7th Heaven: Season 2 - Episode 19: Time to Leave the Nest

 

Annie (Catharine Hicks) and Eric (Stephen Collins) are enjoying a romantic breakfast for two when Matt (Barry Watson) comes into the kitchen. 

The Camden parents are enjoying a romantic breakfast. Eric wonders why it's so peaceful and quiet and Annie says it doesn't matter cause they can deal with it later for now they should enjoy the quietness. Matt comes in with the mail and hands it to his father. He heads upstairs, but comes back down to tell them "I'm in." They are excited, but Matt doesn't look too happy. Eric figures it must be the college near them. 

Lucy and Mary are in their room. Lucy is talking on the phone about Jeff Wilson who said she was "cute." Mary is reading Lucy's diary. Lucy storms out of the room after exclaiming, "I can't take it anymore!"

Annie tells Eric that Matt is going to want to live on campus but Eric says he can't. She says Matt could if he had a job, and again Eric says he can't since Matt never keeps a job for long. Lucy comes downstairs for "a saw, or heavy rope, or barbed wire." Annie tells her she has tape and paper clips, and Lucy asks for the tape. Lucy gets it and squeals with delight. 

Simon comes inside with a child (Caitlin Alderton) whose face is all dirty. 

Simon: Hey look what I found. Can I keep her? (She's not a stray dog, Simon). 

Annie and Eric look at each other. The opening credits come up and the theme song plays. 

Seargent Michaels (Christopher Michael) talks to Eric and Simon about the little girl. Simon asks again about keeping her. When Eric tells him he can't Simon is upset because The Colonel and Grandma Ruth got to keep George. When Eric says it was different since George was an orphan, Simon says he's sure she's an orphan too. Seargent Michaels says he has to try to find the little girl's family. 

Annie is with the little girl and asks her to pick a dress to wear. When she picks one, Annie tells her the dress matches the little girl's eye and she will look very pretty. The girl hugs Annie. 

Lucy is taping the floor in her room to separate her half from Mary's half. (She's too funny). Ruthie comes in and tells her not to get any ideas about moving in with her.

Ruthie: I just got Simon out of there and I love it.

Lucy: I bet you, do but if I were you I'd watch out.

Ruthie: What do you mean?

Lucy: Well, if that new kid Simon found moves in, she'll be your new roommate. Welcome to the Camden boarding house.

Ruthie sees her mother in the hall and asks if the girl is moving in. Annie tells her the girl isn't moving in they are just trying to find her parents. Ruthie offers to help. (Let me help get rid of the brat, Mom). 

Matt comes into the house and tells Annie that he's going to hang out with his date in his bedroom. She says that's fine. He reminds his parents he's still thinking about going out of state, and Eric tries to persuade him to go to college closer. 

After Matt leaves, Annie tells her husband that Matt has a date tonight. Eric says Matt is testing them so he can find any reason at all to go away to college. Annie says they are going to pass the test. Eric tells her that he's going down to the police station to help search for the girl's parents, and Simon's not a happy camper. 

Mary and Lucy are arguing about Mary reading her diary. Mary tells her that everyone in the family had read Lucy's diary since she's always leaving it around the house. Lucy tells her she's going to move into the attic once Matt leaves. Mary informs Lucy she can't leave the room since the door is on Mary's side. Lucy runs out of the room and Mary shuts the door and locks it. (Ah, sisterly love). 

The little girl is looking at herself in the mirror in Eric and Annie's room, with the blue dress on. Simon comes in and tells her she looks nice and tries to make her laugh which she does. Ruthie comes into the room. 

Ruthie: Did she crack yet?

Simon: Crack?

Ruthie: Talk. Speak. Move her lips. May sounds.

Simon tells her no, and Ruthie informs him that the girl is not sleeping in her room.

At the police station, Michaels gives Eric a stack of missing children's reports to look through. A man (Kirk Baily) comes into the station looking for his daughter. He is drunk and says the girl's name is Sarah James. He then passes out on the floor. (Oh yeah, you're in good condition to take care of a child). 

Mr. James is in the hospital yelling at the nurse (Ally Wolfe) because he wants a drink because he's in pain and she won't get him one. (Imagine that). Eric comes into the room and offers to try and help. Eric tells the man that his daughter was found by Simon and is at the Camden house. Eric suggests maybe Sarah should be with her mother since the father seems to have a problem. The father explains that no one knows where Sarah's mother is.

Mr. James: And even if you did she left us when Sarah was just a baby. So the only parent Sarah knows is me. She loves drunk ol' me and nobody's gonna keep us apart. Nobody.

Eric leaves the room.

At the house, Annie made a big bowl of popcorn and has rented a movie. Matt comes in with his date, Molly (Christie Lynn Smith) who is 23 years old. She says she doesn't make a lot of money so she still lives "at her parents' pad too." Matt says they are gonna chill out in his room. 

Annie: Unless of course you'd like to chill with your father and me. The Sound of Music. 

Matt: Maybe some other time.

Molly: Absolutely. Rodgers and Hammerstein are so dope.

Matt and Molly leave. 

Annie: Dope. Even if it kills us. 

Lucy calls a time-out in her fight with Mary because she saw Matt go to his room with a woman. (This is the domestic version of a cease-fire). Mary tries to ignore her and then tells Lucy to write it in her diary and she will read it later. (Ouch). 

Simon is luring Sarah with some Reeces pieces into his room. (All I could think of was the movie "E.T.)." He tells her she can stay as long as she'd like. 

Eric arrives home and tells Annie the girl's name is Sarah. Eric says they are trying to find the mother to see what condition she is in, and soon because the hospital won't keep the father much longer. He is hoping social services will get involved and force the father to go to rehab and prove he is fit to take care of Sarah, if he doesn't Sarah would have to go into foster care. 

Ruthie walks in on Matt and Molly who are making out in his room. He tells her to go downstairs, but she ignores her brother sitting between them. Molly thinks Ruthie is adorable but Matt's not too thrilled with his little sister at the moment. 

Matt: Excuse me, I'll be right back.

Ruthie (whispering to Molly): There's no bathroom up here. (Haha). 

Matt asks his older sisters to watch Ruthie but they both refuse. Lucy feels like she has no privacy as it is and Mary doesn't want Matt to stay home for college as she is hoping to get the attic room. He leaves and goes downstairs to ask his parents to do something with Ruthie. 

Annie heads upstairs and Eric asks Matt if everything is interrupted. Matt tells him he wouldn't have sex in the house. Eric is concerned by the words "in this house." 

Upstairs, Annie hears Lucy and Mary arguing. She enters the room and informs them she's the "boss of everyone." Both girls ask for Matt's room when he goes away. Annie says he isn't moving out and informs them that Molly is 23 and still lives at home. Her daughters claim neither will live at home when they are 23. Their mother removes the tape Lucy put down separating the room in half. 

Annie: Well, at least you two agree on something that's a start. You know, you guys just apologize to each other and move on

Lucy: I'm sorry I ever trusted you.

Mary: Well I'm sorry you're petite, because I'd love to pummel your un-petite emotions right out of your little body! (I am guessing that this isn't what Annie had in mind when she said apologize). 

Molly is dancing with Ruthie upstairs when Annie comes up to get her. Molly tells Mrs. Camden she doesn't mind kids and wants to have her own someday. After Annie and Ruthie leaves Molly tells Matt she tries to only date guys who don't live with their parents. He explains her parents want her to move out and his want him to stay. They start kissing again.

Eric comes up to Simon's room to talk to him and Sarah. Sarah finally talks and asks Eric to bring her back to her father. She says her father is sick and needs her to ask people for money so he can "buy stuff." 

Simon: What kind of sick? What's wrong with him?

Sarah: I don't know but if he doesn't drink a lot, he hurts real bad. (This poor little girl. My heart breaks for children that have to go through things such as this). 

Simon asks his father not to let Sarah go home. Eric sighs.

The next morning, Eric asks when Molly left. She says that she doesn't know but not to ask Matt because she doesn't want him to move out. Eric says he hopes Molly didn't hear them when she left. (I know what they were doing. Haha). Annie says they could renovate the garage, and Eric says they could also let him go away to school. Annie is not happy with either choice. Eric tells her that he's going with Seargent Michaels to help him with police business, and Annie tells him he's a liar.

Seargent Michaels and Eric arrive at the the trailer. He turns Michaels around so he doesn't see him try to get into the trailer. The door is open so Eric goes in, Michaels has to get a call. While he's away, Eric sees a rat in the trailer. Michaels returns.

Seargent Michaels: What do you want first the good news or the bad news?

Eric: Give me the bad news.

Sergeant Michaels: There is no mother. She OD'd in the Bowery two years ago in Manhatten.

Eric: But there's some good news?

Seargent Michaels: There's news that might be good depending. Joe James' mother is alive. So Sarah has a grandmother. We just don't know what condition she's in. 

Eric: Well let's go find out.

Matt is reading the newspaper in the kitchen while Anine is pouring him juice. He tells her he wants to move out and go to school. Annie says she trusts Matt but doesn't want him to move all the way across the country to get out of the house. As they are talking Molly is caught trying to sneak out. Matt says he slept in the living room and Molly slept upstairs in his room. His mother tells him she has to go check on Simon and Sarah, and they will discuss the Molly situation later. Matt adds, "when Dad's home." 

Mary is pounding on her bedroom door because Lucy locked her out. Lucy says she just locked it to put her diary away and Mary knows exactly where it is. Lucy tells her mother that Mary reads her diary and Mary explains it is only because Lucy leaves it around. Mary says it is stupid stuff like "she's petite but thinks about sex all the time." Annie says maybe it's time they talk about sex but Mary doesn't want to since neither of them is doing it. (Yeah, it's better to talk before you do start doing it). Lucy is excited about it however and wants to learn about "the good stuff." Annie tells a story about the night Lucy was conceived. 

Mary: What about me how was I conceived?

Annie: You're not old enough to hear that one, maybe I'll tell you on your wedding day.

Ruthie is in her room singing about how much she loves having her own room. 

Simon and Sarah are in the living room. Sarah wants to go home. Eric comes in with Sarah's grandmother (K Callan) and introduces Sarah to her. Sarah wants nothing to do with her grandmother and wants her father. The grandmother leaves the room in tears. 

Eric follows the grandmother in the hall and she tells him she can't take Sarah when Sarah doesn't want to go. She is also afraid her son will get drunk and take Sarah back. Eric says they can figure it all out, but what matters is that the grandmother is there now.

Sarah asks Annie not to let "that grandma lady take her away." Annie suggests Sarah, "that grandma lady" and her all go to the kitchen to bake cookies. (Behold the power of cookie baking)! She lets Sarah know she's staying at the Camden house again. Simon says that baking cookies sounds like fun.

Simon asks Ruthie to help by showing Sarah how to do things with a mom and grandma. Ruthie doesn't understand why Simon wants to help Sarah go with her grandmother since he wanted to keep Sarah. 

Simon: If you love someone you have to let them go, and I love Sarah and as hard as it is it's best that she goes with her grandmother. (I think Simon is wiser now than he was as he got older but then again he did have that traumatic event later).  

Eric sees Matt and tells him he heard about Molly sleeping over. Matt tells his father that nothing happened. His dad says he knows that too. He still wants to talk to Matt and asks him to come with him "on a mission."

In the kitchen, Ruthie and Sarah are helping Annie and Sarah's grandmother bake cookies. 

Ruthie: I told you Mom's are cool and Grandmas are the coolest. They'll let you do just about anything. They never yell at you and they let you eat anything you want.

Sarah's grandmother is crying again. She tells Annie she's dreamed of this. 

Eric talks to Matt about college and setting a good example for his siblings amongst other things. They are at Mr. James' trailer to clean it up. 

The next day, Sarah's father is getting ready to leave. Eric offers to take him home.

Eric: And then later if you like I'll take you to meet a friend of mine, Bill W.

Mr. James: There's no way I'm going to AA, so you and Bill W can shove it.

Eric: What's the matter? Are you afraid it might work?

Mr. James: Look, I don't really want to live like I live, so I'm always trying to change, and I'm always failing. Failing doesn't bother Sarah. That girl loves me.

Eric: The question is, do you love her? (Great question).

Eric and Sarah's father return to the trailer and see the Camdens, Sargent Michaels, Sarah, and his mother are all there. They have fixed things up and caught him up on payments. (They did quite a bit in a short amount of time). Sarah runs to her dad and hugs him. He then asks his daughter to go outside so he can talk to her grandmother.

Simon (to Mr. James): She's just a little girl. She can't take care of you anymore. (This tugged on my heartstrings to hear Simon say it. How a child gets this and yet an adult doesn't). 

Mr. James' mother wants to take Sarah, and Mr. James says that no one but Sarah loves him. His mother tells him that she loves him. Eric says the church wants to make Mr. James a church project. 

Mr. James: What if I don't want to be a church project?

Michaels: Then Social Services is going to make you a project, and so is the Police Department. Your daughter can't stay with you. It's either your mother or a foster home.

Mr. James: But I love her, I love Sarah.

Eric: If you mean that do the right thing. As hard as it is, do the right thing.

Mr. James goes outside and tells Sarah that he loves her. He tells her to go with her grandmother so he can get better. Sarah says she loves him. (Yay, he is going to do the right thing)!

Even though it's not November, the Camden children have made a Thanksgiving dinner for their parents back at the Camden house. (This also was put together relatively fast, and how did they pay for all the food, my guess is the Bank of Simon). They want to say thank you to their parents.

Ruthie: Thank you for letting me have my own room.

Simon: Thank you for never letting me wander the streets hungry and dirty.

Lucy: And thank you for telling me that stormy Valentine's night.

Annie (to Eric): It seemed like the right time.

Lucy: It made me feel really special. You always make me feel really special. You know, after I get through crying and yelling about being me.

Mary: And I want to thank you for making me share a room with her. Because having a sister who has the guts to be vulnerable like that is some kind of weird blessing.

Eric (to Matt): I think we know what you're thankful for.

Annie (to Matt): Did you tell them?

Matt: I'm thankful that Mom and Dad are going to let me go to school next year. I"m going to the University of Tennessee as long as I can get a job and pay for my own living expenses. 

Ruthie asks if they won't see Matt for years. Matt says he will be home every Christmas and summer. Annie says it could be their last Thanksgiving altogether for a while. Everyone is quiet, and then the other kids start arguing over who's getting Matt's room in the attic. 

They all head to the dining room except Matt, who watches and smiles. 

The closing credits come up. 

(This was a good episode. I loved the way Simon wanted to look after Sarah, and he was the one who told the father his daughter couldn't take care of him. Ruthie was the comic relief in her desire to have the room to herself. The girls were also rather funny. Definitely enjoyed this one).