Little Fires Everywhere

Joy!

‐ How long have they been going out?

Long enough for Lexie to have their wedding planned.

‐ I'm going to Yale. ‐ Congratulations.

‐ She hasn't even applied yet.

‐ Oh, so you want to change your math class.

They try to discourage minorities from taking advanced courses.

I think I figured out what I'm gonna do for my Yale essay.

‐ If you don't stand up for yourself, who will?

I'd like to help you in your household if the offer still stands.

‐ Sure.

‐ Hon, look, you're allowed to change your mind if you don't want her there.

‐ I did lie. I put down a fake reference.

But I'm not a criminal.

‐ Why don't we have a glass of wine?

‐ What's going on with her?

I had a daughter.

‐ What was her name?

‐ May Ling.

‐ You're 70 cents short.

‐ Please, she not eat for days. I not eat for week.

‐ Then try breastfeeding. It's free.

‐ Please. ‐ Get the fuck out of my store!

‐ We're closed.

‐ Is, uh...is Scott around?

I'm...here to hit the slopes.

Try the kitchen.

‐ How can he not get caught? ‐ God only knows.

‐ Maybe because his face. He's dumb but cute.

‐ More dumb than cute.

Beef and broccoli and fried rice.

And you take the egg rolls because I took them all for Pearl last night.

‐ Pearl? Is that your daughter's name?

It's beautiful. ‐ Thank you.

So is May Ling.

‐ Sometimes...I still hear her cry.

‐ Of course you do. Because you're her mother.

‐ She gone.

I'm not her mother anymore.

‐ Bebe, a mother is a mother, and you will always be hers.

‐ I leave her. I do that.

It doesn't matter what I want. ‐ No, it does.

It matters. May Ling is out there.

And if you want her, you have to find her. Whatever it takes.

‐ Find her? You think it's so easy?

You think I'm not trying my best to find her?

I'm illegal.

If I go to police station, they'll send me back.

‐ Hey, hey. Uh, I didn't finish A Separate Peace.

What happens?

‐ Um, Finny's in the tree, and Gene shakes the branch.

What do you think?

‐ Decent penmanship.

Is it still penmanship when it's done with a paintbrush?

‐ Uh‐‐ ‐ Paintbrushmanship?

‐ I meant about going.

‐ I think I would rather finally watch Before Sunrise like we planned.

It's been weeks.

So, uh, what happens next?

‐ Um, Finny falls and breaks his leg.

When that counselor discouraged me from taking a harder math class,

I found myself angry and confused.

Our conversation took less than a minute,

the same amount of time it took for that metaphorical glass ceiling

to form right above my head.

‐ Mm. ‐ His sexism was telling me loud and clear.

That I would never go as far as my male classmates.

Sexist discrimination is more than a hardship.

It's the pervasive reality of being a woman.

‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ And it's a reality I'm striving

to change as we move into the twenty‐first century.

‐ Mm. ‐ As our first lady said,

we as women can do more than sit home and bake cookies.

‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ Glass ceilings are glass

because they are made to be shattered.

Well? What do you think?

‐ Um, yeah, it was‐it was good.

I, I didn't know that happened to you, so...

Are, are we, are we still doing...

‐ Okay, well, why would I have written it if it didn't happen?

‐ Guess not.

I don't know, I guess I just figured you would have...said something.

‐ What, to get second guessed for my experience?

‐ Why are you getting so mad? ‐ Is this even about my essay?

Is this about sex?

‐ What are you...no.

No.

But prom and Homecoming are basically the same thing, so...

‐ Okay, they are completely different. When did Brenda and Dylan have sex?

It was prom night, Brian.

‐ Um, no, actually, it wasn't. It was the spring dance.

‐ The spring dance and prom are the same thing.

They just couldn't say that because they were juniors twice.

‐ Which is exactly why we shouldn't use them as our sexual touchstone.

That show is stupid, anyway. It doesn't make any sense.

Where's your faceplate?

I was very clear when I ordered these cookies,

27 days ago, that I needed them Friday

and tomorrow is Friday.

Trip, get off the line. I'm on the phone.

Sorry, Mom. You could try a different kind of cookie.

‐ No, a different kind of cookie is not gonna work.

You can't put a tiny message in a different cookie.

Bev. Can you hang on a sec?

‐ Okay, yes, fine, I'll hold. ‐ I'm home.

‐ Hi, honey.

There's a problem with the cookies.

‐ What cookies? ‐ The ones I've been talking about for literally a month.

The ones for Mirabelle's birthday party. Dinner, everybody.

‐ We got a fine at Windsor. ‐ What?

‐ Mm‐hmm. She let the grass grow over six inches.

‐ Uh, is it all right if Pearl stays for dinner?

Yes, of course, as long as it's okay with her mother.

Is it fine with your mom? ‐ I'm sure it's fine, yeah.

‐ Okay, great. Can we talk about this later?

Uh, Moody, will you take the rolls and put them on the table and also set?

Are you still there? ‐ Yes, I'm still holding Bev.

Mm‐hmm. ‐ Okay, yeah.

Hi. ‐ Mm‐hmm.

‐ She agreed to follow the ordinances when she moved in.

‐ Oh, great. That's so great to hear that.

You're a lifesaver. All right, thank you, honey. Bye.

Moody, don't forget the cloth napkins.

‐ Hon. ‐ Yes, it's my fault.

She asked for gas for the mower and I just completely forgot.

‐ Okay, but you're normally the one who's out there with a ruler.

‐ I know, but she works three jobs and she made our dinner.

How about you mow the lawn?

Moody, don't forget the forks are on the left.

‐ I don't feel like you're really hearing me here.

‐ ‐ Look who's here, finally.

Oh, my goodness, Brian!

How are you? It has been so long.

Why is it so hard to get you to this house?

‐ Thanks for having me, Mrs. Richardson.

‐ Always. Okay, Moody, make sure everybody has a drink.

We have strawberry, kiwi, and diet peach Snapple.

And Lexie, get your brother and sister. I don't know what's taking them so long.

Yo, dinner.

‐ Uh, hey. ‐ Hi, I'm Pearl.

‐ Oh, you two don't know each other? No.

‐ Oh, you're gonna love each other. I'm sure you have so much in common.

‐ No way. You must like rap and basketball too, huh?

It's called the Million Woman March.

I just think that that should be for all women.

Like the Million Man March.

‐ Yeah, but that was actually just black men.

Yo, can I get a roll?

Dude, don't be a little bitch, bro. ‐ Hey, Trip.

Give me the rolls. ‐ He just said bitch.

‐ Moody, I don't like that language. I just think that there should be a march for everyone.

Otherwise, it's outdated and sexist.

‐ Mm, sexist. Your favorite word.

‐ Like the March on Washington. Right, Mom?

You said that was for everyone. ‐ It was amazing.

Young, old, white, African‐American.

Religious leaders, activists, union members.

Just a beautiful blend of people. Including Dr. King, of course.

I remember being a child and even at that moment,

I knew it was monumental.

It really was a dream. It was.

It's like the Minority Achievement Committee.

Right, like, I of course support minorities achieving,

and yet, I can't go to any of those meetings.

‐ Well, the group is kind of about, you know,

black students supporting each other, so...

‐ You think? ‐ You know, no one's talking to you, Izzy.

‐ Yeah, no one wants to hear you talk, Lexie.

‐ Okay, you two, please don't start. Brian, I noticed

a real need for that at the school

when I was dealing with Pearl and her counselor.

‐ Wait, what, what happened with the counselor?

‐ He was a jerk. ‐ Yeah.

Mr. Bowers wouldn't let Pearl switch to Algebra 2.

But Elaine helped. She fixed it,

so I'm really grateful for that.

‐ What about Lilith Fair? Is that sexist?

‐ What is Lilith Fair? ‐ It's your worst nightmare.

Trip. ‐ No wonder they call you "Ellen."

Trip Richardson! I said enough!

‐ I'm sorry, why do they call your sister "Ellen"?

‐ Like DeGeneres, Mom.

‐ Because she's funny?

‐ No.

Um, it was last winter. Um, she was a young mother.

The baby was‐‐ is Chinese. Just a couple months old.

She has a tiny red dot on her scalp.

‐ It wasn't this station, but yeah, I heard about it.

‐ So if I wanted to know where the baby ended up...

‐ I'd try the police.

‐ Right. If, um, is there anybody else I, I could also talk to?

Just to be vigilant. ‐ Only the police.

They're your best bet if you want to find that baby.

‐ Okay, thanks. ‐ Good luck.

‐ Uh‐huh.

‐ You didn't have to drive me. ‐ Oh, no, it was easy.

I was running errands on this side of town anyway.

But I don't know how I'm gonna get it all done before Saturday.

‐ Right. It's essential a one‐year‐old have a night to not remember.

‐ You could help me if you're available. I, I could use the extra set of hands.