Episode Report Card Niki: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Losing You
By Niki | Season 3 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.07.2002
Rick strolls into the kitchen, yawning a good morning. Bea exclaims and says that he startled her. He puts his arm across her shoulder, kisses her forehead, and good-naturedly reminds her that he lives there now. He kisses Lily good morning, and she tells him they're just figuring out what to do today. Bea turns her attention back to Zoe, harping, "Zoe, no juice?" Defensively, Zoe says she'll have some later. Bea suggests that they go shopping, and asks, "Isn't someone around here going to have a birthday?" She asks what kind of party Zoe is having. Zoe fights off an eye-roll and says she doesn't want a party. "You're not having a party?" Bea echoes with disbelief. "Lily, why wouldn't she be having a party?" What is she, the Birthday Nazi? Weakly, Lily stammers, "Well, she..." Rick interjects that he's just going to step out and run like hell...er, "get the paper." Wise man. Lily shoots him the stink-eye for abandoning her. Zoe flatly informs her grandmother that she just doesn't want a party. That's it, that's all. "Lily, this is the age, you know," Bea says. Lily asks what she means. "When they have to be comfortable with themselves. If they're going to be popular --" "I don't want to be popular!" Zoe interrupts. Bea finally addresses the kid directly: "Zoe, you say that now --" "I want to be invisible!" Zoe pleads, bouncing on her chair in frustration. "You will be if you don't start giving parties and entertaining people!" Bea snaps. Lily puts a hand on her mother's shoulder to calm her down and soothingly says that Zoe has friends; she has good friends. Zoe backs her up on it. "Everybody loves a good party!" Bea stubbornly insists. "Except me!" Zoe cries. Lily rubs her temples and suggests having just two of Zoe's good friends over. Bea excitedly suggests having the party at "Jake's café." Zoe's seeing the problems already: inviting her two friends means she has to invite other people, too, because of their complex social weave. Still riding her own wave, Bea says, "They make the most fabulous party favors nowadays." Say, there's a good point. Lily actually addresses Zoe's concern, saying she wouldn't have to invite them if she just had a family party. Bea chimes in that she and Zoe could go shopping for party favors. Sick and tired of the whole stupid thing, Zoe closes her eyes and tries to suppress a scream. She raises her hands in surrender and snips, "Fine." Bea is elated that it's all settled, and that she won, of course. She floats off triumphantly to have her shower. Lily tries to smile. She glances over at Zoe, who's glaring back at her. "Thanks a lot!" Zoe snits. Lily sighs and smiles weakly, pleading, "Honey, your grandmother doesn't come to visit that often. Can't we just --" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Zoe grumbles, storming out of the kitchen. "Humor her?" Lily says to the bagels.