Written by: Winnie Holzman and Maggie Friedman
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Page 5 - Sibling Help Page 7 - The Kiss
Grace raps on Mr. Dimitri’s sliding glass door. “Mr. Dimitri? Could you please let me in?” She knocks some more. “Mr. Dimitri, it’s important. I won’t stay long, I just—" Dimitri’s reflection approaches the door and hesitates. “Could you please just open the door?” Her eyes stay on him as he slides open the door. “I re-wrote the end of the story,” Grace says, then sweeps past him into his house. Dimitri peers out the door and then turns inside, uncertainty on his face.
Dimitri sits reading Grace’s story while she fingers her glass of water, smiling nervously and anticipating his response. He rubs his forehead and breathes out disbelievingly.
“This isn’t an ending.”
“What? Yes it is.”
“What, it was all a dream? That’s your ending?” Dimitri challenges.
“Yeah, because, well, it makes you question, you know, reality,” explains Grace.
“Well, at least be specific.” He collects the papers together on the desk. His voice gets more emphatic as his sentences progress. “Suddenly realizing that the most memorable moment of your life was, was only an illusion, that you made it all up, what does that feel like, specifically?” He gets up. “But this is just, it’s like you’re backing away, disowning it; it’s as though you just wrote anything to be rid of it; like, like none of it mattered. Just finishing something is not an ending.” He raps the paper repeatedly, then walks to the kitchen sink.
“Okay.” Grace shoves her papers into her backpack.
“Read your Chekhov, read those short stories I gave you. You’ll see what I’m talking about.” He turns around. “Are you hungry? You want something to eat—"
Grace lashes out, “Oh, you know, if you’re angry at me just say it. Don’t take it out on my story!” She turns away and goes to the fridge, opening it. “At least I’m trying. I don’t see you sending your poetry out to any magazines.”
“I don’t write poetry anymore,” Dimitri says, looking down.
“My point exactly,” Grace says, giving him a pointed look.
Dimitri thinks about this and steps toward the center counter. “There’s some of that cheese you like, if you want it.”
“I probably shouldn’t even be opening your refrigerator since it’s obviously this punishable crime!” Grace complains defensively, backing away from the fridge.
“Just take the cheese.” Dimitri realizes how ridiculous this sounds and laughs. Grace smiles awkwardly. Dimitri admits, “I am somewhat angry at you. I’m even angrier at myself. That doesn’t change the fact that, that your ending doesn’t work.” He stops briefly in front of Grace, then moves to the fridge.
Grace asks softly, “Are they going to take away your license?”
Now at the counter, his back turned, Dimitri waves his hand as if to say “Who knows?” He pulls out a cutting board and starts slicing a piece of cheese.
“Maybe if you talked to Alexa and just explained to her what she saw.”
“I can’t talk to Alexa. This has gone way past Alexa.”
“But we have to tell people!”
“Tell them what?”
“You know, the truth!”
Dimitri turns around and says, “Uh huh. And what’s that?”
Grace looks at Dimitri, saying something without words. Dimitri smiles faintly and offers her the cheese. She grabs the cheese from his hand. “I hate them. I do! I mean, what gives them the right?”
“Well, state laws. For one thing.”
“No, I’m serious! I hate it. I mean, that they, they think they can just control our lives like that!” She clenches her fists. “It’s just so unfair!”