The Affair (2014) s04e02 Episode Script
Season 4, Episode 2
1 Previously on The Affair - [COLE.]
You look happy.
- [ALISON.]
A change is nice.
Are you ever coming home? I don't think so.
- Where you from? - Um, Queens.
Queens? I thought you said I came with my mom when I was ten.
From Ecuador.
I'm undocumented.
[COLE.]
Luisa, I promise I will be faithful to you.
I want you to trust me above all others, and I want to be worthy of your trust.
[ALISON.]
I don't know who Joanie's father is.
What? I-I don't understand.
I slept with Cole.
Right around the time I got pregnant.
[COLE.]
Six fucking months.
No explanation, no warning.
[ALISON.]
I'm better now.
And I'm back, and I'm not gonna leave her again.
I'm still her mother.
She needs me.
I was at Woodlawn, and I was counseling a grieving mother, and it went so well they've offered me a job.
What about the Lobster Roll? What if we bought it? Okay, so, uh, how's it gonna work? I thought we could ask Alison.
If what's holding you back from this is the fear that it might lead to me getting back together with my ex-wife who cheated on me, that's not ever going to happen.
I'll try and leave you alone, okay? I I don't want to make anything more difficult for you.
[COLE.]
I built this whole life.
I am building a whole house just to prove to everybody that I don't love you anymore.
But the truth is that I do.
I'm tired of pretending that I don't.
I love you, but this is your decision to make.
[COLE.]
This is my home.
Our home.
If you'll still have me.
I'll still have you.
I was screaming into the canyon At the moment of my death The echo I created Outlasted my last breath My voice it made an avalanche And buried a man I never knew And when he died, his widowed bride Met your daddy and they made you I have only one thing to do And that's be the wave that I am, and then Sink back into the ocean I have only one thing to do And that's be the wave that I am, and then Sink back into the ocean I have only one thing to do And that's be the wave that I am, and then Sink back into the ocean, sink back into the ocean Sink back into the o Sink back into the ocean Sink back into the o Sink back into the ocean Sink back into the ocean [DOOR OPENS.]
Hey.
We leaving or what? [ENGINE STARTS.]
- - [WAVES CRASHING.]
[CAMERA SHUTTERS SNAPPING.]
[MAN.]
You better watch and learn.
Oh, sh ! Sorry about that, Grandpa.
Rad board.
[PHOTOGRAPHER.]
Hey.
Hey, you.
Would you mind moving a little to the left, buddy? [SOFT ROCK MUSIC PLAYING.]
Motherfucker.
[LUISA.]
Hey, sexy.
I thought I'd catch you still in the water.
Look at this shit.
What happened? Somebody must have backed into me as they were pulling out.
Just now? Yes, when I was in the water.
I gotta find a new break.
I mean, look at this fucking place.
There used to be five, six surfers in the water, max.
Now it's like Malibu.
Here.
Thank you.
- You didn't have to bring this to me.
- I missed you.
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
Oh, shit.
Hey.
I got that meeting with the Marshall Group, and I promised Caleb I'd talk to him beforehand.
Do you mind? I don't think we can do it ourselves, Caleb.
I'm not saying it's not scalable.
I'm just saying that I think the market is inundated with that kind of food.
Legal Seafood, Red Lobster, Long John Silver's.
And besides, we have no marketing or advertising budget.
If we were going to franchise ourselves, we Because that's what they're paying us for.
The franchisees need support.
Yes, the brand and also the advertising.
Think about McDonald's.
It's not like each one of those franchisees - is paying for their own TV ads.
- [SIREN WHOOPS.]
Oh, shit.
What's up? [SIREN WHOOPS.]
Oh, shit.
Hold on.
Hey, I-I gotta call you back.
Fuck, fuck.
[PANTING.]
Do you know him? - I don't think so.
- [LUISA MUTTERS IN SPANISH.]
It's okay.
Hey, it's okay.
Let me do the talking.
- Yeah.
- Roll down your window.
Hi, Officer.
Is there a problem? Is this your car, ma'am? Mine, actually.
And you are? Cole Lockhart.
We own the Lobster Roll.
You aware your, uh your taillight's busted, sir? Yes.
That just happened.
I'm really sorry.
Sure it did.
License and registration, please, ma'am.
[LUISA.]
Uh, I'm sorry, Officer.
I left my license at home.
You're driving without a license? Well, I just walked down to pick up my husband at the beach.
Yeah, it's my fault.
I was on a call.
- I asked her to drive.
My mistake.
- [LUISA.]
Yeah.
Why don't you step out of the car, ma'am.
Keep your hands where I can see them.
- What? - [OFFICER.]
You, too, sir.
Hey, is Peter Brand still on the force? He's an old friend of mine.
He knows us both really well.
I have no idea who that is.
Uh, look, this is my car.
The taillight's my responsibility.
I'll get it fixed immediately.
Do you have a license, ma'am? Of course she has a license.
I'm asking her.
Yes, I do.
Why don't you just write me a ticket and do whatever it is you gotta do What's your name? You said you live locally, right? Just tell me your name, I'll radio it in, we'll look up your license number from our files.
Luisa Lockhart.
Thank you, Ms.
Lockhart.
Please wait right here.
[GASPING BREATHS.]
Hey.
Hey, we're gonna be fine.
It's okay.
We're married.
No, it doesn't matter, Cole.
They don't care.
[LUISA PANTS, MUTTERS.]
[INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Listen, I gotta answer a call on the other side of town, so I'm gonna let you go, but next time I see you driving, Ms.
Lockhart, you better have your license on you.
Of course she will.
Thank you, Officer.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
[SIREN WAILING.]
[PANTING.]
Hey.
Here.
[SOFT PIANO MUSIC.]
[WIND WHISTLING, BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.]
Hey.
I was looking everywhere for this.
Where'd you find it? Uh, behind the washing machine.
[SIGHS.]
You okay? Yeah, yeah.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Lockhart, it's so nice to see you again.
[SPEAKING MANDARIN.]
[LAUGHTER.]
I-I've been practicing so much.
I'll leave you to it, then.
Maybe a round of coffee? - Oh, that would be wonderful.
Thank you.
- Awesome.
Please.
Thank you.
Your wife is quite an asset.
Yes, she is.
Thank you.
Will Ms.
Bailey be joining us today? Of course.
I just think she's running a little bit late.
[YANG.]
Oh.
Should we wait? No, it's fine.
We can we can catch her up.
[CHEN.]
Okay.
Wonderful.
So, Mr.
Lockhart, we appreciate you even taking this meeting, because we know you haven't historically been open to the concept of franchising.
We hope to prove to you today that, with the right approach, this expansion strategy will provide you and your lovely wife limitless revenues while preserving the integrity of the institution you worked so hard to build.
That sounds great.
[MA.]
Are you sure you don't want us to wait for Ms.
Bailey, Mr.
Lockhart? No, it's fine.
Do you want me to call her? [SIGHS.]
- Sir? - Thank you.
[CHEN.]
Thank you.
So, let's begin.
[MA.]
I think we have effectively shown you where in the marketplace we feel there's consumer demand for a restaurant that feels authentically Eastern Seaboard.
Now we have come up with some visuals that just slightly tweak the signage.
[ALISON.]
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
[MA.]
Hey.
Hi.
I'm Alison.
[CHEN.]
Hi.
So glad you could make it.
Nice to meet you.
So, what'd I miss? [YANG.]
You're perfectly timed, Ms.
Bailey.
I was just about to show Mr.
Lockhart our new branding concept.
[CHUCKLES.]
[ALISON.]
Wow.
Wow.
That's, um That Yeah.
Are you mad at me because I was late? Forty-five minutes late.
I said sorry.
I was studying, - and I just lost track of time.
- Do you have any idea what a bad impression that makes? This restaurant group is huge.
They own Outback Steakhouse, IHOP, - Five Guys - Wow.
IHOP.
They did $6 billion dollars in revenue last quarter alone.
- Yeah, that's a lot of money.
- And I'm trying to make a good impression so that they'll make a competitive offer, and you show up looking like a fucking coed.
Don't they have to make us a competitive offer since we're not actually interested in selling? Ali, if you want to be a part of this process, will you please just try to take it a little more seriously? Show up on time.
Dry your hair.
Give them the respect that they deserve.
Dry my hair? [CHUCKLES.]
Since when do you care so much what city people think? We're not in high school anymore.
I wear a tie to a business meeting.
I try not to waste people's time.
It's called adulthood.
Join me here, why don't you? Okay, I'm sorry.
I've let you down once again, Cole.
I'm gonna go now.
They want to take us to dinner tonight.
7:30, Turf in East Hampton.
Fancy.
You think you can make it? Will your busy schedule allow for it? I'll be there.
Wear a dress.
[SIGHS.]
[HEAVY SIGH.]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.]
Wow.
Ready to go? Uh, yeah.
I mean, no.
I gotta change, but yeah.
How much did they offer? Two-point-one against 90% of the company.
Plus a small portion of the future franchise royalty fees.
Well, that seems like a lot, right? Actually, no, it's not.
Not for this model.
But because they're picking up all of the other costs the construction, design, development, everything they want a bigger piece of the profits.
Still, you'll own ten percent of the company.
Plus, won't you be getting part of the annual revenue of all franchised restaurants, plus whatever this royalty fee turns out to be? Yeah, it adds up.
And 2.
1 million isn't anything to sneeze at.
I mean, that alone would make you pretty rich.
Us.
It would make us pretty rich.
You could buy back your family's ranch.
Yeah, maybe.
So, why do you seem depressed? Because I bought the Lobster Roll to save it.
I mean, Oscar was gonna turn it into a fucking bowling alley.
If I sell it now, what was the point? I don't know what I'm doing.
[SOFT, GENTLE MUSIC.]
[QUIET CHATTER.]
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
Sir? Oh.
That's great.
Thank you.
Would you all like to order, or are you still waiting on the last member of your party? We could wait a little longer.
No.
She must be held up somewhere, so we should go ahead and order.
I'll take the rib eye, well done.
Excellent choice, sir.
And for you, ma'am? [MA.]
A butternut squash torte, please.
[WAITRESS.]
It's the chef's special tonight.
You'll love that.
Ma'am? [LUISA.]
Um, I think I'm gonna have the halibut.
[WAITRESS.]
And would you like that served with the baby kale? [LUISA.]
Uh, yeah, that would be wonderful.
- Thank you.
- [WAITRESS.]
Excellent.
Sir, what can I get for you? [YANG.]
Think I'll have the Say it for me.
[LUISA.]
Oh, paella.
[YANG.]
Paella.
- [LUISA.]
Paella.
- [YANG.]
Paella.
- [LUISA.]
Yes.
- [YANG CHUCKLING.]
[YANG.]
I just love how she says it.
[LAUGHTER.]
[WAITRESS.]
It's an excellent choice, sir.
We make that with wild farro here.
And what can I get for you? I'll have the blackened, uh, prawn pasta.
[WAITRESS SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY.]
Oh, terrific.
[YANG.]
So, what do you think about Miami? [LUISA.]
I would love to go to Miami.
I've never been.
[YANG.]
We would love to have you there as soon as possible.
[WAITRESS.]
You have excellent taste, sir.
[YANG.]
Of course, we'd ask your husband first.
We wouldn't just steal you from him.
[LAUGHTER.]
What's that? You're gonna steal my wife? No.
Mrs.
Lockhart was telling me she got her degree in hospitality.
We have a new property about to open in Miami, and it's practically begging for someone like Luisa at the front of the house.
So, what do you say, Mr.
Lockhart? We franchise the Lobster Roll, make you a rich man, and then set you up in a penthouse on Miami Beach.
We're going to Miami.
- [LAUGHTER.]
- [YANG.]
That's the spirit.
[LUISA.]
We'll talk about it when we get home.
[CHATTER IN MANDARIN.]
Cole.
We should have a toast.
- Sure.
- [LUISA.]
Yeah.
[SPEAKING MANDARIN.]
Cheers.
Luisa.
Look, next time you want to go on a dinner date with your ex-wife, just leave me out of it.
Oh, for fuck's sake, she's my business partner.
Yeah, I know.
Lucky her.
[SIGHS.]
[COLE.]
I'm sorry.
I was not looking for Alison.
You know how places like that make me feel.
They make my skin crawl.
I just wanted to get out of there.
And I hate wearing these clothes.
Thank you for being so wonderful.
And thank you for learning Mandarin.
I don't know what I'd do without you.
Look, this is a huge decision.
Do I not get to have a hard time with it? No, you don't.
What exactly is the problem here? They're offering to make you an incredibly rich man, and you don't have to do anything.
Us.
They're offering us.
Why do you keep talking about this as though it has nothing to do with you? You want to know what I hate? I hate that I can't take that job in Miami.
That I can't take any interesting job.
That I can't put my degree to use in this fucking country.
That I'm totally fucking dependent on you.
Stop.
I hate that I have to use your credit card.
That you sign all our checks.
And it's going to be like that for the rest of my life.
I hate that a fucking cop can pull me over and my only hope is that you know him and he likes you so he won't fuck with me.
Listen, what happened this morning What if you decide to leave me? I am not going to leave you.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, clearly not today.
Alison is busy.
Fuck you.
[CRYING SOFTLY.]
[SIGHS.]
Maybe we can try again to get you a green card.
We've been over this again and again.
You know, I-I would have to leave the country for ten years.
So we'll file for a waiver.
How? I'm not a student.
They don't care that we're married.
I came illegally.
I have no special skills.
I have no children of my own.
I can't demonstrate hardship.
Nobody would care if I leave tomorrow.
I would.
And then I have to sit at dinner like a fucking escort and listen as they throw opportunities at you.
And you're depressed because you don't want to wear a fucking tie! Enough.
I'm going for a walk.
Good.
[WAVES CRASHING.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER AND LAUGHTER.]
Do I know you? Yeah, I think you decked me with your board this morning and then called me "Grandpa.
" Ah That's right.
Yeah.
[LAUGHS.]
Sorry about that, bro.
Yo, let me make it up to you.
You want a beer? That's all right.
I'm good.
Yo, isn't that the dude with the rad board? Yep.
Where'd you get that board, man? My board? The one you were riding today.
It's vintage, right? Yeah, I guess.
It was my dad's.
Looked like it had a couple of redwood stringers.
It's really fucking rare, man.
You don't know who made it? Nope.
[WOMAN.]
Sit.
We don't bite.
The swallow tail looked like it was from the late '70s.
Redwood's probably Northern Californian.
Once saw a redwood pattern like that from a shaper in Half Moon Bay.
Where's Half Moon Bay? California.
[MAN.]
Bram, you're such a surf nerd.
I'd kill for a board like that.
Of course, the boards Duke Kahanamoku surfed were made of vertical-grain Hawaiian redwood back in, like, 1910.
It's okay.
You finish it.
[SIGHS.]
[QUIET, INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[SIGHS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES.]
[GENTLE MUSIC.]
[SIGHS.]
[GULLS SCREECHING.]
[SIGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
What the fuck happened to you? It's a long story.
I was taking a walk, I bumped into these kids - at a bonfire - And they drew on your face? They did what? Motherfucker.
Motherfucker! What are you doing? You can't shoot someone just because they drew on your face.
Sure I can.
Give me the fucking gun.
Stay out of it! Give me the fucking gun.
[BOTH PANTING.]
[CHUCKLING.]
[PHONE RINGING.]
[LUISA.]
Hello? Hey, Alison.
Uh, of course you can talk to him.
He's right here.
Hmm? [GRUNTS.]
Hello? What's the problem? [GUN DROPS LOUDLY ON COUNTER.]
[SIGHS.]
Yeah.
Yes, I can be right there.
Don't worry.
Bye.
Oh, my God, what happened to your face? It's a long story.
Hey, kiddo.
Hi, Dad.
You look scary.
I know I do.
Sorry, baby.
It won't start? No.
I think it's the battery.
[RAPID CLICKING.]
Yep, I think you're right.
How was last night? I'm sorry I missed it.
I was so stressed out about this test, I just completely forgot.
Really? So your babysitter came, rang your front doorbell, and you just didn't hear her? You never had any intention of coming, did you? You're gonna do what you want to do in this situation, Cole.
I don't think you actually care about my opinion, so what does it matter - if I'm there or not? - Of course I care about your opinion.
You're a partner.
Yeah, okay, okay.
Well, I wouldn't sell it.
We're different people.
Pop the hood.
What about the money? I have money.
Not this kind of money.
Well, how much do I need? You want to know what I really think? - Always.
- Okay, I think you want me to tell you not to sell it.
So you can turn around, sell it, and look like a hero to Luisa.
Get in the car and start it.
[ALISON SIGHS.]
All right.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Ah, thank you.
All right, kiddo.
Let's get you to school.
- Watch your head.
- [ALISON.]
Okay.
- Buckle up.
- [ALISON.]
Here.
Don't turn the car off when you get to the school.
Got it, Coach.
[COLE.]
Oh.
Did it ever occur to you that I don't want to sell the Lobster Roll? That I don't want to become part of the establishment? [CHUCKLES.]
Cole, you drive a Jeep.
You built a mansion on the water.
You tip like a fucking banker.
You are the establishment.
There ain't no easy way No, there ain't no easy way out Hey, babe.
It's me.
I'm just calling to say I'm sorry about this morning and about last night.
I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner tonight and just we could talk about everything.
Motherfucker.
Hey! Little motherfucker.
It's easy to fall in love When you're on your luck, you know you're done And the last kiss had a foolish cause Now your tired eyes can only haunt There ain't no easy way No, there ain't no easy way out [GRUNTING.]
Where is my fucking wallet? - I don't know, man.
- What did you put in my drink? I don't know what you're talking about.
Ah, you're gonna break my arm off! Do you have any idea who I am in this community? You can't prove anything.
I just watched you freebasing, asshole.
What are you gonna do about it? I'm gonna call the cops.
That's what I'm gonna do.
That's a great idea, Mr.
Lockhart.
Why don't you give the police a call, huh? Love to tell them who sold me my first eight-ball, Mr.
Lockhart.
So you can act like you're the mayor of Montauk, Cole, but I was 15 when your brother got me high for the first time.
So spare me the sanctimony, you fucking hypocrite.
There ain't no easy way No, there ain't no easy way out [KNOCK AT DOOR.]
Oh, hey.
Come in.
Did he just do this? When you were meeting with Dr.
Lippman? How did that go? [SCOFFS.]
It takes time.
I know.
It's hard to believe at this moment.
Just promise me you'll keep coming to see us here.
He says that that's his father.
It's Tony.
That's what he told you? Where is Jamie right now? He's playing in the kids' room.
I don't know.
I just wanted to show that to you before we left.
How are things at home? [SIGHS.]
Not good.
Did you tell Dr.
Lippman that? Why not, Abby? Hey, why do you think that Jamie drew a picture like this of Tony? Uh ever since Evie's funeral He drinks.
All the time.
And he blacks out most nights.
And I can't wake him.
He snapped at the neighbor for asking him to move his car.
He called him terrible names.
Racist, awful.
I mean, I-I had to beg the guy not to call the police.
Are you afraid of him? All right.
And you didn't tell Dr.
Lippman any of this? How can she help you if she doesn't know? I mean, how can she help me if she does? She needs to be able to assess if it's safe for you and Jamie to keep living with Tony.
No.
No.
Tony would never hurt Jamie.
Would he hurt you? Look Abby, listen, um when couples experience, uh, the death of a child sometimes they need some time apart.
No, it doesn't mean it's forever.
But if he's out of control and you're afraid of him, why not go stay someplace else? Your mom's? No.
Jamie needs his dad.
He can't He-he cannot lose another person in his life.
- He's too young.
- Abby, listen to me.
The only thing Jamie needs right now is for you to be safe.
[JAMIE.]
Mom.
I'm tired.
- Can we go? - Oh, yeah, sweetheart.
We're gonna go right now.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
I'm really glad you're here, Alison.
The therapists are fine, but it's just so nice to talk to somebody else who's I'm here.
[SIGHS.]
Are those your kids? Uh Yeah.
These two.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
Which one's ? This guy.
Hey.
You ready? [ABBY SNIFFLES.]
One, two, three.
[GRUNTS.]
[KNOCK AT DOOR.]
Is, uh is this the grant coordinator's office? Um uh, no.
Are you sure? Yeah.
This is peer-to-peer counseling.
Oh.
Well, then, uh then I'm fucking lost.
Uh, well, who are you looking for? Meyers.
Roger Meyers.
Uh, yeah, he's one floor up.
Oh.
Um, okay.
And the elevators are ? Uh, down the hall.
First left, then a right, then your second left.
Okay, down the hall, first, um ? I'm sorry, I No, it's a maze.
Uh, I'll show you.
Oh, that's okay.
You don't have to No, it's okay.
I need to go check my mail anyway, so Uh, hi.
I'm Alison.
Oh.
Ben.
- Uh yeah.
- After you.
So, you work here? Um, uh, yeah.
That was my - Your office.
- Mm-hmm.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS, DOORS OPEN.]
Oh.
- Oh.
Hey.
- Alison.
I was just coming down to see you.
That conference I was telling you about - Uh-huh? - EMDR.
It's happening in Montauk.
- It is? - Yes.
A place called Gooney's, I think.
- Gurney's.
- That's it.
Week after next.
I'll get you the details.
Okay, thank you.
- Still coming? - Oh.
Yeah.
Mmm Ah.
Here.
Ah, yeah.
It's very obvious when you know what you're looking for, isn't it? Mmm.
Well, thank you.
I couldn't have done it without you.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[COLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER PHONE.]
No, I-I am sorry.
It just slipped my mind.
[COLE.]
It slipped your mi - [COLE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
- No, I'm not.
I'm listening to you.
I can hear you typing.
Would you just stop for - a second and pay attention? - No I'm not doing anything else.
I swear.
I'm just listening.
Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is for your own business partner I just wanted to leave this with you.
Oh.
Did you get a chance to finish my recommendation? Yes.
It's in your inbox.
Cole, I said I'm sorry.
It wasn't intentional.
No, look, I've just been really busy at work, and Really, your absence was completely disrespectful.
I'm not trying to disrespect anybody.
[KNOCK AT DOOR.]
[COLE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
Uh, Cole, I I have to go.
[COLE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
I apologize, okay? I'm sorry.
What I did was wrong.
Yeah, you think? Okay? Anything else? Yeah, show up next time.
[CLICK, DIAL TONE.]
Tough call? No, it's fine.
Did you get your grant? My what? What, you're not applying for Oh, no, no, no.
I, uh No, uh, actually, you need me.
What? I'm from the VHA.
Uh, you guys applied to us for a grant.
I just came to check out the facilities, make sure everything's kosher.
Oh.
You work with veterans? I do.
You seem really excited about that.
Oh, no, I'm just applying for a clinical rotation with the V.
A.
Really? Are you a therapist? No, not yet, but I'm studying to become one.
Oh, hey.
Can I help you? I'm looking for a Ms.
Bailey.
Yeah, that's me.
They sent me to sign up for some program where parents talk to other parents.
Yeah.
Come in.
Um, please just take a seat, and Uh, would you mind? Oh, no.
Um It was good to meet you.
And thanks for your help.
You, too.
Uh, we just have some paperwork to go through, so [DOOR CLOSES.]
Oh, no, I'd prefer if you didn't lock the door.
Who the fuck do you think you are? My wife told me what you said to her.
Your wife? Do you have any fucking idea what our life is like right now? What we're going through? She doesn't sleep.
She wanders the house at night banging her head against windows.
She's not taking care of our son.
There's no food in the house.
I found him last night trying to eat dry pasta for dinner.
Uh, Tony.
We don't have the money to send her to this fucking place for $350 dollars an hour.
$350 dollars so you can tell her to leave me? - Take my son away? - I know what this must feel like for you.
- No, you don't! - You can't be here right now.
We can't be in a room - with a locked door.
- Oh, why not? Are you afraid of me? Please, can you just let me out of this room, please? My wife and I need to be together.
- We need to heal.
- You're absolutely right.
I'm just Look, I'm just I'm just really sick and tired of everybody telling me what to do and how to be.
- Yeah, it must be exhausting.
- When all you do here is take our money and make everything worse.
Look, look, just-just - No, no - Stop talking.
I-I felt my seven-year-old's body go cold.
I watched her skin turn blue.
How are you gonna make that better, huh? - You gonna bring her back - [DOOR BANGS OPEN.]
from the fucking dead? [GRUNTING.]
Stay down! [PANTING.]
Call security.
Now.
- No, Daddy! Daddy, no! - Shh.
Jamie, come here.
Dad! Please, that's my daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! How did you know? I've seen a lot of guys with severe PTSD.
He was, uh, checking his exits.
He kept his back to the wall.
He was rubbing his thumb and index finger like this.
Uh, I need a drink.
[CHUCKLES.]
Don't look at me.
I-I don't drink.
Seven months sober.
Okay.
How about a coffee, then? - Yeah? - Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah, when I got back from my second tour, I was a disaster.
I'd been there for 18 months straight, and, uh, I just didn't know who I was anymore.
I didn't know what to say to my family, to my friends.
I found everything confusing.
You know, um, grocery store, traffic lights.
Why traffic lights? It's all about your environment.
Your context.
So, in a war zone, you know, traffic lights mean nothing.
Nobody pays attention to them.
But then I get back here, and I'm stopped at a light.
Nobody's coming, but I'm supposed to stay there until the light turns green? - Right.
- That just doesn't make sense anymore.
Understand.
The thing about PTSD, it's it's not the guy that jumps when a car backfires.
You know, that's that's just someone who just came back from a dangerous place.
That's training.
You know, there's nothing wrong with that person.
They just need some time to adjust.
But true PTSD, I mean, it's it's different.
It makes no sense.
It's, uh Endless.
Yeah.
Is that why you stopped drinking? From PTSD? - Uh-huh.
- No.
Um, not exactly.
When I, uh, first got back, I felt really numb, and I, uh, had a hard time being being intimate.
Oh.
Yeah.
I I mean, I couldn't, you know, which, for a guy, is worse than being dead, so I drank a lot.
- And then I could have sex.
- Right.
Got it.
This vicious cycle where I'd feel lonely and I wanted to be close to someone.
So I'd get wasted, but then half the time, I wouldn't be able to get it up anyway, and it just was this Sorry.
Why am I telling you this? Honestly.
I asked.
I-I don't usually just vomit my life story within four hours of meeting someone.
You know? Look, uh, I guess this is a a special case, considering you - I mean, I - Saved my life? Continue.
Anyway, I, uh I joined A.
A.
and changed my life.
Now I'm sober and abstinent.
It's part of the program: no dating, no sex for the first year.
Well, that's one way to deal with your impotency issue.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Here's what I figure.
Maybe if I just concentrate on myself for a while, maybe eventually I'll meet someone I feel safe with.
Someone I can trust and I won't have to get wasted to love her.
In fact, I won't even want to because I won't want to miss any of it.
So what about you? - Uh - Are you married? - No.
- Ever been married? Twice.
- Yeah.
- Kids? Yeah, I have a daughter.
So you're a single working mom.
That's right.
I was raised by a single mom.
Baddest motherfuckers in the world, and I spent eight years in the Marines.
Thank you.
How old's your kid? Uh, she's six.
I can't believe it, but she is.
Hmm.
[STAMMERS.]
Yeah, I-I have to get going.
- It's getting late.
- Yeah, I should - I should let you go home.
Um - Yeah.
Well, it was really nice talking to you.
You're fascinating.
See, uh, yeah, this would be the part where I'd probably ask you out if I wasn't in the program.
Um, thank you again for what you did today.
Yeah.
Ben? How long do you have left with your program? Five months, two weeks and three days.
But who's counting? [ALISON.]
Hurry up, sweetie.
We're gonna be late.
[ALISON SIGHS.]
[MUTTERS.]
Here.
Hold this.
Strap yourself in.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
[RAPID CLICKING.]
Come on.
All right.
[RAPID CLICKING.]
Come on.
Joanie, did you turn this light on? Yes.
- When? - Yesterday.
Oh, shit.
[SIGHS.]
Um all right.
I'm sorry.
You're the only person I know who still has jumper cables.
Oh, my God.
What the fuck happened to your face? Pop the hood.
[ALISON.]
I'm just not that interested in keeping the place.
It holds a lot of complicated memories.
I'm just trying to move on with my life.
I would hardly call what you're doing "moving on.
" Why not? If you were truly trying to move on, you wouldn't be spending all your time with people who reminded you of Gabriel.
You have practically made his death your entire identity.
What is your what is wrong with you? What is wrong with wanting to use my experience to help people? And what are you doing with your life that's so much better? Yeah, maybe the reason you can't let go of the damn Lobster Roll is because you don't have a fucking clue what else to do with your time.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Thank you.
All right, kiddo.
Let's get you to school.
Hop up.
Are you taking me to school? No.
Your mother is.
Why can't you both take me? Please.
Just this once.
Like the other kids.
Joanie.
[COLE.]
Don't forget you have the field trip today, hon.
[JOANIE.]
I know.
It's at the aquarium.
[COLE.]
You've never been to an aquarium.
[JOANIE.]
I know.
[COLE CHUCKLES.]
Okay, sweetie? Have fun.
Backpack? You know, the Roll wasn't even your idea.
Let me guess, it was yours.
No.
It was Scotty's.
It was his big dream, his plan to go straight.
- What are you saying? - I don't know.
I guess I'm asking.
Why do you think you're holding onto it so hard? [SIGHS.]
It's also something you and I built together.
[ALISON.]
Uh, yeah, that's right.
It's Alison Bailey.
B-A-I-L-E-Y.
Just one.
Yeah, I'm from the Woodlawn Center.
I'm a trainee.
Yeah, that's right.
[ELECTRONIC CHIMING OVER COMPUTER.]
Um great.
October 1.
I'm looking forward to it.
Okay, thank you.
[CHIMING CONTINUES.]
Hey.
Hi.
So I was just wondering, what are you doing in five months, two weeks and two days?
You look happy.
- [ALISON.]
A change is nice.
Are you ever coming home? I don't think so.
- Where you from? - Um, Queens.
Queens? I thought you said I came with my mom when I was ten.
From Ecuador.
I'm undocumented.
[COLE.]
Luisa, I promise I will be faithful to you.
I want you to trust me above all others, and I want to be worthy of your trust.
[ALISON.]
I don't know who Joanie's father is.
What? I-I don't understand.
I slept with Cole.
Right around the time I got pregnant.
[COLE.]
Six fucking months.
No explanation, no warning.
[ALISON.]
I'm better now.
And I'm back, and I'm not gonna leave her again.
I'm still her mother.
She needs me.
I was at Woodlawn, and I was counseling a grieving mother, and it went so well they've offered me a job.
What about the Lobster Roll? What if we bought it? Okay, so, uh, how's it gonna work? I thought we could ask Alison.
If what's holding you back from this is the fear that it might lead to me getting back together with my ex-wife who cheated on me, that's not ever going to happen.
I'll try and leave you alone, okay? I I don't want to make anything more difficult for you.
[COLE.]
I built this whole life.
I am building a whole house just to prove to everybody that I don't love you anymore.
But the truth is that I do.
I'm tired of pretending that I don't.
I love you, but this is your decision to make.
[COLE.]
This is my home.
Our home.
If you'll still have me.
I'll still have you.
I was screaming into the canyon At the moment of my death The echo I created Outlasted my last breath My voice it made an avalanche And buried a man I never knew And when he died, his widowed bride Met your daddy and they made you I have only one thing to do And that's be the wave that I am, and then Sink back into the ocean I have only one thing to do And that's be the wave that I am, and then Sink back into the ocean I have only one thing to do And that's be the wave that I am, and then Sink back into the ocean, sink back into the ocean Sink back into the o Sink back into the ocean Sink back into the o Sink back into the ocean Sink back into the ocean [DOOR OPENS.]
Hey.
We leaving or what? [ENGINE STARTS.]
- - [WAVES CRASHING.]
[CAMERA SHUTTERS SNAPPING.]
[MAN.]
You better watch and learn.
Oh, sh ! Sorry about that, Grandpa.
Rad board.
[PHOTOGRAPHER.]
Hey.
Hey, you.
Would you mind moving a little to the left, buddy? [SOFT ROCK MUSIC PLAYING.]
Motherfucker.
[LUISA.]
Hey, sexy.
I thought I'd catch you still in the water.
Look at this shit.
What happened? Somebody must have backed into me as they were pulling out.
Just now? Yes, when I was in the water.
I gotta find a new break.
I mean, look at this fucking place.
There used to be five, six surfers in the water, max.
Now it's like Malibu.
Here.
Thank you.
- You didn't have to bring this to me.
- I missed you.
[CELL PHONE RINGING.]
Oh, shit.
Hey.
I got that meeting with the Marshall Group, and I promised Caleb I'd talk to him beforehand.
Do you mind? I don't think we can do it ourselves, Caleb.
I'm not saying it's not scalable.
I'm just saying that I think the market is inundated with that kind of food.
Legal Seafood, Red Lobster, Long John Silver's.
And besides, we have no marketing or advertising budget.
If we were going to franchise ourselves, we Because that's what they're paying us for.
The franchisees need support.
Yes, the brand and also the advertising.
Think about McDonald's.
It's not like each one of those franchisees - is paying for their own TV ads.
- [SIREN WHOOPS.]
Oh, shit.
What's up? [SIREN WHOOPS.]
Oh, shit.
Hold on.
Hey, I-I gotta call you back.
Fuck, fuck.
[PANTING.]
Do you know him? - I don't think so.
- [LUISA MUTTERS IN SPANISH.]
It's okay.
Hey, it's okay.
Let me do the talking.
- Yeah.
- Roll down your window.
Hi, Officer.
Is there a problem? Is this your car, ma'am? Mine, actually.
And you are? Cole Lockhart.
We own the Lobster Roll.
You aware your, uh your taillight's busted, sir? Yes.
That just happened.
I'm really sorry.
Sure it did.
License and registration, please, ma'am.
[LUISA.]
Uh, I'm sorry, Officer.
I left my license at home.
You're driving without a license? Well, I just walked down to pick up my husband at the beach.
Yeah, it's my fault.
I was on a call.
- I asked her to drive.
My mistake.
- [LUISA.]
Yeah.
Why don't you step out of the car, ma'am.
Keep your hands where I can see them.
- What? - [OFFICER.]
You, too, sir.
Hey, is Peter Brand still on the force? He's an old friend of mine.
He knows us both really well.
I have no idea who that is.
Uh, look, this is my car.
The taillight's my responsibility.
I'll get it fixed immediately.
Do you have a license, ma'am? Of course she has a license.
I'm asking her.
Yes, I do.
Why don't you just write me a ticket and do whatever it is you gotta do What's your name? You said you live locally, right? Just tell me your name, I'll radio it in, we'll look up your license number from our files.
Luisa Lockhart.
Thank you, Ms.
Lockhart.
Please wait right here.
[GASPING BREATHS.]
Hey.
Hey, we're gonna be fine.
It's okay.
We're married.
No, it doesn't matter, Cole.
They don't care.
[LUISA PANTS, MUTTERS.]
[INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Listen, I gotta answer a call on the other side of town, so I'm gonna let you go, but next time I see you driving, Ms.
Lockhart, you better have your license on you.
Of course she will.
Thank you, Officer.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
[SIREN WAILING.]
[PANTING.]
Hey.
Here.
[SOFT PIANO MUSIC.]
[WIND WHISTLING, BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.]
Hey.
I was looking everywhere for this.
Where'd you find it? Uh, behind the washing machine.
[SIGHS.]
You okay? Yeah, yeah.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Lockhart, it's so nice to see you again.
[SPEAKING MANDARIN.]
[LAUGHTER.]
I-I've been practicing so much.
I'll leave you to it, then.
Maybe a round of coffee? - Oh, that would be wonderful.
Thank you.
- Awesome.
Please.
Thank you.
Your wife is quite an asset.
Yes, she is.
Thank you.
Will Ms.
Bailey be joining us today? Of course.
I just think she's running a little bit late.
[YANG.]
Oh.
Should we wait? No, it's fine.
We can we can catch her up.
[CHEN.]
Okay.
Wonderful.
So, Mr.
Lockhart, we appreciate you even taking this meeting, because we know you haven't historically been open to the concept of franchising.
We hope to prove to you today that, with the right approach, this expansion strategy will provide you and your lovely wife limitless revenues while preserving the integrity of the institution you worked so hard to build.
That sounds great.
[MA.]
Are you sure you don't want us to wait for Ms.
Bailey, Mr.
Lockhart? No, it's fine.
Do you want me to call her? [SIGHS.]
- Sir? - Thank you.
[CHEN.]
Thank you.
So, let's begin.
[MA.]
I think we have effectively shown you where in the marketplace we feel there's consumer demand for a restaurant that feels authentically Eastern Seaboard.
Now we have come up with some visuals that just slightly tweak the signage.
[ALISON.]
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
[MA.]
Hey.
Hi.
I'm Alison.
[CHEN.]
Hi.
So glad you could make it.
Nice to meet you.
So, what'd I miss? [YANG.]
You're perfectly timed, Ms.
Bailey.
I was just about to show Mr.
Lockhart our new branding concept.
[CHUCKLES.]
[ALISON.]
Wow.
Wow.
That's, um That Yeah.
Are you mad at me because I was late? Forty-five minutes late.
I said sorry.
I was studying, - and I just lost track of time.
- Do you have any idea what a bad impression that makes? This restaurant group is huge.
They own Outback Steakhouse, IHOP, - Five Guys - Wow.
IHOP.
They did $6 billion dollars in revenue last quarter alone.
- Yeah, that's a lot of money.
- And I'm trying to make a good impression so that they'll make a competitive offer, and you show up looking like a fucking coed.
Don't they have to make us a competitive offer since we're not actually interested in selling? Ali, if you want to be a part of this process, will you please just try to take it a little more seriously? Show up on time.
Dry your hair.
Give them the respect that they deserve.
Dry my hair? [CHUCKLES.]
Since when do you care so much what city people think? We're not in high school anymore.
I wear a tie to a business meeting.
I try not to waste people's time.
It's called adulthood.
Join me here, why don't you? Okay, I'm sorry.
I've let you down once again, Cole.
I'm gonna go now.
They want to take us to dinner tonight.
7:30, Turf in East Hampton.
Fancy.
You think you can make it? Will your busy schedule allow for it? I'll be there.
Wear a dress.
[SIGHS.]
[HEAVY SIGH.]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.]
Wow.
Ready to go? Uh, yeah.
I mean, no.
I gotta change, but yeah.
How much did they offer? Two-point-one against 90% of the company.
Plus a small portion of the future franchise royalty fees.
Well, that seems like a lot, right? Actually, no, it's not.
Not for this model.
But because they're picking up all of the other costs the construction, design, development, everything they want a bigger piece of the profits.
Still, you'll own ten percent of the company.
Plus, won't you be getting part of the annual revenue of all franchised restaurants, plus whatever this royalty fee turns out to be? Yeah, it adds up.
And 2.
1 million isn't anything to sneeze at.
I mean, that alone would make you pretty rich.
Us.
It would make us pretty rich.
You could buy back your family's ranch.
Yeah, maybe.
So, why do you seem depressed? Because I bought the Lobster Roll to save it.
I mean, Oscar was gonna turn it into a fucking bowling alley.
If I sell it now, what was the point? I don't know what I'm doing.
[SOFT, GENTLE MUSIC.]
[QUIET CHATTER.]
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
Sir? Oh.
That's great.
Thank you.
Would you all like to order, or are you still waiting on the last member of your party? We could wait a little longer.
No.
She must be held up somewhere, so we should go ahead and order.
I'll take the rib eye, well done.
Excellent choice, sir.
And for you, ma'am? [MA.]
A butternut squash torte, please.
[WAITRESS.]
It's the chef's special tonight.
You'll love that.
Ma'am? [LUISA.]
Um, I think I'm gonna have the halibut.
[WAITRESS.]
And would you like that served with the baby kale? [LUISA.]
Uh, yeah, that would be wonderful.
- Thank you.
- [WAITRESS.]
Excellent.
Sir, what can I get for you? [YANG.]
Think I'll have the Say it for me.
[LUISA.]
Oh, paella.
[YANG.]
Paella.
- [LUISA.]
Paella.
- [YANG.]
Paella.
- [LUISA.]
Yes.
- [YANG CHUCKLING.]
[YANG.]
I just love how she says it.
[LAUGHTER.]
[WAITRESS.]
It's an excellent choice, sir.
We make that with wild farro here.
And what can I get for you? I'll have the blackened, uh, prawn pasta.
[WAITRESS SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY.]
Oh, terrific.
[YANG.]
So, what do you think about Miami? [LUISA.]
I would love to go to Miami.
I've never been.
[YANG.]
We would love to have you there as soon as possible.
[WAITRESS.]
You have excellent taste, sir.
[YANG.]
Of course, we'd ask your husband first.
We wouldn't just steal you from him.
[LAUGHTER.]
What's that? You're gonna steal my wife? No.
Mrs.
Lockhart was telling me she got her degree in hospitality.
We have a new property about to open in Miami, and it's practically begging for someone like Luisa at the front of the house.
So, what do you say, Mr.
Lockhart? We franchise the Lobster Roll, make you a rich man, and then set you up in a penthouse on Miami Beach.
We're going to Miami.
- [LAUGHTER.]
- [YANG.]
That's the spirit.
[LUISA.]
We'll talk about it when we get home.
[CHATTER IN MANDARIN.]
Cole.
We should have a toast.
- Sure.
- [LUISA.]
Yeah.
[SPEAKING MANDARIN.]
Cheers.
Luisa.
Look, next time you want to go on a dinner date with your ex-wife, just leave me out of it.
Oh, for fuck's sake, she's my business partner.
Yeah, I know.
Lucky her.
[SIGHS.]
[COLE.]
I'm sorry.
I was not looking for Alison.
You know how places like that make me feel.
They make my skin crawl.
I just wanted to get out of there.
And I hate wearing these clothes.
Thank you for being so wonderful.
And thank you for learning Mandarin.
I don't know what I'd do without you.
Look, this is a huge decision.
Do I not get to have a hard time with it? No, you don't.
What exactly is the problem here? They're offering to make you an incredibly rich man, and you don't have to do anything.
Us.
They're offering us.
Why do you keep talking about this as though it has nothing to do with you? You want to know what I hate? I hate that I can't take that job in Miami.
That I can't take any interesting job.
That I can't put my degree to use in this fucking country.
That I'm totally fucking dependent on you.
Stop.
I hate that I have to use your credit card.
That you sign all our checks.
And it's going to be like that for the rest of my life.
I hate that a fucking cop can pull me over and my only hope is that you know him and he likes you so he won't fuck with me.
Listen, what happened this morning What if you decide to leave me? I am not going to leave you.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, clearly not today.
Alison is busy.
Fuck you.
[CRYING SOFTLY.]
[SIGHS.]
Maybe we can try again to get you a green card.
We've been over this again and again.
You know, I-I would have to leave the country for ten years.
So we'll file for a waiver.
How? I'm not a student.
They don't care that we're married.
I came illegally.
I have no special skills.
I have no children of my own.
I can't demonstrate hardship.
Nobody would care if I leave tomorrow.
I would.
And then I have to sit at dinner like a fucking escort and listen as they throw opportunities at you.
And you're depressed because you don't want to wear a fucking tie! Enough.
I'm going for a walk.
Good.
[WAVES CRASHING.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER AND LAUGHTER.]
Do I know you? Yeah, I think you decked me with your board this morning and then called me "Grandpa.
" Ah That's right.
Yeah.
[LAUGHS.]
Sorry about that, bro.
Yo, let me make it up to you.
You want a beer? That's all right.
I'm good.
Yo, isn't that the dude with the rad board? Yep.
Where'd you get that board, man? My board? The one you were riding today.
It's vintage, right? Yeah, I guess.
It was my dad's.
Looked like it had a couple of redwood stringers.
It's really fucking rare, man.
You don't know who made it? Nope.
[WOMAN.]
Sit.
We don't bite.
The swallow tail looked like it was from the late '70s.
Redwood's probably Northern Californian.
Once saw a redwood pattern like that from a shaper in Half Moon Bay.
Where's Half Moon Bay? California.
[MAN.]
Bram, you're such a surf nerd.
I'd kill for a board like that.
Of course, the boards Duke Kahanamoku surfed were made of vertical-grain Hawaiian redwood back in, like, 1910.
It's okay.
You finish it.
[SIGHS.]
[QUIET, INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[SIGHS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES.]
[GENTLE MUSIC.]
[SIGHS.]
[GULLS SCREECHING.]
[SIGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
What the fuck happened to you? It's a long story.
I was taking a walk, I bumped into these kids - at a bonfire - And they drew on your face? They did what? Motherfucker.
Motherfucker! What are you doing? You can't shoot someone just because they drew on your face.
Sure I can.
Give me the fucking gun.
Stay out of it! Give me the fucking gun.
[BOTH PANTING.]
[CHUCKLING.]
[PHONE RINGING.]
[LUISA.]
Hello? Hey, Alison.
Uh, of course you can talk to him.
He's right here.
Hmm? [GRUNTS.]
Hello? What's the problem? [GUN DROPS LOUDLY ON COUNTER.]
[SIGHS.]
Yeah.
Yes, I can be right there.
Don't worry.
Bye.
Oh, my God, what happened to your face? It's a long story.
Hey, kiddo.
Hi, Dad.
You look scary.
I know I do.
Sorry, baby.
It won't start? No.
I think it's the battery.
[RAPID CLICKING.]
Yep, I think you're right.
How was last night? I'm sorry I missed it.
I was so stressed out about this test, I just completely forgot.
Really? So your babysitter came, rang your front doorbell, and you just didn't hear her? You never had any intention of coming, did you? You're gonna do what you want to do in this situation, Cole.
I don't think you actually care about my opinion, so what does it matter - if I'm there or not? - Of course I care about your opinion.
You're a partner.
Yeah, okay, okay.
Well, I wouldn't sell it.
We're different people.
Pop the hood.
What about the money? I have money.
Not this kind of money.
Well, how much do I need? You want to know what I really think? - Always.
- Okay, I think you want me to tell you not to sell it.
So you can turn around, sell it, and look like a hero to Luisa.
Get in the car and start it.
[ALISON SIGHS.]
All right.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Ah, thank you.
All right, kiddo.
Let's get you to school.
- Watch your head.
- [ALISON.]
Okay.
- Buckle up.
- [ALISON.]
Here.
Don't turn the car off when you get to the school.
Got it, Coach.
[COLE.]
Oh.
Did it ever occur to you that I don't want to sell the Lobster Roll? That I don't want to become part of the establishment? [CHUCKLES.]
Cole, you drive a Jeep.
You built a mansion on the water.
You tip like a fucking banker.
You are the establishment.
There ain't no easy way No, there ain't no easy way out Hey, babe.
It's me.
I'm just calling to say I'm sorry about this morning and about last night.
I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner tonight and just we could talk about everything.
Motherfucker.
Hey! Little motherfucker.
It's easy to fall in love When you're on your luck, you know you're done And the last kiss had a foolish cause Now your tired eyes can only haunt There ain't no easy way No, there ain't no easy way out [GRUNTING.]
Where is my fucking wallet? - I don't know, man.
- What did you put in my drink? I don't know what you're talking about.
Ah, you're gonna break my arm off! Do you have any idea who I am in this community? You can't prove anything.
I just watched you freebasing, asshole.
What are you gonna do about it? I'm gonna call the cops.
That's what I'm gonna do.
That's a great idea, Mr.
Lockhart.
Why don't you give the police a call, huh? Love to tell them who sold me my first eight-ball, Mr.
Lockhart.
So you can act like you're the mayor of Montauk, Cole, but I was 15 when your brother got me high for the first time.
So spare me the sanctimony, you fucking hypocrite.
There ain't no easy way No, there ain't no easy way out [KNOCK AT DOOR.]
Oh, hey.
Come in.
Did he just do this? When you were meeting with Dr.
Lippman? How did that go? [SCOFFS.]
It takes time.
I know.
It's hard to believe at this moment.
Just promise me you'll keep coming to see us here.
He says that that's his father.
It's Tony.
That's what he told you? Where is Jamie right now? He's playing in the kids' room.
I don't know.
I just wanted to show that to you before we left.
How are things at home? [SIGHS.]
Not good.
Did you tell Dr.
Lippman that? Why not, Abby? Hey, why do you think that Jamie drew a picture like this of Tony? Uh ever since Evie's funeral He drinks.
All the time.
And he blacks out most nights.
And I can't wake him.
He snapped at the neighbor for asking him to move his car.
He called him terrible names.
Racist, awful.
I mean, I-I had to beg the guy not to call the police.
Are you afraid of him? All right.
And you didn't tell Dr.
Lippman any of this? How can she help you if she doesn't know? I mean, how can she help me if she does? She needs to be able to assess if it's safe for you and Jamie to keep living with Tony.
No.
No.
Tony would never hurt Jamie.
Would he hurt you? Look Abby, listen, um when couples experience, uh, the death of a child sometimes they need some time apart.
No, it doesn't mean it's forever.
But if he's out of control and you're afraid of him, why not go stay someplace else? Your mom's? No.
Jamie needs his dad.
He can't He-he cannot lose another person in his life.
- He's too young.
- Abby, listen to me.
The only thing Jamie needs right now is for you to be safe.
[JAMIE.]
Mom.
I'm tired.
- Can we go? - Oh, yeah, sweetheart.
We're gonna go right now.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
I'm really glad you're here, Alison.
The therapists are fine, but it's just so nice to talk to somebody else who's I'm here.
[SIGHS.]
Are those your kids? Uh Yeah.
These two.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
Which one's ? This guy.
Hey.
You ready? [ABBY SNIFFLES.]
One, two, three.
[GRUNTS.]
[KNOCK AT DOOR.]
Is, uh is this the grant coordinator's office? Um uh, no.
Are you sure? Yeah.
This is peer-to-peer counseling.
Oh.
Well, then, uh then I'm fucking lost.
Uh, well, who are you looking for? Meyers.
Roger Meyers.
Uh, yeah, he's one floor up.
Oh.
Um, okay.
And the elevators are ? Uh, down the hall.
First left, then a right, then your second left.
Okay, down the hall, first, um ? I'm sorry, I No, it's a maze.
Uh, I'll show you.
Oh, that's okay.
You don't have to No, it's okay.
I need to go check my mail anyway, so Uh, hi.
I'm Alison.
Oh.
Ben.
- Uh yeah.
- After you.
So, you work here? Um, uh, yeah.
That was my - Your office.
- Mm-hmm.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS, DOORS OPEN.]
Oh.
- Oh.
Hey.
- Alison.
I was just coming down to see you.
That conference I was telling you about - Uh-huh? - EMDR.
It's happening in Montauk.
- It is? - Yes.
A place called Gooney's, I think.
- Gurney's.
- That's it.
Week after next.
I'll get you the details.
Okay, thank you.
- Still coming? - Oh.
Yeah.
Mmm Ah.
Here.
Ah, yeah.
It's very obvious when you know what you're looking for, isn't it? Mmm.
Well, thank you.
I couldn't have done it without you.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[COLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER PHONE.]
No, I-I am sorry.
It just slipped my mind.
[COLE.]
It slipped your mi - [COLE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
- No, I'm not.
I'm listening to you.
I can hear you typing.
Would you just stop for - a second and pay attention? - No I'm not doing anything else.
I swear.
I'm just listening.
Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is for your own business partner I just wanted to leave this with you.
Oh.
Did you get a chance to finish my recommendation? Yes.
It's in your inbox.
Cole, I said I'm sorry.
It wasn't intentional.
No, look, I've just been really busy at work, and Really, your absence was completely disrespectful.
I'm not trying to disrespect anybody.
[KNOCK AT DOOR.]
[COLE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
Uh, Cole, I I have to go.
[COLE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
I apologize, okay? I'm sorry.
What I did was wrong.
Yeah, you think? Okay? Anything else? Yeah, show up next time.
[CLICK, DIAL TONE.]
Tough call? No, it's fine.
Did you get your grant? My what? What, you're not applying for Oh, no, no, no.
I, uh No, uh, actually, you need me.
What? I'm from the VHA.
Uh, you guys applied to us for a grant.
I just came to check out the facilities, make sure everything's kosher.
Oh.
You work with veterans? I do.
You seem really excited about that.
Oh, no, I'm just applying for a clinical rotation with the V.
A.
Really? Are you a therapist? No, not yet, but I'm studying to become one.
Oh, hey.
Can I help you? I'm looking for a Ms.
Bailey.
Yeah, that's me.
They sent me to sign up for some program where parents talk to other parents.
Yeah.
Come in.
Um, please just take a seat, and Uh, would you mind? Oh, no.
Um It was good to meet you.
And thanks for your help.
You, too.
Uh, we just have some paperwork to go through, so [DOOR CLOSES.]
Oh, no, I'd prefer if you didn't lock the door.
Who the fuck do you think you are? My wife told me what you said to her.
Your wife? Do you have any fucking idea what our life is like right now? What we're going through? She doesn't sleep.
She wanders the house at night banging her head against windows.
She's not taking care of our son.
There's no food in the house.
I found him last night trying to eat dry pasta for dinner.
Uh, Tony.
We don't have the money to send her to this fucking place for $350 dollars an hour.
$350 dollars so you can tell her to leave me? - Take my son away? - I know what this must feel like for you.
- No, you don't! - You can't be here right now.
We can't be in a room - with a locked door.
- Oh, why not? Are you afraid of me? Please, can you just let me out of this room, please? My wife and I need to be together.
- We need to heal.
- You're absolutely right.
I'm just Look, I'm just I'm just really sick and tired of everybody telling me what to do and how to be.
- Yeah, it must be exhausting.
- When all you do here is take our money and make everything worse.
Look, look, just-just - No, no - Stop talking.
I-I felt my seven-year-old's body go cold.
I watched her skin turn blue.
How are you gonna make that better, huh? - You gonna bring her back - [DOOR BANGS OPEN.]
from the fucking dead? [GRUNTING.]
Stay down! [PANTING.]
Call security.
Now.
- No, Daddy! Daddy, no! - Shh.
Jamie, come here.
Dad! Please, that's my daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! How did you know? I've seen a lot of guys with severe PTSD.
He was, uh, checking his exits.
He kept his back to the wall.
He was rubbing his thumb and index finger like this.
Uh, I need a drink.
[CHUCKLES.]
Don't look at me.
I-I don't drink.
Seven months sober.
Okay.
How about a coffee, then? - Yeah? - Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah, when I got back from my second tour, I was a disaster.
I'd been there for 18 months straight, and, uh, I just didn't know who I was anymore.
I didn't know what to say to my family, to my friends.
I found everything confusing.
You know, um, grocery store, traffic lights.
Why traffic lights? It's all about your environment.
Your context.
So, in a war zone, you know, traffic lights mean nothing.
Nobody pays attention to them.
But then I get back here, and I'm stopped at a light.
Nobody's coming, but I'm supposed to stay there until the light turns green? - Right.
- That just doesn't make sense anymore.
Understand.
The thing about PTSD, it's it's not the guy that jumps when a car backfires.
You know, that's that's just someone who just came back from a dangerous place.
That's training.
You know, there's nothing wrong with that person.
They just need some time to adjust.
But true PTSD, I mean, it's it's different.
It makes no sense.
It's, uh Endless.
Yeah.
Is that why you stopped drinking? From PTSD? - Uh-huh.
- No.
Um, not exactly.
When I, uh, first got back, I felt really numb, and I, uh, had a hard time being being intimate.
Oh.
Yeah.
I I mean, I couldn't, you know, which, for a guy, is worse than being dead, so I drank a lot.
- And then I could have sex.
- Right.
Got it.
This vicious cycle where I'd feel lonely and I wanted to be close to someone.
So I'd get wasted, but then half the time, I wouldn't be able to get it up anyway, and it just was this Sorry.
Why am I telling you this? Honestly.
I asked.
I-I don't usually just vomit my life story within four hours of meeting someone.
You know? Look, uh, I guess this is a a special case, considering you - I mean, I - Saved my life? Continue.
Anyway, I, uh I joined A.
A.
and changed my life.
Now I'm sober and abstinent.
It's part of the program: no dating, no sex for the first year.
Well, that's one way to deal with your impotency issue.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Here's what I figure.
Maybe if I just concentrate on myself for a while, maybe eventually I'll meet someone I feel safe with.
Someone I can trust and I won't have to get wasted to love her.
In fact, I won't even want to because I won't want to miss any of it.
So what about you? - Uh - Are you married? - No.
- Ever been married? Twice.
- Yeah.
- Kids? Yeah, I have a daughter.
So you're a single working mom.
That's right.
I was raised by a single mom.
Baddest motherfuckers in the world, and I spent eight years in the Marines.
Thank you.
How old's your kid? Uh, she's six.
I can't believe it, but she is.
Hmm.
[STAMMERS.]
Yeah, I-I have to get going.
- It's getting late.
- Yeah, I should - I should let you go home.
Um - Yeah.
Well, it was really nice talking to you.
You're fascinating.
See, uh, yeah, this would be the part where I'd probably ask you out if I wasn't in the program.
Um, thank you again for what you did today.
Yeah.
Ben? How long do you have left with your program? Five months, two weeks and three days.
But who's counting? [ALISON.]
Hurry up, sweetie.
We're gonna be late.
[ALISON SIGHS.]
[MUTTERS.]
Here.
Hold this.
Strap yourself in.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
[RAPID CLICKING.]
Come on.
All right.
[RAPID CLICKING.]
Come on.
Joanie, did you turn this light on? Yes.
- When? - Yesterday.
Oh, shit.
[SIGHS.]
Um all right.
I'm sorry.
You're the only person I know who still has jumper cables.
Oh, my God.
What the fuck happened to your face? Pop the hood.
[ALISON.]
I'm just not that interested in keeping the place.
It holds a lot of complicated memories.
I'm just trying to move on with my life.
I would hardly call what you're doing "moving on.
" Why not? If you were truly trying to move on, you wouldn't be spending all your time with people who reminded you of Gabriel.
You have practically made his death your entire identity.
What is your what is wrong with you? What is wrong with wanting to use my experience to help people? And what are you doing with your life that's so much better? Yeah, maybe the reason you can't let go of the damn Lobster Roll is because you don't have a fucking clue what else to do with your time.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Thank you.
All right, kiddo.
Let's get you to school.
Hop up.
Are you taking me to school? No.
Your mother is.
Why can't you both take me? Please.
Just this once.
Like the other kids.
Joanie.
[COLE.]
Don't forget you have the field trip today, hon.
[JOANIE.]
I know.
It's at the aquarium.
[COLE.]
You've never been to an aquarium.
[JOANIE.]
I know.
[COLE CHUCKLES.]
Okay, sweetie? Have fun.
Backpack? You know, the Roll wasn't even your idea.
Let me guess, it was yours.
No.
It was Scotty's.
It was his big dream, his plan to go straight.
- What are you saying? - I don't know.
I guess I'm asking.
Why do you think you're holding onto it so hard? [SIGHS.]
It's also something you and I built together.
[ALISON.]
Uh, yeah, that's right.
It's Alison Bailey.
B-A-I-L-E-Y.
Just one.
Yeah, I'm from the Woodlawn Center.
I'm a trainee.
Yeah, that's right.
[ELECTRONIC CHIMING OVER COMPUTER.]
Um great.
October 1.
I'm looking forward to it.
Okay, thank you.
[CHIMING CONTINUES.]
Hey.
Hi.
So I was just wondering, what are you doing in five months, two weeks and two days?