"Robert." "Robert!" "Oh, yeah." "Ooh, hey!" "Hi, honey." "Hi." "Hey." " What are you doing?" " Huh?" "What are you doing?" "I'm... that old raccoon is back." "And he woke me up scurrying around all willy-nilly up on the roof, so I was just... just trying to scare him off gently." "What raccoon?" "You know, that same old rascal." " What rascal?" " You wanted to keep him." " You said, "Oh, Mom, he's so cute."" " What?" "Robert." "Robert." "We need to talk." "Hello?" "Robert?" "What if I had been in here shitting?" "You never take a... you never do that in the morning." "I said what if." " We need to talk." " Do we?" " We do." " I don't." "Well, then can you just listen?" "Fine, but not here." "On the porch." "I do not want to alarm the children." "Oh." "You're not really doing this again, are you?" "I'm listening." "Three, two, one, go." " Why are you doing this?" " Because at this particular time, this is how I'm comfortable communicating with you." " Through a door." " You're not being fair." "Frances, more quietly, please." "I made an awful mistake." "Not just one." "A series of awful, terrible mistakes." "Starting with whatever that was with what's his name." "Julian." "Your lover's name is Julian." "Yes, him." "And anyway, forget all that." "I want to be with you." "You are my husband." "We're a family." "We can fix this." "I'm having trouble hearing you through this door." "I picked up something about Julian, but the rest of it was just muffled to the point of incomprehensibility." "Sorry." "Oh, hey, kids." "Come on, I'm out here waiting." "Come on." "And then I didn't want to wake you guys up, so I just decided to spend the night at Dallas'." "That's not what Dad said." "Really?" "What... what did Dad say?" "Lila, what... what did Dad say?" "He said you were at Dallas' house tying one on and you didn't come home because it's not good to drive drunk." "That... that... that is definitely true, yes." "Yes, and I'm not proud of my behavior, but at least I didn't make a bad thing worse, right?" "And that's something that... whoo!" "That is something we can all learn from, right?" "Right?" "You don't drink and drive, folks." " Yes, Antonio?" " Yeah." "That's a lesson for every single person on this bus." "Okay, love you both." "Ooh." "Bye, sweetie." "Bye." "Bye, Tom." "Shit." "Oh." "Robert!" "Shit." "And, of course, my cell phone is in my purse and my purse is inside the house and my keys to the house are inside my purse." "And, you know, he didn't know that, of course," " or he would never have locked the door." " It's fine." " It's fine." "There you go." " Oh, thank you." "Thank you so much." "Appreciate it." "Oh, what a lovely old phone." "Okay." "I'll be super quick, okay?" " Take your time." " Okay, thank you for the last time." "Robert DuFresne speaking." "I thought we were gonna talk?" "Who is this, please?" "Oh, one second." "Hey, Craig." "We're gonna want to tack down that insulation before we hang the drywall." "Guillermo, somebody carelessly left that snow shovel laying over there, okay?" "Anyway, as you were saying?" "Come on, Robert, all of my stuff is in the house." "Oh, it's you, Frances." "Huh, well, I packed your essentials for you." "You packed a mini suitcase and a grocery bag full of bras." "You're welcome." "Hey, Sebastian, Gabriel." "You guys might want to use a 3/4-inch socket." "It'll do the trick." "Mm-hmm." "I know you're angry and you have every right to be angry, but can't we please just talk about this like adults?" "Wait, hang on one second." "What was that?" "You're kidding me." " I knew that son of a bitch..." " I'm gonna freakin' kill you." "Okay, go ahead." "I want to have a conversation with you." "I don't know." "I mean, there's really... there's a lot of shit going on over here." "I mean, as you can hear..." " Okay, well, then..." " ...heavy construction happening." "Can you just tell me how to get back into the house?" "And that would be towards what end?" "Why are you being a complete fucking asshole about this?" "You'll find your purse out back in the garbage." "There may or may not be a banana peel involved." "Robert." "Robert, I'm sorry." "I'm really sorry I just called you a complete fucking asshole, but I just..." "Robert?" "Robert, hello?" "Hel..." "Fucking asshole." "Oh, hello." "It was a bad connection." "You know, and it's so frustrating." "Just like, "Ah, fuck."" "It's okay." "Thank you for letting me use the phone." "It's fine." "So I'm just gonna get out of your hair." "Give you your morning back." "And, oh, I'm so sorry that we haven't had you over since you moved in." "Um, but welcome to the neighborhood." "Ugh." "Ugh." " Hello?" " Frances, hi." "It's Carla Menotti." "Where are you?" "I thought we were meeting at the space." "Oh, Christ, Carla." "I totally forgot." "I'm so sorry." "Um, listen, some..." " some things came up, so..." " So nothing." "This space is exactly what you've been looking for and they've got someone ready to snap it up if you don't act fast." "Honestly, if it were any other day..." "And quite frankly, with all the time that I have put in on this for you, the least you could do is not stand me up, Frances." "You see?" "It checks every box on your list." "It's right on Main Street." "It's not too big." "It's not too small." "It has a toilet and a hand basin." "And the rent is cheapish." "It is the perfect spot for the Frances DuFresne Gallery." "Or whatever you're calling it." "Yes, the Frances DuFresne Gallery." "Or the FDFG." "Or I don't know." "Maybe just The Gallery." "I just..." "I don't want it to sound too pretentious." "You know, it's just gonna be... we're just gonna have local artists." "It sounds so great." "I can get you the paperwork by this afternoon." "Right." " I just..." " Mm-hmm?" "I'm..." "I'm just not sure that now is the right time." "Frances, can I ask you something?" "Are you serious?" "I must have shown you six or seven spaces the last few years and every time we get ready to pull the trigger, you pussy out." "I don't pussy out." "I just..." "I just have a lot on my plate." " You know, I've got all the stuff with the kids." " Me, too." " And work." " Join everybody's club, Frances." "And I'm waiting for Robert's business to pick up so that I can have the time that I really need to focus for me." "And... and... it's simply a tough time." "My Lap-Band migrated and it grew into my stomach." "That is a tough time." "Oh, wow." "Well, you look great." "We all have issues, Frances." "Now, if you're just gonna do this, let's just do it." "But if you're just dabbling, please let me know so I can stop wasting your time." "And when I say wasting your time," "I'm being extremely passive-aggressive." "Knock, knock." "Dallas, Franny." "I'll be right back, sweetheart." " Oh." " Hi, sweetie." " Oh, Dallas." " Diane." "Happy to see you." " Shh." " Oh, sorry." "Just have to be quiet 'cause he's sleeping." "How long has he been sleeping?" "43 hours." "Technically he's in a coma, but it's a medically induced coma, so it's more like just sleeping." "How are you?" "Um, truthfully?" "Uh, not so good." "Not so good." "I'm sorry you're having such a hard time." "I mean, obviously you're going through a much harder time." "I'm sorry, I didn't..." "I didn't mean to..." "No, I understand." "He's your guys' friend, too." "It must be just awful for you to have to see him like this." " Oh, yes." " Mm-hmm." "Mm-hmm." "It's just so hard watching him sleep so deeply knowing that it was all my fault." "Again, not something you want to be saying out loud right now." "It's not an issue of fault, per se." "It's a simple accident." "Could have happened to anybody." " Well..." " That's so sweet of you." " Who's he?" " The policemen said they'd rather not have me alone with Nick, so my lawyer's associate has been kind enough to keep me company." "Gangway." "Oh, hey, Robert." "Hey, buddy." "Got you some flowers down at the gift shop." "I don't know if you can smell them or not." "Hey, how we doing?" "It's Robert." "Just give me a squeeze of the hand if you can hear me." "I'll take that as a solid maybe." "Soul shake." "Just conserve your energy." "I know what you're going through." "Seems like it's open season on men around here." " Oh, come on, that's not fair." " Hey, Diane." "I'm trying to have a private conversation with my friend Nick who you tried to kill." "Again, simple accident." "Could have happened to anybody." "And, Diane, if you really want people to believe that you care about Nick, maybe you could take your gun tote off of his colostomy bag." "Robert, can I please... can I please talk to you in the hallway for a second?" "Must be hell for you in there." "Can't speak, trapped, clucking hens all around you." "Robert, I know that you're hurting right now, but you have to give her a chance." "She made a mistake and she knows it." "Did she think it was a mistake when she was sucking that guy's measly cock and telling you all about it so you could have a big laugh behind my back?" "Okay, you are undermedicated" " and you are raging right now." " Whose cock?" " What is going on?" " I'll explain it later." "No wonder your husband pretended to be gay to get the fuck away from you, you old harpy." "Wow." "You're gonna feel a lot of shame about that someday." "You mean you did it with the Columbia professor guy?" " Diane." " The one who makes his own granola, right?" " Not right now." " Wait a second." "What's going on here?" "Wait, so everybody knows everything except for me, huh?" "Did she tell you everything, Dallas?" "Or what about you, Diane?" "She tell you about his lovemaking technique?" "Or how deeply he thrusted?" "She tell you about how his load tasted?" "No, just about the granola." "What, is that a euphemism for butt play?" "Well, I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna stand here and listen to it." "Call me, Nick." "You're the only friend I got." " Excuse me." " Robert." " I'll be right back, okay?" " Excuse me, ma'am." " Probably not the best time right now." " I'm so sorry." " I'm sorry." "Don't leave, okay?" " Okay, yeah." " We have a lot of experience..." " What is wrong with you?" "Give me that." "Robert." "Robert." "Where are you going?" "Whatever." "I'm out of here." "Well, the exit is that way." "Maybe I have to urinate first, smarty-pants." " You ever think of that?" " God, enough, Robert." "Come on." "I feel like we have to figure out what we're doing here." " Okay, you're right." " Good." " I'm listening." " Good." "What have you got to say?" "I'm not sure." "Me neither." "That was easy." "Thanks." "Come on, Robert." "I feel like we just... we have to find someplace private to sit and talk." "Okay, can we just do it tonight?" " I have a really, really busy day." " So do I, but I..." "I have to see if the windows came in on the Johnson Avenue place." "Then I have to go check the work site at Elm Street." "But first pick the kids up at school and tell them that you're divorcing me." "Robert, do not do that." "Hey, better they get it from me than hear it on the street." "Do not do this." "Look, I'm just gonna lay out the basics of how you're divorcing me." "I'll leave it up to you to throw in the nuances of how you took a lover, thereby destroying our family and so on and so forth." "Oh, my purse." "It's not how it is." "Oh, it's gonna be okay, Diane." "No, it's just that if I was involved with some guy," "I would tell both of you and the fact that you just told Dallas and you both left me in the dark is just hurtful." "I mean, what does that say about trust?" " Are you serious?" " Yes, I'm serious." "Oh, Christ." "Oh." "Robert!" "Robert!" "Robert!" "Frances, just let him go." "I don't think he's gonna just shake this off." "Oh, shit." "No, I mean, let him go as in get him the fuck out of your life." "Because I told you this affair was a bad idea and I was on his side and he turns around and he calls me a fucking harpy?" "Fuck him." "I'm scared he's gonna really tell the kids." " Frances, wait." " What?" "What?" " You need to take the dog." " What?" "The dog." "I couldn't keep it in the apartment." "It's exacerbating Cole's allergies." "Good Lord, Dallas." "Hey, Tom and Lila." "Hi." "I got 'em." "I got 'em." "Why are you both here?" "Oh, you know, just a general confusion." "Come on." " Let's go, it's cold." " Come on, truck's right over here." " Come on, sweets." " Truck's over here." " No, the car's right here." " Come on, you guys." "No way!" "Oh, come on." "Oh!" "Listen, you guys, my truck's over in the safe area where you don't alarm children." "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" "Does he already have a name or do we get to name him?" "I swear I'll walk him all the time just like I promised." "Well, all right." " You know, deal's a deal, right?" " I didn't mention it before." "It took me a while to find the perfect dog." "What's his name?" " His name's Guillermo." " Hannah." " It's Guillermo." " Hannah." "William in Spanish." "Fine." "Upstairs." "I know I hurt you." "That is 100% my fault." "I'm not disputing that." "And if I could take it all back, everything I said..." " And did." " ...and did, I would." " But I do love you." " Hmm, interesting." "It seems as if you're trying to convince yourself of that." "Look, you have every right to tell me that you're done with me." "I am well aware of my rights, Frances." "But I don't want to break up this family and I don't think you do either." "This has been very alarming for the children." "Yes." "Okay, you know what?" "I don't know what I'm thinking right now" " and quite frankly I'm exhausted." " Me, too." "They put in the new countertops at the Elm Avenue house today." "I don't know if you're interested." "Corinthian granite." "Quite beautiful." "That's great." "Carla showed me a space today on Main Street that would be perfect for my gallery." " What?" " For my gallery." "For the gallery." "I think the most important thing here, Frances, is no matter what happens between you and I, that we think of the children first." " Absolutely." " I don't want to put them through any ugliness or chaos or end up using them as pawns." " Yeah, I totally agree." " Do you?" "Of course." "Then why'd you buy them that big fucking dog to make them like you more than me?" "Wait, what?" "I didn't buy that dog." "That's Diane's birthday dog." "Do you remember?" "She asked me to take care of it." "That big fucker's from the other night?" " Yes." " Seems like a much bigger dog." "No, no, it's... it's... it's the same dog." "I'm not completely convinced that's the same dog, but let's move on." "Okay." " Robert." " I don't have an answer for you, Frances, okay?" "Stop pushing me." "You said I could take some time to think about it." "I need some time to think about it." "You can." "I just want to make sure that you know that the... that the stuff with Julian... meant nothing." "Obviously if things had been going great between us, then it probably wouldn't have happened." "But it did happen." "I know, but he meant nothing to me." "He means nothing to me." "Yeah." "Me neither." "When's Daddy coming to bed?" "Well..." "Daddy's gonna sleep in your room tonight." "Why?" "Well, 'cause... the dog's fur makes his allergies act up." "Are we going to have to get rid of the dog?" "No." "No, he'll get used to it after a while." "Just needs time." "Everything's gonna be okay." "_" "_"