02x02 - The Easy Part

[bunniefuu]

[Pastor Mariana] What
sparked the idea
to make this a nursery?

It began with a
real estate listing.

But it's a much longer
story than that.

[Kari] Landon Blake was hurt
in a fire. We should
call Ashley.

Well, she's at
her job interview.

We'll tell her
when she gets home.

You must be Ashley.
I'm Lu. We spoke on the phone.

-[Ashley] Nice to meet you.
-This is Belinda.

She's the office manager.

-Hi.
-Too pretty.

I guess coffee's on me
for a month, because I got
the job!

He has loved her
his whole life.

[Elizabeth] There's been
an accident, sweetheart.

It's Landon.
He may not make it.

[theme song playing]

♪ Cause life has a way
of pulling us under ♪

♪ But we'll stick it out ♪

♪ If we got each other ♪

♪ When it all feels too much ♪

♪ I know you'll come running
For me ♪

♪ Through the highs and lows
We'll find our way home ♪

♪ Family ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Family ♪

[John] Aah.

I was hoping I'd find you here.

-[chuckles]
-Coffee?

Thank you. What brings
you by today, John?

Oh, I had the afternoon off,
so I came over with Elizabeth.

She's getting the nursery
ready for the open house.

-I thought I'd help.
-Hmm.

But looks like I'm
just getting in the way.

Probably best to leave
that to her and God
to work it out.

-I wish Him luck.
-[chuckles]

I was sorry to hear
about Landon Blake.

-How's he doing?
-Hmm.

You know, for him

to come out of this without
permanent brain damage
will be nothing short of...

of God's grace.

Oh, it's the same grace
that brought him
and the little boy

-through the fire,
to begin with.
-Hmm.

What do you think about
the church starting
a food train

for Landon's parents.
It was a huge help for us

when Elizabeth was going
through chemo.

I remember. How long ago
was that now?

Five years in remission.

So far.

Praise God for that.

I'll talk to a few folks
and see what we can do.

Unfortunately, our membership
isn't what it used to be,

but our community is
still dedicated.

Yeah, I noticed the empty pews.

We're nearly
at an all-time low.

But these things
go in phases, don't they?

Yes. But I don't think
that's the case.

Times are changing.
Young folks now

watch church online
and have meetings

with small groups
in their homes.

Is that why you brought in
Pastor Mariana?

I think she'd bring
a fresh perspective.

But I also sense God calling
me to scale back my work
as head pastor.

Wait, uh, you're not
thinking about retiring,
are you?

Well, soon. Yes.

It's time
for the next generation.

And me to tend to my garden
which I've been neglecting

for, oh, 20 years.

I will tend to your garden.

You stay here. We would be
lost without you and I know
that I would be.

-I will never be far from
you or your family, John.
-Hmm.

And I will keep you posted
as the timing of my transition
comes together.

Okay, new idea.
We move the garden
to the church.

And you can water
between sermons.

Oh! [chuckles]

Come on. Please consider it.

-You are the best.
-[Pastor Mark chuckles]

Morning, Belinda.

I need you here
fifteen minutes before
your shift.

Showing up right on the dot
is considered late.

Noted. Sorry about that.

I'll be here at quarter to,
tomorrow.

How was your night?

Is that what you're wearing?

It's what I have on.

Is there a problem?

Nice pants don't work
so well when you're crawling
on the floor to pick up

utensils, because
your patient forgot they were
in the middle of a meal,

and wanted to get that strange
w*apon out of their hands.

Wear something
more appropriate next time.

[continues writing]

-Got it.
-[pen clatters]

Follow me.

Well, you should get the table
set. He'll be here any minute.

Sit down, Irvel.

Hank's here. I hear his truck
in the driveway.

I've gotta get the table ready.

[Irvel whimpers] Oh, oh.

Hank is dead.
He's not in the driveway.

-Eat your eggs.
-Oh, that's just silly.

Hank's out fishing.

Be a little nicer and I'll set
a place for you, too.

[gasps] Ah. Oh.

[Belinda] Eat your eggs.

[people talking indistinctly]

Oh my, you have beautiful hair.

Has anyone ever told
you that before?

Thank you. You do too.

[Irvel chuckles]

I'm Ashley, by the way.

Is she a spy?

No, no, I'm not a spy.
I promise.

Spies don't usually have
such beautiful hair,

in my experience.

Check her hair! That's how
they got my Sue!

They put a bug
in her hair sometimes.

There are no spies, Helen.
And no one took Sue.

She comes here every week.
Eat your breakfast.

You have fifteen more minutes.

That's it!
That's how they got her!

That thing!

Here. Use this one.
I checked it personally.
It's safe. I promise.

Uh. [clears throat]

Don't indulge their delusions.
It only makes things worse.

Your job is to feed
and care for them
on your shift,

not to be friends.
Just do your job.

If you can last one month
doing that, frankly,
I'll be impressed.

What is with you?

Ever since I got here
to interview, you made it
clear you don't want me here.

I'm not going anywhere,
so I hate to break it to you,
get used to it.

[scoffs] My problem with you
is that you come in here

like some sort of pageant queen
entitled to a trophy for being
a good person who just wants

to help sick people.
You think you're gonna
earn a quick paycheck

playing pretend
with the old folks.

I've been here ten years.
I've seen people like you
come and go.

Just do me a favor and try not
to screw up too bad while
you're here.

Less work for me
when you quit.

-Or get fired. Whichever.
-Hmm.

Don't forget to pick up
that fork.

[softly] "Don't forget
to pick up that fork."

[sighs] It was really lovely
meeting you.

I'll see you soon.

[both chuckle]

-[John] Wow!
-[Elizabeth laughs]

-[Erin] Hey!
-[Elizabeth] Oh, what do
you think?

Are you kidding?
Look at this.

This is amazing!

I can't believe
the transformation.

You two need to have
your own design show.

Mother-Daughter Do Design.

No! Baxter Built.

No, seriously,
the primary colors are
only the beginning.

I think we should liven
it up with a nature theme.

You know, some clouds up top,
some grass below.

Scatter some animals
and birds everywhere.

We did something similar
in my school and kids loved it.

Impressive! Your mother told me
that you were a wonderful
kindergarten teacher,

but she didn't say you had
a flair for interior design.

Well, I learned it from Kari.

Ah, a Baxter for every job, eh?

-Hmm.
-Well,

I believe this space will shape
a lot of young lives.

Yeah. Thank you so much
for believing in the vision
of this space.

And we've had
so much fun doing it.

Hopefully, with a little
extra help from the Good Lord,

we can bring some people back
to the church.

Amen.

[Kari] Kate, I am so
sorry I'm running late.

Mornings with a newborn
are not quite my specialty.

You're fine. I have two
at home under the age of five.

And a third on the way.

You must be a saint.

[sighs] My husband's a saint.

I don't know
how single moms do it.

Uh...um...

Tell me about your home.

Are you interested in making
small changes

or complete overhaul?

The works.

Well, you've come
to the right place.

What are you unhappy with?

I'm not sure.

Do you ever just walk
in the door and feel
like something's missing?

Every day.

So how do we fix it?

Well, we will start small.

[Kate] Yeah.

One piece at a time.

And we'll go from there.

I think I can handle that.

Me too.

And now I know
why you wanted to go bowling.

Oh, you're not that bad.

Please, the guy from
the front desk just came over

and asked if I wanted
bumpers for our lane.

Well, come on. You have to
admit it's still fun,
even if you're not good.

Ah, see, you just
admitted it right there.

Thank you for agreeing to this,
okay. My dad loves bowling

and I haven't been since
I was a kid.

Probably since
my parents split up.

I'm really excited for you
to meet him in a few weeks.

-I'm ready.
-Yeah?

-Yes.
-Okay.

Yeah, I actually talked
to my dad already.

Got some good advice about
the first time he met
Grandpa Al.

Seriously? You've nothing
to be nervous about.

I know. But...

It's an important day
in a man's life, you know?

First time he uh, meets
his future father-in-law.

Oh, future father-in-law, huh?

[music playing]

[Reagan] Ooh!

Ooh! I thought
that was gonna be good.

That was so bad.

[birds chirping]

Morning, ladies.

[Irvel] Ooh!

[excitedly] Aah!

Lovely.

And you're sure
you haven't seen my Sue.

No, Helen,
I have not seen Sue,

but I do know she's coming
Friday and she comes
every week.

Liar! I caught you!

You're one of them,
aren't you?

No. I...

Well, why would you say
that my Sue was coming?

The spies took her when
she was 25 years old,

and I haven't seen her since.

If you've seen her,
you must have took her!

I am not a spy.

[flustered] Sue is com...

I...Sue...

Helen, [sighs]

I do not know where Sue is.

But I promise you
we will keep looking
until we find her.

Well, I thank you for that.

[crying] I'll never stop
looking for my Sue.

She's my whole heart.

I know.

Maybe she'll come by
for some peppermint tea.

Irvel loves peppermint tea,
don't you, Irvel?

Oh, I can't join you today.

Hank will be home soon
and I've got to cook dinner.

I think Cornish hen
with carrots tonight.
He likes that.

[cutlery clinking]

What's your husband's
name, dear?

Oh, no, I'm not married.

No?

Why, you look just like
that gal who was
at the courthouse

the same day as Hank and me.

She had beautiful hair, too.

Tell me about the courthouse.

It was lovely.

Hank had just entered
the service and had to be
shipped out soon.

So we were married
three weeks after we met.

-[chuckles]
-Three weeks?

The weather was perfect.

June fourth, not too hot.

My cousin Emma lent me
this yellow dress with lace
down the front.

And Hank wore
this dark blue suit!

[gasps] Oh, I had never see him
look so nervous.

[both chuckle]

After the service,
we all went
to Mom and Dad's house.

I don't know how we fit
so many people.

We had barbeque and cake.

And Hank and I danced
all night.

Somewhere along the way
though, we must have made

one too many turns
because somehow he got
his poor foot caught

in my dress.

And the next thing I knew,
we were flat on our backs,

right in the middle
of the yard.

[all laugh hysterically]

Wow! That sounds like
quite the party.

Oh, it was.

Hank and I still like
to go out and dance sometimes.

But I cannot remember
when the last time was.

Well, I'm sure that you'll
dance with Hank again soon.

Maybe be later tonight.

[all chuckle]

Maybe later tonight.

[organ music playing]

It's just so empty.

Wish there was
something we could do.

The nursery will help.

We're gonna start advertising
to the younger members' group.

There's a lot of new parents.

Yeah. My childhood church
back in New York went through
a period just like this.

And Mom, remember things
were similar before
Pastor Mark joined us.

I hope you're right.

Hi.

Everything okay?

[sighs] I couldn't get Jessie
to stop crying when I tried
to leave her with my neighbor.

Bad mom if I bring
my screaming baby to church.

Bad mom if I leave
my screaming baby.

I don't know. I just wish
I didn't have to do this alone.

You're not alone, sweetheart.

-Good morning, everyone.
-[all] Good morning.

Today's word comes
from 2 Corinthians 12,

verses 9 and 10.

"But He said to me,
'My grace is sufficient
for you,

for my power is made perfect
in weakness.'

Therefore, I will boast
all the more gladly
of my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ
may rest upon me.

For when I am weak,
then I am strong."

[birds chirping]

Hey, Irvel.

It's time for me to go home.

Did you have a good day?

I did.

And it'll be an even
better one when Hank gets
home from work.

It's late.

Maybe he just lost
track of time.

He was seven minutes late
on our first date.

I told him if I hadn't loved
him so much,

I'd have walked right out
of that diner
and never looked back.

[chuckles]

You knew you loved him
on your first date?

I knew the day I met him.

When did you tell him
how you felt?

On my very first date.

[both chuckle]

When you know, you know.

Whatever you do after that,
is just a choice.

You know,
you're real smart, Irvel.

I've been around long enough
to know how love works.

Someday you will too.

[monitor beeping]

Ash, you're late.
Visiting hours are over.

-His family just left.
-I know.

Please, it won't take long.

I need to talk to him.

Five minutes.

[softly] Hey, it's Ash.

I can't stay long,
but there's something
I wanted to tell you.

[sighs]

Landon,

as long as I've known you,
I've always known
that you love me.

You've always told me
and shown me.

You've always been able to...

Able to know how you feel.
Just, you're good like that.

I guess I just never
trusted myself that way.

You know.

I always thought it was
this complicated thing.

Like how do you really know
when you love somebody?

Like, really?

I guess I've never
trusted myself in that way.

[voice breaking] But it's not
complicated at all, is it?

It's simple. And I feel so...

So stupid

for thinking
that it was this mystery

that I had to untangle
and figure out

and prove to myself
that it was real.

[inhales]

And I hate that it took
the possibility of losing you

to say this.

I love you, Landon.

I've always loved you.

[sniffles]

I'm sorry I couldn't say
that before now.

[sniffling]

I don't know why I was afraid
to tell you that.

Or to feel that.

But mostly...

I'm afraid that you're not
going to be around anymore.

[sniffling]

You have to pull through
this, okay?

Landon, you have to.

Please.

[door opens]

-Ash.
-[sniffles]

I'm sorry.
I was just saying goodbye.

Get better, okay?

Hey, I'll keep you
posted, okay?

Okay.

[rapid beeping]

-[Landon coughing]
-Give me two Ativan.

-[beeping]
-Okay. Okay.

[Landon coughing]

Ashley...

[scoffs]

He's awake.

[Elizabeth] Next time
on The Baxters...

I heard what you said.

Wait, Erin didn't want
this party?

[Elizabeth] She also told me
that she and Sam have
an announcement to make.

[Kari] I still have Jessie's
"It's a girl" streamer,

-but if it's a boy...
-[Elizabeth] Don't start.

[Reagan] Ashley,
I actually was wondering
if I could ask you

a few questions about
Paris, maybe later,
if that's okay?

We don't talk about Paris.

Honey, it's natural
to have mixed emotions.

[Kari] I'm still mourning Tim.

Am I complicating everything?

Should I just close
this door right now?

I can't be friends
with you, Ash.
I have feelings for you.

[theme music playing]