Oh, all right!
I mean, I know why it started.
It started because we both wanted to spend time with carla,
so now it's kind of like we're all friends.
Sort of.
Carla!
- Jeez. - Look out!
Whoa.
Carla, wait!
Carla!
Eli.
See anything you want?
No.
You look young when you eat. Like a little kid.
Grace thinks you're gonna get arrested.
No, I don't. I just...
Hey, did you start that Edgar Allan Poe thing?
Yes. And, yes, you can read it.
Bless you, child.
Oh... gum!
Oh, carla.
Where's the trash?
Oh, so you won't litter, but you'll steal?
Well, littering is wrong!
Uh, you missed.
Snack cake?
I'm not eating stolen snack cakes.
"Stolen snack cakes"... A good name.
What if you were starving?
- Like a song, or something. - I'm not starving.
Last one.
Oh, yeah? Let me check.
The cupboard's bare, babe. Trust me.
The company that manufactures these snack cakes
- probably rapes rain forests. - You have a crumb.
What do you mean, "probably"?
I mean, y-you either raped a rain forest or you didn't.
Hey, listen, don't kill me.
Nice. Nice greeting.
I miss you and I love you. Don't kill me.
Why would I want to kill you?
- I have to back out of dinner tonight. - Dinner?
Yeah. We were all having dinner tonight,
- kids included. - We were?
You forgot?
Well, no. I just, uh... Tonight?
I can't believe you forgot this.
Anyway, I can't because I have to help Graham.
I'm sitting here feeling guilty, and you've forgotten about it.
Since when did you start working for Graham?
Well, christie's kind of loaning me out as a favor.
You're a favor now?
Oops. Okay, I'm being summoned.
I'll have to call you later.
- What do you mean... - Bye.
Hello?
Just the way he sips his water...
He swallows, and you can hear it.
Then he wipes his mouth and...
Just that look on his face, like he's so open-minded.
You're wearing house slippers.
Oh, yeah. Yup.
Don't you have to get that?
So, what now?
'Cause I really don't have anything to talk about.
I mean, I know you think I do,
but I really don't.
I've been eating.
Like, a lot more.
Don't you believe me?
Why wouldn't I believe you?
Carla...
Hey, Grace!
Get up here.
Christie Parker's office.
Okay, look, I'm... I'm really sorry.
About?
I forgot about dinner, remember?
Oh, right.
God, my short-term memory.
Okay, so, how about dinner tomorrow night,
- offspring included, my place? - That did it.
God, don't you wish this was your room?
No. Why?
It's just a really... innocent room.
Carla, we shouldn't invade her privacy.
Hey. Uh, come on.
- Where? - My room.
Okay.
Eli thinks we're in love.
Hey, shut up!
Hey! No means no!
Fine. Uh, Grace, you want something to drink?
Oh... sure.
- I mean, no, actually. - Look.
- It's, like, miniature. - Jeez, carla.
Ooh, glitter! Let me do your cheekbones.
Can we leave this room now, please?
Your little sister's sexy. Deal with it.
You really think Jessie's sexy?
Look at that face. Look at that body.
Mmm.
Actually, I am thirsty.
Do you want to hear that song?
- You know this song. - Mm-hmm.
Grace! Where are you?
Uh, be right there!
Okay...
what can you tell me about Edgar Allan Poe?
Married his cousin.
True, but what makes Poe unique?
She was 13.
Poe had a theory...
didn't he?
About what makes a good story.
What did he call this theory?
Anyone?
Unity of effect.
Can we go to your house today?
And what is "unity of effect"?
Carla.
Okay, people, read The Tell-Tale Heart.
Carla, I'm gonna need to speak with you
Friday after class.
Yes, mr. Nerolik... Sir.
I mean, boys are definitely needed,
but sometimes you just need a break from 'em, you know?
No.
Yeah.
Sometimes I'm just not in the mood for a boy.
No, I know.
Thank God you're finally home.
- Why? What's the matter? - Carla's here.
There's something wrong with her.
- Zoe, shh! - It's true.
She chews black gum, but, like, eight pieces at a time.
- Black gum? - And she'll, like,
throw the gum wrappers towards the wastebasket
without even bothering to check and see if it lands inside or not.
So, what happens here at dinner? Does somebody, like, make it?
A long time ago. Not lately.
That's a slight exaggeration.
- Hello, carla. - Hi, Lily.
Mom, ever since your new job, you're shocked when it's dinnertime.
- I'm not shocked. - Oh, no?
"D-dinnertime? What on earth will we do?"
Tonight we don't have that particular problem.
We've been invited to Rick's for dinner,
which I think is very nice of him since he's been
incredibly busy.
And it's nice for you, too. You get to see where he lives.
So, you've never seen where Rick lives?
We have half an hour. Is there somewhere we can drop you, carla?
- Sure. - Mom!
Can I speak to you for a minute, please?
Grace, this is just our two families.
Mom, Eli and carla are extremely close, okay?
- Oh, Gracie... - you're being ridiculous.
She can have dinner with us another time.
Mom, that is so not the point.
Would you please get your shoes on?
Yes.
No.
At my friend's house.
Well, I already had dinner. I had dinner here.
Would it be asking too much to let me speak to my own mother, please?
Well, where is she?
All right, fine. Forget it.
Grace.
Well, this isn't quite as nightmarish as usual.
Let's not play monopoly, though.
Maybe for my birthday we can all go to an actual restaurant.
When's your birthday?
End of the month.
Don't look so stricken. I'm not expecting anything...
...much.
Dad, I'm gonna start my homework now, okay?
- Already? - Yeah.
I just had two gigantic pieces of pizza.
You did?
Yes.
Come on, dad, everybody saw me.
Honey, I'm not doubting you. I just, uh... I wanted...
Okay, just see how many pieces are missing,
and add 'em up, okay?
I'm not going to count the... I believe you, okay?
So, you like this better than Angelo's?
Uh, y-yeah, yeah. Much better.
Um, Grace, do you want to come in my room?
Uh, yeah, when I'm done.
Oh.
Hey.
What's the matter?
Oh, nothing. I just, um...
How many pieces did you have?
Seven or eight.
Rick, two.
Who is it?
You can come in.
You look nice in this picture.
No, I don't.
If you have anything you don't want,
I'll take it.
Um...
Let me see. Maybe I have something...
what?
What's the matter?
Who's been in my room?
What?
Something is missing from my room.
Don't give me that innocent look. I know you bring your girlfriends here.
- Shh! No. First of all... - Just admit it!
- I should... - No, you should stay.
First, it's "girlfriend," not "girlfriends."
- Second... - Admit that you've been in my room!
Someone may have been, okay? But no one took anything!
Okay? Tell her.
Um, yeah. I mean...
Just don't tell dad.
I really don't need this right now.
I'm not gonna tell dad that you bring her here. I'm not stupid.
I had a brand-new thing of glitter,
and it's gone,
and it better be back by tomorrow.
Grace?
Uh, yeah?
Honey, it's getting to be time to...
...to go.
What's going on in here?
Nothing.
Just something that I can't find.
Um...
you know, I'll be in the car.
You know what helps me?
What helps me is to trace back in my mind
to the very last place that I saw it.
So, where was the very last place that you saw it?
Right here.
Uh-huh. Okay.
Well... huh.
- So, did we, uh, find it? - How can we find it?
We don't know what we're looking for.
Sweetie, what is it that we're looking for?
Just something I need for school.
Huh. Well, uh, where's Grace?
Waiting in the car. We need to go, noodle.
Honey, is it possible
that you left this whatever-it-is at mom's house?
Maybe. I don't know.
Would you like me to drive you over there, you can see?
Sure.
Okay. All right.
Jessie, wait.
Why the heck won't she tell us what it is?
Maybe it's some feminine hygiene thing.
- You know what? - What?
I think next time, just you and me.
On your birthday?
- Mmm! - Hey, mom.
Oh, wow, that was quick.
Well, I-I said we'd be right over.
Well, what did she misplace?
Uh... Sh-She wouldn't say.
Oh, God. Well, maybe it's here.
You know, it's genetic.
The other day, I bought something, I put it down somewhere.
I have no idea where it went.
It was this glittery stuff that you...
...you put on your face and...
...other areas.
Anyway, it...
I- I think I must have inadvertently thrown it away.
Huh. What did she, uh...
How'd she seem after therapy today?
- Same as she always seems. - Right.
I think part of me wanted to get rid of it because it was,
you know, somewhat inappropriate.
Too young for me.
Still, she's making progress.
- She had two pieces of pizza today. - What?
- Yeah. What? What's wrong with pizza? - Nothing's wrong if...
- If what? - Did you see her eat the pizza?
- That's all I'm... - yeah, you know, I did.
- Mom? - Yeah, did you find it?
No, I'm still looking. Do you have my cloud pajamas?
- In the dryer. - I looked there.
- Did you really look? - I looked.
Come with me.
You're welcome.
They never really look.
I- I've got some reading to do, so...
Rick, I'm... I'm sorry.
It-It-It is great. It's great...
Th-The pizza... It-It's great.
It means that, you know, maybe this doctor is really...
I have to go.
Well, go, then.
- Grace. - What? Don't...
mom, I would appreciate some privacy. Please?
I can't just ask you one question?
Has...
Has carla been spending a lot of time at Rick's?
C- can we please not discuss this right now?
Because I don't think that Rick wants Eli and his friends
using his apartment like, you know, a hangout.
Please don't say "hangout," mother.
Please don't say "mother."
Look, I saw gum wrappers in Jessie's wastebasket.
- I can't believe you're saying this. - Grace...
That is the most unfair, prejudiced...
- I'm not accusing her of anything. - You are.
No, I'm just trying...
Even if carla has been hanging out there,
it doesn't mean she took anything.
What is that?
Is that...
Is that my garnet necklace?
Do you realize how long ago you borrowed this?
- I'm sorry. Uh... - what's this?
Could you not touch my things, and would you leave my room now?
Grace.
Is that glitter?
Let me see.
Wow. It's a really nice kind.
- Mom... - Grace...
do you think...
do you think carla could've taken something out of Jessie's room?
It's possible.
No, I-I don't... I don't think she would.
What?
Who could that be?
Rick's here!
So, what, exactly, did it say?
- What did it say? - I'm just trying to understand.
It was a report on his every move. Do you understand?
I understand they hired a private investigator.
I am talking about surveillance with transcripts
and lists of where he's been and who he's been with.
I mean, I am in there. My name is in there. Me.
I mean, they just...
Obviously, they think they're gonna get something on him.
My God. I just can't believe that she's taken it this far.
I mean, I totally underestimated the extent of her anger.
She just must be so angry!
Oh.
Did I not see some scotch around here at some point?
Not in there. That's where I hide chocolate.
I think mom finished the scotch at Thanksgiving.
What about this don't you understand?
So... was it lying there?
Did she show it to you?
Telephone.
Come in.
It's Spencer Lewicki.
Can I try your glitter?
I'll call you back.
Get out.
You actually opened her briefcase...
I am the one being invaded here, not karen.
But... wait, How-How can you say that?
How can you treat her like the injured party
when-when he's being spied on?
Oh, my God. I have to tell miles.
I- I can't believe you just took something...
- I have to. - ...Out of her briefcase.
He has to know.
Is there nothing to drink in this entire house?
So...
Are-Are you gonna tell miles?
- Well, I have to, don't I? - I don't know.
W- what am I gonna tell him? That I deliberately withheld...
Tell him that karen told you.
Well, I can't do that, can I?
If people thought that she was supplying me
with information, I mean, it...
Oh, God. Okay.
- Ruin her reputation, wouldn't it? - You're right. Yeah.
Well, then, just-just...
Oh, God.
I- I'm just... I'm not good at things like this.
How am I gonna face miles, knowing that he's being...
Oh, my God. I- I wish I didn't know this.
I shouldn't know this.
I better, uh... I better go.
Because there's nothing to drink?
Rick, I'm just kidding.
Still...
Rick, listen.
I think I may know who took
whatever it was from Jessie's room.
I don't believe this.
Have you and carla been in this apartment, yes or no?
Yes! Okay? But that doesn't mean she took anything.
I never said she took anything.
That's fine. I should not be here when you're not.
That's fine. I'm admitting to that.
But you can't accuse someone I care about of stealing.
- Especially not... - E...
No. Okay?
I know her. You don't even know her.
You have got to stop thinking the worst of people, dad.
It's not fair.
Hey. What's up?
Oh, yeah. Hi. So...
what's unity of effect?
It's when...
you know.
Is it like when all the incidents kind of contribute
to the effect of the story?
Even, you know, the most seemingly insignificant ones...
Or something?
Pretty much.
Here's the question.
Who would sit in someone else's room
waiting for two other people to finish...
...enjoying themselves?
What kind of person would do that?
Listen, Spencer, I can't really talk right now.
Why?
Because.
Because there's something wrong with me.
There's stuff wrong with everybody.
What if I'm just gonna be alone for the rest of my life?
I sort of believe there's someone out there for everyone.
It's what keeps me going.
I gotta go. I'll see you at school.
Gra...
Girls, come on!
- Chop-chop! Hello? - "Chop-chop"?
- It's an expression. - I believe you. Hi.
- Hi. - Mom, we have three minutes.
Look, could I, uh...
could I speak to Grace for a second?
Yeah, sure. Grace, honey,
Rick wants to talk to you.
What? What do you mean?
- Just take the phone. - Mom, we're gonna be late.
Honey, you just said we had three minutes.
- Why does he want to talk to me? - Ask him.
Hello?
Hey, look, I was wondering, uh...
if you would go shopping with me tomorrow.
- Hello? - Shopping?
Yeah, it's your mom's birthday coming up.
Not for two weeks.
Well, that's what "coming up" means.
Oh. Right.
You know, it would give us a chance to, uh...
...talk about things, you know, if there was...
...anything you wanted to talk about.
I have to talk to my English teacher after school on Friday,
so, um...
Oh, no, that's... that's fine.
I'll wait for you.
Let me talk to your mom again, will you?
Mom?
Hey.
Hey. I just had a question for her.
Okay.
Um, listen, Rick...
Listen, is there any chance that you could pick up Jessie
- after therapy on Friday? - Sure.
Sure.
Um...
- Rick, listen... - you know, I...
I was very upset last night, and I'm sorry if...
I know. I'm sorry, too.
Look...
If drentell is being investigated, you have nothing to worry about.
How do you know?
Grace? Honey.
You didn't do anything wrong. Right?
Yeah, right.
I recommend the fresh and tender chunks of lamb
char-broiled on two skewers.
Well, uh...
Tell you the truth, miles, I rarely, uh, eat any...
yeah. So, tell me about karen.
- What? - Is she corruptible?
What are... what are you talking about?
Is she all work and no play?
I'm looking for something that we can...
...something we can use.
Is she still in love with you?
Miles, could you please lower your voice?
Should we perhaps...
...meet next time in a parking garage
and use code names?
Order me the lamb.
"You fancy me mad.
Madmen know nothing.
But you should have seen me.
You should have seen how wisely I proceeded,
and with what caution-
with what foresight- I went to work.
I was never kinder to the old man
than during the whole week
before I killed him!"
Comments?
Yes, carla.
Wasn't Edgar Allan Poe a drug addict?
- He was an alcoholic. - You can be both.
Something to shoot for. Actually, whether or not Poe used laudanum or not
has never been proven conclusively,
but the scholars seem to believe...
They don't want us to think you can take drugs and still be a successful writer.
Getting back to The Tell-Tale Heart...
He wasn't successful. He lived in abject poverty. He died in debt.
Why does he hear the heart beating? What's Poe doing there?
Edgar Allan Poe was a total outsider, rejected by his peers.
Yeah, but why is he hearing it over and over again,
and why does it keep getting louder?
With certain drugs, your hearing gets superhuman,
like you can hear colors.
I actually found that part somewhat lame.
- Like if the heart had exploded... - But what is Poe exploring here?
Why does the beating get louder and louder
until it becomes almost unbearable?
- 'Cause he's crazy! He's... - Is he?
Is he really crazy? Or is it...
...something else?
What... dark emotion
could Poe be attempting...
Guilt!
Guilt. I should've thought of that.
- So, are we going to Eli's? - You don't have to.
No, it's... it's okay. I don't mind.
Hey, I found where your dad keeps his liquor.
- Hey, don't... - Eli, I'm not gonna drink it.
I was looking for the chocolate syrup.
Look, um, we're gonna have to stop coming here, probably.
Why?
Never mind. I don't want to talk about it.
Ha-ha! Gotcha.
Uh, look, you know that thing
you said to Grace the other day?
- Which thing? - Uh...
That I think we're in love.
Like that would be so impossible.
It is impossible on my part.
You're just not the type I fall in love with and get all obsessed with.
And that's good. That's a good thing.
You don't want to see me when I fall in love.
I get, like, insane.
The chocolate's sticking to the bottom.
So stir it.
Look, um...
you know that glitter stuff you were looking at the other day?
Where is it? My sister pitched a fit.
What do you mean, "where is it?"
- Carla... - what?
It's okay. You probably didn't think she'd care, but...
what are you talking about?
Look, it's not a big deal. Just put it back, okay?
You think I'd steal?
I've seen you steal.
From a store, not from someone's little sister.
- She doesn't know where it is... - I don't wear glitter.
Glitter is so over. People's mothers wear glitter now.
You don't know me at all.
Wait. Your milk!
Drink it yourself.
What are you doing?
I'm looking for a pencil.
Try her desk.
Oh, yeah.
No pencils.
Just put it back, okay?
- Put what back? - Her stupid, ridiculous glitter.
- I'm getting blamed. - I didn't take any glitter.
Then why are you getting so upset?
Because my own friend thinks I'm some kind of...
you think I care? I don't care. Only now, Eli thinks I took it.
Carla, why are you assuming? Maybe it's just lost.
Look, anyone would be jealous. I would be jealous.
So, if you did it because you were sick of watching us kiss,
I forgive you.
You are making no sense.
If you're trying to break us up, you better watch yourself. I mean it.
Hey, guess what. I'm not scared of you.
Get outta here, both of you.
'Cause you do not want to be my enemy.
Maybe everyone else is, but I'm not.
Hey. Okay.
Honey, eat. We're gonna be late.
Hey, mom, Rick wanted to see me after school today to discuss something.
I know. I think it's great.
Uh, yeah, only mr. Nerolik wants to see me after English,
so could you just call Rick and explain?
Honey, Rick is doing this because he wants to have a relationship with you.
Mom, please don't say that.
It's true, so if you can't make it, that's fine,
but I think you have to call him.
Why don't I give you his cell phone number?
Why don't you?
Sorry I'm late.
- Go ahead. Ask me. - Ask you what?
Haven't you wondered why I insisted on dining
in the same place two days in a row?
No, not really.
- I see her whenever I come here. - Who?
- Center table, facing us. - Every time you come here?
Yes, and last week, lo and behold,
there she was behind me
at the drive-through window of my bank.
I happened to glance in the rearview,
and her eyes met mine.
What, uh... what kind of car does she drive?
An LHS, silver,
with the endearing accent of a cracked headlight.
I'm trying to decide when I should speak to her.
I somehow doubt that she'll speak first.
Our table's ready. Chop-chop.
Chop-chop. Chop-chop?
I have to be somewhere in exactly 50 minutes,
and I can't be late.
Where do you have to be?
Uh, it's...
you don't need to know about it, and it's better if you don't.
It's just...
I think... I-I think I left my... wallet in the car.
- I'll be right back. - Mmm.
Hello?
- Oh! Sorry! - Whoa!
Carla.
If you'll excuse us... Grace.
So, carla, I think you know what this is about.
I couldn't help noticing that your paper on Poe bears a striking resemblance...
- She didn't steal my ideas. - Grace...
It's not fair. How do you know I didn't steal from her?
Grace, I have to ask you to leave, please.
Can I just tell her something?
- No, listen. - I'm crazy. I was just mad at Eli.
I know, but...
It was insane to even... Like you'd steal.
You wouldn't even eat those cupcakes. I'm just really sorry.
Me, too.
Say good night, Gracie.
So you sit here and decide why people do things?
Pathetic, isn't it?
No, I just don't think there's always a reason to everything.
Can't somebody just do something without having some big reason?
- What'd you do? - Nothing.
It's dumb.
My mother...
She bought this glitter.
It's... you put it on your face to...
Anyway, I...
I sort of... borrowed it without asking.
You stole it.
No. First of all, that's...
- why do you suppose you stole it? - I don't know.
You're the one that's supposed to know everything.
My mother never even used to wear makeup.
Why would she need glitter?
That's a good question.
Maybe she wants to get somebody's attention.
But that's stupid.
Why does she want it now?
Now she wants attention. Now she wants to be beautiful.
Now for Leo.
Why did she have to wait so long?
It's another good question.
So, you gonna give it back?
I can't. I can't find it.
I just feel really guilty about it.
So, no bubble bath?
It dries her skin out. She likes bath oil.
She's obsessed with moisturizing.
Who isn't?
Look, Grace, there's something else I need to ask you,
and I guess you probably know what it has to do with.
It involves Jessie, and maybe I shouldn't even get into it...
No, it's okay.
It's just, she tells us that she's been eating more,
and we want to believe her, but...
I'm sorry. I shouldn't... I shouldn't even...
It's-It's okay.
It's just that sometimes it's just difficult
for a parent to know what's really going on.
You know, like the other night when we all had pizza,
Jessie told me that she had two pieces, and...
- Oh, yeah. - You mean, she did?
I mean, you remember seeing her?
I, uh... maybe. I can't...
I can't remember... exactly.
- I'm putting you on the spot. - It's okay.
She'll be fine. I mean, it could be worse.
She could be hiding food, you know?
Sometimes people just behave in ways that you...
- can't explain? - Exactly. You're going along,
and you find yourself doing something you don't wanna do, but...
- you can't not do it. - It's crazy
because it doesn't seem like something you would do...
But you don't want to be you. That's why you're doing it.
Probably.
Your mother...
your mother is really important to me.
I know.
Maybe that's not the right thing to say, but...
you can say it. I don't care.
Well, good.
Let's go find some bath oil.
Hi!
Hey.
Hi, Jessie. How are you?
- Good. - Oh...
Hello again, christie.
- Wanna see something? - Sure.
- Where did you find that? - Shh.
It's the good kind. I'd even give it to you,
but I stole it from my sister.
Maybe you could borrow it sometime.
Okay.
Okay, thanks. Bye.
Yeah. Thanks.
Okay. You gals ready?
Mm-hmm. Yep.
- Hi. - Hey, you two.
- What was this top-secret discussion? - It was top-secret.
- Hi, sweetie. - Hi, daddy. Hi, Grace.
- You okay? - Yeah.
- Where's zoe? - Upstairs, I think.
So, Jessie, whatever happened to this thing you couldn't find?
- Did it ever turn up? - Uh, as a matter of fact, it did.
That's great. Where was it?
It was right there the whole time.
Well, isn't that always the way?
- See ya. - Bye, sweetie.
Thanks, Lily.
Bye, Grace.
Bye.
I could never start over again, and certainly not with Leo.
- Do you know how Jessie cares for you? - Isn't that what you wanted?
How's that cute corporate guy?
He keeps flirting with me, and I'm maybe flirting back.
I saw something in your eyes that you felt something.
Graham. I...