Summer of '69

Kate and Bitsy Dunscombe have dinner at the Opera House restaurant, although Kate doesn’t like Bitsy’s ostentatious behavior. David is still unhappy with Kate’s misuse of alcohol and refuses to come to the island. When Bitsy, drunk, reveals that the waiter is her lover, Kate is shocked. A memory of Wilder cheating on her surfaces, and she decides that she wants better for Blair. She tells Bitsy that she doesn’t judge her, but Bitsy, incensed, doesn’t believe her. She thinks that Kate should be ashamed of Jessie and reveals that Helen saw her take Heather’s money and makeup. Kate, convinced that Jessie would never steal, is outraged. Bitsy goads Kate further, saying that Jessie is acting out for attention since Kate has her hands full. Furious, Kate leaves as the food arrives.



At All’s Fair, Angus is waiting. He wants to see Blair before he has to go to Houston. Kate scolds him for his treatment of Blair. He points out Blair’s indiscretion with Joey, but Kate notes that he’s being hypocritical given his dalliance with Trixie. Angus starts to explain, but Kate won’t hear it and threatens to call the police. Although this is a bluff, Angus retreats.

Jessie can’t find Exalta’s necklace. She and Pick search for it both outside and inside All’s Fair. Almost caught when Bill and Exalta come home, the two duck into the buttery closet, where Pick nearly kisses Jessie. A week later, Jessie checks to see if the necklace has been returned to its box. It hasn’t. She confesses what she’s done to Blair, who tells Jessie that she must tell Exalta. Although she knows that Blair is right, Jessie delays the conversation until a letter arrives from Tiger. She decides not to open it until she confesses.

After she does so, Exalta, who has heard of Jessie’s shoplifting and stealing, confronts her about stealing more than about the necklace. Exalta expresses her disappointment and demands the stolen items so that she may return them. Jessie retrieves all she has taken. Exalta then tells Jessie that Bill found the necklace. Jessie is very relieved. Exalta tells Jessie that she can still have the necklace, noting that she just needs more time to grow up. She grounds Jessie but sympathizes with the difficulties of being 13.

Uplifted, Jessie opens Tiger’s letter. He reveals that his friends Puppy and Frog both died in combat, that he misses home, and that he’s scared. He has a top-secret mission and asks Jessie not to tell anyone. The only other person who knows is Magee, whom Tiger has asked to marry him, sending her his grandfather’s ring as a promise.

Blair will give birth on Nantucket and is happy that the children will be part of the legacy of the summer residents. She suggests that she and Kate have lunch after her appointment with the doctor to celebrate. During her exam, the doctor informs her that the twins will come in the next two weeks. In this moment, Blair realizes that she’ll give birth alone.

At the restaurant, Blair is embarrassed by how fast Kate drinks. She’s further surprised when Kate confesses that Wilder was unfaithful numerous times. Kate tells Blair that she stayed with him because she had three little children and feared Exalta’s reaction. Kate also confesses that she and Wilder had an argument before he died but doesn’t elaborate. She tells Blair that she doesn’t want her to be afraid of Kate or feel obligated to tolerate Angus’s cheating. She reveals that Angus came to Nantucket but she sent him away. Although unhappy that Kate meddled in her marriage, Blair is glad that Angus was sent away.

Later, though, she’s happy that he at least tried to see her and resolves to call him. When she can’t reach him, she calls Joey, who says he can’t talk because he’s entertaining. She hangs up on him, goes outside, and throws the silver lighter as far as she can. When she reaches Angus’s secretary later, she learns that he has gone to Houston and won’t return for two weeks. Blair hopes that the babies can wait to arrive.