Season 5

June 20, 2005

Claire is seduced by Billy's lust for life but hits a roadblock trying to fund the next leg of her educational journey; George is haunted by visions of an early trauma; Brenda feels at home with her new supervisor Jackie; David and Keith meet a fertile young woman named Mary; Vanessa encourages Rico to mingle, so he does--at a funeral directors' conference.

June 27, 2005

Brenda is disturbed by Nate's reaction to her latest news; Ruth shares her feelings about George with her knitting circle; David and Keith 'propose' to Mary and meet Roger's equally unconventional family; Rico is shocked at how Vanessa and the boys are doing; frustrated, George shares a beer and a song with Billy; and Nate comes home to an unpleasant surprise.

July 4, 2005

Nate and Brenda discuss giving Maya a 'coherent narrative'; David and Keith await news from Mary, and meet a special little boy; Vanessa is shocked when Julio gets into trouble at school--and mortified when Rico schmoozes things over; Billy invites Claire to dinner, but has no appetite; Margaret helps stage an ambush; and Maggie brings George to a tense meal.

July 10, 2005

Ruth happily helps 'circle the wagons' when Sarah calls; David and Keith discover it's hard work playing house with Anthony and his brother Durrell; Nate muses on the loss of his first love; Claire finds a temporary financial solution; Vanessa hires a nanny with unexpected talents; Rico gets an offer he can't believe--or refuse.

July 18, 2005

David and Keith struggle to create parent-child boundaries; When Brenda and Nate get some ambiguous news, it confirms their views on life and death; Ruth fills her schedule with activities, but has trouble unwinding; Claire meets an interesting guy at work, and makes an effort to fit in; Margaret lets a cat out of the bag; and George drops a bomb on Ruth.

July 25, 2005

A young Latina's funeral raises questions about the culture--and future--of Fisher and Diaz. Meanwhile, David and Keith are upset when they're not in the driver's seat; Claire takes her co-worker Ted to an art school show; Brenda gets vital info from her doctor--and from Jackie; and Ruth goes out for some pampering and gets more than she paid for.

July 31, 2005

David and Keith get comfortable with their new family life; Claire is shocked to discover she and Ted share a passion for politics; Ruth finds empowerment in the woods; Maggie is forced to make a series of awkward calls; Brenda faces several truths at once; Rico finally 'gets' Vanessa; and Nate brings the family together against their will.

August 7, 2005

While David attends to family business, Keith makes an embarrassing self-discovery on the job; Brenda is challenged by Nate and answers a hard question for Maya; Margaret compares herself to her daughter; Ruth lets Bettina play nurse; Rico and Vanessa decide to protect their future; Claire is comforted by Ted's squareness; and George makes a speech about love.

August 14, 2005

As David's fears take over, Keith tries to protect him--and the boys; Billy attends to his sister; Claire goes on a drunken harassment spree and pushes Ted away; Rico pushes for a talk about the business; George tries to help Ruth with Maya; Nate urges Brenda to embrace a taboo; and Vanessa sees the future in a funeral home.

August 21, 2005

David finally embraces a demon; Keith gives tough love; Nathaniel talks to his younger son; Brenda delivers and fights Nate's negativity; Claire gets an exciting call; Ted inspires sexy photos; Margaret is impressed to see Olivier's nurturing side; George's limitations eclipse his intentions; and Claire drives into her future.