Play Date

7 Day One.

Hal's connection delivers a free ride for Missy at the tony school where all Paige and Riley's colleagues, including Jerry, send their kids. Paige and Riley escort Missy into the school.

"First day at a new school. Are you nervous?" Paige asks Missy.

"You get used to it."

"I'm sure you'll make a lot of friends," Riley says.

"If I'm here long enough." Man, she's hardened at such a young age. They reach her classroom.

"You've got your phone," Paige says. "Did we forget anything?"

"No, ma'am." That irks Paige to no end.

"How about you call me Paige?"

"Yes, ma'am." Missy will not cave that easy. Paige will need to earn it.

"All right, kid," Riley says. "We'll be out front at exactly three o'clock." Paige and Riley say goodbye and cross the parking lot to their car.

"Well—I'm nervous. You?" Paige asks.

"Yeah," Riley says. "Schools give me the creeps."

"I'm talking about Missy."

"Aw, do I detect a pang of motherly love for our little girl?"

"It occurs to me that we didn't consider what liabilities we may have opened ourselves up to."

"You worry way too much. She will not hurt herself."

Three o'clock in the principal's office. Missy, a small cut to her face, clothes a mess, sits between a very concerned Paige and Riley, facing Principal Laine. His daughter's acting headshot dominates his desk.

"Fortunately," Principal Laine says, "Carolyn's parents are not pressing charges, nor are they seeking any restitution."

"Sir, I'm at a loss here," Paige says.

"Buckler's zero-tolerance policy for fighting calls for immediate expulsion. But I'm inclined to grant Missy an exception, considering her background, and other factors."

"Yes," Riley says, "How is your daughter's career coming along?" That is not what the principal was referring to. He explains that witnesses stated that Carolyn, the other student involved, provoked the altercation.

"She called me a bad name," Missy defends her actions.

"What did she call you?" Paige asks. Missy whispers the offensive word (starts with a 'c') in Paige's ear. Her eyes widen. "Yep. That's the bad one."

The principal tells them that Carolyn will receive counseling to abate her use of that language. But he insists that Missy also spend time in counseling for violence and to help her assimilate. Done deal. Crisis averted.

When Paige, Riley, and Missy arrive at home, Missy says, "I suppose I have to go to my room now," not understanding the couple she is addressing.

"How about some dinner first?" Riley says. "Anyone feel like Thai?" Paige is not having that.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We are not going down that path again."

"Okay," Riley says. "Mexican." He does not understand his wife.

"You swore on your honor," she says. "She needs to learn a lesson and you're going to make sure she does. I'm going to check my e-mail." Paige wanders into the sanctuary that is the iPhone. Riley turns to Missy.

"Um," he starts. "Do you understand that even though she called you a bad name, the way you reacted was wrong?"

"Yes."

"Great! Do you like chicken satay?" Across the room, Paige screams.

"Guess who's invited to a pool party at Jerry's house!"

"No shit," Riley says, immediately turning to Missy. "Don't use that word." He turns back to Paige. "When?"

"Noon, Saturday. We're in!"

After Missy and Paige have gone to bed, Riley works on finances in the home's quiet office. Past-due bills get divided between two overflowing envelopes labeled, "Pay" and "Avoid." Their cash flow problems weigh on him. He needs a respite.

Riley tiptoes to the kitchen and retrieves another vape kit from the junk drawer. Mouse-like, he sneaks out to the back yard and settles into a poolside patio chair. He takes a long inhale from the pen. The chair gives in to the weight of Riley leaning back. He releases a long cloud of white smoke and coses his eyes.

"Cigarettes are bad for you," Missy says from behind. Riley twists around to face her and holds up the pen.

"It's not a cigarette. And it helps my stress."

"Does it have nicotine?"

"Some."

"Then it's bad for you."

"I don't care."

"How long have you smoked?" She asks. Riley has to think about it.

"First one... How old are you in the fifth grade? Ten?" Missy looks him in the eye.

"I'm eleven." Oh, yeah? Riley ejects the cartridge from the pen and loads a different one he's not yet tried.

"This one has no nicotine," he says, handing her the pen. She examines the device and puts the business end in her mouth. "Go slow," Riley warns. Missy lights up the pen with her inhale. She coughs but takes another drag before handing the pen back to Riley.

"Pretty good," she says.

"Riley?" a sleepy Paige calls from the house. "Are you out here?"

Riley bolts up from his chair, hustles the pen back into the box and stashes the kit under the table. He waves his finger at Missy in a 'you and me' motion and raises it to his lips, as in 'this is our secret' and jogs away. Once he's back in the house, Missy retrieves the kit and gives the pen another look. She takes another hit then leans back and stares at the stars.