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The Tableau

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Cassie prepares for Grey House’s 225th Birthday Celebration by putting out Nathanial Merrick’s paintings. Meanwhile, as Abigail tries to eat away her pain over her split from Donovan, Cassie asks if she needs a hug. What Abigail needs is a way to break the curse. She hopes breaking up with Donovan to slow down the curse and stop the heart of Middleton from cracking was not for nothing. Cassie assures they did it for love and love is not nothing.

Martha arrives and upon seeing Nathaniel Merriwick’s paintings out at Grey House she can tell the 225th Birthday Celebration is going to be a night to remember. The paintings elicit a gasp from Martha as she has a brilliant idea. The Mayors’ conference she just attended had the most wonderful tableau in which actors recreated a painting. Martha notes one of Nathaniel’s paintings would make the perfect tableau for Grey House’s birthday. Specifically, the only painting featuring people, including Nathaniel himself, his wife Meredith and daughter Patience - Grey House’s first family. Cassie says it would be a lot of work to create a tableau in just 48 hours. Martha feels together they can make magic happen.

Hayley, the influencer behind Hayley’s Hidden Gems, arrives at Grey House and instantly starts snapping photos. She loves to find small towns and share them with the world, or more accurately, her followers. Cassie is familiar with her work. Hayley is flattered she is a follower. However, Cassie notes she prefers to lead and escorts her to her room.

Sam finds Adam using is left hand to grab coffee. Sam is a concerned, but Adam assures him it is fine, he is ambidextrous. Sam is more so concerned because Adam did not attend his physical therapy session. Adam makes an excuse, but Sam already knows this is not the first session he has missed. Adam says his hand is getting stronger. Sam asks him to prove it in a game of Foosball. Adam’s hand shakes uncontrollably and he loses immediately. Clearly his hand is not as strong as he thinks.

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Joy and Cassie clear an old chest and clutter from the new mediation room. The room is Joy’s gift to Cassie. However, Cassie has a gift for Joy. She presents her with a beautiful necklace with a pearl that has passed been passed from Merriwick to Merriwick through generations. Cassie hopes this will help take Joy’s mind off her guilt over Abigail and Donovan’s breakup.

Martha has great news for Stephanie. She will soon be able to have a chef’s kitchen stocked year-round thanks to the community greenhouse. Stephanie is excited and will happily head up the greenhouse committee. Martha does not feel it would look right for the Mayor to assign greenhouse plots. She asks Stephanie as owner of The Bistro and the new, head of the greenhouse committee to create the plot assignments.

Joy meets Hayley in the kitchen. As Joy tries to grab a muffin Hayley stops her as the lighting on them is too good and she insists on taking a photo for her followers. Hayley’s internet connection fails as she tries to post the image. Hayley is lost as her phone is her life. Cassie thinks this may be an opportunity for Hayley to stop and smell the muffins.

At The Bistro Adam confides to Stephanie he is letting Sam down as he has not attended physical therapy. Stephanie corrects him stating he is letting himself down. Adam has accepted that fact his hand is not going to get any better, so why bother with the sessions? Stephanie questions Adam’s logic as she has not accepted that fact.

Abigail finds a painting in the chest Joy and Cassie removed from the mediation room. Joy doesn’t know how they missed it as it should be a part of the exhibit. Abigail notes the painter’s signature is not Nathaniel’s. The painting was done by a P. Connelly and the “C” in Connelly looks like a crescent moon similar the one on the traveler’s wagon. This could be a lead on a traveler!

Abigail shows the painting to Donovan at his office. She thinks P. Connelly must be a traveler. This is a sign they should not give up. Donovan assures he would never give up and attempts to caress Abigail’s face. She retreats from his touch saying they cannot be together just yet because of the curse. She insists they track down the Connelly family. It’s a tall task for a family with a 200-year-old lineage.

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Martha denies Stephanie’s petition to paint her home a mustard yellow as the color falls outside the approved colors stipulated in the town bylaws. Martha adds ignoring the bylaws would lead to chaos.

Carter finds Joy meticulously working on installing a doorknob. She’d rather be accurate than fast. Carter has coffee for her, with a single pump of vanilla, a sprinkle of cinnamon and two ounces of almond milk, just the way she likes it. In addition to coffee Carter has a potential romantic match for Joy. She has her own match making skills that three couples in New Jersey can attest to. They both agree to play match maker and select each other’s dates for the 225th Birthday Celebration at Grey House.

Cassie runs into Hayley at The Bistro, and helps her to get over her phone not working with a bit of good coffee and good company.

Adam tries his hand at Foosball again in the hospital breakroom, only to be caught by his physical therapist. She comments playing would be easier if he stopped skipping his appointments.

Martha has found a beautiful brass walking stick with a Lion’s head. She admires it as well as Joy and Carter’s work together. Martha thinks they make quite the team. She tells Carter about her upcoming tableau which Joy will take part in on stage. Carter feels Joy’s date at the Grey House party, whom he has chosen, will love seeing her performance. Joy has to step up her game in finding a date for Carter. Carter thought Joy was good at this. She notes that she is but surprisingly, she doesn’t have her usual magic read. Carter lays out exactly what he is looking for in a date. Someone who can hold their own, understands his work and likes to laugh. Joy takes in the description and tells him she can work with that.

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Dotty catches Donovan at his office and learns he and Abigail have split up. She offers to take him to dinner. Donovan declines as he has work - finding a member of the Connelly family. Before she leaves Donovan asks if she knows of a P. Connelly. Dotty knows of Priscilla Connelly, the wife of Roderick’s Brother Daniel Davenport. Donovan thanks Dotty for making his search much easier now that he knows Priscilla’s name.

Joy describes Carter’s perfect date to Stephanie and asks if she knows anyone in town that fits this description. Stephanie says yes. It’s Joy! Carter obviously wants to go on a date with Joy as he literally described her to a T with his date description. Joy usually has intuition for these things. Stephanie is glad they realized this before the party as it would have been awkward if Joy brought a date to her own date.

Cassie finds Sam painting. He is no Nathaniel Merriwick, but Cassie finds the painting is not bad, just very “Sam.” She appreciates him keeping the tradition alive by providing their family’s link to Grey House’s Legacy. Sam asks her to reconsider as this is a really bad painting. However, Cassie notes it is by a great man and gives Sam a kiss.

At the grand opening of the community greenhouse Martha finds Stephanie to get her plot assignment. Stephanie does not see Martha’s name on the sign-up sheet. Martha says her participation was implied. Stephanie counters as a passionate advocate for bylaws she needs Martha’s sign up in ink as plots are handed out according to the sign-up list. Martha feels an exception can surely be made for her. Stephanie reminds Martha of her own words, saying if she makes one exception to the bylaws after another that could lead to chaos.

Joy plays coy and asks Carter for a clue about her date. He tells her that Andy is an accountant. Joy is not buying it at first, thinking back to Stephanie’s theory. However, Carter’s insistence that she’ll meet Andy tomorrow night makes her realize Stephanie was wrong about Carter wanting to take her on a date. Joy quickly finds Hayley at Grey House and convinces her to be Carter’s date.

Adam works with his physical therapist to test the strength of his arm. He feels his efforts are fruitless until she assures his arm is getting stronger.

Martha leads a tableau rehearsal with Cassie, Abigail, Joy, Sam and Adam as they’ll recreate Nathaniel Merriwick’s painting. Stephanie arrives and Martha comments that “the plot has thickened.” Stephanie ignores the snide remark as she is there for Cassie. Martha cannot believe Stephanie blocked her from the greenhouse just as Stephanie cannot believe Martha vetoed her petition to paint her house mustard. Cassie gets them both to agree on a compromise. Martha will approve Stephanie’s petition if she is willing to carve out a plot for her at the greenhouse. However, there is a problem. Stephanie already gave away all the greenhouse plots. No deal.

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Dotty visits Abigail and admits her heart is broken for Donovan’s pain over their breakup. Dotty has grown quite fond of Abigail as she has realized they are more alike than they care to admit. She vows to fight hard to keep Abigail and Donovan together.

Martha picks up a prop for the tableau from Bell Cottage, a cloak identical to one in the painting worn by one of the mystery women. Martha has all the props except for one: she cannot find any heather as it is out of season. Cassie tells her to check the greenhouse as she may be amazed by what could spring up in just two days. Martha heads to the greenhouse and does indeed find heather, and Stephanie. Stephanie apologizes again for the debacle. Martha has a way Stephanie may be able to make things up to her.

Sam is paged by the hospital to report to the break room. Sam smiles as he knows what to expect. He finds Adam there ready for a foosball rematch. Adam’s skills show Sam his physical therapy is working, now that he is actually attending.

The Grey House 225th Birthday is in full swing as Joy finds no spark with Andy and watches as Hayley and Carter hit it off over a beer.

As Martha prepares all the actors, including Joy and Abigail for the tableau, Donovan arrives with news. He found out there are no living Connelly family relatives. Despite the bad news, Martha needs an understudy for Nick’s roll in the tableau as he is stuck at a train station. She suggests Donovan take over. Abigail dejectedly says he might as well since this will be one of the last times they will be together.

The stage is set for the tableau and everyone prepares to make their entrance. As Donovan enters with Abigail, she notices the Lion head on the walking stick Martha found and added as prop. The head looks like Donovan’s family crest. Donovan also finds the “prop” deed Martha pulled from City Hall is a deed from Roderick to Priscilla. They realize the two, mystery people in the painting they are portraying must be Roderick and Priscilla! The deed was payment to Priscilla for placing the curse. The Connellys may be gone but there may be clues on the land mentioned in the deed.

Stephanie approaches Adam, complimenting him on his terrific performance as “unidentified man on the left” in the tableau. Adam offers an autograph. She asks him to make it out to the woman who will support you no matter what. He agrees signing it from the man who appreciates tough love. He admits she was right about his need to go to physical therapy and gives her a kiss.

Joy and Andy agree they are not a match. She wonders how she was so off her match making game. Carter approaches and asks if she is okay. His date went well Hayley. She even asked him to come to Los Angeles and remodel her home.

Stephanie and Martha have reached a comprise. Stephanie will share her greenhouse plot with Martha as Martha has changed the town bylaws to declare Stephanie’s mustard paint color the 5th approved color for historic homes.

Cassie asks how Hayley liked the tableau and wonders how many photos she took. Hayley admits she was enjoying her date with Carter and did not take any. As Hayley leaves to find Carter, Cassie checks in on Joy. Joy admits the last few days have been eye-opening. She has realized pearls are not her style. Cassie helps Joy remove her necklace.

At the end of the night Sam reveals his finished painting to Cassie. It is a simple portrait of himself and Cassie in front of Grey House. Cassie declares it a masterpiece.

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