03x06 - Unexpected Guest

[bunniefuu]

[cell phone ringing]

[Kari] It's just
a telemarketer.

You look way more
nervous than I'd be
for a telemarketer.

I just wish I could
figure out how to
get through to him.

But he... He doesn't want to
hear anything I have to say.

She's got an infection
because she got an abortion.

-I'm sorry.
-It gets a lot worse, man.

It's not even my kid.

[Elizabeth] I went to see Lori
at the hospital.

My heart is aching for her.

She really needs someone now.

Landon, I want you in my life.

I want you in Cole's life.

[Kari] The one year
anniversary of Tim's death
is coming up.

I've been carrying them
around with me
since his funeral.

I just want to put them down.

[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 ♪

I'm sorry, what?

Shh! Just keep it down.

How? You just dropped
a b*mb on me.

I might need you to walk me
through this again.

Okay, Landon isn't
cheating on me.

He was distant
because he coincidentally
reconnected with Reagan,

who just gave birth
to Luke's baby.

-This is crazy.
-I know!

And you can't tell Luke.

She begged us not to.

Ash, I say this with love.

Your family is
full of drama.

Hey, every family
has their drama.

Worst my family has?

Grandpa counting cards
at the Sunday
family poker night.

Okay, just please
don't make me
regret telling you.

I am freaking out from
keeping so many secrets.

Oh. Like, what else?

[sighs]

Okay, so my family
doesn't know,

but I've been talking
to Luke for months.

-Holy plot twist.
-Yeah.

Yeah. So now I have to keep
this from Luke

and Luke from them.

And Reagan from everyone.

What?

Mr. Baxter.

Hi. What are you doing here?

Hi.

Hi. It seems like
I'm interrupting
something juicy.

No, no, it was just...
Just work.

-You know, gossip.
-Ah.

Well, I brought
some sandwiches

from that new place
next to the hospital,

and I don't know,
thought maybe I could
catch you on your break,

and you could tell me
about your trip.

Yeah. Yes, yes.

Sandwiches, that's...
Definitely.

Yeah. Um, we're just
gonna finish up cleaning
in a little bit,

and I will meet you
right out there.

-Okay.
-[Ashley] Okay.

[John] How are you doing?

[sighs]

So, how have things
been going, Kari?

Pretty well.

I'm feeling
a little better.

That's great.

Well, you look
well rested.

Have you been
sleeping better?

I have been.

Good. And what's changed?

Well, I reconnected
with a friend

who helped me want to look
towards the future

and still honor the past.

That's beautiful.

Especially considering that
the anniversary is coming up.

Yeah, I feel like I can
celebrate Tim's life by...

celebrating Jessie.

Perfect.

And so maybe a quieter party
for her birthday.

Who would you want to include?

Well, I know my entire family
will want to celebrate her

and be there for me,
but honestly,

I'd like it if it were
just Ryan and my parents.

Yeah, well,
they're your support system.

Would anyone else help you
to feel more connected to Tim?

Um...

no.

And that's okay.

Kari. It's healthy to instill
boundaries right now,

to be able to communicate
to your family what you need.

They'll understand.

Hi.

Lori. Oh, hi.

Is this the nursery
you designed?

Luke told me about it.

He did?

Tuned out really great.

Is there something
I can help you with?

This is gonna sound
really weird, but...

did you come and see me
the other day at the hospital?

Yes, I did.

John, my husband,
he's a doctor,

and he was doing his rounds
at the hospital

when he saw you there.

He mentioned that
Luke wasn't with you.

And I... I just thought
that was wrong.

That you shouldn't
be by yourself.

That's really kind of you.

I'm sure you have
a lot of questions
about Luke and everything.

Could we maybe talk?

Sure.

[Ashley] So this woman,
Cynthia Wellington,

is really well known
in the gallery world.

She loved my stuff.

Sorry, work.
In the art world,
we call it "work."

Okay, hang on. Am I gonna
have to take notes here?

-Not yet. Anyway.
-[chuckles]

She wants to include me
in her next collection

-of artists showing
at her gallery.
-Hey!

I know! I just have to finish
a batch of new stuff

-for her to include.
-Uh, you mean "work."

-Right.
-[chuckles] Aw!

Ashley, I am
so proud of you.

Having the courage
to follow your dreams.

Not many people do that.

Says a lot about you.

Thanks, Dad.

Thank you.

So, uh...

Did I hear you and Erika
talking about Luke?

Um...

Yeah, but it was nothing.

Ah...

Didn't seem like nothing.

Dad...

I've been in touch with Luke

a little bit
over the past few months.

-You've seen him?
-Only once.

We mostly just text
from time to time, but...

Hey, at least
he's still in touch.

Dad, I'm sorry.

I didn't know what to do,

and I didn't want
to lose him completely.

I understand.

You're a good sister.

Have you talked to him lately?

No.

Not since before the trip,
but why?

Well, I happen to know
he's having...

a more difficult time
than before.

What happened?

It's not for me to say.

-[sighs]
-I want to help him.

So I have a confession
to make, too. [chuckles]

I came here today
with an ulterior motive.

When I was unpacking
for the new house,

I came across Luke's Bible.

And I was thinking,
since you and Luke repaired
your relationship awhile back,

you might be
the right person to...

give this back to him.

Seems like I was more right
than I knew. [chuckles]

Of course.

I'll bring it to him
right after work.

Thank you.

I know why Luke
is so comfortable...

being close to you.

You know what it's like to...

question your faith,
and rediscover it.

You think
you could remind him...

that he's not alone in this?

And, uh,
he can walk this off.

Thank you.

[laughs]

Whew, I needed that
more than you know.

[John clears throat]

Okay, these are
supposed to be great.

It's so nice in here.

I haven't spent
much time in churches.

How are you feeling?

Fine.

I hope you've been able to...

reach out to loved ones
and friends for support,

like your mother, perhaps.

Mrs. Baxter,
can I ask you something?

Well, of course.

And, please, call me Elizabeth.

Why are you being
so kind to me?

Well, Luke cares
so much about you...

and he's my son.

I'm just sort of
surprised, I guess.

I though you'd hate me
after everything
that's happened.

I don't hate you.

I may not agree
with your choices,

Lori, but I don't hate you.

About my mom...

She doesn't know.

She wouldn't be much support
even if she did.

She's an alcoholic,
and my dad left
when I was really young.

-I'm so sorry.
-No.

Don't be. I'm way better off
without that loser.

Um, Luke doesn't
even know this,

but when I was four years old,
I was diagnosed with leukemia.

My dad left
the very next day.

Literally 24 hours later.
I mean, who does that?

Just walked out on my mom...

And you.

I'm also a cancer survivor.

And I can't imagine people
leaving during that time.

Yeah.

I was young
but I remember it all.

It's when my mom
started drinking and...

Yeah, I guess
I've never really lived

the Baxter family fairy tale.

No one lives
a fairy tale life, Lori.

Is that what you
wanted to tell me?

No, that...

That just sort of came out.

Sorry, I didn't think
I would share that much.

What I wanted to tell you
is that it's not... Luke's.

The pregnancy.

I didn't know if he would
tell you, but I...

I thought you should know
in case the idea that it was
made things worse.

I know things are rough
for you guys right now.

Thanks for telling me.

Luke's a really good guy.

He's just lost.

I know.

It's really nice
to talk to someone
about this.

There's not a lot of people
in my life I can trust.

The pastor of this church
is a wonderful woman
called Mariana.

She could be
a great resource for you.

You think maybe we could
talk again sometime?

[sighs]

Uh, I'm not sure.

Yeah. I mean,
it'd probably have to be
without Luke knowing.

I just think that it might
really help me get
through all of this.

Let me think about it, okay?

[Elizabeth] Hey.

Hey.

What have we here?

-Hot chocolate.
-Hot chocolate.

-On a week night?
-Uh-huh.

-Are you nuts?
-Hey, if you don't want it,

I'll drink 'em both.

Oh, hang on. Let's not do
anything crazy here.

Mmm!

Thank you.
How was your day?

[sighs] It was long.

Lori came to visit.

Oh.

She stopped by the nursery.
She wanted to talk.

Did Luke know she was
gonna be stopping by?

No, and she asked me
not to tell him.

I already don't like
the sound of this.

She told me that...

That she cheated on Luke.

She wanted us to know
so that we wouldn't blame him

for everything that had
happened to her.

She opened up, you know,
about her family...

everything.

I feel like
we really connected.

I just don't like the idea
of us going behind Luke's back.

But she's really hurting,
you know, she's...

reaching out for help.

You sure you're the one
who should be giving it to her?

I just don't know how
to turn my back on her

when she's in
so much need, you know?

I mean, honestly, John,

what would you do?

Ugh, I feel like...

I feel like we're being tested.

Luke, I don't know what to say.

I figured you already knew.

Gossip spreads like
wildfire with the Baxters.

I'm sorry.

How are you
handling it all?

I think that I haven't been.

You know?
I just feel numb.

Yeah.

I've definitely been
in that place before.

And I remember
not wanting to talk
to a single soul about it.

But that was a mistake.

Okay? I needed people.

You need people.

I don't know.

I don't know.
I'm scared, Ash.

I mean, If I can't make
things work with Lori,
what else do I have?

You have me.

You have our whole family.
Always.

You're the only one
that doesn't make me feel
like you're judging me,

all the time.

I mean, even right now,
just coming here,

to say hi and check in
without some other motive.

Yeah.

I know what it feels like
to need time away.

Yeah, I just...

I never thought that I would
be in this situation.

I want it to be over,
you know?

I want things to go back
to normal with Lori.

Although, Lori would
probably say

that I haven't been normal
in a long time.

[cell phone ringing]

I'm sorry, I gotta take this
but it'll just be
one minute, okay?

I really wanna keep talking.

Hello?

Okay.

Yeah, yeah.
I'm in the middle...

[gentle dinner music playing]

-Come on.
-[Kari chuckles]

It's perfect.

A little rugged for me,
little fancy for you.

[Kari chuckles]

You're right.

Simple but unique.

Elegant but understated.

-Thank you for doing
all the work to find it.
-Of course.

Feeling better
about everything?

I'm getting there.

So, what are we thinking?

[Ryan] We love it.

We're ideally looking
for a date

nine, maybe ten months
from today?

Ah, sorry, but there's no way.

We typically book


A full year?

Unless you're
the spontaneous type.

I just got off
the phone with a bride

who had cold feet
and canceled.

When's that date?

One month from today.

No, absolutely not.

Okay.

Looks like our
next available date
is 18 months from now.

Can we have a minute
to talk this through?

Of course.

A month? Ryan, that's crazy.

Is it? I mean, we always
talked about keeping it simple.

Maybe...

Maybe getting it
together faster

will help us focus
on what really matters most.

I can tell by the look
on your face. You think we
should just go for it.

Kari, I've been ready
to be with you my whole life.

But it's happening faster
than you can imagine.

So, I get it.

Let me sleep on it?

Of course.

How's it been
in sunny California?

[Landon on phone]
It would be a whole lot
sunnier if you were here.

Oh, man, you can be
cheesy sometimes.

[Landon chuckles]

[sighs]

I really missed you
today, Landon.

Why? What's wrong?

I...

I can't really talk about it.
Just family stuff.

Well, I'm here for you, Ash,
if you ever need to talk.

You know that.

I do.

Hey, where are you right now?
You at the station?

Um, just doing some errands.

Hey, listen,
can I call you back?

-Absolutely.
-All right.

Was that the lucky lady?

Yeah.

When did you realize
she was the one?

Oh, I've always known.

Since the moment I met her.
I mean, she's just...

She's one of a kind.

Like this?

It's perfect. [chuckles]

She'll love it.

Wow.

[sighs]

[breathes deeply] Thank you.

[doorbell rings]

Diane. Hi.

Hi.

I've been trying to call.

Uh, I know. I'm sorry.

I haven't been able
to reach you

and I started to worry.

Oh, of course.
Uh, I'm sorry. I just...

Sorry, my brain is in
a million places right now.

I called because
my teaching schedule

made it so that I could be here

for the anniversary
of Tim's passing
and Jessie's first birthday.

So...

I can't believe
it's a year tomorrow already.

Yeah. Honey, I can, um,

stay at a hotel in the area
if that would be better.

-I just...
-No.

-I'm happy to have you.
Come on in.
-Yeah?

Jessie will be thrilled.

Okay.

Thank you.

[both sigh]

Look at this precious baby.

Oh, she looks
just like my Tim.

-[Elizabeth] Next time
on The Baxters...
-Hello.

Ashley, it's Cynthia.

I have some fabulous news.

Diane. How are you?

I'm good. How are you?

-Ryan, she doesn't know
we're engaged.
-Why?

I'm trying not
to take it personally.

That you don't want
to tell Diane
that we're getting married.

But I'm having a hard time.

I know you're hurting, Luke.

Don't stand there and act
like you understand
what I'm going through,

because you have no idea.

I've been praying
for you, Lori.

John, you remember Lori.

Diane, I have to confess
something that I've been
afraid to admit.

-[phone ringing]
-Hello?

[man] Is this
Miss Ashley Baxter?

[theme music playing]