Another Happy Day (2023) Movie Script
1
[wood floor creaking]
[woman breathing quietly]
[floor creaking]
[floor creaking]
[whimpers]
[bed creaking]
[exhales]
[moans softly]
[inhales sharply]
I left the burner on.
Oh, God.
[bed creaks]
[baby coos]
[giggles]
[laughing] Oh, my God.
[crying]
["Wide Awake With You"
by the Rear Defrosters playing]
[baby crying]
I put all my blues away
When the evening sun
goes down
The heat of the day
The country and the town
I can hear
the rustling of leaves
And the settling of dew
Birds are sleeping
in the trees
And I'm wide awake with you
[indistinct audio from phone]
[footsteps]
[baby coos]
What about me, huh?
Doesn't the blue light
ruin my sleep too?
Okay.
Here. Here you go.
[laughs] Hey, stop!
I can't see, I can't see.
Ah!
-No biting.
-[kettle whistling]
Ow. No biting.
Bad dog.
Baby, haven't you seen
that show before?
Yeah, I have.
You know, reruns
are actually really great.
Like comfort food?
No, no, no.
It's not indulgent.
It's actually healthy.
You know, the predictability
reduces stress.
Are you stressed, Jo-Jo?
-I'm fine.
-Mm.
-I have my wage review today.
-Can I get a mug?
-Babe.
-She's six weeks.
Exactly. She doesn't need
caffeine right now.
How about, you know, when
her naps get a little longer.
Lucien. A sip is fine.
Okay.
[slurps]
Mm! Stop it!
What are you two
getting into today?
Um...
-Are you serious?
-Yes.
We're gonna eat, shit,
and sleep.
Hm. You must
find the predictability
-reduces your stress.
-Mm.
-Okay, you can go.
-[laughing]
One day at a time, baby.
-Go!
-Going.
[sighs]
[baby coos]
-[indistinct]
-Good luck today.
Thank you.
[sink water running]
[keys jingling]
Lucien?
[footsteps]
You'll be fine.
It's just a few hours.
It's nine hours.
Call a friend.
Or I don't know.
Fuck it.
Watch TV.
[somber music]
[Lucien moans softly]
Okay.
I really have to leave now.
Hm.
-See you later, okay?
-Mm.
[keys jingling]
[door opening, closing]
-Hey phone, start timer.
-[phone chimes]
No.
What?
Hey phone, white spot,
nipple, breastfeeding.
Oh, God.
[sighs]
Okay.
Shh.
Okay.
[moans gently]
[whispers] Hell yeah.
Fuck you.
Yep, you're up.
Oh.
Hey, phone, end timer.
Hello.
Hello, I'm talking to you.
Look at me
when I'm talking to you.
[groans] What do you
want to do today, huh?
Yeah, I have one guess,
and I think I'm right.
All right, well,
I'm not gonna let you eat alone.
Oh, that's not delicious.
Get something.
Bingo.
All right.
[sighs]
[ball squeaking]
[phone buzzing]
Shut up.
Shut up.
Hi, ma'am, are you--
-Shh! Come in.
-[car alarm blaring]
My baby's sleeping.
Oh, oh.
Are you Joanna Blau?
Sometimes.
[laughs] Uh-huh, well, um...
[beeps]
[man clears throat]
Do you need
a glass of water?
No, thank you.
Gotta keep moving.
Oh, just one second.
Can you open this?
Oh, okay.
Oh.
My, my, what a strong man.
-[man] Could you just please--
-What time is it?
It's about 9:15.
And what day is it?
It's Monday.
Right.
Ma'am, if you could
just please--
Don't call me ma'am,
call me miss.
Okay, miss.
-I'm kidding, call me Joanna.
-Yeah, I really--
Are you real?
I'm sorry?
Sometimes I can't
tell if I'm dreaming.
Ow!
Oh, shit, what the fuck?
Oh, sorry, I was supposed
to pinch myself.
-Oh, my God.
-Oh, shit!
Oh, I--
Okay, I--
I-- I have a schedule.
-[door closes]
-[baby cooing]
Oh.
[hair drying blowing]
["Are You Sleeping?"
by Audrey Ryan playing]
Wake up, wake up,
wake up, wake up
Gonna join the world
Alma?
Alma?
Where's my baby?
Alma!
Alma!
Alma!
Where are you?
Where are you? Alma!
[hair dryer blowing]
[alarm beeping]
Holy fuck.
Holy fuck.
[alarm beeping]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
[breathing heavily]
[crying]
[line ringing]
[mom] Hello?
Is now a good time?
Wait, what?
I called you, Mom.
[mom] Oh, I know, I know.
But is now a good time,
or can we talk later?
Well, now is a terrible time,
but now is the time I called
because I want
to talk to you now.
[mom] Okay, okay,
just let me step out.
[door opens and closes]
What's going on, sweetie?
Well, I'm taking care
of a tiny baby all by myself.
Um, there's poop everywhere,
my nipple is bleeding,
I'm having weird dreams,
and I'm very, very sad.
[mom] You don't sound sad.
You sound mad.
Well, I'm mad, too.
[mom] Oh, honey, I wish
you weren't so far away.
Well, why don't you just come
here and, like, take care of us?
[mom] Honey, you're already
coming here at Thanksgiving.
That's really soon.
I'll meet the baby then.
I don't need you to meet
the baby, Mom.
I need you to, like,
hold the baby.
[mom] Jo, you can do this.
Women have been doing this
for thousands of years,
with much, much less.
I didn't have
anyone to help me.
I know, I know.
[mom] You know what I told
myself when you were born?
What?
[mom] Any moron can have a baby.
Okay.
[mom] What I mean is, you're not
the first one to have a baby.
But it's-- it's my first time
having a baby.
I'm the first one
to have this baby.
[mom] Oh, sweetie, I wish
you didn't live so far away.
I'd do all your dishes
and take out your trash
and let you sleep.
Then just come.
I'll pay for your ticket.
[mom] Joanna, honey, if you--
Mom, you have no idea how badly
I need family right now.
[mom] Is Lucien's family
coming in?
They live halfway
around the world.
It's, like, a really big deal
for them to come here.
They wish they could be here.
[mom] You know what?
Listen, honey, I'm gonna get
you Aunt Miriam's number.
She used to live in Chicago.
She probably still does.
She was very cool.
-Like you.
-Who is this?
[mom] Your dad's brother
Leonard's ex-wife.
Oh, you just loved her
when you were little.
I-- I have no memory
of this person.
[mom] Of course you don't.
You were a baby.
I want my mom.
[mom sighs] I'm fixing it, okay?
You're gonna have somebody, and
I'll see you in eight weeks.
It'll go by so fast, okay?
[Joanna] Okay.
[mom] Okay.
I love you.
-[Joanna] I love you, too.
-[phone beeps]
[pleasant guitar music]
Hey, phone,
start timer.
[sneezes]
Bless you.
[baby crying]
Hey, phone, end timer.
["Maybe"
by Audrey Ryan playing]
You got the drive,
you got the goods
Life's your oyster,
eat it like you should
Badum bum
You try so hard,
you work all day
Sandra!
-[Sandra] Joanna!
-Hi!
-Oh, let me see that baby.
-[Joanna] Oh, yeah.
Oh.
Oh, congratulations.
You did it!
-Hey, phone, start timer.
-[Sandra] Oh, my goodness.
What are you doing here?
I--I got on the bus,
and I got off here.
[Sandra] Okay.
It feels really good
to be here.
-Like, so good.
-Really?
Yes, it does.
Hey, is your vagina
like a gaping open mouth now?
[Sandra] You have no idea.
I do not remember anything
about my vagina before.
Okay, because
it fucking burns, right?
-[Sandra] Oh, yes, it does.
-Yeah.
You gotta get those
little ice pack pad things
-they make you--
-[Joanna] I have them.
-Are you back?
-Hi!
-Oh, hi, Tommy.
-[Tommy] Oh, mommy!
[laughs]
Oh, my God, I found
the perfect Halloween costume
for you, and, um...
-Alma.
-Alma.
-[Tommy] Alma.
-Thank you.
-[Tommy] Sorry.
-It's okay.
-[Tommy] Check this out.
-[Joanna] Oh, wow.
Oh, okay, that's horrendous.
You should send that
to Amber, right?
-She's on maternity leave?
-[Sandra] Yeah.
Can I sing to her?
Oh, um, probably not.
She's asleep, so rain check.
Um, is-- is Irene here?
Uh, yeah.
Do you guys have,
like, a-- a meeting?
No, no, I just--
I was coming to say hi.
Um, hey, do you
want to get lunch after?
Uh, it is literally,
like, 10:20.
-[Joanna] Is it?
-Yeah.
Okay.
Oh, plus I've been going
to the gym on my break.
Oh, that's great.
Maybe another time.
[Joanna] For sure.
Oh, baby, are you okay?
I'm fine.
-[Sandra] You sure?
-Yeah.
I'm just really tired.
I'm fine.
Don't even worry.
Um, great to see you.
-[Sandra] Yeah, you too.
-Yeah.
[whispering] Oh, poor baby.
Can I sing to you?
Knock knock.
[Irene] Joanna!
Baby.
Hey, Irene,
is now a good time?
Sure, hon. Come on in.
I just wanted you to meet Alma.
Adorable.
How old now?
Six weeks.
So beautiful.
How's she sleeping?
Um, great. Yeah.
Yeah, we got really lucky.
[Irene] Good.
I got this advice when my son
was born, and it saved me.
Sleep when she sleeps.
[Joanna] Huh.
Wow. I haven't heard that.
So, do you feel different?
Mm, you know,
I feel like myself.
Yeah.
I'm kind of shocked
at how much I feel
like myself, you know?
Like, I have new
responsibilities, of course,
but my goals are all the same.
-Like, every--
-This isn't a test, Joanna.
[laughing]
Okay.
Yeah, I do
feel pretty different.
-Yeah.
-It's the biggest life change.
Your priorities shift.
Totally.
Yeah.
I mean, I haven't felt like
making any real art, you know?
Like, anything meaningful.
Like, not like graphics, but
something like a real piece,
and just in forever.
I mean, well, not since
this parasite came along.
Not that she's a disease.
Well, not that a parasite
is a disease.
Those are two different things.
Um, I--
You know what?
What am I saying?
I love her, obviously.
Um, I just-- I don't feel
like I know her yet.
Like, she's kind of aloof.
Well, from what I can see,
she's darling.
[Joanna] Eh, we'll see.
Okay.
I'm swamped, hon, so.
[Joanna] Oh, actually,
um, no, this is why--
this is why I wanted
to talk to you.
I-- I was thinking that I could
come back, like, now-ish.
Oh, no, honey, we've got
someone to cover graphics.
Um, thank you,
but, um, no, I feel--
I feel ready to come back.
It's not possible this quarter.
You told me you'd be out.
Okay, um, yeah, we could just
keep it as is for December,
-I think, and--
-I'll see what I can do,
but I'm pretty certain
your replacement
will be continuing on.
Like, working on my projects?
Working on our projects, yes.
Right.
No, I just-- it's the--
I designed the new logo
and-- and the whole look.
I-- I have a lot of new ideas.
[Irene] Well, I'm pretty sure
she'll put her own spin
on things, not to worry.
I think she finds
the work pretty meaningful.
Irene, come on.
I-- Of course
the work is meaningful.
It's just-- it's a job, right?
I mean, it's my job.
I'm really good at it.
I could do it in my sleep,
which I don't even have to do
because I never sleep.
I could do it any time.
I could do it at 2 a.m.,
I'm-- I'm awake.
I'm available, like, call me up.
We're covered, sweetie,
not to worry.
Okay, um, I just want
to pause here and just--
let's just take a look
at what's happening.
Because I--
I worked until I delivered,
and then I asked
for three months off
to take care of my newborn,
and now I don't have
a job anymore,
which it's-- it's
just sounding sort of illegal.
I'll tell you what's happening.
You weren't available
for the job,
so we got a replacement.
Well, I wasn't available
because I had a baby.
It makes no difference
why you weren't available.
It could have been
for any reason,
and I would have
had to hire someone new.
Well, I don't think
you can let someone go
just for having a baby.
I-- I'm not letting you go.
I don't have any work
for you right now.
It has nothing to do
with you having a baby.
Well, obviously it does
because I would have been here
-if I didn't have a baby, so--
-[Irene] Joanna,
don't take it personally,
we found someone
who's available.
I'm sitting here telling you
I am available now.
I'd love to come back.
Joanna, I've been in your shoes.
I've wanted to be supermom
and a career woman.
Irene, I just want to work
at my job, okay?
I want to spare you saying
something you'll regret.
I remember
that the hormonal changes
and sleep deprivation
made me
a very different person
for a while.
Was your boss this compassionate
when you had your son?
Honey, I wasn't
a contract worker.
I had a full-time job.
That's what I thought I had.
We weren't your only client,
Joanna, were we?
Wait, what?
What are-- wait, like...
You-- You're saying
you're my client?
I-- You're-- I'm your employee.
You're 1099, Joanna.
You're a freelancer.
So?
So, you need to find yourself
some new clients.
You have a baby.
I know.
[baby fussing]
Hey, phone, end timer.
The stars will align, baby
Maybe
It's all based on babies
Maybe
The stars will align, baby
Badum bum
Ugh.
Holy shit.
You have to change your baby.
-Yeah, I'm aware.
-[man] What are you do--
Get out of the bal--
-You're caught in the balloons.
-Am I?
Yes, get--
Stop. Slow down.
Sorry about that.
[Alma cooing]
Okay.
[sighs]
My loves!
I just sat down.
Aw!
Are you cold?
Come here.
Let's get you some clothes.
I literally just--
Yeah, I got a dollar
raise today.
Oh, that's great.
[Lucien doing
indistinct baby talk]
[sniffs] Mm.
You went outside today?
Yeah, we took a walk.
[Lucien] Oh, that's good,
Jo-Jo.
Yeah, fresh air's
really good for her.
-[Joanna] Hm.
-Okay.
Coffee?
Um, a few sips.
How'd she nap today?
[Joanna] Not wonderfully.
Oh, babe, have tea for now.
Yeah.
Have you seen Alma
when she doesn't
have her coffee?
It's not cute.
Okay, we'll start dinner.
Oh, you have poop on you.
God, I forgot.
[Lucien] An appetizer?
[Joanna] Mmm, yeah.
Thank you.
You have no idea
how much I want--
Oh my God, are you okay?
Oh, my God.
I don't know, I'm fine.
You sure?
[Joanna] Yeah.
Fine.
[birds tweeting]
Oh, hey,
I'll take one.
Oh, go on, take a few.
Thank you.
Oh my God.
I'm sorry.
-[popping]
-[squealing]
[exhales]
[whispering] Ow.
[Alma cooing]
Help.
[Miriam] Who is it?
Hi, Miriam.
It's Joanna, Leonard's niece.
-Sorry I'm late, I--
-[buzzing]
[Miriam] Who is it?
It's Joanna.
Miriam.
I told you it was me.
Oh, God.
[Miriam] Do you drink coffee?
Yeah, yeah, that'd be great.
All right, the canister's
in the cabinet
right above the sink.
I won't have any if you're not.
Oh, I am.
The water just boiled.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Okay.
[Miriam] I didn't know
you'd be bringing the baby?
Yeah, well, we're kind
of a package deal.
[Miriam] Leonard and I did not
want to have children.
People really romanticize it,
but, um, it's actually
really hard.
Hey, Miriam, how exactly do you
want me to make this coffee?
The cone's in the sink.
Oh.
Great.
Um, filters?
Mm-hmm.
Well, I wanted you
to meet your grandniece.
This is Alma.
Very nice.
-Mazel tov.
-Thank you.
There are cookies behind you.
Oh.
[Miriam] Yeah.
Just bring the can.
I hope you're not going to be
talking to me about your baby.
I truly am not interested.
Oh, okay, um...
So you're not going to hold her
while I take a nap?
-What?
-[Joanna] I don't know. That's--
That's what everyone says
they're going to do, like,
I'll come over and hold
her while you rest.
But so far, no one's shown up.
You came across town
for me to hold your baby?
No, I came across town
for you to hold me.
[Miriam] What?
I'm kidding.
Kind of.
I thought you were here to sell
me Tupperware or Mary Kay.
Um, do you need Tupperware
or Mary Kay?
I like the samples.
Okay.
-Oh. Right.
-Oh, yeah.
You know what?
We should probably
get going anyway.
Goodbye.
Okay. Um...
All right.
It was lovely meeting you,
Miriam.
You know,
if you need anything--
I don't. You do.
Remember?
What?
You need someone
to hold your baby.
I can hold my baby.
I'm not your mother.
Thank God.
Wow.
Okay.
Where would you like to sit?
Um, on the floor?
Okay.
There should be a place
where you could have
picnics year-round.
Right here?
No, no, no.
Like, a place you'd go to.
Like, there'd be, like,
AstroTurf on the ground.
Hammocks and-- and, like--
And, like, lawn games
and those-- those UV lamps.
-[Lucien] Uh.
-You know?
Would people bring
their own picnic baskets?
Yeah, or you could
have concessions.
Like, you could have...
You could have
gluten-free baskets,
meat baskets,
vegetarian baskets,
cheese baskets, fruit baskets.
You could have baskets
with just donuts inside.
And just, like, really...
-[Lucien] I get it, I get it.
-Any kind of basket.
And then no sunscreen required.
-It's great.
-You're not wondering
where the toilet is?
-Ew.
-What?
Like, when you say that, it
sounds like it's an emergency.
-You prefer bathroom?
-Uh, yeah.
I would much rather
have people imagining me
taking a bubble bath
than taking a shit.
-[laughs]
-"Excuse me, boss.
I have to use the toilet."
It sounds like it's too late.
But do you think every time
you tell someone
you're going to the toilet,
they're actually imagining
-what you're doing in there?
-Mm-hmm.
-Yeah, they do.
-[laughing]
[door buzzing]
Now, when they show up,
try not to roll up
on them in your little chair.
Guests don't like that.
Lucien, that woman needs help.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I'm gonna go pee
and maybe fart a little bit.
Just want to give you an
accurate picture while I'm away.
Oh, okay. Thank you.
-Friends!
-You're alive.
-How are you doing?
-Good.
What's happening
in the outside world?
[Wendy] Oh, she's so tiny.
Yeah,
despite eating constantly.
We come bearing tacos.
Yum, yum, yum.
Go sit down.
[Alex] You have an actual,
real-life baby.
[Joanna] So far. Yeah.
Is everything going okay?
Hey, where's the father?
He's in the toilet.
I just asked because my niece
was really colicky,
-so my sister got--
-Oh, God, yeah.
She cries a lot.
I cry a lot.
At the hospital,
they gave me these pamphlets
that are like,
"Your baby's gonna cry a lot,
but don't shake your baby.
And she needs to breastfeed
every two hours,
but don't shake your baby.
And her poop's gonna be yellow,
but don't shake your baby."
So, wait, are you supposed
to shake the baby or not?
No, of course not.
I know, I'm kidding.
[Wendy] Oh.
[Lucien] Hello.
Congratulations, Daddy.
Thank you.
Oh, and thank you for dinner.
So, what's it like?
I want the play-by-play.
Play-by-play of what?
Like, a day in the life.
[Alex] We don't have
any other parent friends.
Neither do we.
-Well, thanks for going first.
-[Lucien] No.
If I make it
through on the other end,
I'll share all my secrets.
Hmm.
In other news, I got fired.
-[Wendy] What?
-No, not exactly fired.
So, are you just gonna stay
home with Alma now?
I guess, yeah.
It's good for the baby.
Yeah, she really needed a win.
[laughing]
I bet you'll find something.
If that's what you want.
You could just binge-watch
a bunch of shows right now.
It's like an unpaid staycation.
It's really not.
No, I know.
I could never do it.
Yes, you could.
Oh, being responsible
for a baby is so scary.
And if we ever have kids,
I'm totally gonna be the one
that stays at home.
Wendy makes so much more
money than me.
[Joanna] Well,
that's what's strange.
It's like the parent
who raises the kid is the one
who made all the horrible,
short-sighted,
selfish decisions.
Well, only in their most
important formative years.
Well, Jo, if you're gonna
be a stay-at-home mom...
-Bleh.
-...there's only one thing
you need to know.
-Don't shake your baby!
-Don't shake the baby!
Totally.
Thanks for coming over
so early, you guys.
Oh, thanks for letting us see
your gorgeous baby.
And, hey, if you
ever want some company,
maybe we could get,
like, a tea or something.
That'd be cool.
Yeah, thanks, Wendy.
Hey, Jo, I have an idea.
The caf has a lull
right now with the artwork.
The next artist installs in,
like, two weeks.
So, do you want
to put some work out?
Seriously?
-Well, what about, like--
-It wouldn't have to be framed.
It's just a lull,
so there wouldn't be
an opening or anything.
It's just,
like, whatever you got.
I don't need an opening.
I'm just excited
for people to see my art.
That's cool.
Honestly,
nobody really looks at it.
I do.
Kidding.
People look at it,
but they never buy it.
-That's true.
-Well, I don't care about that.
You'd have to self-install.
What, like,
put thumbtacks into a wall?
I can handle that.
-Great.
-It's great.
Uh, and it's gotta be new stuff.
What do you mean, new?
Well, you did one
of these lulls before.
What, like, last spring?
So we just need,
like, no repeats.
Okay, I just...
I don't know
if I have anything new.
Since last spring?
Yeah, asshole.
I've been busy.
[Alma cooing]
Of course, um...
-Sorry, I shouldn't have asked.
-No, you should have asked.
I'm sorry, I didn't--
I just mean I wish
I had something new,
that's all.
-No, I get it.
-No.
-Sorry, dude.
-Sorry, I didn't mean to--
I hate myself.
Okay?
I don't mean that.
I just wish I had
literally anything
to put on a wall.
It's fine.
I get it.
Look, I don't want to put
any pressure on you.
There is totally no rush.
Why don't you let me know
when you have something,
and then we'll just--
We'll get you in the next lull.
Sounds good.
-Jo.
-Oh, Joanne, are you okay?
I'm fine.
You should go.
Time to go.
[Joanna sobbing]
[Lucien] Babe, what's
the matter? What happened?
-What am I doing?
-What?
With my life.
You're taking care
of our child.
What's more important
than that?
I want to do
something I'm good at.
Take a breath, okay?
[sobbing]
Joanne, you're smart as hell.
You can do whatever you want.
You're good at graphics.
You could... get more clients.
And start my own business?
Or you have very good ideas.
You can freaking
become an entrepreneur.
Right now?
Okay, I'm brainstorming,
all right?
I know you're brainstorming.
Thing about Alma
and think about the future
and money.
No, babe,
I'm thinking about you.
You can pick anything,
and you'd be good at it.
I did pick something.
I don't even do it anymore.
What are you talking about?
I spent so much fucking money
on art school for what?
To do graphics?
I sold out.
I didn't make any money,
and I got fired.
I'm not an artist anymore
either, so it doesn't matter.
Yeah, but you were
never any good.
-You were--
-All right, you fucked--
-That's fucked up.
-I sold a piece in school.
You peaked too early.
You were in it
for the nude models.
No, babe.
I was in it for you.
Stop.
It's bedtime.
[playing gently]
I got it.
[soft piano music]
Now, this is if she wants
to take a nap.
-Is that a dog bed?
-[Miriam] No.
-It's a baby bed.
-[Joanna] Oh.
Okay.
Thank you.
I never drink coffee
on audition days.
And I don't usually
have guests.
[Joanna] Oh!
We don't have to--
We'll have a little coffee,
and then you two will go.
Okay. Sounds good.
So, are you an actress?
[Miriam] I am.
Wow.
I didn't know that.
[Miriam] How would you?
You were probably
her age when we met.
Do you remember me?
What would be to remember?
Wow. Yeah.
[Miriam] I'm quite good.
I was in New York
for many years.
And Hollywood.
So, Chicago must have really
captured your heart, huh?
[Miriam] Not really.
I've missed New York,
but it's out of my price range.
Why are you here?
College.
And I met my husband here.
We got jobs.
I mean, we thought
about New York,
but it's just not in the cards.
If you want city life
that's affordable, Chicago.
[Miriam] The city of compromise.
Well, cheers to that.
You were really different
the other day.
[Miriam] Well, working
on new material is rejuvenating.
Now I'm feeling more myself.
All right, dear.
Time to go.
[Joanna] Oh.
Miriam has to work.
Yeah.
Don't forget your baby.
Right. [laughs]
Just when I started to feel
like a person again.
Can't forget.
Do you know how long
she's been asleep?
No.
I forgot to set-- Mm.
Um.
If I touch her,
she's going to wake up.
So, um.
Can I just help you
with your lines or something?
That would be helpful.
[Joanna] Great.
Thank you.
[Miriam sighs]
[floor creaking]
[man from bus stop] Bless you.
[screams]
[gasps, pants]
Are you okay?
Uh-huh.
I'm scared to sleep.
-What kind of theater do you--
-You look tired.
Oh.
I don't really like chitchat,
do you?
No, not really.
We don't have to talk.
Cool.
[whispering] Hey, phone,
start timer.
What did you say?
I was just setting
my phone timer.
Your what?
Um, I time her naps.
Why?
So I can see how long
she sleeps.
Why?
So I can see
if she's doing a good job.
Who are you submitting this to?
No one. I just--
We just--
at the end of the day,
kind of look at it, you know,
see if there's anything
we could improve.
Okay.
Please don't do that here.
Hey, phone, end timer.
[clock ticking]
[giggles]
Hm.
[Miriam sighs]
You look like you're waiting
for the dental hygienist
to call your name,
do something.
No, I didn't,
I didn't bring anything.
All right.
Just wait
for your baby to wake up.
I'm not waiting.
You may stay here, but please,
please find something to do.
[sighs]
Did you hear back
from your audition?
No.
Well, they're idiots.
You were amazing.
Thanks, Joanna.
[soft piano music]
[Alma farts]
-Just gas.
-Oh. [laughs]
Oh, baby, are
we having too much fun?
Yeah, she can sense it.
[Miriam] Do you have to go?
Yeah, I should probably
be home for dinner.
You're welcome to stay
for a frozen entre.
Mm, so tempting.
Hey, Miriam,
could you help me with this?
We could order in.
God damn it!
Hey.
Miriam?
Hey, are you okay?
Yes, I want to be alone.
The next one,
I think this is from you.
This is from Kelsey.
Okay.
That's nice.
Oh, my goodness.
-They're so small.
-Aw!
It's cute.
[woman] I love it!
Oh, they come out
even smaller than that!
[all squealing]
Thank you.
-Adorbs.
-This one is from McKenna.
What'd you do?
[gasps]
Oh!
I can't get a puppy,
I can't get a puppy.
I'm about to have a baby.
I can't go get a puppy.
This one is from me.
Oh, my God.
Sandra.
Thank you.
It's for the--
it's for tubby time.
The little scrubby-dubbies
in the tubby.
It's for the tub time.
You just put the baby in there--
Jo, does this just make life
so much easier?
We just use the tub.
Oh, but it's so much more fun
for baby to have bright,
beautiful things around.
Yeah.
Yeah, probably true.
[Sandra] And this one,
I'm not sure, is this one--
is this one from Linda?
I'm not sure.
Linda, did you do this one?
-[Amber] Jo.
-Hm?
Aren't you breastfeeding?
Yeah, I am.
Mm. Mm.
Okay, um...
This one's from Linda.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate you.
[knocking at door]
[Alma cooing]
[door creaking]
[Joanna] Okay, well,
that's terrifying. [laughs]
Look, these are from the worst
baby shower I've ever been to.
For whose baby?
You?
Am I the baby?
Come on in.
I mean,
where is this going anyway?
Don't you stay.
[Alma crying]
[clattering]
Miriam? You okay?
Oh, my--
Here, let me help you,
let me help you.
Let me help you get up.
Okay.
I don't need your help.
Yes, hold on.
It's okay, it's okay.
Let me just put you
on the bed, okay?
Oh, God.
Do you take any medications,
Miriam?
-What are you doing?
-Do you take any medications?
-Get off me!
-Any pills?
Do you take any pills?
Stop.
-Ah!
-No biting, no biting!
God.
Stop.
Stay down, stay,
lay down, lay down.
Stay. Okay?
[tense music]
[Alma fussing]
Sit up.
It's okay.
[phone buttons beeping]
[receptionist] Good afternoon,
Dr. Schwartz' office.
Hi, is Dr. Schwartz available?
[receptionist]
Is this an emergency?
Yes, Miriam Fischel was very
violent and incoherent and I--
[receptionist] Okay, I'll get
the doctor, hold please.
[Dr. Schwartz]
This is Dr. Schwartz.
Hi, hi, this is Joanna Blau.
I'm Miriam Fischel's niece.
She just wasn't
being herself today.
She was getting violent
and confused.
And so I gave her something
and I'm kind of scared.
Um, I went
to her medicine cabinet
and I got carb-- carbamazepine.
And I just, I don't know
if I was supposed
to give that to her.
[Dr. Schwartz] Okay, what is
her state now, Joanna?
Um, she's asleep.
[Dr. Schwartz] Okay,
and is she or you hurt?
No.
[Dr. Schwartz] All right,
so she's stabilized,
so there's no need
to take her to the ER.
Her mania usually
lasts a few days,
but the convulsion
should subside with the meds.
Do you know
if she's been drinking?
Yeah, she has wine sometimes.
[Dr. Schwartz] Okay, she really
shouldn't, not with these meds.
-Okay.
-[Dr. Schwartz] Let's have Nancy
stay with her
until she wakes up.
-And then have her call us.
-Okay, who's Nancy?
Nancy Gray.
She's Miriam's caregiver
during these manic periods.
[Joanna] Okay, okay.
Um, yeah, I have her card here.
Okay, thank you,
Dr. Schwartz. Bye.
[phone buttons beeping]
[high-pitched tones]
[automated voice] We're sorry,
the number you have dialed--
[Joanna breathing heavily]
[door buzzing]
Hey, babe.
I brought this hand pump.
I sterilized it.
Oh, there you go.
-And I brought the instructions.
-Amazing.
All right.
Thanks.
Oh, wait. Could you actually
just wait out here?
-Just in case Miriam wakes up.
-No problem.
-Sure.
-Okay.
I'll be back with my specimen.
Okay.
[chill music]
[Lucien blowing raspberry]
[speaking gibberish]
Say a word.
I got the stuff.
Can I see it first?
[Joanna] It's good stuff.
It's the creamiest.
Well, that's what they all say.
All right, it's all right.
Thanks for coming.
I thought my first night away
would be, like,
some awesome vacation
or us having loud sex
in a hotel.
Yeah, me too.
It's nothing
like what I expected.
Me neither.
What did you expect?
I don't know.
I thought we'd be happier.
Thanks.
I'll miss you, Shu-shu.
Come on, come on, come on.
[upbeat synth music]
[both screaming]
Miriam, it's me, it's me.
I thought you were a burglar.
I'm sorry, I'm not.
Can you disarm, please?
Something wrong?
Last night,
you were having some problems,
and so I called Dr. Schwartz,
and he walked me
through the protocol.
What?
The protocol?
Get out of my house.
Miriam, I was helping you.
You needed help last night.
I was very scared.
I have somebody who comes over
on the rare occasion
that I need help.
Nancy is dead, okay?
You needed me.
It's very lucky
that I was here.
Oh, I'm lucky?
For your information,
I know Nancy's dead.
-Greta stays over now.
-I didn't know that.
Yeah, you didn't know that
because I didn't tell you.
Well, it's okay.
You were not in a good place.
You were not yourself.
I'm always myself.
Always.
Let me make this clear, Joanna.
I have a system,
and you're not a part of it.
[Joanna] Miriam,
I'm family, okay?
Family helps each other.
You don't need
to call some random person
-to come over here.
-Yeah, I could call--
Are you listening?
I want family
to take care of me!
I don't!
I'm just going
to clean up and go.
Joanna.
You're not my family.
My husband was my family.
Where's the baby?
At home with Lucien.
Oh.
I'll be gone soon, okay?
Don't worry.
Lucien?
Lucien!
What?
What's going on? What happened?
-Is she okay?
-What?
She's fine, she's fine.
I just had
the most amazing idea.
You can't do that,
I thought something
-happened to her.
-Elder shower.
What?
Elder shower, okay?
So I call up everyone
in Miriam's Rolodex,
and I invite them to, like,
this baby shower type thing,
but instead of a baby shower,
it's an elder shower,
so they don't bring
little baby things,
I bring little
old people things.
Oh, yeah.
It's a great idea.
Everything about babies
is disgusting,
but it all becomes so cute
because it's covered in,
like, bunnies and trains
and stuff, right?
Like, even the most taboo
topics, like poop,
and, like, I mean,
I guess mainly poop.
It all becomes,
like, easy to talk about
because all the stuff
is so adorable.
Babies and old people,
they need all the same things.
They need people to push them
around, feed them,
help them go to the bathroom.
It's sad when it's an adult,
but it's cute when it's a baby.
-Why is that?
-People like miniatures.
Old people are cute, too,
but their stuff
is just, like, so sterile.
It could be fashionable.
I could totally see Miriam
with, like, a badass cane.
[Lucien] Or, like,
diapers with owls on them.
Right. Why do adult diapers
have to be so sad?
[Lucien] Okay, there's
a kernel of an idea here.
Miriam needs all this shit,
but she just can't afford it.
Yeah, but she's
not that old, is she?
Exactly.
Medicare provides you
with only the most basic stuff,
like ugly canes with,
like, a rubber bottom
and, like, a commode.
She needs to be surrounded
by bright, beautiful things.
No, no,
she doesn't need this, okay?
Oh, she does.
She needs a community
of people
destigmatizing her needs.
[Lucien] Joanna,
I don't know her,
but I know she'll hate this.
This is how everything
becomes a social norm.
Think about it.
Consumerism, right?
Think about Christmas.
Why does everyone want
a reindeer on their lawn?
It's because they see it
in the store, okay?
We just have to put them
in the stores.
Get the idea out there.
Everyone's gonna want it.
Okay, babe,
this is a very bad idea,
and I don't think
you should do this.
I need to get her Rolodex.
She doesn't
have that many friends.
Exactly.
It'd be a great way
to reconnect
with all her old friends.
But you hated
Amber's baby shower.
Because that
was cheesy and lame.
This is gonna be really classy.
I have to do something, okay?
Other than this.
I'm literally suffocating.
Can't you just think
about me for once
instead of making
always about her?
I'm always thinking about you.
Coffee.
That's really good stuff.
[Miriam] Hello,
this is Miriam Fischel.
Please give me a message.
-Thank you.
-[beep]
Hi, Miriam.
I'm really sorry I overstepped.
I think I get it now.
You just want to be friends
and nothing more.
It's fine.
I get that.
Just please
let us still be friends.
[Miriam] These cookies
are terrible.
Miriam, you would
have hated this baby shower.
[Miriam] I'm sure.
[Joanna] There was
pin the sperm on the egg.
Oh, that sounds disgusting.
I know.
I'm a bit lonely.
I'm the loneliest
I've ever been.
And I'm never alone.
You can come over.
Really?
[Miriam] Joanna, I like you.
Please don't mess this up.
[Joanna] So Lucien
is a software developer.
Well, sort of,
he's actually more
in customer service,
but he's moving up.
Because he's really good
at coding and he's got
all these great ideas
for apps.
But I'm working on my own ideas
so like when the time comes,
I can give them to him
and we can make a ton of money.
So I was thinking, I have
this really great idea
for live radar of where there's
free samples in your area.
-[Miriam] Free samples?
-[Joanna] Yeah.
So you put your location
into the app
and then it tells you
where all the free samples
are in your area.
It's like a live feed, which is
why I'm calling it Live Feed.
-So this will be a real thing.
-Yeah.
-A map of free food.
-Yeah, yeah.
Or you could call
it The Trough.
-What about Nosh?
-[Joanna] Oh, that's elegant.
I like that.
I don't know.
There's something grungy about
the idea that I kind of like.
I feel like the free guacamole
at the grocery store
is kind of disgusting, you know?
[Miriam] It is.
It's pretty disgusting.
I've always wanted somebody
to invent a little book
to guide me to the places
I frequent
because I have no inner compass
and it's unsettling.
Like GPS.
I personally cannot stand GPS.
Sunscreen pill.
Mm-hmm.
It takes forever
to put sunscreen on,
so instead,
you just take
the pill 15 minutes before
you go outside
and you're all set.
You seem jumpy.
I'm not jumpy.
I don't know. I'm--
I'm happy.
I'm happy to be here.
This is where I want to be.
Does Lucien get you?
Does he get me?
[Miriam] Yes, you're a nut.
Does he get that?
He definitely knows I'm a nut.
You mean,
does he appreciate it?
Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
Not enough.
It is so rare to have
a partner who gets you.
With whom you can be
yourself and do what you do
and not apologize for it.
Ultimately, Leonard,
he didn't really get me,
and I didn't
really get him either.
Lucien wants me to do what
I want, but he also wants me
to make money,
you know, which is fair.
I think he's kind of like,
let's be grown-ups now.
Grown-ups make art.
Well, I don't really
have any creative juices.
You know what?
You sound creative right now.
I'm either really happy
or really sad.
[Miriam] Yeah.
So happy...
or so sad.
I kind of want some middle.
[Miriam] Middle...
is for suckers.
I still want a little of it.
I'd like a little bit of it,
too, sometimes.
Is there anything
I can do for you?
I don't know.
You seem like...
sometimes you're
a little unsteady.
Like, would
a wheelchair be helpful?
Uh...
Yeah, you're more of
a walking stick kind of gal.
Hmm. I should probably get
going.
[Joanna sighs]
Hey, if you need anything,
just call.
I'm not gonna be calling you.
You're a wreck.
You can barely
take care of your baby.
I am kidding.
Oh, my God, Joanna.
I'm just teasing.
Come on, Joanna.
No, no, no, no.
No, look at her.
Look at her.
She's absolutely alive.
You-- you just don't...
exactly strike me as a mother.
And that's a compliment.
Okay.
Thank you.
Hi.
I'm Joanna.
I don't really know you yet.
You don't really know me.
But I'm
a really interesting person.
I have a lot of fun ideas
for things we can do together.
Like...
making dollhouse food
out of clay.
Learning
an entire cookbook together.
Going to the Art Institute
and pretending we live there.
Cross-country train trips.
It's all so far away.
We can barely get through a day
together, just the two of us.
You need me, but...
I don't think you love me.
You look at everyone the same.
But I'm the one
who's always there for you.
It's me every time.
I want you to see me.
I don't even think
you prefer me,
let alone love me.
I can't keep going
without your love.
I need you to show me
that you love me.
Please, Alma.
Just give me a sign that
you love me.
[tv] I distinctly remember
crossing you off my guest list.
What are you doing here?
Dear Margo, you were
an unforgettable Peter Pan.
You must play it again soon.
[indistinct]
Is that Marilyn Monroe?
[Miriam] Mm-hmm.
Mm.
[tv chattering indistinctly]
Hi, Eliza.
This is Joanna Blau.
I'm Miriam Fischel's niece.
Yeah, I'm throwing her
a last-minute party.
Well, there's not really
an occasion, actually.
Damn, this is hot.
[Lucien] It's nice.
Still not on board
with this, but...
[indistinct] looks amazing.
Lucien.
Huh?
I watched a movie today.
Mm.
What movie?
All About Eve.
That's a good movie.
Mm-hmm.
Alma was there.
-At Miriam's?
-Yeah.
I don't think blue light
is a problem
with black and white films.
It's okay.
Yeah.
I know it's okay.
Okay.
Maybe she needs
more blue light, you know?
Maybe it'll open up her eyes.
I don't even know what
they look like.
What do you mean?
She never looks at me.
Like, you spend 20 minutes
a day with her,
and she looks at you.
I spend more than
20 minutes a day with her.
Lucien, I just can't keep...
I had dreams, you know?
This is the dream.
This is it.
I can't stop doing everything
that makes me happy
for someone who doesn't
give a shit about me.
[Lucien] Joanna, she loves you.
She doesn't love.
She just needs.
[Lucien] How many people
are coming?
I think seven or eight.
That's good.
Have fun, babe.
You don't have to lie.
I know you hate the idea.
No, I want this to
go well for you, Joanna.
I do.
Okay, well...
To be honest,
I'm having second thoughts.
I can just imagine a world
where maybe it's not
the best idea to ambush
Miriam in her own home
with a bunch
of old people gifts.
You don't have to do it.
I know, I just...
I want people to know...
Know what?
That I'm a grown-up.
-Joanna.
-What?
You look at least 40 these days.
Jerk.
Nutcase.
Fancy pants.
Weirdo.
Bossy man.
Lazy.
Boring.
Empty.
Weak.
"Artist".
Quitter.
Selfish.
Selfish.
Baby.
[door shuts]
I want my goddamn Rolodex back.
The idea was better in my head.
Obviously,
it was supposed to be ironic.
Oh, it was.
It was a riot.
Your friends are really sweet.
They're not my friends.
They love you, Miriam.
Jesus fucking Christ.
How would you feel if strangers
came into your house
to humiliate you?
[Joanna]
You're cooped up all day.
You don't take your meds.
You drink.
I've never seen you leave.
I don't believe you even
auditioned for that play.
You get to do what you love.
I would kill to do what I love.
You have all the time in the
world, and you're wasting it.
Oh, what the hell are you doing
spending your days here?
Are you working?
Making friends?
-I'm taking care of you.
-Oh, I didn't realize.
I thought that
I was taking care of you.
Well, you're not doing
a very good job.
-Oh, crying baby.
-You know what, Miriam?
I would love it if someone
threw me a shitty party.
Go ahead, throw me a fucking
postpartum depression party.
The door's wide open.
I'm depressed.
You're in a mood.
Okay, so you think because
your life is sad,
I can't be depressed.
-I'm depressed.
-[Miriam] I'm depressed!
-I'm depressed.
-I'm depressed.
-[Joanna] I am depressed.
-You're an amateur.
-I am depressed!
-Oh, I'm depressed too.
[shouting] I'm depressed!
I came here looking for family.
I don't need a friend.
So, is she sleeping
through the night?
No. [chuckles]
Okay.
I'm sure it'll happen soon.
So, are you, um...
Sorry, I can't remember what
it is that you do.
[chuckles]
I'm a financial analyst.
Oh, okay. Right.
So, when you make a ton of money
from selling your amazing art,
you can come to me, and I will
tell you how to invest it.
Perfect. [chuckles]
I mean, I don't think
I really qualify as an artist,
but I'll call you.
[chuckles]
I don't think there's a test.
Yeah.
I guess not.
I just remember seeing
your drawings at the showcase
when you and Alex were seniors.
Yours were strange and creepy.
Sort of unforgettable.
Aw, thanks.
I wish I could make something
like that or see what you see.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Am I being boring?
[Joanna] Oh, no. Oh, my God.
I'm sorry.
It's just been a week.
Well, weeks. [chuckling]
Yeah, I'm not getting
a ton of sleep,
so that's kind of...
kind of where I'm at.
Well, we don't have
to force this.
No. It's fine-- I'm not...
I don't even remember
how to do this.
Are you not seeing friends?
Mm. Just my aunt.
Yeah.
She's as pathetic as I am.
[chuckles]
Plus, she's mad at me right now.
I don't know.
She's clinically... something.
I don't know what, but--
Yeah, I don't think
I'm clinically depressed.
I'm not clinically-- I mean,
I don't feel like myself.
You know? I feel empty.
Like-- Well, actually,
that's not even true.
I feel full.
I feel very full.
And, yeah. I mean, I think
it's just normal, though.
It's just what it's like
to have a baby.
It's just the ups and downs
that you go through.
You know? It's just what it is.
I mean,
I'm afraid to go to sleep--
[chuckles] but...
it's nothing to worry about.
It's fine.
It's not serious.
Just, I think it's--
I think, sleep deprivation.
I'm not worried.
Have you talked
to other moms about this?
Ew, other moms.
No. [chuckles]
I don't talk to other moms.
I'm not like a "mom". I just--
I have a baby, you know?
Well, you are, though.
-[Joanna] Mmm.
-Maybe...
other moms feel the same way.
Uh-huh.
Sorry, it's just hard
to explain to someone
who doesn't have a baby.
Oh. [chuckles]
-Okay.
-[Joanna] Oh, sorry.
No, I mean it, like...
No, I'm sorry.
I really didn't mean it
like that.
It just came out like that.
-I meant no offense.
-No, none taken.
No, I really--
I don't even know.
I don't know what I'm saying.
I'm just talking.
I don't even know what
I'm saying.
Like, I don't even know--
I don't even know--
Do you and Alex...
Do you want kids some day?
Yes.
-Very much.
-That's...
-Yeah.
-We're trying.
Great.
It's just taking
a really long time.
Oh, God.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I didn't...
I'm sorry.
-I can't stop crying.
-Me too.
[both]
I think it's the hormones.
[Joanna sniffling]
[exhales]
[phone ringing]
Hi.
Hello.
Who gave me
the robot vacuum cleaner?
[Joanna] Oh, uh, Vivian.
Who gave me
the electric candle set?
So thoughtful.
Ew, I know.
Uh, that was Paulette.
What's your address, Joanna?
[Joanna] Oh, you don't need
to send me a thank you card.
What is it?
[Joanna] 2420 West Fullerton.
Apartment?
[Joanna] 2C.
Zip code?
[Joanna] 60647.
Okay, thank you.
Goodbye.
Oh, okay.
Bye.
[door buzzing]
[knocking on door]
It's a compass.
[chuckling]
[pleasant piano instrumental]
Thanks, Kathy!
Good to see you.
And, uh...
Miriam?
-Yes, hello.
-Hi.
Oh, honey, we don't need that.
We'll snap a picture inside.
Oh, okay.
No, go, go, go, go.
Joanna, will you please
do me a favor?
[producer]
On the blue tape, hun?
All right, Miriam, I'll point,
and you'll slate, okay?
You've got
chocolate chip cookies there
and a pill bottle.
Any questions?
No.
Okay, here we go.
[camera chirping]
Miriam Fischel.
[clearing throat]
[coughing]
[choking]
Ahem. Ahem. Ahem.
Ahem. [choking]
[coughing]
[retching]
[groaning]
[clearing throat]
[pills rattling]
[clearing throat]
Oh...
Oh...
Oh...
[producer] Okay.
That was a little too real.
Um, Let's try it again with
a lighter touch, okay?
It's just reflux.
Right.
[Lucien] You're in the zone.
Can I see?
Mm-hmm.
Do you feel...
like you're drowning?
Do you feel like
you're drowning?
I'm drowning.
Forgotten.
Alone.
Mm.
I'm the one
who's forgotten and alone.
Oh, yeah, I forgot.
Joanna's the only person
that can have feelings.
Luce, this is obviously
so much harder for me
than it is for you.
Or am I just really bad at this?
Come on!
-You're all right.
-Oh, my God.
[Lucien chuckles]
Do you believe the world is
a good place, overall?
Not really.
Me neither.
So why do we keep going?
And procreating.
-Mm.
-Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
What?
She's looking at me.
What?
She's really looking at me.
She sees me.
She knows who I am. Hi.
Hi.
I'm your mom.
You're my daughter.
I have a daughter.
[Miriam chuckles]
This is your niece.
Your grandniece, I guess.
[birds chirping]
Hi, cutie pie.
Hi, Alma.
-Hi, Alma.
-Hi, Alma.
We see you.
["Easy" by Audrey Ryan]
Well I like to have fun
and stick out my tongue
Cause life isn't easy
But it's a whole lot
better than none
You tell everyone
that your youth isn't over
One, two, three, four, five
It helps me feel alive
[fast-paced synth instrumental]
[wood floor creaking]
[woman breathing quietly]
[floor creaking]
[floor creaking]
[whimpers]
[bed creaking]
[exhales]
[moans softly]
[inhales sharply]
I left the burner on.
Oh, God.
[bed creaks]
[baby coos]
[giggles]
[laughing] Oh, my God.
[crying]
["Wide Awake With You"
by the Rear Defrosters playing]
[baby crying]
I put all my blues away
When the evening sun
goes down
The heat of the day
The country and the town
I can hear
the rustling of leaves
And the settling of dew
Birds are sleeping
in the trees
And I'm wide awake with you
[indistinct audio from phone]
[footsteps]
[baby coos]
What about me, huh?
Doesn't the blue light
ruin my sleep too?
Okay.
Here. Here you go.
[laughs] Hey, stop!
I can't see, I can't see.
Ah!
-No biting.
-[kettle whistling]
Ow. No biting.
Bad dog.
Baby, haven't you seen
that show before?
Yeah, I have.
You know, reruns
are actually really great.
Like comfort food?
No, no, no.
It's not indulgent.
It's actually healthy.
You know, the predictability
reduces stress.
Are you stressed, Jo-Jo?
-I'm fine.
-Mm.
-I have my wage review today.
-Can I get a mug?
-Babe.
-She's six weeks.
Exactly. She doesn't need
caffeine right now.
How about, you know, when
her naps get a little longer.
Lucien. A sip is fine.
Okay.
[slurps]
Mm! Stop it!
What are you two
getting into today?
Um...
-Are you serious?
-Yes.
We're gonna eat, shit,
and sleep.
Hm. You must
find the predictability
-reduces your stress.
-Mm.
-Okay, you can go.
-[laughing]
One day at a time, baby.
-Go!
-Going.
[sighs]
[baby coos]
-[indistinct]
-Good luck today.
Thank you.
[sink water running]
[keys jingling]
Lucien?
[footsteps]
You'll be fine.
It's just a few hours.
It's nine hours.
Call a friend.
Or I don't know.
Fuck it.
Watch TV.
[somber music]
[Lucien moans softly]
Okay.
I really have to leave now.
Hm.
-See you later, okay?
-Mm.
[keys jingling]
[door opening, closing]
-Hey phone, start timer.
-[phone chimes]
No.
What?
Hey phone, white spot,
nipple, breastfeeding.
Oh, God.
[sighs]
Okay.
Shh.
Okay.
[moans gently]
[whispers] Hell yeah.
Fuck you.
Yep, you're up.
Oh.
Hey, phone, end timer.
Hello.
Hello, I'm talking to you.
Look at me
when I'm talking to you.
[groans] What do you
want to do today, huh?
Yeah, I have one guess,
and I think I'm right.
All right, well,
I'm not gonna let you eat alone.
Oh, that's not delicious.
Get something.
Bingo.
All right.
[sighs]
[ball squeaking]
[phone buzzing]
Shut up.
Shut up.
Hi, ma'am, are you--
-Shh! Come in.
-[car alarm blaring]
My baby's sleeping.
Oh, oh.
Are you Joanna Blau?
Sometimes.
[laughs] Uh-huh, well, um...
[beeps]
[man clears throat]
Do you need
a glass of water?
No, thank you.
Gotta keep moving.
Oh, just one second.
Can you open this?
Oh, okay.
Oh.
My, my, what a strong man.
-[man] Could you just please--
-What time is it?
It's about 9:15.
And what day is it?
It's Monday.
Right.
Ma'am, if you could
just please--
Don't call me ma'am,
call me miss.
Okay, miss.
-I'm kidding, call me Joanna.
-Yeah, I really--
Are you real?
I'm sorry?
Sometimes I can't
tell if I'm dreaming.
Ow!
Oh, shit, what the fuck?
Oh, sorry, I was supposed
to pinch myself.
-Oh, my God.
-Oh, shit!
Oh, I--
Okay, I--
I-- I have a schedule.
-[door closes]
-[baby cooing]
Oh.
[hair drying blowing]
["Are You Sleeping?"
by Audrey Ryan playing]
Wake up, wake up,
wake up, wake up
Gonna join the world
Alma?
Alma?
Where's my baby?
Alma!
Alma!
Alma!
Where are you?
Where are you? Alma!
[hair dryer blowing]
[alarm beeping]
Holy fuck.
Holy fuck.
[alarm beeping]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
[breathing heavily]
[crying]
[line ringing]
[mom] Hello?
Is now a good time?
Wait, what?
I called you, Mom.
[mom] Oh, I know, I know.
But is now a good time,
or can we talk later?
Well, now is a terrible time,
but now is the time I called
because I want
to talk to you now.
[mom] Okay, okay,
just let me step out.
[door opens and closes]
What's going on, sweetie?
Well, I'm taking care
of a tiny baby all by myself.
Um, there's poop everywhere,
my nipple is bleeding,
I'm having weird dreams,
and I'm very, very sad.
[mom] You don't sound sad.
You sound mad.
Well, I'm mad, too.
[mom] Oh, honey, I wish
you weren't so far away.
Well, why don't you just come
here and, like, take care of us?
[mom] Honey, you're already
coming here at Thanksgiving.
That's really soon.
I'll meet the baby then.
I don't need you to meet
the baby, Mom.
I need you to, like,
hold the baby.
[mom] Jo, you can do this.
Women have been doing this
for thousands of years,
with much, much less.
I didn't have
anyone to help me.
I know, I know.
[mom] You know what I told
myself when you were born?
What?
[mom] Any moron can have a baby.
Okay.
[mom] What I mean is, you're not
the first one to have a baby.
But it's-- it's my first time
having a baby.
I'm the first one
to have this baby.
[mom] Oh, sweetie, I wish
you didn't live so far away.
I'd do all your dishes
and take out your trash
and let you sleep.
Then just come.
I'll pay for your ticket.
[mom] Joanna, honey, if you--
Mom, you have no idea how badly
I need family right now.
[mom] Is Lucien's family
coming in?
They live halfway
around the world.
It's, like, a really big deal
for them to come here.
They wish they could be here.
[mom] You know what?
Listen, honey, I'm gonna get
you Aunt Miriam's number.
She used to live in Chicago.
She probably still does.
She was very cool.
-Like you.
-Who is this?
[mom] Your dad's brother
Leonard's ex-wife.
Oh, you just loved her
when you were little.
I-- I have no memory
of this person.
[mom] Of course you don't.
You were a baby.
I want my mom.
[mom sighs] I'm fixing it, okay?
You're gonna have somebody, and
I'll see you in eight weeks.
It'll go by so fast, okay?
[Joanna] Okay.
[mom] Okay.
I love you.
-[Joanna] I love you, too.
-[phone beeps]
[pleasant guitar music]
Hey, phone,
start timer.
[sneezes]
Bless you.
[baby crying]
Hey, phone, end timer.
["Maybe"
by Audrey Ryan playing]
You got the drive,
you got the goods
Life's your oyster,
eat it like you should
Badum bum
You try so hard,
you work all day
Sandra!
-[Sandra] Joanna!
-Hi!
-Oh, let me see that baby.
-[Joanna] Oh, yeah.
Oh.
Oh, congratulations.
You did it!
-Hey, phone, start timer.
-[Sandra] Oh, my goodness.
What are you doing here?
I--I got on the bus,
and I got off here.
[Sandra] Okay.
It feels really good
to be here.
-Like, so good.
-Really?
Yes, it does.
Hey, is your vagina
like a gaping open mouth now?
[Sandra] You have no idea.
I do not remember anything
about my vagina before.
Okay, because
it fucking burns, right?
-[Sandra] Oh, yes, it does.
-Yeah.
You gotta get those
little ice pack pad things
-they make you--
-[Joanna] I have them.
-Are you back?
-Hi!
-Oh, hi, Tommy.
-[Tommy] Oh, mommy!
[laughs]
Oh, my God, I found
the perfect Halloween costume
for you, and, um...
-Alma.
-Alma.
-[Tommy] Alma.
-Thank you.
-[Tommy] Sorry.
-It's okay.
-[Tommy] Check this out.
-[Joanna] Oh, wow.
Oh, okay, that's horrendous.
You should send that
to Amber, right?
-She's on maternity leave?
-[Sandra] Yeah.
Can I sing to her?
Oh, um, probably not.
She's asleep, so rain check.
Um, is-- is Irene here?
Uh, yeah.
Do you guys have,
like, a-- a meeting?
No, no, I just--
I was coming to say hi.
Um, hey, do you
want to get lunch after?
Uh, it is literally,
like, 10:20.
-[Joanna] Is it?
-Yeah.
Okay.
Oh, plus I've been going
to the gym on my break.
Oh, that's great.
Maybe another time.
[Joanna] For sure.
Oh, baby, are you okay?
I'm fine.
-[Sandra] You sure?
-Yeah.
I'm just really tired.
I'm fine.
Don't even worry.
Um, great to see you.
-[Sandra] Yeah, you too.
-Yeah.
[whispering] Oh, poor baby.
Can I sing to you?
Knock knock.
[Irene] Joanna!
Baby.
Hey, Irene,
is now a good time?
Sure, hon. Come on in.
I just wanted you to meet Alma.
Adorable.
How old now?
Six weeks.
So beautiful.
How's she sleeping?
Um, great. Yeah.
Yeah, we got really lucky.
[Irene] Good.
I got this advice when my son
was born, and it saved me.
Sleep when she sleeps.
[Joanna] Huh.
Wow. I haven't heard that.
So, do you feel different?
Mm, you know,
I feel like myself.
Yeah.
I'm kind of shocked
at how much I feel
like myself, you know?
Like, I have new
responsibilities, of course,
but my goals are all the same.
-Like, every--
-This isn't a test, Joanna.
[laughing]
Okay.
Yeah, I do
feel pretty different.
-Yeah.
-It's the biggest life change.
Your priorities shift.
Totally.
Yeah.
I mean, I haven't felt like
making any real art, you know?
Like, anything meaningful.
Like, not like graphics, but
something like a real piece,
and just in forever.
I mean, well, not since
this parasite came along.
Not that she's a disease.
Well, not that a parasite
is a disease.
Those are two different things.
Um, I--
You know what?
What am I saying?
I love her, obviously.
Um, I just-- I don't feel
like I know her yet.
Like, she's kind of aloof.
Well, from what I can see,
she's darling.
[Joanna] Eh, we'll see.
Okay.
I'm swamped, hon, so.
[Joanna] Oh, actually,
um, no, this is why--
this is why I wanted
to talk to you.
I-- I was thinking that I could
come back, like, now-ish.
Oh, no, honey, we've got
someone to cover graphics.
Um, thank you,
but, um, no, I feel--
I feel ready to come back.
It's not possible this quarter.
You told me you'd be out.
Okay, um, yeah, we could just
keep it as is for December,
-I think, and--
-I'll see what I can do,
but I'm pretty certain
your replacement
will be continuing on.
Like, working on my projects?
Working on our projects, yes.
Right.
No, I just-- it's the--
I designed the new logo
and-- and the whole look.
I-- I have a lot of new ideas.
[Irene] Well, I'm pretty sure
she'll put her own spin
on things, not to worry.
I think she finds
the work pretty meaningful.
Irene, come on.
I-- Of course
the work is meaningful.
It's just-- it's a job, right?
I mean, it's my job.
I'm really good at it.
I could do it in my sleep,
which I don't even have to do
because I never sleep.
I could do it any time.
I could do it at 2 a.m.,
I'm-- I'm awake.
I'm available, like, call me up.
We're covered, sweetie,
not to worry.
Okay, um, I just want
to pause here and just--
let's just take a look
at what's happening.
Because I--
I worked until I delivered,
and then I asked
for three months off
to take care of my newborn,
and now I don't have
a job anymore,
which it's-- it's
just sounding sort of illegal.
I'll tell you what's happening.
You weren't available
for the job,
so we got a replacement.
Well, I wasn't available
because I had a baby.
It makes no difference
why you weren't available.
It could have been
for any reason,
and I would have
had to hire someone new.
Well, I don't think
you can let someone go
just for having a baby.
I-- I'm not letting you go.
I don't have any work
for you right now.
It has nothing to do
with you having a baby.
Well, obviously it does
because I would have been here
-if I didn't have a baby, so--
-[Irene] Joanna,
don't take it personally,
we found someone
who's available.
I'm sitting here telling you
I am available now.
I'd love to come back.
Joanna, I've been in your shoes.
I've wanted to be supermom
and a career woman.
Irene, I just want to work
at my job, okay?
I want to spare you saying
something you'll regret.
I remember
that the hormonal changes
and sleep deprivation
made me
a very different person
for a while.
Was your boss this compassionate
when you had your son?
Honey, I wasn't
a contract worker.
I had a full-time job.
That's what I thought I had.
We weren't your only client,
Joanna, were we?
Wait, what?
What are-- wait, like...
You-- You're saying
you're my client?
I-- You're-- I'm your employee.
You're 1099, Joanna.
You're a freelancer.
So?
So, you need to find yourself
some new clients.
You have a baby.
I know.
[baby fussing]
Hey, phone, end timer.
The stars will align, baby
Maybe
It's all based on babies
Maybe
The stars will align, baby
Badum bum
Ugh.
Holy shit.
You have to change your baby.
-Yeah, I'm aware.
-[man] What are you do--
Get out of the bal--
-You're caught in the balloons.
-Am I?
Yes, get--
Stop. Slow down.
Sorry about that.
[Alma cooing]
Okay.
[sighs]
My loves!
I just sat down.
Aw!
Are you cold?
Come here.
Let's get you some clothes.
I literally just--
Yeah, I got a dollar
raise today.
Oh, that's great.
[Lucien doing
indistinct baby talk]
[sniffs] Mm.
You went outside today?
Yeah, we took a walk.
[Lucien] Oh, that's good,
Jo-Jo.
Yeah, fresh air's
really good for her.
-[Joanna] Hm.
-Okay.
Coffee?
Um, a few sips.
How'd she nap today?
[Joanna] Not wonderfully.
Oh, babe, have tea for now.
Yeah.
Have you seen Alma
when she doesn't
have her coffee?
It's not cute.
Okay, we'll start dinner.
Oh, you have poop on you.
God, I forgot.
[Lucien] An appetizer?
[Joanna] Mmm, yeah.
Thank you.
You have no idea
how much I want--
Oh my God, are you okay?
Oh, my God.
I don't know, I'm fine.
You sure?
[Joanna] Yeah.
Fine.
[birds tweeting]
Oh, hey,
I'll take one.
Oh, go on, take a few.
Thank you.
Oh my God.
I'm sorry.
-[popping]
-[squealing]
[exhales]
[whispering] Ow.
[Alma cooing]
Help.
[Miriam] Who is it?
Hi, Miriam.
It's Joanna, Leonard's niece.
-Sorry I'm late, I--
-[buzzing]
[Miriam] Who is it?
It's Joanna.
Miriam.
I told you it was me.
Oh, God.
[Miriam] Do you drink coffee?
Yeah, yeah, that'd be great.
All right, the canister's
in the cabinet
right above the sink.
I won't have any if you're not.
Oh, I am.
The water just boiled.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Okay.
[Miriam] I didn't know
you'd be bringing the baby?
Yeah, well, we're kind
of a package deal.
[Miriam] Leonard and I did not
want to have children.
People really romanticize it,
but, um, it's actually
really hard.
Hey, Miriam, how exactly do you
want me to make this coffee?
The cone's in the sink.
Oh.
Great.
Um, filters?
Mm-hmm.
Well, I wanted you
to meet your grandniece.
This is Alma.
Very nice.
-Mazel tov.
-Thank you.
There are cookies behind you.
Oh.
[Miriam] Yeah.
Just bring the can.
I hope you're not going to be
talking to me about your baby.
I truly am not interested.
Oh, okay, um...
So you're not going to hold her
while I take a nap?
-What?
-[Joanna] I don't know. That's--
That's what everyone says
they're going to do, like,
I'll come over and hold
her while you rest.
But so far, no one's shown up.
You came across town
for me to hold your baby?
No, I came across town
for you to hold me.
[Miriam] What?
I'm kidding.
Kind of.
I thought you were here to sell
me Tupperware or Mary Kay.
Um, do you need Tupperware
or Mary Kay?
I like the samples.
Okay.
-Oh. Right.
-Oh, yeah.
You know what?
We should probably
get going anyway.
Goodbye.
Okay. Um...
All right.
It was lovely meeting you,
Miriam.
You know,
if you need anything--
I don't. You do.
Remember?
What?
You need someone
to hold your baby.
I can hold my baby.
I'm not your mother.
Thank God.
Wow.
Okay.
Where would you like to sit?
Um, on the floor?
Okay.
There should be a place
where you could have
picnics year-round.
Right here?
No, no, no.
Like, a place you'd go to.
Like, there'd be, like,
AstroTurf on the ground.
Hammocks and-- and, like--
And, like, lawn games
and those-- those UV lamps.
-[Lucien] Uh.
-You know?
Would people bring
their own picnic baskets?
Yeah, or you could
have concessions.
Like, you could have...
You could have
gluten-free baskets,
meat baskets,
vegetarian baskets,
cheese baskets, fruit baskets.
You could have baskets
with just donuts inside.
And just, like, really...
-[Lucien] I get it, I get it.
-Any kind of basket.
And then no sunscreen required.
-It's great.
-You're not wondering
where the toilet is?
-Ew.
-What?
Like, when you say that, it
sounds like it's an emergency.
-You prefer bathroom?
-Uh, yeah.
I would much rather
have people imagining me
taking a bubble bath
than taking a shit.
-[laughs]
-"Excuse me, boss.
I have to use the toilet."
It sounds like it's too late.
But do you think every time
you tell someone
you're going to the toilet,
they're actually imagining
-what you're doing in there?
-Mm-hmm.
-Yeah, they do.
-[laughing]
[door buzzing]
Now, when they show up,
try not to roll up
on them in your little chair.
Guests don't like that.
Lucien, that woman needs help.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I'm gonna go pee
and maybe fart a little bit.
Just want to give you an
accurate picture while I'm away.
Oh, okay. Thank you.
-Friends!
-You're alive.
-How are you doing?
-Good.
What's happening
in the outside world?
[Wendy] Oh, she's so tiny.
Yeah,
despite eating constantly.
We come bearing tacos.
Yum, yum, yum.
Go sit down.
[Alex] You have an actual,
real-life baby.
[Joanna] So far. Yeah.
Is everything going okay?
Hey, where's the father?
He's in the toilet.
I just asked because my niece
was really colicky,
-so my sister got--
-Oh, God, yeah.
She cries a lot.
I cry a lot.
At the hospital,
they gave me these pamphlets
that are like,
"Your baby's gonna cry a lot,
but don't shake your baby.
And she needs to breastfeed
every two hours,
but don't shake your baby.
And her poop's gonna be yellow,
but don't shake your baby."
So, wait, are you supposed
to shake the baby or not?
No, of course not.
I know, I'm kidding.
[Wendy] Oh.
[Lucien] Hello.
Congratulations, Daddy.
Thank you.
Oh, and thank you for dinner.
So, what's it like?
I want the play-by-play.
Play-by-play of what?
Like, a day in the life.
[Alex] We don't have
any other parent friends.
Neither do we.
-Well, thanks for going first.
-[Lucien] No.
If I make it
through on the other end,
I'll share all my secrets.
Hmm.
In other news, I got fired.
-[Wendy] What?
-No, not exactly fired.
So, are you just gonna stay
home with Alma now?
I guess, yeah.
It's good for the baby.
Yeah, she really needed a win.
[laughing]
I bet you'll find something.
If that's what you want.
You could just binge-watch
a bunch of shows right now.
It's like an unpaid staycation.
It's really not.
No, I know.
I could never do it.
Yes, you could.
Oh, being responsible
for a baby is so scary.
And if we ever have kids,
I'm totally gonna be the one
that stays at home.
Wendy makes so much more
money than me.
[Joanna] Well,
that's what's strange.
It's like the parent
who raises the kid is the one
who made all the horrible,
short-sighted,
selfish decisions.
Well, only in their most
important formative years.
Well, Jo, if you're gonna
be a stay-at-home mom...
-Bleh.
-...there's only one thing
you need to know.
-Don't shake your baby!
-Don't shake the baby!
Totally.
Thanks for coming over
so early, you guys.
Oh, thanks for letting us see
your gorgeous baby.
And, hey, if you
ever want some company,
maybe we could get,
like, a tea or something.
That'd be cool.
Yeah, thanks, Wendy.
Hey, Jo, I have an idea.
The caf has a lull
right now with the artwork.
The next artist installs in,
like, two weeks.
So, do you want
to put some work out?
Seriously?
-Well, what about, like--
-It wouldn't have to be framed.
It's just a lull,
so there wouldn't be
an opening or anything.
It's just,
like, whatever you got.
I don't need an opening.
I'm just excited
for people to see my art.
That's cool.
Honestly,
nobody really looks at it.
I do.
Kidding.
People look at it,
but they never buy it.
-That's true.
-Well, I don't care about that.
You'd have to self-install.
What, like,
put thumbtacks into a wall?
I can handle that.
-Great.
-It's great.
Uh, and it's gotta be new stuff.
What do you mean, new?
Well, you did one
of these lulls before.
What, like, last spring?
So we just need,
like, no repeats.
Okay, I just...
I don't know
if I have anything new.
Since last spring?
Yeah, asshole.
I've been busy.
[Alma cooing]
Of course, um...
-Sorry, I shouldn't have asked.
-No, you should have asked.
I'm sorry, I didn't--
I just mean I wish
I had something new,
that's all.
-No, I get it.
-No.
-Sorry, dude.
-Sorry, I didn't mean to--
I hate myself.
Okay?
I don't mean that.
I just wish I had
literally anything
to put on a wall.
It's fine.
I get it.
Look, I don't want to put
any pressure on you.
There is totally no rush.
Why don't you let me know
when you have something,
and then we'll just--
We'll get you in the next lull.
Sounds good.
-Jo.
-Oh, Joanne, are you okay?
I'm fine.
You should go.
Time to go.
[Joanna sobbing]
[Lucien] Babe, what's
the matter? What happened?
-What am I doing?
-What?
With my life.
You're taking care
of our child.
What's more important
than that?
I want to do
something I'm good at.
Take a breath, okay?
[sobbing]
Joanne, you're smart as hell.
You can do whatever you want.
You're good at graphics.
You could... get more clients.
And start my own business?
Or you have very good ideas.
You can freaking
become an entrepreneur.
Right now?
Okay, I'm brainstorming,
all right?
I know you're brainstorming.
Thing about Alma
and think about the future
and money.
No, babe,
I'm thinking about you.
You can pick anything,
and you'd be good at it.
I did pick something.
I don't even do it anymore.
What are you talking about?
I spent so much fucking money
on art school for what?
To do graphics?
I sold out.
I didn't make any money,
and I got fired.
I'm not an artist anymore
either, so it doesn't matter.
Yeah, but you were
never any good.
-You were--
-All right, you fucked--
-That's fucked up.
-I sold a piece in school.
You peaked too early.
You were in it
for the nude models.
No, babe.
I was in it for you.
Stop.
It's bedtime.
[playing gently]
I got it.
[soft piano music]
Now, this is if she wants
to take a nap.
-Is that a dog bed?
-[Miriam] No.
-It's a baby bed.
-[Joanna] Oh.
Okay.
Thank you.
I never drink coffee
on audition days.
And I don't usually
have guests.
[Joanna] Oh!
We don't have to--
We'll have a little coffee,
and then you two will go.
Okay. Sounds good.
So, are you an actress?
[Miriam] I am.
Wow.
I didn't know that.
[Miriam] How would you?
You were probably
her age when we met.
Do you remember me?
What would be to remember?
Wow. Yeah.
[Miriam] I'm quite good.
I was in New York
for many years.
And Hollywood.
So, Chicago must have really
captured your heart, huh?
[Miriam] Not really.
I've missed New York,
but it's out of my price range.
Why are you here?
College.
And I met my husband here.
We got jobs.
I mean, we thought
about New York,
but it's just not in the cards.
If you want city life
that's affordable, Chicago.
[Miriam] The city of compromise.
Well, cheers to that.
You were really different
the other day.
[Miriam] Well, working
on new material is rejuvenating.
Now I'm feeling more myself.
All right, dear.
Time to go.
[Joanna] Oh.
Miriam has to work.
Yeah.
Don't forget your baby.
Right. [laughs]
Just when I started to feel
like a person again.
Can't forget.
Do you know how long
she's been asleep?
No.
I forgot to set-- Mm.
Um.
If I touch her,
she's going to wake up.
So, um.
Can I just help you
with your lines or something?
That would be helpful.
[Joanna] Great.
Thank you.
[Miriam sighs]
[floor creaking]
[man from bus stop] Bless you.
[screams]
[gasps, pants]
Are you okay?
Uh-huh.
I'm scared to sleep.
-What kind of theater do you--
-You look tired.
Oh.
I don't really like chitchat,
do you?
No, not really.
We don't have to talk.
Cool.
[whispering] Hey, phone,
start timer.
What did you say?
I was just setting
my phone timer.
Your what?
Um, I time her naps.
Why?
So I can see how long
she sleeps.
Why?
So I can see
if she's doing a good job.
Who are you submitting this to?
No one. I just--
We just--
at the end of the day,
kind of look at it, you know,
see if there's anything
we could improve.
Okay.
Please don't do that here.
Hey, phone, end timer.
[clock ticking]
[giggles]
Hm.
[Miriam sighs]
You look like you're waiting
for the dental hygienist
to call your name,
do something.
No, I didn't,
I didn't bring anything.
All right.
Just wait
for your baby to wake up.
I'm not waiting.
You may stay here, but please,
please find something to do.
[sighs]
Did you hear back
from your audition?
No.
Well, they're idiots.
You were amazing.
Thanks, Joanna.
[soft piano music]
[Alma farts]
-Just gas.
-Oh. [laughs]
Oh, baby, are
we having too much fun?
Yeah, she can sense it.
[Miriam] Do you have to go?
Yeah, I should probably
be home for dinner.
You're welcome to stay
for a frozen entre.
Mm, so tempting.
Hey, Miriam,
could you help me with this?
We could order in.
God damn it!
Hey.
Miriam?
Hey, are you okay?
Yes, I want to be alone.
The next one,
I think this is from you.
This is from Kelsey.
Okay.
That's nice.
Oh, my goodness.
-They're so small.
-Aw!
It's cute.
[woman] I love it!
Oh, they come out
even smaller than that!
[all squealing]
Thank you.
-Adorbs.
-This one is from McKenna.
What'd you do?
[gasps]
Oh!
I can't get a puppy,
I can't get a puppy.
I'm about to have a baby.
I can't go get a puppy.
This one is from me.
Oh, my God.
Sandra.
Thank you.
It's for the--
it's for tubby time.
The little scrubby-dubbies
in the tubby.
It's for the tub time.
You just put the baby in there--
Jo, does this just make life
so much easier?
We just use the tub.
Oh, but it's so much more fun
for baby to have bright,
beautiful things around.
Yeah.
Yeah, probably true.
[Sandra] And this one,
I'm not sure, is this one--
is this one from Linda?
I'm not sure.
Linda, did you do this one?
-[Amber] Jo.
-Hm?
Aren't you breastfeeding?
Yeah, I am.
Mm. Mm.
Okay, um...
This one's from Linda.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate you.
[knocking at door]
[Alma cooing]
[door creaking]
[Joanna] Okay, well,
that's terrifying. [laughs]
Look, these are from the worst
baby shower I've ever been to.
For whose baby?
You?
Am I the baby?
Come on in.
I mean,
where is this going anyway?
Don't you stay.
[Alma crying]
[clattering]
Miriam? You okay?
Oh, my--
Here, let me help you,
let me help you.
Let me help you get up.
Okay.
I don't need your help.
Yes, hold on.
It's okay, it's okay.
Let me just put you
on the bed, okay?
Oh, God.
Do you take any medications,
Miriam?
-What are you doing?
-Do you take any medications?
-Get off me!
-Any pills?
Do you take any pills?
Stop.
-Ah!
-No biting, no biting!
God.
Stop.
Stay down, stay,
lay down, lay down.
Stay. Okay?
[tense music]
[Alma fussing]
Sit up.
It's okay.
[phone buttons beeping]
[receptionist] Good afternoon,
Dr. Schwartz' office.
Hi, is Dr. Schwartz available?
[receptionist]
Is this an emergency?
Yes, Miriam Fischel was very
violent and incoherent and I--
[receptionist] Okay, I'll get
the doctor, hold please.
[Dr. Schwartz]
This is Dr. Schwartz.
Hi, hi, this is Joanna Blau.
I'm Miriam Fischel's niece.
She just wasn't
being herself today.
She was getting violent
and confused.
And so I gave her something
and I'm kind of scared.
Um, I went
to her medicine cabinet
and I got carb-- carbamazepine.
And I just, I don't know
if I was supposed
to give that to her.
[Dr. Schwartz] Okay, what is
her state now, Joanna?
Um, she's asleep.
[Dr. Schwartz] Okay,
and is she or you hurt?
No.
[Dr. Schwartz] All right,
so she's stabilized,
so there's no need
to take her to the ER.
Her mania usually
lasts a few days,
but the convulsion
should subside with the meds.
Do you know
if she's been drinking?
Yeah, she has wine sometimes.
[Dr. Schwartz] Okay, she really
shouldn't, not with these meds.
-Okay.
-[Dr. Schwartz] Let's have Nancy
stay with her
until she wakes up.
-And then have her call us.
-Okay, who's Nancy?
Nancy Gray.
She's Miriam's caregiver
during these manic periods.
[Joanna] Okay, okay.
Um, yeah, I have her card here.
Okay, thank you,
Dr. Schwartz. Bye.
[phone buttons beeping]
[high-pitched tones]
[automated voice] We're sorry,
the number you have dialed--
[Joanna breathing heavily]
[door buzzing]
Hey, babe.
I brought this hand pump.
I sterilized it.
Oh, there you go.
-And I brought the instructions.
-Amazing.
All right.
Thanks.
Oh, wait. Could you actually
just wait out here?
-Just in case Miriam wakes up.
-No problem.
-Sure.
-Okay.
I'll be back with my specimen.
Okay.
[chill music]
[Lucien blowing raspberry]
[speaking gibberish]
Say a word.
I got the stuff.
Can I see it first?
[Joanna] It's good stuff.
It's the creamiest.
Well, that's what they all say.
All right, it's all right.
Thanks for coming.
I thought my first night away
would be, like,
some awesome vacation
or us having loud sex
in a hotel.
Yeah, me too.
It's nothing
like what I expected.
Me neither.
What did you expect?
I don't know.
I thought we'd be happier.
Thanks.
I'll miss you, Shu-shu.
Come on, come on, come on.
[upbeat synth music]
[both screaming]
Miriam, it's me, it's me.
I thought you were a burglar.
I'm sorry, I'm not.
Can you disarm, please?
Something wrong?
Last night,
you were having some problems,
and so I called Dr. Schwartz,
and he walked me
through the protocol.
What?
The protocol?
Get out of my house.
Miriam, I was helping you.
You needed help last night.
I was very scared.
I have somebody who comes over
on the rare occasion
that I need help.
Nancy is dead, okay?
You needed me.
It's very lucky
that I was here.
Oh, I'm lucky?
For your information,
I know Nancy's dead.
-Greta stays over now.
-I didn't know that.
Yeah, you didn't know that
because I didn't tell you.
Well, it's okay.
You were not in a good place.
You were not yourself.
I'm always myself.
Always.
Let me make this clear, Joanna.
I have a system,
and you're not a part of it.
[Joanna] Miriam,
I'm family, okay?
Family helps each other.
You don't need
to call some random person
-to come over here.
-Yeah, I could call--
Are you listening?
I want family
to take care of me!
I don't!
I'm just going
to clean up and go.
Joanna.
You're not my family.
My husband was my family.
Where's the baby?
At home with Lucien.
Oh.
I'll be gone soon, okay?
Don't worry.
Lucien?
Lucien!
What?
What's going on? What happened?
-Is she okay?
-What?
She's fine, she's fine.
I just had
the most amazing idea.
You can't do that,
I thought something
-happened to her.
-Elder shower.
What?
Elder shower, okay?
So I call up everyone
in Miriam's Rolodex,
and I invite them to, like,
this baby shower type thing,
but instead of a baby shower,
it's an elder shower,
so they don't bring
little baby things,
I bring little
old people things.
Oh, yeah.
It's a great idea.
Everything about babies
is disgusting,
but it all becomes so cute
because it's covered in,
like, bunnies and trains
and stuff, right?
Like, even the most taboo
topics, like poop,
and, like, I mean,
I guess mainly poop.
It all becomes,
like, easy to talk about
because all the stuff
is so adorable.
Babies and old people,
they need all the same things.
They need people to push them
around, feed them,
help them go to the bathroom.
It's sad when it's an adult,
but it's cute when it's a baby.
-Why is that?
-People like miniatures.
Old people are cute, too,
but their stuff
is just, like, so sterile.
It could be fashionable.
I could totally see Miriam
with, like, a badass cane.
[Lucien] Or, like,
diapers with owls on them.
Right. Why do adult diapers
have to be so sad?
[Lucien] Okay, there's
a kernel of an idea here.
Miriam needs all this shit,
but she just can't afford it.
Yeah, but she's
not that old, is she?
Exactly.
Medicare provides you
with only the most basic stuff,
like ugly canes with,
like, a rubber bottom
and, like, a commode.
She needs to be surrounded
by bright, beautiful things.
No, no,
she doesn't need this, okay?
Oh, she does.
She needs a community
of people
destigmatizing her needs.
[Lucien] Joanna,
I don't know her,
but I know she'll hate this.
This is how everything
becomes a social norm.
Think about it.
Consumerism, right?
Think about Christmas.
Why does everyone want
a reindeer on their lawn?
It's because they see it
in the store, okay?
We just have to put them
in the stores.
Get the idea out there.
Everyone's gonna want it.
Okay, babe,
this is a very bad idea,
and I don't think
you should do this.
I need to get her Rolodex.
She doesn't
have that many friends.
Exactly.
It'd be a great way
to reconnect
with all her old friends.
But you hated
Amber's baby shower.
Because that
was cheesy and lame.
This is gonna be really classy.
I have to do something, okay?
Other than this.
I'm literally suffocating.
Can't you just think
about me for once
instead of making
always about her?
I'm always thinking about you.
Coffee.
That's really good stuff.
[Miriam] Hello,
this is Miriam Fischel.
Please give me a message.
-Thank you.
-[beep]
Hi, Miriam.
I'm really sorry I overstepped.
I think I get it now.
You just want to be friends
and nothing more.
It's fine.
I get that.
Just please
let us still be friends.
[Miriam] These cookies
are terrible.
Miriam, you would
have hated this baby shower.
[Miriam] I'm sure.
[Joanna] There was
pin the sperm on the egg.
Oh, that sounds disgusting.
I know.
I'm a bit lonely.
I'm the loneliest
I've ever been.
And I'm never alone.
You can come over.
Really?
[Miriam] Joanna, I like you.
Please don't mess this up.
[Joanna] So Lucien
is a software developer.
Well, sort of,
he's actually more
in customer service,
but he's moving up.
Because he's really good
at coding and he's got
all these great ideas
for apps.
But I'm working on my own ideas
so like when the time comes,
I can give them to him
and we can make a ton of money.
So I was thinking, I have
this really great idea
for live radar of where there's
free samples in your area.
-[Miriam] Free samples?
-[Joanna] Yeah.
So you put your location
into the app
and then it tells you
where all the free samples
are in your area.
It's like a live feed, which is
why I'm calling it Live Feed.
-So this will be a real thing.
-Yeah.
-A map of free food.
-Yeah, yeah.
Or you could call
it The Trough.
-What about Nosh?
-[Joanna] Oh, that's elegant.
I like that.
I don't know.
There's something grungy about
the idea that I kind of like.
I feel like the free guacamole
at the grocery store
is kind of disgusting, you know?
[Miriam] It is.
It's pretty disgusting.
I've always wanted somebody
to invent a little book
to guide me to the places
I frequent
because I have no inner compass
and it's unsettling.
Like GPS.
I personally cannot stand GPS.
Sunscreen pill.
Mm-hmm.
It takes forever
to put sunscreen on,
so instead,
you just take
the pill 15 minutes before
you go outside
and you're all set.
You seem jumpy.
I'm not jumpy.
I don't know. I'm--
I'm happy.
I'm happy to be here.
This is where I want to be.
Does Lucien get you?
Does he get me?
[Miriam] Yes, you're a nut.
Does he get that?
He definitely knows I'm a nut.
You mean,
does he appreciate it?
Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
Not enough.
It is so rare to have
a partner who gets you.
With whom you can be
yourself and do what you do
and not apologize for it.
Ultimately, Leonard,
he didn't really get me,
and I didn't
really get him either.
Lucien wants me to do what
I want, but he also wants me
to make money,
you know, which is fair.
I think he's kind of like,
let's be grown-ups now.
Grown-ups make art.
Well, I don't really
have any creative juices.
You know what?
You sound creative right now.
I'm either really happy
or really sad.
[Miriam] Yeah.
So happy...
or so sad.
I kind of want some middle.
[Miriam] Middle...
is for suckers.
I still want a little of it.
I'd like a little bit of it,
too, sometimes.
Is there anything
I can do for you?
I don't know.
You seem like...
sometimes you're
a little unsteady.
Like, would
a wheelchair be helpful?
Uh...
Yeah, you're more of
a walking stick kind of gal.
Hmm. I should probably get
going.
[Joanna sighs]
Hey, if you need anything,
just call.
I'm not gonna be calling you.
You're a wreck.
You can barely
take care of your baby.
I am kidding.
Oh, my God, Joanna.
I'm just teasing.
Come on, Joanna.
No, no, no, no.
No, look at her.
Look at her.
She's absolutely alive.
You-- you just don't...
exactly strike me as a mother.
And that's a compliment.
Okay.
Thank you.
Hi.
I'm Joanna.
I don't really know you yet.
You don't really know me.
But I'm
a really interesting person.
I have a lot of fun ideas
for things we can do together.
Like...
making dollhouse food
out of clay.
Learning
an entire cookbook together.
Going to the Art Institute
and pretending we live there.
Cross-country train trips.
It's all so far away.
We can barely get through a day
together, just the two of us.
You need me, but...
I don't think you love me.
You look at everyone the same.
But I'm the one
who's always there for you.
It's me every time.
I want you to see me.
I don't even think
you prefer me,
let alone love me.
I can't keep going
without your love.
I need you to show me
that you love me.
Please, Alma.
Just give me a sign that
you love me.
[tv] I distinctly remember
crossing you off my guest list.
What are you doing here?
Dear Margo, you were
an unforgettable Peter Pan.
You must play it again soon.
[indistinct]
Is that Marilyn Monroe?
[Miriam] Mm-hmm.
Mm.
[tv chattering indistinctly]
Hi, Eliza.
This is Joanna Blau.
I'm Miriam Fischel's niece.
Yeah, I'm throwing her
a last-minute party.
Well, there's not really
an occasion, actually.
Damn, this is hot.
[Lucien] It's nice.
Still not on board
with this, but...
[indistinct] looks amazing.
Lucien.
Huh?
I watched a movie today.
Mm.
What movie?
All About Eve.
That's a good movie.
Mm-hmm.
Alma was there.
-At Miriam's?
-Yeah.
I don't think blue light
is a problem
with black and white films.
It's okay.
Yeah.
I know it's okay.
Okay.
Maybe she needs
more blue light, you know?
Maybe it'll open up her eyes.
I don't even know what
they look like.
What do you mean?
She never looks at me.
Like, you spend 20 minutes
a day with her,
and she looks at you.
I spend more than
20 minutes a day with her.
Lucien, I just can't keep...
I had dreams, you know?
This is the dream.
This is it.
I can't stop doing everything
that makes me happy
for someone who doesn't
give a shit about me.
[Lucien] Joanna, she loves you.
She doesn't love.
She just needs.
[Lucien] How many people
are coming?
I think seven or eight.
That's good.
Have fun, babe.
You don't have to lie.
I know you hate the idea.
No, I want this to
go well for you, Joanna.
I do.
Okay, well...
To be honest,
I'm having second thoughts.
I can just imagine a world
where maybe it's not
the best idea to ambush
Miriam in her own home
with a bunch
of old people gifts.
You don't have to do it.
I know, I just...
I want people to know...
Know what?
That I'm a grown-up.
-Joanna.
-What?
You look at least 40 these days.
Jerk.
Nutcase.
Fancy pants.
Weirdo.
Bossy man.
Lazy.
Boring.
Empty.
Weak.
"Artist".
Quitter.
Selfish.
Selfish.
Baby.
[door shuts]
I want my goddamn Rolodex back.
The idea was better in my head.
Obviously,
it was supposed to be ironic.
Oh, it was.
It was a riot.
Your friends are really sweet.
They're not my friends.
They love you, Miriam.
Jesus fucking Christ.
How would you feel if strangers
came into your house
to humiliate you?
[Joanna]
You're cooped up all day.
You don't take your meds.
You drink.
I've never seen you leave.
I don't believe you even
auditioned for that play.
You get to do what you love.
I would kill to do what I love.
You have all the time in the
world, and you're wasting it.
Oh, what the hell are you doing
spending your days here?
Are you working?
Making friends?
-I'm taking care of you.
-Oh, I didn't realize.
I thought that
I was taking care of you.
Well, you're not doing
a very good job.
-Oh, crying baby.
-You know what, Miriam?
I would love it if someone
threw me a shitty party.
Go ahead, throw me a fucking
postpartum depression party.
The door's wide open.
I'm depressed.
You're in a mood.
Okay, so you think because
your life is sad,
I can't be depressed.
-I'm depressed.
-[Miriam] I'm depressed!
-I'm depressed.
-I'm depressed.
-[Joanna] I am depressed.
-You're an amateur.
-I am depressed!
-Oh, I'm depressed too.
[shouting] I'm depressed!
I came here looking for family.
I don't need a friend.
So, is she sleeping
through the night?
No. [chuckles]
Okay.
I'm sure it'll happen soon.
So, are you, um...
Sorry, I can't remember what
it is that you do.
[chuckles]
I'm a financial analyst.
Oh, okay. Right.
So, when you make a ton of money
from selling your amazing art,
you can come to me, and I will
tell you how to invest it.
Perfect. [chuckles]
I mean, I don't think
I really qualify as an artist,
but I'll call you.
[chuckles]
I don't think there's a test.
Yeah.
I guess not.
I just remember seeing
your drawings at the showcase
when you and Alex were seniors.
Yours were strange and creepy.
Sort of unforgettable.
Aw, thanks.
I wish I could make something
like that or see what you see.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Am I being boring?
[Joanna] Oh, no. Oh, my God.
I'm sorry.
It's just been a week.
Well, weeks. [chuckling]
Yeah, I'm not getting
a ton of sleep,
so that's kind of...
kind of where I'm at.
Well, we don't have
to force this.
No. It's fine-- I'm not...
I don't even remember
how to do this.
Are you not seeing friends?
Mm. Just my aunt.
Yeah.
She's as pathetic as I am.
[chuckles]
Plus, she's mad at me right now.
I don't know.
She's clinically... something.
I don't know what, but--
Yeah, I don't think
I'm clinically depressed.
I'm not clinically-- I mean,
I don't feel like myself.
You know? I feel empty.
Like-- Well, actually,
that's not even true.
I feel full.
I feel very full.
And, yeah. I mean, I think
it's just normal, though.
It's just what it's like
to have a baby.
It's just the ups and downs
that you go through.
You know? It's just what it is.
I mean,
I'm afraid to go to sleep--
[chuckles] but...
it's nothing to worry about.
It's fine.
It's not serious.
Just, I think it's--
I think, sleep deprivation.
I'm not worried.
Have you talked
to other moms about this?
Ew, other moms.
No. [chuckles]
I don't talk to other moms.
I'm not like a "mom". I just--
I have a baby, you know?
Well, you are, though.
-[Joanna] Mmm.
-Maybe...
other moms feel the same way.
Uh-huh.
Sorry, it's just hard
to explain to someone
who doesn't have a baby.
Oh. [chuckles]
-Okay.
-[Joanna] Oh, sorry.
No, I mean it, like...
No, I'm sorry.
I really didn't mean it
like that.
It just came out like that.
-I meant no offense.
-No, none taken.
No, I really--
I don't even know.
I don't know what I'm saying.
I'm just talking.
I don't even know what
I'm saying.
Like, I don't even know--
I don't even know--
Do you and Alex...
Do you want kids some day?
Yes.
-Very much.
-That's...
-Yeah.
-We're trying.
Great.
It's just taking
a really long time.
Oh, God.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I didn't...
I'm sorry.
-I can't stop crying.
-Me too.
[both]
I think it's the hormones.
[Joanna sniffling]
[exhales]
[phone ringing]
Hi.
Hello.
Who gave me
the robot vacuum cleaner?
[Joanna] Oh, uh, Vivian.
Who gave me
the electric candle set?
So thoughtful.
Ew, I know.
Uh, that was Paulette.
What's your address, Joanna?
[Joanna] Oh, you don't need
to send me a thank you card.
What is it?
[Joanna] 2420 West Fullerton.
Apartment?
[Joanna] 2C.
Zip code?
[Joanna] 60647.
Okay, thank you.
Goodbye.
Oh, okay.
Bye.
[door buzzing]
[knocking on door]
It's a compass.
[chuckling]
[pleasant piano instrumental]
Thanks, Kathy!
Good to see you.
And, uh...
Miriam?
-Yes, hello.
-Hi.
Oh, honey, we don't need that.
We'll snap a picture inside.
Oh, okay.
No, go, go, go, go.
Joanna, will you please
do me a favor?
[producer]
On the blue tape, hun?
All right, Miriam, I'll point,
and you'll slate, okay?
You've got
chocolate chip cookies there
and a pill bottle.
Any questions?
No.
Okay, here we go.
[camera chirping]
Miriam Fischel.
[clearing throat]
[coughing]
[choking]
Ahem. Ahem. Ahem.
Ahem. [choking]
[coughing]
[retching]
[groaning]
[clearing throat]
[pills rattling]
[clearing throat]
Oh...
Oh...
Oh...
[producer] Okay.
That was a little too real.
Um, Let's try it again with
a lighter touch, okay?
It's just reflux.
Right.
[Lucien] You're in the zone.
Can I see?
Mm-hmm.
Do you feel...
like you're drowning?
Do you feel like
you're drowning?
I'm drowning.
Forgotten.
Alone.
Mm.
I'm the one
who's forgotten and alone.
Oh, yeah, I forgot.
Joanna's the only person
that can have feelings.
Luce, this is obviously
so much harder for me
than it is for you.
Or am I just really bad at this?
Come on!
-You're all right.
-Oh, my God.
[Lucien chuckles]
Do you believe the world is
a good place, overall?
Not really.
Me neither.
So why do we keep going?
And procreating.
-Mm.
-Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
What?
She's looking at me.
What?
She's really looking at me.
She sees me.
She knows who I am. Hi.
Hi.
I'm your mom.
You're my daughter.
I have a daughter.
[Miriam chuckles]
This is your niece.
Your grandniece, I guess.
[birds chirping]
Hi, cutie pie.
Hi, Alma.
-Hi, Alma.
-Hi, Alma.
We see you.
["Easy" by Audrey Ryan]
Well I like to have fun
and stick out my tongue
Cause life isn't easy
But it's a whole lot
better than none
You tell everyone
that your youth isn't over
One, two, three, four, five
It helps me feel alive
[fast-paced synth instrumental]