Episode Report Card Niki: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Second Time Around
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 22 | Aired on 05.01.2001
Grace blows into her room, still wearing the bridesmaid's dress, and finds Eli on her floor, clutching the letter. He looks up, dejected. Grace slowly closes the door and apologizes. "You didn't do anything," Eli says. "Yeah I did," she argues. Eli starts crying and says, "It's so weird that she doesn't miss me." Well, it might be, if the girl actually possessed a heart. Grace doesn't say anything, but that's okay because Eli's got more wallowing to do. "I'm never going to stop missing her," he slobbers. Yeah, well, you're the only one, man. Grace looks down at him and says, "I know." He says she's the only person who gets it and who doesn't keep telling him that it's not true. He looks at her adoringly. Whoa, ease up on the transference beam, captain. They look into each other's eyes and Eli quietly says, "That's a pretty dress." They keep staring at each other and slowly move toward one another. Their faces are nearly connected when there's a knock on the door. Jessie pushes it open. "What?" Grace and Eli snap in unison. Jessie's no fool and looks utterly freaked over what she just interrupted. "They called off the wedding," she manages to say. She looks from one to the other, backing slowly out of the room. I wouldn't turn my back on them, either.
After the break, we find Karen in her office, in conference with someone. They're interrupted by the phone. It's Jessie, asking Karen to come and pick up her and Eli. "I thought tonight was the rehearsal," Karen says. "They called it off," Jessie answers flatly. The camera rushes in on Karen's surprised face. Jessie repeats, "They just called off the wedding. Can you come get us?" Karen asks whether Rick and Lily got into a fight or something. Jessie says not exactly. "Well, is your father all right?" Karen says. She's trying to be cool, but she's way too excited about it. "He's watching the History Channel," Jessie says. "Oh, dear," Karen replies. She agrees to some and get the kids as soon as she can.
Lily frantically rushes into the kitchen, snagging the phone from Jessie and saying that she has to make a few dozen calls. She plunks down at the table, sighing.
"Wow," Karen breathes, staring straight ahead. "Good news?" her companion asks. We cut away before we get to hear Karen lie.
Winston Churchill's on some tiny television, making the announcement that the Germans have unconditionally surrendered. The war is over. See what they did there? Yeah, anyway, Judy's on the phone in the background (I thought Lily was on the phone?) as Rick stares unseeing at the tellie. He's hugging a pillow and a glass of vodka. After she hangs up, Judy stands between Rick and Churchill, asking if he's okay, and would he like to talk, or "would [he] and Winston like to be alone?" Rick answers by trying to see around her hip. "Got it," she mutters, and leaves him to it. He blinks blearily, raises his glass in a half-toast, and takes a healthy swig.