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So, if you're stopped while you're driving,

and let's face it, you do drive fast,

just give this to the officer.

You won't get a ticket.

Family.

I guess that makes it official, huh?

Official, baby.

Hey, how you doing?

Can't complain!

I have a certificate

in computer diagnostics.

And I can do engine work, and electrical.

You're, like, four feet tall.

How long's your fastest tire rotation?

Eight minutes. My guys are good.

Well, I can beat that.

Derrick's our rotation champ.

You can't beat him.

Do you wanna bet?

This is a waste of time.

Go.

That tire weighs as

much as you, sweetheart.

Are you sure you can handle it?

Done!

Wait, what?

No way!

Mm-hmm.

Seven minutes, 12 seconds.

That's gotta be a record.

So I got the job?

So she can change tires. So what?

We need a real mechanic in here, Jake.

Yeah, I can do my job. Thanks.

See you tomorrow morning at 8:00 A.M.

Better be good.

Congratulations on the job.

Thanks.

And I'm gonna make a contribution

to the mortgage every month.

You don't have to do that.

Yeah, I do.

I kind of like the idea of

you as a kept woman. It's sexy.

Kind of makes you feel

like you're in charge, huh?

No. I know I'm not in

charge of you, sweetie.

It's impossible.

That doesn't stop you from trying.

Oh, God.

What's the matter?

I think I pulled a muscle.

Yeah? How long have you had that?

A couple weeks.

- A couple weeks?

- Yeah.

Will you get it checked out?

Yeah.

- This week?

- Sure.

- Tomorrow?

- I will!

Don't look so worried. I

pulled a muscle on the job.

I'm a cop. That's what happens.

I know. You're a superhero.

Mmm...

Laurel, you wanna come in?

Hey.

Hey.

Can I, uh...

can I help you?

Yeah.

I dropped by to see Laurel. Laurel Hester.

This is her house?

Is she here?

Yeah.

Is that... is that a rhody?

That's what the fellow

at the nursery told me.

You doing the landscaping?

- Hey.

- Hey!

I, uh...

dropped by to give you

a housewarming present.

I figured it was kind of overdue.

Hey, thanks.

Did you meet Stacie?

Yeah.

He thinks I'm the... he

thinks I'm the gardener.

No.

Stacie's my roommate.

Oh, great.

Yeah. It's great.

Well, I didn't mean to... I...

Just wanted to wish you good

luck with the house, and...

- Thanks.

- I'll... I'll see you Monday.

- I'll see you Monday.

- Thanks for stopping by.

Nice to meet you.

Yeah.

Yeah, roommates don't

sleep in the same bed.

He's my partner.

No. I'm your partner.

That is the person you work with.

And he's got a total crush on you.

No, he doesn't.

Yes, he does.

Hey! Wait a minute!

Yeah, sorry. It's a bad cop habit.

Showing up unannounced.

Stacie's not my roommate.

She's my girlfriend.

Why the hell didn't you tell me?

Never came up.

Never saw any reason to talk about it.

Hmm...

Remember when I found out I had a daughter?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

You know that wasn't my proudest moment.

But I told you about it. You know why?

Because you count on me. Right?

- Yeah.

- When things are happening

and we get into a situation,

people are reaching for their guns,

you need to know what's going on with me.

Am I up? Am I down? Am I distracted?

In love. Whatever.

Your life depends on it.

And all these years

you've been holding back

this part of yourself because what?

Because you didn't trust me enough

- to say anything?

- Oh, come on. Come on!

- Thanks a lot!

- I could have been out at work

and gotten anywhere beyond the

back office, filing reports?

You don't get it. You know?

You're straight. You're white.

- You're male. This is not...

- Don't give me that bullshit.

No. No. It is not bullshit.

Things are handed to

you I have to fight for.

- That's the way it is.

- Oh, boo-hoo.

So you're the oppressed

minority now? Is that it?

Yeah.

Well, are the other cops'

wives gonna be there?

Yeah. Probably.

We, you know, all have to

go. It's the chief's birthday.

Well, that kind of sucks, doesn't it?

Yeah. It does.

It does suck, but that's how it is, right?

You know that.

Look, I don't have to go.

I could stay home.

You want me to stay home, babe?

No.

I mean you want to make lieutenant, right?

First woman in Ocean County.

That's the plan.

- Go.

- Okay.

This is Laurel Hester.

Please leave a message.

Laurel, it's Dr. Tonner.

Please call me back as soon

as you get this message.

Hello? It's Laurel Hester.

He wants her in for an MRI.

Um, hey, I'm waiting for

Laurel. It's been hours.

You're waiting for Laurel Hester?

Right.

You're her sister?

Um, partner.

Oh.

I was expecting a family member.

She's my partner. Or my wife, or whatever.

And I know that something's wrong.

Okay. Please calm down. I... I'm sorry.

The results of the bronchoscopy

are very concerning.

Laurel has three masses in her right lung.

Masses?

You mean cancer?

It's not definitive until we get

the results back from the lab.

But, yes. It's probably late-stage cancer.

Now, we do have treatment options.

Where are you going?

They told you everything?

Yeah.

But we're... we're gonna fight this.

We're gonna get the best treatment.

And I'm gonna take off work,

and help you.

And my mom can come stay with us.

Right. But I... I think that...

- we need...

- It'll be okay.

I can't pull up.

Christ.

Did the doctor tell you

about the survival rate?

Yeah.

Yeah, but...

You know, we're gonna beat this.

We're gonna beat this.

We will.

How're you doing?

Uh...

I'm okay.

You know?

I start my treatment next week, so...

Um...

I'm sorry.

Nah, it's okay.

You've seen me in plenty

of compromised situations,

drunk off my ass.

Listen, I know it's a clich,

but if there's anything I can do...

Yeah. You know, if...

If something happens, um,

I want my pension to go to Stacie,

'cause it's the only way

she can afford to keep our house.

But that's for married people, right?

Thanks for the support.

- Laurel...

- It's all right, man.

Sweetie? Sweetie?

I don't want you to see this.

All right, here.

Pass that around.

All right, so this is from

Detective Laurel Hester,

who's currently on medical leave of absence

because, unfortunately,

she has stage-four cancer.

And she's asking that in

the event of her death,

her pension benefits be

assigned to her partner,

a Stacie Andree.

Stacie Andree is a woman, correct?

Correct.

I'm just trying to wrap my mind around

her being a lesbian.

Why?

Well, she's so not like a lesbian.

The contract we negotiated

with the police union

doesn't give Detective Hester the rights

to assign her benefits to her roommate.

End of story.

All right, so motion to deny

Detective Hester's request?

Well, actually,

the Domestic Partnership Act,

passed by the state legislature,

extends benefits to same sex partners

of state employees.

Hester is a county employee.

But the law says we can assign benefits

to county employees.

Bryan.

Right. And bankrupt the county.

Oh, come on.

Come on. What? People can make

anybody their partners and get benefits.

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