Party of Five (1994–2000): Season 1, Episode 20 - The Trouble with Charlie - full transcript

[Will] It's incredible news.

Karen Klimsky...

...said maybe.

-She said maybe?
-Amazing, huh?

She said maybe
she'd go out with you?

She definitely said maybe.

Well, so when
will you know for sure?

Very soon.

Look, Will,

not to throw water
on this or anything...

Will...



What are you
playing games for?

I mean, that girl, uh,
Donna what's-her-name...

-Sheingold.
-Yeah!

If she's actually
interested in you...

I mean, she practically
follows you around
the cafeteria at lunch.

Have you ever seen
that show
Let's Make a Deal, Bay?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

Donna Sheingold
is like that box

Carol Merrill
is standing next to.

Karen Klimsky
is the big deal
of the day.

Take the box, Will.

Oh, that's...
That's very funny
coming from you.

I mean,
not to be insensitive,
but talk about waiting around

for something
that's not likely to happen.



-It's been like a month, Bay.
-Yeah.

So? You never know.

Well, come on.
At least talk to another girl.

-Look, Will,
just mind your own--
-[girl] Guess who.

What?

Oh, come on. Don't tell me
you forgot already.

-Kate!
-I knew you'd remember.

Hey, Will.

[Kate] Oh!

What...
what are you doing?

I can't believe
I pulled this off.

I was dying to call you,
but I wanted it
to be a surprise.

See, they canceled classes
for two days
for this conference thing.

Anyway, all I could
think about for a whole week
was seeing the look
on your face.

I missed you.

[theme song playing]

♪ Everybody wants to live ♪

♪ Like they wanna live ♪

♪ And everybody wants to love ♪

♪ Like they wanna love ♪

♪ Everybody wants to be ♪

♪ Closer to free ♪

♪ Everybody wants to live ♪

♪ Like they wanna live ♪

♪ Everybody wants to love ♪

♪ Like they wanna love ♪

♪ Everybody wants to be ♪

♪ Closer to free ♪

[water splashing]

But Charlie, I don't know
how to ski.

That's why they have
things called lessons.

Look at this.

You can take a horse-drawn
carriage ride
right into town.

What about the kids?
Are we taking them?

You're kidding, right?

We can't just leave
Owen and Claudia.

Why not?

Bill's here during the day.

And Bailey, he's 16.
He can handle it
for four days.

And if there is a problem,
which there won't be,

I'm sure that Jill
will be happy
to be on-call 24 hours.

Anything else,
Miss Positive?

We're gonna do this
right, too...

Rent a huge place
with a roaring fire.

We'll go skiing all day,
and then we'll go out
dancing at night.

Oh, Charlie, it sounds
incredible, but...

-What?
-It's just...

Oh, it's so much money.

So what? I have $15,000
sitting in my pocket.

I'll be damned if I'm gonna
just put it in some bank.

If I'm never gonna be
a rich businessman,

at least I'm gonna
have some fun.

I'm gonna live a little.

Okay.

And I don't want
to hear about it
from any of them.

No one else has a say anymore.
Just you and me.

My money, my life,
my decision.

We're going.

[school bell rings]

[teacher] See you tomorrow.
Study. Be smart.

-Julia!
-Hmm?

You got a minute?

I've, uh, I've got
some news for you.

News?

You know that wonderful
short story you wrote,

-The Children's Room?
-Mmm-hmm.

Well, this is
very exciting.

Every year,
SF Magazine sponsors

-a fiction writing contest.
-Oh.

No.

-Oh, no, what?
-I, um...

I don't want
to be entered in any
fiction writing contest,
Mr. McCoolgen.

Actually, I'd really,

really, really like
to be withdrawn
from consideration.

Hmm. Well, it's a little
late for that.

You already won.

Oh, God. What's the matter?

Nothing. I just, uh...

I'm a little overwhelmed.

It's an incredible honor.

You've no idea.

What exactly do you win?

Well, there's a cash prize
of $1000, I believe,

and a presentation
of some sort.

But the best part,
the best part is...

Please don't say it.

They publish your story
in the magazine.

[gasps]

Julia?

Shoot me.

Go ahead and, and
shoot me right now.

Does it come
with a Jacuzzi?

I see. Well,
we definitely want one.

How much extra
is the Jacuzzi?

And how long can
you keep that reservation?

Great. I'll call back
to confirm.

Thanks a lot.

So, how did it go?

Mallomars, Charlie.

I told you to get Mallomars.

Imitation brands suck.

Well, how many?

A lot.

How many is a lot?

A couple...

A few.

Some.

Six.

Six?

Six? Six cavities?

That's, like, 25 percent
of your teeth, Claud.

You eat way too much sugar.
That's the problem.

I do not.

Yes, you do.

Why don't you have
a nice piece of fruit
when you come home
from school?

-Why don't you get a haircut?
-I'm serious, Claud.

When was the last time
you had a vegetable?

When was the last time
you put down the toilet seat?

Okay, that is it.

I'm getting rid
of the sugar cereals.

What?

We'll get some of that
sugar-free granola stuff,

and you can have
some raisins and maybe
an orange juice bar

when you come home
from school.

Wait a sec.

Raisins?

Raisins? Is that a joke? Do you see me laughing?

Six cavities
is completely insane.
At this rate,

you're gonna have
enough silver in your head
to set off the alarms
at the airport.

Yeah, okay. Fine.
Savor it.

It's the last one
you're getting
for a long time.

So, like, what exactly
were you writing to her
all this time?

I don't know.

I told her
about all the stuff
I did with Jill,

only I said
I did it with you.

You told her you
and I slept together?

Very funny.

Oh, God.
What if she can tell?

Don't take this
the wrong way, Bay,
but having sex

hasn't, like, changed you
so that you'd notice.

Yeah, I know,
but it would
totally wreck her. I mean...

And it's not even
like I'm still with her.
I mean, if we...

...if we were
still together...

-You and Jill?
-Right.

Then I'd have to tell her.

-Tell Kate?
-Right.

But we're not together.

-You and Jill?
-Yes!

-Try and keep up, would you?
-Look,

it's not so easy. I mean,
are you and Kate
still together?

I know she's assuming it,
but are you?

I loved Kate.

Past tense? Huh? I said, I love her.

No, you didn't.
You said, "I loved--"

Look, shut up.

I don't know, maybe...

Maybe it took being
with someone like Jill

to make me appreciate
being with someone like her.

Like Kate?

Yeah. Yeah.

She's great, isn't she? Kate?

She's great.

[cheers]

[clanging]

Hey, man, you seen
a pair of skis anywhere?

Uh, don't think so.

Hey, Charlie,
you got a sec?

I know they're back here
somewhere. Aha!

Claudia's. Damn.

Uh, the landlord just
hiked up my rent.

Really? Bummer.

Want to help me
with this stuff?

Yeah, and I'm kind of
stretched tight as it is,

you know,
financially speaking.

So you're going to look
for a new place?

Well, actually,
I'd like to talk to you
about a raise.

A raise.

Huh.

Yeah, I was thinking
maybe $50 a week.

Fifty, huh?

Uh, the thing is, Bill...

The thing is,
when you were hired,

we agreed to the salary
that you're making now,

which is $150 more a month
than the last nanny we had.

Not that you're not
worth it. I mean,
you are, you're great.

Owen loves you.
We love you.

Um, but the agreement was
every six months,
you'd get a bump.

Yeah, and it's only
been three months.

Right, I know.

[sighs]
It's just this rent thing.

I'd just rather not
start messing around

with the understanding
we have, you know?

Hey, you.

Need some help with that?

I'll take over from here.
You relax.

You okay?

Is there something you want?

Of course not.
I just thought
I'd help you out. I mean,

-that's what people do when
they love each other, right?
-[Charlie] Dinner!

Right, so why are you
doing this for me?

[laughs loudly]
You're great.

Hey, you.

Oh, I heard that Bach
you were playing.
It sounded great!

-Thanks.
-[Charlie] Dinner!

I just, I think
very highly of you,

and I thought you
should know that.

And if anyone ever
tells you that I don't--

Why would someone
tell me that?

No...

No reason.

-Are you joining us?
-Of course!

Family dinner, you bet.
Listen, Charlie, um...

I was just wondering...

Do you happen to know
what the phrase
"dramatic license" means?

[Claudia]
Broccoli. Blech.

I don't like it.
You know I don't like it.
I never liked it.

Try it again. Maybe you'll
like it this time.

What's that supposed to mean?

Parents say that to kids
all the time, and...

It doesn't make any sense.

Why would I suddenly
like something I've hated
my whole life?

Did you prepare it
so it wouldn't taste
like broccoli?

Are you some kind
of cooking genius?

Has my taste changed
overnight?

I don't think so.

We'll sit here
until you've finished
eating the broccoli.

I can't believe
you would throw away
everything we have

over a stupid plate
of vegetables.

I hate you now.
You know that.

I'll probably hate you forever.

Eat.

Don't you dare.

What are you gonna do?
Tackle me?

Throw me into the ground?
Lock me in my room?

Claudia, for God's sakes.

I mean it.
I'm warning you.

I'm done with dinner.

Okay, that's it.

No more TV.
The set is not going on,
not for a single second

for the rest of the month.

You lose, Claud.

[music playing on car radio]

Something's different.

You. Me?

I'm different?

You kiss differently.

Uh-uh.

Yes, you do.

-No, I don't.
-Yes, you do.

I do not, Kate.

Okay, okay, you don't.

It's okay if you do, though.

I mean, if you
kissed someone else
while I was gone.

I mean, three months
is a long time.

Why? Did you...

Kiss someone?

Kyle Engstrom.

He took me to see
Pulp Fiction, and...

We kissed outside my dorm.

Kissed or made out?

Kissed. One kiss.

-Tongues?
-No.

Well, maybe he did a little.

It was just that one time.
We're not seeing
each other or anything.

What are you doing?

Kate, are you trying
to make me jealous?

Is that what you're doing?

I'm, uh...

Looking for signs
that we're okay,

'cause, I don't know,

it just feels like
we're 10 degrees off
or something.

Doesn't it feel
that way to you?

No.

Are we okay, Bailey?

'Cause your letters, they...

Started out
like conversations, and...

They ended up like
you were writing
to your aunt in Cleveland.

And lots of times
on the phone, you had to go.

And your eyes...

They seem...
Are you sad
about something?

Ten degrees off, huh?

We can fix that.

I'm sorry your family
isn't here for the presentation.

Oh, yeah, well, you know...
They're very busy people.

I understand. I mean,
I know they love me.

At least, they have
up until now.

You know, I just
got the impression
on the phone this morning--

Julia!

What are you guys
doing here?

-Are you kidding me?
-Why didn't you say something?

Do we have to get
a phone call
from the magazine?

Oh, you know
how private I am.

Jule, this is great.

-I mean, this, this is great.
-Hmm.

Oh, um, well,
I guess I should
introduce you guys.

This is Carolyn Prousky.

She's the editor
of the magazine. And this is
my brother, Charlie,
and this is Kirsten Bennett.

I guess you guys spoke.

This is your
oldest brother?

Why?

Well, I guess I should
keep my distance, huh,

I mean, if I know
what's good for me.

-What?
-N...nothing.

Well, it's like Reg...

...stepped right off
the page and walked
right into the room.

Reg?

Reg. Did you...

-Did you write about me?
-Well...

You mean you haven't
read the story yet?

Well, I guess Julia thought
that she would surprise you.

No kidding.

Well, here.
Take a look for yourself.

I have to, uh,
start the proceedings.

Would you excuse me, please?

Charlie, don't.

Why not?
This is so exciting.

Well, I'm embarrassed.
Come on.

Uh, please, give it back.
I mean it.

No way. Reg, huh?
Listen to this:

"A three-day growth of beard,

a paint-stained shirt,
rough hands,
they all worked for him.

It was as if
he did not need words
to speak to women."

Wow.
That is very well written.

-You're welcome.
-Hey.

You'll just be
impossible to live with
if you read any more.

[rock music on headphones]

-They sound amazing.
-Don't they?

[Bailey]
Will and I heard them
at this club in Berkeley.

They don't even have
an album out yet.

This is a bootleg,
from one of their concerts.

They sound just like
this band from NYU,

that plays weekends
at this club I go to
in the city sometimes.

Really?

Know what we've got to do?

We've definitely
got to do this.

You tell Charlie
that you've got to come east
to look at colleges.

We save up money,

don't ask me how.
Well, you take off
a Friday and a Monday,

and we spend
an entire weekend
in New York.

That sounds good.

[car approaches]

Oh, God, I gotta go.

I promised my Dad.

-Tonight?
-Uh-huh.

I knew this would happen.

I mean...

I really hoped
it would happen.

You seem much more
like yourself today.

I was actually afraid to...

Come back and see you.

That's silly, huh?

Kate...

Tonight.

[Kirsten]
Why bother waiting
until we hit the slopes?

Why don't I just
hurl myself
off the front porch
and break my leg now?

-Kate! Hi!
-Hi.

-It's good to see you.
-It's good to see you too.

You're not leaving
right this sec?

Yeah. Dinner
at Square One
with my dad
and my stepmom.

But Bailey and I
are gonna meet up later
if you guys want to come.

Okay, 'cause
I'm just gonna be so late.

Okay, see ya.
Nice to have her back, huh?

Where's Owen?

Bill took him with him
down to the...

Department of Housing
or something.

He had to see
if this rent hike
of his was legal.

Well, my landlord
in Berkeley

was always pulling
stuff like that.

He's only asking
for 50 bucks a week, Charlie.

I mean, that's nothing. It's not nothing.

It's $2400 a year,
which is diapers
and groceries,

and violin lessons,
and your car insurance and...

Look, I don't need
to explain this to you.

Bill and I agreed
he'd get a raise
every six months.

It hasn't been six months.
When it is, he'll get one.
That was the deal.

Say, Kirsten,

just out of curiosity,
how much are, uh...

How much are lift tickets
these days?

What? Uh...

I don't know. Well...

Forty bucks?

Which means that, uh,
that between a hotel room

and ski boots and what it costs
to get hauled up
a stupid mountain, you two

are gonna blow
enough money in four days

to pay for
three months of Bill.

That's right.
We're gonna blow my money.

You know, Charlie,
we don't have to.

-I mean, go skiing.
-We are going skiing.

This is my money, Bailey,

not your money,
not the family's money.

Money I earned
walking away from a job

that none of you
wanted me to take.

And I can spend it
any way I damn well please
without having to answer to you.

[Claudia] Julia!

Julia!

Julia!

-Julia.
-God, do you mind?

Where did you find that?

Not the issue.

"Watching her
play sometimes,
it seemed that she was

less a little girl
than a machine."

I can definitely explain.

"Hour upon hour,
she would practice,

not moving,
the music repeating
again and again
without variation,

without a hint
that a human heart
beat inside the body

that moved the bow
that touched her strings"?

First of all,
that's way overwritten.

Claud, this isn't even
about you. I mean...

Well, I changed
lots of things.

This, this girl doesn't
even play the violin.

No. The viola!

Wow, you'd have to be
Sherlock Holmes
to figure that one out.

What the hell's going on?

Claud, it's just a story.
I mean, it really isn't
meant to be you.

You wrote about Claudia?

I was publicly humiliated
in a regional magazine.

Oh, very funny.

Let's see who's laughing
after you read page 134.

Bailey, don't.

[Claudia] I want
a public retraction.

What?

I can explain.

"Sex drive with legs"?

He moved through life
as if the only thought

that coursed
through his brain
was, 'do it.

Do it, find someone
and finally do it.'"

Wow, is that overwritten.

Bailey, this really
doesn't mean anything.
I mean, you take

one little character thing
and you blow it up,

you know,
out of proportion,
to make a good story.

I mean, this is...

Not how I feel
about you guys,
and I really,

a lot, respect you,
and you've gotta promise me
not to tell Charlie.

Charlie's in here too?

Please, don't tell him.

For a price.

What do you think
you're doing?

Watching
A Song to Remember.

Apparently,
you didn't understand
what I said last night.

[sighs in frustration]

Claudia, shut off
the damn TV.

This is practically
my favorite movie,
and it's, like, never on.

Well, you should have
thought of that

before you didn't eat
your broccoli last night. I don't care.
I'm watching it.

[TV volume gets louder]

You listen to me,
and you listen good.

You do not make the rules
around here. I do.

We've read about
civil disobedience
in school,

about oppressed people
standing up to tyrants.

I am not a tyrant,
and you are not oppressed.

-I am an adult...
-[TV gets louder]

...and you are 12 years old.
I'm allowed to tell you
what to eat,

and what to watch on TV,
and when to go to bed!

[TV music gets louder]

That's it.

Claudia, go to your tent.

Let's see...

Uh, regular coffee, please.

[Girl] Hey, there.
Guess who.

Hey, K...

Jill.

Good guess.

Say something.

Anything.

What do you want me
to say, Jill?

I guess you're still
mad at me.

Really?

You think so?
I don't know.

I've only spent
the last month thinking
that you were maybe...

In a ditch somewhere.

I thought you were dead.

No, not dead.

I spent about a week just...

Going around in circles--

Gilroy, Fresno, Monterey...

[sighs]

Just hitching rides anywhere,

because these truckers,
lots of them,

they take stuff
to stay awake
on the road.

They'd give me some.

They'd buy me hamburgers,
and they'd let me
crash in the back.

I hitched this ride
with this one guy
who was, uh...

...driving artichokes
down to San Diego,

and somewhere
around Santa Barbara,

he put his hand on my leg.

Hardly even noticed at first.

I was just thinking,

"Maybe he'll give me
some money

so I can buy some stuff,
some speed,
when I get down to LA."

And then his hand started
moving up my thigh,

and I was just,
looking at it,

thinking...

"Why can't I feel this?"

Suddenly, I knew...

If I made it down there,
I'd never come back.

I'd never see you again.

That scared me, Bailey.

It scared me so bad that...

I ditched this guy
at the next truck stop,

and I ran across the highway,
and I hitched a ride back home.

I am three weeks
into a rehab program
at my Mom's hospital.

I'm clean.

I didn't want to see you
till I could say that.

[door chimes jingle]

[Kate] Hi! How's it going?

Say something.

I'm glad you're okay.

That's it?

Bailey...

I got to go. What?

I got to go.

[door chimes jingle]

I swear
I am going to kill her.

-Inhale...
-[inhales deeply]

-Exhale.
-[exhales loudly]

Attaboy.

I'm just going
to tiptoe downstairs

and put poison
in her Corn Puffs.

Hey.

I just remembered,
I'm supposed to watch
that penguin special

on the Discovery Channel.

How about knocking, huh?

So you're gonna
have to put
the TV back in.

No go, Claudia.

It's for school.

Forget it, Claudia.
When I say no,
I mean no.

And since you seem
to have trouble
understanding this concept,

maybe you'll
understand this one:
you are grounded.

-What?
-For the next week,
you're not leaving this house

for anything
except for school
and violin lessons. That's it.

No going to Artie's house,

no hanging out at Salinger's,
no Saturday matinees...
You're not going anywhere.

[sighs] I'm getting an ulcer.

[Kate] Oh, I ran into
Jennifer Mitchell on Polk.

You didn't tell me
she and Peter broke up.

Oh, I didn't?
Yeah, I guess they did.

She seems really bummed.

And she asked me
if she gained weight...

And she did gain weight,
and I said no, but, man, she was, like...

[laughs]

Oh, God, they were
together forever.

Are you listening?

Yeah. Sure I am.

You jiggled your leg
through the whole movie.

Yeah, well,
it was stupid.

I mean, nothing
ever happens like that.

Like, all their problems
are solved

because their eyes meet
across some subway platform.

That's supposed to be
realistic? Come on.

So who's that girl?

What girl?

That girl, the one
in the coffee house.

The blond one, the one
you were talking to?

Oh, you mean Jill.

She's just...
She's just a girl.

You guys have
a class together
or something?

Yeah. Yeah.

What flavor did you get?

Hmm.

When you're done
with Bailey's closet,

I'd like to have
my CDs alphabetized.

Now, would you like
those all together,

or separated according
to type of music?

Oh, hey,
that's a nice idea. Do that.

And, uh, could you
scrub these clean

with a washcloth
and a little soap?

You want me to clean
your sneakers by hand?

You hate clean sneakers.

Not anymore.

Claudia, I said I was sorry.
I said it over and over.
Isn't that enough?

No.

Oh, and, uh...

Thurber pooped
a couple times on the lawn.

I wouldn't say anything,
but since it's rained, it's...

Getting kind of gross.

Uh, Owen's down
for the count.

I'm gonna take off,
if that's okay.

Sure.

-Uh, Bill?
-Hmm?

We were playing cowboys
and Indi...
Uh, Native Americans.

Politically correct,
but doesn't have
the same ring to it, does it?

So, uh,
whatever happened
to that rent hike, huh?

Oh, yeah, that. Uh...

Nothing to be done. It's...

It's not
a rent-controlled building.

So basically, I'm screwed.

Anyway, forget it.
It's not your problem.

I'll see you
in the morning, huh?

Hey, man, wait a second.

Uh, you need a raise,
you got it.

What?

Really? Because
when I talked to Charlie--

We all know how lucky
we are to have you,

and it would be
really stupid
for us to lose you

over a lousy 50 bucks
a week, right? So...

Wow, man, that's,
that's great.

Thanks a lot.
That really helps.

You don't know
how much that helps.

See you.

I'm just thinking.

A four-day weekend,
that's not enough time.

Day three, you're already
thinking about coming home.

I need to get away.
I need to unwind.

Need to get Claudia's
miserable little voice
out of my head.

-Hmm.
-I need a week.

I definitely sympathize.

Where did you get that?

I was looking
all over the house.
I couldn't find
a single copy.

Newsstand.

I'll leave it for you
when I'm done.

What about
Europe, huh?

What if we really
took a trip?

Italy or something.

Have you ever been?

Kirsten?

I'm sorry. What?

That good, huh?
Julia's story?

[chuckles] Uh...
Amazing.

Let me see it. Come on.

-I want to read about Reg.
-You don't, really.

Yes, I do. It's about me.
I'm fascinated.

-No.
-Give it here.

It's like--
It's, it's...

It's silly.
It's women's stuff,

very touchy-feely.
Trust me, You wouldn't
be interested.

What's this about Italy?

You're gonna tell me
to forget it, right?

You're gonna say,
"What about the kids?

"Who's gonna
take care of them?
What if something happens?"

You're gonna say no. Actually...

Actually, let them manage
on their own for a while.

I think we should get away.

Wow...
That's a switch.

A new irresponsible you.
I like it.

Hmm.

Charlie, what are you--
Don't. Don't.

Why?

Just don't. [children shouting]

Kind of wild
downstairs, huh?

Claudia, she's...
She's having
a slumber party thing.

You didn't
call me all day.

Boy, it just
must have killed you
when I ran away, huh?

I mean, you must
have been devastated.

Obviously.

So tell me,
how long did it take you
to meet someone else?

Hmm? Two days? Three days?

-A whole week?
-That was Kate.

Kate. Right.

She seemed nice.

She is nice.

And, and honest.

And fun, and easy to be with.

Oh, up yours, okay?

What are you doing
here, Jill? Huh?

How many chances
do you think you get?

I don't know. I...

I guess I need one more.

What?
Are you kidding me?

What do you think?
You think you could just
ditch me whenever you want?

Huh?

And lie to me,

and make me, make me
worry all the time

because you might be
dead somewhere,

and then you come back
to me. You say,
"Please, help me,

please help me.
I can't do this
without you."

And what am I
supposed to do?

I can't say no to you.

But...

But I can't keep
saying yes, because then

I'll never get out of this,
and I don't want this anymore.

Okay? I don't.

I want things
to be simple and easy,

and I don't want you
coming back into my life

and making me scared
all the time, and making me
feel guilty, okay?

I don't want it.
I'm sick of it.

I don't want it.

Okay.

[door closes]

Jill...

-[girls shouting] Eighty-four!
Eighty-five! Eighty-six...
-Julia! Julia!

Eighty-seven, eighty-eight...

Eighty-nine...

Claudia! Claudia,
what is going on?

-Have you lost your mind?
-No.

I told you--

You told me
that I was grounded,
that I couldn't go out.

Well, I didn't go out.
I brought everyone in.

So actually,
technically, you're...
Ow! Charlie, ow!

-You're hurting me!
-You are not

doing this
to me anymore.
Have you got that?

When I tell you
to do something,

you say, "Yes, Charlie.
Thank you, Charlie,"
and you do it!

You obey me
and you treat me
with respect,

-or I swear to God--
-What?

What are you gonna do?
What are you gonna
take away from me next?

That is not
what's going on!

And in front of
all my friends?
Forget it!

Why do you get
to boss me around?

Cut it out, Claudia!

-You never listen to anyone!
-I don't want to hear this.

-Why should I listen to you?
-Because I'm the father
around here now!

-I don't care!
-God--

Some father.

Claudia...

Wow, did you get a load
of the mess downstairs?

Charlie?

I'm sorry.

Charlie, I'm sorry.

I never meant
for you to read it.

And I never meant
for it to be published,

and it's really not meant
to be about you.

I swear it isn't.

Right. Sure.

The guy works in a club,
not in a restaurant.

He's 23, not 24.

He's nothing like me.

He's not.

That's bull, Julia,
and you know it.

Okay, well, maybe I started
with some stuff

that was a little about you,

but I exaggerated.

I mean, I made it
worse than it is. Much...

...worse,
and I didn't mean--

That Seattle thing
didn't work out
because of you guys,

not because I blew it off,
not because
I can't focus on anything.

Right. You gave
that up for us.

It wasn't
your fault at all.

And I don't
screw around anymore.

I mean, I haven't,
not for a long time.

I'm living with Kirsten.
I love her.

I don't care about
just getting laid.

I know that.

I know, Charlie.

Please, don't be mad at me.
I mean, it's fiction.

This is not how
I feel about you at all.

Right.

Of course it's not.

-You sure you got your tickets?
-Got it.

-Chewing gum?
-Check.

-Something to read?
-The Odyssey.

I'm all set, Bailey.
You don't need
to worry about me.

I mean that.
You don't need to worry.

I'm not as fragile
as you think I am.

I was thinking...
I was thinking that

writing to each other
every day
is a lot of work.

So maybe...

We should say we'll write
when the spirit moves us,

when we have something
really important to say
to each other.

-Same with phone calls.
-Really?

-That's what you want?
-[elevator bell dings]

And...

This guy, Kyle Engstrom,

he really likes me a lot.

I think when I get
back to school,
I'm going to tell him

we could go see a movie
or something.

I think that would be
a good idea, don't you?

Yeah, maybe.

If he's a nice guy.

Is he a nice guy?

Yeah. I think so. Very nice.

Well, okay, then.

I want you
to be happy, Bailey.

I want you to be happy, too.

Would you do me a favor?

Just...wait a while
before you let me know

you've met someone else,
okay?

Okay.

I'm eating an apple.

-Yeah? Good for you.
-It's really delicious.

I'm really enjoying it.

Did you know apples
are really good
from a dental standpoint?

We learned that in school.

If you can't brush
for some reason,

eat an apple.

[sighs]

I'm gonna be eating
lots of them from now on.

Broccoli too.

Have you seen the checkbook?

-I'm sorry, Charlie.
-Yeah? Well,
help me look for it.

I mean, I'm sorry
about before.

You know,
about the sleepover.

[sighs]

For making you so mad.

I didn't know
it'd make you that mad.

-You almost hit me.
-I don't want to talk
about that, okay?

-But you--
-Okay?

[Bill] Hey, guys. We're off.

Hey, man.
Have you, uh,
seen the checkbook?

Oh, I meant
to say thanks.

-For coming through
with the raise.
-What?

And I promise you,
I won't be hitting you up
for another one for a while.

I'm just glad
you thought about it

and decided you guys
could swing it.

It really helps out
a lot. So thanks.

Mmm-hmm. Sure.

Okay, well,
we're off to the park.

[door closes]

Bailey! Bailey!

Where's Kate?

She's on a plane.
Going back to Connecticut.

Oh. I get it.

No. No, you don't.

What?

[sighs]

The thing is,
I've always been smart
about stuff, you know?

I mean, not stupid.

Look, I don't know
what's happening to me.

-What are you talking about?
-Well, it's like...

It's like I'm not in control.

You know, I...I...
I want to do one thing...

You know, I plan...

To do one thing, and...

I end up doing
something else.

I love you.

And...

And I don't know why.

And, and I don't think
that I wanna love you.

I think I wanna stop.

I just...

I don't want
to want you so much.

But I do.

Bailey...

I do.

[car horn honks]

[horns honking]

Come on, Julia.
You've been in there forever.

[Julia] Just a sec!

Claudia, you got it?

I couldn't find
Blueberries for Sal, but...

He likes this one too.

Hey, sweetie.
We're just going
to read Owen a bedtime story.

[Owen gurgling]

Charlie.

What's with you, man?

Are you okay?

Did something happen?

I just...

I can't do this anymore.

Do what?

What are you talking about?

You gave Bill his raise, huh?

-Even though I told you--
-Yeah.

-Yeah, I just figured--
-Well, I don't want
to hear about it, okay?

I'm just...

Bottom line, I am just sick
of being second-guessed.

And I am sick
of being undercut,

like it's just assumed
whatever I do is wrong.

[sighs] Like you never
made a bad choice.

Okay, I'm sorry.

I didn't...

-Look, if that's it--
-No.

[scoffs] That's not it. That's not even close
to being it.

It's like I don't even
have the authority
to make a single decision

and have everyone say, "Okay."

That's the way
it's gonna be
because Charlie said so."

-Is this all because
of the sleepover?
-No.

It's like...

What's yours is yours,
and what's mine is yours.

I don't have anything
that is just mine.

Not the money that I make,
not the right to take a job.

-This is about Seattle.
-[sighs]

It's all of it.
It's everything.

Everything is a fight.
Nothing's easy.

You won't let me
make decisions,

and you won't let me
make the rules. You...

You won't even
let me make mistakes.

And I...I...

I can't keep doing this,
and then know that
you don't even appreciate it.

You don't even respect me.

Charlie, I swear we do.

[Charlie sighs]

And then I get angry and...

I do things, Claud...

That...

I don't mean to do.

And that really scares me.

I mean, that makes me think
I got to get away.

And not just for
a four-day weekend
or a week.

I mean, really away.

'Cause if I ever
actually hit you...

Charlie, you didn't hit me.

-Just forget about it.
-No.

Charlie...

You need me
to be a man, but...

You won't let me be one.

And...

I have to have
something that's just mine,

something that I don't
have to fight for...
or beg for.

[sighs] And I...

I can't breathe here anymore.

[sighs]

So...

I'm getting my own place.