1.14: Family Ties
Mr. Stevens: Honey, my son is messed up.
Mrs. Stevens: I suggested Military school. Gave you a good pamphlet about one.
Mr. Stevens: I’m not sending him away, I’m going to keep dealing with him till he lets me in. But I can’t do it alone, I need help, he needs help, we all need help so we can be a family.
Mrs. Stevens: I don’t need help, that’s not my son.
Mr. Stevens: You keep saying that. Isn’t it enough that he’s my son and he’s here and he needs us, US, not just me. I know I said this was my problem and it was when he wasn’t here, but he’s here now.
Mrs. Stevens: And I’m suppose to be instantly happy about that?
Mr. Stevens: No, but you need to help me. Help me help him. He’s not just my mistake and you can’t treat him that way if we’re survive this as a family. He needs to feel family again, he lost that when his mom died and he hasn’t had it since because this house is not united.
Mrs. Stevens: I’m not his mother and I won’t insult him by trying to be.
Mr. Stevens: He’s a child, a little boy. Why does loving him scare you so much?
Mrs. Stevens: Because he’s your son David! He’s the one thing I couldn’t give you that this other woman did.
Mr. Stevens: You gave me my daughter.
Mrs. Stevens: It’s not the same thing. I see how men are with there sons and you’re the same way.
Mr. Stevens: What are you talking about? I very nearly gave up my son’s whole childhood for you and Stacy. My son hates me for that and that hurts, but I made that bed and I slept in it because of how much I loved the family I had. You, me, our little girl. And if I could go back… well it’s so hard to say because I didn’t want to hurt you. But I can’t wish that Shawn never existed, I just can’t. He’s my child, just like Stacy. What if you were the other woman and Stacy was the illegitimate one and you died and me and Kira took Stacy in? You’d want us to do everything to help her, wouldn’t you?
Mrs. Stevens: I guess.
Mr. Stevens: Do you guess or do you know?
Mrs. Stevens: I know I would.
Mr. Stevens: Then lets get some family counseling and bring this family back together. Not just for Shawn, to make peace for all of us.
Mrs. Stevens: Okay.
