Of course, this is Judith's cue to pop out from behind a shelf and ask, "What project?" Joan seems happy to see her: "Hey. Did you really skip the whole day?" Judith says, "Oh, well, Danny got his parents' convertible and we went for a drive." Adam can't resist: "Well, Danny's been in the tenth grade for three years." Judith doesn't rise to the bait: "He was kind of a moron." Joan's all "thank God you're back" and fretting about Judith getting kicked out of school again. Judith assures her that's not going to happen and asks again about the project. Joan says, "Lischak gave this crazy assignment…" She turns to Adam, who explains, "You have to determine something indeterminate, or…" He waves his hands vaguely. Joan interrupts, "You don't really determine. Ultimately it has something to do with subatomic particles." Adam: "But it has to be in your own environment." In sum: neither one has a clue. Judith remarks, "I think I'm glad I went for the Big Gulp." She plops herself into a chair and puts her feet up on the table. Joan explains they're planting a garden by the bleachers to determine whether it will survive: "And you'll be working with us." Judith: "I'm not working on some fifth-grade science garden." Adam seems annoyed but not surprised. Joan tries to convince her it's a good project, and adds that they're all sharing the grade. Judith: "Why don't you let me worry about my own grade, Mom?" Adam says Joan was just trying to help. Judith: "I'm not some pity case." Agreed. You're a case, but I don't feel a whole lot of pity for you. Adam: "Fine. Fail physics." Joan: "Adam…" He says, "Look, why do you let her treat you like this?" Judith wants to know how she's treating Joan. Joan gently suggests he should stay out of it. Adam: "Sure. Happy to." He starts to leave but she grabs his arm, but before she can say anything, Judith says, "Nervous someone else is treading on your territory?" Well, I doubt very much that he's enough of a jackhole to think of Joan as his "territory," but it sure is telling to hear how Judith perceives it. Joan tells Judith, "Shut up." I replay that twenty-nine times. And then, "Both of you, stop." Adam says he's going to go work on his own thing: "See you later." Joan calls after him, but he's outta there. Judith comes bounding up behind her, and with her usual sensitivity asks, "So how about the mall?" Joan reminds her she has to work -- something I suspect Judith hasn't even passing familiarity with. Judith hustles off, too.