Episode Recap
Georgie covers Mandy’s eyes as they walk up to the Coopers' driveway. When he removes his hands, Mandy asks if he bought her an ugly car. Georgie explains he bought himself a family car and traded in his Mustang. Mandy wonders why he would trade it for this. Georgie admits he loved his Mustang but says he couldn't fit a baby seat in the back. Mandy jokes that the only reason she liked him was for his cool car, but Georgie is more excited about how many groceries they can fit in the back. Georgie insists it was a no-brainer; he wants to keep their kid safe. Mandy thanks him with a kiss on the cheek, which Georgie finds “interesting.” When Mandy tells him to grow up, Georgie points out he just bought a car that seats 25.
When Mandy and Georgie join the Coopers at the dinner table, Georgie asks his parents not to make a big deal out of it. Sheldon has a question for his "Niblingo," a term his parents hadn't heard before. Sheldon asks Mandy if it's true that pregnant women have to eat for two. "Guess Dad's pregnant," Missy jokes. Mandy thinks she'll be fine with one portion since the baby is the size of a golf ball. Sheldon calculates the baby is the size of a bell pepper but admits he might be off. When Sheldon questions when Mandy’s last menstruation was, Georgie says everyone is making it weird. George and Mary point out they haven't said anything wrong, but Georgie accuses them of being overly polite.
When a telephone call interrupts dinner, George goes to answer it. As the rest of the family continues eating, Mary asks Georgie and Mandy if they’re going to find out the sex of the baby. Mandy says yes, but Georgie hopes to be surprised. Mandy says she doesn’t like surprises. Mary wonders about a baby shower, saying people will want to know the sex. Georgie says they’ve got to have a baby shower… before asking what a baby shower is. George returns to the table to tell Mary he’s got to go. It was Principal Petersen, who said something’s going on with Wayne.
Outside a motel room at night, George asks Principal Petersen what's going on. Petersen says Coach Wilkins didn't show up for work today, but he heard Wayne was here. When George knocks, Wayne tells him to go away. George warns that Petersen will knock the door down if Wayne doesn't let them in. Inside, a disheveled Wilkins offers them a drink. After George asks what's wrong, Wayne reveals his marriage is over. George and Petersen are shocked, saying Wayne and Darlene seemed so happy. Wayne confesses his wife is cheating on him with his best friend and she’s having his baby. George and Petersen are speechless. George suggests Petersen take Wayne to his house, but Petersen jokes that if he took in every teacher with marital problems, his house would look like a firehouse. George invites Wayne to his house, but Wayne doesn't want to be around George's "happy family." George jokes that after a few days with them, Wayne will be glad the baby isn't his.
As Georgie walks Mandy to Meemaw’s house, she thanks him for a fun night. Georgie is surprised that dinner with his family is considered fun, but Mandy points out that her parents aren’t even speaking to her. She invites Georgie in, saying there’s some ice cream inside. She’s going to eat it all, but he’s welcome to watch. When Georgie says he has to get to work, Mandy is confused and asks if the laundromat doesn’t pretty much run itself. Georgie flashes back to gaming room, but instead insists there a lot of technical issues - lint, etc. - at the laundromat. After Mandy says good night and goes inside, Georgie feels pleased with himself for “chipping away at that ice.”
The next morning, Sheldon finds Coach Wilkins asleep on the couch and isn't sure what to do. He goes to Missy's room, saying a social protocol issue has arisen and he needs her input. As they both stand around the couch, Missy wonders why Coach Wilkins is there. More importantly, Sheldon asks if he can watch TV while Coach Wilkins sleeps on the couch. The twins go to their parents’ bedroom, where Missy wakes Mary to ask why Coach Wilkins is on the couch. After Sheldon says the real question is whether he can watch TV, George shouts for them to get out.
Later that morning, Principal Petersen comes to the house to ask George how Wilkins is doing. George says he's still sleeping it off. When Mary joins them, she says she can't believe Darlene would do this. "Right before the big game," Petersen adds. When Petersen asks George if he thinks Wilkins can pull himself together by then, Mary can't believe a man's life is falling apart and all he can think about is a football game. After Petersen notices Sheldon and Missy eavesdropping, the adults take the conversation outside. Petersen asks George to help get Wayne coaching in time for the big game. George points out that Petersen fired him and hired Wayne, so this is his problem. After Petersen begs, saying how important this game is, George agrees to help out for the kids on the team. And for Wayne, Mary adds.
As George drives to work with Wayne, he says he believes going back to work is exactly what Wayne needs. He tries to inspire Wayne with a motivational speech: “One thing you got to remember, this story ain't over. We don't know how it's gonna end. The only person that can decide that is you. You are the hero of your story. You take the action. You call the shots. You decide your destiny.” Wayne recognizes it as the speech George gave the team at half-time when they were losing badly. George points out they went on to win that game. Wayne notes they only won after their star quarterback got injured. George accuses Wayne of not even trying.
At a clinic, the nurse tells Mandy they don’t have any insurance information on her file. Meemaw tells the nurse they’ll be paying in cash and pulls a wad out of her bra. After Mandy asks if Meemaw always carries that much cash, Meemaw jokingly asks if she thought there were just boobs in her bra. Mandy presses, asking why she carries so much cash. Meemaw flashes back to the gambling room before claiming the laundromat’s a cash business. After Mandy points out it’s mostly quarters, Meemaw adds they also have the video store now and mentions she’s not big on banks. “Because you lived through the Depression?”, Mandy asks. Meemaw says yeah with a fake laugh, while a scowl crosses her face.
At school, Darlene tells her students to put their books away and get their pencils out for a test. Missy raises her hand and asks Ms. Wilkins if she's sure she wants to give a test today. "Why wouldn't I?”, Darlene asks. "Well, you know, with everything you're going through…" a supposedly caring Missy says. Meanwhile, in their former shared office, Coach Wilkins thanks George for everything he's done and agrees it was a good idea for him to come to work today. As George says he's welcome, the phone starts to ring. After Wilkins answers to Darlene who shouts, "What the hell did you tell Missy Cooper?!", George says he'll give them some privacy.
As Georgie shows Mandy around the video store, she becomes suspicious and asks about the room marked "No Entry." Georgie claims it's just storage and the machines to rewind video tapes. Mandy feels a chill in the air when Officer Jake stops by to congratulate Georgie on his new enterprise. As Meemaw comes to talk to Jake, Georgie tries to distract Mandy by showing her the kids' section. Mandy senses tension between Jake and Meemaw, as Jake tells her they need to renegotiate their settlement. After he's gone, Mandy tells Meemaw and Georgie to stop, saying she knows what's going on. "That creepy cop, that trip to Mexico, all that cash in your bra. Y'all are selling drugs," Mandy claims. Meemaw insists they're not selling drugs. "So you're telling me there's nothing weird going on back there?" Mandy asks. "Oh, I didn't say that," Meemaw replies.
As Meemaw tells Mandy they should take a walk, Georgie asks her to keep an open mind. They enter the gambling room, packed with customers and chiming machines. “See? Not drugs,” Georgie says. Meemaw comments that’s the sound of a 22% house advantage. When Mandy asks if it’s legal, Georgie lies and says yes. Meemaw says no. “Kind of,” Georgie settles on. Mandy figures the police are in on it then. “A little bit,” Georgie concedes. “Silent partner, as they say,” Meemaw adds. Georgie admits this is a lot to take in, so he’s surprised when Mandy says it’s amazing. “My kid's going to private school,” she exclaims.
In the locker room after practice, George tells the kids to gather around and take a knee as he hands over to Coach Wilkins for a speech. “Look at you guys. Young, strong, all your hopes and dreams in front of you. None of you have any idea of what's out there waiting for you.” George wonders where Wilkins is going with this. “A team requires trust. Sure, you can count on your teammates when the ball is snapped. But can you count on them when they're away at a teacher's conference with the woman you were gonna spend your life with? Hmm?” George doesn’t know how to add to that, so he just says, “Team on three.”
Back home, Sheldon is watching Star Trek on TV with Missy and Coach Wilkins on the couch. Neither of them seems to be enjoying it like he is. “That's Commander Data. He's an android, but he aspires to be human. Which, if you ask me, is a step in the wrong direction,” Sheldon tells them. In the kitchen, as George grabs a beer, he tells Mary he doesn’t know how Coach Wilkins is going to coach the game on Friday. “Can you believe his marriage is falling apart like that?” Mary asks. George agrees, saying if anyone’s marriage was going to collapse, you’d think it would be theirs. “Ain't that the truth,” Mary says. Meanwhile, Missy tells Coach Wilkins she saw his wife today, but he admits he already heard. Missy says he’s right to stay with them, as Darlene seemed angry.
On Friday, as the football game is played beneath the pouring rain, George tells Coach Wilkins he’s up as their team takes control of the ball. “I can't, George. I just can't,” a defeated Wilkins says. As George takes over and gives a player the strategy, Petersen watches him from the sidelines.
Back home, as the rain continues to pour, Georgie finds Sheldon sitting on his bed holding a bucket. When Georgie says he brought pizza home, Sheldon replies he can't leave. Georgie points out there are no leaks in the roof, but Sheldon insists there might be and he can't take that risk. Georgie offers to bring him a slice, but Sheldon worries that crumbs in his bedroom might attract bugs and disease. With a sigh, Georgie offers to sit there on leak watch so his younger brother can go eat. Sheldon agrees, asking Georgie to pay special attention to the computer - the heart of his whole operation - and his train set.
As Sheldon passes Mandy in the corridor, she asks where Georgie is. Sheldon replies, "He’s in my room. Don’t distract him." When Mandy enters Sheldon’s room, she asks Georgie what he’s doing. "Leak patrol," he says, confusing Mandy. Georgie explains he’s babysitting and this is the only way to get his brother to eat. After Mandy thanks Georgie for how wonderful he’s been lately, Georgie is pleased she noticed. When Sheldon returns for a status update, Georgie tells him it’s "dry as a bone." Sheldon wonders if he has time for another slice. "Go nuts," Georgie tells him. As Sheldon goes to grab another slice, Georgie tells Mandy if their kid is weird, he’s prepared.
Back at the game, after Medford wins 6-0, Principal Petersen congratulates George and asks if he feels like doing this again next week. George wonders what he means. Petersen says the job’s his again, if he wants it. After George asks about Wayne, Petersen says, "What about him?" George explains that Wilkins is his friend and needs a job to get off his couch. Petersen says it's George's call. George thanks Tom and, to get revenge for being fired, pulls him close for a bear hug, getting Petersen’s clothes just as wet and muddy as his.
The next morning, Mandy tries to discreetly leave Georgie’s garage, cross the road, and sneak into Meemaw’s house. As she opens Meemaw’s front door, goes inside, and heads for the stairs, Meemaw greets her with a "morning." Mandy is surprised and comments that Meemaw is up early. Meemaw points out that Mandy was out late. When Mandy starts to explain, Meemaw interrupts, saying she knows. Mandy asks if they need to talk about it, but Meemaw says she’s just enjoying the awkwardness. “Great,” Mandy replies, saying she is going to go. Meemaw says she’ll be watching. As Mandy turns and walks towards the stairs, she looks back and sees Meemaw doing just that.
