Ruby: (Walking past on her way inside) Stop fooling around with my help. (Lucky cracks up laughing while Lizzie turns around confused)
Lizzie: Who's she talking to?
Lucky: (Lizzie comes over to the table and sets down the tray. She notices that her apron is untied and ties it back) If I order a b.l.t., can you keep her from putting it on whole wheat and smothering it with mayo?
Lizzie: Well, if I don't tell her it's for you.
Lucky: You know, she needs to make up her mind. Does she want to fatten me up or starve me back home?
Lizzie: You know, I am seeing progress. (She turns around and starts cleaning off the next table) Last week when you were in here, her eyes got all narrow. (Lucky reaches over and unties the apron again) She says, 'he's eating somewhere.' (Looking down and seeing her apron strings untied Hey.
Lucky: (Casually) 'Hey,' what? You know, on the other hand, it's not too late for breakfast. Do you think she'd let me have blueberry pancakes, or does it have to be whole wheat? (While he's speaking he looks over and then reaches out for the apron strings again)
Lizzie: (Turning quickly) I caught you!
Lucky: (Getting to his feet) There was a spider on your--
Lizzie: Oh, sure. A likely story.
Lucky: (Reaching around her) No, I'm serious. It might be in your hair now.
Lizzie: (Itching her head) Don't tell me that!
Lucky: Ooh, no, that's not good.
Lizzie: (Pushing him) You brat.
Lucky: (Their play stops when he looks around and sees Laura and LuLu) LuLu. Where did you come from?
Laura: She's going to spend a little time with Aunt Ruby while I run some errands. Hi, Liz.
Lizzie: Hey. It's good to see you.
Laura: You, too.
Lizzie: Excuse me for a minute. (She picks up her tray of dishes)
Laura: LuLu, you know what? (Getting the money off of a table and handing it to LuLu) Can you carry that inside for Liz? Thank you. (LuLu starts to follows Lizzie)
Lizzie: l’ll keep an eye on her.
Laura: Thanks.
Lizzie: Come on.
Lucky: (Kissing LuLu's head as she passes by) Hey. (Lizzie and LuLu go into Kelly's. Lucky stands outside looking in through the window)
Laura: At the risk of sounding like a mother, shouldn't you be in school right now? (Lucky turns to face her)
Lucky: Half day. Got to love September. They ease you into it. (He turns back and watches Lizzie and LuLu)
Laura: (Noticing Lucky's preoccupation) September does seem to be agreeing with you. (Smiling)
Laura: (Seated at the table) Ms. Franklin hasn't retired yet?
Lucky: You had her, too?
Laura: (Laughing) Oh, yes. I liked her. But then again, I would like anybody who passed me. So who do you have for English?
Lucky: Ms. Brownell. She's new. Red hair. But she seems ok.
Laura: Lucky, please come home. Look, I don't want to antagonize you. You know, being able to sit here with you and talk about school, your teachers, and, you know, whatever else pops into our heads--it means everything in the world to me. But I'm scared. I wake up in the middle of the night and I check the thermometer. It's dipped down below 45 degrees the past two nights in a row. You need a roof over your head, you know, a warm bed to sleep in, and a few hot meals, a place to do your homework. I mean, can we try it at least? I mean, obviously you don't have to worry about the friction between you and your father right now--for the time being, anyway. You could pay rent if it'd make you feel better. (Lucky looks uncomfortable) I'm alienating you. I hate that. I just couldn't help myself. I had to say something. I'm sorry.
Lucky: No, no, no. You're not alienating me. But I'm fine. Mom, can I tell you something? Can you--can you try to really hear it? I mean, hear it the way I mean it?
Laura: I’ll try.
Lucky: I'm ok. I have a job, a little money coming in. I have places where I can eat, places where I can wash my clothes. I have a place to shower and brush my teeth. I go to school with nobody yelling at me to go. And I'm not--I'm not walking around outraged all the time. You and Dad aren't who I thought you were. That's a fact. There's no getting around that. But my guts aren't churning over it around the clock.
Laura: Well, I'm glad to hear that.
Lucky: And I'm not--I'm not so outraged, or I'm not on guard with myself anymore. Whatever you and Dad did, I'm not doomed. I don't have to repeat it or make up for it or even understand it. See, I was--I was putting that weight on me. But no more.
Laura: (With tears in her eyes) Wow. A lot's changed.
Lucky: Not really. Just the way I think about it.
Laura: That's the biggest change of all, and it's the hardest one to make. (She smiles at him)
Lizzie: Where'd Lucky go?
Laura: I don't know. I guess, you know, we had a nice talk with each other, and he maybe just didn't want to push his luck.
Lizzie: Ruby's showing off Lesley Lu to everybody in the place.
Laura: Great. You look wonderful.
Lizzie: Thanks. I think I’ve finally stopped feeling like a freak. Something else has taken the place of being the most important thing in my life, and I am so happy.
Laura: So am I. Thank you.
Lizzie: For what?
Laura: For watching Lesley Lu so that I could talk to my son.
Lizzie: Anytime.
Laura: Ok.
Lizzie: (Lucky is covering up his guitar with a blanket as Lizzie comes out the door of Kelly's) Can I help you, sir?
Lucky: Sorry I disappeared like that. My mom got me thinking, though. You know, it's been under 45 degrees at night lately.
Lizzie: (Sitting down) I keep telling you you're going to get pneumonia.
Lucky: No, I'm not worried about pneumonia. But what about this? (Motioning to the guitar) I can't have my new guitar getting all shrunk and warped in the weather, you know. I need a--I need a temperature-controlled environment to keep it in at night.
Lizzie: I don't want you getting all shrunk and warped, either. So why don't you not worry about the guitar, and why don't we try to find a temperature-controlled environment for the both of you.
Lucky: I don't think I’ve saved enough yet.
Lizzie: (Getting up) I'm going to get the paper. I'm going to look.
Lucky: No, no. Wait, wait, wait. (He pulls her back)
Lizzie: What?
Lucky: Could you--could you get me just a little bit of olive oil, too? You know, the good kind that Ruby keeps on the shelves that you need the stool for.)
Lizzie: (Curiously) Ok.
Lucky: See, look, I--I guess I kind of had it close to me last night, you know. And I must have touched it while I was sleeping because, {He pulls back the blanket} look--scratch. (She bends down next to him, looking at the guitar) See that?
Lizzie: Good eyesight.
Lucky: Well, I can count the stitches on a baseball from the bleachers. (Watching her; they are still bending down, looking at the guitar, heads really close) I still like how you look close up. (She looks up at him and smiles)
