02x08 - Riptide

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "Finding Carter..."

You and dad are dating other people while you're still married.

I had no idea how much this was bothering you, Grant.

I want to live with grandma and grandpa.

I want to move out.

Taylor!

You don't think the cops will test me, do you?

For what?

I took something. A pill.

Carter told me that she had to say she was driving.

She's unbelievable.

We both care about you, Taylor.

Whatever.

The insurance company called.

It was an accident, I'm sorry.

I thought Carter was driving.

I was. I got distracted for like a second.

Were you texting?

It wasn't her fault.

Give me your phone.

You're grounded.

I've been thinking about something.

Lori told us the truth and then things just started to fall apart.

Like with Max and mom and dad.

But please don't shut us down.

It just feels kind of lonely.

I have an idea.

I don't know.

No, no, no, I need it more.

Rock, paper, scissors?

Fine.

Rock, papers, scissors, sh**t.

Two out of three?

Yeah.

Rock, paper, scissors, sh**t.

Hey.

Carter: Hey.

Hey, Happy Birthday, mom.

Happy Birthday.

Here, for you, birthday lady.

You're not getting your phone back.

How long am I gonna be punished?

Cream, please?

A little bit longer.

Dad?

Sorry. Texting and driving is just about one of the dumbest things you can do.

I know, and I'm never going to do it again.

Well, I'm glad to hear that.

Okay, so tonight, for my birthday, I want to have a family dinner.

All of us together.

It's not your night here.

Well, thank you for reminding me, calendar police.

But your father and I have already discussed this.

Yes. On birthdays the schedule changes.

Tonight all members of this family will be present.

Well, I don't really have a choice since I'm still grounded.

Well, that works out perfectly.

Wait, what about Grant?

He will be here. Hopefully.

David: We have a plan. We are all gonna be on our best behavior and he will see how well everything's going and he will get comfortable with the idea of coming home.

I don't think one dinner is gonna suddenly woo him back into the family.

Sure it will. It's a celebratory wooing.

I don't think that's a thing.

Apparently it is now.

(Doorbell ringing)

I'll get it.

♪ Everything's looking up ♪

Hi.

What the hell are you doing here?

♪ There you go ♪
♪ There you stay ♪
♪ Keeping low ♪
♪ Never want to play ♪
♪ You've been up and down, down ♪
♪ You've been low, low, low ♪
♪ Pretending to not feel alone ♪
♪ Pretending to not feel alone ♪
♪

(Birds chirping)

That's not really the greeting I was expecting.

Oh, well, since we're talking about failed expectations...

You're upset I never called?

Or texted or emailed or contacted me in any way when Lori was on the run.

Max was here the next day, Madison.

I'm so sorry. It was my parents, Carter.

They... wanted me to keep my distance from you and the whole situation.

Great, that's what I was to you? A situation?

No, but I couldn't just leave town like Max could.

I wanted to come visit; My parents wouldn't let me.

So how are you here now?

I heard you got re-kidnapped and...

Thought I better come see you before you get snatched again for the trifecta.

Great. So that's what it takes for you to be a friend?

Multiple kidnappings?

Carter, I really am sorry.

Plus, you know, I just paid, like, 200 bucks for an uber, so...

Be pretty cold to turn me away.

You're a terrible friend.

I know.

Let me try and make it up to you, okay?

I've really missed you.

(Door opening)

Oh, hello.

Hi.

You must be the new parents.

Or... old parents?

Real parents... it's all so confusing, isn't it?

Guys, this is Madison.

She's my... friend from... back there.

Oh... well, nice to meet you.

That's my sister, Taylor.

Hi.

Whoa, that is trippy. You have a sister?

Twin sister, and, uh, yeah, kinda trippy at first, but not really anymore.

Okay, so I know that I'm grounded but would it be okay if Madison came in?

Of course, yeah, come in.

Fine.

But you're not allowed to have any fun.

Perfect, because she's a huge bummer.

Yeah, hanging out with me is more of a burden than anything else, so...

Great! Then welcome.

♪

So... what did you do to get grounded?

Oh, nothing.

But she doesn't know that, so here I am.

It's kind of a long story.

Parents are crazy. Why are they all so insane?

I don't know. Maybe something happens when you have a kid that makes you completely lose your mind.

That would explain why my parents kicked me out.

Your parents kicked you out?

What did you do this time?

Drink all their bourbon?

If only.

Lately it seems like whatever I do gets me in trouble.

And I just kept thinking about when I used to have problems with my family I would just run to you and Lori.

So... here I am.

Right.

Here you are.

I hope that's...

Okay.

It's better than okay.

It's actually kind of cool.

(Knocking)

Hey.

Hey.

Don't you still have a key?

Yeah.

I just... I thought it would be weird if I just let myself in.

Almost as weird as you knocking on the front door.

I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me.

No, I do... wanna see you.

♪

I'm sorry.

I know you don't like it when I talk with Carter about you, and I get it.

No, it's okay.

You guys were worried.

I wasn't myself.

We both just care about you. We want you to feel better.

Are you doing okay?

Yeah. Yeah, I think so.

Will you let me know next time you're not doing okay?

♪ I'm neither here, I'm neither there... ♪

Yeah, I will.

So Carter and I were talking and... and she brought up this thing about Lori.

What about her?

Well, just that...

When I started to feel not like myself...

And when we broke up...

I had just found out that she was my biological whatever...

Anyway, she... she thinks maybe it has to do with that.

Does it?

I mean, I don't know.

I know I was confused.

I still am, but...

Maybe I just need time to figure it out.

There is no timeline.

It's a lot to process.

Yeah.

♪ Just like a love you cannot fake... ♪

Um, it's my mom's birthday tonight.

We're gonna have a birthday dinner for her here, if you want to come.

Yeah, I would love that.

Maximilianus!

Madison!

In the flesh.

Oh...

It is so good to see you.

Clearly.

What are you doing here?

I had to get out of that town.

So you two know each other, I guess.

We grew up together.

Yeah, and then puberty hit and we, uh, used to mess around.

I like to say Max turned me gay.

You're very welcome for that.

Carter: Pretty sure that's just a coincidence, Mad.

I don't think that's actually a thing.

Well, still the only guy I'll ever love, Max.

I gotta get to work.

I'll see you later.

Yup.

Bye.

God, he looks great, doesn't he?

Yup.

Max is the best.

So he's been here the whole time that you've been here?

Yeah, he moved here. He actually lived with us in the house for a while as well.

I ran into his mom last week.

She said that he visits her and he's doing really great.

Yeah, he's pretty much recovered now.

Man, that kid's a rock.

To go through everything that he went through and then get sh*t on top of it.

What do you mean, everything he went through?

Oh, you don't know this?

When he was little, his mom got att*cked and he watched the whole thing.

He had to call 9-1-1 and hold her bloody hand until the...

Madison.

Wait, what are you talking about?

Carter?

Yeah, it's true.

Why didn't you tell me?

Because it's not really my thing to tell, Tay.

Madison: Crap, I'm sorry. I have a big mouth.

I... I thought it was common knowledge.

Not that common.

(Birds chirping)

Can I just substitute this onion for a green onion?

No.

Are you sure you don't want me to cook?

No. Dad and I have this under control.

Yeah, I can see that.

Hey.

Hey. Where's your friend?

Upstairs.

To be clear... Just because she's here doesn't mean that you aren't still grounded.

Yes, you've made that very clear.

I can assure you we aren't having any fun.

This is not a joke.

No, I agree.

There is absolutely nothing funny about it.

Mom, this is so unfair, okay?

You don't even know the whole story.

Taylor.

What story?

There's no story.

She just feels bad for me, and thank you, Taylor, I really appreciate it.

Okay, well, apparently, I have to go back to the grocery store.

Oh, you know where it is?

(Feigns chuckling)

She's being super hard on you.

I am so sorry.

It's fine, don't worry about it.

No, I don't want you to take the fall for me.

I'm gonna tell them that it was me.

No, Tay, seriously, it's okay.

She can't keep me grounded forever.

I really appreciate it.

♪

I don't wanna go.

Oh, honey, sometimes we gotta do things we don't wanna do.

Oh, honey, you'll go, you'll have a mediocre dinner, you'll spend an hour talking to your family, and then I'll pick you up. It'll be painless.

Do I have a choice?

Actually, no.

Poppop and I really need some alone time.

Ugh...

Please don't ever say that again.

I've suffered enough trauma already.

Oh, yeah?

(Knocking)

Hey.

As soon as I get back from the grocery store, we can start cooking.

Liz, we need to talk about Carter.

She's learned her lesson.

Are you kidding me?

If it was up to me, David, she would never get her phone back.

These teenagers live their lives like nothing bad is ever going to happen to them.

It is our job to remind them of the consequences.

I completely agree, but we need to think about what's appropriate here.

And we did. That's why she's still grounded.

Liz, I know you're afraid when she's out of your sight.

No, that's not it.

Sure it is.

Every mother is afraid for her children.

Not all mothers have to deal with kidnappings.

♪

Madison: Then Angela McDowell...

Remember that big slut?

Patient zero of the great herpes outbreak of 2013?

Right, so she got pregnant, and then everyone started talking about that.

Wow. My kidnapping was trumped by a standard teenage pregnancy?

What can I say? We're a fickle bunch.

Of course, she got pregnant by her stepdad, so there's that.

Um... okay.

So what happened with your parents, Mad?

What do you think?

They heard a rumor that I was into girls...

And confronted me about it.

What rock were they living under?

Everyone in the free world knows you're gay.

Right?

But that's why I never told them.

I mean, I knew this would happen.

So they're all like, "you can't live under our roof if you wanna be that way."

Wow.

I mean, it's your standard...

Bigoted small-town response.

Mad, that's awful, I'm really sorry.

Yeah, it's a bummer.

Um...

Hey, go somewhere with me.

What, right now?

No better time.

I can't, I'm grounded, remember?

Ugh, my God.

Grounded? Can you... (Laughing)

Can you imagine Lori grounding you?

No. I don't think she was capable of it.

I mean, kidnapping, no problem, but grounding... mm-mm.

So have you talked to her lately?

No, she's still getting psychiatric care.

Sent me a bunch of letters, though.

What did she say?

I don't know, I didn't open them.

Can I see them?

Um... okay.

If you want.

They're not very interesting.

Wonder what they say.

I could read 'em for you and tell you what...

Oh no, that's fine.

I'm gonna just read them when I feel like it.

Or not.

I get that she had problems, but she was cool.

I mean... yeah, I guess.

And fun.

Do you remember like all the crazy things that we would all do together?

Yeah, we had a lot of fun.

Tons.

I mean... that must be so weird, going from one extreme to the other.

You were like a free-range chicken.

Now you're in this sad little coop where you can't spread your wings and you're eating other chickens by accident.

Yeah, okay, thanks, Mad.

I wouldn't go that far.

You know what I mean.

(Sighing)

Okay.

Okay, what?

Okay... let's go.

There she is.

That's my girl.

♪

(Stairs creaking)

Shh.

It was the step, not me.

♪ I need to get inside your head ♪
♪ I gots to know if you insane ♪
♪ I wanna swim around your bloodstream... ♪

Where are we going?

Does it matter?

No, not really.

Grant!

Ha, there he is.

Hi, hi.

I'm sorry.

Hi.

Hey.

Happy Birthday.

Thank you.

We are so glad to have you here.

Hey, dad.

Hey, buddy.

Happy Birthday, honey.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Well, what have you got going on here?

Uh, we're not really sure yet.

What do you mean?

We're... we're totally sure.

I went shopping, I have a recipe.

All right, Bobby Flay, calm down.

Oh!

I think that's my cue. Bye.

Actually, gammy, can you stay, too?

Yeah. Of course, mom.

Would you like to stay for dinner?

Sure, thank you, I'd love to.

♪ I won't do that, too much to think about ♪
♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-ah-oh-oh ♪
♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah ah-oh-wa-ah-oh... ♪

Hmm. Bathtub, afternoon sun.

Pretty nice, Mads.

I love it. Do you love it?

It's a really nice place.

Great, so you're in?

What?

Move in with me.

You're joking, right?

No, I'm serious.

This place could be awesome.

And I will keep the bathroom clean, I promise.

I can't afford rent.

We'll get jobs! You'll figure out a way to make it work.

Okay, that is what strippers say right before they become hookers.

(Sighing)

Carter.

Remember back with Lori?

You could come and go whenever you wanted.

Nobody was telling you what to do.

Don't you miss that?

Yeah.

I don't know.

I guess I just try not to think about it.

Well, she thinks about you all the time.

How do you know that?

♪

Mad?

Uh, I've been talking to her.

You've been talking to her?

Yeah.

In the mental hospital?

Yeah.

Did she call you?

Yeah, she... wanted to know if I had talked to you.

Mad, why the hell didn't you tell me that?

Sorry. Was just looking for the right time.

She was worried.

And... I told her that I hadn't seen you.

But we talked for a while 'cause I was going through the whole thing with my parents 'cause they had just completely disowned me and she reminded me that...

This little world that I was living in didn't have to be my world, and I could find... my own life.

Find myself.

Yup, she was always really good at that stuff.

I really didn't want you to be mad.

But I talked to her before I reached out to you.

I didn't even think that you wanted to talk to me,

'cause, you know, I wasn't there when everything went down.

But Lori said you'd forgive me.

Oh, she did?

Yeah.

She said that you have a huge heart and you'd understand,

'cause you've always had this thing about you since you were little, this ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

You were that kid on the playground, you know, who's the first to run over when somebody fell down.

I think we should talk decorating 'cause the possibilities are endless.

The forks go on the left.

Sorry.

"Fork" and "left" both have four letters in them, so...

Everything else goes on the right.

That's a good way to remember it.

What's up?

Nothing.

Just want the table to be set correctly.

I can tell something's wrong.

I know that much.

It just turns out...

Don't know you as well as I thought I did.

What does that mean?

I'm just wondering why you never told me about what happened to your mom?

Madison said that...

She was att*cked and that you saw the whole thing.

Madison likes to talk.

It sounds horrible.

Why didn't you tell me?

'Cause I didn't.

But you told Madison.

And Carter.

I didn't tell either of them.

Everybody in town just knew.

It isn't something that I like to talk about.

There's a lot of things that I don't like to talk about.

But I told you.

I told you everything.

And it really hurts that something so big happened and you never told me.

I'm sorry you're taking it so personally.

She isn't one of those things that comes up in conversation very easily.

Just leave it alone, Taylor.

That's gonna be good.

That's gonna be horrible.

♪

Look who... dropped by.

Oh, I am so sorry to intrude.

I totally forgot to drop these papers off, and I thought you said you needed them so I was just gonna leave them by the front door, but then that felt creepy, so...

No, it's okay.

Thank you, Hillary.

Happy Birthday.

David told me.

Yeah, thank you. Uh, it is.

Would you like some wine?

Oh, um... yeah, sure.

Sit down.

Here you go.

Thanks.

Okay, let's see.

Um...

So what are you guys cooking?

That is a good question.

We're not sure, that's why we need the wine.

(Both laugh)

I'm sorry I didn't tell you.

Don't worry about it.

It's none of my business.

It's not easy to talk about.

Then you don't have to.

Ever.

I was six years old...

When my mom was att*cked.

It was a Tuesday.

I had been sent home sick from school, so my mom had to take off work.

Nobody was supposed to be home.

I saw him s*ab her.

I was hidden in this little, uh...

Pantry... thing in our kitchen.

I couldn't do anything.

Oh, my God.

The thing that Carter knows, that I'm not sure anybody else does, is it was my dad.

It was my father.

(Gasps softly)

They had been separated because of his using.

Then he just... he kind of showed up out of nowhere.

I'm so sorry, Max.

I'm sorry that that happened and I'm sorry that I made you think about it.

Don't be.

It is what it is.

But it wasn't because I didn't trust you.

I don't want you to think that.

I don't.

I'm not really feeling up for dinner.

Yeah.

Yeah, of course.

Um... do you want me to come to Bird's with you, hang out?

No.

No, it's cool.

Thank you, though.

(Door closing)

♪

(Sighs)

Okay, we are almost done.

All I need now is that nonstick pan.

Nonstick.

Hi.

Hi!

Hey, everyone.

(Chuckles nervously)

Happy Birthday.

Thank you.

You said I could swing by.

Yeah... oh.

It's all right. You shouldn't have.

Uh...

Take a seat, we're just cooking.

Okay.

Yeah. Okay.

It's time for me to sautee some fungi.

That's a first.

Kyle, this is Hillary.

Hi.

Hi.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Can I get you a glass of wine, beer?

Uh, yeah, I'll have a beer, sure.

Oop, excuse me. (Laughs)

Thank you.

Am I doing this?

Definitely.

Yeah.

Do you think this is still good?

Wait, let me smell.

No!

Oh...

What are we making?

I'm not sure exactly.

It's definitely a team effort.

I have no idea how to cut this.

This is getting... Do you know what that is?

So I'm, I'm gonna go.

Okay.

Oh, really?

Yeah.

I'll walk you out.

♪

Thanks for bringing those papers by.

Yeah, yeah, no problem.

I shouldn't have come.

What, why?

I just wish I hadn't seen you and Elizabeth in there together.

Oh, listen, things with Elizabeth and I are very complicated.

No, of course.

We have kids, we've been together a long time.

I think that's part of why I like you.

You still get along with your ex.

You haven't just walked away from your kids.

Well, I like you, too.

But I need to take this slow, if that's okay?

Yeah. Yeah, it's okay.

It's absolutely okay.

Carter? Please tell me this isn't what it looks like.

What does it look like?

It looks like you were out when it's been made clear you're grounded.

Yeah, it's pretty much what it looks like.

Really?!

Where have you been?

(Sighing) We went out.

You went out and you're grounded.

Does that mean anything to you?

If it makes you feel better, we didn't have any fun.

Not helping.

Got ya.

Carter, inside.

I'm just gonna sneak by you.

Um, thanks for the wine.

Actually, you know what?

I... I think I'd better go, too.

I'll call you, okay?

Happy Birthday.

It's your birthday?

Happy Birthday.

Thank you.

What were you doing?

Okay, look, I'm sorry, but we were out for under an hour.

Okay, look, I wasn't out drinking or smoking or...

Selling myself.

Oh, glad to hear.

We were looking at an apartment.

Excuse me?

What?

Carter and I are moving in together.

(Sighing) Is that true?

We were just looking at an apartment that Madison...

You're 17 years old, you're not moving out of here.

I never said I was moving out, but you guys gotta stop treating me like I'm a child.

Then stop acting like a child.

That is exactly what I'm talking about.

Carter shouldn't even be grounded.

Tay, don't.

She definitely should be!

No, mom, you don't understand.

Taylor, please, stop.

Boy, the headcount keeps going down.

Mom, please.

I like you.

Who are you?

I'm gammy, who are you?

Madison, come on.

(Sighing)

Is this what you meant by "painless"?

Uh...

Excuse me?

She said, "uh," in a really judgmental tone.

Grant, why don't you help me finish cooking?

Oh, so now I'm being put to work.

Grant, go.

Mom, you are not the parent here!

Grant, go.

That gammy is spunky.

Is she single?

(Door slams)

Madison, what are you doing?

It's a joke.

Okay, I don't actually wanna hook up with your gammy.

Why would you tell them I'm moving out?

Uh, I don't know, because it's true?

No, I said I would think about it.

I never said I was gonna do it.

Well, I'm sorry. I don't know what to say.

Why don't we just go back in time and I'll keep my mouth shut?

Madison, stop!

Not everything in life is a joke.

(Scoffing)

Yeah, I don't understand what you're so upset about.

I'm trying to get you away from your bitchy control-freak "mom" and your goodie-two-shoes sister.

Okay, stop it.

No, they may not be perfect and, yeah, they may have their problems but they're my family, Mad.

They looked for me for 13 years.

And you know what?

If I was half the person Taylor is, I'd be happy.

Okay.

Jeez, my bad.

I know these people don't mean anything to you, but they do mean something to me.

You know, it's fine.

That you have this life and that you have these people but as far as I'm concerned, you're burying yourself in it to try and forget your past.

And you know what, it's not gonna work, because that's still a part of you.

Me and Lori.

Everything that happened before this place.

I think you better leave.

I really don't want you here.

♪

Honey...

No, no, mom, I cannot have this conversation with you right now.

I know you think that you can parent these kids better than I can.

I never said that!

Mm-hmm.

Look, I was gonna say...

Okay, here it comes.

I'm trying to help you here but sometimes you make such questionable decisions.

Mom, please, could you just stop?!

Elizabeth...

No, just stop it, please.

Elizabeth...

Elizabeth...

Mom? Mom!

Mom!

Mom!

David!

David, I need your help!

Grant: Gammy!

Oh, my God.

I can't find her pulse.

Mom!

I found it, I found her pulse.

I'm calling an ambulance.

Her pills, I think she needs her heart pills.

Okay.

Okay, what's... what's going on?

Hey, hey...

What happened?

You fainted.

You fainted.

Oh, man.

Let's get you to the chair.

Oh...

It's okay, I...

I don't have...

Oh, I forgot my... my pills.

Here, here.

Oh, honey, thank you.

Maybe a bourbon?

No.

I don't think so.

She's feeling better.

You're so strict.

I think they just want you to be okay, gammy.

Look, I'm sorry, it's my fault.

I was supposed to remind you to take your pills.

Don't be silly, this is not your responsibility.

This is on me, okay? I'm responsible here.

(Crickets chirping)

(Knocking)

Hey.

Hey.

I'm happy to see you.

Uh, I was gonna call you just to see how you were feeling.

I'm feeling okay.

Just came to give Madison a ride.

You know, it was a long time ago, Taylor.

And my mom has never been the same since, so I...

I know what that anger can do to you if you let it.

That's why you forgave Crash.

(Footsteps thumping on stairs)

Hey.

Hey.

Thanks for coming.

Mm-hmm.

All right, I'll be in my truck.

Okay.

See you.

Bye.

Walk me out?

♪ You make me want to give... ♪

So, Max said that I can crash at his place for a couple days 'til I figure out what I'm gonna do next.

He lives with a Bird?

No, her name is Bird.

Ah.

♪ The way you speak and ease me without words... ♪

Listen, um...

I really am sorry.

I think maybe I'm just jealous.

Of what?

Having a family that cares about you, no matter what.

And your new life and, and I'm not a part of it.

Well, you could've been, Mad.

You still can be.

Look, I never forgot about you or Lori.

But these people are a part of my life now, a really big part of it.

And I'm not gonna just move out and leave them after everything we've been through together.

I get that.

Look, why don't you come back inside?

If there's one thing about this family, it is that they are very forgiving.

No, I need to go.

I don't wanna do any more damage.

Believe me, it was damaged way before you got here.

(Laughing)

Okay.

I'll text you later.

You don't have a phone.

Okay, I will text you as soon as I get my phone back.

As soon as you get it back.

Yeah.

Don't get kidnapped in the meantime.

(Chuckling)

I'll see what I can do.

(Laughing)

Bye.

Bye.

Hey, Mad?

It was really great to see you.

You, too.

I'll see you soon.

Yeah.

♪ You come around and make me wanna sing ♪

Ugh.

(Gasping)

Well, that looks salvageable.

No, it's not.

Oh...

You okay?

You know, I have fought with that woman my entire life, but if something actually happened to her, I would be a mess.

Funny how life works like that.

Yeah.

She's gonna be fine.

I'll talk to her doctor.

Oh, uh...

Hey.

Hey, bud.

Just came to check on my cake.

You made a cake?

Yeah, I mean, it's from a box, but, um, yeah.

Oh, you made a cake. That's so sweet, thank you.

Well, I should take Joan home.

Or rather I should make her think it's her idea and then take her home.

Okay, thank you for that.

All right, Grant, you almost ready?

Um... I was actually thinking of staying here tonight if it was okay.

Yeah, of course.

Yes, that's okay.

You know, I can't ice my cake until it cools down.

And, plus, Poppop spends a lot of time in his underwear.

Oh, we're glad to hear it.

Not about Poppop... Not the underwear...

About you.

Well, you should have the house tonight.

So after I drop Joan off, I'll make myself scarce.

You know, David...

What if you just come back here tonight?

It'll just be nice for all of us to be in the same house together.

Okay.

But you have to have the bedroom.

I mean, it's your birthday.

Well, if you insist.

I will help you blow up the air mattress.

Thank you.

Man, you guys are really weird.

♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh... ♪

(Knocking on counter)

(Knocking on door)

Hey.

Hey.

You okay?

Yeah.

Just...

Why does everything have to be so hard?

Yeah.

If you figure that out, you should let me know.

I'm not moving in with Madison.

I'm glad.

I just...

I got frustrated with this never-ending grounding and the idea of getting out of here appealed to me very briefly.

Well, you shouldn't even be grounded.

But did you really wanna move out?

I don't know.

Madison was just this reminder of what my life used to be like.

I had no rules. I could do whatever I wanted.

I heard what you said about me to Madison.

Well, I meant it.

You're the best person I know.

Well, you're the best person that I know.

Thank you, Carter.

Seriously, for everything.

Covering for me, for worrying about me, for helping me.

It's fine.

Don't worry about it.

Don't ever leave.

Hey...

Promise me you won't.

You're the one who's going off to college next year.

So are you.

We could go together.

Oh yeah, because the Ivy leagues are just b*ating down my door.

Well, Stanford was really hot for you.

Okay, how about this?

Wherever we end up, we talk every day.

Twice.

Twice.

♪ So long ♪

You know the worst part of this family dinner?

That there was no dinner.

I am starving.

I'm back.

Well, Joan seems to be completely recovered.

She managed to insult me several times in a ten-minute journey.

So we can all rest easy tonight.

Thank you for doing that.

Sure.

And, uh...

Just so you know, I was never moving out.

Yeah...

I don't think I'm quite ready to leave you guys yet.

Or this crazy household.

Well, with that, I think it's time for this.

Whoa, look at that!

All right, do we have any candles?

Candles? Who needs 'em? I'll get the plates.

Plates? Who needs 'em?

All right.

Okay. Yeah.

You should go first though 'cause it's your birthday.

All right, ready?

Yeah.

Oh!

Oh, nice.

(Laughing)

It's really good, son.

That is really good.

You baked this?

All right, come on, it's from a box.

Oh, this is the best birthday dinner ever.

Thank you.

♪ ...next to me ♪
♪ The room is dark ♪
♪ It's hard to see... ♪

Really?

Yes.

Thank you.

Carter, don't text and drive.

If you text and drive again, you are never getting that phone back, ever.

Yes, mom, please, enough with the PSA.

I said I wouldn't, and I meant it.

Good.

I know that we're hard on you sometimes or... me specifically.

I just try so hard to protect you that sometimes I get carried away.

You are a parental vise grip.

But I really appreciate you.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Aww...

That was sweet.

That was nice.

I'm gonna eat more cake just for that.

You do it.

Now get off your phone.

Yeah.

I'm kidding.

(Cell phone alerting)

Damn, she's blowing up!

I know. A day's worth of texts and voicemails.

I've never been so popular.

Do you dare me to eat the whole cake?

Taylor: You wish you had that many friends.

Elizabeth: Ok, you eat half I'll eat the other half and we'll see who gets sick first.

You wish.

Remember on our wedding?

(All laughing).

What's up?

It's about Lori.

What about her?

She tried to k*ll herself.