Family Law (2021) s02e02 Episode Script

I Now Pronoun You

1
Previously on Family Law
They're all trying to
suppress our freedom of speech.
Nobody does outrage better than you.
Mm-hmm. [CHUCKLES]
Hello, everyone. Sorry I'm late.
[ABBY] Dr. Doug Peterson
is Nina's biological father.
[PETERSON] I only inseminated women
who weren't having
success with in vitro.
My sperm is highly potent.
[ABBY] We may have
the beginning of a class-action
lawsuit on our hands.
Did Dad only make me partner
because you talked him into it?
[LUCY] You asked me
to do the assessment.
I was just doing my job
and you made me look incompetent.
- Oh, wah, poor baby.
- Ow!
Who are you and why
are you in my pajamas?
You're not a good person,
Lucy. You're rotten to the core.
Frank!
And you must be Felicity.
[SOFIA] Stay away from my dad!
Stay away from my family!
Tell me again you weren't
- gonna sleep with her, Frank.
- I can't do that.
[SOFIA] I don't want to
live with Dad anymore.
Come on!
Keep up. You run like
a 95-year-old asthmatic.
Why don't we just
take a minute?
You're the one who said
you needed to get out of the house.
Well, the house is feeling a
lot more crowded these days.
I mean Lucy, in case
you were wondering.
Uh-huh. Speaking of surprise guests,
how long do you think
Sofia's gonna be staying?
I want to get her new
linens for her room.
You know what?
We could do a girls' shopping day.
Nordstroms, high tea at Hotel Vancouver.
Mom, what are you doing?
Just trying to make my
granddaughter feel welcome.
No, you're bribing her.
You know this is just temporary, right?
All the more reason to
use time to your advantage
and win her over to your side.
Right. Because that worked so well
when you turned me against Harry.
He deserved it.
- I'll see you at home.
- [ABBY WHIMPERS]
After the makeup tutorial,
maybe I could do a reaction video next.
What would you react to?
Um, movies, and music
videos, offensive memes.
Hmm
and my thumbnail could be me
looking something like this.
Hey, don't move so much,
or I'll have to do your
eyebrows all over again.
How does it look?
My technique needs work.
- Hi.
- Hi, Ms. Bianchi!
Oh! What's all this?
Experimenting with a new look,
if only Chloe would just hold still.
It's for my YouTube channel.
YouTube is a website where
you post videos and
Chloe, how old do you think I am?
- [SOFIA LAUGHS]
- I
Is that Leslie?
[SIGHS] No.
Shoot! It's my grandpa.
[♪]
Productive day?
We took one of those online quizzes
- that tell you if you're a psychopath.
- And are you?
Hey, Sofe
has your dad been in touch?
I can neither confirm nor deny.
You know you have to see him eventually.
Will I?
- Sofia.
- I'm gonna go check on Chloe.
[♪]
- What?
- I didn't say anything.
You've got your "disapproving
therapist" face. You heard her.
She doesn't want to see
him, and I can't force her.
Okay, well, you may not be
actively alienating Sofia from Frank,
but you're not doing anything
to prevent it, either.
Thanks, but I don't remember
booking a session with you.
[DOORBELL CHIMING]
- Hi. Richard Pieroni.
- Hi. Abigail. Come on in.
Thank you.
- You must be here for
- Cole, yes.
Thank you for letting him spend the day.
Um, moving to a new
school has been, um
well, Cole has been so much
happier since he met Sofia.
- S-Sorry. Uh, who's ?
- [SOFIA] Mr. Pieroni!
- I thought Leslie was coming.
- Uh, some work crisis, I think.
Um, so, um, is he ready?
Hey, Grandpa.
Ah! There he is! Come on, kiddo.
[RICHARD CHUCKLES WARMLY]
Uh, thanks again.
Uh, thank you for having me.
["UH-OH" BY JEREMY FISHER BEGINS]
[THUD]
[♪]
You can't prove it ♪
Uh-oh ♪
You got nothing legit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
The glove don't fit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
You got to acquit ♪
Uh-oh ♪
The charges won't stick 'cause ♪
I ain't no sucker ♪
Ain't your lollipop ♪
But ♪
You can kiss my sweet ♪
Uh-huh ♪
Never gonna stop ♪
Never gonna stop
Never gonna stop ♪
Never gonna stop
You can't prove it, Uh-oh ♪
Chloe transferred last semester.
You mean, her grandfather
really doesn't know that she's, uh
You're allowed to say "trans," Jo-Jo.
It's not a dirty word.
I just can't keep up
with the terminology.
The other day, Gabby Lipton told us
that her grandchild was "non-binary."
I thought it was some
sort of math dyslexia.
[LAUGHS]
Must be tough keeping a secret
like that. Does anyone else know?
At her last school, she
wore a dress one day.
The bullying got so
bad, she had to drop out.
Transferring was like a fresh start
She could just be Chloe.
- No one knows she's trans except me.
- What about her parents?
Brandon died a few years
ago, but Leslie's supportive.
Well, it's her parents'
support that matters,
from a legal perspective.
Except Richard is one
of her legal guardians.
Chloe says, if he finds
out, he might freak.
Can you blame him?
Stop gaping at me like I'm
some Confederate statue.
The kid's 14. When I was 14,
I wanted a back tattoo of Burt Reynolds.
[CHUCKLES]
I think she's known practically
her whole life, Jo-Jo.
Well, if Chloe needs help,
feel free to pass along
my contact info, okay?
Or give it to her mother, Leslie.
Um, Leslie's a man.
Chloe has two dads.
- Talk about misgendering.
- [JOANNE CHUCKLING]
I'm not the only one.
[♪]
Lucy! Wait up!
- You're in a good mood.
- Oh, I had an eventful night.
What about you?
I stayed inside. Watched a movie.
And you? Your night sounds
more interesting than mine.
Oh, it was. I went to your
place for Sunday-night dinner.
- I can explain.
- Oh, don't bother.
Maggie and I had a long talk.
Well, I mean she talked.
- Daniel, it's complicated. I
- You had an affair.
Maggie is alone and pregnant.
Seems pretty straightforward to me.
- It was just what
- And I brought a cake.
I mean, not just any cake
A matcha yuzu from Thomas Haas.
Oh! And Maggie kept it!
I mean, makes sense, because
she's eating for two now.
[SNAPS] You know what?
These past few weeks
have sucked, but fine,
I'm really sorry about your cake.
[♪]
[SQUEAK-SQUEAK]
Look what just arrived, Ms. Bianchi!
- Don't you just love that smell?
- Of what, desperation?
I was going to say freesias.
Do you want me to get you
a vase from the kitchen?
- Or we could just put 'em right here.
- [THUD]
You wouldn't happen to know anything
about the graffiti back there?
I have a potential new
client this morning,
- which I can handle on my own.
- No. Still a junior associate.
Nina, please call a cleaner.
[♪]
Why are his blinds closed?
[♪]
No. [SIGHS]
No way. Not at work
Dut-dut. Please don't
finish that thought.
These days, I refuse to
touch anything in that office.
Morning.
Well, I would love to stay and chat,
but I've got a show to do.
[DEEP BREATH]
Okay, once I'm gone, feel free to
continue whispering about me. Mm!
[♪]
- [DANIEL] This is not good.
- Yeah, I sit on that couch.
No. The Alt-Right Queen
hanging around our office.
What would our clients
think if they saw her?
Bring it up at today's
partners' meeting.
- Oh.
- [CHLOE] Hi, Ms. Bianchi!
- Hi, Chloe!
- Hi. I'm Leslie.
- Hi.
- You already know Chloe.
- Hi. Chloe, this is
- Daniel Svensson. Partner.
- I'll be joining you today.
- Hey.
[CHLOE] I want to begin HRT.
Uh, "hormone replacement therapy."
I want to make all this permanent.
Okay.
Often, when minors make big
medical decisions like this,
they need the consent
of both their guardians.
- Leslie, do you
- I support this.
- Uh, Richard's the issue.
- Richard is Chloe's other parent?
He's my grandpa.
My husband, Brandon, died two
years ago, and before he passed,
we agreed to name his dad
co-guardian, for many reasons.
Uh, I travel a lot for work,
and it was a way for Chloe to have
a meaningful relationship
with that side of her family.
I love my grandpa,
but this is the one
thing he doesn't get.
And I don't want to stop becoming me,
just because he needs more
time to process everything.
[DANIEL] Why don't we set up a meeting?
It often helps to have
a third party present
Someone who can reframe
the conversation.
And, well, what if that doesn't work?
Mm. In cases like this,
kids are allowed to make
medical decisions on their own
if the courts deem them a mature minor.
- [DANIEL] We may not need to get there.
- But if we do,
one of the questions
the court will ask is,
"are you sure you're ready?"
I've been sure since I was six.
- You want to go paperless?
- Other firms are doing it.
We can digitize all of our case files.
And who will we hire
to scan all these files?
I was thinking we could look
into hiring an office assistant.
I like that idea.
- Why are you standing up?
- Sometimes, I stand.
What else is on your list?
We also need to update our HR system
Provide some sensitivity training.
People are overly-sensitive
as it is these days.
We don't need to do
more to encourage it.
Give me access to the
discretionary fund.
Why? So you can start handing
out free gym memberships?
- Anything else?
-
No. No, that's all.
Great. So where are we
on the class action suit?
We've reached out to
Dr. Peterson's insurance company.
We're looking to arrive
at a settlement compromise.
- And what's the projected payout?
- 15 million.
35% of which goes to us.
[CHUCKLES] Oh, well, that's fantastic.
So glad your sister
brought in this case.
[THUMPS CHAIR]
[♪]
Chloe would like to start
her medical transition.
It would make things a lot easier
if both you and Leslie
give your consent.
If this is what you want,
then, yes, I support it
when you're old enough
to make this decision.
This is not like the time
you dyed your hair green
because you wanted to look
like that Billie Irish girl?
[ABBY] Chloe has done her research.
She's not making this decision lightly.
Look, I know what you're
all thinking I'm backwards.
But I have seen this behaviour before.
When my son, Brandon, was
a kid, he dressed like Cher,
but that was because he
liked wigs and sequins.
- He didn't want to be Cher.
- [CHLOE] This isn't a costume.
This is me.
The older I get, the more it feels like
this body is turning me into
someone I don't recognize.
- My therapist
- Since when do you have a therapist?
- For the last six months.
- [RICHARD] Six months?
It's a step I wanted to take before
I started my medical transition.
I am his co-guardian!
I have a say in any medical decisions.
And I have a say when it comes
to my kid's mental health!
Can we stop talking about
me like I'm not here?
Chloe, why don't you
step out for a little bit?
[CHAIR RUMBLES]
[♪]
[ABBY] Mr. Pieroni, if you don't comply,
our firm will petition the court
to grant Chloe access to HRT.
If you go forward with this,
I'll fight it every step of the way!
[LESLIE] Did you not hear one
thing that Chloe has to say?
[RICHARD] I did. And I'm
the only one being sensible.
[LESLIE] You're gonna
push her further away!
It's gonna get harder
[RICHARD] This isn't
a popularity contest!
[CHLOE] I like your scarf.
So do I.
[ARGUING CONTINUES, MUFFLED]
I don't know about you,
but I have a real hankering
for an ice-cream bar.
Hey?
[♪]
- Her Grandpa won't use her pronouns?
- Nope.
His heels are very much dug-in.
His approach is
bullish, that's for sure,
but he does make a valid point.
- And what point is that?
- Okay.
Before you bite my head off
Our brains don't fully
develop until we're 25.
There's a reason we don't
let people get tattoos,
or vote, or drink, until they're older.
This choice changes your body forever.
Can a child properly conceptualize that?
Well, if she's been conceptualizing
it for years, then yes.
I disagree. Children are impulsive.
They need a mature mind to rein them in.
Take Danny when he was three,
he was terrified of restrooms
because he thought he'd
get sucked down the toilet.
Should I have let him wear diapers
until grade school, like he'd asked?
You could've used any
other story to make that point.
Transitioning isn't a decision
that a person makes impulsively.
Hey, Jerri!
I bet you've got a unique
perspective on all this.
I can only speak to my
own experience, Cecil,
but when I was Chloe's age,
there were no resources to help me.
I couldn't even put a
name to the turmoil I felt.
And if I had, I would've been
given electro-shock treatment
to cure me of my sinful thoughts.
Chloe is young.
But she knows her life and her body
better than anyone else in here.
[♪]
Listen to her.
[♪]
[NINA] Ms. Bianchi?
Something else came for you.
[SIGHING]
- Want me to get the trash can ready?
- [CHUCKLES]
Oh, my god. I love that book!
Have you ever read it?
Once or twice.
[♪]
They're so pretty!
But say the word and
I will re-trash them.
No. It's fine. Enjoy them.
Someone should.
Can I ask you something?
Is it true you might
be close to settling
with Dr. Peterson's insurance company?
We're working on setting
up a meeting next week.
That is great news.
- I'm gonna call my dad.
- Uh-uh.
No personal calls at work.
Richard Pieroni's lawyer just called.
- Who'd they hire?
- Candice Birch.
They filed an emergency injunction
to stop Chloe from starting HRT.
Before you leave,
you will read Daniel's list,
and you will choose
three things on that list.
I can't humor Daniel
if his ideas aren't good.
Some of his ideas were great,
but you'd already made up
your mind to shoot them down.
- [SCOFFS]
- You made Daniel partner.
- Income.
- So treat him like one.
- [TAP-TAP]
- Three things.
[♪]
"Make our office dog-friendly."
[♪]
[VEHICLE DOOR SHUTS]
I can't believe Chloe
isn't allowed in court,
even though the whole case is about her.
- Makes no sense.
- You're right, it doesn't.
- But I don't make the rules.
- Well, at least she has a good lawyer.
What's going on?
[PROTESTERS SHOUTING, INDISTINCT]
[REPORTER] What if your
child regrets this decision?
How will you live with yourself?
How can you do this as a parent?
Why are you enabling
your child's confusion?
We just want to get through.
How do you respond to claims
that this is child abuse?
Hey! This legal matter involves a minor,
so stop recording before
we sue your network
for invasion of privacy.
[REPORTER] Our viewers care about this.
They have a right to know.
[ABBY] Your viewers need
to move into the modern age.
Let's go.
[PROTESTERS SHOUTING, INDISTINCT]
They ambushed your granddaughter.
- Outed her to everyone at her school.
- You have to believe me
That was never my intention.
They're called "the Traditional
Family Values Group!"
What did you think was gonna happen?
My client didn't contact them. I did.
I considered them as
possible interveners.
Interested third parties
who offer to speak in court.
But we never alerted the
press or leaked any information
that could've led them to Cole's school.
Now, if you'll excuse us.
Chloe's a mess.
And-and her therapist is out of town,
dealing with her own family crisis.
My sister's a psychologist
and Chloe's met her.
If you want, I'm sure she can make room.
Yeah, that would be great.
Hey, maybe Candice
didn't alert the press.
Guess which news
channel got the scoop? NCN.
- Crystal's new home.
- Mm-hmm.
Say, four years from now,
Cole phones you and says,
"Grandpa, I still want to transition."
- What do you say?
- I would support him.
I've got nothing against
anyone transitioning.
I just don't think it's a decision
you should make as a child,
especially when you're
injecting drugs into your body.
You're referring to the estrogen
therapy Cole wants to start taking?
There are so many risks.
Loss of bone mass, sterilization.
I love my grandson.
He's bright, sensitive,
but he is also indecisive.
What happens if, after he transitions,
he wakes up and says,
"This was a mistake"?
You're afraid he'll regret
the decision he made?
I'm afraid of what he'll do when
he realizes he can't take it back.
[♪]
[CANDICE] No further questions.
You may cross examine, Counsel.
Mr. Pieroni, I can tell
you love your grandchild.
I do.
But not once have you
referred to Chloe by her name.
Or her pronouns.
Do you make it a habit of
misgendering your granddaughter?
Objection!
Counsel's asking my client
to use terminology that
does not apply to the child.
Overruled.
This courtroom will respect
the child's chosen name and pronouns.
I refer to Cole as
Chloe
By his given name. Uh, sorry.
This is challenging for me.
As I've said, my grandchild is confused.
Then she's been "confused"
since she was six.
Chloe has said that she
was born in the wrong body
since she was six.
This isn't a phase. Chloe's
therapist has diagnosed her
with gender dysphoria.
She's transitioned at
school, made friends.
Her grades are rising.
You paint your granddaughter
as a confused child,
but the only person who
seems to be confused
is you.
[♪]
The head tilt it's Boyte's tell.
Good or bad?
[♪]
Why are you enabling your child's
We just want to get through.
How do you respond to the claims
that this is child abuse?
- This is from NCN.
- Crystal's network.
In one of those intimate,
shuttered moments
you spent with your
girlfriend in this office,
did you happen to let slip
anything about this case?
Of course not.
In the office.
It may have come up at
home during pillow talk.
[ABBY] Harry. There's a very good chance
your girlfriend outed a 14-year-old
in front of her entire school.
Your granddaughter's friend.
Not to mention this whole case
is now very much in the public eye
That includes everyone involved.
And I do not want to get doxxed again.
I will not be lectured
to like some
articling student in my own office.
Obviously, before I
told Crystal anything,
I swore her to secrecy.
- And you believe her?
- I do!
Now if you're done
waving your pitchforks,
I have my own cases to attend to.
Daniel?
I've reconsidered a few of
your proposals. Take a look.
Dad.
- If Crystal alerted the press
- She didn't.
And we're done.
[♪]
This legal matter involves a minor,
so stop recording before we
Jerri, can you get "Cecile" in here?
[REPORTER CLAMORING,
PROTESTERS SHOUTING]
Thanks for agreeing to meet.
Did you get the book?
You've got 15 minutes.
Ahem.
I want to talk about Sofia.
Look, I don't know what to
tell you. She's not ready to
- see you, and I'm not
- I know. I know, I'm
I'm not here to blame you.
I know this is all me.
[SIGHS]
You know, being on this side of it
I should have tried harder to
make things right between you two.
Nice to find something we agree on.
How's Nico?
He's hanging in there.
I can tell he misses his sister.
I want to fix this, Abby.
All of this.
[♪]
Need any help with your homework?
Know anything about noble gases?
- Well, actually
- No fart jokes, Mom.
[SIGHS] I think it's
supposed to look like this.
I could just take a picture and
ask Chloe, but she's off-grid.
- How is she?
- Traumatized.
I just don't get it.
Why do total strangers
think they should have a say
in how someone lives their life?
And Richard
He thinks he's doing the right thing.
Maybe, in his mind,
he's losing the last
connection to his son.
But Chloe's just as much a
part of his dead son as Cole was.
Now he's gonna lose her, too.
I spoke to your dad today.
He really wants to see you.
Take a picture of me
and caption it "Go away."
- Sofia
- Mom, who cares what he wants?
I don't, and you shouldn't either.
Well, it's not about what I want.
It's about what's best for you.
- What about what I want?
- You're 14.
So is Chloe!
You're fighting for her
right to make her own choices,
so why are you attacking mine?
[♪]
Morning, Jerri.
- What's up?
- Uh, never you mind.
[♪]
Ass-hat? [LAUGHS]
Who keeps doing this?
Why am I asking?
Of course it's her.
We can't confirm it was Abigail.
No, this time, I actually meant Lucy.
You have got a lot of
people's backs up lately.
- Mine included.
- I am modernizing this firm.
In time, you will
appreciate these changes.
I've already used part
of our discretionary fund
to install some new artwork.
Update the aesthetic.
Oh, right. That thing
arrived this morning.
- [ABBY] What is it?
- I want to look away, but I can't.
It's a Benson. He's a
subversive new talent.
- His work challenges the viewer to
- Feel unsafe in the workplace?
You're a psychologist.
What does this piece of
artwork tell us about the buyer?
Overcompensation issues?
Also, someone who's obnoxiously
self-righteous and judgmental
- and just generally a jerk.
- Shut up.
All of you.
[♪]
[LUCY] How are your classes going?
Well, you know, these days,
I don't really care
too much about geometry.
[CHUCKLES]
When I transferred schools,
I made a choice to look like this.
At first, I thought
the kids would laugh.
Like last time.
But they didn't see a boy in a dress.
They just saw Chloe.
It sounds like you've arrived at a place
where you can finally
start being yourself.
But
after the thing at school,
with the protesters
I'm so tired.
Of my family fighting.
Of having to hide who I am.
[SNIFFLING]
[CHOKING UP] I'm tired of having
to explain myself to everyone.
[SHAKY, DEEP BREATH]
Every day feels like
a fight just to be me.
[♪]
Thank you so much for getting Chloe in
- to see your sister.
- No need to thank me.
- How's, um
- How do you think she is?
- I never meant to hurt anyone.
- Then drop this case.
Oh, make no mistake
We're not dropping anything.
In fact, we have one
more witness to call.
My name is Allison Plimpton.
I'm a de-transitioner.
Can you explain what that means?
- When I was 13
- Oh, so, around the same age as
"Chloe."
I thought that I was
born into the wrong body,
- that I was a man.
- So you transitioned?
Puberty blockers at
13. Testosterone at 16.
And then what happened?
- I was wrong.
- Objection!
Ms. Plimpton's personal experience
is irrelevant to
Chloe's right to decide.
I'll allow it.
Please, continue.
I thought that I was trans but I'm
I'm gay.
I wanted to be with another woman
and not have everyone stare,
so I thought
that if I wasn't a woman, then I
[CANDICE] Life would be easier?
But now you're
transitioning back, correct?
It's been a journey.
I'm training my vocal cords
to sound more feminine.
The hormone therapy
has had lasting effects.
What's the one thing
that you would like this courtroom
to take away from your story?
I was 13.
When you're young, you
think you know what you want,
but kids don't know any better.
Adults should.
Transitioning was the
worst mistake of my life.
[♪]
Leslie.
Has Cole
Sorry, Chloe
ever expressed any
doubts about her gender?
Only when it comes to the gender
the doctor assigned her at birth.
I'll rephrase.
Has Chloe ever expressed
any doubts about her transition?
Never.
Your Honor, I submit into
evidence a video recording we found
Dated February 12th.
Objection! Where did you get this video?
It was posted on
Chloe's YouTube channel.
I'll allow it.
[CHLOE] into my head,
and at the end of the day,
I'm asking myself
is transitioning even worth it?
What if this is all just a big mistake?
[♪]
I thought that we can squeeze
each other in on a workday
- [HARRY] It's been a busy week.
- Mm. The news never stops.
So it seems.
My granddaughter, Sofia,
she goes to Mount Hill.
Didn't your network
shoot a segment there
earlier in the week?
Right.
The one about the Traditional
Family Values picketers.
That whole business was about
a client of yours, wasn't it?
The case I told you about, yes.
Incidentally, our paralegal,
he has a cousin who interns at NCN.
The kid has all the gossip
about upcoming stories
The people who pitch them
Harry.
This is the kind of
news our viewers devour.
You gave them information
I shared in confidence.
[DEEP BREATH]
Her name
her school.
We are talking about a child.
You know perfectly
well what my brand is
The kind of audience I have.
Or are my show's politics
only an issue when they affect you?
Those stories weren't taken
from our private conversations.
This relationship has cost me
Clients, friends
my children,
and still [CHUCKLES BITTERLY]
I [LAUGHS] I was willing.
You saw an opportunity and you took it.
Even if it meant betraying me.
[♪]
[LUCY] You do realize I've only had
one session with Chloe?
They've gained the upper hand.
Candice is painting Chloe
as an indecisive kid.
Her regular therapist
is out of the country.
Chloe needs someone
who can vouch for her
Someone who can offer
her expert opinion.
It's my expertise you want?
Because I thought you said all of
my knowledge came from a textbook?
[CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY] Those
were not my exact words.
What if I'm the one that questions you?
No.
Okay. Look. Forget about
me. Forget about him.
Do this for Chloe.
[♪]
Can you contextualize what
Chloe said in that video?
She mentioned it in her session.
She recorded it the same day
that some of her peers
from her last school
bullied her for showing up in a dress.
The bullying also sparked a disagreement
between Leslie and Richard.
[ABBY] So when Chloe called
transitioning a "mistake"
She was reacting to how
the people in her life
were responding to her transition.
What do you make of
Ms. Plimpton's story?
Do you think her
experience applies to Chloe?
In cases like Ms. Plimpton's,
transitioning is prompted
by internalized homophobia.
She transitioned to escape
something that she couldn't
accept about herself.
And Chloe's situation is different?
Yes. Chloe has always felt
she was born in the wrong body.
Everything Chloe has done
The therapy to the
change in her appearance
Is to bridge that gap.
It's the difference between
running away from something
and running towards it.
[♪]
Luce?
Thanks.
- I think your testimony helped.
- Good luck.
Okay, I didn't tell you about Maggie
because I knew how you'd react.
You'd be disappointed
and I'd deserve it.
What happened between
you two is your business.
I was just hurt you didn't tell me.
- Does Abby know?
- [CHUCKLES]
I don't care as much
about what she thinks.
Look, I'm in no position to judge
- You never cheated on Danielle.
- No, but I strung her along,
then cut her loose.
[SIGHS]
Gotta say, it's bizarre to think
Abby might be the only one
with a salvageable relationship.
What?
- What do you know?
- [LESLIE] Don't!
Don't tell me what my husband
would want for our child.
This is why Brandon wanted me
to be Cole's shared guardian
You never think about the
consequences of anything!
Your son would be ashamed of you,
if he could see how much
you're hurting Chloe.
His name is Cole!
Can you
Given all the facts presented,
I declare the child a mature minor.
She and I say "she"
as this is her pronoun
is within her right to access
hormone replacement treatment.
The court hereby dispenses
with Mr. Pieroni's consent.
Mr. Pieroni?
When you two are together,
I implore you to respect
your granddaughter's decision.
When you entirely dismiss
someone's self-conception,
you deny them their humanity.
[♪]
[GAVEL BANGS]
[LESLIE] You won! Chloe! You won.
[♪]
What's wrong?
I changed my mind.
I don't want to transition anymore.
[♪]
Did something happen? Is this
because of your grandfather's ?
No. It's not him. It's me.
It's okay if you need
time to process all this.
I'm sorry, everyone.
This was a mistake.
[♪]
[ABBY] You must be getting hungry.
Why don't you go grab
something from the kitchen?
[♪]
Okay, so what does this mean?
Chloe isn't bound to
start using HRT right away,
she can access it whenever she wants.
[♪]
[COFFEE SPLASHES IN CUP]
I've had three cups of this
sludge since this morning.
You think I have a problem?
- "Friday." Are they a band?
- Yeah.
I saw them in concert last year
as part of their world tour.
- Were they any good live?
- Amazing.
Well, I couldn't understand
but you could just feel it, you know?
Ahh.
- The new Beatles.
- Who's that?
[CHLOE GIGGLES] I am kidding!
- [LAUGHING]
- You should start a fan club at school.
Right.
Was it worth it?
When when you
Never mind.
It didn't solve everything in my life.
But I'm much happier now,
if that's what you're asking.
- It's a big decision, isn't it?
- Mm-hmm.
What if I do this one thing, and
everything changes?
When I transitioned, I lost my job,
my church.
One of my kids stopped talking to me.
And my best friend,
he took it hard, too.
But I had to do it.
It was like this other person
was living inside me, suffocating,
and I couldn't ignore
that person anymore.
I had to meet her.
And you know what?
I found a better job.
Joined a new church, one
with cleaner restrooms.
- [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
- My wife stayed by my side
and our marriage is stronger than ever.
Even my best friend stuck around.
The people who love you always do.
[♪]
- Is everything okay?
- That was my dad.
He got his pinky caught
in someone's mail slot.
Again?
I hope it heals soon.
The mother/daughter bowling
league tournament is next weekend,
and we were going to practice tonight,
help clear the nerves, you know?
But I guess that's not happening.
Ah, I guess not.
Or you could ask someone
else to practice with you.
- Like who?
- Oh, I don't know.
Someone who's easy-going.
Not super-competitive.
Someone who's really
patient and encouraging.
- Exactly.
- Great!
I'll ask Jerri. [GIGGLES]
Way to use the old noggin, Cecil!
That's what I'm here for.
[♪]
- [FRANK] She said no?
- Not in those exact words.
There was some scowling
and a hashtag thrown in.
- I'll ask her later.
- [NICO] Is that Sofia?
[FRANK] It's your mom.
[NICO] Oh.
[FRANK] Here, I'll
I'll put her on speaker.
- Hey, Peanut!
- Mom
when you see Sofia, can
you tell her I said hi?
Maybe you can tell her yourself.
[♪]
That was Chloe.
She's starting her HRT in a few weeks,
- and she's back at school tomorrow.
- That's great news.
- Fantastic.
- How'd she sound?
Scared of how people
will act around her.
[DOORBELL CHIMES]
Sofia, would you mind grabbing that?
[SIGHS DARKLY]
- What are you doing here?
- Relax. I'm not staying.
Just dropping someone off.
Sofia!
You would not believe
the week I just had.
I fed Lou the Sea Monkey
way too much phytoplankton
and he exploded, so I
wanted to get a pet goldfish,
but that felt too soon,
so I got a pet rock instead,
but I didn't want to
name him without you
- because you're way better
- I have one more ask.
- Would you consider couples' therapy?
- Uh
Leave it with me, okay?
Yeah. Sure.
[♪]
- You nervous?
- Terrified.
Hey, isn't that Jerri's?
Yeah. She said I could have it.
It smells like oatmeal and wisdom.
It's like she's standing
right here beside me.
Come on. Let's go.
I think she was hoping he'd show up.
Richard will come around.
Yeah.
Take Chloe and Sofia through
the back, I'll handle these jerks.
[KIDS] She's here! Chloe! Chloe! Chloe!
- [GIGGLE-SOBS] Oh, my god.
- Chloe! Chloe! Chloe! Chloe!
- What is even happening?
- Chloe! Chloe! Chloe!
You didn't have anything
to do with this, did you?
Come on.
There's a hope
That's waiting
for you in the dark ♪
You should know you're beautiful ♪
Just the way you are
And you don't have
to change a thing ♪
The world could change its heart ♪
No scars to your beautiful
We're stars and
we're beautiful ♪
Let me guess
No fun plans this weekend?
I guess all three of
us are sad and alone.
Lucy told me about you and Frank.
What happened to
doctor-patient confidentiality?
That only applies to my patients.
I have an announcement.
I broke up with Crystal.
After some deep reflection,
I decided I could no longer justify
dating a woman my family
doesn't approve of.
[SETS CARAFE DOWN]
- So you broke up with her.
- For our sake?
Congratulations. You can
start hanging streamers.
I mean
we did want this.
But he seems so sad.
Almost makes it hard to celebrate.
Did everyone see that blue sky?
Now, obviously, I'm no
fan of global warming,
but I do love this
early June-like weather.
Ohh.
Daniel, yours is lactose-free.
- Go on.
- Thanks, Jerri.
[LUCY] Thank you.
[SOFIA] Hey, Mom.
Do you have a minute?
Yeah.
I've decided, starting tomorrow,
I'd like to switch back
to our original schedule.
Mm. One week here, one week with Dad?
Yeah. Same schedule as Nico.
What brought this on?
I have been factoring
how much longer it takes
to commute to school.
Plus, our house is a
lot closer to Justin's.
And, while I appreciate
Jo-Jo's ability to order takeout,
I really miss a home-cooked meal.
That's a very adult
decision to make, Sofia.
- Okay. Don't make this weird.
- Too late.
Just remember
In a week, I get you back. Okay?
[LAUGHS] Mom! Cringe!
The world could
change its heart ♪
No scars to your beautiful ♪
We're stars and we're beautiful ♪
No better you than
the you that you are ♪
Oh, you're beautiful ♪
Oh, oh, oh oh-oh, oh, oh ♪
And you don't have to change a thing ♪
The world could change its heart ♪
No scars to your beautiful ♪
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