Army Wives, Season 5

Roxy:
I'd rather have a colicky baby than a crabby teenager any day.

Roland:
I thought TJ was twelve.

Roxy:
Yeah. He's twelve going on sixteen. I swear he suddenly woke up like a completely different person. He doesn't want to do his chores. He doesn't want to play with Finn. He stays in his room all the time.

Pamela:
Well, we all know what that means.

[Claudia Joy looks at Denise and both laugh]

Roxy:
Oh, no! Do not even go there!

Pamela:
I'm just saying you might wanna see what kind of magazines he's keeping under his mattress.

Roxy:
[laughs in horror] Trust me, I do not!

Roland:
That's perfectly natural. [Roxy looks at him] I'm just sayin'.

Denise:
Gotta strap yourself in, Roxy. The teen years are not for the faint of heart.

Claudia Joy:
No.

Denise:
High drama. High stress.

Claudia Joy:
The worst part? Just when things start to get better, they leave.

Denise:
[about meeting Jeremy's fiancée] I don't know that "excited" is the right word. Not that I don't want to meet her. It's just...incredibly weird. I mean...I'm gonna be a mother-in-law.

Roland:
Ah yes, the hyphenate that strikes fear in the hearts of women everywhere.

Pamela:
And I suppose you love your mother-in-law, huh?

Roland:
She never visits, she never calls, what's not to love? [gets up to leave] I gotta go home to see my wife.

Roxy:
Oh, sure, rub it in. You've got someone to go home to unlike the four D's here.

Roland:
"The four D's"?

Roxy:
Deployed, deployed, deployed, divorced.

Tanya:
[on the phone with Jeremy] She didn't like me.

Jeremy:
Come on. I'm sure that's not true

Denise:
[on the phone with Frank] I just don't like her.

Frank:
Why, baby? What happened??

Tanya:
Everything I said came out wrong. It was like an out-of-body experience. I wanted to yell at myself, "stop talking!"

Jeremy:
[chuckles] You were just nervous, that's all. My mom will understand.

Denise:
I don't understand. Why the rush? They hardly know each other. And they're so young! They're practically babies!

Frank:
[tries to reassure her] Dee, they are hardly babies! They've been to war, seen combat.

Tanya:
You'd think after living in war zone I'd be able to face anything, but no! Apparently mothers-in-law scare the crap out of me.

TJ:
What are you doing here?

Whit:
It's me Whit. Remember? Your Mama's friend?

TJ:
Get out!

Roxy:
Woah, woah, woah. What did you just say?

TJ:
Why is he here?

Roxy:
Do not sass me. This is Whit. He's my friend.

TJ:
Like the friends you used to have before Dad?

Roxy:
You apologize.

TJ:
[angrily] No! If Dad was here he would kick his ass and you know it!

Roxy:
[points to his room] TJ, get in your room right now and do not come out until I tell you different! You hear me?!

Roxy:
Nothing happened. We talked, we had a few beers.

Pamela:
Are you ok?

Roxy:
[wistfully] I just wish Trevor were home.

Pamela:
Yeah, that would make things easier, wouldn't it?

Roxy:
Whit was never marriage material. We were just friends.

[Claudia Joy, Denise and Pamela are discussing with Tanya about what games to play at her bridal shower]

Roxy:
Woah, wait a minute. I feel dumber than a bag of hammers. How do you guys know all this stuff?

Claudia Joy:
You didn't play any games at your shower?

Roxy:
[looks at Claudia Joy in astonishment] Um, shower? We got hitched so fast that I didn't even get a new dress out of it.

Tanya:
Really?

Roxy:
Yeah. Seventeen days between "What can I get for you, soldier?" and "I, Roxy, take thee, Trevor".

Tanya:
Wow. And I thought we were fast.

Roxy:
[calls out] TJ! It's on the table! [excitedly to Finn] Yay, mac and cheese!

Finn:
[unimpressed] Again?

Roxy:
You love mac and cheese.

Finn:
That's three times this week!

Michael:
Hey, Claudia Joy tells me she's hosting a bridal shower for your future daughter-in-law.

Frank:
That's gonna take some getting used to. Daughter-in-law. I just had a baby daughter, now I have a daughter-in-law!

Michael:
[grins] Tell me something, Frank. What exactly goes on at those bridal showers?

Frank:
[laughs] Hell if I know sir. My guess is some intell is better left classified.

Chaplain Maris:
For most of us, grief fades over time. But sadness? I don't know if that ever goes away, or should.

[Trevor is teaching PFC Riggs and SPC Giron how to properly maintain their rifle]

Trevor:
Make sure you run a bore brush through that saw.

PFC Riggs:
Roger, Sergeant.

SGT Wilson:
Hey don't listen to that E-5, Riggs. We got a new E-6 coming in to run things.

SPC Giron:
What?

Trevor:
Was that a joke?

SGT Wilson:
Promotion list just came down. Your name was on it. Believe that, "Staff Sergeant LeBlanc". What's this Army coming to?

SPC Giron:
Congratulations, Sergeant!

PFC Riggs:
About time they paid you for what you're doing anyway.

Kerry:
Your husband's a soldier. Honestly, he reminds me of Steve. Army all the way.

Denise:
Yeah that's Frank.

Kerry:
In a way I envy them. To them, the world is black and white, right and wrong.

Denise:
[nods knowingly] The good guys and the bad guys.

Kerry:
It's not that way though, is it?

Whit:
I know how that might look but I think Roxy can take care of herself, don't you?

Pamela:
No, I don't. She's not thinking clearly right now. Trevor's been gone a long time and she's struggling.

Whit:
I just want to help.

Pamela:
Yeah, but you're not the man of the house, Whit. Trevor is.

Whit:
I know.

Pamela:
So whether you mean to nor not, your being here confuses things for Roxy. And for the boys.

[Joan and Roland are making a video for the adoption agency]

Joan:
Hi! We're the Burtons and we want to introduce ourselves to you. I'm Joan, this is my husband Roland and our daughter Sara Elizabeth.

Roland:
And we want your baby!

Joan:
[slaps him on the knee] Roland!

Roxy:
[on the phone with Pamela] I just left him there asleep. I mean, like, really asleep. His body is in a totally different time zone.

Pamela:
Wait, so Trevor still doesn't know about Whit? Roxy! This is getting ridiculous!

Roxy:
What could I do? Just shake him from a dense sleep? "Hey morning babe. Oh, uh, Finn's dad is my contractor."

Denise:
What's going on?

Roxy:
Trevor and I just had our worst fight ever. I think he wants a divorce.

Denise:
Did he say that?

Roxy:
Not exactly, but he's sleeping on the couch. And he said he hasn't been happy in a long time.

Denise:
I'm sorry

Roxy:
That fight at the bar was not a misunderstanding. The guy that Trevor punched out was Whit

Denise:
Whit, your contractor?

Roxy:
He's an old friend. Actually he's more than that. He's Finn's father.

Denise:
Ok. Wow. And Trevor knows that?

Roxy:
I needed to hire some that I could trust and that I could afford. So I called Whit. And I tried to tell Trevor but he was already so mad about the truck stop to begin with that it never got out. And now he's accusing me of lying and....and worse. I just don't know what to do.

Denise:
We all make mistakes, Roxy. Believe me. Look, what I've learned is, you have to see things from your soldier's point of view. I'm not saying what you did is the same as what I did to Frank. But you hurt your husband. And you hurt your marriage and you'll have to admit that if you want to make things better. You have to honest with yourself and then you can be honest with him and hope he understands.

[Roland explains to the wives that his newly adopted son is HIV positive]

Roland:
Joan and I fell in love with this little boy. We weighed the risks, the pros and the cons and this was where we came out but I know that you have to think about it for yourselves.

Roxy:
[smiles] What's to think about? He's your son.

Trevor:
Ok, so, you're in line, door opens, winds howling, jumpmaster shouts:

TJ & Finn:
Green light! Go!

Trevor:
Affirmative. Each trooper jumps in order. Go, go, go. It's your turn. You jump. Static line deploys the chute and then TJ order performance..

TJ:
Proper exit. Check the body position. Check canopy. Gain canopy control. Keep a sharp lookout. Prepare to land. Lands.

Trevor:
Outstanding. Now Finn, in order to stick your landing where are your five points of contact?

Finn:
Balls of the feet, calf, thigh, butt, pull-up muscle.

Trevor:
Beautiful. [to an amused Roxy, who is standing behind them] We've got two ace paratroopers in the making.

Frank:
[playing with Molly] And down comes Daddy in his parachute. And the wind blows into the right. And the wind blows into the left. And down, down, down. [sets Molly on dressing table] Wanna do it again?

Denise:
I think Daddy wants to do it again. Frank, you're a little kid yourself.

Frank:
There's nothing more fun that jumpin' out of a plane in the dark.

Denise:
I'll take your word for it.

Roxy:
I think it's really great, what you guys are doing.

Joan:
Well, I just hope you all will love him as much as we do.

Roxy:
[smiles] Oh, I know we will.

Joan:
Roxy, may I ask you a question?

Roxy:
Sure.

Joan:
You already had the boys before you married Trevor. How long was it before they started calling him "Dad"?

Roxy:
Gosh, uh... [thinking] I think Finn started almost right away. Of course, you know Finn, he's just that way. It took TJ a while longer. Kids are different. I don't really think it's something you can force.

Joan:
Right. I was just wondering.

Roxy:
For what it's worth I think David's a really lucky kid to have you and Roland as parents.

Pamela:
How's Trevor?

Roxy:
Um, ankle's better. Thank goodness. The Army...just when you get them home you think you can relax!

[Chase is finishing up fixing a broken lamp at Trevor's house]

Trevor:
They've finally settled down, playing some card game Lucas brought over.

Chase:
Perfect! There we go. Good as new! Let's face this side towards the wall. [turns the lamp around so the broken side is facing away]

Trevor:
[laughs] I told them they don't have to tell their mothers about our game of indoor football.

Chase:
Roger that.

Boone:
Ok, I want your honest opinion.

Pamela:
About what?

Boone:
Lisa.

Pamela:
[rolls eyes] Boone...

Boone:
I won't mark you down on your evaluation if that's what you're worried about, Moran. You know me better than that.

Pamela:
Do I?

Boone:
Moran!

Pamela:
Boone, I haven't said a single word about her and you bit my head off twice today.

Boone:
[deadpan] It looks pretty intact to me.

[Pamela gives him the sarcastic "seriously?" look]

Boon:
Come on. Spill.

TJ:
Hey.

David:
Hey.

TJ:
What's going on?

David:
I ran away. They were mean to me.

TJ:
My folks were like that too sometimes. It's just because they want you to act right, you know? [pauses] It's gonna be dark soon. Can't read in the dark.

Chase:
You know, what happened today, not being able to reach you, wondering if you were all right. It made me realize how you must've felt all those times I was away on missions.

Pamela:
Sucks, right?

Chase:
Yeah. I understand why you wanted me to quit.

Pamela:
I just wanted you out of danger.

Roxy:
Whit says he's already finished the wiring and he says the duct work won't take more than a day tops.

[Trevor nods, Roxy is unsure of what to say]

Trevor:
[reassuringly] Babe, it's ok. It's all good between me and Whit. I don't want you feeling guilty every time his name comes up. Whit's a good guy. And just because he's Finn's dad doesn't mean he can't be a friend.

Finn:
[walked into kitchen unnoticed] Whit's my dad??

[Later]

Roxy:
[hands Finn a photograph of Whit] I was saving these for you. For Sunday. This is Whit from back when I knew him before. I met Whit when I was your age and we were best friends right off. Not boyfriend-girlfriend, just very close. And we stayed that way through high school.

Finn:
[looks at photo] Why didn't you get married?

Roxy:
Because we didn't love each other that way. Not the way you're supposed to love someone when you get married.

Finn:
Oh.

Roxy:
But we were lucky enough to have you. And I was happy to raise you by myself. Until I found a person who I did love in the right way. [looks to Trevor] But Whit is a good man. And he loves you very much. He loves you so much he let Trevor adopt you so that you could have a real daddy. You understand?

Finn:
[looks at Roxy] So, do I have to call Whit "Dad" now?

Roxy:
No. Trevor is your dad, same as always. Whit is just a friend.

TJ:
What about my father? Will I ever get to meet him?

Roxy:
Honey, I don't think that's gonna happen.

TJ:
Why not?

Roxy:
Because there were times when he wasn't so nice to me and I didn't want that happening to you. So I got away. To protect you. [TJ looks away dejectedly] I'm so sorry, but I think you're old enough to know the truth. And I would never let anyone hurt you.

TJ:
So why did you marry him?

Roxy:
Because I was young and I didn't know better.

Trevor:
People make mistakes, bud.

Roxy:
That does not mean that you are a mistake. You are the only thing that brought me happiness during those years. And I have never ever regretted having you. Not for one second. You understand? [takes out a photo] I saved this for you so you could see what he looked like. You want to talk about it?

TJ:
[looks at photo] May I be excused?

Roxy:
Sure.

[TJ gets up and goes out to the porch without saying a word]

[Later]

TJ:
It's not fair.

Trevor:
I know. [pauses] Look, I told you that I was adopted like you and Finn. But what I didn't tell you was that my natural father wasn't very good to me either. He wasn't good to anybody. In fact, he's in jail. And I haven't seen him since I was Finn's age.

TJ:
How come you never told me?

Trevor:
Because I didn't think it was important. Until now. [looks at TJ] I know how you're feeling, TJ. Angry, disappointed, embarrassed. It's hard. And that just doesn't go away. But I'll tell you what I figured out. You get two families in this life. The one you're born with and the one you choose. The one I was born with didn't measure up, but I love the family that I chose. And that means you, bud. I hope you feel the same way about me.

TJ:
[smiles] I do, Dad.

Roland:
Maybe it's time to write another chapter.

David:
What do you mean?

Roland I mean, your life's like a book, David. It's gonna be filled with many chapters. You don't read the same chapter over and over again in a book, do you?

David:
I guess not.

Roland:
No! You read on, see what's gonna happen next. That's the same thing with your life story. See, you started with one mom in chapter 1 and now you got a new mom and a sister and a dad as well right?

David:
Right.

Roland:
It doesn't stop there man. I mean, you got so many more chapters to write. You got school, friends, new adventures. What do you think?

David:
[smiles] Ok.

Roland:
[hi-fives David] All right! Good man!

Michael:
As a senior officer you're always one accusation away from retirement.

[Chief is taking a photo of Roxy and Shady cutting the ribbon during the truck stop opening ceremony]

Chief:
Say, formaggio!

Roxy:
What???

Shady:
[annoyed] Let's cut this thing.

Whit:
Hey Bubba.

Finn:
Hey Whit!

Whit:
So... I, uh, guess everything's out in the open about me and you huh?

Finn:
Yeah. I know you're my dad but you're really more like my friend, right?

Whit:
[nods] Yeah. That's right. 'Cause you already have a great dad right over there. [points at Trevor]

Finn:
Yeah.

Whit:
Hey listen, as your friend, I want you to know how proud I am of you. If you ever need anything at all you just holler, ok?

Finn:
Ok. Want a hotdog?

Whit:
[laughs] Yeah Bubba. I'd love a hotdog. Lead the way.

[At the banquet]

Frank:
[to Trevor] It seems like yesterday we were here talking about Jump School. As I recall, your wife here saluted me.

Roxy:
[embarrassed] Yeah...I guess we've all come a long way since then.

Trevor:
Hey, babe. Whatcha doing?

Roxy:
Hating life.

[...]

Roxy:
It's the truck stop. I should've listened to you. It's gonna be a ghost town around here when the post closes. We're gonna lose everything.

Trevor:
No we're not.

Roxy:
Yes we are!

Trevor:
Ok. Say we loose everything. So what? Babe, we started with nothing. And we have to do it all over again, we will.

Roxy:
Yeah, just wait till the bank come after us.

Trevor:
Ok, so we'll go on the run. Like Bonnie and Clyde. [kisses Roxy]

Roxy:
Roxy and Trevor? Doesn't really have the same ring to it.

Trevor:
Well, then, how about Trevor and Roxy?

Roxy:
How about more kissing, less talking?

Claudia Joy:
Thank you all for sharing your lives with me.

Denise:
For being a light in the dark

Pamela:
For having my back.

Roxy:
For taking me as I am.

Roland:
For making this place a home.

Claudia Joy:
[raises glass for a toast] To us.

Everyone:
To us.

Roland:
There's a big difference between being a soldier's spouse and a commander's spouse. Seriously. You ever get tired of it? The responsibility?

Claudia Joy:
[sighs] Sometimes. It's a constant balancing act between your needs, your spouse's needs and the Army's needs. As far as Uncle Sam's concerned, you're an extension of Joan's office.

Roland:
Right. It's not what I signed up for, Claudia Joy. Making small talk with dignitaries is not exactly my idea of a good time.

Claudia Joy:
Get used to it.

Joan:
As Garrison Commander, I've got a lot of people watching my every move. As a woman, particularly as a woman of color, I've got to be better than good at this job. I have got to be outstanding. One hint of favoritism, one sign of weakness, my credibility is gone.