Dinner time at the Girardi house. Helen and Luke are making dinner while Joan studies at the kitchen table. I like how helpful Luke is -- he always seems to be helping more with the cooking than the other two. Will's looking through some papers and asking what they are. Joan says they're stuff for her mother to sign: "Permission slips and tests." Will reads a permission slip and says, "You can't do this. It says there's a danger of physical injury." Joan: "It's a nature walk. We're going to be looking at beetles." He persists, and Joan takes her book to another part of the kitchen, whining, "Mom!" Helen tells him it always says that: "It was on their permission slip when they went to see Hairspray." Will wants to know why they went to see that: "How is that 'school'?" Helen: "It's theatre, honey!" ["Plus it's loaded with local Maryland colour!" -- Wing Chun] Helen takes the papers and asks Will to set the table.

Kevin wheels in, wondering if Helen knows where his blue shirt is. She says it's in the laundry, and that she'll wash it tomorrow. Joan: "Don't worry, it'll be ready for your date." Kevin plays dumb: "Who said anything about a date?" Luke: "Oh, Rebecca called. Wanted you to bring some dessert." Will: "You and Rebecca have a date?" I would have thought this is the place where someone in his family -- most likely his law-and-order father -- would finally say something about the issues involved in dating his boss, but no. Luke says Rebecca's cooking dinner for her and Kevin. Kevin: "So's Mom. Doesn't mean I'm dating her." Joan: "That's a disgusting analogy." Will asks if other people are going to be there, or just Rebecca. Joan: "Ju-u-u-u-st them." Will pulls out his Fat Tony voice: "Oh, yeah, that's a date." Luke smirks. Joan: "Mom, don't look -- the men are leering."

Kevin mentions the arrest of a suspect in the Yardley assault. Helen: "Attempted murder: that's one way to change the subject." Will says it's getting more complicated. Kevin: "I heard he accused the Reverend of abusing his son." Man, that got out quickly. Will: "No comment." Joan, referring to her textbook, lectures: "There's always a grey area in every situation, Dad. That's what a 'reasoned verbal exchange tries to explore. And logic can provide proof, even when there is no evidence.' What does that even mean?" Will wonders: "What's she doing now?" Luke says she joined the debate team. Helen: "As if she weren't contrary enough." Luke: "She has to argue in support of the draconian security measures instituted by the school." Joan adds, in her father's direction: "Assisted by you." He tells her to spend a day in his shoes: "You'd ask for more." Grace and Adam suddenly arrive, and Joan says, "We're going to study. Assuming we still have the right to assemble." As they wander off to another room, Helen tells Adam that she has lots of applicants for the art teacher position. Adam: "Cool."