The next morning, Spencer hears Gwen playing the piano and can’t help but stop and listen. She has gotten quite good. He is impressed at the way she commands each note.
Spencer approaches her. Gwen braces herself for one of his snide comments. “Gwen you are quite a musician! Your piano playing is beautiful!”
Gwen is blown away by Spencer’s comment. She cannot help but smile.
“I really mean it Gwen. You have a real talent in music.” Spencer reinforces.
“Thanks,” Gwen says with sincere appreciation.
“Thanks,” Gwen says with sincere appreciation.
Gwen and Spencer share an awkward silence. Neither of them able to fully cross the large chasm that’s built up between them over the years.
Gwen breaks the silence by returning to the piano and continuing her song. Spencer is pleased by her melody.
Candy wakes up in a very tired mood. She feels as though she could sleep the day away. She drags herself out of bed.
Candy comes downstairs for breakfast. Rena also comes down ready to eat. Spencer notices that she’s gotten bigger since yesterday. He’s happy that the baby is growing.
Rena enters the kitchen and has an epiphany. Suddenly she can picture herself redecorating the kitchen and dinning room. She decides then and there to register as an interior decorator after the baby is born.
Candy receives a disturbing call from her cousin Nakida regarding Kianah. Candy plays back the worst part of the conversation in her mind while driving towards Kianah’s house. “Kianah’s trying to hide it cousin, but she’s very sick.”
Candy arrives at Kianah’s house in tears. She loves her cousin very much and cannot picture losing her.
The toughest part about aging is having loved ones also age; knowing that one day, they will all be gone. The question is, who will go first? Candy pulls herself together and rings Kianah’s doorbell.
Candy walks into the house and notices Giuseppe’s pained face. He knows his mother doesn’t have much time left.
Candy takes a long hard look at Kianah while she is distracted by her concern for her son. She doesn't look very sick.
“How are you feeling?” Candy asks, not knowing what else to say.
“I’m ok…Nakida must have told you to come over here. She needs to mind her own business.”
“I was just worried about you.”
“Worried is as worried does. No need worrying. What will be will be, right?” Kianah says ; a string of clichés. Now Candy is really worried.
“Worried is as worried does. No need worrying. What will be will be, right?” Kianah says ; a string of clichés. Now Candy is really worried.
Candy grabs Kianah in a hug. At first Kianah hugs her back, then…
…she pulls back in anger. “Stop feeling sorry for me! All of you, stop looking at me with pity!” Kianah says in a fit of outrage.
Candy is not quite sure how to respond. She knows that Kianah is strong like she is and can imagine how she would feel if she were in Kianah’s shoes.
Candy is not quite sure how to respond. She knows that Kianah is strong like she is and can imagine how she would feel if she were in Kianah’s shoes.
“I’m sorry Kianah. I’m not here to pity you. I admire and respect you too much to pity you.”
Kianah calms and settles down enough to watch TV. Candy sits down to join her.
Rena has a few things that she wants to take care of today. First is a visit to the doctor.
Rena is relieved that the baby is doing well and appears to be healthy.
Next, she heads over to the theater. In her opinion, the music business and parenting just don’t match.
As Rena approaches the theater, she has to ask herself if this is what she really wants to do. Does she want to give up her dream so quickly?
She imagines her baby home with a babysitter all day while she is touring and giving concerts. This alone helps to make her decision for her.
Rena leaves the theater relieved. Now she can concentrate on starting a career in interior design, where she can basically make her own schedule.
Candy joins Kianah on her balcony. Playing the guitar is the only thing that helps Kianah feel better now-a-days.
After school, Lindsay invites Gwen over to her house. Gwen is not sure why Lindsay has taken a liking to her, but she has. Gwen just hopes that her secret impulses don’t get the better of her here at her cousin’s house.
Gwen joins Lindsay on the couch to watch TV. They don’t say much to each other, but Gwen senses that Lindsay actually prefers it this way. She seems to have a lot of heavy things on her mind.
After a while, Gwen feels her impulse creeping up on her. Lately it’s been coming out at the most inopportune times. In fact, her sticky fingers have caused quite an uproar at school as students begin to discover some of their belongings missing. “I have to go,” Gwen says before she feels the need to grab something that doesn’t belong to her. Nothing is worst than stealing from family.
At home, Rena and Spencer occupy themselves with chess…
…Candy tries to wash away her sorrows and worries with a warm bubble bath…
…Sarah is up to her eyeballs in wet laundry and a machine that’s not cooperating…
…and Gwen finds solace in the park with her portable piano.
Playing piano is the only thing that controls her strong kleptomaniac urges. Playing here in the park, people voluntary give her money, so she doesn’t feel the need to steal from them.
Gwen is working so hard to control her impulses! I'm so proud of her!
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