[upbeat music plays faintly]
Hello, Diary. News flash.
I, Amber Brown, will officially be attending
the Park Ridge Middle School fall dance.
Three things. One, I've never been to a dance.
Two, what if no one asks me to dance?
Three, is it okay to dance alone?
- And in other news, me… - [chuckles]
…Brandi with an I, with no new dress, will also be going to the dance.
I've never been to a dance. But I do know it's okay to dance alone.
Can I borrow a dress?
Sure. I only have a few.
Ooh, uh-ooh. [laughs] What color?
- Pink. [chuckles] - Okay.
- [gasps] - [chuckles]
[chuckles] Can I borrow one of your dresses?
Sure. What shape?
Shape?
Yeah. I buy shapes.
I have a straight dress, a puffy dress, a swirly dress or a bell dress.
Swirly.
This dress is great for dancing.
- [chuckles] - It twirls perfectly!
[gasps] Whoa! [chuckles]
[chuckles] Wow. You created your own dance style.
I learned it from Angry Tree Number 3.
- [both chuckle] - [phone chimes]
My mom… made an appointment for me on Tuesday at Lobe and Behold!
What? Your mom's letting you get your ears pierced?
I can try to not be happy about it if it makes you feel better?
No, no. It's okay. Be happy.
I'm like a movie star 'cause I wear earrings! Aha!
Not that happy. [chuckles]
- [shutters clicking] - [reporters] Brandi!
[reporter 1] Brandi with an I and earrings! Brandi!
Over here! Brandi with an I and earrings!
- [reporter 2] Big smile, Brandi! - [reporters 3, 1] Brandi with earrings!
- [reporter 2] Brandi! - [reporter 3] Brandi!
[crickets chirping]
[gasps]
Movie-star earrings.
I wish my mom would say okay already.
- Keep asking. - I do.
And every time she says, "Not till you're 13."
Have you acted, you know,
an outstanding performance of disappointment?
Well, yeah, I guess.
- You begged? - Yep.
- Pouted? - Yep.
- Said, "Everyone has them"? - Mm-hmm.
- I used all those too. - They worked on your mom.
Yeah. Well, I watch a lot of movies.
- My acting is pretty good. - [both chuckle]
- Can I try a belt with this dress? - I wouldn't, but sure. Go ahead.
Hmm. It could work, if I get big enough earrings. [chuckles]
Ask your mom to convince my mom that I should be allowed
to get my ears pierced before the dance!
Sure, I could ask. [inhales deeply]
But not today. Today is Monday. Voice-resting day.
Mom doesn't talk one Monday a month.
Is that a joke?
No. It's real.
I guess it's kinda funny too. [chuckles] And nice.
Real nice.
Love Mondays.
[sighs] How do I get my ears pierced before the dance?
- [gasps] Aunt Pam! - [gasps] Oh!
Wow, you scared me.
That must be what coffee feels like.
[waves crashing]
- Aunt Pam can talk my mom into it. - Oh, yeah. Your Aunt Pam is good.
Academy Award good.
[chuckles]
["All Good" playing]
You have volleyball on Wednesday.
And the dance on Friday. With earrings. [sighs]
[sighs] I heard that. And no. [inhales] Uh…
Can I quit volleyball?
No. [sighs] No, it's a great way to meet people, make some friends.
I know all the people already, Mom.
Hannah, Shawntay, Alima, et cetera. All taller than me and can spike the ball.
You should invite them over sometime.
- As if! - What? Friends are important.
I have all my friends, Mom. Justin and Brandi.
[Sarah] Yeah. And we love them. [inhales sharply]
So, you've got math tutoring at 3:30 on Thursday. [sighs]
- And the dance on Friday! [inhales] - Mm-hmm.
I'm doing better in math. Can we stop tutoring?
[Sarah] Uh, no! So,
Thursday math tutor at 3:30, then we're having dinner with Max.
I will drop you off at your dad's
after the dance on Friday. [inhales deeply]
Actually, you were supposed to be at your dad's this weekend,
but I signed us up for the pancake breakfast
- at Saint Juliana's on Sunday. - [sighs]
So, best if you just stay here.
[country-western music playing]
[scoffs] Can I have a day?
A day? For what? What do you mean?
To choose for stuff I want to do.
I don't wanna serve at the pancake breakfast.
Why not? It'll be fun.
- Plus a really nice way to make some-- - Don't say it.
Good morning, sunshine.
[both] Morning.
[door closes]
Rays. Rays of sunshine, both of you.
- Whoo-hoo. - [door closes]
- [phone chimes] - Here's your dress back.
[Pam] I didn't end up wearing it. Way too big.
[Sarah] Remind me to lend you a smaller size next time.
- [Aunt Pam] Please. - Good morning, Pam.
- Good morning, Max. - Pam.
Max.
So, did you guys get married and all moved in,
- and I wasn't invited to the wedding? - Pam!
What? He's just here all the time, Sarah. I mean, geez, every day.
Can you blame me? You're all so welcoming.
Amber, for your first school dance,
- I got you a little gift. - Ooh.
Aw!
[gasps] Earrings! Wow, I love them!
Pam, you know that Amber doesn't have pierced ears.
Well, then it's time to get some?
Uh, thank you, but we have an agreement.
No makeup or earrings till she's a teenager.
Yeah, you are a natural beauty, just like your mother, Amber.
- You don't need either. - That's true.
- [Max] Mmm. - Whose side are you on?
- Not mine. - Yours, Amber Brown.
Always your side.
Listen, you don't need makeup or earrings, but you want 'em.
And I think a lip-gloss smile would look fabulous flanked in gold.
[chuckles] Come on, Mom. Please?
Lip gloss and pierced ears.
I don't appreciate the ambush.
Sarah, girls get pierced ears, they wear makeup, they go on social media,
- they get tattoos! - What? Tattoos? What?
- I have a tattoo. - Course you do.
Why are we even talking about tattoos? Just stop.
Because Amber's an artist, and tattoos can be a great work of art.
No, that's-- that's not why. [stammers]
- I'm not helping. - Pam.
Sarah, I'm just thinking, all things considered,
you must be so relieved that the only thing Amber is asking for is--
Pierced ears, Mom. That's all I want.
- I know babies who have pierced ears. - Exactly!
I know a 3-month-old who has diamond earrings
- and a Gucci purse. - [scoffs]
- I have pierced ears. What? - [others] Of course you do.
- [Sarah] Sticking to "no" here, guys. - Mom.
- What about a tattoo then? - Knock it off, Pam!
Come on, Mom. Please?
- I'm old enough to shave my legs. - [sighs]
I shave my legs.
- I'm a weekend cyclist. - Okay. [chuckles]
Mom, if Justin were here,
he'd probably be getting his ears pierced with me.
- [chuckles] - But he's not here.
So, I'm alone, without a best friend.
And now it's my first school dance,
and it couldn't be more perfect timing.
I have a reason, a need,
a right to wear these great earrings from Aunt Pam.
You know, you're a fantastic artist,
but you might wanna consider trial attorney
- as something to fall back on. - Amber, no.
- No pierced ears till you're 13. - [sighs]
Hopefully your mom's not on the jury.
- [inhales sharply] Put the nuts over here. - [Amber sighs]
Okay. Well, if I ask Dad, and he says yes, maybe?
I'm sorry, honey. He said no. He agrees with me.
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
I, Amber Brown, own these ears.
These are my ears.
Probably the only thing in my life I have any control over right now.
My parents share custody of me,
back and forth, schedule my life to the minute.
Can I at least have custody over my own ears?
- [protesters clamoring] - [drums beating]
[clamoring continues]
[dog barking]
[phone rings]
[Justin] Hey.
Hey.
Hey. Is it time for our meeting?
Yeah, 6:00 p.m. on the dot.
[sighs] Hmm.
Oh, you wanna see my dress for the dance?
Yeah, looks nice.
Phew, I am so glad I'm not there.
Just sweating thinking about having to be at a dance,
or ask someone to dance.
I'd dance with you.
Thank you. But… [stammers] …I wouldn't have the nerve to ask you.
To ask anyone.
I'd ask you.
Cool. That's cool.
[scoffs] You may wanna see how he dances first.
Start time is officially 6:01 p.m.
"How do Amber and Brandi look cool at their first school dance?"
Meeting now comes to order. Any suggestions?
Dangling earrings?
Really? That's what I'm wearing.
My mom got me a pair. Small little dream catchers. So cool.
[smacks lips] I will have bare, naked ears.
Okay. That word makes my face very red.
Like, [stammers] it's burning right now.
All right. Moving on.
[Amber] I've never been to a dance.
I've been to a wedding.
Oh, it doesn't matter what we do. It's exciting. We're going to a dance.
I'm so excited. This is so exciting.
- A dance. We're going to a real dance. - [chuckles]
- Yeah. - Brandi,
sometimes I think you're the person version of my real feelings.
Wait, but you won't be here. Sorry, Justin.
Yeah. Sorry, Justin.
[Brandi] Wish you were here.
Me too. [inhales deeply, sighs]
But relieved. [sighs]
Well, we'll send you photos from the dance.
Keep your phone on at all times.
Ba-later.
- Oh, where are you going? - To Brandi's.
- Not till you empty the dishwasher. - I'll do it when I come back.
But you were supposed to do it this morning.
- You also forgot to fold the laundry. - I didn't forget. I--
Excuse me?
- [groans, sighs] - Honey,
before you go to Brandi's, I need you to empty the dishwasher.
[Amber groans]
Can I ever just make a decision for my own life?
Uh, you are 11.
And yeah, yeah, you make lots of decisions.
Like the way you're behaving right now is a choice.
- [Amber scoffs] - And it's not okay, this attitude.
All I did was ask you to empty the dishwasher, honey.
Yeah, and to not have pierced ears and join the volleyball team.
Serve pancakes and be better at math and make more friends!
Wow, that's-- that's been brewing.
Careful, you don't wanna break something.
[sighs] You're so controlling sometimes. [sighs]
What?
- Um-- - Are you talking about me?
- No. - No?
Yes. Maybe.
What i-- What is going on with you?
[sighs] Brandi's getting her ears pierced, and I'm not.
I just wanna go to Brandi's, okay? [sighing]
Done. Can I go now? Please?
Yes. Yes, you may.
[sighs] Thank you. [sighs]
- [sighs] - Hey. [stammers]
- Everything okay? - Yeah.
Nah. [chuckles]
- [both sigh] - [Max] Hmm?
I can't stand it when she doesn't like me.
[Max inhales sharply]
[sighs, clears throat]
You know, [clicks tongue] you gotta love your kids enough,
so that they really dislike you at times, by setting boundaries.
Mm-hmm.
It's not actually that easy. So…
[laughs] Is this about the ear-piercing thing?
For sure. And everything else that I,
her controlling, strict, not-cool mom does.
Wait, did she say those things to you?
It's not about what she actually said that bothers me. It's her attitude.
I could hear her thoughts much louder.
And she just-- She can't stand me.
She cannot stand me right now. It hurts. [sighs]
Okay. Don't fall for that. Steady now.
- What? - [chuckles]
I di-- I did the same thing to my mom.
My sister was worse. She was off the charts at Amber's age.
What'd your mom do?
A real softy. She caved. She gave in every time.
And that made you like her more?
Yeah, absolutely.
[sighs] I can't really understand what you're trying to say now.
- This is not helpful. - I'm saying
it made me love my mom but not myself.
Yeah. I-- I think it's important to allow a kid
to not like you at times,
so that in the long run they can love themselves.
So, no pierced ears?
No, stay the course.
-'Cause I love her. - Yeah.
And she hates me.
- Exactly how it should be. - [chuckles] Yeah.
My mom does the same thing. She's always making lists, like,
"Take time to breathe, listen to music, dance like no one's watching." [scoffs]
It's a little different than my mom's kind of list.
Oh, this cat is so cute.
[hammering]
Wonder what they're building over there.
- I don't know. I hope it's a mall. - [both laugh]
[Brandi] Let's see. One, two more pavers.
Brandi, why do you still have unpacked boxes?
My mom says I'm a procrastinator. [chuckles]
What does that mean?
I can tell you later. Help me finish making this path.
[sighs] I just can't take it anymore.
It's either a list of what I have to do or a list of what I can't do.
It's called a mom list. [chuckles]
- I think I need an Amber list. - Mm-hmm.
Why are you making this path anyways?
So I can visit the tree. It gets so muddy when it rains.
I don't wanna ruin my shoes.
Wait, you visit the tree?
Yeah. That's why I have these chairs here.
Come on, sit. Relax, breathe. Visit the tree.
Hmm. I guess it is kind of nice visiting the tree.
[sighs] I love these chairs,
but sometimes they make me a little carsick.
[inhales sharply] Can I just sit on this box?
- I might've emptied that-- - Oh.
- [both laugh] - Oh, my gosh.
- Are you okay? - [grunts]
- [laughing] - [sighs]
[phone chimes]
Oh, my mom texted me. [chuckles]
What'd she say?
I mean, I was just there.
"Don't forget you have math tutor homework to do.
And be sure to clean up your room."
[sighs] I'm just so tired of being controlled.
Didn't she hear me?
I just said that out loud in our kitchen.
[sighs] I wonder how my mom would feel if I didn't hear her.
Or listen to her, like she doesn't listen to me.
There's only one way to find out.
- What, you mean not listen to my mom? - Yeah.
Like, wear headphones around the house.
Or turn up the TV.
My dad does that when my mom's talking.
No, wait. What if-- What if I didn't listen?
Like, about what?
Like, about getting my ears pierced.
Dun dun dun.
Ah, see, make sure your decimal is in the right place.
Okay.
- Do you have a daughter? - If you add 142.000…
[chuckles] Yes, I do. Samantha's eight.
- Does she have pierced ears? - Amber.
[chuckles] Since she was a baby.
Could you say that just a little bit louder?
- I heard. - [chuckles]
[phone rings]
Hello? Yeah.
Oh, hi, Lucy.
How's the whole gym-turning-into-a-disco going?
Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, we could-- we could be chaperones.
- What? - [Sarah] Yeah.
Just put us both down. Sarah Brown and Max Dayton.
- No, not Max. Dad. - Shh.
- [tutor] Okay, Amber. We're almost done. - [sighs]
This is our last one. Focus on the problem.
Oh, I am. [sighs]
Yeah, had to call. I hit level ten on Zero Gravity Infinitum.
That's great.
[coins rattling]
What are you doing?
Growing up.
Huh?
- [Amber] Yeah. - We're 11.
Exactly. We're not kids anymore.
Feel like I am.
But looks like you have enough money there to get your own car.
Is that all Christmas and birthday money?
Plus my money from dog walking.
Must've been some big dogs.
- [Brandi] Here you go. - Thanks, Brandi.
Happy you reached level ten. Ba-later.
- Ba-later. -Hello, Justin. Ba-later, Justin.
[Amber chuckles]
["Big Big Hearts" playing]
Okay.
["Big Big Hearts" continues]