Good Witch (2015) s04e03 Episode Script
Daddy's Home
1 - Previously on Good Witch.
- My dad used to bring me - gifts from his trips.
- Where? - London.
That's the last time I saw him.
- The day that he left.
- She didn't say much, but I could tell your daughter was very happy to receive it.
- I like to see you smile.
- You do? - Yeah.
- Who gave you that? - Noah.
- That was nice of him.
- It was.
- I love your mother very much.
And I love you, and I wanted to ask if it would be OK - if I married your mother.
- Yes.
(DOORBELL RINGING) - I'll get it.
Dad What are you doing here? - I wanted to see my daughter.
- It's been 22 years.
- I know, Abby, and when I left - People call me Abigail now.
- Abigail of course.
I've been thinking about what I wanted to say to you for so long but now, I I don't know where to begin.
- What's going on? - Who was at the door? - I'm going to bed.
- (DOOR CLOSING) - Everything OK? - I don't know.
- Oh, there you go.
- Now you can eat here or out in the garden.
- Hey! - Hey.
Good morning.
- Waffles?! - Yeah.
- I've seen fruit, I've seen yogurt, - but I rarely have seen waffles.
- I am full of surprises.
- Are they made with organic sweeteners and filled with some kind of wheat brand.
- They are made with sugar and filled with chocolate chips.
- It is a surprise! - Mm-hmm.
- Hey, did you find out who came to see Abigail last night? - No, and I haven't seen her yet this morning.
- Hmm.
Is she OK? - Yeah, she always seems to be, so she should be able to handle the appearance - of one unexpected visitor.
- (GRACE): Morning! - Hey.
Chocolate-chip waffles.
- Oooh! So, uh, I got an email about the math competition finals.
They're this weekend.
I, uh, made it into the regional championship.
- Hey, congratulations! - Grace, that's great! - Yeah.
Uh, hey, can you take me? - This weekend? - Yeah, it's all day Saturday.
- Actually, I have some guests that I think are gonna need - some extra attention, but - I could take her.
- Are you sure? - I got all day free.
Happy to.
- OK.
Uh, yeah.
Great.
- I will see you guys later.
- OK.
- Bye! - Bye.
- Hey, I wanted one of those! - These are for someone else, but there's plenty of fruit and yogurt.
- But they're not filled with chocolate chips.
- Good morning.
I was just bringing this up to your room.
- Chocolate-chip waffles.
I used to love those when I was a kid.
- Did you? - Uh, well, whoever came to see you last night left this for you at the door.
Has your name on the card.
- It says "Abby" on the card.
- Yes.
And I'm pretty sure I know who used to call you that.
- It's from my dad.
- I had a feeling.
I didn't know he was even alive.
- Yeah.
It would probably be easier if he wasn't.
- Where has he been all these years? - He didn't say and I didn't ask.
He wants me to meet him for dinner tonight at 7.
I don't show up, I never have to see him again.
- What are you gonna do? (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) (THEME MUSIC) - Abby.
Abigail.
- Dad.
- I didn't think you were gonna show up.
- Well, what girl can turn down an invitation to have dinner with her father? - Uh, would you like to order something? - No, thank you.
I haven't decided how long I'm staying.
- I thought of reaching out so many times over the years.
- But you didn't.
- No.
- And so I'm still wondering why you left in the firstlace.
- Because I decided you'd be better off without me.
You don't know me, Abigail.
You hardly ever did.
- Whose fault is that? - Mine.
But you wouldn't have liked the man that I was, and I wanted you to have a chance.
So I took myself out of your life.
And when your mother died, I wanted to come back, but - well, I couldn't.
- You chose not to.
- Because by then, I was in prison.
I served eight years for business fraud, grand larceny and tax evasion.
- They don't have phones in jail? - At a certain point, I just didn't know what to say.
- So what are you doing here now? - Well, I've started putting my life back in order.
I'm almost done paying off my old business partners.
And I'm thinking about moving back into the old neighbourhood in New York.
You know, the house we used to live in is for sale.
- The red one? - On Fernside? - And I wanted you to know that things are different, I am different, and I wanted you to see that.
- So this is about you? - No.
- You just dropped in to let me know how wonderful you are now and that you were right to run away from my life? - To say one more thing.
I'm sorry.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) (DOOR CHIME) - Good morning! - Good morning.
- I came upstairs to let you know that breakfast was ready, but it seemed - like you wanted to sleep in.
- Thanks for not waking us up.
Those beds at Grey House are amazing! - Yeah.
I haven't seen her sleep this well in forever.
- Which is one of the many things we won't be able to do once this baby comes, which is why we wanted to do a babymoon while we still can.
- Hm, smart.
You're having a boy or a girl? - We've decided not to tell.
We want to keep it a secret for as long as we can.
- Then I won't ask again.
Any ideas about what you want to do today? - Mostly not think about baby stuff.
I mean, I can't wait for our child to arrive, it's just I want to feel happy and relaxed waiting for it to happen.
- Erica! Look at this! "101 Lessons From Dads Around The World.
" - I'm sure that's great, but that's not the right kind of reading for a babymoon.
- Right.
- But this looks interesting.
- "Hiking Trails of Middleton.
" - Yeah, there are a lot of wonderful places around here to explore.
- Before we have to push a stroller around.
- Thanks.
- Sure.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - I'll take a few croissants - plain and chocolate - half-dozen bagels and, uh, just throw in an assortment of muffins, whatever you think the ladies would like.
- Oh! Well, I will put in a variety.
- And you'll bring it to city hall, all of it, - before the meeting begins? - I will get there early.
- Excuse me.
- What's happening at city hall? - Oh, it's the quarterly meeting of our Women's Small Business Owners' association.
- The mayor's in charge of all of that; I just show up with the pastries.
- No, you also run a very successful - small business of your own.
- Oh, well - May I show you - my own small business owner? - Oh, of course! This is one of Middleton's own - right when she was starting out.
- Well, isn't she adorable! - She begged to have her own lemonade stand and made $14 without any help from me or her mother.
She just completely did it on her own.
- That looks like Abigail.
- Yeah.
She was about 9 years old.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Arthur Pershing.
(GASPING) - You are Abigail's father! - That's right.
- She said you were dead! - Well, news of my dead has been greatly exaggerated.
- Have you seen Cassie yet? - Arthur is related to Cassie.
- He's her - Uncle by marriage.
No, I'm taking things slow.
I'm just trying to let everybody get used to the fact that I'm here.
- Well, I'm very glad that you introduced yourself because that photo of your daughter has given me the most wonderful idea! Don't forget those pastries.
Tata! (ARTHUR CHUCKLING) - So, what does my daughter like to order when she comes here? - Well, um, she loves those pecan-cinnamon rolls.
- Then, I'll take one of those.
- Coming right up.
Hahaha! - Go.
Oh! Yes! I feel like Dolley Madison fighting off the British army in the White House.
- Uh, one woman fought off the entire British army? - Practically.
She saved Washington's portrait while the place was set on fire and barely made it out alive.
- Wow, you make her sound like some sort of superhero.
- A movie about her, now that would make a lot of money.
Oh, hey, Sam! You'd go see a movie about Dolley Madison, right? - Depends.
Who's in it? - Amazement is in it.
- Then yeah.
(GRACE CHUCKLING) What time do you want to leave in the morning? - I don't know.
8? Do you wanna go for anything on the drive? Hmm, I'm good, thanks.
I went online to see subjects that might be covered this year.
Not announced 'til each round.
- They haven't done polygons in a while; maybe you should be prepared for that.
- Oh, I don't think I've ever seen Grace not prepared for anything.
- I'm pretty sure we studied polygons - in freshman year.
- OK.
- Thanks! Are you done attacking me? - Yeah.
I barely made it out alive.
(GRACE CHUCKLING) - Pinkies up and pastries down, ladies! This meeting will now come to order.
So, do any of you recognize this innocent, young politician to be? It's me! (CHUCKLING) Bursting to take on the world! As soon as my skin clears up.
But it's photos like this that are going to inspire the next generation of Middleton's women small business owners.
- By showing them what not to wear? - By revealing from whence we came.
So, I need all of you ladies to go home and pull out your high-school portraits and display them in front of your places of business alongside current photos, which we'll take this week.
Then today's youth can see where you came from and who you are now.
- It can be inspiring to know what each of us overcame - to become who we are today.
- Isn't this a wonderful idea? And it all came from something that Abigail's father showed me: a picture of her with her very first business.
- You met my father? - Yes.
He came into the Bistro.
- He was very proud.
Bragging to Martha and me about your lemonade stand.
- I'm shocked he even remembered that.
- So, I need a framed high-school portrait from each of you.
(SIGHING) - I suppose I could dig that out of wherever it is.
- Me too.
- What if we don't have one? - Don't be silly.
Everyone has a yearbook photo at least.
- All I wanted to do when I turned 18 was move out of my foster parents' house.
- I didn't realise - it was so bad for you.
- It was OK.
I just was ready to get started with life, so all I took with me was a suitcase full of clothes.
I don't have anything from when I was a teenager.
Other than the memories of all the boys' hearts I broke.
- Oh, now, you have some good memories in Middleton to look back on.
- Yeah, I guess so.
- Well, I still want a current photo of you, so don't let those frown lines set in permanently before I can set you up with a photographer.
And sit up straight! "A sloping shoulder makes ladies look older.
" (MARTHA GIGGLING) - Thank you for taking Grace to her math competition tomorrow.
- Looking forward to it.
- I just hope she's ready for it.
- Oh, yeah, she usually does OK.
- Offered to help her brush up on her geometry, - but she said she didn't need to.
- Oh.
No.
Don't take it too personally; Grace has her own way - of doing things.
- Haha! I guess I just come from the overprepare- and-then-do-a-little-bit-more - school of thought.
- Oh, really? - I hadn't noticed.
- Wait Now, you're just making fun of me.
- And at least, you noticed that.
- (SAM): So what is all that stuff? - This box got delivered to the shop as I was locking up.
Somebody moved into the last foster home I lived in and found all this in the back of the attic.
- And they sent it to you? - That was nice.
- Yeah, I never thought I'd see any of this again.
- Well, this must have gone with some spiffy looking bike.
- It was purple and it had a banana seat.
And I outgrew it pretty quick, but I kept that to remember.
- Mm-hmm.
- Dad kept saying he was gonna get me a 10-speed, but he left before he did.
- Did you take ballet? - No.
Dad sent those from Paris.
Was always sending me stuff wherever he went.
- Hmm, well, that was sweet.
At least, you knew he was always thinking about you.
- And that's how I knew he was never coming back.
I mean, my mom told me, but it didn't seem real until the gifts stopped coming.
- Hmm.
It must have been hard on you.
- Yeah.
I made it through.
- Are you ready to see what passed as fashionable in the early 2000s? - Ohhh All I remember are peasant tops and shiny pants.
- Well, brace yourself for disco halter tops.
- (SAM): Hmm - (CASSIE): Wow! When was this? - Uh, homecoming.
- Now, which one's you? - Oh, I couldn't afford to go to the dance.
But the flowers are mine.
I made corsages and sold them so I could afford a dress for prom later that year.
- Ah.
Already the businessperson.
- I'll have you know I previously made a killing - selling lemonade.
- Right.
And just think, if you had been able to go to that dance, you might not be as successful as you are today.
So, it seems like you learned how to make lemonade out of lemons a lot.
- Yeah, I guess I did.
- I want to get that bridge in the background.
- Oh! No, no, no, no! - Let's do it up there somewhere.
I don't want to be upstaged by the scenery.
- Why do we have to have our pictures taken? Because Martha wants us to inspire the next generation.
- Can't I just write a cheque? - Cassie! - Hello! Erica, Clay, you know my cousin Abigail? - Yes, we met at breakfast.
- And what did you get? - Some serving dishes.
We went into this great pottery place, which was right next to a kids' store I had to steer my husband away from.
- I can't help it.
- We're looking for a place to eat.
- The Bistro's always perfect for that.
- We'll check it out.
Thanks.
- So, I spoke with the photographer and she's pretty sure that she can make the bags - under your eyes disappear.
- I have bags under my eyes? - Of course you do, dear, we all do.
Actually, you don't.
And neither do you.
Honestly, why do I continue to live in a town where all the women are so pretty? (BOTH GIGGLING) - I'd like to congratulate all the competitors who've made it into the final round of today's competition.
On the left is Grace Russell.
Next to her is Melissa Coombs.
And finally, Jacob Walker.
- (GIRL): Go get 'em, Jacob! - The topic of our final round will be polygons.
First question.
"A dodecagon is a polygon with how many sides?" (BUZZING) Grace Russell.
- 12.
- That's correct.
- Yeah! - I'll remind parents to please refrain from showing any outbursts of support.
Next question.
"The sum of the interior angles of a decagon is how many deg?" - 1440.
- That's right! "If any angle is greater than 180 degrees, then the polygon is called?" - Concave.
- That's correct! - (ARTHUR): When did you move to Middleton? - Oh, a long time ago.
Grey House has been in my family forever.
- I remember your mother talking about it.
- I wanted to put some life back into it.
- I think all the Merriwicks would be very proud.
It's a nice town, I can see why my daughter chose to live here.
- How are things going with her? Have you been able to see each other again? - Not since we met for dinner.
I told her I'd give her some time, which turned out to be a lot harder for me than I thought it would.
But she didn't say that she never wanted to see me again, so I'm just waiting to find out if she ever does want to see me again.
These are very interesting.
- Oh, yeah.
- A local artist makes them.
Now, all the birthstones are represented.
This one is your daughter's sign.
- Ohhh I remember so many great birthdays when Abby was a little girl.
- Haha! - (DOOR CHIME) I took her out when she turned 5, and I told her she could order whatever she wants, which usually meant macaroni and cheese, but she wanted a whole, entire crab, and she was determined to eat every bite.
It took her about two hours, but she did it.
- Abigail does tend to finish what she starts.
- She was a tenacious little girl.
I'll take it.
- Oh, alright! - I'll wrap it up for you.
- Great! Taking a walk down memory lane, huh? - That's Abigail's.
I am taking her senior photo and having it scanned and framed for something our mayor wants us to do.
- Would you like to take a look? - Oh, I'd love to.
You know, I've never seen her senior photo.
Aaah one of many things I've missed out on.
My little girl.
- Yeah.
She grew into the woman she is today.
- Hmm - Here you go.
- Thanks.
Could you maybe make me a copy of Abigail's photo? I'd love to have something to put on the mantle.
- I'd be happy to.
In fact, why don't you stop by Grey House later tonight? You can pick it up there.
- Cassie, you're as kind as your mother was to me.
- I've always believed in the goodness of family.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - Uh, I have been craving strawberry cheesecake all morning.
Do you have any of that? Well, I think I could find a piece or two.
Then make it two.
- One for each of us.
- (WOMEN LAUGHING) - I'll bring it right over.
- But that's not what I wanted! - Kaitlyn, if you want to tell me why you're sad, then we can try to get you what you want.
- I don't like these with ketchup; I want white sauce! - You want ranch dressing? - Yes, please.
- Excuse me.
I hear that someone might like some ranch dressing.
- If you could.
- Coming right up.
- Thank you.
- So I guess that's us - in a few years, huh? - Yeah, might be.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - Do you think we all would have been friends in high school? - Probably.
What were you into back then? - Mostly music theatre and boys.
But I got stuck playing Aunt Eller in Oklahoma while all the boys pined after Dream Laurey.
- Hm.
Well, it seems like you were happy there.
- Does it? - All I remember about that day was that I flunked a project in art class and I just stopped crying long enough for them to snap this picture.
I was trying to make a vase, but it turned out more like a kidney.
- So I shouldn't hire you to be a supplier for my store.
Got it.
- You know, I have some old vases I was gonna put in storage.
I've wrapped them up, but if you want to stop by my shop and take 'em to yours - I never say no to free merchandise.
- Yoohoo! I have some wonderful news that can only be shared really via the visual, so voilà ! And I wanted Abigail to be one of the first to see it, since the announcement was partly due to her.
- What did I do? - No, your father did this.
He's donating 10 bikes just like that one to Middleton's girls in need all in the name of Abigail Pershing.
- Well, isn't that nice of him.
- Oh, you say that as if it's not nice at all.
- He's just trying to buy his way into people liking him, which is what he always used to do with me.
- Well, he is here now, and we have the 10-speeds - to prove it.
Hahaha! - Yeah.
I mean, it couldn't have been easy for him to come back the way he did.
- You know what would have been easier? If he never left.
- Oh, he does seem regretful about that.
- I haven't seen much of that.
- I would hope if I ever had a rift with either of my children that they would be open to letting me try to make up for it.
- Yeah.
Perhaps then, you could have a future you never even imagined.
- You're texting your mom? - Noah.
- Oh, make sure to tell him how his girlfriend got first place.
- Yeah.
- Oh, you should send a picture of the trophy to your mom.
- She's seen me with trophies before.
- Come on, send her a picture.
- Like, where is it? - I left it there.
- Oh! We can go back.
- Sam, we're almost home.
- It's not far.
- It's just another trophy, OK? And who even cares about that? (ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) - Dad.
- I've walked past this place five times trying to get up the nerve to come inside.
- It's OK, you can come in.
- This is a beautiful store.
- Thank you.
- I've been wanting to stop by to see it Well, to see you since dinner, but I thought you'd want some time to get used to things.
- Because it's not every day your father comes back from the dead.
- Did you really tell people I died? - I got a couple of nice condolence cards out of it too.
- Well, I got you something and not because of my debt, but because I was thinking about you.
- It's my sign and my birthstone.
It's beautiful.
I guess I should thank you for all the 10-speed bikes you donated in my name.
- I wasn't there to give you one when I should have, so - I guess we can call it the next best thing.
Look what I've just found.
It had been so long since I saw one of my old ads.
- Your work was in the papers? - My work was in a lot of places, but that's the one that got me the most attention.
I spent so much time living in different places, dreaming about the perfect family, that idea came to me pretty quickly.
- I wish I could have given you a family like this.
The kind that you deserved.
So, uh, I don't know if you're free, but if you want to, maybe we could have dinner tonight.
Catch up on more of what you've been doing since I Just sort of catch up.
- Actually, I was gonna see a movie tonight.
- I understand.
- You've got other plans.
- Do you want to come? - Oh, I'd love to.
- They're playing His Girl Friday at the theatre.
- Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell? - It's one of my favourites.
- Mine too.
(ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) - I don't understand why you want to go home.
I thought we were having a really good time.
- I've been trying to, but the more I try not to think about this baby, the more I realise how terrified I am about becoming a father.
- You are going to be a great dad.
- But I don't know how to actually be one.
When that little girl started whining at the Bistro I started wondering about what I would have done if I were her dad, and I realised that I have no idea.
Because my dad would have never talked to me like that, because my dad hardly ever said anything at all.
- I just want to stay for one more night.
Cassie set out tea, and she said that there's everything here we could want.
And I really like this bed.
- Well, since we're probably not gonna get much sleep over the next 18 years (BOTH CHUCKLE) - Thanks.
- Thank you.
- (ARTHUR LAUGHING) - (ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) Just give me a minute.
There's a few things I meant to water before we left for the movie.
- Take your time.
- No problem.
You know I hadn't seen His Girl Friday - for a long time.
- Really? I watch it two or three times a year.
That and The Philadelphia Story.
I love the way Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart fight over Katharine Hepburn.
- Hahaha! - Probably gave me a few ideas about how to get men to fight over me.
- Abigail, please, you're talking to your father.
- Right, sorry.
- Just give me one minute.
I have to water these guys in the back.
- No problem.
- All done! You ready? - Yeah.
May I walk you home? - Uh, sure.
After you.
- OK, we got it.
- Now, can we go? - Just a minute.
Didn't seem like you were having very much fun today.
- It was a competition.
- Why do you do it? - Because my teacher says that this kind of stuff looks good on college applications.
(SAM SCOFFING) - That's it? - Isn't that enough? - You know, I had a scholarship for molecular biology when I went to college.
I figured I'd end up getting paid a lot of money to do research in a lab every day.
And then one day, in the middle of class, I realised I don't want to do that.
What I wanted to do was help sick people.
Get to know them, let them get to know me.
It's why I just gave up the scholarship, changed my major.
And it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life because I love doing what I'm doing.
So what about you, Grace? - What about me? - What is it you love? (SIGH) - It looks perfect here! And it's gonna be so inspiring to all the future women of tomorrow.
- I think those are called girls.
- Potayto, potahto.
- (STEPHANIE GIGGLING) - Oh! Hey there! - Can I help you? - I'm here to pick up an order of chicken fingers to go.
- With ranch dressing? - You should probably put some of that in there, yeah.
- (LAUGHING): I have them right here for you.
There you go.
- I think I know what I wanna be when I grow up.
- Would you like to own a business someday? Maybe a restaurant like this? - No.
I wanna run a flower shop.
- Oh! - Or maybe she'd like to be something even better, - like the mayor.
- What do mayors do? - Well, mayors run the city and they get to cut ribbons and make speeches.
- Eek.
- "Eek"? - I wanna run a flower shop.
- Can I do that, Daddy? - You can do anything you want.
(STEPHANIE LAUGHING) - Thank you.
Come anytime.
- Thanks.
- We will.
- Well, would you look at that.
Your idea is already inspiring the women of tomorrow.
- So it's a success.
- And you never know what kind of woman this little girl might turn out to be.
- Plenty of different paths.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hmm hello.
- Where have you been? - At the movies with my dad.
- Well, that sounds nice.
- It really was.
I never imagined it could be, but it was.
- It was good of you to let him back into your life.
- Well, he came all this way.
(PHONE RINGING) Hello? This is Abigail.
Why would they be checking my credit score? No, that wasn't authorized at all.
OK, thanks.
(BEEP!) - Is everything OK? - No, that was the fraud department at my bank.
Someone asked for a credit check, so they could put my name on a loan.
- Why would anybody do that? - I know why my father would do that.
So he could clean me out and steal the rest of my life from me too.
Welcome back, Dad.
- I like writing.
And history.
And I really liked working at your office with your patients.
And photography, I like that a lot.
- Well, then do more of that.
- All of it, and just figure out what you like the best.
- I kind of want to go skydiving.
- You want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane? - Yeah.
With a parachute of course.
- Yeah.
I've always wanted to do that too.
But we both have to convince your mother.
- And she's never letting that happen.
- Not in a million years.
- Mm-hmm.
- Clay! Can I get you something? - Is there an ice-cream shop around here? - There are some nearby, but if you wanted to stay in, I have some ice cream in my freezer.
You can help yourself.
- Aw, thanks, but Erica's craving raspberry ripple.
I can't imagine you'd stay stocked up - on something like that.
- Uh, hmm - Yeah.
Looks mostly like chocolate.
- Are you sure? - Raspberry ripple?! No way! - Yep.
There are bowls and spoons right over there.
- George told me I could find you here.
- Were you able to get that photo of my daughter done? - I did.
And I found the perfect frame for it in my store.
- Is there anything else I need to do? OK, thank you so much for your help.
Did you try to put my name on a loan? - I did, yes.
- Well, I cancelled my credit cards and blocked all my accounts.
You can't get to them now, so don't even try.
- What?! I wasn't trying to get to anything.
I wanted to give you something, as a gift.
- Is that what they teach you to say in prison? - Abigail I wanted this to be a surprise, but I'm buying our old house.
And I want to put your name on the loan so you'll be the co-owner.
- You want to give me a house? - Yes, the house you grew up in.
- The one you walked out of?! Stop trying to buy your way into my life, pretending to be my dad.
You gave up on being a father when you walked out the door and never came back.
- I thought I was doing the right thing, so you'd turn out better than someone like me.
- You know what the right thing would have been? If you actually tried to be a father.
This guy doesn't even think he's ready to be a dad, but he's already put more effort in before his kid's born than you did my entire life! - I know.
And you're right.
But I'm here now, and I'm trying - the best that I can.
- Well, it's too late.
I thought I needed you, but I turned out just fine on my own.
I started businesses, and I used every bad thing that ever happened to me to my advantage.
And when I think about the person that I am today, maybe you were right: I was better off without you.
- She made a good point.
She never needed me.
And that's one of the many reasons why I should never have come back.
- Oh, wait.
- Before you leave, this is for you.
- Thanks.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - I hope you'll come back after your baby is born - so I can know the whole family.
- We will.
- And I'm gonna want that exact same bed.
- I will keep it open just for you.
Are you glad - you stayed the extra night? - Glad you had the ice cream - she wanted too.
- Hmm It's nice to know a man who realises he may not be a perfect father, but knows he needs to try.
It's the first thing every little boy needs.
(DOOR CHIME) - How did you know - we were having a boy? - We didn't tell anybody.
- Didn't you? Hmmm Oh, and I pulled this book off the shelves.
Made me think of you.
- Clay's already read every parenting book there is.
- I think he might like this one the best.
- "One Otter and Twenty One Rabbits.
" - It was one of my daughter's favourites.
We used to read it together and laugh and laugh and not think - about anything else.
- What's it about? - It's about an otter and 21 rabbits.
(LAUGHING) (ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) - What are you doing here? - I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving.
- Because you're good at that? - Because I didn't want to just disappear from your life again.
I printed up a copy of the paperwork that shows you're not on the loan for the house, - so you're free and clear of me.
- Are you really gonna go live in the exact same house you walked out on me from? - I am, because it's the house we brought you home to when you were born and it's where I watched you learn to walk, where you set up your lemonade stand.
So it will give me a chance to remember the good things instead of all the mistakes that I made.
- Well, thanks for this at least.
- Thanks for coming to dinner.
And what you said at Grey House was right.
You didn't need me then, and you don't need me now.
- Yeah, I turned out OK.
- Any man would be proud to call you his daughter.
- When are you moving in? - I don't know.
A couple of months.
- Maybe I'll come see you sometime.
I'm not saying I'm not still mad at you I'm just saying that people get older, they grow up and they change.
And I'm not sure I want to get any older without having a father in my life.
You're the only one I've got.
(SOFT MUSIC) - You really are a better person than I ever could have raised.
- Well, you had something to do with it.
- If you ever want to come back to the house, let me know and I'll make sure your room is exactly how you want it.
- Thanks, Dad.
- It was good seeing you, Abigail.
- You can call me Abby.
(ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) (CHUCKLING) - I found a couple of ripe ones out there.
- Ooh, those look good! - Do you want me to cut 'em into dodecagons? You're not the only one who knows what a 12-sided figure is.
- Maybe they should have given you the trophy.
Nah.
You deserved it.
(DOOR CLOSING) - Hey.
- Hey! Dinner's ready - in 30 minutes.
- Great, thanks.
- Nick's on his way.
- Did you ride a bike here? - It was a present.
- Something I always wanted.
What are you making? - Ooh, mac and cheese! - Yum! - When I was little, my mommy let me crush up the breadcrumbs and sprinkle them on the top before it went in the oven.
- That's a good thing we saved that job for you! - Crush away.
- I won't be needing that.
We did things differently in the Pershing house.
- Ooh! - (SAM LAUGHING) - That's how you do it to make sure they're the right size.
- OK.
- (LAUGHING) (SCREAMING AND LAUGHING) - Yeah, that used to happen a lot.
(ALL LAUGHING)
- My dad used to bring me - gifts from his trips.
- Where? - London.
That's the last time I saw him.
- The day that he left.
- She didn't say much, but I could tell your daughter was very happy to receive it.
- I like to see you smile.
- You do? - Yeah.
- Who gave you that? - Noah.
- That was nice of him.
- It was.
- I love your mother very much.
And I love you, and I wanted to ask if it would be OK - if I married your mother.
- Yes.
(DOORBELL RINGING) - I'll get it.
Dad What are you doing here? - I wanted to see my daughter.
- It's been 22 years.
- I know, Abby, and when I left - People call me Abigail now.
- Abigail of course.
I've been thinking about what I wanted to say to you for so long but now, I I don't know where to begin.
- What's going on? - Who was at the door? - I'm going to bed.
- (DOOR CLOSING) - Everything OK? - I don't know.
- Oh, there you go.
- Now you can eat here or out in the garden.
- Hey! - Hey.
Good morning.
- Waffles?! - Yeah.
- I've seen fruit, I've seen yogurt, - but I rarely have seen waffles.
- I am full of surprises.
- Are they made with organic sweeteners and filled with some kind of wheat brand.
- They are made with sugar and filled with chocolate chips.
- It is a surprise! - Mm-hmm.
- Hey, did you find out who came to see Abigail last night? - No, and I haven't seen her yet this morning.
- Hmm.
Is she OK? - Yeah, she always seems to be, so she should be able to handle the appearance - of one unexpected visitor.
- (GRACE): Morning! - Hey.
Chocolate-chip waffles.
- Oooh! So, uh, I got an email about the math competition finals.
They're this weekend.
I, uh, made it into the regional championship.
- Hey, congratulations! - Grace, that's great! - Yeah.
Uh, hey, can you take me? - This weekend? - Yeah, it's all day Saturday.
- Actually, I have some guests that I think are gonna need - some extra attention, but - I could take her.
- Are you sure? - I got all day free.
Happy to.
- OK.
Uh, yeah.
Great.
- I will see you guys later.
- OK.
- Bye! - Bye.
- Hey, I wanted one of those! - These are for someone else, but there's plenty of fruit and yogurt.
- But they're not filled with chocolate chips.
- Good morning.
I was just bringing this up to your room.
- Chocolate-chip waffles.
I used to love those when I was a kid.
- Did you? - Uh, well, whoever came to see you last night left this for you at the door.
Has your name on the card.
- It says "Abby" on the card.
- Yes.
And I'm pretty sure I know who used to call you that.
- It's from my dad.
- I had a feeling.
I didn't know he was even alive.
- Yeah.
It would probably be easier if he wasn't.
- Where has he been all these years? - He didn't say and I didn't ask.
He wants me to meet him for dinner tonight at 7.
I don't show up, I never have to see him again.
- What are you gonna do? (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) (THEME MUSIC) - Abby.
Abigail.
- Dad.
- I didn't think you were gonna show up.
- Well, what girl can turn down an invitation to have dinner with her father? - Uh, would you like to order something? - No, thank you.
I haven't decided how long I'm staying.
- I thought of reaching out so many times over the years.
- But you didn't.
- No.
- And so I'm still wondering why you left in the firstlace.
- Because I decided you'd be better off without me.
You don't know me, Abigail.
You hardly ever did.
- Whose fault is that? - Mine.
But you wouldn't have liked the man that I was, and I wanted you to have a chance.
So I took myself out of your life.
And when your mother died, I wanted to come back, but - well, I couldn't.
- You chose not to.
- Because by then, I was in prison.
I served eight years for business fraud, grand larceny and tax evasion.
- They don't have phones in jail? - At a certain point, I just didn't know what to say.
- So what are you doing here now? - Well, I've started putting my life back in order.
I'm almost done paying off my old business partners.
And I'm thinking about moving back into the old neighbourhood in New York.
You know, the house we used to live in is for sale.
- The red one? - On Fernside? - And I wanted you to know that things are different, I am different, and I wanted you to see that.
- So this is about you? - No.
- You just dropped in to let me know how wonderful you are now and that you were right to run away from my life? - To say one more thing.
I'm sorry.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) (DOOR CHIME) - Good morning! - Good morning.
- I came upstairs to let you know that breakfast was ready, but it seemed - like you wanted to sleep in.
- Thanks for not waking us up.
Those beds at Grey House are amazing! - Yeah.
I haven't seen her sleep this well in forever.
- Which is one of the many things we won't be able to do once this baby comes, which is why we wanted to do a babymoon while we still can.
- Hm, smart.
You're having a boy or a girl? - We've decided not to tell.
We want to keep it a secret for as long as we can.
- Then I won't ask again.
Any ideas about what you want to do today? - Mostly not think about baby stuff.
I mean, I can't wait for our child to arrive, it's just I want to feel happy and relaxed waiting for it to happen.
- Erica! Look at this! "101 Lessons From Dads Around The World.
" - I'm sure that's great, but that's not the right kind of reading for a babymoon.
- Right.
- But this looks interesting.
- "Hiking Trails of Middleton.
" - Yeah, there are a lot of wonderful places around here to explore.
- Before we have to push a stroller around.
- Thanks.
- Sure.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - I'll take a few croissants - plain and chocolate - half-dozen bagels and, uh, just throw in an assortment of muffins, whatever you think the ladies would like.
- Oh! Well, I will put in a variety.
- And you'll bring it to city hall, all of it, - before the meeting begins? - I will get there early.
- Excuse me.
- What's happening at city hall? - Oh, it's the quarterly meeting of our Women's Small Business Owners' association.
- The mayor's in charge of all of that; I just show up with the pastries.
- No, you also run a very successful - small business of your own.
- Oh, well - May I show you - my own small business owner? - Oh, of course! This is one of Middleton's own - right when she was starting out.
- Well, isn't she adorable! - She begged to have her own lemonade stand and made $14 without any help from me or her mother.
She just completely did it on her own.
- That looks like Abigail.
- Yeah.
She was about 9 years old.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Arthur Pershing.
(GASPING) - You are Abigail's father! - That's right.
- She said you were dead! - Well, news of my dead has been greatly exaggerated.
- Have you seen Cassie yet? - Arthur is related to Cassie.
- He's her - Uncle by marriage.
No, I'm taking things slow.
I'm just trying to let everybody get used to the fact that I'm here.
- Well, I'm very glad that you introduced yourself because that photo of your daughter has given me the most wonderful idea! Don't forget those pastries.
Tata! (ARTHUR CHUCKLING) - So, what does my daughter like to order when she comes here? - Well, um, she loves those pecan-cinnamon rolls.
- Then, I'll take one of those.
- Coming right up.
Hahaha! - Go.
Oh! Yes! I feel like Dolley Madison fighting off the British army in the White House.
- Uh, one woman fought off the entire British army? - Practically.
She saved Washington's portrait while the place was set on fire and barely made it out alive.
- Wow, you make her sound like some sort of superhero.
- A movie about her, now that would make a lot of money.
Oh, hey, Sam! You'd go see a movie about Dolley Madison, right? - Depends.
Who's in it? - Amazement is in it.
- Then yeah.
(GRACE CHUCKLING) What time do you want to leave in the morning? - I don't know.
8? Do you wanna go for anything on the drive? Hmm, I'm good, thanks.
I went online to see subjects that might be covered this year.
Not announced 'til each round.
- They haven't done polygons in a while; maybe you should be prepared for that.
- Oh, I don't think I've ever seen Grace not prepared for anything.
- I'm pretty sure we studied polygons - in freshman year.
- OK.
- Thanks! Are you done attacking me? - Yeah.
I barely made it out alive.
(GRACE CHUCKLING) - Pinkies up and pastries down, ladies! This meeting will now come to order.
So, do any of you recognize this innocent, young politician to be? It's me! (CHUCKLING) Bursting to take on the world! As soon as my skin clears up.
But it's photos like this that are going to inspire the next generation of Middleton's women small business owners.
- By showing them what not to wear? - By revealing from whence we came.
So, I need all of you ladies to go home and pull out your high-school portraits and display them in front of your places of business alongside current photos, which we'll take this week.
Then today's youth can see where you came from and who you are now.
- It can be inspiring to know what each of us overcame - to become who we are today.
- Isn't this a wonderful idea? And it all came from something that Abigail's father showed me: a picture of her with her very first business.
- You met my father? - Yes.
He came into the Bistro.
- He was very proud.
Bragging to Martha and me about your lemonade stand.
- I'm shocked he even remembered that.
- So, I need a framed high-school portrait from each of you.
(SIGHING) - I suppose I could dig that out of wherever it is.
- Me too.
- What if we don't have one? - Don't be silly.
Everyone has a yearbook photo at least.
- All I wanted to do when I turned 18 was move out of my foster parents' house.
- I didn't realise - it was so bad for you.
- It was OK.
I just was ready to get started with life, so all I took with me was a suitcase full of clothes.
I don't have anything from when I was a teenager.
Other than the memories of all the boys' hearts I broke.
- Oh, now, you have some good memories in Middleton to look back on.
- Yeah, I guess so.
- Well, I still want a current photo of you, so don't let those frown lines set in permanently before I can set you up with a photographer.
And sit up straight! "A sloping shoulder makes ladies look older.
" (MARTHA GIGGLING) - Thank you for taking Grace to her math competition tomorrow.
- Looking forward to it.
- I just hope she's ready for it.
- Oh, yeah, she usually does OK.
- Offered to help her brush up on her geometry, - but she said she didn't need to.
- Oh.
No.
Don't take it too personally; Grace has her own way - of doing things.
- Haha! I guess I just come from the overprepare- and-then-do-a-little-bit-more - school of thought.
- Oh, really? - I hadn't noticed.
- Wait Now, you're just making fun of me.
- And at least, you noticed that.
- (SAM): So what is all that stuff? - This box got delivered to the shop as I was locking up.
Somebody moved into the last foster home I lived in and found all this in the back of the attic.
- And they sent it to you? - That was nice.
- Yeah, I never thought I'd see any of this again.
- Well, this must have gone with some spiffy looking bike.
- It was purple and it had a banana seat.
And I outgrew it pretty quick, but I kept that to remember.
- Mm-hmm.
- Dad kept saying he was gonna get me a 10-speed, but he left before he did.
- Did you take ballet? - No.
Dad sent those from Paris.
Was always sending me stuff wherever he went.
- Hmm, well, that was sweet.
At least, you knew he was always thinking about you.
- And that's how I knew he was never coming back.
I mean, my mom told me, but it didn't seem real until the gifts stopped coming.
- Hmm.
It must have been hard on you.
- Yeah.
I made it through.
- Are you ready to see what passed as fashionable in the early 2000s? - Ohhh All I remember are peasant tops and shiny pants.
- Well, brace yourself for disco halter tops.
- (SAM): Hmm - (CASSIE): Wow! When was this? - Uh, homecoming.
- Now, which one's you? - Oh, I couldn't afford to go to the dance.
But the flowers are mine.
I made corsages and sold them so I could afford a dress for prom later that year.
- Ah.
Already the businessperson.
- I'll have you know I previously made a killing - selling lemonade.
- Right.
And just think, if you had been able to go to that dance, you might not be as successful as you are today.
So, it seems like you learned how to make lemonade out of lemons a lot.
- Yeah, I guess I did.
- I want to get that bridge in the background.
- Oh! No, no, no, no! - Let's do it up there somewhere.
I don't want to be upstaged by the scenery.
- Why do we have to have our pictures taken? Because Martha wants us to inspire the next generation.
- Can't I just write a cheque? - Cassie! - Hello! Erica, Clay, you know my cousin Abigail? - Yes, we met at breakfast.
- And what did you get? - Some serving dishes.
We went into this great pottery place, which was right next to a kids' store I had to steer my husband away from.
- I can't help it.
- We're looking for a place to eat.
- The Bistro's always perfect for that.
- We'll check it out.
Thanks.
- So, I spoke with the photographer and she's pretty sure that she can make the bags - under your eyes disappear.
- I have bags under my eyes? - Of course you do, dear, we all do.
Actually, you don't.
And neither do you.
Honestly, why do I continue to live in a town where all the women are so pretty? (BOTH GIGGLING) - I'd like to congratulate all the competitors who've made it into the final round of today's competition.
On the left is Grace Russell.
Next to her is Melissa Coombs.
And finally, Jacob Walker.
- (GIRL): Go get 'em, Jacob! - The topic of our final round will be polygons.
First question.
"A dodecagon is a polygon with how many sides?" (BUZZING) Grace Russell.
- 12.
- That's correct.
- Yeah! - I'll remind parents to please refrain from showing any outbursts of support.
Next question.
"The sum of the interior angles of a decagon is how many deg?" - 1440.
- That's right! "If any angle is greater than 180 degrees, then the polygon is called?" - Concave.
- That's correct! - (ARTHUR): When did you move to Middleton? - Oh, a long time ago.
Grey House has been in my family forever.
- I remember your mother talking about it.
- I wanted to put some life back into it.
- I think all the Merriwicks would be very proud.
It's a nice town, I can see why my daughter chose to live here.
- How are things going with her? Have you been able to see each other again? - Not since we met for dinner.
I told her I'd give her some time, which turned out to be a lot harder for me than I thought it would.
But she didn't say that she never wanted to see me again, so I'm just waiting to find out if she ever does want to see me again.
These are very interesting.
- Oh, yeah.
- A local artist makes them.
Now, all the birthstones are represented.
This one is your daughter's sign.
- Ohhh I remember so many great birthdays when Abby was a little girl.
- Haha! - (DOOR CHIME) I took her out when she turned 5, and I told her she could order whatever she wants, which usually meant macaroni and cheese, but she wanted a whole, entire crab, and she was determined to eat every bite.
It took her about two hours, but she did it.
- Abigail does tend to finish what she starts.
- She was a tenacious little girl.
I'll take it.
- Oh, alright! - I'll wrap it up for you.
- Great! Taking a walk down memory lane, huh? - That's Abigail's.
I am taking her senior photo and having it scanned and framed for something our mayor wants us to do.
- Would you like to take a look? - Oh, I'd love to.
You know, I've never seen her senior photo.
Aaah one of many things I've missed out on.
My little girl.
- Yeah.
She grew into the woman she is today.
- Hmm - Here you go.
- Thanks.
Could you maybe make me a copy of Abigail's photo? I'd love to have something to put on the mantle.
- I'd be happy to.
In fact, why don't you stop by Grey House later tonight? You can pick it up there.
- Cassie, you're as kind as your mother was to me.
- I've always believed in the goodness of family.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - Uh, I have been craving strawberry cheesecake all morning.
Do you have any of that? Well, I think I could find a piece or two.
Then make it two.
- One for each of us.
- (WOMEN LAUGHING) - I'll bring it right over.
- But that's not what I wanted! - Kaitlyn, if you want to tell me why you're sad, then we can try to get you what you want.
- I don't like these with ketchup; I want white sauce! - You want ranch dressing? - Yes, please.
- Excuse me.
I hear that someone might like some ranch dressing.
- If you could.
- Coming right up.
- Thank you.
- So I guess that's us - in a few years, huh? - Yeah, might be.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - Do you think we all would have been friends in high school? - Probably.
What were you into back then? - Mostly music theatre and boys.
But I got stuck playing Aunt Eller in Oklahoma while all the boys pined after Dream Laurey.
- Hm.
Well, it seems like you were happy there.
- Does it? - All I remember about that day was that I flunked a project in art class and I just stopped crying long enough for them to snap this picture.
I was trying to make a vase, but it turned out more like a kidney.
- So I shouldn't hire you to be a supplier for my store.
Got it.
- You know, I have some old vases I was gonna put in storage.
I've wrapped them up, but if you want to stop by my shop and take 'em to yours - I never say no to free merchandise.
- Yoohoo! I have some wonderful news that can only be shared really via the visual, so voilà ! And I wanted Abigail to be one of the first to see it, since the announcement was partly due to her.
- What did I do? - No, your father did this.
He's donating 10 bikes just like that one to Middleton's girls in need all in the name of Abigail Pershing.
- Well, isn't that nice of him.
- Oh, you say that as if it's not nice at all.
- He's just trying to buy his way into people liking him, which is what he always used to do with me.
- Well, he is here now, and we have the 10-speeds - to prove it.
Hahaha! - Yeah.
I mean, it couldn't have been easy for him to come back the way he did.
- You know what would have been easier? If he never left.
- Oh, he does seem regretful about that.
- I haven't seen much of that.
- I would hope if I ever had a rift with either of my children that they would be open to letting me try to make up for it.
- Yeah.
Perhaps then, you could have a future you never even imagined.
- You're texting your mom? - Noah.
- Oh, make sure to tell him how his girlfriend got first place.
- Yeah.
- Oh, you should send a picture of the trophy to your mom.
- She's seen me with trophies before.
- Come on, send her a picture.
- Like, where is it? - I left it there.
- Oh! We can go back.
- Sam, we're almost home.
- It's not far.
- It's just another trophy, OK? And who even cares about that? (ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) - Dad.
- I've walked past this place five times trying to get up the nerve to come inside.
- It's OK, you can come in.
- This is a beautiful store.
- Thank you.
- I've been wanting to stop by to see it Well, to see you since dinner, but I thought you'd want some time to get used to things.
- Because it's not every day your father comes back from the dead.
- Did you really tell people I died? - I got a couple of nice condolence cards out of it too.
- Well, I got you something and not because of my debt, but because I was thinking about you.
- It's my sign and my birthstone.
It's beautiful.
I guess I should thank you for all the 10-speed bikes you donated in my name.
- I wasn't there to give you one when I should have, so - I guess we can call it the next best thing.
Look what I've just found.
It had been so long since I saw one of my old ads.
- Your work was in the papers? - My work was in a lot of places, but that's the one that got me the most attention.
I spent so much time living in different places, dreaming about the perfect family, that idea came to me pretty quickly.
- I wish I could have given you a family like this.
The kind that you deserved.
So, uh, I don't know if you're free, but if you want to, maybe we could have dinner tonight.
Catch up on more of what you've been doing since I Just sort of catch up.
- Actually, I was gonna see a movie tonight.
- I understand.
- You've got other plans.
- Do you want to come? - Oh, I'd love to.
- They're playing His Girl Friday at the theatre.
- Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell? - It's one of my favourites.
- Mine too.
(ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) - I don't understand why you want to go home.
I thought we were having a really good time.
- I've been trying to, but the more I try not to think about this baby, the more I realise how terrified I am about becoming a father.
- You are going to be a great dad.
- But I don't know how to actually be one.
When that little girl started whining at the Bistro I started wondering about what I would have done if I were her dad, and I realised that I have no idea.
Because my dad would have never talked to me like that, because my dad hardly ever said anything at all.
- I just want to stay for one more night.
Cassie set out tea, and she said that there's everything here we could want.
And I really like this bed.
- Well, since we're probably not gonna get much sleep over the next 18 years (BOTH CHUCKLE) - Thanks.
- Thank you.
- (ARTHUR LAUGHING) - (ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) Just give me a minute.
There's a few things I meant to water before we left for the movie.
- Take your time.
- No problem.
You know I hadn't seen His Girl Friday - for a long time.
- Really? I watch it two or three times a year.
That and The Philadelphia Story.
I love the way Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart fight over Katharine Hepburn.
- Hahaha! - Probably gave me a few ideas about how to get men to fight over me.
- Abigail, please, you're talking to your father.
- Right, sorry.
- Just give me one minute.
I have to water these guys in the back.
- No problem.
- All done! You ready? - Yeah.
May I walk you home? - Uh, sure.
After you.
- OK, we got it.
- Now, can we go? - Just a minute.
Didn't seem like you were having very much fun today.
- It was a competition.
- Why do you do it? - Because my teacher says that this kind of stuff looks good on college applications.
(SAM SCOFFING) - That's it? - Isn't that enough? - You know, I had a scholarship for molecular biology when I went to college.
I figured I'd end up getting paid a lot of money to do research in a lab every day.
And then one day, in the middle of class, I realised I don't want to do that.
What I wanted to do was help sick people.
Get to know them, let them get to know me.
It's why I just gave up the scholarship, changed my major.
And it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life because I love doing what I'm doing.
So what about you, Grace? - What about me? - What is it you love? (SIGH) - It looks perfect here! And it's gonna be so inspiring to all the future women of tomorrow.
- I think those are called girls.
- Potayto, potahto.
- (STEPHANIE GIGGLING) - Oh! Hey there! - Can I help you? - I'm here to pick up an order of chicken fingers to go.
- With ranch dressing? - You should probably put some of that in there, yeah.
- (LAUGHING): I have them right here for you.
There you go.
- I think I know what I wanna be when I grow up.
- Would you like to own a business someday? Maybe a restaurant like this? - No.
I wanna run a flower shop.
- Oh! - Or maybe she'd like to be something even better, - like the mayor.
- What do mayors do? - Well, mayors run the city and they get to cut ribbons and make speeches.
- Eek.
- "Eek"? - I wanna run a flower shop.
- Can I do that, Daddy? - You can do anything you want.
(STEPHANIE LAUGHING) - Thank you.
Come anytime.
- Thanks.
- We will.
- Well, would you look at that.
Your idea is already inspiring the women of tomorrow.
- So it's a success.
- And you never know what kind of woman this little girl might turn out to be.
- Plenty of different paths.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hmm hello.
- Where have you been? - At the movies with my dad.
- Well, that sounds nice.
- It really was.
I never imagined it could be, but it was.
- It was good of you to let him back into your life.
- Well, he came all this way.
(PHONE RINGING) Hello? This is Abigail.
Why would they be checking my credit score? No, that wasn't authorized at all.
OK, thanks.
(BEEP!) - Is everything OK? - No, that was the fraud department at my bank.
Someone asked for a credit check, so they could put my name on a loan.
- Why would anybody do that? - I know why my father would do that.
So he could clean me out and steal the rest of my life from me too.
Welcome back, Dad.
- I like writing.
And history.
And I really liked working at your office with your patients.
And photography, I like that a lot.
- Well, then do more of that.
- All of it, and just figure out what you like the best.
- I kind of want to go skydiving.
- You want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane? - Yeah.
With a parachute of course.
- Yeah.
I've always wanted to do that too.
But we both have to convince your mother.
- And she's never letting that happen.
- Not in a million years.
- Mm-hmm.
- Clay! Can I get you something? - Is there an ice-cream shop around here? - There are some nearby, but if you wanted to stay in, I have some ice cream in my freezer.
You can help yourself.
- Aw, thanks, but Erica's craving raspberry ripple.
I can't imagine you'd stay stocked up - on something like that.
- Uh, hmm - Yeah.
Looks mostly like chocolate.
- Are you sure? - Raspberry ripple?! No way! - Yep.
There are bowls and spoons right over there.
- George told me I could find you here.
- Were you able to get that photo of my daughter done? - I did.
And I found the perfect frame for it in my store.
- Is there anything else I need to do? OK, thank you so much for your help.
Did you try to put my name on a loan? - I did, yes.
- Well, I cancelled my credit cards and blocked all my accounts.
You can't get to them now, so don't even try.
- What?! I wasn't trying to get to anything.
I wanted to give you something, as a gift.
- Is that what they teach you to say in prison? - Abigail I wanted this to be a surprise, but I'm buying our old house.
And I want to put your name on the loan so you'll be the co-owner.
- You want to give me a house? - Yes, the house you grew up in.
- The one you walked out of?! Stop trying to buy your way into my life, pretending to be my dad.
You gave up on being a father when you walked out the door and never came back.
- I thought I was doing the right thing, so you'd turn out better than someone like me.
- You know what the right thing would have been? If you actually tried to be a father.
This guy doesn't even think he's ready to be a dad, but he's already put more effort in before his kid's born than you did my entire life! - I know.
And you're right.
But I'm here now, and I'm trying - the best that I can.
- Well, it's too late.
I thought I needed you, but I turned out just fine on my own.
I started businesses, and I used every bad thing that ever happened to me to my advantage.
And when I think about the person that I am today, maybe you were right: I was better off without you.
- She made a good point.
She never needed me.
And that's one of the many reasons why I should never have come back.
- Oh, wait.
- Before you leave, this is for you.
- Thanks.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - I hope you'll come back after your baby is born - so I can know the whole family.
- We will.
- And I'm gonna want that exact same bed.
- I will keep it open just for you.
Are you glad - you stayed the extra night? - Glad you had the ice cream - she wanted too.
- Hmm It's nice to know a man who realises he may not be a perfect father, but knows he needs to try.
It's the first thing every little boy needs.
(DOOR CHIME) - How did you know - we were having a boy? - We didn't tell anybody.
- Didn't you? Hmmm Oh, and I pulled this book off the shelves.
Made me think of you.
- Clay's already read every parenting book there is.
- I think he might like this one the best.
- "One Otter and Twenty One Rabbits.
" - It was one of my daughter's favourites.
We used to read it together and laugh and laugh and not think - about anything else.
- What's it about? - It's about an otter and 21 rabbits.
(LAUGHING) (ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) - What are you doing here? - I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving.
- Because you're good at that? - Because I didn't want to just disappear from your life again.
I printed up a copy of the paperwork that shows you're not on the loan for the house, - so you're free and clear of me.
- Are you really gonna go live in the exact same house you walked out on me from? - I am, because it's the house we brought you home to when you were born and it's where I watched you learn to walk, where you set up your lemonade stand.
So it will give me a chance to remember the good things instead of all the mistakes that I made.
- Well, thanks for this at least.
- Thanks for coming to dinner.
And what you said at Grey House was right.
You didn't need me then, and you don't need me now.
- Yeah, I turned out OK.
- Any man would be proud to call you his daughter.
- When are you moving in? - I don't know.
A couple of months.
- Maybe I'll come see you sometime.
I'm not saying I'm not still mad at you I'm just saying that people get older, they grow up and they change.
And I'm not sure I want to get any older without having a father in my life.
You're the only one I've got.
(SOFT MUSIC) - You really are a better person than I ever could have raised.
- Well, you had something to do with it.
- If you ever want to come back to the house, let me know and I'll make sure your room is exactly how you want it.
- Thanks, Dad.
- It was good seeing you, Abigail.
- You can call me Abby.
(ELECTRONIC DOOR CHIME) (CHUCKLING) - I found a couple of ripe ones out there.
- Ooh, those look good! - Do you want me to cut 'em into dodecagons? You're not the only one who knows what a 12-sided figure is.
- Maybe they should have given you the trophy.
Nah.
You deserved it.
(DOOR CLOSING) - Hey.
- Hey! Dinner's ready - in 30 minutes.
- Great, thanks.
- Nick's on his way.
- Did you ride a bike here? - It was a present.
- Something I always wanted.
What are you making? - Ooh, mac and cheese! - Yum! - When I was little, my mommy let me crush up the breadcrumbs and sprinkle them on the top before it went in the oven.
- That's a good thing we saved that job for you! - Crush away.
- I won't be needing that.
We did things differently in the Pershing house.
- Ooh! - (SAM LAUGHING) - That's how you do it to make sure they're the right size.
- OK.
- (LAUGHING) (SCREAMING AND LAUGHING) - Yeah, that used to happen a lot.
(ALL LAUGHING)