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Original Airdate: 04/14/97
Since the puppies are gone, Ruthie tries to convince her mom to let her have her own pet, since technically Happy is Simon's dog, but Annie is unmoving. When the rest of the kids arrive home from school, Lucy finds out that her dad wants to talk to her about something. Not knowing what it is, Lucy fears the worst.
Meanwhile, a young man arrives at the Camden's house and pays the cab driver for the trip. As he is picking up his suitcase, he drops a $50 bill on the ground by the sidewalk. Annie comes to the door and is surprised to see her old friend, Tom, who used to be an associate pastor at Eric's church. When Eric sees who the visitor is, instead of saying hello, he retreats back to the den. After some encouraging, Eric joins the two for coffee in the living room where Tom asks if there are any open positions at the church, but Eric says there isn't any more room in the budget. Tom says it was worth a shot and asks if he can borrow the phone to call a hotel for vacancies. Annie won't hear any of it and invites Tom to stay with the family. As Tom goes upstairs, Eric tells Annie he always feels like Tom is hiding something.
Eventually, Lucy finds Eric and says whatever happened - it isn't her fault. Eric tells her to take it easy because he only wanted to remind Lucy that this Sunday is the start of her confirmation class to join the church as an adult. Relieved, Mary goes to ask Tom is he will help her study. Tom asks Lucy if she considered all her options since it is a very big decision, so Lucy goes to borrow some religion books from Eric.
When Mary arrives home from detention, Matt covers for her and tells Annie that Mary was at basketball practice. She asks if she and her new friend, Camille, can go to the mall tonight, and Annie says yes. Matt is obviously concerned because of Camille's bad reputation for being wild, but Mary tells Matt that's what HIS reputation is as well.
While out walking Happy, Simon and Ruthie stumble upon the $50 bill that Tom dropped. After evaluating the options of telling their parents or spending it themselves, they agree to keep it and decide what to spend it on. Their plan works out when Matt tells them they can go to the mall with Mary, hoping it will help keep Mary out of trouble. When they get to the mall, the kids are bored watching their older sister go through the racks of clothes. Mary tells them they can go to the pet store alone and there they overhear a guy who breeds hamsters to sell to the store. They think that is a great way to earn money, but the owner won't sell any pets to minors. As they leave the store, a man asks them if they want to buy two ferrets, and they eagerly turn over the $50 to the man, not knowing ferrets are illegal to have as pets.
While at the mall, Camille shoplifts a new dress for Mary whom she convinces to sneak out of the house to go to a fraternity party. Mary agrees and goes to the party where she is immediately hit upon by a guy who is drinking too much. When Mary tells Camille she wants to leave, Camille doesn't seem to care, telling Mary she has two options: either wait until Camille is ready to go or have one of the guys take her home. Finding a third option, she decides to call Matt.
After thinking they had mice due to holes being chewed in everything, Annie eventually discovers the two ferrets taking a nesting place in her dresser drawers. Simon and Ruthie spill all they know. Later, since Tom was the one who indirectly paid for the ferrets, he volunteers to take them home with him.
Eric and Tom have a talk about what is bothering Tom and Eric finds out Tom's secret - he suffers from epileptic seizures. The previous Sunday, he had a seizure while giving a sermon and scared the congregation to death. He says he never wants to see any of those people again, and he never wants that to happen to him again in public. Even though he is seeing a doctor and taking medication, every two years or so he has one bad seizure. Eric tells Tom that he is the strongest man he has ever known and gains a new respect for Tom.
Matt goes to pick up Mary from the party and upon arriving home, Annie is shocked to find out the girl he had to give a ride home to is Mary. Annie chews Mary out for lying about detention and sneaking out to go to a party. Mary says she is sorry and nothing happened and Annie tells her she will never see the freedom of the outdoors again.