Previously on The O.C., Dawn Atwood wanted Ryan out of the House of Trash. She also wanted a beer, a cigarette, and a decent haircut. Kirsten asked what kind of mother just abandons her child, and Sandy dropped his head. Marissa thought Dawnhadto come back, but Ryan thought she was a "train wreck." Seth hid Ryan in the model home, where Ryan did nothing with Luke's girlfriend, but it didn't look like nothing to Luke, and so he and his friends commenced the burning of the model home and the near burning of Ryan, for whom the police then had some questions. They had questions for Luke, too. Also, Jimmy needed $100,000, and Kirsten had it.
We open the show with buzzing gates. Juvie. Sandy -- who with each episode is in increasing need of a pair of hair clippers with which to tame his eyebrows-- signs in and makes eye contact through the bars with a sullen-looking Ryan. He enters, and asks Ryan if he wants the good news or the bad joke first. When Ryan doesn't answer, Sandy cracks, "We gotta stop meeting like this!" Okay, so Sandy didn't ask the good news/bad joke question, but that was a bad joke, and clearly not what Ryan needs to hear. In any case, there is good news: Kirsten's company has dropped all the charges, and Ryan is free to go after his probation hearing. In his signature move, Ryan casts his eyes downward as Sandy continues, "You'll be out no problem." Which, to me, is a whole lot different than the thirty-sixty days he admits when Ryan pushes for a time frame. Sandy says that Ryan would be out sooner if he could be released into the care of a parent or guardian. In a perfectly timed only-on-television-moment, just outside the gates Luke is released into the arms of his adoring blonde mother. Ryan watches and comments, "He gets to leave," obviously not having gotten the point about the parent/guardian issue. Sandy explains that his and Luke's stories meshed about the accidental burning of the Model Home, but that Luke is without priors and has no record, which is exactly what Sandy said about the difference between Ryan and Trey in the first episode. The obvious finally sinks in and Ryan angrily concludes, "And he has someone to take him home." A pissed-off-looking Luke shoots Ryan a dirty look before leaving.
Meanwhile, the eyebrows slow-talk, "Ryan. You know...If I could..." He doesn't finish the sentence, but an immediate mental picture of Ryan dressed up like Hank Azaria's character in The Birdcage popped into my head. That's a whole different kind of pool boy. Sandy tells Ryan that everything will be okay, but Ryan counters, "My mom ditched me. I burned your wife's house down. How is this gonna be okay?" Sandy insists that they'll find Ryan's mother, and Ryan asks what if they don't? Sandy assures him that they'll do whatever it takes, leading Ryan to clarify his question: what if he doesn't want his mother found? A flummoxed Sandy doesn't attempt to answer, instead asking why Ryan didn't come to him instead of running away. Ryan angrily asks why he should have gone to Sandy -- so he could have ended up in Child Services and foster care? Sandy points out that Ryan could have died in the fire, and Ryan's defense mechanisms are in full force as changes the subject to say that Sandy has done more than enough for him already, and he can take care of himself. He adds, "Won't be that different from how it's been." Through with the conversation, Ryan heads for the gate, where a guard waits to let him back in with the juvie population. Sandy assures him they'll talk again before the hearings. Ryan pauses and adds, "Tell your....wife...again....thanks." Sandy's all, "Already did." (The slow manner in which the characters speak on this show makes it the anti-Gilmore Girls.) In any case, Sandy watches as Ryan is led past all the other delinquents. All of whom happen to be black. All of them. Every one. How did no one casting, directing, acting, or working the food services cart fail to notice that there was something truly amiss in this scene? But as it turns out they're not all black. There's one Hispanic kid, and he's a badass. As Ryan passes by, the boy -- who looks like Eliza Dushku if she were bald, Hispanic, and a man -- intentionally slams into him. Ryan says he's sorry, but the now-christened "Faithless" is all up in his face: "You ain't now. But you will be." As Ryan is led further away, he turns back to give a plaintive look to the dismayed Sandy.
Tinkle tinkle tink. Tinkle tinkle tink. Tinkle tinkle tinkle tink. California here we come! Right back where we started from! California! California! Oh! The lyrics to that song don't quite fly off the page, do they?
The Big House. Kirsten tells Rosa that all they need now are the bellinis, and can she make Kirsten's a double? Rosa doesn't answer, because they don't pay her to speak. Sandy enters, expositioning that Kirsten's all set up for something that sounds like her "Noopsie" convention. By the way, when you Google "Noopsie," it comes up, "Did you mean: poopsie?" Might as well have. And I don't know what Noopsie stands for (Newport...?), but any group that calls itself that can't be good. Sandy asks when the "vultures land," and Kirsten responds that they'll be there soon, and she's sure there's "a doily out of place somewhere." Sandy responds, "Good. Gives them something to talk about." He asks why she is even having them over, because she doesn't like them. He doesn't question the more perplexing issue: why is she holding a giant, blue mutant of a coffee mug that is -- with only a small amount of exaggeration -- the size of her head? Kirsten unconvincingly responds, "I don't don't like them," and shouldn't the lady of the manor speak better English than that? She further explains that she grew up with "these women" and that they are her oldest friends. Sandy asks what's on the agenda: "What event are you draggin' me to this week?" Kirsten hesitates before slowly answering that it's Casino Night. At this point we see that Sandy didn't question Kirsten about her giant, blue mutant of a coffee mug because he has one, too. They're everywhere! Sandy comments that this "home-in-the-office-housewife thing is really --" and Kirsten cuts him off to conclude, "Disturbing?" He's all, "Hot...it's disturbingly hot!"
Just as Kirsten and Sandy are about to go all horndog/Jim and Cindy Walsh on us, with Kirsten slinking around the kitchen and Sandy waggling those ferocious brows in her direction, Seth enters. Extra yay for Seth! For sparing us the nasty! He stomps around the kitchen wearing an adorable green t-shirt. Sandy asks what he's doing, and he pouts, "Nothing. I'm grounded." Sandy snidely compliments him for "handling it so well," and then points out that Seth is lucky he's only grounded. Seth attempts to be all angry pursed lips and raised-eyebrows fury, but then caves, plaintively asking whether Sandy is going to visit Ryan. He's not, though, because there's nothing he can do for him right now. Seth asks whether Ryan is okay, and Sandy responds, "Well, there's a reason I like to try to keep kids out of those places." Seth defiantly head-bobs and asks, "You, just, you can't get him out, or you're just not a good enough lawyer?" Sandy explains that his hands are tied until they find Ryan's mother, but that's not good enough for Seth, who asks why Ryan can't stay with them until then. Kirsten bursts into the room raging that she "will not have this conversation again!" She will, however, have a more important conversation with Rosa, ordering her to make sure the scones go outside. Actually, is it appropriate to call it a "conversation" when only one person actually conversing? And besides which, okay. Scones. We get it. They're rich. Seth snits that it will all be on Kirsten if something happens to Ryan, and that he hopes she can live with that. She trumps him by responding that what she can't live with is if something happens to Seth because of Ryan. Seth's not having it, though, and yells, "Like meet someone who doesn't suck?" Or who does suck, but in an entirely different way. And whose name is Summer. Who actually sucks in both ways, come to think about it. Kirsten is losing control. Her voice escalates as she yells, "We are not his parents! I am not his mother!" Seth's all, "Good thing," and leaves the room while Sandy yells for him to "get back here and apologize!" But. Doorbell.
Even though Kirsten and Sandy are standing right there, Rosa answers. It's Lady Heather, and she is followed by a veritable gaggle of Noopsies. Maybe not a "gaggle." I suspect "coven" is the better way to go. And please, wiccans, spare me your emails. I know witches aren't all bad. I watch Charmed, too. Lady Heather heads straight for Sandy, greeting him in faux concern, kissing his cheek, and asking if he's okay. She adds, "That poor boy? He's locked up, yes?" Sandy responds that he temporarily is, and Lady Heather tells him that no one blames him for bringing Ryan into the community, because they all know Sandy is so trusting. Another Noopsie -- who must be related to someone or won a Fox extra prize, because she's neither particularly attractive nor even a good actress -- pulls Lady Heather aside to snit that the house looks good, and she thought it burned down? Lady Heather clarifies that it wasn't this house, but one of Kirsten's developments. She snarks, "Luckily she has so many." Sandy stands at the door, announcing his imminent exit and adding, "Gotta find the kid to jeopardize the community! Maybe a black kid! Or an Asian kid!" I may be missing the point that all differentiation from the norm is problematic in The O.C., but somehow I don't see Asian kids -- unless they're the kids from that MTV movie Better Luck Tomorrow -- presenting as much of an imagined threat as other minority groups to the Newport Beach community. While the Noopsie members look perplexed, an almost smiling Kirsten changes the subject: "How 'bout a bellini?" The Noopsies admire all the food, which is pretty and served on beautiful tiered serving trays.
At Juvie, Ryan's food is ugly and served on gray-colored plastic. He sadly looks for a place to sit in the cafeteria and eat his gruel, but Faithless suddenly pushes the tray out of his hands and throws Ryan down on one of the tables. Shoving a plastic fork against Ryan's neck, he screams, "You got a problem? You disrespecting me?" Ryan makes a dazed and pained expression as Faithless presses the fork further into his skin and tells him he'd "best" watch out for him. "Best"? He then releases Ryan, who rolls off the table and lands on the ground with a thud. At the table behind him, another boy rises from his seat and looks down at Ryan in curiosity -- more "ooops, I just dropped a piece of spaghetti" than "that guy just got the shit kicked out of him and maybe I should call a guard or something."
Back at the Big House, Lady Heather thinks it's an "absolute embarrassment" that the fundraiser is only two days away and they don't yet have a theme. The ladies speak up, all, "I thought it was Casino Night," and "I thought it was Monte Carlo Night," and "No, it's Vegas Night." Lady Heather dismissively sips her bellini and calls it a "travesty." The nepotism Noopsie (hereafter N.N., because this is how we do it in the O.C., bitch!) whines that it can't be Monte Carlo night because Cotillion is coming up, and don't the others remember their "amendment?" No two black-tie events in the same month! Kirsten has reached her Noopsie limit and excuses herself to go "check on the...thing." Oh, she's concerned about Holly and her mole removal. How thoughtful! As Kirsten exits, Lady Heather mock-whispers with mock sympathy, "She's been though so much. Because her son? Was friends with that boy." Noopsie gasps abound.
Upstairs in the Big House, Seth grabs his skateboard and jacket and heads for the door. And he's wearing jeans this week! He's got a little sumpin' sumpin' goin' on under there! On his way out, he peaks in at the Noopsies, where Lady Heather is gesturing fanatically at the group. Once outside, he runs right into Kirsten, who is sitting on the porch. She sternly asks where he thinks he's going, and he asks what she's doing out there, leading her to reveal that she's "taking a Noopsie break." Sounds like code, in my house, for going to the bathroom. She asks again where he's going, and he claims he's not going anywhere. She "Seth"s him into confessing that he's on his way to juvie to visit Ryan. She's all, "No! No, you're not! No way!" In response, he waves, says "Okay, bye," and turns to leave anyway. Kirsten calls him back, explaining that she knows she's not the "perfect Carol Brady mom," but that she loves him and is trying to protect him. She already dropped the charges against Ryan and has hired someone to find his mother -- what more does Seth want? Seth, it turns out, wants Kirsten to go with him. Lady Heather busts onto the porch, chipper to have found Kirsten and explaining that they're "talking about the bunting -- is acetate okay?" Kirsten responds that it sounds great. As Lady Heather returns inside, she tells Seth to give her fifteen minutes to "lose the ladies." Seth looks confused.
Boppy music. Lady Heather's Lair. In Marissa's room, she contemplates the telephone, while Summer struts around in her bra, asking to try on one of Marissa's shirts. Marissa points out that her father is home, and Summer responds, "You say that like it's a bad thing." Marissa "oh, gross"es this, but what might be more gross is the fact that Marissa think it's potentially unsafe for her friend to be in a state of semi-undress in her own bedroom with the door shut. Marissa's "oh gross," incidentally, is very poorly dubbed. Her lips say something else that is not, surprisingly, "I really am a forty-year-old woman." Summer observes that Marissa's father is always home lately and asks, "What's up with that?" Conveniently, Luke's answering machine picks up, allowing Marissa to dodge Summer's question. Instead, she leaves a hesitant message for Luke saying, "I wanted to talk. So call me. Um. Please." Summer admires herself in Marissa's shirt, and asks if Luke still hasn't called Marissa back. She jokes that he was in lockup, so "maybe he's into dudes now." Marissa throws a pillow at her, and men across the country get unnecessarily exited: Marissa and Summer do not strip down to their skivvies (although Summer is already halfway there) and commence a full-on pillow fight. Summer claims that Luke burned a house down over Marissa, which she proclaims "hott." And I'm entirely confident that Summer would indeed use to Ts. In any case, she asks what more Marissa needs, and Marissa responds, "How 'bout talking to me?" Summer says that Luke will get over it, because he can't really think she's "into that Chino kid." Marissa throws herself back against the bed and pouts.
As they walk together through a hallway in Lady Heather's Lair, Jimmy asks Seth how Kirsten is. Seth discreetly responds, "Um, just, married." Hee. Jimmy shoots him a quick, perplexed look, and then clears his throat uncomfortably. We see a partly open door -- and why didn't Marissa just close it when her friend got naked? -- on which Jimmy knocks, calling, "Marissa, you've got company." The door swings open to reveal Summer in her bra. She makes no effort to move out of view or cover herself, looking bothered to have been interrupted but not in the least bit bothered to be half-dressed. Seth is gape-mouthed and all, "Oh. My. God." Jimmy apologizes and quickly leaves while Seth grins through an introduction: "Uh. Hi, Summer. Um, um, um. I'm Seth Cohen. I live right door." Hee. Summer -- finally demonstrating some self-consciousness -- slowly moves out of view. Marissa goes to the door and asks Seth, "What's up?" Still dazed, he responds, "What?! Yes. What is up." Hee. He manages to collect himself and explains that he's going to visit Ryan and he thought Marissa might come because Ryan would love to see her. Marissa quickly closes the door behind her and steps into the hallway, but not before loudly asking for Summer's benefit, "Uh, what's that, Seth? Did you say you need a ride to a Star Wars convention?" Seth responds, "A Star Wars Convention? I'm sorry -- her top was off! You couldn't have at least said X-Men for me?" Not appropriately versed in the hierarchy of science fiction geekdom, Marissa returns to the original subject: she can't go with Seth, because Luke's not talking to her as it is. Seth asks, so what? Ryan is in jail and he thought they were all friends. Marissa explains it away as "too complicated," which Seth questions: "To visit him?" Marissa's all, "I caaaaaan't, okay?" and Seth snits off with a "whatever."
The Other Big House. Kirsten fiddles with her wedding rings as she and Seth enter the jail. It's either a nervous habit, or she's turning the rings to hide the bling. In either case, it's very obvious. Both Seth and Kirsten look uncomfortable as they are locked inside a space that appears to be a rec room, where Ryan waits at a table. Kirsten tells Seth to make it quick, as Seth waves and then heads over to Ryan, who is pasty, with tired, half-closed eyes, but still very watchful. Kirsten signs in, and Ryan looks like he's holding back tears as Seth sits down and notices his neck. Ryan hides it, explaining it as "nothing." Seth asks if he's okay, and Ryan snits, "Great!" Seth apologizes for the plan's failure; he thought he had it all figured out and that Ryan would be safe, but he was wrong. In the background, we see that Faithless is at another table in the room, and as Kirsten heads over to join Ryan and Seth, he razzes her, "Hey, what's the matter, huh? Give me a smile!" Kirsten ignores him and looks away, but really, the problem might have been averted if she had just smiled at him. Lord knows I hate it when men on the street stop me and say, "Look, it can't be that bad. Let me see a smile!" When I get that (walking the streets of Baltimore, scowling as I do), I smile and continue walking. Why? Because why do I want to piss off a man who's already crazy enough to say that to random women? And an aside: men, stop saying this to women. No one likes it. In any case, Seth attempts to continue their conversation, saying that Marissa seemed weird when he tried to talk to her, and what happened between them, anyway? Faithless won't shut up, though, and yells to Kirsten, "You got a nice swerve on you, lady! You're fine!" Ryan slowly turns his head and warns Faithless to leave Kirsten alone. Kirsten, meanwhile, insists that it's okay, but it's clearly really not okay, as Faithless slowly gets up and walks toward her, laughing at the prospect that she's Ryan's "little honey." As he gets closer to Kirsten, Faithless urges, "Come here, bitch! I wanna get a good look atchoo." Kirsten orders Seth that they need to leave now, and Seth, all quirky and upright, quietly says, "Uh. Guard?" Hee. Faithless gets closer to Kirsten, insisting, "I only need, like, two minutes." Ew. Ryan tells him again to leave her alone while Kirsten's all, "Seth! Now!" Faith asks Ryan, "Whatchoo gonna do about it?" What Ryan's going to do about it is this: move faster than he's ever moved on the show, getting out of his chair and throwing Faithless against the prison bars. The other juvies clamor at the gates while Kirsten, trapped inside, screams for the guards. Through the element of surprise, Ryan has managed one good shot on Faithless, but that was about it. Now Faithless wallops Ryan, who looks completely confused and defenseless against the attack. Seth watches without moving, and Kirsten runs over to block his body with hers. Aw. Finally, a mean-ass-looking guard enters and removes Faithless from Ryan, while a less mean-ass-looking guard pins Ryan. The guards and prisoners exit while a gape-mouthed Kirsten contemplates the situation. Poor Ryan. It's even more traumatic to watch the second time through.
It's now night at the Big House. Sandy's car pulls into the driveway, and he enters to videogame noises. Sandy's sweat glands are working overtime in this episode, by the way. He immediately yells at Seth for playing games when he's grounded, and then walks into the living room to find both Seth and Ryan. He softly says, "Oh." "Oh," indeed. I cried! Ryan looks uncertain, while Seth keeps playing.
In the kitchen, Sandy tells Kirsten, "I never knew you to be an impulse shopper!" She didn't know what else to do, though. He questions whether she told Ryan it was permanent, and of course she didn't. But Sandy doesn't think they can keep "jerkin' this kid around" -- pulling him in and out of juvie, putting him into foster care, "givin' hope and...takin' it away!" Kirsten pleads, "They were gonna kill him in that place, Sandy! He couldn't stay there! But he can't stay here!" She insists that they need to find Dawn, and Sandy's eyebrows reveal that Ryan doesn't want to find his mother. Kirsten says, "He's a kid. He doesn't know what he wants!" At this moment, Ryan enters the room and quietly says, "So I guess I won't unpack." He looks at the floor, while Sandy looks at him and Kirsten looks away.
Morning. Seth is heavily engaged in a magazine; Ryan enters and is cutely instructed to "help yourself to a wide assortment of breakfast cereals." Seth once again brings up the subject of Marissa, repeating his question about what happened between the two on the night the Model Home burned down. Ryan explains that Marissa came to see him, and he asked her to leave. Seth's all, "You asked her to leave?" He points out that the two of them were all alone together, and yet Ryan expects him to believe that nothing happened? Ryan looks Seth in the eye as he confides that at the time he thought he was leaving the day, and it wouldn't have been right. Seth points out that he's still here and Marissa's door, but Ryan further details that he "said some things." Seth responds, "Now is your chance to take it back." When did Seth become Marissa's biggest fan, anyway?
At Lady Heather's Lair, Marissa straightens her hair in her coral-colored bedroom. Lady Heather enters all pink and Juicy, announcing that she's off to set up for Casino Night and the others are waiting for her because "those ladies can't do anything unless I'm there." She invites Marissa to come along, proposing that it will be fun before clarifying, "Well, not fun. But it's for charity!" Marissa declines, causing Lady Heather to "honey" her in exasperation and announce that it's enough moping. She thinks it's "sweet" that Marissa is so concerned with "this boy," but "he's in the system now." He's being taken care of and besides, "he's not [Marissa's] responsibility because he's in love with [her]." Marissa snaps that Ryan's not in love with her, and Lady Heather disbelievingly concludes that he thinks he's too good for her. Marissa explains that he actually thinks she's too good for him and Lady Heather snarks, "Well, he's right." She lectures that Ryan is in the past and Marissa needs to focus on the future, "which means Luke." She claims that Marissa has "invested so much" with Luke, and that their relationship has "too much potential to be squandered by some silly misunderstanding." No pressure there. In any case, she tells Marissa to "finish [her] hair, put on a nice top, and please come join [Lady Heather] at the club." Marissa looks like she's had an epiphany and says she will join her mom, after all. She thanks Lady Heather, who responds, "That's what I'm here for." She exits, and Marissa stares at herself in the mirror.
Back at the Big House, Kirsten tells Rosa that she has to make some calls, so if Rosa can "finish up in the kitchen, that would be terrific." Oh, and if she doesn't? She's fired! Sandy gallops down the stares and Kirsten asks where he's going. To her dismay, he has an early court date and will be in and out of the office. But she has to set up for Casino Night, and what about Ryan? Sandy explains that he has two calls into the private investigator about Dawn, but Kirsten asks, "What am I supposed to do with him?" Sandy tells her to take Ryan with her and spend some time together. She asks, "With all those women there?" to which Sandy responds, "Sure, they'll love him!" Hee.
A generic ballroom. Casino Night Set-Up. A plant on wheels rolls by. Women set up in more silly-looking Juicy sweatsuits. Lady Heather greets Kirsten and Seth, then turns and stares at Ryan. Kirsten introduces him, and Lady Heather announces, "I'm Julie Cooper. Heard so much about you." Ryan responds, "Nice to meet you too," which isn't exactly what she said. Lady Heather then rushes off to greet and hug Luke, followed by various other desperate O.C. moms who want to get their hands on some nice trapezoids. Kirsten thanks Luke for coming, and he earnestly says he'll do anything to make amends for the model home incident. Kirsten then apologizes to Ryan; she forgot that Luke was coming, and if he wants to leave, that's fine. Ryan is already there, though, and asks Lady Heather how he can help. She looks Luke-ward and concludes that now that they have their "big, strong, strapping men, it's time for heavy lifting!" And wow! Lady Heather knows three different synonyms for "large muscles"! In the background, we see scrawny Seth looking exhausted from blowing up balloons. Using a helium tank.
Also at Casino Night Set-Up, Marissa lays down a tablecloth and notices Luke nearby. She was hoping they could talk, but then Ryan walks by. Luke's all, "Which one of us did you wanna talk to?" Marissa demurs, while in the background Seth attempts to tie a balloon using his index finger. That never worked for me, either. Ryan chases after the dissed Marissa, apologizing because since he got there, he seems to be screwing stuff up. Marissa apologizes as well and also assumes some of the blame: she never should have left Luke to go see Ryan that night. Ryan tries to dismiss some of the things he said, but Marissa cuts him off, "You were right! We're from two different worlds!" She walks away, but not before saying she's glad he's okay. Seth pulls a Sandy and lurks in the background of the conversation; when Ryan looks in his direction, he feigns balloon business.
Luke is unloading a stack of chairs when Ryan approaches, throws a box down on the table and says, "Okay. What happened up at that house --" Luke won't let him finish, because he doesn't want to hear it. He and Ryan have nothing to say to each other. He doesn't know who Ryan is or why he's there: "All I know is, you and me? We're done!" Ryan stares him down, until Kirsten interrupts to summon him to a "new project." And are they three years old? "New project"? Will they be gluing macaroni elbows, or tracing their hands to make turkeys? Luke slams down a chair and pouts into the distance.
We're now in a coffee house, where Lady Heather loudly comments to the N.N., "How dare they? This boy is violent! He's a menace!" She says that the Cohens may forgive and forget, but she doesn't. And ooopsie, Noopsie! The camera pans over to show Sandy sitting in the same coffee shop doing his work. So it's not with just his own kids that he's constantly showing up in the wrong place. He's like Superstalker -- always in the right place at the wrong time! In this case, we don't mind. Lady Heather continues her rant, asking her friend how they know he won't do it again? She concludes, "All I know is that the police are taking criminals off the street, and Sandy Cohen is putting them in my back yard." Hee. Sandy visibly perks up at the sound of his name, his cheeks poofed out with unswallowed coffee. The N.N. asks how Kirsten puts up with him, and Lady Heather explains that she's never home, she's always working "building her empire, whatever." The N.N. feels sorry for Kirsten, because Dr. Phil did a show on mothers who avoid their home lives by becoming workaholics. She concludes, "So sad!"
Sandy has had enough of this conversation, and rises to his feet as Lady Heather comments that she hopes Kirsten has a vault wherein she locks up her "jewels," because she has some very expensive brooches. Sandy's suddenly pulling himself up a chair and plodding down into it with a cavalier "Hey, ladies. Care if I join you?" He then reaches over and snags Lady Heather's muffin top. That sounds dirty, but it's not. As he shoves it in his mouth he asks, without really expecting an answer, "You mind?" Sandy -- matter-of-fact and not showing his anger -- adds that he couldn't help overhearing their conversation. Lady Heather mumbles, "Well I hope...that you're not --" She trails off, and Sandy finishes the sentence: "Mad? Offended? No!" Instead, he's disappointed and surprised because he thought they lived in a community that welcomed outsiders. He points out that he's all the way from the Bronx and says, "And you're from...from what? Riverside, right?" Oooh, burn! Lady Heather is without words but her pissed-off eyes say it all as Sandy goes on to claim that it's "not that different from where Ryan's from." Double burn! Sandy's cell phone interrupts this exchange, and we hear that he's getting information on Dawn's whereabouts, which he scribbles down on Lady Heather's napkin. He rises from his seat, thanks Lady Heather for the muffin, and takes off. Lady Heather and the N.N. sit beside each other in discomfort, and then Lady Heather has to assert her social superiority over someone so she screams into the air, "Could I have a napkin? Now!"
Back at Casino Night Set-Up, Seth and Ryan sort cards and chips while Kirsten talks on her giant cell phone -- seriously, the thing is huge -- asking what she's supposed to do with 120,000 pounds of concrete? Aside from shoving it up her ass, that is. She orders the person on the line -- presumably the contractor -- to get a new mixer, and tells him or her to call her before hanging up. Ryan asks what she does, exactly -- real estate or construction? Seth's all, "Dude. Don't ask." Kirsten snits that she tried to explain it to Seth once, but he fell asleep halfway through. Seth responds, "Okay. But, uh. Yeah. That's pretty much true." Hee. Ryan is interested, though, and says, "Try me," causing Seth to groan and leave. Kirsten explains that her father is in real estate development and owns the Newport Group. Ryan knows that they built the mall, the Civic Auditorium, baseball stadiums, and other "stuff like that." Kirsten further explains that she's in charge of residential development, from which Ryan concludes that she must deal with contractors, architects, and the planning and zoning commission. Kirsten is amazed, and asks how he knows all that. He responds, with a hint of cockiness, that he worked construction for a couple summers, and he used to want to be an architect. Kirsten asks what he wants to be now, and he responds, "Seventeen." Kirsten laughs, "Me too." Well, she appears to be closer to it than Marissa does, so that's a good start.
Lady Heather stomps into the Lair, where Jimmy is lying on the couch, stuffing chips in his mouth and watching their big-screen television. Through a mouthful of food, he says he thought she was setting up "at the, um." Hee. She picks up the remote, angrily clicks off the television, and bellows, "You will not believe what Sandy Cohen said to me. He basically called me white trash. He said I was from Riverside." Jimmy's all, "Honey. You are from Riverside." Hee. Lady Heather snits, "It was his tone." She further snits that he compared her to "that boy who started the fire," and also had the nerve to bring him to the "function." She claims that Kirsten is "out of control," and thinks the rules don't apply to her. Lady Heather knows that Jimmy was young, but "how [he] ever dated that woman, [Lady Heather] will never understand!" She says, "I have half a mind to call her and tell her --" and Jimmy interrupts to say, "Half a mind, sounds right." Well, he doesn't. But he should have. He does finally speak up, though, telling her to "leave. Kirsten. Alone." Lady Heather is astonished as Jimmy adds, "She's the one paying our bills." Lady Heather asks what he's talking about, and Jimmy reminds her of his problems at work which, he now reveals, Kirsten solved. Lady Heather asks how he thinks it makes them look that he went to Kirsten for a "handout," but Jimmy wouldn't really call it a "handout." He'd call it $100,000.
Laundromat Where Poor People Who Don't Have Maids or Laundry Machines Go to Obtain Clean Clothes. A slovenly woman beats up on a machine that ate her change; she turns to bitch at Dawn Atwood, who now works there. The woman looks angry enough to eat Dawn, who handles the exchange pleasantly and forks over new change to the woman. Sweaty Sandy enters and introduces himself as Ryan's attorney. He'd love to talk with her. Dawn snits that she can't, and then yells at the stuck machine. Sandy insists that it will only take a few minutes, and then the machine explodes, spilling change all over the floor. Surprisingly, the poor people of Chino aren't pushing and showing to get a handful of dimes. Flustered, Dawn squats to pick up the change (while Sandy stands by and watches her), and looks up to ask how Ryan is. Sandy suggests that they get some coffee and talk about it.
Kirsten's big black car pulls into the driveway of the Big House. Kirsten enters with shopping bags, followed by Ryan and Seth, also with bags. She's in the middle of telling Ryan about the area's great historical homes, and suggests he take an architectural tour. Seth agrees that "those things are awesome," and despite his lack of interest earlier, he doesn't sound like he's being sarcastic. Ryan says he'd like that, but we can't keep him happy for too long, and so he notices his mother and Sandy sitting together in the den. Dawn -- clad in all manner of denim -- rises to ask if he's all right. Ryan doesn't answer -- just stares -- while she smiles and looks hopeful. Commercial.
Okay. Jennifer Love Hewitt pronounced it "clinser." And now Mischa Barton, in her very own Neutrogena commercial, says something like "cleeeehnzer." Why can't they get spokeswomen who look pretty, have decent skin, and can pronounce the word "cleanser"?
Dinner table. The Big House. Rosa serves the Cohens and the non-jailed members of the Atwood family as they sit in silence. The table is set with candles and flower arrangements, and they each diner has a lemon wedge in his or her water glass. The Cohens clearly have too much money if they're paying someone to put lemon wedges in their water glasses. Rosa doles out carrots and Dawn acts surprised to be served. She wasn't raised by wolves. I'm sure she's seen Dynasty. The clinking of silverware. Uncomfortable stares. Sandy breaks the silence to ask how long Dawn has been working at the Laundromat Where Poor People Who Don't Have Maids or Laundry Machines Go to Obtain Clean Clothes. And the costume people really did their white trash homework -- they've pulled out all the stops. Dawn's got the dark lip liner with the light lipstick; curly hair with straight bangs; frosty blue eye shadow; and more denim than The Gap. She responds that she's only been there a couple weeks, and Ryan asks what happened at the restaurant. She stutters that they were making "cutbacks," from which Ryan correctly concludes that she got fired. Dawn insists that it was "for the best," because the restaurant had "rats, cockroaches -- disgusting." As she says this, Seth puts a piece of food to his mouthy, then blanches and slowly lowers it back down. If they were eating in a restaurant, his concern would make more sense. Ryan asks whether Dawn has seen Trey; she reveals that she went to the prison, but that he wouldn't see her. More awkward silence. Kirsten asks where Dawn has been living, and she responds that she's been with friends because she's "between places right now." Kirsten invites her to stay with the Cohens tonight, and Ryan quickly asks after Dawn's boyfriend. Dawn claims that she broke up with him and they are "through, no more." She says she "put up with too much," explaining that "he laid his hand on [her] and Ryan...too many times." Ryan tries to silence her, but Dawn goes on to say that her boyfriend was a "bad influence, you know? With his drinkin' and..." Ryan disbelievingly asks, "A.J. was the problem?" and Dawn defensively says that she hasn't had a drink since she "dumped his sorry ass last week." She laments the "scum he used to bring into the house" and "the whole coke thing." Ryan's had enough and pushes back from the table, nostrils flaring, to announce that it was bad enough living through it the first time. Dawn apologizes to the Cohens, and follows Ryan. The members of the Cohen family exchange glances -- Seth, amazed and disbelieving; Sandy, sad yet resolute; and Kirsten, guilty as hell.
Ryan slowly walks into the pool house, followed by Dawn. She begs him at least to talk to her, and he asks why she's even there. She explains that she came for him. He asks why -- what does she want from him? He angrily tears up as he adds, "You left a note...a note?" She tries to explain, but he finishes, "You abandoned me. You threw me out. You just took off." Her non-explanation is, "I know, honey. I was....and A.J....and the drinking...and...." Well, now that that's all cleared up! She promises that it will be different this time, but Ryan points out that she made the same promise when they moved from Fresno after his father was arrested. Dawn insists that she will be different, and that they have a chance to start over now because they never before had "people like them" who wanted to help. Ryan alleges that as soon as she has a nice place to stay, she's suddenly "all about the mom thing." Dismayed, Dawn crosses her arms in front of her chest; she admits that she didn't know what she was doing when she married Ryan's dad, and that she was too young when she had his brother. Well, it worked out just fine for all the other twelve-year-old mothers in The O.C. Dawn adds that Ryan was always the smart one, "the good one," and that when he got arrested, she knew she'd failed, and that he was her last hope. Ryan stares at the wall, as Dawn says she should go. She turns to leave, but Ryan calls her back. Looking dismally broken, he remains silent as she asks, "Are you ever gonna forgive me, kiddo?" How many parents these days call their kids "kiddo," anyway? I think the O.C. writers need to come up with some new terms of parental endearment. Ryan proposes that they "just go slow," and Dawn, through her tears, ecstatically agrees -- whatever he wants. She cries and pledges not to lose him ever again. Or at least not for the fifteen minutes or so.
We cut to a shot of some leaves floating in the pool, and a skimmer scooping them out. Seth labors, wearing a red shirt with a hamburger on it bearing the words "true love." Kirsten works at a nearby table as Seth asks where the Atwoods went. Kirsten responds, "I don't know. Out!" A suspicious Seth says, "All right. So we'll just wait for Happy Hour to end." Kirsten admonishes him: they need to be supportive because Dawn seems like she's trying. Seth asks how Kirsten knows this; he points out that "this woman" abandoned Ryan, and now she just shows up and collects him. He thinks she is the one who belongs on probation, not Ryan. But Dawn, bad as she is, didn't burn down any houses or steal any cars. At least none that we know of. Kirsten sarcastically asks whether Seth wants her to invite Dawn to stay so they can keep an eye on her. As it turns out, that's exactly what Seth wants Kirsten to do.
The Atwoods' arrival back at the Big House is announced first by Dawn's laughter, followed by Dawn and Ryan, the latter of whom is carrying the former's bags. What are they buying, anyway, and where's the money coming from? Dawn enthuses over their beautiful walk and the warmness of the water. She then points out that Ryan wouldn't know about the warm water, even though he used to love swimming. He answers, "Not with all my clothes on." His delivery on this line is so perfect. He's happy to be with his mother, but isn't entirely ready to joke with her. And also? Naked swimming Ryan? Yay! Dawn tells Kirsten, "I'm an embarrassment to my son." But she doesn't know the half of it yet. Kirsten responds, "Welcome to my world," and the camera pans over to reveal Seth giving her a look of agreement. Dawn announces that they should head out; Ryan's face remains impassive. Kirsten looks over at Seth -- her conscience -- and says she was just thinking: Mrs Atwood just arrived, has nowhere to stay, and they're "all just getting to know each other." I'm not sure -- were I Dawn Atwood -- that I'd appreciate Kirsten's condescending tone. But I guess I would -- despite the condescending tone -- appreciate a night in the swank Cohen palace. Seth pipes up to add that they're having a party tonight, and Dawn responds, "Not for me. But thanks, though." Kirsten tries to entice her: "Vegas Night?" and Dawn's all -- and maybe this should have tipped them off to the potential problem -- "Vegas, huh?" while grinning. She says it's a kind offer, but demurs because she doesn't have anything to wear. Kirsten promises to find something for her, and rushes off to raid Rosa's closet.
Night. Sandy's car pulls into the driveway of the Big House. They love those car/driveway shots. He enters the kitchen, where Ryan is wearing a fetching white shirt with a yellow dishrag thrown over his shoulder. Sandy greets Ryan and then notices that Kirsten and Ryan share the same water-wasting habit: they both wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Sandy never knows if the dishes are clean! Ryan explains that he never had a dishwasher, and scrubs convincingly at a plate. Sandy asks how everything's going, and Ryan thinks it's okay -- they had a good day. Standing beside him, Sandy points out that Ryan's going with his mother doesn't mean they won't see each other anymore. Ryan confides that his mother really likes it in Newport, and is talking about finding a small place nearby. He qualifies this: "In the numbered streets."
And, enter Dawn. Her hair has been straightened, and she's wearing a black dress with a black shawl. I've never been one for the shawls, but she looks better than she did before. Also, the arch of her eyebrows has significantly lessened, so we know that someone on makeup attends to eyebrows, and Peter Gallagher's are intentionally left to their own devices. Ryan looks his mother over. He totally looks like he's checking her out! Then he grins. They've suitably detrashed her for the moment. But although you can take the woman out of the House of Trash, but you can't take the House of Trash out of the woman.
Casino Night. Kirsten enters on Sandy's arm, followed by Dawn on the arm of Ryan. Seeing the room in all its buzzy, neon glory, Dawn pauses, gape-mouthed, and asks, "All their parties like this?" Ryan responds, "Pretty much," but seeing as he's been with the Atwoods for less than a week, he'd hardly know. Dawn responds, "Well, let's clean 'em out, kid." And that would be Tip #352,121 that Dawn Atwood is headed nowhere good this evening.
Lady Heather -- wearing a surprisingly fetching, one-armed brocade tablecloth -- heads over to Kirsten, who may or may not be talking to Kelsey Grammar's real-life wife. Lady Heather congratulates Kirsten on another perfect event, and they hug. Jimmy and Sandy greet each other less enthusiastically with a handshake. Sandy small-talks: "Business is good?" witnessed by a watchful Lady Heather, as Jimmy responds that it is. Kirsten compliments Lady Heather on her dress, to which Lady Heather responds, "You [like it]? It's yours." Kirsten looks confused, then hugs Jimmy while Lady Heather fumes. Sandy and Kirsten head off to get a drink, and N.N. gets another gratuitous shot, this time enthusing over the fabulousness of the event. Watching the Cohens walk away, Lady Heather asks Jimmy, "How much did you get for the hug?" Jimmy just smiles, probably because people are watching.
A waitress walks by clad in black with her breasts almost entirely visible. Just the kind of person I'd want serving drinks to my kid. Or fabulously wealthy-and-thus-attractive husband. Dawn and Ryan play blackjack, and Dawn happily plunks a pile of chips onto the table. Ryan asks whether it's "kinda big," and Dawn explains that it's for charity and "besides, the count's way positive." Ryan is surprised that she's counting, and then points out that it's not a single deck. Dawn responds, "Oh honey, do they teach you anything in this world?" She whispers that the count goes even higher with multiple decks and, as proof, gets blackjack. She tells Ryan that her luck is turning around already, and we see more shots of dealing and a winning Dawn. Walking through the crowd, Kirsten watches Dawn's happiness and looks proud of herself.
This whole scene, by the way, feels a little off to me -- a little , if you will, for my tastes. They do use this cool effect with a camera, in which they almost always follow one character or exchange directly into another, but it's inconsistent. There's probably a fancy name for that cinematic technique, but I don't know what it is.
Another snitty, barely-clad, breast-baring waitress slinks through the crowd, and Dawn calls after her for a tonic water and lime while Ryan watches. Dawn then hands Ryan a bunch of chips and announces to the dealer, "My boy! Lucky for him, he's got my brains!" She pats his cheek, while Ryan makes eye contact with Marissa, who is playing at another table and quickly looks away. Dawn notices the exchange, and urges Ryan to go join his friend, insisting that she'll be fine and doesn't need a babysitter. Ryan puts his hand on Dawn's shoulder before leaving. Dawn watches him walk away, and her smile gradually morphs into something else. She looks down at her hand resting on the edge of the table, opens her fist to reveal a shaking hand, then closes it back up into a fist.
Ryan joins Marissa, who asks him if that was his mother. The camera pans over to reveal a giggling Dawn, as Marissa concludes that her presence means Ryan is going back home. She dismissively wishes Ryan luck with everything and he does the same, adding, "Have a nice life." The sounds of a winning slot machine draw Marissa's attention to Luke, who is watching them. He turns to pull the slot arm angrily. Ryan tells Marissa she should go, and she does. In the background, there's a black man. And he's not even one of the help!
Seth saunters through the crowd, and a pair of dice land at his feet. He bends to pick them up, and suddenly comes face-to-face -- or more appropriately, face-to-breasts -- with Summer. He rises with the dice in his hands and mumbles, "Hi, Summer. Seth Cohen." She snits, "I'm superstitious. Blow on these." His face is all "on your breasts?" but Summer clarifies by holding the dice out toward him and insisting, "Blow?" He blows, and she turns to throw a winner on the craps table. He blows again, and she wins again. She hoots and jumps around, excited. She then grabs Seth and orders, "You're not going anywhere, Sid." He corrects her, "Seth," and she responds, "Whatever." More blowing and throwing.
Marissa approaches Luke, claiming that he can't just not talk to her. He snits, "Watch me." As he stomps off, she follows, over-enunciating as she insists that he's not totally innocent -- he didn't have to attack Ryan. Luke asks what he was supposed to do when Marissa left him to go see another boy, and Marissa claims that it wasn't like that -- it was a mistake. Luke's all, "Hell, yeah!" Ryan observes this exchange. Marissa notices him watching and quickly looks away.
Lady Heather approaches Sandy, wanting to apologize and thank him. He looks clueless as she explains, "The check you guys gave Jimmy?" Sandy takes a drink and attempts to look nonchalant as Lady Heather adds that you never know who your friends are until you're in need, "and we needed that hundred grand!" Sandy covers well: "Our pleasure. You can't take it with you," but he's clearly confused. Damage effectively done, Lady Heather snits off, leaving behind a shocked Sandy.
Luke pisses his way through the crowd and is intercepted by Ryan, who insists that nothing happened between him and Marissa. Luke doesn't want to talk about it and tries to leave, but Ryan grabs his arm and spins him around, insisting, "She chose you. You're the one she wants." A well-placed breast hangs out in the background of this shot.
A dismayed-looking Sandy stalks through the crowd, and finally locates Kirsten and Jimmy laughing together. He spins in a circle. Behind Sandy, we see Dawn approach the bar, requesting a 7&7. She blots her face and makes small talk with the bartender, telling him, "Nerves. Tough game of poker." Kirsten witnesses this exchange, and looks concerned. Dawn downs her drink and concludes, "Always does the trick." Kirsten continues to watch.
Summer is still using Seth as her lucky charm. She hugs him: "You rock, Stanley!"
Here's one spot where the camera abruptly cuts from its pattern in this scene. Couldn't the camera guy have just tagged after another drink-carrying, boob-showing waitress? Marissa is playing slots now and losing. Luke comes up behind her and suggests that they try again together. He covers her hand with his, and they pull. It's supposed to be romantic, but where slot machines are concerned, there's hardly a place for romantic. Especially if you've ever been to Atlantic City.
In the meantime, Dawn has located the roulette table and is not faring as well. She yells, "Aw, crap! My damn luck, huh?" Again, there's some dubbing at work here. Dawn attempts to make conversation with the snooty woman to her, and evidently, her Chino is showing through. She snags a waiter for whatever he's carrying and enthuses, "You're my best friend! Thank you!" Kirsten finally decides to intercede and asks, "Don't you think you've had enough?" Dawn admits that Kirsten is right -- as she always is -- and claims that she needs to learn to celebrate "without the sauce." Kirsten smugs, "Well, no one said it was gonna be easy." And suddenly here comes Sandy, who needs to talk to Kirsten and it's important! Kirsten excuses herself, and Dawn chugs her champagne.
Meanwhile, Lady Heather smarms over to Jimmy, asking if he wants to hear something funny. He's all, "Always!" She leans over to whisper in his ear that Sandy Cohen had no idea Kirsten wrote Jimmy the check. She snits, "Imagine being so rich you don't tell your husband you're giving away a hundred thousand dollars!" Through gritted teeth, Jimmy maintains his smile. Getting to his feet, he pockets his chips and Lady Heather snits, "Who needs chips? You got Kirsten." Jimmy anxiously inquires what happened, and Lady Heather asks whether he even cares how it made her feel that Jimmy went to Kirsten? He responds that he didn't have a choice, because Lady Heather wouldn't even talk to him about it, and he was trying to save them. The family was in trouble! Looking behind him, she comments, "Looks like we're not the only ones."
Jimmy looks over his shoulder just in time to see Sandy yell, "One hundred thousand dollars! That's more than I make in a year!" Kirsten pulls him outside onto the conveniently deserted porch to continue the conversation. She explains that it was just a loan, then specifies "of [her] money," and really, how could such a distinction in a marriage ever make this problem better? Sandy doesn't care about the money, but only about the fact that she didn't tell him. Kirsten doesn't know why she didn't, but Sandy has some ideas and offers to take her on "a little journey through [his] neuroses for the past hour or so." Kirsten assures Sandy that it was just a loan with nothing more to it; Jimmy was in trouble and there was no one else he could talk to. Sandy snits, "So, what's your excuse?" Jimmy charges onto the porch, interrupting to say he doesn't know what Lady Heather told Sandy, and Sandy cuts him short: "I'm tryin' to have a private conversation with my wife!"
As Ryan stands at the bar, happy Seth joins him and tells the bartender, "Two Mountain Dews, my good man." He tells Ryan that it's the greatest night ever, "like, one of those nights when the stars and the cosmos and the moon align and, it's just, like, wow!" He asks how Dawn is, and Ryan says she's "high rollin'" and that she was "made for this place." Seth says that's good, and says maybe it could work. Ryan also seems positive. Summer breaks up the conversation, calling for Seth: "Rabbit's Foot! ¡Vamanos!" Seth dramatically exhales, then tells Ryan that, by the end of the night, he hopes that Summer knows his first name. Ryan gives him some great eye action in response. Summer flounces off, followed by Seth, who turns and holds one glass back toward Ryan in a toast.
Outside on the porch, Jimmy continues apologizing to Sandy. Cackling from inside interrupts their conversation, and we follow Kirsten's eyes to Dawn, who is visibly tipsy. She orders a waiter to "hold up," and then attempts to follow him. As he turns, she crashes into him, taking him down in the process. He looks a bit like Prince Harry. Dawn and the waiter are all piled up in the floor and he attempts to get up, in the process rolling her over on her back. Kirsten "oh God"s while the waiter asks Dawn, "What the hell is your problem?" Because waiters never see drunk people. Dawn slaps at him and tells him to back off, as we see various reaction shots from Marissa, Seth, Summer, and Ryan, the last of whom is heading over to help. Seeing him coming, Dawn claims that she must have slipped, and blames "these damn shoes." She tries to "oops" it off, but she's the only one laughing. Seth hands a perplexed-looking Summer her chips and says, "Here. Good luck," and takes off for Ryan's aid. Meanwhile, Beavis and Butthead snicker at a table. Beavis says, "Dude, that lady is wasted!" and Butthead concludes, "I bet you can bang here!" But neither one turns into Cornhoolio and needs t.p. for his bunghole, so that's kind of a disappointment. Marissa runs behind them and tells them to shut up. She rushes over to Luke and they exchange a look.
Meanwhile, Dawn is yelling at an apparently overwhelmed and immobilized Ryan to help her up. Suddenly, Luke pushes his way through the crowd, nearly shoving a woman over ("because this is how we do it in The O.C., bitch!") to give Dawn a hand. Seth takes the other side as they get her to her feet and she whines, "Finally! Geez!" Luke looks her over, presumably to make sure she's okay, and he does seem particularly protective. Made me cry, anyway. Sandy finally makes it over, and sends Seth out to get the car. He takes Seth's place at Dawn's side, and talks nicely to her about perhaps having had "one too many," as they slowly ease her through the staring crowd, to whom she's all, "What are you lookin' at?" Dawn suddenly realizes the significance of what just happened and demands to see Ryan. He takes over for Luke with a quiet "thanks, man," and then holds his mother's hands in a half-hug/half-carry gesture, consoling her, "I'm right here, mom." She cries, worried that she ruined everything and announcing, "You hate me." He sweetly answers, "No, I don't. I love you, Mom." Aw. As the motley group exits, Kirsten announces, "Um, it's okay, everyone. It's just, uh, a little accident. She's with us." Exit Cohens and their white trash. Everyone else resumes their happy night, while Luke remains still, watching. Marissa walks up behind him, and slips her hand into his. She smiles at him; he looks down at their clasped hands.
Evening. The Big House. Dawn sleeps it off while Ryan, still in his suit and tie, watches.
Morning. The Big House. We see both cars in the driveway. Because we are driveway-obsessed! Dawn zips up her bag then looks over at Ryan, who is sleeping. A sound interrupts, and she turns to see Kirsten, who is bringing in coffee. There's a disconcerting continuity error in this scene: when Dawn watches Ryan, she's not wearing sunglasses. When she turns to face Kirsten, sunglasses are on. Kirsten sees the pack job and emotes.
Outside, Dawn fumbles for her cigarettes, and asks if Kirsten minds. Kirsten doesn't respond, but Dawn gets the point. They're outside, for God's sake! Let the woman have a cigarette! Dawn announces that Kirsten "caught" her, and Kirsten insists that Dawn "can't do this" because she's Ryan's mother. Dawn says she's "a mess, not a mother." Kirsten implores that she has a responsibility, and Dawn yells, "I'm being responsible!" She claims that she's "not wired for this" and that she can't care for anyone else, telling Kirsten, "I don't have what you got." At this point, the camera angle nicely switches to show Kirsten's response to dawn. Dawn adds that the way Kirsten's husband and kid -- and even her own kid -- look at Kirsten: "It's like, no matter what, you're gonna make everything okay." She sums up by saying that Kirsten holds her family together, while Dawn tears hers apart. Kirsten insists that Dawn can't walk away, and Dawn asks why not. It would be the first good thing she ever did for Ryan, and this way "he ends up with a real mom." Dawn tells Kirsten to take good care of Ryan, because he deserves it. At this moment, a dazed-looking Ryan steps out into the sunlight. The camera rests on him for about ten full seconds, while his face registers about fifteen different emotions. Aw. Dawn stares at him, and gives a small wave. He stares back, then slowly raises one arm, uncertain if it's a wave or not. Dawn leaves, again thanking Kirsten. Kirsten turns to watch Ryan, who is watching his mother leave. There are lots of people watching other people watching other people on this show. Dawn gets into a cab and removes her sunglasses, revealing that she's crying. This scene is accompanied by yet another perfect song.
Inside the Big House, Sandy cooks. Kirsten enters, followed by Ryan. Sandy asks, "Where's, uh --" and Kirsten interrupts to say, "Ryan's gonna stay with us now." Aw. Yay! The actress does an amazing job of conveying in Kirsten's beatific expression that she's finally allowed herself to do what she's wanted to do all along. Sandy's expression is wonderfully joyful, too. Seth breaks the moment: "That's awesome! I mean, it's, that's, that's awesome, right? But, let's go, um, let's go talk about stuff. Come on!" Again with the aw! Ryan shuffles after Seth, turning back to Kirsten and Sandy with the smallest, most earnest smile to say, "I'll unpack later." And he giggles! There's a little happy giggle in there! I'm tearing up just writing about it! Kirsten is almost crying too, and slowly walks toward Sandy, who says, "Well, there's a no return policy now, you know that?" Kirsten just says, "I love you, you know that?" She asks if they're okay, and he says they are. She's glad, "because [they] just got in over our heads." Sandy smiles, and they both turn to watch the boys -- Seth chatting on about Summer, and Ryan slumped on the couch, looking tired but beginning to grin.
time on The O.C., it's another fancy party, during which the seventeen-year-olds conspire to make themselves look even older by wearing wedding dresses. Jimmy pleads with Kirsten for just a little more money, but Kirsten thinks he needs a lot more help. Marissa thinks there might be someone else out there for her besides Luke, and Lady Heather again calls Ryan "that boy from Chino."