02x07 - Woolly Bear Caterpillar

[bunniefuu]

[sighs]

Alex:
My sauce is too wet.

Put chia seeds
in it.

The pasta's ready
but the sauce
looks like soup.

You gotta put
chia seeds in it.

It shouldn't be this hard
to make Bolognese.

Why are you ignoring
my chia seeds?

'Cause it's not
a real suggestion,
Nicholas.

They're thickeners.
I'm always putting
chia seeds in sh*t.

What? You never...

Oh, you never
noticed my chias?

I'm not putting that
in my mom's Bolognese.

Why?

Because you know
it's not normal

to put chia seeds
in meat.

I don't think
I do know that.

You're actually
gaslighting me right now.

I'm not gaslighting you.

I just read an article
about Omega-3s once.

-Fine.
-Yeah.

Put the chia seeds in.

[humming happily]

You know
that in our society,

this is a
confronting thing
you're doing.

I don't know
about society.

-Yes, you do.
-Nope.

I'm just
a silly little lamb.

You're not a lamb.

Kidding! I'm Nicholas!

And I'm the silliest
little lamb.

I'm gonna go and do
some lamb things.

I'm gonna go,
and I'm gonna suck
on my mum's boobies

and then I'm gonna grow up
big and strong.

What are you
even saying?

Oh, no. I've got a case
of the sillies, don't I?

Yeah, I think you've got
a case of the sillies.

[grunts]

♪

Ooh-la-la.

Nicholas:
Swish, right?

I thought this table
was for stacks of mail,

but it's so much more.

-[chuckling]
-Stop, okay? It's nothing.

I just made some food,

and we're all gonna eat it
at the same time.

Are we about to start
Nicholas' intervention?

Well, I can't wait
to find out what for.

Probably mimosas.

Just too many mimosas.

No friends, it's because
he has no friends.

No adults have friends.
Okay?

I need you guys
to focus.

I have a real-world problem.

What, Oscar's not still
calling you, is he?

Just so much.

Very creative voice mails.

Yesterday he said his mom
was gonna kick him out

if he didn't get a job

and then asked
to clean our pool.

Oh. It would be nice
to have the pool cleaned.

-I just cleaned it.
-Nicholas: Ehh.

There's a few leaves
in there, babe.

No, there is.
There's a few leaves
in there.

That-that's not the problem
I need help with.

I have an announcement.

No, no, no, no, no, Matilda.

We're doing mine first.

Matilda:
Is it Oscar again?

We get it, Genevieve,
he's obsessed with you.

[Nicholas and Alex laugh]

It is not Oscar.
It's Barb.

Oh, no, not Barb.

Maybe we should let
Matilda go first.

-Yes.
-What is it? Is Barb okay?

No, Barb is not okay.

Because...

last night she posted

her just terrible film
and TV assignment
on Facebook

and her grandma
clicked "like."

-No.
-Mm-hmm.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

Why "Oh, no"?

Genevieve:
Well, it's quite strange

for her grandma to do anything,

since according to Barb

she died of COVID
two weeks ago.

-Oh, no.
-We sent her flowers.

-Oh, no.
-We sent her $118
worth of flowers.

Are you finished?
Can I go now?

Not yet, Matilda.
I'm sorry, not yet.

The school
put her grandma

in the "thoughts and prayers"
section of the newsletter.

She owes me a $118.

She told me
she was so sad

I had to leave her
on video chat

while she fell asleep
the other night.

Well, that was
sweet of you.

Incorrect.

Genevieve:
I don't know what to do.

No one at school's
talking to her

and she wants me to call her
but I'm angry at her, too.

You gotta put her in the bin.

-What? No!
-Nicholas: Yep.

Barb in the bin!
Barb in the bin!

Why does Genevieve
get so long?

Alex:
No, you can't put
Barb in the bin.

She just
made a mistake.

She told me I was the only one
who could understand

because of Dad.

Nicholas:
Well, that right there
is pretty good evidence

that actually we can, in fact,
put Barb in the bin.

Wait.

Just wait, okay?

Wh-what's going on
with her?

'Cause, like,
you know sometimes

when people do
cry for attention

the attention they need
is for something else.

No, there's
nothing else.

She's just bored
because she's Barb.

What? You don't know that.

Definitely because
she's bored.

Fine.

Are you a little
bit furious?

I just don't understand

why you're so dismissive
of my ideas.

Now that's not true.

We bought that air fryer,

that was your idea,
remember that?

Do you remember the air fryer?

Matilda:
I can't wait any longer.

Everyone, I've decided
to ask Drea to marry me.

What?

Matilda:
We're ready now.

We proved that
we can be independent

at our night at the cabin.

Alex: Hmm.

Uh, okay.

Well, when exactly
will you be asking?

I've arranged
for Suze to take Drea

to breakfast
tomorrow morning

so I can ask Toby
for her hand in marriage.

Tomorrow?

-Hmm.
-Nicholas: Oh! [sighs]

Matilda, don't you think
you're a bit young?

Yes, we are so very lucky

that we found each other
at such a young age.

Most people with autism
don't get married

and I didn't wanna be
another statistic.

And I don't wanna be
depressed again.

Okay. Those reasons
are good,

but do you love her?

Yes, we're good together.

We don't fight
nearly as much as you two.

Alex: Okay, um...

Well, do you think this
will be a short engagement

or like a long...
longer one?

I need to find
the ring first.

But my problem is...

I have to spend
three months' salary on a ring,

but I don't even have a job.

[laughs]

I'm asking Toby
at 9:00 a.m.

I need you to drive.

♪

Nicholas?

Okay.

♪

Matilda:
Okay.

Wish me luck.

He's gonna say
no, right?

Yeah, he is, isn't he?
He is.

We don't know
anything about Toby.

This is gonna be
the first time

anyone in our family has
ever asked Toby a question.

We could never have known
what Toby thinks would matter.

Ooh.

[doorbell dinging]

Ah, hello, Matilda.

Hello,
Mr. Stevens.

Is everything
all right?

Is Drea gone?

Yes, yes. She and Suze
went for breakfast,

somewhere at least five miles
from the house.

May I come in?

Of course. Of course.

What are we
hoping for here?

-[Nicholas chuckles]
-For him to say no?

Are we hoping that

our autistic sister
runs out of there sobbing?

When you say it
like that it sounds like
we're not good people

but we're good people,
aren't we?

We're fine.

Mr. Stevens, I'm sure
I don't have to tell you...

what a great girl
you have here.

-Who, you?
-No. Drea.

Oh, yes.

Yes, absolutely.
I agree.

Can I ask you...

have I been
inappropriate
in any way?

I don't understand.

Have I made you
feel uncomfortable?

Unsafe around me?

-Not at all.
-Okay.

I'm just gonna
text Suze

because that was
her first thought,

that I had
overstepped somewhere.

I just wanna assure...

I'm sorry,
what was the question?

Drea is
a very unique girl.

She deserves to be

cherished, nurtured
and respected

until she dies.

Yes.

I-I agree.

She's not gonna, like,
see this through, is she?

She slashed the wires
of her piano.

She sees things through.

She sees
things through, yep.

Can I whisper
a question to you?

[whispering] Yes.

Is there a chance Drea
could access the family trust?

Well, I don't know.

Yeah, I don't know.

I know how precious
she is to you

which is why I don't ask
this question lightly.

And what question
would that be, dear?

Will you give me
your blessing

to take your
daughter's hand
in marriage?

Oh!

Oh, Matilda...
Oh, I'm...

Oh, Matilda.
I can't answer that.

The tradition of asking
the father's permission

dates back
to ancient Rome

where the groom would
offer the father a coin.

This feels like
a long time

to tell a teenage girl
they can't get married, Toby.

Hope he knows what happens
to people who are never told no.

Does he know about
Justin Bieber or Kim Jong-un?

We should never have
let this happen.

How? She literally threatened us
with her depression.

[grunts]

So the idea that I could
give my daughter away

speaks to a time when
the patriarch had to consider

the financial implications
of a marriage.

But today,

the ritual of asking
a father's permission...

it really isn't necess...

Is Nicholas
okay with this?

He drove me here.

So...

is that a yes?

I actually can't
think about it anymore.

What will you
think about instead?

I don't know.

You're lying.
You got something.

-I don't have--
-Give it to me.

What do you got?

Why don't we think about
chocolate babka?

-Yeah.
-Yeah?

-Yeah.
-Oh!

He said yes!

-Toby: Nicholas.
-Oh.

-Hi.
-Toby: I was telling Matilda

that it's not a tradition
I agree with,

but, you know what?

She's my daughter
and I'll cry if I want to.

Congratulations!

-Nicholas: Thank you.
-Toby: Bye-bye.

Okay. Seat belts.

-Matilda: Yes.
-Nicholas: Okay.

♪

I just really thought
he was gonna say no.

I brought lamingtons.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

This is what's
gonna happen.

I can't do anything,
because Drea doesn't know.

Toby doesn't do anything
because Toby is useless.

Which means this falls
on your shoulders.

My shoulders
are too soft for this.

You're gonna
take her some cake,

you're gonna do your best
to explain to her

that decisions
made by teenagers are bad,

and then simply say
"Matilda, it's a no."

-I can't do that.
-Suze: Yes.

You can, you can.

-I can't do that.
-You can! You can and you will!

No, she'll disappear
into her bedroom again.

Then you'll
get her out again.

There is no
easy road here.

The only person who had
an easy out was Toby,

and he blew it 'cause
he's obsessed with love.

Well, that's what
I keep coming back to too.

Don't we think that love
is like pretty good?

Stop making excuses.

I'm not
making excuses.

I just don't feel like
I'm allowed, okay?

Like, I'm not their dad,
they didn't vote me in charge.

Nicholas,
are you asking me

to talk to Matilda
for you?

Because that's
the only other way

I can
think of helping.

We both agree
the teenagers,

the 18-year-olds,

shouldn't be
getting married,
right?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

So, am I talking
to Matilda for you?

Is that what
you're asking me?

No.

I don't think it's tradition
for the mother-in-law

to call off the wedding.

Nicholas, you're
a surprisingly tall man.

Your boyfriend
is a trained dentist.

You have everything
in the world going for you,

plus a thick piece of paper
somewhere

saying that you're in charge
of these little women.

I actually haven't been able
to find that piece of paper.

Can you do this?

♪

So I was thinking...

Um...

You know all the people
who got married

from my high school at 18
were, like, very Christian,

and I'm pretty sure
the only reason

why they got
married actually

was so they could have sex,
but that's, um...

That's not really
a problem for you,
is it?

Because you've had sex

with two people
in the last month.

Both named Ian.

Yeah, I have.

Hmm.

And, you know, I...

I was just thinking
about how, um...

You know,
you know,

relationships when
they're meant to be...

that, um...

You don't have to
really prove anything.

Do you?
You know, they-they...

they sort of just last.

Uh... do you know
what I mean?

I think so.

Matilda, I don't think
you should propose to Drea.

You don't want me
to get married.

Not now. No.
'Cause you're 18.

And I've already
found my one.

I'm lucky.

Do you know
who I'd be with

if I had married my "the one"
when I was 18?

I'd be with a woman.

A woman named
Sally Swensen.

Do you think just
because I'm autistic

that means I don't know
whether I'm in love or not?

No.

Matilda, that is
not what this is.

You're 18.
to get married.

That's it.
That's the whole story.

Do you know who else
got married when they were 18?

My mum.

This really
isn't your decision.

I can make decisions
for myself.

Oh, it's just...

Suze wanted me
to talk to you about it.

You talked to Suze?

What? What did you
say about me?

Nothing.
She was just worried.

Then why
is she worried?

Did you
make her worried?

She's worried about her

teenage daughter
getting married.

[voice breaking]
Why can't you just...

support me?

Why can't any of you
just support me?

I am supporting you.

Okay? This is that.

This is what
that looks like.

You don't know
what I need better
than I do.

I love Drea
and I wanna do this.

If you don't like it,
then just...

stay out of it.

I can't stay out of it.

I actually can't.
I'm sorry.

I can't.
Not this time.

Okay? This is
too big a thing.

You can't get married
at 18.

It's a mistake.
I'm sorry.

But the answer's no.

No, you cannot
propose to Drea.

Get out of my room.

It's actually better.

I'm being the mean
disapproving brother.

I'm giving you
young forbidden love.

I hate you.

-Babe.
-You don't know

what I need better
than I do.

I just wish I could
make you feel...

how I do about Drea
so you would understand.

Matilda...

Get... out!

[Matilda sobbing]

[sobbing continues]

♪

♪

Nicholas: Oh, come on.

I brought you to a room
of tiny hidden secrets

and we have a key
to one of them.

This is Narnia-level sh*t.

Matilda: I know what
a safety deposit room is.

I've seen movies.

Come on.

Just stand here.
Okay?

All right.

Put that down.

Put that down.

-Matilda: Mm!
-Nicholas: Thank you.

-Look.
-What is it?

What this is...
is it's a very cute idea

by your dad,
Darren Moss.

Are you ready?

Are those mine?

Yeah, some
of them, look.

That one's
for your 21st.

This... this...

Genevieve's
getting on her 21st.

This right here
is for your baby. Ugh.

What did you get?

Yeah.

Um... I don't
get anything.

Yeah, I asked him
and he said

I get to be
the keeper of the box.

Do you think he
made that up on the day?

Uh, definitely, yes.
Very hurtful.

Quite a painful day
for me, actually.

Um, can I feel mine to see

if it's heavier
than Genevieve's?

No, absolutely not.

All you're here
to look at today is this.

What is it?

Well, sorta the theater
of it is

that you know what it is
without me having to tell you.

Open it.

Oh!

Yeah.

There's only one of these

in the whole world.

Okay?

If you decide to give

your mum's
wedding ring to Drea,

that's the only time
in your life

you're gonna
get to do that.

That's the only person

you're ever gonna
get to do that with.

I thought the diamond
was bigger.

I guess it looked bigger
when I was four.

So...

If I'm gonna let you
make this decision
for yourself,

I need to make sure
that you've got all
the same information as me.

Right? I need to make sure
that you understand

the significance of it.

This isn't just a ring.

This is the story
of your family.

I just wanna make sure that

that's the story that you
want Drea to be a part of.

Yes.

Yes, you just
explained it to me.

Better than
I understood it myself.

I want Drea to be
part of my family.

-Right.
-I mean, there's not many of us.

We can add one.

-Okay.
-Really?

Okay, yeah.

Thank you!

I think the ring
looks prettier on me.

We can get Drea
something else.

[laughs]
Sure.

Of course.

♪

-Run me through it again.
-Okay, so, um...

I was supposed to talk her
out of proposing.

-Yes.
-But instead what I did was

I gave her her
dead mother's wedding ring.

-To propose with?
-And my full support.

And why did you do that?

I don't know.

Is it because
you're incapable?

Yeah.

Yeah, I think
that might be it.

-Yeah.
-Yeah, yeah.

-Didn't you say there was
another reason, though?
-Mm-hmm.

-Wh... What was it you said?
-Mm-hmm.

I think you could
just put it down
to me being a bozo.

-Yes.
-Hmm.

-You told her...
-Yeah.

...to get married
because you're "a bozo"?

-Bozo, yeah.
-[laughing]

That's right.

Okay, Alex,

remind me again why
it's the right thing to do,

to call Barb back?

Look, she's going through
a hard time,

you're not going through
a hard time.

You can spare her
a bit of your sanity.

Right?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah. Okay.

Oh. Yeah.

Do you need me
to dial for you?

-Yes.
-Okay.

-Please. Thank you.
-Mm-hmm.

[chuckling]

[line ringing]

Barb [over voice mail]:
Hi, please leave
a message for me.

-Oh. It's going to voice mail.
-This is Barb.

-[beeps]
-[whispering] No.

-[inaudible]
-Go on.

Go on.

[groans]

Uh, um...

[line disconnects]

No.

No.

No, what
just happened?

Now-now I've called her

and I left a voice mail of me

breathing into her phone.

Okay, well,
I guess that means

you have to call her back
and apologize.

Can't believe
she didn't pick up the phone.

And now she has all the power.