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Margot is on her way home when she gets hit by a car while riding her tricycle.
While Margot is rushed to the hospital, Russell pays a visit to Margot's mother (Paula
Notewirthy) and offers to take her to the hospital. Paula stalls until it finally becomes
apparent that she has agoraphobia, a fear of leaving home. Dinah and LT wait at the
hospital until Margot regains consciousness. Meanwhile, the Greenes drop off some
groceries for the housebound Paula and realize the extent of Paula's dependence on
Margot. Claire tells Russell that she's spoken with the school psychologist who warned
that this situation is bad for Margot's mental health. As Margot's condition improves, the
Greenes urge Margot to notify her father, Gavin Notewirthy, a professor at Columbia
University in New York. Margot, who has a strained relationship with him, agrees,
provided the Greenes are there for moral support. In between speaking engagements,
Gavin Notewirthy, accompanied by Trish (wife number three) stops in to check on
Margot, though Margot is clearly holding onto some anger toward them. Once they are
alone, Dinah urges Margot to confront her mother to seek help. Margot returns home
and, with Dinah there for moral support, Margot confronts her mother. Margot tells her
mother that she's made an appointment for her at the hospital. Paula panics at the
mention of this idea. Margot holds firm until her mother breaks down, forcing Margot
back into the co-dependent role she has been shouldering. By episode's end, however,
Paula takes her first steps toward recovery, with Dinah and Margot at her side.
Claire and Josh spend the night at Bobbie's house (in her parents' absence) when Kevin
becomes sick. Claire is troubled that Josh didn't study for his exam in order to help
Bobbie, and more troubled about the larger picture, that their relationship is costing Josh
his adolescence. Claire expresses her concern to Bobbie, causing Bobbie to search her
soul. Though clearly heartbroken, Bobbie breaks up with Josh despite his efforts to
convince her otherwise. When Josh finds out his mother had something to do with this,
he lashes out at her. Russell tries to mediate, but the damage is done. Josh eventually
talks to Bobbie, tries to convince Bobbie of his love for her, and that he's prepared to
marry her to prove it. Bobbie sees that Josh is serious and tells him she loves him too,
but that she needs time to think things over.
LT enters a play-writing contest and wins fourth place. But Principal Peters thinks the
subject matter (Thomas Jefferson's affair with a black slave) is too controversial, though
he hasn't bothered to read it himself. Claire explains that it's too late, the entries have
already been selected, that rejecting LT's play could become a lightning rod for media
attention. Peters sees her point, suggests letting the student/faculty advisory board make
the decision, letting him off the hook. LT appears before the panel and explains his
play's historical and social relevance. Peters withdraws his objection on the spot, pre-
empting the panel's decision. Though it's open to interpretation, Peters either recognized
the merits of the play for himself or saw that LT was winning over the panel and wanted
to save himself the embarrassment of being overruled.
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