The Quiet

All I wanted was to be invisible.

It was a simple request.

It didn't involve anyone else.

When I was in a room with another person,

I felt like I was only half there.

When I was in a room with two other people,

I felt like a third of myself.

When I was in a room with three other people,

I felt like a quarter of myself.

And when I was in a whole crowd of people,

I felt like nobody.

I hate you.

Please.

...all of those things.

I think he's hot.

Tiff Peedle told me he only has one nut. That's disgusting.

Tiff Peedle's a pathological liar.

You never know.

There's only one way to find out, really.

You're not doing that. Stop.

No. No.

Hey, Connor.

- Hey, what's going on? - Nothing.

- He blatantly likes you. - Do you think?

- Blatantly wants to fuck you. - Oh, my God.

Frederica Diaz told me he was a massive fuck.

- Frederica Diaz? - Yes. Spanish exchange student?

Sophomore, fall, big butt, small skirts, homeroom 42, remember?

- Yes. - Yes. Right.

What?

- God. - The freaks don't even want her.

Your new sister is Z-list.

She's not my sister.

It's karmic law, Nina. Your house is perfect, your mom's a babe, your dad's hot.

Don't be gross.

And you're the prettiest girl in school.

Yeah, well, I'm fat.

Well, you were bound to inherit a retard sooner or later.

Dot.

Do you mind if I sit down with you?

I could sure use some company.

Come on, we've been waiting for you. Let's go.

Fuck! It's ridiculous!

Hurry up.

- Where was she hiding? - She was in the bathroom.

What a freak.

Can't believe my parents took her in.

When she arrived last week,

she was holding a cardboard box with her dad's ashes in it.

I really wish you would accept Dot, Nina. We're all in this together.

Whatever. It wasn't my decision.

- She's sitting right there. - So what? She can't even hear.

She can't even speak.

It's like she's a cat, or a dog or something.

My mom says hi.

She wanted me to tell you that her sister is looking for an interior decorator,

if you're interested. She lives in Wallingford.

Well, I will give her a call.

I'm still very busy here, though. I haven't even finished the kitchen.

Or the living room, or the dining room.

Will you help me with dinner, Dot?

Don't touch that, please.

I'm sorry. My mom's a total control freak.

This could be the fabric for our new couch.

Jesus Christ, Mom, she was just touching it. It's not like she has cooties or something.

Besides, you're letting the retarded girl touch our food.

Be careful, Nina, she can read lips.

Your bedroom looks great, Mrs. Deer.

I love the new curtains. They're very dramatic.

When were you in my bedroom?

We were just getting some lipstick, Mom.

Mr. Deer did such a nice job with this house.

It's the nicest house in Meriden, everyone says so.

Thank you, Michelle.

Not like that, Dot. You're wasting too much of the bean.

I was watching the news.

Why can't we watch something that actually affects us?

- Michelle's staying for dinner. - Not tonight, Nina.

Why, there's not enough food with the deaf girl?

Your father's had a long day. I'm sure he would like a quiet night.

Well, then, why doesn't he dine alone with Dot?

Paul Deer, how nice to see you again.

Janice Feltswater.

I'm Nina's college advisor. Parent-teacher conference.

- Oh, yes. - Yes.

I've been meaning to touch base with you. Or your wife.

I'm concerned.

- About Nina? - About Dot.

- The disabled girl you've taken in? - She's deaf.

She seems very unhappy.

She just lost her father. They were very close.

- What about her mother? - Cancer, when Dot was seven.

- Tragic. - Yes.

You are so good to have taken her in.

You're not only a brilliant architect, you're a good man.

- Thank you. - Olivia Deer?

- Yes. - Something wrong?

My wife had a root canal.

- Ouch. - Antibiotics.

- Well, it was nice to see you. - Good to see you.

- Good night. - Tell your wife hello.

- I will. Good night. - Good night.

Hello, Dot. Did you have a good day at school?

She spent most of the day in the bathroom.

She's a total freak. Can't you just be, like, her un-godparents?

You look nice today.

I just said that you look nice today.

Well, I look like shit and I need to wash my hair.

Mom's passed out in the living room.

Hey, come here. Take it.

It's great.

It's, like, socially acceptable. It's legalized heroin.

My mom won't notice.

Pussy.

Hey.

Paisley.

It's hard work decorating, Paul.

I have to rely on the French and Italians to send me fabrics.

Come on. Let's get you to bed. Come on.

Up you go.

Up.

You all right?

Thanks, hon.

Stop it.

- What? - Looking at me like that.

- Like what? - My hip still hurts at night.

This arrived today.

Now the room is finally finished.

It's perfect.

Good.

I'm sorry.

About Dot.

I want her here, Olivia. It was the right thing to do.

- I should get the girls dinner. - Don't say it like that.

Don't imply, every time you say that you are going to do something,

you are implying I am not the one doing it.

You're tired, Olivia. Get some sleep.

No, I'm self-aware! I'm incredibly fucking self-aware.

So, you think Dot's going to be able to keep up with your classes at school?

I don't know, why don't you ask her? You seem to be an expert in deaf-speak.

You know, there's an American Sign Language course at the evening extension.

I thought it would be fun if we all learnt a little sign language.

You mean she's actually staying?

Of course she's staying, Nina. She doesn't have anybody else.

She doesn't have any family. She's not as fortunate as you.

It wouldn't hurt for you to, you know, take some sign language courses.

It couldn't help but look good on your college applications.

People like to see a little initiative.

Hello? Yeah. I know.

Yeah, well, let me call you back. Okay.

You make yourself at home, okay, Dot?

I'm spending the night at Michelle's. We have to practice our new routines.

Tonight?

Yeah, I wanted to give you and your new daughter some time to bond.

Michelle Fell with Norman Griss,

Nina Deer with Nelim Sathime.

Oh, and, Dot,

for this dissection you'll be partnered with Connor Kennedy.

Okay?

All right, everybody.

- Hi. - Peel back that outer layer of skin

and get yourself acquainted with the general anatomical structure.

I'm calling PETA. This is major animal cruelty right now.

Save it, Miss Fell.

Gentle, Dot, slow.

The pig is already dead.

I can't believe that auditory waste product gets to lab with Connor.

It's like Piln trying to hold fate.

And I want to fuck him.

Fuck him.

He's obviously afraid of commitment.

So, who do you want to bang-chung these days, Nina?

No one.

Nina, you got to get it going. You are 17 and you're still a virgin.

Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anybody.

It's just if you don't pop this thing before the end of the year,

you're going to end up being a high-school spinster.

Blatantly.

Now, I really just don't get it. You could have anybody you wanted.

Except Connor. Dibs on him this semester.

Look.

Dot's found a companion she can speak with.

Maybe Myrna will adopt her, and that way she can have two deaf daughters.

When Beethoven was 17 years old, his mother died.

In 1801, when Beethoven first discovered he was losing his hearing,

he got severely depressed.

...he actually knows who I am. I gave him two weeks' notice.

Watch, I'm telling you right now...

- What? - Nothing, man.

- I want to see. - Don't worry about it.

Hey, what the fuck? You don't want to fuck with the master, baby.

- Come on. - Hey, you guys, come on. Let's go.

But he emerged from this moment of crisis triumphant.

His middle period is characterized by a heroic tone,

as in his opera, Fidelio,

where a wife saves her imprisoned husband from murder

at the hands of his enemy.

Come here, Dot. Don't be scared, you need some color.

It's too bad I stopped seeing you after your mom died.

I always wanted a sister.