S02.E04: Helen

[Dee]

Quote

When you go outside the city white people be acting different. That's why I can't even go to Marietta. Too weird.

[scrb]

I don't recall how the relationship was depicted in the first season.  Vaguely recall money issues causing tension.

Now there's money but Van doesn't particularly want to spend every weekend going to Alfred's concerts.

She's not working so her friend accuses her of settling for being Earn's baby momma.  Meanwhile Earn isn't even trying to do this Twin Peaks Oktoberfest that she signed them up for.

Van doesn't think Earn values her other than as an accessory while Earn is upset that she did the ping pong equivalent of posterizing him.

This breakup seems to have been long time coming yet Earn seems oblivious.  Did he really think she enjoyed going to a strip bar or she was just taking one for the team?

Both are horrible to each other -- having a conversation in German with that dude right in front of Earn.  So now they're only going to talk when it's about their daughter.

 

The Ringer is doing a podcast recapping each ep. so they'll probably dive into this relationship over the course of the series.

[Empress1]

I was glad Van was clear on what she wanted. The older I get, the more I value clear communication. They were long overdue for a “what are we doing?” talk.

[drivethroo]

The only way Van can stay in a "relationship" with Earn is to be as shiftless and aimless as he is. I think being described as "Lottie's mom" or "Earn's baby momma" by her white friends made her realize maybe she wants more for herself and maybe she needs to find out who Van is.

Earn has a chip on his shoulder because he thinks he should be able to stunt on people, knows he can't stunt on people and doesn't want to do the work to be able to stunt on people.

When Earn told Van that in essence the relationship was going to be run by HIS rules because HIS money was making her world go around, Van realized he was trying to stunt on HER.  She also knew he was not going to fight for her, which is why she set up the ping pong game that both of them knew he was going to lose.

 

10 hours ago, scrb said:

This breakup seems to have been long time coming yet Earn seems oblivious.  Did he really think she enjoyed going to a strip bar or she was just taking one for the team?

To be honest, I don't think Earn cares one way or the other what Van wants and needs out of a relationship.  He may enjoy her company and enjoy having sex with her but that's as far as it goes.  Anything more is going to require him to take responsibility for his life and his choices.  Anytime a man says anything in the "I don't want to hold you back/waste your time" family, he's letting you know you're not that important to him.

If Van got another job making decent money and started hanging out with a more "respectable" crowd, they would've broken up at that point too because Earn wouldn't have been able to stunt on that crowd and would've punished Van for it.

[Dee]

Van & Earn are toxic. I'm glad they're done.

[JenE4]

Interesting to see Van’s perspective. I feel like we now have more backstory on her than we do on Earn. She obviously REALLY values her German heritage, but to her other German/black friend, she “chose black.” She’s spent YEARS back and forth with Earn, but it took being in this other-worldly version of the other half of her heritage to get the perspective on her everyday life with Earn treating her as nothing more than a “baby mama.” I guess there’s some symbolism there with that wolf monster thing taking her phone (???? Strange) and then she’s able to battle it, winning the competition, but only to see Earn wants to talk and is obviously having the same doubts she is. She lost her “means of communication” both literally and figuratively and then battled to get it back. This gives her the strength, despite how exhausted she is, to battle Earn too, in love and ping-pong. Oh, I just remembered they said early in the episode  that wolf does apparently steal a belonging from someone, so that’s why it had Van’s phone. Yet, it was a much scarier-looking version of the monster that confronted Van than was at the party. Maybe these were supposed to be two different creatures—or maybe the one at the party was just a costume rather than being “the” one. Also interesting how Earn’s response to someone thinking he’s in blackface is to go “whiteface” with that white plastic hockey mask—uncomfortable trying to blend into this artificial white world.

Edited March 23, 2018 by JenE4

[scrb]

I wonder if there's some retcon going on here about them not being matches for each other.  I'd have to watch the first season episodes again.

I don't think it's an accident that they chose each other.  They're both well-educated, probably better-suited to work corporate jobs (if they so chose) than others in their social circle -- Tracy asked Earn for advice on what kind of shoes for his interview as well as how to talk to the interviewer IIRC.  Earn often seems out of place in the hood and it wouldn't be surprising if Van would feel the same in a lot of the situations depicted in the show.

Van accuses Earn of not valuing her as a person, as something other than an accessory to fuck.  Yet the start of the episode featured an extended sequence of him going down on her.

[drivethroo]

59 minutes ago, scrb said:

Van accuses Earn of not valuing her as a person, as something other than an accessory to fuck.  Yet the start of the episode featured an extended sequence of him going down on her.

Having sex is what couples do.  But his actions that day told her they were NOT a couple; she was nothing more than an accessory to fuck:

 

• He refused to participate in something that was important to her
• He acted an ass when he finally did participate
• He accused her of trying to stunt on him because she won the first series of ping pong games even though there was nobody around for her to stunt for
• When she confronted him and wanted to know why he couldn't do one of her activities, because they always did his activities, he basically told her HIS activities were more important than hers and they were going to keep doing HIS activities because his activities support her
• When she wanted to know what he wanted out of the relationship, he basically told her he was cool with how things currently were but if she wanted to leave, he wasn't gonna stop her.

Earn does not value Van as a partner and he may never have.  It's best Van cut her losses now, because all that's going to happen is the moment Earn decides to get his act together, he's going to find another woman that he does value and Van (and Lottie) will be left in the dust.  Van needs to put Earn on child support, too.

Edited March 23, 2018 by drivethroo

[heatherchandler]

I was laughing out loud when Earn won the bouncing ball game, and everyone was so excited.

Am I wrong, or is this the best show on tv?

[Dee]

21 minutes ago, drivethroo said:

 It's best Van cut her losses now, because all that's going to happen is the moment Earn decides to get his act together, he's going to find another woman that he does value and Van (and Lottie) will be left in the dust. 

You think Earn would drop Lottie too?

[drivethroo]

I don't think he would drop Lottie, but he would do the bare minimum for her.  So pretty much what he's doing for her now.

It's best they stop this situation now, because if Van continues to hold on and Earn continues to let her, he's going to leave her in the dust when he gets the woman he really wants to be with and it's going to be an ugly situation.

[Dee]

ITA. He's already slept with other women, so I have no problem believing he'd drop Van in a heartbeat if he felt he could upgrade. I do wonder how much interaction Earn had with Van & Lottie during Van's pregnancy and while he was away at college, because he doesn't seem overly concerned with being a deadbeat parent, so I don't know if he wouldn't drop Lottie right along with Van.

Edited March 23, 2018 by Dee

[Empress1]

I realized this episode that I don't think I knew their daughter's name until now.

3 hours ago, drivethroo said:

Having sex is what couples do.  But his actions that day told her they were NOT a couple; she was nothing more than an accessory to fuck:

 

• He refused to participate in something that was important to her
• He acted an ass when he finally did participate
• He accused her of trying to stunt on him because she won the first series of ping pong games even though there was nobody around for her to stunt for
• When she confronted him and wanted to know why he couldn't do one of her activities, because they always did his activities, he basically told her HIS activities were more important than hers and they were going to keep doing HIS activities because his activities support her
• When she wanted to know what he wanted out of the relationship, he basically told her he was cool with how things currently were but if she wanted to leave, he wasn't gonna stop her.

Earn does not value Van as a partner and he may never have.  It's best Van cut her losses now, because all that's going to happen is the moment Earn decides to get his act together, he's going to find another woman that he does value and Van (and Lottie) will be left in the dust.  Van needs to put Earn on child support, too.

I completely agree. This isn't going to end with Earn saying "I have a steady job and a place for the three of us, and I want us to be together for real." If he does say that to someone, it isn't going to be Van. And Van should absolutely put Earn on child support. Otherwise I could see him bringing money when he feels like it, and ONLY when he feels like it.

[Cthulhudrew]

I have two strong and differing opinions on episodes like this. 

On the one hand, it feels very real; the trials and tribulations of relationships, particularly between two people who aren't clear about communicating what they want out of the relationship, but just are going through the motions because they'd rather be together than be alone. Its especially complicated because these two have a bond that goes beyond just the physical, having had a child together. So there is the added dimension of feeling as if they need to continue on in order to provide something for their child, even if they're not clear on what exactly they are providing (is Lottie really better off with two people who don't love one another?)

On the other hand, episodes like this continue to drive the point home that Earn is not a particularly nice character. He's selfish, has a chip on his shoulder (though sometimes that chip certainly seems to be understandable given the prejudices he has faced in his life), and doesn't really seem to have any ambition or interest except in the vague goal of "getting ahead," preferably by the easiest and most convenient method available. It's particularly problematic because Earn is our main character, our viewpoint character. If the intention is to continue to build him up to the point where he finally realizes his own shortcomings and tries to genuinely move beyond them (even if he fails due to comic circumstance), that's one thing. If he isn't going to grow up, that's a whole other thing. I'm not sure I will be interested to continue to watch his trials and tribulations if he doesn't start to develop some measure of self-awareness.

[scrb]

Ringer podcast pointed out that in the first season, Van had the job and was paying the bills.

Now Earn didn't even try with this Oktoberfest thing but even Van would have to admit this was a weird event, especially how they made a big deal of Earn putting those balls in the basket in that stupid game.

Earn was happy with the "arrangement" but does it necessarily mean he was looking around for something better?  Or that he didn't want the relationship to get to the "next level" which might mean formalizing it?

Did Van have the talk with Earn about being valued as a person before or after her friend told her that "she chose black" and only referred to her as Lottie's mother, suggested to her that she was content to be the baby momma?

[drivethroo]

I don’t think the event itself mattered. Van could’ve suggested going to a museum or sporting event & Earn would’ve found a problem with it. Earn would been uncomfortable, Earn wouldn’t have been able to stunt, etc etc. it’s all about Earn.

Earn was happy with the arrangement because he got free sex & a roof over his head for very little effort. Van was asking him to make an effort and he simply doesn’t want to make an effort...with anything. That’s probably the underlying reason why he dropped out of Princeton...he was probably used to getting by & getting accolades in K-12 and got no accolades for his efforts at Princeton. 

So I don’t think Earn will go out seeking a woman because to do that takes effort and Earn is not about making any efforts. But if he meets a woman and she gives him free sex without requiring anything of him, he will forget Vanessa so fast...faster than Michael Vick beat him, for sure.

Earn wasn’t looking to take the relationship to the next level because that would require making an effort, and Earn isn’t about that life. A formalized relationship would mean he’d be held accountable for his actions & how they affect other people and he is also not about that life. 

This is probably the first time Van formally brought it up to Earn because deep down she knew she would get the same result she got last night. But she was ready for the truth and ready to act on it. Earn felt like the talk was a trap because he felt forced to verbalize how he liked the fuck buddy arrangement and didn’t feel the need to change it and admitting that meant he would probably lose easy access to sex with Van.

Edited March 24, 2018 by drivethroo

[possibilities]

I really like Van. She's not the usual "annoying girlfriend" trope. What she wants is super-reasonable. She's fun, she's supportive, she's kind, she's smart, she's willing to do stuff for him on his terms, she isn't critical or judgy, she's not clingy and jealous or smothering. She's responsible and reliable and emotionally mature, she's self-sufficient, she's gorgeous.

I don't know what Earn would want more. He can't really complain about her, and he doesn't. He's so unlikable. It's not even that he's just not attracted to her, because clearly he is. What is making him so closed off and controlling? It doesn't really seem like he's particularly looking for a relationship, so I don't see him suddenly finding another woman and being different with her than with Van.

In general, I agree that he doesn't make an effort, but it's not 100% true. He has gone out of his way to do things for Paper Boi, like when he went to deal with Kat Williams' character, and when he went to that soiree last season where the husband of the host was talking to him about Africa all night. He's also did a lot of other stuff to promote PB last season. He seemed more motivated.

He was always a bit detached and irresponsible and kind of lost. But it's gotten much worse. Now he seems kind of dead inside. He's attracted to scams more than he sees through them. He's constantly being profiled and subjected to racist BS and it's no longer something he can fight. He has some money and he still seems more unhappy and defeated than when he was flat broke.

[wanderingstar]

I guess I was not that invested in Van and Earn, cuz I was very eh on their break-up. 

This episode had a surreal/whimsical/scary feel to it. That horse-head dude was super creepy.

Loved hearing Van speak German, but then I think it's a beautiful language. 

Missed Paper Boi and Darius in this one.

[DearEvette]

My husband has always been a big fan of Zazie Beetz and Van.  He is of German descent so this episode just upped his love for her as he had no clue about her background.

I was happy to see Van because I just enjoy her character on this show and I loved the vibe of this episode.  I enjoy Van and her real talk with her girlfriends.  Her racially conversation with the 'black girl that chose white' in this one reminds me a little of the class based conversation she had with her Instagram-loving friend.

I swear, can Earn get any more sour?  Look, I was kinda feeling him because that first tennis ball game whatever they were playing felt incomprehensible to me.  And yeah a German folk fest just isn't my comfort zone.  But he had this "i am so over this' look on his face the whole time and was just so ... pissy.  Van had a point, just be with her and do stuff with her because it is important to her.  I can't stand hanging out and cheering on runners in a 20k race at the butt rack of dawn on a Saturday morning,  but I'll drag ass and pass out water because it is important to my husband.

Speaking of --  Earn he is quick to throw the money he earning from Paper Boi in Van's face, but I wonder how much he is out there really hustling on Paper Boi's behalf.  How much of what PB is getting is because of Earn's work on his behalf and how much is he earning just because he is PB?

I am glad they are broken up but I hope this means we will still see Van.

[Dee]

An interesting thing about this episode is that Earn's anger usually amounts to him projecting his ever festering self loathing onto others.

But during their initial ping pong match, it's the first time he's shown being actively hostile toward Van.

All because she beat him, in front of one person, who she wasn't even aware was there.

That's scary.

Edited March 25, 2018 by Dee

[mrsbagnet]

How pathetic that Dave had to explain to Earn the very basics of being in a relationship. A girl who likes you wants you to do things with her. I think even kindergarteners know that.

Edited March 26, 2018 by mrsbagnet

[Amethyst]

This was a long time coming, so I'm glad these two are done.  At least for now.

So, Van confirmed that she didn't want to go to the strip club and only did it to spend time with Earn.  Yes, Earn is selfish, but more than that, he's aimless and it's really messing him up.

He wants things but doesn't want to work for them.  It's fine to hook up with Van, but when it comes to a real relationship, he's not having it.  His way or no way.  Earn wants to stunt on others, but doesn't have the money or power, and declines to do anything else.  I think he's waiting for some great windfall or scheme that will make some serious bank for him.  Otherwise, being PB's manager isn't cutting it and it's not giving him the feeling that he was hoping for.  I doubt he wants a regular job that pulls in a regular salary if it means doing something he doesn't want to do.  Being a janitor or a security guard doesn't have the same allure as a producer/manager does. 

But Earn is also ignoring that the people around him do have side hustles.  Van was a teacher, PB was a dealer.  Earn has nothing else going on.

The conversation between Van and Christina was interesting, and I'm glad Van stood up for herself.  You knew something was wrong when she was only introduced as "Lottie's mother."  Was that the same Christina who bought the VIP Beyonce tickets, knowing Van couldn't afford them?

[possibilities]

On 3/24/2018 at 4:49 PM, Dee said:

All because she beat him, in front of one person, who she wasn't even aware was there.

That's scary.

Very scary. I wonder if they are going to actively turn Earn into someone we actively dislike, maybe a cautionary tale, and not someone we root for.

[Sheenieb]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

I wonder if they are going to actively turn Earn into someone we actively dislike, maybe a cautionary tale, and not someone we root for.

I think that's already happening. Ever since the scam episode, his aimlessness has heightened. Earn is a cautionary tale. Just like how he viewed his uncle. Earn's life could've gone a different route if he put in an effort. Of course, Van finally wised up and got tired of his shit. If he can't even be bothered to hustle professionally, to the surprise of no one, he isn't going to do it for Van. 

It's too bad that she's going to be tied to his loser ass forever. Van should just take Lottie and move to Germany. I do like that the show included Zazie's heritage, and I hope that we see the German bartender that she was vibing with, again. I doubt it, but she needs someone in her corner to vent to.

It's hard to even come up with things to say because everyone is on it with the Earn ain't shit comments. Now that Van has stopped wasting her pretty, she needs to get herself together, too. Tutor kids, be an ESL instructor, something. Because if she has to keep depending on Earn for money then she can forget it.

Edited March 26, 2018 by Sheenieb

[Deanie87]

Oh my god, that Harry Belafonte song at the end!  It was so beautiful (he is so beautiful) that I actually teared up a little even though I'm glad that they ended whatever it was they had going on.

On 3/24/2018 at 3:54 PM, DearEvette said:

But he had this "i am so over this' look on his face the whole time and was just so ... pissy.  Van had a point, just be with her and do stuff with her because it is important to her.  I can't stand hanging out and cheering on runners in a 20k race at the butt rack of dawn on a Saturday morning,  but I'll drag ass and pass out water because it is important to my husband.

Ugh, this pissed me off the most!  Van even said in the car ride up there that he wasn't going to enjoy it, but that clearly it mean a lot to her and she wanted to enjoy it.  I knew right then that he was going to be a complete baby about all of it and ruin it for her.  And I get that this was way out of his element (my Dad is German and I know my way around an Oktoberfest, but that was something else), but it was such a unique experience and it seemed so unlike what we have seen of Van so far, that I don't see how he couldn't have at least been curious about it.  It was such a kind of dorky thing to be enthusiastic about that it made me think Van was even more adorable than I did before.  Clearly everyone there was really into it, which is usually contagious, but Earn seems to care way too much about what other people think.  Even people dressed in lederhosen and animal masks apparently, which is pathetic.  I hope Van goes again next year alone and has a great time and hooks up with 5 hot Germans.

On 3/23/2018 at 9:25 PM, drivethroo said:

Earn was happy with the arrangement because he got free sex & a roof over his head for very little effort. Van was asking him to make an effort and he simply doesn’t want to make an effort...with anything. That’s probably the underlying reason why he dropped out of Princeton...he was probably used to getting by & getting accolades in K-12 and got no accolades for his efforts at Princeton. 

For a main character, Earn is sooo passive.  Other than easy money, what does he want?  I lost my patience with him last season, so I'm not mad, but come on.  I don't think that Donald Glover is a bad actor (I've only seen him in this and an episode of Community or two), but truly he is a cypher, and if that's the point, then ok, but maybe I'm not really getting it. 

Edited March 26, 2018 by Deanie87

[DearEvette]

1 hour ago, Deanie87 said:

I don't think that Donald Glover is a bad actor (I've only seen him in this and an episode of Community or two), but truly he is a cypher, and if that's the point, then ok, but maybe I'm not really getting it. 

That's just it... he was fantastic on Community.  He just put it all out there.  Troy was my favorite character on the show.  Just his crying scenes alone are comedy gold.  DG he definitely has the range.

So I think it is a conscious decision to make Earn this way.  

[drivethroo]

15 hours ago, Deanie87 said:

And I get that this was way out of his element (my Dad is German and I know my way around an Oktoberfest, but that was something else), but it was such a unique experience and it seemed so unlike what we have seen of Van so far, that I don't see how he couldn't have at least been curious about it. 

This was a part of Van and who she was.  And Earn didn't want to know about it, he didn't care.  It's not about the Oktoberfest, Earn didn't want to know about Van & didn't care to know about Van other than as a fuck buddy and this event made her realize she's better than being just Earn's baby momma or Earn's fuck buddy.

15 hours ago, Deanie87 said:

Clearly everyone there was really into it, which is usually contagious, but Earn seems to care way too much about what other people think.

But Earn didn't care about what VAN thought.

15 hours ago, Deanie87 said:

For a main character, Earn is sooo passive.  Other than easy money, what does he want?

Failure.  It's easier to manage than success.

[Mr. R0b0t]

On 3/23/2018 at 12:34 PM, drivethroo said:

Anytime a man says anything in the "I don't want to hold you back/waste your time" family, he's letting you know you're not that important to him.

100%.  This should be taught to all young ladies.  

[announcergirl]

I disagree. I think he cares for Van but thought the whole thing was corny, that he was out of place. There was nothing real about that experience to someone who has to live like Earn does everyday. 

[Deanie87]

On 3/30/2018 at 8:09 AM, announcergirl said:

I disagree. I think he cares for Van but thought the whole thing was corny, that he was out of place. There was nothing real about that experience to someone who has to live like Earn does everyday. 

But it wasn’t about Earn. They were doing something that meant a lot to Van.  The fact that he couldn’t suck it up for 24 hours just shows how little of a priority she is to him. Van didn’t love the strip club but she went because Earn wanted to.  And I’m sure there was nothing real about the strip club to someone who lives like Van does everyday.

[drivethroo]

On 4/2/2018 at 5:58 PM, Deanie87 said:

But it wasn’t about Earn. They were doing something that meant a lot to Van.  The fact that he couldn’t suck it up for 24 hours just shows how little of a priority she is to him. Van didn’t love the strip club but she went because Earn wanted to.  And I’m sure there was nothing real about the strip club to someone who lives like Van does everyday.

The event might have been corny and white, but corny and white is a part of who Van is.  She was trying to share that with Earn.  If your partner doesn't want to know what make you "you," then your partner doesn't want to know you and there's no point to the relationship, especially if it's one-sided like Earn & Van.

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Can anyone help me id the song that played at the end of the episode? All I could make out was "Malika"

 

Eta. Got it. It is Harry Belafonte & Miriam Makeba - My Angel. Beautiful song 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Deputy Deputy CoS

[qtpye]

On 3/23/2018 at 3:19 PM, scrb said:

I wonder if there's some retcon going on here about them not being matches for each other.  I'd have to watch the first season episodes again.

I don't think it's an accident that they chose each other.  They're both well-educated, probably better-suited to work corporate jobs (if they so chose) than others in their social circle -- Tracy asked Earn for advice on what kind of shoes for his interview as well as how to talk to the interviewer IIRC.  Earn often seems out of place in the hood and it wouldn't be surprising if Van would feel the same in a lot of the situations depicted in the show.

Van accuses Earn of not valuing her as a person, as something other than an accessory to fuck.  Yet the start of the episode featured an extended sequence of him going down on her.

Not to be TMI, but I have had guys who beg to do that to me because they think that it will drive me crazy and is the main thing they should contribute to the relationship. Honestly, many times it is more about them then pleasuring the woman. Earn will do sexual stuff with Van because he is into it, but that is about as deep as it's going to get for him.

On 4/6/2018 at 10:49 AM, drivethroo said:

The event might have been corny and white, but corny and white is a part of who Van is.  She was trying to share that with Earn.  If your partner doesn't want to know what make you "you," then your partner doesn't want to know you and there's no point to the relationship, especially if it's one-sided like Earn & Van.

The truth is when you are in a relationship, you will have to do things that you do not enjoy and that is a truth. The fact that Earn could not even go one day halfway pretending that he cared showed Van how much she did not mean to him. I am glad she read the writing on the wall instead of hanging on to some delusion.

Quote

This was a part of Van and who she was.  And Earn didn't want to know about it, he didn't care.  It's not about the Oktoberfest, Earn didn't want to know about Van & didn't care to know about Van other than as a fuck buddy and this event made her realize she's better than being just Earn's baby momma or Earn's fuck buddy.

Quote

The event might have been corny and white, but corny and white is a part of who Van is.  She was trying to share that with Earn.  If your partner doesn't want to know what make you "you," then your partner doesn't want to know you and there's no point to the relationship, especially if it's one-sided like Earn & Van.

Word to both of these posts.

Quote

ITA. He's already slept with other women, so I have no problem believing he'd drop Van in a heartbeat if he felt he could upgrade. I do wonder how much interaction Earn had with Van & Lottie during Van's pregnancy and while he was away at college, because he doesn't seem overly concerned with being a deadbeat parent, so I don't know if he wouldn't drop Lottie right along with Van.

Quote

 

I really like Van. She's not the usual "annoying girlfriend" trope. What she wants is super-reasonable. She's fun, she's supportive, she's kind, she's smart, she's willing to do stuff for him on his terms, she isn't critical or judgy, she's not clingy and jealous or smothering. She's responsible and reliable and emotionally mature, she's self-sufficient, she's gorgeous.

I don't know what Earn would want more. He can't really complain about her, and he doesn't. He's so unlikable. It's not even that he's just not attracted to her, because clearly he is. What is making him so closed off and controlling? It doesn't really seem like he's particularly looking for a relationship, so I don't see him suddenly finding another woman and being different with her than with Van.

 

Earn cares about himself more than Van, but I think he does realize that he is lucky as hell that a woman like Van puts up with his shit and honestly she could do so much better. This feeds his ego and combined with the sex, is the main reason he even pretended to try sometimes. Now, the cards are out on the table that he really can not be bothered...I so hope Van moved on to better things.

[possibilities]

I think he also was using her when he was broke, because she had an apartment he could sleep in. Now that he has money, he's no longer trying to stay in her favor.

[talktoomuch]

I think it's even more complicated than that. Earn doesn't even know Earn. How can he be the man Van wants and needs when he doesn't even know what kind of man he is? Earn is just going through the motions hoping somehow life will show him who he is.

[DrSparkles]

Reaffirms my decision to never ever never EVER go to Helen.

ETA: Ern is an asshole.

Edited April 20, 2019 by DrSparkles