Brothers & Sisters (2006–2011): Season 1, Episode 2 - An Act of Will - full transcript

Previously on "Brothers and Sisters"
To Kitty. With you home, the circle is complete.

I was afraid of the things I didn't want to say.

Well, let's just say it, that
I sent Justin to war, that I put
him on the front lines, that's ridiculous.

He trusted you. He asked you.

All right, so, Dad, right?
I'm at the office the other day
and I saw something.

Her name's Holly Harper.
She and Dad have been friends for years.

What if I can really make a difference?

By being an 11:30 smartass on TV?

Dad, something's not right with the company.

Where did all the money go, Saul?

You think I have it?



No, Saul, we need to have something that makes sense.

The pension funds?

- Grandpa?
- Get your grandmother. Now!

Dad, what have you done?

Subtitled by J&J Subtitles

There's just no escaping him in this house.

No, there never was.

You know, I lived in New York for so long, I barely saw him. I shouldn't be missing him this much.

Of course you should. It's only been three weeks.

Three weeks....God.

Are you sure you wanna stay here?

Yeah! Yeah, I have to.

Mom needs me.

Oh my God, I have so much stuff.



I know. I'm starting to wonder what Jonathan got in the break-up.

We are not broken up, Kevin.

This is just us, giving each other a little space.

He wants me to be here, and he wants me to do the show.

Sure he does. So, when does the show start, anyway?

Tomorrow. We're discussing ballot tampering in the swing states. You better watch it.

Wow! Who said politics isn't sexy?

OK. I'm off to work.

Mommy, where's my grass skirt?

Oh my God!

Oh, don't tell me. You said that she would get it.

Mom, we're doing the states for school. I'm Hawaii.

Hey, Babe. What if we make one out of paper?

I can't be Hawaii without a grass skirt.

You guys promised I could have one, a real one!

You said that you'd go to the party store, you remember? We talked about this. I got lessons all day, I can't...

I will, I will. I'll go today. See? I won't forget.

I thought the whole point of giving up the big corporate job for the family business was, you know...

So did I.

- Hey, Josh!
- Cool. Hi, Mrs. Whedon.
- Aloha...

So, any plans for the afternoon?

You know, it is so funny...

the minute the funeral was over, then virtually every single conversation over the past three weeks

has contained some variation of: "Are you keeping busy?" "Are you filling your days?" "Are you moving on?"

So are you?

Yes. Yes.

Sometimes.

And then, sometimes, it gets very, very quiet.

But, Kitty's moving in. That's....great.

I have this idea, I think you should move in, too, and then the house would be really, really alive.

I'm kidding!

- Oh, God. Don't do that!
- I'm kidding you.

Wow! You're on... you're actually early.

Your award is to help me carry heavy boxes up a long flight of stairs.??

Mom, where's, ah...where's Dad's address book?

I just want to write Manny over at Rousseau's to say thanks for hiring me.

Honey, that's so sweet. Just look in his rolodex, which is on his desk in his office.

OK, great. Thanks.

You wanna help me with the boxes? No? Later? OK... I'm fine.

You know, I think he's turning over a new leaf, I ...

really do. I think he's doing so much better than...

Look at her reading habits. Who knew there were so many biographies on Ronald Reagan?

You know, this is such a bad idea. She should be in a nice little house, at least five miles away, with uniformed guards between you.

Just stop. I had to let her stay here.

Dad's gone. Jonathan's back in New York. She needs me.

What time is everybody else getting here, huh?

I don't know why you had to make such a big deal out of this reading of the will. You could've just emailed everybody.

That's the way it's done, OK? That's the way Dad wanted it, so...

God, what does she have in here? The original Federalist papers?

Probably.

I'm Justin Walker.

I know who you are.

I saw you at my dad's office the day before he died.

Um, we were doing business.

I saw you again at the funeral.

We were friends.

I don't think so.

See...I remember you from a long time ago.

Yes, you do.

How long have you two, ah...?

Long enough.

Who else knows about you and my father?

Saul.

Anyone else?

No.

I'm so sorry.

Before I show this to you,

let's just remember that we're family and we all want the same thing: to get back to something good.

Here.

What is this?

Tommy, you wanted proof that I don't bear all the responsibility of what happened to the company,

well, here it is. If you look over here, you'll see that your dad sold a million dollars of his own stock in the company to the pension fund.

Right. I see that. So?

He made the pension fund pay him $15 million for it.

He inflated the value of the stock.

And now the company is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Why would he do something like this?

It doesn't make sense.

We have to find out.

No, the first thing we have to do is go to the authorities.

Sarah, you can't do that!

Don't you think I would have done it.

I want you to think about your mother!

How would she respond to this?

No, we can't tell anyone in the family about this. Anyone.

What is it that you're suggesting we do, Saul?

I'm suggesting we do what families do. We stick together.

We rebuild. We go back to where we were. We repay the debt together. And move on,

together, as a family.

As a family of criminals?

No, no. I won't.

I won't do that.

OK.

OK, well, we have to go to your mother's.

Yeah... let's see what else the man left us.

- Hey.
- Hey.

- Hey.
- Look at you, the family lawyer.

You've got your bad news face on.

No, I don't.

Yeah, this is like when Dad had you sent in to tell me Bingo had been hit by a car.

Bingo.....he loved to chase things.

This is not like Bingo!

Let's hope not.

This isn't going to be like Bingo, is it?

Don't ask me that.

The last piece of company business to be addressed is, of course, the line of succession at Ojai Foods.

Justin...

Sorry, Kit.

Saul stays on as Chief Financial Officer.

As it should be.

Tommy continues as Vice President of Operations and Sarah is to be President of the company.

All personal assets obviously...

Dad's wishes, guys, OK?

All personal assets obviously go to Mom...

and if...and when Mom dies...

Thank you for the "if" Kevin, it was really sweet.

You got it. Ah,

the entire trust is then passed on, equally, to all of us

with one notable exception,

and uh, I apologize for having to be the one to say this to you.

- What?
- Dad set it up so...

After Mom's gone...

your share of the inheritance will be kept in a conservatorship.

Which is what? Like a museum?

No, you'll get an allowance, and

um, and Kitty will be the...

What? The babysitter?

Conservator.

He knew how close you two are, so he ... he figured...

What? That I was too messed up to handle my own finances?

- No.
- No, I mean that's it, right? I'm an idiot!

No.

- When you're high like you are right now, yes.
- You know what? Go to hell, Tommy.

Why don't you go to hell?

Guys! Guys!

You know, Justin. We'll...we'll work something out.

You know, it's OK. Fine, right? I mean, this is what Dad wants, you know, it's freaking perfect.

Kevin, why didn't you tell me this before?

Because I'm acting as a lawyer now, OK, not as a son. I'm sorry.

Justin, honey, don't go! Please.

You know, I gotta go to work, Mom.

That's what I deserve, right? I mean, I'm not as good as the rest of you. You're all such saints.

I don't want his money, anyway. Thanks for the heads-up today.

Bingo!

Brothers & Sisters, 1x02

I was just a receptionist, but even I could see it was fraud.

And how exactly did you find out there was fraud taking place at Mangopian Insurance, Mr. Wandell?

Because whenever I was bored, which was always, I eavesdropped on the salesmen's calls.

What did you hear?

2,000 senior citizens from Needles, California, being sold fraudulent insurance.

That many?

Did anyone ever ask you to lie?

Oh my God! Oh my God, you're gay!

If you could answer the question, 'cause these guys have lawyers that will shred you.

I'm not being prepped anymore until you admit you're a gay.

Yeah. Yeah, I am "a" gay, so...I mean, whatever.

How did you know?

So, you're like all in the closet? In this day and age?

Ah, no, actually, I'm not in the closet at all. I'm open and proud.

You're not proud. You're trying to pass.

Wow! Is this your boyfriend?

Ex.

You looked much happier when you were younger....and gayer.

You know, I'm having a not great day, I don't know if that matters to you, so can we just do this?

Not even the house?

I understand everything,

but he didn't even leave me my house?

Holly,

It's all right.

How could he?

It's all right. I knew the rules.

Women don't have affairs to be remembered in the will. That's why they get married.

But, it does mean something... that you came to see me, to tell me.

That you care.

I do. I do care.

It's what makes "this" so difficult, Holly.

"This?"

Triangulation?

Look, Holly, I love my sister,

and I think that that makes a friendship...

between us...impossible.

Yeah.

I would have to lie to them, and I've had my fill of lying.

I think you have, too.

My sister, my nieces, and nephews,

already Justin has

I'm all they have now.

I can't subject them to any more deception.

No, of course you can't.

Oh, hi, Mannyi. I'm sorry, the damn smoke alarm is going off.

No. No, there's no fire, Manny.

Would I be standing here talking to you if there were a fire?

Listen, I do wanna thank you and everyone at Rousseau's for

for hiring Justin.

Yeah, it's times like these that we really know who are friends are, that's for sure.

And he seems to be doing so well.

I'm sorry, Manny, you'll have to speak up. I can't hear you.

What?

He didn't show up today?

He hasn't shown up all week?

Oh, yes. Of course you have to let him go.

I understand.

You certainly did try.

Thanks, Manny.

It's basically one family's war. They're just making the whole country pay for it.

Bush, Sr. never wanted Baghdad.

Oh, no, he just wanted to protect the Kuwaitis, right? Come on.

You know, if we inherited this war from anybody, it was Bill Clinton who decided...

who was a helluva lot more proactive in the Mid East peace process than this president ever even dreamt of being...

Right, until he decided that cheap, blue dresses were a lot more alluring than his credibility as leader of the free world, and not to mention......

I am so tired of this Puritanical nonsense! The man was a human being, for God's sakes.

Hello, Nora Walker, Kitty's mom.

- Big fan.
- Of mine?

I want you to know your take on immigration is absolutely right,

I'd be ashamed to live in a country with a wall. It makes me sick.

Thank you!

- Mom?
- What?

What the hell are you doing here?

He hasn't come into work for three days.

Where is he now?

I don't know,

he might be at home, but he's not answering,

we should go over.

Why we? Why me?

This is your fault.

How is this my fault?

You're the one who told him to go fight in that stupid war.

Oh, Mom, Dad was the one who told him it was the right thing to do.

But, Kitty, you pushed him.

Justin is who he is.

I didn't convince him to enlist any more than you convinced him to raid your medicine cabinet at age 16...

or to-- or to get himself kicked out of college for selling 'shrooms in the back of his car.

He never wanted to be a soldier.

That's what you and your father never understood. He just wanted your approval.

You were supposed to say "no." You were supposed to say, "We love you too much to let you get hurt like this. No."

And now I don't know where my son is.

I need you to help me find him. Please.

- OK. Let's go.
- OK. Let's go.

Great shoes.

Don't ask. What are you guys doing here?

We need to talk.

So, we're talking serious embezzlement. At Ojai Foods.

- Yeah.
- And Dad was responsible?

Saul claims Dad made a bad investment, been draining the pension fund to cover it up.

I'm not convinced.

That doesn't matter. You have to go to the authorities.

No, no, no. We need to find out what Dad was doing.

He must have had a reason.

Are you not getting it?

I get it! I just don't agree.

Well, you're president now. What do you wanna do?

Go to hell!

Tommy! Tommy!

Sarah, trust your gut. Do you wanna go down for a crime you inherited?

OK. So, if we went to the authorities, what would it look like?

It's Federal. I have a friend in the U.S. Attorney's Office. We could call him, but there'd be an investigation.

You know, bean counters going through trash, subpoenaing the workers, the family...

And they'd close us down?

We might end up in receivorship, yeah, or forced into bankruptcy.

Great. Sounds great.

Look, I want you to be prepared. It would be ugly, OK?

But the government will go easier if you approach them.

That counts.

And what about the employees? What about their retirement money? What happens to that?

They'd either get very little or nothing.

Look, it'll be worse if you wait, Sarah, you have to come forward.

How am I going to tell Mom?

U.S. Attorney Dan Sullivan.

Please, please, call him.

There's no other way, Sarah. I'm sorry.

OK. Thanks.

I have a key. I have a key in here somewhere.

We don't need a key, Mom.

Good Lord in Heaven!

Oh...Mom.

Wake her up.

You do it!

- You do it!
- You do it!
- Oh, for God's sakes.

It's Fawn! It's Fawn, Fawn. Fawn, it's OK, it's OK. Hi. Hi. It's Kitty and Nora. Justin's...

How did you guys get in here?

The front door was unlocked. Where's Justin, Fawn?

At work, right?

No, he actually hasn't been showing up. They fired him.

Those bastards.

Do you have any idea where Justin might be?

Not really. Um, Zuma or Venice?

Pineburger?

Are you covering for him?

You can tell us.

I swear.

Mrs.- Justin. I don't know where he is.

Oh. All right, my darling. We believe you.

But, I really don't think this is very healthy.

What's not?

Medicating, sleeping all day...

and you know, you don't look well. I don't think this situation is working out for you, is it?

So, let's get ourselves up, get dressed,

- take your trash and go home!
- Mom.

You really don't know where he is?

I thought he was at work.

I'm not a bad girl.

I'm sure you're not. You just need to get up earlier.

You know? OK...

The truck just broke down out of nowhere...

Yeah, apparently, and, apparently, it's a real mess.

What's wrong?

I've got it under control.

I'm sure you do, but could I at least know what it is that you're controlling? Please.

Look, one of the rigs broke down in Bakersfield. 20 tons of peaches.

- in 115 degrees.
- So we....

Look, I said I have it under control. Go run your errand.

- You have that thing to pick up for Paige, right?
- Right.

Excuse me, guys. Could I just have a minute?

Of course.

So, is this how it's going to be?

You tell me.

Don't walk away from me again, Tommy.

What? What are you gonna do, fire me?

- I'm just trying to get a truck out there so we can salvage what we have.
- It's just a title.

It's more than a title and you know it.

- You ask most of the guys who runs this company, they'll say me.
- Good.

They would've said the same when Dad was alive, too.

I know. I know.

I'm just saying.

You wanna be president? Just say it.

Say it. I'll step aside right now.

Can I do my job?

Please.

- Sure.
- Thanks.

- Hello?
- Hey, it's Noah.

- Remember me? The guy you used to work with?
- Yeah.

I just heard about your father. Ah, I'm sorry.

Yeah, well, it's-- it's a mess.

Would you like to grab some coffee?

That's a spectacularly bad idea.

You're right. I grabbed the wrong file.

I meant to grab the file of "reasonably bad ideas,"

but I grabbed the "spectacularly bad ones" instead.

Been that kind of day.

- Yeah.
- Come on. Just one.

This is dumb, hanging out here waiting for him.

Well, do you really wanna go on a tour of a video arcade or a $2 movie theater?

Or he could be hiking in Griffith Park for all we know.

I know, I know.

We should've put one of those things that they put on dogs so you can track 'em.

Don't be snippy with me. I'm not on your damn TV show.

God, I hate this day.

Well, I'm not exactly over the moon about it, either.

I know what Jonathan would do.

He would call some friend in Washington, and

there'd be some really fancy, expensive detective here with Justin in about four hours.

Well, why don't you call him?

You know, you really can tell me the problem with him. I swear I won't judge.

The problem...

doesn't feel like you and Dad.

I guess they don't make 'em like that anymore.

Oh. Look.

Oh, yeah...

- We've just had too many damn blessings.
- Maybe.

Hello? Yeah, Kevin. Hi.

Is he all right?

Oh, thank God.

- All right, yeah, come pick us up. We're still at his place.
- Where is he?

All right, bye. He's-a, he's in jail. Ah, in Oceanside.

He was arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct.

Dad left some serious problems with the company, beyond serious.

You think you might have to shut it down?

Maybe.

Probably.

I can't go into details. I can't even tell Joe.

You know what they say at business school...

almost all family businesses fail in successive generations. I mean...

That's the smart play.

It's not that easy.

Losing Ojai'd devastate my family.

Come on,

you have no idea what families can survive.

Besides, you are not responsible for everything, Sarah.

You always took on everybody else's problems.

You could come back to North Light today. You are on the fast track.

No, that place was eating up my life.

I need to make time for Paige and Cooper,

and Joe.

Then, why do you seem more stressed out now than ever?

I mean, at least before, you weren't in it alone.

Noah,

Tell me something, how can you feel so guilty...

when nothing happened between us?

Because being in sync with a man who is not your husband

is almost as painful as not being in sync with your husband.

Don't you ever miss looking forward to something?

You know, picking out your shoes, your shirt for somebody...everyday.

Don't you miss that?

Sarah, is your hand bleeding?

Oh God! Oh! I suck!

- What?
- Hawaii...my daughter is Hawaii. Noah, I'll call, OK?

He needs to go into a treatment program again.

I agree, even if it's outpatient.

You know, a partner of mine just came back from Hazleton, Minnesota.

I'm not sending my son to Minnesota. Very cold there this time of year.

He needs some kind of professional help, Mom.

I'm not saying he doesn't need help, Kevin,

I'm just saying now's not the time to theorize about your poor brother

as if he was some sort of case study.

What needs to happen is we need to get down to this Oceanside place and

get him out of jail, and take him home.

Why didn't you tell me your father was going to insult him like that?

Oh, what would you have done if you'd known?

I don't know, we could've prepared him,

we could've come up with a plan. As it is, you dropped it on him like a bomb.

No wonder he's gone off and done something to himself.

Are you serious?

Yes! Yes, certainly I am.

Do you ever stop and think that some of this could possibly be your fault?

What? What?

I was too permissive?

No, no, no, no. I'm not talking about the liberal child-rearing sense, Mom.

You blame everybody but yourself. You go out of your way, it's me,

it's Kevin, it's Dad. Where were you in the picture? Do you ever think about that?

I don't see any ocean out there.

This is a terrible place to come to.

Please! Please! Just one minute! One minute! It's for my little girl.

Thank you so much. You're so kind.

This must happen every night.

Yeah, it's like "Sophie's Choice" in here. What do you need?

I need a grass Hawaiian skirt for a hula.

There's miriachis, which would be Mexico...

Coconut cup? Closer...

Ukelele...that's a good sign.

Sorry.

No, don't tell me that. Don't tell me that.

Look, I'm sorry.

They're weirdly popular.

I can order you one.

Yeah, yeah, why don't you do that?

That'd be great, because then they'll get here, in what?

9 weeks? Which is just in time for my daughter's recital, which is tomorrow.

It's the minimum basic requirement that a party store always have Hawaii.

Children have recitals

and their parents, their mothers,

can't do it all and we rely on our party store

to keep up their end of the bargain

so that our husbands and our children don't despise us when we come home empty-handed.

I'll buy the lei.

He's really wrecked. Usually we like to let this kind dry out for the night in lock-up.

It reinforces the point, you know?

Sure, sure,

We have driven all the way from Los Angeles.

There's a motel nearby. See you in the a.m.

Bring coffee.

All right, thank you. Thanks.

Hi.

I'm Justin's mother and this is his big sister, Kitty.

Kitty Walker, "The Right Idea" and "Red, White and Blue."

- You're kidding.
- No.

You're her?

Yeah, I am...me. Yes.

I love your show.

And we're not asking to be the exception here...

Yes, we are.

No, we're not.

- Yes.
- No, no.

- Yes, we are.
- No, we aren't.

We are.

All the girls came to get me, that's cool. Where's Sarah?

- Kitty, he's sitting in the back with you.
- No, seriously, thanks for bringing the whole family. I mean, my day wasn't bad enough.

They were worried about you.

Oh, you had the do the right thing, right?

Because Kevin always does the right thing, except sleep with women.

Justin, could you shut up for ten seconds?

If you didn't want my help, why'd you ask?

'Cause I was in jail. I figured I should call the family lawyer. I mean, that's what you are, right?

If your father could see this behavior!

He'd what? Judge me? Tell me to get a job?

He'd be so diappointed!

Disappointed? Who the hell is he to be disappointed? He's the disappointment!

What does that mean?

Forget it.

Your father loved you more than anything on Earth, you little spoiled brat!

- You know what love means in this family? It means you suck!
- Get in the car!

It means nothing you do will be good enough!

Oh, you ungrateful child!

You don't care about anyone but yourself! How did you get that way?

You know what losing your father has done to me

and yet you take your life and throw it around like it was worthless!

Why?

'Cause I wish I was dead.

Don't you understand that!? I wish I'd died over there, Mom!

Well, you didn't die and I'll be damned if I'll stand around and watch you kill yourself.

Enough. Enough, Mom.

God. You guys are so freaking serious.

Hey, sorry.

- Hey. So late. Any word from Justin?
- Yeah, he got arrested.

Don't ask. He's fine.

You almost missed grilled cheese night.

I'm sorry, I've let us all down.

They're out of grass skirts. They just sold the last one.

These'll be great.

Today is one of those days where everything you decide really, really, really matters.

You....need something aside from grilled cheese.

You need someone to say, "Congratulations!"

What for?

Your promotion.

How did you know?

A little bird on a wire.

Oh...Hawaii. What am I gonna tell her?

Hand...you need to see something great.

What?

Mom! Mommy! Mommy! Yay!

Hey, Little Man.

- Come on, come on, come on.
- What's going on here?

Have a seat, my lady.

We are ready.

I got the last one.

She made me teach her this.

I hate it when you dominate the remote.

I'm curious if gay porn has gotten to Oceanside yet.

You know, I stay in a lot of hotels.

This is research for me.

Here we go, "Thirty-Something Inches," only $10.95. Shall we?

Come on, give me that.

- Wait! Is that Jonathan? It is Jonathan!
- Give it to me.

He won't let me in. I just want to apologize.

Why don't you stay here and I'll try and talk to him?

Thanks.

What the hell are we watching?

Meerkats.

These meerkats are wearing no clothes. Give me the clicker, now!

OK, fine, but no cooking programs.

Give me the clicker.

She was just scared.

I'm pretty frightening.

He hated me, Kitty.

Is that what you think?

I could see it.

Always the look of somebody who doesn't expect anything from you.

Until all you do is disappoint him again and again,

but he disappointed me, too.

He loved you with all of his heart.

They have to love you, it's their job.

He just didn't know how to show it, to anyone.

Well, he showed you.

And yesterday, he showed me what he thought of me.

Now he's dead...and I...

You know, after you enlisted,

he used to call me every day.

You know, just to talk.

And you know what he used to talk about?

Justin stories. Great ones.

He told me that out of all of his children, you were the only one who made him remember what being a kid was.

You were the only one who could do that. Hmmm...he was so proud of you.

C'mon, at age 60, you taught him to surf.

He wasn't very good.

Because of you, he was the only 70 year-old who appreciated "Death Cab...

Curdle."

Death Cab for Cutie.

Close.

Well, these are the things he would talk about when he called.

I'd ask him how he was, and...

these are the things he would say.

You know what's nice about road trips?

This is a road trip?

They have these coffee shops that serve breakfast all night. You want?

I want breakfast, all night.

You wanted to know when the truck came in.

How's it look?

I had this little premonition some of it survived the journey...

- I guess they didn't.
- Gladys, call the insurance.

Hey, thanks for telling Joe.

What are you talking about?

He bought me champagne last night.

Champagne was his idea.

The back half of the truck is all perfect. We got, like, ten tons of good fruit back there.

Thanks.

I guess some things can be saved, and some can't.

Tell me, Tommy, I need to know. What would you do?

I didn't go to business school. All I got is my gut.

Sarah, what is it?

Saul, I love what our family has built here, and I wanna keep it alive,

not just for us, but for all the people who work here,

people who trusted this family, who trusted this company.

I have the number here of a U.S. Attorney.

I'll do it your way, six months. But, at the end of six months, if we haven't found our way out of this, I will call him.

OK.

I forgot...the Pacific.

- No other ocean has so many colors.ɫ
- And look, you can see where the blues change.

Black for you, white for you, black and white for you.

One's fine.

So, which route should we take back? The pretty or the fast?

Fast!

Pretty.