Santa Clarita Diet Season 4

Understood

Hours later, a crash woke Eric in the middle of the night. Followed by Joel's "whoops!"

Eric put on a bathrobe and softly walked down to the kitchen window, through which he observed Joel doing yardwork next door. At -- Eric squinted back at the microwave -- 4 a.m.

He was used to seeing some lights on inside that house at odd hours, but that was because of Sheila. Had she woken Joel? Or had he simply slipped into her schedule? Had Joel ever needed that much sleep?

Eric quietly slid open the glass door and stepped into his backyard, inhaling the crisp night air.

"Hey," Joel said, waving. "Can't sleep?"

Eric shrugged as he approached the fence. "Can you?"

"Eh. I got up an hour ago. Feel fine, lots of energy actually. So I thought I'd do some yardwork." Joel chuckled. "Can't believe I dropped that ho."

"What?!"

Joel lifted his gardening tool. "This hoe has an awkward handle."

Eric caught his breath. He realized this might be the best opportunity to speak his mind, when the atmosphere was relaxed and there was no one else around. So he braced himself and said, "I know what you did."

Joel frowned and tensed up. "How could you tell?"

"How could I not? I'm not far from what's going on."

"Eric, you're just a kid. It's... it's complicated."

"You think I wouldn't understand? I've seen this before."

"I know, and that's not fair to you, is it?"

Eric looked at Joel and tried to remember the last time he assumed the adults in his life knew what they were doing. Aloud, Eric asked, "Does Abby know?"

Joel shook his head and said, "Don't tell her, okay?"

"Okay, but you know it's going to come out eventually. Does Sheila know?"

"Of course! It was her idea."

"Oh..." Eric said, relaxing. The Hammonds were still married and everything was under control. Nothing to see here.