Masters of Sex (2013–2016): Season 3, Episode 9 - High Anxiety - full transcript

Previously on
Masters Of Sex...

Allow me to introduce
my wife, Celeste.

All I want is a baby.

She doesn't have anyone
to have it with.

She asked me for my help.

It's Joy.
She collapsed.

And they're calling it
a brain aneurysm.

What do you want from me?

These past few months,

all I have wanted to see
come through that door is you.

I can't give you
any more of myself



because I have already
given it all.

Your son was beaten up
at school.

Yeah, that's why
you lash out at other boys--

boys who are smarter than you,
better than you.

Because you're stupid.

Look, Dennis,
I owe you an apology.

You're a hell of a player.

You could be playing
for Nebraska one day,

like Coach Edley.

Uh, you're here
for the surrogacy program?

I'm not squeamish about sex,

if that's what you're thinking.

Virginia and I talked about

the surrogacy business
last week,



and she didn't sound
exactly full steam ahead.

And what we'll be
experimenting with, hopefully,

is the subliminal scent.

The holy grail of attraction.

Is the cough
in your throat or your chest?

A little bit of both.

I think that I'll be fine
as soon as I get out of bed.

How did the good doctor take it?

Surprisingly well.

Dan Logan's study
has reached a dead end.

Time for Dan Logan
to go back to New York.

You were so quiet.

Hmm?

Earlier, I mean.

I was thinking
you were the quiet one.

It's strange,

because I've gotten
so used to your sighs and moans,

the way your breath catches...

The way you call for God.

I was quiet

because I was wondering
why you were so quiet.

Because I'm trying to find
a reason to stay.

Here. In St. Louis.

Look, I came to you
to bottle the smell of sex,

and we came close.

But... even after distilling
the most potent mix, our--

Our results
are still erratic.

I know.

Some women get aroused,
some don't.

Hm. 75% don't.

So... you're leaving?

Well...

that explains
the lack of vocalization.

It's not exactly the right time

to get in the habit
of blurting out the wrong name.

There are no other names,
Virginia.

And your wife?

My wife and I haven't
called out each other's names

in a very long time...

or occupied the same bed.

We...

Well, you and George
have an arrangement, right?

My wife and I have
an understanding.

But...

You want to stay in St. Louis?

Even though nothing's
going to change, obviously,

in our respective
circumstances?

I'm just curious.

I want to stay.

But I don't know if I can.

Jesus!

Bill, you startled me.

I-I tried calling you,
you know, several times.

So, I don't pick up the phone,

and your solution is
to drive over here?

I didn't know
where you were.

Dropping off my children

and dealing with George--

not that I have to
explain that to you.

I didn't say you did.

I-- I'm--
I suppose I'm not myself.

The Whitners have an intake
at 8:00 AM,

so I have to be at work
early tomorrow.

Virginia, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry you're still angry.

How else should I feel, Bill?

I'm out sick and you go

and set up the surrogacy program
behind my back!

I-I know.
You're right. You're right.

I shouldn't have taken matters
into my own hands in that way--

with the surrogacy program or...

any number of things.

Other things.

In the past.

That affect my kids.

I'm asking you
to forgive me...

and, uh,
to keep an open mind.

Please.

Because...

Because I-I--
I can't think straight

when we're estranged
like this--

you know, when--
when we're not together.

We are together.

Bill, of course.

When are we ever not together?

No, together in--
in that way.

Virginia, I-I don't want
your hand or your mouth on me.

What man doesn't want that?

I want you.

Upstairs.

The way we've always been.

Oh, God.
I missed you so much.

I missed being inside you.

I'm close. Are you close?

Yes. Yes.

- Can I do something?
- No, nothing.

I'm almost there. Don't stop.

Don't stop. Don't stop.

All better?

I hope I'm not intruding.

No, no. I...

I was just leaving flowers
for Joy and...

That's your Robert?

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I don't suppose
anyone said that to you.

No one.

No one knew.

Except you.

I've missed you, Libby.

You won't so much as look at me
since Joy died.

Paul, Joy was my friend,

and I betrayed her,
and now I--

Now you're plagued
by guilt, right?

Libby, we have both suffered,

but we are lucky
that we found each other.

We didn't find each other.

I was a crutch,
as you were for me.

Now you have
that rarest of things.

You have a new life
ahead of you.

And you?

I... I have a lot of practice

taking care of myself.

I will be fine.

Paul, I am making this
easy for you.

I don't need it
to be easy.

I want you to be happy.

Libby,
I am happy with you.

I want you
to be with someone else.

Dr. Masters.

Are you in the mood

for being escorted from
the premises again, Ronald?

Well, if that's what it takes.

The Lord has made certain
knowledge available to me,

and I am compelled to share
that knowledge with you.

You must be petrified
of me to keep this up.

No, I am just frightened
of what you are doing.

Do you actually know
what it is I'm doing, Ronald?

I'm saving people.

Have you saved anyone lately?

Yes. By spreading God's love.

Yet everything you say
is filled with hate and fear

while I am actually
helping people

give and receive love,
actual love.

So why don't you come back
and see me

when you're ready to be saved?

I am compelled by the Lord

to remind you of the damnation
that awaits you, Dr. Mas--

You will feel
the pain of damnation firsthand

if you ever
come into this building again.

Look at me, Ronald!

Because I have been sent by God
as a warning.

It's okay to tell me
about it if you want.

I promise I won't be shocked.

Well, she was a widow,
or so I thought.

We'd planned
to run away together,

but she stood me up.

Turns out her husband
wasn't so dead after all.

Opened a café after that,
trying to forget her.

He's, uh, doing Bogart?

What a difficult time
for you, Rick.

It was.

Yet as time goes by--

You know, Rick,

I get the feeling
that you like movies.

- I love movies.
- Then maybe after dinner,

we can see what's playing
at the Hi Pointe.

That was deftly handled.

That's--
that's a great idea.

Thank you.

And thank you
for coming tonight.

I don't really date much

since I can't reach
the end zone,

so why bother taking the snap?

Because dating
isn't supposed to be

a game or a contest.

The goal should be to have fun,

and I really am
having fun... with you.

Here's looking at you--

Okay, we can leave it
there, Lester. Thank you.

Nora, uh,
you made him comfortable.

You sensed both
his vulnerabilities

and areas of personal interest.

Very well done.

I've been taught by the best.

Uh... Wendy, you're next.

And Lester, this time,
a little less drama.

I just thought it made sense

that Rick would develop
secondary impotence

after being jilted by Ilsa.

Well, let's just
leave the politics

of the Second World War
out of it, shall we?

Okay.

I'm Wendy.
So nice to meet you.

And you.

I'm... Frederick.

Transferred from Cape Canaveral.

I'm a fighter pilot
in the Air Force.

Um...

You're from St. Louis
originally?

I'm sorry. Did I--
did I say something wrong?

- I didn't mean to--
- No. It's just...

I have a brother
who's a pilot in Vietnam.

It's a constant
source of worry for me,

but especially my mother,
who is really not doing well.

It's a perfect example

of my objections
to the surrogacy program.

The surrogates themselves
are unknowns and unpredictable.

It was a minor error, Virginia.

It's why we train them.

And married couples,

who we should be focusing on,
don't need training.

They already know each other.

That's a generous assumption,

given some of the couples we've
seen come through the door.

You asked me to watch
with an open mind,

and I watched, and--

I don't agree
that your concerns are valid.

Look, each phase of our research

- has involved trial and error.
- Bill...

And-- and this is no different.

And when we know
that there are single men

out there suffering
and in need of our help--

Yes, of course.
The suffering male.

Um...

There are, uh, two new surrogate
volunteers to train.

If it makes you feel better,

then... I will happily leave them
in your capable hands.

Train them yourself, Bill.

I'm busy with
our other research.

What other research?

The research
that I care about.

It's called
the placebo effect.

We give patients
fake scents?

No, there's more to it
than that.

For example, what is your
best-selling perfume to date?

Two coffees, please.

It's a cologne, in fact.

It's called Rake.

- Rake?
- Mm-hmm.

Because men splash it on

and think of gardening tools?

- Sunday chores?
- More Don Juan.

We think it sells well

because men
like to envision themselves

as ladies' men.

It gives them confidence
with women.

Exactly.

The idea changes the behavior,

also known as
the placebo effect.

I know this is gonna be
hard to believe

coming from a salesman,

but I don't believe
in fakery.

We won't be faking.

Our scent only arouses
1/4 of the women.

I wouldn't sell a shampoo
that only cleans hair

- one out of every four times.
- Yes.

But when the placebo works,

it's effect on the body
is very real.

We see it all the time
in the clinic.

Somebody is suffering
from a sexual dysfunction

and they feel like
there's no hope.

But then they hear about us,

and all of a sudden,
there's a way forward,

a path toward a cure.

So, we continue with
the study, but tell the women

the thing they're smelling
contains pheromones.

Because it does.

And that pheromones
are nature's own aphrodisiacs,

- which they are.
- We tell them that.

And then we see
if our numbers improve.

Well, this research might keep
me here in St. Louis awhile.

You might be a genius.

Well, if you insist.

Now, I've been thinking
a lot about this,

and, uh, you said it yourself.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

About looking
the other way, you know?

There has been
far too much of that here,

far too much deceit
and subterfuge, you know?

From now on, no more secrets,

because secrets
tear people apart.

Sure.

Everything just
out in the open.

Okay.

Um...

You need to modernize
your wardrobe.

Oh, I-I mean Virginia, Betty--

about her time with Dan Logan.

It's blinding her, you know,

diverting her from the work
that we need to be focusing on.

So, we need to find out what's
really going on with Logan.

We... meaning me?

It is vital
to the stability

of everything
that we have built here.

Okay.

Oh.

Hmm?

Oh!

Ah, hell.

You did good.
Listen. You did a great job.

Here you go.
Careful. It's full.

Okay.

Paul, I'm--
I'm sorry I'm late.

It's okay.
I, uh, gave the speeches.

We're just, uh, waiting on you.

I got MVP.
Is my trophy in there?

I'm sure it is...
somewhere.

Uh, hopefully,
there are trophies

for all the players
that contributed.

Okay, Hornets,
bring it in, guys.

Come on over.

Finally,
now that the hardware is here,

we're gonna give out
some awards, okay?

And, uh, I'm gonna make you guys

suffer through
some more boring speeches,

and I apologize for that,
so bear with me, okay?

He is so good with kids.

I think coaching's
been a real solace for Paul

during this time of upheaval.

I think it has.

We should probably
organize something

with Joy's other girlfriends,

make sure he stays fed,
don't you think?

Or, you know,
I could just... feed him.

It's been two months.

He's hardly wasting away.

Libby,
I'm looking for an excuse.

You're gonna think
I'm terrible,

but how long, exactly,
does a widower have to wait

before he can start,
you know... eating?

I don't know.

A year?

Says who?

Says...
Emily Post, I've heard.

Well, Emily post
is also a divorcée,

so she would definitely be
on my side.

And a delicious man like that
shouldn't go to waste.

Don't you want Paul
to be happy?

Of course I do.

Yeah, he's--
he's lost his wife,

and you are recently divorced,
so...

So...
you don't mind playing Cupid?

Also, certainly,
a thank you to Coach Masters

for his--
his help on the field.

- Paul...
- Yeah?

You remember Stephanie,
Jacob's mom.

Of course.
Hi. How are you?

You may not be aware,

but Stephanie is, uh--
she's recently divorced.

Oh, well, that got to the point.

To the--

Oh, you're setting us up.

It was my idea. I know.

But at some point, I thought,
"Why be coy?"

She's right.

I mean, you're both single,
you're both smart and nice.

Smart and nice. Wow.

Stephanie,
can I offer you a refill?

- Yes. Thank you.
- You're very welcome.

Here you go.

If we ever have a daughter,

we should do her hair
like that.

- Oh, like Jeannie's?
- Yes.

No, no. You got to be
born in a lamp.

No, it's adorable!

I could do it one day,

and then you could do it
the next day.

- But no hat.
- I love the hat!

Hel, that hat looks like

it's for a monkey
who should be clanging a symbol.

Austin.

Okay. How does
the other guy look?

Oh, no. You're not
gonna be one of those exes

that shows up when he's drunk?

Even though we're not exes.

Even though we only did it once.

They're gone.

What? Who's gone?

My kids.

I lost custody of my kids.

Oh.

Okay. Okay. All right.
Get in.

Austin, I'm so sorry.

It's all right.

The judge said,
and I will quote him directly

because he was such
a complete and utter asshole...

Sure. You know,
get comfortable.

He said that I was unfit.

Now, all my life, people have
told me that I'm very fit.

My Uncle Lionel was
in the fucking Olympics, okay?

I didn't know that.

Archery?

Pentathlon.

So, to tell me
that I am unfit now

when my fitness really matters,

when the fitness stakes
couldn't be higher...

Here I am!

With nothing left! Nothing!

You have taken everything
that has meant anything to me!

You have--

Get a blanket.

Dennis.

What are you--
what are you doing?

You're a doctor, right?

I mean, you help people?

I-I do.

I, um, heard
you wrote a book about...

people's private parts.

About sex-- yes.
Yes, I did.

Is everything all right?

I don't think so.

I think...

something's wrong with me.

And originally,
it gets produced in here.

It's called
a nocturnal emission

or, colloquially,
a wet dream.

It's incredibly common
and perfectly normal.

Are you sure?

I couldn't be more sure.

Hasn't your father or...

someone explained
any of this to you?

- Ow!
- John!

Get out of my house!

This is my house!

Get out!

Austin, what are you doing?

I can't sleep.

Can I sleep with you?

When hell freezes over.

But I'm miserable.

I also threw up.

- Where?
- In the john.

But I still feel awful.

Okay.

I'll get you some ginger ale.
It'll settle your stomach.

I don't know how I got here.

I mean, how did I become,

God, such a giant fuck-up.

Hey. You were a...
pretty good doctor

and a really good
diet-pill salesman.

That was all bullshit--

the opposite of
when I'm with my kids.

That's when
I was really myself--

watching "Lost In Space,"

playing concentration,

grilled cheese.

Well, you are...
on their level.

That is for sure.

I always figured having
kids would force me to grow up,

but... it was the total opposite.

I knew who I was with my kids.

It's the only thing
I was good at.

That is not true.

You know it's true, Betty.

I know it's true.
That's the problem.

Can I have some more?

You are here today

because science is on the cusp
of a startling discovery--

a discovery about
how and why

we are attracted
to one another.

It appears that human beings
emit certain chemicals.

Now, these chemicals--
pheromones, they're called--

work to attract us
to one another.

Pheromones don't smell,

and yet we believe that they're
detected through the nose,

sensed, if you will.

And these pheromones travel
from one person to the next,

sending secret messages
of sorts,

directly into our brains
to grab our sexual attention--

a raw sexual attractant,

pure animal magnetism.

Uh, I need some invoices signed,

but the doc isn't in yet.

So, how you doing?

Fine.

How's Dan Logan doing?

Fine. I think.

Can I say something,

uh, you know, honestly,
but also in confidence?

Of course.

I think the doc

is a little worried
about Mr. Logan,

about the, uh--
the effect that he's--

well, he's having on you.

I'm sorry.

- Uh, the effect?
- But, actually,

I'm a little bit more worried
about the doc, to be honest.

I-I think he's a little...
undone by Mr. Logan's presence.

So, Bill sent you to...

pump me for information?

He asked me to inquire.

But the only reason
I'm even doing that

is 'cause...
I came a long way

to get to that desk chair
out there,

and I have no interest

in watching
this whole operation blow.

Nothing is going to blow.

Betty.

Tell Bill that--
that we spoke

and that I reassured you
that everything is fine.

Mr. Logan and I
are simply moving on

to the next stage
of the scent research.

Which is true, Betty.

Reproductive Biology
Research Foundation.

Did you, uh,
check on top of the fridge?

I already looked there.

Well, then maybe Helen
finished the frosted flakes.

But that's what I eat
for breakfast every day.

Well, then fry an egg, then.

Just don't leave the
refrigerator door hanging open.

Oh, I got to go.

Are you--
are you hiding from me?

Hiding?

No. That would just be silly.

Because I-I just saw
you talking with Virginia.

I'm hiding from you

because I do not want to have
this conversation.

Why? What did Virginia say?

First of all,

there is nothing going on
between her and Logan.

She said that?

Well, of course
she said that now.

But what if you were to take her
out for dinner, you know?

- Maybe have a drink or two?
- No!

My responsibilities here
are varied and far-reaching,

but reffing a fight
between mommy and daddy

is not one of them.

Hey, hey.

Maybe I can spare you
a lot of grief

by sharing with you a tidbit
I've picked up--

one you seem to have missed.

Trying to control other people
doesn't work, ever.

The only person you can control
is yourself.

So, you got no relevant
information out of her

- about Logan.
- Oh, for the love of God!

Are you kidding me?

The placebo reaction.
With scents?

The preliminary
results are very interesting.

Would you like to see them?

So, Logan didn't get
the, uh, results he wanted,

and now he wants to test
fake results.

No.

No, I wanted to study
the power of suggestion,

something that you and I have
talked about in our own work.

Virginia, it--

is there any, uh...
particular reason

you're insisting
he stay here?

I'm making lemonade
out of lemons, Bill.

I didn't want Dan Logan

to join us
as our principle investor,

if you'll recall.

I wanted Hugh Hefner.

But you ignored my request,
not for the first time,

and as a result,

I have found something
in his work

that adds value to our work,

an avenue that invites study.

If you want to investigate

the psychosomatic effects
of treatment,

in five seconds,
I could design a study

that is far more tailored
to our work

than some-- some phony
sniff test with Logan.

Even if he does go,

you can't force me to work on
your surrogacy program.

- My surrogacy program?
- Isn't it your program

if you're going forward with it
regardless of my objections?

Bill, I haven't put my foot down

about something
that you are interested in,

and so I would expect
the same consideration from you.

In fact, I insist upon it.

The institute
that bears both our names

has enough room
to accommodate us both.

Dr. Masters,
sorry to interrupt,

but, um,
Jack Coleridge is here.

Go ahead, Bill.
I think we're done here.

Mr. Coleridge,

allow me to introduce
Nora Everett.

Miss Everett, Jack Coleridge.

Nora, I-I don't know
what I was expecting,

but... I wasn't expecting
anyone so pretty.

You are too kind.

So, where are we going?

Well, I guess I don't know
what you would like,

so... I haven't really
picked yet.

Well, how about you
give me two choices you like,

and then together we can decide
what sounds best?

That's great.

This--
this is nothing.

I hope not.

This is unexpected.

Yes, well, uh,
turns out that Bill

is gonna have to work
late again.

Oh?

Uh, so, we won't be able
to use these ballet tickets,

which is why I'm giving them
to you and Stephanie.

Well, that's, uh--

that's very thoughtful of you.

Well, I can see
the two of you

are really hitting it off,

and since I feel
I had some hand in this,

- and, uh--
- Wait.

You were watching us?

No, I--

I was just getting the mail,
Paul.

I can't help it
if Stephanie's laugh

travels like a hyena's.

Your friend Stephanie.

All I'm saying is,
uh, please take the tickets.

I will.

And, uh, I better call Stephanie
right away,

see if she's available.

So... cross your fingers for us.

Fingers crossed.

Enjoy the evening.

We will.

Oh. You're home.

As usual.

I supposed you want
dinner, as well.

I, uh, haven't even
given it a thought.

Where-- where have you been?

I was just next door

offering Paul
our ballet tickets.

Uh, well, it turns out
he's dating someone.

Stephanie.

Her son was on
the football team.

Good for him.

I'm not sure if it's good.

Okay.

Have you been drinking?

At work?
Of course not.

Although, since my day
has been extremely trying,

I am gonna have a drink now.

Yeah, well, my day has
been no picnic, either, so...

how about I join you?

Sure.

Just completely infuriating

how some people are... so...

Treacherous?

It's like one of--
one of our investors.

He's-- he's one of those people

that's like a-- like a virus,

the kind that mutates,
metastasizes into a cancer.

Yeah, how do you
get rid of people

you want to get rid of?

You redouble your efforts.

Why don't we ever do this?

What?

Drink together.

Because I'm always
standing here

and you're always
in the kitchen.

No, I mean--
I don't mean like that.

I mean--
why don't we ever talk?

- Aside from every day?
- No, I mean--

I mean really talked
or... make love.

Libby, we--

we've been married
a very long time.

Yes, we have.

God knows I'm not talking
about fireworks.

But if you were dying

and you had
one final moment to...

look back at your whole life,

at the things that mattered
the most to you...

what would you say
about our marriage?

Well, we tried our best.

Both of us.

We gave it our very best.

I'm not sure.
Maybe the police?

Who are you supposed to call

when you think someone
may have taken their own life?

- Helen?
- Betts!

I just got home,
and I found this.

What?

Look at this.

Uh, "nothing to live for,"

and then at the ending,

when he says about
the St. Louis Arch.

Oh, my God. Okay.

Well, he-- he can't mean
the thing about the Arch.

You've got to be a sherpa
to get up that thing.

So, where is he?

I--

Oh. I didn't hear
you girls come in.

Oh.

Uh, I was just doodling the way
a depressed person does.

- Ha!
- How would you even

climb up the Arch?

That was
a thoughtless, childish,

moronic thing to do!

Okay, I'm--
I'm sorry, but...

on the other hand,
what reason do I have to live?

I don't know.
Why don't you ask the Arch?

No, I mean it.

My kids are gone,
I have no wife,

even my parents have died.

I'm... nobody's son,
nobody's husband,

nobody's father.

But... you are the father
of our child.

I'm not even that.

You said it yourself.
We did it once.

No. You helped us make a baby.

Wait.

What?

Are you serious?

I just got back
from the doctor.

I'm... pregnant.

You're gonna be a father.

You, too.

So, even with the added
ingredient of suggestion,

our numbers
are about the same.

Maybe a little better,
but not better enough.

Well, a little better
is not nothing.

It was a nice dream--

a cologne scientifically proven
to attract women.

First of all,

it should be marketed
towards women, not men.

A perfume that a woman
could put on

to help her feel more sexual,

perhaps even awaken
a whole part of herself

that's been dormant
or repressed.

You know, it is what's
happening out there

in the real world--
a sexual awakening.

That's exactly right.

So, if we could
tailor this research

and turn it into a perfume

- for women...
- But--

Give women
a sense of power

so they can take charge
of their own lives.

"Do I want to feel
sexy and aroused tonight?

Yes, I do."

Now, that--
that would be exciting.

Yes, it would
if it were true,

but it's not.

We don't have the numbers.

Virginia, I'm sorry.

I think my work here is done.

What are you guys
talking about?

- Mrs. Tate.
- She sounds like a duck.

Smells like one, too.

Oh, 'cause I thought
he was asking you

to explain
how his penis worked.

What?

Yeah, so, uh,
Dennis went to my dad--

my dad's
a really famous doctor--

and my dad had to show Dennis

a book on how to fix
his broken penis

because he was too stupid
to figure it out on his own.

Shut up.

Yeah, that's probably why
you phoned three grades, Dennis.

You're always gonna have to rely on
the smart people to explain things to you.

Smart people like my dad.

- You feeling ready for this?
- Yes.

Remember, just a partridge
in a pear tree.

Start with the arms.

When he's feeling comfortable,
rub his arms again

before moving on to his chest,
and so on,

and just keep
building up from there.

I know, Dr. Masters.

We've been over it
a hundred times.

Hi.

- How are you?
- Nervous.

Nora: Understandable.

I'm gonna take off
my robe now, okay?

Okay. Um,
I'm just gonna follow your lead.

Sorry.

It's okay.

Just remember the whole
point of today is

to make you feel good.

That's nice.

- Really nice.
- Good.

I'm gonna move on to your
chest now, okay?

Okay.

Although... if you wanted,

you could move
a little further than that.

I don't know how long its been
since I've seen that.

You're like a miracle worker.

It's all a part
of the process.

But for now,
your chest only, okay?

It feels so good.

Could you maybe...

Not on the first visit.

It's been so long

since anyone's
touched me like that.

I know, but--

What if this is
the only erection I ever get?

I may not have
another chance.

You will. I promise.

Please.

I wouldn't ask, except...

it would mean a lot to me.

I-I'm not a young man anymore,
and...

Please?

I do not understand it

when we've gone over and over
this time and time again!

I'm so sorry. I-I--

You risked compromising
his entire treatment!

And for what?

I felt he was
so distracted by his need.

- I thought that if I just--
- You crossed a line

that cannot be crossed.

And if the surrogate doesn't
understand the boundaries--

But I do know the boundaries,

and-- and he did
end up feeling--

Do not tell me that
it's okay because it worked.

You cannot play fast and loose
with my patients that way.

I am sorry. You're right.

I-I really apologize.

You have to understand
how much this means to me,

how badly I want to succeed
at this.

I'm sure you do,

but I really don't see
how that's possible any longer.

But-- but I was meant
to do this work.

Well, you might think
so, but from what I saw today--

You saw one mistake!

And I do understand the work,
and I do understand you.

But what you don't understand
is me,

how hard I worked to...
to be a better person.

You think you know about
my life, but you don't.

You have some vague recollection
of my parents,

but you have no idea what
was going on inside my house.

You don't know
that my father left

and then my mother
made me pretend

he was still coming home
every night when anyone asked.

You don't know that he told me
that he loved me

but that he didn't want
a family,

when I was the only child.

I was the one
that made it a family.

I didn't know that.

You also don't know that,

when my father
was in the house...

he hit me.

A lot.

Of course,
I thought it was my fault,

that somehow, I was bad,

that maybe, if I tried harder,
he would love me.

If I just tried harder,

maybe none of the bad stuff
would happen.

I-I do understand.

And I hope you know
that whatever you did,

it wouldn't have made
any difference.

I know that now.

And I know...

that I have love to give

and that I have a kind heart
and I was meant to share it.

And it's only sometimes,

very rarely, that I go back
to that old me,

and I think I have to do
what people say

or they won't love me.

And so, just then,
I slipped.

But it was just a slip.

And it's not
the me I am now,

if that makes any sense.

It does.

I really do
want to continue here.

And-- and I am asking you
for a second chance.

Well, um...

if the situation
were reversed,

I would hope that someone
would give me that chance.

So...

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr. Masters.

Yeah.

And now
I've kept you here so late.

You must be starving.

There's still--

there's still Chinese
in the fridge.

How about I make you
a plate?

You probably shouldn't
let yourself in here anymore.

Sorry.

Uh, I can leave my key
if you want.

What are you doing here, Libby?

It was my day
on the meal rotation,

and I thought you might like
some braised chicken.

But maybe I shouldn't be
so presumptuous,

reading your mind
about what you... might want.

Well, what do you want?

You.

You were right.

I am-- I am so sick
of pretending all the time.

This is where I want to be.

I don't tell people that--

what a mess everything was
when I was growing up.

Well, a sad childhood

is not something people
often discuss.

I won't even tell
my boyfriends.

Although some of mine,

they actually ended up
being like my father.

That's a--

A common phenomenon.

I even felt it a bit

when you were angry with me
just then.

Felt it?

It made me...

drawn to you.

Well, you know,

it's good that you can
catch yourself now

when you see those patterns
repeating.

And it's good I have
someone I can talk to about it.

Yes. That's good, too.

I've always been the one

that slips out the back door
before the party's over

without saying...

much of anything, really.

Bad at endings, huh?

I've been accused of that,
myself.

So...

I don't go to New York
very often, but...

if I do,
I will certainly--

You'll look me up.

I will.

You don't have to worry
about New York.

All right.

I understand.

Because I'll still
be coming to St. Louis.

But...

you said yourself

that we have come
to the end of the road.

I don't care
about the road.

What if I just came for you?

No.

I mean...

it doesn't work like that.

Well, it may not.

But the thought
of not seeing you every day

is not something
I'm ready to accept just now.

So, what if
I keep coming here...

because we love each other?