02x09 - ... stalked my own mother

[bunniefuu]

["SCREAM" BY BLACKPAW PLAYING]

[MCENROE] After seeing her mom

giggling like a thirsty teenager

in Dr. Jackson's fancy-ass car,

this teenager was thirsty for answers.

Was that what her mom

looked like flirting,

or was it a harmless work

meeting that was taking place

in her street's most

notorious hook-up spot?

[DOOR OPENS]

Whoa, Devi! Why do you look like that?

I'm guessing you either want

something or did something.

No. I'm just excited to

see you. How was your day?

Did anything interesting happen

at work, with anyone interesting?

You want to know about my work day?

You've never once asked me about that.

That can't be true.

I'm a total derm nerd, a

skinhead! Wait, nope, not that.

I am just trying to be a

little less self-centered.

So, did anything

exciting happen at work?

Or after?

You know what? Something very

unexpected actually did happen at work.

Prashant's parents called me.

They're making an impromptu

visit to Sherman Oaks.

Wait, what?

Aiyyo! Adda katavule! Do

you know what this means?

He's going to propose.

No, it's too early for that.

[DEVI] Yeah, super interesting stuff.

Mom, you were telling

me about your work day?

Spill it, girl.

You know what? That does remind me.

I have a couple of

work dinners this week.

So you guys, you're on your own.

Or maybe we could all go with you.

Kanna, I really appreciate

this newfound interest

in my professional life.

It's just too much.

Maybe split the difference

with how you were before.

["SCREAM" BY BLACKPAW PLAYING]

I'm a holy fool for you ♪

Hey, Fab. Quick question.

What would you do if you saw your

mom in a car with another man,

but it seemed romantic?

What? She's cheating on my dad?

- Oh no, no. Your dad's dead.

- What?

I'm sorry. This is about me.

I should've led with that.

I think my mom might be dating

someone, but it's way too soon, right?

She should still be mourning my dad.

Maybe she's just expressing

her grief through sex.

Fab! That was very unhelpful and gross!

[FABIOLA] Hey, El.

Wow. She's still pissed. I keep

texting her, and she won't respond.

Why are you even trying?

She owes us an apology.

I just miss her, and honestly,

I hate being in a fight.

How do you deal with people

being mad at you all the time?

They're not mad at me

all the time. Right?

- [SCHOOL BELL RINGS]

- Scholars, bad news.

My ongoing fight with the school board

has suffered a crushing blow.

I will have to administer a final exam

not a final interpretive dance.

But I already Amazoned a unitard!

However, they cannot stop me

from offering a more

creative bit of extra credit.

The assignment, do an oral

presentation at the end of the week

about one event in

the great American saga

that has personally

affected you and your family.

The class is called Facing History.

Who's brave enough to

face their own history?

Anyone else?

Paxton, do you need to use the restroom?

No, I'd also like to do

the extra-credit project.

- What?

- [STUDENTS GASP]

I mean that's wonderful

and not surprising at all.

Okay.

You're making a difference, Lyle.

[MCENROE] Devi desperately

wanted to bust her mom

for having a secret

romance with Dr. Jackson,

but given her recent track record

with both Aneesa and Eleanor,

she knew she needed proof

before losing her sh*t.

Bingo.

[CLICKS]

- What are you doing here?

- Uh, stealing money.

Huh? For what?

I just don't have any because I'm a kid.

Just get out of here.

Thanks for running lines with me.

I bet Tom and Rita do

this. It's so much fun.

Hey, what's up, guys?

Come on, this is crazy!

We haven't talked in almost a

week, and we're best friends.

Well, best friends don't try to

sabotage each other's relationships.

I'm really sorry that I accused

Malcolm of cheating on you,

but it was a misunderstanding.

You really hurt him.

He was so stressed, he

developed a little rash.

I had to take off all

of my cool bracelets

I got from Robert

Downey Jr.'s Etsy store.

I really am sorry, but I thought

I was just looking out for Eleanor.

Wow, and you think the best

way to look out for Eleanor

is to cast doubt on the

person that she loves?

That makes me think that

you're a damaged person.

Whoa, she's not a damaged person,

Malcolm. That's a little extreme.

You're defending her when

she emotionally battered me?

I am the victim here, Eleanor.

Okay. Jeez!

No, no, no, no. Not "okay, jeez."

I guess you don't care about

my safety in this relationship.

[FABIOLA] Eleanor!

[BEN] At the turn of the 20th century,

a vibrant immigrant

community was springing up

in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

My great-great-grandmother

was a garment worker there.

So please allow me to tell you

the tale of Rivington

Street's own Ruthie Gross.

You good, bro?

What?

Why are you looking at me?

I'm not. I'm just

looking for my phone.

Oh. [SNIFFLING]

There it is.

[SIGHS]

[PHONE CHIMES]

[SIGHS]

[DR. JACKSON READING]

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

[EXHALES]

- [NALINI] Goodbye, girls.

- [DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

Hey, cuz!

So, I was thinking, you

and me should hang out.

You're basically the closest

thing I have to a sister.

[INHALES] I have three sisters,

so I think of you as a cousin,

but you're my favorite cousin.

Okay. So what's going on with you?

[SIGHS] Honestly, this Prashant

thing is really stressing me out.

You think he's gonna propose?

I feel like some stuff he said

to me about my work recently

made me wonder if he's

right for me. I don't

Hey, Kamala. You seem tense.

Let me take you out for some froyo,

and we could keep this convo going.

Oh, and grab your keys.

I need you to drive.

That sounds nice.

[PAXTON] Okay, think. Ugh.

[SIGHS]

[EXHALES]

Ojichan. [SIGHS]

[INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[READING]

[SCOFFS] No way.

This doesn't look like a

froyo place. Is it a pop-up?

The zoning laws in

California are too loose.

Kamala, don't be mad,

but you have been duped

for the purpose of hijinks.

[GASPS] Devi! Where are we?

Wait, is that your mother's car?

It is, and this house

belongs to Dr. Jackson,

who I suspect her of

dating. But I need proof.

[SCOFFS]

but Dr. Everett, you know.

And see, in my family,

holidays are crazy.

That wine has a cork.

It's not a twist-off.

This is definitely a date.

My brother, I told you, called

me a fool on Thanksgiving.

So guess what I did? I got his

kid a drum kit for Christmas.

- Can you imagine that kid banging

- [LAUGHING] You're a monster.

- [CHUCKLES]

- Hmm. Wait, is that a picture of your son?

Yeah, that's him.

Wow, he's really handsome.

- Mmm, and he knows it too.

- [NALINI LAUGHS]

She's basically stripping!

Devi, don't jump to conclusions.

[SCOFFS] Let's see if she answers

a text from her only child.

"How's the work dinner?

Getting a lot done?"

- [PHONE CHIMES]

- [NALINI] Just

My mom just left me on read!

Ugh!

[GASPS]

[THUDDING]

Did you hear that?

Hear what?

No, no. No, it wasn't

it wasn't anything.

Thank you.

Um, dinner was was delicious, and

and so appreciate you cooking for me.

I told you I was a good cook,

and I have something special

in mind for dessert

No, it's not like that.

- Well, it might be like that.

- [LAUGHS]

But first I actually do have

peach cobbler in the oven.

[LAUGHING] Oh.

You You [CHUCKLES]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[SCREAMS]

[GRUNTING]

Oh. Oh no, no! My voicemails!

[NALINI] Devi, what are you doing?

I'm so sorry, Dr. Jackson. This

trespasser happens to be my daughter.

What am I doing? What are you doing?

We throw Dad's ashes in

the ocean, and then boom,

you turn around and date another man!

And now because of you, I lost

the only memory of my dad's voice!

Devi, calm down! I am

not dating this man!

This dinner was strictly professional!

A-Absolutely. Your mom and

I are colleagues. That's it.

Can I please get you a towel?

[MCENROE] Seeing the pity

in Dr. Jackson's eyes,

Devi felt her rage turn to shame.

What was she doing in this man's

hot tub? Had she totally lost it?

You know what? There's no

need for that, Dr. Jackson.

She can stay wet while she thinks

about what she has done in the car.

Why don't you meet me out front?

Okay, Kamala. You're gonna count

to 100, and then you will get down.

Devi, what am I gonna do with you?

I'm sorry, Mom.

I thought you started dating

again, and I got upset!

I should've known that you

wouldn't do that to Dad,

or wear an all-beige outfit on a date.

Well, you know what? You have

to simply think before you act.

I mean, breaking into

Dr. Jackson's property,

splashing around in his hot tub.

It's just It's just crazy!

[MCENROE] It was bad enough

that Devi's phone was broken

and her dad's voicemail had

been lost to Jacuzzi water,

but to hear her own

mother call her crazy?

That cut deep.

[TRENT] Damn, Crazy Devi!

Wow, you are crazy!

Everyone was right. You are crazy, Devi.

Where are you going, young lady?

I'm not done lecturing you yet.

I'm really sorry, Mom.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey, Pax. You skipped dinner,

so I brought you a plate.

I'm finishing up an

extra-credit project for school.

Oh, okay.

Hey, did you know that Ojichan

was in an internment camp?

I just found his dad's journal.

Yeah, he he was a little boy there.

Why hasn't anyone ever told me about it?

Dad, uh, never wanted to

talk about it growing up.

Whenever we asked, he shut down.

I guess I learned not

to talk about it too.

Maybe he should talk about it.

Well, if anyone can get

him to open up, it's you.

He made his license plate "GRAMPAX."

Yeah, I really wish he had

not done that. [CHUCKLES]

But yeah, I'll give

him a call. Thanks, Dad.

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

And so, if Ruthie had not lost her

leg in that trolley-car accident,

then she would've gone to work

at the Triangle Shirtwaist

Factory that day,

and I would never have existed.

- Thank you.

- [APPLAUDING]

[MR. SHAPIRO] Fantastic work, Ben!

Devi, you're up next.

Devi, your presentation.

[MCENROE] Presentation? Damn it!

Because of her family drama,

Devi had forgotten to write

a report on her family trauma.

I didn't do it. I forgot.

You didn't do an extra-credit project?

Wait, are you mad at me or something?

Uh, I can go. I'm ready

for my presentation.

Paxton. Of course, take it away.

Um, so some of you may not know

this, but I'm half Japanese.

I didn't until recently.

And, uh, during World w*r

II, right here in California,

the government forced over

120,000 Japanese Americans

to live in internment camps.

My grandfather was one of them.

Now I could rattle off

statistics about it,

but, in an attempt to

go above and beyond,

I thought it would be good to hear

from someone who was actually there.

No, he didn't!

[CHUCKLING]

Living history! We're

literally facing history!

This is my grandfather,

Theodore Yoshida.

Hi.

So first of all, Ojichan, you were

born in the United States, correct?

Yes.

And even though you were an

American citizen by birth,

you were still considered

a foreign thr*at.

Which I was not. I was five.

[ALL LAUGH]

Manzanar was located in a

farm town that was abandoned

because the water was diverted to

Los Angeles, which created a desert.

The summers were over 100 degrees,

and the winters were bitterly cold

because there wasn't

enough oil to go around.

Now, Ojichan, what was the hardest

thing about living in the camp?

Seeing my father's heart break.

He was a proud man.

But when they made him a

prisoner, they stole his dignity,

and I don't think he

ever recovered from that.

I'm sorry, Ojichan.

Which is probably why I never

talked about it until now.

But when I see my grandson

stepping out of his comfort zone,

well, it made me want to do so too.

And because I am one of the last

people to still remember Manzanar,

I need to tell my story

so no one ever forgets.

[CRIES]

[VOICE BREAKING] This is exactly

what this class is all about.

[ALL APPLAUDING]

[STUDENTS CHEERING, WHISTLING]

[STUDENT] Yeah!

[JOYFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

So, what's going on, Devi?

Nothing.

I am sitting here wearing a giant

turquoise statement necklace,

and you haven't made one

cr*ck about it. Something's up.

No.

I'm okay.

Devi,

tell me what's upsetting you.

Dr. Ryan

do you think I'm crazy?

Of course not.

[CRYING] I think I might be. Everyone

at school calls me Crazy Devi.

And now my mom thinks I

am after I stalked her,

because I was paranoid she

was dating her work friend,

and climbing onto that man's roof,

and spying on them

through the skylights.

And then, falling into his

hot tub with my clothes on.

That's a lot, but you're not crazy.

You're just hurting, and you

might even be a little depressed.

And that's okay, because

I can help you through it.

You had a big loss, and the

hurt that comes from that

can come out in surprising ways.

Like my paralysis?

Exactly.

I know I didn't want to

talk about it before, but

[SIGHS] why did that happen?

If I'm not crazy, how

did I paralyze myself?

Devi, in our field,

it's what we call

psychosomatic weakness.

It happens after you

experience a traumatizing event.

Like seeing your father

die right in front of you.

But it doesn't mean

you're crazy. Look at me.

It means you're human.

Devi, you feel a lot,

which means sometimes

you're gonna hurt a lot,

but, it also means that

you're gonna live a life

that is emotionally rich

and really beautiful.

[SIGHS]

Thanks, Dr. Ryan.

You're welcome.

[SIGHS]

[SNIFFLES, SIGHS]

You're pretty smart

for someone who has Cookie

Monster's turd around her neck.

Oh! [LAUGHS]

There she is!

[KNOCKING]

[SIGHS] Chris. Hi.

Hey. Hey, I've been trying

to reach you all day.

Your nurse said you were busy.

Then she asked me to go to the

club with her several times.

Uh, I was actually

going to call you back,

but the day just got

away from me and, uh

Last night didn't end great, huh?

I am so mortified.

That That must have been the

worst date of your entire life.

Nah, I once got stuck

in a rotating restaurant

that kept speeding up.

[LAUGHS]

Chris, I do not think

this is going to work out.

Because of your daughter?

Mm-hmm.

And honestly, me too.

I think it might be a little too soon.

I think I will be ready in a few years,

but you'll probably

be snatched up by then.

Oh, I don't know.

Some people don't like me

when they first meet me.

[BOTH LAUGH]

- Maybe I'll see you in the elevator.

- Hmm.

I look forward to that.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

- What the actual f*ck?

- [NALINI GASPS]

What were you doing at

Dr. Jackson's office?

I was looking for you because

I stupidly wanted to apologize

for accusing you of dating him, but

I found you full-on Frenching him.

Now I know where my

lying gene comes from

because you're the

biggest liar of us all!

- What is going on here?

- You wanna know what's going on?

Your daughter-in-law

here got a boyfriend

five minutes after your son d*ed!

Guess that's why you didn't

seem too upset about Dad's death!

Was that a slap?

Yes, it was, and she deserved it.

You do not talk to your mother that way!

Did you not hear me?

She has a boyfriend!

You listen to me, child,

your mother is an adult,

and she is the reason that

you have everything you have,

including your life.

She can do what she wants

without your judgment.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

My weather app says there's

a storm coming tonight.

I need the room!

Malcolm's coming over

to run lines with me,

and we go to a vulnerable place!

Of course, honey. We don't wanna

interfere with your process.

[PHONE CHIMES]

[MALCOLM READING]

Sorry, I forgot my glasses.

[SIGHS]

Eleanor, is everything okay?

Malcolm just broke up with me.

[GASPS] Oh.

I'm so sorry, honey.

Oh, he's just a stupid teenage boy.

Malcolm's a genius,

and you don't understand what it's like

to be in a passionate relationship

because you're with my boring dad.

Eleanor, I'm a dental hygienist.

We are the flight

attendants of the mouth.

[CHUCKLING] So I have

dated plenty of Malcolms.

I mean enough. Not a weird amount.

Anyway, you know what I

find the sexiest? Stability.

- Ew!

- Don't "ew" me!

You have the best dad in the world,

and you don't appreciate him at all.

Just give him a chance.

He's a good man who would never

leave you like your mom did.

Or like Malcolm did.

Oh my God.

Malcolm is just like my mother.

I've been trying to date my mother!

- What?

- When I should have been trying to date my dad!

No, I don't think

that's the lesson here.

It definitely is.

Thank you, Sharon.

I'm sorry I've been a jerk to you.

Oh.

Hey, Dad, will you run lines with me?

- [THUNDER RUMBLING]

- [RAIN PATTERING]

Last night all I think about is you ♪

[PHONE CHIMES]

Don't stop, baby ♪

You can walk through ♪

Don't wanna ♪

But I think about you ♪

- [PHONE CHIMES]

- [KNOCKING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

- [EXHALES]

- [DEVI] Paxton?

You're in my house.

Yeah, I guess so.

Heat, heat waves ♪

I'm swimming in a mirror ♪

Look, I just wanted to say

thank you for all your help.

It felt so good to finally

do something well in school.

[MCENROE] Paxton was soaking wet,

and he used the adverb "well"

instead of the adjective "good."

He had never been hotter.

So are you here to study or

No.

Late nights in the middle of June ♪

Heat waves been faking me out ♪

Heat waves been faking me out ♪

Sometimes, all I think about is you ♪

Late nights in the middle of June ♪

Heat waves been faking me out ♪

Can't make you happier now ♪

Road shimmer ♪

Wiggling the vision ♪

Heat, heat waves ♪

I'm swimming in a mirror ♪

Road shimmer ♪

Wiggling the vision ♪

- That was fun.

- Mm-hmm.

Call you later?

[KISSING]

[MCENROE] Whoa, did

Devi just tutor her way

into being Paxton's girlfriend again?

Finally, all her

studying was paying off.

[SCREAMS] Ah!

How long have you been there?

According to my Titan,

five to seven seconds.

I need you to come downstairs

now for a family discussion.

- I'm not talking to her.

- Yes, you will.

How could she do that to Dad?

Why don't you ask her, kanna?

You know, the last conversation

I had with Mohan was a fight.

Something to do with my savings

and how I shouldn't keep all my

money hidden in the soil of my plants.

I got so mad at him,

I hung up the phone.

[SCOFFS] I hung up on my darling boy.

Pati

There is no time for hanging

up or not speaking in this life.

Do you understand me?

- Hmm.

- Let's go. Come.

[POIGNANT MUSIC PLAYING]

I'm going to leave you two alone

to talk this out in private.

If you need me, I'll be

listening from the kitchen.

[SIGHS]

I am so, so sorry I lied to you, Devi.

- How could you move on so quickly?

- I haven't moved on, kanna, at all.

I I miss your father so

much that it physically hurts.

I guess I just

wanted a break from that pain.

But I promise you, it is over now.

Are you the only one around here who

gets to make these rash decisions?

It's just I feel like Dad's

disappearing from our lives.

I had all his voicemails on

my phone, but they're gone!

And someone was too cheap

to pay for the cloud.

I refuse to pay for something invisible.

What if I forget what Dad sounds like?

[SIGHS] You'll never forget that, kutti.

Your father will

always be a part of you.

But if you need a little help

remembering, I might have something.

- [MOHAN] Ah! Move over, Paula Abdul.

- [CHUCKLES]

[MOHAN] Sherman Oaks is about

to have a new celebrity resident.

Devi Vishwakumar is coming to town!

[NALINI] Hello, we haven't

decided on that name yet. Okay?

- Sit here. Careful. Oh!

- [GRUNTS]

- Well, whatever your name is, Devi

- Nope!

[CHUCKLES]

we are so excited to meet you,

and I already love you so much.

My perfect girl.

[POIGNANT MUSIC RISING]

[KISSES]

[SIGHS]

- Eleanor!

- Guys, we're so [GASPS]

I'm so proud of you.

I truly forgot you were my daughter,

and all I saw was this 60-year-old

Southern white lady on the stage.

Thanks, Dad. I couldn't have

done it without your help

and without Sharon loaning

me this unstylish dress

among other helpful things.

Oh, looks like your adoring

fans wanna talk to you.

We'll meet you by the car.

Bye! Thank you!

You guys came even after I said

those terrible things to you.

Of course, we did. Life's too

short not to speak to each other.

I'm so, so sorry. I

didn't mean any of it.

I think I was trapped

under Malcolm's spell.

Whoa. Wait, so you guys are done?

Yeah. He dumped me over text.

Can't believe I didn't

see what a tool he was.

Makes me think I could

easily be sucked into a cult.

Yeah. We've been saying

that about you for years.

[LAUGHS]

At least, Devi, you won't be the

only one going to the dance alone.

I just wonder what

you're dreaming of ♪

When you sleep ♪

And smile so comfortable ♪

Well, actually, I might not be.

That look that's perfectly un-sad ♪

Hey, pal.

[MCENROE] Did he just call her "pal"?

That's what you call the

ball boy at the US Open,

not a girl you made out with

for a zillion hours last night.

What the hell is going on here?

Oh sh*t! Did Devi get played?

Sometimes, all I think about is you ♪

Late nights in the middle of June ♪

Heat waves been faking me out ♪

Can't make you happier now ♪

Sometimes, all I think about is you ♪

Late nights in the middle of June ♪

Heat waves been faking me out ♪

Can't make you happier now ♪

Road shimmer ♪

Wiggling the vision ♪

Heat, heat waves ♪

I'm swimming in a mirror ♪

Road shimmer ♪

Wiggling the vision ♪

Heat, heat waves ♪

I'm swimming in a mirror ♪

[MUSIC CONTINUES]