East of Eden (2026) s01e07 Episode Script

1
The boys look like me.
Cal and Aron.
Don't you think?
I think they take after their father.
Or should I say fathers?
Don't be cheeky.
They sure are pretty like you.
I will say that.
Maybe like I was.
Rouge and powder
can only do so much nowadays.
You look as young as the day
you first crawled onto our porch.
- Charles?
- Hm?
You know what I've always liked about you?
- Your candor.
- Hm.
- I guess kind recognizes kind.
- Mmm.
My looks aren't gone yet.
I still have time.
Time for what?
When are you going to retire?
You've worked so hard.
You deserve some rest.
- When I've made enough money.
- Hm.
Well, don't wait too long,
end up like Faye.
- You know what Ethel said?
- Hm?
When she saw Faye
in the open casket, she said
Uh, she said, "Why, a dead whore
looks like anybody else."
Hm.
And where is Ethel?
Mm?
Months of searching without a trace,
or so your man says.
But every time Joe goes to look for her,
you give him more money.
What reason does he have
in actually finding her?
Tighten the screws, Cathy.
Hm?
You know how to handle the man.
Just remember
what you have in your safe.
Papers regarding one Joseph Venuta
for escaping a San Quentin sentence
for robbery.
Hmm.
Hm?
Hm.
- Good turnout this morning.
- Mm.
Almost twice as many volunteers
as last month already.
Got some brave boys here.
How can you eat?
I'm hungry.
I feel like the grim reaper
with a rubber stamp instead of a scythe.
You can't carry
the weight of the war, Trask.
They asked us to serve
on the recruitment board.
It's an honor.
We're not issuing death sentences here.
These boys may never see action.
I passed Judge Kendall's boy,
and he was killed in training.
Been wondering what it'd be like
if I had to pass my own sons.
I'd resign.
A man would be tempted to reject his own.
No, I'd resign
because I couldn't reject them.
A man couldn't enlist others
and let his own go free.
Well,
by the time our boys come of age,
the war's bound to be over.
Yeah, just let our troops get at them.
One American is worth 10 or 20
of those foreigners in a fight.
Hm.
Has he come out of the exam yet?
No.
What are you reading about?
The price of beans.
Oh.
Abra!
Well?
Well, I, uh I passed.
Well, how's about that, Cal?
So then I was just about to leave
when O'Leary stuck out his hand and said,
"You make us proud up there at Stanford."
I I graduate next week.
My father wants to take us out
for a steak dinner tonight.
- How'd he know I'd pass?
- Everyone knew you'd pass.
- When will you tell Father?
- When I get home, I guess.
I wish I was there to see
the look on his face.
Why? Where are you going?
I I have a meeting.
- A meeting?
- Oh.
- What kind of meeting?
- Cal's got a secret. Don't worry about it.
- I bet I could get it out of him.
- Nah, he won't even tell me.
Cal. Aron. Dinner!
If a boy I approve for service dies,
does that make me responsible?
They're volunteering to go.
But they don't know
what they're signing up for. They can't.
Cal, would you go get your brother please?
I think Aron's going to eat
with Abra's family at a restaurant.
He didn't tell me.
I made winter melon soup.
You know, I keep thinking about
the last time
Sam Hamilton came to the ranch.
We discussed a word from the Bible.
Cain and Abel. Do you remember?
About choice.
- Timshel.
- Timshel.
- Right.
- What's that?
It's a Hebrew word.
It means "thou mayest."
It grants a man choice in his actions,
the right to be himself,
separate from all others.
Sounds lonely.
Many great things are lonely.
- Hey, Cal, I borrowed your cologne.
- I can smell that.
- Aron, I made your favorite.
- Save some for me. I'll have it later.
Couldn't stay for a bowl of soup?
I don't blame him
for wanting to celebrate.
- That was a hard job.
- Celebrate? What's the occasion?
- Uh
- What is it?
Aron passed the college entrance exams.
He's graduating a year early.
He didn't tell you?
Mm.
Oh yeah, the exams.
He told me this morning. Fine job.
He didn't know this morning.
Excuse me.
Did you enjoy your steak, brother?
How could you do that to him?
Sweet of you to wait up for me.
You embarrassed your father.
You made him be the last one to know.
I don't know why you're upset.
You get to be the good son for once.
Enjoy it.
Cal?
Go to bed.
- It doesn't mean anything to you, does it?
- Cal!
What's he so sore about?
Don't play stupid. It's beneath you.
It was cruel of you
not to tell your father.
I expect better from you, Aron.
I'm sick of it.
What?
Father doesn't have
any accomplishments of his own,
so he puts all his hopes on me.
This is my accomplishment.
I worked hard.
Why do I have to share it?
When we have a surplus of blessings,
Aron, we can afford to be generous.
If my mother were here,
do you think Father would want
so much from me all the time?
Go to him.
Let him be proud.
Father?
I passed my college entrance exams.
Leland Stanford University
have a place for me in the fall.
They don't charge tuition, so I'll only
have to pay for room and board.
Come here.
When I was your age,
I left home.
And I stayed away for a long time.
Too long.
I hope
I hope that you feel
that we've given you a home
that you can return to.
That was my father's. Now it's yours.
A man needs to know the time.
"Dear Abra, I'd hoped
to find my place here among peers."
"But it turns out
Stanford University is nothing more
than a bunch of boys in dirty trousers
bent on learning
the small vices of their fathers."
He sounds so unhappy.
Aron's standards are very high
for himself and others.
That can make life hard.
Sometimes I'm afraid
I'm not good enough for him.
What makes you say that?
In his letters,
it's like he's not really writing to me.
It's like he's made someone up
and put my skin on her.
Well, what's his made-up Abra like?
Pure.
Nothing but pure.
Never a bad thing.
I'm not like that.
No one is.
What if he sees something
in me that isn't so good?
What if I get mad or I smell bad?
I think because Aron
never knew his mother,
he made her up into everything good
he could think of.
- And then he dumped it all on me.
- And you wish you could dump it back.
Wouldn't it be better?
To take the chance and be myself?
You're looking at a coward, Abra.
I'm not the one to ask.
Do you do you think anyone
could love me for who I really am?
- Do you know what I wish?
- That I wouldn't talk so much.
I wish you were my daughter.
I wish you were my father.
- Is Father home?
- Not yet.
Good.
For you.
- I told you I didn't want interest.
- It's better this way.
You never know.
I might wanna borrow it back.
What are you talking about?
Come over Thanksgiving. You'll see.
Why? What's going to happen
on Thanksgiving?
Don't take it personally, Abra.
He won't tell any of us either.
Cal, feet down now.
I should go.
My mother will be waiting for me.
Cal, walk her home.
- Hm?
- He doesn't have to.
- Oh, it's getting dark. Cal?
- Fine.
Cal?
Is Aron all right?
He sounds different in his letters.
I don't wanna hear
about your love letters.
Is it true?
What people say about you?
What do they say?
That you're bad.
That you go out at night to bad places.
What of it?
I'm not good either.
You're crazy.
I don't think I am.
Don't worry.
Aron will knock it out of you.
What if I don't want him to?
You're home.
Do you need me to open the gate for you?
No.
That's nice.
Oh, stop. Thank you.
You know what I think?
You're losing your authority.
Look at Joe,
flirting with the girls,
thinking he's the boss.
He's probably stealing from you too,
skimming off the top.
Are you the madam of this house or not?
Joe.
A word.
You're losing control, Joe.
Who says?
It is your job to keep the girls in line.
If you cannot be relied on,
I will find someone who can.
What about you?
Hiding in your room,
listening to your phonograph.
When was the last time you left the house?
You got the girls
running around town like errand boys.
- Because you aren't around.
- Because of the other stuff I'm doing.
- What other stuff?
- Ethel.
Well, maybe we should just drop that.
You don't bring any news, and it seems
to waste your time and my money.
I did get a smell of something
last week up in Santa Cruz.
Oh, funny.
Why didn't you mention that before?
Wasn't sure it was important.
But this man said he'd seen Ethel
about a month back.
He said she kept going on
about how she had to get back to Salinas.
'Cause she had proof.
The guy didn't see her after that,
so he figured she must've come back here.
I was gonna look into it,
but I can drop it if you want.
Joe
It's so silly.
It's just all one big mix-up.
Turns out Ethel never stole the $100.
In fact, she never stole anything at all.
Poor girl.
And I'd feel much better
if I could make it up to her.
Do you think you could poke around?
Bring her in?
It'll take more funds. Mm.
You can have what you need.
Who's playing who here?
You're just gonna keep
throwing money at him?
Well, what else?
I can't have Ethel out there talking.
What will you do when he finds her?
Perhaps I'll retire early,
like you said. I'll go east somewhere.
New York, maybe.
And what about Ethel?
Mmm
She can come with me and be my maid.
Perhaps I'll buy a big house
and move somewhere where no one knows me,
start a new life.
And all will be well
until she starts talking.
You must eliminate the liability.
That's what I'm trying to do.
You will find Ethel,
and you will finish her off.
- Do you understand?
- You can't tell me what to do!
I don't need to take orders
from you or any other man!
Cathy
You do know that you're talking
to yourself, don't you?
Or had you forgotten?
Oh no.
Now, what are you going to do?
Eliminate the liability.
That's my Cathy.
I wonder how he'll have changed.
It's only been a couple of months.
- I thought I'd miss the train.
- Abra!
Look at you.
- Welcome home.
- Son, you look just fine.
Thank you, Father.
- Everyone does it.
- Say hello to your brother.
- Hello, brother.
- Come on.
- He's gotten taller.
- Ah, let's go. Oh, it's good to be back.
Close the door. Father will come in.
Presents? It's not Christmas.
What have you got there?
- Huh?
- What have you got there?
You'll see tomorrow.
So many secrets.
It's funny how different
everything looks when you've been away.
I wouldn't know.
What do you think Father would say
if I didn't wanna go back to college?
- What's the trouble?
- It's just
It's not what I thought
it was going to be.
What's your plan?
Remember your idea
about taking over the ranch?
There's no money in farming.
I don't want much money.
I'll tell you what.
If you stay on at college,
I could get started on a business for us.
And that way, when you finish school,
we can be partners.
But why don't we just do that now?
Why do I have to finish school?
'Cause it'll make Father happy.
It's my life.
I'm not going back, Cal.
Aron, times have changed.
A man gets nowhere today
if he isn't a specialist.
That's why a college degree matters.
But I don't even know
what I'd want to specialize in.
That's why you're at university,
to find out what you're interested in.
You see?
You've already made the right choice.
How can you know it's right
when I haven't tried anything else?
Do you know how fortunate you are?
They're talking about lowering
the conscription age to 18.
Next fall, you could be forced out
of school and into the army.
I came as soon as I could.
- What'd I miss?
- Nothing.
We're talking about
the value of education.
Father?
What is this?
A present.
- For me? Why?
- Just open it.
- What could it be?
- Hm.
A handkerchief. No, a tie.
It'll be a tie.
They had to send to San Francisco
to get the $1,000 bills.
How did you get this?
I made it
for you, to make up for the lettuce.
You made it?
Will Hamilton and I bought
futures on beans.
The price jumped because of the war,
and we sold for almost
four times what we paid.
It's $15,000.
It's yours, to make up for what you lost.
You have to give it back.
- Give it back to who?
- How about the farmers that you robbed?
We didn't rob them. We paid them
two cents a pound over market price.
I send boys out.
I sign my name, and I send them out.
Some of them will die.
Some of them will be horribly maimed.
Not one will come back untorn.
Do you think
that I could take a profit on that?
Father, please.
I did it I did it for you.
I don't want it!
Well, I'll
I'll save it for you.
- I'll save it for you.
- Cal.
- You'll change your mind.
- Cal. Cal.
- You'll change
- Look. Stop. Look at me.
I will never want that money.
I would have been so happy
if you had just given to me
what your brother has.
Pride in what he is doing.
Gladness in his progress.
Money could never stack up with that.
If you wanted to give me a present,
live a good life.
That would be something
that I could value.
Not this.
Aron.
What's wrong with you?
You should've known
how Father would react.
Aron, it was a present.
I thought he'd be happy.
You thought you'd be happy.
You were only thinking of yourself.
You act selfish and thoughtless and cruel,
and then you're hurt
when people get upset.
Well, I'm sick of it. I
I'm not gonna protect you anymore.
You protect me?
I'm done, Cal.
All right?
I am done trying to pick up the pieces.
Aron, wait.
I need to show you something.
It's late.
Please.
Please, you're gonna want to see this.
What is it?
I'll show you.
Come on.
- What are we doing here?
- You'll see.
Cal, let's go home.
Cal.
Cal, come on.
Why? Are you scared?
We're closed for a party.
Tell Kate Cal and Aron Trask
wanna see her.
When he makes those motions at you
Wait here.
Everything he bids, you must do
Look out
He'll get you if he can
Keep awake, keep awake, keep awake
Oh, those wonderful eyes
How they seem to tantalize
When that feeling o'er you does creep
Recognize anyone?
That stare is over there
- He's always there
- He's everywhere
When you feel queer and you hear
Someone whisper in your ear
Come over here, come over here
Don't make a sound
For you'll know
That you've found a man to fear
Aron.
No
No! No!
Goodbye, Mother.
When that feeling o'er you does creep
Your eyes are open
But you're fast asleep
That hypnotizing
Man
Aron.
Aron?
Mmm
Mm-mm.
What were you saying?
So, this big fella says, uh,
"The party you're looking for
wants to talk."
Meaning Ethel, see?
He says something
that don't make no sense.
"Does the name Faye
mean anything to you?" he asks.
"Not a thing," I say.
Figured I should ask you what he meant.
Kate?
I know you're lying.
What?
You haven't heard of Faye?
The madam who ran this house before me?
Oh, now that you mention it
Oh, you're lying, and what's worse is
you think you're getting away with it.
Getting away with what?
Send Lois in to me.
I swear, Kate, I just forgot
that old dame was called Faye.
You can see yourself out.
- I--
- I said you can see yourself out!
Venuta.
Stop it.
Quiet!
Sorry!
Lois, come in.
Could you turn the phonograph off
and and then take a seat?
How long have you been with us now?
A couple months.
Good. You're doing
very well for a new girl.
Thank you, ma'am.
And you save what you earn?
You keep it somewhere safe?
That's important.
That's your freedom.
Lois, I would
like you to do a little errand for me.
I want you to go to Bell's
and pick up a five-pound box of candy.
A little present for you and the girls.
But be quiet about it.
I want it to be a surprise.
I'll be quiet as a mouse.
Oh, and, uh
Can you drop this off
at the sheriff's office, please?
Anything else, ma'am?
Yes, would you inform Joe
that he's on parlor duty tonight
and not to disturb me until morning.
I'm going to get a good sleep for once.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Charles?
Charles, are you there?
Did I ever tell you about what happened
to me when I was five years old?
Something happened to me when I was
five years old.
I read a book.
Alice in Wonderland.
And the bottle marked "drink me"
in that book,
it it changed and saved my life.
After that, I'd carry around
a little bottle of sugar water.
And if I sipped from it, I'd grow smaller,
so small that the bad things
couldn't find me.
It saved my life
from so many disasters.
It gave me control.
I knew if I if I had to,
I would drink the whole thing,
and I could disappear.
But I never needed to.
Do you know they named it after Morpheus,
the god of sleep?
Drink me.
Hello, Joe.
Long time no see.
Sheriff.
What can I do for ya?
Come down to the office.
I'd like to have a talk.
Saturdays are busy for us.
Can't it wait?
Afraid not.
Let me go tell the boss.
- Hello, Ching Chong.
- Adam! Sheriff Quinn!
Quinn, thank God you're here.
Uh, we can't find Aron.
- How long has he been missing?
- Two days.
He hasn't been home
since just after Thanksgiving dinner.
Could he have gone back
to school and not told you?
Not Aron.
Son?
You know anything about this?
I told them already.
He's probably with Abra Bacon.
- I'll try the Bacons again.
- I'll take the car.
- I'll drive around till I find him.
- Adam, we need to talk.
What is it?
That woman Kate,
was she still married to you?
Yes.
Why?
She killed herself last night.
Oh
Oh, my poor darling.
You don't have to claim her.
I wouldn't if I were you.
I want to.
I'll claim her.
- I'll bury her.
- Well, that's not all of it.
What?
Her will.
She left everything to your son.
"To my son Aron."
How did she know his name?
Aron!
Aron!
Aron!
Aron!
Yes, that's right.
I left word in Palo Alto.
I was hoping you might be able to tell me
whether he had purchased a train ticket.
I see.
All right.
Yes, I would appreciate that. Thank you.
You really think that's gonna help?
Do you know where your brother is?
Did something happen between you two?
I took him to see her.
Our mother.
- I don't know why I did it.
- Don't make it complicated. You know why.
You were hurt
and wanted to hurt someone back.
I was angry.
You were mean.
Please, just
Just tell me Aron's gonna be okay.
Aron?
Adam, what's going on here?
"Father, I have enlisted in the army."
"I have told them I'm 18.
Don't worry about me. Aron."
A Aron
Mmm
Where
Wh
Where is Aron?
Cal, Cal, call the doctor.
- What?
- Cal, call the doctor. Go. Now. Go.
Adam? Adam?
You'll be all right. Adam, look at me.
They can't patch
an artery like an inner tube.
From what I've read
about cerebral hemorrhage,
it seems that time
is the only thing that helps.
But it could happen again?
And worse next time?
We just have to keep
his blood pressure down.
Bring that bring that over here.
How's Abra doing?
I miss having her around.
- She doesn't want anything to do with me.
- Oh.
Is that what she says?
She doesn't have to.
She knows I'm the reason he left.
You know,
hating yourself isn't gonna
make you feel any better.
Hi.
How's your father?
- Better.
- That's good.
We don't hear from Aron.
Does he write you?
Read it.
"I'm not fit for you. I'm in the army.
Don't go near my family."
That's all?
That son of a bitch.
Look, you can hate me if you want.
I deserve it.
But but don't stay away
because Aron told you to.
Lee misses you something awful.
When Aron and I were little,
we made up a story about ourselves,
and he wouldn't let go of it,
no matter how I tried to tell him
that things had changed.
I had changed.
I don't hate you, Cal.
I don't hate you at all.
Tell Lee I'll come see him soon.
Abra.
Have you ever been to the Alisal
to see the azaleas bloom?
Do you wanna go with me?
We can take a picnic.
Okay.
I had a strange dream last night.
About my father.
A great gentleman, I hear.
Thank you.
Who told you that?
I read the newspaper clippings
with your brother's things.
The military career. Washington.
Did you know he was a thief?
He stole from army veterans.
That's how he made his fortune.
Took me a while to believe it, but
it's true.
So the most rigidly honest man
I've ever known
has lived his whole life on stolen money.
- Bring me back azaleas.
- We will.
Come with us.
Don't be a coward. Go.
- Wait, I'll get that.
- Oh.
- It's a beautiful day for a picnic.
- Mm.
You got everything?
Yes.
It almost makes a person wish
he could be young again.
I guess it's silly, picking the azaleas.
They always wilt the next day.
Yes, but
they were a good excuse.
I was afraid to do that.
Why?
You're my brother's girl.
I was.
Aren't you ever afraid?
All the time.
Sweet peas would look nice
on the kitchen fence.
- They'd screen off the slough.
- Mm.
Do you think they'll get enough sun?
Did you hear that?
What?
Aren't you gonna get it?
Hello?
Lee?
Your brother is dead.
Killed in battle in France.
Your father kept repeating the words
until they got into his head and exploded.
Dr. Murphy is in his room with him.
He had another stroke.
How
How bad is it?
There's pretty extensive paralysis
on his left side.
He's conscious, but he hasn't spoken yet.
Is he gonna die?
He might live a week, a month, a year.
He might die tonight.
We just don't know.
Sorry, son.
Father.
I'm responsible for Aron's death.
I took him to the brothel
to see our mother.
That's why he enlisted.
That is why he is dead.
Cal?
Cal?
Cal.
I killed my brother.
I killed him.
I killed him. I killed my brother.
- I killed him.
- He chose to go.
It's because of what I did.
I don't know what to do.
I don't know what to do.
Please tell me what to do.
Cal.
Please tell me what to do.
Tell me what to do.
I can't.
"God said, 'Let there be
lights in the vault of the sky
to separate the day from the night.'"
"'And let them serve as signs
to mark sacred times.'"
Lee.
Cal.
Adam.
Look.
Here is your son, Caleb.
Your only son.
Cal. It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay.
Sit here.
Adam, I don't know how long you will live.
Maybe a long time.
Maybe an hour.
But your son will live.
He and his children
will be the last remnants
of you left on the earth.
Your son is marked by guilt
almost more than he can bear.
Adam,
give your only son your blessing.
Don't crush him with rejection.
Help him, Adam.
Let him be free.
Timshel.
Timshel.
Thou mayest.