Little Fires Everywhere

Father God, I just ask that you would watch over our daughter, Mia,

as she willingly and willfully

goes to New York City to get a degree in fine art.

‐ They had 1,800 homicides, up from last year.

Protect Mia, sweet Jesus in that Big Apple of sin.

‐ And we pray for our son, Warren. ‐ Mm.

And get him to the NFL.

If it be thy will.

That one of our children might honor us with a successful career.

‐ Amen. Amen. Thank you, Daddy and Mama,

for that beautiful prayer.

You're lying. She didn't say that.

No, no, she literally asked the whole deaconess board

to pray that you don’t come back a hooker.

Or worse, a lesbian.

‐ All I'm coming back as is a better artist.

I hope.

‐ Here. Don't...

don't open it until you get to your dorm.

Mia, I said wait.

‐ Wren...

No! You’ve been saving for a car forever.

Aw, come on. By next year, I’ll‐I’ll have some scholarship to some big ass school.

Come on, Mi, just take it. New York’s expensive.

‐ No way.

‐ At least take this.

‐ Mace? ‐ You gonna need it.

‐ You ready?

Then sit.

What is beauty?

How do we recognize it?

Is it in the extraordinary?

The mundane?

Or in D as Unheimlich?

The uncanny.

Wow.

Consider Sigmund Freud’s definition. ‐

That the uncanny is in that class of the terrifying

which leads back to something long known to us, once very familiar.

This is fine.

Where's the stuff I saw in your portfolio?

The re‐purposed materials, the collages.

‐ I‐I was just trying to do the assignment.

‐ Oh, and you say those kids are your subjects?

But are they?

‐ Uh, I thought so.

‐ That stuff is you.

Don't abandon that.

This semester, we'll explore how your familiar heimlich, or home,

can become uncanny, repulsive.

Or even terrifying.

That’s the point of what we’re doing here.

Either put something new into the world

or use what you have

to show me what is terrifying,

repulsive, and uncanny about you.

‐ So you were right.

Those kids weren't my subject. Not technically, I mean.

It's‐it's really about me and...

this new place, this city

that is so terrifying, in some ways,

but also familiar.

‐ How did you get this layering here?

‐ I exposed two negatives together repeatedly.

‐ But what about those darker spots?

‐ I used a flame to singe some areas away.

‐ Come to my opening.

It's at my friend's gallery in the East Village.

Next weekend.

‐ Back the fuck up. ‐ No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I've been watching you, trying to get up the nerve.

Okay, you look so much like my wife. You look like her.

You look just like her, and I thought like, maybe it was a sign.

‐ A sign for what? What do you want?

‐ Okay. My wife and I, um...

can't have children, and we're looking for a surrogate

who looks like her.

Um, so that‐that could carry our baby.

And I realize that sounds completely bizarre.

I know that, and I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to scare you. You don't have to say anything.

Okay, I don't even know if you would consider this.

If you could even use the money.

Can I just...just...

That's me, okay. I'm‐‐ I'm Joe.

My wife's Madeline, Maddie.

We just...

You could just think about it.

Please.

‐ Mia.

There she is. Anita, come here.

My student I was bragging about. Mia Wright.

‐ It's nice to meet you.

‐ Hi.

‐ Thanks again for letting me stay.

And‐and for this.

‐ My friend, Andrew, crashed with me for a bit.

He left some clothes behind. ‐ He moved out?

‐ No, he's been in the hospital with pneumonia for weeks.

This is his piece.

Always losing people, aren't we?

‐ Not me. I'm staying.

‐ Good.

‐ I can't leave, Wren. I can't.

They said it's all budget cuts and fucking Reagan.

And how am I supposed to come up with $12,000 for next year?

‐ I don't know, Mi. Mom‐Mom and Dad will be back from church soon.

‐ They'll just tell me to go to a real school so I can get a real job.

They don't understand.

This is where I have to be.

This is what I have to do.

‐ You listen to me. Just find a way.

Okay? Do what you have to do.

Just find a way. There's always a way.

‐ This must feel like a lot.

But we are just so grateful that you called.

We know how crazy this sounds.

And there is...

no real road map for this.

We're just really trying to figure this out for ourselves.

So there's absolutely no pressure, there's no rush.

‐ How much would you pay?

And‐and how soon would I get it?

‐ We thought $10,000, if that seems...

‐ I‐I can't do it for less than 12.

‐ I think we can make 12 work.

‐ You think, or...

or you can? ‐ We can.

We can, we can draw official paperwork.

We can figure out a payment‐‐ ‐ Anything...

to make you feel comfortable.

‐ I'm comfortable.

I'm in.

‐ She's in.

She's in.

Thank you.

‐ Hi! Happy Monday. Come in, come in.

‐ Wow, good morning. ‐ Good morning.

Oh, so this guy's going to need a bottle soon

and probably a diaper change.

‐ I'll get him all cleaned up and ready for world domination.

‐ Aw. Lexie's already eaten. She'll give you no trouble.

And Trip's kind of a grazer.

Emergency contacts.

While my mother is at the top of the list,

you definitely do not want to call her after 3:30 p. m.,

at which time she turns into a pumpkin.

A boozy, unreliable pumpkin.

‐ I get it, I have an aunt with, um, pumpkin tendencies.

Hi, it's Rachel, right? ‐ Oh.

Nice to meet you. ‐ Nice to meet you. Bill.

And hi to you.

Last night was really fun. ‐ Oh!

‐ Big boy. Oh.

You gonna take care of your brother and sister?

Hold down the fort? Oh, I could just‐‐

I want to eat you. Okay.

Honey, have a great first day back. ‐ I will.

I'm right behind you. Okay, bye, guys.

Okay, Mommy's going. Mommy loves you.

‐ Oh!

Don't be nervous.

Moms always have a hard time going back to work,

but you have nothing to feel guilty about.

Seriously.

Ooh! Okay, let's go find your brother and sister.

‐ Hi. ‐ Woo‐hoo!

‐ Oh, thank you.

‐ Elena. ‐ Hi.

You look amazing. ‐ Oh, thanks.

‐ I could kill you.

Come on, let us see the little guy.

‐ Well, look who finally decided to put down the babies.

‐ Oh!

His name's not really Moody, is it? Not that I'm judging.

‐ It's Michael.

‐ I can't believe you have three now.

‐ I know. ‐ Please tell me you're done.

‐ So done. Uh, in fact,

I wanted to talk to you.

I heard Danny left for The Plain Dealer,

and I'd really love to take on more.

‐ Yeah, absolutely, let's talk.

There's been a lot of changes since you've been gone.

Sandra actually got promoted to Danny's position,

so you will be reporting to her.

‐ Wow. Congratulations.

I definitely need something. Anything that works.

I'm not opposed to the pill. Uh, I've read about the sponge.

But is it messy?

I was thinking of something more long‐term.

What do you think of an IUD?

‐ This is actually a bigger conversation between you and Bill.

‐ Does, uh, tubal ligation have a lengthy recovery?

‐ Elena.

You can't have birth control right now. You're pregnant.

‐ No.

‐ Yes.

‐ So I go to watch the game, and someone

has taped the goddamn royal wedding over it.