Big Little Lies (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Push Comes to Shove - full transcript

Nathan invites Madeline and Ed to a couples' dinner to discuss Abigail, while in light of further evidence of bullying, Ms. Barnes suggests Ziggy be medically evaluated.

Hey-

Can I get a water, please? Thank you.

Hi. ls Abby all right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. All in all, it's great.

- Thank you.
- It's been just a pretty smooth six days?

- Yeah?
- So, other than our little...

What?

Well, our little dust-up.

- Oh, you mean my dust-up.
- No, I didn't say that.

Well, you didn't have to say that.

I was wrong to question your decision
to cancel the SAT tutor, I guess?



I didn't think you were wrong.

Because who cares
if Abigail doesn't get her scores up

or if she goes to a college
that requires more than a pulse.

Okay.

Do you see what you're doing here?

I came here actually to propose that you and
me and Bonnie and Ed have dinner together.

You wanted to propose that?

Yeah, you know, to discuss the transitional
parenting paradigm of Abigail.

Make sure there aren't any glaring chasms.
Like, you know, like this whole tutor thing.

To discuss the transitional
parenting paradigms?

To make sure
we don't have any glaring chasms?

Who talks like that, Nathan?
Why don't you just say this is Bonnie's idea?

Yeah, okay, yeah. It's Bonnie's idea.

Personally, I think the idea of us
all getting along is ridiculous.



But, you know, that's one of the things
that really defines being a husband

is your willingness to go along
with your wife's fucked-up ideas.

- Give me a break.
- Like, by way of example,

when I was with you, you remember?

I paid $9,000 to ground the house

against electromagnetic fields
so that we all didn't get brain cancer.

Or the time when we went camping?

I said, "Yeah, yeah, fucking mosquitos
bite the shit out of me." Doesn't matter.

As long as our skin
doesn't come in touch with DEET.

What is your point, Nathan?

My point is,
I did a lot of fucked-up things in our marriage,

a lot of hoops I jumped through for you,

and now I'm doing those same things
for Bonnie.

Personally, I'd rather shove
an electric eel up my ass

and have it gnaw through my intestines

than sit down with you and fucking
psycho Ed. But you know what, I'll do it.

'Cause that's the kind of fucking fucked-up
fuckshit father I am.

How about that?

The man is losing his mind.

Can you believe it?

So, did you schedule the dinner?

Yes! I mean, a couples dinner?

He would've never done that
when we were together. Never.

But for Bonnie, he's Mr. Fucking Sacrifice.

Why don't you bottle up
some of that anger and put it to good use?

What do you mean?

Mmm. I think I can use you and Joseph at
the meeting with the mayor tomorrow.

Joseph can speak to the content of
the show and we could use your passion.

I cannot possibly thank you
enough for this, Celeste.

- I haven't done anything yet.
- Thank you.

- I'm actually having fun.
- Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Anyway, you want to meet at Blue-Blues
in the morning? After drop-off?

- I'll brief you.
- Okay. Night, honey.

Mmm-hmm. Night-night.

A briefing?

The mayor is trying to shut down
this production of Avenue Q

at the community theater
because it's not appropriate.

So...

I told Madeline I'd help her out.

Helping her out how?

Legal help?

Yeah.

- Are you practicing law again?
- Not practicing law, just going to a meeting.

Because the town of Monterey
can't afford to hire an attorney.

The town of Monterey is the one
that's trying to shut the production down.

Okay.

How come we didn't have
a conversation about this?

If you were here long enough
to have a conversation...

After the talk shifts from the kids,

you're off packing your bag
for another business trip.

You gonna hit me now?

Do you want me to hit you, Celeste?

Here we go again.

Sometimes I wonder.

Ed?

Ed?

No,no,no,no,no.

Okay, honey, you're gonna wake up Chloe.

Okay, Ed.

That's great.

Let's wrap it up.

The neighbors actually heard them
practicing for the talent show.

They came to Trivia Night
with their game faces on.

We're talking about
viciously competitive people.

- You really are a nutjob, you know that?
- Yeah, but I'm your nutjob.

- That's true, as opposed to...
- What?

That meeting with Nathan, honey?
He wants us all to have dinner.

You, me, Bonnie, Nathan,

all getting together, exchanging niceties

and, what, group-talking our parenting skills?

Well, could be a good idea.

Are you kidding me? It's fucking Bonnie.

She probably just wants to show off
and serve us organic quinoa

with her kale she raised in
her sustainable vertical garden.

Probably while she was meditating.

So help me God, if she so much
as teaches me how to peel a potato,

I'm gonna go for her fucking throat.

That might not be a good idea.

Oh, what about Suspicious Minds?

Pocketful of Rainbows.

Oh, no. Honey, you've got to go to bed.
You never sleep.

You need to pick a song
no one else will sing.

- Well, it's not even listed, honey.
- Exactly.

Ed.

Kind of nice.

We're gonna stay up all night.

And not go to school tomorrow

- Am I dreaming right now?
- Yeah!

Sweetie.

You were sleepwalking, baby.

What happened
between you and my dad?

You can tell me.

You guys met one night and then...
That was it. He was gone?

Yeah.

You don't have to look for him for me,
if that's what you're doing.

I'm okay, Mom.

We'll be fine.

Scoot over.

I love you.

- I love you more.
- I said it first.

I mean it more.

I love you more than
all of those stars combined.

I love you more than
infinity times infinity.

I'm concerned.

- About?
- Your stress level.

I'm fine.

Well, you couldn't get pregnant.

When you were working,
the doctors all agreed that it had to do with...

- I'm not trying to get pregnant.
- No, I'm just saying.

- The anxiety.
- Yeah, I know my history.

I'm not trying to get pregnant.

I'm just trying to help out a friend.
What's the big problem? Hmm?

Why is it such a big deal for you?

No, it's not.

I'm just looking out for you, Sparkles.

If you go to pieces again,
who's gonna put you back together?

Madeline?

I'm the one who's always there for you.

Always will be.

It's just difficult when you try to control me.

Yeah, well, the idea of you
resuming your career...

I'm not trying to resume my career.

I want to have another baby.

- A daughter.
- What?

It's too late. You know I can't.

It's not too late.

Hey.

- What are you...
- Hey.

Can you imagine?

Having a little girl of our own?

Being your husband...

Max and Josh's dad...

Sometimes I wish we had 10 kids.

Well, that was sounding romantic.

Let's have that little girl tonight.

Come on, I've got a busy day.

Come on. What are you doing?

I got to get up early.

Yeah?

Yeah, you're probably right.

Yeah, you're right.
Let's just call it a night, then.

You think you're so irresistible, don't you?
Huh?

I love you so much.

Yes. Ed likes to dress up in costumes.

Presley?

I think he has
a fetish or something.

One night, I came home and he had a full
vampire costume on.

With fangs and everything,
and an accent and...

I think he thought it was sexy
and it would spice up our sex life.

It didn't?

Well, I mean, it was funny.

I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know
why I'm talking about sex so much.

Torn, when you get a chance, honey,

can I get something puffy
with chocolate on it?

- You got it.
- Thank you.

Why don't you mean to talk about sex?

- No reason.
-'Cause I was raped?

Well...

I mean, I'm trying to be sensitive, honey.

I don't always know the right thing to say.

- But I certainly don't judge you.
- I know.

It's actually really weird.

Ever since I told you about Ziggy's dad,

it's like this thing
that's been happening to my body.

Like it's wanting to wake up again
or something.

I always knew that my reaction
to that night had been too big.

I pretended like it meant nothing,
so, of course, it came to mean everything.

But it's like I had to say those stupid words
that he said to me out loud to you

for them to lose their power.

Like keeping them a secret
helped them retain their power.

So ever since then,
I just keep finding myself looking at men.

- It's weird.
- Really?

But not in, like, a sexual way.
Like more just in an appreciative way, maybe?

Sensual way? Mmm-hmm.

That guy's arm over there, with the tattoos.

Mmm-hmm.

I don't know, then my mind takes over
and takes me back to that stupid night.

There's no way you could've known
he was such a fucking sociopath.

- Fuck, yeah. Psychopath.
- Dickhead.

- Asshole.
- Abominable pig.

I'd kill him if I could.

Well, I mean, I wouldn't say that loudly
in public spaces.

I'm just kidding.

Oh, my God.

You really thought any more
about counseling?

No.

But I have been thinking about something,
though. Don't get mad at me.

I just...

I don't know. It's really hard.
I think maybe we need to move back.

- No!
- Well, Ziggy's just not happy here. I can tell.

- No, honey.
- Hey.

How we doing?

- Is this your go-to-meeting outfit?
- Yes. This is it.

Wow!

- Is there a cape under there?
- Would you stop it?

- You just have to wait and see, won't you?
- Mmm.

We are gonna win.

So, uh, in breaking news, madam just told me
that she's thinking about moving.

- I'm just thinking about it.
- What? No.

- No freaking way.
- Oh.

Come on, don't give in. Ziggy didn't do it.
Do not let them get to you.

I'm not giving in. I just...

I don't know, I need to do what's best
for my kid. I don't know what that is, but...

What about what's best for us?

- We would miss you.
- We would miss you.

- You're gonna make me cry.
- And we're gonna win this case.

I'm telling you.

I think the mayor's gonna like your argument.

Would you stop it?

We've had who knows how many orientations.
Nobody ever got choked.

- Who are the new variables here?
- Jane Chapman and her son Ziggy.

Whose eyes are abnormally far apart.

A sign of a sociopath.

Are we gonna make
some changes today?

That's right.
We're gonna start with uppercuts.

And one.

Extend those arms.

Two, one. First position.

One and serve the platter. In, out.

Out. And lift.

And Whip! Whip! Whip!

Other side.

Hey-

God, I just love sweat on women.

Sorry, that was more of a general observation.

I'm going to assume that you're not here
to talk about physical fitness.

Yeah. Madeline told me about the dinner
you and Nathan are proposing,

which I think is potentially a good idea.

But...

Well, Nathan and Madeline.

That's a pretty volatile cocktail.

- What about you, Ed?
- What, what?

You've been a little aggressive as of late.

Yeah, well, I'm only trying to be
supportive of Madeline.

She was kind of abandoned by her dad,
you know?

He made time for her brothers.

And she felt abandoned by Nathan,
and now Abigail.

It's like a triple whammy.
She's in a pretty fragile state.

You know, we all have baggage, Ed.

What do you mean?

Nothing.

It doesn't help, by the way, that you're
this seemingly-perfect stepmom.

Anyway, we're going to do this dinner,

but I think it'll be up to you and me
to keep things civil.

- I hear you.
- All right.

Oh, also, it's probably best if you don't give
Madeline any kind of advice,

like how to peel a potato.

Okay.

Otter Bay

Together we stand strong
Otter Bay

Come on and sing along beautiful

We learn arithmetic
Science and mathematics

Otter in the bay

Amabella.

You weren't singing. ls there a reason?

No. I just didn't feel like it.

Oh, but you typically love the singalongs.

Seems like something's
a little wrong, sweetie.

Are you sure
you're not upset about something?

You can tell me.

I promise I will keep it a secret.

How are things with you and Ziggy?

Fine. He's nice. We're friends.

That's great.

What do you and Ziggy like to do together?

We just like playing and stuff.

And he's nice to you?

Yes.

Amabella.

Is somebody still hurting you?

I found Ziggy's father.

- You found him?
- Well, I think I found him.

But it's Saxon Baker.
He's an interior designer in San Luis Obispo.

Hold on, didn't she say
his name was Saxon Banks?

- Well, I think maybe he only gave...
- Maddie.

...his real first name.
She said he was an architect.

But sometimes
interior designers say they're architects.

- Oh, this is not good.
- Thanks so much for helping us out.

- But I'm having second thoughts about this.
- What?

Look, even should we win this battle,
we make an enemy of the mayor's office.

- But we have all of our funding.
- Long-term, it's not a good idea.

And we're starting in two weeks, Joseph.

Yeah, but what about the next production?
And the one after that?

Listen to me, do you think Avenue Q
is worth fighting for?

- Yeah.
- Well, then what are we talking about?

The future of the theater itself.

If we piss off the mayor,
and I've been told he pisses off easily...

I can keep it civil.

Oh, no.

Or maybe not.

Look, I'm not looking to, like,
"chill" artistic expression.

I hear it's a great play.

That said, the puppets fuck.

We can't have puppets fucking in Monterey.

May I be heard?

There is one scene, and one scene only,
where two of the puppets simulate sex.

- There's no nudity.
- Yeah?

Naked puppets don't bother me.

Fucking puppets, on the other hand...
It's vulgar.

Even if it were, you'd still have to prove
that it has no legal, artistic or literary value.

I'm not talking about legals.

We're going to have to talk about the...

To shut down a show simply because
it makes you uncomfortable

two weeks before it's about to open,
I don't think that that's...

Okay, look, look.

I'm new to the whole controversy, okay?

It's just been brought to my attention,
mostly by concerned parents.

So I'm bringing a fresh eye to this thing,
you know?

You can tell me I'm full of shit.
It wouldn't be the first.

But from my perspective,
the whole point of the theater

is to bring community together.

- You know, to entertain...
- Mmm-hmm.

...to have an affirming effect on society.

This thing here? It's already divisive.

True.

And I'm certainly
not trying to connect the two, but, uh,

there are zoning laws that prohibit sex shops
and strip clubs...

- Come on. This is hardly that.
- Yes, but...

This play deals with love,
and racism, and same-sex marriage,

which are all redeeming themes,

conversations this community
should be having.

- I mean, and if you want to continue to have...
- Puppets fuck.

You are adorable.

May I, uh, speak for a moment?

Not as a member of the Monterey
Planning Board, but, really, as a morn?

I think we can agree that the world
has gone to hell, right?

I mean, we're living in a time
where our little ones

have lockdown drills at school
because of gun violence.

They don't even feel safe
in their own classroom.

So what if we brought back
a little good, old-fashioned nostalgia?

You know, a little Sound of Music?

I mean, we're Monterey, right?

So, what do we want to say?

And maybe the question isn't,
"What is this play?" but, "Who are we?"

- Hmm.
- I take your point. It's a good one.

We all have small children and this is
the village that we've chosen to raise them in.

And, um, I would say,

among other things,
I hope we're open-minded.

I mean, I think what draws a lot of people
to Monterey is its progressiveness.

But opinions aside,
legally, you've already lost.

The California Constitution goes way further
than the federal one

to protect the First Amendment.

But to answer your question, Renata,
"Who are we?"

I don't think we want to become synonymous
with suppression and prior restraint.

We're going to face accusations of
being anti-American and anti-free speech.

I mean, that's not the politics
that you've been practicing, Mayor Bartley.

So I would say there are bigger black eyes
than putting on a controversial musical.

Especially ones that have won Tonys.

Stick that up your tight ass, bitch.

You were fucking brilliant.

- Really?
- Um...

Yeah. It's actually kind of annoying that you
look like that, and you're smart and educated

and intelligent and sympathetic.

You even had Cruella
agreeing with you in the end.

Did you see her face?

I mean, come on.

Yeah, thanks.

What?

- What's wrong, honey?
- Nothing, nothing. I'm sorry. God.

Oh! Stop it, Celeste.

I don't know where this is coming from.
I really don't.

Or maybe you do, honey.

It's just for six years,

I've been wiping runny noses,
organizing playdates, doing...

Everything to be a good mom, you know?

And today, I felt alive. I felt good.

- Is that crazy?
- No.

I feel so ashamed for saying this,
but being a mother, it's not enough for me.

It's just not. It's not even close.

It's evil, all right? I'm evil.
I've said it out loud.

You are not evil.
I'm not going to let you say that.

What? You think it? Do you? Ever?

Yes.
I got so consumed with Abigail and Chloe,

their lives were everything...

Mmm-hmm.

...that I almost forgot I had my own.

And I just had to do something,
so I decided to volunteer at the theater.

And I'm not a performer. I'm not a director.
I didn't know what to do.

But it just made me feel like
I was doing something.

I wanted more, you know?

I want more of that! That feeling.

-Cause that made me feel alive, too.
- Mmm-hmm.

- I want more!
- Okay.

- Jesus.
- Oh.

- And you know what?
- What?

- You're gonna be a lawyer again.
- No.

I mean, I have never seen you like that.

For four years I've known you, and...

Your face looked different,
your body changed.

- You miss it.
- Mmm-hmm.

You're right.

I fucking miss it!

Whoo!

Whoo!

Thank you for agreeing to meet me.

I would've asked you to come to the school,
but it's kind of a fishbowl there.

People can gossip.

What's going on?

I have reason to suspect, and only suspect,

that Amabella Klein is still being bullied.

And that Ziggy may be the culprit.

I haven't seen anything.

But I feel certain
that something is going on with Amabella.

She's made no implications.

In fact,
she claims that she and Ziggy are friends.

Um... And my personal experience of Ziggy,
he is a sweet little boy.

Yes, so then where is all this coming from?

Well, I sensed some tension
between them this morning.

Amabella was visibly upset about something.

I observed Ziggy looking at her.

And from my vantage point,

he appeared to know
exactly what she was upset about.

Maybe he saw her being bullied.
Maybe he was concerned for her.

That could very well be,
though it wasn't my take.

Look, if I think

that a child is being physically

or emotionally abused,

it is my duty to go forward with that,

first and foremost to the parents.

What fucking evidence do you have?

Jane, believe it or not,
I'm actually on your side here.

No, you know what? If you were on my side,
you would not go to Amabella's parents.

That is only going to make things worse.
You would find another solution.

This is ridiculous.

Okay.

Do you have any reason

-to suspect that Ziggy could be violent?
- No.

Maybe something from his past.

No!

Ziggy is a sweet, docile young boy.

He's never hurt a fly.

Wouldn't someone have fucking seen this,
for God's sakes?

They're in a classroom.

Okay, you know what?

Maybe you're gonna think
this is way off-book, but...

Everyone's a little bit racist

It's true

But everyone is just about as racist

As you

If we all could just admit

Yeah, that's all I need. No, that's perfect.

Thank you. Yeah, yeah.

Isn't she amazing?

Amazing.

I cannot believe she's doing it for free.

She's my best friend.
She'll do whatever I ask.

- What if it goes to court?
- It's not gonna go to court.

That is a done deal.

It's amazing.
You have nothing to worry about.

You're so good to me.

I believe in you.

- Oh, my God.
- I know.

Out of nowhere.

I'm still shaking.

One minute we're talking, and then the next...

He puts his tongue in my throat.

- This is assault. He assaulted you.
- Mmm.

- I might've kissed him back.
- What?

It was, like, a reflex, you know.
Somebody kisses you, you kiss them back.

- I might've grabbed his ass. I don't know.
- What?

It just all happened so fast.

And the next thing I know,
he has his hand in my shirt.

Or was it my hand in his shirt?

What? It was a reflex.

Ugh!

So you're saying the thing's mutual.

No, he jumped me and then he yelled at me.

I'm in love with you. You hear me?
I'm in love with you, Madeline. I have been...

For months?

So I slapped him.

What?

This is not funny, Celeste.

I'm a married woman,
and he forced himself on me.

Okay, "forced himself'
maybe is the wrong word.

But I hated every minute of it.

- I didn't.
- Afternoon, ladies.

- Hi, Perry.
- Hi.

- What am I missing?
- Nothing.

Nothing. She's always laughing at me.

She's my best audience,
and apparently I'm a very funny girl.

Uh-huh.

How fun was it in court today?

It wasn't court.

She was incredible, Perry.
You should've seen her. She was amazing.

She doesn't know when to stop laughing.
She was amazing.

I kind of already knew that.

It wasn't court, it was a meeting.
And it went very well, and it's done now.

- Right?
- Mmm-hmm.

If my baby makes up her mind to do
something, you better get out of her way.

- Hey! My little men!
- I made an ollie today.

- Wow!
- I made a noseslide.

I don't even know what that is,
but it's really exciting.

- Mom, did you film all this?
- No. No, l didn't.

I want to show you, Dad. Come on!

I want to see it,
but let's do it after dinner.

I'm just gonna chill with Mommy for a second
and funny Maddie.

- No, Dad, come on.
- Dad!

- All right, all right, all right.
- There will be wine waiting for you.

- We're gonna go work on our noseslides now.
- Bye, Daddy.

Bye. All right, outside.

- He's such a great dad.
- Mmm-hmm.

So...

What really happened?

Yeah.

Oh. Buddy.

What's the matter? Let me see. Let me see.

There's no blood. Take a deep breath.
Come here.

Should we go to the hospital?
I think we should call the ambulance.

- I think we need to call 911.
- No.

I think we should.
Should I call the Tooth Fairy?

- No.
- Or Santa Claus?

I'm sorry, buddy.

Last time we had pizza
and we went to the zoo,

you told me we were moving to Monterey.

What now?

You're going to go see a child psychologist.

I think he plans on signing up
for a class, that's all.

Did he hit on you at all? What did he say?

Just that it should fall to me and him
to keep the peace at this dinner.

I don't disagree.

Did he say anything off at all?

Or cross you in any way?

Cause I'd love to have a reason
to pop him one.

Nathan Carlson.

I'm saying the guy's off, Bonnie.
Come on, admit it.

The whole point of this dinner
is so we can all get along, okay?

Not so you can "pop him one."

The guy's off.

At some point,
boundaries are gonna have to be set.

Hey. Hey, where you going?

- I'm going to Becky's.
- Becky.

Wait, is she the stupid one?

Your mom's always nagging me about letting
you hang out with stupid people.

Well, she's still upset about the tutor.

- Hey, what do you have there? What are you...
- Nothing.

What are you carrying, darling?

Nothing.

I can check my bar.

What?

What?

You need to relax.

We don't want anyone getting hurt, do we?

You know, we can always move.

- We don't have to live in Monterey.
- Really?

Yeah.

You want to move?

Okay, first of all, Skye loves it here. A lot.

Second of all, we're never gonna find
public schools this good.

And third, what about Abigail?

She goes back with her mom?

She'll just move away with us.

That'll be the last straw for ex-thing.

Okay. All right.

- That is a lot to fantasize...
- Stop.

Whatcha doing?

Nothing.
Just staring at the sunset,

thinking how lucky we are
to have that in our face every day.

That is not what you were thinking.

Abby know you go on her Facebook page?

Probably.

I leave comments sometimes.
Though under an alias.

What's the alias?

God.

So, you went to visit Bonnie

-at her studio?
- Wow.

No secrets in this town.

I was thinking about doing a sit-up
and wanted to get her advice.

Went to talk about the dinner
and how to best avoid friction.

Or animosity.

- Violence?
- Exactly how psychotic do you think I am?

Mmm.

Come on.

You doing okay, Maddie?

Tell me.

Tell me. I'll make you feel good, baby.

I just feel like I'm...

Losing control a little bit.

Of?

What I am.

How so?

I don't know.

You don't know?

I love you.

There's nothing like the sound of
crunching cereal in the morning.

Wow!

- Not too summery?
- No, it looks incredible.

It's funny how clothes
always seem to do that on you.

You're sweet.

What's the occasion?

I have a meeting with the attorney
representing the town.

- Another meeting, huh?
- Mmm-hmm.

I think we're gonna settle it today.

Yeah?

- What if it doesn't settle?
- Oh.

Well, we'd probably go to court,
but it would just be a one-off.

They really don't have any grounds.

So, a court appearance now?

Probably not, but what's the big deal?

Well, the big deal is that you lied to me.

You said it'd be one meeting yesterday,

and then it'd be over with.
Now you're going to court.

I never said that.
I said I thought it would go away quickly,

and I still believe that it will.

- I don't want you doing this.
- Well, it's not your fucking call.

Mom?

- Okay, let's go, sweetie.
- Hey, champ.

- Bye, Dad.
- Have a great day.

We're going to be late.

Come on. Quick, quick.

Let's go.

Bye.

Ms Chapman?

Come on in.

We had a nice conversation.

- He's a very smart little guy.
- Yeah.

Please.

Have a seat.

I can see that you're nervous,
so I'm just gonna cut right to the punchline.

I do not think Ziggy is a bully.

I brought up the incident
that you had mentioned at orientation,

and he made it very clear it wasn't him.

And I'd be surprised if he's lying.

If so, he's the most accomplished liar
I have ever seen.

And frankly, he doesn't show any of
the classic signs of a bullying personality.

He's not narcissistic.

And he certainly demonstrates
empathy and sensitivity.

Sorry.

Are you sure?

I'm pretty sure.

I definitely would like to see him
for another appointment.

I think he's suffering from a lot of anxiety,

and I believe that there is...

There's a lot he didn't share with me today.

And I wouldn't be surprised to learn
that he himself is being bullied at school.

Ziggy?
- I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be shocked.

My guess is that it's verbal,

and that some smart kid
has found his weak spot.

He also brought up his father.

Who, uh...

Believe it or not,
he thinks might be Darth Vader.

What?

Children often get caught halfway
between fantasy and reality.

And he's only six.

And I asked him if the two of you
talk much about his father.

He said it upset you.

And that you're not saying much about him.

Yeah, it's very complicated, so...

He said that, "Be aware that if
we're talking to my mom about my dad,

"that, uh, she's gonna get a funny look
on her face."

So I take it that, uh,

Ziggy's father isn't exactly a good guy.

No, not exactly.

And I assume that Ziggy's never met him.

Yeah, no, he never will.

Well, as I said, I think you have a...

A caring, sweet little boy on your hands.

But I would like to see him again.

Okay.

You wanna see him?

- Ziggy?
- Hi.

We'll call him Giant Harry the Hippo.

Maddie.

- What are you doing here?
- I need to talk to you.

Have you been following me?

- No, I haven't been following you.
- Oh, my God.

Well, I want to talk to you
about what I did at the theater.

- You can't do this out of nowhere!
- It was unacceptable. inexcusable.

That said, it didn't happen in a vacuum.

- What do you mean?
- You know what I mean, Madeline. Come on.

What happened a year ago was an accident.

I told you that was a mistake
that's not going to be repeated again.

Well, it was repeated, several times.

Okay, stop. It's been erased.

- Erased?
- Yes, it didn't happen.

I am a happily married woman.

- Really?
- Yes.

You know what? You told me you agreed
that you were not going to open this up again.

Well, I don't agree anymore.

All right, you know what?
You stay in your life, I'll stay in mine.

Hey-

My major concern is as to
how he might react.

To the idea that you want to go back to work?

What did he say, his words exactly?
That he was afraid of me, um...

- Going through him.
- Ah.

Yeah, so I'm...

I suppose I'm just worried
that he's gonna take it as a rejection.

You were working when he first met you
and when he fell in love with you, right?

Yeah.

But he, um...

He just likes me to be at home in the house,
and we have the twins, and...

He's not that crazy about me
having too many friends.

He's just possessive.
That's who he is, so...

And I hope that you'd have some ideas

on the best way to communicate with him
about me going back to work.

No?

Well, I could certainly suggest some
communicative tools,

but...

For me, the issue isn't how best
to talk to your husband,

but why you're afraid to.

I'm not, um...

I'm not afraid. I'm just...

I just want to have...

I suppose I want to communicate it
in the best way that's...

Okay.

I'm not afraid.

The week leading up to Trivia Night,
something changed with Celeste.

Still beautiful. But in her face...

Her eyes...

Not a look like she could actually
kill somebody, but, um...

Yeah, I think it's him.

If I heard his voice...

I can still remember his voice. I can also
still remember that disgusting smell.

Where did you say he lived?

San Luis Obispo.

You're not thinking about going down there?