We All Live Here

Lila tries to dismiss her thoughts about Dan and his new life. He left her around the same time her mother, Francesca, was hit by a bus and killed. Ever since, she’s tried to stave off unwanted feelings by taking antidepressants; walking her dog, Truant; listening to music; and smoking marijuana before bed. Meanwhile, she’s dealing with her daughters’ moods and Bill’s fixations on tidiness and healthy food.

Dan calls that evening to talk about the baby. Lila confronts him about prioritizing his new family over their daughters. She abruptly ends the call when she realizes that 16-year-old Celie overheard the conversation. Celie tells Lila that she already knew Dan and Marja were trying for a baby because she found Marja’s prenatal vitamins. Bill deduces what’s going on and tries comforting Lila, but Lila feels guilty because Bill is still grieving Francesca.

Lila sits down to write but can only think about The Rebuild and how much Dan hurt her. Then, she looks outside and sees an unfamiliar man in her driveway examining her tree. She races outside and yells at him for trespassing. The man, Jensen, reveals that Bill hired him to help redo the garden.

Lila takes a walk with her best friend, Eleanor, sharing the anecdote about Jensen. Eleanor confronts Lila about being edgy since everything that happened with Dan and suggests that she try having more fun. She shares stories about her own recent sexual adventures, but Lila argues that she isn’t as brave as Eleanor.

Lila comes home to find Bill cooking dinner and a painting of her naked mother in the kitchen. She insists that he can’t display the painting, but Bill argues that they need more photos of Francesca around.

The next morning, Celie’s school calls to ask about her whereabouts. Panicking, Lila repeatedly texts Celie and finally tracks her down at a shopping center using the Find My Phone app. Celie doesn’t explain why she skipped school, and Lila doesn’t know what to say until she smells marijuana on her clothes. Celie dismisses Lila’s concern, accusing her of smoking, too. Bill calls, interrupting their conversation. Lila snaps at him, ends the call, and races after an upset Celie.

Lila shuts herself in her room and watches her telenovela La Familia Esperanza. She enjoys getting lost in the main character Estella’s world and falls asleep.

Celie gives Lila the silent treatment for three days. Bill reminds Lila that she was like this at that age, too, before changing the conversation to Jensen and the garden. Moving through the house afterward, Lila wonders what she did to upset her life.

Later that week, Lila and Dan get into a phone argument about Dan’s relationship with the girls. Celie doesn’t want to spend time with him that week because of the baby. Dan changes the conversation to finances, revealing that he’ll be paying less in child support in light of the new baby and Marja’s son, Hugo. Outside afterward, Lila chats with Jensen, who reveals that the tree out front is dying and should be removed. Then, Lila’s biological father, Gene, suddenly appears, and Truant attacks and bites him.

Celie watches Jensen bandage Gene’s bite while listening to the adults’ conversation. She discovers that Gene, who is a former television actor, is Lila’s father and that he wants to stay with them while he’s in town working on an alleged production.

Dinner is an uncomfortable affair. Bill and Lila seem displeased with Gene, but Gene excitedly talks about his role on Star Squadron Zero years prior. Then, Lila confronts him for skipping Francesca’s funeral. Gene makes excuses and changes the subject to Bill’s painting, instigating an argument. Lila wants Gene to leave, but the girls suggest that he stay. Lila caves.

Lila doesn’t like the idea of Gene staying in her office for the night but doesn’t know what else to do. She also feels guilty for upsetting Bill, who’s been in her life since she was seven.

Lila takes a walk with Eleanor and tells her about Gene’s arrival. Then, they chat about sex and relationships. Eleanor again encourages Lila to move forward.

On her walk to Violet’s school, Lila mulls over everything that happened with Dan. She feels foolish now that she knows that Dan met Marja outside Violet’s school on the afternoons when he picked up Violet while Lila wrote The Rebuild. She remembers what Eleanor told her about moving forward. Outside the school, an attractive father named Gabriel asks Lila where she got the cinnamon roll she’s holding. She bought it at a local bakery for Violet as a treat because Bill doesn’t allow sweets at home. The two chat for a while before Lila gives Gabriel the pastry for his daughter, Lennie. Her mother recently died, and she’s having a hard time at her new school.

For the rest of the day, Lila feels “little electric shocks of pleasure” while remembering her conversation with Gabriel (81). That evening, she distracts herself from writing by googling Gabriel.

During dinner, Gene shows up at the house drunk. His ex Jane also stops by with boxes that Gene left at her house years ago. Over dinner, Gene and Bill get into an argument and start whipping each other with towels. When Violet gets upset, they pretend that they’re old friends and are just playing. That night, Gene disappears, and Lila assumes that he’s moved out.

Lila reports to Anoushka’s office to discuss the manuscript. She encourages Lila to keep writing, promising her a six-figure deal with Regent Publishers. For the rest of the day, Lila obsesses over how to start her new book. Finally, she writes a few thousand words about the end of her marriage. She takes a break to bring Jensen tea in the garden. They chat about landscaping, Bill, and Lila’s family situation. When Jensen tries mentioning something about the shed, Lila tells him off and leaves to pick up Violet. Outside the school, she chats with Gabriel again, opening up about Marja, Dan, and their new baby.

That evening, Lila notices Truant acting strangely in the yard. Worried that they have rats in the shed, she looks inside and discovers Gene. He admits that he’s been staying there for the past few nights. She invites him back inside and texts Jensen an apology.

The neighbor Penelope stops over to see Bill. He owns a house nearby but has been gradually moving into Lila’s since Francesca’s death. Ever since, Penelope has been making regular visits.

That evening, Lila confronts Gene about why he’s really in town. He admits that he’s not in a production and that things fell through in California. (He left Francesca and Lila decades prior to pursue acting in the US). He’s also in debt and needs help. Lila reluctantly agrees to let him stay a while longer.

Lila is reflecting on passages from The Rebuild when Dan calls to say that he and Marja are considering buying a bigger house in a different neighborhood. They argue until Lila hangs up abruptly. Afterward, she returns to her writing.

Over the following days, Lila’s house feels chaotic. Gene and Bill still aren’t getting along, and Lila is trying to hold things together. She takes a walk with Eleanor one day and vents. That evening, Gabriel texts her to see how she is, having gotten her number off the parent directory. They commiserate over their parenting challenges before saying goodnight.