Belle's (2012) s01e05 Episode Script

1 Tonight is a big night here at Belle's.
My mom, my single mom, is in love.
Two months ago, she met this dreamboat of a guy.
I wouldn't be surprised if he proposed tonight.
But there's one obstacle our family.
Well, more specifically, my grandad who will be meeting him for the first time.
And he's not going to give his approval to just anybody.
We're closed on Monday, so grandad Bill decided that we'd have dinner here.
And if this night goes perfect, I'll be getting a stepfather.
Well, not that that's more important than seeing my mom happy.
And I've never seen her happier, ever since she met this man in this very restaurant two months ago.
We had some serious rain that night, and closed early, but the only one still in the restaurant was my mom catching up on paperwork, when she heard a loud knocking[Knock on door.]
We're closed! We - We're closed.
- I left my wallet.
Well, no one turned in a wallet.
- It's got to be here.
- I recognize you.
All right, come on in.
Ooh.
If this doesn't have love at first sight written all over it, I don't know what does.
- Mr.
Hayworth, right? - That was my girlfriend's name.
She made the reservation.
Oh, yeah, you know what? Very attractive, and she looked familiar, too.
She's the weather girl on Channel 7.
That's it.
I should have known it wasn't my night when she predicted clear skies and temperatures in the 80s.
Uh, it's got to be here.
I know I had it when I paid the check.
Right, uh, $67.
50.
You had the rib-eye and and she had the garden salad, - easy on the croutons.
- Ah! You okay? - We broke up tonight.
- Oh.
She said she wanted to see other guys.
I don't mean to be rude or anything, but, um, is she crazy? Well, she was always interested in keeping these casual.
And you were more interested in a more serious relationship? - Is there any other kind? - I may not know much about love, but when a man talks like that, a woman has to listen.
Cab company says, because of the weather, they might not be able to get out here for hours.
Wow.
Looks like we're stuck here for a while.
You really need to get out of those wet clothes.
I thought that was a man's line.
Our sous-chef keeps a clean outfit in the employees' locker room.
It's right back behind the kitchen.
You could put that on.
I usually, don't take my clothes off on the first date.
Oh.
So, you think this is a first date, do you? It is if we see each other again.
Now, if they had met in a movie or a book, it would have been the most romantic night ever.
But, of course, in the real world, things were just a little different.
Uh I must look like a silly fool.
Well, look on the bright side.
You're warm, you're comfortable, and the worst is over.
You smell something burning? I put your clothes in the oven to dry! Oh, no! Oh, no! No, no, no, no! No! No! Oh! My mom has never been very good in the kitchen.
Once, she microwaved my cold cereal.
By the way, my name's Jill.
Mine's Jack.
This must be fate.
Or it could be just too cute for words.
Maybe I'm prejudiced, but could there be a more adorable couple? The next two months were spent in a whirlwind courtship.
I knew things were getting serious when my mom, who never introduces me to any of her dates, took me for a trip to the zoo, movies, and the pizza parlor.
Just the three of us.
I like Jack.
He was the perfect adult.
And since he had passed the daughter test, my mom decided that it was time for him to meet the whole family.
I want to talk to you about tomorrow night's dinner.
Will we finally get to meet your Mr.
Right?! I'm so happy for you, Jill! Well, thank you.
Um I just wanted to go over the menu with you.
Oh, I've got it all planned.
I'm going to serve the traditional dinner we always serve for special occasions like this one.
I was thinking for tomorrow we could try something I don't know, maybe a little a little different.
- Different? - Yeah, I just know Jack's taste, - and I thought - Does he have any allergies? - No.
- Is he lactose intolerant? - No.
- He's not a vegan, is he? No, it's just that I would like to try something that I know Jack really loves, like these recipes from Le Petit Bistro.
Oh, he's French! No, he is not French.
Then what's the problem? Jack likes fish.
Then I'll fry some catfish.
Well, I was thinking more along the lines of roast dover sole with crusted herbs.
Oh, he's white, isn't he? He's a white boy, and you're afraid to tell any of us.
No, he is not white.
Then he's going to love my fried chicken and smothered pork chops.
Fine.
Fried chicken and smothered pork chops it is.
Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? - So, what did you do last night? - Ooh, I had me an authentic navajo.
Well, Aunt Gladys and I just worked on the menu for tomorrow night's dinner.
Guess who won.
Oh, that reminds me.
I can't make it tomorrow.
- You've got plans? - No, but I'd rather not be there.
You know how dad gets when he meets one of our new boyfriends.
The first thing he would say "Would you like to see my gun collection?" Well, I need you there, okay, for moral support.
Please? Okay, but don't blame me if dad doesn't like him.
Dad will love him.
He's never met anybody like Jack, and neither have I.
I don't know how much to say it, but he's pretty much perfect.
Trust me, when men are too good to be true, - they're not.
- Exactly.
If women knew what men were really like, they would never marry us.
For your information, and yours, I've never been so sure of anybody in my life.
Yep.
That's how I felt about Leonard.
Then I came home one night, he had on my high heels, my push-up bra, and my best pair of spanx crotch never did feel right after that.
Now, as it turned out, my grandaddy was just as worried about the dinner as my mom.
Um, I want everyone's attention.
Uh, no texting, no tweeting.
This is an auspicious evening.
Jill has found a man so special to her, that he could become, from everything I understand, a member of our family.
Whoa! There is a God! Which is why I have laid out a few rules that I expect everyone to follow at tonight's dinner.
Rules? - Rules? - What you talking about? Rule number one, no one will leave the table until after dinner or I give permission to be excused.
Well, there's goes Shaniqua and Winky.
And, daddy, I have plans.
I was supposed to be at Frank Ski's by 9:30.
Why? Is it free mimosa night? Rule number two, family members will not insult other family members in front of our guest, understood? - Okay.
- That's y'all no fighting.
Rule number three, I expect all of you to behave in a manner appropriate to the importance of this event.
- For example, Gladys? - What? You will not pout if our guest happens to refuse second helpings of your food.
Pouting? When anybody ever seen me pout? Or get into a snit if he happens to say "pass the salt.
" My dishes don't need any salt! Anybody with any sense of taste know that if they got any class! What they going to ask for next ketchup?! Maurice, I don't want to hear any talk about your sexual exploits tonight.
I just try to enliven the conversation, Uncle Bill! Loreta, the only beverage in your glass tonight will be water.
What's that mean? That means, after three drinks, you start flirting with Jill's boyfriends.
Daddy! I have never, and when have you ever seen me flirt with one of Jill's boyfriends?! They ain't got enough money for me, child.
Roger at Thanksgiving.
Luke at Easter.
Leonard at the 4th of July.
All right, Leonard was a big mistake.
Okay, then.
Excuse me for butting in here, Mr.
Chairman of the rules committee, but aren't you forgetting something? - What? - Rule number four? What rule is that? The rule that says "Jill's father will not frighten away Jill's boyfriends with statements like, 'lay one hand on my daughter, and you'll find it missing in the morning.
'" You're the one he's going to be afraid of, Uncle Bill.
All right, all right, all right, all right! Rule number four, when I meet Jill's boyfriend tonight, I hereby swear that I will be understanding, friendly, compassionate and, if necessary, even forgiving.
Oh! I have got to see this! I will be, for the sake of my daughter's happiness, the father I have never been.
Wow.
Well, that's good.
And on that note, I guess I'll go get dinner ready.
Lord have mercy, Jesus, help me find the strength.
Okay.
There's nothing to be nervous about.
There's nothing to be nervous about.
There's nothing to be nervous about, okay? Look, Jill, you've said that about three times.
I know, I'm so nervous.
Okay, we're going to be great.
- Let's go.
- Okay.
Since this was going to be a dinner for grownups only, I decided to eat early, which proved to be, sorry to say, a very smart decision.
And this is my father, Bill Cooper.
I'm glad to finally meet you.
Jill's told me a great deal about you and, well, it's nothing like meeting face-to-face.
Please, have a seat.
No, sir.
Thank you.
This is our traditional family dinner.
If you don't mind me saying, everything looks delicious.
It is! Thank you, Lord, for this food.
We ask you to bless our guest, Jack, and this special meal, and our time together.
- In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
- Amen.
Amen! Let's eat! Amen, let's eat! Please pass me those bourbon mashed potatoes! Well, that's quite an impressive career you've had.
Oh, yes.
War correspondent for the associated press.
Yes.
Um, it's a joy to be a reporter.
I've been very fortunate.
- Well, your parents must be very proud.
- Oh, yes.
I wouldn't know.
Ooh, aunt Gladys, I think these are the best bourbon mashed potatoes you've ever made.
Well, what do you mean, you wouldn't know? We haven't talked in ten years.
Are they in some kind of a coma, or ? We had a falling out.
What kind of falling out? Over religion.
Yours or theirs? Both, in fact.
Well, what are they? They're Baptist.
- Well, all right.
- And you are? I'm an atheist.
I'm going to need another helping of those bourbon mashed potatoes.
I'm not quite sure I heard you correctly.
Did you say you don't talk to your parents because you're Methodist? The boy said "atheist," Gladys.
I knew it was something peculiar.
And, uh, you never told my daughter what you were? No, sir.
I never told her.
- No, I can't believe - I'll handle this.
So, that's why you and your folks don't speak? Yes, sir.
Well, at least it shows you come from good parents.
So, you don't believe in God? I deny the existence of God, yes.
Damn! Okay, wait, wait, wait.
So, what about Jesus? You don't believe in Jesus, either? At least, as the son of God, that is.
I never thought I'd say anything like this as long as I live, but I can't eat my own cooking.
So, you became an atheist, when? After seeing some traumatic event covering the war? Or maybe somebody dropped you on your head when you were a baby, or something like that? I said I'll handle this.
Actually, sir, it was a decision based on science, reason, and logic.
- I see.
- With all due respect, sir, we just have different philosophies, that's all.
I don't have a philosophy.
I have a faith.
- Praise his name! - There you go! You'd better preach today, daddy! Hey, listen, let me ask you a question.
Okay, let's just say, you're driving late at night in the back country roads of Georgia, and you look in your rearview mirror, and you see a state trooper.
He's driving up on you, all close and slow.
Now, you've got an open can of Budweiser in the car.
Your taillight's busted, your seatbelt ain't on, - and you're rolling with a white girl.
- Oh! So, now you're trying to tell me, you don't start saying, "please, God! God! Please, God, don't let this man stop me! Please don't let this state trooper pull me over"? Yeah, that's what he say.
- That's what I say.
- These potatoes are so good.
Just so I can understand this.
So, if I were a drug dealer, or a bank robber, and I go to church and I confess my sins, you would welcome me with open arms? Mm-hmm.
But because I'm an atheist, I can't be forgiven? Because a drug dealer and a bank robber can be saved.
Oh, praise his name! Thank you! Hallelujah! And I can't? I thought your God forgives everybody.
Oh, he does.
And when he gets around to you, you come back and see me.
Jill, you'd have did better if he was gay.
How could you not tell me?! - I wanted to.
- You lied! I didn't lie.
I I just didn't tell you.
Well, what's the difference?! Or can't you tell being an atheist and all?! Jill, you have every reason to be upset.
Oh, I'm past upset.
I'm past furious.
I'm bordering on enraged wrath, baby, headed toward physical retribution! We went to church together! You sang, you danced, I thought you had the holy ghost! - I love the music.
- But not the words?! Jill I'm sorry.
I didn't tell you because I didn't want to lose you.
Okay? Because I love you.
And losing you would be the worst thing to ever happen to me.
If your heart worked as good as your lips, - you'd be one hell of a man.
- Jill I believe one thing, you believe another.
What's the difference? All the difference in the world.
So, it doesn't mean anything that I love you? How could you love anybody if you don't love God? Someone once said that "the path of true love is never smooth," but I don't think that my mom ever expected the path to end up in a ditch as deep as this one.
Mm.
Oh.
Okay, that's enough bourbon mashed potatoes for you.
Okay, wait! Wait! One more for the road.
No, baby, you've had enough.
Are you trying to say that I can't hold my starch?! See, it's time to go.
Oh, come on, Aunt Gladys.
The party's just getting started.
Come on, sweetheart.
- We're going home.
- No! Maurice, I need a little help over here! All right, I'm already ahead of you.
Come on, Reta.
Let's go, let's go.
Bar's closed, come on.
Come on, let's go, bar's closed.
- These are so good! - Oh, yeah.
- Ooh, I like that purse.
- It's yours.
Okay, come on, let's go.
We've got to get you to Potatoes Anonymous.
Yeah, come on, baby.
- We're going to drive you home.
- Let's go.
Li listen.
Listen.
Everybody listen.
Right.
I'm perfectly capable of driving.
Ooh.
Ooh.
Okay.
Perfectly capable of driving myself.
Thank you all very much.
Now, can I please have the purse so that I can find the car to my keys? Uh, I'm sorry, but you are in no condition to drive.
Well, I'm certainly in no condition to walk.
Oh, stop! Loreta?! - Loreta?! - Come on, baby! Now, the unusual thing about Aunt Loreta is, as my family well knows, when she gets a little tipsy, she turns Irish.
Must be something in her genes.
when Irish eyes are smiling, sure 'tis like a morn in spring in the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing It's been a long night here at Belle's.
The family dinner was a disaster, aunt Loreta turned Irish, and my mom had her heart broken.
But a few hours later, while my mom threw herself into her bookkeeping, there my grandaddy was, ready to pick up the pieces.
- I thought you left for the night.
- I did.
I got halfway home, and I realized there was something that needed to be said.
You know, the most important thing in my life is seeing my children happy.
I know, dad.
And no one knows more than me what it's like to lose someone you love Which is why forgetting everything I said earlier I need to know are you so in love with that young man that life would be unbearable without him? It's okay, dad.
It's settled.
I told Jack that I never want to see him again.
And you're okay with that decision? - I am.
- Thank God.