Episode Report Card Heathen: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Falling In Place
By Heathen | Season 3 | Episode 13 | Aired on 03.03.2002
Eli wanders into Booklovers looking scruffy. That probably went without saying, though. Judy greets him warmly and immediately asks how Karen's doing. "She's okay," Eli fibs. "Actually, I came by to get her something to read." Judy's thrilled, and asks if Karen is able to read now. "She is, thanks to Hooked on Phonics," Eli grins. He and Judy hold hands and sing. Eli tells Judy he's not sure whether Karen's been reading or not. "Is she eating better?" Judy presses. Backed into a corner, Eli admits he hasn't visited Karen but pretends it's because he's a mover and a shaker, rather than a joker and a smoker and a midnight toker. Of course, Judy interprets this to mean that Eli got another job, so of course, Eli has to dispel the notion. There's a reason that "Eli" anagrams to "lie." Embarrassed, Judy changes the subject by remembering she has a book Karen wanted. While she rummages through a stack, though, it topples over into Eli's leg and he bends over to help pick them up. I seriously got scared that this would turn into a sweaty, fumbling moment of sexual tension, but fortunately the writers of Once and Again are at least trying to put out quality television. If there's chemistry there, it's being ignored. Eli has a brainwave: put these loose books on shelves! What a kook, that Eli. But wait...you know, he might just have something there. Judy is similarly intrigued and asks if Eli has a few days free to test-drive this insanity. "I can pay a really crappy wage," she grins hopefully. Eli chuckles. "I could use a really crappy wage," he says gratefully. "Plus I have had extensive experience in shelving." He thanks her, tempering his gratitude with some self-indulgent remark about how she's only doing this because she pities him. Judy rolls her eyes and hands him Karen's book, free of charge.
Lily charges purposefully out of the hospital elevator, with Jessie and Eli trailing her. Eli has a case of the sulks. Symptoms: spiky hair, hunched shoulders, narrow eyes, shifty gaze, and a relentless propensity for nostril-flaring. He testily notes that he hates the way hospitals smell. Lily offers to hang back while Jessie and Eli surprise Karen. "Would you come on?" Jessie gritches at Eli, who slouches and shuffles his way down the hall with her. "Are you high?" she accuses. He denies it, but Jessie's certain he is and resents that he smoked up before coming. Eli hangs his head. He's probably high. He's so boring.
Jessie bumps into a nurse who's leaving Karen's room. The nurse blithely warns Jessie and Eli that Karen's groggy from her medication. The kids creep toward Karen's bed, pulling back the curtain to reveal her lying sleepily on her back. "Hey, my babies!" she slurs. Eli awkwardly brandishes the book he brought. "I love books," murmurs Karen. "I know," he says uncomfortably, shifting his weight and settling for leaning against the sink. Jessie excitedly shows Karen the mix CD and says she brought Karen's Walkman. Eagerly, she talks about the A-minus she got on her science report, but Karen doesn't have much to say; she's incredibly out of it, which deflates Jessie a tad. "I'm just going to close my eyes for a minute," Karen says tiredly. "I'm so happy you're both here." Eli sighs hard as Jessie looks incredibly sad. "Mom?" she whispers. There's a prolonged beeping noise here, which for a second sounded like Karen was flatlining, but it was just the hospital PA system. Sneaky.