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
Aww, you can just see the air slowly leaking out of Grace. Her face falls, and she just looks at him. Spencer feels the need to explain that she's "too much" for him, that she's "too intense." She reels back and spits, "I'm too intense for you?" Spencer looks like he's trying to melt into the table top and stammers that he just can't handle a girlfriend right now. He says, pleading, "I can't even handle myself right now. I'm too intense for me." Grace gives him an "oh please" smile and looks away, trying hard not to cry. He leans forward and pleads some more, "I need two things." She rolls her eyes back to him and asks what. He replies, "Time. And for you not to be mad at me." He says it's all him, not her. What is he, channeling George Costanza now? (That's three Costanza references, for those of you playing at home.) Grace eyes him with a bit of hope, asking if he's sure it's not even a little bit because of her. He concedes, "Well, maybe a little." And Grace's face looks like it's going to collapse again. Fuck, Spencer, they're called white lies. Look into them. Sometimes they're actually handy. He scrambles to add that it's mostly him, though. Grace tries again to keep from crying, and looks stoically off to the side for a few seconds before grabbing her bag and getting the hell out of there. Don't even look back, Grace. You're too good for this annoying little twerp. Spencer turns his head a little, so that we can see the sad, guilty look on his face.
Meanwhile, Aaron's taking a mental beating in the self-esteem department. He's hunched, head down, over the dining room table, which he's set again. The Nightmare Man just won't leave him alone, and he's saying really mean things: "It's always the same with you. You're just the same always. And what is that?" Aaron lifts his head a little and says, tearfully, "A liar." I can't hear you!" Aaron repeats it, a little louder. Nightmare Man barks, "I can't hear you!" "A liar!" Aaron screams. Nightmare Man keeps grilling Aaron, telling him he'll "never be anything worth a damn. Now say your name." Aaron complies. "Say it louder!" Aaron does. "I can't hear you, so you must be nothing!" Fox should really try to book Nightmare Man for Boot Camp. I'm just saying. Suddenly, Nightmare Man appears, with a spooky, ghostlike sound, and he's standing menacingly behind Aaron. He says something about nothing again, just as Grace throws open the front door. Aaron jumps right out of his chair, and his arm swings out and knocks over the basket of cutlery. He bends to pick up the silverware, muttering that he's sorry, sorry, sorry. Grace rushes over and asks if he's okay. As she helps him pick up the cutlery, she watches his nervous movements and frantic breathing and says, "You're not doing so good, are you?" He straightens up, defensively insisting, "I'm better." Grace asks where Lily is. Aaron says she's shopping, and Grace's voice sinks as she says, "Oh, right. Rick's coming. With his kids." Aaron stands, anxiously repeating, "Rick." Grace assures Aaron that Rick's okay: "He's...large," she laughs. Aaron stands with his arms crossed, looking troubled but fighting to appear calm. Grace says again that Rick's "okay," but her eyes well up and her voice catches. She turns away, and Aaron reaches out, asking, "Are you?" Grace turns to look at him, smiling, but unable to speak because of her tears. "The snow boy," Aaron says gravely. He clenches his fists and makes a "d'oh" face, regretfully saying, "I should have told you. See, snow is a meltable element. You can't keep things made of snow." He rubs his hands and looks at her tenderly, feeling her sadness. Grace takes a shuddering breath, sobs, and throws her arms around him. Aaron is at a loss for a second. He holds his arms straight out, then softens into the hug, slowly wrapping his arms around Grace. Full of wonder, he murmurs, "I've never been asked to do this before." Grace just hugs him tighter and cries into his shoulder. He whispers that he needs something; he needs his medication. I need to grab a sponge to sop up my soaking keyboard. Just a sec.