As Cool as I Am Page #6

and then cut off.

She was forced to roll in hot coals.

But throughout it all,

she refused to give up her virginity.

So, I should wanna be

tortured and mutilated

rather than have sex with

a guy I really like?

Is that the moral to the story?

This is not the person I want

you to be, Lucy.

Who do you want me to be?

You want me to be like mom who,

as it happens, you got pregnant

when you were both exactly my age.

Your mother and I gave up everything.

We got married to have you.

What? How about if I'm a self-centered,

immature controlling high school

drop-out who uses every

excuse not to be with my family?

Is that the person you want me to be?

You're such an awesome

role model, dad.

No one needs you showing up every

three months to provide

your moral guidance.

I got it! I got it.

We could get a restraining order.

Why? He'll just come back in

a few months and everything

will be the same.

I don't want that!

Are you and

dad over, then?

We were over a

long, long time ago.

I wish my parents were still alive.

Do you miss them?

Yeah, but I miss them more for you.

- I wish you had them.

- Grandparents would've been kind of cool.

I came from a good family, you know?

And any mess I've made of my life,

I have no one to blame but myself.

There's no one I want to talk to...

Except Kenny and you.

- Hello.

- Lainee, is that you?

- Ron?

- It's me.

- Oh, my God!

- I know, right...

- I just thought that I...

- Ron!

- Where are you?

- Well, actually I'm...

You know it's been years

and years and years.

Well, you... you friended

me on Facebook...

- Well, no, I know I did.

- So I tried to get your number...

This is not the person I want

you to be.

Mom?

Did dad ever try to find his parents?

What?

I thought maybe that's why

he was gone all the time.

- Hey, you know what I was thinking?

- No, almost never.

We get a way for awhile.

We take a little road trip.

Ron was saying that his parents

own a restaurant in Fairview.

Ron?

As in your high school boyfriend, Ron?

Well, we could have dinner with Ron.

And then just you and me,

we could stay for a few days.

- Why would we do that?

- Because we never do anything!

We deserve something fun. And 'cause,

it's got... you know all that

nature and beauty stuff goin' on.

- I guess...

- Okay, great!

Well, go pack! 'Cause, if we're gonna go,

we should hit the road.

Ron parents own the

"Two Sister's Cafe"?

- You've heard of it?

- You haven't heard of it?

Ron's been helping them out

past couple weeks.

He's supposed to leave

this morning but

he said he'd wait for

us if we came up.

You done?

Hi, Lainee.

- This is Lucy.

- Oh... hi!

...and Dad made "Top Ten Chefs in the Southwest."

Oh, okay...

...I'm glad they're sealed...

- I hear you cook?

- Yeah.

...we just got this brand

new puppy right here...

Would you stop staring?

- I like him.

- Yeah, me too.

- He's kind of like your Kenny.

- Yeah, maybe.

Ron owns a restaurant on the beach.

It's like a really high-end place.

- What beach?

- Puerto Vallarta.

The Puerto Vallarta that's in Mexico?

- He'd like us to come down there.

- Like a vacation?

Ron really, really likes you, Lucy.

You could work

at a professional kitchen.

We could learn to speak Spanish.

It's the kind of vacation

where I get a job?

He needs to leave tonight. It would

take a couple of days

to get down there but we could all get

to know each other better in the car.

You realize that's insane, right?

I think that's probably

part of the appeal.

Remember when you told me

that you and dad were done?

Oh actually no, wait.

That's was today!

No... no! This is not

about me and your dad.

No? So what is it about?

Because it is not about me working

in a professional kitchen.

- It'll be fun!

- Mom, stop! We're not doing this.

You're not the one who decides.

I'm the mom and you're the kid.

Based on what?

Your great sense of

responsibility or

your amazing problem-solving skills?

You want us to move

to Puerto Vallarta with

some stranger from, for all you know...

No! He's not a stranger!

Lucy, please!

I have to know, I have to do this!

Have to know what?

How awesome your life

would've been if I hadn't have been born?

God, no! No, Lucy, you're the only

thing that's turned out right.

You're... everything!

I just... I just can't do it anymore.

Can't do what? Be my mom?

I just...

...feel like I'm... like I'm dying.

I...

I need something.

I need... something else.

I need to... belong.

I need to find something.

Okay, mom.

If you need to go... go.

- I can't go without you.

- I'm 16. I'm not pregnant.

I'm not getting married.

Who can take better

care of me than me?

No, Lucy, I...

You're gonna make me run

away to Mexico

with you and your

high school boyfriend? No!

You go.

I... I can maybe go for... for two weeks.

Okay.

- I'll give you the ATM card.

- Okay.

- Okay, two weeks.

- Okay.

Jean-Paul Sartre said we experience

a sense of being abandoned

when we realize there is no God.

- Or in this case parents to guide us.

- I love you.

But it forces us to

take absolute responsibility

for our actions and choices.

I think I'm responsible.

You're the most responsible

person that I know.

Well, you don't know that many people.

Still, I know of lots of people.

- Did you hear me before?

- I did.

Thanks for having my back.

Always have.

Always will.

Please don't hate me for this.

I'll call you every day.

My dad'll be back in an hour or so...

- so I'm sure he'd love to meet you.

- Yeah, I'll be back when he gets here.

Hi, I'm Lucy Diamond.

My name's Gerald.

My mom's the one who ran

away to Mexico with your son.

Yeah, that kind of circled

back around, didn't it?

- Are you hungry?

- What are we serving?

Eggs in hell. Oh, no offense,

it's just 'cause of the sauce.

None taken.

Actually saw this place

on the Food Network.

- Really?

- Yeah.

Well, we do okay for a little cafe

stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

Nicely done. The jalapeo doesn't

overpower the other flavors.

This is like a... plate of

home-cooked Americana.

Cool.

You know, if you like this,

I make a mean risotto.

- Oh, I love risotto.

- Yeah.

It's comfort food.

Here's how I think my

bigger life will look.

My parents split up.

I graduate from the

Culinary Institute.

Kenny gets a PhD in something

brainy and world-changing.

Later I publish

a best-selling cookbook

based on the recipes

from my restaurant.

Mario Batali writes the introduction.

Hey, if memory is malleable,

then the future is too! Right?

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