Branching Out (2024)

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Branching Out (2024)

Post by bunniefuu »

City streets that

I don't recognize

Unfamiliar skyline

Strangers who don't

look me in the eye

I'm lost inside I'm blind

But I know wherever I go

I'm never far from home

No matter where I roam

When I think of you

I'm never far from home

No matter where I roam

When I think of you

I'm never far from home

I'm never far from home

Oh oh oh

Oh oh oh

I'm never far from home

Oh oh oh

Oh oh oh

I'm never far from home

Good morning.

Ah!

It's time to wake up.

Oh, no!

My daughter's turned

into a stuffed dog!

Got you!

You did get me.

- You're so predictable.

- Yeah.

Can you predict what

I'm gonna say next?

We're late.

Yep.

Did you brush your teeth?

Your hair looks a little ratty.

Go run and get

your hair brushed.

What is your brush doing

in the silverware drawer?

We're always in the kitchen when

you tell me to go get my brush.

Smart.

Also gross.

It's not gross.

It's my word of the day.

Efficient.

Well, at least keep

it in the junk drawer.

I forgot something!

Me, too.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

- I'm coming.

Come on. Come on.

Come on.

Do you really need

to bring your guitar?

Oh.

I love you.

Remember to help somebody.

I know.

Bye, baby Taylor.

Bye, Mommy.

I love you, too.

You know the drill?

All right, here we go.

All right, TJ.

Ready to rock?

Yeah.

Sorry.

Sorry, Doug.

Hey, you, uh, you

all right in there?

I shouldn't audition

before noon.

I'm not a morning person.

That's all right, man.

Let's just... we'll take

it back from the top.

Do you want me to

play a riff in the opener,

or should I play it straight?

Let's do one as it's

written, and then, that's it.

Yeah.

We're in the kitchen.

I know.

So how did it go?

Terrible.

No.

I'm sure you did great.

No.

I was wooden, and I blew it.

Lead guitar on

John Tyler's tour.

That would have been huge.

- You'll get the next one, Mijo.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- Ah, I don't think so.

So what have you been up to?

Ma's planning Mateo's birthday.

We're going to have it

here in the greenhouse.

Of course.

And she's not letting

me do anything at all.

Of course.

I still wanna be involved.

So I can keep it contained.

Who wants a party contained?

Maybe your daughter?

Fine.

It'll be contained.

Just la familia.

And 200 of her closest friends.

Do you need a nap?

He's a grown man.

He doesn't need a nap.

I think I do need a nap.

I was practicing till 2:00 AM.

You're always up

until 2:00 AM, TJ.

- That's my most creative time.

- Mm.

Well, it's a good thing

you don't have kids.

I'm on the farm stand

today, so, mwah.

Hey, Mijo, fresh

out of the oven.

New recipe.

Thank you, Dad.

I'll cut out the bouncy house.

Hey, thank you, Mommy.

Ooh.

More self-help.

It was self-help in the '80s.

It's self-care now.

- So sorry.

- No.

And this book is

actually really good.

It's all about challenging

our self-imposed limitations.

So it suggests, instead

of saying no to ourselves,

we say, not yet.

Mm.

Can I send you a

copy of the book?

Not yet.

Oh, what'd I get?

A juice box today, or

just a quarter for milk?

Just be glad that your

business partner cares

about you as much as I do.

I appreciate the TLC. I do.

I do.

I just... I would like it

if we could actually go

out to lunch one of these days.

And that's why I

handle the books.

I'm excited to announce

our next big-term project.

We'll be exploring our heritage.

Who knows what heritage means?

Like, where our

families come from?

Somewhat, yes.

But heritage also

means what's been

passed down from our ancestors.

Culture, tradition stories.

And to explore this, we'll

each be making a family tree.

My tree is gonna be so big.

I have like 14 aunts and uncles.

But I only have Auntie Maura.

She's not even really my aunt.

Well, there are all

different types of families.

So as you map out the

generations of your family,

I'd like you to talk to your

relatives about your heritage.

Learn where you come from, and

how that makes you who you are.

You'll have two months to

complete it, so take your time.

We'll also have

in-class activities,

like bringing your family

in to discuss heritage.

You can talk to your

grandparents, aunts and uncles,

anyone in your family.

Bye, kids.

Um, Miss Weaver?

I was just wondering if I could

do a different term project.

Why?

Because I don't really

have any heritage.

My family tree would kind

of just look like a weed.

What do you mean?

Do you know what IVF is?

Yes, I do.

So my only family is my mom.

Well, does your

mom have any family?

Not really.

She's an only child, and her dad

went away when she was little.

Mm.

My Nana passed

away when I was two.

That's who I'm named after.

So it's really just

my mom and me.

A family tree can

look like anything.

Remember, some weeds turn

into the most beautiful flowers.

Thanks.

Ruby.

A minor?

Tough day?

What happened?

Miss Weaver assigned

our next big project.

And it's a family tree.

But I can't really be a family

tree because it's just and me.

And Nana.

Yeah, that's one branch.

That's not a tree.

It's like a log.

Sweetie, we're a family.

I know.

But also, I was thinking,

what about my biological dad?

Your donor?

Sweetie, he wanted

to be anonymous.

You know that.

But you said when I

got older, you'd show

me some sheet you have on him.

Ah, love, we're a family.

We're enough.

I know, and I love our family.

It's just, I'm curious, is all.

What's even on the sheet?

Mm... oh!

There you are.

Did he touch this paper?

I don't think so.

It's just a printout.

It's just some

basic information.

There's a baby picture.

And he looks just like me.

Hah!

He does, doesn't he?

Yeah.

Height, age, eye and hair color.

Is this all the information?

Is this how you picked him?

Well... somewhat.

But I... I also picked

him because of his laugh.

Mm?

Wait, you know what?

I think I have an old recording

of his voice from an email.

See if I can...

You've had a recording for

nine years and never told me?

I was a little

preoccupied raising

a well-adjusted young woman

in an ever-changing world.

Oh, wait.

Here it is.

So this is an interview

he did with the agency.

It's just audio only.

OK.

I'm sorry.

I'm a little nervous.

It's fine.

You can say whatever you want.

OK.

Well, um, I laugh when

I'm nervous, obviously.

And, uh, I live for

music, to make music.

And I hate mushrooms.

Love olives.

I love anything pickled. And...

Me, too

- I - love all desserts.

Me, too. Me, too.

I am bad at describing myself.

You know... yeah, that's it.

Mm.

His laugh, oh my gosh.

I know.

That's why I picked him.

He sounded kind.

Maybe there's a way to find him.

When you're 18, you

can request contact.

But 18 is a million years away.

I guess you're gonna be

super old when you're 18.

That's Auntie Maura.

She's coming for dinner.

You do your reading, OK?

And now she wants

to find her donor.

Yeah, of course she does.

Ruby's approaching

an age where she's

gonna wanna explore who she

is and where she comes from.

She comes from here.

She comes from me.

Yeah, well, she's also

genetically half him,

and that still means something.

Sure.

But who knows what he's like?

And do we even wanna

roll the dice on that?

And even if we wanted to

find him, it's not like we could.

Mm, that's not necessarily true.

Now, see, I've read

articles about this.

Donor-conceived children

who use genetic registry to track

down their biological parents.

What's a "genelli rhetory?"

What Aunt Maura

said, what is it?

It is genotyping,

to test your DNA.

You send a saliva

sample to a company,

and they test it to

learn about everything

from your physical traits, to

your health predispositions,

to your biological relatives.

So we could do that to find him?

Maybe, but it is

highly unlikely.

But we could still try.

Ruby, I wanna put a pin in this.

OK?

Can you go finish your homework?

Please?

Dinner's almost ready.

Thank you.

I am so sorry.

Can you just put

this on the table?

Yeah.

Thank you very much.

Ruby?

Ruby?

Oh.

Good morning.

I made you coffee.

Oh.

OK.

Go on.

Try it.

You just put the black

stuff in some water, right?

Ah, yeah, something like that.

Ah, OK.

What is... what

is going on here?

Ruby's 10-point presentation

on why I should be able to do

the genetic registry thingy.

Point one, I am not a baby.

This should be our

decision together.

Point two, school project.

You're always saying

how important learning is.

And this school project is

about learning who I am...

like, um, is my

donor clumsy like me?

Is he always

crashing into stuff?

Love, these are great points,

but he wanted to be anonymous.

He might not wanna be found.

But what if he does?

What if he's just

waiting for us to find him?

You're always telling

me to help someone.

What if this helps all of us?

I wanna know where I come from.

Come here.

Ooh.

Oh.

I always knew this

day would come.

I just... I didn't expect it to

come so soon, so you're gonna

have to be patient with me.

Oh.

I am open to looking

into this, but it's gonna

have to be on my timetable.

I am still your mother, and

I can prove that very easily.

Can we agree to that?

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Maybe we can pick up

a test after school today?

Or before school.

What did I just say

about my timetable?

Yeah, your timetable.

It's just I already

ate breakfast,

and I made our lunches.

It's a spaghetti burrito.

You put spaghetti

inside a burrito?

With ranch dressing.

Oh ho ho ho.

Hi.

How's it going?

Hey.

How'd it go with Ruby?

She bring the idea back up?

Actually, I know Ruby

well enough to know

that she is driving that train.

And I know you

well enough to know

that you're pumping the brakes.

Actually, we picked up a

genetic registry test on the way

to school today.

Oh... what?

Mm-hmm.

Wow.

I'm proud of you.

We probably won't

find anything anyway.

And even if we do, it's not

like we have to contact him.

And even if we

do contact him, he

probably won't wanna

have anything to do with her,

you know. And...

and even if he does...

you know, it's not his choice.

So I'm not worried about it.

Yeah, no.

I... I can tell.

You seem super chill about it.

It's just always been

just the two of us.

And I've worked really

hard to make her feel like...

like that's OK.

Like we're enough.

What if she suddenly

decides that we're not?

Just make sure that

it's nice and snug.

OK.

So that's it?

Mail it in, and they

email us his information?

If there's any information,

which is a big if.

Plus, it takes time.

It could take several weeks.

Has it been several weeks yet?

OK, I got to do a

word of the day for you.

What?

Patience.

I'm gonna go put

it in the mailbox.

Did the genetic

registry email come?

Oh.

Hi, Mommy.

How was your day?

That was all implied.

So, did it come?

Um, honey, it's only

been two weeks.

It's gonna take a

little bit longer, OK?

I guess I'll just have to

write another future hit

while I wait.

All I need, all I want

Is to keep the things that I got

Because it took

some time to find

I have dreams just like you

For the skies of

tomorrow to be blue

Do we need to close our eyes

Can't change the world

Oh oh it's not long

If we took it in turn

Oh oh, I think we

could, you know

'Cause we're in this together

Ooh ooh ooh

You're not alone

Are we in this together?

Love will show us where to start

Moving mountains with our hearts

All we need is to be here

Uh, excuse me?

Yeah, we're... we're

not open today.

Oh.

May I help you?

Is this you?

Yes.

What is this about?

You know, never mind. Sorry.

I'm sorry.

- Wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Is there something

I should know?

Yes.

Yes.

Um... you kind of

have a daughter.

Thank you for telling me.

What's she like?

She's on her own little planet,

in the absolute best way.

She's hilarious and kind.

She's bright.

She's so precocious.

She, uh, she plays guitar.

What?

I'm a guitarist.

It means it's genetic.

That's wild.

So are you a

professional musician?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Is it good work?

Yeah, it is.

If you can get it,

which lately, I can't.

Um, that's why I work here.

It's a family business.

My parents bought

the land 40 years ago.

Started small, but

then it grew to all this.

And, uh, I read online that

you started the whole farmers

market co-op thing, too?

It's pretty cool.

It's a great community

between artisans and farmers.

So... what now?

Maybe we just let

it marinate for a bit?

OK.

OK.

Amelia, I'd really

like to meet her.

He seems nice,

like I thought he'd be.

He also seems like a

brooding, bad-boy musician type.

Oh, Daddy was a Rolling Stone.

Exactly.

It's like, smoldering

and bacchanalian.

He's probably a total

commitment phobe.

And how long did

you talk to him for?

I don't know, like

10 or 15 minutes?

Mm. Mm-hmm.

What?

I don't know.

It just sounds like you

really got this guy pegged.

And now he wants to meet her.

Yeah, of course!

And she's gonna

wanna meet him, too.

But he's a total stranger.

OK, so vet him.

I mean, look.

Of all the genetic

possibilities in the world,

you chose him, and now's

your opportunity to find out why.

I guess I could just

like get a cup of coffee.

Yeah.

It's just coffee... with your

long-lost bad boy baby daddy.

That is not helpful.

It's fun to say.

To go with you?

Mijo, what's wrong?

Did you take a

genetic registry test?

Yes.

So other relatives

could find us.

Turns out, uh, a relative

of sorts did find us.

I kind of have a daughter.

What?

As... it's not... it's

not what you think.

Do you remember when I came

back to the States, and I was...

Mijo, it doesn't matter.

You have a daughter.

It's wonderful.

I came out here for

my master's, and then I

love it here. Just stayed.

So your family's in California?

No.

No... no family.

Like none?

No.

Um, well, I was very

close with my mom,

but she passed a while back.

And she was estranged

from her family,

so it was always

just the two of us.

So, yes.

Mm.

And your dad?

Left when I was little.

Do you have a partner?

No.

No partner.

So you're raising

Ruby by yourself?

Mm-hmm.

That must be tough.

Well, I guess I'm tough.

Yeah, I can see that.

Yeah.

So have you given any more

thought to me meeting Ruby?

Only every waking minute.

No peace.

Aah-ah.

I guess I'm just concerned

that she's gonna meet

you, and then get attached?

I guess that could be a problem.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, especially since you

got your whole life thing going on.

What thing is that?

I mean, you know,

you's like... your whole,

like, rock-and-roll thing.

The gigs and the...

Hang on.

Hang on.

How many working

musicians do you know?

I do not...

I do not know any

working musicians.

OK.

So I don't think

it's fair for you

to make assumptions

about my lifestyle.

You don't even know me.

Yeah.

OK, that's the problem, though.

Because I don't know you.

I don't know you at all.

And I'm supposed to decide

whether I want my daughter to?

Amelia, you reached out to me.

I assume you'd... you imagine

that I would like to meet Ruby.

But I'd hate to

make assumptions.

Yeah, that would be very unfair.

I'm sorry.

I'm a little nervous.

It's fine.

You can say whatever you want.

OK.

Well, um, I laugh when

I'm nervous, obviously.

And, uh, I live for

music, to make music.

And I hate mushrooms.

Love olives.

I love anything pickled,

and I love all desserts.

And I'm bad at

describing myself.

I'm sorry.

I'm a little nervous.

It's fine.

You can say whatever you want.

OK.

Well, um, I laugh when

I'm nervous, obviously.

And, uh, I live for music

Ruby?

Oh, I'm... I'm...

I'm... I'm sorry.

I... I wasn't, like

looking at your...

I'm not mad. I just...

- email or anything.

- It's OK.

It was just already

downloaded, and I...

I'm not mad.

I'm not mad.

I just have

something to tell you.

Did it come?

It did come.

Yes.

And I found him.

You found him?

Like, in person?

- Mm-hmm.

- I wanna meet him.

Can I?

OK.

So before I say yes, I just...

I need you to listen

to me, sweetie, OK?

I know you have a

lot of really big ideas

about what you want this to be,

about who you want him to be.

And I know...

I know it's easy to

get lost in those ideas.

If you can, honey, I'd really

like for you to remain measured.

Do you know what I mean by that?

Like, only a certain

amount of something?

Yeah, exactly.

So I get to meet him?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Oh.

Ah... that is so not measured.

I'm TJ.

Hi, TJ.

I'm Ruby.

Ruby.

Lovely to meet you.

And you sneeze when

you look at the sun?

I don't think so.

Do you?

Sometimes.

But are you allergic

to cantaloupe?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

It makes my mouth all itchy.

Me, too!

Are you a morning person?

No.

Nights are my creative time.

That's what I tell my mom,

but she still gives me a bedtime.

And when you eat asparagus...

OK.

Let's just... let's

give TJ a break here.

It's OK.

I like questions.

OK.

But I have a question for you.

Is it true that you play guitar?

Yeah.

I mean, I'm not a savant or

anything, but I will be someday.

I like the word savant.

It's my word of the day.

I'm learning a new

word every day

so I'll be a better songwriter.

I'm gonna be just

like Taylor Swift.

I even have her same guitar.

Baby Taylor.

Yes!

You like Taylor Swift?

I've been known to

dabble, yeah, yeah.

I play the guitar, too.

What kind of guitar do you play?

I play different ones for

different moods, different eras.

You have to try out the

instrument, you know.

You have to see if you're

interconnected with your guitar.

What's that mean?

It means you're connected,

but you're also independent.

Oh.

Like panda?

- Ah.

- What's that?

We learned about it in science.

It's this whole Aspen

forest here in Utah

made of over 47,000

trees, but they all

come from the same root system.

It's called "Panda, the Tree."

You never learned about it?

- Hm?

I think I just did.

I have a surprise for you.

Oh?

Cinnamon churros,

cinnamon buuelos,

cinnamon cookie,

because your mom

told me that you like cinnamon.

Mm.

What do you think?

This is like heaven in a stick.

Um, I got to make

a quick phone call.

Are you OK?

- Yeah.

You all right?

OK.

Yeah.

No, that sounds great.

OK.

Um, yeah, I'll just check in

with you when I'm leaving, OK?

Thank you.

Oh, wait.

Are you Amelia?

I'm Sofia.

TJ's mom.

OK.

Oh, forgive me.

I get emotional.

But this is just

such a blessing.

Oh.

And... and this is

TJ's dad, Tomas.

TJ stands for Tomas, Jr.

It's nice to meet you.

It's nice to meet you, too.

I'm gonna get back

to my daughter.

Oh, yeah.

But... but before you

do, I was wondering if you

and I could get

together one day?

You know, have a cafecito.

Well, that is so nice.

That's such a nice offer.

Thank you.

Um... I... this just... it

feels like a lot, so, um,

can I get back to you?

Of course.

- OK.

- Yeah.

OK.

OK.

What did I miss?

I just asked TJ to come

speak at my school

for Heritage Day on Monday.

You did?

Uh, honey, you already

asked me to present.

Oh, but some kids have

two parents presenting.

Or... or... or even people that

aren't, like, actually parents,

but kind of technically, are.

It's OK.

It's... it's a

complicated situation.

- It is.

- Yeah.

It's complicated.

It's a real conundrum.

Oh, is that a new

word of the day?

Mm-hmm.

So will you come to my school?

Please?

Please?

OK, honey, I...

You could talk

about your family,

and traditions and stuff.

Uh, you know, what it's like

to be a famous musician?

Honey, I just...

I don't wanna put too much

pressure on TJ right now, OK?

I can check my schedule.

Yes!

OK.

Oh, my turn now.

One second.

Hi.

How you doing, honey?

You OK?

Are you kidding?

I'm crushing it.

Well, yeah.

She's hilarious.

And not just for a kid.

She's only 10 and

knows her guitars.

It's so impressive.

So when do we get to meet her?

Ah!

Can we come to

the school with you?

No.

No, no, no.

I don't even know if I'm going.

Why wouldn't you go?

Because she wants me to talk

about being a famous musician.

What am I supposed to say?

I don't want to disappoint her.

Mijo, we never feel like

the people we wanna be,

especially as parents.

Yeah, but...

I'm not a parent.

I used to drive all night

Countless stars

till the sun came up

Just praying for our side

Why it doesn't make me wanna run

I was just a rolling stone

Wandering this whole world alone

Till you gave me somewhere to go

You saved my soul when

you made my heart a home.

Hey, Dad.

Need some help?

Sure.

Yeah.

Why are you here?

Shouldn't you be

at Ruby's school?

I'm not going.

OK.

What's going on?

It's just, I always wanted

to be a dad, but I didn't think

this is how it was gonna happen.

And I'm not even a dad.

I mean, I'm a donor.

And I don't know if I

should get attached.

Imagine how Ruby feels.

Yeah, I know.

Mijo, even in the

simplest of circumstances,

parenting is never

what we think it will be.

And every parent worries

if they can give enough.

If they aren't, the kids

don't see it like that.

They just want to be loved.

I don't even know if

Amelia is gonna let

me see her again after this?

Yeah.

You better make the

most of it while you have it.

Thank you, Dad.

Ah, voicemail.

Hi, Amelia.

It's TJ.

Plans changed.

Listen, I'm coming.

I'm coming.

Let's give a big round of

applause to the Solomon family.

And let's welcome up,

Mr. And Mrs. Fisher.

And last but not

least, Ruby's mom.

OK.

Our...

Sorry.

Sorry for the grand entrance.

I'm here with Ruby.

Did I miss my turn?

You're actually right on time.

But I'm... I'm just a little

confused because I only had Ms.

Weber down to present.

He'll be going first.

OK.

Hello.

Uh, I'm TJ Cruz.

I'm Ruby's friend.

And I'm here to talk about

heritage, which, I think,

it's not just a big word.

It's a big responsibility.

Because it's not just about

where you're from or who

you are, but it's about

connection, and integrity,

and values.

And it doesn't matter what

country you were born in,

but if you pass those three

things to the ones you love,

you can create a family

history that you can be proud of.

So make your families proud.

You can't do that again, TJ.

Do what?

Flip-flop on her.

You can't.

But I called you.

I left a message, and it

went to... to voicemail.

Because I had my

phone turned off

because I was here already

setting up for the presentation.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Ruby was devastated when

you decided not to come.

You can't just say you're

gonna do one thing,

and then change your

mind at the last second.

You cannot.

- I don't know what else to say.

I messed up.

And I do that a lot, and I

probably sounded like an idiot.

You didn't sound like an idiot.

You sounded great.

It... what you said, it was

moving and it was poignant.

But words aren't enough.

Kids need consistency

and reliability.

And they need

to know if they can

count on us or if they can't.

So if you wanna

be in Ruby's life,

you just... you need to ask

yourself, can she count on you?

You're making me nervous.

What are we doing?

Davey Hill

Development just bought

this land for a subdivision.

OK?

50 or so houses, all green,

and I wanna pitch for it.

Ah, no.

I don't think we're

ready for that.

Imagine what it could

mean for our firm.

Yeah.

It could mean more staff

and resources, financing

that we don't have, and time.

We don't have to

figure any of it out.

So we hire a consultant.

It's fine.

We do whatever it takes.

What we have right now is good.

Yeah, but expanding

could be better.

What is wrong with what we have?

Are you unhappy?

Why is everyone always

wanna expand all the time?

What is wrong with staying

as we are when it works?

I kind of feel like we're not

talking about the deal anymore.

Amelia, is this about

Ruby and the rock star?

Her expanding family

tree, it's k*lling me.

Are you sure this

isn't good expansion?

Can you just be on my side?

I am on your side.

I want what's best

for you and us.

And I want us to pitch,

so grow or stagnate.

I can make either choice?

Can you trust me on this?

Perfect. I love it.

Thank you.

Also, I wanted to

ask about the tour.

Are you auditioning

for lead guitar, maybe?

You know we love

you, TJ, but Romer

always plays lead for Sadie.

Of course.

Well, uh, would you bounce

me a copy once it's mixed?

I wanna show it to my, uh...

a young artist I know.

Of course.

Thanks.

So Amelia.

Mm-hmm?

These are TJ's sisters.

Oh!

His older sister, Bianca,

and his two younger

sisters, Camila and Elena.

Nice to meet you.

Thank you for coming.

I hope mom didn't

pressure you into.

Oh, no, no, no,

no, it's my pleasure.

So tell us all about you.

We heard you don't

have any family.

- Mom!

- Boundaries.

Boundaries aren't for family.

Please forgive our mother.

No, it's fine.

Really.

But I do have family.

Ruby and I are a family.

Of course.

So Amelia, you are an architect?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

It's the only thing I

ever wanted to do.

Other little girls had

Barbies, I had a spirograph.

And what do you like about it?

I like feeling like I'm giving

people a sense of home.

I think we all just wanna

find our place in the world,

you know?

You should tell that to TJ.

You know, he spent most

of his youth in Mexico.

But then with the band

and the traveling, I mean,

you just never know

where he's going.

Mommy, OK.

That's enough.

Let her breathe.

Amelia, my grandson,

Mateo, turns nine next week.

That's my son.

And we are going

to have a little fiesta.

We would so love if you

and Ruby would join us.

Oh, Mateo would love that.

- There's gonna be so much food.

- And so many other kids.

And music!

- So, it's a yes?

- Yes.

It's going to be so fun.

We'll all be there.

Boo-ooh Something about you

That caught your eye

And got a glimpse

Of what heaven must be like

You got me in a spin

I can't help wonder

where you've been

It's never been with me

I wanna be with you, girl.

So are you better at music

or artisanal southwest cuisine?

Ah, you can be

the judge of that.

Oh.

Just one second.

OK.

Ah, I brought this in today.

Roasted squash blossoms

with ricotta cheese and poblanos.

You made this?

Yeah.

Tell me what you think.

Oh.

You know, it's really good.

OK.

No, this is... this is too

hard because you are

an incredible guitarist,

but I actually think this

might be your true calling.

- Do you like to cook?

- I don't know.

Sort... no.

I... I'm usually too exhausted

by the end of the day

to do anything fancy.

Yeah, it must be hard

being a single parent.

Mm.

It's hard being

any kind of parent.

What about you?

Do you want kids?

Yeah, in theory.

Um, but with my career, I

could be on tour for six months

a year, so it's hard to

reconcile that with kids.

Yeah.

But, as an uncle, I

get the general idea.

I teach them a little guitar.

I make waffles for them.

Tell them jokes.

- Yeah.

That's all there

is to parenting.

Just waffle-making

and joke-telling.

- What else?

- Yeah.

Nothing else.

That's it.

Yeah, I know.

Ah, when I

envisioned my life, I...

I always thought, make it as a

musician, and kids and marriage,

second.

May I ask you...

why did you do IVF?

And you can tell me

it's none of my business.

It's none of your business.

Got it.

That's all right.

Why did you donate?

I was young.

And I had been living

in Mexico with my uncle.

So when I came back

to the States, I was broke.

I didn't want to

rely on my parents.

So that's it.

Simple as that.

I actually wanted to talk

to you about something.

Yeah, what is it?

I wanted to explain why I

was so intense and sensitive

the other day at Ruby's school.

My dad just wasn't there for me.

He made a lot of

promises he couldn't keep.

It was just... it was hard.

So we'll just leave it at that.

Um, I just don't want

Ruby to ever have to go

through anything like that.

Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Understood.

OK, yeah.

Yeah.

And I think you should

take this to Ruby so you

don't have to cook tonight.

Really?

Um, do I have to share?

Because you know

what, I could just

like make her some

mac and cheese,

and then this could

be our little secret.

You can do whatever you want.

It is up to me

because I'm the mama.

Can I... can I show

you something,

a song I've been working on?

Oh, yeah. No.

OK.

- Yeah?

Sure. I would love to.

It's, um, you know, it

came to me late last night.

And I want a fresh set of ears.

- OK.

- First impression.

Hit me.

OK.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Something about you

that caught your eye

And got a glimpse of

what heaven must be like

You got me in a spin

I can't help wonder

where you've been

It's never been with me

I wanna be with you, girl.

Whoa!

Wow!

Oh.

Here she goes.

- How are you?

- Good.

Good?

That's TJ.

I mean, you said

he was smoldering,

but he is smoldering.

Did you mean to tell me

that there is not a shred

of romantic fantasy here?

My deep romantic fantasy is

someone to do the dishes with.

You know, ordinarily, I

would say that's really sad.

But I would gladly do

the dishes with that man.

OK, settle down.

OK.

Hi.

Hi.

Ah.

I am so happy you came.

Oh!

And you must be Ruby.

I am your...

Sofia.

Call me Tia Sofia.

Nice to meet you, Tia Sofia.

Nice to meet you.

My mom says that

whenever you return a dish,

you should put something in it.

So I cooked you my favorite.

Ants on a log!

I hope they're

made with real ants.

I'm Tomas.

I'm TJ's father.

Nice to meet you.

And this is my best friend

and business partner, Maura.

And my Auntie.

Aw!

Oh.

Hi, are you Ruby?

I'm Mateo, your cousin.

Whoa.

I've never had a cousin before.

Hey, you wanna hit the piata?

Can I?

Yeah, sure.

Just stay where I can see you.

You better count me in.

Please, make yourself at home.

Can I help you with that?

Uh... uh, sorry.

No, I have a strict "open my

own bottles and jars" philosophy.

My mama always said

learn to do everything yourself

in case you don't

have money or a man.

- That's a big thought.

- Yeah, well...

Yeah.

Uh, it's actually...

What...

It's a twist up.

Of course it is.

OK, I'm gonna go do a lap.

See if I can find my girls.

I don't know why

I said it like that.

See you later.

- I hope so.

OK, bye.

Bye.

Strange, huh?

You have a kid, and

your heart goes walking

around outside of your chest.

There's nowhere

else you'd rather be.

I've heard that said

before, but only now

I'm beginning to understand.

TJ was so moody

as a kid, especially

when he was playing music.

Well, he's a creative.

But, anyway,

let's give these two

a chance to eat before

the tias descend on them.

You know, I have been

warned about them.

Yeah.

No.

No warning could

possibly suffice, but suerte.

Come on.

I'm so glad you guys are here.

Thank you.

Aah.

They seem so sweet.

They're so sweet.

They're so... so kind and so

friendly, and nice, and warm,

and chatty, like so so chatty.

I feel like I'm sweating.

Am I sweating?

I think it's the

salsa, actually.

Did you know this

is the mild one?

It's the mild one.

I think you could

use a breather, OK?

Don't worry, I'll keep

an eye on Ruby, all right?

Thank you very much. OK.

You're welcome.

Don't mind if I do.

Sorry to interrupt.

I just wanted to check on you.

My family can be a lot.

No, no, no, they're so great.

I... I'm just not used to it.

My family situation was,

and is, entirely the opposite.

It's me and my mom,

and then me and Ruby.

But they are a lot.

It's a lot.

It's... sorry.

Do you mind if I join you?

I need a party break.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

What were you doing?

Cloud gazing?

Guess we are now.

Yeah.

That one looks like

a dog with a banjo.

A banjo?

You see that level

of detail right there?

It's not like a

guitar or a ukulele.

Nah, it's definitely a banjo.

Banjo? OK.

Yeah.

All right.

You asked me why I did IVF.

Yeah, you told me to

mind my own business.

Yes, I did.

But I'm now ready

to tell you why.

Would you like to hear it?

Sure.

Because more than anything,

I wanted to be a mom.

And I got to a certain age

and hadn't met anyone yet, so I

didn't wanna wait any longer.

I could feel Ruby.

I was like waiting

for my life to start.

You can honestly see an

elephant playing a banjo right there?

No, it's a dog playing a banjo.

A dog... that's a dog?

Right there, that's...

No, that's a dog.

That's a... That's a dog.

Yeah.

Shall we get back to the...

do you wanna go?

- Yep.

OK.

Let's do that.

Yeah.

Oh.

Name of my... what made it.

Hey.

There are so many people you

need to meet, and some of them

ask really personal questions.

Yeah, they do.

Would you like to accompany

me on guitar for happy birthday?

I'll go grab Baby Taylor.

Thanks.

Oh, and I made you this.

So if you ever get worried

about how you're gonna play,

it'll remind you to

just do your version.

I love it.

Thank you.

Yay!

So not a shred of fantasy?

We love the renderings.

Love your pitch.

Love your firm.

But a subdivision is a big

jump from single-family builds.

And we have concerns

about potential growing pains.

We recognize and

understand those concerns,

but we know that we are uniquely

equipped to handle this step up.

We have no doubts.

No doubts at all.

That wasn't quite the convincing

sell from you back there.

Sorry, but I do have doubts.

Well, I don't.

And I asked you to trust me,

which is maybe something

you're having trouble doing.

I do trust you with

my life, but I'm just still

happy with the way things are.

I...

Oh, come here.

What?

Look, I know that

you are worried

about what's going

on with Ruby, but that's

not what this is about here.

OK, who is blowing you off?

Oh, Sofia added me to

the Cruz family text thread.

It literally never stops.

I get 400 texts a day.

- Oh boy.

Tomas wants to know

where the paper towels are.

Sofia says they're

under the kitchen sink.

Oh, actually, update.

No, it's under the garage sink.

No wonder you're

a ball of nerves.

That is no excuse.

You're right about the

company, about everything.

I'm gonna have your back now.

OK, as long as you don't

mind bearing the brunt

while I figure this out.

I've got you.

And I'm gonna start by

silencing these notifications

on this thread.

You can do that?

Wait... what's this

text from TJ about

picking Ruby up from school?

Yeah, he's, um, taking

her to a music store

to check out guitars.

OK.

All right.

Yeah, it's moving a little fast.

I get it.

Are you ready?

Whoa.

Hold onto my hand.

Come on, come on.

Holy moly, is this a...

Gibson Les Paul 57.

This is what Taylor plays.

Give it a try.

Well, you have

to really play it.

It's too big.

You try.

OK, picking a guitar,

yeah, it's a big step.

You got to jam

out on it, you know.

Gotta find out if

you're interconnected.

Like the panda tree.

You remembered.

How could I forget?

It felt like I would wash away

Get pulled under the waves

Lose myself and never be found

A hundred bricks on my back

Waiting for the crash

What goes up always

comes back down

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

I might be crazy

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

We all need saving.

Wow, you're so good.

I wanna be as good

as you someday.

But when I play, do I have

to make weird faces like you?

That's called shred face,

and it's a requirement.

Shred face.

Your dad's got some talent.

Yeah.

My dad does got some talent.

That's where I get it from.

I see the Zager.

Can I try it?

Yeah.

But you got to do shred face.

Pinky swear.

Pinky swear.

Cute kid.

Thank you for talking

me up in front of her.

Oh, no.

You got style.

And obviously, you have

good taste 'bout a song choice.

Can't go wrong with Trey Stasio.

I take it you're fan, too?

I have to be.

I'm his manager.

Oh.

- You play professionally?

- Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

I, uh... I did all the

strings for Sadie Adams,

all the albums, and some tracks

for Antheneum and Mike Fishman.

A bunch of others.

But I also do gigs.

Well, we're always

looking for talented backup.

I'll be at the studio

off and on this week.

Could you swing by a session?

Yes, of course.

All right.

Give me a call.

We'll find a time.

Thank you.

Hi.

Mommy, it was so cool!

Yay!

I got to try a Fender

Johnny Marr and a Taylor G5.

I don't know what

any of those words are,

but it sounds awesome.

And I learned what

shred face means.

Um, say thank you to TJ.

Go do your reading, OK?

Thank you so much, TJ.

Oh.

You're welcome.

Also, in two weeks,

I'm presenting my family

tree project at school.

Can you come?

And invite Tia Sofia and Tio

Tomas, and everyone, actually?

Sure.

Yay!

Sounds like you

guys had fun today.

We did.

I mean, just so I know,

you don't have to do this.

You don't have

to do any of this.

But I like it.

Maybe I'm being selfish.

What do you mean by that?

Around her, I feel like the

man I always wanted to be.

Yeah.

No, I... I get that.

Um, right, I gotta...

I'm gonna get my dinner going.

Mm-hmm.

And I got to get back to

my rock-and-roll lifestyle.

Mm.

There was a little bit of

a jealousy mixed in there

when I said that.

And actually, a lot of remorse.

Jealousy and remorse?

That was the name of

my band in high school.

Yeah, I think I

heard of you guys.

Yeah, we wore black.

We were very intense.

Maybe you can burn me a

mix tape of your greatest hits.

Yeah.

OK, bye.

What... what is that smile for?

We got it.

- What?

- Yeah.

I just got off the phone

with the developer.

They are signing the

contract as we speak.

Wait.

That is incredible!

I know.

I'm coming over, and

I'm bringing champagne.

I'll be right there.

So what's on the agenda today?

You wanna know the real deal?

Yeah, of course.

Trey's planning a

kickoff show in town

before heading out on his tour.

And he wants local musicians.

There's no one

more local than me.

Let's hear it.

Uh, I'm I'm digging what

you're doing, but it's a little dry.

Where's the guy I

heard at the guitar shop?

Yep.

You got it.

Are you here for the

samples or the company?

Can it be both?

Roasted root vegetables?

Yes, please.

Oh.

I'm telling you, if the

music doesn't work out,

you got a real future here.

Oh.

Music is totally gonna

work out, though.

That... what?

That is the perfect thing

to say to a struggling

artist in a gig economy.

I'm... I'm saying is that,

you know, whatever you do,

it's gonna be great stuff.

I am gonna be great.

OK.

Hey, how are you doing?

Are we gonna go there

several times over?

You don't have to.

Well, um, I think

you're wonderful.

Ruby obviously loves you.

And why do I get

the sense that you

can stop this at any minute?

I told you about my dad

leaving when I was little.

Yeah.

Well, then, he spent my

childhood popping in and out.

And I remember

what that felt like,

the waiting and

the hoping, and then

the crushing disappointment.

And I don't want

Ruby to ever feel that,

and I'm still just

trying to figure out

if she can really count on you.

Let me cook for you...

tonight.

What?

Yeah, I can...

I can teach Ruby my

mom's favorite recipe.

Unless you're too

busy with your new gig.

No.

No, I'm not... I just...

this would be good.

That would be nice.

4:00 PM.

That is not a

normal dinner time.

I'm cooking birria.

It takes a long time.

OK.

What can I pick up?

Nothing.

Just go, go.

Shoo.

OK, I got you.

I'll go.

And stop eating.

Excuse me?

You need to be

hungry for tonight.

OK.

OK.

See how they've softened?

Now, put them here.

But also, we're gonna

blend them with some broth.

That smells so good.

I could do it!

No, no, no.

She need the top first, Riffs.

And I'm not done yet.

Riffs?

Like on the guitar?

It's TJ's nickname for me.

He's workshopping it.

How about Riff Van Winkle?

Hmm.

No, let's keep brainstorming.

Do you make food

like this every night?

Yeah, I like cooking.

It's a way for me to take

care of the people I love.

And myself, of course.

Hey, Mom.

Hey, TJ, can teach

you how to cook.

Excuse me?

I make a mean mac and

cheese, thank you very much.

Don't tell me it's from a box.

All right, Riffie

Longstocking, go for it.

Riffie Longstocking,

I like that.

That's... that's good.

All right, are you ready?

My goodness.

I hope you like it.

This looks so succulent.

Word of the day?

Did I use it right?

Oh, yeah.

Then yes.

OK, this is the perfect way

to celebrate my big news.

I got a gig playing lead guitar

for Trey Stasio next Thursday.

Trey Stasio?

I love Trey Stasio!

And you probably know

his music better than I do.

Anyway, it's a

small venue for Trey,

but it's a friends and family

kickoff night before the tour.

And it's all thanks to Ruby

because I was with Ruby

when I met Trey's

manager at the guitar store.

That is so exciting.

Congrats.

Thank you.

And if you're free that night,

I have a couple of VIP tickets

with your names on them.

Trey Stasio knows my name?

That's not exactly

how that works, honey.

But there are

backstage passes, so I

might be able to introduce you.

Can we, Mom?

We're VIPs.

We have to.

- Yes!

Yes!

Yes!

I always like to give

Thanks before I eat.

Is that OK?

Thank you for our

food, our safety,

and thank you for bringing

Amelia and Ruby into my life.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

OK, this is how

you eat a birria taco.

You open it up, and you

put just a little bit of meat.

We don't wanna

overflow it, right?

No.

OK.

The leftover birria should

last you a week, easy.

As you can see, I go

all out when I cook.

As you can see, I

go all out when I eat.

So that works out.

Hey, I got a question for you.

Hit me.

So you know, the whole Heritage

Day debacle, you know, you

weren't gonna come, and then...

and then you did.

What changed?

Some great advice

my dad gave me.

Which was?

I shouldn't worry if Ruby's

not in my life long-term.

But if I only get one day

with her, I should take it.

So I did.

I really hope we

can keep this going,

even if it's one day at a time.

I'm pretty good at a

few things like playing

the guitar, cooking,

my family, but I know

I could be great as a father.

And of course, you and I

could spend more time together.

Wouldn't that make

this a little complicated?

Some would call it conundrum.

One day at a time?

That's all I'm asking.

Trey, how are you, man?

Good to meet you, TJ.

Woo!

Home sweet home.

It still smells the same.

All right, so we'll do a quick

sound check at 4:00 PM.

Doors open at 7:00 PM.

Show starts at 8:00.

We'll have an hour set,

half-hour intermission,

another hour set, and

then a 15-minute encore.

I think that's it.

Any questions?

No, I got it.

Really glad you're here, TJ.

I don't wanna fan boy too much,

but I think it's impressive

what you're doing as an artist.

It's special.

Thanks.

Well, remember, the reason

why you are in this room right now

is because you've got

something special yourself.

We're gonna have a

great show. Thanks.

You, too.

We're with him.

That was so easy.

I know, right?

Are you nervous?

Maybe a little.

I can tell.

How?

Because I wiggle my

fingers, too, when I'm nervous.

But you don't have

to be, because I think

you're a famous musician now.

Oh, well, not quite.

But I don't have to be

famous because you're

the only fan I need.

Who's ready for some

backstage passes?

Me!

Ta ta ta ta.

What?

This is for you.

During intermission, downstairs,

come meet me down there,

and I can introduce you to Trey.

Thank you.

I see Mateo!

Oh, I got her.

Thank you.

You look beautiful.

Thank you.

Is there a special saying

you say to a guitarist,

like break a string?

No.

Don't say that? No?

Not that one.

- Don't ever do that again?

- No.

Great. OK.

Yeah.

Oh, that's my cue.

Break a string.

No!

All I got would wash away

Get pulled under the waves

Lose myself and never be found

A hundred breaks on my back

Waiting for the crash

What goes up

Always comes back down

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Somehow you found me

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

To walk around me

Thank God, I'm note alone

We can walk this world together

I'm ready for the

heartbreak you broke through

I'm ready because you

did when you didn't have to

I'm ready for loving you

Thank God, I'm not alone

We can walk this road together

I could get by on my own

But with you, I'm better

I might survive on my own

But with you, I'm better

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

This is the best day of my life!

That baseline slashed.

It was so cool.

Dude, great job yourself, man.

Oh, I'm just

following your lead.

Listen, man.

I didn't mention it

before, just in case,

but this gig is

actually an audition.

My usual lead guitarist

just went solo, so I'm looking

for someone for my tour.

What?

Four months in the

States and two in Europe.

Six months?

Yeah.

So, what do you think?

You game?

I mean...

yeah.

You sure?

Yeah.

Yeah, I wanted this forever.

So, yes.

When... when do we start?

Two weeks.

I know it's a quick turnaround,

but can you make it work?

Yeah. OK.

Yeah.

- Awesome, man.

- Thank you.

- Looking forward to it, man.

- Thank you so much.

- Of course.

Thanks, man.

- Yeah

Is that the rock star?

Hey!

Hello.

You guys were almost

as good as Taylor.

Ah!

Thank you, Ruby, for that.

Means a lot coming from you.

Do you want some snacks?

There's a whole table

full of snacks over there.

I'll introduce you

to Trey afterwards.

Yeah?

It's so good.

You are so good.

Thank you.

Uh, so I have some news.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Trey just offered me

lead guitar on the tour.

What?

Yeah.

Oh, my... that is so amazing!

I know.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

But, um, I, uh...

I'm leaving in two weeks.

And it's for six months.

Ah... you're... you're

leaving for half a year.

Yeah, but I'll

FaceTime, and I'll text,

and I'll get some breaks.

Yeah.

Uh, TJ...

I know.

I know.

It's the worst time.

And I don't know what to do.

So maybe, I should just not go.

What?

No, you have to take the gig.

Are you kidding me?

This is everything you've

ever wanted, you know.

It's just... it...

Yeah.

It is what it is.

And I'll FaceTime.

And, um, I'll get some...

some... some breaks.

Yeah, you said that.

Yeah, you know just, um...

you just do what you need to do,

and... and it'll be fine.

I'm fine.

She's fine.

You know, we're...

we've always been fine.

Hey, hey.

So...

I'm not fine about it.

You know what?

I'm... um, we

actually have to go.

Because it's late, and

it's a school night, and...

Don't do this.

You know what?

It's just... it's absolutely

no hard feelings.

- Amelia.

- Just...

This is not fair.

I'm actually really

happy for you.

I mean it.

Hey, Ruby?

We got to go.

We can't stay for

the second set?

No, baby. It's super late.

We got to go.

- But I haven't met Trey yet.

Yeah, maybe, another time.

Just say goodbye to TJ.

Bye, Rubes.

Bye, Shredder.

OK.

Come on.

Let's go.

Great job tonight.

Come on.

Bye, baby.

Bye.

We're back on in five.

Yeah.

I still don't understand

why you made us leave.

We're missing

all the best songs.

And you made TJ really sad.

Yeah, well, we're not gonna

be seeing TJ for a while.

He got a job on tour,

and he's going away.

But we'll see when

he gets back, right?

I, um...

I don't know.

He doesn't wanna see me anymore?

No, honey.

No.

You listen to me.

That is not it.

So he's not coming to my

family tree presentation?

I just... I don't think

it's a good idea.

I think it's gonna

make it more painful.

This is all my fault.

No.

Come here, baby, it is not

your fault. You listen to me.

It is not your fault. You

didn't do anything wrong.

You hear me?

I thought things

were going really well.

I'm very disappointed, too.

Hey, how are you doing?

Terrible.

And I can't even

write a song about it.

And I'm not gonna

present my family tree.

Well, maybe, let's give

that a little more thought.

I'm so sorry.

I know this hurts.

But I also know that

it's gonna be OK.

How do you know?

Well, because I have felt

the same way that you feel,

and I was OK.

How's it going over there?

I'm just rethinking

this whole subdivision.

Oh, yeah?

Well, there's not much to

rethink because it's happening.

And let's stop with the

waffling and self-doubt.

Honestly, it's getting boring.

And don't think that

I don't know that all

this moping is about TJ.

Amelia, I love you.

But you messed up, babe.

Badly.

Your knee-jerk

reaction shut down.

It's hurting Ruby.

TJ didn't break her heart.

Please, you would never

even let him get close

enough to have the chance.

I have to protect her!

Stop with the

protecting Ruby spiel.

I have heard that as an excuse

at every phase of your life,

and I have never bought it.

And I still don't.

If you wanna live a guarded

life, that's your choice.

But Ruby shouldn't have

to pay the price for that.

Trey.

Hey, man.

Yeah, good, good.

I wanted to discuss

the tour schedule.

Yeah, of course.

I really wanna make it work,

but I have a few caveats.

Ruby, honey, dinner.

Ruby?

Hey, what are you doing?

I think I'm sick.

I probably shouldn't

go to school tomorrow.

And does this have anything

to do with tomorrow being

the family tree presentation?

Oh, that's tomorrow?

I'm so glad you're

a terrible liar.

It's gonna make your teenage

years a lot easier for me.

Honey, you wanted to

meet TJ because you wanted

to know who you are, right?

Well, who you are isn't defined

by your genes, or your parents.

Only you get to

decide who you are.

But are the Cruzes

our relatives?

Yes.

Yes.

And they're always

gonna be our relatives.

And I hope they'll

always be our family, too.

And maybe our family tree

doesn't look exactly the way

you hoped or wanted it

to, but honey, that doesn't

make us any less of a family.

Do we have any

more poster board?

Ah, yeah, I think we do.

Why?

Because I'm gonna

remake my family tree.

Yeah?

And you better make me

some coffee, because I might

have to pull an all-nighter.

OK.

That is a hard no.

Come on.

How are you feeling, honey?

A little bit scared,

but super-excited.

Oh you're gonna do great.

I can't wait to see what

all the other kids have.

I wonder what Oliver is doing.

I wonder if there's any single

daddies for Auntie Maura.

I'll be right in.

Because we're from

Iceland and Cuba,

my dad says we're ice cubes.

My mom hates it

when he says that,

not because she's

offended or anything,

just because it's not funny.

She hates dad jokes,

and he's full of them.

He brings an extra

pair of socks with him

when he goes golfing because

he says, I might get a hole-in-one.

Not good.

It's bad, I know.

Ah, well, that's my family tree.

A round of applause for Oliver.

That was, um, informative.

You finally used

the family text thread.

I was waiting for

something important.

Oh, this counts.

And up next, we have Ruby Weber.

Before anything, I want

to say that this project

was really a doozy.

So I definitely deserve an A.

But also, I learned a lot.

I learned that like

every tree, every family

and heritage is different.

Amen.

When Miss Weaver taught us

about the panda tree in science,

I had no idea how much it would

help me with this assignment.

As I connected with those

who share my heritage,

I realized how

much our family roots

were interconnected,

like that special miracle

of nature, the panda.

And that's my word

for my family tree...

interconnected.

It means separate, but

also joined, part of something

bigger together.

These are the people that

are a part of my family tree.

And here are the roots.

All tangled and beautiful.

And honestly, I didn't

wanna to do this project.

But now, I am so, so

glad I did because I

went looking for my

relatives, but I found my family.

Hey, that was great.

Your presentation was riveting.

I thought you were

gonna say terrific.

Ooh, terrific.

I deserve a treat.

Sure, yeah.

Go ahead.

Thanks for coming.

And thanks for texting.

Uh, I also wanted to tell you

that I spoke to John and Trey,

and they said that

they're gonna fly

me back home every two weeks.

So maybe, I can see Ruby

on a more regular schedule,

if that's OK with you.

Um, can we just go

into the hallway and talk?

Yeah.

Last time this

happened, I got an earful.

Well, this time, I'm

the one that's in trouble.

It wasn't fair of me to

shut down on you like that.

I got scared, and I went

into protection mode.

And I say that it's

for Ruby, but it's not.

It's for me.

But she doesn't

need my protection.

She trusts you.

And that is enough for me.

And thank you so much

for making the effort

to come back and visit

Ruby during your tour.

It just... it means...

it means a lot to

me, and I know it's

going to mean the world to her.

I cannot wait to tell her.

That's beyond wonderful.

Thank you.

OK, well now that

we've got Ruby all sorted,

I would like to say that, I...

I would also like to spend

some more time with you.

- Oh.

- Yeah.

Really?

And if you're...

if you're interested, if...

if you wouldn't mind...

OMG, get a classroom, people!

I don't care.
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