Charlie and Claudia in “Hitting Bottom”

Charlie

I'm sorry, Claud. I shouldn't have yelled at you. But I don't get it. I don't get why you're so mad at him.

Claudia

Because of what he did to us.

Charlie

But what did he do to you, really? Because he didn't make Bailey drink. I know you think he did, but--

Claudia

Yes, he did. He gave him his problem.

Charlie

No, Claud. Even if he did get the alcoholism from him, Dad couldn't help that, any more than Mom could help giving you her music.

Claudia

Maybe not, but…he could help what he did to her. He could help being a bad husband and a bad father.

Charlie

He wasn't Claud. He quit drinking. He made himself better, and the guy he was after that, you loved him. You thought he was a great father.

Claudia

I don't care. I don't think that anymore.

Charlie

You know, I've made a lot of mistakes, too, stuff that's hurt this family, and I tell myself that you need to screw up before you can learn, you know? Maybe you've got to be a lousy person before you can be a good one. And Owen, I mean…what if someday, Owen looks at me the way you're looking at Dad? Because if he does, there's no reason he won't decide to hate me.

Claudia

You're different, Charlie. The stuff you did, it's just not the same thing.

Charlie

Yes, it is. It's exactly the same. He was a good father, Claud, and if he was still around, he'd be a good father now. [long silence] Claudia?

Claudia

Is Bailey gonna be okay?

Charlie

I hope so. But I don't know.