On Chloe’s first day of school, Madeline fights a severe bout of PMS and tries to keep her irritation under control so the milestone is not spoiled. Ed’s cheerfulness and the ordinary pressures of the morning test her patience, but the family arrives at school smoothly and walks into the busy playground.

Madeline’s mood worsens when Madeline sees Nathan looking comfortable in what Madeline considers her school territory. Nathan photographs Jane, Ziggy, and Jane’s parents, then approaches Madeline, Ed, Fred, and Chloe with casual friendliness. When Nathan calls Skye’s first day of school a first for him and Bonnie, Madeline reminds Nathan that Abigail also once started school, exposing the old wound of Nathan abandoning Madeline and baby Abigail.

Bonnie joins Nathan and asks Madeline to swap Abigail’s weekend visit because Abigail wants to see Bonnie’s mother, which deepens Madeline’s resentment over Abigail’s closeness to Nathan’s new family. Jane then introduces Madeline to Jane’s parents. Chloe hands Madeline Amabella’s pink birthday invitation and Jane’s mother notes that Ziggy has been excluded, prompting Madeline to judge Renata’s public handling of the invitations as unfair.

The focus shifts to Celeste, who arrives late with Josh and Max after a difficult morning without Perry. Celeste thinks about how Perry’s absence makes ordinary parenting harder and how, despite his violence, Celeste still feels emotionally and physically bound to him. Renata greets Celeste, recognizes Perry’s professional reputation, and gives Celeste invitations for the twins to Amabella’s party.

Madeline confronts Renata about inviting the class while excluding Ziggy. Renata defends excluding Ziggy because Renata believes Ziggy bruised Amabella’s neck, while Madeline insists Renata cannot treat a child that way. Madeline retaliates by saying Chloe will not attend the party, Renata ends the conversation before it escalates further, and Madeline cheerfully tells Celeste that the situation is now war. Later police-interview fragments frame the school community as fractured, judgmental, and ultimately shocked by violence at trivia night.