"Hey." "Hi." "I need to sit down." "Oh, God, I'm so fat!" "So what papers do you need me to sign?" "Don't tell me I forgot them." "I'm forgetting everything." "It's because of the hormones." "Which, by the way, made me a complete freak the Iast time I saw you." "I'm sorry again for being so hostile." "How are you doing?" "It's so good to see you again." "Hi, Lisa, I didn't know you were in town." "What's new?" "Doing the whole singIe-mom routine." "Right, I can see that." "Good for you." "Are you taking pictures these days?" "No." "I took some photos with a friend's camera and I wanted to keep doing it." "So I went on eBay and I got my own." "But it was really just because I was bored and it was kind of stupid." "But...." "I have to go to school." "So I'II see you later." "I'II be out in a second." "Shit!" "Okay, Iet's go." "Hey, you think your chair seems right for that space?" "You said you were kidding about me not bringing my ugIy-ass furniture." "It's so big." "It's a really good chair for watching television." "I guess." "Maybe it is too big." "I think it is." "It's too big." "You know, I'II put it in storage with the rest of my stuff." "Shit." "I gotta return The Great Escape today." "I'm gonna be fucking late." "I'II return it." "It's on my way." "I never get tired of watching Steve McQueen." "I think I've seen every one of his movies at Ieast three times." "Yeah, some of them four times." "Wow, this is...." "Since I want your name on the birth certificate... my lawyer says you need to sign away all custodial rights." "I thought...." "What?" "I thought we were gonna be more casual about this." "It's a baby." "It's hard to be that casual about it." "Right." "Maybe I should have my lawyer look at this." "It's just a formality." "Cut the bullshit and just sign it." "Okay." "You know what's weird about dead people?" "Everything?" "How they look so perfect." "I just want to mess this woman's hair up a little bit." "please don't." "When I die, I want to be one big mess." "That's what life is: messy." "Nate, I'm not accusing you." "It's better this way." "We both know that." "I mean, I can't lie." "Of course, I would've loved to do this with someone who wanted to be a father." "I'm sorry." "I don't know what else to" "But then I think how perfect this baby is." "And everything somehow seems right." "You know, somehow it's just so funny." "And you know, actually, I'm proud, in a weird way." "What do you mean?" "I mean, I'm having a child... with the Iast person in the world who would ever want a child." "Why aren't you wearing your casts?" "I take them off." "It's time for me to go." "But you're supposed to keep them on until next week." "I'm calling the doctor." "He say it's okay." "Look." "See?" "Your left foot looks purple." "Is always like that." "Is from bad circulation." "You know that." "I guess I forgot." "Okay, it's time to get this show on the road, yeah?" "I guess I couId call a taxi..." "even though it's a total rip-off." "I can drive you!" "It was a heart attack." "He died just like that." "So you want a traditional Thai Buddhist service?" "If that's a problem, we can go somewhere else." "There are very specific elements, and if you can't do it" "please do not behave this way." "You will have to excuse my son." "He and my husband hadn't spoken in months, and" "Mom, please." "Not in front of this person." "Okay, Mr. Fisher, if you know the procedure, Iet's hear it." "actually, I've only been here for a year or so, and...." "although I did read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in high school...." "That's probably my brother." "David!" "Sorry I'm late." "I had to stop at Video West." "Some idiot ahead of me was writing a check." "I didn't even want to watch a movie last night, but Keith got his way, as usual." "This is" "Bette and phil Srisai." "I'm David Fisher." "I spoke to you on the phone yesterday." "I'm so sorry for your loss." "Thank you." "We were just discussing my father's service." "I assume the deceased will remain at the temple for three days... before we have the service here?" "Of course, Fisher  Sons will provide all the requisite supplies:" "the Buddha, the altar, the carpet-kneeIers." "And you'II want some monks for chanting." "We prefer to use the ones from Riverside... but if those aren't to your liking, we have some good ones over in eagle Rock." "NikoIai, your apartment is so...." "It's very...." "It has a Iot of charm." "Thank you." "I still don't know what your big rush was." "You could've stayed with me untiI" "It was time." "But how do we know you're safe here?" "You could be hurt by these ruffians." "I spoke to Yuri." "I tell him that February is the biggest month for flowers." "He say he give me 30 days to come up with the money." "Are you gonna be able to do it?" "Yeah, sure, of course." "well, that's nice." "Thank you for all the taking care of me." "You don't have to do that now." "You are done." "What about dinner?" "You probably don't have any food." "I was gonna pack you lamb, but I forgot." "I'II go get the Iamb." "No, I'II be fine." "I get takeout from Eat-a-Pita." "Goodbye, nikolai." "Goodbye, Ruthie." "I bet you Mr. Van Kirk has sex with students in here afterhours." "We should stake this place out later, okay?" "claire?" "Oh, fuck." "I think there was dust on the negative." "No one's gonna notice." "No, I want it to be perfect." "claire, these are so sick!" "Thanks." "I've taken shots of almost every single person... that's come through in the past three weeks." "They're amazing." "It's like each one is someone who's lying in bed with you... telling you a little story before you go to sleep." "I'm putting them together for that thing for Foster's class." "The fucking Spoon River Anthology paper?" "Yeah." "I just thought that since each poem is from the perspective of a dead person... that it wouId be a really interesting way to...." "I don't know." "Show what the poems brought out in me." "Okay, that sounded really geeky." "No, that's genius." "You could really do something with this." "Yeah, right." "claire, I have to tell you something." "I got into YaIe." "I heard yesterday." "You don't feel jealous or hate me, right?" "No." "You worked really hard for it." "congratulations." "I know you didn't play the game the way I did... but I'm sure you'II get into UCLA, which is a really good school, too." "actually, no, I didn't make the cut." "But they sent me a list of community colleges I couId go to... and said to try again next year." "So I'm looking at East valley." "I'm gonna be a famous photographer and make a gazillion dollars... taking pictures of anorexic models and fucked-up actors." "So maybe I don't even need to go to college, right?" "It's a joke." "I'm joking." "But you could." "You should just become a photographer." "Because, truthfully, East valley is kind of a shitty school." "So there was that one a month ago in the bookstore." "Then I met this other guy at the Farmers Market." "That place has gotten so touristy." "And then there was this guy last week at the Rose Café, who...." "No, that doesn't count." "That was an almost one." "What exactly do you hope to get out of therapy?" "melissa gave me your number because I guess I'm...." "I don't know." "It's not that I'm unhappy." "I'm not unhappy." "I'm really not." "But I know that what I'm doing is a little strange." "I mean, most people who are engaged to someone they really love... don't have sex with strangers." "Or maybe they do." "Does that matter?" "I think I Iike the euphoria I get from these encounters." "I'm just having a little trouble with anxiety." "What do you mean?" "I don't know." "It's like I'm coexisting in these two separate realities." "There's my Nate reality, and then there's this other reality." "And I would Iike to not feel so anxious about it." "It's not guilt." "It's just edginess." "So, that's it." "I'd Iike to not feel edgy." "That's why I'm here." "Okay, so you would Iike... to continue to have these encounters, as you call them..." "but you would Iike to not feel edgy." "ideally." "I know what you're thinking." "You think that I'm afraid of intimacy... so I'm trying to sabotage my relationship with my fiancé." "Is that what I'm thinking or is that what you're thinking?" "No." "I just wanted to clarify... that I don't necessarily think that what I'm doing is destructive." "It might even be healthy." "How so?" "Maybe it's not good for me to totally lose myself in one person... and this is a way for me to have... a completely separate, private area that's my own." "Not his, not ours." "Maybe that's healthy for me." "Listen, I assume that melissa told you... one of my specialties is sexual addiction." "No." "I don't know how much you know of this issue, but obviously... it involves the sublimation of emotions that are too painful to address." "It's the root of all addiction, really." "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you because you don't need help." "You've clearly evolved beyond the need for therapy." "I'm actually in awe of you... because I'd be fucking strangers like a truck-stop whore on crack... if I wasn't so inhibited by my Judeo-Christian upbringing." "It's not down here." "We used to have a few Buddhas in here." "I can't believe we can't find one." "I've read all this stuff about Buddhism, but it never stays with me." "Just know that everything is nothing." "Is that it?" "I thought it was, "Nothing is everything."" "It's the same thing, isn't it?" "I found one." "It looks kind of girly, doesn't it?" "Sort of." "Think it's water damage." "I'II get you some stuff to clean him off, okay?" "His little hat is cute, so pointy." "I wonder if anyone poked their eyes out on one by accident." "Look at all these unclaimed cremains." "Can you imagine having a member of your family cremated... and then not caring enough to pick up their ashes?" "I think sometimes it's too hard for people to acknowledge... that someone they loved is now just chunks of soot." "David Fisher." "Hey." "Yes, I returned the videos." "Didn't I say I would?" "Sure, swordfish is fine." "Whatever." "Bye." "You hate swordfish." "I know." "It's funny." "Now that Keith and I are living together..." "I find myself trying to be so fucking agreeable all the time." "Why?" "Because, if you aren't, things come up... and you've no idea how big the thing's gonna be." "It's like this constant negotiation." "You can never just relax." "Is that just a phase or is it always going to be like that?" "Don't ask me." "Look, I have no fucking idea." "Maybe that's just what a relationship is." "constantly doing things you have absolutely no desire to do." "Nate, Brenda, come on in!" "We have so many details to go over... before the bridal shower on Sunday." "Isn't it exciting?" "It's all too much for me." "please, it's all for you." "I'd rather just cancel it." "Are you mad?" "lulu SmeigeI cancelled her weekend at Canyon Ranch just to be here." "Now, you must try one of these." "It's made from this incredible Iiqueur... that comes from the most poverty-stricken village in belize." "It's delicious!" "Right." "Your trip." "You look like you had a good time." "It was fabulous!" "Your skin looks good." "Did you have some work done?" "Not at all." "It's just happiness." "You should try it sometime." "Is billy here?" "No." "When I got back, I found a note saying he's staying with friends in portland." "But he didn't leave a number." "Brenda, did he give it to you?" "No, he didn't." "That's right." "He still has all that raging resentment towards you." "Who are you hiding in the bedroom?" "Let me guess." "Another one of your young South American gigoIos?" "Not at all, darling." "He's an aging intellectual from the Bronx." "Isn't this fabulous?" "Bern and I are back, and better than ever." "So I realized I'd made a terrible mistake, got on the next plane to belize... and begged your mother to take me back." "Come on, be honest, dear." "The whore dumped you." "Because I was subconsciously pushing her away... because I really love you." "The point is, the sex has been incredible." "Just like when we first met." "I'II never forget what you were wearing the first time you walked into my office." "The tight Givenchy blue skirt with a slit that went right up to my wazoo." "I knew immediately I was gonna have some wildly inappropriate feelings for you." "And, boy, was I right!" "Mom was one of Dad's patients." "It's actually kind of disgusting." "I was not a patient." "I was in grad school." "I was an intern." "And the second I lay down..." "I knew I was never gonna get up off that couch." "We terminated therapy after a few months... and waited the correct amount of time before embarking on a relationship." "At least, that's what we tell everyone." "I'II give you a hand with that." "Okay, what?" "I can't believe you just took him back." "Are you that scared of being alone?" "God, you're so fucking depressing." "I Iove your father." "And I'm very happy." "You noticed it yourself." "Maybe that's what's upsetting you so much, that I'm so happy." "I'm sorry for whatever tensions this engagement is bringing up in you and Nate." "But my advice to you... is get your shit together and don't blow it with this one." "Because you are a major handful." "Sorry." "I noticed a coffee stain on the couch." "I was trying to get it out." "You still mad at me about the swordfish?" "You should've told me you didn't like it instead of waiting till I slaved over it." "You're right." "I should've told you." "So why didn't you?" "Because you scare me." "Shut the fuck up." "You want everything to be perfect, all the time." "When it's not, you get upset." "I didn't get any sleep last night." "I'm too tired for this conversation." "Sometimes I feel like if I don't do or say exactly what you want... you might decide you don't want to be with me." "That's just stupid." "Thanks." "When we were together the first time... it seemed like all our problems stemmed from my not coming out." "They did." "Now I think it was just easier for you to make us believe that." "If everything could be blamed on my not coming out... then nothing ever had to be your fault." "What's under that arm right here?" "Hey, Nate!" "Hey!" "Say hello to Nate." "hello." "You didn't like that?" "AII right." "Let's go." "Look, Vanessa's sister, she's got this publicist... and the first thing she does is get her invited to some spa thing in Long Beach." "So?" "So she took Vanessa and the baby." "Now my sitter's sick, so here we are." "Mrs. Hirsch needs to be finished by 1 :00." "I have a kid, okay?" "These type of things happen." "Anyhow, I gave Mrs. Hirsch the once-over." "She's a young breast cancer." "Piece of cake." "hopefully I'II get a sitter in time to do her." "That's not good enough." "My hands are tied here, okay?" "unless you take care of JuIio while I do Mrs. Hirsch." "No" "Come on, I don't see you doing anything." "Look, I can't." "I have to clean a Buddha." "He looks like he's asleep." "He's not." "He's just bIissed out because he has the secret to enlightenment." "What's "enIightmintz"?" "I guess it's knowing everything." "My dad knows everything." "well, he knows a Iot." "He knows everything." "How much do you know?" "Not much." "Ruthie?" "Did we have plans?" "No." "Does that mean I have to go away?" "I do not need my house to smell like fake Iemons." "It smells good already." "No, it doesn't." "I Iike everything the way it is." "But I don't." "I thought I would...." "Isn't this fun?" "It's a surprise sIeepover." "Okay, Iet's do it, sure." "Then let's get started." "Okay." "First, we have to get this place into shape, so we can have a nice, cozy, clean evening." "We're going to wallpaper?" "No, silly." "It's contact paper for the drawers." "Ruthie, why do I want little cherries in my drawers?" "It's hard to explain." "You just do." "You failed me?" "I'm sorry, claire, but I asked for a literary analysis." "So you didn't think they were any good?" "That's not the point." "This is an english class." "I wanted something in english." "So you'd just prefer I download some stupid crap off the Internet... than do something that's actually creative?" "I don't have time for this." "would you just do the make-over?" "I was really happy with Mrs. SibIey." ""The secret of woman, the soil." ""My secret:" "Under a mound that you shall never find."" "Just so you know, I put a Iot of myself into this." "I wasn't just slacking off." "Look, I don't want to fall you." "Just give me some kind of paper." "I assume you need to graduate." "You are going to college, right?" "Yup, East valley." "really?" "I went there." "David Fisher." "Hey, it's me." "Hi." "I'm calling to tell you we're having lunch with taylor and karla on Saturday." "You can't just schedule things without asking me first." "That's not what couples do." "How would you know what couples do?" "I watch TV." "Or at Ieast I used to when I had a comfortable chair to sit in." "Listen, I was in the middle of five things at work, okay?" "You know, not everyone can always act so perfect." "Yeah, I know that." "That's what I was trying to tell you last night." "You should check with me before you say yes to things." "Are you available?" "Yes." "Then pretend I asked you first." "So I went the one time, but I'm not going back to Dr. MichaeIson." "Are you annoyed?" "No, why would I be annoyed?" "You can do whatever you want." "I'm sure she's good." "She's just not for me." "You didn't tell me she was so serious." "I didn't realize you were looking for laughs." "I can ask around for more names." "My friend paula's been to 40 shrinks... although I guess that's not the best endorsement for them." "I'm fine." "I think I'm the only one that can solve any of my problems." "Yeah, we are ultimately stuck with ourselves." "It's so fucking puritanicaI... how we're conditioned to buy into the whole true-Iove-monogamy crap." "Hey, you're preaching to the choir." "So I've been thinking, the next time that I feel adventurous... what if I include Nate?" "Not a bad idea." "You remember Terry from Orange County I was telling you about?" "She has the lifestyle parties on weekends." "Oh, right." "She and her husband are committed." "They have sex with strangers once a week." "They're really happy." "Monogamy just isn't for everyone." "I know." "Look at my parents." "actually, don't look at them." "That's what they want." "So maybe we could go to Terry's this weekend and check it out." "Yeah, whatever." "I'II give you the address." "I hope you and Nate like it." "I don't want to bring Nate." "I mean not yet." "First you and I should go and see what it's like." "Okay, what do you think?" "It feels like a whole new place." "Yes, it really does." "Who am I kidding?" "I can't stay here." "I'II never be able to stay here." "It's too dank." "It will always be dank." "I'm only human." "I can only do so much." "NikoIai, this is crazy." "Why aren't you moving into my house?" "I don't know, it's...." "Why are you acting like we talked about this?" "We haven't, have we?" "I guess it's just been on my mind." "I Iike how things have been for the past few months." "I Iike seeing you every night and morning." "I don't want to go backward, do you?" "I Iove you." "I wish you didn't sound so sad when you say that." "I wish I wanted to move in with you and be with you all the time." "I want to want that more than anything." "But I don't." "Maybe I am the one with the problem." "Maybe I have been alone and cut off for so long... that I no Ionger know how to do it." "Maybe I am not capable of it." "Can't we go on as we were before accident?" "I think I should go home." "Didn't Mom leave any real food for dinner?" "No, there was just a note saying she was gone for the night." "So why aren't you two with your loved ones?" "Late shift." "Shiatsu appointment." "What's this?" "Give me that." "It's this thing for school." "I don't believe this." "David, look at these." "That's Mrs. Steiner." "Mr. Thomas." "The Harrisons." "Mr. Benson." "Mrs. Orozco." "God, Rico did an amazing job on her." "So do you think they're any good?" "I think they fucking suck!" "Do you know what kind of lawsuit this could cause?" "What kind of stupid, fucked-up child are you?" "I was trying to do something I gave a shit about." "What's going on here?" "Nate, I heard you yelling." "Someone please tell me what's going on." "Nothing." "You were spending the night out." "Why are you back?" "That's none of your business!" "Hey, got some change?" "Fuck you, too!" "You're not listening to me." "I said this shirt feels funny." "It scratches my neck." "Too bad." "It's the only clean one you had... and I can't take your uncle's bitching if he sees one little apple juice stain." "I want to go back and get my yellow one!" "I said no." "Turn around, now!" "You don't tell me what to do." "Mom!" "What are you doing?" "We gotta get out of here." "I had no idea East valley was so close to the freeway." "It's very convenient." "That's the Student Center." "That's where your mailbox will be." "Great." "I can go there and get letters from people begging me not to kill myself." "I bet you some famous people went here." "Someone like..." "David Spade." "Okay, there's way too many flyers with the word "Baptist" on them." "Look, you can make extra money as a phone sex operator." "Yeah, Baptist phone sex." "It says here they have a really good arts center." "No, it's under construction." "It won't be open till 2004." "That's okay." "I need to start being more connected to the real world." "I'm thinking about taking some business courses." "Mommy, we have to" "Just shut up." "I need to think." "Okay." "Nothing there." "I think nothing's there." "Where have I missed?" "I don't want anyone to find anything." "We have to tell the cops." "No, we don't!" "We just got to pray nobody saw us." "It wasn't my fault." "We can't help him now." "We have to tell somebody." "No, we don't!" "God!" "I am so tired!" "I am so fucking tired of this shit!" "Why can't I ever have some fucking peace?" "Baby, we can't tell the cops." "Okay?" "They'II take me away from you." "Do you want the cops to take me away from you?" "No." "Then we don't tell the cops." "Okay?" "This is our little secret." "Do you hear me?" "Our little secret." "Say it." "It's our little secret." "Of course they're late." "I've got a turkey breast drying up." "I'm sorry." "Am I boring you?" "No, I didn't get any sleep last night because you were kicking me for hours." "You know what?" "I have nightmares." "Is that my fault, too, Iike everything else?" "You're 40 minutes late." "Sorry, something came up." "Hey, little girl." "Fuck, Bren, it's just that it's Saturday night." "You know, I thought we planned to on Saturday night...." "Yeah, I know you have the shitty shower tomorrow." "AII right." "No." "Just stay at home and take care of yourself, all right?" "AII right, bye." "Maybe you shouldn't jump so hard." "What if he catches us?" "I don't care." "taylor, that's enough." "My mom ran over somebody on Washington." "What?" "It was an accident." "It was an old, bald white guy." "But we're not gonna tell anybody." "It's a secret." "But secrets are so stupid." "people always find out about secrets." "Oh, my God." "I was just kidding." "I got you, I got you good." "taylor, that's not funny." "Yes, it is." "This is even more of a shitbox than I remembered." "Do you want to get out while there's time to run?" "Are you kidding?" "This is fantastic." "melissa, you made it!" "Oh, crap." "Hey, Terry, look at you, girl!" "Sex is so stupid." "This is like these parties my parents used to have when I was a kid." "There was always this really weird energy in the air." "Just like tonight." "Oh, yes, the heady haze of expectancy." "Everyone got really drunk, got all handsy." "although I don't think they were official sex parties, Iike this one." "We should mingle." "This shit's amazing." "I found it in my kid's room and beat the crap out of him." "Don't get me started on my kids." "They leave the house at all hours." "I've no idea what they're up to." "If I think about it too hard, I couId cry." "You like that?" "Why are you getting so upset?" "I'm saying, isn't it weird that taylor made up this story?" "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" "Because you were going on and on about the coffee stain on your couch." "It was me, okay?" "I did it." "I'm sorry." "It was me." "Now shut up already about the coffee stain!" "Don't call her." "Let's just forget it." "It's just this weird thing taylor said." "I'm not calling her, idiot." "hello?" "Can I help you?" "Hi." "You killed me." "It was about seven years ago, remember?" "You drove Lisa to have me killed." "Don't get me wrong." "I don't harbor any bad feelings or anything." "I'm pro-choice." "At least I would be, if I were alive." "You killed me, too." "actually, I was miscarried by the girl who worked at that Starbucks on Fremont." "I don't think she was ever planning to tell you about me." "Yeah, Mom was your first real girlfriend." "Then I came along." "You guys offed me and then broke up." "Excuse me." "Hi, Daddy." "Hi." "Who wants cookies and milk?" "I know the secret to everything." "But you'll never know it, because you killed us." "Hit-and-run at Washington and Third." "The vehicle's description matches KarIa's car." "The old, bald white guy was dead before he got to Cedars." "Oh, my God." "What do we do?" "What the hell do you think we do?" "marley and I were fighting night and day." "And then we came to one of these parties." "It was like we rediscovered each other." "And things have been hot between us ever since." "Isn't that such a heartwarming story?" "Some people just need a little extra help to stay together, you know?" "There's nothing wrong with that." "I'm for getting all the help I can get." "marley, show the gals that thing I got you for your birthday." "This has given us another five years." "This sounds good." "should we guess what it is?" "No, I'II tell you." "It's this little gizmo that he got online at a sex website." "You've just got to see it to believe it." "I can't wait." "I can." "I'm gonna get another drink." "I can't find it." "I'II just kill myself if I've lost that." "Why do I lose everything?" "You probably left it in your coat." "I think we left them in that room over there." "I'II just go help marley for a second." "Or you could come with us, if you want." "Sure, I'II help you." "I just saw Mr. Srisai's brother-in-Iaw put $20 in the casket." "It's traveling money for his journey." "apparently, unlike the rest of us, Buddhists can take it with them." "Why am I giving Brenda napkin rings?" "Because that's all I had in the gift closet." "Hey, they're allowed to take pictures of the dead guy, but I'm not?" "That's right." "They're family." "claire, we're going to be late." "I can't believe I have to go to this thing." "AII right, look, I'm sorry." "On the plus side..." "I bet it'II take you two sips of punch before you're completely wasted." "Thanks, I'II keep that in mind." "More punch, anyone?" "Yeah, sure, I'II take another hit." "That brat's over an hour late." "For the life of me, I don't know how she got so damn passive-aggressive." "Isn't that just being aggressive?" "Are you sick, dear?" "Or are you always this deathly pale?" "I'm not late, am I?" "You most certainly are." "Ice-coId mini asparagus quiche, darling?" "What are they doing with those cups of water?" "It's a cleansing ritual." "You rid yourself of any wrongs you've done to the deceased." "You really think that changes anything?" "Pouring a little water into a bowl?" "I don't know." "Maybe." "I have to go." "Can you make sure that the monks get home all right?" "And you'II pour the water out from Mr. Srisai's bowl?" "You're supposed to do it over the oldest tree you can find." "I use the one out front." "I don't know why they bring so many oranges." "But if there are any extra, grab some for the prep room." "This punch is delicious." "Your mother made it with a liqueur from belize." "It's some word with a tilde over the "n."" "So what's new?" "actually, I spent all night... doing it with this couple from Orange County." "And I have absolutely no idea why." "It's one of those sex things, you know." "lifestyle parties." "I don't know anything about that." "They had this..." "little high-tech Japanese vibrator... that stimulates the clitoris through very Iow-voItage electrical shocks." "Anyway, they invited me, you know, to go with them... and I thought, now this would be crossing a line." "Which I seem to be doing more and more these days." "Because you know what?" "The lines are only in our heads." "In actuality, there are no lines at all... which is really fucking terrifying, if you think about it." "What's so funny?" "Nothing." "Everything." "This." "I want you to know something, Brenda." "I Iove you." "I Iove you, because you are so independent and spirited... and you make no apologies to yourself." "And you know you can't smother someone or you'II lose them." "You accept Nate as he is, and that is beautiful." "I don't know how to do that." "Not at all." "Maybe that's why I resented you so much." "But now I don't." "Now I admire you." "Thank you." "Thanks." "I have to go to the bathroom." "claire, are you feeling all right?" "Yeah, I'm just tired." "Let me feel your forehead." "It feels okay." "I don't know why you should be tired." "You slept almost 1 1 hours last night." "I'm not really like want-to-go-to-sIeep tired." "I'm just sort of like... sick and tired of everything." "What do you mean?" "Just all the lies we're fed." "The bullshit we're supposed to care about, how everybody is so scared... of anything that's different from everything else." "I don't know." "I'm gonna get some coffee." "Do you want some?" "I have to use the bathroom." "You must be Ruth." "Bernard Chenowith." "Oh, hello." "I'm so sorry to startle you." "I was supposed to confine myself to the master suite... but Margaret doesn't like me to use her bathroom." "She gets insanely territorial about that damn bidet." "It's nice to finally meet you." "I know." "I don't know why Nate and Brenda haven't arranged a dinner or something." "I couId give you half a dozen reasons just off the top of my head!" "But I'd Iike to ask you something." "What steps have you taken to treat your daughter's depression?" "I have no idea what you're talking about." "surely you must be aware of it." "Now, if you're adverse to talk therapy, there are scads of pharmaceutical solutions." "Either way, I'd be happy to recommend the name of somebody she can see." "I'm sorry." "I have to use the bathroom." "You're breaking up with me?" "I don't think we have a healthy friendship." "We shouldn't see each other anymore." "Okay." "I don't know how else to explain it." "Don't bother, really." "I'm going through something." "I don't understand what it is... but I need to be around people who aren't like you." "people who have clear values, or something." "Okay, got it." "If I hadn't met you, I probably wouldn't be doing all the shit I've been doing." "Not that I blame you, exactly." "Oh, brother!" "Just can it, sweetheart." "You can't stand to see the truth about yourself, so I've got to take the fall." "Just do me a favor." "When you feel bad about this later... you can skip the big apology and trying to be friends again." "It was fun, but we should both move on." "So now you know what was really going on with me that night in seattle." "So is the Western medicine controlling the seizures?" "Not entirely." "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this earlier." "I think I was just trying to not face it myself." "Lisa, I've changed." "I used to be this person who ran away from responsibility, but I'm not him anymore." "I want to be a part of our child's life." "I really want to." "I need to." "Is this about you being a father for someone... or is this about you being scared of death?" "Does it really matter?" "Maybe it doesn't." "This is going to take some adjusting." "Okay, maybe we can work out something." "This is what you want, right?" "absolutely what I want." "It's not Iike Brenda told you this was the right thing to do, or something." "No." "She doesn't even know about it." "What?" "Nate, you are so...." "This is no good." "I just want to get away from you." "I don't understand." "What's going on?" "I was so stupid to think that anything could ever change you." "You don't want a child, so you agree not to be a part of that child's life." "Then you decide you do want a child, and you say you'II be part of the child's life... with a total disregard for the person you're supposedly sharing a life with." "AII I said" "Jesus, Nate... if you can't put anyone but yourself first, how can you be a father?" "You can't." "So do us both a favor and stay out of our lives." "please."