i wanted to, i wanted to see you.
you don't have to be sorry, that was like 12 years ago. everything worked out for the best. we see this hurts george.
don't do this.
i'm so sorry. i'm so sorry for what's happening to you.
maybe i over reacted. i didn't have to leave you.
and the funny thing is. my husband, he is on the road a lot for business. he did the same thing last year.
no. i have kids now.
you were the one and only magic relationship in. my life. she starts to cry. he does too. they embrace.
there's never been anything like you before or since. i love chris, but it's not the same. it's fine, maybe it isn't even fine, but we had something special.
i love you too george. i wish there was something i could do.
i wouldn't have missed it for the world, thanks for inviting me.
hi ira. are you performing tonight?
you look great. how are you feeling?
i thought a lot about you after i left.
well the show is going to start in a minute, i better get to my seat. i just wanted to say hi. don't be too dirty tonight, you know that makes me uncomfortable.
okay. break a leg. she exits.
ira. oh my gosh. you were so good.
i don't know, you seemed so nervous. but you were really solid all the way though, and your ending hunk really murdered.
i don't think he has anything to worry about. they always go crazy for him. before he got famous, he used to bomb all the time.
and that's when i think he was the funniest. and now that everyone knows him, it's a little too easy for him, i think. no one was funnier when the audience hated him than george. he loved it.
yeah. but you always knew he was gonna do well. he had so much charisma. he would walk into a room and in ten minutes that whole room would be about him. even before anyone knew who he was.
i was the hat-check girl at the improv. and i was acting. i used to do guest spots on all those shows, like melrose place, beverly hills 90210. i always played the bitch. i don't know why, but i was on the top of the bitch list.
that's because i was acting.
it was, for awhile. reveal george in the wings trying to get a look at them from a distance.
what do you mean?
why didn't george tell me?
i really don't know what to say. it's not like you weren't good before, but your act is so much more sophisticated, but just as funny. i've never seen you speak so honestly on stage before. you used to say these goofy jokes. it was really something, you know, and you should be really proud of yourself.
well, thanks for inviting me. i'm really glad i came.
my husband is actually in china for another week, or so. he spends a lot of time there helping american businesses break into that market. so you won't meet him this time, but it would be great if you came by. that would be fun. i'll give you the tour.
okay. an awkward beat. laura gives ira a hug goodbye, then hugs george goodbye, trying to make it appear as if they have equal weight.
bye. i'll see you then. she looks at ira. as she exits--
you were good too.
hi? we've been waiting for you. come on in.
thanks. we've been here for five years. i think i just finished decorating it. she leads them through the living room into a huge open kitchen. on the island, there is freshly squeezed lemonade, chips and dip. she has over-prepared for their arrival.
of course, you can clean the stables.
yes. clarke, my husband, was a real city boy. but for some reason he loves horses. of course i'm lef t to take care of them. but yes, we have three horses.
i'll come right up. this is my friend, george. and ira.
he's just joking ingrid.
don't be rude. this is ira and george.
the whole thing is a bad part. george laughs in a slightly flirty fashion with laura. ira is getting uncomfortable with the subtext.
c'mon, let's finish the game.
okay. now it's time to see what the judges say. i thought you had a lot of energy, you're clearly gonna make it to the final four, and i love your outfit. what do you think, randy?
mable, stop it. stop being mean to your sister. say something nice.
okay, you're not simon anymore. simon, what did you think?
okay mable, you're up. mable instantly starts gyrating in a manner that is not appropriate for a ten-year-old and singing the fergie song "london bridge."
i told you not to do that. simon, what do you think?
okay, who's next? randy?
all right! here we go. they start driving down a path that goes around the edge of the ranch. george has his hands around laura's waist as they drive. ira looks over, concerned.
me and george are gonna go to the supermarket and buy some food so i can cook dinner. you think you'll be okay watching the kids? it'll only take forty-five minutes.
clarke's company is about forty- five minutes from here. this town seemed so perfect when we were looking for a house. there's no traffic, there's one coffee house, one bookstore, one market. no crime. but after you've lived her a few years you hunger for another coffee shop, a bigger bookstore, and a little crime. it gets so boring. and it's such a small town, god forbid you miss one of you kid's soccer games, they put the scarlet letter on you.
we used to have so much fun. i don't think i have that much fun anymore. i don't like who i'm turning into. is the fun over? i have to get up every morning at six, drive my kids to school and then i have 6 hours before i have to pick them up. i have to yell at them to do their homework, be a taskmaster, then i make them dinner.
it takes an hour to shower them and put them to bed. and then it's 8:30 and i pass out. and it's great, but tuck. and when both kids are done with high school i'll be 49 years old, and then i'll have probably 6 very healthy years, then i'll kind of slow down and then i'll be an old woman. and that was it. and it's great, but fuck.
yes. being a mom is very fulfilling, but there are other parts of me and every once in awhile i go a little crazy.
i just get bored and depressed. and you know how my pms is kind of out of control. this little boy hit ingrid in school, and his mom acted like she didn't care at all, so i told her to fuck off. they both laugh.
screw you.
and my husband cheated on me, said he did it once but i know because i learned from you, they do it once, they do it all the time. you either cheat or you don't.
that's both flattering and deeply disturbing.
we can't go the supermarket.
because people will see us.
well it'll be weird because we're about to do something we shouldn't do.
i really never thought i was going to see you again. i grieved for you like you were dead. they continue to kiss. suddenly she stops.
i can't do this.
i gotta get back to the kids.
we decided ordering in might be a little more fun.
food's here! all right, everybody. let's sit down at the kitchen table. everyone gets up and heads toward the kitchen. laura opens the front door, george is a few steps behind her. a handsome man of forty appears. this is not the pizza guy. it's clarks, laura's husband.
clarke, oh my gosh. what are you doing home?
oh, clarke. george had a performance last night in town, which i went to, and him and his opening act, ira, came by to say hello on their way out of town. there is an awkward moment, then clarke smiles and gives george a compassionate look, the type of look you give a man you think is dying.
i'm so glad you're home, honey. laura gives clarke a hug and a peck. then ira walks over.
he speaks chinese. for real. ingrid yells at something in chinese.
he's doing really well. he's been very strong.
he's been fighting the good fight. his doctors are taking very good care of him. ira can believe this conversation is happening.
does anybody want seconds? or should i bring out the desert?
now's not the time to talk about this.
he really is the last guy who would buy into that shit.
george, stop.
well, i also ran a theatre company. and it was down to me and cameron diaz for 'the mask.' i sacrificed a lot for our family.
there's no pollution here like in la so you can actually see the stars.
that's too bad, i wish you could stay.
clarke, don't. you don't need to do that.
that was beautiful, honey. well let me walk them to the car. ingrid walks over.
i never said that he was still sick. he just took some medicine and it's looking better. you can't detect it in his blood, but it could come back.
you know what? i don't know what i want now.
i've been going through all the bank statements, trying to figure out which are in his name and which are in mine.
almost all the accounts are in his name. i wonder if he did that on purpose.
yeah. my best friend nancy grows this stuff on a hill by her house. you want some?
not me. it makes me feel sharper, some people get tired, i get more energy, more clear.
what's happening? whatever we want to happen is gonna happen now. i'm free. i'm fucking free. laura gets up, kisses him.
we're free.
a tank could roll through this place, it wouldn't wake them up. they kiss some more. she moans louder.
i have to talk to them for a minute. mable, go wipe your sister's butt.
i spoke to clarke. he's going to fly back to china tonight. i was thinking about driving to the airport and meeting him there and telling him that when he comes back, he should find another place to live.
yes. it's what i want. i just need to figure out when we would move down to la. it might be better to let the kids finish out the school year because i have to apply to the private schools in la, and i don't know if i missed the deadline. then i'd have to look into the charter schools. sometimes these private schools, if you give them a donation, they let your kids in. maybe you can stay up here for part of the year if i can't make it happen.
i'll be back in an hour and a half, tops. and then it all begins.
i love you.
i'm sorry too. i love you so much. it was just a flirtation. it never went anywhere. it's just after you cheated on me, i felt so alone. and you were gone so often that i felt like our life doesn't work.
oh, fuck.
i don't know what to say.
i came here to tell you that i wanted you to move out when you came home. but i realized this was a mistake, so i didn't say it. please don't hold that against me. we've worked everything out. everything is fine.
who the fuck are you? get the fuck out of my life! you and george have to get the fuck out of my life. you are ruining everything!
clarke, please don't do this.
why did you have to come here and confuse me? everything was fine before you came here. now everything is all screwed up.
with him.
you fucked up my life. and now i fucked up yours. but just a little. probably just for a day. she walks back into the house.