It's Not Like That (2026) s01e08 Episode Script

1
Previously, on
It's Not Like That
Did you take Mom's jewelry box?
The one with the ivory tree on it?
We were fine.
And then you kissed me.
You said you needed me,
and then you said it was a mistake.
And it was.
We need to focus on other people.
Tell me if I'm crazy.
If you have feelings for her
You're not crazy.
How about you text me when you're done,
and you could come over?
Yeah, I could do that.
That your new boyfriend?
I know Sunday is a big day for you,
but I'm not going back.
This is
Malcolm and Jenny's daughter.
- What do you think is gonna happen?
- I don't know.
I just don't wanna see her get hurt.
You're drinking?
Merritt, pull over.
Merritt!
Merritt!
Merritt. Merritt. Merritt.
Do you need help?
You're gonna be okay.
So
So
You learned some new tricks.
Oh, well
- I don't need to know how.
- Mm-mm.
So
Mm. About this
Hold on.
It's Flora.
- You okay?
- Yeah. Yeah.
You need anything?
No. Do you know
how much longer it's gonna be?
No, it shouldn't be long.
I'm here. I'm here.
- I'm here. I'm sorry.
- She's gone.
Oh, Malcolm.
Thank God you're here.
- Hi.
- Okay. They're both okay.
Merritt's in the back with the doctors,
he has a mild concussion.
He has And Flora?
Uh, still waiting to be seen.
She's all right.
Why don't you go check in?
We'll be over here.
Hey, are you okay?
What the hell happened?
- They took Jenny's car.
- That much, I know.
I'm sorry. Merritt and I have taken
the car out a couple of times now, so
You knew about this?
I know she has her permit,
but no, not this.
So, what? They were just out
joyriding in your car?
They weren't "joyriding."
Your son took the car with Flora in it
and almost killed them both.
We usually just,
like, drive around, but
tonight, Merritt was upset.
And he was
He was drinking.
And I didn't know. And
He's been drinking a lot lately.
And he was drunk at the party.
And I should've told Lori,
but I just didn't I should've told her.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
That's what happened.
- I'm so sorry, honey.
- No, I'm sorry.
David. He's over here.
Hi, hi, honey, hi.
Hi. Honey. Oh, Merritt.
I don't, I don't even
I don't know where to start.
I'm sorry.
I screwed up.
I-I-I'll pay Malcolm back for the car.
Merritt, this has
this goes so far beyond the car.
Okay. You've been lying to us.
- You could've died.
- I know.
- Flora could've died.
- I-I know.
- Do
- I, I get it.
- You
- You were drunk.
I, I wasn't
Oh, you were legally drunk.
They took your blood.
You ran Jenny's car into a lake.
You're gonna get a DUI.
Lose your license, at minimum. Do
- Do you get that?
- Okay, David, please, just
- Do you get that?
- St
You have been drinking. Okay.
And not just at parties.
So there there is a lot
There are a lot of conversations that
we will be having.
Okay. But right now
we're just so thankful
that you and Flora are okay.
All right?
Mm. Okay.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Uh, Flora dropped her phone.
Hey, Malcolm. Uh
I'm so sorry.
I had no idea that Merritt
No, I should've been
more careful with Jenny's car.
I'm sorry, too.
Hey, were are you parked?
I'll walk you to your car.
Oh, I came with David.
Oh. Okay.
- I'll go get Casey.
- Yeah, give us a minute.
Son, listen to me right now.
This life isn't just yours.
Do you hear me?
What you do affects everyone around you.
Everyone that cares for you.
Me, your mom, you sister,
your friends, your girl, everyone.
I'm telling you this from experience.
I've thrown away
so much of my damn life to alcohol.
The idea you will go down
that same road, son
I'm not you.
You don't have to be. It's a disease.
Yeah, well
You got sober, and our family
still fell apart, so, what does it matter?
Thanks for freaking everybody out.
Now they're never
gonna let me drive, dude.
I'm staying home today.
Flora. The car's gonna be okay.
I looked it up. All they have to do
is pull it out with a tow line.
Okay, bud.
It's really cool.
Justin, stop.
We get it, you know how to use Google.
I'm sorry.
Hey. Hey.
I-I'm okay. I'm okay.
Just
Just stay away from Merritt.
Promise me?
Okay.
All right. Is everybody ready?
Mm.
Hey, you sure you don't wanna
stay home today? You can.
- Uh, especially after last night.
- No. No, it's okay.
At least let me give you a lift. Come on.
I'd really rather walk, Dad.
Clear my head.
All right. All right.
Okay, kiddos, let's go. Come on.
So just check in with them. Thank you.
- Hey, can you take a look at this?
- Yeah, of course.
Oh, shoot.
- Oh.
- David?
Mm.
Malcolm?
Oh, bachelor number three.
Well, answer it, woman.
- Hey, you.
- Hey.
How are you?
What happened?
You said there was a family emergency?
Yeah, um
I apologize for the cryptic,
alarmist text. Um
My son, actually, got into a car accident.
- Oh, my God. Is he
- Yeah, no, he's fine.
He's fine. Everyone is fine. Um
It just really gave us a scare.
Um, we spent the night in the ER,
last night,
and that's why
I didn't call you right away.
I'm so sorry, Lori, I'm glad he's okay.
Yeah, it was intense.
But it's all good now. He's, he's home.
- He's, he's fine.
- Good.
Well, uh, if it helps,
I, uh, I missed you.
It does.
I missed you too.
I'll take a rain check
when you come up for air?
Great. Thanks for being so understanding.
Yeah. Are you kidding?
Accidents happen, right?
Um, I'll call you later.
- Okay. Talk to you soon.
- Okay.
So, timeline question.
Oh, can we please not play this game?
When did you send
this cryptic text to Joe?
Before you slept with your ex-husband?
That's what I thought.
I don't know why I did it.
I don't know what it means.
Oh, my God.
He laked the car?
- Yep.
- That is so cool.
It's not cool.
I mean,
Flora was in the front of that car.
- She could've, like
- OMG.
Mika, it's on.
Jackson said he and Eli are gonna meet us
under the stands after practice.
Okay.
Is Eli cool?
Well, he's a freshman in high school.
I'm down.
Oh.
Flora?
Hey, what's the matter?
What is it? Is it, is it Merritt?
- Is it about the accident?
- They pulled the car out.
- It's gone.
- Oh, honey.
It's gone.
- What can I do?
- Nothing. Nothing.
There's nothing you can do.
Okay. We'll, we'll get you a car,
all right.
- We'll figure it out.
- Dad.
- It's okay.
- No. It
It's okay if I cry.
You don't always have to fix everything.
- Okay. But, but
- No, just, just
Just let me be sad.
It's not bad for me to feel this way.
I really
I just, I really need you
to be okay with that.
I am, you're right.
- I'm sorry. Okay?
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay. Okay.
By the way, I need you to write
my Little Women essay over the break.
It's due first day back.
Seriously?
Yeah.
Just don't make it sound like you.
You know what, Dakota?
Write your own essay.
For real?
Wow.
I don't know why
I even listened to Casey.
What?
At the thrift store.
She totally guilt tripped me about you.
She's even more holier-than-thou
than you are.
No.
She just doesn't care
what other people think about her.
Penelope, no, wait. It's, it's fine.
No, it's not fine.
My sister almost died last night.
Do you seriously think that I care
about what grade you get in English?
You're not a real friend.
- Hey, Coach?
- Mm-hmm.
I quit.
I can't believe you're going.
Merritt's gonna be there.
So? I'm not going for him.
I'm going for Lori and Casey and David.
It's Christmas Eve, we go every year.
I don't care. I don't wanna see him.
I'm staying here.
Ugh.
- What?
- I can't read this.
Okay. Don't worry about it. Uh
I'm the only one
doing anything for Christmas.
- The decorating. The cookies.
- All right. Calm down.
It's a special ingredient, spice, I think.
I can't read it.
It can't be all that important.
Just make them without it.
I can't.
It's Mom's recipe.
They won't be her cookies.
She taught it to me last Christmas.
I can't remember what she said.
- Forget it.
- Oh, oh.
Justin. Hey.
It's okay.
Anything that you bake will taste great.
Yeah, and we'll help you.
- We'll make our own special ingredient.
- Yeah.
That's what Mom would do.
And they'll still
have Mom in them.
I promise.
- Okay.
- Let's do it.
Definitely flour.
- So we have that, for sure.
- Mm-hmm.
Dad's here.
- Hi.
- Hey, baby.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Mm.
Hey, buddy.
- Merry Christmas. Huh?
- Mm-hmm.
- Merritt.
- What?
I can't believe you invited the Jeffries.
It's, like, so awkward.
I invited them because we love them,
and they love us,
and we work through our problems.
Uh-huh.
I'm sorry, but this whole Christmas
is just feeling super fake.
I I know it's, it's weird, Merritt.
We're all trying here.
How's it gonna work tomorrow?
We get two Christmas mornings.
One here and one at your crappy townhouse.
- Hey.
- Merritt, hey.
Look, I'm sorry, I, uh
I hate that you're still this upset, Son.
Come on, man, tell me
what I can do to make things better.
You can stop asking me
how you can make things better.
Figure it out yourself.
You're the reason Flora and I broke up.
You're the reason she hates me now.
We were doing great,
and then you came over,
and you were so worried about her, not me.
You didn't even think about me.
Your own son.
You just assumed I'd hurt her.
Poor innocent Flora.
Merritt, I'm sorry.
- Okay. I never meant to, like
- Don't, don't worry about it.
You were right.
No.
That was wrong of me,
okay, to put any of that on you.
To make you feel
Merritt, I'm so proud to be your dad.
I am.
Do you know how very special you are, Son?
I don't want you
ever thinking any less of yourself
because you're not.
Mijo.
I love you with all my heart.
Okay?
I'm sorry.
Come here.
Merry Christmas!
- H Should we, um
- No, come on.
Okay.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Merry Christmas. Uh, where's Pen?
Uh, she
She, she is staying home.
Yeah.
Merry Christmas.
Thank you. Hi.
Merry Christmas to you, too.
- Hi. Uh, who's hungry?
- I am. It smells wonderful.
- Hey, bud, Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
I know things are bad between us
and you don't wanna talk about it,
and I know you're pissed at my brother,
I, totally, I am, too,
but I don't want that
to make things even worse.
Okay. So, we are gonna talk.
Now.
Okay?
Let's go for a walk.
Okay.
Hey, thanks for saying something
to Dakota, by the way.
You didn't have to do that.
Did it help?
- Of course not, she's the worst.
- Oh. Yeah.
- Pen
- Mm-hmm.
I'm really sorry.
About how I handled everything
with your mom.
You know, she was like my second mom.
That's how I think of your mom.
I didn't really know
what to say or do or um
I blew it.
I'm coming in for the bear hug.
I'm coming in. Argh!
Oh! Big group hug.
You know, I think about your mom,
like, every day.
S-So I should've tried harder
to understand
what you've been going through.
It's okay.
You know, I don't even understand.
I kinda don't want to.
And, uh, I've just
I think I've been trying not to be me.
You know. It's easier to be
a cool cheerleader than a sad PK.
You know, more fun, too.
Or, you know, I thought.
I'm really sorry, Pen.
I'm really sorry, too.
So I quit cheer, by the way.
Wait? No, you're serious? Actually, you
And, uh, I don't really know
what I'm gonna do instead, but
Truth? It really sucked
doing it without you.
Well, you can always join wrestling.
- I mean, come on.
- Uh, no,
- I think that's all yours, don't worry.
- Okay. Sorry.
But, maybe,Gilmore re-watch
over Christmas break?
- Yes.
- Let's do it.
- Yes.
- Yes. Yes!
- I need more Rory. Oh, my gosh.
- Me, too.
Oh.
Justin, these are so good.
- I can really taste the love.
- Thank you.
- Thanks again for helping out at the gala.
- Oh, yeah.
And thank you
for being there for Merritt.
Don't give up on him.
Hi. Um
Oh. Um, I
Uh I
I'm sorry. I, um, I didn't realize
you were having people over.
- I really should've thought to call first.
- No, it's okay.
- Do you wanna come inside?
- No. Uh, no. I, um
You already have enough men in your house.
These are for you.
Oh, thank you, Joe, they're so beautiful.
Geez.
How much do you think those flowers cost?
At least $285.
I don't wanna keep you
from your friends and family.
I'm just headed to my sister's.
Um, and, I've got
a little something else for you.
Oh.
- You can open it now.
- Okay.
- I'm sorry, let me
- Oh, thank you.
It is a green project house
I worked on in the Outer Banks.
Oh.
And the owners gave me
a weekend stay as a thank you.
Oh, wow, it's gorgeous.
- Yeah, um
- Wow.
I was thinking that you and I
could go there together.
Maybe ring in the new year?
Uh, that's just a weekend away,
no cargo ships involved.
- Oh.
- And then, uh
maybe in the new year, you and I could
be together.
Oh.
Um You don't have to
say anything right now,
I know it's a big step, but
Um Go big or go home, right?
Merry Christmas, Lori.
Merry Christmas, Joe.
Thank you.
What're you doing?
What does it look like?
Okay, well, everyone's gone.
You can come out now.
- Five, four, three, two, one!
- Whoa!
I'm glad you're okay.
I don't think I screwed you
out of them letting you drive.
If anything, I set the bar really low.
Yeah.
But, um
I am sorry.
Don't ever do anything like that again.
Okay? I don't wanna have to see you
like I saw Dad.
We gotta stick together, man. You and me.
Also, Mom kinda said
you have to get ready for church.
- Okay, all right, get out.
- Okay.
Oh, you know you love me, fart face.
- I love you, too.
- Uh-huh.
- Hey.
- What?
- Uh
- What's up?
I wasn't gonna bring this up, but, uh
after that fun little Cuppa Joe drive by
that just happened,
I thought I'd
ask what the deal is.
So, you guys are still seeing each other?
Yes.
But you slept with me.
Yes.
- What was that?
- I
Old habits.
Okay.
Well, old habits aren't all bad.
I mean, I liked that old habit.
Maybe we make it a new habit.
Uh, David. It was nice.
Okay, it was more than nice.
And it was probably necessary.
Lori, it doesn't have to mean anything.
- It happened, right? It is what it is.
- Okay. Yeah.
But that wasn't just a hook up for me.
That was about one thing.
You.
I miss you.
You miss me?
Now, you miss me?
My timing's always sucked.
I'm not gonna say
that there isn't a part of me
that misses you.
Clearly, there is.
But I'm pretty confident
that you and I sleeping together
was a step backwards. Not forward.
I'm sorry.
- No. No.
- Mm. No, I'm sorry.
- Okay. We should go.
- No, I
Hey
Why don't you stay here tonight?
Not with me.
I mean, on the couch. Um
And then you could be here in the morning,
for the kids.
Thank you. That'd be amazing.
Yeah.
"For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only son
so that everyone who believes in Him
may not perish,
but may have eternal life."
Thank you, Pastor Harris.
John 3:16.
This year, my heart brings me to this,
this simple verse,
this humble, beautiful sacrifice.
That God would send His only son
so that we could have
eternal life with him.
What a gift.
In such a small package. What
hope and peace and joy and love.
I've been thinking
about all the packages
under the Jeffries' tree,
all the wrapped gifts
piled up there this year.
I'm guessing, I'm guessing
your trees are probably the same.
And how, tomorrow morning,
we will be sitting there surrounded
by a sea of wrapping paper and open gifts.
But Christ's gift to us,
the real gift of Christmas,
is eternal.
Unwrapped not once,
but over and over again.
Opened, not just tomorrow morning,
but every day.
Friends, Christmas is wholly
about God's love.
I encourage you to celebrate
His gift to us.
God sacrificed His only son for us.
Live in honor of that gift,
that sacrifice.
Put love and care for others
ahead of self.
Live that gift.
- Live that sacrifice.
- Excuse me.
Amen.
Amen.
What are you doing here?
Where are you going?
I, uh
can't
I can't, I can't listen.
Um, I, I
I feel
s-s-so awful.
That night
when you asked me to come over.
The reason I didn't
I was, I was drunk.
I wanted to be with you.
I-I-I really, I really did.
But my dad
I got scared.
And I ruined everything.
I'm so I'm sorry.
Hey. Hey. Hey.
It's, it's good that you feel awful.
I mean, it, it's good to feel awful.
It is?
Yeah. Hey, trust me.
Feeling something is so much better
than feeling nothing.
And you're not alone.
I-I'm, I'm your friend.
I, I do want you in my life, Merritt.
Well
With our families,
it's not like you really have a choice.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, you know
What a holy night.
How blessed we are
with these gifts of Christmas.
Hope and peace.
And joy.
And love.
Merry Christmas, Dad.
Merry Christmas, Flora.
Thank you.
Oh, holy night ♪
The stars are brightly shining ♪
It is the night ♪
Of our dear Savior's birth ♪
Long lay the world ♪
In sin and error pining ♪
Till He appeared ♪
A nd the soul felt it's worth ♪
A thrill of hope ♪
The weary world rejoices ♪
For yonder breaks ♪
A new and glorious morn ♪
Fall ♪
On your knees ♪
Oh, hear ♪
The angel voices ♪
Oh, night ♪
Divine ♪
Oh, night ♪
When Christ was born ♪
Oh, night ♪
Oh, holy night ♪
Oh, night ♪
Oh, night divine
Merry Christmas.
Mm.
Hey, bud.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Come on, already.
- All right.
We're coming.
Hey, no presents until cocoa. Mom's rule.
Gotcha!
- Gotcha. There you go. Careful.
- Here. Boom.
- It's hot.
- Kind of.
Okay.
You guys, you guys always used to get up
so early on Christmas morning.
I don't know how she did it,
but somehow your mom always managed
to beat you downstairs.
And have cocoa waiting.
- Mm.
- Mm.
All right, Justin.
Let's open some presents, huh? Come on.
Tell me what we got.
Okay.
- It's calling my name.
- Oh.
- Is it? I was right.
- Oh!
- Pen gets the first one.
- You were right. Okay, let me.
- It's a pretty good haul.
- Mm.
Actually,
there is one more.
What did you do?
- Wh
- Come on.
I didn't say anything.
What is it?
- Wh
- You said you always wanted one.
Oh.
Oh, my gosh, David.
There's a lot of things I should've done
a long time ago, Lori,
but it's not too late for me
to start doing them now.
It's not too late for us.
Um, this is very sweet.
But
I'm not the same person I used to be.
David, you
You are barely two months' sober.
I'll always be an alcoholic.
I'm always gonna be in recovery.
You know, my sponsor said,
"Shame doesn't help anything."
He was right.
I don't wanna beat myself up anymore.
I don't wanna go backwards.
Living alone these last few months,
I've realized I've taken everything
I took the kids, I took you,
I took it all for granted.
I'm not gonna do that again,
no matter what happens here.
Listen to me.
We can be happy again, Lori.
We can be together again.
We just need to decide to do it.
It's not that simple.
Isn't it?
Why didn't you say all this stuff
a year ago?
I wasn't here a year ago.
I am now.
What's, what's this one?
- I don't know.
- Oh.
Um, that was under
the Christmas decorations and stuff.
- I thought it was from you, Dad.
- Nope, not from me. Let's see.
Why don't you open it?
"Merry Christmas. Love, Mom."
- There's something for everyone.
- Did you know about this?
Pen.
It's Mom's jewelry box.
Is that for me? Thank you.
Here, let me.
There we go. Come on. Right.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed ♪
Little lord Jesus lay down
His sweet head ♪
That's you.
- That's me?
- You were pretty cute.
That's me.
The stars in the sky
look down where He lay ♪
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay ♪
I think he likes Christmas.
Say hi to Daddy, Justin.
Say hi to Daddy.
Say hi to Daddy.
I know. I know. It's okay.
Look how happy you made her.
It's from my mom.
Oh, Pen.
Hi, Mommy.
My dearest Malcolm.
Merry Christmas.
How I wish I was there
to celebrate with our beautiful children.
With you.
My gift for you
is my hope for your future.
A hope that you find love again.
Someone who loves our kids
as much as we do.
Someone who shares your faith.
Who loves God as we do.
Someone who truly, deeply cares for you.
Someone you love.
Someone who loves you.
My dearest Malcolm, this is my hope
and my peace
and my joy.
My love.
- Hi.
- Hi.
I was just thinking
I can't believe you're here.
Oh, I need to talk to you.
I need to talk to you.
I am so confused, Malcolm.
I'm not. Not anymore.
You know, the other day, a few weeks ago,
uh, you said
that we aren't good for each other.
But that couldn't
be further from the truth.
You're nothing but good for me.
I love you, Lori.
And I know that scares you to hear,
so before you run back inside,
I just, I wanna say
it's not because I'm lonely,
or because I'm grieving,
or because I'm frightened of the future,
or that we're easy.
I mean, come on, who are we kidding?
You and I are definitely not easy.
It's because you are the person
You're the person that I wanna
spend every day and every night with.
Are you gonna say something?
I am so confused, Malcolm.
I don't know what to do.
On the one hand, I have this new guy, Joe,
and he's totally into me,
and, you know, I'm pretty into him, too.
And he wants to, like,
take me away on vacations
and spend all the time with me
that I'll let him.
And he's, like, all potential.
You know? Like, an unknown.
Mm-hmm.
But
I
I slept with David the other night.
- David?
- Yeah.
- Uh, I thought you and Joe
- No, I know. I know.
It was totally fear-based.
And, probably, like, self-destructive.
You know? But then
Malcolm, he wants back in.
And he's saying all these things.
And if he had said them sooner
- But he didn't.
- Mm.
And I know that, but
he is the father of my children.
Right? And he is a known quantity. And
Like, I woke up this morning
and I saw them with him
I don't know, maybe he's right.
Maybe it's not too late for us
to be a family again?
Lori, I can't
I can't tell you what to do.
No, I know.
But could you, anyway?
Trust yourself.
You'll find your way forward.
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm doing all the talking
and you came to me.
What did you want to talk about?
I just, uh
I wanted to say Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
- Do you wanna come in?
- No, no, I should get back.
Okay.
Good night. Get in there.