sharing the intimate details of her life while mainly disregarding David’s few attempts to share about himself or his family. David listens attentively, feeling honored that Ann is confiding in him. He perceives her as a unique and vital presence, distinct from anyone else, even her daughter.

Ann lives off her father’s legacy, receiving $850 a month, yet she constantly struggles with money and complains about the cost of everything. She admits to writing a story about David but refuses to show it to him. During dinner, Ann discusses a date she has scheduled for later that evening and shares her feelings of isolation as an older woman. She also mentions another story she has written but is too afraid to submit or show to anyone.

Ann proceeds to tell David the story, recounting her version of the first time David and Jade had sex, much to David’s embarrassment. That night, Ann and her husband, Hugh, had attended a party and returned home high. Hugh became irritated with David for lighting a fire in the fireplace—a task Hugh considered his own. Hugh told David he should go home, and David agreed to leave once the fire died out.

Ann and Hugh then retreated to their room, where Hugh’s frustration with Ann grew because she was not interested in intimacy that night. After Hugh fell asleep, Ann heard noises and investigated, finding David and Jade making love. This voyeuristic moment rekindled Ann’s desire, leading her to initiate intimacy with Hugh, only to discover that Jade had taken her diaphragm. Despite this, Ann pursued Hugh, and the emotional transference led to her first orgasm with him.

As Ann recounts the story, she realizes she missed her date. After a brief search, Ann and David return to Ann’s apartment. Ann then mentions that her family suspects she and David were lovers. David replies that Jade once asked him about it but believed when he denied it. Ann, however, insists that at the most recent family gathering, everyone accused her of sleeping with David. She then tries to seduce David, but he refuses.

Later, David tries to sleep on Ann’s couch, overhearing her attempts to convince one of her lovers to come over. He finds strange comfort in knowing he is sleeping in a place where Jade once slept before finally drifting off.