01x06 - Sixteen Steps

[bunniefuu]

- Previously on Matlock...
- I'm Madeline Matlock.

I'm a lawyer, like the old TV show.

Why do you want to work at my firm?

I woke up at 75 years
old without a husband

or money and a 12-year-old kid to raise.

I need this job more than
you can possibly imagine.

Meet me in the conference room,

and bring the new lawyer with you.

MATTY: Who's Olympia divorcing?

- Julian.
- Oh. The guy she was arguing with.

See, there's this funny thing
that happens when women age.

People assume I'm a harmless old lady,

and that's how I'm going to trick them.

Good evening, Mrs. Kingston.

There she is.

Well, you'd be a lot
less cheery if you knew

how I talked about you at work.

Gambling, cheating,

not to mention dead.

- Grammy!
- Alfie.

Was I right? Perfect name?

Reminds us of Mom?

MATTY: I had a daughter, and she died

after a long battle with drugs.

The law firm Jacobson
Moore, hid documents

that could've taken
opioids off the market

ten years earlier.

Think of how many lives
that could've saved,

including our daughter's.

So I'm gonna figure
out who knew what when,

and then, I'm gonna put them in jail.

Let's just make this, see how you feel.

It's a message from that
infernal dating site.

"Madeline Kingston, is that you?"

EDWIN: Someone recognized you.

♪ ♪

- Oh!
- [SHOUTS]

Watch where you're going.

You're not the only
damn person on Earth.

♪ ♪

MATTY: Once in a while,
Alfie, the universe

sends you a sign.

A sign to do it, or not to do it?

I'm doing it.

We're doing it.

- Really?
- Truly.

Mom would be so proud.

Remind me of that

when this gets hard, okay, darling?

I will because it's true,

Mom would be so proud.

Let's abbreviate that, okay?

So I'm not a mess every time.

M-W-B-S-P?

M-W-B-S-P.

Perfect.

- EDWIN: What's perfect?
- Ah.

This year's birthday trip.

Hand over those dogs.

- [LAUGHS]
- Happy birthday, Mom.

- Happy birthday, Ellie.
- Happy birthday, Ellie.

It's gonna be a good year.

Okay, what's going on with you two?

I made a decision.

I want to move forward.

Figure out if one of those lawyers

hid documents for Wellbrexa.

- But it's so dangerous.
- I know.

- And crazy, it's so crazy.
- I know, I know that, too.

I just...

it's my last chance

to parent our child.

Well, I guess we're moving to New York.

Really?

Yes!

I wonder what my new name should be.

♪ ♪

Matty, hurry. Look.

I can make it with paraffin wax.

Just like they did with the first

lithographic reproduction in 1792.

And who would think
that you'd be using it



a fake thumbprint for your wife

to break into a server room?

We're basically Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Yeah, but way sexier.

Ooh.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Give me one or two days,

I'll perfect it. I got this.

You do got this.

ALFIE: What is ethical non-monogamy

and why are old people so into it?

I'll tell you in four to seven years.

Did you get me off that dating app

so Stanley can't find
me or contact me or...

Yup, deleted the whole thing.

You've officially ghosted him.

Hallelujah. I gotta hustle to work.

I got an email this morning
that Olympia and Julian

got an old case overturned on appeal.

- What's that mean?
- For the plaintiff,

a retrial. But for me,

face time with Julian.

I want to knock his socks off,

so he pulls me over to pharma.

And then I can have access to

the whole Wellbrexa file.

Well, go get 'em, Mrs. Smith.

[LAUGHS] Yeah.

I'm getting 'em, Mr. Smith.

I'm getting 'em.

What about romance?

True love? Taking a leap of faith?

Now, who would want
that when you could have

the safety net of
beautifully defined terms

that outline the distributions

of all rights and responsibilities?

I don't need a safety net.

Claudia and I aren't getting divorced.

Said every person who ever got divorced.

Matty, your marriage turned into

a rotten, loveless, black hole.

What is your stance on prenups?

My stance? Make sure your spouse

doesn't gamble away your life
savings before they croak.

Well, Claudia doesn't
even like scratch offs,

so I think I'm good.

Lucky you. I just got off the phone

with the orthodontist.

My grandson needs braces,

which means I need
moolah, which means...

- Time to get on pharma.
- Time to get on pharma.

I feel so observed.

- It's "seen."
- Anyhoo,

face time with Julian means
Granny gotta slay all day.

Anyone know how they won the appeal?

JULIAN: Four simple words.

Olympia argued that

four words in the jury instructions,

"Known or knowable risks,"

created prejudice against

our lesser educated plaintiffs,

and the judge agreed.
Beautiful lawyering.

They should teach courses on it.

And bring you in as a special speaker,

seeing as you drafted the motion.

After I called it crazy.

No one wants me speaking.

What's happening right now?

Clearly they had a great prenup.

The point is, we have a
second bite at the apple.

So, what kind of apple we biting into?

Ana and Vanessa Sampson.

Their child died at nine
months as a result of

contaminated baby formula.

That's awful.

We sued the formula company for health

and safety violations at the factory.

The defense argued
that the contamination

happened at the parents' apartment.

- It was a brutal loss.
- Matty, if it's too hard

to dive into a case
about the loss of a child,

you can sit this one out.

I appreciate that, Olympia. I really do.

But, actually, I'd like to
help the parents get justice.

So...

I assume you polled the jury.

Why'd they rule against you?

JULIAN: First off,

they didn't believe conditions
at the factory were bad enough.

And the factory foreman was adamant

that it wasn't the cause.

Well, that must be this guy,

Harold P. Wong, with all the Dr.
Evil doodles next to his name.

That's supposed to be Voldemort.

So, we need to undermine Voldemort's
credibility this time around.

Which means going back to the factory

and talking to everyone again.

Sarah and Billy, get started

on scheduling those interviews.

And if you are really up for it,

Matty, I think you'd be helpful

with another issue that
came up in the polling.

Of course. What was it?

The jurors didn't feel
sympathy for the moms.

After they testified
about losing their baby?

[SIGHS]

- Can we just...
- Shh.

Hi, there.

I'm Julian Markston,

this is Olympia Lawrence.

We've met with four lawyers,

all wanting to profit off our pain.

Why should we pick you?

I'd love to reframe that.

We want to make First 12 Formula pay

so that this never happens
to anyone ever again.

By putting us on the stand,

and questioning every
single thing I did?

Ana, we both handled the bottles.

ANA: I made them.

They'll say I made it wrong.

No. Stop.

I'm sorry, but I won't let you
blame yourself for something

that should have been 100% safe.

You have no idea what this is like.

You're right,

but I do know what it feels like

to be under a microscope,

holding yourself to
an impossible standard,

blaming yourself for
things you shouldn't,

that others wouldn't.

But you can't protect us from that.

We know what will happen on cross.

They're going to make us look like

bad parents who weren't careful.

Well, there won't be a cross
if you go with Jacobson Moore.

Because we will prove

your case without
putting you on the stand.

[JULIAN CLEARS THROAT] Um...

what I think Olympia means...

I said what I said.

Look, there is no such
thing as perfect parenting.

By making that our burden to prove,

we only set ourselves up to lose.

So, instead of focusing
on what you two did right,

we will focus exclusively on

what the factory did wrong.

[ELEVATOR DINGS]

What the hell was that?

You wanted them to choose us,

- and they did.
- I also want to win the case.

And that's the only way to win.

Because if we put Ana
and Vanessa on the stand,

all the jury will see
is how guilty they feel,

and I can already hear the defense.

"See? Even they blame themselves."

Let's hope you didn't screw us.

Olympia did this.

She's the reason we have another shot.

I can't believe it.

And to get this call now.

I'm four months pregnant.

[LAUGHS] Just started telling people,

and I don't know, it feels like a sign.

Everything's a sign
if you want it to be.

ANA: V, how often do
you get a second chance?

VANESSA: Nothing has changed.

What makes you think
you can win this time?

Because you'll testify.

I let my emotions override
my judgment last time,

and... it was a mistake.

The jury needs to
connect with your family,

needs to hear what
your child meant to you.

We have a baby coming.

We want to be moving forward, not back.

You don't have to testify.

- I can do it.
- Could I say one thing?

I know I'm new to the case,

so I hope you don't mind my jumping in.

The thing is

I lost my daughter ten years ago,

and one thing I know is that...

... grief comes in waves.

I just don't want you
to make a decision today

that you might regret later.

ANA: Exactly.

Can we get a minute?

Of course.

[JULIAN CLEARS THROAT]

- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.

[PHONE BUZZES]

I, um, sorry.

I've got to go. I'll be right back.

Edwin, you have to call me back.

Alfie said he deleted SeniorSweeties,

but then I just got
this email from Stanley.

He said he works a block
away from Jacobson Moore,

and he wants to get together.

Edwin, he actually said Jacobson Moore.

He found me.

OLYMPIA: Matty, you okay?

Who found you?

Oh, it's just these G.D. creditors.

They're just pushier than me
at Talbots on clearance day.

What's going on, Matty?

Um...

You know my husband died and
just left me all kinds of debt

and I'm just trying to handle it.

If you need help, financially,

the firm can advance your salary.

Your job is secure.

Well, you don't know how
much that means to me.

But, um, you know, I've got it covered.

The only thing is,

I just need some time to talk to
my accountant about all of this.

Of course, of course.

Uh, but, uh...

can we... can we keep this between us?

I mean, I don't want Julian
to think that I'm somebody

who brings their personal
life trumping into work.

I got you.

- No problem.
- Okay. Thanks.

Mm-hmm.

[DOOR CLOSES]

JULIAN: Is Matty okay?

She's fine. Tell me Vanessa said yes.

She said yes.

Ana's gonna be the one to testify.

- They both feel good.
- Perfect.

- Want more good news?
- Mm-hmm.

Sarah texted me about our interviews.

Guess who no longer
works at the factory.

Harold P. Wong.

I hope you didn't go out of your way.

- Turns out it's not a good time.
- No problem.

We'll just subpoena all
your line supervisors

to our office for depositions.

Wait here, I'll be right back.

When are you not going to be angry?

Can I get a time, even an estimate?

We talked about this.

You have no idea what
it's like to be a Black kid

in a rich, white school.

Your hair has to be perfect,

- your clothes can't have holes.
- It's pajama day.

Even on pajama day. Which is why...

WONG: The supervisors will
meet you when the shift ends.

Be quick, this is an inconvenience.

We really apprec...

I left you a note telling
you not to put them in sweats.

Their friends were all doing
it, y-you're overreacting.

I just love how you prioritize
my experience in the world

when it suits you.

What are you talking about?

Bring your Black wife onto the case

so you could seal the deal?

But when it comes to our
children, I'm overreacting?

One is professional,
the other is our family.

- [BELL RINGS]
- The family, I should have an equal say.

Uh, thank you, everyone, for your time.

Uh, my name is Julian.

This is my colleague Olympia.

We'll be asking each
of you a few questions.

It'll be quick and painless.

As your manager already told you,

we are from the law
firm of Jacobson Moore.

No, I quit ages ago.

I just like to hold
one from time to time.

Good on you. You miss it?

Mostly just the escape hatch.

I used to go out onto
the smoking patio at work

when I, you know, needed time alone.

Now the first-year associates
call it the crime patio.

Think I don't know.

You make 'em cry?

Never the goal.

Look, everyone in there is
going to toe the company line.

But if you know anything at all,

as a man of faith,

you can help me right this wrong.

All I know is the violations were worse

than the FDA report said, much worse.

And nothing ever really
got fixed around here.

All they ever do is patch
things up and move along.

Would you testify to that in court?

I can't. I need this job.

There are retaliation
laws. They can't fire you.

I can't risk it. I got six kids.

No wonder you can't quit smoking.

[LAUGHING]

My mom was one of eight.

Mm-hmm.

When I was little, she
made me pray every night.

Let me guess. Baptist.

You know it.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Took me the longest time

to understand what it was really about.

My mom had so little growing up,

nothing to give to anyone,

so she prayed for them instead.

I don't see it being that different.

Praying, and telling the truth.

Teddy. [LAUGHS]

You sure you want me
up on the stand again?

- I didn't help last time.
- OLYMPIA: Oh, you helped a lot, trust me.

Heard Harold's gone. What happened?

No idea.

Couple of months after
the trial, he was out.

Canned, I think, because it was fast.

New foreman any better?

Yeah, I'll introduce you.

Guy's much more transparent,
approves days off.

Those pipes...

Are they new?

Oh, yeah, they're copper-lined now.

And I'm glad.

The old ones never fit
the gasket quite right.

Once, one popped off.

I had to jump in and
hold it up in place.

Felt like I was on Survivor.

W-who put these in? New guy?

No, Harold did it before he left. Why?

Because at trial, I argued that

the factory should've used copper...

more antibacterial and anticorrosive...

and Harold made a huge deal

about stainless steel being good enough.

So why'd he make the change?

Makes no damn sense.

Once you delete the damn thing,

they shouldn't be able to email you.

EDWIN: Well, that's what you get

for using a 12-year-old
as our dating app expert.

Did you get the draft I sent you?

Let's see.

"Hi, Stanley.

I'm embarrassed, but I'm
actually still with my husband.

My grandson made this as a joke.

Sorry for the confusion.

And I wish you well in the future."

What do you think?

You ghost with grace, my love.

Edwin, I'm worried.

I know you are. But it's gonna be okay.

You just focus on your work,

focus on impressing Julian,

focus on how sexy I look
cooking up thumbprints.

Did you get it to work?

Oh, not even close. [CHUCKLES]

But I've got a lot of
YouTubers to get through.

[HOLD MUSIC PLAYING]

And now we've been on hold

longer than most
celebrity marriages last.

- Don't start.
- Because you want to be

Mel Gibson and pay out $425
million to your ex-wife?

I don't want to be Mel Gibson
for quite a few reasons.

And why are you giving
me marriage advice

when you can't even ask Kira on a date?

I'm crafting the perfect email.

It needs one reference
to our unexpected lunch,

one slightly suggestive
open-ended question,

and two witty lines, and no ellipses.

FDA EMPLOYEE: Food and
Drug Administration.

How may I help you?

Uh, hi, yes, uh, we're calling about

the latest research regarding
bacterial contamination

in stainless steel pipes.

Type of contaminant?

Uh, there's a few
we'd like to ask about.

But no matter what it is,

or how small, it can breed and fester

until it becomes a major problem

you never saw coming, right?

Sorry about that.

Uh, can we start with mycotoxins?

You're out of your damn mind.

Harold is not gonna open up to me.

Or me. Actually...

You know who we can send.

I was just thinking the same thing.

[RINGS]

HAROLD: I'm not buying anything.

Whoa, where's that voice coming from?

Hello?

- I can't hear you.
- I'm here.

You, you have to press
the button when you talk.

[RINGS DOORBELL]

[MOUTHING SILENTLY]

I can't hear you.

Are you an idiot?

Press the button...

Oh, come on.

[RINGS DOORBELL]

Hello there, I'm Madeline Matlock,

junior legal counsel
from Jacobson Moore.

I have nothing to say to you people.

Just to set the table for you, Harold,

the only reason I'm standing here

with my foot in your
door, still working at 75,

is because I'm too broke to retire.

So could you just please
answer a few questions

so I can go home?

No. Now move your foot.

Did you know, Harold,

women lose up to 20%
of their bone density

in the years following menopause,

which means my metatarsals

are just brittle little matchsticks

that could snap, crackle and pop

if you pushed just the
tiniest bit on that door.

Now, technically, I can't make you talk,

but I'm not moving my foot until you do.

Or you could try to close that door.

And did I mention I'm
from Jacobson Moore?

We have a k*ller personal
injury department.

- Lady...
- Ow, my foot!

Just three quick questions.

- Ow. Ow.
- Enough. Fine.

Three questions. Go.

Why did you change the pipes
from stainless steel to copper?

The price of copper is tied to oil.

Both tanked.

All of a sudden, copper
pipes... affordable.

No conspiracy, no funny business,

just simple economics.

Next.

Regarding your departure
from the factory,

we heard from some of
your ex-coworkers...

Ex-employees.

... ex-employees

that it wasn't exactly
your choice to leave.

Those jerkoffs need to
spend more time working

and less time talking about me.

Last question.

This one's easy.

Could you pretty please
let me use your commode

before I get back on the PATH train?

The bladder takes a nosedive after 70

because the vaginal walls...

- Stop. Fine, fine. Follow me.
- [PHONE BUZZES]

Matty said no on the pipes.

Sarah and Billy are
striking out with the FDA.

- I can't find...
- Ana's testifying.

That's going to make the difference.

Without proof, it still
might not be enough.

We're in the exact same
place we were before.

... not negligent in
maintaining the safety

of its product and therefore...

We should have put them on the stand.

We are in such a different place.

We're communicating, we're,
we're listening to each other.

We're gonna figure it out together.

Loving the support.

I'm just not sure if
working well together

is going to change the outcome.

- [PHONE RINGING]
- [SIGHS]

OLYMPIA: Hey, Matty.

MATTY: I think I found something.

Boy, were you right.

That Harold P. Wong is
not a very nice fellow.

See that fancy new stove poking its
little head out from the kitchen?

I saw a British lady on TV

using one to make an arrabiata.

A stove like that starts at $6,000.

Floors were redone,
fancy music equipment.

Outside the place is still a shell,

but inside, money has been spent.

And as a factory foreman how
much was he making, again?

- $83,000 a year.
- He must have been embezzling.

That's why he got fired.

Or that's what he wants us to think

so we don't look too hard
at what really happened.

Exactly. I was setting
you up to make that point.

OLYMPIA: Think he's
got a golden parachute?

He's covering for the contamination.

Retire at 48 with no worries
and an arrabiata stove.

JULIAN: Okay, we need
to look at everything

Harold touched during our
potential contamination window

and figure out exactly
what he was rewarded

- for doing or hiding.
- BILLY: I'll take the OSHA reports,

see if anything was misreported
to the regulatory agencies.

I will take payroll.

Maybe Harold inflated somebody's
salary to buy their silence.

Great. Matty, you got
maintenance reports,

we'll comb through the financials,

let's reconvene in the morning.

All right.

What if he messed around
with sick pay to cover up

some sort of illness
that was going around?

Teddy would have told us.

Ah, you are not pawning this off on me.

It was your Christmas present.

From your Great-Aunt Sylvia.

- Donate pile.
- Donate pile.

- The inspector's coming Monday. Did I tell you that?
- Mm-hmm.

It's the final
walk-through before closing.

Could always sabotage the thermostat.

Finally called the heating guy.

You were right.

Thermostat was off
by a good ten degrees.

Go ahead, say "I told you so."

That's your move.

You think I'm not torturing
myself over the case?

What did you want me to say?

Something, anything,
so I wasn't alone again.

Again? Is this, uh, is this... ?

My father died, and
you hid in your office

every night till midnight.

You said you needed space.

Stop assuming the worst.

Then stop being the worst.

Oh, my God.

How much did it cost to fix the heat?

The heat? Um, like $3K?

That invoice from the
factory roof repair.

$350,000 for a re-shingling.

Authorized by Harold P. Wong.

No shingling job would cost that much.

There was clearly something
else going on with that roof.

Which probably had to do
with our contamination.

We are on fire.

Babe, that was all me.

[SHIFT BELL RINGING]

OLYMPIA: Does the date June


TEDDY: It's the date when the ceiling

in the break room caved in.

That's when I broke my arm.

Do you think the rupture could
have breached the outside?

Harold swore it didn't.

That's why I ain't mention it to you.

What would you say if I told you

that Harold paid a roofing
company $350,000 to fix it?

I'd say it sounds like the
whole darn roof caved in.

[SNAPS FINGERS]

How'd you like to spot a lady
in heels up a very tall ladder?

[BOTH LAUGH]

- So I went on up...
- What? Onto the roof?

Yeah, it's easy. There's an access door.

And not only did I see
where the roof was repaired,

the whole damn place is covered in mold,

which could have easily entered
the factory during the collapse,

and I got us a sample.

So we just need to
confirm that the bacteria

in the mold is the same
one that made Dante sick.

Already put Sarah and Billy on it.

We wait to tell Ana and
Vanessa until we know for sure?

- [ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
- Definitely. Let's let them focus

- on Ana's testimony.
- Okay.

Hi, Vanessa.

- Where's Ana?
- Oh, she's not coming.

Her obstetrician says she
needs to get some rest.

Blood pressure got too high, so...

I'll testify instead.

When Matty gets here, tell her

we're prepping in the
small conference room.

MAN: I wanted to drop something off

for someone who works at Jacobson Moore.

Maybe you could buzz me up.
Her name's Madeline Kin...

- Stanley.
- Madeline.

- Why don't we go over here?
- I got your message.

And please believe me when I say

I want to respect your space.

I just wanted to drop this off.

Thank you. Uh, now I-I-I have to...

It's a photo of Ellie.

Tommy kept this little
photo book, all his friends.

I fished it out when
I saw you on the app.

I-I couldn't believe you'd moved east.

I needed a change after Ellie passed.

- I really should...
- Tommy's missing.

Started using again last year and...

I-I guess I also wanted to
talk to someone who understood.

- I can spare a few minutes, Stanley.
- Okay.

- Okay?
- Yeah.

Yeah.

- Thank you.
- Yeah.

How long has it been since
you last heard from Tommy?

Three weeks.

He relapsed about nine months ago,

but he'd check in.

And now...

I just have this feeling...

Yeah, it's the scariest
feeling in the world.

You've got to think of yourself

as a private investigator,
not as a parent.

Go to each and every
place where he got high.

Take food. People will talk.

OLYMPIA: Try to think

of your testimony as a conversation

with an old friend.

You want to be open, emotional and...

VANESSA: Everything okay?

Yes.

All good. Let's get started.

Vanessa, let's start at the beginning.

When you first brought Dante home,

can you tell me what that was like?

It was life with a newborn.

Lots of laundry,
diapers, sleepless nights.

I can imagine you would give anything

to get those sleepless nights back.

Of course.

Let's move on to after Dante died.

What were those days like?

- Hard.
- Can you be more specific?

What was it like
getting through the day?

What more do you want from me?

I am sorry, but this is our last shot.

We are suing for pain and suffering.

The jury needs to see it.

So you need me back in a
place where I can't function?

Is that what you want?

Of course not, no. I was just...

Actually, let's just take ten, okay?

[PANTING]

It's just too painful.

I'm sorry. I thought I could help you.

- Madeline, I'm so sorry...
- Stay away from me.

I mean it, it's too hard.

- What was that about?
- Accountant.

Wanted me to give him a certified check.

Are you okay?

I just felt like a vulture
trying to tear out this pain.

- You're doing your job.
- But I'm not.

We still can't prove the contamination.

And it's unclear to me at this
point if this is even ethical.

You know, I'm trying
to make Vanessa cry.

I'm trying to take
her back to her trauma.

And what if we lose?

Then it'll hurt like hell.

- [SIGHS]
- But most people don't get a second chance.

- She doesn't even want one.
- Now.

But if she doesn't do it, I promise you,

they will wake up in the middle
of the night at some point

and they will regret not
taking this last opportunity

to parent their child.

Were you and Ellie close?

Sometimes.

But we weren't on the best
of terms when she passed.

Can you tell me about Ellie?

She was bigger than life.

She just...

... wanted more of it all the time.

And you could not tell that
child she couldn't do something.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

I remember I took her to the park.

She was about five,

and she was having none of that

- rinky-dinky kid play structure.
- Mm-mm.

She just marched right
up to that big kid one.

She pushed past all these ten-year-olds,

and she climbed up to that

- double-decker jungle gym.
- [BOTH LAUGH]

You must've been terrified
and a little proud.

I was a lot proud.

Till she decided

she liked all the attention
and she wouldn't come back down.

Eventually ended up in a cast.

Boy, she was a piece of work, that kid.

She was the G-darn love of my life.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to take you back there.

I know everyone says it,

but I do not know how you
can lose a kid and keep going.

You learn to breathe again.

That's what it's like.

Learning to breathe on
some new planet that's...

... totally inhospitable to human life.

And then somebody says,

"Tell me about Ellie."

Anyway, most of the time I'm okay,

like I said, but sometimes I just...

Well... [SIGHS]

- I'm kind of jealous of Teddy.
- Mm?

You know, he's just
working those rosary beads

and full of faith that
there's a plan and...

He's been texting me,

by the way.

Theories, ideas, just trying to help.

You know, do the right thing.

He once jumped on the line

and held up a 40-pound pipe

with a broken arm...
did I tell you that?

Mm-hmm.

Was his arm in a cast?

Teddy, can you explain what
the contamination window is?

It's the window of time when my factory

made batches of formula that

the plaintiffs' baby ingested.

OLYMPIA: And the roof collapse,
when you broke your arm,

that happened before
that window, correct?

That's right.

How long were you in a cast for?

Eight weeks.

OLYMPIA: And during that time,

- did you continue to work?
- TEDDY: Yes.

The company didn't
grant me a medical leave,

but as a line supervisor,

I didn't have to use my arms as much.

But did you have to use
your arms at one point?

Yes.

A pipe on the manufacturing line burst.

It was chaos.

Someone could've got hurt.

So I jumped in to
hold the pipe in place.

And that happened during the
estimated contamination window?

Yes, it did.

And were you wearing gloves?

I always do,

but, um...

I...

I couldn't get one over the cast.

In your expertise,

as a supervisor in
charge of quality control,

was there a risk of contamination

from you holding the pipe?

Yes.

My cast must've touched an open end.

I must've introduced germs
into the sterile environment.

Into the formula.

I'm so sorry.

OLYMPIA: Thank you, Teddy.

MIA: Mr. Copeland. About
how long do you estimate

you were holding that broken pipe?

Two to three minutes?

But the plaintiffs interacted

with their baby every moment, every hour

- leading up to his death.
- Objection.

That's not a question.

- Sustained.
- DEFENSE COUNSEL: I'm wondering,

from a mathematical standpoint,

how likely Teddy thinks it is

that his brief heroic act
caused the contamination,

compared to the parents'
hourly contact with their baby.

Well, the witness isn't
an expert mathematician.

Good point. Let's explore what
else he's not an expert in.

Do you know whether the
plaintiffs used purified water

every time they mixed
a bottle of formula?

- Your Honor.
- SHELTON: You asked for the witness's opinion

on the risk he created.

Sir, you can answer the question.

- No, I don't.
- What about

- if they washed their hands properly?
- No.

Or how often they
sterilized their bottles?

- No.
- If they bleached their sink...

SHELTON: Okay, I think you've
made your point, Counselor.

DEFENSE COUNSEL: No further questions.

We'll adjourn for one hour.

We'll see you after lunch.

Okay, the defense scored some points,

but Teddy's direct was convincing.

- He gave us causation.
- Mm-hmm.

So, maybe we don't put
Vanessa on the stand.

No, I-I won't make the same
mistake we made last time.

Look, we need both.
Causation and sympathy.

MATTY: She's protecting herself

with her anger. You need
to get underneath it.

I know I do, I just...

I don't know if I should.

You should, because
when Ana and Vanessa hear

that jury find in their favor,
hold those people responsible

for taking Dante away from 'em,

it'll be worth it, trust me.

Let's start with the
routine you and Ana followed

when it came to the formula.

Did you ever premix the bottles?

Sometimes.

But we always made sure to
put them in the refrigerator.

- Always?
- Yes.

Ana kept a chart to track
how long they'd been in there.

What about the partially used
bottles? Did you save them?

No. We threw them away

because, um, we were
afraid of making Dante sick.

Tell me about Dante.

What?

We've spent so much time
talking about his death.

Tell me what he was
like when he was alive.

Tell me about Dante?

He used to wake up smiling.

He just loved people, so...

which meant he didn't sleep.

He'd wake up five, six times a night.

Sometimes to eat, but...

mostly just to be in the world.

It's like he couldn't get enough of it.

I started to sleep in his room

so Ana could be fresh for work.

All those long nights,
just me and Dante.



That's how many it took
to get from one side

of his room to the other.

I walked with him so many times...

[SNIFFLES]

... holding him,

singing to him...

[EXHALES]

For months after he died,

I would just go in there
and walk back and forth.

[SOFTLY]: And back and forth.

[SNIFFLES]

Oh, I hate this part. The waiting.

Not me. It's out of our hands.

That's the problem.
It could go either way.

- It's completely out of our control.
- Exactly.

So you can't micromanage
risk out of life.

Or relationships or
"almost relationship."

Text Kira.

Use all the ellipses.

Okay, fine, deal, but
only if you talk to Claudia

about the possibility of a prenup

after you pop the question.

Fine, but if she doesn't want one,

you don't mention it again. Deal?

- Deal.
- Good.

You know, if you really think about it,

you and I would make the perfect couple.

- [COUGHS]
- [PHONE BUZZES]

The verdict is in. Come on.

BAILIFF: All rise.

FOREPERSON: The jury finds
First 12 Formula was negligent

in maintaining the safety of its product

and is therefore liable for
the death of Dante Sampson.

We award $3 million in punitive damages

and $5 million for pain and suffering.

[WHISPERED CHATTER]

You did it.

You held them responsible.

[CHILDREN CHATTERING PLAYFULLY]

[GRUNTS]

- Edwin.
- Are-are you okay?

I think I'm having a heart attack.

- Are you sure it was just a panic attack?
- Positive.

Go to your doctor to get a beta blocker

in case it happens again.

Your wife's heart looks fine.

She just needs to rest, avoid stress.

- Did you hear that?
- Heard that.

Thank you.

- Darling...
- I know.

You need to take your
health more seriously.

It was a particularly hard day.

It's only gonna get harder.

When you get deeper in,
the risk, the stress...

maybe next time it'll
be a real heart attack.

Yes, but we're so close.

We're not.

If you were on Wellbrexa,

maybe it would be different,

but you're not close to it at all.

I can't get the damn thumbprints right

because I'm a retired
art history professor.

And you are not superhuman,

though there's a lot of
evidence to the contrary.

You're saying we're
not Mr. and Mrs. Smith?

I'm saying we're Mr. and Mrs. Kingston.

Whose daughter was one

of hundreds of thousands of Americans

who died of an opioid overdose.

And, yes, Jacobson
Moore hid the documents,

but that's not your responsibility.

You could just be like
everybody else and...

... grieve.

[SOBS]

I won't get another chance.

If I stop now, I'll always regret it.

I have to keep going,

I owe it to Ellie.

No.

What you owe to Ellie
is to take care of Alfie.

He's our second chance.

And I need you

to be here to help raise him.

Today was a sign, Matty.

It was a warning sign.

Okay.

Look what I found.

I haven't worn it since we lost.

Time to bring it back.

[SIGHS]

You okay?

I just hope it was worth it.

It was. Or it will be.

Thank you for tonight.

You can go.

No, I can't.

I shouldn't have left you before...

and I'm not leaving now.

Good, because...

[EXHALES] I had a whole
speech I was gonna do.

Don't need it.

If we weren't keeping
it professional at work,

I would tell you how sexy
you look in that suit.

And I would say that
I feel very different

from the last time I wore it.

I'm pivoting.

I want to do cases where
I can actually help people,

less corporate litigation.

There is no way Senior will agree.

He will if I'm the one asking.

Is that what this is
about? Showing me up?

Because I'm really not
buying this sudden passion

- for helping anyone other than yourself.
- I don't care what you buy.

- Ah!
- Oh!

Watch where you're going.

You're not the only
damn person on Earth.

[EXHALES]

I just... I want my
life to feel meaningful.

You used to think your
life was meaningful

by being in a family with me.

I want a divorce.

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

[EXHALES] It's gonna be
hard to keep this a secret.

Undercover operations are sexy, baby.

EDWIN: Today was a sign, Matty.

If you were working on Wellbrexa,

that might be a different story,

- but you're not close to it at all.
- [ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

- I can't help it.
- What? Stop.

Matty!

Oh, I was just about to
come talk to both of you

about my time here.

That's actually what we
wanted to talk to you about.

JULIAN: Four words, Matty.

You're going to pharma.

JULIAN: I've got a new
case with Wellbrexa,

- and I'm bringing you on.
- OLYMPIA: You've earned it.

OLYMPIA: So, what did you
want to talk to us about?

MATTY: Exactly that.

I wanted my shot.

This must be a sign.

I'm right where the
universe wants me to be.