The Stepfather Page #2

Those two are mine. But you're

welcome to use the others.

What's all this for?

Well, l'm a bit of

a wannabe carpenter.

l built these

storage cabinets myself.

And l'm working up in the attic

right now on some termite damage.

l think we need

a real toast.

Just the guys.

This is where

l keep the good stuff.

There we go.

Now, don't let your mom know

l've got a tequila stash.

l've worked my ass off trying

to convince her l'm perfect.

l know this must

be a bit of a shock,

your mom and me

getting married and all,

but l want you

to know, l want us

to be a real family.

Because without it,

we have nothing?

Oh.

Okay. Touch.

So l get a little corny

sometimes, but l meant what l said.

You just let me

handle your mother,

and l'm gonna make sure you stay

right here, where you belong.

No more military school.

We're gonna put this family

back together, you and me,

father and son.

Stepfather.

Stepfather

and son.

That's smooth, isn't it?

So your mother tells me

you're one hell of a swimmer.

Yeah, l do okay.

You know, l used to swim in

competition. In college, at U of O.

Your senior year is

gonna be very important.

You could maybe get a

college scholarship swimming.

You should be

training this summer.

lt's kind of hard to

train in a backyard pool.

Maybe. But l hear your old

school has a summer swim program.

lt does, but l can't

use that pool anymore.

That's the past.

Here is to the future.

Remember, l have to go see

my grandparents tomorrow.

Yeah, that's right. But l'll be

back the day after. l'm sorry.

No, that's all right. l

mean, it's the day l get back,

but that's fine.

l'll call someone else.

Shut up. l'm sorry.

Listen, l want to

get my license.

So, can you take me

by the DMV?

Maybe.

l'll think about it.

Why not?

l kind of like having you

dependent on me, actually.

All right, get in the car.

Good night.

Good night, Leah.

Bye.

Glad you're home, Michael.

Thanks, Aunt Jackie. l'm so glad

to be home. Thank you for coming.

Do you think

David meant what he said

about getting your

mom to let you stay?

He said he was gonna make

it happen, so we'll see.

Sweet. Bye.

A lot for one day, huh?

No, no, it was...

It was nice. Thanks.

l'm trying too hard.

You can say it.

Look, Michael, l know it's difficult to

come home to another man in the house.

l just need you to

try and get along, okay?

Mom, can we just hold

the lectures, please?

l've been home

for two seconds.

Okay.

He's a really good guy.

And he cares about me and we're

trying to start a new life together.

And you don't want

me to mess that up.

Well, that's not fair.

No, no, no, l get it. l'll try not to

inconvenience you and your new life.

Michael.

l'm sorry. l, um...

l'm pretty tired, Mom.

Okay. Okay.

Good night.

Maybe he should

stay there his senior year.

But his place is

here with his family.

Yeah, but you don't

know what he was like.

The kids he was hanging

out with, the lying.

His temper was

out of control.

Believe me, l want him here

more than anything in the world.

l just hope he's ready.

You're right.

Are you ready?

Well, it depends.

Are you ready for it?

# The same sick place

that we keep falling on

# The safest place

is here in my head

# It's where l get lost #

Wow, that smells good.

Hey.

How was work? Work was

great. These are for you.

Thank you.

Michael.

What's this? Your locker

key to the boys' gym

at your old high school.

The swim team starts

training first week in July.

Wait, how did you

swing this?

l had a little chat with Mrs.

Rivers, the athletic director,

a very open-minded woman.

David, that was so sweet.

Yeah, that's incredible.

lt's just a probationary

period for now.

There's no guarantee they'll

let you back in the fall.

But we'll work on that later.

lt means a lot.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

So, what are we

having here?

Okay, l just think it's so cool that he

actually did what he said he was gonna do.

l know. l know.

See, l told you everything

was gonna work out.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

Hey, we still going

to the DMV tomorrow?

Um. Yeah.

l'll be by around 10:00.

Yeah, that sounds good.

All right.

Good night.

Night.

# l'm happy to say

# It's really not

too bad a day out... #

Hey, Sean,

turn that down, please!

Yes!

Sean, turn that down now!

l mean it!

Your mother said

to turn it down!

# Do you know why? #

Do you think it's a good idea

they're so passionate at their age?

They've known each other

since grade school.

She's a good influence

on Michael.

You should stop being

so old-fashioned.

l think it's so lucky

that your mom met David.

Why is that?

He is gonna be your ticket

to staying here with me.

Maybe l don't want

to stay here with you.

Maybe you want to go back to

an all-boys military school.

Maybe.

Mmm-hmm.

But l like

Iooking at you.

That's why we

make a good couple.

Because l like

you looking at me.

You okay, Sean?

Um...

Yeah, l'm okay.

You sure, buddy?

This is great.

l've missed family

dinners like this.

You've missed them? Does that

mean you were married before?

David lost his wife and

daughter in an accident.

Yeah,

a drunk driver.

Oh.

l had no idea. l'm

sorry, David. l'm sorry.

l guess that's why family is

so important to me, Michael.

Well

family is imp!ortant.

We haven't always had such

great experiences as a family.

Hey, it wasn't all

Dad's fault.

No, l didn't say it was.

But, you know,

our family wasn't that bad.

l saw on TV this woman who drove off a

bridge with her three kids in the back seat.

That is so not dinner-table

conversation, young lady.

They all drowned. That kind

of thing really gets to me,

that someone could do

that to her own children.

lt makes you wonder,

though, what it takes

to make someone do

something so sick.

Okay. Can we change the

conversation? Yeah, l'm sorry.

Dad!

Maybe they disappointed her.

Dad!

Hey, how are you? Let me

take this. l'm good. Thanks.

Hey, sweetie.

Hi, Dad.

Aren't you gonna

say hello to him?

No.

Shotgun!

What?

There's no way

you're getting shotgun.

Hey. Hey, work it out,

guys. Work it out.

Hey.

Back on Sunday.

They're going to camp.

We have a million

things to do.

l know they're

going to camp.

l'm only in town

a couple days.

l'm taking the kids

to a Blazers game.

They can spend the night with me at

the hotel. l'll have them back tomorrow.

Where's the co-ed girlfriend?

That's over.

Actually, she was

working for a Ph.D.

She wasn't that much

younger than you were.

She just took a little better

care of herself, that's all.

ls Michael home?

He doesn't want to see you.

Those his words or yours?

His.

''Your check is

Iate'' are mine.

Just make sure you don't spend any of

the money on my replacement in there.

lt's not necessary to replace

you, Jay. You're not missed.

Good to see you,

too, Susan.

You guys ready?

Everything okay?

He's just always

such an ass.

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