7th Heaven: Season 4-Episode 13: Who Do You Trust?

 

Simon (David Gallagher) and Nigel (David Netter) leave a store after purchasing a pack of cigarettes. 

Simon and Nigel go to a store to purchase a package of cigarettes. As they leave, the cashier reminds them to take their matches. Simon grabs them and thanks the man, and the boys leave the store.

Nigel: Man, that was too easy.

The opening credits come up, and the theme song plays.

Lucy is grabbing food out of the refrigerator. Matt is sitting at the table looking upset, and Lucy is trying to make him a sandwich. She tells him she finished his laundry too. Matt says it's pity and that he and that just because Shana didn't call doesn't mean they've broken up. Mary comes into the kitchen and asks Matt how he's doing.

Matt: Oh, put a sock in it.

He leaves the room. Mary tells Lucy the long-distance relationship won't work, but Lucy says it could. Mary opens the fridge and pulls out a bag. Lucy says it's Ruthie's science experiment, and if Mary pays Ruthie a dollar, she will tell her what it is. Mary says she's not giving her little sister money. (You should, it's terrific). 

Matt is trying to get the door open but struggling since he's holding a big laundry basket. Eric comes down and opens it for him. He asks his son if he's doing okay. Matt says he and Shana are doing fine. Eric says he's there if he wants to talk, and Matt tells him that Shana didn't die and he's fine. (I think in Matt's world, "fine" has a different meaning). Matt leaves.

Ruthie comes downstairs and explains that Shana didn't call, and it was her turn. It was the first time she didn't call. Eric says he didn't know, and Ruthie explains sometimes kids don't want their parents to know things. (How did he have four children before Ruthie and not already know this)?

Nigel asks Simon if he's growing a mustache, and Simon's happy someone finally noticed. They discuss finding other places to sell them cigarettes. 

Mary is on the phone with Robbie (Adam LaVorgna). Robbie wants to go out on an actual date. He suggests perhaps a double date might work, and maybe they could go with Lucy and his brother Rick (Lance Bass). 

Ruthie and Eric are watching cartoons together in the living room. Annie comes in and asks her husband a question, and he doesn't hear it but asks her if he's a good listener. 

Annie: Did you hear what I just asked you? Did you hear me when I asked you to run downstairs and get me a couple of diapers? 

Eric says he'll get them, and Ruthie says she'll do it because she can't watch TV with them talking. (I think Eric missed the point). She leaves, and Mary comes into the living room and asks to go on a double date with Lucy and Rick. Lucy doesn't want to go and is annoyed she wasn't asked first. Eric and Annie allow them to go. 

Annie: Come on, we had to trust her with Robbie sometime.

Eric: No, we don't. I keep wanting to lock her up til she turns 21, but no...And for the record, I don't trust Robbie. I'm still trying to trust her.

John (Chaz Lamar Shepherd) returns to their apartment with a bag of groceries. He tells Matt he's cooking lasagna for dinner, and their "beautiful female neighbors" are coming over. Matt says he already has the perfect woman. She is just in another state at the moment. He wants to leave, but John tells him he's staying because John already said he is, and John needs a girlfriend even if Matt doesn't. 

The phone rings, and Matt answers; it's Shana. She apologizes for not calling sooner. He says that he figured he was busy. She explains that she aced a test, went out to celebrate, and didn't get home till 4:00 am.

Shana: I figured it was a bit too late to call.

Matt: Yeah, that would have been a little late only...I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO CALL!!

Shana pulls the phone away from her ear and looks surprised. Matt says he was worried, and she says he wasn't worried; he was jealous. (Worried, jealous; tomato, tomahto).

Matt: Sorry. 

Shana: It's okay. So we're still friends?

Matt: Friends? I hope we're more than that. 

Shana: That's not what I meant. 

Matt: Then, what did you mean.

Shana: Oh, what I meant was that no matter what happens, we will always be friends.

Matt: What's that supposed to mean.

Shana: Nothing, okay. Nothing; it means nothing. I have to go. Love you. Bye.

She hangs up before Matt can respond. 

Simon and Nigel return home. Annie says she was worried, and they tell her they were playing. Annie thinks something is going on. They leave the room, and Eric enters it. Annie tells her husband something is not right. He goes to check it out. 

Eric is outside the room as Nigel and Simon pull out the cigarettes, amazed they "pulled it off." 

Lucy closes the bedroom door and then gets Mary's address book. She calls Rick. He tells her he has a girlfriend but told her that the date with Lucy was a platonic thing. Lucy says that takes the pressure off.

Eric and Annie are setting the table for dinner. Annie is upset that Eric didn't stop Simon and Nigel when he saw them with the cigarettes. He reminds her of when he set Matt up with Mrs. Bink back in season one. 

Annie: But that was different. Matt was older, and we knew he was smoking. Simon and Nigel are probably only thinking about smoking.

Eric: But if we stop them before they try it, they'll only think about trying it again.

Annie: We don't know that.

Eric: Oh, I know that. They...they want to try it. I can see it in their faces.

He pulls out Ruthie's science experiment. Ruthie comes in and tells him not to touch it. Simon and Nigel come in carrying the twins. Simon asks why they're eating in the kitchen tonight. Annie tells them the girls are going out, and Eric says it's more intimate in the kitchen, so it will give them a chance to talk more. 

Ruthie: Okay, who's in trouble?

Eric: What makes you think anyone's in trouble?

Ruthie looks from her parents to Simon and Nigel.

Ruthie: Oh, yeah, someone's in trouble. Big time. 

John asks Matt if he's going to put on a clean shirt. Matt grabs another shirt. He asks Matt to fake happiness for him. 

John: You know how mad you are at Shana?

Matt nods his head.

John: Well, I'm gonna be twice as mad at you if you mess up this evening.

Matt: I-I don't care. 

Eric tells Annie his subtle plan worked. Annie asks him if he is referring to his subtle plan about confession being good for the soul and asking about smoking. She says he made them so uncomfortable that they didn't finish dinner.

Ruthie comes downstairs and confesses to breaking Annie's china box two months ago. She says she tried to glue it back together.

Ruthie: You're right; confession is good for the soul. I feel much better now.

Annie (to Eric): Just because the wrong kid confessed doesn't mean your plan is bad. 

The doorbell rings, and Eric answers it.

Ruthie: What do you mean the wrong kid confessed? You didn't know I broke that box, did you? So I just confessed for nothing?

Annie nods.

Ruthie: And I'm going to get punished.

Annie signs "a little bit."

Annie: Afraid so. 

Ruthie does a facepalm. 

Ricky and Robbie are sitting on the couch in the living room. Eric is sitting in a chair. He asks Ricky about being a National Merit Finalist. Robbie says that Ricky is "the smart one in the family." 

Mary and Lucy come downstairs, and Mary introduces Rick and Lucy, and Ricky is impressed with Lucy. Annie offers them drinks, Ricky says they don't drink, and there is an awkward silence. Robbie then realizes she didn't mean an alcoholic beverage. But they say they have to go, and the four leave for their double date. 

Annie: You could be a little nicer to Robbie.

Eric: Why?

Eric asks Annie if she needs anything at the store and leaves to spy.

Simon and Nigel are up in Simon's room, hiding from Eric. Simon doesn't feel right about the cigarettes, but Nigel says they have to do it. Nigel pulls the cigarettes out and asks Simon if he has ever tried them. Simon tells him about when he and Ruthie tried it back in season two's episode "My Kinda Guy." Nigel thinks they should smoke again and write about why they did it, and if they got addicted, they'd get an A. (Yep, that's logical, risk addiction and cancer, so you get one A). Simon says they can't do it. (Simon, that's what you told Ruthie in the previously mentioned episode, that worked well too). 

Eric takes Ruthie's science project out of the fridge. Ruthie comes down and asks her dad if he wants to know what's in there. Her dad says he does, and she asks him if it's worth a dollar. He says it is, and she whispers in his ear what the project is. Eric says he loves it as Annie is coming in, She asks about it, and Eric pays a dollar for her to find out. Annie tells her it's the best science experiment she's heard of. (I totally agree, absolutely brilliant)! 

Eric wants to take the twins for a ride because a car ride will put them to sleep, plus he can spy. Annie says she will just give them a bottle. Ruthie wants to go for a ride, but Annie says she needs Ruthie's help.

Ruthie: Fine. The second floor of the house is an interesting place, too.

Annie: Yes, it is. 

Ruthie leaves the room.

Annie: You know, you either trust Mary and Robbie or you don't.

Eric: Oh, I think I'll take a walk. In the meantime, if you smell smoke, wait for me.

Mary and Robbie are making out at the movies. Lucy tells Rick that it's embarrassing. Ricky asks Lucy why she doesn't have a boyfriend. And she tells him about Jordan (though she doesn't mention his name), who she broke up with last on the "In Praise of Women" episode. Mary takes her jacket off and throws it on Lucy's head while still making out with Robbie. Rick asks Lucy if she wants to go outside to escape Robbie and Mary. 

Matt is sitting at the table in their apartment, and John tells him to "look conscience." The girls come, and John introduces Angela (Alana Boatright) and Barbara (Amber Collins) to Matt. Matt starts to cry.

Rick tells Lucy he wants to kiss her. Lucy says she could kiss him so his girlfriend won't get mad at him. She kisses him, and then they make out. Eric walks by and catches them. 

Simon and Nigel are in the garage. They light a match and are about to light the cigarette when Annie walks past the garage, and they quickly put the match out and hide the cigs. 

Eric tells Annie about Lucy. He's upset that they were making out in public. He wonders what Mary and Robbie are doing in the theatre. Annie says they were probably watching the movie. Eric doesn't believe that happened, and she can't understand why he finds it hard to believe. (He's been right this entire episode). 

Eric: If the brother has the nerve to make out with Lucy right on the public street, then it scares me to think what the other brother who was arrested is capable of. 

Annie: You're out of your mind; you know what, right?

Eric: Maybe, but that doesn't make me wrong about this. (The front door opens and closes). That would be my son and his friend, who are also up to no good tonight.

Eric asks them where they were, and Annie says they were in the garage because she asked them to take something out for her. The boys go upstairs. Eric is upset she let them go out to the garage, and Annie says she chooses to trust the boys. She says that they have to expect that the girls are going to be kissing guys. And they should be glad that they're only kissing and not more. Eric wants to go "for another walk." But Annie tells him he's not going and to calm down and relax. 

John is at the table eating his dinner. Matt is talking with Barbra and Angela about Shauna. John tries to get them all to eat, but no one wants to. Matt looks at Barbara's jeans and sighs sadly.

Barbara: What is it?

Matt: It's just that Shana used to wear jeans. (Haha).

John (to himself): I'm gonna kill him.

Simon and Nigel come downstairs into the kitchen discussing the cigarettes. Simon says he really wants to try smoking one. Nigel tells him they're already going to be in trouble. Simon opens the fridge and hands Nigel Ruthie's science experiment, and Nigel asks what it is. Ruthie comes out of a small door (not sure what it is too, sorry). She tells Nigel it's her science experiment and not to touch it. Nigel gets curious and pays the dollar to find out what it is. She tries to get a dollar from her brother.

Simon: Forget it; Nigel will tell me.

Nigel: No, I won't. 

Robbie comes outside, and Lucy asks him where Mary is. She says he stopped at the restroom. Robbie is upset that Rick was making out with Lucy. Mary comes out and asks Lucy what happened. Lucy denies anything that happened and says they should go home. 

The girls are feeding Matt as they talk to him about Shana. John is upset that Matt now has both women and wants Matt to leave. The phone rings, and Angela answers in case it's Shana. It is, and she wants to know who the woman was that answered the phone and how she knew about her.

The two sisters and two brothers return to the Camden house. Robbie smells smoke, and Mary says it's cigarette smoke. They figure out it's probably Simon and Nigel.

They decide to say goodbye outside. Ricky tells Lucy he won't be calling since they are "just friends." Then they start kissing again. Robbie and Mary also kiss goodnight. 

The older girls come inside, and their father asks them about their dates. Mary says her date was good and thanks him for letting her go out.

Lucy: It was okay.

Eric: Just okay?

Lucy: What's wrong?

Mary: Yeah, what's up?

Eric says Lucy knows because everyone knows that Lucy and Ricky were not watching the movie. Lucy accuses him of spying, and Mary says he was spying on her, not Lucy. 

Mary: You are never going to trust me again, no matter what I do, are you?

Lucy: And you have no reason not to trust me.

Annie: Except that this is not the first time you've been caught making out in public with a guy you just met. 

Annie and Eric remind her of the guy from when she was out with Keesha a couple of years ago. Eric suddenly asks Annie if she smells smoke, and Annie says it's cigarette smoke. They run upstairs. Lucy grins. 

Simon explains they couldn't tell them that they couldn't tell them about buying the cigs or the parents wouldn't let them do it. Eric says that should be a sign that they shouldn't have done it. Nigel says they were able to show how easy it was for minors to buy cigs. Eric asks them what if they got caught.

Nigel: The person selling us cigarettes gets in trouble, not us.

Eric: You guys didn't do your research. It's a $75 fine and 30 hours of community service for minors caught buying cigarettes. (This is a California law; not all states are the same. Here in NYS, nothing happens). 

He explained when Matt smoked in season one, he had it checked out. Then he asked them if they would let others get in trouble just for their project. (Yep, but I can see Simon's point, too). Simon says those who sell the cigs to kids are killing those kids. Annie says it's interesting but could have had dire consequences. She asks how smoking cigarettes help. Her son explains they were expanding the project, plus it became irresistible once they had them. Eric tells them they aren't allowed to turn their project in, as it could have legal ramifications. 

Nigel: Maybe you could talk to Sargeant Michaels, and the police could use what we have, and we could be part of a sting or something.

Eric: You have to be fifteen to participate in a sting and have the permission of your parents, which you don't. No sting. No more cigarettes. 

Annie tells them they have to throw it out, and they don't know what they will do since it's due at the end of the week. Ruthie comes down at the end of this and offers to sell them her science project. After everyone tells him how good it is, Simon gives her the dollar to find out what the project is.

Ruthie: Ever heard of Alchemy?

Simon: Turning ordinary substances into gold? That's not possible.

Ruthie: Sure it is. 

She pulls the straw out of the bag.

Ruthie: Straw. 

Shows him the money she made.

Ruthie: Gold. I'm good.

Annie: Yes, you are.

Simon: Outwitted by an eight-year-old.

Ruthie cackles. 

Lucy is brushing her hair, and Mary hits her with a pillow. Mary blames her sister for their parents not trusting her. (I'm sure that whole getting arrested thing has nothing to do with it). Lucy says Mary should have told her, plus she and Robbie were making out. Mary explains that she wasn't doing it on the street where their parents could see.

Mary: And Mom and Dad are not stupid. They don't think I am dying to get out of the house with Robbie just so we can hold hands and watch a stupid old Western movie. 

Eric and Annie are in their bed discussing how to punish Simon. Annie suggests they could fine them and make them do community service if Nigel's parents agree. But reminds him they were trying to get a good grade.

Annie: What happened to trusting our kids?

Eric says he might be going through a phase, and she says perhaps the kids are going through one. They kiss.

Mary tells Lucy she doesn't like not being trusted, and Lucy says she feels the same way. They decided they needed to re-earn their parents' trust. Mary asks if Lucy thinks Robbie can be trusted, and Lucy says that Ricky is honest. 

Mary: Honest? He told his girlfriend he was going out with you as a friend, then the two of you made out all night. 

Lucy: We made out as friends. (Haha).

Mary says they should start "an honesty program." Lucy suggests they tell themselves the truth to start. She confessed while she enjoyed kissing Rick, she also felt guilty because he had a girlfriend. Mary reveals she doesn't trust Robbie. 

Robbie and Ricky return home. Cheryl (Barret Swatek) is waiting for him and is upset. 

Robbie: I told you I was going out with my brother.

Cheryl: Just you and your brother?

Robbie: Just me and Rick. If I was going out with another woman, do you think I'd be home this early? What's the matter, babe? Don't you trust me?

The girls invite Matt and John to their apartment next week for dinner to make up for tonight. As soon as they leave, Matt calls Shana. 

John: Man, you are hopeless.

Shana's empty apartment is shown, followed by a worried-looking Matt.

The closing credits come up. 

(Not a fan of this episode. Really the only thing I liked was Ruthie's science expermient. That was sheer brilliance).