05x08 - The Bubble

[bunniefuu]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[BOTH LAUGHING]

- I’m nervous.
- I’m a little nervous.

[SULTRY POP MUSIC]

♪ I’ll never be the same ♪

We can’t go back
to how we were after this.

I hope not.

You remember the first time
I saw you in the office?

You were wearing
this beautiful navy suit.

You looked so tall and important.

♪ Off of one touch I could overdose ♪

♪ You said "stop playing it safe" ♪

♪ "Girl, I wanna see you
lose control" ♪

First time I saw you,
you were having lunch

at your desk and reading
"Look Homeward, Angel."

And I thought... "Who does that?"

♪ ♪

I do.

♪ It’s you, babe ♪

♪ And I’m a sucker for the way
that you move, babe ♪

♪ And I could try to run,
but it would be useless ♪

♪ You’re to blame,
just one hit of you ♪

♪ I know I’ll never be the same ♪

♪ It’s you, babe ♪

♪ And I’m a sucker for the way
that you move, babe ♪

♪ And I could try to run ♪

[BOTH LAUGHING]

♪ You’re to blame ♪

♪ Just one hit of you ♪

♪ I know I’ll never,
ever, ever be the same ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I’ll never be the same ♪

♪ I’ll never be the same ♪

- I’ll call you Christmas Eve.
- If you can.

- I know you have the girls.
- Yeah.

And I’ll see you in ten days.

Safe trip.

♪ Maybe you were thinking of me ♪

♪ ’Cause all the bells are ringing ♪

- Bye.
- Okay, bye.

[SIGHS]

♪ Strolling down the city streets ♪

[MESSAGE NOTIFICATION]

♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪

_

♪ Oh-oh-oh... ♪

[SIGHS]

♪ Let’s do the avenues ♪

♪ Your hand in mine,
my wish come true ♪

_

♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ ♪

- Hey.
- Hey! Happy new year, Zane.

Happy new year, Liza. Kelsey.

- Brr.
- [SCOFFS]

It has been like that
ever since Jake kicked him

- off the book.
- Maybe he’d be less angry

if he knew how much time you spent

editing that thing over the holidays.

- Doubt it.
- Hello, ladies.

- How was everyone’s break?
- It was great.

- Exhausting.
- I know exactly what you mean.

Enzo and I overslept
and overate, so now I’m

on a cleanse, which means no coffee.

So don’t expect me to be
my normal, cheery self.

- Uh...
- Oh, look who’s back.

Hey... Whoa...

Happy new year to you all.

Happy new year.

Very, uh, becoming, Charles.

Kelsey, I read the, uh,
the Jake Devereux chapters.

- They’re excellent.
- Really?

Candid, funny.

- Great job.
- Thank you so much.

Diana, I’ll send you the file.

You have to read it.
I think this one is worth

rushing to publication. I, uh,

- I think it’s gonna be big.
- Then I can’t wait.

Oh, by the way, Sophia Bell
is coming in this morning

to pitch her book.
She’s like the new Dr. Ruth.

Great. I will, uh, see you all

at the meeting.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- Dear God, that beard.
- You know what they say.

Men who grow beards
are hiding something.

Yes, generally crumbs.

Liza, coffee... No.

No coffee.

[PEPPY POP MUSIC]

[LAUGHS]

[MESSAGE NOTIFICATION]

_

♪ ♪

We need to talk.

We? Hmm.

I don’t need anything from you.

Okay, Zane...

We still have to work together.

We are working in the same office,

but let’s be clear.

We’re not working together, Kelsey.

You used whatever you had
to get Devereux

all to yourself, all right?

You screwed me, and then
you screwed me over.

Wow...

[SAUCY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Hi...

Hi.

I missed you.

I missed you too.

Can I see you tonight?

Yes, of course.

So I’ll leave first, and, uh...

and I’ll wait for you
in front of the...

the public library.

- : .
- Okay.

Sophia Bell is in the conference room.

- Oh, yeah, I was just, um...
- Yeah.

I was just telling Charles that.

Uh, so I guess that’s it.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

For too long, couples were told

that open communication is the key

to an enduring relationship.

Now they’ll know the truth.

Love is actually fueled...

by mystery.

Mystery is where the erotic thrives.

A healthy relationship
should feel a little illicit.

Then the question is, what’s the line

between dangerous and destructive?

What? What is it?

Chapter .

- Oh.
- [ALL CHUCKLE]

But, um, doesn’t real intimacy

ultimately require
real honesty and openness?

No, think of intimacy as a place

instead of a condition.

A place that you go to
only with your partner.

And it’s secluded, it’s private.

It’s like your bubble.
And when you’re together

in that bubble, then...
then what is more exciting

than sharing your secrets?

[SULTRY MUSIC]

You’ll hear from us very soon.

Okay. Thank you, Charles.

- Thank you.
- Talk then.

Bye.

♪ ♪

[MESSAGE NOTIFICATION]

_

Please tell me you’re going
to Lauren’s for dinner tonight.

- Sorry, what?
- Lauren.

She’s throwing a dinner
for this girl that she’s

crazy about, but Jake’s in town,

so I can’t go.
Please tell me you can go.

- Oh, tonight?
- Yeah.

Oh, um...

S-sorry, I’m busy tonight.

[SIGHS]

[THRILLING POP MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[UPBEAT POP MUSIC]

So where’d you meet this girl, anyway?

Uh, you know, I was at
a BAM event where, uh,

Miranda July interviewed
Natalie Portman,

and the hottest little blonde
just stood up...

- [SIGHS]
- And asked Natalie a question

in the most beautiful Hebrew that I...

- I soaked my shorts.
- Bam. Mm.

- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- [GASPS]

Okay, um... [CLEARS THROAT]

Panty lines? Stuff in my teeth?

Uh, you’re good.

[SHARP EXHALE]

- Oh. Hi.
- Hi.

- Hi.
- I brought eggplant parmesan.

Thank you, Maggie, wow.
But, uh, I cooked.

I know. But you want to impress

- this girl, right?
- Ooh hoo hoo!

- Hi.
- Hi, Maggie.

- Place looks great.
- Yeah, right?

Mm, yum.

[PEPPY POP MUSIC]

♪ ♪

- Hi.
- Hi.

[SIGHS]

We probably shouldn’t.

Right.

In fact, we should probably talk about

how this is going to work.

We should.

But can I ask you a favor?

Of course.

Can we stay in our bubble...
just for tonight?

Oh, my God. Yes, please.

Yeah?

- Then I have an idea.
- Okay.

Come on.

[NOSTALGIC POP MUSIC]

What is this?

The SeaGlass Carousel.

I love it. [LAUGHS]

You ready to take a ride?

♪ ♪

♪ I’d like to stay ♪

♪ But I couldn’t stay with you ♪

♪ I have to go ♪

♪ I have a lot I want to do ♪

♪ Pleasures be waiting by the sea ♪

♪ With a smile
for all the world to see ♪

♪ Feel us shaking ♪

♪ ♪

- Hey.
- Hi.

- Ugh, sorry I’m late.
- That’s okay.

Hey. [LAUGHS]

- So, uh...
- I thought we were

going to eat. Are we going

- to someone’s apartment?
- Yeah, um, my apartment.

- What?
- I put a bid on a place

in this building, and I wanted
you to be the first to see it.

’Cause, well, I’m hoping
you’ll be spending

a lot of time there.

Oh. Are you moving to New York?

I am up for Charlie Rose’s old gig.

What? Oh, my God, that’s amazing.

- That’s... that’s huge.
- Yeah...

Look, even if the CBS thing
doesn’t happen, it’s...

you know, I think I should have
a New York presence.

Uh, there’s just
so much opportunity out here.

- Yeah.
- But, look,

realtor gave me the keys, so, come on.

Jake, um...

I need to press pause.

You’re amazing...

but I’ve made this mistake before.

- What mistake?
- Getting involved with people

that I work with.

You mean Zane? [STAMMERING]

I mean, I’m developing a pattern here

that I would like to break.

Okay? Let’s just cool things off

until the book comes out, and then...

we can see where we’re at after that.

You breaking up with me?

Let me be there for you professionally.

As your editor.

[SIGHS] Wow.

- Curveball.
- [BOTH SIGH]

Look, the book is so amazing.
I’m so excited about it.

It’s gonna be huge for you
and huge for Millennial.

So let’s push this thing
past the finish line together,

and then we can see where we’re at.

Okay.

Thank you for your honesty.

I know that’s probably
a really tough thing to say.

Yeah, it was.

And I hope you understand.

[INHALES]

You still want to grab a bite to eat?

[CHEERFUL POP MUSIC]

Maggie, what do you think?
What do you think?

Group or separate?

I think you should down that red wine

- and take half a Xanax.
- [KNOCK ON DOOR]

[GASPS] Okay, okay, no...

I got it, I got it. I got it, I got it.

[SHARP INHALE]

[GASPS] You made it, hi.

- Hi.
- Gosh, I love those shoes!

- Oh, thank you.
- Come in, you look gorgeous.

- Thank you.
- You’re welcome.

Um, this is my roommate Josh,
and that’s Maggie.

- Malkie.
- What is this?

What, do you two know each other?

- Yeah, we used to go out.
- Really?

- Mm-hmm.
- Huh.

Oh, well, you know,
it’s a small community.

[AWKWARD LAUGHTER]
Okay, let me take your coat.

And, uh, is red wine okay with you?

[CLEARS THROAT]

- Mm.
- So, Maggie.

When do you plan
to put your tomatoes in?

Oh, I’m not doing
the community garden this year.

I’m going to do a rooftop garden.

Oh, that sounds right.

- What do you mean?
- Just that you seem to like

doing the loner thing, that’s all.

What are you insinuating?

- How’s the salmon?
- Uh, it’s de...

Malkie, if you’ve got
something to say to me,

why don’t you say it to my face?

Okay.

You’re a middle-aged woman
who’s scared to let anyone in.

You love the fun of the chase,
but you never want to get real.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

I... I... I gotta go.

- Maggie...
- It’s what you do best.

[SIGHS] Oof, uh...

You okay?

Yeah, I just... Call me tomorrow.

Hey, I... I am so sorry.

- I feel awful, I didn’t...
- No, I’m so embarrassed.

I-I did not expect it to just, like...

Really, it’s okay. It’s okay.

I mean she... she really hurt you, huh?

No, no, I’m... I’m...

I’m over it.

So, um...

should we get some more wine,
or just...

Let’s smoke a joint. You wanna...

Josh.

Hey.

I had the most magical night.

Don’t make fun, but there’s
this carousel in Battery Park...

What’s wrong?

Lauren...

is Malkie’s new girlfriend.

- Shiksa-in-the-Mikveh Malkie?
- Yep.

Wait, I thought you broke up with her.

I know. I know I did.

- Oh, Maggie.
- [SIGHS]

I know.

And... and she said I had issues.

Do you think I have issues?

We all have issues.

We’re all scared
to put our hearts out there.

[MELLOW INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

But the good things only happen
when we risk

letting the bad stuff happen, too.

I know.

[HEAVY POP MUSIC]

So I cooled things off with Jake.

- Oh, is that a good thing?
- Oh, yeah.

The next time I decide to sleep
with somebody from work,

- please slap me.
- [LAUGHS] Will do.

Good morning, Millennial Print.

BOTH: Good morning.

Why is he in such a good mood?

[SIGHS] I just heard from
Reese Witherspoon’s person.

They are moving
our meeting today to lunch.

Awesome! Ladies who power-lunch,

am I right?

- What?
- I am on a cleanse,

that’s what.

- [MESSAGE NOTIFICATION]
- _

Uh, excuse me.

I thought you weren’t drinking coffee.

I’m just smelling it.

[PEPPY POP MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I wanted to apologize for last night.

Oh, Maggie, it’s okay.

I mean, you did ruin my party,
but you didn’t

- do it by yourself.
- Well, I hope you had fun

without me and that
you keep seeing her.

- She’s a great girl.
- Maggie, she left right after

- you did, practically in tears.
- She did?

Yes! And I don’t see people

who are stuck on their exes, okay?

Really, I don’t think
I’m the one you should

be giving these flowers to. Take them.

[LAUGHS] Go get her!

Good luck.

My white tiger.

- All right.
- Go.

[UPBEAT POP MUSIC]

♪ Hey, I spy a little piece of heaven ♪

♪ By the door, I’m sure ♪

♪ You’ve never been second ♪

♪ Hey, I got you and me together ♪

- Hi.
- Hey.

They knocked down the hardware store.

Last week.

Now I have to look at that ugly wall

- until the ground thaws.
- Yeah, well, at least it’s not

- a Duane Reade.
- It’s going to be.

- Oh.
- [BOTH LAUGH]

Listen, I just...

I wanted to apologize
about the way things ended.

I guess I just got scared.

Yeah.

Think you’d ever want
to try things again?

Maggie...

relationships are about doing the work.

I know that. I know that, and I...

[SIGHS] I’m ready to do the work.

I... I want to do the work.

I know you think you do,

but honestly...

I don’t know if you can.

[DOOR CHIME RINGS]

The flowers are really beautiful.

Thank you.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Bye.

Bye.

[PEPPY POP MUSIC]

Thank you so much.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Jake. Great to see you.

Yeah, you, too. Thanks for meeting me.

Well, we uh...

we couldn’t be more excited
about your book.

And, uh, I think America
is ready for some

political optimism.

I’m glad you said that, ’cause...

So, I was thinking.
The broad appeal of the book,

it may be underserved by such a...

a niche imprint like Millennial.

- Really?
- Yeah. Look...

Kelsey... she is not a bad editor.

She’s just... she’s a little green.

And I... Honestly, I... I feel like

the book belongs at Empirical.

Thanks.

Thank you.

[JAZZY POP MUSIC]

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

I am so sorry I haven’t
caught you guys up earlier.

Netflix development has stalled
’cause they’re just not sure

- about a second season.
- But I thought they wanted it

- to be a limited mini-series.
- Well, they do,

but just in case it’s a big hit,

they kind of want to see
where it can go.

Well, that’s really more
of a question for Pauline.

Yes, exactly. Which is why

I have invited her here for lunch.

- Hi!
- Oh, hi!

- So nice to see you again.
- Thank you.

[LAUGHS] Hi, Diana.

- Hello, Liza.
- Pauline, what a surprise.

Now that we’re all here together...

- [LAUGHTER]
- I am so excited to hear about

these "Marriage Vacation" characters.

Oh, well, I... I haven’t given it

too much thought, but...

I guess a sequel would have
to be all about divorce.

New York style.

- Kate and Karl would split up.
- What? Why?

Well, Kate discovers that
her husband is secretly in love

with someone else.

Who?

A two-faced young assistant
in his company.

Oh... my God.

- I know.
- Karl, with an assistant?

Seems like he’d be drawn
to a more accomplished woman.

You know, someone who is
at least department head.

- Mm.
- Right, you might think so.

But this assistant is so cheerful

and innocent-looking,
she charms everyone

in the company.

I mean, she’s the kind
of woman who smiles

right in Kate’s face;
even pretends they’re friends.

And she steals her husband

and takes him away from his children.

Oh, this is good. Shailene Woodley

- is gonna eat this up.
- Mm-hmm.

Maybe the assistant was actually trying

to help Kate and Karl
repair their marriage.

That’s a stretch.

- Uh... W... Go on.
- Maybe the assistant

was doing everything she could
to help them get back together.

But Karl couldn’t get over
the fact that Kate left him

and left her own children
for an entire year.

Yes, well, that is the...
the comforting fantasy

that the assistant
tells herself at night.

Not just comforting, but truthful.

To the characters.

Yeah. I’m not buying it.

I think my version is more believable.

And I think that when Kate
finds out about the affair,

- she might want revenge.
- [GASPS]

- Yes!
- No.

I don’t think that the audience
would like that.

- [MURMURING]
- Think they might want it.

Liza, stop telling Pauline
what to write.

Oh, that’s okay.

That’s okay. It’s always...

interesting to hear
another point of view.

Even if it’s hard to swallow.

[TENSE MUSIC]

You wanted to see me?

Yeah, come on in.

I, uh wanted to run something by you.

Yeah, of course.

What do you think
about making Devereux’s book

an Empirical title?

Makes sense
from a marketing perspective,

and it’s not as if Empirical
wasn’t a part of the process.

I mean, and... and you had a...
a big hand in the...

the architecture of the book, right?

I would love to take credit.

But Kelsey practically
invented that book.

She definitely rewrote it.

Yeah, this one’s hers.

[CHUCKLES]

Okay.

Then it, uh, stays with Millennial.

[PHONE BUZZING]

Excuse me.

[DOOR OPENS]

Hello?

Hi.

We need to talk.

[UPBEAT POP MUSIC]

♪ ♪

- Hi.
- I, um...

I have to tell you something.
I saw Pauline today.

I know. I did, too.

She wants to make a deal.

She will keep quiet about us,
and in return

she wants the option
to her sequel back.

She says she can get double
at Random House.

Well, that can’t work.

What would we tell Kelsey?

I’ll tell her it’s part
of my divorce settlement.

Which is true.

I-I can’t believe
you’re doing all this for me.

Us.

[SIGHS]

I just want to stay in our bubble.

[SWEET INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

As long as we can.

♪ ♪

Okay. [SIGHS]

I just have... I just
have one question.

Do... do bubbles
have to be so scratchy?

- Oh...
- [LAUGHS]

Oh, s... so the bubble
has conditions, now?

- A small one.
- Yeah, well...

Okay. I can work with it.

[LAUGHS]

♪ ♪

♪ Show me what you got ♪

♪ Show me what you got ♪

♪ Show me what you got ♪

Yes.

- Looks good, yeah.
- Our first collaboration.

- Oh, yeah.
- Yes! Amazing.

- Thank you,
- You’re welcome.

Yeah, babe.

Oh, she’s coming.

- Good luck.
- Later, thanks.

[WHIMSICAL POP MUSIC]

♪ ♪

♪ Whoo! ♪

♪ ♪

I can do the work.

♪ ♪

- What do you think?
- I love it.

- I got you, right?
- You got me, girl.

- [LAUGHS]
- You got me.

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SIGHS] Get me three almonds

and some hot water with lemon.

He shaved.

[UPBEAT POP MUSIC]

Morning.

Wonder who he did that for?

♪ ♪