[buzzing] What are you doing? I told you
not to come around here. Honey, I'm home! - BOY: Dad, what's going on?
- Go back to bed, son. Everything's okay. I told you before,
this is not your house, and we are not your family. You're wrong. I'm sorry things didn't
work out, I really am. But the things you did, the things that you're doing,
it's crazy! Don't come here again! Your loss! Goodbye! [door slams] Oh, you two are up early. No, you're up late. What are you talking about?
It's... How'd it get to be
7:30 already? It's okay. I'm making lunches,
and your phone's by the door. Thank you for the coffee.
Mmm. Hey, why don't you take a break
for a second there, huh? I just wanna finish
making these lunches. Yeah, I know. I appreciate
everything you've been doing since your mom passed. - Dad, I don't mind.
- I do mind, okay? I want you to take a break. There's something I want
to talk to you both about. Okay. What's up? Look, I know
the last few years have been really difficult
on all of us, and there's been
some serious adjustments that we've had to make, and I appreciate so much
the responsibilities that both of you
have taken on around here. But I am concerned that you
haven't been spending time, you know, on yourselves, being a kid or a teenager, doing fun stuff. [chuckles] And for me too. I feel like there's something
missing there for me. And I met someone. NICOLE: What's that mean? Daddy has met a lady who is kind of like
more than a friend, you know? NICOLE: Oh. Who is this person? Her name is Maddie. We met on a dating app. A dating app? It is totally not like me
at all. Look, I understand
that this is new territory. For all of us, okay? I figured, what the heck? I'll invite her
to dinner tonight. Tonight? Don't you think this is something
you should've talked to us about before springing it on us
the day of? You are absolutely right.
You're absolutely right. I should have, and I'm very
sorry for not doing that. I don't want to keep seeing her
until she meets you both because you two are
the most important people in my entire life. Is that okay? Yeah, it is. I think it's cool. You're late. Ah! All right, okay. - Thanks for understanding.
- Of course. Love you both. Bye. Love you. All right, kiddo, let's go.
I don't want us to be late too. Is it time to go already? I swear, you are
your father's daughter. If we didn't go
to the same school, I'm convinced
we'd never be on time. Come on. [click] [click] [click] Aha! I heard rumors
you were in the copy room. Well, well, well,
look who's late again I swear, if it wasn't
for my daughter, I'd never make it. Gonna be a long day today, huh? Mm. That's an understatement. The Keller account wants
a whole new ad slick, and they want to see new numbers
by Monday. - What?
- But if we run over, maybe we can grab a bite
at that new Italian place right up the street. - Oh, um...
- What do you say? I would love to, but I can't. I got, you know,
like a dinner-movie thing with the girls tonight. Oh, okay, yeah. Rain check? Sure. All right. I'm gonna go grab
a quadruple espresso to get this day started right. You want something? - No, I'm good, thanks.
- Oh, come on. Doppio cappuccino,
two sugars, huh? Well, I'm gonna get one
for you anyway. You're gonna love it.
You're gonna drink three of 'em. [school bell ringing] PATRICK: So who is she? LILY: I don't know, honestly.
We're meeting her tonight. How very<i> Guess Who's
Coming to Dinner.</i> He's literally. How you feeling? Honestly, I don't love it. - Did you tell him that?
- No. I mean, I can't. Why not?
Lily, this is the first girl your dad's brought around
since your mom passed. I think he'd understand if
you're feeling a little wonky. What I'm feeling wonky about is
that he's had her over already and didn't tell us. What do you mean? I saw a woman leaving
this morning. She was sneaking out. He's been having her
stay over. Way to go, Mr. S.! I don't like it. It's not like him
to keep stuff from us. Maybe he wanted to really
make sure he liked her before he introduced you. It's a big deal for him
just as much as it is for you. It's a new chapter. Yeah, maybe you're right. I mean, he's put everything
aside lately. If he's not at work, he's making
sure my sister and I are happy, and he deserves to be happy too. That's the spirit. Hey, shouldn't you two
be off to class? Oh, give a kid a chance,
why don't you? You forget I've seen your
permanent record of chances. You've had plenty. - Hi, Ms. Price.
- Hi. So I'll see you two
at SAT prep this afternoon? Of course.
Lily won't let me not go. Ah! That's my girl. How's your admission essay
going? Okay. Good. Honestly, I don't know. I've been looking at it so long,
I'm not sure anymore. I just want it to be perfect. Don't overthink it.
Just write from the heart. I guess. Look, I know a lot
has happened these past few years. I think you're getting caught up on the whole academic minutiae
of this essay, when, in fact, you just need
to let the university know who you are. Your mom, she had a big impact
in your life, right? Yeah. That's what the essay
should be about. Show them you.
Show them your heart. Thanks. You're right.
I'll try. Good. We can talk about it
more this afternoon - if you want.
- Okay. I believe you have
the potential to get into any school of your choosing. Both of you. - Shucks.
- [class bell rings] Stop it. Now off to class. Still stressed about that essay? A bit,
and I'm sure this whole "Dad's got a girlfriend thing"
isn't going to alleviate things. It'll be fine.
If you need to talk, I'm here. Thanks. And I mean, who knows? How bad can she be? [doorbell rings] [knocking] MICHAEL: Coming! Hi. Am I too early? No. You are just in time. Maddie, this is
my daughter Lily. Lily, it's such a pleasure. I've heard so much about you. - Yeah. Pleasure.
- Oh, my gosh. Is this her? Oh, wow. You're even prettier
than he said Maddie, this is
my younger daughter, Nicole. Well, you're such a delight. NICOLE: We haven't had
anybody new over in so long, let alone a woman
with a sense of style. Oh, I need your opinion
on so many things. Okay.
[laughs] What do you think? Yeah, yeah, sure. I know.
It's new for me too, okay? All right, I better go
save her from Nicole before she talks
both of her ears off. Good luck. Whew! I cannot have
another bite. But everything was so good. Yes, and I can guarantee you that it was all
made from scratch, right here in our house, definitely not ordered
last-minute from Nicole's favorite
takeout place on Main Street. Well, wherever it was from,
I loved it. So my dad tells me you guys met
on an online dating website. Yeah. I didn't have much luck dating
out in the real world. I figured if I went
on the Internet, I could control
my interactions with people. You can never be too sure. There's so many weirdos
out there. But thankfully,
I found the exception. Aww! Well, what about you, Lily?
You're in high school. Any boys? Oh, no, no.
This is not dad conversation. Oh, come on, Michael.
She's practically a woman. You know, when I was her age, I noticed a basketball player
or two in the halls. - Oh, you did, did you?
- Uh-huh Don't be jealous. Well, Lily? No. No boys. I guess I just have
different priorities. Maybe in college. NICOLE: What about Patrick? Oh, Patrick, huh? Patrick's a boy,
but not that type of boy. He's just a friend. Nicole's just being stupid
as little sisters tend to be. Well, I do appreciate
your commitment to your studies. Do you have your sights set
on a particular school? Yeah, yeah,
I'm hoping to go to Brown. Brown.
Wow. That's so far away. You don't want to go anywhere
closer to home? I mean, I know
it's across the country, but it's an Ivy League school, and they have
a lot of good programs. And it's where my mom went. Oh. That's a nice goal. All right, well, I guess
it's time for me to clean up. I will be in there
in just a moment. Anything that I can do? Hmm. Yes, as a matter of fact. You can sit right there,
relax and be beautiful. Actually, do you mind
if I use the bathroom? - I just want to freshen up.
- Uh, sure, yeah. Nicole, you want to show her
where the bathroom is? No, you don't have to do that.
You finish eating your food. Don't give me
any special treatment. Just point the way. Right upstairs,
center of the hall. Okay, thank you. Psst! Honey,
you playing with that, or are you finished? I'm all done. Well... kitchen. Will do. I'm back! [phone chimes] What are you doing? Oh, I heard a beep,
and I thought it was my phone. But I think this was your dad's.
Someone named Cynthia? Yeah, they work together. Oh, well, then you better
get it to him. - Dad?
- What you got there, Lily? It's Cynthia. Work's calling. Oh. Never ends. - MICHAEL: Dishes.
- Yeah. MADDIE: This was a lovely night. - Thank you.
- Yeah. Gave me a good reason
to break out the fine china. We have fine china? - It was great to meet you both.
- You too. - It was fun.
- Likewise. Will you come back soon? If your dad says I can. I will work something out. MADDIE: Good night. Good night, girls.
See you soon. All right, up to bed. PATRICK: Tell me everything. <i> LILY: What do you
want me to say?</i> PATRICK: Give me the details. <i> She's nice, I guess.
Pretty.</i> <i> Nicole really liked her.</i> And you? I don't know. It's weird. But my dad really lights up
when she's around, so that's kind of cool to see. <i> PATRICK: That's cute.</i> <i> LILY: Yeah. There's
just something about her</i> <i> that's not really
connecting yet.</i> <i> That's to be expected.</i> I guess, but it's
not really like that. I mean, I don't like the fact that my dad was sleeping
with her before we even met her. It feels manipulative. <i> But it's like when she's
around, she's super nice.</i> <i> It's almost like she's
too good to be true.</i> <i> I thought I caught her snooping
through my dad's phone though.</i> <i> PATRICK: What, you've never
peeked at someone else's phone?</i> <i> LILY: Yeah, but this
feels different.</i> <i> Lily, it's not.</i> - Fine.
-<i> Trust me.</i> <i> She's probably more
uncomfortable than you.</i> I bet she was just trying
extra hard to impress you. - You think?
-<i> Yeah, I do</i> 'cause I know how hard you are
to impress. <i> Good night, Patrick.</i> <i> Night, amiga.</i> Who you talking to?
Is that Patrick? Yeah. Did you give him a good report? Were you listening? No. <i> Just curious.</i> <i> LILY: There were
minimal complaints.</i> <i> MICHAEL: Ah.</i> <i> Well, thanks for tonight.</i> Of course. - Night, honey.
- Night, Dad. Are you sure you're okay? I'm fine. All right, all right, okay. MICHAEL: I thought the library
was tomorrow night. LILY: No, it's tonight. MICHAEL: Then what's
tomorrow night? Technically, also the library. It's just this admissions essay. - I just want to get it right
- Honey, I told you. You gotta spend some time
on yourself. - [knocking on window]
- Hey, Cynthia's here. Hey, everyone.
Hope I'm not interrupting. No, come on in. Did I forget that we're
carpooling today or... Uh, yeah, we have
the Keller presentation. Remember we're supposed to go
to their office together? That's today? Oh, come on, Michael. Oh, no. I'm ready for it. I just forgot.
Let me grab my jacket. I don't know how
you put up with him. You're preaching to the choir. So how's it been?
Keeping your dad in line? I'm trying. It's not
an easy task, as you know. Aw, come on, honey,
it's not so bad. You know where my phone is? In your usual spot. Ah, yes, yes, yes. It's going fine.
Nothing crazy. Just school. Oh. I know you're preparing
for your college prep. I admire that.
Perseverance pays off. Thanks. So how was dinner last night? Oh, it was great.
Dad ordered food from that place
off of Main Street, and it's always fun
to have someone new over. Oh, did you have some friends
from school over? - He didn't tell you?
- Tell me what? <i> We're gonna be late.
Come on.</i> <i> Okay, yeah,
if the crosstown traffic's bad.</i> <i> LILY: Dad...</i> <i> MICHAEL: Later, later on.</i> - Love you both.
- Talk to you guys later, okay? So good to see you both. Yeah, totally. I don't know
how she gets away with it. I know. I was like that too. I just never worried about it. [school bell ringing] I'm sorry.
You can't park here. Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't realize. I was just making sure my girls
made it to school safely. That's sweet, hiding back here because the kids don't want
to see Mom dropping them off. [chuckles] Yes. I'm their mom. I see it all the time.
These kids want to look cool. Don't want mom
creeping up on their style. They're lucky to have you
looking out for them. Oh, they have no idea. - Thank you.
- Don't mention it. That was great.
And the look on Keller's face. When you dropped the projected
market totals on him, he was like...
[gasps] And the fact you used
his own analytics in the argument against him,
it's priceless. I don't want to brag. I don't know how you do it. I've never met a computer code
I couldn't crack. I love the challenge of
discovering its secrets. And that is why I never let you
use my computer in a meeting. [chuckles] We make a good team, huh? Yeah, I guess we do. - So, um, big plans tonight?
- Oh, tonight? No, no, just the usual. You know, hang out with kids,
go over all those reports for the meeting tomorrow,
that's for sure. Oh, yeah. What was it that you
were gonna tell me earlier? Something about dinner. No, I don't remember anything. Must not have been a big deal. - [phone buzzing]
- One second. Shoot. Uh, I gotta grab this. Later though.
We'll catch up later, all right? - Sure.
- Hey, again, great job today. - Fantastic.
- Thanks, yeah. See ya.
Yeah, this is Michael. Can you believe
this selfie Amber posted? Nobody loves the pretzel kiosk
at the mall that much. I just don't know
what my dad sees in her. I don't know why
he's so head over heels. - About Amber?
- No. Maddie. You still fixating on that? He's my dad.
I'm allowed to fixate on it. I just don't know
if I like her yet. You don't like anybody. That's not true.
I like you. True. That's how I know
you're not totally hopeless. But you have to admit, you do tend to have
a harsh judge of character. There's nothing wrong
with being discerning, something you could learn
to be better at. [whispers]
Hey! Lily's in there with her friend,
and I didn't wanna interrupt. Listen, the first thing you
gotta realize about parenting is you don't ever worry
about interrupting. Well, you gotta share
your secrets. I will. Later. Is that why you've got Saturday
detention for an entire month because you let Steve from
the track team convince you it would be a good idea
to egg the principal's house? You and my parents are not gonna
let me live that down, are you? Hey, we all have devils
on our shoulder, and it was a lapse in judgment. It's in the past. What are you two talking about? Something scandalous? Do you mind? We were having
a private conversation. I'm sorry. I just couldn't help
but overhear that you've gotten into trouble
over a peer pressure situation. I just want you to know
that's okay. We've all had
our misbehaved moments. You must be Patrick.
I'm Maddie. A pleasure.
If you don't mind, though, I don't really like
talking about it. Of course.
I meant no harm. Hey, hey, hey!
What've you two been up to? Uh, Patrick was just leaving. Um, yeah. Bye, Mr. S. - Good to see you, buddy.
- Good to see you. - Bye.
- Bye. I miss something? Want a drink? Sounds great. [phone chimes] Wow. Hmm. Who was that? Oh, it's work. It can wait. This has been
a great night so far. And it's not over. [car approaching] [car door closes] - [door opens]
- Michael? Is someone here? There shouldn't be. Um... - Cynthia.
- Hey. We have plans
that I forgot about or-- You left these at the office.
I wanted to bring them to you 'cause I know you needed them
for the project. I tried calling. You weren't
picking up your phone. I can't believe
that I forgot these. Yes. Thank you so much.
You are lifesaver. I know. I don't believe we've met. Oh, hi. I'm Cynthia.
I work with Michael. Oh, I'm Maddie,
Michael's girlfriend. Girlfriend. You've heard me talk about
Cynthia, my business partner. Oh, yeah, I know. It's such a pleasure
to meet you, Cynthia. Likewise, although I'm afraid
you have me at a disadvantage. Well, you're welcome to join us
for a glass of wine. Oh, no, no, no.
I have to get back to work. - Oh, what a shame.
- Yeah. But it was nice meeting you. Likewise. - I'll see you at the office?
- Yes. Sure. Uh, will you excuse me
just for a minute? Oh, yeah. Cynthia, Cynthia! - Hey, hey.
- Hey. Uh... Walk with me for a minute. I, uh... I owe you an apology. Um... I know this is really weird. I didn't mean for you
to find out about it this way. That's for sure. I just don't know why you
couldn't have told me yourself. I mean, is this the reason
why you've been dodging me, avoiding more than
surface inquiries? Yeah, yeah. I wanted to tell you,
believe me. I just didn't know how. You know, you and Amy, you were such close friends
for so long, I thought that it might be... strange for you
to see me with somebody new. Wait. So you didn't tell me
because of Amy? Yeah. You two have always been
so close that this... Oh, yeah, me and Amy were close,
but you and I are close too. We've been in each other's lives
for a long time. I just don't know
why you couldn't have told me. I wanted to. I just... I just think that
maybe it felt like... Because I felt like
if I told you that it would suddenly
become real, like if I did, then I would have
to admit to myself that I was finally over her
or that I had moved on. CYNTHIA; So you're happy? Yeah. Forgive me? Yeah. Dad? Cynthia, are you leaving? Yeah, I'm afraid so. I was just
dropping something off. Can I talk to you for a second? Okay with you? Oh, of course. Have at it.
I'll see you at the office. Sure. See you tomorrow. - So...
- Yeah? You met her. I did. How are you doing? What do you think
about the situation? Of her? I don't know. She seems nice,
but something's off. CYNTHIA: Off? LILY: It's strange. I don't know.
Maybe it's just me. I mean,
it's a strange situation. Well, maybe I'll
do some digging, put some concerns to rest. LILY: Okay. Hey, listen, if you need
anything, anything at all, you just call me, okay? Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Ah, there you are. Looking all over the office
for you. You got a minute? Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. I'm just going over some emails.
What's up? I just wanted to make sure
that we were cool. I know you said that everything
was fine last night, but honestly,
you were absolutely right. I should have told you
about Maddie a long time ago. Look, it's fine.
I mean, you're not obligated to tell me every detail
of your life, Michael. I know, I know, I just-- I trust you.
I know you would've told me when the time was right. It was just a...
It was just a shock, that's all. I know. You're the best. Rigby's office in ten?
Conference call? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Just finishing up some emails, so I'll be right behind you. "With the strategic
and objective--" Strategic and objective?
Lily, you're writing an essay, not planning
a military campaign. Focus. Remember, write from the heart. [phone chiming] Hello? Hello? Oh, yeah.
Hey, what's up? What's up? That was great. I haven't seen
an afternoon movie in ages. Yeah, well, once I found out
I had the rest of the day free, I figured I might as well
surprise you. You did. Sorry it wasn't
a better movie. Ehh. It was perfect
because I was with you. [chuckles] You gonna stay for dinner? You sure? Yeah. I'll order some pizza.
Keep it simple. Girls will love that. - Deal.
- [phone buzzing] Oh. Hmm. - Work?
- Yes. I'm gonna take this
in the other room. Okay. Hello. Yeah, yeah, the presentation
couldn't have gone better. They loved our numbers,
I'll tell ya that. Figures looked great. Sure, I'll be happy
to crunch it again, probably come in under budget,
absolutely. What are you doing? Uh, I was ordering pizza. I didn't think you'd mind. Were you reading
my social media? [scoffs]
No! Hey, wh-what's this? She was going through
my social media. She was reading
my private messages. I can explain. You better start. We said we were gonna
order pizzas for dinner, and I thought I would use
your computer to order them and surprise your dad. Yeah, of course you can use it
to order pizza. So why don't use
your phone then? This seems really deliberate. It was an honest mistake. In what world was this honest
or a mistake? I know that
you don't like me, Lily. And so you thought this was
gonna make it better? I thought that
if we could find some common ground, we can move past
this awkwardness. I thought that if I could find
something that you like, we could bond over that. Oh, don't be--
You're not serious. I mean, you don't believe that,
do you? Honey, I don't think she was
doing anything on purpose, okay? You've got to be kidding me. - I--
- Lily. I-I was just trying-- Don't worry about it, okay?
I got this. Just... - Lily.
- You didn't knock. Yeah, I don't have to.
I happen to own the house. Dad, you can't even pretend
like what she did was okay. I'm not going to do that. She knows what she did
was wrong, and she feels really bad
about it. Yeah, well, she should! Lily, she's trying. Yeah, she made a mistake. That's why she made it because
she's trying to get to know you, to see if you have
anything in common. Oh, come on! Lily, this is not
how you behave. She is at least
putting in an effort. - You could do the same.
- I don't want to put in effort! - Why should I?
- Because I'm your father, and I'm asking you to. Your mother and I didn't
raise you like this. I expected you
to be better than this. Why can't you see
why this hurts me? I do, I do.
Honestly, I really do, honey, but you also have to see this
from my point of view. This is somebody
that I care about. I'm in this for the long haul. If I ask her to become part
of this family, and she accepts, I would hope that you would
welcome her into this house. Wait a second.
For the long haul? You know what I mean. And you thought this,
of all times, was the time to tell me
that you think you may want to
marry this woman? - Lily--
- Really? - I'm not saying that.
- No. No. I need you to leave. Seriously? I just need a minute. Yeah, okay, okay. I understand. All right. What is going on? [phone chimes] Who are you? Thanks again for today,
and I'm sorry about earlier. That's all right.
She'll get over it. If you don't mind my saying so, she doesn't seem to be
handling this very well. Well, you know.
I mean, it is an adjustment. The stress of college, you know? I can't believe she wants
to go to school so far away. If I can't be near my family,
that would bother me. You don't really talk
about your family much. I already told you. My mom died when I was little,
and then my dad left, then I bounced around for a bit
and ended up at my aunt's. I'm sorry. I didn't mean
to bring up bad memories. I just didn't know if you
still thought about them. In a way, I'm never
not thinking about family. When I was growing up, all I ever wanted was
the perfect family, just like all the other
kids had, like on TV. A mom, a dad. It seemed so simple,
yet so unobtainable. Babe... And then when I grew up,
I realized that... if I can't have the perfect mom, then maybe one day
I could be the perfect mom. The perfect wife. The perfect stepmother. You will be. That's what I'm hoping. Bye. Wow. Hello. Are you Tyler Bridges? Yeah. What's this about? I know you don't know me,
but I was wondering if I could ask you
a few questions about a woman. Look, I keep myself to myself, and I don't really know
a lot of people, so I can't help you. Do you know her? Maddie Sawyer. Yeah, I do,
but her name isn't Maddie. At least when I knew her. It was Claire Sullivan,
and she's trouble. Can I ask what happened? It was years ago, but that lady was
a real piece of work. She moved in with my uncle,
tried to marry him. When my uncle discovered she was
getting intense with his kids, he tried to kick her out, and she didn't want
to go quietly. She would show up in the middle
of the night at his house, claimed it was her house. Squatter rights
even gave her a decent case. The resulting chaos
left my uncle broke and drove him out of town. It was a mess. He barely answers calls anymore,
afraid it might be her. I'm so sorry. Do you know what happened
to her? Claire, was it? No. When she didn't get what she
wanted, she just disappeared. And let me give you some advice
if you're looking for her. It's best she stay gone. That is one lady
you don't want to find. Anyway, my family
worked really hard to leave Claire Sullivan
in the past. I suggest you do the same.
Have a good day. Wait, wait, wait! I'm not happy, Cynthia. You're sticking your nose
where it doesn't belong. How did you get into-- Do you always take
such an active interest in the personal lives
of your coworkers? Michael is more than
just a coworker to me. We've been in each other's lives
for a really long time, okay? I've watched his kids grow up, and his late wife
was a friend of mine. So he can't move on
without your permission? He can absolutely do
whatever he wants, but when I find out
the person he's involved with isn't being entirely truthful, I think I'm a right
to be concerned. Isn't that right, Maddie? Or is it Victoria? Or is it Claire? If you're hiding something,
Michael deserves to know. You want to talk about deserve?
What about what I deserve? What are you talking about? I deserve happiness
and a chance for a family without people like you
interfering. I think you should
get out of my car. And I think you should
get out of my business. You want him,
but you can't have him. And now you want
to come between us because he didn't choose you. Well, this is my family. Do you hear me? Mine! Look, l told you.
I don't wanna talk about-- Claire? You should be careful with the
things you tell people, Tyler, or it might just
come back and get you. PATRICK: She's a bit much,
but it kinda seems like you're looking for
a reason to dislike her. LILY: Are you kidding me? This social media thing seems
like a pretty good reason to me. Parents snoop, okay?
It's what they do. I'm just happy I know more about
computers than my mom and dad. - She's not my parent though.
- You know what I mean. Excuse me. I still haven't
received your admissions essay. I know. I'm so sorry. I'm just putting the finishing
touches on it, I swear. Remember what I said:
Don't overthink it. The essay should be about you,
where you come from, what's important to you. - My mom.
- Your mom. Thank you. Just get it to me
by Saturday morning, okay? - You got it.
- All right. That's the third time
you checked your phone. Am I missing something? I'm just waiting on a message. Just don't get busted. Remember when Mr. Hawkins
caught that kid messing with his phone in class? That was you. Details! You're right though. Hey. How long you gonna be
hiding out for? I'm not hiding out.
I'm working on my essay. Oh. It is the weekend.
You can give it a rest. Ms. Price said
she'd be around tomorrow if I wanted
to turn it in, so... Hmm. Lily, um... - Is she here?
- No, she's not. She's out running some errands. I figured it would be
a good time for us to talk. Talk about what? She's trying, Lily.
She really is. Would it kill you
to try as well? You really care about her,
don't you? Yes, yes, I do very much. And she's been through a lot. I know this isn't easy. And I know what it seems like,
but I can promise you, she is not trying
to replace your mother, Lily. No one can replace Mom. She just-- She's just trying to be
a friend, that's all. Yeah, sure. Lily... Yes, I care about her. And yes, I care about you
and your sister so much. And this is very difficult
for all of us. But if there is some way
that you can manage to try and get along with her
even a little bit, it would help me out a lot. I mean, is that
too much to ask? Maybe a little. All right. I'll try. Really? But not for her.
For you. I may not like everything
that Maddie does, but if she's telling the truth, that she's doing
all of this for you, then I guess I can try
and meet her halfway. Besides, I can't have her
showing me up. You are my dad, after all. [chuckles] Thanks. No promises. [laughs] It's a start. <i> ♪♪ [pop]</i> LILY: I can't focus. Of course not, when you keep
checking your phone. Hey, you're on your computer. Yeah, watching cat videos, not deconstructing the ethics
of 18th century France or whatever you're doing. Okay, I'll relax my way,
and you relax yours. Okay, what's up? It's this whole Maddie thing. I mean, we don't even know
anything about her. And that might be okay
with my dad, but I, however, want to know
what kind of woman is coming into my house
and into my life. Fair. You said they met
on a dating site, right? Yeah. Show me. There. That's it. - [typing]
- What are you doing? I am logging in as your dad. Wha-- Can you even do that? [typing] Just did. How'd you-- What? I love a good challenge
when it comes to computers. And your dad's had
the same email address for years and never changes his passwords. Patrick! Patrick, you need to log out
of my dad's dating profile. This is so beyond not okay. - There we--
- Patrick, I'm not kidding. And there you go. Wait, what is this? That's Maddie's profile. I found the messages
that she and your dad exchanged, did a reverse search,
landed on her page, and then dug into
her account info. Right there is the address
that she used to pay from, so that's where she lives. Are you even allowed to do that? - Ah, who's to say?
- Patrick... What? You said you wanted
to know things, so here you go. I can't believe I'm doing this. - Ah, live a little.
- [click] Done. [laughs] Whoa, what's all this? Maddie?
Of course you're here. Yes. Maddie and I were supposed
to have a date last night, but she got caught up with work, so she decided to come over
after the gym and do a morning date. And I volunteered
to make breakfast. That was very nice of you.
Thank you. This looks pretty good. Pretty good? It's amazing. It's way better they eating
soggy cereal in the kitchen, while you make sandwiches. You love those sandwiches. Meh. I think what she's trying to say is that it's just nice
to let somebody else make breakfast for a change,
right? LILY: Can argue with that. Oh, I forgot the white toast. It's a white toast
kind of morning. Well, looks like you woke up on
the right side of the bed, huh? It's this admissions essay.
I finally got it done. I mean, I feel cross-eyed
from proofreading all night, but now all I have to do
is get it to Ms. Price. That's great. It must be a real weight
off your shoulders, huh? Honestly, yeah, and I was thinking
that maybe we could celebrate. It's not every day that I turn
in the biggest paper of my life, and on a Saturday, no less. MICHAEL: Absolutely.
It'll have to wait until the afternoon
or evening. I got a bunch of stuff I gotta
do around the house today. But you know
what you should do? Maddie's taking Nicole to go
check out that new coffee truck down on Main Street
after breakfast. You should go with them. Oh, uh, yeah, sure, why not? - Yeah?
- Yeah. Well, in that case I am going
to make myself look presentable. You girls don't need to be
seen with me looking like this. You finish breakfast. I'm gonna go get ready, okay? Okay. What can I say?
She makes good white toast. I'll be the judge of that. "My hero is my mother." Hmm. Well, that won't do. That won't do at all. MADDIE: Girls? There you are.
We thought we'd lost you. Now, girls, you know a good
beauty regimen takes time. Are you ready? Oh, yeah, I'm all done. WOMAN: Your girls are so sweet. Thank you. I'm very proud. Aw, well,
I see where they get it, especially the little one. You have a similar sparkle. That is so nice. You know,
ever since she was born, people have remarked
about how similar we are. I think it's that
mother-daughter bond. She's my perfect little angel. Well, it's a beautiful thing. Thanks, Maddie. Oh, there's that sparkle. Uh, sparkle? Uh, well,
you have a nice day now. You too. Hey, take care
of your mother now, you hear? I'm sorry.
What did you just say? Did you just call her
our mother? LILY: Mother!
She said she was our mother! Lily, calm down. Calm down? How is this
even remotely okay? I said I was sorry. I don't care! - Lily!
- I told you. The woman was being very nice, and I didn't want
to correct her. I don't see
what the big issue is. It's not an issue. Lily is
blowing this out of proportion. Out of proportion? You know what?
Nicole and I had a mother, and she is not her, a fact that I've haven't
forgotten, even if you have! Hey, wait a minute! I don't wanna
listen to this anymore! Michael, Michael,
just give her a minute, okay? Hey. You okay? I guess. Maybe we should
get out of the house, get our minds off of it, go out to dinner? Sure. - I can make a reservation.
- Mm-hmm. Okay. My phone's in my purse,
so I'll be right back. Okay. I know you're up to something. I just know it. Patrick, I need you
to come over. Now. PATRICK: You're sure this is
Cynthia's handwriting? I've been getting birthday
and Christmas cards from Cynthia since I was a baby. - I'm positive.
- It doesn't make any sense. Why would this be
in Maddie's purse? What is all this?
It's a lot. Something's not right. The snooping,
the pretending to be my mom, that's one thing, but this? This feels real bad. I mean, the fact that this
was in Maddie's purse, that can't be a coincidence,
can it? You need to tell your dad. I don't know
that he'll listen to me. He already thinks
I have it out for Maddie, and he hasn't exactly been
objective about her lately. You need something
more concrete, something more than this. Who even is this Tyler guy? I don't know.
That's why I called you. You're good with computers
and stuff, right? I was hoping you could help me. I'm good with computers,
but not as good as Cynthia. If this is anything deep,
I don't know what use I'll be. Will you at least try? Yeah. This is weird enough.
Now I need to know. Do you need this? No, you hang onto it. I'll see what I can find out. In the meantime,
I should probably get going before my parents flip. School night and all. Look, try not to get
too stressed, okay? I'll see if I can dig up
anything solid about Maddie for your dad. <i> Thanks, Patrick, for coming
and for listening.</i> <i> I really owe you one.</i> [school bell ringing] PATRICK: I've been up
following leads all night, and Maddie's name isn't attached
to this Tyler at all. - What about Cynthia?
- No. There's gotta be a connection. Why else would Cynthia
be digging around? - I don't know. Maybe she's--
- Oh, Ms. Price! - Yes.
- Did you get my essay? I did, and I have to admit
I was surprised by its contents. - What? Why?
- I thought we discussed writing an essay
from the heart, about someone
who influenced you. But I did. I didn't realize
your stepmother had such an impact
on your life. You've never even bothered
to mention her before. - My stepmother?
- Yes. Your essay about the woman your dad married
after your mom passed away and how her presence has had
such an impact on your life and how she's really
been there for you. Now, it was heartfelt, but I'm surprised it lacked
your usual organization. Ms. Price,
I didn't write that. Well, I don't know
what to tell you. It came from
your email address, dear. What? That's impossible. I have to be honest with you. You've been noticeably
distracted lately, and whatever's
going on with you, it's definitely
affecting your work. Ms. Price,
I swear I didn't write that. You're free to write your essay
on whatever subject you'd like. I just have to confess. I was surprised
and a bit disappointed. Lil, listen... It was her, Patrick.
I know it was her. Nicole, you should
put that away. - It's family time.
- Mm-hmm. It was you. I don't know how,
and I don't know when, but she changed
my college admissions essay. Whoa. What are you
talking about? My essay! She changed it! The contents were changed. I wrote about mom, my real mom,
and she messed with it. Michael, I don't even know-- You do! You did! Okay, honey, that does sound
a little crazy. Crazy? You know
what's really crazy? My new essay sings the praises
of my stepmother. That's what's crazy. Who do you
think could've done that, huh? Okay, I looked at your essay,
and you did a great job. It was just a little bit flat, so I made a few edits
to improve the writing. I was just trying to help.
I'm always just trying to help. I just want what's best
for this family. Oh, God!
This is not your family! - Uh, it'll be fine.
- Michael, I-- That bitch. I was just trying to help.
Honest, I was. Look, I get it, okay? I understand that that's
what you were trying to do, but I mean,
you can't do that! Doing additions to her essay? There's got to be
some boundaries. And especially when it comes to
stuff about their mother, right? She's trying. She really is. But you're gonna have to
give her some space here. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
Please forgive me. Hey, I do, I do, but it's not me
you need forgiveness from. - Let me see how she is.
- Okay. What did I say? I told you not to play with
your phone during family time. It's disrespectful! I'm sorry. I was just
talking to my friends. When I was a little girl,
I would've given anything to have a nice afternoon
with family. You're being selfish. Dad doesn't mind. Well, mommies and daddies
do things differently, and I'm not your daddy. Dads are good with discipline. You need to learn some respect. But... And it's rude to ignore
your mommy during family time. And you don't wanna be rude,
do you? No. That's what I thought. Bingo. <i> What have we got?</i> Possible lead. <i> What are you gonna do?</i> At this point,
whatever I have to. Okay. Keep me posted. I'd better go.
Let me know if you need backup. <i> Thanks.</i> I thought you'd be
burned out on homework. What are you doing in my room? Now, Lily,
there's no need to be rude. Oh, there's every need. What you did,
what you've been doing, you might have my dad fooled,
but I'm not buying it or you. You've been lying,
and I'm gonna prove it. I haven't the slightest idea
what you're talking about. I came here to offer
an olive branch. I would do anything
to keep this family together. Again, not your family. We'll see. Get out. Fine. I'll leave,
but just so you know, I'm not going anywhere. Can I have my phone back now? I promise I won't use it
during family time. I don't think so.
Not today. You need to learn. That's not fair! Life's not fair. LILY: I'm outside. <i> PATRICK: Is she there?</i> I don't think so.
Her car's not here. It's locked. Of course it is, Lil.
Check the windows. <i> I don't think I can do this,
Patrick.</i> I get it. Breaking the rules
isn't really in your skill set. <i> But if you think
Maddie's up to something,</i> <i> sometimes the only way
to combat that</i> <i> is to get up to something
yourself.</i> <i> I mean, this could be
your chance to figure out</i> <i> what she's been hiding.</i> - Okay, I'm in.
-<i> Call me when you're out.</i> [hinge squeaking] [thump] [exhales] <i> [line ringing]</i> Well? <i> Patrick, she had photos of us
all over the dining room table.</i> What do you mean,
she had pictures of you? Photos of me, my sister, my dad.
She even had photos of my mom. Okay, you better tell your dad. <i> I can't. He's gonna know
I was at Maddie's house,</i> <i> and who knows
how he's gonna take that.</i> He doesn't believe me. Did you get anything? Maybe. - Dr. Harris?
- Yeah. I was wondering if I could
talk to you for a second. I didn't make an appointment
or anything. I'm a high school student. I don't really know
how any of this works. Um, I really shouldn't
without an appointment, but, um... Sure, come in. Thank you. DR. HARRIS: It must be
so overwhelming when you just are
under so much pressure. Well, that's an understatement. You know, it's not unusual
for people of your age to have anxiety attacks. I mean, you're at that point where you're trying to make
big decisions about your life and come up with the answers
to everything. Trust me.
Don't worry if you can't because most of us don't. No, I know that. And indecisiveness has never
really been a problem for me. I mean, I've always known
what I wanted. Maybe that's part of the issue
with your anxiety. Maybe you need to learn to be
a little more, um, flexible. A little more patient. How do you mean? You just shared with me
that you lost your mom, and that is profound. In a person's healing journey, that is a very intimate thing, and for some people,
it can take considerable time. Your dad's found this new woman. You have very complicated
feelings towards your own mom that you haven't processed yet. Of course this newcomer
in your environment is gonna feel like a threat. New is scary sometimes,
but it doesn't have to be. It can also be good. I don't think
that you're listening. This woman that my dad is
seeing, she's dangerous. She feels dangerous because
you have a loyalty to your mom. No, that's not it at all. I don't even know why I told you
all of that other stuff. It's distracting you
from the point. You told me that other stuff
because you need to get it out. I'd listen for another hour, but I've got
another patient coming. Do you want
to schedule something? The problem is
the woman that my dad is dating. Yes, I know, and I promise
everything is gonna work out. So many people are in
the same place that you are. Dr. Harris,
please listen to me. The woman that my dad is seeing
was a patient of yours. Her name is Maddie.
Madeline Sawyer. Maddie? Um, you do have reason
to be concerned. Because of doctor-patient
confidentiality, I really can't
tell you any more, just that Maddie and trouble
travel in the same circles, so you need to be careful. - Dr. Harris, if you could--
- I'm sorry, I can't. Listen, Lily, if you ever
need anything at all, call me, all right? - I will.
- About anything. - I will. Thank you.
- All right. Maddie. Um, I don't think we have
an appointment, do we? We don't have
an appointment today. Maddie, Maddie! LILY: You better be right
about this. Skipping school
and taking a bus two towns over is a lot for a hunch. <i> If you're right,
and Maddie's been hiding stuff,</i> this is serious,
and we need some proof. <i> Oh, I know she's been
hiding stuff.</i> I just don't know
how far this goes or what Maddie's capable of. <i> Let's nail her.</i> <i> For you, for your dad,
for your mom.</i> <i> Just report back to me
on what you find,</i> and in the meantime, I'm gonna
hack into Cynthia's email and see what she's working on. Can you do that? <i> I won't tell if you won't.</i> I'm about to find out. [beeps] [sighs] [beeps] - [beeps]
- Gotcha. No way. Oh, my God. <i> - [line ringing]
-</i> Come on, come on. <i> [ringing continues]</i> -<i> Patrick.
-</i> Lily. <i> He's not home, Patrick.
This was a waste.</i> Never mind that. You need to listen to me
very carefully. Hey, Cynthia, you didn't
show up to work again. This is Michael,
and, uh... It's just really isn't
like you, Cynthia. I'm getting very, very worried. Is there something I did?
Is it... Does it have to do with me
and Maddie or... Look, just please call me
and let me know you're okay. All right? If I if I don't
hear from you by tonight, I'm gonna call the police,
all right? So just call me. Okay, bye. [sighs] Hey there.
Um, are you a teacher here? No. I'm a guidance counselor.
Can I help you? As a matter of fact,
you can. I'm here to pick up
Nicole Stone. I was informed that her father was already on the way
to pick her up. Some sort of family situation. Uh, well, yes.
I'm here to do it instead. I'm her mother. No, you're not. Excuse me?
I think I would know. You are not
Nicole Stone's mother. I know my students. Nicole Stone's mother
has passed away. Well, I'm seeing
her father, and-- I know who you are, and I know what you did
to Lily's essay. I'm not impressed. You're not a role model,
and you're hardly a mother. Based on what I've seen,
you're trying so desperately to convince those girls
and yourself that you're a good fit. Well, I've got news for you. You're the wrong stepmother because no woman with
any type of maternal instincts would do what you did
to that girl. Now, I can't control what
happens outside of the school, but as long as
you're on this property, you are not getting my
permission to get Nicole Stone. Fine. <i> [line ringing]</i> Michael? - Nicole!
- Maddie? - We gotta go.
- No! Maddie, where we going? - Come on!
- Hey, Maddie! - Get in the car.
- You're hurting me! - Come on!
- Maddie! LILY: I guess she's
had it rough from the start. Well, her dad
tried to leave her mom, and her mom killed him. - That's awful.
- <i> Yeah, I guess.</i> <i> She was shuffled into
the system after that.</i> That makes me almost sad
for her. That's what I felt too, until I found out that
what your research suggested turned out to be true. She has a very particular way
of working out her mommy issues. <i> Then it's all true.</i> It's not just true.
It's worse. Lily? Lily! Home from school so soon? I know all about you, Maddie. Patrick and I,
we did some digging, and we found out some stuff
about you, some not very nice stuff. You have no idea
what you know. You don't know a thing. I know that you need to let go
of my little sister right now. Nicole! Lily! Honey! What's going on? I just got a frantic phone call
from Ms. Price. Why don't you ask her?
Look at this. What? Maddie here was married before, except back then,
she was going by Claire, and Claire had inherited
a lot of money from her husband, who died under
accidental circumstances, and that made her inherit
a lot of money. But no, wait, there's more
because before that, she was known as Victoria, and Victoria also had a husband
and three nice stepkids, but there was a problem
because Victoria had arrived under false pretenses. She had stalked them
and fabricated her past to get them to fall for her. When they found out about that, they weren't too happy,
naturally, so what did she do? She kidnapped them
and held them hostage. Isn't that right, Maddie? Or Claire or whoever you are. Or did I miss something? [laughing] Oh, come on! Really, Michael?
Are you hearing this? I mean, I knew the girl
didn't care much for me, and we've had
our share of issues. But assumed identities?
Hostages? I mean, come on! All I've been trying to do
was fit in, and every move,
she's just resisted me. You gotta admit,
this is too far. All the evidence
is right there, Dad. Yeah, I can see that. You want to explain this to me?
What is it? It's fabricated, of course. Hey, you get back here! Now... you are going to do
exactly what I say. Fine. Whatever you want. Finally!
We agree on something. <i> [line ringing]</i> <i> 911, emergency.</i> Um, please send help.
Hurry! I really don't know
what the hell you're up to. What do you want from us, huh? Why are you doing this? Who are you? Who am I? I'm-- I'm no one. And I want
what you take for granted. A family. A family of kindness and love. Not hate. Hatred is what
drove my family apart, and all I wanted was
togetherness. But people never understand, and they always want more,
and they always leave, forcing me to become the thing
that I hate the most. And all I wanted was
a fairy tale ending. But instead, you treated me
like the wicked stepmother! Okay, just-- Just calm down, all right? Calm down. Give me the knife. Dad! Not this time! This time I'm gonna
do this my way! I have spent way too much time, and I'm gonna lose
another family! So we are gonna set up
some ground rules, and if you follow them, then everything
is gonna be just fine. You're crazy!
What would make you think we would do anything with you
after all you've done? Lily, I think you're forgetting
the situation that you're in. I'm holding all the cards here
and the knife. So if I can't have
a perfect family, I am gonna damn well make one! [sirens approaching] Your loss! Daddy! He's bleeding!
Are you okay? [sirens approaching] Do you two ever sleep in? Good morning, Dad. How you healing? Uh, you know, I'll be okay.
It's just... First day back to work and all,
you know? You're gonna be okay without... Cynthia? I don't know. It's gonna be
a hell of an adjustment. Hey, um... I want to talk to you both
before I leave. What's up? Don't tell me you found
someone else online to date. [chuckles, groans] No, no, I definitely did not,
and I'm not going to, I can promise you that. That will never, ever
happen again, okay? I just want you both to know
how proud I am of you, how important you both are, and how much I love you both. And I know your mom
would be so proud of you. - I love you, Dad.
- Love you too. Now you're gonna be
late for work. Nope. I am exactly
where I need to be, hmm?
