In the kitchen Charlie points out that there are 60 people in the party and the salmon takes 6 minutes a plate. That is why he is the manager, he has been there for 3 years and she's been there for ...Julia answers "3 days." Charlie rushes over to the towel bin and is sick. Julia rubs his back and helps him from the kitchen.

Charlie's bedroom
Charlie is in bed with a towel on his forehead. Julia, Bailey and Claudia surround him with concerned faces. Charlie points out that it means the treatments are working, but Claudia says it means he is getting radiation poisoning. Charlie can't go back to the restaurant, the smells make him feel sick all the time. Bailey asks who can sub for him. Julia offers, but Charlie needs her at home. He can't take care of Owen or Claudia the way he is now. Claudia states that she can take care of herself. Charlie asks Bailey to take over the restaurant. Julia will run the house and wait tables at night, she needs to make money to help with bills at the motorcycle shop. Charlie tells Claudia to "hang in there" when she asks what she can do.

Opening credits

Salinger kitchen
Julia tries to entice Owen to eat some breakfast. She offers apples, scrambled eggs, pancakes and an assortment of other things. He refuses everything until she gets to oatmeal. They are out of oatmeal. Julia asks why oatmeal, because it's sweet, because it's mushy, because it's white. He will eat it because it's white.

Salinger's
Bailey's first day as manager is fraught with problems. First a server calls in sick. Bailey is not impressed with his excuse, he has a fever. Charlie came to work with cancer, why can't he work? Someone comes out from the kitchen and states there's no John Dory. Another one? Bailey wonders how he can run the restaurant without waiters. Mercy, a server tells him that John Dory is a fish. How can he run the place without fish? An irate customer demands his table that he has been waiting 30 minutes for. Bailey hustles the party in. As Bay gets on the phone to get his economics assignment, another customer who has been waiting longer inquires if he will have to yell to get a table. As Bailey continues on the phone, the man starts to yell.

Salinger living room
Charlie is trying to eat some scrambled eggs while watching TV. Julia comes in with a laundry list of problems. Which one does Charlie want to hear about first? The tree branch that broke the neighbor's window, the squirrel in the attic or Owen's eating disorder. Charlie says none of the above. Julia asks for his help. Charlie states it isn't that hard. She should call the insurance company about the window, get a free inspection from an exterminator so they can fix it themselves. She asks if she should call a doctor about Owen. "What color is it this time?" Charlie asks. Julia answers white and asks if he has done this before. Owen refused to eat anything but green food when Bailey went to college. It means he is a little freaked out about Charlie being sick. What should she do? Cook white food Charlie answers.

Charlie's bedroom
Bailey is headed back to the restaurant, but has a few questions. He asks if he has to throw out all the chicken, or just the stuff that was recalled. Charlie tells him to throw it all away and steam the containers. Bancroft wants free parking for the anniversary. Charlie says to give it to him. Bailey asks why they are bending over backwards for him. When Charlie points out the party will be 20% of their business. Bailey asks about making a change in the ordering system to help the servers with the new menu. Charlie just wants to get some rest and tells Bailey to do what ever he wants to. He doesn't want to think about the restaurant, Bailey should do what he thinks best.

Coffee house
Reed is working on a paper about the Indians. Claudia tells him not to include something from his textbook. According to a documentary she saw the army gave out blankets that were infested and killed thousands of Sioux. The server brings Claudia a pastry. Reed asks if it is her dinner and she says it is. He tells her to at least put some marmalade on it. She laughs in a coquettish manner and says this is fun, hanging out, being friends. She really likes being his friend with everything that is going on. She really likes him, more than that. . . she loves him. Reed doesn't say anything. She asks if he heard him, he did. Then he asks if it was true that Sitting Bull trusted Grant. Yes, for awhile it was true she says.

Charlie's bedroom
It is early morning and Julia is crawling around on the floor looking for something. She goes under Charlie's bed and promptly bangs her head. Bailey enters the room and knocks open the desk. Julia bangs her head again. Charlie rolls over in bed trying to pretend he isn't awake. Julia gets up and asks what Bailey is doing there. Bay needs the name of the chimney repairman for the restaurant and Julia is looking for the prescription for Charlie's anti-nausea medication. Bailey surveys the room and notices all the dirty laundry. He asks when somebody last did laundry. Julia asked Claudia, but she had a study date or something. Julia wonders if the pharmacy would have the prescription on file since it is a refill while Bailey wonders if the name would be under "C" for chimney or "F" for flue. Julia picks up a pair of jeans and dumps the change on the floor. Charlie sits up, looking rather pissed and informs them that the prescription is on the refrigerator under the lunch box magnet and the chimney guy is under "O" for Orson chimney repair. They both apologize. Julia asks if she can pick up a video for him, Bay has the new Green Day cd. He says no thank you. Julia asks if he wants to ride out to Piedmont with Griffin. Charlie has his treatment and afterwards he is going to try to get the rest he isn't getting now. Charlie asks what the horrible smell is, looking rather like he is going to be sick again. Julia apologizes for not cleaning the bathroom, but the culprit seems to be Claudia who yells from downstairs that Owen's popcorn is ready. Bay inquires why Owen is eating popcorn for breakfast. Julia states that it is white and leaves. Bay just stands there until Charlie asks him to leave.

Grant High School
Reed pulls up in front of the school where Claudia is sitting on the steps waiting for him. He asks if they can talk. She says she has wanted to talk to someone all day, things are really bad at home right now. The cancer is everywhere. He is the one thing that she has right now that feels good. Reed obviously feels bad for her and doesn't bring up what he was going to discuss with her.

Salinger backyard
Charlie is sitting on the swing wearing his pea coat. Sarah comes in and tells him about a project she has for her theater class. She has to design a proscenium and Bailey said Charlie had a drafting table. Charlie interrupts her and says he doesn't need this. Between Bailey and Julia bugging him with all their little problems and Claudia stinking the place up with her microwave popcorn. . . he doesn't need Bay sending her over to entertain him. If he needs entertainment he can get a book off the shelf. As Charlie continues to yell, Sarah looks at him. She just wanted to know where his drafting table was. That's all. Charlie looks slightly embarrassed.

Salinger's
A customer asks why there seem to be empty tables when people are waiting to be seated. As Bailey is explaining that they are short-staffed Julia hurries in carrying her uniform. She's sorry she's late, but it took longer at the pharmacy and she couldn't leave Owen at day care all night. She missed the meeting where Bailey explained the new codes. She apologizes and says she'll stay late doing settings. She asks Bailey why Mercy has one of her tables. He says that she has been working it for the last hour and it is hers now. Julia says it is unfair. Bay gets to run the restaurant while she has to stay at home cooking and cleaning. Bailey tells Mercy he has to cut Julia some slack. Mercy marches off looking not very happy.

Reed's house
Reed and Claudia are playing a video game. She attacks him, cuts him in half and he dies. Reed says he needs a break, his thumbs are killing him. He asks how things are at home, but she doesn't want to talk about it. He agrees and says they should play another game.

Salinger's
Back at the restaurant Bailey has things under control, but Julia is getting all of her orders wrong. She tries to serve shrimp to a woman, who says she wouldn't order something she's allergic, too. Julia exclaims that she is too, she puffs up like a beach ball. The man at the next table says that it is his shrimp, he's been waiting a half hour for it. Bailey asks why she isn't using the codes, he wrote them all down for her. Julia points out that it's still Charlie's restaurant and Bay doesn't need to change things just to prove he can do it.

Salinger basement
Charlie is carrying laundry down to the washing machine when he notices Sarah's project. He looks at the plans and then pulls out one of his knives and starts moving some of the walls around.

Reed's house
Claudia has fallen asleep on the couch while they watch an old movie. Reed tries to wake her up, but she doesn't move. He covers her with a blanket and goes to bed.

Salinger's
Bailey is sitting at a table doing receipts after the restaurant is closed.

The shed
Julia comes home. Griffin offers his side of the bed, it's already warm. She says she is too warm, she did a day's worth of dishes. Griffin asks if he should open a window or if she should take some clothes off. As Julia takes off her jewelry he nuzzles her neck. She inquires if he wants to have sex, making it obvious she has no interest. She feels like everything she does is for other people. All day she takes care of Charlie and Claudia and Owen and all night long she's slaving for lousy tippers. No one ever asks what she wants. Maybe that crap works for Cinderella, but she just wants to crawl into bed and never wake up.

Salinger kitchen
Charlie is reading the paper while his bread is in the toaster. Claudia pops her head up in the window. She considers sneaking in the back door, but decides to walk in the French doors, obviously to see if Charlie even knew she was out all night.

She asks how he slept. He answers a little. You? She says she slept great. He looks up at her and asks if she wasn't wearing that yesterday. Yeah, so. He asks where she was, why she's coming in at 7 a.m. She spent the night at Reed's. He starts to yell at her, she says to go ahead, but he stops and says he has to go to his treatment. It was stupid and she shouldn't have done it. Charlie walks out.

Sarah and Bailey's apartment
Sarah has broken the list of maintenance duties down for Bailey. He doesn't have time for it right now. She understands, but when the cable went out the day before they were chanting his name in a "not nice way." The phone rings and Bay says to not get it. It will only be another crisis. The machine picks up and it is Julia. Pick up the phone, she says. He does. She is irate that he took her off the Bancroft tables. He's not putting his newest waitress on the most important tables of the year. We'll see what Charlie has to say, she answers and then hangs up. Bailey asks Sarah if she is going over to the house, he's coming with her.

Salinger house
Charlie is coming through the back gate after his treatment looking like he feels terrible. The minute he gets in the house Julia asks how it went, how does he feel? Not great, he answers. She apologizes, and then starts about the Bancroft tables. He doesn't want to talk about it. Bailey comes in. Charlie says for him to come back, he can throw up on both of them. Bailey starts to state his case. Sarah says she's going downstairs. Bay and Julia argue about the restaurant. Charlie yells for them to shut up. He doesn't want to deal with the problems. He feels like crap and is exhausted. Bay wants him to back him up. Charlie says they should work it out. Bailey is the manager, he should do want he thinks is necessary. Julia should stop worrying about what tables she's getting and start worrying where Claudia is spending the night. Julia didn't even know she was gone. He doesn't want to hear another thing. Charlie walks out.

Salinger basement
Charlie comes downstairs as Sarah is examining the changes he made to the model. He changed it all around. He's sorry, but he had some ideas. He changed the whole design. Yeah, but it wasn't working. All of the unbraced load-bearing wall would bury the audience under rubble. Sarah thanks him. He can change it back. No, she says, she wouldn't want to kill anyone. She asks if that is why he moved the stage back. No, he did it for sight lines. They look at it from the back, while Sarah comments that moving the wings makes the stage feel deeper.

Claudia's bedroom
Julia knocks and enters. Claudia is getting ready to leave, she is dressed in a rather suggestive outfit. Julia needs her help. She is having a hard time with the house and the restaurant and she needs Claudia to not spend the night at a boy's house without telling anyone. Who should she tell, Julia is never around and Charlie doesn't want to be bothered. Julia says she's there now, so Claud says that she is having coffee that night with Reed. Julia had expected her to watch Owen. Claudia states that Reed is her boyfriend now and she is going to be spending time with him. If Julia needs her to babysit, she should ask ahead of time. Claudia walks out.

Salinger's
It is the night of the Bancroft party. As Mr. Bancroft inquires about the cutlery with Bailey, Julia deals with a party of difficult customers. She tries to be polite, but is obviously losing her patience. Bailey continues to deal with Bancroft in a professional manner as Julia grows more frustrated with her customers.

Coffee house
Claudia is waiting by herself for Reed. He is no where in sight.

Salinger's
Bailey is in the kitchen dealing with a dessert crisis. There aren't enough bananas left for the dessert Bancroft has ordered. As a container of fruit is set on the table Bailey has an idea. He pulls Mr. Bancroft aside and asks about the dessert. He had noticed that he had ordered the Bananas Foster, which is one of their best desserts, but it is what everyone orders. As he says this he signals four servers who simultaneously light the dessert around the restaurant. Another server comes by with a plate of fruit. What is it, Bancroft asks. They are cherimoyas, flown in from Guadalajara. They are very rare, but Bailey might have enough for the Bancroft party unless he wants to take the safe route, the bananas. Bancroft says they'll have the foreign fruit.

Julia gets her tip from the difficult party. It's $5 in change on a $100 check. She deserves a trip to Fiji for serving jerks like this. Bailey asks if they can settle it without yelling. She tells him to settle it and throws the tip on the table and storms into the kitchen.

Bailey thanks the kitchen staff for doing a good job. As he sits down Mr. Bancroft comes up behind him. Bailey asks if he can do anything else for him. Bancroft says to stop bowing and scraping all the time. He was a little nervous when he heard about the change in management, but Bailey did alright. He gives Bay a $500 tip and says to get ready for the next year.

Julia asks if Bay is going to put the tip in the pool. Bay says he is and then tells Julia she's fired. She isn't very good, she's rude and forgetful. She doesn't like working there and everyone, customers included, knows it. She tells him it's different for her because she has to be there.

Salinger kitchen
Griffin and Julia are discussing her firing. Griffin wonders how he could fire her when Julia is cooking and cleaning, even Charlie's vomit. Julia tells him to stop, he's depressing her. She doesn't care, Bailey was right. She hated that job and now it is one less thing to hate.

Bailey's apartment
He is on the phone with the restaurant. He finishes and serves lunch to Annie. She wants to hear about the restaurant. He asks what is up with her and Natalie. She says they're fine, she wants him to finish his story. He tells about how he got the sous chef to not quit. You've got the moves, Annie says. It was the highest grossing night ever. Charlie must be relieved to not have to worry about the restaurant anymore, Bailey can swing it without him. Bailey says he hasn't really talked to Charlie about it.

Salinger basement
Sarah comes down to find Charlie still working on the model. She thought they were done. They are, but he had always wanted to build a flying balcony. He must get pretty bored around the house Sarah says. Charlie tells her about a project he did in design school. He was working on the parking structure when there was a crisis at the restaurant and he had to quit the class. Sarah says that she is sorry. He was too.

Grant High School
Claudia wonders why Reed didn't show up at the coffee house. He was out with friends. She thought they had plans, but he thought they were still up in the air. She says it would have been nice for him to call, to get a call from her boyfriend. He's not her boyfriend. He feels bad about Charlie and will help out however he can, but they are not a couple. Claudia is crushed.

Charlie's bedroom
Bailey brings him a couple magazines, one talking about a place they could go bass fishing in the spring, when he feels better. Charlie asks if there's any restaurant business. Bay says he thought Charlie didn't want to talk about that. Are you kidding? What about the Bancroft job? Bay says it was a blood bath. The restaurant needs him. Everyone wants to know how they can radiate him faster. Can they stick him in the microwave? Bancroft called Charlie that morning and told him how well it went and booked the restaurant for next year. Charlie says it's okay that things are going so well, but Bay says they'll all be better when he's back. Charlie points out that that might not be for awhile, and so until then the restaurant is Bailey's and if he wants it that would be great. The brothers share an intense look that says more than the words.

Grant High School
Claudia tracks Reed down in the hallway, but he walks away from her. She follows him outside. She asks why he is walking away from her. He can't just do that, be her friend and then walk away from her. What did she do? Reed says that it is just too intense. She says she needs him. He's sorry, but he can't. Claudia walks away through the crowd that gathered. She's obviously crying.

Salinger's
Bailey is in full manager mode. He tells the server to get a party's usual fare ready, checks on another table and then greets Annie and Natalie who have come for the meatloaf special. Natalie drops her fork and Bay gets her a new one.

Salinger kitchen
Julia is trying to get Owen to eat some pork, the other white meat. He won't because she burnt it and it's brown. Claudia comes in and says she doesn't want anything. She sits at the table with her head down as Julia tries to get Owen to at least eat the white beans.

Salinger basement
Charlie is putting things away from Sarah's project and finds the design for his parking garage. He pulls it out and starts working on the design.