Regrets

Regrets
Season 5, Episode 20

Air date	May 7th, 2001
Written by	Brenda Hampton & Barbara Calloway
Directed by	Tony Mordente
Episode Guide
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Regrets is the twentieth episode of the 5th season and the 108th episode overall of 7th Heaven. On its original airing, this episode scored 6.97 million viewers, leading the WB and earning 65th place for the week nationally.^[1]

Synopsis[]

The Glenoak Community is making a big fuss over a petition that is protesting the apparently unfair firing of one of Ruthie's beloved teachers, Mrs. Miller at her private school. However, Matt knows the real reason why she is leaving since she has been to his hospital after being diagnosed with advanced terminal breast cancer, which leads to the embarrassment of many of the petitioners, including Simon and Lucy when they encounter her brother who's also a teacher at their high school. Also, Annie's father Charles drops by at the Camdends for a visit. Annie is then surprised and shocked when her father passes on some unsettling news to Eric, to tell her that she has a sister, Lily.

Plot[]

Warning: Significant plot details follow.

It's late at night, and while the Camden household is fast asleep, Eric remains awake, sitting in the dimly lit kitchen. He appears deeply distraught, as if his thoughts weighing heavily on him. As he gets up for more coffee, his notes in his notebook reflect his concern about a specific revelation that might come out soon and its consequences when it is revealed.

Eric is meeting with his close friend, Morgan Hamilton, at Morgan's AME church, seeking advice on a troubling matter. Morgan, however, is more focused on why they couldn't discuss this over a meal. Eventually, Morgan allows Eric to share his story, which begins with an ordinary day. At home in the kitchen, Annie finishes a phone call with Ginger and immediately senses something is off, suspecting Ginger is lying. When Eric inquires about her father, Annie reveals that he also seemed troubled, which prompted her to call Ginger that morning for answers. While Eric doesn't think it's a big deal, Ruthie expresses concern about them possibly breaking up. Annie redirects Ruthie to finish her breakfast before school, but Ruthie is preoccupied with a petition she’s circulating to prevent the firing of her teacher, Mrs. Miller. Despite not knowing why Mrs. Miller is being dismissed, Ruthie is determined to stop it. Eric advises her to get more information before collecting signatures, suspecting the matter is confidential. Ruthie, however, is more concerned with the outcome than the details, noting that her siblings have already signed the petition. Annie begins to sign it as well, even though Eric hesitates due to the lack of information about the matter. Robbie walks down, and when Eric notices his name isn't on the petition, Robbie explains that he avoids signing things like that and isn't even registered to vote. This sparks a heated exchange, with Eric urging Robbie to register and emphasizing that he has no right to complain about the administration if he doesn't participate. Robbie points out that the tension in the house is likely due to concerns about Annie's parents. Eric insists they aren't breaking up and tells him to tell Ruthie to stop suggesting it. Annie, though not pleased with the idea, acknowledges that if they did split, her father would likely move in with them, a prospect she wouldn’t mind. She speculates that Ginger might want out of the marriage, but Eric remains confident that's not the case. The conversation shifts to Mary, with Eric mentioning that the Colonel informed him she’s been seeing Wilson a few nights a week. Annie is disappointed, still uneasy about Wilson being a teenage father, while Eric defends Wilson's maturity, noting that Mary has the support of his parents. Going back to the current day, Morgan, growing impatient, complains about Eric not getting to the point and reiterates his hunger, but Eric assures him that the details are important. Eric then recounts a conversation later that day with Ruthie’s principal, Mrs. Mackoul, in his church office. She informed him that Mrs. Miller wasn't being fired, but she wouldn't be returning that year, though she couldn’t explain why. Mrs. Mackoul invites Eric to a meeting later that day, which Ruthie would also attend. Just then, Annie's father, Charles, enters, visibly distraught and upset, revealing that he flew in the previous night and asked Ginger not to tell Annie. When Matt arrives, Charles is unusually emotional and irritable with him as well. Matt mentions that Mary called and is seeing Wilson, which confuses Charles, who thought she was with Robbie. Matt clarifies that Mary and Robbie were having an argument over the phone and that's why he couldn't call. Before leaving, Charles asks Matt not to mention his visit to Eric to Annie if he doesn't see him later. He then asks about Wilson, puzzled by why they would have any issues with him, given that he thought Annie and Eric liked him. Returning to the present, Eric explains to Morgan that Charles’s unusual behavior at the church culminated in a heated outburst, where he accused Eric of not understanding his struggles as a single father in college. Sensing that there was more to the story than just Wilson, Eric pressed further, leading Charles to reveal that Annie has a secret sister, a fact he had kept hidden from everyone.

Meanwhile, in the present time, Annie, driving around town, suddenly spots Eric's car parked at Morgan's church and decides to stop and go inside. Inside, Morgan tries to reassure Eric that everything will be fine, and Eric replies that he thinks Charles feels overwhelmed and believes that the stress of keeping this secret is worsening his Alzheimer's symptoms. Annie, who has been quietly listening from the doorway, overhears Eric discussing the possibility of a woman—her sister—showing up at their house to reveal the truth herself. He mentions that he intended to tell Annie the previous night, but things got hectic, and then he rushes off to meet with Ruthie’s principal. Annie quickly hides when she sees Eric leaving. After he leaves, she confronts Morgan, asking if Eric is having an affair. Morgan, however, tells her that she must ask Eric herself and refuses to divulge any details. Annie hurries outside to catch up with Eric, who notices her car but doesn’t think much of it as he drives away. By the time Annie catches up, Eric is already in his car driving away. Meanwhile, at school, Simon enters the detention classroom where Lucy and a few other students are already seated. The teacher walks in, holding the petition they all signed, and begins distributing other petitions, challenging them to consider which ones they would or wouldn't sign. At home, Robbie is watching TV and shows Matt a news segment about Ruthie’s teacher’s petition regarding the unfair firing of Mrs. Miller. Matt has a bad feeling about it, and when the teacher’s identity is revealed on the television news, he realizes the true reason behind her "firing". At Ruthie’s school, she is in a heated argument with her principal, Mrs. Mackoul, demanding an explanation for Mrs. Miller’s situation. Ruthie implies that Mrs. Mackoul might be prejudiced, but Mrs. Mackoul defends herself, asserting that while she may not be perfect, the school is committed to providing a healthy educational environment. She finds Ruthie’s accusations unfair and emphasizes that Ruthie doesn’t know the full story behind Mrs. Miller’s departure, assuring her that it has nothing to do with race. Mrs. Mackoul then turns to Eric, explaining that she wants him to hear her side of the story and urges him to talk to Ruthie. Before leaving, Mrs. Mackoul tells Ruthie that while she likes her, she is disappointed that Ruthie has resorted to leading a mass attack against her, as she had expected Ruthie to be a leader, not a follower. Eric then suggests that they go home and reconsider everything, noting that Ruthie seems to be out of control. At the high school, Lucy questions why they are all there and asks if this is an official detention. The teacher clarifies that it isn’t and that he merely asked the principal if he could invite them, adding that no one is being forced to stay. While the rest of the students leave, Lucy and Simon approach the teacher to ask what's going on, and he reveals that they signed a petition without knowing the full story—Mrs. Miller is his sister—leaving Lucy and Simon speechless. Back at home, Ruthie and Eric walk into the kitchen and Annie praises Ruthie for getting the petition on the news, which excites Ruthie, who quickly runs upstairs. Annie then tells Eric that she saw him at Morgan's church, to which Eric responds that he noticed her car. Annie, eager for answers, asks what’s going on, but before Eric can explain, Simon and Lucy walk in, explaining what happened at school and asking what the petition was really about. Matt enters and admits they all made a mistake by signing the petition. Just then, Charles arrives, and Annie and the kids hug him. Eric tries to explain that he hasn’t had a chance to tell Annie about everything but suggests they watch the news first and then sit down to talk. They move to the living room and Matt advises that everyone should be nervous about the situation, revealing that he knows why Mrs. Miller left but can’t share the details due to hospital confidentiality. Robbie mentions that the news promo suggests that racism and prejudice might be the reasons behind Mrs. Miller’s departure. The family gathers around to watch the news broadcast, where Mrs. Mackoul and Mrs. Miller clarify the situation. Mrs. Miller, it turns out, wasn’t fired—she requested to leave due to personal reasons, specifically that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is scheduled for surgery the next day. Mrs. Miller explained that she didn’t want to worry her students and was hesitant to share her diagnosis. The family exchanges discernible looks, and Ruthie expresses a desire to call Mrs. Miller, but Annie advises against it, thinking it’s best not to bother her during such a difficult time. Matt then reveals that he had previously walked Mrs. Miller to her car at the hospital but hadn’t known who she was at the time. He also shares that her husband passed away two years ago, and she had delayed her own medical care out of anger over how her husband’s health insurance situation was mishandled. Lucy regrets signing the petition, and Annie instructs everyone to go upstairs and reflect on the situation while she talks to her father and Eric. Annie then confronts her father about what’s going on. Charles admits that he should have been the one to tell her first but couldn’t bring himself to do it. He asks Eric to explain instead. Eric reveals that when Charles was a young man, he had a girlfriend who later passed away. Unbeknownst to Charles, they had a child together. Charles explains that he wasn’t told much at the time and only knew that she had left town. He had tried his best to find her but was unsuccessful. Overwhelmed by this revelation, Annie becomes upset and leaves the room.

Upstairs, Eric stands outside the door, telling Annie he’s going to give her a few minutes to calm down while checking on her father. When he heads downstairs, he realizes that Charles is already gone, nowhere to be found in the kitchen. Concerned, Eric calls Morgan, asking for his help. As evening falls, Robbie is playing with the twins while Annie walks in and watches. She asks Robbie to put the kids to bed, and when the light starts flickering, she teases him about not being allowed to complain, a nod to his earlier remarks about not voting in the presidential election. Annie heads downstairs, where Eric informs her that Matt took Simon and Lucy to find Mrs. Miller’s brother. Morgan is helping organize support for Mrs. Miller, and they all want to apologize for their involvement in the petition. He adds that Ruthie has called Mrs. Mackoul to apologize and is now working to gather volunteers to help Mrs. Miller in any way they can. Eric asks Annie how she’s doing, and she mentions that she’s planning to call Mrs. Miller herself to apologize for signing the petition. Eric reassures her, telling her that he spoke to Ginger and that everything is okay with her. However, Annie becomes upset about the woman coming into her father's life causing more stress to his fragile heart. Eric tries to explain that Charles is likely relieved to have finally revealed the truth but is also frightened of Annie’s reaction. He then tells her that the woman’s name is Lily and encourages Annie to face this situation head-on, assuring her that he’ll tell the kids about their new relative. Eric emphasizes that they’ve raised a wonderful family and should aim to live without regrets. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Mrs. Miller’s brother overhears Lucy and Simon apologizing for their involvement. Morgan steps in and introduces himself, explaining how both Eric’s and his church congregations, along with the students, are coming together to help in any way they can—whether it’s cooking, cleaning, or driving. Lucy shares that Ruthie, who is in Mrs. Miller’s class, has organized the students to send cards wishing her a speedy recovery and expressing regret if they caused her any distress. Mr. Johnson reflects on how much his sister means to her students, saying that they wouldn’t have gathered so many signatures if they didn’t care deeply for her. At home, Ruthie calls Mrs. Mackoul again, who reassures her that she has already accepted her apology and advises her to move on. Mrs. Mackoul also shares how she received numerous calls from grateful parents after the news broke, praising her handling of the situation. Ruthie, still feeling guilty, confides that she’s struggling to let go. As they talk, she mentions the family situation with Charles, hinting that they initially thought he and Ginger were breaking up but now suspect something else is going on. Mrs. Mackoul remarks that Ruthie’s family is certainly unique, and they end the conversation on a lighter note. Downstairs, Eric calls Ruthie to join a family meeting in the living room. Everyone is gathered around, and Eric starts by sharing the news that Charles had a child with his high school sweetheart when he was 17, but her parents sent her away, and Charles never saw them again. A few weeks ago, a woman came to him, revealing that she was his daughter. Annie takes over, explaining that both Charles and Ginger have met the woman, and after doing some background checks, it seems she is who she claims to be. Annie admits she wasn’t planning on telling anyone until she met Lily herself, but now she realizes she needs her family by her side. She confesses that she’s nervous about meeting this woman and feels conflicted—sad that her father had a life with someone else before her mother, and a little jealous, having always been the only child. Robbie asks what they should do to help, and Eric suggests that Robbie and Ruthie use their good judgment, also noting that Matt is great at lightening the mood, Lucy is an attentive listener, and Simon always offers practical advice. Just then, there’s a knock at the door. Annie and Eric open it to find Charles standing with Lily. Annie and Eric introduce themselves, inviting Lily inside. They lead her to the living room, where she meets the rest of the family. Lily, visibly touched, tells them she’s from Chicago, where she runs her own restaurant, lives in a fancy high-rise, and is single with no children. Simon asks how the restaurant is doing, and she replies that it’s going well, although she’s in an on-and-off relationship with someone who owns a competing restaurant. Lily shares that her parents died, and as an only child, she struggled with the loss. At someone’s suggestion, she decided to trace her birth parents and eventually found Charles. She expresses how grateful she is that Charles was willing to meet her, and she’s deeply moved that the entire family has welcomed her. Annie excuses herself to get some cake, and Eric subtly nudges Charles to go after her. In the kitchen, Annie admits to Charles that, for the first time, she sees him as a person rather than just her father. She tells him that she loves him for always trying to do the right thing and believes that living without regrets is the only way to go through life. They share a heartfelt hug, finding comfort in each other.

Notes[]

Michelle Phillips guest stars in this episode as Lily Jackson, Annie’s half-sister. Phillips is best known as a member of the iconic 1960s band The Mamas & the Papas and for her acting roles in television and film.

Trivia[]

Jessica Biel (Mary Camden) does not appear in this episode.
Carlos Amezcua who plays the reporter in this episode, was the co-anchor on KTLA morning news. He also made an appearance in season 2 episode I Hate You.
This is the first time it's been shown to have rained in Glenoak. The episode opens with a scene of rain falling as the Camdens sleep in their beds.
Eric's letter to himself At the start of the episode, he writes at 4 AM on a Tuesday, "I can't shake this realization or stop thinking about the potential fallout once it's exposed..."