Chesapeake Shores – Home to Roost: Part 1

 By: Jessica Wolff

With the entire O’Brien family finally reunited, the five adult siblings Abby (Meghan Ory), Jess (Laci J Mailey), Bree (Emilie Ullerup), Connor (Andrew Francis) and Kevin (Brendan Penny) take the time to reunite around the campfire. While the siblings are busy catching up, Abby’s phone rings. Abby insists that her clients need to be able to reach her at all times, but Connor grabs the phone and pretends to toss it. They stay up late sitting around the fire, enjoying smores and laughing at old memories. The next morning, Jess sneaks out of the B&B in order to avoid her mother, Megan O’Brien (Barbara Niven), who is staying with her while she is in Chesapeake Shores. Abby goes on her morning run and visits her ex, Trace Riley (Jesse Metcalfe). As Trace plays fetch with his dog, Abby tells him about her father bringing everyone home to Chesapeake Shores.

Back at the house, Jess and Abby’s daughters, Carrie & Caitlyn (Kayden & Abbie Magnuson) help Grandma Nell O’Brien (Diane Ladd) set up for breakfast. Jess tells her father, Mick O’Brien (Treat Williams), about her plan to open the B&B this weekend instead of the original September date and Mick tells her that there’s no way it will be ready by this weekend. Abby comes home from her run and Jess expresses her frustrations with their mother and father. Megan comes to the house and Kevin answers the door. She asks him about his dog tags and he lets her into the house. After looking wistfully at an old family portrait, she comes into the kitchen where the rest of the family has already gathered. Mick takes the opportunity to announce to everyone that he is taking the summer off to spend time with the family. Everyone is shocked and they don’t know what to do about this announcement. Mick tells them that he has made a reservation for lunch at Sally’s and they decide to skip breakfast and go their separate ways.

Nell calls her doctor to check on some test results, but she is unable to get through to him. Megan finds Nell struggling to start her golf cart and offers to help. While they work on the engine, Megan thanks Nell for being a part of her kids’ lives after she left. Nell comforts her by telling her that Mick missed much of their kids’ lives as well because he was always working. They share a laugh and focus on the engine. Jess and Bree go into town and discuss the opening of the B&B, as well as their problems with their parents. The rest of the family meets up in front of Sally’s and Mick asks Sally (Carmen Moore) to take a family photo. Abby and Trace walk along the beach and Abby asks why Trace really left Nashville and why he stopped pursuing music. He refuses to give a straight answer and turns the questioning to her. When Abby keeps talking about her responsibilities, he asks Abby to close her eyes and tell him what she really wants. Abby admits that she doesn’t now what she wants.

Bree and Megan work on the flower garden. Bree tells her that the garden was planted after she left and Megan says that she is thankful that Nell is okay as well as for the opportunity to see her family again. Bree confesses to her mother that it will take time for them to repair their relationship. Meanwhile, Connor sits in the kitchen as Nell is baking. Connor expresses his worries about whether he wants to be a lawyer and Nell encourages him to finish taking the bar and that he can do whatever he wants once he finishes law school. At night, Jess comes home to the B&B and finds that her mother made her bed. She throws the pillows off in frustration. Abby waits with Kevin as he waits for the cab to take him back to the military. After asking if he is worried, he tells her that he was baptized while in Afghanistan. The cab arrives and Kevin asks Abby not to worry about him as he leaves.

Once Jess is awake the next morning, Megan asks her about her dreams. Jess gets angry and tells her that she lost the chance to be her mother when she left all of those years ago. Trace receives a phone call that worries him, though it’s not clear who he is talking to or who the call is about. The call worries Trace so much that he takes his guitar to the beach and smashes it before throwing it in the ocean. The family gathers to help with the opening of the B&B. Mick and Megan talk about their regrets of not being there for much of their kids’ lives. Bree runs out and informs everyone that a pipe has burst inside the B&B. Abby’s ex husband, Wes Winters (Michael Karl Richards), arrives to pick up Carrie and Caitlyn. Abby confronts him about what her kids told her in the previous episode about him wanting to live with them. Wes denies this and goes into town to give the kids more time with their mother.

Despite the flooding of the B&B, Jess makes a brief speech to welcome the guests at the opening. Trace comes to see Abby, hoping to reconcile their relationship. Wes comes back and Trace wants to talk to him. Abby says that her daughters come first if this is going to work and promises him that she won’t abandon him like she did last time. Abby and Wes get into a fight and Trace tries to defend her. Before he can say anything, Abby stops him. Carrie and Caitlyn climb into Wes’ car and Abby says goodbye. Wes gives her court documents about the custody arrangement and tells her that the girls living in Chesapeake Shores for the summer won’t work for him. Wes drives away and Abby breaks down upon reading the court order. The rest of the family comforts her as Trace watches from afar.