Wayward

One day a logging truck is cruising down Crescent Street.

It makes a tight turn,

and a ten-ton log comes rolling out

and flattens my father's pickup like a pancake.

A month later, my father wakes up with all his family around him,

crying and praising God.

But he's just looking up at us, blinking.

Then he says, get this,

"Can I help you?"

The bastard had no clue who we were.

He was like a child again.

Innocent, curious.

A beautiful idiot.

Tell her about the door, Weldon.

Stephanie, chill!

I was going to.

So… right before he wakes up from his coma,

my father sees this green door.

Green door.

And he knew he had to leap through it.

He had to let go of everyone who's holding him back.

And he did it.

He leaped!

He leaped!

So, what do you think of that story, Evelyn?

I think it is just a story, and we've got to make it a way of life.

Oh no!

Thank you, thanks.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday, Alex.

Hi, this is Laura.

I can't get to the phone. Please leave me a message.

Laura, it's… it's me again.

Look, I know you're angry and you have questions.

I want to communicate in good faith.

I only just got you back.

This… stonewalling is…

not reflective of your growth.

Anyway, have… have a good day. I won't trouble you again.

Come in.

Don't forget to empty out the terrarium. We cannot have Timothy living in filth.

Um, I was wondering if you found a home for Stacey.

I would really like the opportunity to take her in.

-I understand her, and I would-- -Rabbit.

Under your watch, a student overdosed

and had to be transferred to one of our other schools.

Not to mention poor Daniel.

God forbid our student body finds out about that.

They won't.

Ah…

No, I'll place Stacey with Michael and Brie.

It's a good fit.

Actually, there is one thing you could do for me.

Laura and her policeman are having a gathering today.

Find a reason to go and tell me what you see.

Perhaps then we can revisit this conversation about Stacey.

Thank you.

So, I've been sorting through receipts, and noticed something funny.

Somebody's been refilling the printer cartridges.

Yeah, printer ink is not cheap.

I'm, um, disturbed to hear that, Terry.

Alex, can you give me a hand with this?

Yeah. Um, do you mind finishing these?

-Okay. Thank you. -Yeah.

Oh! Harder than it looks.

I can't keep this up much longer.

It's been weeks.

I feel like everyone can smell my anxiety.

No, you're doing great. You smell great.

But you gotta get Dwayne talking. About Evelyn, her plans.

Dwayne's not gonna give us anything. He's here to monitor us.

No, trust me. People are simple.

They just want to feel included. He'll let something slip.

You know, he would have been around at the time your parents went missing.

I'm gonna get him--

Okay, but we need to focus on what Evelyn is doing that can get her locked up.

I'm making good headway with the others. It's just gonna take a little time.

We don't have time.

You're due in three weeks.

We agreed we're gonna leave before the baby's born, right?

Yes, so you better get digging.

Dwayne's a drinker.

Hey.

I figured if you're gonna babysit us, you might as well reap the rewards.

I want to say,

I understand why you came down so hard on me. I really do.

I wish it didn't take me so long to get on board.

But you know, I… I look at how happy Laura is.

You know, I was thinking about proposing to her.

Wait. I thought you were--

But we're not. I mean, this is just a symbol.

-Right. -We can't legally. I don't know.

This place kinda makes up its own rules, right?

-Now you're getting it. -Yeah.

Hmm.

-God! -Pizza!

-Pizza! -Everyone's greedy!

-Move! -All right, guys.

Gather round.

Today… is a good day.

You have all made the ascend phase,

which means you all get a phone call home and a music break.

Yes!

Let's party! Let's party!

What are we feelin'? What are we feelin'?

Creed. Play Creed, man.

I'm not gonna play Creed, Tanner. Jesus.

Uh…

How about somethin' a little older?

Okay.

Ow!

That's Pink Floyd.

We were at a Halloween party, and

…he was dressed as… in this oversized cowboy costume.

I asked him for a ride home, and we sat in his car,

and we talked for hours.

-Wow. -I was just waiting for him to kiss me.

And he was so nervous, I thought he was gonna dissolve.

What about you?

-Are you dating anyone? -Uh…

No. Chapter four of Evelyn's book.

"The root of all suffering is attachment."

-Unless you're attaching to her. -Of course.

You don't have to censor yourself, Francis.

I think it's healthy we ask these questions.

What questions?

What has Evelyn taken from you?

Why has she gone completely unchallenged?

Could we do this another way?

Oh my God.

Is that…

Oh.

Wow. Uh…

Okay.

Hi, Rebecca.

Hi.

Sorry. I didn't know you were having a party.

No, that's… okay.

You're always welcome.

Would you like some… cake?

Not really.

I'm gonna let you two catch up.

I heard, uh, you were doing some body work,

and I was wondering if you could help me with…

Know what? I'm gonna come back another time.

-No, please. -Yeah.

I should have reached out sooner.

Let's go somewhere quieter we can talk.

Come.

Okay, this is the blind spot. Can you cover me?

Yeah.

What do you think happened to Daniel?

I think he ran. Like they said.

No, I don't buy it.

Screwdriver.

Think you can break into the trunk of a car with one?

I won't know if I don't try, right?

What's wrong?

Leila barely even looks at me, Rory.

But didn't you tell her to go undercover?

Maybe she's just method acting.

You know, my dad once stuck a wasp up his butt to stay in character.

What? No. Leila can't fake anything.

Well, maybe she's just growing up.

It doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Our teens are like the worst years of our lives.

What if they're not?

What if they're the best years and they're stealing them?

I think she's forgetting me.

That's impossible.

You're really nice, you know that?

Like… Like, in a bad way?

Trusting you.

Yeah, thanks.

Here.

How does this work?

I work along the energy meridians of your body…

so I can see where you're blocked.

Let's start by taking a deep breath.

Breathe in.

And out.

I hated you. For a long time.

I know.

Wanna play a game?

Hey, Abbie.

I told Duck that I'm constipated, but we don't have long.

Did you get it?

What is this, dude?

Sorry, I know it's cold.

Ugh, there's a hair on it. Is that a pube?

Okay. Okay, fine. Don't eat it, then.

Why are you being weird?

The mission was to fake it, Leila. Not to crawl up Duck's ass.

This was all your idea, dude.

Go deep undercover. Make them trust you.

Well, you were supposed to get batteries for the walkie,

and all you showed up with was a pube pizza.

Wait, are you… jealous?