02x01 - ...Through Release

[bunniefuu]

My name is Neil Truman.

My wife, Grace, and I were trying to live the American dream.

I do stage open houses now.

But it always felt like something was missing.

Victor: I know why you're in such a funk... mid-life crisis.

So I jumped off a plane, quit my job, before getting knocked on my ass when I found my wife trying to deal with her own crisis.

Your wife pays me.

What, for sex?

Neil: But that's when I finally started living.

I got his phone, took his identity, met one of his clients, then got a surprising proposal from someone who was much more.

Come work for me.

[laughs]

Neil: And I did.

Adriana: I have a service that caters to very rich women.

Neil: But I wasn't the only one.

Are you accepting new clients?

Yes.

I would love to talk about redecorating my house.

You're going to have to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

Not even your husband can know. Is that a problem?

Neil: And that was just the beginning for all of us.

You would like us to sign over your educational accounts so you can go play... at the what festival?

The March Lawn Festival.

Neil: Grace and I may still have our secrets, but despite it all, our marriage and our dreams have remained intact and, in some ways, gotten stronger.

Grace: I got the grant to study design in Milan.

Neil: I would love to come with you.

But all that's about to change...

My husband found out. I told him.

It was starting to eat at me.

Again.

Is this what they mean by "for better or for worse"?

It's certainly an adventure.

Yes, it is.

We have a second chance now.

Going to Italy to pursue my dreams.

We should have done it years ago.

Let's try not to get pregnant this time.

[both chuckle]

Well, I'll try not to drink too much.

Sure you won't.

Never thought you'd be married.

[gasps] Oh!

I guess that whole story about you getting paid that was just so that I would think it was a one-time thing.

You know who I am, right?

Neil...

Your husband ruined my marriage.

Daniel, why don't you and I go into the house--

[g*n cocks]

Don't! No, no, no, no!

Wait, wait! Here! Here!

Get back.

Don't you move!

Wait. Wait!

How long were you two having an affair?

You got to put the g*n down.

I followed her that day she went to your office.

[groans]

I know she saw you more than once.

How long?

Listen to me.

I know how you feel right now.

Oh, really? You know how I feel, huh?

How about--how about I screw your wife?

Oh!

And then you can tell me if you know how I feel.

Let her go.

No, you're gonna watch.

[crying, groans]

No!

Listen!

Listen, you think I ruined your marriage, but I may have been a part of saving it.

I know from experience that Mallory wouldn't have been looking for someone like me if you'd been giving her what she needed.

What did you say?

I'm--I'm saying... that I made the same mistake.

Didn't I, Grace?

[breathing heavily]

Yes.

And what happened?

I slept with someone.

You're making this up.

I wish I was. I caught them together.

[breathing heavily]

Tell him what it felt like, Neil.

Tell me.

My whole world exploded in that moment.

I hated you.

And I wanted to k*ll the son of a bitch she was with.

I really did.

But then I realized that that wasn't gonna solve anything.

Marriage is hard.

People make mistakes, but if you really love each other, then you work it out.

You just need to want the same thing, right?

Your marriage was in trouble before I came into the picture.

Mallory came to me to fix it.

So you want to blame anyone, blame yourself, you worthless piece of sh*t.

You son of a bitch.

Aah!

[g*nsh*t]

[grunts]

[screams] Neil!

[gasping] Neil?

[gasps] Oh, my God.

[Neil groans]

I'm okay.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

My God, what happened?

W-w-what just happened?

[sobbing]

Okay.

Oh.

Grace.

Grace, give me your phone.

[whimpers]

Give me your phone.

You're bleeding.

Okay, go in the house. I'll handle this.

Just-- Yeah, go in the house.

[crying]

[cell phone beeping]

[cell phone beeps, dialing rapidly]

[phone line ringing]

[sniffles]

Neil: Grace?

Grace, where are you?

Do you know where the Band-Aids are?

I can't find the Band-Aids.

Grace, we need to talk.

If this is about Simon--

I don't give a sh*t about him. Grace...

What?

Daniel's wife paid me to have sex with her.

She's not the only one either.

What?

After I saw you with Simon that day, I got a hold of his phone, access to his clients, and I experimented.

[scoffs]

You experimented?

Experimented with what?

Being a paid escort.

[sighs]

Are you joking? Is--is this a joke?

Look, if all of that comes out right now, then other people will be dragged into this, and we'll be at a huge risk.

I had to take precautions.

I got here as fast as I could.

♪ I can't get no ♪
♪ Satisfaction ♪
♪ And I try, and I try ♪
♪ And I try ♪
♪ And I try ♪
♪ I can't get no ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪

Hello, Grace.

Adriana?

You told her everything?

I had to. [door closes]

Neil: How do you two know each other?

That's why you had me sign that confidentiality agreement.

Hold on, Grace.

You pimp out my husband, then you hired me...

Whoa, whoa.

To decorate your house?

What kind of monster are you?

You're the secret client?

Neil, Grace...

I just drove over here to help you both out of what sounds like a very delicate situation.

Now, if you'd like me to stay, we're going to have to put aside all of the other teenage nonsense right now.

Can we do that?

[door closes]

Police are on their way.

Raymond, these are the Trumans.

Trumans, this is Raymond.

Anyone hurt?

Need medical attention?

Uh, no.

Saw security cameras out front. They work?

Yes.

Okay, first thing we need to do is lay out the time line, get the story straight.

Neil, show me where it happened.

Um...

Neil, let's go.

I'll be fine.

So that was clearly self-defense.

Is your wife gonna back you up on that story?

Why wouldn't she?

Adriana filled me in on everything, Neil.

If your wife decides to spill secrets about your relationship with my client, not only will I not help, I got to make sure this doesn't go well... for either one of you.

So what I'm gonna need from you is to make sure that she goes along with the program.

Otherwise, this is gonna go in a very different direction.

[indistinct chatter over police radio]

woman: And when was the last time you saw Mallory?

At my office a few weeks ago.

No other contact?

She means did you have sex with her again.

Right? Is--isn't that what you meant?

woman: Last week she filed a restraining order against her husband... after he got physical.

[cell phone vibrates]

Is she okay?

Shaken up, but clearly the guy was dangerous.

You're very lucky.

They just went through the security footage.

Story syncs up.

All right, well, I think that's all we need for right now, unless there's anything that you'd like--

Thank you.

Hey.

[grunts]

[grunts]

I'm sorry.

But you're gonna have to know the whole truth at some point.

There's more?

You jeopardized our whole family, and then you bring this bitch back into our house?

She has a lot more to lose than we do if this goes public.

If what goes public?

T-t-the fact that you're an escort?

Look, I don't know about you, but I learned something about myself and what was lacking in our marriage.

[scoffs]

I'd do something different with you, and you'd look at me like... like I had an effect on you again.

Really?

You're trying to tell me that screwing other women for money made you a better husband?

I was different.

And you with Simon, you were different.

Are you gonna deny it?

Raymond: Everyone doing okay?

Gra--

Grace.

Let her go. Don't do this.

We're in the clear now.

[indistinct chatter over police radio]

So you slept with him too?

[car door closes, engine turning over]

[engine revving]

What happened to your door?

I forgot my keys earlier.

[sniffles]

What happened to you?

Did Neil do that to you?

Did you tell him about us?

No, no. He didn't-- he didn't do that.

No, he, uh... he stopped it from getting worse.

Uh...

You--you know who Mallory is?

Yeah.

He--her husband showed up at our house, and, um... he's dead.

What?

He showed up at our house with a g*n, and, uh... and Neil, uh...

Neil told me his version of what happened the day he caught you and I together-- how he got your phone and started working for Adriana.

I don't--I don't know. I don't know what to believe.

I don't know. I don't know who to trust.

I just don't know how I got here.

Hey.

[sniffles]

Hey.

You're safe here now, all right?

Everything's gonna be okay.

[water running]

You got to let it run for a minute.

Yeah, I know.

[sniffles]

I got it.

Thank you.

I'll be right outside.

Okay.

[over phone] Hi, it's Grace. Leave a message.

Look, I know it's been an insane day, but...

[blender whirring]

I just need to know that you're okay.

Call me when you get this message... or text.

At least let me know where you are.

She's a big girl. She'll call when she's ready.

You need to relax. Here... it'll make you feel better.

Why are you still here?

Some pretty bad things happened here today, Neil.

You shouldn't be alone.

I am sorry that a man had to die.

Really? 'Cause you don't seem all that sorry.

Well, he broke into your home and tried to r*pe your wife.

Am I sorry he's dead? A little.

With every sip. a little less.

Frankly, I've seen worse.

Maybe you don't see it yet, but this is not entirely a tragedy.

Karma has a way of sorting these things out.

It's been my experience that when things explode, people land where they were meant to land.

You needed to be free, darling.

And now you are-- free of all the secrets, the lies.

Now you can truly have anything that you want.

I want Grace. I want my life back.

I'm not so sure.

You had your wife, Neil.

Apparently she wasn't enough.

[groans]

Good boy.

Now, look... this is freedom... complete, unadulterated freedom, standing before you, ripe, waiting... like a woman in a silk dress.

All you need to do now is gently pull the bow and let the dress fall away.

You really think it's that easy?

You may know how people tick, but you have no understanding of my relationship with Grace.

Oh, I think I do.

Grace is a lovely woman, Neil, but with her, you held yourself back.

Now you get a second chance to start over with a clean slate.

See?

All gone now.

[door creaks]

Hello?

Hello?

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to barge in, but the door, it's, uh...

Still broken, yeah.

Yeah.

Simon here?

No, he stepped out.

Uh, was he expecting you?

I think I'm the last person he was expecting.

I'm Emma.

Grace.

Yeah, Emma, he's not here, but, um, I'll tell him you stopped by.

I don't mind waiting.

Look, I'm asking you to leave.

Grace, I've known Simon a long time.

I'm worried about him.

He's been making some very poor decisions of late.

He needs my help.

Do you know anything about his father?

He's a very powerful man... not someone you want to upset.

How do you know his father?

Oh, we've been married quite a few years now.

I'm Simon's mother.

Daniel: I know she saw you more than once. How long?

Neil: I know how you feel right now.

I slept with--

[echoing] I hated you.

[g*nsh*t]

[door closes]

I have Grace's keys.

She's at my apartment.

I'm just coming here to get her stuff.

She's moving in with you?

She told me what happened, okay?

She can't come back here right now.

I'm--I'm what she needs.

You've got to be able to understand that, right?

Yeah. Sure.

I totally get it.

Ow!

[groans]

You can understand that, too, though, right?

God, I've been wanting to do that for months.

[laughs]

Hey, you know what else I've been wanting to do?

I have never liked this thing.

I mean, what is it? It's like tic-tac-toe on acid.

I hate it. And--and these.

Like, pointless.

I mean, what? You don't sleep with them, right?

They're just-- they're just there.

There's so much in this house that doesn't make sense... in my life.

Stay right there.

I think I'm just gonna go.

Here, take these with you.

I've strangled myself with these things for the last 20 years.

I am done.

Why t*rture myself?

You know, life can be taken away from you like that.

We have to make the most of every chance we get.

Are you all right?

No.

I am most definitely not all right.

And you know what?

It feels great.

I feel like myself again.

[cell phone chimes]

[Courtney Barnett's Elevator Operator]

♪ ♪
♪ Feeling sick at the sight of his computer ♪
♪ He dodges his way through the Swanston commuters ♪
♪ Rips off his tie, hands it to a homeless man ♪
♪ Sleeping in the corner of a metro bus stand ♪
♪ He screams ♪
♪ "I'm not going to work today ♪
♪ Gonna count the minutes that the trains run late" ♪
♪ Don't jump, little boy ♪
♪ Don't jump off that roof ♪
♪ You've got your whole life ahead of you ♪
♪ You're still in your youth ♪
♪ I'd give anything to have skin like you ♪
♪ ♪

You went through my stuff?

After your stepmother came by.

Emma was here?

When? What did she say?

You said you never lied to me.

You're not even who you say you are.

Who are you?

Look, the more you knew, the more at risk you would be.

[scoffs]

Wait, wait, wait. Come on, wait.

Stolen paintings?

Emma said it was your dad who had the apartment trashed, trying to look for them.

She said that?

Son of a...

God, why would he even want those back?

He doesn't need the money.

'Cause you stole them and they're his.

You don't understand, okay?

He's wealthy. He's, like, Rockefeller wealthy.

We--we had a falling out when my mom d*ed.

He married Emma.

Yeah, it's--it's... really complicated, okay?

That backup plan you had... it was-- it was those paintings?

You were gonna sell them and... run away with me?

Yeah.

They're with a buyer right now.

As soon as I get paid--

Oh, my God, are you insane?

You think I'm gonna run away with you and your stolen money?

I've made enough mistakes lately.

Good-bye, Simon.

[door slams]

Hey, how you doing?

I'm looking for someone.

I'm wondering if you can help me out.

Maybe get on the walkie to your other security friends I see walking around here.

If I give you her name and what she looks like?

Get out of here.

I don't suppose I can get that 20 back.

Sure, come grab it.

Maybe you want to grab this.

Hey, who wants some money?

[all cheering]

♪ Tallyho ♪
♪ Tallyho ♪
♪ Tallyho ♪
♪ Tallyho ♪
♪ Tallyho, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ ♪

How's everybody doing out there?

[all cheering]

I said, "How's everybody doing?"

[all cheering]

I'm trying to find a girl.

I'm looking for one too!

She's beautiful, talented, and growing up faster than I was ready for.

And I'm so damn proud of her.

Anika, sweetheart?

If you're out there, come find me backstage... as soon as you can!

[crowd booing]

♪ Baby, baby, damn your soul ♪

woman: Hey! Hey!

Let him go.

Let him go! He's with the band!

Come on, you guys, let him go, or the band doesn't go back onstage, and you guys are gonna have a riot on your hands.

That's enough.

man: Get rid of that guy.

I don't know what his problem was.

But, hey, who wants a T-shirt?

Come on.

You want a T-shirt? [laughs]

You want a beer?

Sure.

God, I haven't seen anybody rush the stage like that in years.

Thanks for helping me out back there.

I didn't think I'd get out of there alive.

That was so rock and roll, what you did.

I've been a tour manager for ten years.

These bands I work with are a bunch of vegan prima donnas.

When I was a kid, it was about lifestyle and attitude.

We didn't give a sh*t about authority either.

You did whatever felt right.

Ahh. [bottle clatters]

I hate vegans.

Yeah?

[both moaning]

♪ Baby, baby, bless my soul ♪
♪ I need to fill it with some rock and... ♪

[doorbell rings]

Where is she?

On the veranda.

[indistinct chatter]

[light jazz music playing]

♪ ♪
♪ A tragic and sad, sad story ♪
♪ I came home to... ♪

[indistinct chatter]

All right, I want you to do it.

Grace... I'm surprised to see you here.

I realized you still owe me... for the work I did.

I came to collect.

Oh, darling, don't you remember?

I already paid your final bill.

I had to make some adjustments.

You owe more.

Quite a bit more. I'm not sure I understand.

We all run our businesses in our own way.

I'm sure you wouldn't want your secrets to come out any more than I'd want to share mine.

Sorry to interrupt.

Leonardo... [speaking Italian]

Excuse me.

♪ ♪

Don't get hung up on the suit, man, or the shoes or the tie.

You won't be wearing any of it for long.

But Adriana said--

Forget what Adriana said.

The women at these things don't care about what you look like in a suit.

They're paying for a good ride.

A little grooming down there... you're good to go. [laughs]

You can't be serious.

You really think that's all women want?

Well, it's what they're paying for.

No, what they're paying for is someone they can connect with, who can hold a conversation.

Oh, come on. You can say that's all you want, but we both know it's not true.

[scoffs] So you think all women who pay for a man are just sexually frustrated?

I'll tell you what a woman wants.

She wants you to listen to her.

She wants you to make her feel like she's the only one in the room worth looking at, and she wants you to recognize her for who she is, 'cause let me tell you, as a married woman, I can get one of these anytime I want.

Adriana: Grace...

You're excused.

Me?

But I didn't eve--

Take your friend with you.

But I never said a word.

You came with him, you're leaving with him.

Let's go.

Anyone else?

All right, we'll do a lineup in ten minutes.

Grace, we have business to discuss.

Have a seat.

You did me a favor.

One bad review in my line of work can ruin a whole operation.

So you have an operation.

Don't be so judgmental, Grace.

You've partaken of the pleasures.

How long were you with Simon?

Six months?

My money?

I'm just saying.

You understand that the business is about empowering women.

Not as taboo as it was when I first started.

Women know what they want now, and they're not afraid to ask.

Do you know what you want, Grace?

You just had a fire sale on your entire life.

What are you going to do now?

Where are you going to go?

I'll send you a postcard.

Why did you hire me?

You had my husband.

Why me?

You had a great portfolio, darling.

My husband just left too.

He does that a lot, but this time, I think he...

Anyway, I was thinking of redecorating his space, getting a fresh start myself.

But I'm just so bad with that stuff.

Well, good luck, Grace.

♪ ♪

Grace: Neil?

Lea: Wow.

I really needed that.

You smoke?

Uh, if you don't mind, I should check and see if my daughter got back.

Anika is your daughter?

Yeah.

Wow.

That makes it even cooler, that message you yelled out.

You play?

My daughter does. I've always wanted to.

You think it's too late for me to be a rock star?

I don't know. What do you do?

Investment firm. I had sex for money for a while.

[laughs] Come on.

Two grand a night, ten grand a weekend-- very high-end clients.

Are you serious?

Hey, Lea. Do you know anything about a--

Scotty. What are you doing? You know the rules.

Do you know anything about this girl?

She's looking for her dad.

Anika? I'm her dad.

All right, well, she's outside.

Oh, sh*t.

Yeah, he's in here.

Anika: Dad?

I went backstage for--

What's going on?

Hi.

Oh.

Anika.

Oh. Sorry.

Wait. Wait. Anika!

Anika, wait!

What were you doing in there? Who was that woman?

She's the band manager.

Why was she in bed practically naked?

We were ju--

Are you and Mom split up?

We haven't decided.

Well, I don't know. It looks like you just did.

It's--it's a little more complicated than that.

What? Did Mom sleep with somebody too?

[scoffs]

I knew something was going on. I knew it.

I know, I know. I'm sorry.

I knew it.

I'm sorry.

It has nothing to do with you, though.

Of course not.

I'm the perfect kid.

So, what, did you come all the way out here and embarrass me in front of the whole festival just to drop this b*mb?

Actually, I came to give you this.

It's the money your mother and I set aside for college that you asked for.

I didn't have access to the joint account, so I borrowed it from work.

What--what, are you trying to buy me off now?

What? No. Ju--

Look, the last few days, I've been reevaluating-- reassessing everything.

Honey, you're young.

College will always be there.

The dreams you have now may not.

Life is unpredictable.

It'd be a crime not to take advantage of it when you can.

You're really giving me this?

It has some strings attached, though.

You have to tell me what your plans are, specifically-- where you're going, what you're spending it on.

And this is your money, not for Mateo to dip into.

Well, that's not going to be a problem.

Did you guys break up?

Come here.

Have Jillian at the front door and make sure we get bartenders who can make drinks this time, not just pretty faces.

But make sure they have pretty faces.

Oh, and, um, I'm thinking Asian-inspired for the food.

Simon: Ah, nobody eats at these things-- too busy thinking about what comes after.

Can you give us a minute?

Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

If you've come begging for scraps, I did just have a couple of slots open up.

Pays two grand for the ni--

[gasps]

You told my family about the paintings.

The Waverlys are old friends.

I had my concerns.

Bullshit.

You knew what you were doing. I want them back.

But they're not yours.

You're not even you.

Rosalie: Easy now, baby.

All right.

What happened to you, darling?

Leaving a fortune in inheritance to go into hiding? I must know.

You have no idea who you're dealing with right now.

Do you?

I will get them back.

Well, like I said, if you're looking for work in the meantime...

Just came to pick up a few things.

Wasn't expecting you to be back so soon.

Did you get sick of all the teenagers at the festival?

You spoke to Anika.

Yeah.

She told me about the money.

You probably think that was a bad idea.

No, I get it.

You don't want her to make the same mistakes that we did.

Grace, you should have seen her face.

So Simon said you're going to stay with him.

Yeah, of course he did.

No, I just went there because I had some questions and I knew he could answer them.

It's not where I want to be right now.

You know, in all the years that we've been married, you've never been this mad at me.

You seem more forgiving today.

Neil, I would like to be mad at you and blame you for everything.

I'm just as guilty.

We've been more like roommates for the past five years than a couple, and... you know, I'm just realizing I'm mad at myself.

Why?

Because I didn't do anything about it.

I let it be okay for me, and it wasn't.

No, I suppose I did exactly the same thing.

I was terrified that if we talked--

I mean, really talked-- that everything we were would end.

Yeah, and now look at us.

I'm still hoping we find our way back.

That is all I ever wanted.

Simon was just... a door for me to try and-- and, uh--and find this part of myself that was lost so I could come back into our marriage and... and fight for it.

But now it's over, so...

Let's just not make this messier than it is.

[door closes]

So nice to see you again.

[chuckles] Back in town, huh?

When did you get in?

He lives here.

Lives here?

Didn't you fly in to write me a check for the app last month?

Unbelievable.

Victor, this is--

Well, I don't think I know your real name.

It's Frank.

Frank. Huh.

Victor, Frank. Frank, Victor.

Oh. How are you?

He's going to be running a group meditation for the office once a week.

A what?

We're going to be doing things a little differently around here.

Uh, can I get you a drink, lunch?

No, I'm good.

All right, well, I need five minutes to get settled in, then I'll be right with you.

Take your time.

Group meditation?

It's a stressed-out environment.

I think it'll be good for everybody.

Oh, no, sure.

Why don't we just put bongs in everyone's office and let them get blow jobs on their coffee breaks?

That'll make everyone happy.

Don't be a d*ck, Victor.

Let me tell you something, Neil.

I didn't bust my ass to build this firm from the ground up to have you turn it into some hippie commune now.

And I won't have you talk to me that way again.

You got lucky one time, son, one time.

You had a little midlife crisis fever dream, and you got some nerd to build you an app.

But the name of the game around here is "what's next?"

You hear me? What's next?

I know what I don't want to do-- sit in front of a computer screen for 12 hours a day, analyze stock trends, make the rich richer and pretend it doesn't matter so I can go home, sit in front of my TV and think, "One day I'll retire, and everything will be great."

That's not a life.

That's a slow death.

Yeah.

But it's a very, very profitable one.

[scoffs]

Tell me what I'm missing here, Neil, really.

I'm not the same person anymore.

Oh, here we go again.

My old life is over, and my new one won't be conventional.

[The Who's Eminence Front]

Neil: I know the results of a life lived safe.

And since I can't go back in time...

I want to see what the results are when I don't.

I'm gonna start taking changes again.

So you're welcome to join me in there... or not.

I really don't care.

[Frank speaking indistinctly]

♪ ♪

You have a visitor.

Hello, darling.

The water's warm.

It feels good.

I was just about to have some lunch.

Should I set another plate?

You, um--you mentioned Fisher's space earlier.

I brought some tear sheets.

I'll have Rosalie get you a robe, put your clothes in the guest room so you can settle some.

I'll meet you on the veranda.

I'll be waiting.

♪ The sun shines ♪
♪ And people forget ♪