The Way We Were
Updated 2009-10-09 08:09:13
Once again, we don't get any previouslies. Which is odd, since almost everything on this show is an ongoing storyline. But at least we have the weecaps for people who might not know, say, who Noah is. Or why everyone's so disgruntled at Naomi. Or even what happened to Violet. Anyway, here we are, in Violet's apartment as sadly ominous music plays so we know things aren't well. Violet's rolling out a new rug when Pete walks in holding the baby. He's on the phone, telling someone he'll be back in the office today. Violet is shocked to hear this, but he says they've talked about it already; it's been a month. She compliments the rug, which he obviously bought to cover the bloodstain. Pete offers the baby to Violet, but she doesn't want to hold him. Doorbell rings, and Violet drops her cup, which shatters. Pete tries to coach her breathing and standing there, but she won't. She runs into the closet.
Pete answers the door. It's Sheldon. Pete tells him that he's told him not to ring the bell. Sheldon plays dumb, and wonders if he woke the baby, but then he says, "She's in the closet again, isn't she?" If Sheldon knows Violet runs into the closet every time someone rings the doorbell, why would he ring it? Isn't he supposed to be a therapist or something? Sheldon wants to come in, but Pete shuts the door in his face. Back inside, he tells Violet it was Sheldon, but she ignores that and starts picking up the cup. Pete says he's not going back to work yet; she's not ready. Violet says, "You're looking at me like I have crazy head, and I don't. I don't have crazy head. I'm fine. Go back to work." That's right, another trained therapist acting as if there is an actual thing called "crazy head." Whatever. If there is, she definitely has it. Pete points out she won't answer the door, she won't hold the baby, etc. Need he go on? She takes the baby roughly, holds him obliviously (I actually thought there might be a pratfall here where she dropped the baby or banged his head against the wall; thankfully that didn't happen.) She explains to Pete her actual, clinical symptoms, which are all expected for trauma victims, so he can go ahead and go back to work. She's not using drugs and she's not cognitively altered. Oh, and she went to Harvard. "So believe me when I tell you that I do not have crazy head." That's a quote, folks. Pete looks worried.
Addison's getting in the elevator when Naomi runs and catches it. They awkwardly compliment each other's shoes. They try to make small talk about each other's work. Then Naomi asks what ever happened with "that guy," who was married and whose wife was Addison's patient. Addison says nothing; she did the right thing, which Naomi thinks is good. But you can tell Addison's rightfully annoyed that Naomi can't even be bothered to remember Noah's name.
When Addison gets to the break room at Oceanside, Cooper and Sam are debating whether to hire a new doctor to replace Naomi. Sam's not ready, but Cooper's trying to tell him it's time to move on. Coop's disheveled, so he's hardly the one Sam should be taking pointers from on moving on, right? But he tries to enlist Addison's second opinion to get Sam to do some drunken, impulsive rebound hiring. But Sam and Addison have made a pact not to talk about or think about their problems anymore. They've decided to be strong. In denial, but strong. Cooper tells them that's stupid, so they ask him, "Really? How's Violet?" He says he's sent stuff, but hasn't been there since she needs space. He gets paged to the ER...
...Where Charlotte's waiting. He gives her a kiss, which she very obviously flinches at. She tells him that an 11-year-old's dad threw her across the room and probably broke her arm, the mom looks like she was in a prizefight, but then Mom stabbed Dad. Cooper can't believe it's his Larsens: Tammy and her parents. Coop tells Charlotte to page Addison and Sam, so that they can be in this episode too. Or, actually, because Michelle (Kellie Martin) is pregnant. He enters and sees the stabbed father, and Michelle quickly says, "I stabbed him." A little too quickly, actually, but Cooper's far too self-absorbed in his own guilt to notice that. Tammy's in the background saying, "Dad?" as he's wheeled away, unconscious. Sunny title card. Those are so jarring when they come after such heavy stuff.
Cooper's wrapping Tammy's arm and telling her she'll get a cast, which will itch a little bit. She doesn't want to talk about what happened. She actually says she can't. He tells her there are a lot of people who want to help her. They make small talk about soccer and basketball, then she asks if her dad will be okay. Cooper says Sam's taking good care of him. But Sam's actually being a bit of dick to Dad. He's talking about his symptoms, but then telling the patient he has a stab wound to his abdomen, and is lucky that's all he's got. Dad wonders about Michelle and the baby, and Sam's like, "So, you're worried about them now? A little bit late for that, don't you think?" I don't think that's really how doctors are supposed to treat patients, especially since the man hasn't been convicted of anything.
Sheldon's making medical jokes to a crew of guys when Naomi walks up, and they all quickly disperse. Except Sheldon, who tells Naomi they're all scared of her since she's in charge. She thinks they'll all warm up. Sheldon wonders if Naomi's seen Violet and Luke. Finally, a name! Naomi says no one from Oceanside is talking to her, but she had a good talk with Addison this morning, so she thinks that will get back to normal too. Sheldon tells her it might not be that easy.
Addison's with Michelle, giving her an ultrasound. She says the baby looks okay, and Michelle's relieved. Addison wonders if this happens often: Darren hitting Tammy and Michelle (who looks very beat up, by the way, all black and blue). Michelle insists it was an accident, and makes up a story about how she was cooking when she and Darren started arguing and then Tammy got in the way and he pushed her. She finishes: It was an accident. But she got mad and overreacted and had a knife in her hand. Addison looks sympathetic, but skeptical. Addison starts to wheel Michelle to be with Tammy when some officers intervene to arrest her for stabbing her husband. Addison tries to tell them he hit her, but they're like, "Whatever. Her husband has a knife wound, and we don't really care about the big shiner on her face." Cooper wheels Tammy around the corner right then, so she has to watch the arrest happening, making it even more dramatic.
Cooper's trying to get Charlotte to give up a hospital bed for Tammy, since her dad hit her and her mom's arrested. Charlotte says that's good for a country song, but lousy on a medical report since all she has is a broken arm. Charlotte tells Cooper to go take a shower and rest, but he says Tammy's his patient and he should have seen this coming and stopped it. That leads Charlotte to tell Cooper to go see Violet, but he insists this isn't about her. He says he's totally fine, but she says he's a wreck and won't talk about it. He says she won't talk about getting fired, but she says she's doing the job she has left and her problems aren't interfering with that. He just says he has a patient and goes into Tammy's room (where she's in a bed, but apparently not a hospital bed? It's very confusing.)
Pete calls Violet. He's surprised she's there, which is silly since she doesn't leave the house. He tells her things about Lucas she should know (which toys he likes, which sounds help him sleep), and she picks up on the fact that he's calling to check up on her. He admits it, and was hoping she'd be out. She tells him she should go, since Lucas is asleep (but we see he isn't) and she needs to sleep while he sleeps. Addison and Naomi are getting out of a car under the Hollywood sign talking about the Larsens, who Naomi calls "my Larsens." Addison says, "Well, my Larsens now." Addison thanks Naomi for coming with her today, and Naomi says she wanted to see Violet and hang out since things have been awkward. Addison says no, and it's nice to see Naomi outside of the office. They get to the door, and Addison stops Naomi from ringing the bell. They call Violet and tell her they're outside. A key drops through the mail slot (which is actually less safe than answering yourself, but whatever). They open the door and come in. Violet calls from the closet to close the door and lock it please, then she comes out. Everyone hugs, and then Lucas cries from his sleeping basket on the floor. Naomi picks him up, and she and Addison coo over him. Violet just looks at them, all "Whatever."
Sam's looking at Darren's scans as Darren tells him he knows him, he's a good man. Sam tells him good men don't hit women or children. He says he, Sam Bennett, is a good man and if Darren doesn't stop talking he might have to show him what this good man does to people like him. Charlotte's standing in the doorway listening, and when he walks over to her, she asks him to rein in his charming bedside manner. He says he was reining it in. Darren seizes, and Charlotte and Sam both run to him. Commercials. I can't wait for V .
Violet's. Addison's telling her that her incision is healing well, so she should just keep the area clean and dry. She also tells Violet to get some light exercise -- "Walk around the block or something. Just get out." Violet replies, unsurprisingly nonsensically, "Wow. Your lips are moving, but your words sound just like Pete's." Addison reminds Violet she was in the closet, and Violet says she's doing the best she can. Naomi starts saying Lucas is smiling. Addison heads over and takes Lucas. They coo over him somewhere, and Violet still doesn't care.
Pete goes downstairs to see Sheldon, who is understandably annoyed. Pete wants to talk about Violet. He apologizes for being overprotective, which Sheldon says is "territorial." Pete says he's doing the best he can, but Sheldon tells Pete (for our benefit) that he told Pete not to take Violet back to that house. Pete says it's what Violet wanted and Sheldon should try telling her what to do. Sheldon says he'd like to, but Pete won't give him the chance. Pete asks for Sheldon's help. Sheldon says he'll stop by this afternoon. Pete reaches for an apple, but Sheldon says he was eyeing it, so Pete gets a different one. Then Sheldon takes a banana.
Sam talks medical speak to a nurse over Darren's unconscious body when Addison comes in and wonders what happened. Sam says it was a cerebral contusion , which we can just pretend happens when you get stabbed in the abdomen. Sam had to induce a coma, and now he's trying to get the pressure to come down, but it isn't. Addison: "So, he may die?" Sam: "Yeah. Little bit of justice. I'm just saying..." Addison disagrees, saying Tammy doesn't need a dead father and a mother in jail. Sam asks Addison to stop making him feel bad.
Addison's somewhere with Michelle (apparently the jail wing of the hospital) telling her she has to stop covering up for Darren and tell the truth. She says that if he dies, she'll be charged with manslaughter, and she needs to think about Tammy. Michelle says she is thinking about her daughter, and she lies down, defeated. Cooper's in with Tammy, talking to her about it. He tells her that her dad's in a coma, and she's as smart as we are, so she asks, "From being stabbed?!" Coop says he hit his head. He tells her he knows she doesn't want to talk about it, but her mom's in trouble with the police, so Tammy needs to tell the police what really happened. Tammy cries that she's supposed to say it was an accident. She explains that she was cutting a cantaloupe when her dad came in and started singing with the radio, being funny, but she got mad and she doesn't know why -- it just comes over her -- so her dad held her to calm her down, but she bit him. So he yelled for Michelle, and they both tried to stop her. She stabbed him with the knife that was in her hand. And now he's going to die. So, presumably, she hit her mom in the face with her head? Or the cantaloupe?
Sheldon's at Violet's (though it doesn't show how he got in, I'll assume he called this time). He comments on the new rug, and then tells her that Pete says she's afraid to leave the house. She says she agreed to let him come and see the baby, not shrink her brain. She says she's fine. He asks if she's deflecting, but she insists she isn't. He wants her to talk about how she's feeling. She asks if he wants to hold the baby or not. He does, so she cavalierly hands him over. She might as well have tossed him across the room. Sheldon says he knows what she's doing, and it won't work, but soon enough, he's cooing over Lucas too. Violet watches, all, "What is with these people?!" Violet goes to take a shower, and Sheldon says he's a professional and she can't confuse him with a baby. Then he baby talks to Lucas that he thinks he has his ears, and he's sorry about that.
The cops are letting Michelle go, and she's upset that Tammy told. She doesn't want her to take the blame for this. She asks what the cops will do to her, but Addison says they're going to try to get her help. Michelle says they've tried, and they can't do this because this is her fault, since she was on drugs the first couple months she was pregnant with Tammy. How very after-school special of you, Private Practice. Michelle says Tammy had ADHD because of the drugs, and now she has these rages. Addison wonders if someone told her this was related to the drug use, and Michelle admits no one has said that, but she's been tested and it's nothing else, so it has to be her. Addison tells Michelle she has to be strong, and push forward, but Michelle says Darren's the strong one and she needs to talk to him, since they've been through all of this together. She cries that Darren's in a coma and Tammy's going to be taken away; she's losing everyone she loves.
Pete's office. Sheldon enters and tells him he lost a therapeutic fencing match with Violet due to the fact that she distracted him with the baby, "who is quite winning and has my ears." Pete says they're his ears before wondering what to do now. Sheldon says that Pete told Violet he was going to leave, but he never did. (This must be something that happened between episodes?) He says he keeps sending people over, and Violet knows she doesn't have to walk out that door, because Pete's always going to walk back in. Sheldon picks up a picture of Lucas and says they're definitely his ears.
Charlotte's eating outside the hospital when Cooper comes up and asks if he can hide Tammy from a juvy officer for another forty-eight hours. She can't believe he'd interrupt her dinner to ask this question, but he says that turning an 11-year-old over to the law isn't the right thing to do. They argue, and Charlotte says he's not social services, and he's already done his job. She says she feels bad for the kid, too, but Cooper wonders if she really does since she acts like nothing bothers her: not getting fired, not Violet. She asks, "It's like I'm heartless?" Why, yes, how'd you guess?
Violet's bedroom. Pete enters and says her name. She says Lucas is in his crib, and she's trying to sleep. He lays down and touches her softly. He tells her he loves her, and she says she's really tired. He tells her to just listen. He says that before all of this, they had a real chance, but then Katie attacked her and he's been doing everything he can to help her get past it, but it's not helping. So, he's going to go home. She finally acts like she cares about something, turning to him and saying, "What?! You're leaving?" She says he can't just walk out and leave Lucas alone. Pete says he's not alone, he has Violet. Pete says this isn't just about them; they have a child. He knows she needs time, but Lucas doesn't care. He needs Violet and if Pete wants to be a good father, he has to do what's best for Lucas, so he's leaving. She has to fix herself, and he has to let her. He kisses her on the forehead and leaves. She looks sad and scared.
At the hospital, Tammy starts attacking a nurse. She conveniently waited until she'd admitted the truth to have a rage attack at the hospital, right? Cooper comes in and tries to hold onto her, but she's sort of Hulk-like in her rage, apparently. He asks for 5 milligrams of something and Michelle comes in to try to calm her, too.
Addison walks by the nurse's station, when a nurse pages "Dr. Noah Barnes." Addison freaks and walks away. Cooper follows her and wants to talk to her about Tammy's rage. He says while she was raging, her heart rate jumped and her blood pressure spiked. Addison's visibly shaken by hearing the page for Noah, but she quickly gets into Super Doctor mode, and they try to figure out what's going on. He suggests a CT scan, then stops to ask Addison if she's okay, since she's seemed sad lately. But, then, hasn't everyone on this show? She says she's not, but then she admits she is, but says she can't talk about it. She asks him to order a couple tests on a "hunch."
Violet wakes up when she hears Lucas cry, and when she gets up off the couch, Charlotte's there. Violet says she almost killed her with an educational rattle, which would be a painful death. Charlotte says she didn't knock in case Violet was sleeping, but she just came to get Cooper's clothes. Violet says, "And to check up on me," and then asks if Charlotte wants to hold the baby. Charlotte awesomely says, "Do I look like someone who wants to hold a baby? I'm wearing silk." Violet's thinking, "Finally! Someone who gets it." Charlotte asks if she's breastfeeding, and Violet says she's not and makes a bunch of excuses and screams about it, and Charlotte says she doesn't care; she only asked because she looks like she needs a martini, and she can have one if she's not breastfeeding. Violet would like one, please.
Naomi stops at Oceanside and sees Sam. She was coming to see Addison, but Sam says she's not there. Naomi asks him if he's okay, and he says it's been a tough couple days with the Larsens and everything. But he doesn't want to talk about it with her, since it's not her problem. He has to get back to the hospital, but Addison enters then. She tells Naomi she's way too busy with the Larsen thing. She's waiting on the results of an abdominal MRI that Naomi assumes is for Michelle. Addison says it's for Tammy. Naomi asks more questions, but Addison gets a page, and says she can't tell Naomi everything all the time. She gets back in the elevator and leaves.
Charlotte and Violet sing the praises of gin, and then Charlotte asks what's wrong with Violet, "other than the whole psycho chopped the baby out of your belly and ran thing." Violet wonders if there's something other than that, and Charlotte says she's the one asking, and there are no judgments. Charlotte gets it if Violet doesn't want to open up to her, since she got fired for being heartless and Cooper apparently agrees. Violet says the problem is the baby. She says he's absolutely perfect, but she looks at him and feels nothing. She can't feel anything ever since... She says there's pressure to be mommy, but she's not ready. She wants to just stick the baby in the freezer and thaw him out later when she's ready to deal with him. She realizes this is a horrible thing to say, but Charlotte says the horrible things are the things that need to be said. Violet asks where the hell Cooper is and Charlotte says he's busy saving a patient and trying to make up for not saving Violet. Violet wonders if he's blaming himself, and Charlotte says, "Except for the part he blames on me." She tells Violet that the reason he didn't come in was that she called that night. Violet says she guesses Charlotte owes her.
Tammy's hospital room. Addison says that Tammy has a very rare tumor on her ovary with a long name I'm not even going to try to spell. Basically, it sometimes releases an excess of adrenaline, causing the Hulk rages. Addison says that nothing during pregnancy caused this. And this can be removed easily, laproscopically, which will fix it. Michelle's so glad it's not her fault and tells Tammy she's going to be okay, but Tammy says dad isn't and taking out the tumor isn't going to change her guilt.
Sam's dealing with Darren, who isn't a surgical candidate. Addison comes in and says she's taking Tammy to surgery now, and that she'll be fine. Cooper says physically, but she won't forgive herself. Cooper wonders if when we die there's a bookkeeper that tallies up all the good and bad we do. Sam doesn't think there's anyone keeping score, and we just do our best. Addison stutters out, "I think we do what we do when we know how to do it. And it hurts. It, just ... It hurts." I actually like this new, humbled, ineloquent Addison. More please.
Cooper's outside of Violet's when Charlotte's leaving. They look at each other, and Charlotte says Violet's in the kitchen. He goes inside and picks up Lucas, then Violet comes in and sees him there. Other than an ashamed look, he acts like nothing happened, and just talks about Tammy's situation, how she can't forgive herself. Violet thinks maybe she needs more time, and says there's no magic pill: Bad things happen, and even if you fix them, it doesn't mean they didn't happen. She asks him not to sugarcoat it for the girl. Cooper says if he'd seen it, he could have stopped it. She says he's not responsible for what Tammy did and he's not responsible for what happened to her. He apologizes for not coming sooner, but she says he came when he could. He says, no, he's sorry he didn't come sooner, before, with Katie. She says he came when he could. He apologizes and reaches for her stomach, but she jerks away. She says he's here now. They both look at Lucas, him much more lovingly than her.
Cooper's back in Tammy's room, where she's staring at the ceiling. He tells her that she can't change the bad thing that happened and he knows that things people say to make her feel better just come out sounding stupid. He wants to know what she needs, and she asks, "What if he dies and I never get to tell him I'm sorry?" A light bulb goes on over Coop's head.
At Oceanside, Addison's staring into Naomi's empty office when Sam walks up. Addison tells him that no one beat her or stabbed her, but she's wounded. Sam: "Noah?" It's pretty awesome that he turned out to be the great friend here, isn't it? Although, it's Sam, right? He's sort of perfect. She says her heart is broken, and she shouldn't even complain, because nothing happened, like what happened to the Larsens or Violet. She says she's almost jealous of them because they have a right to be messed up and everyone can see it. She says she sent Noah back to his wife, did the right thing, and her heart is broken. Sam just says, "Yeah." He says Nae would know what to say, but Addison says she can't talk to her, because it's like... he finishes: "She's not our Nae anymore." Addison: "Exactly."
Violet's packed up a bunch of bags and Lucas and is heading outside. Cooper's wheeling Tammy into her dad's room, where Michelle's at his side. She stands up and tells him how sorry she is. Addison's in the elevator when Naomi gets in. Naomi greets her warmly, but Addison just says, "Nice shoes." Naomi thinks that can't be what they talk about, and says she misses Addison, and wonders where she went. Addison repeats, "Nice shoes," as she leaves the elevator. Violet shows up at Pete's. He's so glad she came, but she just needs him to listen. She tells him she wants to be a good mother so badly and she's trying to figure out how when she looks at Lucas and feels... She says Katie stole something from her and changed her and she doesn't know how to change it back. She's trying to be a good mother, and Pete's right that being a good mother means doing what's best for your child. She says Pete might not understand this or ever forgive her, but she walked out the door tonight to do what's best for Lucas. She says Pete's what's best for Lucas, and hands him to him. Pete looks puzzled, but accepts him. Violet says this is her being a good mom. She turns away, crying, as Pete calls after her. I think her tears might indicate she does feel something, after all. The end.
Next week: Bailey's visiting Oceanside. Noah's wife, Squeaky, is back. Sheldon wants a paternity test. Sam kisses Bailey, who thinks Oceanside is better than a telenovela. I'd be lying if I said I'm not totally excited for that.
DeAnn, who might or might not have "crazy head," is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com .