- Chapter nine: keeping the flame
of passion alive took work for Sarah and Denise.
Finding someone to take the kids,
choosing a romantic setting...
- Found the red pepper!
- Making room for a clueless little brother.
[dishes clatter] - Yeah--
- Gotta spice things up a bit.
- That was our plan, too.
- Thanks again for inviting me over.
- I don't think we did.
We just asked if you could recommend some wine.
- You know, with Gretchen at her mom's house,
it's been extra lonely over there.
So many rooms to wander around in.
- Yeah, that's why I'll never buy a mansion.
- Mm.
- Have you thought about dating?
Getting out there, meeting some ladies,
other than us.
- Yeah, maybe this loneliness is a sign
that you're ready to meet someone new.
- For sure.
I mean, after being with the same woman for ten years,
I'm ready to get back out there.
- That is so great. And we are so excited for you.
You know, to get back out there.
Tomorrow, now... - Now.
- Yeah. What am I waiting for?
Anyway, we should get that movie started, huh?
Those 19th-century lesbians aren't gonna watch themselves.
Is there a separate remote for the speakers,
or is just this one remote?
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- Another successful date night.
- Mm-hmm. [doorbell rings]
- [snorts]
- I'll get it.
It's probably Lindsay dropping off that book.
- Did I miss the lady on fire? - Yeah.
Big fire. Huge explosions.
You about ready to go? Looks like you're ready to go.
- Yeah, totally.
- Hi. Special delivery. - Yes.
- Hey. - Good to see you.
- Hey.
- Hey, yourself. I'm Lindsay.
- Lindsay Ito was a friend of Sarah and Denise's
and an inspiration.
She was a liberal firebrand who advocated for labor rights
and ran a book club where members discussed novels
by and about oppressed women.
It was the center of Sarah and Denise's social life,
such as it was.
- Oh, I can't wait to read this.
A Sri Lankan Orphan. Climate refugees.
An unflinching account? Yes, please.
[laughter]
- [laughs]
- Lindsay, this is my brother, Connor.
He was just leaving.
- Oh, the brother destroying the environment.
- I also exploit the masses.
- Wow, you're a very busy guy.
- It's not work if you love what you do.
- Hm, gross. Okay. Connor, you can leave now.
- Oh, I thought we were-- - Yeah. Yeah, yeah. We're good.
See you later. [laughs]
Cool, bye. Kombucha?
- Hey, guess what.
- I really think the floor is tilted.
- Oh, come on, honey. The floor isn't--
well, maybe the house is just haunted.
- That'd be less expensive.
- Look, can we put a quick pin in the house collapsing issue?
I just got a text from my agent.
"Calling you in a sec. Big news." In all caps.
I mean, she must've sold my book.
- Oh my God, yes! [phone buzzing]
Yes, yes, yes! - Oh, that's her.
I'm gonna let it ring for a couple--
I don't wanna come off as desperate.
- Tom. - Yeah, you know, you're right.
Hi. Hello. Hi. Hi, Amanda. Hi.
- Tommy boy. How's my favorite author?
- Well, guess that depends
on how big an advance you got us.
- [laughs]
Oh, boy. [laughs]
Whoo, I needed that. Long day. No.
You have to finish the book first, my love.
I mean, maybe when you had some heat,
but nah, no one's gonna risk it now.
- Okay. Well, then, what's the big news
that really should not have been in all caps?
- I got you a ghostwriting gig.
[mimics air horn blaring]
- Like, writing for someone else?
- Not just anyone. For Sofía Salazar.
- I don't know who that is. Ow.
- Restaurateur? Owner and chef of Llave?
"Hot in the Kitchen" cookbooks?
- Not ringing any bells.
- Sofía has had
a lot of success with her cookbooks,
and now she's looking to do a memoir.
- Yeah, but you know I'm right in the middle of my novel.
- So you juggle 'em both for a couple of months.
Listen, this is cash in hand, baby.
Go down to her restaurant,
meet with her, have a meal, seal the deal.
Meal, seal, deal, for real.
- I guess I'll think about it.
- Don't think too hard. I know you need the money.
I could tell by how quickly you picked up the phone.
[laughs]
- I haven't committed to anything yet.
It's just a dinner.
- Okay, but when you become BFFs with Sofía Salazar,
can you get us a reservation?
- Oh, and a gift certificate so we can pay for it?
[laughter]
- Hey. What are you guys doin' here?
- Sunday. Brunch. Sort of our thing?
- Oh, uh, morning, everyone.
- Lindsay, what-- what are you doing--
- Connor and I are just...hanging out.
- I don't understand.
You two don't know each other,
and Connor, you're in your underwear.
[gasps] Oh, dear God.
- How on earth did this happen?
- Opposites attract. - Not this opposite.
I mean, this is gonna end up a mess
with us in the middle of it.
I can lose Connor, but I cannot lose Lindsay.
So what are we gonna do?
- Oh, we're not doing anything.
Look, if we tell Connor to stop seeing Lindsay,
then she could find out,
and that could jeopardize book club.
We have so little. - Mm-hmm.
- I need book club. - Mm-hmm.
- I need it. - I know.
both: Hey! [laughter]
- So yeah, after the other night,
Connor followed me on Insta,
and he has a lot of photos of jet skis,
and normally that would make me, like, delete the app
and burn my phone, but then we started DMing,
and he sent me this really cute GIF
of two bunnies eating carrots at the opposite end,
and then we met up for drinks, and then I saw his abs,
and so-- [laughs]
- Cute. Not weird at all.
- No, I didn't say it was.
- Hey, would you maybe wanna hang for brunch?
- Yeah, stay. That wouldn't be weird.
- No one said it would be, Lulu.
- No, I think I'll just see you guys
on Thursday for book club.
And Connor will be joining.
- What? He's coming into our female space?
But do you even have enough chairs for all those women?
- If you want, you could just do it here.
- You would do that? - Yeah.
You know, I got all these rooms,
no one to fill 'em. - Thank you.
Isn't he the best?
I'll see you guys next week.
- Okay.
- Bye.
- Bye! [laughs]
What are your intentions towards my Lindsay?
- What are you, her mom? We just hit it off.
We're just seeing how it goes.
- Okay, yeah, I know exactly how it's gonna go.
Into a ditch with me and Denise in the backset.
- You were the one who was just telling me
to jump back in the dating pool.
- Not into my pool.
Don't you guys have someone that he could date,
like a, you know, disposable friend?
- Are you kidding? - Oh, wait. What about Liza?
Yeah, no, no. We got nobody.
[upbeat Latin music]
♪ ♪
- Oh, hell yeah.
My mouth is about to have a heart attack.
- [chuckles] - Admit it, she's a genius.
- Okay, but I'm not gonna derail my novel
just because of this insanely delicious chorizo
with mojo verde and chicharron.
- Some pronunciation issues there.
- I tried.
- Tom Hayworth.
The man of the hour.
- Oh, hello. - Stop.
Okay, now each of you, try a squash blossom.
You stop.
Now you're gonna dunk it in that.
- Okay. - Dip it in that.
- Okay. - Now, pop it in your mouths.
- Mmm. - You're welcome.
[both laugh] Soy Sofía.
- Everything we had tonight,
it's like the best thing I've ever had.
You're like, "How are the seabass tacos the best
if the pork pasteles is also the best?"
It just is.
- Yeah, she has to go from this to soggy pizza
at some kid's birthday party tomorrow.
It's gonna be like food whiplash.
- [laughs]
Tom, you are funny.
I'm so honored that you're gonna be helping me
telling my story.
- Well, yeah, I'm still trying to figure out
if I have the time.
I'm working on a personal project right now.
- I know this wouldn't be your usual prose.
Trust me.
I read "Jeremiah's Plan"
in one sitting.
- Wow. - And when the captain died,
I had to go take a walk.
- I had to take a walk when I wrote it.
[both laugh]
- Oh, my God, I am so glad
that I passed on Michael Chabon for this job.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
- Oh, Chabon was up for this? - Yep.
- Chabon was up for this.
- I know, I'm right here. - Huh.
- There was just something missing
that I need my book to tap into.
And I can already tell
that you are gonna get that out of me.
- Oh.
She was great. She was great.
Just like that food. It's amazing.
- It was fine.
- Uh-oh. Something's up.
- You don't think she was a little much?
With the bossiness and the laughing
and the hitting on you?
- Whoa. Hitting on me?
- "Oh my god, Tom. You're so funny.
"Oh, Tom, you are so clever.
"Oh, Tom, I read your book in one sitting
on my perfect bottom."
- C'mon, maybe that's just the friendliness
of her Mexican culture.
- She's Puerto Rican.
- Yeah, no, I knew that. I knew that.
So what, you just don't want me to take the gig?
- I don't know. Let's sleep on it.
- You know what?
I like your...perfect bottom.
- Not tonight. I'm very full.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- I was making my first batch of almond milk when it hit me.
We gotta stop killing cows for milk.
- Mm.
Can you believe he's making nut milk?
- I can't believe any of this.
- He's got a long way to go, but he's willing to learn.
And I enjoy being his tutor.
[both laugh]
- Is there a problem?
- It's just Connor's wokeness,
it's so obviously just an act to impress Lindsay.
Should we say something? We should say something.
- Sarah, I love this book.
And I have a lot to offer today.
I found subtext, allusions, I found a leitmotif.
Please don't ruin this for me. - But I just feel like--
- Just don't. - If I could--
- Don't. Don't.
We're gonna have a good time, all right?
- Yeah.
[doorbell rings]
- Sofía. Hi. - Hey.
I'm sorry to drop by unannounced.
I just found my afternoon free, and I thought I'd pop by.
- Oh.
Kay...
- you know, I know you haven't made up your mind
about us working together,
so I wanted to continue the conversation
and really get to know each other
with no distractions.
- Okay. Look, my wife, Marina--
- You told me she'd be at that birthday party.
With the soggy pizza. [laughs]
God, you're funny.
[cork pops]
- [laughs uncomfortably]
- Before we start, let's go ahead and thank Connor
for generously opening his home for us.
[applause] - Oh, please.
As the Buddha once said,
"When you're here, you're family."
- Let's open our books and our minds.
"An Unquiet Heart."
Harrowing, of course, but also joyful...
[laughs] Funny, maddening.
Opening thoughts? Feelings? - I was thinking about--
- What did you think of the book, Connor?
- Um, the book?
I think...
you know, I think Saanvi's journey
really resonated with me.
I mean, I must admit,
I wasn't very educated on the refugee crisis,
so this was a big eye-opener for me
about environmental racism.
- Mm. - Yeah.
- Did he actually read the book?
- Environmental racism was my big opening.
- Cooking is such a sensual act.
Keeping something at a simmer
until it's time to turn up the heat.
- [chuckles] I wouldn't know.
I'm more of a make out guy--- takeout guy.
- I once cooked this for Chiwetel Ejiofor
before we made love.
Here. - Oh, I--
- Ah... - [stammering]
Mmm. - Ooh.
[both laugh]
I got it. I got it. - You got it?
- Yeah. It's a little spicy.
You know, I'm big fan of Chiwe...
- Chiwetel. - That guy. Yeah.
I liked his interpretation of Karl Mordo
in the "Doctor Strange" movie.
Could I use the bathroom? I gotta use the bathroom.
- Hi. - Hi. Hello. Hi. How you doin'?
How's that birthday party going?
- Well, turns out Alejandro's afraid of magicians.
- Oh, great. Great to hear.
Look, I've been thinking about last night, and,
you know, I think you might've been right.
Sofía might've been flirting with me.
- Really? - Yeah, yeah.
Just kinda playing it back in my head,
and I can see what you were saying.
Also, she's here right now.
- Here as in there? - Yep.
There's been cooking and wine
and some of that... light arm touching.
I mean, don't worry. Nothing's gonna happen.
She's not my type.
- She's a hot Latina, Tom.
Of course she's your type.
I'm sorry. I'm on with Tom. This woman is hitting on him.
Yeah, no. My Tom. I know, it's weird.
- What--is that Liza?
You can tell her it's not that weird.
Look, what do you want me to do?
I can't kick her out. - Use your standby.
Tell her you're having stomach issues.
- I already did.
That's how I got in here to talk to you.
- Tom, I'm ready for you.
- I gotta go.
- Just wanted to say, I'm impressed.
Reading a 500-page book in three days,
breaking your previous record of...
any length of book in any amount days.
- Booch? - No thanks.
- I actually listened to the audiobook.
- Ha-ha! There is no audiobook.
- There is when Lupe reads it
out loud to you while you work out.
- The metaphors were a little heavy-handed.
- You're ridiculous.
- Usually, I sing to him.
- Wait, are you wearing a hemp shirt?
- Yeah. For every hemp shirt you buy,
they send one to one of those kids
in...some country.
I forget which. One of the bad ones.
- Hm. Wearing a hemp shirt
for a hot girl doesn't make you a humanitarian.
- Whoa, reducing women to objects?
Sarah-- - No, I--
- I thought you were better than that. Oh.
- That's not-- that's not what I meant.
- Wow, Sarah.
- And then she said if we work together,
there's "more where that came from,"
and she gestured to the asopao de pollo,
but she also might've been, like, indicating her...
you know, her chest.
- So gross of her to barge in here and just--
mmm, I didn't know carrots could be buttery.
- I'm sorry I didn't believe you about her.
- It's okay.
I mean, it is baffling, Sofía Salazar hitting on you.
- Yeah, well, I don't know about baffling.
- So what are you gonna do?
- I'ma lay down some ground rules.
If she can't follow 'em, that's it. I'm out.
You know, no amount of money is worth that.
- Amen. People like that, they need to be called out
on their behavior.
Is that flan? - I know, yeah. It's amazing.
C'mon, get some of this.
- And I think that although Saanvi is my opposite,
I do see myself in her, or rather who I hope to be.
A climate warrior and a citizen of the world.
- Climate warrior with five cars.
- Sarah, do you have something to add?
- Yeah, actually, I-- - I actually do.
I read the book twice: once to let it wash over me,
a second time to really dig
into why this book struck a chord with me,
and I really think it's because--
- Connor, when you say, "citizen of the world,"
is it because you went to Cabo
for spring break five years in a row?
- It was six, but Sarah, as white people,
we need to cede the floor to women of color.
- When I was a child, I-- - That woman of color
is my wife, and your allyship is performative.
[all gasp]
- I also found a leitmotif.
- Okay, why don't we all just take a breath.
- I'm sorry, there's just a lot of toxic energy
coming from this side of the room.
- Toxic?
You don't get to decide what's toxic.
- Okay, no. Violence is not okay.
- I'm sorry. May I put my arm around you?
- You have my consent. Thank you for asking.
- Oh, my God.
- Sarah, I think you should leave.
- [laughing] I should leave--
Okay. Yeah, fine. I'll go.
Denise.
Lulu?
- Lulu.
- Okay.
[door slams]
The leitmotif I mentioned earlier
refers to the author's subtle use of darkness,
which represents Saanvi's almost impossible journey
through an uncaring capitalist society.
[upbeat music]
Yes!
- You know, you could've done
the moral support thing from home.
- You know I can't trust you to actually confront someone.
- Right, like how I confronted you
about not coming with me, and here we are.
- Don't worry. I'll hide.
- Cool.
Hello, Sofía.
- Mm!
Tom, are you in?
- Actually, we're gonna have to get some things straight first.
- Okay, yeah. - I can't work with you
if you keep being so forward...
[stuttering] Sexually.
- Oh, wow.
- Yeah, we're gonna have to set some ground rules.
Number one--sorry, A.
I lettered them for some reason. A--
- Tom, Tom, please. I'm sorry.
It was a misunderstanding, but yeah,
I was playing the part of Sofía Salazar.
- Are you not Sofía Salazar?
- I was doing the whole "hot in the kitchen" shtick
to get you excited to write the book.
I's what everyone expects of me.
And obviously, I overdid it
and I made you uncomfortable, and I am so sorry.
To both of you.
- Hola. - She's my ride.
- And I actually get what you're saying.
There's no winning.
Do you know how many times I've been told
that I don't seem Latina enough?
- Exactamente.
It's like, how dare they tell us who we are?
- Maybe this memoir can finally show the world the real you.
- I love that.
- This calls for some croquetas de pollo.
[both speaking Spanish]
- You said I couldn't get confrontational.
I said, you said I couldn't be confrontational.
Sorry, go on, go on.
- I'm sorry for ruining book club,
but we can find a better one.
- No, we can't. - No, we can't.
- I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to.
I mean, I'm one of them, but...
you need to be happy for Connor.
He's dating, which is huge.
And he's trying to be progressive,
which is what we want.
- Look, of course I can be happy for Connor, but...
- Is it because you're uncomfortable with him
being on the same side as you?
'Cause he's taking the moral high ground,
and that's where you like to hang out?
- [laughing] Oh.
You think that I need to feel superior to Connor?
That is not--I just--I don't--
Don't just keep staring at me
when you know that you're right.
- But that's the best part.
- Salud. - Salud!
Truth is, we really need the money.
- Well, now you are in the Sofía Salazar business.
- Cha-ching. [laughter]
- It's kinda funny, actually,
the idea that I would throw myself at Tom.
- That's what I was telling him.
- I don't know if it's that funny.
- Well, I date a certain kind of guy,
and Tom over here is not it.
I have a weakness for athletic jock types.
- Okay, well--
- I was on the high school diving team.
- I'm picturing it right now.
You and me out on the town,
and the paparazzi are screaming,
"Hey, Sofía, when did you start dating
that inflatable guy at a car dealership?"
- Okay, alright, okay. That's enough.
- You don't have to-- - Mm.
Listen, I make jokes about my husband, okay, not you.
You would be lucky to be with someone
as smart, thoughtful, and hot as Tom.
He does things, wild things, to me, every night.
- That's somewhat generous.
- And the pomegranate seeds in the guacamole,
yeah, there delicious, but they're inauthentic.
- Oh.
I love her. [laughs]
I love you.
I am gonna name a dish after you.
You know what? Pascal! Rip up the menu, okay?
I am going to name a dish after the skinny man's wife.
- I didn't like her hitting on me, but I'm not sure
I'm crazy about "inflatable guy at a car dealership."
- You better write this book fast.
- Well, it can actually be a process, so--
I will write like the wind.
- Connor?
Oh, good, you're both here.
I just wanted to come over
and say, "I'm sorry, I was a jerk,"
so I'm sorry.
I was a jerk.
That craziness at book club,
I was just thrown by you two dating,
but that is totally on me.
You two make a great couple.
- Actually, we just decided to stop seeing each other.
- Oh, no, what? - It's probably for the best.
- No, no, but you've got
something really good going on here.
I mean, Lindsay, you're opening up my brother
to such new ways of thinking, and Connor,
I'm sure you're helping out Lindsay
in some way too.
- Bye, Connor.
- Bye. - Bye.
- Bye, Lindsay.
Oh, my God, what happened?
- She just said I was trying too hard
to connect to her, and it freaked her out.
- Reading one book and buying a hemp shirt,
that's not trying too hard.
- I also bought her an 8% stake in a Canadian wind farm.
- Yeah, that's hard.
- She's just the first woman I've been with since Emily,
so I was just trying so hard not to make the same mistakes
and be so competitive, but I overcorrected.
I think I just held on a little too tight.
But on the bright side,
I don't have to drink this kombucha stuff anymore.
I mean, it literally tastes like fermented tea.
- That's exactly what it is.
Look, it must be impossible to date after so long.
I mean, I would be a mess.
- Yeah, you'd be like a lesbian Hindenburg.
- [laughs]
And I know that it's not the same,
but you're always invited to our place for movie night.
And I'm really glad that you're, you know,
trying to be more enlightened.
Oh, that should really be recycled.
- You know, it's not easy
caring so much about everything,
keeping all that ethical stuff straight.
I-I-I really admire your...you.
I really--I admire you.
- [laughs]
Thank you. Come here.
[laughs]
- How bad do you wanna throw that in the recycling?
- It's literally all I can think about.
[sweeping music]
- I'm so glad Carol got to live her truth.
Also, that sex scene between those two ladies was sick!
- And he's back. - Yep.
You know, I'm glad that we're taking a break from book club.
- Yeah.
- We're allowed to go to the next one though, right?
- The one after that. - Oh, cool.
- And ultimately, I think the novel
is a thrilling indictment on late-stage capitalism.
- Lindsay, I'm going to say what we're all thinking.
800 pages to tell me this lady feels bad that she's rich?
Please.
[applause] Huh?