Original subtitles

[upbeat music]

- Special delivery for special people!

- Ooh. - What's the occasion?

Oh, who cares? Give me one of them bad boys.

- Want one?

- A cookie that you grabbed with your unwashed hand?

Yum.

Can I get a glass of sewer water with that?

- Flat or fizzy?

- Give me that filthy thing.

- This was so sweet of you.

Wait, what'd you break?

- Nothing.

It's a thank you. - Oh.

- With all the love and support you guys

have given me, I finally have the courage to do

something I've been dreading.

- [gasps] Yay.

She's finally going to let me dye her hair red.

- No.

I mean, it's lovely, but no.

I'm going to ask my mom why she lied about our dad.

- Give me another one of them bad boys.

- Why didn't you ask that before?

- [scoffs] Don't you know anything about mothers?

You ask them the wrong thing and they'll date your boyfriend

when you go to camp.

- Yeah, my mom's not like that.

No.

But she is a ruthless litigator.

She needs to be handled, which is why I have a plan.

First I put her in a good mood, and then I lock in

that good mood with sugar, and then I find

the perfect way to frame the conversation

so that she doesn't-- - Date your boyfriend?

- Would you get off the boyfriend?

- [chuckles] That's what I told my mom.

Yeah.

- Well, we're all very proud of you

for standing up for yourself.

And you take all the time you need

to fly home and talk to your mama.

- What?

And have this conversation on her home turf?

- Yeah.

- No way.

No, no, she's coming here.

- Give me another one of them bad boys.

- OK.

- Are you seriously OK with her mom coming here?

- No.

But if it helps Isabella,

we're going to make her mom feel welcome.

- Fine. I'll wave at her from the kitchen.

- Should I make her a gift, or--

- Yes, and say it's from both of us.

Unless I don't like what you make.

Then it's just from you.

- Wait, aren't you furious with Maritza for seducing your dad?

I mean, isn't talking to her a betrayal of your mom?

Aren't you at all worried that she's

going to be prettier than me?

- I'm not.

- Aw, thanks, Steve.

- Of course I'm nervous about meeting Maritza.

But she's not the enemy. I've forgiven her.

- Well, how?

You don't even know what really happened between her and Happy.

- And I'm dying to know, but this is not the time.

Right now, we need to focus on helping Isabella.

- Fine.

You are a saint in a world of sinners.

I'll behave.

- You sure you can do that? - OK.

Thanks for saying I was pretty.

- Is that what you thought I meant?

- Yeah. - OK.

- ♪ Sometimes it feels like a big ol' fight ♪

♪ To get through the day ♪

♪ And sleep on through the night ♪

♪ But here you'll find a place ♪

♪ That'll surely lift your spirits ♪

♪ You belong at Happy's Place ♪

- I can't say how I know this,

but they look like they're waiting for the cops.

- A pretty boy like you wouldn't last a day in prison.

- She's so lucky her mom gets to visit.

It does make me miss Colombia, though.

- Why don't you go back and visit?

- No.

I can never go home.

- What the hell was that?

- Here they come.

OK, be on your best behavior, right?

- Like Child Protective Services is coming for a visit.

- We're here.

Uh, Mom, this is Bobbie.

Bobbie, this is my mom, Maritza.

- It's so nice to meet you.

I hear wonderful things about you.

- I've heard a lot about you, too.

Is it OK if I say that?

I mean, I didn't mean anything by it.

I was just being polite.

Oh, and this is Gabby.

- For shame!

For shame!

- What the heck?

- Well, I'm sorry, but if she can't handle the heat,

she shouldn't have done the Happy.

- I am so sorry, Maritza.

- That's OK, Bobbie.

It's OK. - Yeah.

- Actually, I'd like to talk with Gabby.

Excuse us.

- Oh, God, here we go.

- Gabby, what's your current profession?

- Lion tamer.

- [laughs]

So I see I'm dealing with someone

who's obviously intelligent.

- Am I?

If you're trying to butter me up, you can stop.

My mother told me never to believe anyone

who thought I was smart.

- Really?

Don't you find the casual way your mother hurt you troubling?

Because even a generous interpretation

would have to call it callous.

- She wasn't trying to hurt me.

She thought I was tough enough to take it because I was tall.

- But you're not tough.

You're sensitive, aren't you?

- Maybe.

- Which is why I am certain you are

usually very careful not to casually

hurt others in the same way.

- I usually am.

- Mm-hmm.

- Dang it.

Can I get you a drink?

We've got some good vintage stuff in the back.

- Sure.

Put it on your tab.

- I will!

- Wow. Do you ever lose an argument?

- I try not to argue.

I prefer to let people convince themselves.

- The answer is no.

She never loses an argument.

- [chuckles] No, I don't.

Thank you, baby.

- Aw, you're certainly in a good mood.

You know what would put you in an even better one?

Cake. - [gasps] You didn't.

- I did. [laughs]

Mango cake drowning in chamoy.

You want to come with me to get it?

- No, actually, I'd like to stay here and get

to know Bobbie, if that's OK.

- Is that OK?

- OK by me.

- Great.

Be right back.

- So am I safe, or is someone going to run out from the back

and call me a hussy?

- [laughs]

You know something? I like you.

- Oh, you didn't think you would?

- Honestly, I didn't know, but I do.

And just to clear the air,

I also totally forgive you for what happened with Daddy.

- Well, if we're clearing the air,

I want you to know that I don't forgive you.

- Come again?

- You are ruining my daughter's life.

- OK, I have a scotch and a rye and--

a whole different vibe.

- Gabby, git.

- Don't have to git because I'm already gone.

OK.

- How have I ruined your daughter's life?

Because I think I've made it a lot better.

- Before I answer that, let me just ask you a question.

- Oh, no, you don't, little missy.

I saw what you did with Gabby.

I'm not going to let you turn me around.

I watch "Law & Order," and order is my favorite part.

- I wouldn't dream of trying to confuse you.

For one thing, you're a little more clever than Gabby.

- OK, there you go.

You're trying to get me to say I'm smarter than Gabby,

and I won't. - Because you're not?

- Pass. Next question.

- All these things you did for Isabella,

they were because you wanted what was best for her, right?

- OK, I know the obvious answer to that is yes,

but is that too obvious?

Pass. Next question.

- I am not trying to trick you.

You are a good person.

You welcomed my daughter, no questions asked.

- Yes, I did.

A lot of people wouldn't have done that,

but I did, because it was the right thing to do.

- Mm-hmm.

So my real question is, why didn't you ask any questions?

- What do you mean?

- I mean, did you know that Isabella applied to grad school

to study psychology?

- Well, I knew about the psychology,

because she makes sure you don't miss that.

- But you did miss how this huge

life change might impact her.

- Huh. - And I get it.

- Oh. - You were grieving.

- Is that what I was doing?

Keeping her here to make me feel better?

- Did having her here do that?

- Yes.

I'm a terrible person!

Why am I so selfish?

Please tell me she didn't have a scholarship.

- To Stanford.

- I'm horrible!

[upbeat music]

This is driving me crazy.

Did I ruin her life?

Should I send her home?

What else has she given up?

- Lots of important questions to be asked somewhere else.

- All right, what's happening? Are we taking Maritza down?

I've got pepper spray.

Well, not pepper spray, but I got a pepper and water.

I got one of those spray--

- Hey.

Uh, where's my mom?

- Why didn't you tell me you had a scholarship

from Stanford grad school?

- What does it matter?

- It matters because I might have changed my mind

about you staying around here.

- What?

Well, it's not like you wanted me here in the beginning.

- Yeah, but I could have tried harder to run you off.

- In the interest of speeding this up,

your mom told Bobbie she was ruining

your life by keeping you here.

- Oh, wow, this is so typical.

Typical.

- All right, what's the plan?

Mine's not going to work.

Turns out that is not how you make pepper spray.

I mean, can you--

- Bobbie, I love being here.

- Are you sure?

- Yes.

My mom knew that I was going to ask her about Dad,

so she got you upset to avoid having

a hard conversation with me.

- She wouldn't. - She would.

- Well, that's terrible. - Right?

- I told her I forgave her.

Well, I take my forgiveness back, little missy!

- And forget about this cake.

I'm so tired of my mom dodging my questions all the time.

Nice Isabella is over.

It's time for my mom to meet Isabella Ophelia Sanchez,

and she is not going to like her!

- You go, girl.

- I would have eaten that cake.

♪ ♪

- Emmett.

- Takoda.

Hey, has Steve seemed weird to you today?

- It's Steve.

- I can't stop thinking about

how he said he could never go home.

- Oh, yeah.

Hey, what do you think he meant by that?

- Well, I don't know.

Fractured family, I guess.

Maybe he did something to piss them off.

- I could see that.

I mean, it's Steve.

- Sometimes families get mad when you're different.

Doesn't matter how good your heart is,

how hard you try to win them over with excellent barbecue.

They will shut you out, hard.

Forever.

- Steve barbecues?

- Oh, good, you're back. How'd it go?

- I went in sure I was right,

walked out feeling like I'm ungrateful, I'm emotional,

and I don't have a good business casual wardrobe.

- Well, what about the sweater

with the buttoned-up butterflies?

That's cute. - That's what I said.

- Oh, don't you listen to her.

You're perfect. Come here, doggone it.

- You know, one of the reasons I studied psychology

was to try and understand my mom.

- Did it work?

- Not really.

I told my professors about the situation.

When they thought it was a hypothetical,

they'd say the relationship was toxic.

When they found out it was me, they'd say,

"What are you going to do? Families are tough."

- Really?

'Cause psychology is usually very helpful.

- That's a really sweet lie, but don't worry.

I'll be fine.

You know, I've finally accepted the fact

that my mom and I will never really talk.

- Well, I don't accept it.

Time for law to meet order.

[upbeat music]

[knocks]

Hotel security.

Got a report somebody's acting like a jackass in here.

- Go away, Bobbie.

- Oh, good, it's you.

I just scared the heck out of the couple down in 205.

Is this a trick?

'Cause the lawyers on "Law & Order" don't cry.

- Hate to ruin your awful opinion of me, Bobbie,

but I am not a cold-blooded lawyer.

Well, I am.

But I'm also a mother,

a mother who's losing her child.

- You're not losing her.

- No?

Did you know that her nickname used to be Sunny?

She always saw the positive side of life.

I knew that girl.

I loved that girl.

And now that girl is standing outside my hotel room

screaming, I hate you, Mom.

- Why don't you just tell her what she wants to know?

- What if it's too painful for her?

- Painful because Daddy didn't want anything to do with her?

- Are you asking me to tell you what happened

between me and your father?

- No. No, I'm not.

I have no right to know the details of your personal life.

- I appreciate that. I do.

- But if you want to tell me-- - I don't.

- But Isabella does have the right.

Pain or no pain, it's her personal life, too.

- [scoffs]

I heard you were a strong woman, Bobbie.

And I can see it's true.

- No, not really.

Isabella just thought I was strong

because I can take the lid off a peanut butter jar.

- I didn't hear it from Isabella.

I heard it from your dad.

[knock at door]

- Hotel security.

We've had a report of someone impersonating hotel security.

- Yeah, I think it's down in 205.

- So now Bobbie is at the hotel.

I would know more, but she texted me,

"Quit calling. I'm busy."

- Huh.

Steve, how's that cake treating you?

- Pretty good.

Although I wish I could go for an oblea right now,

if I'm honest.

- Oh, is that some kind of dessert

that you get in Colombia?

- Yes.

But alas, it's not to be.

- Steve, I'm sorry your family cut you out.

If you ever, ever need to talk about it,

Takoda's here for you.

- My family didn't cut me out.

Where did you get that idea?

- Emmett.

- Earlier today, you said you could never go home.

- And then a moment ago, you were like, alas.

- That's because everyone has left Colombia.

My mom is in Chicago. My dad is in Mexico City.

My tías are spread all over the world.

- That's cool that your family's upwardly mobile.

Mine's more mobile homes.

- Then why have you been acting strange all day?

More than your usual strange.

- Well, this whole talk about mothers

has got me missing mine.

You know, walking into my home and smelling her

rice and plantains or her ajiaco is one of

the biggest joys of my life.

She cooks to show she cares.

- Huh.

- Oh, Bobbie, how was it?

Is she a monster?

Oh, hey, Maritza!

I was just asking Bobbie if she's seen our hamster.

[laughs] Oh, there it is. Oh.

Oh. Missed him.

- Hey, Isabella. Your mom's here to talk to you.

- Hey, honey.

This was a good idea.

I was hoping to feel a little worse.

- Let me talk to her.

Gabby, I'm going to need your help.

- Me?

- Yeah, you're part of this family, aren't you?

- Oh, my God, did you hear that?

Yes!

Move it, pretty boy.

- Is that the cake from the trash can?

- [groans]

- So you went to see my mom.

Are you OK?

- Of course I'm OK. But she's in tears.

- Oh, I love it when you make people cry.

Unless it's me.

Even when it's me.

- She was in tears?

I don't think I've ever seen my mom cry.

- Oh, yeah, I've never seen my mom cry either.

I mean, I've seen her laugh at people crying.

OK, I'm sorry.

I thought I was here to lighten things up.

- That's not why you're here.

Gabby, how's your relationship with your mother?

- [scoffs] My relationship?

Well, perhaps I've been unclear for the last 10 years,

but it's awful.

- So how come you still talk to her?

- I don't know.

I mean, I probably shouldn't.

It's just, I know she loves me.

I mean, yes, she expresses it in a warped, twisted,

and possibly actionable way, but...

but she's the only mother I got.

- I know my mom loves me, too.

But if she won't answer my questions,

I don't see the point in bothering with her.

- See, there it is.

You don't see her point, and she doesn't see yours.

- What do you mean?

- OK, if all this stuff with Daddy hadn't have happened,

would you still be here in Knoxville?

Or would you be at Stanford?

- Stanford.

But all of this stuff did happen,

and it made me realize that before I can help

other people figure out who they are,

I need to figure out who I am.

- Then that's the point you need to tell her.

- Well, how can I?

I mean, we don't ever really talk.

- She's here, isn't she?

- Isabella, if it were my mom outside that door,

I'd let her in.

She's like a vampire.

You have to invite them.

- OK, I'll give it another try.

- I just want you to know,

however I've affected your life,

you have made my life so much better.

Mm.

- Oh, God.

- I'm back.

- Hang on, Mom.

I don't want to play these games anymore.

So if you come in here,

it means that you're going to open up and answer

some of my questions.

Can you do that?

- Well, honey, that's hard to say.

It depends on so many things.

- It's a yes or no question.

- Yes.

You should have been a lawyer.

[upbeat music]

- Wow.

Isabella and Maritza have been in that office a long time.

- I know.

- I thought the kitchen was closed.

Wait. Do I smell ajiaco?

- I hope you like it. I had to Google the recipe.

Hardest part was translating from Spanish.

- What's going on here?

- Oh, Steve was missing home, so Emmett made him

a little piece of it here.

- Emmett, this is just like the feast my mother used to make.

- Really? - Probably not.

- [laughs]

- But the thought is wonderful.

- It is.

Not as wonderful as helping Isabella,

but you know, it's not a contest.

- All right, everybody, let me fix your plates here.

- Mm-hmm.

How's it going in there?

- We are talking.

- Really talking.

How cool is that?

- And we smelled food. - Yeah.

- [laughs] Well, dig in.

And don't forget to try the cake.

- Enjoy. - Ooh, thank you.

- Come on. - Gabby?

- Yes, please.