Chesapeake Shores (2016) s03e02 Episode Script
The Way We Were
1 NARRATOR: Previously on Chesapeake Shores Please tell Bree I'm here to return this.
She left it unguarded.
And tell her that she had no right to write about me.
TRACE: Abby, when I left, it was hard.
But I'm back now and nothing's changed.
I'm worried I'm making that mistake too with Danielle.
- I thought you guys were good.
- Sometimes, not so sure.
Give me one more chance, I will never hurt you again.
[SOFTLY.]
I'm sorry.
I have something for you.
From the estate of James Nelson.
Excuse me.
Is this, uh, slip 32? Yeah.
Uh, I think there's supposed to be a boat here.
Let's see where you No, you want D-32.
D is for "dry.
" I'm shocked someone's coming by for her.
She's been sitting for 30 years.
- Thirty years? - Yeah.
So that must make you Mick O'Brien, new owner.
[SIGHING.]
Yeah, I guess it does.
Guessing you probably wanna haul her, strip her for parts.
So, what do you wanna do? Hey, so, um, Donovan Wylie's still here.
Considering his traveling, this might be the longest he's stayed anywhere.
ABBY: Hm.
Oh, my goodness.
Ha-ha.
Your Little League trophies.
- My parents kept everything.
- No wonder they wanted to clean the attic.
Now they're filling up mine.
You know, I'm just wondering, uh, why he's here at all.
What do you mean? I mean, doesn't he have someplace else to go or a family? Donovan? I guess he did.
From what he said, it sounds like he doesn't see them much.
Mm.
That's lonely.
When you tour this long, you don't know anything else.
You just get used to it.
Keep moving.
When the tour comes through Baltimore, you gotta see Donovan.
He is an amazing storyteller, and the audience is singing every word.
[ABBY CHUCKLES.]
When the tour comes through Baltimore, I'm only interested in the opening act.
Play your cards right, I might be able to get you backstage.
- Mmm.
- What'd you find? Oh.
Just your letterman jacket.
Ooh! You didn't take this thing off in high school.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Come on.
- Okay, I feel ridiculous.
- I think it still looks great on you.
[LAUGHS.]
Abby, is everything okay? [SIGHS.]
Yeah.
I just remembered that I have a lot of work to do so I should probably get going.
Give me some.
- Okay.
Heh.
- I will see you later.
Bye.
Plane ticket already paid I'm gone But it don't mean nothing I'm close even though I'm far away That's how I remember you Stuck here on the red-eye special I can't wait to see you again So don't think of me Not being around Just listen for the sweet, sweet sound Of the taxi pulling up the driveway I'm coming home soon I'm coming home soon Da-da, da-da-da Da-da-da-da Da-da, da-da-da Da-da-da Da-da, da-da-da - BREE: Is this a bad time? - ABBY: No.
I love being interrupted while working.
Good.
I mean, I understand.
Um, which when you're done working would you mind reading my manuscript? Heh.
Why would I want to do that? Jess read a part of it - and you two are still not speaking.
- Oh, no.
We're speaking.
Yeah, it's just that the sentences are shorter.
Fine, she read it.
She thinks it's about the family.
It's not, okay? She read a small part, about a little girl who waits outside for her mom to come home every night.
Bree, that sounds exactly like Jess.
No, it's exactly like all of us, which means it's not about her, it's about loss.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hey, Abs, Jess needs your camera, please.
Mine's still getting repaired.
I'm taking pictures of the B and B.
It's in my closet, top shelf, on the right.
- I already looked there.
- NELL: No, it's in my closet.
- Heh-heh-heh.
- Gran, you borrowed my camera? I had some important business at city hall and I needed one with more of those megapixels.
Uh, should I even ask? No.
Not unless you wanna be an accomplice.
Come on, I'll show her where it is.
Bree.
Honey, I don't think it's all you.
It's David too.
He hasn't called her in two days.
And Jess is starting to lose it.
- Two days? They talk every two minutes.
- Do you not have a home? After a week of night shifts, my refrigerator's empty.
By the way, who made this? Because it's amazing.
- I did.
I'm glad you like it.
- KEVIN: Mm.
And that is my lunch.
You want it back? - Is there more of that? - Yes.
KEVIN: Huh.
Goodbye, sweetheart.
Don't work too hard, okay? - Oh, somebody went flying.
- Had to.
- Beautiful day, tailwind home.
- And a happy man.
Heh.
- Hey, getting some work done? - Not as much as I would like.
So, um Connor's staying with Jess, huh? Uh, yeah.
Until he finds a place.
- Well, good for him.
- Dad.
No, no.
It It was time.
You look like you've seen a ghost.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I just feel like I can't get away from the past.
Oh.
Well, considering where we live, that's pretty hard to avoid.
What's that? - A letter.
- To Trace.
Uh, yeah, that I wrote - a week before Wes proposed.
- Why? - Uh, that's just it, I don't I don't know.
- He never opened it? Hm.
No.
No, and I don't remember what I said.
I just remember one night I woke up, and I started writing and writing and writing So, uh, why do you have it? Move your feet.
You are a horrible guest.
What? Why? I'm just going over an amendment to the Endangered Species Act.
Okay, fine, but you're a horrible brother.
Uh, still not following.
When I poured your coffee, I was sniffling.
When I dropped off your quiche, I was holding in sobs.
- I'm trying to be strong.
- I thought you had allergies or hiccups or trying to be strong.
Okay, I guess I am a horrible brother.
[SIGHS.]
It's David.
Or more precisely, the lack of David.
Jess, I'm sorry.
I know everyone thinks that I'm strong and put together and driven and responsible Whoa, whoa.
That's that's Abby.
I'm trying to be more like her when I'm upset.
- Jess? - Yes? What happened between you and Bree? What do you mean? Heh.
Well, not that I mind, in fact, I like this but you never ask my advice, ever.
I mean, you did when it was only us in the house, but [INHALES DEEPLY.]
Wait, are ? - Are you channeling Abby? - Trying.
Bree isn't very good at keeping secrets.
[LAUGHING.]
- That was actually pretty good.
- Thanks.
Listen, Jess everything's gonna be all right.
I promise, okay? And if you let me go get you some coffee, we can talk about David, I just want to talk about David.
- Connor.
- Yeah? You actually are a really good brother.
[EXHALES.]
[TRACE PLAYING MELLOW GUITAR MUSIC.]
DONOVAN: I like them changes.
That something new? Maybe.
You know, I don't know yet.
Mark's been pushing me for new material, so Mm.
Most of the time, people wanna hear me play my hits.
I start out something new everybody starts to wonder why they came to see me.
Heh.
How do you handle that? You hear 30,000 people yelling your name you just give them what they want.
Finally, I get to hear the "poor Donovan Wylie" routine.
Heh.
What's next? No champagne on your private jet? [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- You interested in finding out? - What are you talking about? I just got a spot at Stagecoach.
You could join me on my set.
Stagecoach? That's in like two days.
- What? Just pick up and go? - You don't wanna miss this.
Forty-eight hours, there and back.
- I'll think about it.
- Yeah, you will.
[PLAYING MELLOW GUITAR MUSIC.]
KEVIN: You seem worried.
Yeah, it's what I wrote.
I know.
End of your play doesn't make any sense.
When the woman crushes the rose thing at the end? - I don't think anybody understands it.
- It's symbolic of how our past memories become part of You know what? It's not important.
- It's about my book.
- Oh.
Oh.
- Oh, the book about our family.
- Okay, it's not about our Never mind.
Never mind! [SIGHS.]
I was always taught that you write what you know.
- How do you know where to draw the line? - You don't.
At least not always.
Oh, that's a horrible answer.
No, it's an answer you don't wanna hear right now.
Before every mission, we were given rules of engagement.
Okay? A line in the sand.
But that's just not how life works always.
You need to make it up as you go.
Okay, what if you think you might have crossed the line? Ah.
Try not to make the same mistake twice.
[SIGHING.]
Right.
- Ms.
O'Brien? - Yup? Oh, Bree, please.
Sierra Van Gheem.
I can't tell you how excited we are to have you here.
We all thought you were living in Chicago.
Yes, yes.
I thought I was gonna be living in Chicago by now too.
So the cast can't wait to meet you, and I have to ask you a couple questions about that ending.
Simon? Uh, um, what are you doing here? Bree.
I'm on a publicity tour for Forever Caroline.
Oh, the, um I carry it in my store.
It's another bestseller.
Congratulations.
You hated it, didn't you? No more than I hated It's Always Caroline.
- I expected as much.
Good for you.
- Mm.
Um, so my question still lingers: what are you doing here? I saw that they were doing your play in Baltimore and I thought it'd be fun to see some local theater so here I am.
ABBY: " would be preferable to the devastation in her wake.
" Oh.
So you're mad at Bree too? [SIGHS.]
Honestly, uh Bree's manuscript is not the first thing on my mind.
Did you know Connor is a really good listener? Oh, you're talking to Connor now.
I mean, his advice is horrible and he has lots of it, but he really knows how to stay quiet.
So I take it you're thinking about David.
And Bree.
Bree's manuscript is number two for me also.
You know, maybe Bree is right about me.
Maybe I ran away.
Maybe that's what I do.
You are Fiona.
It makes sense.
No, I am not Fiona.
- [BREATHES DEEPLY.]
Everyone thinks that I'm so - Strong, driven put together, responsible? When I am pretending to be you, that's what I think of.
Maybe I'm none of those things.
Maybe being strong is not who I actually am.
That is exactly what I would have done.
I know, right? [AUDIENCE APPLAUDING.]
[WHOOPING.]
Wow.
- Thank you so much, Bree.
- Oh, no, thank you.
- Thank you so much for inviting me.
- Of course.
Um, so I have to ask, how do you two know each other? - Bree called me a hack.
- What? - BREE: I did not.
- You said my novel was - page-turning and interesting.
- Oh, you really did call him a hack.
She then invited me to her bookstore.
- And then? - And I was not a good guest.
Oh.
But I was hoping for an opportunity to redeem myself.
- Oh, I love sequels.
- Of course you do.
- I will see you guys later.
- BREE: Okay.
I loved your play.
How the crushing of the rose symbolized how our pasts haunt our present is Thank you.
Yes.
Well, Bree, it's been nice seeing you, so It's what? I'm That's it? You're just gonna ? - You're not gonna ? - I didn't think I'd actually see you and if I did, I was certain you would not want to talk to me - so I'm completely unprepared.
- Mmm.
- Oh, which is a lie.
- Yes.
I rehearsed, but I've lost every word though I'm fairly certain that "sorry" punctuated multiple sentences.
Oh, well, that sounds interesting and page-turning.
Right, yes.
And so I'll cut to the chase.
Sending in your manuscript to my publisher was a mistake.
I'm not Martin.
I would still undoubtedly dislike Martin intensely and you look absolutely stunning.
Well that's not even remotely hackish.
But while our pasts do indeed haunt our present I was hoping that it wouldn't necessarily affect our future.
Whoa, look, it's robber baron Mick O'Brien stealing tools.
I left them here when I was helping Trace with the Bridge.
Considering the fact you were involved in remodeling the place I'm surprised it's still standing.
- To be honest with you, so am I.
- [LAUGHS.]
- So you back in town now? - For a little bit, yeah.
So you wanna talk about the trust? Not really.
I figure you'll honor the original deal anyway.
It took a while to convince Douglas, but, uh, ultimately But you can be very persuasive? When I need to be, yes.
But maybe not very good when it doesn't suit your interest.
You're not very good at getting to the point.
I'm just saying that maybe you didn't try all that hard to help Connor out.
I tried very hard.
And considering your name is on the door maybe you should have owned that mistake.
I have, believe me.
So now you need to sit down with Connor and clear the air.
You figured that out how? From all your years of parenting? No, but from having the same father as you.
- MEGAN: Hey, Mick! Look who's here.
- Robin, hey.
- Gosh, what a long time.
- ROBIN: Yeah, 13 years.
I went to visit her in Arizona last year.
Remember that little clinic she started? Fifteen doctors now.
- My favorite part was our hike in Sedona.
- And that Red Canyon Spa day.
MICK: Sounds nice.
What brings you back here? We're heading to Bali.
To renew their vows.
Which reminds me - I have a surprise for you.
- Oh.
- Come on.
In the car.
- ROBIN: Yeah? - What? - Hmm? Nothing.
All right.
I know you're going to tell me to give the letter back.
Uh, yeah, but well yeah, you should probably give it back.
Was that a statement or a question? It was a little bit of both.
You know, last night, I saw I don't even know what I saw.
Thing is, I remember how I was feeling when I wrote this.
It was right when things were starting to move really fast with Wes and I wanted to tell Trace how I was feeling and why I was feeling.
And I don't remember what I said and I'm worried that maybe I said too much.
Why didn't he open it? Oh, I wish I'd never, ever found this letter.
And I wish I never saw it.
[SIGHS.]
CONNOR: Two bedroom, one bath.
I can write off the other room as an office.
Does it have a fireplace? Because if it does, don't rent it.
Uh, no, but the building has a pool.
- BREE: Oh, hey, Connor.
- Hey.
Um, I need to talk to you about boys.
CONNOR & JESS: Seriously? Yes, I need your valuable advice.
- Absolutely.
Being a boy, I'm an expert.
- Great, so - I ran into Simon.
- You what? I ran into Simon at my play, or Simon ran into me.
- How'd the play go? - He loved it - and understood the ending.
- What was the ending? I'm starting to feel I've been wrong about him and what he did.
- Simon's in Baltimore? - I wasn't being fair to him because I saw him as Martin, and, really, he's nothing like Martin.
So I might have invited him here.
- Might have? - I said it low, I'm not sure he heard.
- So, what do I do? - If you call, e-mail or text it's a double invite, which looks desperate.
If you don't do anything and he didn't hear from you you missed your chance, so if you wanna see him again - you have to - Text as if he's someone else.
Apologize.
When he texts back, text that you're excited to hear from him.
Then turn off your phone, wait one hour and see what happens.
- BREE: Thank you.
- You're welcome.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Hello, Trace.
Dad, what are you doing here? - Last box, I promise.
- Heh.
Your mother and I found some of your old baseball cards.
- Place is looking good, Trace.
- Thanks.
- Something to drink? - Coffee? Yeah.
- I can't believe you kept those cards.
- I've got something to show you.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hm.
Reggie Jackson, 1969.
You bought me that for my 11th birthday.
I remember.
Mr.
October.
Here.
Let me see that.
Talk about ambition.
He left everything in Oakland to make it in New York.
I think that's why you liked him so much.
Must have been.
You know, Trace, I know why you collected these old cards.
Because it was my thing too, right? Gave us something to talk about.
Yeah.
Honestly deep down, I thought you were gonna make it.
- Let me see these cards.
- All right.
Who you got there? Hm? - These are mint condition.
- Dennis Eckersley.
- [LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
- Remember that sidearm? Heh.
That was not Hey, that was not the worst part.
When I started to learn the alphabet, Kevin would come teach me my ABCs.
- That's not bad, that's actually nice.
- KEVIN: Right? Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
How does the song go? A, B, C, D, E, F, P? [LAUGHING.]
Funny now, but it was humiliating in kindergarten.
He got me back.
He put red food-coloring in my soap - before my date with Betsy Will.
- She asked if he was contagious.
[ALL LAUGH.]
SARAH: Okay, well the day I became a firefighter, I stayed at my parents' on a blow-up mattress.
And at night, my brothers picked it up and put it in the pool.
- Classic.
- Nice wake-up call.
It was November, and they took out the plug.
Ooh.
No stories, Danielle? Mmm, not really.
My brother and I kind of stayed out of each other's way.
- We should do this again some time.
- Mm-hm.
Yeah, next time, maybe we should do it in Baltimore.
- You must know places, Danielle.
- Maybe, it's just It's so hard to find time.
I'm literally working every night this week.
- Really? - I literally haven't left the office before 10.
CONNOR: Well, hey, I know what that feels like.
Have your picture taken with our beloved mayor and make a wish.
Hey.
Oh, thank you.
Four? Okay, here you are.
- Here.
Make it good.
- Looks like it's going well, huh? [SOFTLY.]
It's great.
[IN NORMAL VOICE.]
I hear that Robin's back in town.
She is.
We're having lunch with Mick and Thomas.
- Oh, good.
- Come on.
Why don't you join us? - I don't think so.
- Why not? Nell, it's been 10 years.
I know she'd love to see you.
You know, I have to wait.
I have to wait for Abby and for Trace.
And then there's a whole bunch of errands that I really must run today.
But you enjoy, okay? Okay.
Oh, welcome.
Here you are.
Four wishes for you.
Make them good, okay? There she is.
Fun times.
- Hi, Gran.
- Oh, you're late.
- I'm sorry.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Aw, thank you for coming, Trace.
- Yeah, of course.
- I appreciate you being here.
- No problem.
Good to see you.
- Thank you.
- Uh, you're leaving? Well, you know, heh politicians need to be the stewards of the community.
And they need to follow the will of the people.
- ABBY: Gran, what? - Well, I think, begosh and begorrah that our beloved mayor - needs to follow my lead.
- ABBY: Ha-ha.
You have fun, okay? BOTH: Okay.
- How did she rope you into this? - She gave me my schedule.
- Told her I had plans, she told me I didn't.
- Right.
TRACE: Here you go.
Hey, ahem, do you ever think about what would have happened if I'd come back from New York? Sometimes.
Like, what would've happened if you hadn't found out I was with Wes? Or what if we had actually talked when you came to New York? I don't know.
Maybe we'd be different people.
But something tells me I'd still be here with you.
- Really? - Really.
- And happy? - Obviously.
I mean, we're happy now, aren't we? Mm-hm.
Abby, no matter what happens, or how crazy it gets on the road I'll always be there for you.
You know, you could buy a book.
- Do I get the family rate? - Yup.
- Nice.
- Retail plus 10 percent.
- Wait, what? - I gotta pay for the place.
Hey, how was your double date, by the way? Oh, it was great.
It was totally great.
I wanna stop by the fountain before I pick up the keys to my new place.
- Awesome.
- Heh-heh.
- Oh, hello, Connor.
- Cheerios.
I don't think he knows what that means.
So you did hear me.
No.
No, I didn't.
But I did enjoy the series of texts.
Especially the part - where you turned your phone off for an hour.
- I didn't do that.
- Mm-mm.
- Oh, no? - Really? - No.
- Oh, really? - No.
Um, so, what's new? Are you writing Eternal Caroline? Carry on, Caroline? Caroline in Carolina? Wrong on all three counts - though I might write that last one.
- Ha.
No, I'm taking a break from Caroline, penning a new novel.
Uh Definitely a more serious work, Dublin's Last Sunset.
A purely uninteresting and decidedly uncommercial piece that will most assuredly fail.
- Really? - Mm.
- Good for you.
- Well, thanks to you I will be broke, homeless - but artistically satisfied.
- Thanks to me? It was the multiple times being called a hack by a fabulously-talented writer.
- By the way, I love the new place.
- I know! [EXHALES.]
So the actual ceremony is called the mekala-kalaan - which we're gonna do at sunset in Bali.
- Oh, so romantic.
- Where you had your honeymoon? - Yup.
What's it been? Can it be 30 years already? Thirty.
And after Bali, what then? I'm gonna spend as much time as I can in Arizona.
I'm going to adjust my schedule to be with Thomas.
Oh, good for you.
[CELL PHONE BEEPING.]
I'm sorry, this is our travel agent.
Oh, you know what? That makes me realize, I forgot to make a phone call.
- Be right back.
- Okay.
Some things never change.
Heh-heh.
Nothing really changes around here either, does it? Wow.
Thirty years, Robin.
That's pretty wonderful.
- It is, but it's been tough.
- Mm.
We spent the majority of our marriage trying to figure out how to save it.
- So why'd you stay married? - Because we love each other.
Neither of us wanna give up on the good things.
- I'm happy for you.
Mm-hm.
- Thank you.
So, um, is that why you came back here? [COUGHS.]
What? Mick and me? Oh, no.
[MEGAN CHUCKLES.]
I just came back for the kids.
Really.
When Abby came home, we all just managed to find our way back here.
Yeah, that's That's all.
- Yes, that is all.
- Fine.
Okay.
So, what prompted you guys to try again? Well, I started to think about it when I saw Megan back in town.
- Yeah, but we're not together anymore.
- I know, but still you There's a chance for something.
And then Robin and I started to talk.
And I realized that we deserve something more.
You've tried before.
And this time, we're gonna try harder.
What? Well, it just seems that after 30 years of trying harder Same thing over and over expecting different results, definition of insanity? Something like that, yeah.
Thanks for the support, Mick.
JESS: What do you think about a purging ceremony? What? Well, day three David still hasn't called which means he probably fell off the face of the Earth.
Which isn't flat, I know.
But I wonder if I could just take all my problems, put them in one place set them on fire and then, poof, they'd be gone.
- Ha-ha.
I don't think it works like that.
- Tsk.
I know.
- But it'd great, wouldn't it? - Oh, yeah.
[SIGHING.]
It would be great.
What do you think, Kev? Purging ceremony? Throwing all my troubles into a fire and setting them free? I've tried that.
It doesn't work.
People always have secrets.
[JESS SIGHS.]
[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS.]
How you guys doing? Hey, good to see you again.
Have a good night.
How's it going? I got the jet.
Wheels up at 9.
You coming or not? About that, um I don't think it's such a good idea for me to leave right now.
Trace, people tell themselves all sorts of things to make them feel better about their lives.
Maybe you're not helping anyone.
Maybe you're just hurting her.
[CHUCKLES.]
I don't know about all that.
I stayed in Chesapeake Shores for one reason.
Abby.
She's the love of my life.
Yeah, I know.
You're not gonna give up, you and Abby are gonna make it work.
Trust me.
You're me 20 years ago.
- And you're happy now? - It's all I ever wanted.
I'm doing it.
I wish somebody told me back then what I'm gonna tell you now: Sometimes it's better to just pull the Band-Aid.
Tim, Luke, Willie.
[CHUCKLES.]
It's a real nice jet, Trace.
Free champagne.
Heh.
[SIGHING.]
Man.
Maybe the last one will be Bon Voyage, Caroline.
- Or Rest in Peace, Caroline.
[LAUGHS.]
- Oh, even better.
BREE: Mmm.
How are you, Bree? I'm fine.
You know, not great.
Editing the novel has been tricky.
- How so? - Well I'm 1-for-2 with my family reading themselves into my characters.
Two-for-two when Abby reads it, I'm sure.
- But they're not them.
- But they are in a way, and that's fine.
You write what you know, and you're close to your family.
I'll remember that when they run me out of town.
Ah, look.
I know that you would never try to hurt anyone.
And in time, maybe your family will see that too.
Is that what happened with yours? When I wrote The Red Palace my obsession with the Russian Revolution was so off-putting I don't think anyone in my family got past page 24.
I should have written about the Ming dynasty.
[BREE CHUCKLES.]
[SIGHS.]
- Ah! - Oh! - Oh, I didn't mean to scare you.
- Oh.
Oh [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- Ah, how was your lunch? - It was great.
- And I brought you some cherry pie.
- Ooh.
Thank you, Megan.
You know, I thought sure that this would get the mayor's attention.
That poor guy.
He never should have picked a fight with you.
[CHUCKLES.]
Ah, well So you think at some point maybe you might wanna talk to Robin? Why? Because she's here.
She's not here.
Not really.
Not for long.
Maybe this time will be different.
Megan, you know, you have to You have to close a lot of doors - before you can open a new door.
- Mm-hm.
It seems to me like Robin and Thomas are always opening the same door.
And that's why you don't like her? I don't dislike Robin.
- She's She's a good woman.
- Mm-hm.
It's just that as a parent, I'm a parent and I want more than anything in the whole world for my child to be happy.
And I don't think Robin ever has, ever could, or ever will do that.
[GROANS.]
MEGAN: Oh.
Your pie.
I'm sorry.
Thank you, Megan.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
- How's it going? - Good, hey.
The four of us should get together again.
That was fun.
Take over for a second.
Um Come here.
You know the other day when I went to Baltimore to drop Bree off - at the theater? - Yeah.
I saw Danielle come out of a restaurant with some guy.
So? Well, the other day at Sally's, she said that she never left the office.
It's just an expression.
Yeah.
But they seemed close.
Maybe it doesn't mean anything but you're my brother, I don't want to see you get hurt.
So you see my girlfriend coming out of a restaurant with a guy automatically assume she's cheating, and you don't want me to be hurt? I never said that she was cheating, I'm just - telling you what I saw, to protect you.
- Oh, protect me? Right.
Well, thank you.
Thank you very much, Kevin.
While you're at it, you should keep an eye on those two.
They've been scoping out coins in the fountain and I think they're about to make their move.
[SIGHS.]
ABBY: Uh, you know the other day when you asked me if everything was fine and I said it was? Um It wasn't.
I've been thinking a lot about the week before Wes proposed.
Abby, heh we don't have to go back there.
- I like where we are.
- No, me too.
Me too.
But when we were going through your boxes from the attic I found this.
You never opened it.
I got it when I came back from New York.
I didn't want to.
I didn't see the point.
Weren't you curious? I was.
But I saw the way you looked at Wes, and I just wanted you to be happy.
Whatever you wrote, it wasn't gonna change anything.
Well, you kept it.
Because it was from you.
So do you want me to open it? No.
Heh.
Then what do you want to do with it? It's time for us to let go of the past.
There.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Okay.
TRACE: This is a new one.
I hope you like it.
Fifteen years was the time it took To fill the pages of this book And though what's written Can't be changed That's the last one.
Ah, wonderful.
- Thank you very much.
- Thanks.
Have yourself a great day.
Ooh.
Where heroes win and love prevails Hey, Danielle, how are you? Yeah, I just signed off on the new place.
I miss you.
Do you wanna get together tonight? Okay, well, tomorrow, then? Oh.
Okay, well, I'll give you a call tomorrow afternoon, and we'll figure something out.
Okay.
Okay, bye.
SARAH: So how are you doing? Okay, I guess.
Connor's not doing so well, though.
He somehow turned this into blaming me.
Yeah, sometimes doing the right thing stinks.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
Hey.
Oh, thank you.
[JESS CHUCKLES.]
Thanks.
But love ain't always a fairy tale [SHRIEKS.]
Sorry.
But if you take a look Inside that storybook You just might find Your happy ending The last time we were boxing books things didn't turn out exactly as I'd hoped.
Oh, well, now that we are unboxing books how would you like it to turn out? If I was writing it, I would leave it open-ended so there could be a sequel.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Hey.
- I love sequels.
- I know you do.
Maybe instead of a sequel, though, we could just add a few more chapters.
So this story does continue? I mean, I am kind of intrigued to see what could happen.
Yeah, so am I.
I much prefer stories with a happy ending.
Oh.
Oh, you think that's where this is going? Oh.
Well, this is a first draft.
- I'm hopeful.
- It does read well.
Honestly I think this is some of my best work.
JESS: He misses me! Aah! I got a letter.
He was traveling, and he didn't have a signal.
Oh, did I just interrupt? I totally did.
I can wait unless you don't want me to.
- Wow, this is really awkward.
- Hi, Jess.
David's inviting us to Maine to meet his parents.
- Us? - No, Bree and me.
- Me? - Okay, they didn't really invite you and I don't really want to be around you right now but I need you, and you owe me, so I'm inviting you.
Oddly, that makes sense.
- Maine! - Yeah.
- We're going to Maine.
Aah! Ooh! Ungh! - Okay.
So, uh, Maine.
Apparently.
[CHUCKLES.]
I didn't realize they put a sail on the S.
S.
Minnow.
That's funny.
That's very funny.
You should try comedy.
How'd you find me? Unless you're planning on floating your bedroom in the bay or you're terrified of barnacles growing on your front door there's really no need to coat your home in antifouling paint.
What do you think? Eh.
It's nice.
It's gonna need a lot of work.
How's the electrical and the pumps? A mess.
- The deck and the joints? - Worse.
Heh.
- You know, I'm still angry.
- Yeah, I know.
You have no right to tell me how to live my life.
You're my brother.
What about your son? Connor's a whole different story.
You remember Dad's Pearson 38? I loved that boat.
It's the only time I'd ever get to talk to him.
Well, more likely, the only time he'd ever talk to me.
How's the rigging? Rotten.
[MICK CHUCKLES.]
But you know, like all boats - there's always something to do.
- Ain't that the truth? But it's going to be good.
It's gonna be good.
She left it unguarded.
And tell her that she had no right to write about me.
TRACE: Abby, when I left, it was hard.
But I'm back now and nothing's changed.
I'm worried I'm making that mistake too with Danielle.
- I thought you guys were good.
- Sometimes, not so sure.
Give me one more chance, I will never hurt you again.
[SOFTLY.]
I'm sorry.
I have something for you.
From the estate of James Nelson.
Excuse me.
Is this, uh, slip 32? Yeah.
Uh, I think there's supposed to be a boat here.
Let's see where you No, you want D-32.
D is for "dry.
" I'm shocked someone's coming by for her.
She's been sitting for 30 years.
- Thirty years? - Yeah.
So that must make you Mick O'Brien, new owner.
[SIGHING.]
Yeah, I guess it does.
Guessing you probably wanna haul her, strip her for parts.
So, what do you wanna do? Hey, so, um, Donovan Wylie's still here.
Considering his traveling, this might be the longest he's stayed anywhere.
ABBY: Hm.
Oh, my goodness.
Ha-ha.
Your Little League trophies.
- My parents kept everything.
- No wonder they wanted to clean the attic.
Now they're filling up mine.
You know, I'm just wondering, uh, why he's here at all.
What do you mean? I mean, doesn't he have someplace else to go or a family? Donovan? I guess he did.
From what he said, it sounds like he doesn't see them much.
Mm.
That's lonely.
When you tour this long, you don't know anything else.
You just get used to it.
Keep moving.
When the tour comes through Baltimore, you gotta see Donovan.
He is an amazing storyteller, and the audience is singing every word.
[ABBY CHUCKLES.]
When the tour comes through Baltimore, I'm only interested in the opening act.
Play your cards right, I might be able to get you backstage.
- Mmm.
- What'd you find? Oh.
Just your letterman jacket.
Ooh! You didn't take this thing off in high school.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Come on.
- Okay, I feel ridiculous.
- I think it still looks great on you.
[LAUGHS.]
Abby, is everything okay? [SIGHS.]
Yeah.
I just remembered that I have a lot of work to do so I should probably get going.
Give me some.
- Okay.
Heh.
- I will see you later.
Bye.
Plane ticket already paid I'm gone But it don't mean nothing I'm close even though I'm far away That's how I remember you Stuck here on the red-eye special I can't wait to see you again So don't think of me Not being around Just listen for the sweet, sweet sound Of the taxi pulling up the driveway I'm coming home soon I'm coming home soon Da-da, da-da-da Da-da-da-da Da-da, da-da-da Da-da-da Da-da, da-da-da - BREE: Is this a bad time? - ABBY: No.
I love being interrupted while working.
Good.
I mean, I understand.
Um, which when you're done working would you mind reading my manuscript? Heh.
Why would I want to do that? Jess read a part of it - and you two are still not speaking.
- Oh, no.
We're speaking.
Yeah, it's just that the sentences are shorter.
Fine, she read it.
She thinks it's about the family.
It's not, okay? She read a small part, about a little girl who waits outside for her mom to come home every night.
Bree, that sounds exactly like Jess.
No, it's exactly like all of us, which means it's not about her, it's about loss.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hey, Abs, Jess needs your camera, please.
Mine's still getting repaired.
I'm taking pictures of the B and B.
It's in my closet, top shelf, on the right.
- I already looked there.
- NELL: No, it's in my closet.
- Heh-heh-heh.
- Gran, you borrowed my camera? I had some important business at city hall and I needed one with more of those megapixels.
Uh, should I even ask? No.
Not unless you wanna be an accomplice.
Come on, I'll show her where it is.
Bree.
Honey, I don't think it's all you.
It's David too.
He hasn't called her in two days.
And Jess is starting to lose it.
- Two days? They talk every two minutes.
- Do you not have a home? After a week of night shifts, my refrigerator's empty.
By the way, who made this? Because it's amazing.
- I did.
I'm glad you like it.
- KEVIN: Mm.
And that is my lunch.
You want it back? - Is there more of that? - Yes.
KEVIN: Huh.
Goodbye, sweetheart.
Don't work too hard, okay? - Oh, somebody went flying.
- Had to.
- Beautiful day, tailwind home.
- And a happy man.
Heh.
- Hey, getting some work done? - Not as much as I would like.
So, um Connor's staying with Jess, huh? Uh, yeah.
Until he finds a place.
- Well, good for him.
- Dad.
No, no.
It It was time.
You look like you've seen a ghost.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I just feel like I can't get away from the past.
Oh.
Well, considering where we live, that's pretty hard to avoid.
What's that? - A letter.
- To Trace.
Uh, yeah, that I wrote - a week before Wes proposed.
- Why? - Uh, that's just it, I don't I don't know.
- He never opened it? Hm.
No.
No, and I don't remember what I said.
I just remember one night I woke up, and I started writing and writing and writing So, uh, why do you have it? Move your feet.
You are a horrible guest.
What? Why? I'm just going over an amendment to the Endangered Species Act.
Okay, fine, but you're a horrible brother.
Uh, still not following.
When I poured your coffee, I was sniffling.
When I dropped off your quiche, I was holding in sobs.
- I'm trying to be strong.
- I thought you had allergies or hiccups or trying to be strong.
Okay, I guess I am a horrible brother.
[SIGHS.]
It's David.
Or more precisely, the lack of David.
Jess, I'm sorry.
I know everyone thinks that I'm strong and put together and driven and responsible Whoa, whoa.
That's that's Abby.
I'm trying to be more like her when I'm upset.
- Jess? - Yes? What happened between you and Bree? What do you mean? Heh.
Well, not that I mind, in fact, I like this but you never ask my advice, ever.
I mean, you did when it was only us in the house, but [INHALES DEEPLY.]
Wait, are ? - Are you channeling Abby? - Trying.
Bree isn't very good at keeping secrets.
[LAUGHING.]
- That was actually pretty good.
- Thanks.
Listen, Jess everything's gonna be all right.
I promise, okay? And if you let me go get you some coffee, we can talk about David, I just want to talk about David.
- Connor.
- Yeah? You actually are a really good brother.
[EXHALES.]
[TRACE PLAYING MELLOW GUITAR MUSIC.]
DONOVAN: I like them changes.
That something new? Maybe.
You know, I don't know yet.
Mark's been pushing me for new material, so Mm.
Most of the time, people wanna hear me play my hits.
I start out something new everybody starts to wonder why they came to see me.
Heh.
How do you handle that? You hear 30,000 people yelling your name you just give them what they want.
Finally, I get to hear the "poor Donovan Wylie" routine.
Heh.
What's next? No champagne on your private jet? [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- You interested in finding out? - What are you talking about? I just got a spot at Stagecoach.
You could join me on my set.
Stagecoach? That's in like two days.
- What? Just pick up and go? - You don't wanna miss this.
Forty-eight hours, there and back.
- I'll think about it.
- Yeah, you will.
[PLAYING MELLOW GUITAR MUSIC.]
KEVIN: You seem worried.
Yeah, it's what I wrote.
I know.
End of your play doesn't make any sense.
When the woman crushes the rose thing at the end? - I don't think anybody understands it.
- It's symbolic of how our past memories become part of You know what? It's not important.
- It's about my book.
- Oh.
Oh.
- Oh, the book about our family.
- Okay, it's not about our Never mind.
Never mind! [SIGHS.]
I was always taught that you write what you know.
- How do you know where to draw the line? - You don't.
At least not always.
Oh, that's a horrible answer.
No, it's an answer you don't wanna hear right now.
Before every mission, we were given rules of engagement.
Okay? A line in the sand.
But that's just not how life works always.
You need to make it up as you go.
Okay, what if you think you might have crossed the line? Ah.
Try not to make the same mistake twice.
[SIGHING.]
Right.
- Ms.
O'Brien? - Yup? Oh, Bree, please.
Sierra Van Gheem.
I can't tell you how excited we are to have you here.
We all thought you were living in Chicago.
Yes, yes.
I thought I was gonna be living in Chicago by now too.
So the cast can't wait to meet you, and I have to ask you a couple questions about that ending.
Simon? Uh, um, what are you doing here? Bree.
I'm on a publicity tour for Forever Caroline.
Oh, the, um I carry it in my store.
It's another bestseller.
Congratulations.
You hated it, didn't you? No more than I hated It's Always Caroline.
- I expected as much.
Good for you.
- Mm.
Um, so my question still lingers: what are you doing here? I saw that they were doing your play in Baltimore and I thought it'd be fun to see some local theater so here I am.
ABBY: " would be preferable to the devastation in her wake.
" Oh.
So you're mad at Bree too? [SIGHS.]
Honestly, uh Bree's manuscript is not the first thing on my mind.
Did you know Connor is a really good listener? Oh, you're talking to Connor now.
I mean, his advice is horrible and he has lots of it, but he really knows how to stay quiet.
So I take it you're thinking about David.
And Bree.
Bree's manuscript is number two for me also.
You know, maybe Bree is right about me.
Maybe I ran away.
Maybe that's what I do.
You are Fiona.
It makes sense.
No, I am not Fiona.
- [BREATHES DEEPLY.]
Everyone thinks that I'm so - Strong, driven put together, responsible? When I am pretending to be you, that's what I think of.
Maybe I'm none of those things.
Maybe being strong is not who I actually am.
That is exactly what I would have done.
I know, right? [AUDIENCE APPLAUDING.]
[WHOOPING.]
Wow.
- Thank you so much, Bree.
- Oh, no, thank you.
- Thank you so much for inviting me.
- Of course.
Um, so I have to ask, how do you two know each other? - Bree called me a hack.
- What? - BREE: I did not.
- You said my novel was - page-turning and interesting.
- Oh, you really did call him a hack.
She then invited me to her bookstore.
- And then? - And I was not a good guest.
Oh.
But I was hoping for an opportunity to redeem myself.
- Oh, I love sequels.
- Of course you do.
- I will see you guys later.
- BREE: Okay.
I loved your play.
How the crushing of the rose symbolized how our pasts haunt our present is Thank you.
Yes.
Well, Bree, it's been nice seeing you, so It's what? I'm That's it? You're just gonna ? - You're not gonna ? - I didn't think I'd actually see you and if I did, I was certain you would not want to talk to me - so I'm completely unprepared.
- Mmm.
- Oh, which is a lie.
- Yes.
I rehearsed, but I've lost every word though I'm fairly certain that "sorry" punctuated multiple sentences.
Oh, well, that sounds interesting and page-turning.
Right, yes.
And so I'll cut to the chase.
Sending in your manuscript to my publisher was a mistake.
I'm not Martin.
I would still undoubtedly dislike Martin intensely and you look absolutely stunning.
Well that's not even remotely hackish.
But while our pasts do indeed haunt our present I was hoping that it wouldn't necessarily affect our future.
Whoa, look, it's robber baron Mick O'Brien stealing tools.
I left them here when I was helping Trace with the Bridge.
Considering the fact you were involved in remodeling the place I'm surprised it's still standing.
- To be honest with you, so am I.
- [LAUGHS.]
- So you back in town now? - For a little bit, yeah.
So you wanna talk about the trust? Not really.
I figure you'll honor the original deal anyway.
It took a while to convince Douglas, but, uh, ultimately But you can be very persuasive? When I need to be, yes.
But maybe not very good when it doesn't suit your interest.
You're not very good at getting to the point.
I'm just saying that maybe you didn't try all that hard to help Connor out.
I tried very hard.
And considering your name is on the door maybe you should have owned that mistake.
I have, believe me.
So now you need to sit down with Connor and clear the air.
You figured that out how? From all your years of parenting? No, but from having the same father as you.
- MEGAN: Hey, Mick! Look who's here.
- Robin, hey.
- Gosh, what a long time.
- ROBIN: Yeah, 13 years.
I went to visit her in Arizona last year.
Remember that little clinic she started? Fifteen doctors now.
- My favorite part was our hike in Sedona.
- And that Red Canyon Spa day.
MICK: Sounds nice.
What brings you back here? We're heading to Bali.
To renew their vows.
Which reminds me - I have a surprise for you.
- Oh.
- Come on.
In the car.
- ROBIN: Yeah? - What? - Hmm? Nothing.
All right.
I know you're going to tell me to give the letter back.
Uh, yeah, but well yeah, you should probably give it back.
Was that a statement or a question? It was a little bit of both.
You know, last night, I saw I don't even know what I saw.
Thing is, I remember how I was feeling when I wrote this.
It was right when things were starting to move really fast with Wes and I wanted to tell Trace how I was feeling and why I was feeling.
And I don't remember what I said and I'm worried that maybe I said too much.
Why didn't he open it? Oh, I wish I'd never, ever found this letter.
And I wish I never saw it.
[SIGHS.]
CONNOR: Two bedroom, one bath.
I can write off the other room as an office.
Does it have a fireplace? Because if it does, don't rent it.
Uh, no, but the building has a pool.
- BREE: Oh, hey, Connor.
- Hey.
Um, I need to talk to you about boys.
CONNOR & JESS: Seriously? Yes, I need your valuable advice.
- Absolutely.
Being a boy, I'm an expert.
- Great, so - I ran into Simon.
- You what? I ran into Simon at my play, or Simon ran into me.
- How'd the play go? - He loved it - and understood the ending.
- What was the ending? I'm starting to feel I've been wrong about him and what he did.
- Simon's in Baltimore? - I wasn't being fair to him because I saw him as Martin, and, really, he's nothing like Martin.
So I might have invited him here.
- Might have? - I said it low, I'm not sure he heard.
- So, what do I do? - If you call, e-mail or text it's a double invite, which looks desperate.
If you don't do anything and he didn't hear from you you missed your chance, so if you wanna see him again - you have to - Text as if he's someone else.
Apologize.
When he texts back, text that you're excited to hear from him.
Then turn off your phone, wait one hour and see what happens.
- BREE: Thank you.
- You're welcome.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Hello, Trace.
Dad, what are you doing here? - Last box, I promise.
- Heh.
Your mother and I found some of your old baseball cards.
- Place is looking good, Trace.
- Thanks.
- Something to drink? - Coffee? Yeah.
- I can't believe you kept those cards.
- I've got something to show you.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hm.
Reggie Jackson, 1969.
You bought me that for my 11th birthday.
I remember.
Mr.
October.
Here.
Let me see that.
Talk about ambition.
He left everything in Oakland to make it in New York.
I think that's why you liked him so much.
Must have been.
You know, Trace, I know why you collected these old cards.
Because it was my thing too, right? Gave us something to talk about.
Yeah.
Honestly deep down, I thought you were gonna make it.
- Let me see these cards.
- All right.
Who you got there? Hm? - These are mint condition.
- Dennis Eckersley.
- [LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
- Remember that sidearm? Heh.
That was not Hey, that was not the worst part.
When I started to learn the alphabet, Kevin would come teach me my ABCs.
- That's not bad, that's actually nice.
- KEVIN: Right? Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
How does the song go? A, B, C, D, E, F, P? [LAUGHING.]
Funny now, but it was humiliating in kindergarten.
He got me back.
He put red food-coloring in my soap - before my date with Betsy Will.
- She asked if he was contagious.
[ALL LAUGH.]
SARAH: Okay, well the day I became a firefighter, I stayed at my parents' on a blow-up mattress.
And at night, my brothers picked it up and put it in the pool.
- Classic.
- Nice wake-up call.
It was November, and they took out the plug.
Ooh.
No stories, Danielle? Mmm, not really.
My brother and I kind of stayed out of each other's way.
- We should do this again some time.
- Mm-hm.
Yeah, next time, maybe we should do it in Baltimore.
- You must know places, Danielle.
- Maybe, it's just It's so hard to find time.
I'm literally working every night this week.
- Really? - I literally haven't left the office before 10.
CONNOR: Well, hey, I know what that feels like.
Have your picture taken with our beloved mayor and make a wish.
Hey.
Oh, thank you.
Four? Okay, here you are.
- Here.
Make it good.
- Looks like it's going well, huh? [SOFTLY.]
It's great.
[IN NORMAL VOICE.]
I hear that Robin's back in town.
She is.
We're having lunch with Mick and Thomas.
- Oh, good.
- Come on.
Why don't you join us? - I don't think so.
- Why not? Nell, it's been 10 years.
I know she'd love to see you.
You know, I have to wait.
I have to wait for Abby and for Trace.
And then there's a whole bunch of errands that I really must run today.
But you enjoy, okay? Okay.
Oh, welcome.
Here you are.
Four wishes for you.
Make them good, okay? There she is.
Fun times.
- Hi, Gran.
- Oh, you're late.
- I'm sorry.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Aw, thank you for coming, Trace.
- Yeah, of course.
- I appreciate you being here.
- No problem.
Good to see you.
- Thank you.
- Uh, you're leaving? Well, you know, heh politicians need to be the stewards of the community.
And they need to follow the will of the people.
- ABBY: Gran, what? - Well, I think, begosh and begorrah that our beloved mayor - needs to follow my lead.
- ABBY: Ha-ha.
You have fun, okay? BOTH: Okay.
- How did she rope you into this? - She gave me my schedule.
- Told her I had plans, she told me I didn't.
- Right.
TRACE: Here you go.
Hey, ahem, do you ever think about what would have happened if I'd come back from New York? Sometimes.
Like, what would've happened if you hadn't found out I was with Wes? Or what if we had actually talked when you came to New York? I don't know.
Maybe we'd be different people.
But something tells me I'd still be here with you.
- Really? - Really.
- And happy? - Obviously.
I mean, we're happy now, aren't we? Mm-hm.
Abby, no matter what happens, or how crazy it gets on the road I'll always be there for you.
You know, you could buy a book.
- Do I get the family rate? - Yup.
- Nice.
- Retail plus 10 percent.
- Wait, what? - I gotta pay for the place.
Hey, how was your double date, by the way? Oh, it was great.
It was totally great.
I wanna stop by the fountain before I pick up the keys to my new place.
- Awesome.
- Heh-heh.
- Oh, hello, Connor.
- Cheerios.
I don't think he knows what that means.
So you did hear me.
No.
No, I didn't.
But I did enjoy the series of texts.
Especially the part - where you turned your phone off for an hour.
- I didn't do that.
- Mm-mm.
- Oh, no? - Really? - No.
- Oh, really? - No.
Um, so, what's new? Are you writing Eternal Caroline? Carry on, Caroline? Caroline in Carolina? Wrong on all three counts - though I might write that last one.
- Ha.
No, I'm taking a break from Caroline, penning a new novel.
Uh Definitely a more serious work, Dublin's Last Sunset.
A purely uninteresting and decidedly uncommercial piece that will most assuredly fail.
- Really? - Mm.
- Good for you.
- Well, thanks to you I will be broke, homeless - but artistically satisfied.
- Thanks to me? It was the multiple times being called a hack by a fabulously-talented writer.
- By the way, I love the new place.
- I know! [EXHALES.]
So the actual ceremony is called the mekala-kalaan - which we're gonna do at sunset in Bali.
- Oh, so romantic.
- Where you had your honeymoon? - Yup.
What's it been? Can it be 30 years already? Thirty.
And after Bali, what then? I'm gonna spend as much time as I can in Arizona.
I'm going to adjust my schedule to be with Thomas.
Oh, good for you.
[CELL PHONE BEEPING.]
I'm sorry, this is our travel agent.
Oh, you know what? That makes me realize, I forgot to make a phone call.
- Be right back.
- Okay.
Some things never change.
Heh-heh.
Nothing really changes around here either, does it? Wow.
Thirty years, Robin.
That's pretty wonderful.
- It is, but it's been tough.
- Mm.
We spent the majority of our marriage trying to figure out how to save it.
- So why'd you stay married? - Because we love each other.
Neither of us wanna give up on the good things.
- I'm happy for you.
Mm-hm.
- Thank you.
So, um, is that why you came back here? [COUGHS.]
What? Mick and me? Oh, no.
[MEGAN CHUCKLES.]
I just came back for the kids.
Really.
When Abby came home, we all just managed to find our way back here.
Yeah, that's That's all.
- Yes, that is all.
- Fine.
Okay.
So, what prompted you guys to try again? Well, I started to think about it when I saw Megan back in town.
- Yeah, but we're not together anymore.
- I know, but still you There's a chance for something.
And then Robin and I started to talk.
And I realized that we deserve something more.
You've tried before.
And this time, we're gonna try harder.
What? Well, it just seems that after 30 years of trying harder Same thing over and over expecting different results, definition of insanity? Something like that, yeah.
Thanks for the support, Mick.
JESS: What do you think about a purging ceremony? What? Well, day three David still hasn't called which means he probably fell off the face of the Earth.
Which isn't flat, I know.
But I wonder if I could just take all my problems, put them in one place set them on fire and then, poof, they'd be gone.
- Ha-ha.
I don't think it works like that.
- Tsk.
I know.
- But it'd great, wouldn't it? - Oh, yeah.
[SIGHING.]
It would be great.
What do you think, Kev? Purging ceremony? Throwing all my troubles into a fire and setting them free? I've tried that.
It doesn't work.
People always have secrets.
[JESS SIGHS.]
[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS.]
How you guys doing? Hey, good to see you again.
Have a good night.
How's it going? I got the jet.
Wheels up at 9.
You coming or not? About that, um I don't think it's such a good idea for me to leave right now.
Trace, people tell themselves all sorts of things to make them feel better about their lives.
Maybe you're not helping anyone.
Maybe you're just hurting her.
[CHUCKLES.]
I don't know about all that.
I stayed in Chesapeake Shores for one reason.
Abby.
She's the love of my life.
Yeah, I know.
You're not gonna give up, you and Abby are gonna make it work.
Trust me.
You're me 20 years ago.
- And you're happy now? - It's all I ever wanted.
I'm doing it.
I wish somebody told me back then what I'm gonna tell you now: Sometimes it's better to just pull the Band-Aid.
Tim, Luke, Willie.
[CHUCKLES.]
It's a real nice jet, Trace.
Free champagne.
Heh.
[SIGHING.]
Man.
Maybe the last one will be Bon Voyage, Caroline.
- Or Rest in Peace, Caroline.
[LAUGHS.]
- Oh, even better.
BREE: Mmm.
How are you, Bree? I'm fine.
You know, not great.
Editing the novel has been tricky.
- How so? - Well I'm 1-for-2 with my family reading themselves into my characters.
Two-for-two when Abby reads it, I'm sure.
- But they're not them.
- But they are in a way, and that's fine.
You write what you know, and you're close to your family.
I'll remember that when they run me out of town.
Ah, look.
I know that you would never try to hurt anyone.
And in time, maybe your family will see that too.
Is that what happened with yours? When I wrote The Red Palace my obsession with the Russian Revolution was so off-putting I don't think anyone in my family got past page 24.
I should have written about the Ming dynasty.
[BREE CHUCKLES.]
[SIGHS.]
- Ah! - Oh! - Oh, I didn't mean to scare you.
- Oh.
Oh [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- Ah, how was your lunch? - It was great.
- And I brought you some cherry pie.
- Ooh.
Thank you, Megan.
You know, I thought sure that this would get the mayor's attention.
That poor guy.
He never should have picked a fight with you.
[CHUCKLES.]
Ah, well So you think at some point maybe you might wanna talk to Robin? Why? Because she's here.
She's not here.
Not really.
Not for long.
Maybe this time will be different.
Megan, you know, you have to You have to close a lot of doors - before you can open a new door.
- Mm-hm.
It seems to me like Robin and Thomas are always opening the same door.
And that's why you don't like her? I don't dislike Robin.
- She's She's a good woman.
- Mm-hm.
It's just that as a parent, I'm a parent and I want more than anything in the whole world for my child to be happy.
And I don't think Robin ever has, ever could, or ever will do that.
[GROANS.]
MEGAN: Oh.
Your pie.
I'm sorry.
Thank you, Megan.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
- How's it going? - Good, hey.
The four of us should get together again.
That was fun.
Take over for a second.
Um Come here.
You know the other day when I went to Baltimore to drop Bree off - at the theater? - Yeah.
I saw Danielle come out of a restaurant with some guy.
So? Well, the other day at Sally's, she said that she never left the office.
It's just an expression.
Yeah.
But they seemed close.
Maybe it doesn't mean anything but you're my brother, I don't want to see you get hurt.
So you see my girlfriend coming out of a restaurant with a guy automatically assume she's cheating, and you don't want me to be hurt? I never said that she was cheating, I'm just - telling you what I saw, to protect you.
- Oh, protect me? Right.
Well, thank you.
Thank you very much, Kevin.
While you're at it, you should keep an eye on those two.
They've been scoping out coins in the fountain and I think they're about to make their move.
[SIGHS.]
ABBY: Uh, you know the other day when you asked me if everything was fine and I said it was? Um It wasn't.
I've been thinking a lot about the week before Wes proposed.
Abby, heh we don't have to go back there.
- I like where we are.
- No, me too.
Me too.
But when we were going through your boxes from the attic I found this.
You never opened it.
I got it when I came back from New York.
I didn't want to.
I didn't see the point.
Weren't you curious? I was.
But I saw the way you looked at Wes, and I just wanted you to be happy.
Whatever you wrote, it wasn't gonna change anything.
Well, you kept it.
Because it was from you.
So do you want me to open it? No.
Heh.
Then what do you want to do with it? It's time for us to let go of the past.
There.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Okay.
TRACE: This is a new one.
I hope you like it.
Fifteen years was the time it took To fill the pages of this book And though what's written Can't be changed That's the last one.
Ah, wonderful.
- Thank you very much.
- Thanks.
Have yourself a great day.
Ooh.
Where heroes win and love prevails Hey, Danielle, how are you? Yeah, I just signed off on the new place.
I miss you.
Do you wanna get together tonight? Okay, well, tomorrow, then? Oh.
Okay, well, I'll give you a call tomorrow afternoon, and we'll figure something out.
Okay.
Okay, bye.
SARAH: So how are you doing? Okay, I guess.
Connor's not doing so well, though.
He somehow turned this into blaming me.
Yeah, sometimes doing the right thing stinks.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
Hey.
Oh, thank you.
[JESS CHUCKLES.]
Thanks.
But love ain't always a fairy tale [SHRIEKS.]
Sorry.
But if you take a look Inside that storybook You just might find Your happy ending The last time we were boxing books things didn't turn out exactly as I'd hoped.
Oh, well, now that we are unboxing books how would you like it to turn out? If I was writing it, I would leave it open-ended so there could be a sequel.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Hey.
- I love sequels.
- I know you do.
Maybe instead of a sequel, though, we could just add a few more chapters.
So this story does continue? I mean, I am kind of intrigued to see what could happen.
Yeah, so am I.
I much prefer stories with a happy ending.
Oh.
Oh, you think that's where this is going? Oh.
Well, this is a first draft.
- I'm hopeful.
- It does read well.
Honestly I think this is some of my best work.
JESS: He misses me! Aah! I got a letter.
He was traveling, and he didn't have a signal.
Oh, did I just interrupt? I totally did.
I can wait unless you don't want me to.
- Wow, this is really awkward.
- Hi, Jess.
David's inviting us to Maine to meet his parents.
- Us? - No, Bree and me.
- Me? - Okay, they didn't really invite you and I don't really want to be around you right now but I need you, and you owe me, so I'm inviting you.
Oddly, that makes sense.
- Maine! - Yeah.
- We're going to Maine.
Aah! Ooh! Ungh! - Okay.
So, uh, Maine.
Apparently.
[CHUCKLES.]
I didn't realize they put a sail on the S.
S.
Minnow.
That's funny.
That's very funny.
You should try comedy.
How'd you find me? Unless you're planning on floating your bedroom in the bay or you're terrified of barnacles growing on your front door there's really no need to coat your home in antifouling paint.
What do you think? Eh.
It's nice.
It's gonna need a lot of work.
How's the electrical and the pumps? A mess.
- The deck and the joints? - Worse.
Heh.
- You know, I'm still angry.
- Yeah, I know.
You have no right to tell me how to live my life.
You're my brother.
What about your son? Connor's a whole different story.
You remember Dad's Pearson 38? I loved that boat.
It's the only time I'd ever get to talk to him.
Well, more likely, the only time he'd ever talk to me.
How's the rigging? Rotten.
[MICK CHUCKLES.]
But you know, like all boats - there's always something to do.
- Ain't that the truth? But it's going to be good.
It's gonna be good.