"Come on." " I am exhausted." "I can't go on." " You're totally missing the point here." "My knees hurt." "My feet hurt." "But it's to keep you from thinking about Keith." "Why do you keep bringing up his name?" "One relationship is not the end of the world." "You just forge ahead and put the mess behind you." "I don't know which is more exhausting, jogging or you." " I'm just trying to be helpful." " Well, then let me be miserable." "That's what it said not to do in that article." "Not the article again." "Twelve Steps to Beating the Blues." "Step three is take a jog." "Step four, crawl into a hole and die." "No, step four is rent a movie." "Or eating binge?" " I'm throwing out all of my magazines." " Good, cos step six is clean house." "Wait, wait, wait." "There's six more steps, OK?" "I mean, come on, Michael, a decorating committee?" "I mean, seriously, what do I know about decorating for a party?" "You've got that strong right-side brain." "The creative side." "It's gonna be blue-hair city, a bunch of old-biddy doctors' wives." "I missed the first two planning sessions." "I'm getting the distinct impression you don't want to do this." "Michael, I'm just asking, is it really that important?" "Hey, I told you." "This interns mixer is our first chance to mingle with the board of directors." "We've got to making contacts to ensure..." ""A place in a good practice."" "OK, look, I realize I sprang this on you." "If you really don't want to go, don't." "You talk about the hospital as this other world, and if you met some people, maybe you wouldn't feel that way." "Tell you what." "I'll buy you lunch after the meeting." "Bribed again." " Why are you wearing this to work?" " Scott has a boat." "We're going sailing before rounds." "He's amazing." "One of the top pediatric guys, and still manages to have a life." "Oh, great." " Hello, can I help you?" " That depends." "Are you the super?" " The manager." "Same." " I read about the apartment for rent." "Right, would you like to see it?" "Anything to get out of this heat." "I think the sun's smaller in New York." " It's got two bedrooms?" " Sorry, a single." "Wait, hold everything." "I'm looking for a roommate, so..." "No, thanks." "No offence." "I just prefer to live alone." "Then we could swap." "You take my two-bedroom." " Cool by you, Michael?" " I don't see why not." "Wait, before you move me in, seeing the place would be nice." "Sure, I'm sorry." "Jane can help you." "I'll see you at lunch." " Bye." " Take care." "You'll flip over the place." "The decoration's funky, that'll leave when I do." "I'm Rhonda, that was Michael, and this is Jane, his wife." " Hi." " Hi." "Jo Reynolds." "No "E."" "My roommate moved to New York, so it's been a bitch finding a new one." "See, you got your nice southern exposure here." "Hardwood floors..." "And you'll find the neighbors here are great." "Cook's paradise, this kitchen..." " So, Jo, who's the other bedroom for?" " Darkroom." "I'm a photographer." "A lot of us in the building are into the creative stuff." "There'll always be someone around." " Nice friendly building?" " Exactly." "Like one big family." "How cosy." "Yeah, in New York we all live vertically." "Here, it's horizontal." "I can't find elevators anywhere." "We'll need you to fill out an application and make a deposit." " How soon can you be out?" " Let's see..." "I can get some guys to help me pack..." " Today?" " Yeah, sure." " If you're in that much of a hurry." " OK, it's all settled." "You think she always gets her way?" "First thing you learn in pediatrics is kid gloves with the parents." "Sending a child into surgery, whether it's necessary or not, is the hardest thing they'll ever do." "Sometimes the heartbreak..." "Plastic surgery's the best bet." "Get rich, retire." " Patients rarely die." " You're great with kids." "That's why I do it." "The kids." "Makes it all worth it." "You've got a lot of promise." "If this is what you want to do, I'll help." " I'd appreciate it." " What are fellow doctors for?" " Could you get that bumper down there?" " Sure." "Thanks." "Look, tonight at the mixer, I'll introduce you around." " You might make some good connections." " That'd be great, thanks." "Rounds." "Last time I was on a committee was in high school." "Well, I am sure they gave you a better budget than this." " Hi, honey." " How you doing?" " I'd like you to meet Liz McBain." " Hello." " Scott McBain, Liz's husband." " Jane Mancini, Michael's wife." "Jane and I met at the meeting." "Hi." "How was sailing?" "Terrific." "Michael's a natural." "Honey, Liz and I have so much in common." " We work." "Both new to L.A." " Both don't know anyone." " Instant friendship." " Sounds like a conspiracy." "Should we put an end to this here and now?" " Absolutely." " Too late." "We're all going out tonight." "We checked your schedule." "You're both off rotation for the next 12 hours." "Imagine, dinner out with another couple." "Photographic equipment." "So you're a photographer then." "And so you're CIA or KGB or just nosy?" "Well, the box was in front of my door, wasn't it?" "I'm Jake Hanson." "I live right there." "The motorcycle aficionado." "Rhonda gave me reviews on all the neighbors." "There's Billy the writer, Michael the doctor, and there's Jake, the silent type." " And you're?" " Jo." "The private type." "Here, let me get that." "No, I got it, really." " You got the best unit in the building." " So I've been told." "Your apartment it's right above mine." " Is it, really?" " Yeah." "Careful, careful." " OK?" " Yeah." "You gotta watch the water around here." "The plumbing's kind of weird, you know." "You turn on hot, I get cold." "That kind of thing." "What are you saying?" "I have to call you before I shower?" "No, no." "Just if you hear my shower going, wait." " Generally, I take short showers." " Oh, I'm so relieved." " So..." " So thank you very much." "Glad to see those muscles are more than just show, and I can get the rest." "Right." "There's no welcome wagon here, so if you want someone to show you around town..." " I'll call a cab." " Remember, I'm downstairs." " I'll think of you every time I shower." " Yeah." "Please leave a message at the tone." "Hi, Dad?" "It's me." "I just wanted you to know that I'm fine." "Everything's great." "Don't worry." "I'm in L.A." "And I'll write to you and explain everything soon." "I miss you." "Scott's useless around the house." "We have this old place..." "Always something wrong." "The woman is gifted in plumbing." "Plugged drains, my specialty." " We could use you around our building." " Not when I'm in a rush." "Like today." "The tub goes out, then the shower, then the sink." "I've got 20 minutes, so I'm under the sink..." "Completely naked." "This is how I find her when I come home." "Like you don't like it, what?" "Let me tell it." "So I'm completely naked, and I've got this wrench wrapped around this rusted pipe, and I'm seriously putting all my weight into it," " and it just kind of..." " And it seriously breaks." "Seriously." "Pow!" "Face-first into the shut-off valve." " Lucky you married a doctor." " It's one of the few benefits." "It's not that bad." "I can hardly see it." " Levin would've operated." " No kidding." " Complete workup, overnight stay." " Buff that chart!" "Hold it right there." "No hospital gab." "You promised." "I told him we would eat at a separate table." "Good." "Come on, there must be something you guys can talk about." " Well, nice weather we're having." " Yeah." "Flu season, though." "Admissions will be way up this month." " Just kidding, just kidding." " No, you're not." "What am I doing?" "I'm not hungry." " I'm tired." " You're always tired." " I think I'll go to bed." " Alison, it's 8.30." "This is not a sign of depression, OK, doctor?" "It's plain and simple, normal fatigue." "You've been sleeping 15 hours a day ever since you broke up with Keith." "Come on, let's get out of here." "We'll get a cappuccino." " Good night, Billy." " Let me ask you, are you crying in there and dealing with your emotions or just sleeping?" "You have crossed the line." "This is no longer charming." " This is nosy and annoying." " I'm just worried." "If this continues, you'll probably..." " What?" " I'm just scared you're gonna call him." "It's over between me and Keith." "You know that." "It'll be over when you get back to your old self." "Has it occurred to you that maybe this experience has changed me, and I will never be my old self again?" "For the last time." "Good night, Billy." "Scott says Michael's the best new intern." "Oh, really." "Well, I won't tell him." "I'm sure it'd go straight to his head." "Well, I heard Scott's a terrific doctor." " Michael says he has a way with kids." " Yeah." " You don't have any of your own?" " I'm too busy." "Between my career at the college and his at the hospital..." "Until kids can raise themselves, those plans are on hold." "Yeah." " Oh, your jacket." "What's this?" " What?" "You have a stain." "Here, let me get it." " No, it's fine." " It's no problem." " You don't have to." " Let's see..." "Looks like it hurts." "It's nothing, really." "It's..." "Really." "We better get back." "Oh, Jane..." "Jane, that is ridiculous." "Fine, but you weren't there." "You didn't see her look." "We finally meet another couple, everybody likes everybody," " and you start this wild speculation." " I just mopped." "You have never seen Scott with those kids." "I mean, this guy, he's patient, he's gentle..." "I don't know." "To say this..." "To even think it..." "What if he has hit his wife?" "If there's even a chance..." "Stop." "OK?" "He didn't hit his wife." "They obviously love each other." "When did you get so nosy?" "I don't know." "When did you get so political?" "A couple of bruises." "OK, maybe she banged her face, her arm, but..." "I think you're seeing things that aren't there." "It was probably that movie of the week I saw last week when you were working." "That's the culprit." "It was very good, based on a true story." "I'm sure it was, but not this story." "OK, just..." "That's a perfect spot." "It should flourish in all that sunlight." "You know where the laundry room is?" "Basement." "But warning, the dryer eats quarters." "OK, I'll keep that in mind." "You're a photographer." "Professional or amateur?" "Amateur, hoping to be professional." "Oh, then we're in sort of related fields." "I'm a writer." "Oh, really?" "I didn't know there were any real writers in L.A." "God, not that attitude." "I'm so sick of that." "If you people from New York hate L.A. So much, why do you all move out here?" "I guess some of us just need a change." "Yeah." "I know how that is." "A call." "I didn't get any calls for two weeks." " You're not gonna?" " No." "Just plugged it in." "Probably a salesman or a wrong number." "Anyway, I'll see you around." "I guess." "Thanks, Bill." "I never dreamed this could actually be fun." "Liz..." "I teach classical, and this is for fun." "You play beautifully." "Thanks." " It's a nice escape." " I need something like that." "I think all we doctors' wives do." "With Michael, some nights he gets home, he's a complete wreck." "Totally drained." "I can't think of another profession that tough." "They work hard, all right." "Yeah, it's not easy on us, either." "No." "It's not." "I can't even go near the piano when he's home." "I have to go to the practice room at the community college." "Sorry." "Of course, when we were first married like you guys, he'd sit there for hours listening to my concertos, sonatas, Chopsticks." "The hospital changes them." "I really try, you know?" "To be there for him." "To be understanding." "But sometimes, no matter what I do, it's..." "It's just not right." "He gets angry?" "Very angry." "I look at you and Michael, and I remember what we had in the beginning before all the pressure." " That's why I'm glad we met." " Me too." "OK." "You know what?" "We're almost done here." "I'm taking you out to lunch." "OK." " Hi." " Oh, hi." "Oh, damn!" "You have to kick it." "On the side." "The other side." "Here, like this." "Come on!" " Alison, right?" " Yeah." " We gotta do that more often." " It felt great, didn't it?" "Yeah." "Well, I just broke up with my husband." "What's your excuse?" "I just broke up with somebody else's husband." "His shirt." "I'm still not quite over him." "Well, you never will be if you keep doing his laundry." "We haven't been formally introduced, but as two women on the rebound, it's only fitting." " Jo Reynolds." " Alison Parker." "This isn't a gut feeling anymore." "She's in pain." "Physical and emotional." " She'd ask for help." " That's what this friendship is." " A cry for help." " She's an intelligent, educated woman." " What's the difference?" " She'd know what to do." "Unless she's in denial or disbelief." "Honey, she's scared." "She's terrified." "Think about it." "You won't talk about it or consider it." "Imagine how she feels." " You think she's a battered wife?" " Yes." " What proof?" " I told you." "Yeah, but what concrete proof?" "And even if he were, what are we supposed to do?" "Call the police." "Go to the hospital." "Yeah, but over what?" "A couple of bruises?" "A look in her eye?" "A look only you see." "If we're wrong, Scott's career could be destroyed." "If there's a problem, it's between him and her." " If there's a problem." " I don't believe what I'm hearing." "Honey, until she asks for help, there's nothing you can do." "Especially not tonight." "There's nothing we can do." "I'm sorry." "Michael, come here." "Michael." "This is Doug Robinson." " This is a good friend of mine." " Nice to meet you." " I'm gonna go talk to Liz." " OK." "This is Michael." "He's gonna be a very important doctor someday." "Liz, there you are." "I've been looking for you." "Really?" "I've been right here." "All I've heard are raves for the food." "No one has mentioned our decorating." "They're running low on nametags." "I'm gonna go see if I can find some." "Liz, if you don't wanna talk about it, just tell me," " and I won't bother you." " Talk about what?" "He's hit you, hasn't he?" "The bruises, what you said..." " Don't." "Please." " You can't keep denying it." " It was one time, that's it." "It's over." " Liz, come on." "Please, I don't want to make him angry." "But I can be there for you." "Please." "Just leave me alone." "Hi, Scott." "Jane." "Where have you been?" "How have you been?" " I'm fine." " Great party, huh?" " Yeah, it is." " Where'd Liz run off to?" "I don't know." "You women, you're great, the way they can talk to each other." "Men aren't like that." "We're just not born with whatever it takes, that ability." "Oh, to be a fly on the wall..." " I better get back to the party." " Jane, everything's OK, right?" "What are you saying?" "I don't know." "I've had five drinks." "What am I saying?" " Hey, guys, join the party." " You're right." "You haven't met Marinello." "Major pediatric surgeon, die-hard Italian." "He's gonna love you." "Jane, if you see Liz, tell her I'm looking for her." " Hey." " Hey, Mancini." " You avoiding me?" " No." "Of course not." "Look, Liz told me what Jane, shall we say, insinuated?" " I can explain." " Pretty weird accusations." " I know." " They are just your wife's, right?" "Your life is none of my business, or Jane's." "If I agreed, that would be admitting I was doing something wrong." "Like I said, it's none of our business." "I want you to know I have never struck my wife." "I never would." "Now, whatever Jane said has Liz extremely upset." "And as for me, well, a rumor like this..." "I don't have to tell you how damaging that can be." "I'm a doctor." "I love my job." "Helping these kids." "I love my wife." "Do you really believe I could do something like this?" " No." "Of course I don't." " I didn't think so." "Look, Liz and I, we have our problems, like everybody else." " But I would never..." " I know." "I know." "Valve replacement at 1.00." "Wanna observe?" " Sure." "I'd love to." " All right." "Here's to all the good men everywhere, anywhere." " Are there any good men out there?" " I don't need them." " Who wants them?" " You're right, exactly." "We're on our own, Alison." "And they don't think we can cut it, those boys out there." "Well, they're wrong." "Cos I not only intend to survive, I personally intend to flourish." " Now, that says "bleak."" " It's supposed to say "repressed."" " Who is it?" " Me." "Sure." "I couldn't tell." "The married me." "The depressed me." "Repressed and depressed go together, like your tequila and limes." "How can love turn into something so terrible?" "Whoever said it was love?" "I might've talked myself into it at first." "But it was never love." "Never the real kind." "Nothing close to what you might've had with Keith." "Why'd you marry him?" "Well, there you have the million-dollar question." "I guess I just ended up mistaking security for love." "I was 20 when I got married." "And we lived in this penthouse that his parents bought him." "Upper East Side." "Beautiful view of the river." "And one day I just woke up and literally," "I said, "I have to be irresponsible."" "You think that's irresponsible of me?" "No." "I think it's really healthy." "This place is getting really depressing." "Where's the nearest hot spot?" "Our game." "Again." " That's four in a row, ladies." " You guys are really incredible." "It's worth every dime just watching you play." " One more?" " If we can raise the stakes." " What'd you have in mind?" " A night out." "The four of us." "Tonight." " And in the unlikely event that we win?" " Name your price." "Well, the 20 that you just won from us and 50?" "You got it." "Go ahead, honey, break 'em." "Why, thanks, Duane." "Ready, Thelma?" "Yeah, that's 70 bucks." "Unless you guys want to go double or nothing." "Hustled." " Wasn't that what you were doing to us?" " You know, you're not very ladylike." " A gentleman always pays his debt." " Forget it." "Let's get out of here." "Our money first." " Thanks." " Bitches." "That may be, but this bitch just beat your pants off." "Incredible." "We had a billiards room in the penthouse." "I used to play for hours." "What are you looking at?" "The movie starts in 10 minutes." "Are we going?" "You won't even talk about it." "An hour ago, a movie sounded like a great idea." "You're not on call." " Come on, let's just go." " No." "Hello." " Is someone there?" " Michael, it's Liz." "Please, I need to talk to Jane." "There she is, honey, right there." "Come on." "Are you OK?" "We'll get you back to our place." "This is usually Scott's job." "Beats me up, then patches me up." "Sorry." "It's just so absurd." "Tomorrow he'll come and find me." "He'll apologize." "Beg forgiveness." "Whatever it takes." "But I'm not going back there, ever." "That's it." "You can stay here as long as you like." "Afterwards, there are shelters, places you can go." " Your family, maybe?" " My family." "I've wanted to say something, but it's too humiliating." "They'll understand." "Liz, this has nothing to do with you." "It's him." "He's the one with the problem." "Hold still." "Hold still." "Almost done." "It must be impossible to understand for anyone else." "Every time I'd say, "OK, this is it." "This is the last time."" "And then there'd be some excuse." "Some apology." "A patient he'd lost at the hospital or something that happened at the hospital." "Had a few drinks, he didn't know what he was doing." "And then a week would go by, a whole month, and I would just walk on tiptoes." "And it would happen all over again." "It wasn't always like this, not in the beginning." "It was later." "It was the hospital and everything that came with it." "I don't know why I'm talking so rationally about this." "Years of rationalizing, I guess." "God." "Some of the excuses I came up with." "The pipe, that was a good one." "Doors." "Stairs." "Slippery anything, you know." "Marble, linoleum." "There must be people who think I'm the clumsiest person alive." "I'm sorry, Michael." "I didn't know where else to go." " You're all done for now." " OK." "I'll check your bath, find you a robe." "Thanks." " I don't know what to say." " You've been very kind." "No, no." "No." "I mean, after what Jane said to me, the things you told her..." "I could've..." "I should've done more." "Look I didn't want to believe that Scott could do something like this." "Neither did I." "See..." "The worst part is I love him." "Well, what do you think?" "Wow!" "This is it." "This is what I came here for." "This whole feeling." "What happened at Shooters tonight, I feel like Thelma or Louise." "No, it's not that." "It's that I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow, and I don't care." "This total freedom to be whoever I want to be!" "It's liking the fear, instead of fearing it." "I owe that all to you, Al." "What'd I do, except maybe tag along?" "No, you helped me kick the hell out of that dryer." " I've alienated everyone, haven't I?" " No." "Well, just about, but not me." "I was so scared to move out here." "Leaving the city behind the few friends that I had." "Terrified to think I couldn't live without a man in my life, and knowing how bad I was at making friends." "Oh, come on, I was just kidding." "When you're scared of so many things, especially change, you end up falling back on safety nets." "My shrink, or I would say the shrink my husband provided, insisted that I bring out a whole order, just in case." "I don't think I'm going to need them anymore." " Good for you." " Great for me." " You know what?" " What?" "That's it, no more safety nets!" " Waiting up for me?" " So how did it go?" "We talked." "Goofed around." "She is really a great woman." "I still think she's weird." "I really do." "I mean, if a phone rings, you answer it." "Well, don't worry, Billy." "You're still my best friend." " What're you doing with my magazines?" " More broken-heart research." "Oh, I've dealt with it." "I'm fine, OK?" "Back to my old self." "See?" " You can throw the magazines away." " There's a lot of good stuff in here." "Is He the Perfect Guy?" "." " You actually took this test." " Did extremely well, thank you." " Top five percent." " You were honest?" " Of course." " Really?" " I just said..." " Really?" "OK, so I built myself up a little." "You are terrible." "You know that, don't you?" "Well, I still would've been in the top ten percent, even without the cheating, which would make me, at the very least, an almost perfect guy." "Almost." " Good night, Billy." " Good night, Alison." "I saw you with Williams." "I didn't say anything." "But I've got an appointment with Levin." "Gonna tell him what happened, Scott, everything I know." "I saw what you did to her." "I saw Liz's face." "It's sick, man." "You need help." "She needs help." "Therapy, something." "I looked up to you, man." "I trusted you." " Look, it's not gonna happen again." " That's what she said you'd say." " And you believe her over me?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I do." "I've seen your work." "Go on, go on!" "Hit me!" "Fine!" "Better me than Liz." "They're gonna throw me out." "The hospital, the practice, finished!" "You should get some help." "How the hell did this happen?" "I never wanted it to." "I don't want to lose her." "Look, if I could just talk to her." " I love her." " No." "She left this morning." "She made us promise not to tell you where." "You know how it is, Michael." "I mean, you lose a patient." " You watch some kid slipping away." " That is no excuse, man." "That is no excuse to inflict that kind of violence on a woman or anyone." " I gotta go." " It won't help anything." " What do you want me to do?" " Go to Levin yourself." "Tell him!" "Admit it." "Come with me." "Come with me." "Yes?" "The water?" " I was taking a shower?" " I was brushing my teeth." "That's right." "The hot-cold thing." "When you're hot, I'm cold." "How unfortunate." "Have a nice day." "I'll do my best." "So, what do you think?" "Definite possibilities."