"Brothers & Sisters" Episode 204 Recap: “States of the Union”

Cut to later in the spa lobby. Nora is dressed to go on a road trip. She wants to drive over to the winery and check up on Tommy. Sarah and Kitty try to stop her; finally Sarah pulls out the big guns and gets all fake tearful – this weekend was supposed to be about cheering her up.

Sarah: Mom, I need you.

At last, one of her children needs her. That’s enough to convince Nora to abandon her road trip plans. At least temporarily.

Back at the rehab facility, Justin runs into another injured war vet named Garrett Fernandez. Despite having a shattered leg the guy is all smiles.

Garrett: It’s all good. I’m high as a kite right now. Can’t feel a thing.

Whatever Garrett’s having, I’ll have some of that! Wheelchair notwithstanding, the boy looks like he’s ready for a rave. The apparent benefits of narcotics aren’t lost on Justin either. Rebecca looks on uneasily.

Cut back to the spa where the gals discover the restaurant/bar is closed for a private function. It’s a wedding reception. Kitty and Nora want to crash it, but Sarah’s not so sure.

Sarah: No way guys, we already got kicked out of the quiet room. Besides, someone will probably recognize Kitty.
Kitty: Oh come on, this is Ojai. I’ll keep my head down.

Kitty musses her hair (more so even than usual), and lets it fall down over her face.

Kitty: What happened to the girl who used to throw back bourbon and dance on the bars?

My guess? She eventually passed out from all that bourbon and woke up naked on a frat house lawn — in a puddle of Semicid and her own sick. Sarah’s obviously older and wiser now, but she reluctantly agrees to crash the wedding reception anyway.

Cut to the winery. Holly comes in to lecture Tommy about his shoddy performance at the distributor meeting.

Holly: You caved in the middle of negotiations. You left me hanging in there. Your father never would have done that.

Ooh, that’s stepping over the line a bit.

Tommy: Yeah well, my father had a wife who actually stuck around. Julia took Elizabeth and left, and I can’t seem to get an answer as to when or if she’s coming back.
Holly: I’m sorry.
Tommy: And Holly, in the future don’t ever use my father like that with me again.

Cut to the spa resort wedding reception. The girls are scarfing up lamb chops and scoring free drinks at the open bar. This is highly inappropriate. I’m waiting for the father of the bride to discover them and throw them out on their asses, but so far the coast is clear. Kitty and Nora are scoping out all the hot dudes in the crowd. There aren’t many.

Kitty’s cell phone rings. It’s McAllister telling her his campaign speech went well.

Kitty: What’s your position on trophy wives.
McAllister: Trophy wives? What the hell?
Kitty: Forget it. We can’t have a serious conversation because you don’t know how to be open and honest. I will talk to you later.

Oh man, if I were McAllister, I’d be changing the locks to the office and getting Kitty on call block, post haste. From all outward appearances the woman seems unhinged.

Kitty rejoins Nora and Sarah and the three begin their Three Stooges act anew.

In the course of their comedy routine, Kitty admits what’s bugging her.

Kitty: Robert drew up a prenup without discussing it with me.

Nora tries to assure her.

Nora: I honestly don’t think its any reflection on how he feels about you.
Kitty: No? I mean here I am putting everything I have into this relationship and he’s already planning an exit strategy. Planning for failure. And who can blame him. Everywhere you look there’s another failed marriage. There’s you and Dad, there’s you and Joe, there’s Tommy and Julia now.
Nora: Tommy’s marriage isn’t over.
Sarah: And failed is a very strong word. I had ten years with Joe. Ten good years.

Ahem. We’ve been privy to the last year of her marriage, and it didn’t seem very “good” to me.

Nora: A toast. To ten good years.

Cut to Saul’s office at Walker Foods. Kevin walks in with some papers for Saul to sign and mentions he’s on the way to a seven o’clock with a friend. I assume by “seven o’clock” he means a movie, but he could just as easily be referring to an online dating hookup. Either way, nice to hear that Scotty has a night off from all his cooking and tray schlepping.