Celie and Gene share an early bus ride, with Gene en route to meet his agent and Celie headed to school. Gene dispenses his trademark life advice about finding something you love before life wears you down, while boasting about past acting prospects. Celie presses him about leaving Lila and Grandma, bluntly telling Gene he should apologize. Gene is unsettled but receptive, admits Lila can be scary, and vows he likes being with family and is not leaving again, joking about his self-appointed role in everyone’s lives.

At school, Celie’s stomachaches have stopped since she adopted Gene’s “Invisible Gene Shield.” She confidently passes Meena and the smoking group without shrinking, repeats the tactic for weeks, and gradually stops noticing them. Though still somewhat lonely, she starts eating with Harriet and Soraya from Music, appreciating their focus on ideas and creativity rather than gossip and cruelty.

Celie arrives late to Animation Club in the art Portakabins and takes a back corner seat. She spots older, quieter students and sees Martin seated ahead. The teacher, Mr. Pugh (“Kev”), has Martin show a prior storyboard, which is impressively composed and thematically about a nightmare. Celie is surprised by Martin’s skill and by his quiet confidence as he organizes a folder full of work.

When tasked with creating her own storyboard, Celie struggles to find a subject that is not bleak or clichéd. Martin notices her blank panels and, with shy assurance, shares his process and prompts her to recall the last thing that made her laugh. Celie lands on the image of her two grandfathers arguing. Concerned about drawing older characters, she accepts Martin’s loan of a How to Draw Characters book and begins experimenting.

By session’s end, Celie has created a storyboard in which two elderly men argue over boarding a bus, escalating into slapstick chaos that topples fellow passengers and even the driver before the men complain about their frailty. Martin laughs genuinely at her concept, signaling encouragement.

Back home, Celie finds Gene sprawled on the sofa watching the news while Truant watches for crumbs. She confirms Animation Club went well but keeps the artwork to herself, teasing Gene by calling him “Grandpa” as she heads upstairs with her folder of fighting-old-men drawings.