Episode Report Card Niki: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Flirting with Disaster
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 12 | Aired on 02.06.2001
Karen remains standing with her back to Leo, looking pissed and shaking her head. He sighs and plops down, promising, "I'll make it up to her." He sighs, "I hope she understands." Karen nods tiny, angry little nods and turns around saying, "Yeah. She understands. She understands that people let you down, Leo, but you...to...to...to not even call..." Leo pops up and tries to defend himself, saying, "Hey, stuff happens to people." Karen's not interested. "No, this is not just people! Leo, you mean something to her!" Karen says Jessie sees him there with Karen and knows what it means. She moves away. Leo looks thoughtful for a second and then says, "I know." Karen claims he doesn't. "I have children," she says, adding, "Children that need --" "Parents?" Leo supplies. He points out that Karen's children already have parents. "I'm just trying. Really hard," he says, choked with emotion. Man, I feel for Leo. He just can't win with Karen. First she wants him to keep a little distance from the kids, then she implies that she wants a surrogate parent. And no matter what he does, she's always disapproving, or acts indulgent. "I don't know what else I can do," Leo says. Me neither, man. They each sit on the edge of a chair and look like they're trying to think of what to say next.
Cut to PagesAlive.com, where Crusty is assuring people that "having staff meetings like this on a weekly basis is gonna make a tremendous difference." This is something new? No wonder the place is in trouble. She grabs her back of the couch and heads for the door, reminding someone that she needs a list for the blues festival, and telling Lily that she'll be in the car if she's needed for anything. Everyone files out, except for Lily, who's still busy writing notes, and Graham, who's busy trying to nail some alone time with her. He tells her that he wants to talk about yesterday. She says it's okay, that sometimes people say things without thinking. She says it doesn't have to mean anything, necessarily. "Except when it does," he says. Oh, give it up and take the hint already. Lily visibly clenches. In case she missed his point, he says, "Lily, I meant it." He says he's tried to "wish it away," without success, but he "doesn't want to make this [her] problem." She says that it is. He clarifies: he's hoping that since they work so closely, over time she'll get to know him and realize that she has feelings for him too. Dude, what is he on, and where can I get some? He says he's "willing to give it time." Gee, how generous of him. She tells him she has to pick up the kids, and starts to move past him. He asks her to wait and moves into her, quickly leaning in and pecking her on the lips. She pushes him off like he's got the cooties, and waves her fists around in grossed-out frustration, asking, "What are you doing?" He's frozen. She shoves past him, and he turns, getting smarmy and saying, "Just listen..." But she's already gone. Defeated, he throws his hands up and sighs. Way to give it time, there, buddy.