04x12 - A Hell of a Week, Part Two

[bunniefuu]

- Previously on This Is Us

- SOPHIE: My ex-husband, who I haven't seen in 12 years, shows up at my doorstep unannounced.

What are you doing, lurking outside of my apartment?

Can we go get a coffee?

I'm engaged.

YOUNG KEVIN: I was supposed to end up in the Super Bowl, not watch it like you guys.

What's your point, Kevin?

I'm gonna go to Sophie's.

- Best Pearson Super Bowl ever.

- REBECCA: Oh, my God!

- JACK: I'm going downstairs.

- REBECCA: No, no, no, Jack, Kevin's not here.

He's not here.

He was with Sophie last night.

KEVIN: Man, it has been a day, I'm telling you.

Probably my fault, though.

You know, I mean, I keep putting myself in these obviously terrible situations because I'm so desperate to have this crazy love story like what my parents had.

But maybe it's just not in the cards for me.

Here.

You take that.

I got to concentrate.

(BUZZING)



I can't sleep.

You can't sleep, huh?

What's wrong, bud, why can't you sleep?

- I miss my sheep.

- Your sheep?

Oh.

You mean, like, the mobile that hangs above your crib?

Those sheep?

Bud, I-I don't know what Mommy did with those, and Mommy's not awake right now, so, um, hey.

What noise does-does a sheep make?

- Bah.

- Bah?

Come on, you can do better than that.

(IMITATES SHEEP)



- (IMITATES SHEEP)



- How about, how about if we try calling the sheep?

- Maybe they'll come to us, huh?

- (BOTH IMITATING SHEEP)



Well, kiddo, if the sheep aren't gonna come to us, maybe we got to go find them.

Yeah.

I started out in search of Ordinary things I started telling the story Without knowing the end.

- Hey, uh - (WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY)



Hey, Kevin, you ready?

You in it?

- Uh - You're not in it.

What's up?

Well, it's-it's look, it's this new ending, you know.

Um, I don't want to step on your toes, obviously.

Oh look, this is my dance space, all right?

Cool-ass endings your dance space.

It's Dirty Dancing.

I thought you'd be a fan of - Oh, right, yeah.

- Remember?

Wow, anyway, um, look, I just, I just feel like there was real resolution with the scene we already sh*t.

Oh, God.

What am I doing?

You're right.

I shouldn't be questioning you.

Obviously.

Um, I'm sorry.

I had a hell of a day, man.

And I'm I'm sorry.

Want to talk about it?

Can I?

So I go on this date, right?

It's amazing, it's extraordinary.

Anyway, it turns out I'm her hall pass.

Right?

Kevin, you know what, we're kinda on the clock here, and I'm getting the gist that the date didn't go very well, so let me just get to the part where I build you back up again, okay?

- Yeah.

- All right, walk with me.

Now, look, I can't fix your love life, but I can help you understand my philosophy on movie endings.

KEVIN: Okay.

(PHONE BUZZING)



Hey, should I bring him his phone?

- Some Sophie keeps calling.

- I don't know.

Can you get me another battery for this, please?

Uh, yeah, sure.

- I don't know.

That's - Trust me, Kevin.

This is the ending everyone wants.

And they still won't see it coming.

- Huh.

- Um, Mr.

Pearson, sir?

- Yeah.

- Your phone keeps ringing.

- Oh.

- She says it's important.

- I didn't want to interrupt.

- NIGHT: Take it.

- You sure?

- Definitely.

- Thanks.

- Yeah.

Hey.

Soph, you okay?

Everything all right?

SOPHIE (OVER PHONE): She's gone, Kev.

My mom.

What?

She d*ed yesterday.

(DOOR OPENS)



CLAIRE: Kevin.

- Hey, Claire.

- Hey.

Thought you'd be watching the Super Bowl with your dad.

- No, we had a pretty bad fight.

- Oh.

Plus, I'm not really feeling like watching the game right now.

Right.

You still moping over that leg?

Cheer up, kid.

Football isn't the be-all end-all.

There are better things ahead for you.

I just know it.

You hear me?

- Hey.

- (CHUCKLES)



Where you guys headed?

- Party in the woods.

- Yeah.

Sounds good.

- All right.

See you later, Mom.

- All right.

- Bye.

- Bye.

(SIGHS)



Soph, I'm so sorry.

(SNIFFLES)



It's weird that I called, right?

No.

No, of course not.

Grant you know, that's my fiancé's name, Grant he's, he's been really great with all the logistical stuff, but, you know, both his parents are s-still Soph?

Hey, okay, Soph, I got one for you.

I got one for you.

You ready?

(EXHALES)



Ready.

He starts a cider-brewing company and he calls it "How do you like them apples?" (LAUGHS)



Well done, Kevin.

Thank you.

(QUIETLY): Yeah.

I should go.

Hey, Soph?

I'm really sorry.

She was a force of nature.

Yeah, she was.

Thanks.

SOPHIE: Kev, come on.

We have to go in.

- It's gonna be so annoying.

- (LAUGHS)



It's your mom's birthday weekend.

And we haven't been home since our weird wedding dinner.

We're never here.

She's gonna have a million questions about my acting career.

She's probably got my headshot hung up like they do at the cleaners.

Come on.

It's her son's first TV appearance.

Let the woman revel.

Come on.

Please, I don't I don't even know what I did - (GROANS)



- "Ugh"?

That's a nice hello.

Hold on.

Hey, Ma?

Hi, guys.

You guys got here early.

- (SOPHIE LAUGHS)



- Hi.

What a surprise.

(CHUCKLES)



- REBECCA: Hey, sweetheart.

- KEVIN: Hi.

- (DOOR SLAMS)



- What's Kate's problem?

She's on the phone with Marc.

- Hey, guys.

- Oh, she's still dating - that greaseball?

- REBECCA: I wasn't expecting - you guys until tomorrow.

- My class got canceled, so we just decided to come early.

- So happy birthday.

- Aw.

Thank you.

What's with the shrine to Randall's holey underwear?

See?

I've been telling him all morning - that he needs new undies.

- Please stop saying "undies".

I got to go to class.

I-I'll see you for your birthday dinner.

REBECCA: Wait what were you saying before, about the weird dreams?

RANDALL: Just midterm stress.

Don't worry about it.

Stop touching my underwear, Kev.

Your undies, you mean?

(DOOR CLOSES)



REBECCA: You guys, I'm so sorry.

I actually have to finish getting ready to go to work.

Uh, well, at least tell me what you thought.

About what?

I was on Days of Our Lives.

What?

No, sweetheart, you told me your line got cut.

I mean, yeah, but my face was still in it.

Oh, honey.

Wha ?

It's fine.

They made me look really pale 'cause my character had leukemia.

Well, are there gonna be any reruns?

Doubt it.

Kev, I'm so sorry.

I didn't You know what?

I do have to go to work, but promise me you'll tell me everything about it tonight?

Yeah, of course.

Okay.

- Anyone home at your house?

- (CHUCKLES)



(DOOR OPENS)



- Hello.

- Oh (LAUGHS)



There's my beautiful daughter.

- Hey.

- Hi.

And there he is, my beautiful superstar - son-in-law.

- Oh, my God.

Oh!

I saw you on Days.

So convincing I could've cried.

And still movie star handsome under all that yellow makeup.

Well, you know, they cut my line.

So?

You go back and get one next time.

Yeah.

Hey.

Give me your eyes.

- Never settle.

- Never will.

- Okay.

- Okay.

I'm so proud of you.

(LAUGHS)



DRIVER: LAX.

Terminal 4?

Uh, yeah.

Yeah.

- This party sucks.

- (STIFLED LAUGH)



- Movies?

- Movies.

- (GASPS)



And doughnuts.

- (CHUCKLES)



- Yes.

- (LAUGHS)



I love you so much.

I love you so much.

(PHONE CHIMES)



(LINE RINGING)



- RANDALL: You're up?

- Why are your texts so formal?

Whatever.

Did I catch you on set?

No.

Uh, I finished my reshoot last night.

I'm actually not in L. A.

- Oh.

Well, where are you?

- Home.

Or, well, what used to be home, anyway.

I'm in Pittsburgh.

Doing something totally stupid.

Or I don't Maybe not.

Maybe it's so crazy that it's actually sane.

I'm going to a funeral.

- Whose?

- (SIGHS)



Sophie's mom d*ed.

Oh, damn.

You good?

Who knows?

What about you?

Someone broke into our house last night.

What?

Is everyone okay?

Yeah.

Everybody's fine.

(FADING): Please don't tell Mom CLAIRE: Okay, I've got Fresca, I've got Prosecco.

It's Fresecco time, my darlings.

(CHUCKLES)



I would like to propose an illegal toast to the future star.

Thank you.

Cheers.

- Cheers.

(CHUCKLES)



- Cheers.

Mmm.

And speaking of stars Mom, what did you do?

I got two words for you: aurora borealis.

(LAUGHS)



You and I are gonna see the northern lights.

- (LAUGHS)



- Mom, did you fix the pipes?

What?

Pipes shmipes.

We're finally going, baby.

(SIGHS)



It took two years to save that money, Mom.

- It's - You always do this.

Wait, hey.

Soph, where are you going?

- (SIGHS)



I need some air.

- Babe?

(DOOR CLOSES)



(EXHALES)



Well, at least we made it half an hour before fighting this time.

I was hoping we could have a minute alone anyway.

Um I have to ask you something.

- Spill it.

- Well, um, obviously, I couldn't give Sophie her dream wedding, but I'm hoping I can give her the ring that she's always wanted.

Her grandmother's emerald ring?

She said that you were saving it for her.

PASTOR: And now we'll hear a few words from Claire's daughter Sophie.

(EXHALES)



My mother was, um, impossible.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)



I know I'm not supposed to say that at her funeral, but she was.

She couldn't sit still, in any sense of the phrase.

Even when she was diagnosed with MS, she refused to stop moving.

She never settled.

(CLEARS THROAT)



When I finally got my, um, my dream apartment in Brooklyn, she came to visit and tour the neighborhood.

And, um, we found this coffee shop.

It was a real hole in the wall, but it became our spot.

Every time she visited and even when she couldn't fly anymore, I would always bring her fresh beans from there every time I came home.

I was there when I found out that she had d*ed.

I was being rude to this poor clerk over how they were out of their house blend.

You know, I mean, how do you run out of your house blend, right?

It was like I was just grumpy from the night shift and What I wouldn't give to go back to that moment.

That moment before when she was still alive and my biggest concern was coffee.

(SNIFFLES)



Sorry.

Looking back, I guess I could have just settled for the French roast.

(SOFT LAUGHTER)



And now I can never go back to that coffee shop ever again.

That place where my mom and I had some of our best talks.

Our best laughs.

(SNIFFLES)



Some really phenomenal fights.

(CHUCKLES)



'Cause that's the place that I found out that she was gone.

PASTOR: Please join us at Claire's house at 2:00 p.

m.

for a reception in her honor.

All family and friends are welcome.

Well, we checked all the closets, and I don't, I don't know where it is.

But don't you worry.

It's all gonna be okay.

Let's, uh, let's call reinforcements, okay?

Come on.

(WHISPERS): Bec.

Sorry to have to wake you up to ask, but (EXHALES)



Hmm?

You are the most beautiful sick lady - I have ever seen.

- (LAUGHS)



And you had to wake me up to tell me that?

Actually, no, um, the mobile that was over Kevin's crib.

Do you know where it is?

Oh, no, that's gone, Jack.

We gave all the, the crib stuff to the Goodwill.

- Mm-hmm.

- (WHISPERS): Damn it.

Daddy?

How about Good Will Hunting?

SOPHIE: Yeah.

I've heard good things.

You got a little, uh, face on your crumbs right there.

- Let me get it for you.

- Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

CLAIRE: So you want my mother's ring to give to Soph?

That ring has a story.

Now, don't spread this around, but my parents fell in love while they were both going through divorces, which was not common in that day.

Before they could get married, my father was drafted to Korea.

Now, he tried to give my mother that ring before he left, but she refused it.

She said, wait till you get back.

So he took the ring with him, and whenever he felt hopeless, he looked at it and he found the determination to make it through.

When he came back, they got married.

- 50 years.

- Wow.

Yeah.

Kev, you're gonna have huge success, and that's gonna take you lots of places.

Is-is that a yes?

I love you, kiddo.

But I can't give you that ring.

Not yet.

Your marriage is too new, and you're too young.

You got to earn it, baby doll.

(LINE RINGING)



- Hey.

- Hi.

I would ask how you're doing, but I Yeah, no, I, uh I can't believe you came.

How could I not come?

Are you, um, are you headed back right now?

I'm sure you got so much going on.

What-what if I-I told you I was thinking about maybe coming to the reception?

What would you say?

I would say, uh, "Oh" "Okay, that Good".

Good.

'Cause I'm standing on the front lawn right now.

Soph, I'm looking at you, and I-I'm I brought you these doughnuts from that place that you like so much, you know, the I mean, I had two of them on the way over here, I'm not gonna lie to you, but I-I saved the powdered ones 'cause I remember how much you love those.

Wasn't sure if I should come in.

No, that's probably not a good idea.

(SIGHS)



Get me out of here?

Yeah.

Yeah, come on.

- Thanks for this.

- Yeah, of course.

Is there anywhere you want to go, or ?

No.

I don't know.

Okay.

You do what's in your heart, son, you'll be fine.

(PROJECTOR CLICKING)



- MAN: Aw!

- (CROWD JEERING)



Oh, come on, it was almost over.

- What?

- Boo!

Bel Air Dollar Theater patrons, we are currently experiencing technical difficulties.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Please take this time to help yourself to anything at the concession stand, free of charge.

- (OVERLAPPING CHATTER)



- Let's eat.

KEVIN: That your grandmother's ring?

Um, no.

It's a nice ring, pretty.

He's Grant's got great taste.

He never really got to know her.

I mean, they met a few times, but she was so sick.

It's crazy I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with someone who never really knew her.

(SNIFFLES)



You know, at the funeral today, I was about to lose it.

I know.

I found you there and I locked in on you.

Grief is a tricky thing, you know?

You you just can't prepare for how it's gonna make you feel or how you'll handle it.

Sometimes you just got to grab onto whatever's around you just to survive.

Plus, we have a history of getting each other through funerals.

Okay, I've got one.

You ready?

If you got one, I'm ready.

He decides he has to get away, as far away as he can, so he becomes an ice fisherman - in Alaska.

- Oh, yes.

And he never talks to another human being again.

Wow.

Wow.

Well done.

That's good.

Soph, can I take you somewhere?

Okay.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)



(SIGHS)



Here we are.

(SIGHS)



You remember this place?

Of course I do.

How could I forget?

Yeah, for the longest time, I tried to.

- SOPHIE: Oh!

Sorry.

- Ooh.

(BOTH LAUGH)



- Ah.

- Ugh.

(LAUGHS): I swear - (LAUGHS)



- You know, I I'm gonna be sick, yeah.

Maybe we should've waited till they fixed the projector.

- Nah.

- What do you mean, "nah"?

- Now we'll never know how it ended.

(CHUCKLES)

- Yeah, but, until it blacked out, wasn't it, like, the perfect movie?

I mean, the real ending could never have been good enough.

This way, we can imagine the perfect ending to the perfect movie for the rest of our lives.

Hmm, I don't know, I still would have liked to have seen it.

- (BOTH LAUGH)



- Okay.

I got an ending for you.

Ready?

Ready.

Will realizes that he's in love with the best friend, the tall guy, and they run away together.

The whole thing was a gay love story.

- What?

- (BOTH LAUGHING)



Let's never watch the real ending.

Never.

- Brrr.

- You cold?

Lets go inside.

(SHUDDERS)



M'lady.

Your chariot awaits.

ADULT KEVIN: I never thought I could come back here.

My childhood ended right here.

For the longest time, this whole place, this whole town, all I ever wanted to do was just run away from it.

Then a little time passed.

And I started to remember the good parts about it, like, uh, how we used to come out here and make each other laugh.

How you were always such a messy eater.

- (LAUGHS)



What?

- I mean, literally, like, sometimes, I swear to God, you were, like, actively trying to avoid your mouth.

- Oh, come on.

- I'm serious.

Look at, look at you exhibit "A".

What?

I oh, I'm so sorry we can't all eat like a delicate little bird.

- Okay.

- (LAUGHING)



(CHUCKLES)



This place still makes me sad.

But I'm not afraid of it anymore.

You're gonna be able to go back to that coffee shop, Soph, you will.

It just takes a little time.

Yeah.

Can I ask you something?

Yeah, anything.

Did you ever watch the end of the movie?

(CHUCKLES)



- (SNORTS)



- (LAUGHS)



- Did you?

- No.

No, never.

I never did.

Did you?

No, me either.

Huh.

Son of a bitch, he stole my line.

("MISS MISERY" BY ELLIOTT SMITH PLAYING)



Two tickets torn in half And a lot of nothing to do SOPHIE: Wow.

KEVIN: Yeah.

That was better than I could've possibly imagined.

Yeah.

And here I thought I had the whole thing figured out - with that cider company thing.

- (LAUGHING)



Stop.

To vanish into Oblivion Is easy to do And I try to be But you know me Kev?

Yeah?

When you want me to It's time for me to go home.

Miss Misery Like you say you do?

(INHALES DEEPLY)



Okay.

(SIGHS)



Well Well.

I'll see you next time someone dies.

I'm already looking forward to it.

Um Can you wait here for just a sec?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

(CAR DOOR OPENS)



Um, I was, um, I was going through her stuff, and I found this.

She was always rooting for you.

She was your biggest fan.

(EXHALES)



I'm sorry.

(CRYING): No, it's okay.

It's okay.

(SNIFFLES)



Kev, thank you for coming.

Always.

(WHISPERS): I should go.

(SNIFFLES)



(EXHALES)



So I had to go to three stores to find Fresca.

Eh?

I was this close to settling for Fanta, but I knew you wouldn't approve, and, uh we don't settle.

I'm, uh, I'm just sticking to Fresca these days, so I hope you don't mind.

(EXHALES)



Well, Claire, I did it.

I made it.

I got a show, I did a couple of movies.

I became a star.

(CHUCKLES)



Just like you knew I would.

I didn't know I would, but you did.

You knew I would.

Man, I really messed things up with Sophie, though.

(EXHALES SHARPLY)



A couple times, actually.

And I have a feeling that, uh, you knew I would do that, too.

You know, the sad part about it is, I'm actually ready now.

I'm, I'm sober.

And I am steady.

I never earned that ring.

(EXHALES)



God, I wish I had another cr*ck at it.

It's too late.

Enough of that.

Anyway (SIGHS)



This is for you, okay?

And, uh Oh.

I almost forgot this.

(SNIFFLES)



There you go.

(SIGHS)



Goodbye, Claire.

(SIGHS)



(STAMMERS)



I'm not doing that.

That's super weird.

KATE (OVER SPEAKER): Leave a message for Kate.

Hey, Kate, uh, I'm about ready to hop on a flight back to L.

A.

It's been a tough couple of days.

Um I was thinking, when I land, you mind if I just come over and see Jack?

You know what?

I I'm just coming over, okay?

(CLICKS)



Oh, great.

This is exactly what I need right now.

I'm just here to see Jack.

Well, he's not here.

Kate and Jack went to a retreat, Toby's at work.

I'm just here to walk Audio.

Oh.

Hmm.

Okay.

I was gonna make tea if you want some.

Sure.

Yeah, no, that, that sounds great.

Thank you.

Hey.

Are you okay?

Oh, yeah.

I am fabulous.

The fifth guy in a row just broke up with me because he just can't see us having a future together, and I spent the day picking up my best friend's dog's poop.

So, that's my life at 33.

(EXHALES)



I have never been broken up with before.

Why would you even say that to me right now?

No, I s That's Yes, that-that sounded completely insensitive.

What I was getting at, you know, was, um, I don't get dumped because I'm always the first one to cut and run.

When things get, you know, complicated or, uh, God forbid, too deep.

Recommendation?

From a-a movie star bathed in privilege?

Why not?

I don't think you should look at yourself as the person who always gets left.

You should look at yourself as the person who's willing to stay and fight.

It's a good thing.

I wish I had more of that in me.

JACK: Sorry, but your mobile is gone, bud.

I miss my sheep.

Yeah, I know, but the sheep are gone, Kev.

Look, sometimes we lose things.

Things that we love.

And it makes us feel sad.

Really sad.

And I know right now it feels like the worst thing in the world.

But I promise you, you're gonna find something else to love.

Like, I'll bet I'll bet Mr.

Tiger here (GROWLS)



Mr. Tiger, he would love to sleep next to you tonight.

How does that sound?

(PHONE BUZZING)



Hey, Randall.

Hey, Kev, uh I lied, man.

I need a catch.

Terms of surrender It's one thing to bend it My love And another to break it Well, I was out drumming The heels of the summer Playing the numbers Was I Fooling with thunder I'm gonna take it KEVIN: Actually, you're kind of doing me a favor, listening to me right now.

You know, I'm kind of in the middle of a whole thing.

(SIGHS)



It's been a hell of a week.

It's one thing to bend it, my love And another Actually, you know what?

I was thinking about, uh, you know, maybe taking a trip.

You know?

Going somewhere, getting out of town, clear my head?

Yeah.

I was thinking the same thing myself.

Um, this is kind of crazy because I was basically just there, but, uh, you want to go to the cabin?

Yeah.

I think some nature would do me good.

Hey, let's, uh, let's invite Kate, yeah?

Uh, yeah.

Hey.

Where's the birthday girl?

Hey, Mom.

Sorry I, uh, spent the night at Sophie's Dinner's canceled.

- What's wrong?

- I'm worried about Kate.

We got in a big fight and then she rode off with Marc to the cabin and then she just called me, crying.

I think she's in trouble, Kev.

We have to go get her.

Uh, okay.

Go-go get your stuff together, and I'm calling Randall right now.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

But don't make me say it It's one thing Something's wrong with Kate.

Um, I'll explain in the car.

Just be ready in 20.

We're coming to pick you up.

- All right?

- O-Okay.

I-I'll be downstairs.

(LINE RINGING)



KATE (OVER PHONE): Hey, Kev.

Um, uh, what's up?

You know, now's not really a good time.

Um Why?

What's the matter?

Uh, well, I'm about two seconds away from my marriage completely imploding.

No boat Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry.

Listen, I got Randall on the other line.

Life's kind of sucking for him, too, right now.

You mind if I patch him through?

- Yeah.

- All right.

Hey, Randall, I got Kate.

She's kind of in a bad way, too, actually.

Sad three.

(WHISPERS): Sad three.

YOUNG KATE: Dad?

We have a problem.