In present day, it’s clear that Carol doesn’t understand the concept of “take it easy.” Not only is she moving around like she’s injury-free, but she also wastes no time cooking dinner for Beth and Zoe.
When they sit down to eat, Beth and Zoe suggest that Carol retire from her job at the school. Carol fires right back, saying Zoe shouldn’t give career advice until she has a “real job.” This prompts Beth to reveal her current unemployment status, and her mom is livid.
Later that night, Zoe and Beth sneak out of their bedrooms and find an old stash of marijuana. So, they lock themselves in the laundry room, where they smoke and rave about the “strong” women they grew up to be.
When Zoe heads upstairs, Beth hangs back in the living room.
In a flashback, teenage Beth is about to leave the room when she turns around, saying, “Dad?”
In present day, Beth is standing in the exact same spot and says, “I’m gonna forget that part of me, but I want you to know that I’ll be happy.”
In another flashback, teenage Beth says “nothing” before exiting the room.
The next day, Beth is bombarded at the academy with condolences for her dad’s death. Just then, Vincent posts the cast list for the senior showcase of Swan Lake, and Beth isn’t on it.
“I didn’t expect to see you back so soon,” he says.
When Beth confides in her mom, Carol doesn’t hold anything back, claiming she doesn’t “see dance as a path” for Beth. To top it off, she will no longer pay for the ballet academy because “it’s setting you up to fail.”
Later on, Carol drops off Beth at a college mixer for a “fresh start.” When she walks in, she makes a name tag for “Bethany,” crumbles it up and writes one for “Beth.”
Right on cue, she bumps into teenage Randall (Niles Fitch).