By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell
Bobbie (Reba McEntire), Gabby (Melissa Peterman) and Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) are moving Isabella’s bed. The reason is that Takoda (Tokala Black Elk) promised to build a desk for Isabella. Bobbie notes that it’s a nice thing for him to do, and Isabella explains that he probably feels guilty that helping out his daughter led to her having an existentialist crisis in front of a bunch of sixth graders. But, she says it’s for the best, because it’s the push she needed to take control of her future. With that in mind, she’s trying to purge and get rid of things she doesn’t need. When Gabby asks for a few things, at first she says no until they reach Isabella’s Stanford sweatshirt. Bobbie says no to Isabella, because getting into Stanford was a huge accomplishment, but Isabella says she can have it because Stanford is in her past and she needs to look to the future. Gabby leaves, and Bobbie asks Isabella if she’s okay and tells her that she can get her sweatshirt back if she really wants it. Isabella says she misses school and all the consistency that the real world lacks.
Later, Takoda is talking to Emmett (Rex Linn) about the desk he promised to build, and he admits he’s confused by Isabella’s request for a “boss base chic” desk. Emmett is at a loss as well and Takoda resolves to just go ask his daughter for clarity. Gabby is wearing the red Stanford sweatshirt in question, and she comes in and excitedly tells Emmett that, for some reason, a woman thought she’d gone to Standard and Gabby promised to put in a good word for her son.
When Steve (Pablo Castelblanco) comes out and sees Gabby in the sweatshirt, he says that she probably stole the sweatshirt Emmett tells Steve that it was only for a year, but Gabby went to Stanford. Steve is shocked by that, but Emmett adds onto things by saying that it was only for one year but Gabby went there. Then Emmett tells Steve it’s a joke and Gabby and Emmett tease him for being gullible. Gabby decides it’d be fun for the three of them to team up and pretend that Gabby went to Standford, they ask Takoda if he wants in, but he’s fixated on his desk dilemma.
At home, Bobbie gifts Isabella some school supplies which makes Isabella happy. Then she informs her that she signed them up to take a class together since Isabella misses school so much. It’s an online safety class, Bobbie says, and Isabella is really excited. The purpose is to get the tavern recertified and Bobbie thought they could do it together. Isabella thinks it’s a great idea and decides to make the two of them flashcards.
While Isabella and Bobbie are in the office studying, Gabby continues convincing customers that she went to Stanford. Steve sarcastically says he’s impressed by her confidence and Gabby says she’s never felt so powerful. Another customer comes in and she and Steve tell him she was a philosophy and science major. Not just science, Steve says, but applied robotics. Her reasoning for nothing finishing at Stanford is that she was expelled for trying to build a robot that could love. Emmett walks up and asks the customer if Gabby talked her ear off about her time on Stanford’s lacrosse mean. He leaves and they start laughing and when Takoda wants to know why they’re laughing, they explain they’ve convinced the whole bar she went to Stanford.
Takoda wonders why that’s funny, but Steve thinks the reason is obvious. Emmett advises Steve against continuing to speak and Gabby asks him what he meant by that. She wonders if Steve thinks she couldn’t be smart enough to go to a school like Stanford and Steve says yes. He says he doesn’t mean it that way, but then says yes when Steve admits it would be less funny if people thought he was the one who went to Stanford. Bobbie interrupts the tension by coming out and asking who was good at school. Isabella has been hammering Bobbie with questions and she hates it. They all care about Isabella, Bobbie says, but she’s the only one suffering for it.
When Isabella comes out of Bobbie’s office and pitches her idea for a lightning practice test to prepare for next week’s real test, Bobbie tells the group that they’re going to stay and watch. None of them are happy about it, but Bobbie is amused that they’ll all be in hell together. When they’re getting ready for the test, Gabby is still angry with Steve and everything he says to make it better offends her further. The practice run is kind of like a game show and Isabella tells Bobbie not to go easy on her because she wants to win fair and square. Gabby is tasked with reading the questions and Emmett is better on the outcome. Isabella starts out strong, but Bobbie wins, and Emmett was right to bet on her.
Isabella is shocked, but then says the last question wasn’t fair because it’d be easy for Bobbie to know the answer. Bobbie tells Isabella that she’s being a sore loser. However, Isabella believes that Bobbie is being unfair and says she’s going home and storms out. Bobbie follows her home and tells her she drives like a maniac. Then, she tells her it’s time for a bonus round: True or false – is Isabella acting like a brat? Isabella answers false and true when Bobbie asks if she’s mad at her despite Bobbie trying to help her. The last question is her asking why and Isabella admits she doesn’t know. Isabella admits she doesn’t feel like she knows anything. She doesn’t know who she is, how her life got so crazy, what kind of desk she wants, and the certainty that came with school. Bobbie tells her she hopes she never gets her certainty back because certainty can be a trap that keeps your life small. She was certain she’d never find love again and that’s not true. And she was certain that she’d never know what it was like to have a sibling and now she has Isabella. Isabella says that’s sweet, but jokingly asks to get back to her.
Steve goes to talk to Gabby with a gift and an apology. He gives her a sweatshirt that says, “I’m With Stupid” and says Gabby is only allowed to wear it when she’s with him. Then Steve says he thinks Gabby heard something he didn’t say. Gabby admits she’s not angry with him, but she is angry at the voice in her head telling her she isn’t good enough and the sweatshirt really made her feel good. Steve admits he has his own voice, but when he’s been extra hard on himself he tells the voice that is him to shut up and advises Gabby to do the same. She does with Steve’s support and feels silly, but a little better. Steve says she doesn’t have to only talk to herself when she’s feeling down, but she can talk to him. Gabby thanks him, but Steve says damaged people have to stick together.
Takoda finishes Isabella’s desk and unveils it for Isabella, Gabby, Bobbie and Emmett. At first Takoda was stuck and went through a few sketches until Emmett said to just make a desk that was like Isabella. Her desk is oak because it’s strong and supportive and Isabella loves it.