Dream State

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, mental illness, addiction, and substance use.

Nine years later, Cece and Garrett are married and have a seven-year-old daughter named Lana. The three live in Montana and have been invited by Charlie to visit the Margolis cottage, which he now owns. During the drive, Cece begins to tell Lana about who Charlie is—about their brief marriage—but is surprised to find that Garrett has already done so. Her thoughts reveal some of the details that transpired on the wedding day: Though Cece and Charlie had the ceremony, their marriage was technically never official because the marriage certificate was not submitted. Cece quickly contracted norovirus and then refused to return to Los Angeles with Charlie, telling him that she was in love with Garrett.

At the cottage, Charlie introduces Cece and Garrett to his wife and their two children. Over dinner, they talk about Garrett’s work as a wildlife biologist and Cece’s eventual plans to return to school to attend a PhD program. They clean up after dinner, and then Cece retreats momentarily to the bathroom, wishing that she had some marijuana to smoke. The group decides to go for a swim in the lake, so she follows.