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Original Airdate: 09/15/97
We catch up with our family with Eric doing some writing at the church. A woman, Nora, interrupts him and sits down to talk. After telling Eric her anniversary is coming up, or rather her would-be 25-year anniversary, Eric is reminded of his great life with Annie. Nora explains that she has been writing Martin, the boy who killed her husband, every month for years. Now, on this anniversary, she wants to confront him and talk with him to bring closure to her pain and grief. She asks Eric if she will try and get through to Martin - since he refuses to see her. Eric agrees to help.After Nora leaves, Eric calls Annie and tells her not to go anywhere. Annie throws Simon the laundry and says to take it upstairs where he runs to find the rest of the kids. He tells them something is very wrong - Dad is running home from work - literally. The whole family gathers in the kitchen awaiting Eric, when he strides in and, out of breath, kneels and asks Annie to marry him.
After her initial shock, Annie starts questioning the wisdom of them renewing their vows. Eric comforts her and tells her he already has the church - and their wedding the first time was so rushed they deserve a second one. The two embrace and talk about the plans. Simon interrupts and asks if Annie will still have time to finish his new bedroom in the attic while planning the wedding. She assures him his new room will be done on schedule. Ruthie then has her turn and tells Eric and Annie that the only ones excited about the wedding are them - the kids are dreading it.
Matt and heather share a bite to eat, cherishing their last few days together before Heather has to go back to her home town to go to school. While there, he tells her about his parent's wedding and the two share a special moment alone. When Matt takes her home, he is shocked to find a guy, Zack, waiting for her in the driveway and gives her a big hug.
May and Wilson get home from their date but Wilson can't seem to figure out why Mary is in an eternal bad mood. She gives him a goodnight kiss which somewhat reassures Wilson that everything is O.K.
Meanwhile, Lucy calls up her old boyfriend, Jimmy Moon, and is hurt when his answering machine says to try him at Ashley's house. Mary arrives in the room and starts laying into Lucy, saying life is one big disappointment and to accept it and move on.
Simon starts scoping out the attic. While Annie is fixing up a few things, she remind him that he is supposed to go with Matt tomorrow to pick out a tux for the wedding. Ruthie asks why she can't wear a tux instead of a dress as the flower girl. Meanwhile, downstairs, Eric calls Annie's father and asks him to do him a special favor.
The next day, Wilson comes over to pick Mary up to go the pool for some physical therapy but she refuses to go. She says she is adamant about not going - when Wilson reminds her that she made a promise to herself to get off the crutches by the time school starts. Still angry, she cancels their date that night.
At the tuxedo rental place, Simon and Matt wait impatiently on some chairs for Ruthie to come out of the dressing room. We find out that Ruthie has been trying on tuxedos for quite a while and has managed to convince Eric and Annie to let her wear a tux instead of a dress. Matt has a little chit-chat with Ruthie and learns she doesn't want Simon to move out because them she will be all alone.
At the juvenile detention facility, Eric takes a burger and fries to Martin and tries to talk to him about seeing Nora. Eric lays everything down on the table but the boy says he doesn't own Nora or Eric anything - he's paying the debt to society by staying in prison. But, he says, maybe he'll pay her a visit once he gets out. Martin empties the entire bag of letters from the years on the table and Eric asks if he ever even opened them. He tells him he opened the first one - but none of the others. Eric explodes and confronts him about knowing right from wrong before storming out.
Nighttime finds Mary and Lucy trying on their wedding dresses when Jimmy Moon uses caller redial to return Lucy's phone call. She asks if he wants to come to the wedding since he was almost a member of the family - and he asks if he can bring Ashley. Not knowing what to say, Lucy agrees. However, later, she calls him back and says not to come.
Up in his new room, Simon checks out where his bed will be and where his action figures will find their home. Ruthie says Matt told her that the woman who left the house to the church actually died in the attic and her ghost still haunts the house. Later, Annie tells Simon that Ruthie just doesn't want him to leave yet, and he agrees to stay in his old room for a while longer.
Annie receives a note and a package from her father and opens it to find her mom's wedding dress and a note. She is ecstatic and she and Eric exchange a long hug and kiss. Eric explains that he will be late to the church, since Martin has agreed to see Nora - but he WILL be there. When Eric and Nora arrive, Martin sits across from her as she says what is on her mind. Martin says her husband merely got in the way and Nora is comforted knowing her husband died a hero. Was she turns to leave, she says she forgives him and Martin explodes saying he didn't ask for her forgiveness. As Eric turns to leave, Martin asks if he thinks God will ever forgive him. Eric says he doesn't know - but he doesn't think he himself ever will.
At the church, Lucy and Mary end up on the floor fighting. Annie lets the two fight it out as she, Matt, Simon, Ruthie and Happy look on. Lucy helps Mary up and the two later walk down the aisle together - Mary without her crutches. As Eric looks on, Annie makes her way down the aisle and Eric watches his beautiful bride with affection.