Episode Report Card Niki: A+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Aaron's Gettin' Better
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 16 | Aired on 03.20.2001
Cut to Lily and Judy in the kitchen, making dinner. They chat about Aaron's situation, and Lily mentions that he's looking forward to the bookstore tomorrow. Judy brings up a past memory of the time Lily and Aaron babysat her for the weekend, and gave her "these tiny, tiny little portions of food." Lily half-rolls her eyes and gets a devilish look before saying, "It was just two meals." Judy brings up the birthday cake they made for her with sand instead of sugar. Then she mentions the rope ladder to the treehouse, which Lily and Aaron would dangle just out of Judy's reach. And people feel sorry for me for being an only child. Shyeah. Not hardly. Zoe interrupts, importantly announcing, "I have to get Uncle Aaron a soda."
The camera follows Zoe and the product-placed Pepsi into the dining room, where Grace is setting the table. She asks Aaron where he wants to sit. Zoe touches his arm and says that he can sit next to her if he wants. He thinks this over for a second and then gets a mischievous glint in his eye, saying, "I think I'll eat off of everyone's plate. Like in that Helen Keller movie." The three of them smile, and Zoe pipes up, "I love Helen Keller." Grace rolls her eyes and mocks, "Oh, what is she? Your favorite blind person?" Aaron takes another sip of his Pepsi, sets the can on the table, and announces, "I'd like to help set the table, please." Grace seems to appreciate the import of this offer, and hands him the brown woven placemats, which he studies. He says that they have Star Wars placemats at his group home for every meal. "Which must be why they call us space cadets," he adds. Grace bursts out laughing, and then catches herself and glances at him guiltily. "Oh, god, I'm so sorry," she says. He's smiling, too, though, and tells her that it's okay to laugh. "I can't, though, or the state'll cut off my funding," he mutters, which earns another snicker from Grace. Aaron calls out to Lily, and she and Judy rush from the kitchen expecting trouble. He tells her that "Grace reminds [him] of someone." He tells her it's Aunt Miriam, and Lily is shocked that he even remembers her. "She was nice, in a way," Aaron says as he arranges the silverware, adding, "And so is Grace." He steps back from the table and covers his smirk with his hand. "In a way?" Grace says, pretending to be offended. A bell dings in the kitchen, interrupting Happy Hour. Lily looks thrown for a second, until Judy reminds her that it's the garlic bread.
Lily and Judy return to the kitchen, mumbling that they can't believe Aaron remembers Aunt Miriam. Lily suddenly strides for a counter and braces herself, taking deep breaths and trying to remain calm, while Judy rambles on about Aunt Miriam's strange fascination for centering everything. Judy pulls out the garlic bread and realizes that Lily's being very quiet; it's because she's trying to hold back the tears that are brimming in her eyes. Lily takes a big gulp of air and then pushes off from the counter, saying that she's starving, and that they should eat. Judy studies her and quietly asks whether Aaron knows about Lily's engagement. Lily thinks for a moment, and then says that maybe she'll tell him tonight. Judy thinks that's a good idea. Lily tosses the salad a little before grabbing the bowl and saucily saying, "And I'm warning you, Judy -- tonight you'll be getting very tiny portions." Judy laughs and swats her with a tea towel.