Previously on Finding Carter...

We are going to be together.

Go home, unpack a few things, meet me here tomorrow night.

(knocking)

Clearly there's nothing I can say.

Yes, there is...

"I'm staying".

Happy birthday.

Happy birthday!

(Buddy) The last time you two celebrated a birthday together, you were three years old.

I think I'm gonna go with my mom.

That's awesome.

Too bad Elizabeth is stuck here with her family.

What do you mean?

What do you think I mean?

Okay, my son's room?

Your husband knows that you and I are having an affair.

Trust me, Liz, he knows.

And now, so do we.

I saw my mother.

She's waiting for me to run away with her.

I don't know what I want.

I'm your dad and I'll take care of you.

Carter asked me to say goodbye for her.

Don't underestimate me, David.

You made that mistake once before.

You were amazing.

Was I?

Yes.

Lori should be here in about ten minutes.

Carter?

Carter?

Carter?

Have you seen my little girl?

She's got a denim vest and pink hi-top sneakers.

Carter?

Carter?

Mommy?

Oh, Carter.

Oh.

I was looking all over for you.

I went with Happy to feed to ducks.

I was so scared.

Mommy thought she lost you.

You didn't, I'm right here.

I can never lose you, ever, ever, ever.

You're the only thing that matters to me, the only thing in the whole world.

You won't lose me.

Promise, pinky swear?

Promise, pinky swear.

Promise, pinky swear.

You okay?

Oh... Yeah.

Just remembering something.

We're a little early.

Which direction do you think she's coming from?

No idea.

When you talked to her last night, how upset was she when you told her I wasn't going with her?

I'm sure you can imagine.

Yeah.

She's always said her biggest fear was losing me.

She must have known that would be inevitable.

Thank you for arranging this meeting.

This decision must have been pretty hard.

I didn't want you to regret it.

I don't.

I really don't.

Won't this be weird for you, though?

What, meeting Lori?

Don't worry about me.

♪

What time is it?

It's still 11:30.

About 11:31.

What should we do?

I say we give it another half-hour.

That's what you said half an hour ago.

She's a fugitive.

Maybe she thought she's been spotted and it wasn't safe.

I don't know, if she wanted to see me, she would have found a way.

Is it possible... she'd rather not see you than say goodbye?

Yeah.

If I were in her position, I like to think I'd be generous enough not to put you through any more pain, just let you go live your life.

Yeah, that sounds like her.

You wanna go do that?

Okay.

♪ I wanna wake up ♪
♪ I wanna wake up ♪
♪ I wanna wake up ♪
♪ There you go ♪
♪ There you stay ♪
♪ Keeping low ♪
♪ Never wanna play ♪
♪ You've been up and down down ♪
♪ You've been low low low ♪
♪ Pretending to not feel alone ♪

Grant, can I come in?

Hey, aren't you hungry... You haven't eaten all day?

Oh, that looks cool.

Is that a new game?

Oh, I can't do that anymore.

You're getting too big.

You should go away.

Is there some reason you're in a bad mood?

Yes, because you won't go away.

Oh, okay.

Why, what did I do?

Grant, tell me what I did and maybe I can fix it.

Okay, this is ridiculous, say something.

I hate you.

What?

I hate you, now get out of my room!

Uh, whatever I did, I'm...

Just get out!

Hey, what's going on?

Grant just told me that he hates me, out of nowhere, just started screaming, "I hate you."

Well, we knew this day was coming.

It didn't feel like adolescent Freudian rebellion.

It felt like hate.

You want me to go talk to him?

I'd love to know what I did.

You gave birth to him.

Grant?

Bud?

Relax.

This is all very normal.

Hey, how did the test go?

Terrible.

That's impossible, I saw how much you studied.

It's your fault.

You took over my brain.

There's no space anymore for stupid things like the Peloponnesian War or the carbon cycle.

No, hey, now, the carbon cycle's not stupid.

Understanding our impact on the carbon cycle and climate change is the key to our continued existence as a species on this planet, so really, if anything...

I think there should be less of me and more of the carbon cycle.

When you talk like that, the carbon cycle has no chance.

(knocking)

Shh, shh...

I've been getting a lot of Mormons.

(knocking)

Grant: Hey, Max, you home.

Grant?

Oh, great, it's you.

I could say the exact same thing in the exact same tone of voice to you and I would have way more reason.

Oh, yeah... Why is that?

Never mind.

Hey, dude... Come in.

Ugh.

What are you doing here?

Mom's having an affair.

Whoa.

Grant, I get it.

I'm with Max, Carter's with Crash, you feel left out and you need attention-

Taylor.

Mom is having sex with Gabe's dad.

Oh, no.

That's not true.

It's just not.

It's true.

I can't believe it.

I'll be taking my apology now.

I'd also like a box of donuts and a nap.

Carter is not gonna like this.

That is such a disturbing image.

Has this been going on since before Carter got home?

A little longer.

How much longer?

About three years.

Taylor and Carter: Three years?

Wait, you knew about this for three years and you didn't say anything to him?

You didn't, like, ask him to stop?

No, I couldn't.

You knew my mom had cancer.

Yeah, brain tumor, right?

And then in her spine and in her blood.

I'm sorry.

The last six months of her life, she spent on a hospital bed in our living room.

My dad didn't want her to die in a hospital.

Man, that sounds really difficult.

How old were you?

Nine.

Wow...

Yeah, it was pretty terrible.

After she passed, my dad shut down and he functioned, but he didn't really seem to feel anything, At first, I was scared, but after five years, I just figure it...

It's who he is.

And then one day he comes home and he's laughing and telling stories.

It was like someone had flipped the on switch, his new partner, your mom.

Three years is a long time.

You have to consider love as a possibility, even if you don't want to.

I definitely don't want to.

My dad loves your mom.

He keeps a picture of her on his bedside table and he wouldn't do that unless he loved her.

Well, then, yeah, okay, he's probably gonna get hurt really bad, but this ends now, it has to.

Who's gonna tell her, you?

Yes, I will tell her.

And Taylor.

What?

Did anyone see my hand go up?

You're gonna tell your mom to break up with my dad.

Gabe, no matter how happy your dad is, this is wrong and you know it.

Carter, you can't tell someone how to be.

Look how well that works when Elizabeth tries it with you.

I can ask her to stop lying, tell her that her 12-year-old son can't even stand to look at her anymore, I can tell her that I think she's better than that.

Okay.

Okay.

Will you watch Grant?

Yeah.

Yeah, he's my little brother, too.

Ready?

Ready.

That was another category of bad idea.

I thought you were great, considering.

Considering what?

Considering you're a terrible runner.

What is it, what's wrong?

Elizabeth.

We need to talk.

I'm really nervous.

Can I ask what's going on?

Nope.

Sorry.

Go.

We know you've been sleeping with Gabe's dad.

What?

Why would you say this... Where is this coming from?

You had a conversation with Kyle in Grant's room.

While Grant was in the closet.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God, he heard us.

That's why he said that he hated me.

Do you really blame him?

No, he has every right to hate me, you should hate me.

Everyone in this house should hate me.

So you will end it with Kyle?

It's over, it has been over.

No, he keeps a picture of you by his bedside.

Who told you that?

Gabe.

What?

He's known for three years.

He has?

Yes.

Okay.

Well.

I'm incredibly embarrassed.

And ashamed.

And I'm very, very sorry.

Yes, I will end it with Kyle once and for all.

And you have to tell Dad.

Carter, I just got my family back and I don't want to destroy that.

What, are you just gonna keep on lying to him?

I'll tell him.

Okay.

Do it tonight and then it will all be over and we can all go back to normal.

Let's go.

I just...

Carter did most of the talking and she's really good at that, but...

I just wanted to say that I'm really hurt because my whole life, I've been trying to make you proud of me.

Every single thing I did, I would stop and ask myself if you would approve, every single thing.

And then you...

You go and you sleep with my best friend's dad and you don't even think of how I'm gonna feel about that.

I obviously didn't cross your mind at all.

No, Taylor...

♪ The stars all disappear ♪

She was crying and she got really scared.

I just told her something that could potentially lose her her family.

You're not responsible if that happens.

She is.

God, I am so not used to this family drama.

Can't we all just be happy at the same time.

I wouldn't know.

The only person in my family is me.

God, I'm sorry, you must be hating this conversation.

That's not true.

I've never been happier in my whole life.

Are you making me wait?

Yeah.

I don't like to wait.

Is this a good time?

For what?

For you to tell me what's going on?

David, I just need...

Another 45-minute shower or 20 more minutes of aimless staring?

You've got me pretty on edge.

I've been having an affair.

I know.

You know?

With Kyle, yes, I know.

Why didn't you say something?

Like what... Can you please stop banging your extremely handsome partner?

Did I have to tell you that?

Why did you stay with me?

I knew one day you'd stop.

I knew he didn't mean that much to you.

How?

Because I know you.

I know how you are when you're in love.

Yes, you do.

I'm so sorry, David.

Was it over?

It's over... Done, dead.

I miss you.

Is this what the girls wanted to talk to you about?

Yes.

Is this affair?

Yes.

Who told them?

Grant overheard Kyle and I...

No, no...

David.

Now I look like a loser to my children, to Carter.

She is so excited to finally have a dad.

She trusts me, she respects me, she...

Now she pities me.

Because she cares.

No, you don't... Don't tell...

You're not the object of pity, I am.

To who?

To you, my unfaithful wife, to you every time I write a book that doesn't sell.

I have always been supportive and sympathetic.

Your pity is so much a part of you, you don't even know you have it.

I have to do something, I have to.

All right.

Okay.

Look at me.

I will do anything.

Will you?

Anything.

Hello?

David: Hey.

Hi, guys.

Hi.

How is everything?

Things are good.

Look, we don't have to tip toe around the subject.

Your mom and I had a very open and honest conversation.

We worked things out.

Is anyone hungry?

Yes... I can make something.

Grilled cheese?

Yeah, grilled cheese for everyone.

I would love one of your grilled cheese sandwiches.

Yeah...

Where's mom?

She moved out.

What?

But you just said you worked everything out.

We did, and she's gone.

Hey.

Hello.

Mom leave you a letter, too?

Yeah.

What's yours say?

Just that she knows I'm gonna be blaming myself for what happened, that I shouldn't.

Great day, huh?

I went from having two mothers to no mothers.

What does yours say?

Is that your first tooth?

Yeah.

I didn't think she saved that kind of stuff, but...

I guess she does.

What are we gonna do?

I don't know.

Figure it out tomorrow.

Yeah.

Night.

Night.

♪ I try ♪
♪ I toss you turn ♪
♪ Who takes first ♪
♪ I try ♪

Taylor: Oh, no, no, no, no.

Get up, we overslept!

Did we?

Mom's not here, remember?

Oh.

♪ ♪

Milk, are we out of milk?

Hello, I'm trying to locate some milk here.

If there's no milk, there's no milk.

It's not Beetlejuice, it won't appear if you say it three times.

There you go... Fudge bar, dairy.

Um, are we gonna go to school now?

Yes, we're going.

Let's go.

I'm gonna be late, I'm gonna need a note.

♪ The shadows on the walls ♪
♪ Of moments far too troubling to ♪

Here, go... Here's your note.

Is it gonna be like this from now on?

No, don't worry, we will figure it out.

We're all in this together.

After school, are you guys gonna pick me up or am I gonna have to take the bus?

You're not gonna have to take the bus.

No, we'll be here.

Look, Grant, we're gonna figure this out, okay?

Nobody's gonna get lost in the system.

You'll get some milk?

Yes, I will I will get milk.

I'm writing it down.

Is that supposed to inspire confidence?

Because it doesn't.

Grant, go... I will get it.

Better get milk.

I will get milk... Bye.

There's no way I'm going to school today.

I think I know somewhere we can go.

So whose idea was it for all four of us to hang out?

Well, the two of us really think you two would get along if you took the time to get to know one another.

Yeah, I mean, you guys have a lot in common.

Carter: Mm-hmm.

Like what?

See?

There is that.

Yeah, that's your favorite brand.

Can I get you that drink?

Yeah.

There you go.

Oh, should we light a peace pipe?

Got one packed.

Uh, sure.

Do you mind?

No.

Max: Here, dude.

Thanks.

She's never smoked before.

Really... Good for you.

But if you're at all curious, this is the stuff to try.

It's a really smooth taste, really fast buzz.

Yeah, I...

I could use that right now.

Just don't pressure her, though, 'cause it's not really your thing.

We're not pressuring her, we're just seeing if she wants to try.

I mean, you're a fan.

If you like it, I wanna try it.

It's not that great.

Well, agree to disagree.

(chuckling)

I want to.

I don't have to make my mom proud of me anymore.

How do I do this?

♪ Monday I wake up with disgust in my head ♪
♪ Could not forgive myself ♪
♪ Another moment spent in the bed ♪
♪ Monday the mirror always disappointed ♪

Shall I recite a poem?

Yes, do.

"Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?

I've been to London to visit the queen."

Oh, I'm finding this poem rather beautiful.

Do go on.

Pussycat!

(laughing, giggling)

That's a really good British accent.

Oh.

Come here.

Come here, let's get you off the floor.

Come on, here.

Oh...

Oh, you're beautiful.

Okay.

You're my boyfriend.

Are you my boyfriend?

Yes, I am your boyfriend.

Here, sit down.

I have a beautiful boyfriend.

Shh!

Shh.

Aren't you gonna lay with me?

No.

I want you to.

I know.

Not while you're high.

Poo.

But I do wanna be with you.

Just not like this.

Go to sleep.

You have me wrapped around your little finger.

Promise, pinky swear?

What the hell is that?

(chuckling)

Nothing.

Something my mom and I used to say to each other.

I miss her.

You'll see her again, Carter.

I'll find her for you.

Really?

Yeah.

♪

(phone vibrating)

Hey, Mom, can you come pick me up?

You left Grant alone?

He's 12 years old.

Do you know how irresponsible that is...

We know.

And potentially extremely dangerous?

Yes.

God.

I'm really sorry for everything, but I haven't even been out of this house a full 24 hours and you're already stoned.

We are falling apart here.

Please come home.

Well, your father doesn't want that.

(sighing)

Well, I do... I'm gonna tell him.

Taylor.

All right, I am going to take you up to your room young lady.

Okay.

My little flower child.

Dad?

Dad?

Hey.

Hey.

What'd he say?

He wasn't in there.

But this was.

Oh, he's in his Ernest Hemingway mode.

I know exactly where he is.

We need to talk.

Carter, I've decided.

I'm getting divorced.

You, of anyone, should understand what it's like to have to reinvent yourself.

That's what I have to do.

Your mother... Sorry.

Elizabeth married a very promising young writer who was going to introduce her to the literary life.

I'm not that person, am I?

Don't answer that.

And I will probably never be that person.

Why does any of this mean you have to get a divorce?

Because I let her down.

The only book anyone wants from me is the one I can't write.

"Finding Carter."

But it's okay... because I found Carter.

He wants a divorce.

He does?

I thought this was fixable.

I really did.

It is fixable.

You're just...

You're not the one that can fix it.

Look, I have to make 100% sure that if you could, he would come home and that you would be willing to work on things with Dad.

Ye... Yes.

Carter: I've given this a lot of thought and I want to help fix things.

I don't understand.

If you don't divorce Elizabeth, you let her come home and you're willing to work on things, then I will let you write your book "Finding Carter."

I don't know what to say.

Are you sure?

I mean, we'll need to discuss what goes in the book and then I'll want to approve everything.

One hundred percent, yeah.

Absolutely.

And if I say you can't write something, you just... you can't put it in.

Of course.

Thank you.

So that's a yes?

Elizabeth can come home?

I'm overwhelmed.

We really mean that much to you?

Yes.

I still don't know why you won't tell me how you did it.

Because that's not what's important.

Thanks.

I don't know why you would do this for me.

(clearing throat)

"Carter..."

"the achievement I am most proud of in my life"

"is that you don't hate me anymore."

"I am sure you will blame yourself"

"for your dad and me separating,"

"but I want to thank you for making me"

"be honest with him."

"It was the first entirely honest conversation"

"I think I've had with anyone in years."

"I owe all my honesty to you."

"Elizabeth."

I'm pretty proud of that letter.

All right, I'll see you later at home.

Wait, you're not coming home now?

Mm-mm, I'm going to work.

What happened to doing it all differently this time?

Trust me... Come on.

Hey!

Mom!

Hey!

Oh, I'm so glad you're back.

Come here.

Please tell me you got milk.

Mm-hmm.

See, see?

This is how it's done.

Tell him your news.

Okay.

I took a leave of absence from my job today.

You did?

You did.

David: Why?

Hey.

Well, I said from the beginning that I became a cop so I could find my daughter and...

I found my daughter.

You know what this means?

We no longer have a cop in our family.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, it's just a leave of absence.

We temporarily no longer have a cop in our family.

Thanks for letting me come home.

Yeah, we just got our family back together again, it seemed like a really bad idea to tear it apart.

Yeah, really bad idea.

I want it to work.

Yeah.

We all do.

Well, I'm starving... Can we eat?

Yeah, we should eat, just drop that stuff.

Come on... Let's go.

Something healthy.

Elizabeth: Carter.

Hey.

Come here.

Look at this.

Okay, this is Taylor's.

And look what I did.

Is that me?

Yeah.

Doesn't Grant get a book?

I owe Grant so much, but I am going to be the best, or somewhat passable stay-at-home mom ever.

You loved your baths.

Yeah, I don't...

I don't know if this is all right for me to say, but...

I know that you saw Lori.

You heard?

And I just want to say, thank you for staying.

For choosing us.

I almost talked to her.

I thought he made the call.

No, actually, I called, but then the second I heard her voice, I just froze, I couldn't speak, so I had to give the phone to David.

You were with him?

You heard the whole conversation?

It wasn't really a conversation.

It was just David saying that you were staying and that she should go and leave us alone.

That was it... Nothing about a meeting?

A meeting?

With Lori, why would they have a meeting.

So I could say goodbye?

No, no meeting.

Nothing about me meeting her, nothing.

You keep asking me about this meeting, I don't know what you're talking about.

Oh, my God.

What's wrong?

Oh, my God.

It never ends.

What never ends?

The lies.

Everything he told me was a...

Oh, my God.

♪ Hey now don't you run away Don't you run away ♪
♪ You're safe ♪
♪ Hey now don't you be afraid don't you be afraid ♪
♪ You're safe ♪
♪ Hey now don't you be afraid don't you be afraid ♪