"A Door, About to Open" "He's just all over every damn decision I make--    the size of every room... the height of every-- every door." "It's..." "Well, you have to tell him." "You have to say, "Miles..." "I know." "...I appreciate a certain amount of input, but... "" " Oh, I don't believe it." " You have mail." "Richard Sammler, are you checking your E-mail?" "No." "No, no, no." "No." "I'm talking to you." "I don't have a thing to wear to work." "Eli's obsessed with this girl Cassidy." "Zoe's obsessed with global warming." "At least I think she is." "She won't even" "What in the world?" "No, be thankful." "Eli works Cassidy's name into every conversation." "I just found an old sweater of my father's." "He wore this all the time." "Our kids should meet each other." "What?" "Soon." "Like tomorrow." "Tomorrow night we should all have dinner together." "Wait a second." "Slow down." "Why?" "You don't want to do this?" "Well, of course I want to do it." "I mean, I..." "Maybe if it went well..." "we could all go away together next summer." "You know?" "Don't Eli and Grace get along really well?" "Didn't that tutoring thing work out fairly" "Rick, let's do this." "People postpone things, and they shouldn't." "So it seems like the right time..." "for all of us to... to really get to know each other, because... you have to eat anyway, so..." "It's dinner." "Just..." "Just pizza or something." "What kind of pizza?" "I have to check with Cassidy first." "She might have plans." "You're up for this, right?" ""I have to check with Cassidy."" ""She might have plans."" "My rain hat." "Sweetie, it's not raining." "Is this about the hole in the ozone?" "Hey, Mom, can I borrow your sweater?" "What?" "Why?" "To hide my butt." "What do you think?" "Oh, sweetie, you know what?" "This was actually your grandfather's sweater." "Oh, come on." "Please?" "What-- Oh, Grace." "So are you okay about this get-together tonight?" " I mean, it's really just" " Mom, you are so overexplaining this." "Okay, you're right." "I am." "I'll stop." "Mom, come on." "We're late." "Yeah." "Well, Miles" "Yeah." "Well, I'll try." "Isn't that Eli?" "Mom!" "I thought you liked him." "What are you talking about?" "I'll be right back." "I heard you tell Amy on the phone that you" "You know, you could have skin cancer and not even know it." " Hi, Eli." " Hey." "I--I can't talk to them, okay?" "I" "Let's go." "Hi." "How are you?" "See ya." "Yeah." "Hey, Grace!" "Hi." "How you doin'?" "Um, you know." "Yeah." "I mean, it's fine." "I'll eat dinner with anyone... except... sometimes I'm not that hungry for dinner." "I sort of already know one of them." "Kind of." "So..." "I don't care." "We can all eat dinner together." "I just don't know what we're all gonna talk about." "How's English?" "Uh, not too good." "I..." "Uh, well..." "well, you know" "See ya." "Cassidy!" "Earth to Grace." "I wish I could be in one of those families... like "Little Women," where there's, like, a choice of sisters... so you're not just stuck with one." "Well, let's see." "What else can I tell you?" "She likes tae kwon do." "She's very, um..." "Sweetie, I'll be right back, okay?" "Naomi!" "Naomi!" " Hi." " Hey." "You know Arlene, right?" " Yeah." "Hi." "How are you?" " Hi." "Oh, you changed your hair." "It looks great." "Thanks." "What are you reading?" "I have to know." "Oh, Anne Tyler-- "Saint Maybe"." "You're both reading the same book?" "Yeah." "Naomi started a book group." "That's great." "Well, I--I got to dash." "Happy birthday." "Thanks." "Oh, God, Naomi." "It's your birthday." "Yeah, well..." "Look, I'm..." "The reason I didn't say anything about the book group" " No, no, no." " No, I figured it was the last thing you really needed right now." "Let's get together." "Let's..." "Oh, I promised the kids we'd celebrate-- just the three of us tonight." "Okay." "Anyway, I'm feeling a little weird about this one because" "What am I saying?" "I--I can't get together tonight." "Rick and I are getting our kids together." "I'm actually a little nervous about it." "Well, maybe you shouldn't... do it." " Let me grab him, okay?" " Absolutely." "Happy birthday, Naomi." "See ya." "I understand that." "I..." "Yeah." "So, Mom..." " We're having dinner with them?" " Yeah." "Tonight." "And what is this over here?" "It's a wall." "It's curved." "It's a curved wall." "I see." "So, then..." "the office will be curved." "Correct." "Why is this door here?" "So people can leave." "Miles, I think what the curve gives us is" "Hundertwasser." "What?" "Enlighten your partner." "Miles, I'm aware of who Friedensreich Hundertwasser was." "Then you're aware that he called straight lines..." ""the work of the devil"... and he's been widely written about... since his recent death, which might have brought... all this curvature to your consciousness." "Wait a minute." "What are you saying?" "I have no problem with the reference." "However, the placement of this curved wall... does strike me as inorganic." "Yes." "So is it... an unconscious nod to Hundertwasser?" "That's possible." "I have a few more concerns." "Shall we work through lunch?" "Sure." "Attaboy." "I'm really worried about Eli." " God, you scared me." " And somebody has to do something because" "What?" "Jen." "What are you doing?" "Cassidy is sleeping with someone else... behind his back... and if Eli finds out..." "Okay, wait." "I--I have to close my locker." "What, you don't believe me?" "What?" "No, no." "Of course I do." "I just" "Grace, I know these people, okay?" "I used to be friends with Lisa and Rachel... but they chose her over me when Eli did, so fine." "I don't care, but somebody has to do something because" "Well, so why can't you tell him?" "Oh, right--his ex-girlfriend, who he dumps... tries to tell him not to trust his new girlfriend?" "Real convincing." "He'll listen to you." "You're his tutor." "Grace, he's not self-confidence boy." "It's an act... and if he finds out and that everyone knows..." "I don't even know what he'd do." "So what did you say to her?" "Well, what could I say-- "I asked Karen Sammler..." ""to be in my book group instead of you..." ""because I've realized recently that she and I have more in common..." ""and she actually listens to things I say... instead of being completely caught up in her own world"?" "So is your friendship kind of, you know" "I mean, she must work Rick's name into every conversation" ""Rick this." "Rick that." "Rick and I have plans."" "Oh, that reminds me." " Saj?" " Yeah?" "Call Rick again about Jessie's camp." "Sure." "I mean, you're seeing someone..." " but you don't throw it in my face every minute." " Well..." "You never even mention him." "Well, that's because..." "because... because you're an adult." "I mean, for Lily to just throw herself... from one screwed-up relationship right into another... it is so out of control." "Well, don't you think... that we're all..." "out of control sometimes?" "You're not." "And if you were, you'd never let it affect your kids." "Well, it..." "it's not always easy to" "Karen, to drag four kids into some fantasy... that they're all gonna be one big happy family?" "What do you mean?" "Okay, I may not believe in the flu... but according to this, you do." "I'm supposed to pick up the kids." "I got all this shrimp coming." "You just rest, okay?" "I'll deal with the shrimp... and then I'll pick up the girls." "Thank you, Tiffany." "You're welcome, Jake." "Are you a lesbian?" "'Cause it looked kind of serious... between you and Jennifer today in the hall." "So if it wasn't lesbianic, what was the topic?" ""Lesbianic" isn't a word." "She didn't happen to tell you a vicious lie... about a really close friend of ours, did she?" "'Cause it's completely untrue." "Oh, it's that kind of lie." "Yeah, and if you spread that lie... to anyone... well, you'll be quite sorry." "If it's so completely untrue... why are you so worried?" "Hey, Grace..." "don't take this wrong, but are you African-American?" "'Cause if you're not... why were you dating one?" "I don't know." "Why are you a meshugeneh racist bitch?" "A what racist bitch?" "You know, Eli knows how much you like him." "He knows he could get you to do anything he wants." " He laughs about it." " We all do." "So if people tell you stuff..." "about Cassidy-- bitter people-- just forget it." "Just put it right out of your mind." "Well, I feel encouraged." "If you're encouraged, Miles, I'm encouraged." "That's the spirit." "Yeah, we're all encouraged." "One last piece of jicama for the road." "Miles..." "Rick, I thought we had an understanding regarding your partner... that I would deal solely with you." "You have been dealing with me, Miles... but David works here, too." "Just so he's no longer involved in our process." "Auf wiedersehen." "Look, can I just talk to you for a second?" "Do you know what we're making on this job?" "Do you have any idea" "Do you have any idea what you're like when you're around this guy?" "Yes, I do, and it's because I'm handling him, David." " Oh, you're handling him?" " It's the only rational response to his manipulation." "Yes, I am, and I know he pushes your buttons..." " and I'm sorry about that, but he doesn't affect me that way!" " You don't even see that!" "He doesn't affect me that way!" "I--I called." "Uh, did anyone tell you?" "No, nobody." "I..." "You know, he does get to you." "He makes you look at me differently." "He makes you doubt me." "I'm sorry." "I just" "No, don't be." "If we don't get them in today, I" "Jessie's camp papers..." "Oh." "I have them right here." "I--I have them." "Uh, yeah, they're just..." "Just..." "Okay." "Rick, uh, is-- is there some reason... that you're reluctant to sign these?" "No." "Why?" "I didn't, uh..." "Look, if--if you're uncertain about her going to camp" "I mean, if-- if you have plans" "Karen, I'm gonna sign the papers." "I said I was gonna sign the papers." "Just..." "Can I have a minute to look at the specific dates?" "Fine." "Take your time." "Did I do something wrong?" "No." "I just" "I know... that you and Lily are planning to have the kids meet tonight." "They're gonna share a pizza." "It's no big deal." "I realize that..." "And I assume that you've discussed it with the kids." " Yeah, I have." " Well, good, then." "And thanks for the vote of confidence." "You think I wouldn't have discussed it with them first?" "I'm supposed to just watch while some other woman... becomes involved with my kids... just allow it?" "Sammler and Casilli." "Look, you and Lily, you make your plans." " So what's the problem?" " There is no problem." "What?" "It's me." "Listen, how would you feel about a 6-foot sub?" "In terms of what?" "For tonight." "I was gonna go with chicken wings, and then I realized Jessie's a vegetarian." "She is a vegetarian, right?" "Yeah, she is." "Look, I--I just thought that we were gonna order pizza." "Look, I--I've got to go." "...more festive..." " The papers." " ...only cheese..." "Hello?" "Can you just give me one minute?" "Here." "Lily..." "let's not go overboard, okay?" "I'm not going overboard." "I'm just trying to plan something that's really" "What I mean is you don't have to try so hard." "I'm not." "I just thought we agreed to do something simple." "Lil?" "Fine." "We'll keep it simple." "Okay, look, a customerjust walked in." "I have to go." "No, I'm not making it up." "Well, we have one now." "Excuse me." "Um, could you tell this person that you really are here..." "I'm not making you up in order to get off the phone with him?" "There." "Satisfied?" "No." "Goodbye, Sam." "Wrong number." "So, um, is there something you're looking for in particular?" "Just browsing." "I don't know Lily." "I don't want to know Lily." "Actually, I'm-- I'm looking for..." "Just, uh, describe the plot." "I may be familiar with it." "Here's the thing." "I'm Rick Sammler's ex-wife, and I" " Hi." " Hi." " And I happen to be" " You're Rick's ex-wife?" "Yes, and I thought that..." "Well, and by the way, I actually do need a copy of a book." "I need a copy of Anne Tyler's, uh, "Saint Maybe"." "So, is... she here?" "Not Anne Tyler, just..." "Oh, uh, Lily doesn't work here anymore." "Doesn't that sound like a movie?" "I'm her self-destructive sister, Judy." "Karen." "You're not how I pictured you." "I think you're going to like them." "The older girl, Grace-- really smart." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, anybody that can raise your brother's English grade..." "You should ask Eli about her if you're curious." "I'm not that curious." "Hey, Grace!" "Listen, uh, there's this essay... and, well, I--I was wondering if" "Can we, like, stop walking for a minute?" "See, uh, this essay's due... and well, it was due for, like, a while, and" "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "I just don't really understand your friends, okay?" "So..." "My friends?" "Why?" "Why?" "What-- male or female?" "All right, I don't have any female friends." "Is this Cassidy's friends?" "Is this about Cassidy?" "No." "It's not about anything, okay?" "Forget it." "It's nothing, okay?" "No, wait." "What about Cassidy?" "Nothing." "No!" "Tell me." "I mean, what could be about Cassidy?" "Cassidy's really a man?" "Cassidy did her homework?" "Now, that would shock me." " All right, let's see." "Cassidy's not a real blonde?" " Stop it." "Her hair is falling out?" "She's missing a few toes?" "What?" "She slept with half the senior class?" "What?" "I have to go, okay?" "Wait." "What did they tell you?" "They didn't tell me anything!" "Hey, if you know anything about Cassidy, you better tell me." "I didn't even think it was true, okay... until her stupid friends..." "Grace!" "Hey, E." "Hey, uh, I thought I'd introduce you to Jessie." "She's just over in the car." "Yeah." "Come on, come on." "It'll just take a second." " Actually, someone's picking me up." " Dad, I have to go to the library." "Oh, unfortunately, I need you to drop me at work... and then, uh, bring Jessie home." " How you doin'?" "Okay?" " Huh?" "Yeah." "Jess!" "Where the heck is she?" "Look, I should really get going." "No, no, no." "It'll just take a second." "I'm sure she went off to see somebody she knew or something." "Jessie!" "Hey, tell me if you see your sister." "No." "Oh, guess what." "I'm getting a new sister." "Maybe." "'Cause that guy my mom's dating has a daughter... and she's close to my age." "Cool." "So, um, are you mad at Grace?" "No, I just hate her." "Could you hate her, too?" "Zoe, um... people feel different ways about people." "Would you believe that there are people... who don't like Drew Barrymore?" "Come on." "No, I'm serious." "I'd never wish to meet these people... but there are people in this world who don't like Drew Barrymore." "Okay, fine." "Drew's pretty irresistible, but my point is" "Oh, there she is." "Drew Barrymore?" "Grace!" "Oh, there's my ride." "Tiffany!" " Hi." "How are you doing?" " Oh, well." "Hey, where were you?" "Uh, water fountain." "Grace, I have to ask-- are you... actually glad to see me?" "Yeah." "Okay, what's your estimated time of arrival?" " I hadn't really thought about it." " I need to clean up before." "I mean, the place is a complete mess." "Lily... so what?" "I don't want them to..." "Actually, you need to stop at a video store, too." "Lily, we don't need a movie." "Okay." "Okay." "Well, can we talk toppings?" "Toppings?" "'Cause I decided I wanted to leave here a little early... and go buy a bunch of those ready-made crust things and tons of toppings... so they can make their own pizzas." "I think it's simpler." "Simpler than what... a five-course meal with finger bowls?" "Well, this way they'll all have exactly what they want." "What?" "Lily, can we please... just not make a big deal out of this?" "All I want to know is what time you're coming to my house." " I mean, Jessie already seems a little..." " Seems a little what?" "So are you saying that we shouldn't do this?" "No." "No." "I--I'm just saying that... you're not gonna please everyone... so just-- just don't try so hard." "Well, I think that sounds very defeatist." "What do you mean?" "Jessie seems a little what?" "You know what?" "David has a question for me." "Can I call you right back?" "Okay." "There's a card." ""Thanks for working late this evening." "Miles."" "First of all, he's much younger than me." "Can he drive?" "Well, put it this way." "At first I wasn't even going to consider seeing him again... and now I can't... sleep." "I can't work." "I know." "I know." "I was married a long time, and I've been divorced... for what seems like an even longer time... and..." "I just completely forgot what infatuation feels like." "Yeah." "I've been sleeping around, and I forgot what it feels like." "It feels like an illness." "Mine's more embarrassing than yours." "What, is he 12?" "No." "He..." "You know, he's seeing someone else." "It's sort of too bad that she wasn't here..." "Lily, 'cause she's..." "pretty great." "Except for how she's always standing in the way of my happiness, of course." "Is there anything else that you needed?" "No." "No." "That's everything." "Okay." "Where have you been?" "The bathroom." "Oh, someone named Tiffany called." "Wait." "Who, Tiffany?" "Yeah, and she says not to worry, that she picked up the girls." "Tiffany picked up my kids?" "Oh, and she said something about having a long talk with Zoe about the ozone layer... and she won't be needing a rain hat anymore... whatever that means." "I don't know Tiffany." "I don't want to know Tiffany." "Am I really supposed to just let this other woman... become involved with my children?" "Miles, I got the Scotch, um, and the note... but I can't work this evening." "Uh, I will be spending this evening... with my... with the person with whom I have plans... and her children and my children." "I see." "Well, one door opens and another closes." "What are you talking about?" "What door?" "I admire what you're trying to do." "What am I trying to do?" "Open your heart to another man's child." "I admire it." "I could never do it." "Hello?" "I'm still here." "It's one of the sliest tricks life plays on us." "You find a woman... and however pleasurable the experience is... there are always children waiting in the wings, aren't there?" "Like little wet blankets... or... cold showers." "Rick..." "I feel we've broken through here." "I don't want another year to go by... before I break ground on this building... and I don't want to wait till Monday... to address the concerns..." "I raised with you this morning." "People postpone things... and they shouldn't." "I'm sorry, Miles, but I have plans." "You know, to do memorable work in any field... one has to make an extraordinary commitment." "Aren't plans made to be..." "altered?" "Okay, my stepmother?" "Perfectly nice person, you know... if you like, you know, gravy boats." "But I don't know." "What can I tell you?" "She just tries too hard." "She tries too hard?" "She is desperate for my approval." "Works so overtime." "Always has." "It's certainly a contributing factor, you know, to my hatred of her." "It is?" "It is the curse of the stepmother." "Okay, all my friends, they all have stepmothers." "They all hate them." "I've met some of them." "They're lovely women." "But they're stepmothers, you know?" "It is their..." "destiny to try too hard and be despised for it." "So, in terms of this Tiffany person... you have nothing to fear." "Throw that away for me?" "Christie Parker's office." "It's me." "Hi." "You sound funny." "I haven't said anything yet." "Look..." "I--I can't make it tonight." "I--I have to work." "Oh." "Well..." "I mean, Miles is-- he's insisting... and I--I can't seem to get through to him." "Well, if you can't, you can't." "I thought you'd be more upset." "Well, it doesn't have to be tonight." "It can wait." "It can?" "Of course it can." "Christie's screaming at me." "I got to go." "Hey, girls!" "Could you come down here?" "I just" "Grace, this was your grandfather's." "What?" "Never mind." "Honey, listen." "We" "Mom, look." "Didn't it come out great?" "Oh, yeah, that's beautiful." " It's Jessie." " Yeah, I see that." "Mom, I don't feel that well." "See, martial arts and the Harry Potter books" "Mom, meshugeneh means crazy, right?" "Uh, crazy, yeah." "Grandpa used to call people meshugeneh." "Yeah." "Yeah, he used to." "So Tiffany and you discussed the atmosphere." "That's nice." "Yeah." "That's..." "Look, Rick and I decided that... tonight is not..." " the right night, so" " What?" "Honey, we'll do it another time." "Zoe?" "Honey, I'm dropping this off at Naomi's." "I'm coming right back, and we'll talk about it, okay?" "Okay." "Hello?" "Jess, uh, sweetie, about dinner tonight... uh, with Lily's kids?" "We have to do it another time." "Whatever." "Yeah, I--I have to work." "And... so I'll get a ride home from somebody here... okay, sweetie?" "Okay." "Bye." "Not from me, you won't." " What?" " You're not getting a lift from me... 'cause I'm gonna go home now before he gets here so I don't have to puke." "Fine." "I'll get a ride from Larry." "'Cause you-- you know what, Rick?" "It's not--it's not just the way you doubt me when he's around." "It's the way you doubt yourself." "You're acting like you can't live without her or something." "Mom canceled it 'cause of you." "No, she didn't." "God, you're so dense sometimes." "She was barely listening to me." "People aren't always nice." "People can be horrible." "Stop trying to make me feel worse." "I'm just trying to prepare you for what she could be like." "Whatever she's like, she couldn't be meaner than you." "Come in!" "Hey, I know." "I know you're ignoring it, but happy birthday anyway." " It's just a book I thought you'd like." " Hey, birthday girl, you forgot your champagne." "Hi." "Hi." "Lily" "I thought you said you were spending the evening with your kids." "I thought you were." "Look, this has been difficult for me, okay?" " What exactly do you mean?" " Would you at least allow me to talk, please?" " What's been difficult for you, Naomi?" " This." "Our relationship." "That just doesn't make any sense." "When is the last time you asked me anything about myself?" "When's the last time we talked about anything except you and your problems?" "Naomi, it's been kind of a rough time." "I know that." "You think I don't know that?" "But" " But what?" " Do you knowwhat it's like for me... to have to hear about your problems... your hopes and your fears, and all about... all the incredible sex you're always having... with my close friend's ex-husband?" "And I mean, I'm sorry if I have boring married problems... but..." "Okay." "Here." "Could you just put it over there?" "What's that?" "Just something that was in his pocket." "It's an amazing way to end a chapter." "Karen, will you read it to us?" "Okay." ""'I'd like you to meet" ""the woman who's changed my life,' he said." ""'Your what was that?" ""Oh, Your life.'" "And she tipped her head and smiled."" ""And she tipped her head and smiled." ""After all, she might have said this was an ordinary occurrence." ""People changed other people's lives every day of the year." "There was no call to make such a fuss about it."" "You know how all this time..." "I've been saying it's happening too fast... and our big fight has been that you've been wanting it to go even faster?" "What if we've both been wrong?" "What if... what if everything has been happening... at exactly the right moment?" "I mean, why-- why do certain people... come into our lives?" "I don't know." "And why do certain people leave... and we never... get to know why?" "One door closes, and another one..." "What's that?" "Something my father wanted me to have." "Do you believe in signs?" "Stop signs?" "Omens." "Signs." "No." "Me neither, but, you know, see..." "I have four children in my life." "Four-- ever since you and I first-- since we--since you have been in my life." "Yeah." "Me too." "And now they're a part of my life... whether they like it or not, whether they... whether they know it or not." "Have you been drinking?" "Not really." "Yeah." "The truth is that..." "I've been enjoying the kids not being... you know... part of it." "Yeah, I know." "Having you all to myself." "It was like a-- a room they weren't allowed in." "But it's time to let them in." "What are you doing?" "Miles Drentell, please." "Well, then tell him that Rick Sammler... can't meet with him tonight... and that, uh, I'll see him on Monday." "Larry can drive me home." "I'll pick up the kids." "I thought you were ordering pizza... because I think we should keep this really simple." "Agreed?" "Change of plans." "We're going to Lily's." "We won't stay long, okay?" "I got to go..." "freshen my breath." "What, you don't want to go?" "Do you?" "Eli, what's wrong?" "Nothing." "I just don't particularly like Grace Manning very much." "You don't?" " But I thought that" " What?" "I thought you thought that she was, like, this great, wonderful" "Well, I don't, okay?" "And I really don't want to have a discussion about this." "So you don't particularly like her?" "All right." "Okay." "I really don't feel like going over there tonight, Dad." "E., you have every right to feel that way." "Unfortunately, I need you to drive."