Once and Again (1999) s02e08 Episode Script
Learner's Permit
[girls giggling.]
[Grace.]
He didn't.
He is such an idiot.
Oh, my God.
What would make him say that? - Why would he say that? - [Carla.]
l don't know.
What? - Hi.
- Hi.
So anyway, it's kind of embarrassing, because Mr.
Placky used my painting as an example.
Of what? He said it was an amazing use of metaphor to express my consciousness of the life force.
A painting of a woman holding a head of lettuce? So does that mean the lettuce is her child or something? He said it was her womb.
Womb? He said womb? [both laughing.]
Help.
[Judy.]
Got it? The problem with buying in bulk is buying in bulk.
The problem with these fish is once you start eating 'em, you can't stop.
- Want one? - No, thank you.
- You're standing funny.
- Go brush your teeth.
No, leave those here.
One for you and one for me.
- l'll do that.
- l don't mind.
- No, really.
- What's in your pants? What? You shoved something in your pants when we came in.
- You're pregnant? - No, l'm late.
- How late? - A week.
Maybe you're just stressed.
l've always been stressed, never late.
Well, it could be, um No, it couldn't be.
Could it be? - Judy.
- What? l'm not menopausal.
- That's not where that goes.
- l'm sorry.
Well, are you, uh Does Rick know? No.
l got one of these.
Do you want it? [Grace.]
Mom? We're leaving now.
Okay.
Do you need a ride? My brother's giving us a ride.
- Where are you going? - Out.
Uh, there's a pep rally.
Really? You're going to a pep rally? To make fun of people.
[laughs.]
But we need a ride home, so can you pick us up? - Mom? - Oh, sure.
[car horn honks.]
We got to go.
Bye.
Bye.
lt was nice to meet you.
Later.
l do not like her.
Who? - Are you going to dye your hair? - No.
E? Oh, hey, Jess.
lf you guys are ready, l'll drop you at the pep rally.
Did you hear that Lita lsumu got mono so they had to find a new cheerleader? - So? - So l thought it was interesting.
Do not try out for cheerleading, okay? - lt's so mindless.
- l'm not! l think you'd make a cute cheerleader, especially now that you got your braces off.
Dad.
What? What did l say? l don't know.
l'm sorry l can't stay for the pep rally, but Lily and l had made these plans.
No, no, no, it's okay.
Pep rallies are just shallow and stupid anyway.
Yeah, l guess, but they do get people psyched up for the game.
Yeah, l guess.
So.
What do you think? About what? New Trier.
The game.
l don't know, Dad.
They have a pretty good basketball team this year, again.
Yeah, but Landers and what's-his-name, Carter, they graduated.
- Leaves a huge hole.
- Yeah, l guess so.
Highland Park clobbered them.
You beat Highland last season.
Yeah.
Well, l'm ready.
Where's Jess? We're going to be late.
[doorbell rings.]
Eggplant in garlic sauce, scallops with ginger, mushu pork.
What would life be without takeout? - Hi, guys.
- Hi.
You guys hungry? l got enough Chinese for an army.
l was, um, thinking of taking this one out for double whammies at Pete's, if that's okay with her mom.
Go for it.
[Zoe.]
Yes! Thank you so much! Yes! Mmm, eggplant.
Actually, l think this is the eggplant.
- Swap? - Swap.
Okay.
l'm just going to say it.
- Okay.
What? - Okay.
l'm Well, l'm lt's probably absolutely not anything.
lt could easily be What's not anything? Okay, now l'm making such a big deal about it, and l should just not involve you.
Not involve me in what? Lily? l'm late.
For? As in ''l'm never late.
'' Oh.
Oh, that kind of late.
- How late are you? - l'm not worried.
- A week.
- A week.
[coughing.]
You okay? You okay? You choking? - You all right? - l'm fine.
- Yeah? - Okay.
- You all right? - lt's okay.
l'm fine.
Thank you.
All right.
So, a week.
A week.
Well, that's not anything, really, to be too concerned about, is it? What do l know? l have known individuals, people, women, uh, to be irregular.
l'm never late.
But we use Please don't say precautions.
Safeguards.
Nothing's 1 00 percent.
That's what l keep telling Eli.
Wow, wow, so this is This is a real surprise.
You look horrified.
No, no, no, l don't.
l look surprised.
Well.
Obviously, l didn't expect you to be overjoyed.
Look, we don't even know if you are yet, so l'm not having a real reaction yet.
Of course you are.
You're reacting to the possibility.
Couldn't we just stay calm until we know for sure? You're calm? l [stammers.]
ls there not some sort of a test or something you can take? l actually happen to have one here in my kitchen drawer.
Tells you whether your life is about to explode, not to mention your body.
Have you taken it? Of course not.
No, l [stammering.]
Well, when were you, uh ln the morning.
Oh, yeah, okay.
ln the morning.
Do you want to take it now? Well Can you do that? l guess l can do that.
Look.
Lil, this involves me too, doesn't it? So Let's just do it.
Okay? Together.
Right now.
Okay.
Do you want me to, um No.
Thanks.
l can handle it.
Of course.
[band playing fight song.]
[all.]
Upton Sinclair, fight! [crowd cheering.]
This is so lame.
Hey, Grace, let's start the wave.
Wave! [laughs.]
Look at them.
The lemmings.
l can't believe people are in such a frenzy that you can make them jump up and down at will.
[girls.]
Hey, get ready! Go, fight, go! Hey, isn't that your future stepsister? What's her name again? - Jessie.
- Hey, Jessie! What are you doing? lt's okay.
This is cool.
- Hi, Jessie.
- Hi.
l like your hair.
Thanks.
Sit down, unless you wanted to sit with them.
We were just making fun of Alex Herschlag.
What would make a person want to be a school mascot? - Look at him with that dog head.
- lt's a bear.
- What is? - Our school mascot, it's a bear.
[boy.]
Ladies and gentlemen, the Upton Sinclair Bears! [band playing fight song.]
Who are you looking for? - My brother.
He's on the team.
- Did you know that, Grace? Yes, l did.
ls he still going out with that girl? - Jennifer? - l guess.
l don't know.
Oh, my God.
He did it.
l cannot believe he did it.
What? He dyed his hair.
[crowd cheering.]
Whoo! Whoo! Wow.
Yeah! Come on! l'll never forget the moment that l told Jake l was pregnant.
He just lit up.
l was absolutely terrified, but he was awed by everything.
The baby.
Me.
l loved when Eli was a baby.
His little hands.
Just watching him breathe was amazing.
l could hardly believe that l had anything to do with creating this beautiful boy, and that he was mine.
- Hi.
- Hi.
[timer ticking.]
Three minutes.
So.
This is wild.
We're in this together, okay? And whatever we have to do ''Have to do''? Well, l didn't mean l didn't mean have to do.
We've never even talked about this, and l guess we should have, because - How do you know what l'm feeling? - Your words.
The implications of your use of the imperative - l didn't use the imperative.
- You implied it.
''lf you are pregnant, then we will have to'' l could have meant anything.
''lf you are pregnant, we will have to go to Disneyland.
'' We both know that's not what you meant.
Sorry.
l'm Getting a little weird here.
Look.
lt's very unlikely.
lt's very unlikely that you are.
You know, realistically, l mean, think about it.
We're both in our 40s.
Early 40s, yeah, but that means that being late can mean other things, you know, like Well, maybe not yet, but Well Oh, God, Lily, l don't think there's anything l could say that you wouldn't misconstrue.
You're right.
[bell dings.]
- Are you okay? - Sure.
Well, that was That was That was kind of close.
Yeah.
- You sure you're okay? - Yeah.
- Maybe not as okay as you.
- What does that mean? Oh, Rick, l get it.
You were freaked out.
l know this was something that you didn't Wait a minute.
Just because l was relieved doesn't mean that l wouldn't want to someday possibly The point is it's not happening, so we don't have to worry about it.
Do you want dessert? Yeah.
Yeah, l guess.
What do you have? Fortune cookies.
You first.
Eli didn't sleep through the night until he was 3 years old.
He'd wake up at 2:00 and 4:30 and then again at 6:00.
Karen and l took turns, but l was a total wreck.
l remember reading that's how the North Koreans used to torture prisoners of war.
They say the number of eggs a woman has is determined at birth.
For 30 years, every month you're reminded of what goes on down there, and then one day it's over.
No more eggs.
''Man who builds straw house can never light fire.
'' You? ''Do not store food cartons in the refrigerator for more than two days.
'' Oh, God.
l've got to pick up Grace and Carla at the pep rally.
Jess and Eli are there.
l can pick them up for you.
- Really? - Yeah.
Lily, are we? Are we okay here? Sure.
Okay.
- Hey, Selby, watch the hands.
- He's such a pervert.
Jess, let Dad know l'm getting a ride with Coop.
Okay.
l like your hair.
lt makes a statement.
lt, like, says something.
l don't know what, but Can l touch it? Okay.
So, Jess, uh, you're okay, right? Yeah.
Grace, you'll make sure she finds my dad, right? Yeah, sure, no problem.
Hey, don't you live near Tanner? Yeah, yeah.
That's closer to where l am.
So maybe you could drop me? l'm sure my mom doesn't mind taking you home.
l just thought they're closer.
lt seems to make sense.
Yeah, it does seem that way.
All right.
Well, let's go.
Sometimes people just aren't who you need them to be at, like, a certain moment, and, unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about it.
[Judy.]
Hey, we're home! Hi, Mommy.
Hey, my sweet angel face.
- Aunt Judy bought me makeup.
- She did? - Just call me Auntie Mame.
- l'm going to put some on.
Sweetie, why don't you go do that in your room? So? - l took the test.
- You did? l won't be reading Goodnight Moon for the 800th time.
l happen to love Goodnight Moon, l know you do.
So how did Rick take it? He took it like a man.
[boy.]
Cole, see you tomorrow.
[boy #2.]
Great job, you guys.
So how's Zoe? She's annoying.
You don't even know how lucky you are to have a brother.
Brothers can be pretty annoying too, sometimes.
Well, l guess siblings, in general, are a problem, then, for both of us.
Oh, there's your dad.
Hey.
Hey.
Eli got a ride with Coop.
He did? Okay.
Grace, you're coming with us.
Where's my mom? Well, she's not feeling great.
Something she ate, maybe.
l'll take you home.
- Um - Come on.
Hey, if you have your permit, l'll let you drive.
Oh, l don't think l can drive this well.
lsn't it a stick? lt's easy.
l'll help you.
lt's a really fun car to drive.
Come on.
- Really? - Yeah, come on.
Okay, l'll drive.
l don't know where Coop is, but l assure you, this is his truck.
l believe you.
l think l saw him wander off into the woods.
Yes, he tends to do that.
l'm sure he'll show up eventually.
So, uh, is it true that you got kicked out of your old school? [laughs.]
Uh, kind of.
What do you mean, ''kind of'? Well, it was sort of mutual.
Oh.
Have you always been a jock? Yeah, l guess.
'Cause l have to say, you don't seem like one.
l mean, you look athletic.
You have a good body.
You just don't seem like you need that label or whatever to feel good about yourself.
l mean, do you feel good about yourself? All right, uh, l think you're in the clear.
Anytime you're ready.
- [gears grinding.]
- Oh, sorry.
That's okay.
Just take your foot off the clutch.
[tires squeal.]
Nice and easy.
There you go.
See? Jess, did Eli say when he was going to be home? No.
Go ahead and shift up into second gear.
There you go.
See? l hope he doesn't stay out too late.
He's got to ice that ankle of his again.
You know, you can't be too careful about those things.
Playing rugby, l got, l feel like my body, sometimes, l'm bruised Grace! Grace! [crash.]
Okay.
Okay, all right.
ls everybody okay? That's all that matters.
lt's just a lt's just a car.
Stop, Lily.
l'm not going to take your money.
l want to do this.
- lt's a dent.
- Just take it.
l don't want to.
l don't feel right about it.
- l should help pay for it.
- That's ridiculous.
- [Zoe.]
Jess, do you want ice cream? - No, thanks.
- Mom, can l have some ice cream? - ln a minute, honey.
Rick, if you don't take this, l'll feel terrible.
l'm not gonna, all right? We have to go.
Come on, Jess.
lt's okay.
- [Jessie.]
Bye.
- [Zoe.]
Bye.
Bye.
[door closes.]
Mom, l'm really sorry.
l feel horrible.
l was nervous, and l didn't even want to drive.
Honey, it's okay.
lt was an accident.
l know that.
- l don't want you to be mad.
- l'm not.
You seem mad.
- Honey, l'm really not.
- Okay.
lt was kind of his fault too.
l wasn't paying attention for, like, a split second, but l told him l couldn't drive stick.
Honey, it's all right.
But l do want you to promise me, Grace, you'll be careful.
l will.
l promise.
Okay.
[sighs.]
l'm going to go to bed.
Okay, honey.
Good night.
Oh.
Are you pregnant? No.
- Are you trying to get pregnant? - No, l'm not.
Honey, Rick and l are very cautious, but sometimes when two people are in a relationship Mom, l get it.
Okay.
l don't know.
Sometimes l just feel like everybody in the world is, like, living, and l'm just watching it happen.
Grace.
Eli? Hey, Dad.
l'm sorry l'm so late.
Uh-huh.
Don't forget to ice your ankle.
Right, right.
ls it bothering you? A little.
Not really.
- Can you play tomorrow? - Yeah.
Probably.
What happened to your hair? Well, l sort of put some color in it.
Oh.
Does it, uh ls it the kind that washes out? Eventually.
ls this something for your band? Not really.
No.
l mean, l don't know.
Maybe.
Well, l have to get some sleep.
Good night.
These are the mock-ups.
l just need them back.
[telephone rings.]
Christie Parker's office.
ls this Christie Parker's drop-dead gorgeous assistant? No, it's her middle-aged evil twin.
How are you doing? You okay? l'm fine.
Hang on.
Oh, Simon.
We have to have this on-line by 5:00 tonight, or she'll murder us, - Sorry.
- That's okay, ls Jake still taking the kids tonight? As far as l know.
Eli's game is over at 9:00.
You going to come by after? - That's the plan, - [telephone rings.]
- Hang on, l've got to get that, - [beeping.]
- [beeping.]
- Sorry, Things are crazy around here.
l'll see you later? - Bye.
- Bye, You must really hate that locker.
That's school property, you know.
You could get in a lot of trouble for that.
You need me to set someone's car on fire? l can do that.
l'll let you know.
l don't want to talk about this, okay? Okay.
- Coach suspended me from the team.
- Oh.
l don't even care.
lt's going to become this big thing now.
Your coach is probably just mad because you're a nonconformist.
Obviously.
- Yeah, completely.
- They hate that.
Did he give you the whole ''be a team player'' speech? No, no, he said, ''You need an attitude adjustment, mister.
'' - Oh, yeah.
That one's classic.
- Yeah.
Don't let it bother you.
You know, you seem to know a lot about this.
About what? Trouble.
ls that what you think? No, no, it's just what l've heard.
Okay, tell me everything you've heard.
[bell rings.]
Hey, Grace.
- Hi.
- [Eli.]
Hey.
Uh, l'm going to get going.
- Grace, l was waiting for you.
- Really? Okay.
l'm dying for a mochaccino, and you have to come with me.
- Now? - Yes.
- l have English.
- Can't you blow it off? No, l can't.
l think l might get something out of it.
- Whoa.
Chill.
- Look.
l know it's easy for you to just cut class and do heroin or whatever, but l have things, okay? Other things that l think about that have nothing to do with you.
Sorry.
[door opens.]
Oh, hey.
l wasn't expecting you.
Yeah, l didn't, uh Well, l just came by to pick up some stuff.
Lily's coming by after the game.
Oh, great.
You got a couple of hours.
You want to eat? No, thanks.
Do you need a ride? How early do you need to be there? You should ice that ankle one more time.
l'm not going.
What? l'm not going to the game.
Why? What's the problem? ls it your ankle? Eli? - The coach suspended me.
- What? You heard me.
l said l'm suspended.
Tell me what happened.
ls this because of your hair? - No.
- Well, then why? l wouldn't take any of his crap.
What the hell does that mean, Eli? How long are you suspended? l don't know, but it doesn't matter, because l'm quitting.
- Eli! - What? - Don't you want to talk about this? - l don't feel like it.
Well, l am just - l am trying to understand.
- Why? Why do you always have to understand everything? l've tried to reason with him.
lt doesn't work.
l've yelled at him.
lt doesn't work.
Nothing works.
l have no power, and he knows it.
Hey.
Hey yourself.
ls Grace okay? l feel so stupid for suggesting she No, Rick, she's 1 5.
That's ancient history.
She's actually back on my case.
She found the pregnancy test.
Whoops.
l'm the one who's supposed to be worried about her getting pregnant.
[sighs.]
Koyaanisqatsi, What? lt's a Hopi word.
Means ''life out of balance.
'' Sometimes it's just all overwhelming.
Miles, Karen, Jess, Eli.
Me.
You don't have blue hair.
Eli has blue hair? Bright blue.
Doesn't that clash with his uniform? lt might if he was still on the team.
He quit.
You're kidding.
Why? He doesn't like his coach, he wants to spend more time with his band.
Mostly, l think he just wants to piss me off.
He loves basketball.
You love basketball.
l don't think Karen and l had sex more than half a dozen times in the year after Jessie was born.
l'm not entirely sure, but if l had to bet when Jake started screwing around, it was when l was pregnant with Zoe.
lt was a hard pregnancy, and then Jessie had a horrible colic, and we just lost the way back to each other.
He wouldn't admit it, but l know he didn't want to go through it all again, and Zoe was the easiest baby on Earth, but Jake had checked out.
Gone.
You tired? Exhausted.
Me too.
To go to bed with someone night after night, and to lie there and to know that you had become, somehow, invisible.
l've never felt so alone in my life.
l love you.
l love you.
Good night.
Good night.
- Sticky buns.
- You're kidding.
Oh, my God, l haven't had these in Remember when you used to bring me these? That's what made me think of it.
lt seems like a lifetime ago.
All the cells in your body change every seven years.
Does that make me a different person than l was then? l take it that's a rhetorical question.
lt's less fattening if you take tiny little bites.
Things better with Rick? No.
l'm not sure he's who l thought he was.
Ah.
''Ah,'' what? Sometimes l think love is this fog, and you have to wait for it to burn off before you have any idea who the other person is.
Are you saying that the honeymoon's over, - and we're not even married? - Maybe it's good this happened sooner rather than later.
l don't know what's so good about it.
The way he's responded to all this has been sort of scary.
What if he really isn't who l thought he was? Nobody is.
We make ourselves up as we go along.
But how would you feel if you were in my place? Well, the truth is, Lil, l would love to be in your place.
Except the test would have to be positive.
[bell rings.]
[man.]
We'll proof the new issue next week.
[Carla.]
Hi.
Hi.
l was thinking about submitting something.
You're going to submit to the literary magazine? Yeah, like what that guy did in that Stephen King novel where he wrote the same line over and over for five pages.
That's fairly demented.
Do you have a problem with me and Eli? No.
No.
l mean, you could have told me, though, what you had in mind.
You could have done that.
l don't plan things out.
l just do them.
l guess l'm finding that out about you.
- l just thought - What? l just assumed that where Eli was concerned, you weren't interested, because he's going to be, like, your stepbrother, and that would be sick.
lt's not a question of me liking Eli, which l don't, and l never have.
lt has to do with you and the type of person l thought you were.
Grace, l'm sorry l didn't tell you.
l should have said something.
l will never do that again.
Yes, you will.
You know you will.
But you'll forgive me, won't you? Maybe.
So we're okay, then? Yeah, we're fine.
l have nothing to say.
Hey.
Want a ride? Sure.
Bye, Grace.
See you.
Hey.
Hi.
They make you read Bleak House in 1 0th grade? l'm reading it on my own.
Oh.
l wanted to talk to you.
We never talked about the other night.
Mom.
Look, Grace.
l need you to know that Rick and l are not trying to have a baby.
lt's not something we're planning.
My period was late.
Mom, l really don't want to talk about this.
Grace, l need you and l to be up-front about this.
l don't want there to be any more secrets, and l don't want to feel like l have to hide the fact that Rick and l are together.
Mom, that's sort of obvious, and it's not really my business.
But it is, Grace, because he and l are in a relationship.
He's a part of me, and l know this is hard for you to hear Stop it.
Grace.
Stop telling me these things! Oh, Grace.
Sweetie God, l can't take it anymore! Honey.
Honey, l'm sorry.
l didn't know this would l didn't know how much this was upsetting you.
Oh, my God! Mom, this is so You are so far from Don't you see? Don't you even see? l don't care about your life! l have my own life, which happens to be miserable right now, and then you come in here and everything's about you.
And the truth is that l could be falling apart right now, and you wouldn't even know why.
Grace.
Honey, did something happen? What happened? Nothing.
Grace.
Honey.
[sobbing.]
Honey, l'm sorry.
- Mom, don't cry.
- l'm not.
Yes, you are.
You're getting tears on Bleak House, Oh, Grace, l'm so sorry, honey.
lt's this one.
Thanks for the ride.
Sure.
Well? So? So? Hello! - Lil? - [bottles rattling.]
- Hey.
- Aah! What are you doing here? You want some help? Thanks.
l want to talk.
You want to talk? Can we at least go inside before l freeze to death? - Let me get the light.
- No, don't.
- l want to - Listen, l - Go ahead.
- No, you go ahead.
No, you.
l was wondering what it would be like if we had just met.
You know, would we have been able to see each other through all the chaos? Sometimes l wonder what it would be like if we had met first.
Would we have gotten married, had children, gotten divorced? We might have.
All of it.
We might have been colossally stupid enough to throw each other away.
l've screwed up before in my life, Lily.
l know what l'm capable of.
l let my marriage become this empty, numb thing.
Well, mine wasn't exactly a walk in the park.
But l feel like l'm still screwing up.
My daughter has a real problem, and when l When l look at Eli and l see how far away he's gotten l mean, being a good father, that's something l thought l could do.
Oh, Rick, you are a good father.
You're a wonderful father.
And l think that's what happened, you know, when l thought that you might be pregnant.
l just went back to a place when l couldn't deal with anything.
And then l thought, well, what the hell's the difference? l'm still out of control.
Rick, there hasn't been a day of my life that, at some moment, l haven't said to myself, ''You have no idea what you're doing.
'' And then l met you, and it didn't make things easier or calmer or less crazy.
lf anything, they got crazier.
But it didn't matter, because we were going through it together.
And then, when l felt you pulling away, l thought, ''Here we go.
l know what this is.
This is when he cuts and runs, just like'' Listen to me.
l'm not going anywhere.
How do you know? l just know.
l may not know much of anything else in my life, but l know that everything l want is right here.
ln the laundry room? Yeah.
The laundry room.
And the garbage, and the dented car, and Eli's hair, and a baby, maybe, if that's what we want.
A baby maybe? Shut up.
Make me.
Wait, wait.
Do you have something? l'm a management consultant.
l'll be helping out here.
lf he asks you to do anything more than say ''good morning,'' clear it with me.
You going to lunch? l wanted to get to know you.
- He's obviously flirting.
- Are you jealous? No, l just want to know what he looks like.
- l trusted you.
- l did a terrible thing.
[Grace.]
He didn't.
He is such an idiot.
Oh, my God.
What would make him say that? - Why would he say that? - [Carla.]
l don't know.
What? - Hi.
- Hi.
So anyway, it's kind of embarrassing, because Mr.
Placky used my painting as an example.
Of what? He said it was an amazing use of metaphor to express my consciousness of the life force.
A painting of a woman holding a head of lettuce? So does that mean the lettuce is her child or something? He said it was her womb.
Womb? He said womb? [both laughing.]
Help.
[Judy.]
Got it? The problem with buying in bulk is buying in bulk.
The problem with these fish is once you start eating 'em, you can't stop.
- Want one? - No, thank you.
- You're standing funny.
- Go brush your teeth.
No, leave those here.
One for you and one for me.
- l'll do that.
- l don't mind.
- No, really.
- What's in your pants? What? You shoved something in your pants when we came in.
- You're pregnant? - No, l'm late.
- How late? - A week.
Maybe you're just stressed.
l've always been stressed, never late.
Well, it could be, um No, it couldn't be.
Could it be? - Judy.
- What? l'm not menopausal.
- That's not where that goes.
- l'm sorry.
Well, are you, uh Does Rick know? No.
l got one of these.
Do you want it? [Grace.]
Mom? We're leaving now.
Okay.
Do you need a ride? My brother's giving us a ride.
- Where are you going? - Out.
Uh, there's a pep rally.
Really? You're going to a pep rally? To make fun of people.
[laughs.]
But we need a ride home, so can you pick us up? - Mom? - Oh, sure.
[car horn honks.]
We got to go.
Bye.
Bye.
lt was nice to meet you.
Later.
l do not like her.
Who? - Are you going to dye your hair? - No.
E? Oh, hey, Jess.
lf you guys are ready, l'll drop you at the pep rally.
Did you hear that Lita lsumu got mono so they had to find a new cheerleader? - So? - So l thought it was interesting.
Do not try out for cheerleading, okay? - lt's so mindless.
- l'm not! l think you'd make a cute cheerleader, especially now that you got your braces off.
Dad.
What? What did l say? l don't know.
l'm sorry l can't stay for the pep rally, but Lily and l had made these plans.
No, no, no, it's okay.
Pep rallies are just shallow and stupid anyway.
Yeah, l guess, but they do get people psyched up for the game.
Yeah, l guess.
So.
What do you think? About what? New Trier.
The game.
l don't know, Dad.
They have a pretty good basketball team this year, again.
Yeah, but Landers and what's-his-name, Carter, they graduated.
- Leaves a huge hole.
- Yeah, l guess so.
Highland Park clobbered them.
You beat Highland last season.
Yeah.
Well, l'm ready.
Where's Jess? We're going to be late.
[doorbell rings.]
Eggplant in garlic sauce, scallops with ginger, mushu pork.
What would life be without takeout? - Hi, guys.
- Hi.
You guys hungry? l got enough Chinese for an army.
l was, um, thinking of taking this one out for double whammies at Pete's, if that's okay with her mom.
Go for it.
[Zoe.]
Yes! Thank you so much! Yes! Mmm, eggplant.
Actually, l think this is the eggplant.
- Swap? - Swap.
Okay.
l'm just going to say it.
- Okay.
What? - Okay.
l'm Well, l'm lt's probably absolutely not anything.
lt could easily be What's not anything? Okay, now l'm making such a big deal about it, and l should just not involve you.
Not involve me in what? Lily? l'm late.
For? As in ''l'm never late.
'' Oh.
Oh, that kind of late.
- How late are you? - l'm not worried.
- A week.
- A week.
[coughing.]
You okay? You okay? You choking? - You all right? - l'm fine.
- Yeah? - Okay.
- You all right? - lt's okay.
l'm fine.
Thank you.
All right.
So, a week.
A week.
Well, that's not anything, really, to be too concerned about, is it? What do l know? l have known individuals, people, women, uh, to be irregular.
l'm never late.
But we use Please don't say precautions.
Safeguards.
Nothing's 1 00 percent.
That's what l keep telling Eli.
Wow, wow, so this is This is a real surprise.
You look horrified.
No, no, no, l don't.
l look surprised.
Well.
Obviously, l didn't expect you to be overjoyed.
Look, we don't even know if you are yet, so l'm not having a real reaction yet.
Of course you are.
You're reacting to the possibility.
Couldn't we just stay calm until we know for sure? You're calm? l [stammers.]
ls there not some sort of a test or something you can take? l actually happen to have one here in my kitchen drawer.
Tells you whether your life is about to explode, not to mention your body.
Have you taken it? Of course not.
No, l [stammering.]
Well, when were you, uh ln the morning.
Oh, yeah, okay.
ln the morning.
Do you want to take it now? Well Can you do that? l guess l can do that.
Look.
Lil, this involves me too, doesn't it? So Let's just do it.
Okay? Together.
Right now.
Okay.
Do you want me to, um No.
Thanks.
l can handle it.
Of course.
[band playing fight song.]
[all.]
Upton Sinclair, fight! [crowd cheering.]
This is so lame.
Hey, Grace, let's start the wave.
Wave! [laughs.]
Look at them.
The lemmings.
l can't believe people are in such a frenzy that you can make them jump up and down at will.
[girls.]
Hey, get ready! Go, fight, go! Hey, isn't that your future stepsister? What's her name again? - Jessie.
- Hey, Jessie! What are you doing? lt's okay.
This is cool.
- Hi, Jessie.
- Hi.
l like your hair.
Thanks.
Sit down, unless you wanted to sit with them.
We were just making fun of Alex Herschlag.
What would make a person want to be a school mascot? - Look at him with that dog head.
- lt's a bear.
- What is? - Our school mascot, it's a bear.
[boy.]
Ladies and gentlemen, the Upton Sinclair Bears! [band playing fight song.]
Who are you looking for? - My brother.
He's on the team.
- Did you know that, Grace? Yes, l did.
ls he still going out with that girl? - Jennifer? - l guess.
l don't know.
Oh, my God.
He did it.
l cannot believe he did it.
What? He dyed his hair.
[crowd cheering.]
Whoo! Whoo! Wow.
Yeah! Come on! l'll never forget the moment that l told Jake l was pregnant.
He just lit up.
l was absolutely terrified, but he was awed by everything.
The baby.
Me.
l loved when Eli was a baby.
His little hands.
Just watching him breathe was amazing.
l could hardly believe that l had anything to do with creating this beautiful boy, and that he was mine.
- Hi.
- Hi.
[timer ticking.]
Three minutes.
So.
This is wild.
We're in this together, okay? And whatever we have to do ''Have to do''? Well, l didn't mean l didn't mean have to do.
We've never even talked about this, and l guess we should have, because - How do you know what l'm feeling? - Your words.
The implications of your use of the imperative - l didn't use the imperative.
- You implied it.
''lf you are pregnant, then we will have to'' l could have meant anything.
''lf you are pregnant, we will have to go to Disneyland.
'' We both know that's not what you meant.
Sorry.
l'm Getting a little weird here.
Look.
lt's very unlikely.
lt's very unlikely that you are.
You know, realistically, l mean, think about it.
We're both in our 40s.
Early 40s, yeah, but that means that being late can mean other things, you know, like Well, maybe not yet, but Well Oh, God, Lily, l don't think there's anything l could say that you wouldn't misconstrue.
You're right.
[bell dings.]
- Are you okay? - Sure.
Well, that was That was That was kind of close.
Yeah.
- You sure you're okay? - Yeah.
- Maybe not as okay as you.
- What does that mean? Oh, Rick, l get it.
You were freaked out.
l know this was something that you didn't Wait a minute.
Just because l was relieved doesn't mean that l wouldn't want to someday possibly The point is it's not happening, so we don't have to worry about it.
Do you want dessert? Yeah.
Yeah, l guess.
What do you have? Fortune cookies.
You first.
Eli didn't sleep through the night until he was 3 years old.
He'd wake up at 2:00 and 4:30 and then again at 6:00.
Karen and l took turns, but l was a total wreck.
l remember reading that's how the North Koreans used to torture prisoners of war.
They say the number of eggs a woman has is determined at birth.
For 30 years, every month you're reminded of what goes on down there, and then one day it's over.
No more eggs.
''Man who builds straw house can never light fire.
'' You? ''Do not store food cartons in the refrigerator for more than two days.
'' Oh, God.
l've got to pick up Grace and Carla at the pep rally.
Jess and Eli are there.
l can pick them up for you.
- Really? - Yeah.
Lily, are we? Are we okay here? Sure.
Okay.
- Hey, Selby, watch the hands.
- He's such a pervert.
Jess, let Dad know l'm getting a ride with Coop.
Okay.
l like your hair.
lt makes a statement.
lt, like, says something.
l don't know what, but Can l touch it? Okay.
So, Jess, uh, you're okay, right? Yeah.
Grace, you'll make sure she finds my dad, right? Yeah, sure, no problem.
Hey, don't you live near Tanner? Yeah, yeah.
That's closer to where l am.
So maybe you could drop me? l'm sure my mom doesn't mind taking you home.
l just thought they're closer.
lt seems to make sense.
Yeah, it does seem that way.
All right.
Well, let's go.
Sometimes people just aren't who you need them to be at, like, a certain moment, and, unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about it.
[Judy.]
Hey, we're home! Hi, Mommy.
Hey, my sweet angel face.
- Aunt Judy bought me makeup.
- She did? - Just call me Auntie Mame.
- l'm going to put some on.
Sweetie, why don't you go do that in your room? So? - l took the test.
- You did? l won't be reading Goodnight Moon for the 800th time.
l happen to love Goodnight Moon, l know you do.
So how did Rick take it? He took it like a man.
[boy.]
Cole, see you tomorrow.
[boy #2.]
Great job, you guys.
So how's Zoe? She's annoying.
You don't even know how lucky you are to have a brother.
Brothers can be pretty annoying too, sometimes.
Well, l guess siblings, in general, are a problem, then, for both of us.
Oh, there's your dad.
Hey.
Hey.
Eli got a ride with Coop.
He did? Okay.
Grace, you're coming with us.
Where's my mom? Well, she's not feeling great.
Something she ate, maybe.
l'll take you home.
- Um - Come on.
Hey, if you have your permit, l'll let you drive.
Oh, l don't think l can drive this well.
lsn't it a stick? lt's easy.
l'll help you.
lt's a really fun car to drive.
Come on.
- Really? - Yeah, come on.
Okay, l'll drive.
l don't know where Coop is, but l assure you, this is his truck.
l believe you.
l think l saw him wander off into the woods.
Yes, he tends to do that.
l'm sure he'll show up eventually.
So, uh, is it true that you got kicked out of your old school? [laughs.]
Uh, kind of.
What do you mean, ''kind of'? Well, it was sort of mutual.
Oh.
Have you always been a jock? Yeah, l guess.
'Cause l have to say, you don't seem like one.
l mean, you look athletic.
You have a good body.
You just don't seem like you need that label or whatever to feel good about yourself.
l mean, do you feel good about yourself? All right, uh, l think you're in the clear.
Anytime you're ready.
- [gears grinding.]
- Oh, sorry.
That's okay.
Just take your foot off the clutch.
[tires squeal.]
Nice and easy.
There you go.
See? Jess, did Eli say when he was going to be home? No.
Go ahead and shift up into second gear.
There you go.
See? l hope he doesn't stay out too late.
He's got to ice that ankle of his again.
You know, you can't be too careful about those things.
Playing rugby, l got, l feel like my body, sometimes, l'm bruised Grace! Grace! [crash.]
Okay.
Okay, all right.
ls everybody okay? That's all that matters.
lt's just a lt's just a car.
Stop, Lily.
l'm not going to take your money.
l want to do this.
- lt's a dent.
- Just take it.
l don't want to.
l don't feel right about it.
- l should help pay for it.
- That's ridiculous.
- [Zoe.]
Jess, do you want ice cream? - No, thanks.
- Mom, can l have some ice cream? - ln a minute, honey.
Rick, if you don't take this, l'll feel terrible.
l'm not gonna, all right? We have to go.
Come on, Jess.
lt's okay.
- [Jessie.]
Bye.
- [Zoe.]
Bye.
Bye.
[door closes.]
Mom, l'm really sorry.
l feel horrible.
l was nervous, and l didn't even want to drive.
Honey, it's okay.
lt was an accident.
l know that.
- l don't want you to be mad.
- l'm not.
You seem mad.
- Honey, l'm really not.
- Okay.
lt was kind of his fault too.
l wasn't paying attention for, like, a split second, but l told him l couldn't drive stick.
Honey, it's all right.
But l do want you to promise me, Grace, you'll be careful.
l will.
l promise.
Okay.
[sighs.]
l'm going to go to bed.
Okay, honey.
Good night.
Oh.
Are you pregnant? No.
- Are you trying to get pregnant? - No, l'm not.
Honey, Rick and l are very cautious, but sometimes when two people are in a relationship Mom, l get it.
Okay.
l don't know.
Sometimes l just feel like everybody in the world is, like, living, and l'm just watching it happen.
Grace.
Eli? Hey, Dad.
l'm sorry l'm so late.
Uh-huh.
Don't forget to ice your ankle.
Right, right.
ls it bothering you? A little.
Not really.
- Can you play tomorrow? - Yeah.
Probably.
What happened to your hair? Well, l sort of put some color in it.
Oh.
Does it, uh ls it the kind that washes out? Eventually.
ls this something for your band? Not really.
No.
l mean, l don't know.
Maybe.
Well, l have to get some sleep.
Good night.
These are the mock-ups.
l just need them back.
[telephone rings.]
Christie Parker's office.
ls this Christie Parker's drop-dead gorgeous assistant? No, it's her middle-aged evil twin.
How are you doing? You okay? l'm fine.
Hang on.
Oh, Simon.
We have to have this on-line by 5:00 tonight, or she'll murder us, - Sorry.
- That's okay, ls Jake still taking the kids tonight? As far as l know.
Eli's game is over at 9:00.
You going to come by after? - That's the plan, - [telephone rings.]
- Hang on, l've got to get that, - [beeping.]
- [beeping.]
- Sorry, Things are crazy around here.
l'll see you later? - Bye.
- Bye, You must really hate that locker.
That's school property, you know.
You could get in a lot of trouble for that.
You need me to set someone's car on fire? l can do that.
l'll let you know.
l don't want to talk about this, okay? Okay.
- Coach suspended me from the team.
- Oh.
l don't even care.
lt's going to become this big thing now.
Your coach is probably just mad because you're a nonconformist.
Obviously.
- Yeah, completely.
- They hate that.
Did he give you the whole ''be a team player'' speech? No, no, he said, ''You need an attitude adjustment, mister.
'' - Oh, yeah.
That one's classic.
- Yeah.
Don't let it bother you.
You know, you seem to know a lot about this.
About what? Trouble.
ls that what you think? No, no, it's just what l've heard.
Okay, tell me everything you've heard.
[bell rings.]
Hey, Grace.
- Hi.
- [Eli.]
Hey.
Uh, l'm going to get going.
- Grace, l was waiting for you.
- Really? Okay.
l'm dying for a mochaccino, and you have to come with me.
- Now? - Yes.
- l have English.
- Can't you blow it off? No, l can't.
l think l might get something out of it.
- Whoa.
Chill.
- Look.
l know it's easy for you to just cut class and do heroin or whatever, but l have things, okay? Other things that l think about that have nothing to do with you.
Sorry.
[door opens.]
Oh, hey.
l wasn't expecting you.
Yeah, l didn't, uh Well, l just came by to pick up some stuff.
Lily's coming by after the game.
Oh, great.
You got a couple of hours.
You want to eat? No, thanks.
Do you need a ride? How early do you need to be there? You should ice that ankle one more time.
l'm not going.
What? l'm not going to the game.
Why? What's the problem? ls it your ankle? Eli? - The coach suspended me.
- What? You heard me.
l said l'm suspended.
Tell me what happened.
ls this because of your hair? - No.
- Well, then why? l wouldn't take any of his crap.
What the hell does that mean, Eli? How long are you suspended? l don't know, but it doesn't matter, because l'm quitting.
- Eli! - What? - Don't you want to talk about this? - l don't feel like it.
Well, l am just - l am trying to understand.
- Why? Why do you always have to understand everything? l've tried to reason with him.
lt doesn't work.
l've yelled at him.
lt doesn't work.
Nothing works.
l have no power, and he knows it.
Hey.
Hey yourself.
ls Grace okay? l feel so stupid for suggesting she No, Rick, she's 1 5.
That's ancient history.
She's actually back on my case.
She found the pregnancy test.
Whoops.
l'm the one who's supposed to be worried about her getting pregnant.
[sighs.]
Koyaanisqatsi, What? lt's a Hopi word.
Means ''life out of balance.
'' Sometimes it's just all overwhelming.
Miles, Karen, Jess, Eli.
Me.
You don't have blue hair.
Eli has blue hair? Bright blue.
Doesn't that clash with his uniform? lt might if he was still on the team.
He quit.
You're kidding.
Why? He doesn't like his coach, he wants to spend more time with his band.
Mostly, l think he just wants to piss me off.
He loves basketball.
You love basketball.
l don't think Karen and l had sex more than half a dozen times in the year after Jessie was born.
l'm not entirely sure, but if l had to bet when Jake started screwing around, it was when l was pregnant with Zoe.
lt was a hard pregnancy, and then Jessie had a horrible colic, and we just lost the way back to each other.
He wouldn't admit it, but l know he didn't want to go through it all again, and Zoe was the easiest baby on Earth, but Jake had checked out.
Gone.
You tired? Exhausted.
Me too.
To go to bed with someone night after night, and to lie there and to know that you had become, somehow, invisible.
l've never felt so alone in my life.
l love you.
l love you.
Good night.
Good night.
- Sticky buns.
- You're kidding.
Oh, my God, l haven't had these in Remember when you used to bring me these? That's what made me think of it.
lt seems like a lifetime ago.
All the cells in your body change every seven years.
Does that make me a different person than l was then? l take it that's a rhetorical question.
lt's less fattening if you take tiny little bites.
Things better with Rick? No.
l'm not sure he's who l thought he was.
Ah.
''Ah,'' what? Sometimes l think love is this fog, and you have to wait for it to burn off before you have any idea who the other person is.
Are you saying that the honeymoon's over, - and we're not even married? - Maybe it's good this happened sooner rather than later.
l don't know what's so good about it.
The way he's responded to all this has been sort of scary.
What if he really isn't who l thought he was? Nobody is.
We make ourselves up as we go along.
But how would you feel if you were in my place? Well, the truth is, Lil, l would love to be in your place.
Except the test would have to be positive.
[bell rings.]
[man.]
We'll proof the new issue next week.
[Carla.]
Hi.
Hi.
l was thinking about submitting something.
You're going to submit to the literary magazine? Yeah, like what that guy did in that Stephen King novel where he wrote the same line over and over for five pages.
That's fairly demented.
Do you have a problem with me and Eli? No.
No.
l mean, you could have told me, though, what you had in mind.
You could have done that.
l don't plan things out.
l just do them.
l guess l'm finding that out about you.
- l just thought - What? l just assumed that where Eli was concerned, you weren't interested, because he's going to be, like, your stepbrother, and that would be sick.
lt's not a question of me liking Eli, which l don't, and l never have.
lt has to do with you and the type of person l thought you were.
Grace, l'm sorry l didn't tell you.
l should have said something.
l will never do that again.
Yes, you will.
You know you will.
But you'll forgive me, won't you? Maybe.
So we're okay, then? Yeah, we're fine.
l have nothing to say.
Hey.
Want a ride? Sure.
Bye, Grace.
See you.
Hey.
Hi.
They make you read Bleak House in 1 0th grade? l'm reading it on my own.
Oh.
l wanted to talk to you.
We never talked about the other night.
Mom.
Look, Grace.
l need you to know that Rick and l are not trying to have a baby.
lt's not something we're planning.
My period was late.
Mom, l really don't want to talk about this.
Grace, l need you and l to be up-front about this.
l don't want there to be any more secrets, and l don't want to feel like l have to hide the fact that Rick and l are together.
Mom, that's sort of obvious, and it's not really my business.
But it is, Grace, because he and l are in a relationship.
He's a part of me, and l know this is hard for you to hear Stop it.
Grace.
Stop telling me these things! Oh, Grace.
Sweetie God, l can't take it anymore! Honey.
Honey, l'm sorry.
l didn't know this would l didn't know how much this was upsetting you.
Oh, my God! Mom, this is so You are so far from Don't you see? Don't you even see? l don't care about your life! l have my own life, which happens to be miserable right now, and then you come in here and everything's about you.
And the truth is that l could be falling apart right now, and you wouldn't even know why.
Grace.
Honey, did something happen? What happened? Nothing.
Grace.
Honey.
[sobbing.]
Honey, l'm sorry.
- Mom, don't cry.
- l'm not.
Yes, you are.
You're getting tears on Bleak House, Oh, Grace, l'm so sorry, honey.
lt's this one.
Thanks for the ride.
Sure.
Well? So? So? Hello! - Lil? - [bottles rattling.]
- Hey.
- Aah! What are you doing here? You want some help? Thanks.
l want to talk.
You want to talk? Can we at least go inside before l freeze to death? - Let me get the light.
- No, don't.
- l want to - Listen, l - Go ahead.
- No, you go ahead.
No, you.
l was wondering what it would be like if we had just met.
You know, would we have been able to see each other through all the chaos? Sometimes l wonder what it would be like if we had met first.
Would we have gotten married, had children, gotten divorced? We might have.
All of it.
We might have been colossally stupid enough to throw each other away.
l've screwed up before in my life, Lily.
l know what l'm capable of.
l let my marriage become this empty, numb thing.
Well, mine wasn't exactly a walk in the park.
But l feel like l'm still screwing up.
My daughter has a real problem, and when l When l look at Eli and l see how far away he's gotten l mean, being a good father, that's something l thought l could do.
Oh, Rick, you are a good father.
You're a wonderful father.
And l think that's what happened, you know, when l thought that you might be pregnant.
l just went back to a place when l couldn't deal with anything.
And then l thought, well, what the hell's the difference? l'm still out of control.
Rick, there hasn't been a day of my life that, at some moment, l haven't said to myself, ''You have no idea what you're doing.
'' And then l met you, and it didn't make things easier or calmer or less crazy.
lf anything, they got crazier.
But it didn't matter, because we were going through it together.
And then, when l felt you pulling away, l thought, ''Here we go.
l know what this is.
This is when he cuts and runs, just like'' Listen to me.
l'm not going anywhere.
How do you know? l just know.
l may not know much of anything else in my life, but l know that everything l want is right here.
ln the laundry room? Yeah.
The laundry room.
And the garbage, and the dented car, and Eli's hair, and a baby, maybe, if that's what we want.
A baby maybe? Shut up.
Make me.
Wait, wait.
Do you have something? l'm a management consultant.
l'll be helping out here.
lf he asks you to do anything more than say ''good morning,'' clear it with me.
You going to lunch? l wanted to get to know you.
- He's obviously flirting.
- Are you jealous? No, l just want to know what he looks like.
- l trusted you.
- l did a terrible thing.