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Original Airdate: 11/10/97
Church services conclude and the congregation gradually empties into the courtyard, giving Simon the perfect chance to hit people up to buy greeting cards so he can win a prize – a "Tick" doll. When Eric sees him soliciting, he puts an end to it and Simon walks away, knowing he just lost his opportunity to sell all the boxes of cards that day. Eric shakes hands with Emery, whose son, Steve, has been given six months to live. Emery asks Eric if he knows anyone who could sit with Steve at night and be with him, since he and his wife are getting exhausted being there morning and night and working during the day. Matt overhears the conversation, but is told by Eric "no way."Inside, Annie is serving coffee and her special muffins when she is approached by David, who owns a chain of bakeries and who is very interested in her muffins. Mary and Lucy overhear and think it's great and urge Annie to go into business with him – but she isn't exactly overwhelmed by the idea.
Later that night at the house, Mary and Lucy try to convince their dad to talk to their mom about the muffin business. They tell him that mom doesn't have any self-confidence anymore because she hasn't had the opportunity to spread her wings since they got married. Matt interrupts them and tells Eric he contacted Emery himself. At first a little angry about going behind his back, Eric tells Matt they will give it a try – but being with a dying child is one of the hardest things in the world.
Ruthie interrogates her mom about the proposed muffin business and Annie explains the concept of selling for a profit. To demonstrate, she loans Ruthie money to buy all of Simon's greeting cards so that not only Simon can get his prize, but also so Ruthie can resell them for her own profit and make $10. When Ruthie tells Simon the plan, Simon laughs but agrees so he can send in for the doll – which will take 4-6 weeks.
After being pestered by Eric, Annie gives in and says she is going into the muffin business. After dinner, she is still upset at some of the things Eric insinuated about her not working all these years, but she gives him a goodbye kiss as he and Matt are leaving for the hospital. When they arrive at Steve's room, there is a tense moment as everyone is holding their breath to see if it will work out, but then their worries disappear as Steve and Matt hit it off.
Annie meets with David and they discuss different aspects of the muffin business. Annie explains that it would cost less to use margarine instead of butter in the recipe, but David says they should stick to the original recipe for now. When he tells Annie he is going to give her $1,000 for the recipe plus 30% of the profits, Annie's eyes glaze over and she barely notices Eric walking through the kitchen.
Matt goes to visit Steve again the next evening and the two read various comic books. When Steve notices Matt checking his watch, Matt tells him that he will bet money that Eric will make up some excuse to come and check on them. Out of nowhere, Steve asks Matt what he thinks dying is like. Matt answers that he thinks dying is like when you are a little kid, and you're sick and your parents put you in their bed. You wake up, and for a minute you know you aren't in your bed – and you're scared. But then you realize where you are and that you are ok. This seems to satisfy Steve who then tells Matt he hasn't been outside in months. He asks Matt to take him out of the hospital and as they argue about it, Eric barges through the door and they both laugh.
The next morning, Ruthie wakes up at 5AM and finds Annie already working in the kitchen. She tells her mom that the delivery guy always wakes her up when he rings the doorbell. Annie says he won't do that anymore but is angry when he rings the doorbell yet again. He tells Annie that he came extra early because the customers keep showing up earlier and earlier to get the muffins. Annie doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Matt is also woke up by the delivery guy and decides to stop by and see Steve. When he gets there, he asks the doctor if going outside for a few hours is really dangerous. The doctor says Steve's parents are being overprotective since they are scared. When a nurse comes to take Steve for breakfast, Matt says he will do it – but actually he takes Steve out of the building and into the fresh air.
When Eric brings the other kids home from school, Eric can't believe that Matt would do something like this. Annie tells Lucy and Mary they are going to help her with muffins all night long and they are less than enthused. Eric joins up with Steve's parents at the hospital and on a hunch go to a baseball diamond where they find Matt and Steve. After hugs go around, Steve's parents decide to take him home and get him out of the hospital. Eric tells Matt he took a big risk – one that he had wished HE had taken.
Annie announces her retirement from the muffin business and Ruthie presents Simon with a talking "Tick" doll that she bought at the mall with some of her profit money. Simon knows there is a lesson to be learned and gives Ruthie a big hug.