Alan's numbness continues into the weekend. He checks his voicemail and gets a few surprises.
First, he learns that Jim Wong (the guy he owes a ton of money) is ready to sue him.
Then, Kit tells him that she's found a job—who needs college anyway?
The final kicker? Charlie Fallon's widow calls to ask if Alan has kept any of her dead husband's letters. Of course he hasn't.
So Alan decides to drink. There's nothing else to do, and it's the only coping skill in his toolkit right now.
He reminisces about Charlie's letters, which were evidence that his friend was losing his grip on reality.
Alan recalls Charlie's daughter Fiona and a strange incident with a burning tree.
He reflects that Charlie's daughters might have been too young to lose their dad, but in reality, Charlie had done everything that a dad could do for them. He was no longer necessary.
Alan tries to write a letter to Kit—again. He tells her about coming home late at night in time to change her diaper when she was little just so she would know he was there.
Alan wants to invite Yousef to dinner, but finds out that his friend is in hiding at a cousin's house. His ex's husband is on the rampage and Yousef has to lay low.
Alan attempts another letter to Kit: memories of Kit being attacked by a dog and Ruby's ruthless response to the dog owner. It was a chilling experience for Alan.
He realizes that he hasn't answered Kit's questions about her mom—too many for him ever to answer.
But the liquor he's been drinking makes him feel fabulous. However, when he re-reads what he's written to Kit, he realizes that it doesn't make sense. Imagine that.
Alan adds an apology to Kit for his terrible business decisions (i.e. helping his company outsource all work to China).
Not only had Alan been absent a lot to make this offshoring possible, he'd also worked himself right out of a job.
He tries to praise Ruby for her strength in those years, to make Kit aware that she was the one who pulled them along when he wasn't around.
In his moonshine daze, Alan decides to keep poking the lump on his neck—this time with a sewing needle. Because that's a good idea.
He wants to test the lump. When he sees blood, he's satisfied. Nothing looks weird or infected.
Alan feels awesome and emboldened by the liquor. He calls Jim Wong and tells him to chill—he'll pay back everything.
He also calls Eric Ingvall, his boss at Reliant, and tells him that Abdullah will probably appear in the next week.
And although he's still soaking the hotel towels with blood from his lumpy neck, he goes to bed feeling victorious.