Episode Report Card Niki: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Wake Up, Little Susie
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 1 | Aired on 10.23.2000
Cut to Grace and Zoe in Grace's room, later that night. Grace is working on homework while Zoe does leg exercises on the bed. It should be interesting, if that eating-disorder-Jessie storyline does materialize, to see what its effects will be on Zoe, since she's the one so obsessed with body image at her tender age. Anyway, she's stretching away and says, "You could have been nicer." Grace insists she was "perfectly nice." "I really wanted her email address," Zoe says. Grace assures Zoe that she'll have plenty of chances to get it, "if Mom has her way." "Really? I think that's cool." Zoe responds. "Well you would," Grace says.
Cut to Jessie flopped on Eli's bed while he jabs away at his guitar. "How do you know she doesn't like you?" he asks. Because, not only do Rick and Lily need to lead tandem lives, their offspring must also. He adds that Jessie doesn't think anyone likes her. "I'm serious," she insists. Eli says that he is, too. Jessie says that Grace won't even talk to her, and Eli suggests that Grace may be shy. "You think so?" Jessie asks hopefully. Eli says no. He tells Jessie not to worry about it, even if Grace doesn't like her, since they won't have to spend much time together once Rick moves in with Lily. Jessie is horrified at the suggestion, but Eli just laughs. Jessie wonders why it can't just be them, and Eli basically tells her to bugger off so he can practice.
Cut to Rick in his bedroom, on the phone with Lily in hers. "Did they?" Rick asks as Jessie approaches his door. Lily, smiling widely, informs him of how well the girls got along that afternoon. Jessie goes for a full-on eavesdrop and listens as Rick suggests that they "get them together more often." Grace, continuing the tandem ride, pokes her head around Lily's door to say goodnight, then opts to eavesdrop rather than going to bed. The two parents try to figure out a good night, while the kids listen with dread. Grace and Jessie creep off down their respective hallways as Lily and Rick hang up.
We return from commercials to find Karen in her kitchen, on the phone with Rick. He's calling to let her know he has to pick up something Jessie forgot. A nanosecond later, he's knocking on her door. Karen hands him Jessie's shin pads, and the two stand awkwardly in the doorway. Rick hesitantly asks if it's okay for him to take the kids the next night. Karen looks a little thrown but agrees. It comes out that Rick made plans to take the kids to Lily's for dinner, and Karen reacts with a studied nonchalance. Rick turns to go, and Karen stops him. She tells him that she knows Lily picked up Jessie from school, "which is perfectly fine," but Rick said that he was going to do it. Rick says he simply said he'd take care of it, and he did. Karen rolls her eyes, raises her arms, and shakes her head. "I just don't understand why you have to lie to me," she says, and starts pacing a tiny, frustrated loop. Rick insists he didn't lie and suggests that if Karen has a problem with Lily picking up the kids, she should just say so. Karen folds her arms defensively across her chest and says she knows that Rick is "obviously very involved with this woman, and that's is fine, it's just that [she's] thinking about the kids." Implying, of course, that Rick isn't. And did anyone notice how insistent she was that everything about Rick dating Lily is "fine"? Methinks the lady doth not protest enough. I suspect she's jealous and fighting hard not to show it. Karen says she knows there's bound to be some miscommunication in all of this, so she just wants them to be as clear and honest as possible. Rick's face softens, as he realizes the expected lecture isn't going to materialize after all. "I can do that," he says, like a chastened boy. "And we can just...drop it," Karen says, sheepishly, looking down. Her arms are still crossed, but her steam's gone. Rick leaves with no further adieu, and Karen slowly closes the door after him, looking weary.