[Claudia] There's an old Buddhist saying:
"Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden in the mind."
So true.
Mary Anne isn't home.
We actually came to see you.
Great.
We feel terrible about what happened the other week with the wallpaper.
So do I.
You were trying to do something nice for Mary Anne,
and I'm sorry for the way I reacted.
Well, we were actually hoping you'd say that.
Because we've come to propose a creative collaboration!
Have you ever heard of Queer Eye?
Of cour-- oh, no.
-They're not here, are they? -No, but we are the Terrific Two!
I love that.
So we were thinking that this time we could redo Mary Anne's room again.
[Claudia] Richard wasn't a bad guy.
He just needed to be worn down to death.
[both] Please!
I don't know... Okay.
Really?
Oh, my gosh!
-You won't regret it. -We promise.
So, A or B?
-I focused on the room stuff, -[chattering]
while Stacey tried to get Richard on board with a mood of his own.
For what?
[Claudia] And the great work began.
I thought this was hip.
-Look, let's try some glue. -Glue.
♪ And our world Never looked so bright... ♪
-Okay. -Just one little brush.
-Okay, okay, okay. -Just one, just one.
-This smell really good. Smell it. Yeah. -Hmm. I mean...
-Yep, yep. -Okay, why don't--
You know what? I think I'd like to read the instructions first.
Ready? Three, two, one!
-[gasping] -[Stacey] Oh, my God!
-[Dawn] Oh, my gosh! -[Stacey] This rug.
This rug is my husband!
I love the purple! It's so...
Pop, yet regal.
Exactly!
This looks like a room my mom stages for buyers,
and that's a compliment.
This pillow... I'm divorcing the rug and marrying this pillow.
[laughing]
Mary Anne, what do you think?
Uh, it's very purple,
but great. [exhales]
[Claudia] Just goes to show what you can accomplish
with a singular artistic vision.
Speaking of which, right before spring break,
Mrs. Johanssen chose me as an official artist
in the Eastern Connecticut District Art Show,
and because I'm also a romantic genius,
I had the idea of inviting Trevor Sandbourne over
to help me choose which pieces to show.
The Tootsie Roll Pop is very compelling.
Thank you.[laughs]
I'm not supposed to tell anyone this,
but one of the judges on the panel
is the head of admissions for the Summer Art Institute in New Haven.
[Claudia] In case you didn't know, New Haven is what fancy people call Yale.
Trevor was talking...
About the most prestigious high school fine arts program in the country.
Seriously?
I mean, they don't usually take middle schoolers,
but sometimes they make exceptions.
I really think Paola will respond to these.
Is this triptych intended as a pop art homage?
Or do you feel you have something to say
about American consumerism that hasn't been said before?
This is my sister Janine.
She hatched from a space pod my parents found in the compost bin
and has struggled to adapt to the customs of Earth.
I beg your pardon.
I merely came to remind you our parents asked me to verify
your finished review questions on your social studies unit on World War II
before their return from the cinema tonight.
I should probably get home anyway.
[Claudia] Janine is a life ruiner.
She literally ruins lives.
Even worse,after dinner,
Mimi suggested we make her feel included by offering to play her favorite game.
Perhaps I should cede my next turn in the interest of livelier game play.
-Mimi, are you all right? -[laughs] Just a little tired.
Claudia, why don't you take your turn?
Purple. Claudia, that's art.
"The artist Georges Seurat is known for developing
what kind of infinitesimally focused painting technique?"
Excuse me.
This should be easy.
Art is a subject of which you are meant to be extremely knowledgeable.
First you humiliate me in front of Trevor...
-Who's Trevor? -...and now you're making fun of me
because I can't answer some stupid question in your stupid game!
I'm not making fun of you.
I was merely expressing my surprise
in your lack of erudition in your chosen field.
You don't choose to be an artist, Janine. You just are!
Art isn't about stupid facts,
it's about feelings,
but do you even know what that is?
Do you ever feel anything?
Claudia, that is enough!
[Claudia] Mimi, I--
I'm going to go lie down.
This is all your fault.
What is?
Mimi's upset, all because of you.
-[Mimi shouts] -[thud]
[Claudia] Mimi!
Are you the family of Makiko Yamamoto?
Mimi. I'm her daughter, Kimiko Kishi.
-Mrs. Kishi, your mother is stable. -[sighs] Oh, thank God.
[sniffles]
But we do want to keep her under close observation for the time being.
She suffered a pretty serious stroke.
Hemorrhagic or ischemic?
Um, ischemic.
A restricted flow of blood to the brain.
As expected, due to her age.
You seem to know a lot about this.
Vascular neurology is one of my areas of passion.
How is she?
Well, the stroke occurred on the left side of her brain,
so her speech will almost certainly be affected.
Mimi can't talk?
Well, it's too early to tell. Miracles do happen.
We'll know more over the next 48 hours.
-Can we see her? -Of course.
Unfortunately, we don't allow children under 14 in the intensive care unit.
You guys go.
I'll stay here.
-[exhales] -[father] We'll see you in a bit, kiddo.
[Claudia] There was one person in my family who would have stayed with me,
but she wasn't here.
So I talked to all the girls this morning,
and we've got all your jobs covered for the next few weeks,
and we'll give you the money anyway.
Honestly, I just want everything to be as normal as possible.
Mimi's gonna be fine.
[Janine] I wouldn't be so sure about that.
What do you want, Janine?
Merely to disabuse you of the notion
that Mimi's recovery will be swift and/or complete.
You're saying she won't get better?
Mimi is 83 years old.
Her likelihood of total recovery is low.
We shouldn't delude ourselves.
You think I'm delusional, you think Mimi's gonna give up,
but I know better than that, and that's why she loves me more than you.
I didn't talk to her for the rest of the afternoon.
Needs more space at the bottom so it doesn't distract the judges.
-[doorbell rings] -I'll get it.
Hey, sweetie.
Your parents called and asked me to check up on you
while they're at the hospital. I brought pizza.
Thank you so much.
Oh, we're here, too.
No one called us, but we have casseroles.
I'm so glad you guys are all here.
Oh. [laughs]
What kind of casserole?
Healthy. What kind of pizza?
-[laughs] Hi, Claud. -Hi, Kristy.
-[Kristy] Hey. -She's gonna be okay, right?
Absolutely.
Hey.
Hi.
I'm staying for dinner.
-Oh, my God. -Stacey!
What?
-[Claudia] Since Stacey was here, -[laughing]
-Mary Anne texted Dawn to come over, too. -[chattering]
-[Stacey] Oh, my God, no! -[Claudia] It was fun.
-[shouting] -[Claudia] One big, happy family.
-More or less. -[gasping]
-Sam! -[laughing]
-I like yours. -Oh, thanks.
I'm done.
Is that a blender?
It's this thing I draw.
Oh, 'cause nothing says "Get well soon" like a blender.
Well, I think it's cool.
I might make one that covers my whole wall,
once we're at Watson's house.
[Stacey] Are you getting excited to move?
[scoffs]
Kristy's worried that if our mom isn't stressed about money
every single second of her life,
she's gonna stop being a feminist or something.
So it's better we all live on top of each other and go into crazy debt for college
-rather than compromise our values -[laughs]
by letting Mom marry a chill guy that totally loves her.
Isn't that right, Kristy?
Well, when you put it that way...
[laughing]
Oh. That's cast-iron. Here.
Do it by hand.
It was nice of you to bring that over.
Oh, well, the Kishis have always been so kind to us. Particularly Mimi.
I was sorry to hear that you and Sharon stopped seeing each other.
The girls talk.
Oh.
Well, I suppose it was inevitable.
After all, she's lovely and free-spirited,
and I...
tuck in my shirt very tightly.
The girls do talk.
Your hair looks nice.
It has clay in it.
[telephone ringing]
[laughs] So, are you loving your new room?
Oh, yes, totally, I just...
I don't know.
I think I just need to get used to it.
That makes sense.
Claudia, your mom called from the hospital.
-Mimi woke up. -[Claudia gasps]
-Oh, really? -[Stacey] Oh, my goodness.
-Thank God. -[Claudia] I knew it.
I knew that my Mimi was gonna be all right.
She opened her eyes, and she can hear us.
Not talking much yet, but she's trying.
She's in there.
Why don't you go in there and take a moment?
Oh, come on.
-[machines beeping] -Mimi.
It's me.
Claudia.
I'm so glad they moved you so I could see you, too.
We made get well cards.
All the girls and Sam.
He drew this blender.
Are you feeling okay?
My big art show's tomorrow.
The Eastern Connecticut School District exhibition.
Maybe we could sneak you out in a wheelchair for an hour or two.
I could make you a disguise,
like big sunglasses and a wig.
[mumbles]
What, Mimi? I--
Each. Peach!
You want a peach?
No, no, peach, no.
Where? Where?
-Calm down, it's okay. -[sobbing]
No, no house!
No horse!
Mimi!
She's upset.
Better let her rest.
[crying]
[Claudia] I'd never seen her like this.
I'd never seen anyone like this.
I learned to draw before I learned to read.
Images have always helped me make sense the world.
Maybe they'd help me understand what Mimi was trying to tell me.
[sighs] Maybe not.
It was hard to think about anything but Mimi.
At least I had the art fair to distract me.
These are so good, they almost make me forget that refined sugar is legal poison.
[laughing]
Yeah, and they actually look like something,
instead of scribbles that you can't even tell what they're supposed to be.
I believe the word you're looking for is "abstract."
Hey, I like what I like.
[chuckling]
Here they come.
That's Paola in the glasses. She's the one I was telling you about.
-Good luck, Claud. -Good luck.
Break a leg. I know you're gonna win first prize.
Mimi will be so proud.
[sighs]
Hi.
What are you doing here?
My sister's showing her pottery.
You like this one?
[exhales] What, this?
What is it?
Oh, boy.
Um, I...
I think it's a basket of eggs.
Eggs.
[Mary Anne chuckles]
Bye.
Um, you spoke.
That's progress.
[sighs] Why am I like this?
New hair, new clothes, new room and still--
You didn't just magically become Stacey.
Mary Anne, can I ask you something?
Do you even like your new room?
I-- I do...
in theory.
[sighs] I don't know.
I guess it just doesn't feel like...
home.
Maybe there's something we could do about that.
Yeah, maybe there were just some things you weren't quite ready to leave behind.
The shading on that one turned out really nice.
What was the motivation for you to create these images?
Let me say it another way.
What are you hoping this work communicates to the viewer?
It's like a...
pop art homage about...
American consumerism. [laughs]
Hmm. How so?
I thought it'd be cool to draw the little crinkles.
Your skill as a draftsman is impressive.
But if you choose to continue making art,
I would urge you to ask yourself why.
Why this? Why now? Why you?
What images do you need the world to see?
[Claudia] If I "chose" to continue making art?
Did that mean she thought I should stop?
Are you feeling better today, Mimi?
-Here. -What are you doing?
Trying to help Mimi.
Patients with aphasia,
that is, people who have trouble with spoken language, like Mimi,
often respond more clearly to images.
I thought if you drew something, it might help Mimi find her words.
Yeah, 'cause I'm such a skilled draftsman.
Fine.
Mimi, what can I draw that will magically make you you again?
A butterfly?
A teapot?
A yarn ball?
Peach. Peach. No, no.
I know, you hate peaches.
Horse.
House.
No, kodomo, no!
-I don't understand what you mean-- -Mimi...
[speaking Japanese] Are you talking about Manzanar?
[speaks Japanese] Yes, Manzanar. I remember Manzanar.
-You told me about it before. -[Mimi sighs]
[Claudia in English] My whole life, there were two things I knew for sure,
that I was an artist and that Mimi understood me.
[chattering in Japanese]
[Claudia in English] Now it felt like I didn't know anything.
[Kristy] Just when I thought I was out, he pulls me back in.
It's the eyes.
They haunt you.
Maybe it's a Horcrux.
A piece of someone's soul is trapped in there,
calling out to me.
Um...
I think you may be right.
[Kristy] Is that you, Mary Anne?
It's my mom.
She's sleeping.
Mom and Dad will be here in 20 minutes.
Do you know what that was about?
I don't speak Japanese, remember?
-You could have learned. -Why?
Mom and Dad don't speak it, and Mimi was born in America.
She spoke Japanese growing up at home.
It's her first language.
Sometimes after a brain injury,
a person's oldest memories are the easiest to access.
That's why all the stuff about Manzanar keeps coming up.
What's Manzanar?
Claudia, you can't be serious.
Is it some make-believe place like Narnia or something?
It was an internment camp.
Mimi and her family were there for three years, starting when she was five.
During World War II, Japanese-Americans, American citizens,
were classified as enemy aliens by the US.
The US government ripped them from their homes
and put them into prison camps
all because they were Japanese.
I know about the internment.
I didn't know it happened to Mimi.
She doesn't talk about it unless you ask.
I asked her once.
Was it horrible?
When they were first arrested,
the camps weren't ready.
So they slept for months in horse stalls at the racetrack.
Horse...
house.
They had to wear numbered tags on their coats when they were processed.
The food was terrible.
Rotten, frozen. Things like Vienna sausage and canned fruit.
Peaches.
There was barbed wire, armed guards.
No one knew what would happen or when it would end.
So Mimi is trapped in her worst memories forever?
I know it doesn't seem like it,
but this is a good sign.
She's finding herself again,
and she'll find her way back to us.
To you.
I don't understand how someone could do that to a family.
I don't understand why they still do.
[Claudia] The past isn't dead.
It isn't even past.
I thought that was an old Buddhist saying, too,
but Janine said it was actually some guy named William Faulkner.
I think it's a good one,
because the past, the good and the bad,
will always be with us.
We have to understand where we've been
to know where we're going...
and the images each of us need to show the world.
[doorbell rings]
You're home!
[Dawn] We're so happy to see you.
I made you an afghan, but I ran out of yarn,
-so I guess it's a scarf. -[laughing]
Thank you. Beautiful.
[Stacey] Hi, Mimi.
So glad you're better.
You okay, Mimi?
I... tea.
Call me when it's ready and I'll bring it upstairs.
She's doing great.
Yeah, she is.
-Claudia. -[telephone ringing]
Was that a phone?
-What? -The phone.
[all giggle] The phone!
[ringing]
Baby-Sitters Club, this is Kristy Thomas speaking.
Hi, Mrs. Pike.
Sea City. Uh...
-Are you serious? -[murmuring]
-I mean, we'll have to ask. -Oh, my gosh.
[laughing, chattering]
All eight of them.
A whole week of baby-sitting?
[rock music playing]
♪ What are the things you wanted? The same as anyone? ♪
♪ Just a hand to hold a little ♪
♪ After all is said and done And the days were long and open ♪
♪ 'Cause I had a view of you The summer of '42 ♪
♪ When I was in love with you ♪
♪ We counted stars above us ♪
♪ We dreamed of Xanadu ♪
♪ We'd sneak off to the desert The sand over your fancy shoes ♪
♪ The first day that I met you I wrote down in my book ♪
♪ I am in love with you ♪
♪ You ♪
♪ I am in love with you ♪
♪ You ♪
♪ I am in love with you ♪