It's Ryan's 18th birthday! He agrees to a party as long as it's not "a big to do." Why do the Files feel as though it still would be? Later, in school, Summer says that Marissa hasn't been acting like herself because she hasn't been eating a lot. We're not sure what she means by that.
Kirsten, sober and thinking too much, thinks the family should invite Ryan's mother to the party. Meanwhile, Julie and Dr. Roberts are doing other things a bit too much and still not telling their kids about it. Julie seems to want it to be serious. Also serious? Sadie in her questioning of Ryan as they work to fix of Mrs. Harper's house before it goes on the market. Ryan is then left to decide if he ought to invite the anorexic wonder to his party, which Seth has lined up at The Bait Shop.
In other news, Summer finds cruise tickets addressed to her father. She assumes the plan is for him to propose to Julie on it. This doesn't make her overly pleased. In a less than stellar move, Summer shows Julie the tickets and warns her of a possible proposal. Sandy, at least, has had some luck tracking down Ryan's mother - she's in New Mexico and he's gonna fly their to rescue her from trouble. Yay Sand Man!
When he does find her, she's in prison. A typical Atwood. Can you guess who's not going to prison? Marissa. The police investigation is over, she's off the hook, but gets to keep the miraculous letter that doesn't burn she had written to him. And then she's sees Volchok stalking her territory. He and Matt get into it a bit - and, oh no, Ryan see it all.
Keep following along because it gets better: Julie tells Marissa about Dr. Roberts and Marissa seems ok with it. She does leave breakfast without eating it, though. Furthermore, Sandy gets Mrs. Atwood out of prison and tells her to go to Ryan's suaree. Attending that party will NOT be Sadie because she's meeting an old flame in LA - but she does at least give him an engraved hammer. For pounding stuff.
Dr. Roberts' head is probably pounding after Julie admits she knows about the cruise, which he doesn't seem to have actually planned for them. In a shocking twist, Marissa goes to visit Volchok, who is working ... on the same model home that Ryan and Luke (we miss you!) burnt down so long ago. Naturally, Marissa passes out as a result and falls down the stairs. She really should've eaten breakfast.
Marissa and Volchok then bond over Johnny as the V-Dawg leaves her his number. Then, of course, she finds the invite to the party inside the trailer. At the Bait Shop, Seth has lined up silly pictures of Ryan dressed a fireman and other occupations. And Dr. Roberts admits that the tickets were bought months ago and meant to salvage things with the "step monster." Sandy also makes an admission about seeing Ryan's mother, handing his son the envelope that his mother had left for him. Wonder if that letter inside is capable of burning. But he reads it instead and then looks up to see Sadie has blown off her ex to come to the party. Marissa catches sight of this and, of course, we're taken to her drinking on the lifeguard stand with Volchok.
"The Journey" File: