Meg and Mike returned from an enjoyable balloon ride over the farm. The two had no idea that Paul had planned the trip for Meg and were immediately confronted by Paul when they landed. Paul mistakenly believed that Mike stole his idea to romance Meg and was furious with him. Mike and Meg apologized for taking the ride that Paul had scheduled and explained that they had no idea he was behind the aerial tour of the farm. Paul told Meg that it was meant to be a surprise and a romantic gesture, and Meg was flattered. She tried to convince Paul to take another ride with her, but he was so upset that she had gone with Mike that he couldn't get past it. Paul continued to accuse Mike of trying to seduce Meg and despite both Mike and Meg's denial that the ride wasn't romantic, Paul stormed off.
Meg apologized to Mike for Paul's outburst and Mike offered to try to talk to Paul to smooth things out for her. Meg told Mike that Paul was the one who should be sorry and it was similar tantrums that made her believe she and Paul might not have a future together. As they were talking, the hot air balloon pilot delivered the last of Paul's surprise to them, a romantic champagne picnic. They spread the meal out and enjoyed a nice glass of champagne, and Mike commented on Paul's good taste. Mike said that he could still see the sparks between Meg and Paul, but Meg told him that even though she and Paul had great passion, things always seemed to go wrong for them. Mike encouraged Meg to give Paul another chance if she felt they could have a life together.
Sofie, Aaron, Chris, and Alison met at the Lakeview for their double date and tension between Aaron and Chris started as soon as everyone sat down. When the drinks arrived, Aaron proposed a toast to Alison to compliment her on a job well done at the hospital. Chris began to talk about the importance of having a good career and Aaron took offense because he believed Chris was being condescending towards Aaron's job as a bartender. Chris explained that their dinner date was a chance to become friends and end any awkwardness between them; he encouraged Aaron to say why he was so angry with Chris. Alison jumped in and explained that everyone at the table had issues with someone else and pointed out that she and Sofie had their problems as well. As the uncomfortable dinner continued, Sofie noticed Paul had arrived and looked angry as he downed a drink at the bar. She chased after him and asked him what was wrong, but Paul refused to talk to her and left the Lakeview.
When Sofie returned to the table, everyone noticed she was distracted. She excused herself after lying to everyone and saying that she was worried about Barbara and wanted to check in on her. Instead of looking in on Barbara, Sofie went to Paul's house and asked him what had happened with the romantic balloon ride. Paul told her about Meg and Mike going off together on the tour he had planned and how Meg had told him it was all a misunderstanding. Sofie accused Meg of being dumb for not realizing that Paul had ordered the balloon and told Paul that he deserved better than Meg. Sofie grabbed Paul's hand and told him that she couldn't imagine choosing anyone over him; just then Meg walked in and saw the two looking very cozy. Paul immediately stood up and told Meg he was happy she was there, but Sofie's guilty look made Meg think she had interrupted something. Paul sent Sofie on her way and asked Meg to stay so they could talk. Paul apologized for his earlier outburst, but told Meg he was afraid that if he took things slow with her, Mike would move in. Meg reassured Paul that the only way he could lose her would be to keep losing his temper. Meg turned the tables on Paul and commented that maybe she should be worried about him and Sofie, which made Paul laugh out loud. Meg told Paul that she felt the same way about her and Mike and that Paul just needed to accept that Mike was at the farm to work and she would be seeing him because of that, nothing else. Paul was satisfied with Meg's answer and asked her to stay longer, but Meg said she had to return to the farm. They ended their talk with a kiss and Meg went on her way. Once Meg was gone, Paul received a call from the balloon company and they asked how he had liked the ride and champagne. Paul commented that he hadn't enjoyed either, but he knew who had and was going to make sure Mike didn't benefit from anything else that was meant for him.
Aaron went into the lobby and asked the front desk clerk if he had seen Sofie. The clerk explained that he had watched Sofie go outside, but when Aaron checked he couldn't find any sign of her and wondered out loud where she had gone. A short time later, Sofie returned to the table and apologized for taking so long. She lied and said that she had checked on Barbara but she was asleep. Aaron knew that Sofie hadn't been making a call and was angry that she was continuing to lie. Chris complimented Sofie on taking care of Barbara and said Barbara was lucky to have her since Paul couldn't be depended on. Sofie jumped to Paul's defense and gushed to everyone about how wonderful Paul was, but Aaron had heard enough. Aaron became frustrated and excused himself from the table. Alison went after him to find out what was wrong. Aaron admitted that he was annoyed and wanted to leave, but Alison convinced Aaron not to go without saying goodbye. Aaron returned to the table and told everyone he was ready to call it a night and offered to take Sofie home. Aaron sarcastically thanked Chris for a nice dinner and left with Sofie. As they walked through town, Aaron told Sofie that he knew she had left the hotel. Sofie admitted she had gone to Fairwinds, but only to check on Barbara. She didn't tell him about visiting Paul because she knew it would upset him. Aaron told her that if she couldn't be honest with him then they couldn't be friends any longer.
At home, Carly put on a slinky black dress and got ready to go to the Snyder farm for dinner with Lily, Holden, and Jack. The kids all sat down to eat pizza and Jack walked in and was stunned at how beautiful Carly looked. He complimented her on her appearance and the couple left for dinner as soon as the babysitter arrived. After seeing her parents head out on their date, Sage commented to her brothers that she knew their parents were getting back together.
Holden arrived in the farm kitchen to help Lily get ready for their dinner with Jack and Carly. Lily believed the dinner was just the thing to bring Jack and Carly back together, but Holden cautioned her about getting her hopes up. When Holden stepped outside for a few minutes, Lily opened the cupboard and found the bag containing the shirt and tape from Dusty that she was secretly saving. She looked over the items and then quickly replaced the bag and finished getting her meal ready.
When Jack and Carly arrived, Lily pulled Holden upstairs to give Jack and Carly some time alone, but Jack didn't want Carly to think the dinner would be romantic and went to the porch to call the station. Alone in the kitchen, Carly decided to have a glass of wine to relieve some of the tension, and then quickly poured herself another. Lily and Holden returned and Lily sent Holden to get Jack. Jack took his time alone with his cousin and asked him to stop Lily from trying to get him and Carly back together. Holden agreed he would and they went inside, where Lily offered a toast to "old friends and new beginnings." As everyone took a sip they realized the wine had gone bad and Holden ran out to get another bottle. Lily continued to work on getting Jack and Carly together, but Carly told Lily that everyone knew what she was up to, and Jack was not interested in being set up with her again. Lily decided the time for subtleness was over and she boldly told Jack that Carly was the woman for him and he needed to accept it and get back together with her right away. Jack said his relationship with Carly was none of Lily's business and he just wanted to have a nice dinner, but Lily refused to let Jack off the hook. She told them that any problems they had could be worked out, but Holden returned and asked Lily to stop.
When Holden opened the new bottle of wine, Jack told Carly he thought she had drank enough, but Carly told him to mind his own business and enjoyed another glass. Lily encouraged the group to hold hands and say grace before their meal. After the prayer, Jack snatched his hand away from Carly and she quickly went on the attack, telling Jack to show her a little respect. Carly jumped up and rushed out of the farmhouse. Holden went after Carly to check on her and she commented that she was fine, but she was convinced she had ruined Lily's dinner and made Jack hate her even more. Carly was upset that Jack couldn't bring himself to hold her hand, but Holden explained that she shouldn't worry about it and should come back inside to enjoy dinner. Carly agreed and returned to the kitchen, but as they sat down to enjoy their meal, Parker phoned with news that the babysitter was sick and that Jack and Carly needed to come home right away. With Jack and Carly gone, Holden told Lily he would clean up after dinner and sent her off to bed. As he began to put everything back into the cupboards he found the bag of Dusty's things that Lily had been hiding.
At the hospital, Alison told Chris she'd been accepted to nursing school but didn't have the money for tuition. Chris asked about the money Dusty had left for Alison's education in his will, and Alison said she still needed a signature on her paperwork from either her mom, who was away doing remote medical work, or Emily, to whom she wasn't speaking. Chris said it was too important to let a family squabble get in the way, and he took Alison to see Emily.
Casey told Margo he'd been fired from his job tending bar at the Lakeview. Margo suggested this would be the perfect excuse to go back to college, but Casey disagreed. Emily arrived to meet with Tom about summer camp for Daniel and was upset when Margo told her that Tom had to leave early for a meeting with a client. Margo suggested Emily send Tom an e-mail or call him, but Emily said she'd brought material to the house for Tom to look over. Margo told Emily to leave Tom a note and left for work.
Casey had a pleasant conversation with Emily, who ended up asking him if he had any office skills. Casey said he could type, so Emily told him that since her assistant had quit the day before and she needed a new one, Casey could have the job on a trial basis. She told Casey to be at Worldwide half an hour later.
At Worldwide, Emily showed Casey the phone and contact list and asked him not to disturb her for a couple of hours. She went into her office. Chris and Alison came in and were surprised to find Casey there. Casey told them he was the new administrative assistant. Alison asked to see Emily, so Chris went into Emily's office to let her know Alison was there. Emily asked if Alison was alone, and when Casey told her that Chris was with Alison, Emily told Casey to lie and say she wasn't available. Instead, Casey returned with the paperwork that Alison needed signed, and Emily eventually looked to see what it was. Emily was pleased to see the nursing school admission paperwork, so Casey said he would send Alison in. Emily said she would only see Alison if Chris left.
Casey told Chris and Alison what Emily had said. Chris pushed his way past Casey and went into Emily's office, demanding to know why Emily was treating her sister that way. Chris said Emily's problem was with him, not Alison, and she shouldn't take it out on Alison. Emily called Casey in and told him to kick Chris out of her office, but Casey said that wasn't necessary, since they had both agreed on one thing: Emily was going to deal with Alison, alone. Chris agreed and told Alison to go talk to Emily and call him later.
Emily signed Alison's paperwork for nursing school and told her she was proud of her. Alison thanked her and gave her a slight smile before she left. Alison went to the Lakeview and found Chris and told him she'd gotten Emily's signature and that Emily had said she was proud of her. Meanwhile, Casey told Emily he could see why her assistant had quit, because there was so much drama in her office. Emily told Casey to quit if he wanted to, but then she said she would like him to stay. Casey came back into Emily's office later to find her banging on her laptop, which had gotten stuck. Casey fixed the laptop, and Emily asked if that meant he was staying. He said he would have to, since Emily obviously couldn't manage without him.
At the farm, Lily told Holden she'd realized he'd been right about Carly and Jack, that if they were meant to be together, they would find their way back to each other, just like she and Holden had done. Holden then showed her Dusty's cassette tape and sweater that she had hidden from him. Lily said she wanted to keep just a couple of things to remind her of Dusty. Holden asked why she'd hidden them from him, and Lily said she hadn't been hiding them. Holden asked Lily why she was still lying to him. Lily said she'd wanted to make Holden happy, and she knew he'd rather she'd gotten rid of all of Dusty's things. Lily said she lied because she'd done so many things wrong, hurting herself and their family, that she was afraid of making even one more mistake. Lily asked what she could do to make things better, and Holden told her he wanted her to be able to make a promise and keep it. After assuring Lily that he didn't want a divorce, Holden said Lily would have to find a way to change, or they would risk losing everything.
Holden left, and Lucinda arrived at the farm. Lily told her mother that she and Holden had agreed Lily needed to do something to change, to make it seem as though she still trusted Holden. Lucinda asked if Lily did trust Holden, and Lily replied that she didn't trust him not to leave if she did or said something unforgivable, so she had been trying not to upset him, instead of just being herself. Lucinda suggested that Lily take some time away from the family to rediscover herself and get away from the stress she'd been under. Lucinda said Lily could visit Iva, her birth mother. Lucinda thought the time away might give Lily the perspective she needed.
Holden came back to the farmhouse and found Lucinda on the porch. Lucinda told Holden that Lily had decided to go spend some time with Iva. Lucinda left, and Holden went inside the house. He found Lily writing a note. She told him she'd written just 2 words in her note, and he joked that she hadn't been able to get past "Dear Holden." She said she'd written what he'd asked for: the truth. Lily asked if he was okay with her going away for a while, and he said it stunk for him, but it was probably best for her. As Lily went to leave, Holden said, "Come back to us." Lily walked out, and Holden sat down to read the note, which read simply, "Love you." With tears in his eyes, Holden looked up and said, "Love you, too."
Lucinda accompanied Lily in her limo on the way to Iva's. Lily worried about what might happen if she came back and screwed up yet again. Lucinda said it wouldn't happen, that Lily would take the time she needed to get herself back together again, and when she returned, she would be fine, and it would be Holden's turn to fall apart, and Lily's turn to put the pieces back together.
At home, Carly told Jack she'd decided she wanted him to move out. He said he had told the kids he would stay for the sake of giving them some stability, but Carly said that wasn't a good enough reason anymore. Carly told Jack that he was disrespecting her by making her look bad in front of the kids, and she didn't want that. She said she was making herself "smaller and smaller" to try to avoid doing something to displease him, and she couldn't keep doing that. Jack said the kids needed their family whole, but Carly said this wasn't good for any of them.
Jack asked when Carly wanted to tell the kids this news. Carly suggested after school, but she said she wanted Jack packed up and gone before then. Jack packed and left, after telling Carly goodbye. Jack went to the police station, where he asked Margo for some time off that afternoon. Margo asked what had happened, and Jack told her. He admitted it hurt more than he had thought it would. Margo asked what Jack would do, and he said he supposed he would move back to the farm. Margo suggested that wasn't a permanent solution. Jack agreed and said he supposed he should build a new life, but for the first time in a long time, it would have to be one that wasn't all about Carly, and he wasn't sure how to do that.
Carly went to the farm and saw Holden and how upset he appeared to be. Holden asked what Carly needed, and she said she'd just wanted to see Lily, but she would come back later. Holden told her that Lily was gone, and he told her that Lily had just needed to go away for a while. Holden turned back to look at the note again, and Carly reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Carly told Holden to try to think of Lily's leaving as a good thing, because Lily wanted to be the best she could be for him and her kids. Holden said he knew that. He asked about Carly and Jack, and Carly told him it was over for good. Holden asked if there was anything he could do. Carly asked if he could stick around, since everyone she leaned on seemed to be leaving. Holden reached out and took her hand.
Brad woke up to find Katie ready to make love again, but he stopped when he realized he was out of condoms, which surprised Katie. She asked why it would be a bad thing if she became pregnant, now that they were married. Brad said he thought they should take some time to get to know one another better as a married couple before having a baby. Katie reminded Brad that they'd been "friends with benefits" for months before they fell in love, and Brad said that was the problem: they had done things backwards. Brad said they should start their new life together with just the two of them. Katie asked if Brad was saying they should start at the beginning, and Brad said yes. Katie then introduced herself, and when Brad went to kiss her, she told him she didn't sleep with guys she'd just met.
Katie went to the police station to tell Margo she'd been right about Katie rushing into marriage to Brad. As she began to fill Margo in, Brad walked in and told Katie she was coming home with him. Katie said she was going to stay and talk to her sister, but Brad said Katie was going home with him, and he picked her up and carried her out, as Katie protested to Margo to stop Brad.
Back in their suite at the Lakeview, Katie told Brad she would never forgive him for carrying her around like a sack of potatoes. Brad said he didn't want Katie running to someone else to solve their problems. He said that they were married, and if Katie had a problem, she needed to discuss it with him, so they could work it out together.
Brad sat Katie down and asked her to tell him exactly why she was upset. She told him that even though she'd been married several times, she'd never had the whole package. With Simon, there had been fun and excitement, but she had worried it would end, which it did. With Henry, there had been support and friendship. With Mike, there had been stability, but she had missed the excitement. And with Jack, she had needed him to love her more than he had loved Carly. Katie didn't want to find out she'd made another mistake with Brad because he no longer wanted kids. Brad said he'd never said that. Brad told Katie he wanted the same things she wanted, the whole package. He said that he saw their new life as if they were sitting down to the best meal ever, and he didn't want to rush through any of it but instead take it one course at a time, so they could enjoy all of it. When he asked what Katie thought about that, she kissed him.
Casey was rushing off to work as Emily's new assistant, when Margo stopped him and asked what his job actually entailed. Her questions led Casey to believe that Margo was worried Emily would try to seduce Casey or use him to come between Margo and Tom. Casey was offended by his mom's questions, but Margo explained that Emily was filled with secret agendas and she was worried that Emily was using Casey. Casey was upset that his mother didn't think he was hired because he could do the job and reassured Margo that Emily wanted nothing to do with her and Tom.
Emily was working hard at The Intruder when Paul arrived and wanted her help with his love life. He asked Emily to drop off an anonymous love letter at the Lakeview for Mike. Emily jokingly questioned if Paul was in love with Mike, but Paul explained that he hoped the letter would stop Mike from making any further romantic gestures towards Meg. Emily agreed to drop off the letter and call Paul once Mike read it.
Emily looked on as Mike returned to his hotel and was given the envelope by the front desk clerk. Mike read the letter and thought it was from Katie. The letter said that she had made a big mistake and asked him to meet her at the farm. Mike rushed out to find Katie and Emily phoned Paul to tell him the note had been delivered and Mike was on his way.
When Emily arrived back at her office, she was greeted by Margo, who warned Emily to stay away from Casey. Margo accused Emily of wanting to bed Casey, but Emily said Casey was "just a kid" and their relationship was strictly professional. Emily reminded Margo that Casey was an ex-con and she should be happy he had a good job. Margo pleaded with Emily to fire him, but she refused and told Margo that she hired Casey to be nice and all Casey wanted to do was make Margo proud. Margo told Emily that she was quitting for Casey, but Casey had arrived and overheard his mother and told her it wasn't her decision to make. Casey told his mother she had no right to be there and demanded Margo leave. Before she left, Margo begged Casey to quit, but he said he was happy with his new job. Margo warned Emily to be kind to Casey or she might not be able to keep Emily's secrets.
With Margo gone, Casey and Emily got back to work on the paper. A short time later, an angry man arrived to confront Emily about a story she had printed about him. Casey tried to stop him from going into Emily's office, but the man stormed in and smashed her computer. When the man struck Casey, Emily ran to help him, but the man grabbed her and threatened her. Casey ran to his desk and phoned Margo and told him about the man threatening Emily. Margo agreed to rush right over with the police while Casey went back in to help Emily. Casey tried to persuade the man to leave, but he shut the door behind Casey and told him that he and Emily would pay for the lies they printed.
Sofie arrived at the farm looking for Aaron, but found Meg instead. Sofie told Meg that she and Aaron had an argument and Meg advised Sofie to just be honest with Aaron. Sofie was worried that if she told Aaron the truth she would hurt him, but Meg told her it was always best to be straightforward. Moments later, Paul arrived and told Meg he was there to take her to lunch.
Aaron found Sofie waiting for him in the kitchen and she apologized for their fight. Sofie told Aaron she really wanted to keep seeing him, but she wanted to take things slow. Aaron was happy that Sofie agreed to keep dating him.
Mike arrived at the farm looking for Katie, but after waiting for a long time he phoned her to find out where she was, but she couldn't answer because she was busy filming her show. Mike waited all morning for Katie to arrive, but when she didn't show up, he decided to confront her about why she stood him up.
At the television station, Katie and Brad continued celebrating their wedding bliss and in between kisses and compliments they prepared for their next live show. Kim noticed that the two were getting along very well and worried that their previously combative on air personas would be destroyed by their newfound love for one another. As they began to film an episode about spring, their focus quickly turned from weeds to how much they loved one another. Kim looked on and commented about how much she hated their new on set chemistry. During the first commercial break, Kim congratulated the two on their happiness, but told them their love was boring for the show and they needed their old spark back. Kim's suggestions fell on deaf ears and Katie and Brad continued their show like two lovesick puppies. Kim told them to figure out a way to bring the show's fun back or they would be taken off the air. As they started to film another segment, Mike rushed in with the letter and asked Katie what she was trying to pull. Brad told Mike they were on air and asked why he was there. Mike read the letter he assumed was from Katie and she told him that she hadn't written it. Mike stormed out, leaving Katie and Brad to explain to their audience who Mike was. As they began to spar about Katie's past with Mike and Brad's days as a Casanova, Kim was pleased to see their on air chemistry had returned.
After the show, Brad apologized for bringing up Katie's past with Mike and explained he did it to help ratings. Katie wasn't pleased and told Brad she needed to go and make sure Mike was all right.
Meg and Paul went to lunch and discussed the misunderstanding with the hot air balloon. Meg reassured Paul that the entire thing was just a huge mistake and she was only trying to cheer up Mike. Paul acted understanding and forgiving about the entire thing and Meg was impressed with Paul's new attitude. Just as Meg and Paul decided to start dating again, Mike arrived with the anonymous note and threw it at Paul and demanded an explanation.
Paul opened the letter and acted like he had no idea who wrote it. Meg asked to see it and asked if it was from Katie, but Mike explained that Katie had denied writing the letter and the only person interested in sending him on a wild goose chase was Paul. Mike continued with his accusations, but Paul denied any part of it until Meg asked him if he had written it. Paul finally confessed and Meg demanded that Paul apologize. Paul said the note was a joke to get back at Mike for stealing his balloon ride with Meg. Once Mike got his answer, he walked out, leaving Meg to confront Paul. Meg told Paul that Mike had done nothing wrong and she was angry with Paul for sending the note. Meg was convinced Paul was back to his jealous and deceitful ways and left Paul to check on Mike. Sofie had arrived at work and watched the argument between Meg and Paul. When Paul left the Lakeview, Sofie chased after him to offer her support. She found him at Fairwinds and said she wasn't leaving until she was sure Paul was all right.
Meg caught up with Mike at the farm and offered her apologies for Paul's bad behavior. Mike said he was there to talk to Emma about getting Paul kicked off the project because he couldn't work with him any longer.
At their home, Noah and Ameera discussed Casey refusing to help trick people into believing that Ameera and Noah were really married. When Ameera began to cry, Noah thought she was worried about Casey, but learned she was upset because it was her birthday and no one had remembered. When she rushed out crying, Noah quickly called Luke and asked to meet him in Old Town so they could pick out a gift for Ameera.
Noah and Ameera arrived in town and Luke was surprised that Noah had brought Ameera with him. Luke and Noah told Ameera they needed to take care of an errand for class and left to find a birthday present. As she sat alone in town, Casey arrived and the two discussed their falling out. Casey encouraged Ameera to tell Noah that she really cared for him and she agreed it was the best thing to do.
Luke and Noah found the gift for Ameera and went to find her. When they all met up, Ameera told Noah she would meet him at home later and she decided to find an outfit to help seduce Noah when she told him that she loved him. Luke and Noah spent more time together in town and managed to find time to kiss before Noah went home to his "wife." Ameera returned home and got dressed up and waited for Noah. When he came home, Ameera kissed Noah and told him she wanted to be with him.
At the farm, Luke told his father about helping Noah pick out a birthday gift for Ameera. Holden then began explaining to Luke about Lily's departure, but he was interrupted when Luke took a phone call from Noah and had to rush over to the newlyweds' cottage. When Luke arrived, Noah confided to him that Ameera had kissed him and seemed disconsolate that he had rebuffed her. As the teens were talking, Ameera appeared with her suitcase and declared she was "going home to Iraq." She was ashamed that she had expressed her feelings to Noah, and Luke got them to agree that they needed a better living arrangement. Luke suggested that he move in as their roommate, which would not raise any red flags to Immigration since college students are always struggling to make ends meet.
Mike came to the farmhouse and explained to Meg that he could no longer work with Paul after the incident with the note supposedly from Katie. One of them had to leave. Meg told him there was no way he could abandon the Snyder Farm Project and pleaded with him to take a day to think about it. Mike agreed, and left. Holden told Meg that Lily had left temporarily to think about their marriage.
Paul and Sofie talked at Fairwinds about Meg's telling Paul she was finished with him. Paul called Sofie a "twelve-year-old" even though she gave him good advice. She finally told him it was obvious that he did not make Meg happy, and Paul suddenly ran out.
Brad tried to rule the roost by telling Katie that because he was her husband, he did not want her to see her ex-husband, Mike. Katie called him a pompous Neanderthal and left anyway. She went to the Lakeview and found Mike drinking doubles at the bar, where she joined him. Mike told Katie how much he had wanted the note to be from her but that she should go home to her husband and be happy. He suggested they both forget the note incident ever happened. Katie wanted to know who actually wrote the note, but Mike would not tell.
At the Intruder office, Casey attempted to talk down an out-of-control Judge Burke who was irate about an article that Emily had published. Margo arrived because of Casey's call but was stuck in the waiting room listening to the raised voices in Emily's office. The judge threatened Casey and Emily with a gun and ranted about getting even. Casey got the judge talking about his little girls and persuaded him to put down the gun, and Casey opened the door to the police. Margo sent the judge off with other officers and proceeded to berate Emily for being "an idiot." She also let slip a hint about Emily's past as a prostitute. Margo insisted that Casey quit his job there, but Casey refused. Finally Emily dismissed Casey as her assistant for fear that Margo would tell her secret. Casey and Margo went home, but Casey was very upset. Emily, alone in her office, cried.
At the diner, Brad told Henry about Katie's going to see Mike. Henry told Brad not to worry and that Katie had chosen Brad of her own free will. After all, said Henry, she had married Jack on the rebound so Brad was more of a ricochet. Katie appeared and the newlyweds went back to the Lakeview. Brad was not happy that Katie's ex was back in town, but he had also learned that no one gave orders to Katie.
Paul arrived at the Snyder farm, and Holden prepared a welcome with a shotgun. Meg suggested she talk with Paul herself and promised to get rid of him for good. She gave Paul a stern lecture and told him to leave. Paul tried to apologize for his actions, but it was a lost cause. Holden brandished his weapon, and Paul retreated to Fairwinds where he was surprised to find Sofie still there.
Mike drove to the farm and told Meg he had spent some time with Katie. Meg confided that Paul had just been run off the farm by her and Holden, and the two shared a drink.
Ameera agreed to have Luke move in as a roommate, and Luke left to gather his belongings for the move. When he returned, he brought a birthday cake for Ameera, and he and Noah sang to Ameera. The wish Ameera made on her cake was for her good friends to be happy.
As Henry was shutting down the diner for the night, a teenage girl came to the door and asked about places to stay for the night. When Henry quizzed her about how long she was staying, she said it all depended on her friend, Brad Snyder.
At the farm, Meg and Aaron talked about their love lives. Aaron told Meg that Sofie had stood him up the night before and wasn't answering her phone. Meg told Aaron her new New Year's resolution was not to expect anything from a relationship with someone who couldn't handle it. Aaron asked if she had anyone in mind, and Meg said Paul. Aaron talked about Sofie's problems and then asked Meg where they were finding these people. Meg said she didn't know, but she'd love to meet a normal guy sometime who didn't have a lot of emotional baggage.
As if on cue, Mike came in and asked Meg if she'd like to walk the property line with him and the contractor. Meg said she would enjoy that, so they set off together. After the contractor walked off to check out an alternative site for the access road, Mike got his foot stuck in a gopher hole and twisted his ankle. Meg helped him hobble back to the house.
Sofie woke up on Paul's couch at Fairwinds and saw him making himself a drink. She fussed over his early morning drinking, and Paul told her she was too young to be involved in the situation. Barbara walked in and said she agreed with Paul. Barbara escorted Sofie to the door and told her she could handle Paul on her own.
Barbara asked Paul what was wrong. He told her he'd gone back to see Meg the night before, and Barbara wasn't surprised that it had not gone well, since Paul had been drinking. Barbara accused Paul of wanting Meg to feel sorry for him. Barbara said that was a form of manipulation and that if Paul really wanted Meg back, he needed to stop drinking and tell Meg he would change.
Sofie returned to Fairwinds and found Barbara alone. Barbara said Sofie should think about her new career, designing jewelry for Barbara. Sofie couldn't believe Barbara really had that kind of faith in her. Barbara said she wanted Sofie to design 3 pieces of jewelry right away, without thinking too much about it, to get a sense of her style. Sofie took out her phone to call the craft store and get an estimate on the cost of materials; when she opened her phone, she saw a text message from Aaron and realized she'd forgotten their date the night before.
Sofie met Aaron at Java for coffee and apologized for having stood him up. She explained to Aaron how upset Paul had been and said she had felt he couldn't be alone. When she told Aaron that Paul had been drinking and that she had fallen asleep on his couch, Aaron was upset. He told her Paul was a "whack job" and that she should avoid him. Sofie said Aaron couldn't tell her who to be friends with, and Aaron agreed. Aaron then said that just as Sofie would never be able to change Paul, Aaron would never be able to change Sofie, so Sofie was on her own.
Barbara went to the Lakeview restaurant with Kim, who told her she'd heard from Bob that Barbara's oncologist was singing Barbara's praises. Kim said she'd also heard that Barbara's numbers were good, and her attitude was even better, but Kim wanted to know how Barbara was really doing. Barbara admitted she had her ups and downs, but she told Kim she felt ready to move back into her suite at the Lakeview and get back to work. Barbara also told Kim how much Sofie had been helping her and that she wanted to help Sofie get started in jewelry design. Barbara also mentioned that she thought Sofie had a crush on Paul, although Paul was still very much hung up on Meg.
Jack used his keys to let himself into Carly's house and scared her badly in the kitchen, causing her to break a plate. Carly reacted angrily, telling Jack it wasn't his house anymore and he should call first next time. Jack explained he had just wanted to bring Parker a new skateboard and take the kids to the park to play, thus giving Carly some free time, but Carly was too irate to accept his explanation. Jack became equally angry, accusing Carly of trying to keep him out of his kids' lives. Jack left, saying he didn't want the kids to see them fighting.
The kids came downstairs and heard Jack's car driving away. Carly said Jack had to go to work, but she gave Parker the skateboard Jack had brought for him. After a second attempt at making breakfast for the kids, Carly decided they all needed a day out.
Jack went to the police station and asked for a file for a case he'd been working on, but another policeman told Jack that Margo had reassigned that case. Jack angrily said that was just perfect, considering how his day was going, and he stormed out, leaving the policeman to say, "He must have seen Carly."
At the Snyder farm, Faith and Holden spoke with Lily on the phone. Faith was disappointed that Lily wasn't coming home soon, but Holden said she would return when she was ready. Holden then offered to take Natalie and Faith to the park. When they arrived, Parker and Sage ran past them; Holden saw Carly and told her he was very happy to see her. Holden then arranged an impromptu baseball game between the kids, himself, and Carly; Parker watched from the parking lot and then rode off on his skateboard.
Brad and Katie had breakfast at the Lakeview, and a teenage girl tried to approach their table but stopped when Mike walked up. Mike offered an apology to Brad and Katie for his outburst at WOAK the previous day. Brad accepted it and told Mike to forget about it. Mike said he wished he could. He left, and the girl walked up and asked Brad if he was Brad Snyder. At that moment, Katie got a call from Kim at the station, telling her there was an emergency about the show. Katie told Brad that Kim needed them back at WOAK, and Brad quickly scribbled his autograph on a napkin and handed it to the teen.
The young girl went to the park to retrieve her knapsack, which she had hidden in a tree. As Parker reached the end of the parking lot on his skateboard, the girl walked out in front of him, which made him crash into a tree. Carly saw Parker fall, and she and the rest of the Snyders rushed to his side. Holden thought they should take Parker to the hospital to be checked out.
At WOAK, Kim explained that Brad and Katie's guest for the day, Ms. Cranston, who had been the judge's nanny and lover, had decided to back out of their interview at the last minute, because The Intruder's story had been splashed all over page one. Katie said she would find the young lady and talk her into doing the interview. Katie met with Ms. Cranston at Al's Diner but was making no progress with her when Brad walked in. Brad approached the young woman and said he could tell she didn't want people to see her as a victim in the affair. She was happy that Brad understood, and ultimately, she agreed to do the interview.
Back at WOAK, Brad and Katie interviewed Ms. Cranston on the air. When the interview ended, Katie noticed the teenage girl from earlier in the day. The girl approached Brad and asked to speak to him privately. Brad told her that anything she wanted to say to him, she could say in front of his wife. The teenager then said simply, "I'm your daughter."
When Meg and Mike made it back to the farmhouse, Paul was waiting there. Meg helped Mike inside, where she found Jack. Meg asked Jack to help Mike by getting some ice for his ankle. She went back outside to talk to Paul. Meg was upset that Paul hadn't gotten the message the previous night when she'd told him to stay away from her. Paul asked what was going on between Meg and Mike, and Meg told him it was nothing, that Mike had hurt his ankle, but then she told Paul her life was no longer his business. Paul told Meg that he was a mess without her, but he wanted to change and would wait for her until she could believe in him again. Meg told Paul he would never change and that she didn't care what he did as long as he did it away from her.
At the hospital, Holden sent Faith, Natalie, and Sage down to the cafeteria. In the hallway, they ran into Jack and Meg, who were bringing Mike to have his ankle examined. Jack asked Sage why she was at the hospital; when she told him about Parker, Jack rushed into the examining room. Carly explained that Parker had an accident on the new skateboard Jack had given him. The doctor came in to examine Parker and asked everyone else to please wait outside.
In the hallway, Jack laid into Carly, upset that she hadn't called to tell him she was bringing Parker to the hospital. Carly explained that it hadn't seemed like a critical injury at the time and she would have let him know after she'd spoken to the doctor. Jack didn't like that and accused Carly of trying to cut him out of the kids' lives. Jack yelled at Carly, asking what if he hadn't told her about something like that. Holden got between Jack and Carly and said, "And what if you just put a lid on it, Jack?"
Paul returned to Fairwinds, where he found Sofie once again waiting for him. He made himself a drink and told her he didn't want to talk about how things had gone with Meg. Paul told Sofie she was very young and very sweet, and she should go have some fun. Sofie told Paul that she and Aaron had just broken up. Paul said he was sorry, and Sofie said she was sorry about Meg and that they were "quite a pair." Paul looked uneasy and backed away.
