The Affair (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 7 - Episode #4.7 - full transcript

Previously on The Affair:

Mr. Solloway,
you, uh, got a second?

-What's up?
-I was, um, wondering if you

could take a look at this other
thing I've been working on.

-You reapplying to Princeton?
-Maybe. I don't... I don't know.

[assistant] Mr. Solloway,
Principal Wilson's on the phone

with the president of the board.
You shouldn't--

-Are you firing me?
-What-what's going on?

-Why are you here?
-I thought you should read this.

Don't tell him
I gave it to you.

-I owe you an apology.
-No, no, I-I barged in.



-So, you still my boss?
-I'm on probation.

Next week, I have to
supplicate to the board.

Thank you for this.

I'll read it over
and figure out what to do.

[Noah] I'm happy
to brainstorm with you.

[Anton]
Forgot my history book.

I got my quiz tomorrow, and...

-Mom?
-We were just, um,

discussing your
Princeton essay.

-You showed her?
-Princeton? Again?

[Janelle] He wants
to go to the school.

[Carl]
We made a decision.

[Janelle]
Just read the damn thing!

Nellie, let's just admit
what this is actually about.



You were never gonna let him
stay here for school.

[Nan] No one drives
all the way across the country

just to see about a surfboard.

[Cole] Truth is I'm in love
with somebody else.

I'm gonna tell her how I feel.
So I'm going home.

I'm so glad that you guys
moved in here.

The last people had
a very stagnant energy.

But you...
your being is, like...

it's a little...
[clicks tongue]

-It is?
-Yeah, I don't know.

I-I guess we'll find out.

[Vik]
I'm going to die.

And I haven't really
made a single choice

for myself.

[Sierra] I am going
to Joshua Tree.

We go out there a couple times
a year to do a moon circle.

-Do you want to come?
-I totally, totally don't.

-Oh, okay.
-Okay?

Cool.

I have pancreatic cancer.

I am going to die.

What do you want me to do?

I told you,
I want to have a baby.

If you really want
to do something for me,

you can do that.

♪ I was screaming
into the canyon ♪

♪ At the moment of my death ♪

♪ The echo I created ♪

♪ Outlasted my last breath ♪

♪ My voice it made
an avalanche ♪

♪ And buried a man
I never knew ♪

♪ And when he died,
his widowed bride ♪

♪ Met your daddy
and they made you ♪

♪ I have only one thing to do ♪

♪ And that's be the wave
that I am, and then ♪

♪ Sink back into the ocean ♪

♪ I have only one thing to do ♪

♪ And that's be the wave
that I am, and then ♪

♪ Sink back into the ocean ♪

♪ I have only one thing to do ♪

♪ And that's be the wave
that I am, and then ♪

♪ Sink back into the ocean,
sink back into the ocean ♪

♪ Sink back into the o... ♪

♪ Sink back into the ocean ♪

♪ Sink back into the o... ♪

♪ Sink back into the ocean ♪

♪ Sink back
into the ocean ♪

[soft background music playing]

Excuse me.

Do you know where
I can find rolled oats?

Aisle four,
beside the granola.

-Excuse me, can you--
-Are you making overnight oats?

No. What are
overnight oats?

My sister turned me on to them.

If you're like me,

a total wreck
in the morning,

it'll save your life.

-Yeah?
-Yeah.

It's only like
five ingredients.

-Okay.
-Rolled oats, almond milk,

chia seed, peanut butter...

Oh, shit.

Chia seed,
peanut butter,

almond milk...
maple syrup!

And you need
a mason jar.

Do you have one?

One with a
really good top?

-I think so.
-[Helen] Excuse me. Could you

please tell me where
to find the Medjool dates?

Oh. Sorry, sweetheart.

What do you need?

Medjool dates.

I can't find them anywhere.

Sure, sure. Aisle seven.

[clerk] So, the key is to mix
everything together--

And can you tell me where
the pregnancy tests are, please?

Aisle two.

[sighs]

♪ quiet, ambient music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[sighs]

♪ I can never get enough... ♪

Mom, why are you taking
so many pills?

Um, they're vitamins,
and they're for Vik.

I thought, if I organized them,
he might actually take them.

Oh.

They're cancer vitamins?

♪ As for me, I've got it
all right here ♪

I love that song.
Turn it up.

♪ You're all I need,
I'm just a boy... ♪

Actually, why don't you
turn it off?

All right,
you guys, come on.

-Backpacks, lunches.
-[music stops]

Homework. Let's go.

-Let's go.
-Hold on.

-No. Come on.
-I'm going.

-You're not going.
-Yes, I am!

Can I talk to you?

What's up?

I took a pregnancy test
this morning.

Why would you do that?

Because I'm late.

We were just at the doctor.
You're not pregnant.

Yeah, I... well,
I know that now. I--

Didn't you hear anything
that Dr. Roper said?

Yeah.

You're entering
menopause, Helen.

That's why your period is late.

[sighs]

You know, things can happen.

It's not impossible.

Janet Jackson was older than me.

Don't you think I'm too young
to be in menopause?

Don't you think
I'm too young to die?

Vik, wait.

Kids, let's go!

I'll make sure
he takes them, Mom.

Thanks, baby.

Bye.

♪ quiet, ambient music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[gasps, chuckles]

Helen.

Oh, my God,
you scared me.

Hi.

[panting]

You want some?

Yeah. Sure.

I know you hate California.

You have to admit,
we have better weed.

When did I say
I hated California?

I can just tell.

You're one of those
East Coast snobs

who just loves to act
like you're in exile out here.

Oh, no. Where is that
cookbook your mother wrote?

It's in there.

Yeah, but which one?

See, the thing that you
transplants don't understand

is that California is actually
the cradle of civilization.

Uh, actually, I think that's
somewhere in the Middle East.

Yeah, if you're talking
about patriarchal society.

I'm talking about
matriarchal society.

And you think that started here?

Not right here.

About 150 miles east,
in Joshua Tree.

Sierra?

You know nothing you're saying
is true, right?

Such a cynic.

[chuckles]

I win.

Oh, wait.

No, I don't.

You know, I wouldn't
have figured you

for a solitaire type of girl.

My mom taught me
when I was a kid

so that I could keep myself
entertained when she was on set.

I didn't really have
many friends my own age.

That's why I'm such an old soul.

No, you're not an old anything.

Helen, I'm gonna
be 30 next year.

Wow.

No, you don't understand.

Thirty is almost, like,
50 in actor years.

Well, I'm almost, like,
50 in people years.

Yeah, but you're still
really fuckable.

I'm never gonna be
that fuckable

when I'm your age.

What time is it?

I don't know.

Alexa, what time is it?

[Alexa]
The time is 11:04 a.m.

Oh, shit.
I gotta get an Uber.

Where you going?

To Joshua Tree.

To my women's moon circle.

I invited you, remember?

You kind of spat in my face.

Yeah, I'm sorry about that.

It's fine.

It's too bad, though.

I mean, I just had
this intuition

that you really needed
some guidance, but...

[cell phone buzzes]

[clicks tongue, sighs]

What is a moon circle, exactly?

New moons represent beginnings.

It's a time for planting seeds
and setting intentions,

and then committing to behaviors
to help us manifest them.

And I'm really looking
forward to this one,

because Gaelle
is going to be there.

Who's Gaelle?

She's my guru.

She's a healer.

She's a true gift.

I mean, my work with her
has been so transformative,

I don't even see
my therapist anymore.

Fuck it.

I'll go.

-For real?
-For real.

Oh, my God. Awesome.

[Sierra] You sure Vik
won't mind us borrowing his car?

Um, he might, but I don't
particularly care at the moment.

What kind of music
do you like?

Oh, I think probably nothing
that you would like.

Try me.

Uh, I don't know.

I like rock music.

I like some folk music.

Patti Smith?

Uh, sure.

She's my favorite
when I'm super depressed.

Probably listened
to this album

like 500 times
in the past week.

-Why were you super depressed?
-Um...

[Patti Smith's
"Peaceable Kingdom" plays]

I fucked a married man.

I'm really annoyed
with myself

because I've done it before,
and it never ends well for me.

I see.

And I even know his wife,

and I...

I really like his wife, so...

it was a stupid thing to do.

Why did you do it?

My mom broke up
like two marriages,

so I guess I just always thought
that's how you vet a man,

like how you know
if he's stable or not.

You mean, if he's married
to someone else?

Yeah, like,

that's how
you can tell

if he's serious
about commitment.

That's what my mom
always said.

You're gonna think
I'm full of it,

but I wish I had your life.

Oh.

No, you don't.

No, I'm serious.

I would so much rather be you.

I mean,
look at my life.

Yeah?

Literally, the only
currency that I have

is my youth

or my sex or whatever.

But you...

you, like, have it all.

-[Helen chuckles]
-No, you're...

You're, like,
this smart, beautiful,

sophisticated woman.

You've made all
the right choices.

You have...

I mean,
you don't have men

chewing you up
and spitting you out.

You have a family
and Vik and...

I mean, you have a whole world
that needs you.

Like, literally
couldn't live without you.

How do I get that?

♪ To build it back again ♪

♪ Build the peaceable kingdom ♪

See?

♪ Back again ♪

Told you.

Pretty great, right?

♪ Build it back again ♪

Come on.

We're gonna miss the
Blessing of the Eagle Feather.

♪ rhythmic, tribal music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

I want you all to take
a big, deep breath.

We've made it to the new moon
in tropical Libra.

We call upon this new moon,
our cosmic mother...

[whispers]
That's Gaelle?

Yeah. Isn't she
wonderful?

You said she was a guru.

-[Sierra] She is.
-[Gaelle] Join us...

She's a teenager.

Well, she was
an Incan princess

in a past life.

[Gaelle] Help us uncover
our first selves...

I don't care if you don't
believe me. It's true.

[Gaelle]
We call upon fire...

[Helen] Is she even allowed
to wear that thing?

-What do you mean?
-I mean,

it's kind of
politically incorrect.

-Shh.
-I mean, how many birds

-had to die to make--
-Okay, Helen. Shh.

Let its great power
transmute our negative,

lower energies.

-[Helen coughing]
-And help us

move forward into positivity

and light.

[continues coughing]

For people whose chakras
are particularly blocked,

the sage is very powerful.

I'm allergic to sage.
[sniffs]

It's...
[clears throat]

It's Helen, right?

-Mm-hmm.
-You're lucky the universe

chose to partner you
with Sierra here.

I've rarely met a sister

whose sacral chakra
is more aligned.

[Helen coughs]

[woman]
Get a yurt!

[light laughter]

Thank you for holding space.

Thank you for receiving light.

[Sierra]
Oh, my God, I hate

having to wear clothes
all the time. Don't you?

That's what I love
about being out here.

There's not
a man in sight.

It's so liberating.

-[Helen] Uh...
-[Sierra sighs]

So, what's the, um...

What's on the, uh...

What are we doing tonight?

Well, I don't know exactly.

Um, with Gaelle,
anything could happen,

but we usually have a banquet,

and then we do the moon circle.

Cool.

Ooh. This...

is for you to wear to dinner.

Oh, uh, do I have to?

Well, no, you don't have to,

but I don't know
how you expect to have

a transformative experience

if you don't at least try
to participate.

[gong crashing]

What is that?

That's the dinner gong.

Gaelle loves that thing.

So, um...

what's up with the make-out sesh
with you and Gaelle?

Oh. Yeah, there's a little more

to that story
than I initially let on.

Is she your girlfriend?

No. No, I mean,
she's not... not now.

She was, briefly,
for like a second.

So you're bi?

I don't like labels.

Well, no, of course you don't.

Um, I should call Vik
and tell him

I'm not going to be home.

How is Vik?

He's fine.

I just... I-I saw him
the other day,

and he seemed a little tired.

Well, he has a huge job, so...

Hi. It's me.

I'm just calling to say
that I'm not coming home.

Um, and the kids are with Noah,
so you're on your own.

Uh, there's some of your mom's
baingan bharta in the freezer.

Okay. Bye.

[gong crashes]

Are you really not
gonna wear that?

Because you're gonna be
the only one.

Okay, fine.

[short chuckle]

So... what about you?

Um, what about me?

Do you only sleep with men?

Um, mostly.

Um, say more.

[gong crashes]

[Sierra] I forgot to tell you
about the pièce de résistance.

Later tonight, we're going
to a sensory deprivation tank.

[Helen]
A what?

Seriously,
you don't know

what a sensory
deprivation tank is?

-Should I?
-Oh, my God.

Helen, you're
gonna love it.

The water is warmed to
your exact body temperature,

and it's like
this big womb,

and you just kind of float
in this mystical cocoon,

and it's, like,
totally transformative.

You use that word a lot.

Yeah, I'm just
noticing that, too.

[Gaelle] Okay, ladies,
hand over your fears

that you wrote down.

[Gaelle clears throat]

Okay.

Okay, do I have a card
from everybody?

Now, the first step
in validating our narratives

is owning what scares us.

As you all know,
a new moon is an ideal time

for clearing psychic debris
that has accumulated

over the previous lunation.

You have all trusted
your current blockages

to this sisterhood.

Now, together, we will

dissolve them with love.

Okay.

[clears throat]

[laughs]

-I'm sorry.
-Read it!

-[laughter]
-What does it say?

-Read it.
-Okay, okay.

"My boyfriend asked me
to try anal with him last week."

-[laughter]
-And then there's a frowny face

with X's for eyes.

Ladies, suggestions?

[throats clearing]

Butt plugs.

The glass kind.

They're tiny.
They're not offensive.

I mean, at first, I was like,
"Absolutely not.

No way. Not happening."

But they are
a gateway drug to anal.

What if I don't want
a gateway drug to anal?

Oh, you do.

You should listen to the lady.

[laughter]

[Gaelle]
Okay.

[Gaelle clears throat]

Next, let's see.

"I am afraid having children

is going to steal
my creative spirit.

I still have so much
I want to accomplish.

What if I wake up
an old woman

and realize I gave up
all my energy

to my children?"

Fuck.

That...

Anyone?

Okay.

Guys, clearly that's mine.

Um...

I'm, like, freaking out.

Like, seriously, like,
I don't even know...

I'm not prepared for this.

Like, what if this
ruins my life?

[crying] Like, I really fucking
like my life, you know?

[Gaelle] The answer
already exists

in you, Cass.

It will come if you
let yourself surrender.

I am surrendering.

Surrender more.

[Cass]
Okay, Gaelle,

with all due respect,
you have never been pregnant,

and you have no fucking clue
what this feels like.

-Calm down, Cass!
-Guys, don't fight.

I know what it feels like.

I have four kids.

-Whoa.
-Geez.

[laughter]

And I do... I remember
being terrified

before my first daughter
was born.

My husband said I was acting
like a caged animal.

Yes, that's exactly how I feel.

What do you do?

I'm a designer.
I make furniture.

Ah. I love design.

I used to have a shop.

Where?

In Brooklyn.

-It was a great shop.
-Mmm.

But, you know, um,
I can say this.

Your life is about
to completely change.

-Fuck.
-No, but not

in the way you think.

It-it doesn't get smaller.

It gets larger.

[Cass] How?

Okay, when... right after I had
my first daughter, Whitney,

I had this moment,
and I remember it very clearly.

I was looking

at her little face,
and, um,

it suddenly occurred to me
that she was going to...

outlive me.

Her life was going
to extend beyond mine,

and I was finite.

You know, really just dust
in the fucking wind.

And so...

I just said to myself,
"Okay, then, if that's true,

what am I going to do
with my one

wild and precious life?"

Mary Oliver.

You guys don't know
Mary Oliver?

Okay, but what
was the answer?

Like, what did you do?

Well, I had
more children.

-Oh, that's nice.
-[laughter]

But I love being a mother.

And not everybody does,
and that's okay.

I mean, you don't have to give

everything over
to this little person.

You just have to make
some room for her. Or him.

It's a girl.

The heart actually does expand.

I-I have no idea how it does it,

but it seems to always be able
to make room for children.

Helen...

I'm passing my guru baton
to you this evening.

-Oh, please don't.
-[laughter]

I...

I have to.

Tonight belongs to you.

[applause]

What happens if
my husband loves a baby

-more than he loves me?
-Well, he won't.

And my boyfriend
wants to get pregnant.

I'm not so sure
about him,

but I want to really have a kid,
so should I just do it?

-No.
-[others] No.

Don't do that.

Like, what if I don't
find a man in time?

Should I just do it alone?

You can,
but it's very hard.

But, I mean, that's why you guys
have each other, right?

Why you have this group?

Look, I want to be
honest with you.

No matter how many new moons

or tropical Libras
you circle under,

the only way out of this thing
is through it.

I mean, and you can talk to
astrologers or gurus or shamans,

but the only thing
that really works

is living and making choices
and making mistakes,

and then eventually,

you get old enough...

and you start
to figure shit out.

I thought we were going
to a sensory derivation bank.

A sensory deprivation tank?

What did I say?

I think maybe we should
take that away from you.

Actually, be careful,

'cause sometimes
Gaelle's stuff is laced.

Oh, well.

[takes a deep breath]

So, what was your fear
that you wrote on the card?

Um, I couldn't think of one.

Your life is so perfect
that you don't have any fears?

[laughs]

My life is a total
fucking wreck.

I thought I was pregnant
this morning.

Oh, my God. Are you?

No. I'm in menopause.

Oh.

That's a bummer.

Is it?

I don't know. Is it?

I mean, do you want more kids?

You know...

I have four children.

I don't actually want
another baby.

I just... you know,
but Vik wanted it.

And I thought that I
should give that to him.

But this whole day,
I've been thinking about it,

and I've been wondering,
how many of my children

did I want?

Was it for me,
or was it for Noah?

Who's Noah?

My first husband.

I mean, all my life,

I've been feeling...
I don't know how to say this.

I've been feeling needed.

By men, by my children.

You know, I remember when Noah
and I first got together,

his mother had just died,
and-and-and...

I remember how much
he wanted me,

in this kind of really
desperate sort of way.

And he would just, like,
climb into bed with me

and need to fuck me,

to feel, um, connected

or, uh, safe

or cared for.

I don't know, and I-I was...

I was happy to give that
to him when I was young,

because I thought that that's
what I was supposed to do.

And then my children came along,
and they're just all need.

You know, they're like
little, tiny,

little, walking balls of need.

And men... men don't understand.

I mean, they have
this notion of...

of-of what bringing a child
into their lives would mean,

but... but-but they only do
a fraction of the work,

and the rest is, like, up to us.

I think I'm...

I think I'm relieved
to finally be in menopause,

because I will never...

have to make a decision
like that again.

You mean whether or not
to give a man what he wants?

Yes.

Yeah. Fuck.

Yeah.

I think maybe
that's it.

[chuckles]

You know why...

You know why I like
having sex with women?

No. Why?

Because I find that sex
with women is just...

so much more intimate.

You know?

Because I can relate
to their struggles,

because they're my struggles.

And so, when I see
a woman there naked

and confident
and hungry for orgasm,

it's like this
primal admiration.

It's very sexy.

And also,

usually with women...
[clears throat]

I feel like I have
a lot more control.

And, um...

I don't know,
control is really hot.

♪ "Peaceable Kingdom"
by Patti Smith ♪

♪ Yesterday I saw you
standing there ♪

♪ With your hand
against the pane ♪

♪ Looking out the window ♪

♪ At the rain ♪

[both moaning softly]

♪ Maybe one day
we'll be strong enough ♪

♪ To build it back again ♪

♪ Build the peaceable kingdom ♪

♪ Build it back again ♪

[both chuckle]

Listen, can I give you
some advice?

Yeah, okay.

Um...

lay off the married guys.

Yeah, I know.

You don't, really,
because you're not married.

You've never been married,
so you couldn't know.

And that's okay, but...

When you sleep
with a married man,

it's not just him.

There's a whole constellation
of people behind him,

and it takes...

years to build trust
in a marriage.

And when you sleep
with someone's husband,

it's not just a moment.

It's years of his life,
and hers,

and the promise they made to
each other and-and their kids,

and it's everything.

And you're just shitting
all over it.

Fuck.

[dance music playing]

[indistinct, festive chatter]

The deprivation tank is here?

Yeah.

I want to have
four kids one day, too.

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

-Hey.
-No.

Sorry.

Hey, Helen.

There you are.

Oh, my God, I found it.

I found the tank.

Come on. Let's go.

♪ quiet, ambient music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[spits]

[taps lid]

[beating lid]

[gasping]

[gasps]

[Sierra]
Helen.

Helen, wait.

Where are you going?

♪ tense, atmospheric music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

Helen.

What are you doing here?
I-I thought you were

in the desert tonight.

What's wrong?

Come here.

What is it?

I don't want you to die.

I don't want to die, either.

♪ quiet, ambient music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[crying]

Don't die.

Please don't die.

-I won't.
-Promise me.

I promise.

I promise.

[shuddering breaths]

-[Noah] Trevor, straighten up.
-[Trevor] I am.

-[tires squealing]
-[Noah] No, you're not!

[Trevor]
Well, I'm trying.

[Noah]
Holy shit, stop!

Brake! Brake!

[both panting]

This sucks.

Come on. I thought
you'd enjoy this.

Why?

Well, your first
driving lesson.

I don't know.

This isn't my first.

Vik lets me back Mom's car

out of the driveway
sometimes.

Yeah, I know, but, you know,

here you're learning how
to steer and park and...

Whatever.

[sighs]

Okay, buddy, why don't you
try reversing out?

Are you giving up?

This is pointless.

I can't even take driver's ed
until next year.

Vik and I were gonna
start lessons next summer.

Hey, Trev.

Listen, I-I wanted to talk
to you about something.

Your friend, Brooklyn...

What about him?

Well, I just
wanted you to know

that if there's... if there's
anything you wanted to...

tell me about him or...

-Anything at all.
-[Trevor sighs]

Can we just get Stacey
and go back to Mom's now?

Please.

Of course.

[engine starts]

♪ quiet, ambient music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[Trevor] You better not be
heading for the Switch.

[Stacey]
It's my day!

[Vik] Helen!
What did you do with my razor?

-[kids running]
-[Helen] Hey, knock it off.

What?

[Vik] Razor!
It doesn't have a blade.

Well, I threw it away.
It was dull. Oh, hi.

[Vik] It was only dull because
you shaved your legs with it!

There's more of them
in the top, right-hand drawer.

How was the lesson?

-Can I talk to you?
-Yeah, sure.

[Trevor] You'd lose your mind
if I went into your room!

[Stacey] I didn't go
into your room!

I swear to God,
if you guys don't stop...

You and Vik need
to work with me.

-Work with you?
-I am trying

so hard.

I've upended my life

to follow you here
for Vik's work,

-to be near my kids.
-Yeah, me too.

And you guys
won't meet me halfway.

I don't... What?

This is supposed to be
a partnership, Helen.

We are co-parenting,
and right now,

I am the only one
extending myself.

You won't encourage
the kids to call back.

You roll over my visitation.

Vik is incredibly competitive
with the kids.

I mean, for fuck's sake,
Helen, they are my children.

Not his.

You just need to tell him
to back the fuck up.

He's dying.

Vik has cancer,

and he's going
to die soon, so...

...maybe you'll forgive us

if we aren't
at our best right now.

What kind of cancer?

Does it matter?

The kids know?

Oh, God.

You should have told me.

Why would I
have told you?

Because we're friends.

No, we're not.

Jesus, Helen, I...

I'm so sorry.

Look, i-if there's
anything you need,

anything I can do...

I-I can take the kids.

You and Vik
can have some time.

Oh, God, Helen, I...

Sorry. I can also...

I can just give
you guys some space.

That would be great.

Sure.

Thank you.

[Anton]
Hey.

What the fuck?

Sorry. Your-your door was open.

Did I scare you?

[sighs]
No.

It's the hoodie, right?

The hoodie makes me
seem threatening.

Better?

That's not funny.

Yeah, it is.

Well, now that you've
made yourself at home...

want to tell me why you're here?

How do you even
know where I live?

Read through my mom's
personnel files.

I've seen all your pay stubs.

Well, then you should have known
not to eat all my prosciutto.

I'm playing.
I-I White-Paged you, actually.

It's that easy, huh?

That's disturbing.

Yeah, I think you
can get it blocked.

I need your thoughts.

Okay. What about?

On whether or not
I should join the Marines.

What?

What about college?

I need to be my own man,
Mr. Solloway.

I-I can't keep
letting my parents

push me around like this.

It's not right.

Look, I know you and my mom

have something
going on right now.

She can be a real bully.

You should know that.

Yeah, I do know that, Anton.

I also know that she loves you
like a crazy person,

and right now she's having
a hard time letting you go.

And that's normal.
That's not her.

That's just what happens
when the time comes

for kids to
flee the nest.

You'd really rather go to war
than go to college?

Well, they said the chances
of me seeing combat are slim.

Yeah, they're lying.

This country is pretty much

at war somewhere
all the time.

Well, any way I go,

one of them is going
to be disappointed.

Look, you came here.
You want my advice, right?

I really think
you need to see Princeton.

Just see it. Just...

spend some time there.

You have this idea in your head
that it's a terrible place.

Maybe it is,
but maybe you'd like it.

Well, how am I supposed
to pull that off?

It's all the way
across the country.

Your mom will take you there.

No, she won't.

-How do you know?
-I just do.

Have you asked her?

How did you get here?
You drive?

No, I Ubered.
I never get to drive.

I don't have a fucking car.

Okay. Let's go.

Where are we going?

To talk to your mom.

No. I just got here.

She'll kill me
if she finds out

-I came to you.
-Come on.

I'll let you drive.

Down the PCH.

[Janelle] Why can't you rebel
like a normal kid?

Go to Europe for a year.
Date a white girl.

You really want to fuck
with me and your dad?

Do the Peace Corps in some
awful third-world place.

Don't join the fucking Army.

-Marines.
-Boy, I will kill you.

Look, if I go to the Marines,
I won't be a victim.

What are you
talking about?

How is shooting
other brown people

gonna give you agency?
Hear yourself.

No, hear yourself.

It is always about race
and agency with you.

What nine-year-old has

a Black Revolutionary-themed
birthday party?

Fucking Marcus Garvey
on the chocolate cake?

Malcolm X napkins?

-Like, who does that?
-They make those?

Yes. This is what I've had
to deal with my whole life.

-To protect you.
-Look, if I have a target

on my back,
why shouldn't I sign up?

At least then
I'll have a gun.

-What are you doing here?
-Your mother called.

She didn't know where you went.

You can't disappear without
telling her where you're going.

You know that.
She worries.

Why? I'm 19 years old.

Tell him.

Go on.

You're such an adult.
Tell him.

Tell him
what you did.

I talked to a recruiter
about joining the Marines.

You did what?

[clears throat]
Uh...

Hi.

Does this motherfucker
live here now?

Look, I-I know
it's not my place--

Oh, you're damn right.

But your kid came to my house

looking for help, so...

I thought maybe we could all
just talk about it.

Who the fuck does
your boyfriend think he is?

He's not my boyfriend.

Reason he wants
to join the Marines

is because he can't
make a decision

about this Princeton thing

because he is terrified
of hurting one of you.

So, what I suggested
was that

somebody should just
take him there.

Let him see the school,
see if he likes it,

make his own decision.

Sounds reasonable to me.

If I go, it'd have to be

-this week.
-Why?

Because I scheduled
to take the GED next Monday.

Anton... in order
to take the GED,

you have to drop out
of high school.

I can't join the Marines
without it.

-Oh, no.
-You have school this week.

Hell no. You're not joining
the fucking military.

Look, I can miss
a couple classes.

I already took these
fucking classes anyway.

Boy, don't talk like that
to your mother.

Why is it,
whenever you're mad at me,

you act like
you're still her man?

-You want to live?
-Oh, Jesus.

Not another word.

Look, Carl, my friend--

Man, why are you
all up in my family?

You don't have your own?

Yeah, I do.

Then what the fuck
you doing here?

Anton, go to your room.

Carl, go home.

Let's... let's just
sleep on this, okay?

We don't have to make
any decisions tonight.

We don't have to do anything.

-It's my decision.
-Okay.

[sighs] If you want
to go to the school,

I'll take you
this week. I promise.

Janelle, what about
the board meeting?

This is more important.

[Carl]
Janelle, hold up.

We talked about
sending him

to a state school--
public education.

We agreed on that

when he was a baby.

-Things have changed, Carl.
-No, you've changed.

-Dad, what if I want to go?
-Anton, just be quiet.

Just because you
couldn't make it there

doesn't mean I can't.

[Janelle]
Carl!

Hey.

[both panting]

You gonna hit me?

Hit me.

Go ahead.

Carl.

So you a man now.

Okay, be a man.

Go see what it's like.

[door opens]

[door closes]

♪ quiet, atmospheric music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[line rings]

Hi. It's Whitney.
Leave a message.

-[phone beeps]
-Hey, Whit, it's Dad.

Uh, it's super late
where you are.

You're probably asleep,
but I just, uh...

I was just calling to say hi.

Mom keeps me informed
about most things, but, um...

good to hear from you
once in a while.

It's been a while.

Okay. Love you.

Call me if you can.

If you feel like it. Bye.

[knocking at door]

-Hey.
-Hey.

Can I come in?

Of course.

It's nice.

Thanks.

You renting?

Yeah.

Thank God.

How did you find me?

Um, I made Anton
tell me where you live.

What, and you drove
all the way up here

in the middle
of the night?

You didn't call
or text or...?

Should I go?

No, no, please, no.

Sit down.

Can I get you anything?
I... I've got whiskey.

You can, but let me just
say something first.

[sighs]

Thank you for what you did.

I didn't do anything.

No, you did.

You stood up for my son.

That was crazy earlier.

Well, we've all been there.

We've been, uh...

divorced for so long,

you'd think we'd be
over it by now,

figured out a way
to forgive each other,

find some peace.

But somehow...

They say time
heals all wounds,

but sometimes it doesn't.

No, it doesn't.

It just makes things worse.

Anyway, I just...

Of course he should have
seen the damn school.

I should have taken him.

I'm gonna take him this week.

What about the board meeting?

What about it?

If they fire me, they fire me.

[chuckles]

Look, what if I take him?

You?

I'm the neutral party.

I can take him there,
introduce him to my friend.

He can observe a class.

Then we come back,
and he can make his decision.

You'd do that?

I'd be happy to do it.

If it's okay with you.

And Carl, of course.

If it's a choice between this

and the goddamn Marines,
who knows?

Maybe he would.

He should go.

Why are you doing this, Noah?

You really think my son
is that brilliant?

Yeah, I do.

But I'm not doing it for him.

♪ quiet, ambient music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

Mmm.

[panting]

[grunting]

[chuckling]

Does it turn you on

-that I'm your boss?
-Oh, Jesus.

-Janelle, shut the fuck up.
-[Janelle chuckling]

[moaning]

Oh, my. Oh, my.

[chuckling]
Oh, my God.

[panting]

Oh, my.

[chuckling]

[both panting]

Oh, fuck.

Excuse me.
Can you tell me

what the connecting gate
to New York is?

We don't have
that information.

You'll have to check in
on the ground.

Okay, thanks.

Hey.

Because we were
delayed taking off,

we're gonna have to book it
when we hit the ground

to make our
connection, okay?

Should've got a direct flight.

Yeah, well, your mother
booked this yesterday.

We were lucky to get
any flight at all.

Did you talk to your dad?

He won't call me back.

You're listening to my book?

Yeah.

It's pretty good, actually.

Thanks.

[indistinct chatter]

What?

That's weird.

Yo.

Hi.

Uh, we missed our connecting
flight to New York, so...

Uh, no.

"No"?

No, we have no more flights
to New York today.

What about the shuttle?

They're all booked.
[sighs]

We've had delays all day
because of the wind.

What about standby?

Good luck with standby.

Come on, is there anything
you can do to help?

Well, let me see
if I can switch you to...

Ah.

Tomorrow night, 8:23.

No, we have to get
to New York tonight.

Then rent a car.

They're gonna
run out of cars.

[cell phone ringing]

Cole?

Wait.

Wait. Cole, slow down.

What do you mean?

[Anton]
So, who's coming to get us?

[Noah]
An old friend.

[horn honks]

♪ tense, atmospheric music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

[announcer over P.A.] Welcome to
O'Hare International Airport.

Loading zones
for rideshare services

are located on the upper level

of terminals one,
three and four.

I'm sure she's fine.

That makes one of us.

♪ rhythmic, atmospheric music ♪

♪ ♪ ♪