- [thump] - [gasps]
james, hey, wake up.
Honey, honey, I think there's someone in the house.
James! James, wake up! James, wake up!
Wake up, james! There's somebody down here!
Help! Help!
Somebody help me!
Please! Please!
Mm! Morning.
Morning, wife.
I didn't know you were up.
"wife." I didn't think I was the...
"hey, we're in vegas, let's get hitched" kind of girl.
Yeah? Well, here we are.
Hmm. Damn right.
I got you something.
You did?
It's just a little post-wedding gift,
a small token my love.
Babe...
I didn't get you anything.
You give me everything.
Go ahead, open it.
Wow.
You said you had a watch like it in your twenties that you lost.
Yeah. I just...
I can't believe that you remembered that story, babe.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Wow.
Uh, so...
Is mara cool with this?
With us, you know, getting married now?
I-I think so.
We're gonna have to do something more formal with her
sometime soon, but...
Absolutely.
And my mom is gonna move in with us,
so, you know, we can all celebrate our love together.
Oh, I like the sound of that.
What time's our flight?
It's at noon, so I'll go pick her up and...
Really, I can't thank you guys enough
for letting her stay with us.
It means a lot. I just moved in,
and now you got two of us to deal with.
We're family.
I guess it was a little bit weird
that you and I tied the knot,
and I haven't even met your mom, but...
Yeah, she's just--
maggie's been too sick to travel lately.
I'm telling you, kristen, diabetes can be a real bitch.
I should warn you,
I can kinda make her one too.
Well, I'm sure I can handle her.
I mean, I know I can handle you.
Your form is so good.
Hi.
Look, I don't mean to ruin your workout.
I just want to check in on you.
Oh, no, it's no worries. I was just about done.
Hey, I didn't see james this morning? Where is he?
He's picking his mother up at the airport, remember?
Oh, yeah, that's today.
You two have been a couple for like, what, six months now?
I cannot believe you haven't even met his mom.
Well, I think that this way,
isn't it awesome we get to meet her together?
Yeah, sure, why not?
Honey, I know I've asked you this a bunch of times, but you--
you're not upset, right?
I mean, about us running off to get married?
No, no. I just--
I think that maybe it feels a little...
Soon?
I usually reserve that term for bad jokes about tragedy,
but yeah, maybe a little.
But you like him though, right?
James? Oh, yeah, I really do.
I see the way that he treats you.
It's very sweet, and I think that you deserve it.
But like you said, it just-- it happened so fast,
and I feel like you're still pretty vulnerable
after everything that happened last year.
Maybe.
Honey, I'm an adult, and I know what's right for me.
I'm so much better than a year ago.
You know?
You and james are a big part of why.
Heck, you know, between my loving daughter
and my new husband and shrink,
I'm pretty much as good as new.
I know how terrible it all was,
but honestly, mom, think about it like this.
How many people really get stuck twice in their lifetime?
I have no idea,
but if there's one, that's one too many.
Mom, I would like for you to meet
my gorgeous and generous wife, kristen,
and her awesome and equally generous daughter, mara.
This is my mom, maggie.
It's so nice to finally meet you, maggie.
Welcome to our home.
Yeah. Our casa is your casa.
Mm.
Mom, would you like to say something to your host?
Where's my room?
Mom, come on, be nice.
Thank you for allowing me to stay with my boy.
Uh, you're welcome. We're happy to have you.
Yeah, we are happy to have you, mom.
- Let's sit down. - Isn't that nice?
Well, I'll try not to be too much trouble.
Oh, I'm sure it'll be no trouble at all.
Say cheese.
Oh! What are you doing?
Just taking your picture.
- Why? - Posterity?
I hate having my photo taken. Put that thing away now!
- It's okay. - It's okay, mom, it's okay.
Why don't I go get some refreshments?
Hey, mara, would you help me?
- Oh, yeah, sure, yeah. - Great.
Let's leave these two to get a little better acquainted.
- Right. - All right.
So it's-- it's kristen, right?
That's me.
Well, you got a good-sized house here, kristen.
Oh, thanks.
A bit tacky for my taste, but that's neither here nor there.
Good for you, living high on that hog.
You get the money from your first husband or something?
Um, no.
Actually, mara's father passed away when she was little.
For the record, I'm the breadwinner of the family.
Oh, is that right?
What exactly does the breadwinner do
to make all that dough rise?
I'm a divorce attorney.
Ah! Got it.
So while all those miserable, desperate people
are suffering right there in front of you,
you're just sitting there,
billing the hours and raking in that cash.
I mean, I'm not just sitting there.
Oh, no, of course not. I'm just kidding.
So how'd you get my boy to marry you anyway?
Uh, well, actually, it was...
James was the only one who suggested
that we do it on the spot.
Was the wedding nice or what?
'cause this mother of the groom never saw a damn photo.
Here you go.
Now we're family, all of us.
Isn't that wonderful?
Yeah, I feel the same way.
See? Look at you two. I knew it.
Couple peas in a pod.
Mom, is everything okay?
Yeah, yeah, I'm great.
This is gonna be so much fun.
You wanted to see me? What's up?
- Come here. - Yeah?
I just...
What's going on?
Kristen, just say it.
Did your mother say anything to you about me?
Just that she was thankful that you opened up your home to her.
Really? She said that?
I get the feeling that she doesn't like me all that much,
and I have no idea what I did wrong.
Okay, what happened?
Was it something in her tone, maybe?
More like something in her words.
Oh, kris, I don't know.
She's just from a different era.
And yeah, I mean, she could be a little rough around the edges.
You think?
Trust me, she has a big heart,
and it's usually in the right place.
She's probably just testing you,
see what you're made of.
Great. I got enough on the first day.
Look at me.
Relax, okay?
I love you and mara.
And yeah, this happened really fast,
but we have the rest of our lives to take it easy.
All of us.
So let's just let maggie get used to her new surroundings.
I promise. This is all gonna work out.
Come here.
Thank you.
What are you doing here?
Well, maybe I just wanted to see that pretty face of yours.
What do you want, ross?
Your request for child support is killing me, baby.
Excuse me. "baby?"
you know I don't have that much money.
Shrinks make way more money than private investigators.
It's not my fault. And you know I hate the word "shrink."
you know, I don't even know why we're getting divorced.
Because you slept with your secretary, remember?
Right.
Hi.
Good morning.
Sorry. Did I make a mistake? Is this not my hour?
No, no. I'm sorry, kristen, of course it is.
- I'll call you later. - I know you will.
Oh, please, come in.
Thanks.
Apologies again, kristen.
That's my soon-to-be ex, and he--
oh, never mind.
I'm sure you hear about this divorce stuff all day long,
and that is not at all the reason you're here.
How are you doing?
- I'm, uh, I'm okay. - You sure?
You seem a little more undone today than usual.
Did something happen?
- Maggie happened. - Maggie?
James' mother moved in with us a couple days ago.
Okay, so you have someone new living in your house.
She has diabetes,
and she has to use a walker to get around.
That poor woman. That's awful.
What's she like?
She doesn't like me, I can tell you that much.
- How do you know? - I don't know.
Just the way that she looks at me, you know.
Just cold, dismissive.
The first time we met,
she said something to me about my quickie wedding with her boy.
Oh, sounds to me like she's just a little hurt
that she didn't get to see you two get married.
Sounded more to me like she was upset she didn't get to stop it.
Well, mothers-in-laws and new brides butting heads,
that's not exactly an uncommon thing.
But how's your mind doing, otherwise?
I'm, uh, I'm good.
No, I mean, I haven't had any nightmares the past few months.
Mm-hmm.
I feel like I can, I don't know, go about my business
without looking in every direction
for some guy creeping up behind me and...
I don't know. I can just...
Breathe, I guess.
You know, just... Little things.
Not so little. News flash!
I mean, your stalker actually made it into your house.
That's terrifying.
I know, I know. I'm just, um...
I mean, sometimes I feel like maybe I overreacted.
Your reaction was perfectly natural.
Lots of people out there would've experienced
some kind of breakdown from that.
If you ask me, you're doing great.
Thanks, dr. Lewis.
Thanks to you, you know,
and, uh, and my family, of course.
Actually, none of them's been around.
Okay, well, gotta be careful. They might be watching.
[door closes]
- hey, girlie. - Hey, what's up, kid?
I'm just waiting for michael to come pick me up.
We're gonna go grab a bite to eat.
And who is this michael person?
He's my boo.
Your boo?
Is he a damn ghost or something?
Mom, she's talking about her boyfriend,
and I happen to like the kid.
[doorbell rings]
that must be him.
Michael, you can come in. We're in the living room.
There he is!
Hey, what's up, james?
Well, my spirits, now I got my lovely mother here in one piece.
Or two.
How's it hanging, kid? I'm maggie.
Michael. And it's hanging just fine, I guess.
Your mom actually allows you to have boys over
when she's not home?
I'm 19.
Exactly my point. Like little rabbits at your age.
Bop bop bop bop bop bop!
Oh, my god.
Where is kristen anyway?
She is at a therapy session.
You gotta be kidding me.
You know what we call therapy at my age?
Sucking it up and walking it off.
Uh...
Therapy. It's like a weak sauce on a feeble sandwich.
That's a little harsh. I don't think it's weird for her
to get help after everything she's been through.
Oh? And what happened?
You know what? I'm starving. Should we go?
- Let's do this. - Yeah.
Hey, michael, come here. Got something to tell you.
Um...
Yeah, what's up?
You gotta lean in if I'm gonna tell you.
Boo!
- Mom... - [laughs]
you're a strange one, maggie.
Yeah. Always have been, always will be.
Hey, come on, michael. Let's go.
See ya.
You two have fun.
Bring me back some cheesecake!
[door closes]
so maggie, she's a real kick in the ass, huh?
Yeah, she is.
She's gonna need to stop kicking at my mom,
or we're gonna have a problem.
How's your mom been holding up with the new houseguest anyways?
She's struggling. And I can tell too.
And she was doing so well after everything that happened.
The last thing she needs is this lady picking at her,
making her crazy.
Yeah.
- [car door closes] - [alarm chirps]
[clatter]
[kristen gasps]
whoa! What's that face?
I just barely avoided getting attacked in the parking lot.
Oh, my god. Are you serious?
Steve, do me a favor. Call building management.
They need to get on their game and up security around here.
That is unacceptable!
Wow. You were really almost just attacked?
I mean, I definitely saw someone following me.
You mean towards the entrance to the building?
Well, y-yeah.
Well, how close did the guy get to you?
Was he like, like a car length?
No, no, not that close.
As soon as I turned around, he took off.
But that could have been for any number of reasons, right?
Yeah. You're, uh... You're making valid points.
Well, you still want me to make that call?
Yes.
[phone ringing]
this is kristen.
[heavy breathing]
hello?
Hello?
[ringing]
this is kristen.
[heavy breathing]
hello?
Who is this?
[ringing]
stop calling me!
James: Wow! Well, hello to you too.
Hi, james.
Is, uh, is everything okay?
Yeah, yeah, I just...
I kept getting this unknown number,
and then when I answered, no one was there and...
You know what? Never mind. Everything's fine.
Good. Well, mara is out to dinner with michael,
I am done returning my client calls for the day,
and it's just mom and I here.
We were wondering when you'd be coming home.
I think she misses you already.
Um, soon.
Good. See you soon. Bye.
Okay, bye.
You can't be serious.
It's not gonna be for long, okay?
Just a few months, max.
A few months? Mara, I'm talking to two realtors
who are looking for apartments for us right now in l.A.
Well, michael, I don't know what you want me to say, okay?
I can't just leave her alone right now.
She's a grown woman who--
got the daylights scared out of her
by some maniac at her spin class?
Yeah, like a year ago.
I'm sorry. Sorry. I'm sure it was a bad time.
You have no idea, okay?
She was getting constant phone calls every single day.
This psychopath was leaving these very disturbing messages,
talking about how they were soulmates
and how they were meant to be together
and she should just give into fate,
calling her all the time,
following her everywhere she went, okay?
He was popping up at places
that she didn't even know she was gonna be.
I literally watched her fall apart.
Jesus, you never talked about it much.
I had no idea it was that frightening.
Frightening?
The dude broke into our house.
And... That's the night
that she finally had her mental breakdown.
Were you there at the time?
When my mom needed me the most,
I was at some stupid house party,
playing beer pong.
You know, if I would've been there, who knows?
Maybe I could've helped her keep it together.
Mara, you can't blame yourself for that.
Can't I? Just a little?
I mean, I do feel responsible.
That's why I've been sleeping at home again.
Yeah, don't remind me.
Look, it's just gonna be until things calm down, okay?
So whatever happened to that spin class stalker anyways?
The police came, they carted him away,
but you know, unfortunately by then,
some real damage had already been committed.
And was she like committed?
Yeah, briefly. Just a couple of days.
But since then, she's just been getting by
with support from friends and family.
Well, it's a good thing she has a daughter like you then.
James is a really big help too.
Oh, yeah, I like james.
Me too. I don't know.
There was always something different about him.
You know, I couldn't quite put my finger on it,
but at least he's been a positive force in my mom's life.
Hey, maggie.
Kristen!
You demolish any marriages today?
You know, three or four. Usual amount.
What are you doing?
Solving the conflicts in the middle east.
It's a lot harder than I thought.
What does it look like I'm doing?
Playing solitaire.
I guess I just meant, "how's it going?"
what did you say the name of this game was again?
Solitaire.
And how many people usually play it at one time?
Just, just one.
Huh. James said you were smart.
Where is james?
I'm not really sure.
He's doing some errands or something.
What's wrong? You're looking a little frantic.
- No, I'm fine, it's-- - [phone ringing]
what's the matter? You're not gonna answer it?
[ringing]
hello.
Hello.
Hello?
No one there?
No, there's not.
No, no, you don't. No!
Where are you rushing off to?
I saw you!
Mara: Hey, mom, what's wrong?
You hardly even touched your food.
Oh, yeah, don't mind me.
I'm just a little stressed out for some reason tonight.
There's nothing wrong with that.
No, no, of course not.
Are you getting any more of those calls
that we were talking about today?
Are you?
You know, I did.
What calls are they talking about?
I get unknown callers all the time.
I mean, it could be anybody. For all we know,
it could be just a super dedicated telemarketer.
Yeah, I mean, it could be,
except, you know, a major part of telemarketing
is actually talking to the person you're trying to reach.
I don't know. I'm sure it's nothing.
Well, if it's nothing, why did your lovely new bride
race out into the backyard afterwards,
like her pants were on flippin' fire?
Mom, you did?
You did that, babe? Why?
I-- I thought I saw somebody out there.
And?
And I was wrong.
It's okay. It's really okay, mom.
Does all this have something to do
with your breakdown last year?
James told me that you came close to losing your marbles.
I did not-- I did not say that.
Mom, would you please be...
Interested in my daughter-in-law's life?
I thought that's the reason why I came,
was for all of us to get to know each other.
Well, you could be a little nicer.
And I could be from kalamazoo, but I'm not.
- [scoffs] - I am who I am.
One of the great benefits of getting to know each other--
and believe me there aren't many--
is being able to say that
and know for sure that it's 100% true.
Look, I'm sorry.
I didn't come here to be anyone's thorn,
so if you want me to leave, I will.
No, no, maggie, I...
I wouldn't have that.
We're, uh...
We're family now, right?
Do I have the greatest wife or what?
Oh, you know, will you guys excuse me?
- Mom... - No, mara, I'm fine.
I just need to get some fresh air.
- Do you want me to-- - no, no. You guys just relax.
I don't really blame her.
It's a nice night out there.
- Hey. - Hey.
- Maggie, she's, uh... - [scoffs]
she's sick, mara.
We should be pitying her, not judging her.
Well, we're not the one looking down our noses.
Look, mom, I know that I keep asking you this,
but are you okay?
Yeah. Don't worry about me.
That's not an answer.
Okay, well, you know, for you, it is.
I know I'm the reason that you put off your move with michael.
- Mom... - No, mara.
I don't want you putting your life on hold for me.
Well, you know, I don't want you back in that place.
What do you say we go inside, and you show me some yoga moves?
Huh? What do you think?
Kristen: Is it still cool to say, "chill out?"
[laughing]
mara: No, but I can show you how to do that.
Good. Tell me some words.
Oh, hey.
Listen, I wanted to thank you
for making the john handicap-friendly.
Maybe you could, uh, take a hint.
Come again?
Look, you could show a little bit more kindness around here,
okay?
And as far as the bathroom upgrade goes,
you can thank your son for that.
Yeah, but I'm talking to you,
and it seems like you have something to say.
Is it about your mother?
Maggie, my mom has done nothing but show kindness to you,
including giving you a room and board.
And you know, I see her trying to make it work.
She's not tough like you, and you see that, so I'm just...
Honestly ,I'm really not sure
why you have to make it so hard on her.
Well, you call it hard, I call it helpful.
The worst thing you can do is indulge someone's fantasies
when they're not thinking straight.
Fantasies? You think she's enjoying this?
Well, there you go, using the dirty definition.
But when you actually break the word down,
what it really means
is that someone has seen something that's not there,
due to a psychological need.
So what are you saying?
I'm saying it's a good thing she's seeing a head doctor.
[chuckles] just saying.
Look, I'm sorry, okay?
I know how I can come off sometimes,
but maybe if you just try to see the situation through my eyes,
the way you're being protective of your mother
is kind of how I feel about my son.
And I might not be around very much longer.
In fact, it could be sooner than later.
So I, I guess I'm...
I'm just trying to make sure
that she can do what needs to be done before I'm gone.
I get it, I do. It's just...
It's a lot.
Yeah, so is a mother's love.
[yawns]
well, it's time for me to get to bed.
You have a nice night now, okay?
Night.
[creaking]
[gasping]
hey, hey, it's me, it's me.
You-- you had a bad dream.
[panting]
- okay. - You had a bad dream.
Come here, come here.
Oh, god.
I'm so sorry.
- Morning, boss. - Morning.
There you go.
You look exhausted.
Thanks, steve. That was the look I was going for.
Did rebecca palmer confirm for this morning?
She should be here in a few minutes.
Great. Just enough time to get caffeinated.
Let me know when she arrives, will ya?
Sure thing.
Oh, hey, I just spoke with the building manager.
Oh, what'd he say?
Basically he said he follows all the protocols in the book,
but if you still like to make a formal complaint,
you're more than welcome.
No, no, that's okay.
I feel like I'm making a mountain out of molehill,
so let's just put it behind us.
Sounds good to me.
- Hey, steve. - Yeah?
Did my husband drop by here?
Um, not that I know of. Why?
[clears throat] yes?
Rebecca palmer's here.
Ah, thanks.
You okay?
Yeah, yeah. Can you show her in, please?
All right.
It's great to see you. How are you today?
I am getting a big fat divorce. How good can I really be?
All right, well, let me see if I can make that
a little easier for you.
Well, let me start with...
[ringing]
sorry. I should put this on silent.
Yes, you should.
It's been a bit hectic.
My mother-in-law's been staying with us.
[buzzing]
looks like someone really wants to talk to you.
Hmm. Apparently.
[beep]
uh, okay, so were you able to get the property list together?
Yes, I did.
I emailed that to you three days ago.
Right, yes, of course you did.
[ding]
maybe this is a bad time.
No, no, no, no, I'm...
Oh, my god.
What? What is wrong?
I'm sorry, rebecca. Will you excuse me for a minute, please?
[controlled breathing]
by the time I came back into my office,
the client was already gone.
Oh, god, what am I saying?
She's probably an ex-client by now.
I'm sorry that that happened, kristen,
but the second stalker,
don't you think that's unlikely,
based on the odds of that thing happening to someone twice?
Lucky me. You know, two-time loser
with guys who hide in bushes and terrorize women.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Now start from the beginning.
You received some calls from an unknown number,
and no one was talking back to you.
Right, and then there was somebody who was following me
in the parking lot at work and then outside of my house.
And now you received a rose you said
that was left on your office desk this morning?
And a text asking me if I liked it.
Well, can I see that?
Yeah.
- Damn it. - What?
I forgot. I freaked out.
When I saw the message, I deleted it.
That's okay.
Oh, god.
I feel like I'm losing it again.
Easy, easy. Now, last time we sat down,
you said you were under extra pressure at home
from your mother-in-law moving in.
Yeah, yeah, maggie.
I take it that's not going well.
I mean, I get that she's sick, you know,
and so I'm trying to just roll with it,
but she is relentless in her passive,
not-so-passive aggression towards me.
And the timing on it all,
it couldn't be more worse with this new situation.
Do you think I'm going crazy again?
A: You didn't last time, and I don't like that word.
And b: No.
But I think you're pushed pretty close to your limit right now.
Now, how have you been sleeping?
- Not great. - So you're tired.
Your brain is playing little tricks on you.
And those phone calls,
those could be legitimate wrong numbers.
And the text that I can't show you.
And the rose? That could be james trying to surprise you.
You could have a secret admirer out there somewhere,
trying to find a way to reach out.
But nothing wrong with being extra cautious.
These things keep happening, you call me or...
Call the police.
So, dr. Lewis, you...
You think I could have a stalker again?
[gasps]
wow! Look at you out here.
What's next? You gonna clean out the gutters?
Put a fresh coat of paint on the house?
Yeah, I mean, that's me, mr. Suburbia.
[laughing]
actually, I'm glad that you're here.
I wanted to talk to you.
I'm concerned about your mother.
Yeah, me too.
That's actually why I wanted to talk to you.
Oh, good. I mean, to me, it seems like
she's kinda losing it a little, you know, mentally.
Yeah, I see it too.
This is how she acted the last time with her breakdown?
Yeah, I guess.
To be honest, I wasn't paying as close attention to her
as I should have at the time 'cause I wasn't expecting it,
but I am now.
What about this stalker? I mean, do you...
Do you believe she's actually being stalked by some guy?
I think that she believes it.
And you know, it's putting her in a really bad spot mentally.
You have to talk to maggie, james.
She's making it worse.
Yeah, my mom, she...
She really knows how to push people's buttons.
She is who she is.
So she declares.
Look, if you can't control maggie,
I have to convince my mom to kick yours out of the house.
I know, I know it sounds harsh, but--
I... I get it.
Your mom's mental health is more important.
Yeah, good. Great.
I'm glad we're on the same page with that.
One hundred percent.
Come here.
We love you, james.
I don't know if I ever really thanked you
for making my mom so happy.
Okay, well, I'll let you get back to it.
Oh, you missed a spot.
Good eye.
We have a problem?
It's time we go for a ride.
[sighs]
I had a feeling.
♪ [rock]
so you and the girls seem chummier than ever.
And when I see you with the mother,
I swear I can feel the love.
So what's wrong with that?
Look, we gotta stay focused.
That's what I'm telling you.
This place is empty.
Yeah, he's supposed to be meeting us here.
[snaps fingers] hey!
Back here.
Sorry. I had to start drinking.
You know, trailing soccer moms all day,
it's thirsty business.
We didn't come here to drink with you, max.
[laughing]
what are you still doing with that stupid walker?
Because, you idiot...
I can't risk anyone seeing me standing on my pins now, can I?
Yeah, yeah, you told me that before.
I still don't understand why you use that stupid thing.
'cause it makes me a sympathetic character,
even when I'm acting like a raging bitch.
Well, why don't you just kill her with kindness?
'cause we're supposed to be gaslighting her.
It's a delicate act of balance.
See, how it works is,
somebody, me,
puts a target on their heels as much as possible,
while someone else, him...
Yeah, I hold their hand, look 'em in the eye,
and I say,
"everything's gonna be all right, baby."
ooh.
Gets 'em spinning real good.
And then someone else comes along, me, and...
[imitates bomb dropping]
pushes them over the edge.
Looks like someone's really enjoying themselves.
That's funny because I was about to say the same thing about you.
Ah, guilty as charged.
Okay, okay, so I get it.
Good con, bad con, I get that whole thing.
Why this lady?
I came across this blog she wrote
about her nervous breakdown last year.
Some lovestruck fool breaks into her house
and drives her crazy.
So I hire this guy to help me double down on it.
Yeah. Once we have her committed,
I'll be in complete control of her finances.
Won't take long. We'll have it transferred
to an offshore account in the caribbean.
And what about the lady's daughter?
That's why we're here.
The little brat is getting real protective.
She'll get rid of us soon if we don't get this done.
And chances are she'll be successful,
so we gotta do this thing tonight.
Right, son?
Right, ma.
Mom, yoga's supposed to relax you,
not stress you out more.
You and michael are supposed to be leaving for l.A. Next week.
The move has been pushed back a few months, that's all.
No, you mean your life is being delayed because of me.
No, because there's been a lot of changes around here lately.
Sweetheart, I'm gonna be fine.
I mean, I know maggie can be tough,
but I've got james to help me handle her.
And he really does love me.
I know.
He would never do anything to hurt me.
Yeah.
Come on, let's take a break. I'm dying.
Okay.
Your job's done here, max.
It's time for you to get outta dodge.
Looks a little light.
I told you the deal when I hired you.
You get the rest when we all get ours.
Fine, then I want to be there tonight when it all goes down
'cause otherwise this whole thing has felt like a tease.
Nah, that's a bad idea.
See, first, you don't know the layout of the house.
And second, you are a little too stimulated by this whole thing.
And I haven't been pushing that flippin' walker
for my health either.
I need to push this snowflake over the edge tonight,
and she cannot know that I am physically capable of it.
So you can't be anywhere near the house.
In fact, I don't even want you in the same state.
Okay.
Then I'm gonna need some more money.
Upfront. Not this when and if thing.
I'm talking about right now.
Ohh...
You gotta be flippin' kidding me.
It's like my drunk daddy used to say:
"a little leverage is better than any beverage."
huh? What do you say?
Should we go to an atm or what?
'cause you don't want to go back to prison, I know that.
And you do not want me telling people what I know.
Okay, max, you win.
Finish your drink,
and we'll go get you your money.
[pats counter]
dynamite.
Dynamite.
[chuckles]
so you two, you two ain't angry at me, right?
Of course not, max.
Good, 'cause you'd do the same you were me, right?
Of course I would.
'cause we're all just terrible people, right?
When we have to be.
[laughing]
[kissing, laughing]
hey, you lovebirds...
I'm turning in.
Okay, mom.
Uh, good night.
Sleep tight.
Hey, honey,
thank you for everything.
I mean it.
Uh, thank you, maggie. That means a lot to me.
I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted.
Ah, me too.
Yeah. Well, see you in the morning, okay?
I'll be out before my head hits the pillow.
Night, maggie.
[door closes]
[water running]
[brushing teeth]
[water running]
- yeah, mom's all sound asleep. - Hmm.
I can't believe your mom was actually nice to me tonight.
I told you.
She really likes you.
Hmm.
Yeah, you know, I'm gonna make more of an effort with her.
That's incredible,
considering that she hasn't even met you halfway.
I swear I'm gonna make her love me even if it kills me.
[chuckles]
good night, baby.
Sweet dreams.
Yeah.
Sweet dreams.
- [thump] - [gasps]
james.
James, hey, wake up.
Honey, I think there's someone in the house.
Hey.
[door opens]
[owl hooting]
oh, my god. Please. Please answer, please.
911. What's your emergency?
My name is kristen walker. I'm at 618 whitfield avenue.
I think somebody broke into my house.
- Ma'am, are you alone? - No, no.
My daughter's here, my husband, and my mother in-law.
Get everyone together. I'm sending a car right away.
Okay, okay.
Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
James! James, wake up!
James, please come down here!
Help! Somebody help me! Please!
Please, somebody help! There's somebody down here!
Help!
Help! Somebody help me!
Can you come? Help! Help me!
- Please! Please! - Kristen!
- Help me!
There's somebody down here!
It's me, it's me! Baby, it's me!
- No, no, no, no, no! - No, no, it's me.
There's nobody in the house. There's nobody. It's just me.
Look at me, look at me, look at me.
It's just me. It's just me.
It's okay, it's okay.
Nobody's in the house.
Shh.
No, no, no!
[crying continues]
[phone ringing]
hi, denise. I was gonna call you.
How's kristen walker doing?
I'm looking at her right now.
She's actually very calm. I really like her.
Yeah, me too.
Thanks for squeezing her in.
I'd hate for her to have to spend another stay
in a mental hospital,
even for a few days.
- It was a close call. - I know.
She needs a lot of help, denise.
I know.
Well, she's gonna be evaluated again next week by the state,
but I'm feeling pretty confident we should get her home
by the end of the month.
From your mouth to god's ears.
Actually, from your mouth.
You're the one that talks them through these things.
I just give them a place to stay.
- And bless you for that. - [knocking]
oh, um, cheryl, I gotta go.
I'll check with you later.
Hi.
Damn it!
- Will you calm down? - Calm down?
Where did this halfway house for crazies come from?
They were supposed to to commit her.
Yeah, and you are the one that said they would do that.
Oh, damn it. All right.
I say we find a way to take her out while she's there.
You're the husband. You should get the money.
We are crooks. We're not murderers.
And sometimes we do both.
Or did I just dream about what happened at that bar,
mr. Stabby?
That was necessary.
This is not.
Denise: I'm sorry I have to ask,
but this second stalker,
you think this is like a real thing?
I don't know, but they can't find any evidence
of someone breaking in or leaving the house,
so all I know is that my mom was doing a lot better
before maggie got here.
The timing of all this could be coincidental, but...
Well, do you have any pictures of james and his mother?
Actually, yeah, I do.
Text it to me, will you?
Yeah.
Maggie: You know, you got me confused again.
One more time.
Did you come into this woman's life to love her
or to rob her?
Don't worry about me. I'm a pro, okay?
But we do not need to hurt these people.
Let's say that I agree with you.
There are too many other people in that support house.
We don't even know the floor plan.
All right, fine.
But if I see you siding with them instead of us,
all bets are off.
All right, big shot,
so what in the hell do we do now?
We wait till she comes back here,
and we turn up the gas.
Damn it! You gotta be kidding me.
And what do we do with mara in the meantime?
I don't know. Maybe it's time that we try
max's killing with kindness routine.
Fine, as long as she's not on to us.
Question is, what are you prepared to do if she is?
[knocking]
yes?
It's me.
Come in.
Do you see what I did? I called first,
so I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
I'll keep that in mind.
But what if I need you for some of your old tricks?
Oh, a real dog doesn't forget the old stuff. What do you got?
If I text you some pictures,
you think you can find out about a couple of people?
I mean, I'll owe you one.
And considering what you owe me...
Well, I don't mind you owing me one.
Those are some of my favorite nights, denise.
Don't start.
All right. Text me the pics. I'll get right on 'em.
"maybe dangerous or even life-threatening.
Family history may increase likelihood.
In some cases, a combination of medications can work better.
Anyone with this disease will need lifelong insulin therapy."
you need something?
No. No, sorry, um... My toilet's clogged,
so I just figured I would use the one in here.
Do you mind?
Mind? It's your house, girlie.
You can tinkle anywhere you like.
Tinkle? That's funny.
I'll catch you later, maggie.
Michael: You sure don't want me to come?
I know how hard this must be on you.
It's a cakewalk compared to what she's going through.
Thank you for driving me. I'm just a little shaky.
Anybody would be. James didn't want to come?
I didn't tell him I was coming.
I just-- I want to talk to her about last night, alone.
I know that you like james.
Hey, mar, I barely know the guy.
And quite honestly,
nothing's been the same ever since his mom moved in.
- Yeah. Speaking of mothers... - Good luck in there.
- You must be mara. - Cheryl.
- Come on in. - How's she doing?
She's a little out of it because of the medication,
but better overall than you're probably thinking.
Okay. Has she talked about what happened?
No, but she hasn't said much of anything since she got here.
Something tells me she'll be really happy to see you.
Kristen, you have a visitor.
- Hi, sweetheart. - Hi, mom.
Cheryl: I'll let you two catch up.
I'll be in the kitchen if you need me for anything.
- Thanks, cheryl. - Mm-hmm.
Honey, I'm okay, okay? I'm fine.
Really, I just-- I had a bad night.
- I'm so sorry. - No.
I can't believe I slept through it again.
I let you down again.
No, no, you didn't.
And I am not sorry, okay?
I don't like when you see me like that.
Can you tell me what happened?
Yeah.
I woke up because I thought I heard something,
but then I listened, and there was nothing there,
so I...
I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't,
and so I figured I would just go online,
and I realized that my phone was in the kitchen,
so I went downstairs,
and I saw that the door was open,
so I-I called 911,
and then I-I went into the entryway,
and he darted past me.
So you actually saw someone?
I think so. I...
I mean, there was this shadow, at least.
Mara, I swear to you.
Trust me, there was somebody in there with me.
I believe you.
You know, is there any way that the person you saw
could have been james or maggie?
No. James was asleep,
and maggie can't even get around.
She couldn't have done that.
So either I do have a new guy following me,
which like there's no evidence of,
except my word.
Or, you know, I'm, um...
I'm losing my mind.
No, mom, you're not, okay?
We're gonna figure this out together.
I promise you, we will figure this out.
Mara, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.
Mom, don't be sorry. Please.
We're gonna figure it out, okay? Promise.
- I love you. - I love you.
Hey, you okay, mar?
Yeah. It's just really hard to see her like that.
Come on, let's get out of here.
Okay.
[engine starts]
james: Come on. A little faster, please?
James: I'm gonna be collecting my pension
by the time we get there.
Next time, I'm the invalid.
Mm-hmm, yeah, all right by me.
[engine starts]
[car drives off]
♪ [jazz]
mara: So what happened?
Well, I mean...
She had a breakdown. You know, a mental one.
Mm-hmm.
- While you were... - I was sleeping.
I mean, I was sleeping at first, until she started screaming.
She was screaming so loud.
I rushed down as fast as I could,
but she'd already called the police by that point,
and she was totally hysterical.
There was nothing I could do.
And you? You just, you slept through the whole thing?
Uh, well, same as you, dear.
I always sleep like a log.
I don't. Ever.
But I guess the insulin helps you sleep
because you take it every day, right?
That's right.
I've just never seen you take it.
Oh, well, you think I poke myself in the living room
between commercial breaks on the tv?
No. [laughs]
I do it in my room, alone.
I went to see her today.
I know.
How do you know?
Well, 'cause I called the recovery house.
I spoke to this very nice woman.
Cheryl was her name. Yeah, she seemed very kind.
Yeah, she is.
I thought today might be too soon to go see her,
so I called over there to ask cheryl
when I could spend a couple hours with my wife.
She suggested that I come by tomorrow morning.
Oh, you're such a sweet boy.
A sweet boy who lets his mother run all over his newlywed wife.
Mara, I did not do that.
Yeah, you did.
That's not very nice.
And you have the nerve to call it some sort of tragic play?
You're the one who's helping her write the damn thing.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Hmm. Really?
Pushing her a little here, pushing her a little there,
making her uncomfortable in her own home?
Look, mara, I understand that you're upset.
We all are upset.
Oh, really?
'cause you guys don't seem upset at all.
Flippin' kids these days, I swear!
Hey, what happened to having some respect for your elders?
You say "respect" like you have one ounce of it.
You know, this is a joke.
I'm gonna stay with michael
until we figure out what it is that we need to do.
Don't you want anything to eat?
Lost my flippin' appetite.
So how do you think this is going?
Hey, ross, getting back to you on that photo.
Names you gave me don't match the ones I found.
It gets worse. Both have been arrested in the past separately
for running cons down south.
Give me a call back. I'll tell you what I know.
[beeping]
[line ringing]
this is denise lewis.
- I can't take your call now. - Damn it.
Leave me a message,
and I'll get back to you just as soon as I can.
If it's an emergency, call 911. [beep]
denise, here's your emergency.
My deep-dive guy got back to me.
Those people, maggie and james,
they're not who they say they are.
They could be dangerous.
Call me when you get this.
Maggie: Two questions.
What are you doing in our house?
And what exactly do you mean by "dangerous?"
I know what you and your son are doing here, lady.
Are you sure about that? Maybe you should ask him.
[crack]
[thud]
so what is this now?
This? This is your plan going from bad to worse!
I mean he said we're not who we say we are, dummy.
I mean, who's he talking to?
Kristen's shrink.
Oh, damn it all.
- Is he-- - yeah.
I had to. I had no choice.
Well, what the hell are we gonna do now?
I don't know, maggie. This is your plan.
I know that!
All right, what we need to do is--
okay, just shut up! Shut up!
Okay, we pack our stuff, and we...
We get as much distance between us and here by dawn.
- Okay? - Agreed.
We're just lucky that little bitch isn't around right now.
Get home safe, phillip. I'll see you next week.
Sure thing.
[sighs]
ross: Denise? Here's your emergency.
My deep-dive guy got back to me.
Those people, maggie and james,
they're not who they say they are.
They could be dangerous.
Oh, my god.
[phone ringing]
denise, hi. You're on speaker.
How's kristen?
She's good, keeping mostly to herself,
but peaceful enough, considering the last couple of days.
Just listen to me. I got a message from my ex.
This patient of mine and her daughter,
they're in real trouble with these people.
What did he say?
Well, I don't know the details, but...
He's a private investigator
who was looking into the husband and the mother,
and he said they're not who they say they are.
Wait, what? Oh, my god.
I just want to get my mom's jewelry box and get out of here.
Yes, that will be fine.
[whispering] are they both home?
Yeah, I think so.
All right, so let's go up there,
grab her jewelry box and get the hell out of here.
No. I'll grab it really quick, you just stay here,
and then we'll go together.
- Okay, well, you should hurry. - Oh, you think so?
I was gonna make a quick sandwich first.
This is you worrying?
- [muffled screaming] - shh! Go to sleep, kid.
Go to sleep.
Where the hell are you? We gotta hit the road!
[gasps] you can walk.
It's a miracle.
It was you. You and james the entire time,
messing with my mom, making her crazy.
First of all, girlie, that's not our names.
And second, it didn't really take that much effort.
Only problem was we didn't go far enough.
But those days are over.
What do you mean?
Why did you have to come back tonight?
Get away from her!
It's too late for that.
No, it's not!
We're gonna tie her up, and we're gonna get in the car,
and you and I will be drinking margaritas on the beach
in mexico before anybody knows about this.
Who put you in charge?
I have made myself clear from the start, jackie!
I do not want either one of them hurt.
And I've made myself clear! I'm not going back to prison!
Oh, now look what you did!
- I'll get her. - You idiot!
Mara?
Mara!
Come on. I'm trying to help you.
Michael! Michael!
Michael! Michael! Michael!
Michael, wake up, wake up. We gotta go.
- What? - Wake up, wake up.
Looks like your boo got himself a boo-boo.
Stand up, girlie.
Real slow.
You know, it's a shame.
There's something about your spirit I kinda like,
even if you were a pain in my ass
at every flippin' turn.
- Mara! - Mom!
Get away from her!
Ah, finally something goes right on this job.
Enough! [groans]
you flippin' fool! Why did you do that?
[distant sirens]
screw this family!
[sirens approaching]
mom, what are you doing here?
Oh, god! I heard you were in trouble.
- Are you okay? - I'm okay, I'm okay.
What the hell happened here?
It was-- it was maggie.
Mom, that's not her name.
It's jackie.
Well, where's jackie now?
She left the house.
Come here.
I'm so glad you two are here.
We are, too, believe me.
Yeah. We kinda need to get out of the house these days anyways.
Mara's putting her plans on hold a little while longer,
but this time I'm not complaining.
Neither is my boyfriend.
He's being a saint about all of this.
Oh, I hear that.
Denise, I'm so sorry about your ex's passing.
You mean his murder.
Oh, imagine how sorry you'd feel
if you were the reason that he's dead.
Come on, don't say that.
I'm not. It's true, whether I say it out loud or not.
Have the police been able to tell you anything else?
Well, um, james's real name is paul northcutt.
I know this sounds crazy, but he was...
Conning you out of every dime you had, mom.
Okay, yes, mara, he was, but he also saved my life.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, he couldn't have been all that bad.
And, um, maggie?
- You mean jackie turner? - Yes.
According to ross' guy, she's been arrested a few times,
mostly for short-term cons with james and some with others.
But she's a lot more dangerous than her rap sheet hinted at.
And we have no idea where she is now.
I'm sure she's still out there,
just running the same game on another unsuspecting family.
She can't hide forever.
- Would you look at this place? - It's enormous.
You're looking a little nervous. Are you all right?
Maybe I am. A little.
I need this to go right.
Don't worry, honey. Mama's here.
I'm gonna make sure that man in there is yours.
All yours. And soon.
Okay.
[doorbell rings]
- hi, I'm stephanie. - I'm bridget.
- Yes, landon's mentioned you. - He's mentioned you as well.
This is my mother, christine.
- Hi. - Hello.
Please, come on in.
And I'm gonna go get landon for you.
Make yourselves at home.
Don't have to tell us twice.