♪ ♪
(ALL SHOUTING)
Hey.
Julia's wrapping up.
We should head home.
They should've taken us to the hospital.
(SIGHS) Liam, the EMTs cleared us.
Well, at least the -hour hold.
MRIs.
What if there's internal bleeding?
A-And-and it's-it's internal
so that, you know, we can't see it.
Internal. Right, that... You mentioned.
Uh, hey, Cassie said
Mama's making roast.
It's : in the morning.
As good a time as any. (CHUCKLES)
I haven't eaten in-in days. Have you?
No. Haven't slept, either.
- Every time I close my eyes...
- Okay, we-we...
we don't need to do any of that.
- Do what?
- Compare notes
about our time in... in there.
Liam... (SIGHS)
Listen.
Arrests are being made
all over the state.
Whoever they are, they're falling.
The thr*at is over.
You're safe, okay?
I'm safe, so let's not...
Compare notes?
- Cordell, we need to talk about this.
- We don't.
I promise. You'll-you'll see, in time,
it's better this way.
- Hey.
- Hey. You boys ready to go home?
Are we ever.
(GROANS, SIGHS)
(ENGINE STOPS)
Hey.
I'm so glad you guys are okay.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Abby is never letting either of you
- leave home again.
- (CHUCKLES)
Yeah, because this place is so safe.
Um, everybody's up at the ranch house.
Oh, we'll start heading up there.
WALKER: Yeah.
- I'm sorry.
- Hey.
- I'm so sorry.
- It's all right, it's okay.
Hey, it's all right.
It's all right.
Just, uh...
glad it was you out here.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Me too.
So no one had to see you like this.
The deep V?
You're-you're not digging
the-the deep V?
- Uh...
- Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- (GROANS)
- Let me... let me help.
So, what am I walking into?
Lot of weary eyes.
Sad cookies.
- I knew you'd make them.
- Mm-hmm.
But I mean, as-as far as...
everybody.
Are they okay?
Uh, I think that's up to you.
Hey, how's... how's Liam?
Uh, up to him. (CHUCKLES)
Yeah.
You've got this.
All right, let's go.
(DOOR CLOSES)
SEAN: So, this is the w*r hero, huh?
Mama, there she is...
Hey, gentle, gentle.
There you are.
I cannot believe you're
making a roast this late.
Or-or early, I guess.
Well, I-I'm sure you boys are
starving, and you're home.
- Thank God you are home.
- Sorry, of course.
Of course we're home.
We-we, uh... You can't get
rid of us that easily.
- Can't believe you're okay.
- WALKER: I'm good.
It happened, and I
just had this feeling.
No feelings, no feelings,
all right? Okay.
Okay, enough. We're good.
We're home. We're here.
We're fine. We're safe. Right, stinker?
- Yeah. Something like that.
- WALKER: Yeah.
Would've been home
a little bit earlier, uh,
but, uh, nice of y'all to wake up.
Mama, I would love to eat,
- if that's okay.
- Of course.
BONHAM: Let's go eat.
Yeah, let's go eat.
(BONHAM MUTTERS)
I'm all right, I'm all right.
I'm all right.
You know what? Hey, wait. H-Hold on.
Hold on, hold on.
I'm-I'm good. I'm good.
Hold on.. Uh, wait a second,
wait a second.
I-I got an idea.
And I-I think it might be a, um...
Matter of fact, I know it's a good idea.
Stella Blue, you never got the chance
to hear my graduation speech.
- Dear God, no.
- WALKER: This is gonna be fun.
Okay, okay, everybody, sit.
Sit, sit, please, please.
You, too. Sit. Sit. Sit.
Son, you sure you're okay?
I'm fine, Daddy. I'm-I'm fine.
Just my-my baby girl has to hear
her graduation speech.
I practiced.
Okay. (CLEARS THROAT) Stella.
There are moments a parent thinks about
from day one.
Your-your first words.
Uh, your-your first steps.
Really going for that
long-term retrospective, huh?
Hush, you.
Anyway, graduation has been
one of those moments.
Mostly because for years
we envisioned it alongside your mother.
She and I sitting together,
watching you cross that stage,
whispering to each other
about how much we wish
we had gotten rid of Augie first.
Okay, I thought that was
kind of a fun... Tough crowd.
Okay, okay, all right.
I guess what I'm trying to say is
even though your mother isn't here,
she would be so proud
of the woman you've become.
A Sauber woman, in just a few months.
Ready to conquer the world
and whatever mountain
- happens to come our way...
- Um, Dad.
- WALKER: In front of any...
- Cor-Cordi, stop. Look, s...
Oh. Oh. Aw, crap.
Uh, I think a stitch must've, uh...
Oh, sweetie. I got it.
It's fine. Mama, it's-it's... I'm not
done, uh, j... got to, uh...
I'm good. It's not...
Uh, uh...
Thank you, Dad.
It's good to have you home.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, it's good to be home.
Happy graduation.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
("MAKE UP" BY WIRETREE PLAYING)
♪ I've been talking about ♪
♪ And then words came in and hit me... ♪
- Sure you got it?
- AUGUST: I'm good.
♪ Running around with a glare... ♪
You?
(LAUGHS)
- Two plates.
- Two plates.
New max out, baby.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Nice.
Walker Beef's been dormant
for years, and
all I'm saying is head of cattle,
- we test the market.
- Well, maybe.
Artisanal cuts at a farmer's
market is all I'm hearing.
♪ To get through the lonely night ♪
♪ No one's gonna make you fall ♪
♪ The way that you made me fall... ♪
(SIGHS) Yep.
- (PHONE DINGS)
- ♪ You know there's a reason ♪
♪ Why I always lose control ♪
♪ Thought of you going away ♪
♪ Is too much to take ahold ♪
♪ I'm never gonna bring you down ♪
♪ The way that you brought me down. ♪
- (DOOR CLOSES)
- WALKER: Morning, Mama.
Morning, honey.
Hey.
It's fine. I've seen it.
Well, she has a way with words.
And she certainly took a liking to you,
which makes sense, given
what you went through in...
In... captivity?
(SHORT CHUCKLE) Mama, it's okay.
We can say it.
Doesn't mean I have to like it.
Are you sure you're fine?
That this smile isn't some kind of...
This smile isn't some kind of anything.
I'm tip-top, Mama.
Tip-top. Hey!
You all packed up?
Got to be on the road to Sauber
at sharp tomorrow.
Yeah, all done, just
emotionally prepare yourself
for all the luggage I'm bringing.
WALKER: I'm more worried about
emotionally preparing myself
for not tearing up when
I drop you off at college.
Okay, are we seriously
out of whey protein?
Get in some cardio, would you?
There's more down in the basement.
(CHUCKLES) Gramps,
you just don't understand.
Okay, Stella, that's not,
that's not cool.
Augie only has a little time
before he shows everybody
he got ripped over the summer.
But if you tilt your head just so,
- you maybe can...
- Okay, okay, okay, that's enough. That's enough.
Give it a rest. Give it a rest,
give it a rest, give it a rest.
Both of you knock it off.
If you don't, it's gonna make
for a very long road trip.
Speaking of, where are we at
on the Mustang?
Okay, so we called about that,
- and...
- okay, okay, okay, look, look.
Uh, th-this does not inspire confidence.
I'm gonna try that again.
Where are we at on the Mustang?
Deon swore the carburetor
would be here today, but...
- WALKER: The carburetor?
- I'll give him a call.
It's one thing after another
with this guy.
Hey, look, I get supply chain issues,
but two months, that's crazy.
- BONHAM: Yeah.
- (GROANS)
You're putting a lot of
this trip on a car, son.
Car? More like an antique
that won't fit the three
of you or luggage.
You know what, though?
That's why you have
a follow car. I got you, Stella.
It's not just a car. You know that...
I mean, how many times,
right here, did Emily talk about
taking the kids to college
in that Mustang?
And I'm not gonna let
some mechanic ruin that.
You tell Deon, come hell or high water,
that car is in the driveway
at : a.m. tomorrow.
- Yeah?
- It'll be here, Dad.
Great. See? How easy was that?
- And that's the positivity I'm looking for.
- (CHUCKLES): Yeah.
I'll take care of everything else.
Only thing now is,
uh, "go team" on three.
- (CLEARS THROAT) One, two...
- I got to go.
- three, go... team.
- (BONHAM LAUGHS)
♪ ♪
Uh, horseradish, onion salt.
- A splash of this.
- Oh, Dad.
More splash, less heavy hand.
These people need to make it
past halftime.
And, uh, Aunt Geri
is really particular with prep,
so you think you can take it from here?
Yeah, no, I got this. Um...
Hey, look, I've been meaning
to talk to you about something.
Wait, where you going?
I thought we were tag-teaming
this before your date night.
It's a day of dates, Dad.
Pumpkin patch in the a.m.
Live music for lunch.
And, if you don't mind,
a candlelit dinner back at our place.
Consider me MIA.
(CHUCKLES)
I got to get this right.
It's Stella's last weekend,
and today might be my last chance.
Your last chance for what?
A lot of our friends are
breaking up before college,
and I don't want to be on waiver wires.
I-I got to go. Uh, what was it
you needed to say?
Uh... nothing.
- I got this.
- Okay, yeah.
And please, make sure to check IDs,
even if it looks like they're .
This family does not need
any more trouble
from a guy on a one-day pinch hit.
Don't worry, I'm a bartender.
Watch this.
- Okay.
- (CHUCKLES): Okay. All right.
Yo, you drinking that?
(SCOFFS SOFTLY)
Oh, there was an obstacle course.
There was some bragging.
Mistakes were definitely made.
Eh, just a few more days
to James's hell week,
and you're done with training.
Another thing for me to look forward to.
(SHORT CHUCKLE)
How's it going in here?
Is everything all right?
Maybe that was
the wrong question to ask.
No, no, no. It's-it's okay.
Have you read it?
Electrocution and waterboarding?
I... just can't bring myself to do it.
Yeah, probably the better choice.
I mean, how does someone
come back from this...
this kind of t*rture?
You mean, how will Walker
come back from medical leave?
Yeah, I'm sure he's squared away.
Mandatory therapy and PT.
That was utterly unconvincing.
Ugh! It's because I'm unconvinced.
And at the same time,
I cannot somehow make
Walker being waterboarded about me.
Yeah, that'd be a real bad look.
Maybe this conversation
stays in this cubicle.
Yeah.
Look.
I fixed Walker's hand when
he came back too early,
and I tried to fix Micki's arm
when she went through barbed wire.
They hurt themselves.
But that could've just as easily
been the Ranger next to them.
So you're saying I'm not being selfish?
I'm saying that you should
know for yourself
if Walker's squared away.
(KNOCKING)
Hey. So, August is joining us today?
Love you, too, man.
We just got off the phone with Deon.
And it was not good.
We can't foot the bill anymore,
so I guess there's no kickback
to lie to dad for us.
COLTON: I've had a good tip week.
Maybe I can throw extra
to help keep up the charade
till you guys cross the Oregon border?
Okay, so kick the can?
No, buy us time.
For your date? Okay, cool.
So then whenever she's
chilling in her dorm,
I take the heat
for most of this? No, thanks.
Hey, no one's saying that.
Look, if I'm leaving
for Sauber tomorrow...
If?
I just mean... I can't
leave Augie with this.
I won't.
Okay, then what if we just...
rented a look-alike, right?
' Mustang? Dad's none the wiser.
No, I think he'd be the wiser.
You got a better plan you're sitting on?
Actually, I do.
We steal the real thing back.
What?
I've been doing some digging
the past few weeks.
I searched local hashtags,
and after some late-night scrolling
I found some car club
enthusiasts posting about it.
About her... the woman who robbed us.
Her handle's S-Nines,
and she's been using
Mom's Mustang to drag race.
Yeah, I-I've seen this
on a flyer at The Side Step.
Yeah, Desert Speed Wars.
Car shows, late-night races.
But, Stella,
you really think you want to go
and confront them?
I don't see any other way.
But also, this isn't your mess,
so I completely understand
if you don't want to get...
Just stop. I-I wouldn't miss
our last day for anything.
- Okay?
- Mm-hmm.
And this might be
the only child in me speaking,
but I am amazed at the lengths
you two have gone
to, like, keep this charade up.
I mean, we're talking
grand theft auto now?
Like, what won't you guys do
for your dad?
Well, I mean, you kind of
haven't seen him this summer.
And it's not GTA, it's...
it's taking back what's ours,
what's mine.
Thankfully, Uncle Hoyt
taught me a thing or two
about how to hot-wire.
♪ Hello, hello, oh. ♪
Hey.
How we looking on snacks...
is there anything I can do to help?
Got it all squared away.
Uh, Augie's not gonna like it,
but we're playing
all of Stella's greatest hits.
Ah, well, little brothers, you know?
They're used to getting
the short end of the stick.
I wouldn't say that.
I would just say that August and
Stella are dealing with change
in their own ways.
Right.
You know, I haven't even heard Stella
- say a word about Oregon lately.
- Exactly.
Augie can't shut up about it.
Mostly about getting a bigger room.
Yeah. It's their own ways.
Their own ways.
Hey, um...
You said it would get easier...
with time, not talking about it
in there, but it hasn't.
It will, just stick with it.
- Listen, Cassie's here.
- Yeah, yeah.
We-we can talk about it more
on the road trip.
Will you get these inside?
Cassie!
(CHUCKLES): Hey.
Ah, I'm happy you're here.
- I am way behind. Um...
- (CHUCKLES)
Hey.
How are you at assembling
camping equipment?
♪ ♪
(LINE RINGS)
Hey.
Hey, Stella. Are you around?
I wanted to drop off
your going-away present.
Uh, not at the moment, no.
Did you guys head out already?
Not yet. That's-that's tomorrow.
Okay, is-is everything all right?
Of course.
Are you getting cold feet about Sauber?
ANNOUNCER (ON P.A.):
Welcome to Desert Speed Wars.
Best racing in all of Texas.
What was that?
Um, I'm sorry, Coach,
I'll be around, just...
just keep this between us, okay?
Yeah, sure, but, wait,
what-what exactly am I...
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
(CHEERING)
Yeah!
So maybe just one or two mods.
Yeah, I think Dad
is gonna notice that, Stella.
Hey! You swerved into my lane.
We didn't drift an inch.
DRIVER: Maybe you just couldn't see.
Here, let me help.
(GRUNTING)
(CROWD CHEERING, CLAMORING)
I think we should call Dad.
Yeah, I-I think two plates
could be right on that.
No, Colton. You weren't there
when my dad came home.
Trust me, he can't handle
this headache right now.
I honestly don't know if he can take it.
We've come this far.
We're gonna get that car back.
So when Stella was, like,
eight years old, Em and I went
and bought... or I should say maybe
over-bought... camping equipment.
You know, sleeping bags,
tents, water purifiers,
one of those little,
uh, cast iron things
where you heat sauce above a camp fire.
Geez, that must have
added, like, six pounds
to your backpack.
Six? (SCOFFS) More like .
I am baffled by your life
choices on camping gear.
Well, we are going to use every
last bit of it on this trip.
Hey, Cass?
Will you keep your eyes open
for that coffee pour over kit?
Walker?
Yeah? No.
Uh, it's...
it's not gonna be in that box.
We need to talk about the article.
Okay.
Yeah, great. She, uh...
she has a way with words,
right? (CHUCKLES)
And you're good at whatever this is.
What they did to you...
most of that stuff
was outlawed after ' .
Lucky me.
Yeah, so I need you to be real with me.
I'm your partner.
Well, partner, you're really,
uh, kicking it up to .
- Aren't ya?
- Yeah, because you're at a one.
I, uh... There was
nothing new in that article,
Cass, but I got it covered.
- I am squared away.
- Fine.
Then I can go first.
Okay.
Fine.
I'm scared to get back
in the truck with you, Walker.
Okay? Lately, this is stuff
I never saw as a trooper.
Chemical weapons? t*rture?
I leave my house in the morning
and I don't know
if I'm coming back at night.
And I get that that's part of the job.
But if every day
I have to push that down,
I need to feel safe with you.
And this guy?
He doesn't make me feel safe.
- (WATER DRIPPING)
- Do you hear that?
Wow, that's really your response?
Yes, I hear the water leak.
Good, yeah. Yeah, I hear it, too.
Aah!
But I-I hear you, as well, Cassie, I do.
Trust me, I learned from my mistake
of going back too soon
with the Rodeo Kings.
- No, but this isn't that.
- I know this isn't that.
That's why I'm doing
the therapy and the PT.
Cassie, I would never do anything
to hurt you or put you in harm's way.
You know that, right?
Cassie?
Think I found your stuff.
Whoa, Stella's cake's
looking good, Mama.
- Thanks.
- Dibs on leftovers for the road trip crew.
Auggie will thank me later.
Did you make this cake?
No.
Well, then ask instead of calling dibs
like you're eight years old,
and you and Cordi want
the same superhuman samurai.
(LAUGHS)
He always got it.
That's only because you wanted to just
piss him... make him mad.
I think, well...
I might be old enough
to concede that that's true.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Can you believe she's going away?
- Mm.
- Our Stella Blue.
I've been trying to push
it out of my head
until after the road trip, but...
Sweetie.
Hmm?
Are you sure about that?
Yeah, we've been,
we've been talking about
this road trip for years.
Yeah, but have you heard your brother
say that you're going, lately?
I just, I don't want you
to get your hopes up
if you don't.
I'll talk to him.
Haven't you done that already?
Look.
We found an equilibrium around here.
A... fragile one.
Why am I not surprised?
- Sweetie...
- No, no. By all means.
Let Cordell dictate how everybody else
has to act just because
that's what's best for him.
I'm so glad that's priority.
I was in there, too, you know.
That's not what I meant.
(KNOCKING)
- Somebody else better get that.
- (DOOR SLAMS)
Oh, look at you, just walking
into people's homes.
- Guess I'm rubbing off on you.
- You are not
- rubbing off on me, I was...
- Mm-hmm.
Anyways, how's everything
going with Walker?
Honestly, not...
Great!
- We're all here.
- Barnett, hey!
I didn't know you were
coming over. Well, that's good.
'Cause I need some help
with the heavy lifting.
(LAUGHS) Sure.
Uh, so Stella's not back yet?
No, she's, uh...
Awesome. No, she's...
You hear about this whole
saga with the Mustang?
- No.
- Two months in the shop.
Honestly, I don't even think
a-anything was wrong with it.
If-if Augie wasn't such a bad liar
I would be certain that something's up.
They've been weird all summer.
Kids.
TREY: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, uh...
- The Mustang?
- Yeah.
It's not supposed to be
at Desert Speed Wars, is it?
Desert Speed Wars, the car show?
Yeah.
It better not be.
Then I think you might
have yourself a problem.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
We just need them away from
the car for a minute or two.
You give me an opening
and I'll handle the rest.
Okay, so, like, distract,
smash and then grab?
Less smash.
But, yes, grab and go.
(MAN SIGHS)
I'm pretty sure you did clip
that guy in the race, though.
(LAUGHS)
You know, pumpkin patch
would have been nice.
But, uh, this is one
hell of a last date.
What do you mean, a last date?
Uh, no, no, um...
I don't know, it's just...
the Oregon of it all?
You've been sending mixed signals.
What are you talking about?
You haven't registered for classes.
Or opened the college
survival kit I made you.
And just like you said
about your dad, you...
you've been kind of off all summer.
Thought it might be about me.
About us.
Colton.
I'm not breaking up with you.
- (LAUGHING)
- Unless...
Is that what you want?
No, no, no, no, no. Of course not.
I love you and I don't want...
That's not...
Hey, guys?
Hey, um, S- and the boys are
packing up, heading out, so...
... it's now or never.
Right.
♪ Lord, Lord, I need a little soul... ♪
Hey, boys.
♪ Lord, Lord... ♪
We have to talk.
Do I know you?
CODY: Dude. Chill.
That's Pete's baby bro.
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
Yo!
Get swole patrol here a .
What's your preference?
Cold ones, man.
(BOTH LAUGH)
Classic Pete. Ice cold, baby.
So, uh, you guys like cars?
♪ Oh, the doctor got another for me ♪
♪ Oh, the doctor got another for me ♪
♪ Oh, the doctor got another for me... ♪
She changed the locks.
♪ Shakes ♪
- ♪ To cure these shakes ♪
- ♪ Shakes ♪
♪ When the heat's risin' up in me ♪
♪ No, no, no, no, no... ♪
Use this to pry open the window.
♪ No, no, no, no ♪
♪ 'Cause this ain't my head ♪
♪ 'Cause this ain't my
it won't leave me be ♪
♪ It won't leave me be... ♪
There. Uh, clip it.
And let's get this one.
(CHUCKLES) My family
knows a thing or two
- about vehicle relocation, too, remember?
- Mm-hmm.
You don't have the monopoly
of bad influence uncles.
Sure thing, hot rod.
Hey. I'm sorry that I've
been off all summer.
But, babe, it wasn't
anything to do with us.
Don't clip it, though.
Nice.
(ENGINE SPUTTERING)
Um, yeah, you might want
to speed this up a little bit.
STELLA: Mm-hmm, almost there.
(ENGINE TURNS OVER, HUMS)
And, Colton... I love you, too.
Hey!
Hey, that's my car!
(CLICKER CHIRPS)
(ENGINE SPUTTER, STOPS)
Hey!
Wait a second.
You're the Ranger's daughter.
- From the tip line.
- STELLA: And you're the woman
who kicked my family when we were down.
Do you have any idea
what this car meant to me?
What it meant to my family?
I think you should get out of here.
No one needs to get hurt.
No.
You gonna call the Rangers,
then? Call your dad?
He doesn't need this right now.
That's why we're here.
- Come on, Stella, let's just bounce.
- STELLA: No.
This car has been
in my family for years.
My late uncle gave it to my late mom,
and you ruined it.
I think it was the other way around.
I was supposed to take that car
to college with my dad.
He's okay, by the way.
Back from captivity.
You know, after being kidnapped
in his own front yard.
But the one thing that he's been set on
since he has been home
is this road trip.
For years, him and my mom
have talked about it.
Do I even want to go?
Who could care about a thing like that
at a time like this?
Do I even want to go to college?
No one's bothered to ask.
Even though I just wish
that somebody would bother to ask me.
But I am not asking you,
I am telling you.
You are not taking this away from him.
Hell or high water, that car
is in my driveway by tonight.
Condolences to your mom.
And to your uncle.
And to whatever happened to your dad.
Family pressure...
can be complicated.
Look, nice try on the hotwire, but...
just take her home.
Consider the mods yours.
With the promise you won't
have your dad come arrest me.
I promise I'll try.
AUGUST: If you didn't grab my
arms, I would have slipped
- and fallen under the wheel. It would've been bad.
- Oh, my God,
I am so happy you got in. (CHUCKLES)
Man.
Here we are.
You know, I got to hand it to you, Stel.
Thanks, but you were right.
It turns out it was more smash and grab.
- I mean, it's not a bad right hook, right?
- No.
I see the car's out of the shop.
Incredible.
So, tell me.
How was Desert Speed Wars?
What? You charmer.
Your first "I love you"?
I thought you would have
said that already.
The first day you met her.
Well, yeah, I know,
but there's been a lot
of other stuff going on, so...
Well, that's fair.
Um, look, that's actually what I wanted
to talk to you about, son, um...
Your mother and I have decided
we're gonna give it another sh*t.
- (LAUGHS)
- What's so funny?
I've so known this was coming.
- You didn't know this was coming.
- Yes.
You guys literally spent a calendar year
conjuring new and different ways
not to sign divorce papers.
Yeah, you're right.
Just follow your heart, Dad.
Thanks.
Well, I'm ready to fight for it.
That does mean that
I'm gonna go to Thalia
and help her open her private practice.
Are you asking me to come with you?
No, not asking you...
I saw the way you look at her.
"I love you", no, I...
I was just hoping that you would
maybe look after the ranch.
Yeah.
And Geri offered to help.
Oh, yeah, thank God. Adult supervision.
You need it.
(CHUCKLES)
When did they hang
Denise the deer back up?
COLTON: Oh, um, Mom insisted.
Just told Aunt Geri that was gonna be
water under the bridge and all that.
Austin's been good for you, huh?
(COLTON CHUCKLES)
We-we can call it a mixed bag.
But, um, good for us.
Yeah.
♪ Heart att*ck kid. ♪
Both of you... sit!
And I can't believe
I have to say this explicitly,
but do not go anywhere
until I'm back home and that woman
- and her g*ons are in jail.
- Dad, don't.
You don't have to do anything.
- Excuse me?
- We're here,
we're safe, the Mustang is fine.
- Can't it all just be over?
- Okay.
That's not how this works,
and... matter of fact...
... I'm not leaving these with you.
No, you know what, I can't
wrap my head around this!
Why didn't you two come to me?
I thought we were past the point
of keeping secrets from each other.
Yeah, so did we.
What's that supposed to mean?
Dad, come on.
Ever since a horrible homecoming dinner
you insisted we have, you have been
- putting on a show.
- I-I am...
- squared... - Squared away.
- Yeah, we've heard that.
This is why we didn't come to you.
We were afraid of being
the people who burst
your bubble because
if you spiraled and got hurt
because of something that we did,
I don't think I'd ever forgive myself.
And I know it sounds silly,
but we were afraid that
the Mustang would break the dam.
The-the Mu... (LAUGHS)
I mean, look at you now, Dad.
Those kidnappers took a piece of you.
And we just didn't
want to lose any more.
I had no idea
y'all felt this way.
It's-it's kind of hard not to.
I never want either of you
to feel like there's something
you can't tell me.
In that case,
August, can you give us a minute?
I love you.
(CLEARS THROAT)
I'll go first.
You don't want to go to college, do you?
How'd you know?
Just kind of had a feeling
I wasn't the only one keeping
appearances up this summer.
Are you mad?
No.
No, I'm not mad.
I'm just... confused.
Uh, you-you seemed so excited.
I don't think I ever really was, though.
It just... it seemed
like the next thing.
And Mom wanted me to,
you wanted me to...
But this is your future, Stella Blue.
What do you want to do next?
If not Sauber?
I don't know.
A gap year, maybe?
It's just, you were taken.
And suddenly college
felt... really small.
Okay, um...
- okay.
- Okay.
Then we'll figure it out... together.
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.
(SNIFFLES)
I hear you gave your mama
a piece of your mind.
Um, it's possible that I overreacted.
Well, you don't say?
She didn't mean to put you out
like that, you know.
I know. I'll, uh...
I'll apologize in the morning.
Goodnight, Dad.
No, William, hold on.
Sit down.
All right.
Now, we're gonna do this
exactly once.
And it was your mother's idea, so...
if we both leave this room
feeling uncomfortable,
we can blame her and...
stoically go hammer fences.
(SHORT CHUCKLE)
' ...
and ' ...
weren't easy on me.
I'd, uh...
Well, I was back.
But it was like I could
still smell the napalm.
And I thought...
well, hell...
brews and banter down at the VFW...
that's all the help I needed.
'Cause those people got it.
I reckon that's why you're so fixated
on talking to your brother.
'Cause he gets it, don't he?
What you two went through in there.
How did you-how did you stop it?
The smell?
Met a woman.
No, not like that.
She took me out on the open range.
On a horse that was as broken as I was.
They helped me sort out my storm.
You saw a-a therapist?
You, of all people...
you saw an equine therapist?
Cordell's seeing a therapist.
Is that why he won't talk to me?
Son, I think every time he looks at you,
he sees a fresh hell he's
trying too hard to forget.
I see it, too.
Just because Cordell's not ready to talk
doesn't mean that you don't
have to talk to someone.
You hear me?
All right.
(EXHALES)
(VEHICLE APPROACHING)
(ENGINE STOPS)
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Didn't realize you were still here.
- (LAUGHS) Well...
Abby made a cake.
- Yeah.
- And suddenly, no occasion.
Sacrifices had to be made.
But I did bring you an exceptionally
small amount of leftovers.
Oh, look at that. Uh...
thank you.
- Yeah.
- Cassie.
You-you, uh...
♪ Harder than
it needs to be, I know... ♪
You were right.
About...
worrying about me.
I'm working on it.
And-and I promise you
I-I'm gonna keep working on it.
Oh, well, that's all I needed to hear.
♪ On this empty... ♪
I'll see you in the office
on Monday, partner.
♪ What will I find... ♪
Night, partner.
♪ My anchor line ♪
♪ All I want is ♪
- ♪ To love somebody ♪
- (DOOR CLOSES)
♪ Only to be true. ♪
So, this is a w*r hero, huh?
03x03 - Rubber Meets the Road
Moderator: MHS