Family Ties

Now, Jennifer, this is the most delicate part

of the preparation of manicotti...

The insertion of the cheese into the shells.

It requires experience, grace,

and deft hand-eye coordination.

Watch me carefully. I'm all eyes, dad.

You see, Jennifer, that's what not to do.

Don't destroy shells. Got it.

Ahh. I just want to make sure you fully understood.

Your mother will be down soon to show you the correct method.

Where is she?

She's in the living room working with Terry.

Oh, really? I didn't think she worked with him anymore.

Well, she hasn't since she quit the firm

to have Andrew, but a couple of weeks ago,

he brought her in to consult on a big project.

It's great. She gets to work part-time

and she still has time to do things at home...

Like make manicotti.

Elyse!

Hey, dad, you want to call the cops?

I found this guy in the driveway going through the garbage.

Alex, he was looking for things to use in his sculptures.

Hey, you know, look, I don't mean to insult you or nothing, Mr. K.,

but I came up empty out there.

You know, I mean, your garbage is completely useless.

And after all the work I put into it.

Well, is there anything you can use here?

Whoa. Hey, you been holding out on me, Mr. K.?

Oh, Alex, Andrew's been invited to a birthday party

for a girl from his play group...

Cindy Becker. She's going to be one year old on Sunday.

Is she one already?

It seems like just yesterday she was zero.

Anyway, the party's this Sunday,

and everyone else is busy.

Can you take him to the party?

Oh, come on, dad, Andrew's not a baby anymore.

It's time we stopped coddling him.

He's got to start going to these places by himself.

Alex, he can't walk yet.

Cindy Becker's house is only a couple of miles away.

That's crawling distance.

I've crawled there myself from time to time.

I appreciate this, Alex.

Oh, and don't forget to pick up a present

for Andy to give to Cindy.

What happened to that jar of fancy mustard

you guys got for Christmas?

You gave it to Mallory for her birthday.

Right, right.

Have you opened that yet, mal?

Alex! All right!

I'll get her something... I don't know.

Snow tires, deodorant...

Dad, we're out of pasta shells.

Would you kids mind

making a run to the market

to get some more pasta shells?

Thank you. Sure, dad.

Thank you.

See if they have any made out of steel.

Well, the presentation's done.

Should be able to come in with a good, low bid, too.

Oh, great. You know,

I don't think I'd have been able to get this thing together

without your help, Elyse.

Oh, I don't know if that's true,

but I really appreciate you bringing me in on this, Terry.

It's great to be working together again.

It's the least I can do.

I mean, after all, you got me my first job.

I was just a lone, helpless kid

fresh out of architecture school, Steve.

She found me wandering in the streets,

took me in, clothed me, fed me.

Same here.

Come on, Terry!

So, what else is going on in your life, ter?

Oh, how's that wonderful girl

you've been dating, Suzanne?

She left me.

Gee, I'm sorry to hear that.

Not as sorry as I was.

But it wasn't hard to spot the warning signs,

like when she said,

"Terry, I never want to see you again."

Steven, don't we know

some single girls for Terry?

Well, to be honest with you, I am kind of gun-shy these days.

It's going to take me a while before I'm ready to start dating.

I suppose I'm just afraid of getting rejected again.

I don't think I could handle that right now.

It'd probably kill me.

Well, glad I could cheer you both up.

Look, I got a lot of work to do. I better go.

I'll call you tomorrow Elyse.

Ok, bye-bye, Terry. Bye-bye.

Steven...

No, Elyse.

Now, what would be so wrong with fixing Terry up with someone?

Elyse, I've seen you in this mode before.

You get obsessed with trying to orchestrate

another person's love life.

Oh, I do not.

Oh, no? Remember when

you kept trying to find a date for Nelson Ross?

I thought he should have a girlfriend.

He's a priest.

Not anymore.

I don't think it's a good idea

to interfere in a man's personal life.

I do.

Steven, I hate to see Terry so lonely.

I would love to introduce him to someone nice.

I think you should stay out of it.

How about Mrs. obeck's daughter, Liz?

Don't do it.

They'd be perfect for each other.

Oh, I think it's a mistake.

I'll invite them both to dinner Friday night.

It's a bad idea.

I'm calling Liz obeck right now.

I'm sorry I had to put my foot down.

Ok, Steven. Dinner's in the oven.

Terry and Liz should be here any minute.

I can feel it, honey. Romance is in the air.

Elyse, please.

Let things happen naturally. Don't push.

Oh, come on, Steven. We want these people to like each other,

to fall in love, to be as happy as we are.

Now sit up straight.

Elyse, please.

Let's just have a casual dinner.

If Liz and Terry hit it off, fine.

If not, they'll go their separate ways.

Steven, if they don't walk out of here hand in hand,

they don't walk out.

The date to the death. Got it.

Now that's one of them.

You get the door. I'll get the hors d'oeuvers. Ok.

Liz. Nice to see you.

Come in. Come in.

Hi, Mr. Keaton. It's good to see you.

Thanks for the invitation.

It was a wonderful surprise.

My wife's in the kitchen. She'll be right out.

Oh, Terry should be along any minute.

Oh, who's Terry?

Terry bridge man, my wife's colleague.

Didn't she mention he was going to be here?

No.

Well, um, he's a young man she wanted you to meet.

Sort of fixing you up with him.

Oh.

Is something wrong?

Well, it's just that I've been seeing someone

very seriously for about 2 years.

Oh, boy. Liz, are you sure?

Well...

Look, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding,

but there's no harm done. We can still have a nice dinner.

Mr. Keaton, I'm a little worried.

Well, this may sound a little conceited,

but I sort of have a problem with men being attracted to me.

No!

No, I mean, um...

I mean, you shouldn't worry about it.

Well, the thing is, they seem to be,

you know, very interested in me.

It's just that... well, I can't bring myself to tell them

that I'm involved.

Hi, Liz.

I'm glad you could make it. You look wonderful.

Thank you. Mrs. Keaton...

Oh, that must be Terry.

We invited another friend over.

I know. Listen, um... excuse me.

Elyse...

Hi, Terry. Come on in.

Terry, I'd like you to meet our neighbor Liz obeck.

Liz, this is our friend Terry bridge man.

It's very nice to meet you.

Thank you.

Elyse has told me a lot about you.

How nice.

Uh, Elyse, may I... may I speak to you for just a...

Why don't we come on in and sit down,

get better acquainted, huh?

Ok, uh, Liz and Terry,

why don't you, uh... Sit on the couch.

Isn't this nice?

Elyse, could I please speak to you in private, please,

about the vegetables we're serving tonight?

Liz, did I tell you that Terry is an architect,

and a very successful one, too?

Well, tell her, Terry.

I'm... an architect.