Army Wives (2007–2013): Season 7, Episode 11 - Adjustment Period - full transcript
The boys is Afghanistan are traumatized by heavy losses in a valley they must leave anyway shortly after. Still the home-front organizes a warm welcome on the base, while worrying how wounded men and grieving families can be helped. Tim was awaited most eagerly by Holly, but it becomes clear his aloofness isn't just fatigue, he has nightmares instead of romantic appetite. Cruz is eager to meet his baby son and hopes to reconcile with Gloria. Mildly-wounded Patrick makes clear to Gloria he only put their relationship on hold, but is kept at arms-length and decides to concentrate on rangers school.
Previously on Army Wives...
You accept that invitation,
this marriage is over.
Roland, I've made up my mind.
I'd like us to be friends.
Thanks, Maggie.
We're going home.
- You heard?!
- They're coming home!
Be advised that
recent intel reports
that villages in the
vicinity of Firebase Reno
have been abandoned.
I do not think we
can hold, over.
Green?
- Uhh!
- Aah!
No!
Aah!
60% causalities.
5 KIA and 16 wounded.
Hello?
This is she.
What?
Quincy's in Germany
in the hospital.
He was shot in the arm and leg.
How bad?
That's all they told me.
I am so sorry.
He's alive, though.
He's okay.
Have you heard about Eddie?
No, but... that's good news.
Right.
When are you going to Germany?
I'm not.
The cheapest ticket I
found is 1,300 bucks.
I don't have that kind
of money right now.
Can't the FRG help?
They said they can handle
some of the expenses,
but I gotta get there on my own.
Latasha, you have to go.
I can't.
Even if I had the money, what
about the kids, the dog?
What about your
sister in Atlanta?
She's looked after them before.
I don't know.
Call her.
You need to be
with your husband.
I can't.
I gotta stay here.
Holly, we've been over this.
Tim's coming home. Time to go.
I just don't like the thought of
you sleeping at The Hump bar.
It's only temporary,
until my landlord finishes
painting my new apartment.
I hate the thought
of you sleeping all
alone in that place.
I'm a big girl.
It's not gonna be the
same without you.
No, it'll be better.
You'll be with your husband.
Come on. Show a
little enthusiasm.
For months, all I've been
hearing about is Tim, Tim, Tim.
Now I finally get the
chance to meet him.
Right.
And you're gonna love him, too.
Mm, I better.
I already feel like
I'm married to him.
Hi, Maggie.
Have you heard anything?
About what?
I haven't heard anything.
And I keep telling her,
no news is good news.
Gloria's right.
But what if Tim's dead?
Look, if Tim had been killed,
they would've knocked on your
door by now, believe me.
Okay.
Tim is not on the casualty list.
That means he's fine.
What about Hector?
Is he on the list?
Denise, did something happen?
You know I-I can only give
information to family members.
Denise, it's me.
What happened to Hector?
He has a head injury.
Oh, my God.
But it says he's returning
with the rest of the company,
so it can't be that bad.
Thank goodness.
W-what about Lieutenant Clarke?
Um... listed with
minor injuries.
That's it?
Yeah.
Good. Jackie will be relieved.
Come in.
Patrick.
- Hello, sir.
- Hey.
How's the ear?
It's nothing.
Oh, come on. A ruptured
eardrum is not "nothing."
I heard it was from an RPG.
Landed about 5 yards behind me.
- Docs say it'll heal on its own.
- Good.
Sit down.
You had some night, huh?
Yes, sir.
You did a hell of a job, son.
I'm proud of you.
It was the men.
Men need to be led, Patrick.
I lost five of them.
16 wounded. Th...
There were so many Taliban, dad.
Our estimates are close to 200,
against 30 Americans.
They tried to take credit
for driving us out
of the valley.
You denied them
that opportunity.
Yeah, but we're leaving
the valley anyway.
On our terms, not theirs.
Big difference.
Yes, sir.
Losing men...
that's the hardest
part of command.
You will never forget the
men who died, Patrick,
but you also need to
remember the ones you saved.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Hi, Latasha.
- Come on in.
- Thank you.
So sorry to hear about
your husband's injuries.
Thank you.
We have some news.
Good news, I hope.
Maggie told me about
your situation,
so I talked to Joan Burton, who
liaises with the Air Force.
You have a seat to Germany
on a C-17 tonight.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Free of charge.
Oh, my gosh.
I can't believe it!
I'm going to see Quincy!
Thank you!
Thank you!
- Kevin?
- Everything's fine, Jackie.
I just saw Patrick.
He's gonna be okay.
Really? But he was
on the wounded list.
His ear is
giving him a little trouble,
but he's gonna be fine.
What about you?
When am I gonna lay eyes
on my husband again?
Not sure.
I don't have any dates yet.
And there's likely to be
an assignment waiting
when I get back.
Any idea what?
We'll find out
together, as always.
Right.
Ugh. I'm not gonna relax
until I see Patrick.
Don't baby him, Jackie.
He's not the same boy
as when he left.
Jackie?
I heard you.
Bravo Company
is scheduled to
arrive tomorrow, sir.
- Logistics taken care of?
- Yes, sir.
Good.
Uh, I got yet another call from
the Army War College, Joan.
They need your answer today.
Yes, sir. I've made my decision.
Respectfully, I'm going
to decline the offer.
May I ask why?
I'm going to retire, sir.
Not what I expected.
I know.
This wasn't easy for me, sir.
In fact, it's probably
the hardest thing
I've ever done.
But after thinking it over...
You don't owe me an
explanation, Joan.
Yes, sir.
I'll notify the War College.
Do I look okay?
Yes, for the hundredth time.
Are you sure?
Tim always liked this dress,
but maybe I should've
worn something new.
Holly, Tim's gonna think you
look beautiful no matter what.
Right.
Gloria.
Oh, hey, Jackie.
Hey, Jackie.
Holly. I didn't expect
to see you here.
I have to keep Holly from
becoming a nervous wreck.
I'm excited.
As you should be.
A-and I want to make
sure Hector's okay.
He's got some kind
of head wound.
Oh, of course.
I'm glad Pat's okay.
Thank you.
Hey, hon.
I can't believe it's you!
It's me all right.
Mwah. I missed you so bad.
So bad! Oh!
- Mwah!
- Hey, Cruz!
Cruz, over here.
Meet Holly.
Holly, this is Hector Cruz.
This is my best friend
in the whole world.
Tim's told me a lot about you.
In fact, he never shut
up about you, ever.
Mwah.
Thanks for looking after him.
Gloria.
Hey, Hector.
Tim, this is Gloria.
Right! Hey, it's so
nice to meet you.
Same here.
Hey, I got an idea.
Why don't we all get
together for dinner tonight?
You know, the four of us.
Um...
Uh, you know, Tim, that's really
sweet, but I-I gotta work.
Yeah. And, uh, I'm gonna rack
out early tonight, Truman.
You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure. Come
on, be with your wife.
Yeah, we'll have 'em
over another time.
Right. Okay, rain check.
You gonna be okay?
What, this? It's nothing.
Get out of here.
- All right. See you later.
- Bye.
Lieutenant Clarke will be, uh,
the last one off the bus.
I didn't come to see him.
I came to see you.
Yeah?
So you telling the truth?
That thing really nothin'?
I got hit in the helmet.
Knocked out is all.
Oh, my gosh.
The... the helmet
took all the impact.
You could've been killed.
Yeah, well...
a lot of guys were.
You need a lift?
No. There's gotta be a shuttle
around here somewhere for me.
I don't mind.
You sure?
Yeah.
Let me grab my duffel
and my ruck and...
we'll go.
Men are all off, sir.
Sir?
Time to go, sir.
Right.
See you tomorrow, Sergeant.
Roger that.
Welcome home.
You, too.
There he is!
- Dad!
- Hey, sweetheart.
Ohh!
Mmm!
You okay?
Yeah, I just bruised a
few ribs, that's all.
What happened?
I... took a round in the kevlar.
What? Y...
It's what it's designed for.
Come here.
Hey.
Hi.
So how you doing, buddy?
Good, sir.
Welcome back.
Thanks.
It is good to be back.
- You hungry?
- Starving.
Burger, fries, chocolate shake?
You read my mind.
Mm-hmm.
- Let me get my stuff.
- I'll help.
Thanks. I could use it.
Come on.
Patrick!
Hey, mom.
It's so good to see you.
Same here.
How's your ear?
Oh. It's okay.
You look great.
Thank you.
Why don't we go home? I've
got a big spread waiting.
Hot turkey sandwiches
with gravy?
How'd you guess?
I just need to get my gear.
Denise, thank God you're here.
- Rough?
- Awful.
Jill. Becky. Deb. Ladies.
Oh, Janine.
I am so sorry about Will.
Oh, thank you.
Oh.
- Thanks for the lift.
- Sure.
And thank you for the
picture of my kid, too.
You gonna see him?
As soon as I can.
I still can't believe
what happened to Penny.
Yeah, I know.
She was just getting
her life together.
Yeah.
I feel like I'm just getting
my life together, too.
I should go.
I'm glad you're okay.
Thanks.
_
I know that perfume anywhere.
How you doing?
Better already.
Hey.
Don't cry. Okay?
Don't cry, baby.
Mm.
I told Sophie that
we'd call her later.
Sure.
Oh, you know, she has a
school break coming up.
Maybe we could take
a trip to New York
and... and see
your grandparents.
Great.
Patrick...
I-I thought you broke
up with Gloria.
Wait. She said that?
Actually, what she said
was you dumped her.
What? N... I said...
we had to put our
relationship on hold.
Her ex-husband was in my platoon.
I...
I'm... I'm just the messenger.
It doesn't matter.
I'm going to Ranger school.
I don't need any
complications in my life.
That's great, mom.
Okay. Well, I should go.
Love to you both.
Bye.
Hey. I told you I
wanted to say hi.
Oh, I'm sorry.
You want me to call them back?
No, it's okay.
So... do you want to do
anything special this afternoon?
Yes, actually.
Something I've been
dreaming about.
Name it, mister.
I am gonna take a
long, hot shower
and then an even longer nap.
Oh.
Dr. Baker,
I'm Latasha Montclair,
Quincy's wife.
- Oh, nice to meet you.
- Same here.
The nurses told me
you'd be flying in.
Yes. So tell me, Doctor,
how's he doing?
Your husband's leg
is responding well.
The bullet exited cleanly
without doing major damage.
What about his arm?
The arm's a bit
more complicated.
Complicated how?
You can tell me, Doctor.
I need to know.
The bullet shattered bone
and it injured
nerves in his hand.
But you fixed him, right?
He's okay.
Well, we think so.
You don't know?
Mrs. Montclair, the
optimum window
for that kind of surgery is
8 to 10 hours after injury.
We operated on your husband 14
hours after he was wounded.
So what does that mean?
It means his chances
of full recovery
have been compromised.
Compromised how badly?
He may never regain
full use of his hand.
Colonel Burton.
Sir.
Got a minute?
Certainly, sir.
About our last conversation,
you caught me off guard.
I'm afraid I was brusque.
No, sir.
I have always taken great pride
in your career, Joan.
I've considered you my protege.
So in a way, your victories
have been my victories.
I'm flattered.
And regarding the War College,
as they say, many are
called, but few are chosen.
I thought you could've
been one of those few.
You had a real shot at a star.
But what I mean to say is,
I respect your decision.
Thank you.
Sir...
the thought of going
to the War College,
the possibility of serving
at the highest level
has always been my dream.
You made me believe
in that dream.
And I will always be grateful.
I hope you know that.
I do.
But...
Roland has been there
every step of the way,
making sacrifices for my career.
Now it's time for
me to support him
and his dreams.
I want to do this, sir.
For Roland, for my marriage...
and my family.
And I support that
wholeheartedly.
For what it's worth, Joan,
I would trade all of these stars
for one more day
with Claudia Joy.
I will miss you.
But I will always
be proud of you.
Carry on, Colonel.
Sir.
Who wants seconds?
- I do.
- Me, too.
Mags, this is great.
Where'd you get it?
Ha ha.
She's gotten really good.
Mmm. I guess so.
Latasha's been
giving me lessons.
Yeah, she couldn't
boil eggs before.
Thank you, Caroline.
So, um... how was Afghanistan?
Did you kill anyone over there?
Tanner.
What?
You don't ask
questions like that.
Why not?
Because it's rude, that's why.
If Eddie wants to talk about it,
he'll talk about it.
It's okay. When I was his age, I
would've asked the same thing.
You know what? The
fact is, Tanner,
when you get back you don't...
You don't think about the enemy.
You think about the
friends you lost.
Oh.
Sorry.
Hey. No worries.
Could you, uh, could
you pass the rice?
Sure.
How did it go with
Janine Collins?
Oh, her husband was
only 21 years old.
They have a toddler Molly's age.
They're all such babies.
I'm sorry I couldn't be there.
Oh, please. You have
a son to pamper.
If he'll let me.
Problems?
Kevin warned me, but I
didn't believe him.
Patrick... he's not the same.
How?
He's, um... older.
You know, sadder.
Oh, and another thing,
he saw Gloria at the
assembly point with Hector.
What?
You should've seen the
look on his face.
He keeps acting like
he's over Gloria...
Mm. But he's not.
He's got it bad for that girl.
Hey.
Hey, yourself.
You want a beer?
Nah. I just came to
show you something.
Oh. Shh.
That's my son.
That's wonderful, Hector.
Yeah.
Look, Gloria, I almost
died over there.
Coming that close...
it really makes you
think, you know?
My biggest regret is
how much I hurt you,
how I messed up the
best thing I ever had.
You don't gotta say anything.
I never stopped thinking
about you over there.
Not once.
I just want to say, I'm sorry.
Tired?
Not really.
Good.
'Cause I had a little
exercise in mind.
I can deal with that.
Mm.
Oh, ribs.
Oh, I'm sorry.
It's not your fault.
I think defensive
measures are called for.
Definitely.
Mm.
Ta-da.
That's very nice.
I bought it specially
for tonight.
Mm.
You know, I'm kind of
tired, though, hon.
Maybe tomorrow, okay?
Okay. I understand.
The company has had three DUls
in the last week.
Guys, you have got to
take this seriously.
Do not drink and drive.
If you drink and you
need a ride, call me,
anytime, anywhere.
Believe me, I will not be angry.
What will piss me off
is if I get a call
that one of you
has wrapped himself
around a telephone pole
and got killed or
killed somebody else.
Understood?
Yes, Sergeant.
Okay. Now for some good news.
Corporal Montclair is
back from Landstuhl.
He is at Mercer, and I expect
all of you to go see him.
Lieutenant, anything else?
Not at this time, Sergeant.
Okay.
Oh, wait.
I do have, uh, one
more piece of business
that I forgot about.
Cruz, get your ass up here.
On the double, private.
Attention to orders.
The Secretary of the
Army has reposed
special trust and confidence
in the patriotism,
valor, fidelity, and
professional excellence
of Private First
Class Hector Cruz.
In view of these qualities
and his demonstrated
leadership potential
and dedicated service
to the US army,
he is therefore
promoted to Corporal.
Good job, Cruz.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Oo-ahh.
That is all for today. Fall out.
- Whoo!
- Congratulations, Corporal.
Thank you, sir.
Corporal Cruz.
Has kind of a nice ring
to it, don't you think?
Ah, shut up, Truman.
Thanks, man,
- appreciate it.
- Good job, Cruz.
See, daddy, that's you.
You're fishing.
Look at that. I am.
Thank you, sweetheart.
I love it.
All right. Let's hang it up
so daddy can see it, okay?
When can we go
fishing again, dad?
Me, too.
Uh, soon.
We'll all go.
When?
As soon as the doctors say so.
Now stop pestering your father.
Hey, how's Tucker?
He ate my sneaker.
What?
It's not funny.
Sneakers cost money.
Well, I'll tell you what,
when we bring Tucker here,
he can have my hospital food.
It tastes like sneakers.
Sounds like someone's
having fun.
How's our patient?
Great.
Better every day.
Okay, Radiology will be in
soon for another X-ray.
Thank you.
Sure. Bye, kids.
Bye.
Be right back.
Uh, Denise, you got a second?
Sure.
How's he doing, really?
Well, Quincy's leg is
recovering rapidly.
We don't see any problem there.
But his arm...
The doctor at Landstuhl said
he might not fully recover.
It's too soon to tell.
But he could be out of the army.
I wouldn't go down that road.
I can't help it.
If Quincy gets separated,
we lose all medical
benefits for the family.
What do we do about
Gabe, his CF?
What if the kids
have other problems?
Look, if Quincy can't
continue as a soldier,
he'll find another job, right?
Not as a chef. Not if
he can't use his hand.
Slow down, Latasha.
I've seen plenty of people
like Quincy fully recover.
Really?
Really.
Thanks, Denise.
Well, sir, 2nd Battalion's
on its way home.
Roger that.
It's all winding down, Frank.
Yes, sir.
You know, sir, if I may,
Lieutenant Clarke did
an outstanding job
defending Firebase Reno.
Thank you.
That was quite a battle.
We could've lost them all.
Yes, sir.
It's funny, in a few
months of service,
Patrick has seen
more direct combat
than I've seen in a lifetime.
Just the way the
cards are dealt.
True enough, sir.
I just wonder how history
is gonna judge us.
What we've accomplished
here, I mean.
I lost a son in this war.
You almost lost yours.
I'd like to think that
it all meant something.
But you're not sure.
Are you, sir?
How we conduct ourselves, Frank,
that's all we really control.
It's the soldiers to your left
and the soldiers to your right
who know what you did...
In the end, I've come to believe
theirs are the only
opinions that matter.
Roger that, sir.
Oo-ahh.
Hey, Corporal.
What happened? Did I
die and go to hell?
How you feelin', Corporal?
I'm fine. I'm just fine.
You see? I told you
he was fakin' it.
Oh, I brought you something.
What you got there?
- Oh.
- Your magic juju.
You brought my spices?
He refused to leave
Reno without 'em.
Thank you, Truman.
Sure.
Hey.
You, uh... you notice
anything different?
Oh, lord. They done
made you a Corporal.
What is this army coming to?
Hey, watch it.
You don't outrank
me anymore, Quincy.
Congratulations, man.
Thanks.
Hey, all the guys are
getting together
at Mankowski's to celebrate.
Don't suppose you could make it?
Nah, not yet. But soon, though.
Yeah? Really?
Oh, don't you worry, Truman.
I'll be busting your balls
again before you know it.
Oh.
Oh.
Holly!
Oh. Oh, my God. I'm so sorry.
It's all right. Don't
worry about it.
What's going on?
Nothing.
Holly, this is your
roomie, remember?
We can tell each other anything.
What's going on?
Tim's tired, that's all.
And?
He hasn't touched me
since he's been back.
Really? You haven't...
Not even close.
Oh, Holly.
Remember what Denise
said the other night,
how's there's always
an adjustment period?
What if he doesn't
love me anymore?
Krystal take over
for a while, okay?
I'm gonna take Holly home.
Okay.
Come one. Let's get outta here.
How long till we
eat, Grill Master?
You can't rush perfection.
Sergeant Hall.
No, you did the right thing.
Just keep him there.
I'll... I'll be there
as soon as I can.
Right.
Save one for me?
Come on.
Oh, there you go.
Ohh.
You guys are the best.
I love you guys.
That's it, Truman. One foot
in front of the other.
- Where are we going?
- Home, Truman. We're taking you home.
- No, no. Let's go back.
- No, no, no, no. Come on. Come on.
No, I want to be with my...
Come on. Come on.
Holly.
Uh, Tim, what happened?
We had... we had a party...
for Hector.
Just wanted to make sure
your husband got
home okay, ma'am.
Oh, thank you. Uh, Tim's never
been much of a drinker.
No kidding.
Um, he's underage.
I'm fine.
I'm fine. Really.
What did he have?
The question is,
what didn't he have?
Oh, man.
Hi, Gloria.
Hey, Tim.
Ma'am, where's the bedroom?
Uh, he needs to sleep this off.
Yeah, it's this way.
No, I-I got him.
You sure?
Yeah. Come on, buddy.
What are you doing here?
Uh, I was just visiting.
Why were they throwing
a party for you?
Uh, I got promoted.
Really?
Yeah. I'm a corporal now.
Hector, congratulations.
That's great.
I know, right?
So how'd you like to go
out to dinner tonight?
Let an NCO take you
out for a nice meal.
Sure.
Yeah?
Oh. It's like Grand
Central around here.
Hi.
What are you doing here?
We need to talk.
This really isn't a good time.
Gloria.
Who is it?
Cruz.
Sir.
Okay, Truman's in bed and...
Lieutenant.
Sergeant Hall, what
are you doing here?
Uh, Truman was, um...
under the weather,
and, uh, Corporal Cruz just
asked me to look in on him.
He's... he's gonna be okay.
Good. Glad to hear it.
Well, since everything's
taken care of,
I guess there's no
reason for me to stay.
Yeah, I'm... I'm gonna
be in the car, Cruz.
Yes, Sergeant.
- Ma'am.
- Nice seeing you.
Wow. I-I had no idea
Patrick was coming over.
I-I haven't seen him since
you've all been home.
Okay.
Are we still on for tonight?
Yeah.
8:00?
8:00 works.
Pick me up at The Hump.
All right. I'll see you then.
There.
That's better.
Thanks.
So I was thinking, when
this is all behind us,
maybe I go back to work, huh?
What?
Uh, just part-time.
You know, the kids are
getting bigger and...
No, the kids are small, Latasha.
They need their mother around.
Where's this coming from?
No place.
Yeah?
It's just, money's
been a little short.
That's all.
And why is that?
You know me, Quincy. I'm
tight with a dollar.
I know you are. That's
why I'm asking.
What is going on?
It's not just one thing.
It's a lot of things.
The vet bill for the dog,
that right there was $500.
Trumpet lessons for Deuce. I
had expenses in Landstuhl.
Okay, but that's...
That's temporary.
We tighten up the belt
for a few months,
we'll be back to normal.
Yeah.
So there's no need for
you to go back to work.
Well, maybe not right away.
But... Latasha, I'm
gonna be fine.
Of course you are.
But what if you aren't?
What if you have
to leave the army?
I'm gonna be back
to work in no time.
Okay, baby?
I don't want you to
worry about something
that's not even gonna happen.
You hear me?
Look at me.
Baby, I promise.
Everything is gonna
be all right.
Now come here.
Don't you worry.
Whoa.
The dark lady?
Sorry, daddy.
Ah, I thought this
was a family game.
All's fair in love and war.
Yeah, and hearts.
Mm.
Not again.
I'm sorry. I have to take this.
Dad, we're in the
middle of a game.
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
Sergeant Hall.
You can't let em kick
me out, Sergeant.
Well, what do the doctors say?
Right now, they... they say
I got a 60% chance of being
medically separated.
Right. It's not good.
And I haven't even
told Latasha yet.
But she's gonna find
out soon enough.
She's already freaking out
about losing our benefits,
what that's gonna
mean for the family.
Well, I can certainly
understand that.
I mean, especially
with Gabe's problems.
Right.
If I leave the army,
ain't nobody gonna
insure me for that boy.
Not nearly enough, anyway.
You don't know that.
Oh, come on, Sergeant.
We both know how
it is out there.
An army vet with a bad paw?
Who's gonna hire me?
Plenty of people
hire vets, Quince.
Yeah? Well, I never
heard of any of 'em.
And neither have
any of my friends.
All I know how to
do on the outside
is be a chef.
And I can't do that if
I can't close my hand.
Look, Quince, we don't...
We don't know what's
gonna happen yet.
I'll re-class, Sergeant.
I'll... whatever it
takes, I will do it.
I just cannot lose my benefits.
My family won't make it.
Promise me you will
do whatever you can
to help me stay in.
Please.
I promise.
I promise you.
Tim?
Hey.
Feelin' better?
You don't have to
walk me to my door.
I don't mind.
I feel kind of strange,
dropping you off here.
My apartment will
be ready next week.
Right.
It was fun.
Yeah, it was.
I'd invite you in, but you know.
Nah, I get it.
You think we could do
this again sometime?
Sure.
Corporal.
Great.
Well...
Good night, Gloria.
Night.
Patrick.
Can't sleep, that's all.
You want some company?
No, thanks, mom.
I'll turn in soon.
Okay.
I'll see you in the morning.
Right.
You accept that invitation,
this marriage is over.
Roland, I've made up my mind.
I'd like us to be friends.
Thanks, Maggie.
We're going home.
- You heard?!
- They're coming home!
Be advised that
recent intel reports
that villages in the
vicinity of Firebase Reno
have been abandoned.
I do not think we
can hold, over.
Green?
- Uhh!
- Aah!
No!
Aah!
60% causalities.
5 KIA and 16 wounded.
Hello?
This is she.
What?
Quincy's in Germany
in the hospital.
He was shot in the arm and leg.
How bad?
That's all they told me.
I am so sorry.
He's alive, though.
He's okay.
Have you heard about Eddie?
No, but... that's good news.
Right.
When are you going to Germany?
I'm not.
The cheapest ticket I
found is 1,300 bucks.
I don't have that kind
of money right now.
Can't the FRG help?
They said they can handle
some of the expenses,
but I gotta get there on my own.
Latasha, you have to go.
I can't.
Even if I had the money, what
about the kids, the dog?
What about your
sister in Atlanta?
She's looked after them before.
I don't know.
Call her.
You need to be
with your husband.
I can't.
I gotta stay here.
Holly, we've been over this.
Tim's coming home. Time to go.
I just don't like the thought of
you sleeping at The Hump bar.
It's only temporary,
until my landlord finishes
painting my new apartment.
I hate the thought
of you sleeping all
alone in that place.
I'm a big girl.
It's not gonna be the
same without you.
No, it'll be better.
You'll be with your husband.
Come on. Show a
little enthusiasm.
For months, all I've been
hearing about is Tim, Tim, Tim.
Now I finally get the
chance to meet him.
Right.
And you're gonna love him, too.
Mm, I better.
I already feel like
I'm married to him.
Hi, Maggie.
Have you heard anything?
About what?
I haven't heard anything.
And I keep telling her,
no news is good news.
Gloria's right.
But what if Tim's dead?
Look, if Tim had been killed,
they would've knocked on your
door by now, believe me.
Okay.
Tim is not on the casualty list.
That means he's fine.
What about Hector?
Is he on the list?
Denise, did something happen?
You know I-I can only give
information to family members.
Denise, it's me.
What happened to Hector?
He has a head injury.
Oh, my God.
But it says he's returning
with the rest of the company,
so it can't be that bad.
Thank goodness.
W-what about Lieutenant Clarke?
Um... listed with
minor injuries.
That's it?
Yeah.
Good. Jackie will be relieved.
Come in.
Patrick.
- Hello, sir.
- Hey.
How's the ear?
It's nothing.
Oh, come on. A ruptured
eardrum is not "nothing."
I heard it was from an RPG.
Landed about 5 yards behind me.
- Docs say it'll heal on its own.
- Good.
Sit down.
You had some night, huh?
Yes, sir.
You did a hell of a job, son.
I'm proud of you.
It was the men.
Men need to be led, Patrick.
I lost five of them.
16 wounded. Th...
There were so many Taliban, dad.
Our estimates are close to 200,
against 30 Americans.
They tried to take credit
for driving us out
of the valley.
You denied them
that opportunity.
Yeah, but we're leaving
the valley anyway.
On our terms, not theirs.
Big difference.
Yes, sir.
Losing men...
that's the hardest
part of command.
You will never forget the
men who died, Patrick,
but you also need to
remember the ones you saved.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Hi, Latasha.
- Come on in.
- Thank you.
So sorry to hear about
your husband's injuries.
Thank you.
We have some news.
Good news, I hope.
Maggie told me about
your situation,
so I talked to Joan Burton, who
liaises with the Air Force.
You have a seat to Germany
on a C-17 tonight.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Free of charge.
Oh, my gosh.
I can't believe it!
I'm going to see Quincy!
Thank you!
Thank you!
- Kevin?
- Everything's fine, Jackie.
I just saw Patrick.
He's gonna be okay.
Really? But he was
on the wounded list.
His ear is
giving him a little trouble,
but he's gonna be fine.
What about you?
When am I gonna lay eyes
on my husband again?
Not sure.
I don't have any dates yet.
And there's likely to be
an assignment waiting
when I get back.
Any idea what?
We'll find out
together, as always.
Right.
Ugh. I'm not gonna relax
until I see Patrick.
Don't baby him, Jackie.
He's not the same boy
as when he left.
Jackie?
I heard you.
Bravo Company
is scheduled to
arrive tomorrow, sir.
- Logistics taken care of?
- Yes, sir.
Good.
Uh, I got yet another call from
the Army War College, Joan.
They need your answer today.
Yes, sir. I've made my decision.
Respectfully, I'm going
to decline the offer.
May I ask why?
I'm going to retire, sir.
Not what I expected.
I know.
This wasn't easy for me, sir.
In fact, it's probably
the hardest thing
I've ever done.
But after thinking it over...
You don't owe me an
explanation, Joan.
Yes, sir.
I'll notify the War College.
Do I look okay?
Yes, for the hundredth time.
Are you sure?
Tim always liked this dress,
but maybe I should've
worn something new.
Holly, Tim's gonna think you
look beautiful no matter what.
Right.
Gloria.
Oh, hey, Jackie.
Hey, Jackie.
Holly. I didn't expect
to see you here.
I have to keep Holly from
becoming a nervous wreck.
I'm excited.
As you should be.
A-and I want to make
sure Hector's okay.
He's got some kind
of head wound.
Oh, of course.
I'm glad Pat's okay.
Thank you.
Hey, hon.
I can't believe it's you!
It's me all right.
Mwah. I missed you so bad.
So bad! Oh!
- Mwah!
- Hey, Cruz!
Cruz, over here.
Meet Holly.
Holly, this is Hector Cruz.
This is my best friend
in the whole world.
Tim's told me a lot about you.
In fact, he never shut
up about you, ever.
Mwah.
Thanks for looking after him.
Gloria.
Hey, Hector.
Tim, this is Gloria.
Right! Hey, it's so
nice to meet you.
Same here.
Hey, I got an idea.
Why don't we all get
together for dinner tonight?
You know, the four of us.
Um...
Uh, you know, Tim, that's really
sweet, but I-I gotta work.
Yeah. And, uh, I'm gonna rack
out early tonight, Truman.
You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure. Come
on, be with your wife.
Yeah, we'll have 'em
over another time.
Right. Okay, rain check.
You gonna be okay?
What, this? It's nothing.
Get out of here.
- All right. See you later.
- Bye.
Lieutenant Clarke will be, uh,
the last one off the bus.
I didn't come to see him.
I came to see you.
Yeah?
So you telling the truth?
That thing really nothin'?
I got hit in the helmet.
Knocked out is all.
Oh, my gosh.
The... the helmet
took all the impact.
You could've been killed.
Yeah, well...
a lot of guys were.
You need a lift?
No. There's gotta be a shuttle
around here somewhere for me.
I don't mind.
You sure?
Yeah.
Let me grab my duffel
and my ruck and...
we'll go.
Men are all off, sir.
Sir?
Time to go, sir.
Right.
See you tomorrow, Sergeant.
Roger that.
Welcome home.
You, too.
There he is!
- Dad!
- Hey, sweetheart.
Ohh!
Mmm!
You okay?
Yeah, I just bruised a
few ribs, that's all.
What happened?
I... took a round in the kevlar.
What? Y...
It's what it's designed for.
Come here.
Hey.
Hi.
So how you doing, buddy?
Good, sir.
Welcome back.
Thanks.
It is good to be back.
- You hungry?
- Starving.
Burger, fries, chocolate shake?
You read my mind.
Mm-hmm.
- Let me get my stuff.
- I'll help.
Thanks. I could use it.
Come on.
Patrick!
Hey, mom.
It's so good to see you.
Same here.
How's your ear?
Oh. It's okay.
You look great.
Thank you.
Why don't we go home? I've
got a big spread waiting.
Hot turkey sandwiches
with gravy?
How'd you guess?
I just need to get my gear.
Denise, thank God you're here.
- Rough?
- Awful.
Jill. Becky. Deb. Ladies.
Oh, Janine.
I am so sorry about Will.
Oh, thank you.
Oh.
- Thanks for the lift.
- Sure.
And thank you for the
picture of my kid, too.
You gonna see him?
As soon as I can.
I still can't believe
what happened to Penny.
Yeah, I know.
She was just getting
her life together.
Yeah.
I feel like I'm just getting
my life together, too.
I should go.
I'm glad you're okay.
Thanks.
_
I know that perfume anywhere.
How you doing?
Better already.
Hey.
Don't cry. Okay?
Don't cry, baby.
Mm.
I told Sophie that
we'd call her later.
Sure.
Oh, you know, she has a
school break coming up.
Maybe we could take
a trip to New York
and... and see
your grandparents.
Great.
Patrick...
I-I thought you broke
up with Gloria.
Wait. She said that?
Actually, what she said
was you dumped her.
What? N... I said...
we had to put our
relationship on hold.
Her ex-husband was in my platoon.
I...
I'm... I'm just the messenger.
It doesn't matter.
I'm going to Ranger school.
I don't need any
complications in my life.
That's great, mom.
Okay. Well, I should go.
Love to you both.
Bye.
Hey. I told you I
wanted to say hi.
Oh, I'm sorry.
You want me to call them back?
No, it's okay.
So... do you want to do
anything special this afternoon?
Yes, actually.
Something I've been
dreaming about.
Name it, mister.
I am gonna take a
long, hot shower
and then an even longer nap.
Oh.
Dr. Baker,
I'm Latasha Montclair,
Quincy's wife.
- Oh, nice to meet you.
- Same here.
The nurses told me
you'd be flying in.
Yes. So tell me, Doctor,
how's he doing?
Your husband's leg
is responding well.
The bullet exited cleanly
without doing major damage.
What about his arm?
The arm's a bit
more complicated.
Complicated how?
You can tell me, Doctor.
I need to know.
The bullet shattered bone
and it injured
nerves in his hand.
But you fixed him, right?
He's okay.
Well, we think so.
You don't know?
Mrs. Montclair, the
optimum window
for that kind of surgery is
8 to 10 hours after injury.
We operated on your husband 14
hours after he was wounded.
So what does that mean?
It means his chances
of full recovery
have been compromised.
Compromised how badly?
He may never regain
full use of his hand.
Colonel Burton.
Sir.
Got a minute?
Certainly, sir.
About our last conversation,
you caught me off guard.
I'm afraid I was brusque.
No, sir.
I have always taken great pride
in your career, Joan.
I've considered you my protege.
So in a way, your victories
have been my victories.
I'm flattered.
And regarding the War College,
as they say, many are
called, but few are chosen.
I thought you could've
been one of those few.
You had a real shot at a star.
But what I mean to say is,
I respect your decision.
Thank you.
Sir...
the thought of going
to the War College,
the possibility of serving
at the highest level
has always been my dream.
You made me believe
in that dream.
And I will always be grateful.
I hope you know that.
I do.
But...
Roland has been there
every step of the way,
making sacrifices for my career.
Now it's time for
me to support him
and his dreams.
I want to do this, sir.
For Roland, for my marriage...
and my family.
And I support that
wholeheartedly.
For what it's worth, Joan,
I would trade all of these stars
for one more day
with Claudia Joy.
I will miss you.
But I will always
be proud of you.
Carry on, Colonel.
Sir.
Who wants seconds?
- I do.
- Me, too.
Mags, this is great.
Where'd you get it?
Ha ha.
She's gotten really good.
Mmm. I guess so.
Latasha's been
giving me lessons.
Yeah, she couldn't
boil eggs before.
Thank you, Caroline.
So, um... how was Afghanistan?
Did you kill anyone over there?
Tanner.
What?
You don't ask
questions like that.
Why not?
Because it's rude, that's why.
If Eddie wants to talk about it,
he'll talk about it.
It's okay. When I was his age, I
would've asked the same thing.
You know what? The
fact is, Tanner,
when you get back you don't...
You don't think about the enemy.
You think about the
friends you lost.
Oh.
Sorry.
Hey. No worries.
Could you, uh, could
you pass the rice?
Sure.
How did it go with
Janine Collins?
Oh, her husband was
only 21 years old.
They have a toddler Molly's age.
They're all such babies.
I'm sorry I couldn't be there.
Oh, please. You have
a son to pamper.
If he'll let me.
Problems?
Kevin warned me, but I
didn't believe him.
Patrick... he's not the same.
How?
He's, um... older.
You know, sadder.
Oh, and another thing,
he saw Gloria at the
assembly point with Hector.
What?
You should've seen the
look on his face.
He keeps acting like
he's over Gloria...
Mm. But he's not.
He's got it bad for that girl.
Hey.
Hey, yourself.
You want a beer?
Nah. I just came to
show you something.
Oh. Shh.
That's my son.
That's wonderful, Hector.
Yeah.
Look, Gloria, I almost
died over there.
Coming that close...
it really makes you
think, you know?
My biggest regret is
how much I hurt you,
how I messed up the
best thing I ever had.
You don't gotta say anything.
I never stopped thinking
about you over there.
Not once.
I just want to say, I'm sorry.
Tired?
Not really.
Good.
'Cause I had a little
exercise in mind.
I can deal with that.
Mm.
Oh, ribs.
Oh, I'm sorry.
It's not your fault.
I think defensive
measures are called for.
Definitely.
Mm.
Ta-da.
That's very nice.
I bought it specially
for tonight.
Mm.
You know, I'm kind of
tired, though, hon.
Maybe tomorrow, okay?
Okay. I understand.
The company has had three DUls
in the last week.
Guys, you have got to
take this seriously.
Do not drink and drive.
If you drink and you
need a ride, call me,
anytime, anywhere.
Believe me, I will not be angry.
What will piss me off
is if I get a call
that one of you
has wrapped himself
around a telephone pole
and got killed or
killed somebody else.
Understood?
Yes, Sergeant.
Okay. Now for some good news.
Corporal Montclair is
back from Landstuhl.
He is at Mercer, and I expect
all of you to go see him.
Lieutenant, anything else?
Not at this time, Sergeant.
Okay.
Oh, wait.
I do have, uh, one
more piece of business
that I forgot about.
Cruz, get your ass up here.
On the double, private.
Attention to orders.
The Secretary of the
Army has reposed
special trust and confidence
in the patriotism,
valor, fidelity, and
professional excellence
of Private First
Class Hector Cruz.
In view of these qualities
and his demonstrated
leadership potential
and dedicated service
to the US army,
he is therefore
promoted to Corporal.
Good job, Cruz.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Oo-ahh.
That is all for today. Fall out.
- Whoo!
- Congratulations, Corporal.
Thank you, sir.
Corporal Cruz.
Has kind of a nice ring
to it, don't you think?
Ah, shut up, Truman.
Thanks, man,
- appreciate it.
- Good job, Cruz.
See, daddy, that's you.
You're fishing.
Look at that. I am.
Thank you, sweetheart.
I love it.
All right. Let's hang it up
so daddy can see it, okay?
When can we go
fishing again, dad?
Me, too.
Uh, soon.
We'll all go.
When?
As soon as the doctors say so.
Now stop pestering your father.
Hey, how's Tucker?
He ate my sneaker.
What?
It's not funny.
Sneakers cost money.
Well, I'll tell you what,
when we bring Tucker here,
he can have my hospital food.
It tastes like sneakers.
Sounds like someone's
having fun.
How's our patient?
Great.
Better every day.
Okay, Radiology will be in
soon for another X-ray.
Thank you.
Sure. Bye, kids.
Bye.
Be right back.
Uh, Denise, you got a second?
Sure.
How's he doing, really?
Well, Quincy's leg is
recovering rapidly.
We don't see any problem there.
But his arm...
The doctor at Landstuhl said
he might not fully recover.
It's too soon to tell.
But he could be out of the army.
I wouldn't go down that road.
I can't help it.
If Quincy gets separated,
we lose all medical
benefits for the family.
What do we do about
Gabe, his CF?
What if the kids
have other problems?
Look, if Quincy can't
continue as a soldier,
he'll find another job, right?
Not as a chef. Not if
he can't use his hand.
Slow down, Latasha.
I've seen plenty of people
like Quincy fully recover.
Really?
Really.
Thanks, Denise.
Well, sir, 2nd Battalion's
on its way home.
Roger that.
It's all winding down, Frank.
Yes, sir.
You know, sir, if I may,
Lieutenant Clarke did
an outstanding job
defending Firebase Reno.
Thank you.
That was quite a battle.
We could've lost them all.
Yes, sir.
It's funny, in a few
months of service,
Patrick has seen
more direct combat
than I've seen in a lifetime.
Just the way the
cards are dealt.
True enough, sir.
I just wonder how history
is gonna judge us.
What we've accomplished
here, I mean.
I lost a son in this war.
You almost lost yours.
I'd like to think that
it all meant something.
But you're not sure.
Are you, sir?
How we conduct ourselves, Frank,
that's all we really control.
It's the soldiers to your left
and the soldiers to your right
who know what you did...
In the end, I've come to believe
theirs are the only
opinions that matter.
Roger that, sir.
Oo-ahh.
Hey, Corporal.
What happened? Did I
die and go to hell?
How you feelin', Corporal?
I'm fine. I'm just fine.
You see? I told you
he was fakin' it.
Oh, I brought you something.
What you got there?
- Oh.
- Your magic juju.
You brought my spices?
He refused to leave
Reno without 'em.
Thank you, Truman.
Sure.
Hey.
You, uh... you notice
anything different?
Oh, lord. They done
made you a Corporal.
What is this army coming to?
Hey, watch it.
You don't outrank
me anymore, Quincy.
Congratulations, man.
Thanks.
Hey, all the guys are
getting together
at Mankowski's to celebrate.
Don't suppose you could make it?
Nah, not yet. But soon, though.
Yeah? Really?
Oh, don't you worry, Truman.
I'll be busting your balls
again before you know it.
Oh.
Oh.
Holly!
Oh. Oh, my God. I'm so sorry.
It's all right. Don't
worry about it.
What's going on?
Nothing.
Holly, this is your
roomie, remember?
We can tell each other anything.
What's going on?
Tim's tired, that's all.
And?
He hasn't touched me
since he's been back.
Really? You haven't...
Not even close.
Oh, Holly.
Remember what Denise
said the other night,
how's there's always
an adjustment period?
What if he doesn't
love me anymore?
Krystal take over
for a while, okay?
I'm gonna take Holly home.
Okay.
Come one. Let's get outta here.
How long till we
eat, Grill Master?
You can't rush perfection.
Sergeant Hall.
No, you did the right thing.
Just keep him there.
I'll... I'll be there
as soon as I can.
Right.
Save one for me?
Come on.
Oh, there you go.
Ohh.
You guys are the best.
I love you guys.
That's it, Truman. One foot
in front of the other.
- Where are we going?
- Home, Truman. We're taking you home.
- No, no. Let's go back.
- No, no, no, no. Come on. Come on.
No, I want to be with my...
Come on. Come on.
Holly.
Uh, Tim, what happened?
We had... we had a party...
for Hector.
Just wanted to make sure
your husband got
home okay, ma'am.
Oh, thank you. Uh, Tim's never
been much of a drinker.
No kidding.
Um, he's underage.
I'm fine.
I'm fine. Really.
What did he have?
The question is,
what didn't he have?
Oh, man.
Hi, Gloria.
Hey, Tim.
Ma'am, where's the bedroom?
Uh, he needs to sleep this off.
Yeah, it's this way.
No, I-I got him.
You sure?
Yeah. Come on, buddy.
What are you doing here?
Uh, I was just visiting.
Why were they throwing
a party for you?
Uh, I got promoted.
Really?
Yeah. I'm a corporal now.
Hector, congratulations.
That's great.
I know, right?
So how'd you like to go
out to dinner tonight?
Let an NCO take you
out for a nice meal.
Sure.
Yeah?
Oh. It's like Grand
Central around here.
Hi.
What are you doing here?
We need to talk.
This really isn't a good time.
Gloria.
Who is it?
Cruz.
Sir.
Okay, Truman's in bed and...
Lieutenant.
Sergeant Hall, what
are you doing here?
Uh, Truman was, um...
under the weather,
and, uh, Corporal Cruz just
asked me to look in on him.
He's... he's gonna be okay.
Good. Glad to hear it.
Well, since everything's
taken care of,
I guess there's no
reason for me to stay.
Yeah, I'm... I'm gonna
be in the car, Cruz.
Yes, Sergeant.
- Ma'am.
- Nice seeing you.
Wow. I-I had no idea
Patrick was coming over.
I-I haven't seen him since
you've all been home.
Okay.
Are we still on for tonight?
Yeah.
8:00?
8:00 works.
Pick me up at The Hump.
All right. I'll see you then.
There.
That's better.
Thanks.
So I was thinking, when
this is all behind us,
maybe I go back to work, huh?
What?
Uh, just part-time.
You know, the kids are
getting bigger and...
No, the kids are small, Latasha.
They need their mother around.
Where's this coming from?
No place.
Yeah?
It's just, money's
been a little short.
That's all.
And why is that?
You know me, Quincy. I'm
tight with a dollar.
I know you are. That's
why I'm asking.
What is going on?
It's not just one thing.
It's a lot of things.
The vet bill for the dog,
that right there was $500.
Trumpet lessons for Deuce. I
had expenses in Landstuhl.
Okay, but that's...
That's temporary.
We tighten up the belt
for a few months,
we'll be back to normal.
Yeah.
So there's no need for
you to go back to work.
Well, maybe not right away.
But... Latasha, I'm
gonna be fine.
Of course you are.
But what if you aren't?
What if you have
to leave the army?
I'm gonna be back
to work in no time.
Okay, baby?
I don't want you to
worry about something
that's not even gonna happen.
You hear me?
Look at me.
Baby, I promise.
Everything is gonna
be all right.
Now come here.
Don't you worry.
Whoa.
The dark lady?
Sorry, daddy.
Ah, I thought this
was a family game.
All's fair in love and war.
Yeah, and hearts.
Mm.
Not again.
I'm sorry. I have to take this.
Dad, we're in the
middle of a game.
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
Sergeant Hall.
You can't let em kick
me out, Sergeant.
Well, what do the doctors say?
Right now, they... they say
I got a 60% chance of being
medically separated.
Right. It's not good.
And I haven't even
told Latasha yet.
But she's gonna find
out soon enough.
She's already freaking out
about losing our benefits,
what that's gonna
mean for the family.
Well, I can certainly
understand that.
I mean, especially
with Gabe's problems.
Right.
If I leave the army,
ain't nobody gonna
insure me for that boy.
Not nearly enough, anyway.
You don't know that.
Oh, come on, Sergeant.
We both know how
it is out there.
An army vet with a bad paw?
Who's gonna hire me?
Plenty of people
hire vets, Quince.
Yeah? Well, I never
heard of any of 'em.
And neither have
any of my friends.
All I know how to
do on the outside
is be a chef.
And I can't do that if
I can't close my hand.
Look, Quince, we don't...
We don't know what's
gonna happen yet.
I'll re-class, Sergeant.
I'll... whatever it
takes, I will do it.
I just cannot lose my benefits.
My family won't make it.
Promise me you will
do whatever you can
to help me stay in.
Please.
I promise.
I promise you.
Tim?
Hey.
Feelin' better?
You don't have to
walk me to my door.
I don't mind.
I feel kind of strange,
dropping you off here.
My apartment will
be ready next week.
Right.
It was fun.
Yeah, it was.
I'd invite you in, but you know.
Nah, I get it.
You think we could do
this again sometime?
Sure.
Corporal.
Great.
Well...
Good night, Gloria.
Night.
Patrick.
Can't sleep, that's all.
You want some company?
No, thanks, mom.
I'll turn in soon.
Okay.
I'll see you in the morning.
Right.