03x21 - China Dolls

[bunniefuu]

How long are you going to shut your eyes to what's going on?

I have a delicate situation to deal with.

I just don't want to see you get hurt, sugar.

You don't know anything for sure.

Sometimes I just want to shake him and say, "Stop it

can't you see what you're doing?"

Karen, you got a very suspicious mind.

Are you and my husband having an affair?

Well, I'm not saying we're having an affair.

And I'm not saying we're not.

I am saying I can have him any time I want him.

[theme music]

[instrumental music]

[door opens]

[door closes]

[door opens]

Hi.

- How do you like that? - It's hard to say.

Guy Lafleur turned his ankle in Vancouver last night.

They don't even think he's going to dress

for tonight's game.

Oh, that's too bad.

What's a Guy Lafleur?

The woman isn't a gambler.

[telephone ringing]

It's okay. Don't get up.

Hello.

Oh. Hi, Lorraine.

Yeah, he's here.

I'll wake him up.

Yeah. No. Wa-um--

Hi. I'm glad you called.

[Joe] 'What time's your plane get in?'

What?

But I am committed to go to this faculty dinner.

'Lorraine, I told the chairman of my department'

'that I was going to bring someone.'

Well, that's not funny, Lorraine.

'Okay, okay.'

No, I'm not angry.

Yeah, I miss you, too.

And I love you. Bye.

Hey, what's the problem?

I told my chairman that I had a date.

Lorraine can't come out.

- So go alone. - It's not that simple.

The chairman is a woman.

A somewhat aggressive woman.

Who wants your bod?

Well, why don't you tell her you turned your ankle

and you won't be dressing for the game.

Funny.

[chuckles]

Don't anyone eat breakfast around here anymore?

Well, Abby and Gary are offered a breakfast meeting.

I wasn't hungry, I just had some juice.

Why? You want me to fix you something?

- Another breakfast meeting? - Yeah.

Had to meet with Mandel about something.

I thought they had to have dinner with Mandel.

That was last week, mama.

Well..

...lunch meetings, dinner meetings

breakfast meetings.

I'm surprised they're not putting on weight.

- Mama. - I can't help it, Valene.

How long are you going to shut your eyes

to what's going on?

Mama, please stop it.

Your man is out every night of the week

having meal meetings with another woman.

Mama, please. I don't need to hear this from you.

What is going on between Gary and me is between us.

But surely you've noticed how strange

he's been acting lately.

Mama, look, I have a delicate situation to deal with.

Now he's upset with me about publishing my book

and we're trying to work things out.

[Val] 'But it takes time and patience.'

And your meddling doesn't exactly give me confidence.

I just don't want to see you get hurt, sugar.

Good.

Then don't say hurtful things to me.

[thunder rumbling]

Well, looks like we're in for some stormy weather.

[thunder rumbling]

[instrumental music]

We better get back.

Even breakfast meetings with Mandel don't take this long.

Oh, they would if he looked like you.

Anyway, Terry's plane's coming in

and she lends me her apartment

but I don't think she wants to find me in it.

No, no, no. You got to say the secret word.

What's the secret word?

Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?

Oh, no.

But I bet I could get you to tell me.

- Huh? - Mm-hmm.

- Ha-ha-ha. - Wanna see?

Ah, most of my close friends are married.

Oh, I have one single friend.

I don't know, she wouldn't be right for you.

Why not?

Not too many seeds in the melon.

Well, I like my women with a lot of seeds.

Ask Abby.

Bye. Have a nice day.

Never rains in Southern California.

[Ginger] 'Never.'

[Gary] What?

[Abby] Just, um..

I'm just wondering how you really feel about all this.

Ah, you mean, have I been inundated

by rolling waves of remorse?

Yeah.

The answer is no. Not even damn.

Good.

These things can get a little complicated, you know.

It's funny, you know.

After that first night..

...I crawled into bed next to Val and I thought

oh boy, here comes.

I just knew I was going to be overwhelmed with guilt.

But it never came.

[Gary] 'For a while it was like waiting for the other shoe to drop.'

'And when it didn't'

all I was left with was..

[laughs] ...this happy feeling.

Oh, I'm glad.

Happy is all I want for us.

Oh, Abby, I'm handling it.

Right now, I feel like I could handle anything.

I know one thing you can handle.

[both laugh]

- Hi, Richard. - Oh. Hi, John.

[Richard] I'm glad you could come.

I haven't had many visitors.

[Karen] This place isn't at all what I imagined.

[Richard] Oh, because you haven't seen anybody

who claims he's the King of England

and won't give back the crown?

[Karen laughs] Something like that.

You seem to be doing okay, though.

God save the king.

Nah. I'm better. When I first got here

I felt like I was drowning in a deep well.

Well doesn't seem so deep anymore.

Time works for you.

- Hi, Richard. - Oh. Hi, Nicholas.

Nicholas, this is my friend Karen Fairgate.

Hi, Nicholas. It's a pleasure meeting you.

Um, I-I brought breakfast. You'd like to join us?

- I'm on a diet. - Oh.

- Nice place, isn't it? - Yeah.

Does your insurance cover all of this?

Uh, yeah. But pretty soon it's going to run out.

You know, I was with Hendrix at Monterey.

Really? Oh, my husband and I used

to go to the jazz festival there.

Laura hasn't called.

I'm the universal soldier.

I go where they send me.

I miss Jason.

I know she, uh, she came to see me when I was

in the hospital, but not here.

I guess she could stand to see me sick for not getting better.

Oh, Richard, that's not so.

She just-she needs time to be alone

so she can get re-adjusted.

I kicked in the door to the hut

saw three little girls.

Hey, Richard, how about a croissant?

[Nicholas] 'Noise and yelling and smoke.'

Then poof, they were gone.

Three little China dolls and they were gone.

We'll, uh, we'll see you later, Nicholas.

Bye.

[Nicholas] We're all just China dolls.

[instrumental music]

Do they give you a loan car for the day?

[Joe] Yeah.

Why are you still hanging around?

- Abby. - Why?

Oh, come on, Joe, you're not really

going to ask her to that dinner.

Why not? She's great looking. A lot of fun.

In all Knots Landing there must be someone else you can ask.

Who says I want to ask anyone else?

[female #1 on PR] 'Gary, pick up line one.'

My better judgment.

[female #1 on PR] 'Gary, pick up line one.'

[Karen] Gary.

Sometimes I just want to shake him and say, "Stop it.

Can't you see what you're doing?'

Come on, Karen, you don't know anything for sure.

Oh. Well, I couldn't prove it.

Maybe. But I know.

I know.

- Hi, Marsha. - Hi, Joe.

Okay, okay, this is it.

I thought about it, and I sum it up all my nerve.

I'm asking you to accompany me

to a school dinner Friday night.

Summoned up all your nerve for me

and I've been sitting around waiting for you to ask me.

Except I already have plans.

- Figures. - Sorry.

Abby, about Friday night..

The Preston meeting with his partners, you mean.

Uh, it's 8 o'clock, all set up.

Right. Hi, Joe.

Look, I just stopped by to say hello.

Another time, Joe, please.

Right. Bye.

[instrumental music]

[doorbell rings]

- Karen, is that you? - 'No.'

- Hi, there. - Oh, it's so good to see you.

- This is for you. - Thank you.

- Nice. - Where's Jason?

Oh, he's upstairs teaching his parrot

a new word he learned at school.

Of course, if he's successful, we're going to have

an early Thanksgiving dinner around here.

Hey, the place is really shaping up.

Thanks. Bought some cookies because I know

what a sweet tooth you have.

- Oh, looks good. - Want some coffee?

Uh-huh.

- Mm. Good. - So..

Tell me what's been going on.

Well, Gary is still Gary.

Abby is still Abby.

Val's book is being published.

Oh, gosh, that's great. He must be so proud of her.

Let's see, um, Erin Molly's beautiful.

[Karen] 'Ginger wants to cut a record, and, um..'

...I went to see Richard today.

He's doing well. He is.

But his-his insurance coverage is running out.

Well, Karen, I told you when he moved to the sanitarium

that I was willing to help financially.

You know, I-I'll hire a nurse..

...more time. Whatever.

Well..

What he needs is to see you.

Yeah, well, that's something my insurance doesn't provide.

Probably doing more good than any medicine he's taking.

Karen, he pulled a g*n on me.

For God's sake, Laura, he was having a nervous breakdown.

Alright, alright. You tell that to Jason, okay?

[sighs] I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[Karen] 'You can explain it to Jason'

'when he's old enough to understand.'

What do you want me to do?

I don't know.

Just....participate. Do something.

Fine. I'll-I'll get him a nurse.

I'll help with the doctor payments.

But I won't move back in with him.

Damn it, Karen, this is so unfair.

Nobody said anything about you moving back in.

Then what are you saying?

Go.

Just go.

And then, to top off a perfectly lousy day

I lost the admirals to a rival producer.

[Ginger] Oh, no. But you liked them so much.

Yeah. Uh, your friend

Andy Moore introduced them to Ridley Wyndham.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Look, I've got a great idea.

Why don't we go away for the weekend?

I just finished that commercial

and I really feel like letting loose.

We'll put the baby in the car and just go.

I got to work this weekend.

Oh, honey, don't be such a stick in the mud.

We both need a break.

Maybe you need a break. I don't. I'm doing just fine.

Look, you wanted a two career family, honey.

[knock on door] This is the price you pay.

[sighs]

[scoffs]

I wondered if you talked to your seedless girlfriend.

[laughs] Some like them seedless. She's booked.

Well, they say that consistency is the mark of a champion.

- I'm batting a thousand. - Ha-ha-ha.

What are you two talking about? Hi, Joe.

We're trying to find a date for Joe tomorrow night.

He needs someone to go with him to the faculty dinner.

Why don't you go with him? Joe, why don't you take Ginger?

- Kenny? - Well, come on.

You've been saying how much you want to bust out.

And since your old man's being such a drag

why don't you go with Joe?

Hey, I don't want to make any waves.

Hey. No problem. We've got a real 80s marriage.

You know, once in a while, we each do our own thing.

Isn't that right?

Kenny's right. I'd love to go.

- You would? - Sure.

Okay. Tomorrow night, 7 o'clock, I'll pick you up.

I got to go get my car.

- Thanks. - Okay.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[male #1] 'Gary, please come to the shop.'

This car wasn't brand new even when it was brand new.

This baby is just getting broken in.

Oh.

[Eddie] Well, Mr. Cooper, your car will be ready

in just about ten minutes.

No hurry, Eddie.

The speedometer has been around so many times

three lemons are liable to pop up.

A comedian, great.

A mechanic would be a lot better.

Uh, Mr. Robertson, what's the problem?

They've misplaced my replacement parts.

It's not like parts for this car are easy to come by.

I mean, a diamond ring you could lose

but spare parts for a carburetor.

[Gary] 'Well, it happens, Mr. Robertson.'

I'll tell you what. Why don't you go have a seat

in the waiting room and I'll see what I can do about this.

I never should have gotten rid of my Studebaker.

So you get into it at this end, too?

Uh, no, but the customers like to see the boss under the hood.

Oh, there's a gambler for you.

- What? - You know, the big bluff.

You used to play a lot of poker, didn't you?

Don't you gamble anymore?

It got a little out of hand.

I wish I could quit.

Well, you get in as deeply as I did

and you find a way to quit.

Or somebody finds it for you.

I guess.

The thing is, I don't want to quit.

I like the excitement.

[laughs] Yeah.

You know what the shrinks say about us gamblers?

That we need excitement.

We got to be at risk in order to enjoy life.

So we keep raising the stakes.

So that whatever we're risking is important.

I mean, that unless

what we're risking is something we really value.

There isn't any fun in the game.

Whatever the game is.

You know what else they say?

- Shrinks? - No.

- What? - The down deep.

The real gambler wants to lose.

[Joe] 'So he keeps raising the stakes'

'risking more and more, living off the excitement'

because he wants to lose.

And in the end, he does.

Can you believe that?

That the gambler always loses

'because he wants to?'

You got something to say, Joe, say it.

I did.

Mr. Cooper, your car is ready.

Thanks, Eddie. See you. Gary.

- Morning, darlin'. - Hey.

- You want some juice? - Uh, no. Just some coffee.

- Thanks. - Sure.

Gary, um, about the book.

Well, I-I understand how upset you are

but, see, people were excited with the way

that I could express myself and..

Well, I guess that made me excited, too.

A-and I really needed that.

Look, I got a surprise for you.

[sighs]

[chuckles]

- What is it? - Well, open it up and see.

[Val] It's a year's subscription.

[chuckles] Thanks. Why?

Because if you're going to be the most successful businessman

in Knots Landing you should know what's going on

in the world of business.

[sighs]

Ah, Val.

what would I do without you?

Well, why would you ever have to do without me, darling?

Huh?

[chuckles]

[Laura] Hi.

[Richard] Oh, hi.

What a nice surprise.

- Well, I can't stay long. - You just got here.

[Laura] I know.

- How's Jason? - He's fine.

Fine. I-I bought him a parrot.

- He named it Pedro. - Pedro.

- So how are you feeling? - Better.

Dr. McCary, says I'll be off my medication in a week.

How often do you see Dr. McCary?

Three times a week, 45 minutes.

Illuminating, as the finest collection of porcelain cats

from all over the world.

- You talk about cats? - Not at these prices.

You know, I think the money is my biggest

inducement to getting well.

Oh, well, don't worry about the money.

I can help with that.

I don't want you to help.

Guess who got me into this mess in the first place?

I don't understand.

Oh, I always thought you were the weak one.

Made me feel strong.

When you walked out, I realized it was the other way around

I couldn't handle that.

It's not a question of who's strong.

No, you're right. It has more to do with self-sufficiency.

[Richard] 'Independence.'

I'm ready to go home, Laura...alone.

I'm glad to hear you say that.

Marriage is over, I know that.

We can't live together. We shouldn't.

I-I don't want to cut you out of my life.

Don't worry, I won't let you.

- Yeah, well, you just said-- - Still my baby.

I mean, I'm not going to miss out on a new baby.

One to five are the best years.

I want to participate in that.

Even if we're not living under the same roof.

Okay.

You got it.

[instrumental music]

Oh, there you are.

I was beginning to think you were going to stand me up.

Well, don't be so enthusiastic.

You want to tell me about it?

Nothing to tell.

Let's order some lunch or something.

Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Uh, we just fought to find ourselves

an hour alone together and you want to order lunch?

What happened to that guy I've had to throw out

of here yesterday, huh?

Gary, say something. I feel like I'm here by myself.

I'm sorry, Abby. It's over.

You know, yesterday when you gave me that whole

routine about how wonderful everything is, I said

"That's a phase he's going through."

Now, I guess this is another phase, huh?

Well, I suppose

it's only natural in a situation like this.

Yeah, well, I don't know much about situations like this.

I only know that this one is wrong.

Things are bad between Val and me.

She thinks it's that damn book. Maybe it is a little.

But it's us, you and me, that's making me crazy.

As long as we're lovers, I can't think straight.

And the worst part of it is

Val's the one who feels guilty

and that's wrong.

Gary, don't kid yourself.

I've got to clear my head.

I've got to know why I'm doing what I'm doing.

[Gary] 'You cloud the issue.'

So we're finished, just like that?

We have to be.

Okay.

[sighs]

[door opens]

[door closes]

Okay.

Joe.

Hi. Guess what?

That Preston meeting was cancelled.

I can go tomorrow night after all.

When it rains, it pours.

I'm sorry, beautiful.

Ginger was kind enough to take pity on me.

- She's going with me. - Joe.

A married woman, really?

[Joe] Yeah, right under everybody's nose.

Tacky.

That's too bad I had high hopes for us.

Well, win some, lose some.

- See you. - Mm-hmm.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[Val] Gary?

- Darling? - Yeah.

What are you doing all alone in the dark?

I just need some time to myself.

Well, I'm going to bed.

Goodnight.

Well, I mean, I'd like you to come up, too.

I'll be up in a while.

- Are you okay? - Yes, fine.

Yes, yes, of course, Mr. Robertson

we-we do value your patronage.

[Karen] 'Well, these things sometimes happen.'

'Your wife's car?'

- Oh, well, fine. - 'Salesman.'

[Karen] Fine. Bye.

- I really appreciate it. - That's alright.

- Next week then, okay? - Terrific.

- Bye-bye. Thanks. - Bye bye. See you then.

- What was that all about? - Huh?

What was that all about?

Oh, um, an interview for the Sun Dispatch.

They seem to be intrigued with the human interest

aspect of the methanol project.

[Abby] 'You know, the little guy bucking the system.'

Do you have to make a date with him to get it published?

Who said I made a date?

He's going to call me when the article is finished

'so I can see it before it goes to press.'

Anyway, that's none of your concern anymore, is it?

And Joe Cooper, he want to discuss

his next lecture with you before he gave it.

Hey, wait a minute. You called it off, Gary.

Not me.

Oh, I'm so confused.

I just don't have a clear picture of how to proceed.

I thought I did, but now I just don't know.

What is it that's confusing you?

[Laura] Everything.

I guess while Richard was in the hospital

and now in the sanitarium

everything was on hold.

I didn't have to deal with the situation.

[Laura] 'Now he's going home and I am not ready.'

- He thinks he's ready. - How can that be?

He was so sick.

He had a g*n. He-he frightened his own child.

He terrorized all of us.

[Laura] 'I just don't see how you can send him home.'

Look, I'm not sending him home.

Richard's checking himself out

and there's nothing we can do to keep him here

[Dr. McCary] 'unless you're willing to file criminal charges against him'

'for the incident with a g*n.'

I can't do that.

I understand that, but you must understand..

...that only Richard has choices now.

Well, I can't go back. I can't live with him.

Nobody said you should.

It's over. I don't love him.

I moved out, it was clean.

It's just that I-I feel so angry.

And what's worse, I feel guilty.

I feel like somehow this was all my fault.

It won't do Richard any good for you

to take the blame for what he did.

But what am I supposed to do?

Why do you feel you have to do anything?

I don't know.

Do you think I should go back?

[Dr. McCary] Nobody can decide that but you.

If you're going back out of guilt or pity, don't.

Richard doesn't need to be patronized.

'But if you're going because you care'

'and you think there's still enough love between you'

'and you can work this thing through together'

sure, it'd be great for Richard

to come back to that kind of support.

But think carefully before you decide

'because the most damaging thing you could do'

'would be to move in and then leave again.'

- Mrs. Avery. - Yeah.

My name is Nicholas. I'm a friend of Richard.

I'm pleased to meet you.

I know he's leaving here soon.

I may not get a chance to see him again.

I thought maybe you'd give this to him for me.

Oh, sure.

I'll, uh, I'll see that he gets it.

Bye.

[Valene] 'God, Gary, you startled me.'

[dogs barking]

What is it?

[Gary sighs]

Um, I thought I heard something outside.

Val, let's go for a ride.

Well, sure. If you'd like. Where would you like to go?

I don't know, anywhere.

Okay.

Uh, no. Forget it. I don't want to go anyplace.

Gary, what is it? What's bothering you?

Nothing.

Uh, I just feel restless.

I feel cooped up, but I don't know any place I want to go.

Well, is it something at work?

No.

- Well, then what? - I don't know.

Uh, it'll pass.

[Gary sighs]

[sighs]

That's it for tonight.

I'm going up.

- You coming, darling? - No, I'll be up in a minute.

- I love you. - Me too.

[Abby laughing]

- Gary. - It's okay.

Uh, something I forgot to tell at work. I'll be right back.

[dramatic music]

[Gary] 'Abby! Abby! Damn it! Open up!'

- Where is he? - Who?

Oh, my hot date? In the kitchen.

- Oh, hello. - Hi, Gary.

Look at what Mrs. Green bought us at the park.

Mrs. Green, I'd like you to meet my neighbor, Gary Ewing.

[Abby] He, uh, he gets worried about the children

'if they're out too late.'

[Green] 'Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but we were having'

such fun that we just lost all track of time.

Well, goodnight.

Nice to have met you, Mr. Ewing.

[Olivia] Goodnight, Mrs. Green.

[Abby] Thank you so much.

- My pleasure. - Bye-bye.

[door closes]

Okay, kids, off to bed.

- 'Goodnight, mom.' - Goodnight, sweetie.

Thanks.

Bye, my baby.

[Brian] 'Think I'm going to be sick.'

[Olivia] It's no wonder, you never stop eating.

- It's disgusting. - I know.

Go on. I'll be up in a minute.

- 'Goodnight.' - 'Goodnight.'

[Olivia] 'Bye, Gary'.

I can't bear the thought of you with another man.

I wasn't with another man.

- Eventually you will be. - Oh, you betcha.

And when I am, I don't expect you to come barging in

as though you had something to say about my life.

Because you don't.

I guess I still care.

Look, Gary, you unmade your bed.

You can't come sauntering in anytime you feel like it.

[scoffs] I guess I still care

isn't good enough.

- What do you want? - What I thought you wanted.

Us, together.

Unfettered.

I can't do that.

[door opens]

Goodnight.

[door closes]

[dramatic music]

I thought I did okay for not being an academic.

Oh, hey, you did terrific.

It was nice to have people ask my opinions.

You're very impressive.

Voice of a nightingale.

Mind of a scientist. Soul of a poet.

Face and figure of Aphrodite.

I'm sorry. It's the environment.

You are one good lady.

Well, thanks. You ain't too bad yourself.

Do we have to go straight home?

What'd you have in mind?

Nothing special.

I just want you to keep complimenting me

until you run out of nice things to say.

You got it.

It should take eight to ten years.

But I got credit cards.

[laughs]

- 'Laura?' - Yeah. I'm in here.

Hiya!

Richard's coming home tomorrow.

- Oh, God. - I'll get it.

- Oh. - Oh.

[Laura] He's going to be so upset.

Glue, I need some- I need some glue.

Oh, honey.

You know, this was a present from his friend Nicholas.

Oh, Laura.

He's going to be so upset when he finds out.

Laura, look, it's not so important.

I-it's no use, Karen. It is just no use.

I should have never listened to you.

See him, do something, participate.

So I went there and I sat there and listened.

I should-I should have gotten up and left, but I stayed.

And then I talked to Dr. McCary.

[Lauran] 'What are you feeling? What are you thinking?'

Oh, the questions alone could drive you crazy.

What did Dr. McCary say?

She said..

...don't move back in unless it's for good.

I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

[whistling]

[sighs]

[inhales and exhales]

- What are you remembering? - What?

That expression on your face.

The smile.

Looks like you're remembering something nice.

I was thinking it's been a long time

since I last felt this feeling.

What feeling?

Like a teenager on a first date.

A good first date.

It's too bad that feeling has to go away when you grow up.

Ginger, it doesn't go away.

You said you're feeling it right now.

Yeah.

But I feel like I shouldn't. Like it's wrong.

I want you to kiss me.

Isn't that awful?

I'm a wife and a mother, and I love my husband.

But it seems like the next thing to follow that feeling.

I know this isn't what you meant.

Ginger, I really do want to kiss you

more than I can admit it.

But you see, right now

I mean, right at this minute

I'm that teenage boyfriend of yours

that you were remembering so desperately in love.

And if this really were a first date

I could kiss you and take you home

and spend the whole next week

thinking about the second date.

If I were to kiss you now and take you home to your husband..

..I just don't think I could pull it off.

You really are beautiful.

Thank you.

[door opens]

[laughs]

[door closes]

- Hi, guys. - Hi.

- Hey, babe. - Hi.

Thanks, Joe.

I sure love to see Ginger look like that

but I don't get much of an opportunity to..

Guess that's my fault.

Believe me, the pleasure was all mine.

So how'd it go? Was it a good party?

Yeah.

Ginger made it bearable.

And that department head lady, did she leave you alone?

Absolutely.

She took one look at us.

She saw how deeply in love I was.

Oh, yeah?

Well, goodnight. Thanks a lot.

Goodnight, Joe.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Ginger.

Sorry we're so late.

- We just got to talking. - Hey, hey, I don't mind.

You know, and I meant what I said about you looking great.

You know I missed you and I love you.

Abby, just the one I'm looking for.

Really? I'm flattered.

I'm on my way to meet Laura.

We're going to bring Richard home.

Could you check the house, water the plants

straighten up, that sort of thing?

Oh, I'm real sorry, Karen, but I got a busy morning.

Oh, well, it shouldn't take that long.

That's not the point.

I wouldn't ask you if there was anyone else

but the Wards are away, and Val and Lilimae

'are picking up Jason.'

Well, what about Gary?

Gary? He's, uh, sound asleep.

Evidently, he had a rough night.

Oh, well, that's too bad.

I know he's been under a lot of pressure lately.

- He's got a lot to deal with. - I know.

And Val's been giving him such a hard time

with that book.

[Karen] 'Abby, forget about the plants'

at the Avery's.

I forgot your specialty is wrecking homes

not straightening them out, right?

[Abby] 'Karen.'

What?

[dramatic music]

Gary.

- Gary. - Huh?

We've got to talk.

I want to know exactly what is going on.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about you and Abby.

- I want to know-- - I'm trying to sleep.

Gary, listen to me.

I'm not going to go anywhere until we talk.

Where are you going?

Gary, do you hear me? I want to talk. Gary.

You open that door and talk to me, Gary.

[banging on door] Open that door.

Gary, if you don't open that door, I swear.

[door closes]

If we're going to pick up Jason, sweetpea

we'd better get a move on.

I'll be right back.

[door opens and closes]

[dramatic music]

[knocking on door]

Are you and my husband having an affair?

- What? - You heard me.

You're letting your writer's imagination run away with you.

Don't play games with me, Abby.

Oh, here we go again. Wicked, wicked, Abby.

Well, maybe Gary would like an exciting woman for a change.

Maybe he doesn't want a mother anymore

who wipes his nose every time it runs.

You are not answering my question.

You know, you never see his strength.

You only see his weaknesses.

I can see him for what he is and for what he can be.

I see him the same way I've seen him

since I was 15 years old.

Well, he's a big boy now, Val.

He doesn't need a crutch anymore.

He needs someone who believes in him.

He's got someone who believes in him.

No, I mean it, Abby. I just want an answer.

Well, I'm not saying we're having an affair

and I'm not saying we're not.

I am saying I can have him any time I want him.

Oh.

Does that answer your question, Val?

Oh.

[sighs]

[dramatic music]

[instrumental music]

[theme music]