Episode Report Card Niki: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Losing You
By Niki | Season 3 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.07.2002
Soliloquy Bea tells us about her girlhood plans to be in the fashion industry.
From her corner, Zoe glances at her grandmother, then starts checking out the goods. Bea handles some white satin purses before something off-camera catches her eye. She wanders off after it.
Cut to the store's entrance, where Bea emerges, blinking heavily and looking like something out of The Serpent and the Rainbow. She drifts out into the mall. Soliloquy Bea voices over that she was going to go to Paris and work for Coco Chanel or maybe move to New York and become a buyer, while Bea examines some scarves hanging outside another store. Zoe meanwhile, wraps a turquoise boa around her neck and glances around the store for Bea, to show her. The camera quickly swings left and right, with no Bea in sight. Bea wanders to another display, as her Soliloquy Self continues voicing over that her father lost his business and had nothing left, so it didn't matter anymore what she wanted. Panic rising, Zoe searches the store. She runs to the entrance, and I'm expecting the buzzer to sound, since she's still sporting the boa, but it doesn't. She stands in the doorway with a frantic look on her face.
"But then I met Phil, and he became my life," Soliloquy Bea tells us. She looks down, seeming to regret the things that never were.
Cut to the escalator. Bea gets on and heads down, while Zoe surveys the crowd passing in front of the store. She keeps it together remarkably well. She turns on her heel and heads for the sales counter, asking if she can use their phone to call her mother. She relays to Lily that she's lost sight of Bea.
Fade to the up escalator. Lily appears at the top it and bounds towards the accessories store, where Zoe is waiting. Lily asks where Bea is. Zoe says, "I have no idea." Lily squeals, "What do you mean? How could you lose her?" Zoe indignantly informs her that Bea lost her. Lily anxiously asks if Zoe thinks Bea left the mall. In one smooth motion, Lily plucks the boa off Zoe, hands it off to the sales clerk who's standing there eavesdropping and gaping, and pulls Zoe out of the store by the hand. They walk along the storefronts, scanning faces and looking tense, while the chick in the background music huffs and wails. She's really distracting. Zoe glances over the railing, down at the first level, and spots Bea sitting on a bench, unconcerned, and eating what appear to be gummy lips.
Lily and Zoe appear in front of Bea with an accusatory "Mom! Where were you?" "Well, I'm right here," Bea says, glibly. "But you said I should stay up there!" Zoe counters. Bea looks her in the eye and says, "Well, honey, you wandered off. I didn't know where to look for you." Full of righteous indignation, Zoe clamors, "No, I didn't!" She looks to Lily to see who she believes. It's not looking good for Zoe. Bea stands up and adjusts her purse, saying that she was very worried about Zoe. That seals it. Lily puts her hands on her hips and looks stern, telling Zoe that she was supposed to stay with Bea. Zoe protests that she stayed exactly where Bea said she should. Barbara smiles that they don't have to make a big fuss about it, since everyone is fine. How big of her. Lily and Bea head out, but Zoe needs a minute to shake her little head at the unjustness of it all.