Episode Report Card Niki: A+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Disoriented
By Niki | Season 3 | Episode 14 | Aired on 03.10.2002
Jessie comes through the back door of Manning Manor with a burr up her ass. She bitches that she doesn't know what Grace's problem is, but she thinks someone else should pick her up if doing so makes Grace this miserable. Lily, Eli, and Rick look up from the table, where they're eating. Lily asks where Grace is. Jessie says she's just sitting out in the car. My guess is that Grace has her lips wrapped around the tailpipe by now. Eli asks if they want him to go and talk to her. Because he's done such wonders for Grace's self-esteem in the past. There's no need for anyone to go to her rescue, though, as Grace comes barreling through the door with her features clearly set to Don't Fuck With Me. Lily asks what's going on. Grace stops and spins around long enough to say she doesn't want to talk about it. Lily and Rick exchange looks like they've just witnessed the strangest thing in the world.
Later, in his and Lily's bathroom, Rick posits that Grace is just upset because they're asking her to "chauffeur" Jessie everywhere. "Or she could be gay," Lily says glumly. Um, have you been hanging out in yonder garage, hot boxing with Eli? Rick asks if that's what Lily thinks. "Well, she did join that club," Lily says. She complains that sometimes it seems like Grace is keeping something from her, but Grace just shuts Lily out whenever she tries talking to her. Lily asks Rick if he thinks it's possible. "Anything's possible," he squirms. "Well, do you think she is?" Lily asks, growing alarmed. Rick says he doesn't know one way or the other. "Oh my god, so you think she is," Lily frets. Rick says that's not what he said, and that if Grace is, Lily will deal with it. "Easy for you to say," Lily complains. "Your daughter's heterosexual. She's got a boyfriend named Tad." Okay, Tad? As your daughter's boyfriend? Is nothing to be relieved about. Oh, and the Clue of the Month Club left a message for you -- something about stacks of returned packages stamped "undeliverable"? To her credit, Lily realizes what she sounds like, and says it's no wonder Grace won't talk to her; she's a "bigot." She admits that she's "actually upset. [She's] upset that [Grace] might be a lesbian." Rick tenderly takes her hand and murmurs, "At least she's not a bigot." Lily smiles weakly and says that having a daughter who's a lesbian is the last thing anyone ever expects. They're interrupted by the phone. Lily picks up, and it's Katie.
Lily pads down the hallway, where Grace is waiting outside the bathroom door, pounding impatiently. Lily asks if Jessie's in there, and Grace complains that she's taking forever. Lily lets Jessie know that Katie's on the phone, but Jessie won't take the call. She asks Lily to tell Katie that she's really tired, and she'll just talk to her tomorrow. Grace listens to Lily blow off Katie on Jessie's behalf and looks incredulous. She follows Jessie into the bathroom and asks why she won't talk to Katie. Jessie grumbles that it's none of Grace's business. Grace says Jessie doesn't know how easy she has it: "God, just go for it! No one will care! At least it's an option. At least the person that you're in love with --" Jessie cuts her off angrily, accusing her of reading Katie's letter. Grace denies it vehemently. Jessie scoffs. Grace grits that she wouldn't do something like that, and Jessie spits that it's exactly the kind of thing she'd do. She reminds Grace that she snoops around in other people's private things, and Grace sinks, realizing that she has a point. Jessie's eyes brim fiercely as she insists, "I don't care what you think you know! I am not in love with anybody! Just because you picked somebody who would never love you back in a million years!" Grace's voice is menacingly low: "Shut up!" Grace tries to deny her feelings for Creepitri, but Jessie knows she's found Grace's Achilles's heel, and she won't stop until Grace is crippled. She tells Grace that everyone knows and it's embarrassing because it's so obvious, the way she looks at Creepitri, and the way she does anything to be close to him. Grace snaps, "Well you'd do anything to protect your little image, won't you? Perfect Jessie who couldn't possibly be in love with a girl!" Jessie glares for a second, fighting back the bile. "I can't believe how much I hate you," Jessie seethes. Grace assures Jessie that Grace hates her more.