Big big thanks to Heathen for covering for me last week, and for writing such a kick-ass recap and reminding me how it's done. It's been a while, folks, so bear with me.
We open with Grace and Jessie striding across the lawn toward the high school. Grace is in mid-gripe, bitching that she never said she'd drive Jessie to therapy later. Jessie whines that Lily said she would. Grace complains, rather loudly, that she can't plan her life around Jessie's therapy. Jessie begs her to shout it out a little more clearly, or maybe get some t-shirts printed. Some girl walks past, flashing an old-school MBTV messenger bag at the camera. Cool. (Glark posted it in the forums, if anyone's interested.) The bitch-and-moan fest is interrupted by Katie, who flings herself onto Jessie. "Hi Billie!" she yells. "Hi Billie," Jessie laughs. Aw, they remind me of my grandparents, who have called one another "Butch" for the past forty-some years. Which is odd in and of itself, but gets weirder when you know the reason behind it: they had a dog named Butch. Yeah, no one in the family gets it, either. At least this "Billie" thing makes a bit of sense. Grace waves a dismissive hand and stomps off with a biting, "Fine. Whatever." Katie wonders whether it was something she said. They giggle and Jessie opens her jacket to flash her chest at Katie. Actually, she's flashing the mauve mohair number Katie lent her. Katie appreciates the "sweater," if you know what I'm saying, and I think you do.
Over at the radio station, Lily's cooing all over the airwaves, telling some schmoe that he should relate to his kids without trying to make them fit his "preconceived notions." Hey, that's a new one. And it sounds pretty easy. For those of you with doubts, I'm sure Lily will be offering a handy demonstration of just how it's done before the hour is out. You may want to keep a notebook handy. The Curmudgeon warms the chair to Lily, looking in serious need of an antacid. Schmoe concedes that Lily's right, as if there were ever any doubt, and Lily declares, "Good." She tells him to check in and let her know how things go with his kid. Judy's waiting for Lily outside the booth, and grins her support through the glass. Lily reminds her listeners that she'll be filling in for some car guy the following afternoon. It's not clear whether she'll be offering auto advice or family advice, but it probably makes little difference, since she's equally qualified for both. She signs off, "I'm Lily Sammler, and I'm no expert." Don't think she believes that for a second. The Curmudgeon heaves himself out of the chair and propels himself toward the door as Judy enters. Lily attempts an introduction. The Curmudgeon just makes a bilious face and gets the hell out of the booth before he drowns in estrogen. "Is he always so rude?" Judy asks. "Unless he's not feeling well," Lily says mildly. Wah-wah. She asks whether they're still on for lunch, but Judy begs off with an apology. Lily whines to no avail. Judy reminds her that they'll see one another the night at Jonathan Franzen's (author of The Corrections) book-signing. Lily murmurs happily that she's already arranged for Grace to give Jessie a ride to therapy. Judy, concerned, asks whether Lily thinks that will be okay. Lily assures Judy that Grace is a perfectly safe driver. Judy pulls out her semaphore flags and tries to signal Lily a clue: "They don't exactly get along." Lily has no idea what Judy's talking about. In her world, the girls get along fine. She insists that Jessie and Grace have gotten much closer since doing the play together. Judy smiles, tight-lipped, not wanted to upset the delusional woman. Lily adds, "They're almost like sisters." Judy smirks and shoots Lily a pointed glance. "Shut up," Lily groans.
Creepitri scrawls "John Donne" on the blackboard and holds up a soft-covered book. He's hoping they'll realize that the squiggly and straight lines he made on the board are the same as the ones on the covers of their books. It doesn't look good. He mentions that they're to read all the poems he listed on the board, as well as one that he forgot to write: "To His Mistress, Going to Bed." The stupidheads laugh on cue. I can't believe I ever considered teaching high-school English. The bell rings. Creepitri holds up his hands for calm, and shouts over the din that he's been "blackmailed" into serving as the faculty advisor for the Gay/Straight Alliance. "They still have that?" Tad guffaws. Creepitri zings, "Yes, apparently the need for tolerance and understanding has not yet been eradicated." Grace stares adoringly, and then smiles at her desktop as if enjoying a private joke. Creepitri announces that the first meeting will be the night, but he doesn't know where.
Everyone starts shuffling out of the classroom, but Grace hovers at Creepitri's desk, purring that it's "cool" he's "doing that." She asks what he meant by "blackmailed," imagining sweaty, compromising photographs and trying to remain calm. Creepitri breaks it to her that it was a joke. He touches her shoulder, and Grace nearly wets herself. Creepitri turns away, and Grace manages to take in enough air to force out a laugh. Tad calls out to Creepitri that he's definitely joining. Katie wearily tells him to shut up, shoving his shoulder. "Bisexual girls," Tad announces, looking around him for support. "Need I say more?" he asks. No. And, sorry to disappoint you, Tad, but bi girls have just as much taste and good sense as the straight ones. Tad tells Katie that she should come with him. She says that it's too stupid and boring to bother with. "What is?" Jessie asks, overhearing Katie from the doorway. Katie says they were just talking about "those stupid clubs, like the Gay/Straight Alliance." Jessie asks if Katie has change for the pop machine. Katie earnestly asks when she's ever denied Jessie change. Her eyes convey that she'd never deny Jessie anything. They laughingly head off, just before Tad declares, "Dude! I just realized something -- Creepitri totally outed himself!" The gorillas around him grunt an approximation of laughter. Grace rushes to her love's defense. "You're going to join, Tad. Does that mean you're gay?" she asks pointedly, arching her eyebrows. The primates squawk and oooh and wave their bananas. Grace grabs her backpack and sails toward the door, triumphant. Tad stops her by saying that it's obvious why he's joining (more than he realizes, actually), and lays out his evidence against Creepitri: the man's a drama teacher, he's involved with the Gay/Straight Alliance, he's not married, and he's obsessed with Joni Mitchell. Well, there's just no arguing with such clear and unbiased facts. Grace looks deflated. She watches them leave, slapping one another on the back and victoriously crowing, "Dude!" Does anyone else get chills knowing that's our future?
Out in the parking lot, Grace rushes toward Creepitri, who's loading up his little Honda hybrid. "Mr. Dimitri, I was wondering..." Grace pants, trying to catch her breath. She asks if this is his car. He confirms it. She loves him even more for being sensitive enough to recognize that a car is simply a pollution-making form of transport, and not an extension of his penis. He prods her to ask whatever she'd been rushing over to ask. She shakily says that she was thinking it might be hard to get kids out to the Gay/Straight meetings because they're worried about what other kids will think of them: "So, I was thinking we should try to think of ways to make them..." She tries so hard to remember the word, but Creepitri has to help her out, offering, "Comfortable?" She breathes a laugh and is distracted by his sensible car again, asking if it's one of those "high-breds." You know, the kind that's born when two really choice cars get together for a bumper-rubbing, tailpipe-stroking good time? He gently corrects her. She stammers that it's "very enviro...It's the kind of car [she'd] want." They must be soulmates. The conversation segues into Grace having to drive Jessie around. She mentions that Jessie's mom is in the hospital, and concern flashes across Creepitri's face. He says he didn't know. Grace doesn't linger on it, saying that it's making people worry even more about Jessie than they usually do. Creepitri shoots her a questioning look. Grace looks down and says, "I mean, I think it can be even harder when your mom's not in the hospital." Creepitri busts out a chuckle, which surprises her. She looks pleased and laughs along with him. After a second, she explains, "You know, [Jessie's] just the kind of person that everybody worries whether she has a ride home. And, I guess, I'm just the sort of person people assume can walk." Creepitri studies her, amused, and then offers her a ride home. For some reason, "Don't Stand So Close to Me" starts running through my head.
Fade to Creepitri's reduced-emissions egg cruising along Grace's street. It glides to a stop in front of Manning Manor, but Grace is so busy jabbering about global warming that she doesn't notice for a second. She turns to face Creepitri and eagerly says that what she was getting at earlier, in the parking lot, was the idea that having a safe place for the meetings would make it easier for kids than having them at school. She oh-so-casually suggests his house. "At my house?" Creepitri repeats with a hint of trepidation. Grace assures him that teachers do it all the time. "Well, not all the time," she quickly concedes. She does mention one precedent set by a teacher the year, before trying to take her leave. She wrestles with the egg's door doohickies, not sure which one actually opens it. Creepitri reaches across to do it for her, and Grace nearly swallows her tongue. She exhales when he straightens up again, and bumbles out of the car, goofily gushing her thanks for the ride. I'm disappointed there wasn't a futuristic whoosh, like with an airlock, when the egg opened. Honda should really look into that.
Inside Manning Manor, Lily's flipping through mail in the kitchen. Jessie breezes in, and Lily comments that she's never seen her in the mauve sweater before. Jessie smiles that it's Katie's. Grace wanders in the back door, smiling absently. Lily asks where Grace has been, jolting her back to reality. Grace stammers that they're reviving the Gay/Straight Alliance at school. "The Gay/Straight what?" Lily asks, snapping a letter out of its envelope. Grace repeats herself and adds that she's helping to get it started again. "You are?" Jessie asks, surprised. Grace barks, "It happens to be a very important organization." Lily looks at her questioningly. "To build understanding between gay kids and straight kids," Grace explains. "And between mop-haired English teachers and their adoring students," she adds silently. "I didn't know you had such strong feelings about --" Lily starts to say. Grace tugs at her collar and wonders why it's so hot in there all of a sudden. She snaps, "People should be able to fall in love with whoever they want." Even if it is with rumpled authority figures who are twice your age, right? Lily stares at her, unblinking, as her stomach clenches and her visions of grandchildren evaporate. She's relieved when the phone rings. Whoever's on the other end sends Lily flying out of the kitchen. Jessie (eating a yogurt!) idly asks who was there besides Grace and Creepitri. Grace looks guilty and snipes, "What's your point?" Grace realizes the question wasn't as loaded as she'd thought, and changes the subject, saying that a lot of the people you'd expect to join probably won't. "Like your friend Katie," Grace adds. The yogurt curdles in Jessie's mouth. "What?" she spits, stunned. "Oh, come on!" Grace scoffs. "'Come on,' what?" Jessie challenges. Grace says simply that Katie's gay. Jessie is agape. "No, she's not," she insists, wide-eyed. Grace assures Jessie that it's not a big deal. Jessie sweats that she knows it isn't a big deal "because [Katie's] not gay." Grace whips out her atlas and tries to show Jessie that famous river in Egypt. She recounts Katie's history with Sarah Grasser, saying they were "madly in love." Jessie gapes. "You don't know this?" Grace demands, incredulous. She adds that Katie "completely broke [Sarah's] heart." Jessie refuses to believe it. Grace confidently tells her to ask anyone. Jessie, shaken, insists that she doesn't have to because she knows Katie. It sounds like she's trying to convince herself more than Grace at this point. Grace heads for the door, turning to smile and surveying the shards of Jessie's world.
Lily knocks on the Curmudgeon's office door and asks whether he's given any more thought to what she said the day before. He freezes. "About the phone lines," she adds. He exhales, explaining that he thought she meant "the malarkey" she sprayed over the airwaves about accepting your kids for who they are. "As if anybody's really going to do that," he scoffs. Lily rubs a smudge off her halo and claims that she does. "And I think my children are better people for it," she adds, looking down from on high. "Oh, yeah? Well, I doubt that," the Curmudgeon grumbles. Lily takes it as an invitation to sit and regale him with tales of her virtue. She tells him that Grace just joined the Gay/Straight Alliance. The Curmudgeon literally shudders. Lily makes Grace's show of "tolerance and understanding" all about Lily herself, saying she thinks it's because she shows Grace tolerance and understanding. I enjoy the best belly laugh I've had in a while. The Curmudgeon doesn't react. Lily leans forward and gets all up in his business, saying he's upset about his daughter. The Curmudgeon shoves papers into his briefcase and snaps that it's not "about [his] crazy daughter or [Lily's] gay daughter or anybody else's daughter." He stands up, promises to look into the matter of the phone lines, and then he bolts for the door. Lily jumps out of the chair, wanting to set the record straight about Grace's orientation. The Curmudgeon holds up a hand and says he doesn't want to know. Lily desperately calls after him, "She's just very principled!" Uh, you were saying something about tolerance and understanding...?
Jessie finds Katie in the hallway after class. Katie observes that her hair is "all staticky" and proceeds to groom her like a loving monkey. Jessie watches the reactions swirling all around her: a girl throws a knowing look over her shoulder; Tad averts his eyes; Creepitri looks intrigued. Self-consciously, Jessie shoos Katie's hand away and backs off, saying, "You should go." Katie grabs Jessie's wrist to examine her watch and declares that she has forty-five seconds left. Jessie says that she'd better go, then, because she doesn't want anyone thinking she's a lesbian. I mean, "she doesn't want to be late for class." Jessie wanders down the hallway, her face clouded. Grace grabs Jessie to let her know that Grace can't drive Jessie to therapy because there's a Gay/Straight Alliance meeting. Jessie insists that Grace has to drive her: "What else am I supposed to do?" Jessie whines. Uh, take the bus? Grace won't budge, saying that Jessie will just have to come to the meeting, then. Jessie immediately refuses. Grace puts her foot down. Jessie breaks the standoff with a hefty sigh. "Fine," she snaps before stomping off. Grace rolls her eyes and spins around to study the Gay/Straight notice tacked to the bulletin board. Creepitri sidles up and leans in the classroom doorway behind her, joking, "So, I was thinking of doing some teaching. What do you say?" Grace can't say anything, her smile is so wide.
"Okay, so the fact that your friend is gay --" Dr. Wise-Ass says. Jessie interrupts to clarify that it wouldn't bother her if her friend were gay; it bothers her that people are saying that Katie is gay when Jessie knows that she isn't. Jessie claims that she knows Katie really well, and she just doesn't think that she's gay: "And if she was, she'd be going to that meeting tonight." Right, because she'd have gotten the memo, printed on rainbow stationery, that attendance is mandatory. "Well, that settles it, then," Dr. Wise-Ass mocks. I love this man. Jessie realizes the silliness of her argument, and that she's being teased. She levels a phony glare at Dr. Wise-Ass, but she can't quite keep the smile out of it.
The doorbell rings at Creepitri's place, and he comes barreling down the stairs in a red robe and jammies. Half his face is covered with shaving cream, and the front of his hair is tied back in a ponytail. Aside from the shaving cream, he and I could be twins right now. He throws open his back door and finds Grace and Jessie standing there with bags of groceries. Grace lets him know that they're a little early, in case his state of undress wasn't enough to tip him off. There's a moment of uncomfortable silence, which Jessie breaks by announcing that they brought chips and salsa. Creepitri takes the bags and invites them inside, gesturing toward the living room. Grace looks like a kid stepping into FAO Schwarz for the first time. Creepitri suggests they put on some music, and excuses himself to finish scraping his face.
"So, why did you want to come to this?" Jessie needles. Grace tries to keep up the pretense, stonily saying that she thinks it's a very important cause, blah blah blah Creepitricakes. Jessie's itching for a fight. She laces up the gloves, saying that she doesn't think it's right to label someone as gay "just because you heard it somewhere." Grace easily deflects the shot, snarking that she doesn't think it's right, either. Jessie lets fly a right hook, claiming that's exactly what Grace did. Grace dodges it, saying, "That's not labeling. That's truth." She picks up a framed picture and studies it. Her nonchalance inflames her opponent. "How can you say that when you only heard it somewhere?" Jessie cries. She watches Grace with the picture, then looks away with distaste, looking for a strategy for round two. She decides the only choice is the low blow, and drags Creepitri into the ring with them, claiming that everyone thinks he's gay. She mentions the vast number of musicals in his CD collection. Grace dances, avoiding the shot with a deft "Like, how many musicals?" The fighters retreat to their corners, settling for a draw. Something on the bookshelf catches Grace's attention. She pulls out a slim hard-covered volume entitled Accidentally On Purpose. She flips the book over so we can see the back cover's photograph of a much younger, trimmer Eric Stoltz, straining for beatnik with his little goatee and black turtleneck. Jessie suggests that they shouldn't be snooping around. The front door opens on cue and students start streaming in. Katie's among them. She says hi to "Billie." Jessie, surprised, stammers, "Hi, Billie." She manages to ask why Katie's there, since she thinks these clubs are stupid. Katie assures her that she does. "I just felt like seeing Dimitri's house," she explains, tugging off her coat and moving around for a closer look at the place. Troubled, Jessie watches her. Creepitri enters, and Grace murmurs, "You're a real poet." He plucks the book from her hands and returns it to the shelf. She asks if she can look at his poems. Creepitri fidgets and hedges that they're "not really worth looking at."
Fade to later that evening, with everyone gathered around Creepitri's dining-room table. Munching a carrot stick, he runs down their decisions so far and suggests they try to establish the group's focus. The camera pans over to Jessie, huddled over her binder in a corner. Katie leans in to whisper that they should get out of there. Jessie resists, turning her head back to her book like she's worried about getting caught cheating on a test. Katie slumps back in her seat and folds her arms across her chest, peeved. The issue of a dance is raised at the table. Someone mentions that the group tried having one in the past, and no one showed up. Grace counters that it wasn't advertised well enough, and they "had a lame DJ." "We could call it 'The Homo/Hetero Hop,'" Creepitri suggests, smiling at his own cleverness. Grace laughs. Of course. A guy says he objects to the term "homo." Grace jumps in to remind Mr. Touchy that the important thing isn't what he finds offensive, but that the dance will be a place where people can "be who they are, with whoever they want, and they won't be judged." Creepitri smiles proudly. Over in the corner, Katie tries again. Jessie snaps, "Look, I'm really trying to finish this." Creepitri says they'll have to try to get funding from the vice-principal, and asks who wants to help him. Guess who volunteers? Creepitri tells Grace, "You and I should confer at some point to hammer out a proposal." Grace hears, "You and I," "hammer," and "proposal." It's all she can do to keep from squealing. She holds her breath and tries to remain cool while Creepitri disbands the meeting. Katie grabs her coat and tells Jessie to come on. Looking for an out, Jessie says they should help clean up. Grace shoots her a look like, "Amscray!" and insists that she'll take care of it. She mutters for Jessie to tell Lily that she's staying late. Tad overhears and asks Jessie if she needs a ride home. She hems for a second, until Katie yanks on her coat and snaps, "Yeah. She does." She pats Tad's shoulder sadly on her way to the door. "Have fun," she snidely tosses over her shoulder at Jessie.
Lily and Judy return to Manning Manor after the Franzen book-signing. Rick's staring at the television, transfixed, but knows enough to ask how Lily's evening went. Lily gushes that Franzen "is a god." Judy amends that he's "a snobbish god, but a god." I wonder if he's being labeled as a snob because he didn't want Oprah's stamp of approval on his book. Anyway, Lily pecks Rick hello and asks after the girls, who aren't home yet. Judy plops in front of the TV, asking, "What's this?" Rick flatly says, "See the girl who's coughing?" Judy murmurs she does. "She's going to die soon," Rick says.
Over at Creepitri's, Grace is busily scrubbing dishes. Creepitri shoos her out of the way and insists that he can do it. Reluctantly, Grace hands over the cloth and wipes her hands. They're standing very close. She takes a deep breath and smiles brightly, trying out a line: "So, I didn't know you wrote poetry." She realizes how presumptuous she sounds and adds that there are probably a lot of things she doesn't know about him. Creepitri smiles uncomfortably and turns toward the sink. Grace sputters, "Like, with the Gay/Straight Alliance, I didn't know that you..." She's interrupted by the phone, for which Creepitri seems grateful. Grace watches him depart and silently chides herself for being stupid, stupid, stupid. She listens as Creepitri's voice oozes affection all over the receiver. Defeated, she gestures toward the dining room and heads to retrieve her coat. Along with the book of Creepitri's poems.
Jessie and Tad wander into Manning Manor, where everyone has been sucked in by the movie. Rick asks where they were, and when Tad tells him, Rick asks, "You joined the Gay/Straight Alliance?" Jessie snuggles into his armpit and pouts, "Not exactly. Grace dragged me." Rick is surprised to hear that Grace joined. Lily suddenly finds the lint on the couch fascinating, and mumbles that she thought she mentioned it. Judy and Rick claim that she didn't say anything to them. Tad says that Grace is more excited about the group than she was about the play. Lily pops off the couch as if the cushion bit her, and asks if they'd like something to eat. Everyone declines, but she heads for the kitchen anyway. Tad helps himself to her seat. "What movie?" he asks. "Oh, nobody knows," Rick says. Someone on television coughs, and Rick mentions that that person will be dead soon. That's good enough for Tad. Judy turns over the information about Grace a few times then jumps up and heads for the kitchen.
"So she joined the Gay/Straight Alliance?" Judy asks the back of Lily's head, which is stationed in front of the microwave. Lily plays it off like it's nothing. "Come on! This is huge!" Judy insists. Why does everyone assume only gay kids join this club? Anyway, Lily sets her deflector shields on maximum and heads for the freezer in search of ice cream. I guess we're supposed to believe that she's an emotional eater. "You know, I never would have predicted this," Judy mutters. "Predicted what?" Lily demands. "But now that I think about it, it does sort of make sense," Judy continues. "It does not!" Lily snaps, slamming the freezer door. "Lily!" Judy exclaims. Lily whispers, "So what are you saying? Are you saying that Grace is gay?" Judy says it's obviously possible, "which is not what's shocking" her; it's more that Grace has a sex life of any kind. "She's. Not. Gay," Lily insists. Judy wonders what happened to accepting your kids for who they are. Lily shushes her. She insists that she is accepting Grace for who she is: "She happens to be straight." Lily reminds Judy that the club is the Gay/Straight Alliance. Grace comes through the back door, putting the kibosh on any further speculation over her orientation. Lily asks how the meeting was. Grace can't wait to get out of the kitchen, and mumbles something about homework before slinking out. "Did you see that?" Lily whispers, alarmed. "She couldn't even look me in the eye!" Judy looks at her sympathetically. Lily's stomach sinks, and she mutters, "Oh, my god, maybe it's true." That's right, Lily. Cram that in your microphone.
Cut to a close-up of the jacket photo on Creepitri's book. Grace is sucking in the poems like the book is a hookah and they're pure hashish. She stares off, dreamy-eyed, and exhales heavily. Oh, she's hooked, all right. She eagerly flicks the page for another hit.
The morning, Grace is still attached to the book at the breakfast table. Lily says she needs Grace to drive Jessie to the hospital. "And then what? Wait for an hour in the lobby where it smells like death and disinfectant?" Grace gripes. Lily says that's about it. She kids that "Death and Disinfectant" would be a good name for a poem, disarming Grace before launching into a lecture about the privilege of using the car. Grace quickly holds up her hands in defeat, staving off the full mommal assault. Lily asks about the meeting the night before. Grace flies out of her chair. Lily tries again, asking, "Were there gay people and straight people? Or mostly gay people, or mostly straight people?" Grace does the sensible thing and ignores her, bellowing upstairs that she's going to leave without Jessie. "So you're in charge of a committee? Is that why you had to stay so late?" Lily gropes. Grace grabs her coat and tries not to look Lily in the eye, lying that a lot of people had to stay late. Rebuffed, Lily lowers her eyes and tries yet another approach, saying that it was nice of Creepitri to let people meet at his house. Grace plays it cool by scoffing at her mother's ignorance, with a condescending "Lots of teachers do that." Lily cocks her head, looking for all the world like a desperate puppy, and tries again, saying hesitantly that she didn't realize that Creepitri is...you know...gay. "What?" Grace snaps, scrunching up her face. "Not that it makes any difference," Lily quickly adds. Grace patronizingly agrees, "You're right, it doesn't make any difference who's gay and who isn't." Jessie, who's wandered in by this point, snatches her chance: "If it doesn't make any difference, then why do you keep talking about it?" Grace and Jessie glower at one another for a second before Lily begs them to go to school. "Try not to learn too much," she mutters as the door closes behind them. Now, that's enlightened.
"Hey! What's going on?" Katie yells, chasing after Jessie in the hallway at school. She catches up, and Jessie asks what she means. Katie says she waved to her on the steps, and demonstrates, but Jessie just kept going. Jessie claims she didn't see her. Katie buys the evasion and asks if Jessie wants to come over later. Jessie says she has to go to the hospital. Katie offers to go with. Jessie makes the excuse that it's not much fun for Katie just to sit around and wait. Katie finally faces that she's being blown off, and asks if Jessie is mad at her. Jessie claims she isn't. "Then why are you being like this?" Katie demands, her voice catching. Jessie's saved by the bell and runs off, saying they'll talk later. Katie desperately calls after her, but Jessie doesn't look back. Grace walks past Katie, standing there dejectedly staring after Jessie. Creepitri has to come out and snap Katie out of it, inviting her to join the class.
Katie schlumps in (well, as much as a statuesque woman is capable of schlumping), and Creepitri launches into Donne. On the blackboard behind him, he's scrawled "Donne," "Shelley," "Yeats," and "Keats," along with the admonition, "Do your homework." I hope he brings his own chalk if that's the kind of useless crap he feels compelled to scribble up there. Anyway, while he tries to goad the class into responsiveness, Katie hunches over her notebook and scratches feverishly. When she's finished, she tears out the sheet, folds it urgently and writes "Jessie" across the front. Creepitri asks the class what a paradox is. Grace answers that it's something "that just doesn't make sense, but it's still true." Creepitri is about to move forward in the lecture, but Grace asks if she can say something. She holds up the book of Donne's poems and says that they're supposed to be love poems, "but he just seems so detached." Creepitri explains that that's what it meant to be a poet back then: "To be a scientist of the human heart." Grace interrupts again to say that that's not what she thinks poetry is meant to be. Maybe she should hop in her time machine, zoom on back a few hundred years, and let Donne know he got it wrong. She smiles shyly at her desktop and says that she just "read these poems by this other person, and they just showed you, like, his entire life. How he thought and felt about everything. And it made you realize how you felt about everything." She stares at him earnestly. The bell rings, and Creepitri gravely tells her she made an interesting point. You know he wants to say more, but he spots Katie hovering behind Grace, and says they'll continue the conversation another time. Something tells me Grace won't like what he's got to say. Katie asks if Grace can give the note to Jessie. She emphasizes that it's "extremely personal." Well, it's a good thing she folded it twice, then, or there'd be no stopping people from reading it. She ducks her head and rushes out, leaving Grace with the note and an overwhelming temptation. Grace waits until she's gone, then starts to unfold the letter. She stops herself before she sees anything and stuffs it into her backpack. I assume she realized it would be much safer to snoop in a more private location.
Close-up of the letter, opened. The camera pans up the hands and arms clutching it, and -- surprise! -- it's Jessie, not Grace, who's reading it. Jessie's face is dismal. She closes her eyes and shakes her head, trying to keep from crying. The camera pans fully back, and we see that she's sitting to Karen's bed at the hospital. Strange place to read that particular letter. Karen stirs, and Jessie jumps and stuffs the letter away. Jessie tries to hide that she's upset. Karen reminds her that she'll be coming home the day, which brings a soggy smile to Jessie's face. Karen asks how Katie is. Jessie tries to sound steady as she says that Katie's fine. Karen says that she's thrilled Jessie has such a good friend, and that she wishes she had one in high school. She turns the knife, saying, "I had friends, but I don't think we were ever honest with each other." Jessie stays silent, trying not to cry. Karen mistakes her reaction for stress over her accident. Jessie admits that that isn't the problem. She can't meet Karen's eyes as she explains, "There's this person...I mean, I just want things to stay the way they are, but, uh, what they want is...to sort of...take that step." "Jess, I think I know who you're talking about," Karen says. Oh, I bet you don't. Jessie freezes, staring at her with wide-eyed terror. "You do?" she asks, unblinking. Karen says that Judy stopped by earlier and told her all about Tad. Jessie laughs a little, as much from relief as from the absurdity of imagining herself with that lunk, I assume. She doesn't set Karen straight, but just asks what she should do. "Do you want the person to like you?" Karen asks. Jessie says that she doesn't know what she wants. "Just because a person has feelings for you doesn't mean you have to return those feelings," Karen sagely advises. The nurse enters with Karen's food tray. Karen makes a joke, and Jessie smiles weakly, her eyes brimming.
Cut to Creepitri's back door, which he's rushing to answer with a smile and a glass of wine. That's my preferred method of greeting guests, too. His smile fades when he sees that it's Grace darkening his door. He asks what she's doing there, and she barges past him, saying that she "was just..." She doesn't bother finishing, since it's the oldest excuse on record for the drop-in. Creepitri, looking dazed, slides the door closed behind her while Grace rambles on that there's something she wanted to tell him. Mercifully, he cuts her off before she can blurt it out. She's mustered up the gumption, though, and she will not be deterred. She holds up her hands and begs him to let her finish. He looks about ready to sprinkle in his pants. Grace starts saying that she thinks there may be something between them, and Creepitri closes his eyes, visions of hearings and pink slips swimming before him. He carefully sets his wine glass on the counter. Grace sort of admits to taking his poems, and chokes up as she says she's glad she did, because now she knows that she's not alone. She moves toward him, still talking, as a woman calls out, "August?" The woman sweeps into the room, also with a glass of wine. Grace, mortified, drops her gaze to the floor and smiles weakly as Creepitri introduces Grace to Christine. Creepitri stresses Grace in the role of student and quickly tries to make it seem like she dropped by on committee business. Grace is crushed, but plays along.
Creepitri scrambles out of the room to find his briefcase. Christine offers Grace a soda, unknowingly emphasizing that Grace is just a kid in their eyes. She asks whether Grace calls him "August" or "Mr. Dimitri." Grace, unbearably self-conscious, buttons her coat and answers, "Mr. Dimitri." Christine reminisces about a teacher she had in high school, who let them call him Stacy. She asks if Creepitri is a good teacher. Grace can't help smiling and answers that he's okay. As she remembers what an ass she just made of herself, her smile fades, and she glances guiltily in the direction in which Creepitri disappeared. In the dining room, Creepitri finds some papers to pass off to Grace, but before returning to the kitchen, looks at the empty spot on his bookshelf. He sighs heavily. Christine sidles up to Grace and conspiratorially says that she wants to come by and watch Creepitri teach, just to freak him out. Grace shrinks away from her, mumbling that she has to go. Creepitri bursts in, brandishing the papers to make it clear that the visit wasn't an improper one. He hands them to Grace with a stern "Hey, try and remember these things during school hours time." Hey, asshole, try and remember not to lead on your impressionable young students time. Dick. Grace looks utterly ashamed, but tries to force a smile before leaving. "Nice meeting you, Grace!" Christine calls out as the door closes behind Grace.
Jessie comes through the back door of Manning Manor with a burr up her ass. She bitches that she doesn't know what Grace's problem is, but she thinks someone else should pick her up if doing so makes Grace this miserable. Lily, Eli, and Rick look up from the table, where they're eating. Lily asks where Grace is. Jessie says she's just sitting out in the car. My guess is that Grace has her lips wrapped around the tailpipe by now. Eli asks if they want him to go and talk to her. Because he's done such wonders for Grace's self-esteem in the past. There's no need for anyone to go to her rescue, though, as Grace comes barreling through the door with her features clearly set to Don't Fuck With Me. Lily asks what's going on. Grace stops and spins around long enough to say she doesn't want to talk about it. Lily and Rick exchange looks like they've just witnessed the strangest thing in the world.
Later, in his and Lily's bathroom, Rick posits that Grace is just upset because they're asking her to "chauffeur" Jessie everywhere. "Or she could be gay," Lily says glumly. Um, have you been hanging out in yonder garage, hot boxing with Eli? Rick asks if that's what Lily thinks. "Well, she did join that club," Lily says. She complains that sometimes it seems like Grace is keeping something from her, but Grace just shuts Lily out whenever she tries talking to her. Lily asks Rick if he thinks it's possible. "Anything's possible," he squirms. "Well, do you think she is?" Lily asks, growing alarmed. Rick says he doesn't know one way or the other. "Oh my god, so you think she is," Lily frets. Rick says that's not what he said, and that if Grace is, Lily will deal with it. "Easy for you to say," Lily complains. "Your daughter's heterosexual. She's got a boyfriend named Tad." Okay, Tad? As your daughter's boyfriend? Is nothing to be relieved about. Oh, and the Clue of the Month Club left a message for you -- something about stacks of returned packages stamped "undeliverable"? To her credit, Lily realizes what she sounds like, and says it's no wonder Grace won't talk to her; she's a "bigot." She admits that she's "actually upset. [She's] upset that [Grace] might be a lesbian." Rick tenderly takes her hand and murmurs, "At least she's not a bigot." Lily smiles weakly and says that having a daughter who's a lesbian is the last thing anyone ever expects. They're interrupted by the phone. Lily picks up, and it's Katie.
Lily pads down the hallway, where Grace is waiting outside the bathroom door, pounding impatiently. Lily asks if Jessie's in there, and Grace complains that she's taking forever. Lily lets Jessie know that Katie's on the phone, but Jessie won't take the call. She asks Lily to tell Katie that she's really tired, and she'll just talk to her tomorrow. Grace listens to Lily blow off Katie on Jessie's behalf and looks incredulous. She follows Jessie into the bathroom and asks why she won't talk to Katie. Jessie grumbles that it's none of Grace's business. Grace says Jessie doesn't know how easy she has it: "God, just go for it! No one will care! At least it's an option. At least the person that you're in love with --" Jessie cuts her off angrily, accusing her of reading Katie's letter. Grace denies it vehemently. Jessie scoffs. Grace grits that she wouldn't do something like that, and Jessie spits that it's exactly the kind of thing she'd do. She reminds Grace that she snoops around in other people's private things, and Grace sinks, realizing that she has a point. Jessie's eyes brim fiercely as she insists, "I don't care what you think you know! I am not in love with anybody! Just because you picked somebody who would never love you back in a million years!" Grace's voice is menacingly low: "Shut up!" Grace tries to deny her feelings for Creepitri, but Jessie knows she's found Grace's Achilles's heel, and she won't stop until Grace is crippled. She tells Grace that everyone knows and it's embarrassing because it's so obvious, the way she looks at Creepitri, and the way she does anything to be close to him. Grace snaps, "Well you'd do anything to protect your little image, won't you? Perfect Jessie who couldn't possibly be in love with a girl!" Jessie glares for a second, fighting back the bile. "I can't believe how much I hate you," Jessie seethes. Grace assures Jessie that Grace hates her more.
The morning, Grace fakes being sick so she can avoid her humiliation. Lily, concerned, touches her forehead and insists that she feels normal. "Not from in here," Grace mopes. Lily studies her for a second and then asks whatever happened with Spencer Lewicki. Grace thinks her mother just might be insane. "Nothing happened to him. He's gay," Grace says. Lily absorbs this for a second and then asks if he's in the club, too. Grace rolls her eyes and speaks slowly, "No, Mom, because sometimes people don't know they're gay. Spencer Lewicki is one of those people." Lily muses for a few seconds. Grace graciously offers to explain it better if Lily lets her stay home. No dice.
Downstairs, Lily finds Rick on the phone with a doctor, getting advice on Jessie, who has also come down with a raging case of Avoidenitus. Lily feels like a jerk for not believing that Grace is sick, too.
Creepitri's pacing around his classroom, trying to nudge a reaction -- any kind of reaction -- from the students. The silence makes it painfully clear that Grace's nose is no longer wedged in his crack. He lobs another question and is met with blank looks. Desperate for some interaction, he calls on Grace. She raises her eyes and fires off a round of stink-eye. He repeats the question for her. She glares. The bell rings. She grabs her things and, still glaring, makes a break for the door. Katie grabs Grace to ask what happened with the letter. Grace says nothing happened. Katie's relieved, thinking that Grace didn't give Jessie the note. Grace has a hard time keeping her eyes off Creepitri, but she tears herself away long enough to let Katie know that she did deliver the letter. Katie doesn't understand how Jessie couldn't have said anything. Creepitri walks over and asks whether Grace is ready to make her pitch to the vice-principal. Grace snaps that she is, and he says he'll meet her at the end of the day. Grace tries to spare Katie's feelings, saying that Jessie was really upset after visiting her mom at the hospital, so she may not have even read the letter. Katie's relief is palpable. She throws her arms around Grace, burbling, "Thank you! I love you!" Grace looks guilty as she watches Katie rush off.
Fade in to Grace in Creepitri's classroom, in the midst of her pitch for funding. She manages to work in a public service message, saying that "a gay kid is twice as likely to attempt suicide" as a straight kid. She also manages to work in a guilt trip for Creepitri, who's leaning in the doorway, by saying, "If it's within your power to give someone hope, and instead, you just turn your back on that person, I just think that's really horrible." She casts a glance his way, to be sure he gets it. He does. The vice-principal shakes Grace's hand, praising her presentation. Grace scrambles to get her scarf and coat on and rushes out of there without so much as a goodbye. Creepitri, miffed, trails Grace into the hallway, but she doesn't turn around. The vice-principal observes that Grace is "quite something, isn't she?" Yes, she is. I believe it's called "jailbait." Right, Creepitri?
Jessie's curled up in her bedroom, reading Katie's letter. She jumps up when someone knocks on her door, and the letter floats to the floor. Katie emerges at the top of the stairs. Sullen, she says that Eli let her in, and she just wants her sweater back. Jessie tries to find it, and Katie spots her letter on the floor. "You missed the trash," she says. Jessie rushes toward the letter, saying that she wasn't going to throw it away. Katie asks for it back. Jessie is taken aback by the request. Katie chokes out that she humiliated herself enough as it is. Jessie asks how. Katie cries that she shouldn't have written all that stuff, and Jessie tries to convince her that it's okay. Katie says it's not okay; Jessie won't even talk to her now. "I just want to be friends," Jessie pleads, tears streaming. Katie says that's what she wants, too. Jessie says the letter made it seem like Katie wanted more. Katie tells her to forget the letter. Jessie says, "I've just been really --" "Confused. I know," Katie says, stepping toward her. Jessie tells Katie that she's really important. "I am?" Katie asks, hardly daring to believe it. "Yes!" Jessie breathes. Jessie asks if they can still be friends. Katie hugs her, exclaiming, "Yes! Of course! Oh my god!" While they hug, Katie begs Jessie to just throw "the stupid letter away." Jessie freezes as she realizes that she doesn't want to. They pull back to look at one another, and Jessie whispers that she wants to keep the letter forever. Katie smiles faintly, and they stare at each other with an intensity hot enough to sear undies. After a few seconds, they lean in for a kiss. It's one of the softest, most tender and heartfelt first kisses ever, and even my heart's pounding, feeling their nervousness. "Oh my god," Jessie whispers when they stop. "What?" Katie asks. Jessie's face clouds briefly, but then relaxes. "I just, um..." "I know," Katie says. They kiss some more. Boy, would I be pissed if I lived in Lynchburg.
Cut to Grace walking across the school parking lot. Creepitri's egg glides up beside her and slows. Wordlessly, Grace ends up in his car. She stares resolutely out the passenger window, while he tries to break the ice. He tells her that she did a great job with the presentation. Grace says she doesn't care about "the stupid dance" or the Gay/Straight Alliance. She looks at him pointedly. He looks into his lap and whispers that he knows. She chokes, "What else do you know?" He says he knows she took his book, and says it was stupid of him not to just lend it to her, but "the thing is, [they're] not friends." He says that if circumstances were different, he'd love to be friends. He goes on and on and on about what could have been until Grace finally begs him to stop. She asks if Christine is his girlfriend. He admonishes her for asking, then relents and says that Christine was his girlfriend in college. "Oh," Grace says softly, staring at him. He stares back. Hearts flutter. "You'd better get out of the car now," Creepitri warns. "Why?" Grace asks. They stare at one another a few more seconds, and I swear, Creepitri shifts subtly in his seat, like he's about to lean toward her. She senses it and tries to stay calm. Until a tapping at the window nearly sends her out of her skin. She turns to find Lily grinning in at her, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. Apparently, they've been parked outside Manning Manor this whole time. Creepitri tries to stammer an explanation, but Lily waves it away, thanking him for driving Grace home. Grace flies out of the car, and Creepitri sighs, relieved that his job is safe for one more day.
In the kitchen, Lily chatters happily, "That was nice of [Mr. Dimitri]." "What?" Grace asks, on high alert. With a sigh of relief, she realizes that Lily's referring to the ride. Lily says that she's "glad." "You are?" Grace asks, smiling as she imagines introducing Lily to her future son-in-law, Creepitri. Lily rhymes off all the things she's glad about: "That the presentation went well, and that [Grace is] part of a group like that, and that [Grace has] someone like Mr. Dimitri." Grace freezes and asks what Lily means. She doesn't seem to notice the bluebirds chirping and flying in circles around her mother's head. "Just, someone who really understands you," Lily says. She stammers, "Because I want you to be true to who you are, no matter what." Grace can hardly believe what she's hearing. Lily gets all teary-smiley and gushes that she loves Grace, no matter what. "Well, I love you, too. I love everyone!" Grace laughs, turning her attention back to the groceries. Lily asks, "In that case, would you mind taking these cough drops up to Jessie?" Which is thoughtful, but I doubt Jessie will be needing them after her tonsil massage.
Up in the attic, Jessie and Katie are sitting on the floor, gazing adoringly into one another's eyes. They jump to their feet at the sound of Grace's knock. Grace apologizes when she realizes that Katie is there. Jessie says that Katie was just bringing Jessie some homework. "Thanks," Jessie says. Katie takes her cue and grabs her jacket. She says goodbye to Grace as she passes her, which seems to take Grace by surprise. Alone, Grace stares at Jessie for a few moments and then catches herself, remembering why she's there. She hands over the cough drops. Jessie thanks her but says, "I'm feeling a lot better." "Me too," Grace smiles. She leaves, and Jessie flops on her bed, overcome with contentment.