7th Heaven (1996–2007): Season 11, Episode 7 - You Take the High Road - full transcript

Eric has finally decided to tell the children about his heart condition. He and Annie are flying to Scotland, so Ruthie is frantic, she doesn't want to return home but stay 'normal', not a ...

(phone rings)

Hello.

Is he crazy?

He thinks he's just going
to come over here

and drag me back?

What is wrong with him?

I-I'm sorry. Who is this?

What do you mean, who is this?

Ruthie?

Yes. Who'd you think it was?

I just got an e-mail
from Dad telling me



that he's coming over here.

He's coming to Scotland.

Has he gone completely insane?

I mean, he can't afford
to just come over here,

so he must be coming over here
for a reason.

And if that reason
is because he thinks

he wants to drag me back,
I've got news for him--

I'm not going.

I have a life,
I have friends, I have a job.

I love it here.

He can't do this to me.

You can't let him.

He e-mailed you when?

I don't know.



I never read his e-mails
when they come in,

because they're always full
of stupid stuff like advice.

Well, maybe he really wants
to see you.

You were supposed to come home
for Thanksgiving,

and then you made it Christmas.

You know, maybe he just couldn't
wait that long to see you.

- Why not?
- I don't know.

You know, maybe
because he misses you?

Yeah, well, I miss all of you,
but not enough to leave here.

You have to stop him.

I don't know if I can.

You have to, please!

Ruthie, if-if he really misses
you that much,

and he really wants to see you

and he's already on his way
over there,

then I really don't know
what you want me to do about it.

What kind of sister are you?

You're supposed to be there
for me when I need you,

and I need you to stop him.

You know Mom won't.

They have one mind.

Well, did you try
to call him or Mom?

I can't get either one of them
on the phone.

The home phone
or the cell phones.

They're not answering.

(door opens)

- Hello.
- Good morning.

Your mom decided to go
with your dad to Scotland,

so the boys are going to hang
out with us for a few days.

Oh, no, not the two of them.

That means it's not a visit,
it's a kidnapping.

Well, they're not bringing
me back.

I'm not gonna be here. I'm not.

I'll run away.

♪ 7th Heaven ♪

♪ When I see
their happy faces ♪

♪ Smiling back at me ♪

♪ 7th Heaven ♪

♪ I know there's
no greater feeling ♪

♪ Than the love of family ♪

♪ Where can you go ♪

♪ When the world
don't treat you right? ♪

♪ The answer is home ♪

♪ That's the one place
that you'll find ♪

♪ 7th Heaven ♪

♪ Mmm, 7th Heaven ♪

♪ 7th Heaven. ♪

("Loch Lomond" plays on piano)

Go ahead.

You can color it.

Yeah, that looks good.

♪♪

♪♪

Uh, could I see you
for just a minute?

Sure.

I-I knew my dad was thinking
about going to Scotland to visit

Ruthie, but-but I didn't know
that the two of them were going.

And-and today?

When did they decide that?

I-I've been waiting
to talk to my dad

for almost a week now.

(phone rings)

Hello?

You have to help me.

I have to get out of this
relationship with Daniel.

I don't know
what I was thinking.

What was I thinking?

He's so weird!

And so serious and so...

I don't know,
but I can't stand him.

And yet I told him
I'm in love with him.

Why did I do that?

I'm not in love with him.

I don't want anything
to do with him.

I-I want to talk to you, but-but
I can't talk to you right now.

I'm going to have
to call you back,

but don't rush
into any decisions.

You know, maybe you're
just having a bad day.

You know, maybe I'm just
having a bad day.

I-I'm not sure yet.

I-I'm going to call you back.

Kevin...

Your dad will talk to you, too,
when he gets back.

He wants to talk to all of us
when he gets back.

"Too"?
Wh-What do you mean, "too"?

Luce, I have to tell you
something,

and I don't know
if this is the best time,

but we need to talk.

From the sound
in your voice, I...

I don't know if I want to talk.

I-I don't know if I'm gonna want
to ever talk to you again.

If I'm gonna hear
something bad

about my dad, I want
to hear it from him.

Luce, this is difficult enough.

Please don't make this any more
difficult than it already is.

Why do you know something about
my dad that I don't know?

Wh-Why did he tell you?
Why you? Why not me?

He just can't.
He can't tell you.

He can't tell any of you.

Not yet, anyway.

But-but he can tell you?

Luce, don't you see?

That's because
as close as we are,

I'm not as close to him
as you are.

Your father...

No. No, uh, if he doesn't want
to tell me,

then, um... then
I don't want to know.

He wants you to know.

He told you to tell me?

Yeah, Luce.
He asked me to tell you.

When? Uh... when were you
going to tell me?

He asked me to wait until
they got out of town,

and well, they just left
just minutes ago,

so I'm telling you
if you'll let me.

And my mother agreed
to this plan?

She didn't want any added drama.

She's not looking forward
to the trip,

but she didn't want him
going alone.

Oh. Oh, so, I see.

I-I'm the added drama.

She wasn't talking about you.

She was talking about the two
of you, you and your dad.

You know how much
he loves you.

He just can't tell you
what's going on right now.

So, uh...

does Matt and Mary
and Simon know?

No, your dad wants
to get Ruthie home

and he wants to get everyone
together.

So, actually, you're the first
of the children to know.

When you're ready
for me to tell you.

Kevin, you can't just start
off the day by giving me

bad news that's not even
your news to give.

Um, I have to go to work, um...

and-and I can't know whatever it
is right now.

It's a terrible time
to tell me anything bad.

It's just the worst possible
time, and I hate surprises.

- I'm sorry.
- I have meetings,

and I have counseling sessions,

and I have people
that I have to deal with

and, um, I-I have
to feed the dogs

and... and I have a hair
appointment after work,

and, um... I have to
call Sandy back.

Come on, Luce.

We're going to have
to be grown-ups here.

I'm not a grown-up?

You're not a grown-up.

Hiding things from me,
just dropping things on me?

Know what? Let's just, let's
just forget you said anything.

Yeah, I... I'm just gonna forget
that you said anything,

and-and you just forget
anything that my dad told you.

Just, just forget it.

I have to get down
to the church,

so, uh... have a nice day.

So you're just gonna go
to work?

Yep.

You can do that?

I'm fine.

Can we just go outside?

- And I can...
- No, don't.

Don't say anything
else to me.

Bye, guys.

Bye, Savannah.

Women, huh?

And by that you mean...?

Girls.

Yeah, look, guys,
I've heard you say that before,

and I don't know
where you got it,

but let me explain something.

That's my daughter.

That's my girl.

That's Savannah and I love her,
and I love your sister Lucy.

Girls are wonderful,
women are wonderful.

I don't have any problem
with girls or women.

They're the best things in life.

(door opens)

Lucy said to talk to you.

Unless you have a problem with
us, we thought we'd stay here.

No, he doesn't have any problem
with girls or women.

They're the best things
in life.

Things? We're things?

We're not things. Where did you
get that, that we're things?

Kevin said it, not me.

Stay over here at our house?

They can stay with us
in our room.

Yeah, we don't have a problem
with girls or women either.

Thanks.

Why would you stay here?

You have the garage apartment.

Yeah, but, you know,
the Camdens took off.

No one home.

What difference does that make?

Probably none,
if you have a gun

or if you're
a former police officer

of if you have a black belt
in karate

and have some nunchakus.

Or if you're dead already.

What are you talking about?

It's safe over there.

Wh-What makes you think that?

It's a safe neighborhood.

We covered that.

It's a safe neighborhood
if you're you.

We can't stay in the garage
of an empty house.

It's like squatting
in a vacant building.

The garage apartment
is practically in the backyard.

Would you listen to yourself?

Are you going to put us in
danger just to prove a point?

Wh-What are you guys drawing?
Maps? I love maps.

Great, then let me show you
something.

This is the garage apartment.

This is the backyard.

This is my house.

My house, garage apartment.

Yeah, but...

according to this map,

the, um, house
is the same distance

from the garage apartment
as Scotland

is to California.

Scotland/California,
garage apartment/house.

I have to talk to Lucy.

She's not talking to you.

Ooh, why is she
not talking to you?

You know, I just think
that we all really need

to be with family right now.

♪♪

(sighs)

You could have told me.

(cell phone ringing)

Yeah?

I-I mean, uh, hello.

Lucy?

Oh, Sandy.

Oh, I was just going to call
you, I-I just got distracted.

I hate to bother you,

but I can't see Daniel
another day.

Only I'm going to have to,

because he's practically
in every class that I'm taking.

I'm so stupid.

And he's a total dork.

And I have no idea
how to get rid of him.

I have no experience
getting rid of guys.

Guys always get rid of me.

Or they did when I was
sleeping with them.

But believe me, I am not
sleeping with this one.

Ever.

No, of-of course not.

Maybe I should just
get it over with

and sleep with Martin again.

I'll probably end up
doing that, anyway.

How did you jump
to that conclusion?

I don't know, I'm desperate.

Hey, Luce, just thought
I'd drop in and see how, uh...

Uh...

Sandy, you're making this more
difficult than it has to be.

You know, I'm sure
there's a nice way

to tell Daniel that you don't
want to see him anymore.

I'm trying, but he just
doesn't want to hear it.

I can see you're busy with some
important relationship issues.

I can wait.

Well, you know, sometimes you
have to say what you want to say

whether the person
wants to hear it or not.

I mean, I'm sure that there is
a nice way to tell Daniel

that you don't want to see him
anymore that he understands.

You...

I'm going to be a while.

Did Kev get a chance
to talk to you?

SANDY:
I did.

I said, "Daniel, I'm sorry,

but I don't want
to see you anymore."

Just like that. Point blank.

And then he kissed me
and told me,

"Don't be so afraid
to be in love."

(groans)

I really can't stand him.

Well, sometimes people
can't hear the truth.

You know, sometimes people
just can't deal with it.

So you did talk to Kev this
morning after Mom and Dad left?

That's Reverend
and Mrs. Camden to me.

SANDY:
Are you there?

What do I do?

Make him hear you.

How?

I... I don't know.

I mean, actions speak
louder than words.

You know, do something
that... that tells him

that you don't want
to see him anymore.

Like...?

Uh, like, you know, uh...

I'm sorry, I have
someone in my office.

I'm gonna have to let you
figure that one out, okay?

Okay.

Thanks, Lucy.

Sandy, huh?

T Bone, what are you doing here?

You're going to be
late for school.

Eh, what am I going
to learn today?

I mean, how important is it
that I be there?

Very important.

I think your counselor mentioned
to my dad that you've been

out a lot this year,
and the year just started.

And I don't think my dad would
be too happy if he found out

the day that he left town,
you ditched school.

Isn't real life experience
more valuable than school?

I mean, isn't life
a school in itself?

A tough school?

A school of hard knocks?

T Bone, just tell me what
you want or just go to school.

To be honest,
it's a teacher work day.

I just like to imagine myself
so bold that I would lie,

ditch school
and come to your rescue.

Uh, my rescue?

I just wanted to stop by
and see that you were okay.

I know your parents leaving
to fetch young Ruthie

was rather spur of the moment,
and may have prompted

a difficult conversation
with your husband, and...

just thought I could
be of some assistance.

You thought wrong.

I can answer the phone,

I could, uh, take messages,
I could drive you.

Don't forget,
I'm a licensed driver.

With your fake license?

I just don't want to be
around anyone today, okay?

So please, just go.

Maybe I could just
hang out till lunch.

No.

I'm busy, I'm working.

How can you work?

Unless you and Kevin
didn't talk.

I just kind of assumed
that you would.

T Bone, whether
my husband and I talked

before I went to work today
or any other day

is really a personal matter
between Kevin and me, okay?

As always,
you are absolutely right.

(cell phone ringing)

(sighs)

Ruthie?

Did you get ahold of him?

Did you talk to Dad?

No, I didn't talk to Dad.

I tried to call him,
but his cell phone was off,

and Mom's cell phone was off, so
they're probably on their way.

No, please. They can't be.

Look, you don't even know
why they're coming.

I-I don't even know
why they're coming.

They just decided
to take off, okay?

And you let them?

I didn't have anything
to do with it.

They're our parents, they...
they do what they want.

But what about me?
When do I get to do what I want?

Ruthie, they let you stay
in Scotland this semester.

You were supposed to come home
at the end of summer.

I think they've been
pretty generous

in letting you do what you want.

Generous?

You paid for it, you and Kevin.

That doesn't make
any difference.

Yes, it does.

If anyone gets
to come over here,

it should be you and Kevin.

I don't care if you and Kevin
come over here;

I just don't want
Mom and Dad here.

Well, I think maybe you've been
over there too long.

You're starting to sound
like a brat.

And look here, little sister,
when Mom and Dad show up,

you better act as if
you're happy to see them.

Why?

Because they're your parents!
Because they're

your mom and dad,
and you should be grateful

that you even have
a mother and father.

Yeah, well, I'm not
right now, okay?

They just want to ruin my life.

(sighs)

(grunts)

(glass shattering)

(sighs)

So I was struck leaving the
church, and I thought that

rather than return it
to Lucy at her office,

I would just drop it off here.

Lucy threw that at you?

Not intentionally.

At least, I don't think
she would hit me in the head

with a book intentionally.

Though she did throw it
through her office window.

So did you tell her or not?

Or not. She didn't
want to hear it.

She said it's not a good time.

Oh. As usual, she's right.

I mean, sort of.

There's never really
a good time for bad news.

What are they doing here?

We're staying here while
the Camdens are out of town.

And what, I'm staying all
by myself in that house alone?

You guys aren't going to be
in the garage apartment?

That has yet to be determined.

Either way,
I get the dog, right?

I'm not staying in the house
without the dog.

You were living in that church
by yourself without a dog.

That's different.

That's a church.

This is a house, a big house.

Not bigger than the church.

Lonelier than the church.

A church is a house of God,
and God's always home,

whereas the Camdens aren't.

The three of you want to tell me
what you're up to,

or rather, who you're expecting?

I'm not buying
that you're scared.

Unless suddenly you have
a reason to be scared.

What happened to
the three of you?

You seemed so independent
and obnoxious when we met you,

now suddenly you're scared
of your own shadows.

I haven't changed.

You know what I mean.
You two were living in a car.

You weren't afraid
living in your car.

Because if someone
came up to the car

in the middle of the night
and tried to break in,

I could just drive away.

That happened.

More than once.

Not buying it.

The problem is actually
more... philosophical.

See, with the Camdens gone,
we're feeling insecure,

and we're facing...

...the possibility of a loss,

and that's leaving us
feeling extremely vulnerable.

You're lying, and you, and you.

So would you like to be
interrogated

together or individually?

Oh, thanks a lot.

Who's after you?

No one.

Liar.

Don't even think about it.

Think about it, because you all
need a place to stay,

a place close to me, apparently.

So who's after you?

Her husband.

(cell phone ringing)

Unless you're calling to tell me
that you changed your mind

about Mom and Dad,
then don't even waste my time.

Please, please,
you can't let them do this.

You can't let them
force me to leave.

Come on, please, Lucy,
can't you just say something?

No.

You don't understand.

This is my life
we're talking about.

This is not your life,
it's mine.

I'm happy here.

I am happy being
halfway across the world,

away from the church and Dad

and the school
where Matt and Mary

and you and Simon all went to.

I'm not the preacher's kid
anymore.

I'm just Ruthie Camden.

Do you know how great it is
for me to just be Ruthie Camden

without everybody knowing
I'm the preacher's kid?

I love it.

I'm a normal girl here.

I just want to be normal.

Normal is completely overrated.

And quit whining about
being a preacher's kid.

What's wrong with being
a preacher's kid?

There are a lot
worse things to be.

You know, maybe you'd like to be
the daughter of a bad person.

I'm running out of minutes
on my phone.

Thanks a lot for your help, sis.

Obviously, you don't even know

what being a minister
is all about.

Haven't you ever seen Dad?

He's always helping people.

You're supposed to help people,
even if they are related to you.

So if you can't even
handle that,

why don't you just
drop out of the ministry?

(sighs)

(ringtone plays)

Yeah.

Okay, you know what, that was
a low blow, but-but I get it.

You need help--

you know, to live your life
without any disturbances,

because you don't want
to be disturbed.

Well, I hate
to tell you, Ruthie,

but I think we're all about to
be disturbed in a very big way,

and I think that may be
the reason why Mom and Dad

are coming to see you
and ask you to come home.

- (clicks)
- What?

Lucy?

(sighs)

Hey, we missed you tonight.

I'm having problems,
and my parents are showing up

practically unannounced, and
I have no idea what they want

unless they want me
to come home.

And my sister
said something cryptic

about my whole
family being disturbed--

not mentally disturbed,
which they are--

but disturbed like bothered.

And then this
stupid cheap phone died,

and I can't find the charger.

When my parents
came to visit me,

they came to tell me
they were getting divorced.

My parents would
never get a divorce.

That's what we all say.

(keypad beeping)

Hey, Matt, it's me.

Do you know anything about
Mom and Dad getting a divorce?

They're coming
all the way over here.

They're coming
all the way to Scotland.

That's the only thing
it could be.

So could you please call me as
soon as you get this message?

(keypad beeping)

Hey, Mary,
it's Ruthie from Scotland.

I'm still in Scotland,

but I think Mom and Dad
are coming to pick me up,

and even worse, I think they
might be getting a divorce.

Did they tell you
anything about this?

Now, I know
Mom was coming over there

but I didn't know it was
because they were splitting up.

I thought it was because she was
going to see you and the babies.

Just call me as soon as
you get this message, please.

Simon, hey, it's Ruthie.

Did you know that
Mom and Dad are splitting up?

Please call me. It's urgent.

Where are you?

Don't ignore this call, or
I'll be really angry with you.

Okay. Well... that's it.

I'm a long way from home,
and I can't get anyone

to tell me anything.

Please call me.

(keypad beeping)

Matt, it's me.

Answer your phone.
I'm running out of...

- (beeping)
- phone minutes.

Phone card, phone card,
phone card.

Why'd you marry him?

Why does anyone marry anyone?

Oh, I don't know,
because they're in love

and want to be with
the other person

for the rest of their lives?

That's insane.

No one gets married
for that anymore.

People don't spend
their whole lives together.

Things change.

People change.

I changed.

How long have you
been married?

Hmm... About three weeks.

You changed in three weeks?

It happens. I thought
I liked him. I don't.

Like?

Okay, I like him,

but I can't be with this guy
for the rest of my life.

I married Jack because I had
nowhere to go, no money, no job.

You cared nothing
at all about him?

Not exactly.

I mean I cared, for a time.

For a short time.

Where does he work? He's not a
drug dealer or something, is he?

No.

So what does he
do for a living?

He's in the Army.

The Army?

Oh, now I'm getting it.

You married him
for the benefits.

A lot of women are doing it.

That doesn't make it right.

I know.

That's why I'm not taking
anything, anything at all.

I just, I want out.

So how upset is he?

Mmm, he's pretty upset.

Call him. Tell him to come over.

Let's get this
straightened out.

I'm not going to call him.

Yeah, you're calling him.

Look, if I can just hide out
for a couple more weeks,

he'll be leaving
to go to the Middle East.

You're not going to let this guy
go off to serve our country

without resolving this, are you?

He'll forget all about it
once he gets there.

Maybe, or maybe
that's all he'll think about.

No, you're calling him.

I'm not calling him.

So what made you
change your mind?

I don't know, I just did.

Well, that's great.

Is it?

(cell phone rings)

It's Ruthie.

Hello?

Martin, hi, how are you?

Have you seen my parents lately,
either of them?

Hi. Are you in Scotland?

Yeah, but
I don't know for how long.

So have you seen them,
either of them, together?

Have you been over
to our house lately?

No, I've been kind
of busy with school

and Sandy and Aaron
and everything.

I'm at Sandy's right now.

Oh.

Well, maybe she knows. Ask her.

No, they would have told you
before they would tell her.

Do you know if my
parents are getting a divorce?

My mom and dad?

Uh, a divorce?
Your parents?

- No way.
- Uh, well,

your dad has been acting
kind of strange lately.

Strange in what way?

I don't know, he just seems like
he has something on his mind.

He doesn't seem
like he's listening.

Well, I think they're
on their way to come tell me

that they're getting divorced
and they want me to come home.

Oh, man, I hope not.

Yeah, I hope not, too.

I love it here.

Well, I know Lucy said she had
to go back home

to face something,
something to do

with your dad, but I didn't
think it was that.

It can't be.

All right, well,
maybe one of my brothers

and sisters will
give me a call back.

Well, did you talk to Lucy?

No, I'm not talking to her
right now.

All right, well, I have to go.

Tell Sandy that I said hello.

And tell her that
I have a boyfriend.

Bye.

You don't think the Camdens...

No.

I don't know, I hope not.

I'll call Lucy.

We were going to call her
anyway, right?

Well, I don't know if you
should do that or not.

I mean, if her parents
are getting divorced,

then I don't think she's gonna
want to marry us right now.

I was hoping she would.

Me, too.

Uh, Ruthie said to tell you
she has a boyfriend.

She's always going
to have a crush on you,

but I can live with that.

So when should we...

get married?

I don't know.
As soon as possible, I guess.

Well, I'd really like
to have, uh, my best friend--

this guy from high school, Mac--

I'd really like to have him
there as my best man.

Well, I thought maybe
we should invite our dads

to be the witnesses.

I mean, shouldn't we
invite our dads?

I don't know. If we invite
our dads, then I feel like

we have to invite the Camdens,
and it seems like a bad time

to invite them to a wedding,
even if they're just

going through some problems
or something.

And then who knows,
maybe Simon would want to come,

and then you might
change your mind,

and well, let's...
let's just keep it to us,

and you invite a friend
and I'll invite a friend.

Okay.

But not Daniel.

No. Definitely not Daniel.

Okay, so...

tomorrow, after my game.

Okay.

All right.

Oh, God,
thank God you're home.

Yeah, I-I had
a hair appointment.

Nice.

Thank you.

Well, I think it looks, uh,

more than nice,
it looks beautiful.

Thank you. And... and I'm sorry
if I was rude to you today.

Oh, no, no, no.

If anything, it was rude of me
to stop by your office

without giving you
proper notice.

In case you haven't
figured it out yet,

they want something.

Can we stay here?

Please.

Tell her.

Tell me what?

Jane's married.

They're hiding from her husband.

You're married?

Can you believe that?

Surprise.

KEVIN:
Go away.

I want to talk to my wife.

Don't worry. Take your time.

I'll keep an eye on them.

Savannah fell asleep early,
and so did the boys.

They're sleeping on the
floor in the nursery,

so Jane and Margaret can camp
out in the guest room,

and T Bone can sleep
on the couch.

Or we can send them packing
and let them go back

to your parents' house
in the garage apartment.

Up to you.

I don't think Jane's husband
is any real threat.

Who is she married to?

A soldier. Private in the Army.

She married him for the benefits
and then she took a look

at the housing situation
and decided it's not for her.

Uh, does she know this guy?

She met him at a bar.

Were they drunk
when they got married?

Oh, I'm sure some partying
was definitely going on.

He just finished basic.

Your hair looks nice.

Thanks.

- I'm sorry about
- I'm sorry about

- this morning.
- this morning.

- It's not your fault...
- It's not your fault...

No, it is my fault.

I was hiding behind Teen Lucy,

afraid to come out
and be an adult,

and you were right, you know.

We're going to have
to be adults.

We are adults.

I am an adult.

You know, and I have a husband

and a daughter
and a family and work.

You know, I-I have
real work to do,

and I really don't like when
I run away from responsibility.

You're not running away
from responsibility;

you're running away
from being hurt.

And I know you've been hurt
a lot this year,

and I really hate
seeing you hurt more.

I'm only beginning
to realize what my dad's been

doing all of these years.

I mean like today, we've got
three teenagers in our house

who we don't know who all need
our help, and at the same time,

I've got my sister Ruthie
calling from Scotland

claiming that Mom and Dad are
ruining her life and blaming me

because I'm not doing
anything about it.

And then I've got
our friend Sandy calling

to tell me that she's got to
get out of this relationship

with this guy, Daniel,
because she can't stand him.

And that doesn't seem like
a real problem to me,

but it's, you know,
a big problem to her

and, you know, I've got
to make it important.

This is what my dad's
been doing for 30 years.

You know, balancing family
and friends and strangers,

all the while, you know,
quietly, relentlessly

inspiring people
to do the right thing.

And isn't that what
I'm supposed to be doing,

moving people toward,
toward the good?

Getting people to do
the right thing?

Is he dying, Kevin?

He's got an enlarged heart,
and it's a dangerous condition

that the doctors can't
do anything about.

He can't just live
with an enlarged heart?

You can, but it seems that his
condition is pretty extreme.

They don't know what
really caused it.

Sometimes it just happens.

Sometimes it's when people
have had other heart surgeries.

And in this case,

it seems that
it just got really dangerous

in a short period of time.

How long do they think he has?

Maybe a year,
but they don't know.

Yeah, they don't know.

(cell phone rings)

(sighs)

It's Matt.

Matt?

- (phone rings)
- Matt.

(ringing stops)

(cell phone rings)

It's Mary.

(phone rings)

Mary?

Hey, it's your brother Simon.

LUCY:
Oh!

Simon, I'm on the other line
with Mary.

Are you okay? What?!

Hold on, I don't know
where you got that from, but...

KEVIN AND LUCY:
They're not getting a divorce.

(phone beeps)

Oh, someone's on the other line.
I think it may be Ruthie.

I'll call you right back,
and nobody's getting a divorce.

Ruthie?

(chuckling):
No, it's, it's me.

How are you?

Dad.

Are you in Scotland?

We're in New York. Our flight
doesn't leave for another hour.

(laughing):
We just...

We just took the afternoon,
went to Central Park,

and had a picnic.

(chuckling):
It was great.

I just, I just wanted
to call you and talk

and, uh, say good night
to the boys.

Oh. It's my dad.

He wants to say good night
to the boys.

Dad?

Yeah.

Um...

I know, Dad.

And you know what?

You know,
doctors don't know everything.

Yeah, well... that's just
what your mother said.

And I'm sorry
you're going through this...

but you're not
going through this alone.

We love you.

We-we all love you
and we're here for you.

You know, I-I'm here for you.

You know, I-I'm a,
I'm a grown-up.

I'm an adult,
and I'm stronger than you know,

and, and I'll be there for you.

Thanks, Lucy.

Oh, and, uh,
speaking of which, uh...

you might want to call Ruthie.

She, she thinks that you and Mom
are on your way out there

to give her some bad news,

and the bad news being that
you guys are getting a divorce.

She's called everyone
in the family.

A divorce? Us?

Yeah, I-I'll try to get ahold of
her before you get over there.

Yeah, or... maybe we should
just let her think that.

You know, it's the
"the cat is on the roof" theory.

Uh, I beg your pardon?

Oh, it's an old joke.

A guy, uh,
calls home from vacation

and his brother says to him,
"Hey, your cat died,"

and he says, "Wait a second.

"You can't just give me
horrible news like that.

"You have to break it
to me gently, you know.

"You have to say something
like, uh,

"the, the cat was up on the roof
and it was chasing a bird,

"and it slipped and fell
and you took her to the vet.

"And then the next time I call,
you say the vet says,

"'Sorry, it doesn't look
so good for the cat.'

"And then the next time I call,

you say the cat died
peacefully in its sleep."

And the brother says,
"Okay, I'm sorry, I-I get it."

So the brother on vacation says,
"So how-how's Grandma?"

and the brother at home says,

"Uh, she's on the roof
chasing a bird."

Dad.

Luce, everything is going to
be fine, no matter what happens.

I believe that.

Good.

And... you get that I'm not
just telling you an old joke.

(sighs)
Yeah, I get it.

I'm not going to go blurt out
anything to anyone,

and I'll help you tell them

in whatever way you want
to tell them.

I just hope you're not going
to fly around the world

making phone calls
from the airport.

And I'm...
I'm here for you, Dad.

You know, lean on me.

You know, I'm here for you.

Uh, uh, you-you want to say
good night to the boys?

Yes, I would.

Hi, Dad.

(Lucy sighs)

How is he?

He's on the roof,

but he's not going anywhere
if I can help it.

So, technically,
the semester is over.

You're just hanging out
and having a good time?

Well, hey, this exchange program
is competitive.

It's like a university.

I've been working really hard.

I deserve a break.

And you sound
like you need a break,

so why not take your break here
in Glenoak with your family?

You know, you got
to come home sometime anyway.

I wanted to travel around for
a few weeks, maybe go to Paris.

Paris?

Are you back together
with that French guy?

No, we're just friends,

but that doesn't mean
I can't go to Paris.

Just wondering...

where would you get the money
to go to Paris?

I don't need that much money.

I was going to use
my living expenses.

Wait, the money that Mom and Dad
send you to live on

while you're at classes
at school?

Well, it's not like I'm asking
for anything more

than they'd already
be sending me.

Ruthie,
when Mom and Dad find out

that you didn't tell them
that the semester is over,

they're not going
to be too happy with you.

Well,
they wouldn't have found out

if you had stopped them
from coming here.

So if and when they find out
you're lying, it's my fault?

No, but it's not my fault.

And you lied, too.

You know why they're coming over
here, but you didn't tell me,

which made me jump
to the wrong conclusion.

What made them get on a plane
and come over here?

I don't know what made them jump
on a plane and, and come there.

You know...
(sighs)

It surprised me, too.

I mean, I-I do know that
Dad hasn't been himself lately

and he hasn't been feeling well.

Seems like he's himself to me.

Ruthie, you know, just,
just give the man a break.

What? He's a control freak
who can't stand

to have me out of his reach
for a few months.

It wouldn't be fair to you

for me to be married to you
but not really married to you,

just to get the benefits.

It was a stupid,
selfish thing for me to do

and you deserve better.

You deserve a lot better.

Good night, T Bone.

Wouldn't you be more comfortable
on the bed?

I'll tell Kevin.

Thanks.

- Here's your ice cream.
- Thanks.

You don't have a husband,
do you?

- Someday you will.
- No, thanks.

I have a feeling that, uh,

when you start talking,
a lot's going to come out.

I don't really have
that much to say.

Yeah, I bet.

It's always
the really quiet ones

who have the really big secrets.

So come on, tell me
one big secret, just one.

Okay, but you can't tell anyone.

Okay, who's it a secret about?

- You.
- Me?

You know something about me
that I don't know?

Yeah.

And I-I wouldn't tell you,
but I think it's so unfair.

Unfair? How?

- Jane called your mother.
- What?

Yeah, I think she's
coming to see you.

(sighs)

So is he sick or what?

I think he just wants
to get everyone together

and tell us what's going on.

I... I think that's why he wants
you... you home, you know.

So just give the guy a break and
be nice to him when you see him.

And Mom.

You know... it's a long way
to travel for both of them,

and completely unnecessary
since you're technically

not in classes
and you should be here anyway.

Yeah, all right,
I can be happy to see him,

but if he needs heart surgery
or something,

it's not like I can do anything
if I'm there.

You can do something.

Just being here,
th-that's doing something.

But he doesn't need me there.

I mean, I don't want
to just sit around all day

watching him be sick.

He'll be fine.
He's had heart surgery before.

That's...

that's incredibly selfish,
don't you think?

It's incredibly selfish of him
to make me come home.

I think once he comes here
and sees how great it is,

he'll agree with me.

Uh, once you see him and,
and remember who he is

and what he's done for you,

maybe you'll be a little more
inclined to, to come back here

and be with your family where
we need you and we miss you.

You know, don't try
and make me feel guilty.

It's not going to work.

Who are you?

I told you.

I'm not the preacher's kid
anymore.

I'm me.

I'm Ruthie Camden.

- (click, dial tone)
- (sighs)

(phone beeps)

(sighs)