Salem: 4.10 “On a Tightrope”

Last time with the Diffys, Maura looked Salem up online, Kim and Jane aged into teenagers, and we threw a leisure day pool party. This time…

Maura: “Goodnight Janey; remember you have school tomorrow.”

Jane: “Goodnight Mom, Dad.”

Salem: “So what did you want to talk about?”

Maura: “Auuugghh! What do you think, Salem?”

Maura: “Do you think I’m stupid?! Did you think I would never figure out that you’re working for a criminal organization?”

Salem: “Well I’d hoped to tell you someday when we didn’t need the money, and we’d both laugh about it.”

Maura: “No. You’re going to tell me right now how this happened, and why you’re still in that business.”

Salem: “Look, I was young. I wanted to provide for us, but I felt like I needed money and I wanted to get it as quickly as possible. The Human Fund was the starting point, and it was innocent enough, but my boss has moved the organization beyond that.”

Salem: “I didn’t know what the implications were when I joined, but when I told your father where I worked, he saw right through it. And he was proud.”

Maura: “My father?”

Salem: “Yes, it…he thought it showed good character because he knew that I would do anything to provide for you. That’s how we first became friends. In a strange way, he trusts me.”

Maura: “Salem, you know who my father is, don’t you? I’m not proud to be my parents’ daughter.”

Salem: “I just…wanted to be accepted by him. I wanted our relationship to move as smoothly as possible, and at the time that meant his approval.”

Maura: “That doesn’t explain why you’re still in this business.”

Salem: “Maura, I’m sorry! I’m just stupid, you know that. I don’t think ahead.”

Maura: “No, Salem. You’re one of the smartest people in this town, and you could do so much more, but it’s just like when we were in school. You didn’t see the value in what we were learning, so you didn’t work for it. Now you have nothing else to do, and you’re a criminal.”

Maura: “And I’m married to you. I need to think…I need some air.”

Ruh Roh.

Maura: “All those stars and the sky are so big…it makes me wonder if anything I do even matters.”

Maura: “Aaaahh!”

Maura: “Wha–? Was that real? Am I imagining things?”

Hmm, it must be casual Friday for this alien.

Maura: “Wake up, Salem!”

Salem: “Are you mad?”

Salem: “Do you want a divorce?”

Maura: “What? No, I…I’ve just experienced something. I don’t know how to explain, and I’m not sure if it was real, but…”

Maura: “…right now all I want is for you to hold me.”

Salem: “I can do that.”

Maura: “Please.”

Maura: “It’s been a long day. Come upstairs with me.”

Salem: “Are you sure? I can sleep down here tonight.”

Maura: “Do you love me, Salem?”

Salem: “Yes. As always.”

Maura: “Then we need to work through this together. We’ll figure out the details some other time, but tonight I want you next to me.”

Jane: “You seem happy.”

Kim: “Why shouldn’t I be? We’ve got another player for dominoes.”

 

I think I neglected to mention the traits that Kim and Jane gained on age-up last time. Kim became ambitious, and Jane became a social butterfly.

Kim: “And this domino can go here!”

Jane: “Oh good one.” *appreciative claps*

Kim: “I think I just won.”

Thad: “Well, it’s getting late. I actually have to get to my job.”

Jane: “You don’t like country music, do you? Just admit it.”

Kim: “Yeah, don’t deny your feelings.”

Thad: *sigh*

Thad: “I really do have to go. Sorry!”

Jane: “Silly Thad.”

Maura: “Salem? What do you do in here?”

Salem: “Well, I’ve been…researching. Just doing little scientific experiments, really. Nothing major.”

Maura: “Interesting. Well, I’m about to go out bowling with our daughters and Emily. It’ll be just you and Cinnamon in the house. Your parents are getting old, Salem. Maybe you should try spending some time with them instead of here in the garage.”

And the girls are off to spend another night at Mick’s Master Karaoke and Bowling.

Jane: “Wake up, Grandma. We’ve got this.”

Kim: *appreciative claps*

And let the disaster begin.

In case anyone wants to see him, here is August Nigmos, the teacher that Jane did an impression of.

Jane: “You must never speak of that. I was but a child.”

Jane: “People throw away good stuff too much. I can find something useful in this junk.”

Jane: “Like this pipe! It’s good for self defense if nothing else.”

Jeramie: “Hey Kim, you know where Jane is? She invited us over.”

 

Jane: “I was about to do laundry out of boredom, but now that Jeramie and Gonzalo are here…” *drops*

Jane: “So! You coming out with us, Kim?”

Kim: “All you want to do is go bowling. We went bowling yesterday; now I’m tired of it.”

Jane: “Oh, don’t be like that. Now we’ve got Gonzalo and our cousin Jeramie to go with us.”

Kim: “It’s still bowling. My feet are sore from those shoes!”

Jane: “Well how about we do something you’d like, too. What about a movie first?”

Jane: “Plus we’ll be taking the firetruck. It’s gonna be so fun!”

Kim: “We’re taking Jake? Did you ask Grandpa about that?”

Jane: “Why? You think he’d say no?”

Jane: “C’mon, our grandparents could never get mad at us.”

Kim: “That’s actually true. They are probably the sweetest people to ever exist. Can we see the new superhero movie?”

Jane: “Whatever will get you out of the house.”

Next time: The girls go out, Salem and Maura talk more, and we’ll even see those sweet grandparents. Plus it should be the last chapter of this generation!