Work in Progress (2019) s02e10 Episode Script

Previously on Work in Progress Your dad's in the ICU.
I was obsessed with disappearing.
I ached to blink out of existence.
I just don't know what happens next.
Julia! I want you to bury Pat.
I want to be accountable.
- Jags is in their pod? - Oh, yeah.
And I made some offhand joke that they were in a throuple and Alison flipped out, so I kind of think it's true.
On the night of the breakup, my anger took over and I screamed out his deadname.
I was looking at that last almond.
It broke the pattern just enough.
All you've overcome to get to this moment, all that hard work, it'll never go away.
Hey Look at all your snacks.
Could you please be careful up there? There's so much variety.
Uh, yeah, they're a variety pack.
Whoa whoa, hands off.
Those are all mine.
Aw, but I am you.
And I'm so hungry.
You were sleeping in there forever.
Okay, don't judge, and I'm just doing bits.
Have as many as you like.
Yes! Don't worry, I'm not gonna get these on Mom's couch.
Good.
Yup! You really did it.
Did what? Look at this rad apartment.
Yeah, I mean, it's a one-bedroom, three-floor walk-up, but I like it.
Are we married? No way.
Good.
You're like Mary Tyler Moore.
Single woman, big city, livin' her life without anyone tellin' her what to do.
- Okay.
- Does Alison know? That I'm not married? No, how cool you are! - That's a good question.
- Abby, you made it.
Did I, though? I am literally, and I never use that word lightly, talking to myself right now.
- D'you have a job? - Yeah.
Uh, downtown.
- Downtown? - Um-hmm.
- In an office.
- In an office? Oh, my God, you are so set! I'm not really sure you know what the word "set" means.
But I do, though.
I should tell you now that none of this ends the sadness, the scariness, that terrifying pit in your stomach.
It never goes away.
Okay.
Why are you laughing? If it never ends, then why did I try so hard to make it stop? Don't you think that's kind of funny? We We spent so much time trying to make something stop that never was gonna stop.
It's weird about Dad, huh? Yeah.
Was it my fault? Absolutely not.
But I was such a burden.
No, you were not.
You were the child and he was the parent.
He was sick.
And he didn't learn how to talk about his feelings, and that is not on you.
But when he could show up as Dad, it ruled.
I think he was giving as much as he could at the time.
I just really hate that you, we, were left holding the bag and feeling Every single thing.
All the time.
But I know now that nobody is perfect.
Mom was.
Ha! No, she wasn't.
Here's a little fact for ya.
Every child needs to feel that one of their parents has all of their shit together.
It helps make the world feel stable.
Ah news flash, world felt unstable anyways.
And news flash, uh, that never ends.
- Huh.
- We are truly fucked.
You are so dark.
Rink! That is a phone? You're like Captain Kirk.
Ah, mm-mm, Captain Kirk was Alison's crush.
I loved Bones.
Hubba hubba.
Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me? Do you read me? Over.
What's the switch by the sink? Oh, that's the garbage disposal.
So you're a millionaire? I really forgot how low my standards were.
So, how are we gonna treat ourselves today? How do you mean? Well, Dr.
Oh says you gotta treat yourself every day.
You belong to this place? Guilty.
Al loves to golf.
Uh, your husband is the most aggressively normal person I've ever met.
Well, people are full of surprises.
- Yeah, they are.
- I figured if we came now, we could avoid a lot of cart traffic.
And this lagoon is going to be perfect for our little ceremony.
Ceremony? Well, I've been searching for a way to make my feelings real.
To take action, to make a bold gesture! Oh, okay, Norma Rae.
Here we are.
Isn't this perfect? The curator of the NBC museum has reached out several times about this costume, but I can't profit from pain anymore.
Julia, I cannot believe - you're doing this.
- Oh, yes, I'm doing it.
Holy shit, Julia, what - Are you starting a fire? - Oh, we go through so much of this when Al barbecues.
He likes an even sear.
I have to make sure the fire is a real blaze, or I risk not truly letting go for the cleansing.
I read that on the Health and Wellness blog.
It's called Nan's New Leaf of Life Lessons.
You should check it out.
It's a spiritual game changer.
Here you go.
- Here we go.
- Get it right.
Oh! - Shoot! I'm not a good aim.
- That's okay.
- Oh, for Pete's - Don't look at me.
- This is all you.
You gotta do it.
- Okay.
Whoa! Oh! Holy shit, Julia! Oh! Oh, okay.
Oh, boy.
Okay, here we go.
All right.
Oh.
Goodbye, cruelty.
Goodbye, persecution of the gender-nonconforming.
Goodbye, hurtful scratchy khakis.
And finally Oh, God.
It's okay.
I'm a member.
We're doing a ritual.
It's very healing for us.
We've been going through a rough patch.
Okay, where was I? Um hurtful scratchy khakis.
Okay, yes.
Pat, I release you.
You are released! You gave me so much.
And many still cherish you to this day.
But but now - Julia? - Oh! - Julia, what are you doing?! - I can't do it! I'm still getting residuals.
NYU is very expensive! I need you, Pat! - I need you! - Julia, you don't need Pat! - Come back! - Julia! I can't.
I need you, please.
- I need you! - Julia! I'm kind of embarrassed about my freak-out back there.
That was harder than I thought it was gonna be.
I know it was.
Oh, God.
Hi! Yes, it's us again.
Hi! I'm just helping my friend incinerate her past with a floating golf course funeral pyre! Say hi to your mistresses.
I think that Al should find - a different boring hobby.
Yeah.
- Yeah, well, I think it's going to be mandatory.
I like going someplace with someone more destructive than me.
It feels good.
So Mike and I are prepping Matty for Saturday, but I think he might still try to hug you.
Well, uh, Aly, you know that's my effect on men.
What are you gonna do? You know what? - Don't forget a blanket.
- Okay.
Oh, look who it is.
- Hi, Abby.
- Hey, bub.
Uh, sorry, but I can't hug you on Saturday.
I know.
I'm bummed too.
We'll still have fun.
We can't wait to see you.
We'll see you soon, okay? - We love you.
- Okay, great.
I love you too.
Matty, never smoke.
Oh, yeah.
Don't do what's Abby doing.
Goodbye.
- General good rule.
Bye.
- Goodbye.
I have that same ribbon.
How it's goin'? Ugh, fuck.
Hey, Abby.
Hey, Chris.
What're what're you doing here? I just wanted to come by and say thank you in person for donating to my GoFundMe.
I-I didn't.
You did.
That's supposed to be anonymous.
The fundraiser is given the names of everyone who donates along with their emails and their donation amounts.
Well, that's not very anonymous, is it? Look, Chris, I just want you to know that this isn't coming from some savior bullshit place.
I'm not getting off by don I-I know.
- I know.
- You owe me nothing.
I mean, you can reject the donation if you want.
I thought about that.
In the end, I'm practicing the radical self-care of being okay with accepting your money.
Okay.
Well, that's good then.
It comes from some corporate bullshit job, so I'm glad it can do something good.
It's an almond cake.
- You know what? I'm good.
- Oh, I got it especially for you.
Chris, I texted you that I didn't want to meet up.
I know.
I've said all that I wanted to say.
If you had listened to my messages I did.
All of them, many times.
- Okay.
And you didn't call me back? - I-I couldn't.
And look, that's your right.
- I totally get it.
- Look, Abby, I was afraid.
I I couldn't return your calls because I was afraid.
And then you sent in that donation and Fuck.
Can I put this somewhere? I mean, yeah, you can put it there.
So about the cake.
Abs, I'm sorry.
It was just a bad idea.
Yeah.
I thought it would be this cute icebreaker that would make it easier to talk, but it wasn't.
And it isn't.
Chris, what are we even doing? What is there left to say? I don't understand.
I hear about you sometimes from King.
They don't say much.
I think they're being protective of me.
And you.
But it's nice to hear that you're doing okay.
I think King is somewhat of an eternal optimist.
Maybe.
Chris, I've done a lot of work since that night.
And I cannot wrap my brain around what I did to you.
That act of violence.
And I just need to figure out how to live with that.
After Galena, and that night at the MTA, I realized it was over.
I realized I had a way out.
My escape.
I was relieved.
I never let on how scared shitless I was of those fucking almonds.
That's why I never answered your calls.
I was too scared.
Too overwhelmed.
I'm glad you made it out on the other side of that whole thing okay.
And I am ashamed that I couldn't help you through it.
And that is something I have to live with.
Chris, we're two people that could only go that far.
I have my limits and you have yours.
And we weren't gonna be able to take it beyond that night.
Abby, I am glad we met.
You mean you're glad my sister forced us to meet, right? Yeah, me me too.
Well, please don't take my thoughtlessness out on the cake.
Cake's innocent in all this.
I'll think about it.
Holy shit! Hmm.
All right.
Oh, my God, there she is.
- - Retired? Well, of course she's retired, Abby.
She's in her fucking 70s.
Moving on.
Depression, suicidality for kicks, hmm loving.
H.
Joy? That's a little on the nose.
Oh.
Okay, Dr.
Joy.
This is Abby McEnany coming in hot, Rink! Hmm.
Oh, fuck it.
Sam? - Hyde Park? - Yes, please.
What's your name? Sam, that is the most shared oxygen I've had with a stranger since early March.
- Enjoy your family.
- Bye.
My loves - Hey.
- the birthday boy.
- Happy birthday, Grandpa! - Oh, my God.
Matty? Matty, is that you? I can hear you, but I can't see you.
- Classic.
- This is wonderful.
Um, seventy-three never thought I'd live to see the day.
What? Too soon? Yeah, Dad, actually way too soon.
Fuck.
Language.
What do you want from me, Matty? Another five bucks? You cleaned me dry.
You look good, kid.
I was gonna say the same thing to you.
You know, Carol Lynn was right.
I needed this.
I think we all did.
And I'm I'm really glad that you're here.
I'm really glad you're here, too.
And let's not forget Jags.
Thank God he's here.
I mean, what the fuck? I was gonna say the same thing.
Maybe they adopted him.
I think that we have made the kids wait long enough.
Time for cake.
- Thank God.
- Yes.
- Shall we, Dad? - We shall.
All right.
It's a really nice party.
You did a good job.
And at least it's not a funeral.
Carol Lynn let me plan the whole thing.
- Okay.
Yeah.
- So thank you, and ha-ha.
I mean I gotta say, it seems like you're doing way better than you were the last time I saw you.
Yeah, I am.
Do you want to go join them? Oh, no, no.
I'm good.
Yeah.
Hey, what's the deal with you guys? Nothing.
You can tell me.
I don't What's going on with you and Mike? - What did he tell you? - Nothing.
He didn't have to.
Ali, it's been clear for months that there's something you're all going through.
It's just, um, you know, with Dad and COVID, it's been stressful around the house.
Aly, all this started way before any of this.
I've just been feeling frustrated with my life you know, my job, and Mike is Okay, look.
I am so sick of being the only adult in my relationship.
I didn't sign up to mother my husband.
And then, you know, once lockdown started, it just got really intense in the house, like, exponentially more intense.
And, you know, when we realized that it wasn't gonna end anytime soon, we just, um, we we broke quarantine, and And Jags came over, and we all had a little wine, and got a little high.
Okay.
Before you continue, I think I'm gonna need to sit down.
Nothing happened.
Okay? Jesus, Abby.
It's just Jags does so much for me around the house, you know, and he's really good with helping with Meg and Matty, and Meg actually likes talking to him.
Things just got a lot easier having him around.
For all of us.
Hey, hey, hey.
Aly, look at me.
Look at me.
I love you, okay? And you're gonna be all right.
And look, I'm not saying that it's not normal to be frustrated with Mike.
It's valid.
Just but Jags? Oh, God.
I mean Jags.
I know.
Okay, I mean, he has a SCUBA license.
- That is cool.
- True.
He's very kind to his mother, which I find very nice in a straight man who's single and in his 40s.
And he also has Look, we're just figuring things out.
Okay? We're just figuring out, that's all.
And you know what? Maybe you could have a little bit more of an open mind.
Oh, you're doing a little role reversal here.
I don't care for it.
I'm gonna put my foot down.
Girls! Come over here! I'm telling the one about the carrot! That's my favorite one.
Oh, please don't encourage him.
So the dog had eaten the carrot.
And then, like, probably peed on it, and I was like, "Oh, where did I get this carrot?" Oh, my God.
Um I don't know.
But I was really feeling desperation.
Like I couldn't just have him walk away.
It was like, I have to do something or say something.
And what did you say? I yelled out his deadname.
- And then what happened? - You heard what I said, right? Then what happened? I yelled out his deadname.
Yes, I heard.
You do know what a deadname is, right, Dr.
Joy? I mean, I checked out your website.
It says you work with a lot of trans people and like Yes, I have many trans patients.
I'm trans.
I know what a deadname is.
What I'm hearing is that you made a mistake.
A mistake? No, this wasn't a mistake.
I look back at that moment, that horrible, heinous and hurtful act that I did, and the only thing more outrageous than what a giant piece of shit I am is that I didn't go fucking straight home and check the fuck out.
Only a monumental piece of shit could live with themselves after what they had done.
What I did.
Okay, okay.
So what is Chris's deadname? I beg your pardon? Tell me Chris's deadname.
What is it? Have you lost your mind? I'm not gonna tell you Chris's deadname.
Of course you won't.
Why would you? 'Cause you're not a horrible, heinous and hurtful, monumental piece of shit.
You You wrote that all down? You get good at note-taking in this business.
Wha ? That went way faster than I thought it would.
Abby, I can hear how much emotional hurt you're carrying regarding this one event.
I can tell it's a deep pain.
But as a queer woman with a strong tendency towards non-binary ways of being, I would encourage you to apply a little bit of that queering towards your extremely black-and-white, good-or-evil judgment on this.
We don't live in a binary world, Abby.
That's something I often have to remind myself of too.
And maybe it's something we can work on if you'd like to make another appointment.
Yeah.
I'd really like to do that.
Maybe we could even find a regular time?