I am not going to get into the motive of this episode, as many have here did. Just going to get into the meat and potatoes. What started the whole thing was a picnic outside the blind school. Albert's friend stole a pipe from an old guy who was bragging to Doc Baker about how chewing garlic helped him retain his teeth. Albert and his friend went in the basement to fire up the pipe and take a few puffs off it. Their coughs caught Hester-Sue's attention. She went down in the basement and startled the kids. Albert threw the lit pipe on what looked like an old American flag. Anyway, Hester-Sue told Albert to go outside because they were about to serve dessert. So both Albert and his friend ran up the stairs and out of the basement, leaving the lit pipe and now smoldering flag.
Scene jumped to the evening, were blind kids were bedding down and Mary, Adam, Alice and Hester-Sue were in the kitchen having tea. Adam smelt smoke. Hester-Sue first thought it was the tea kettle, then notice smoke coming from underneath the basement door. She opened the door and there were flames everywhere. In their haste, they all went upstairs to get all the blind kids up and out of there. They past Mary's baby's crib and Alice told them to get out and that she would grab the baby. Most people are saying this is a flaw in the writing. But think about it. Would you trust a blind woman with a baby in a burning house? I wouldnt. Anyway, Mary and Adam got out and Alice went to grab the baby, then heard a cry for help by James who was trapped in the bathroom behind a stuck door. Alice set the baby down in the crib, then went to the bathroom to help James get out. After freeing him and sending him out, Alice proceeded to the crib, at which point there were flames everywhere. Alice rapped the baby up in blankets and frantically started running and screaming for help, trying to avoid the flames. The door was engulfed in flames, so she ran to the window. But they were on the 2nd floor, way above the ground. Alice broke the window, just as the flames engulfed her and the baby. Everyone was looking up in horror.
It jumps to the next scene, where Charles has the baby's remains, Mary insists on holding and Andy and Jonathan Garvey are with Alice's remains. Dr. Baker is rummaging through the debris and finds the pipe Albert dropped. Charles walked up and Dr. Baker told Charles he found what caused the fire. Dr Baker told him that they just threw it away.
Next scene, Charles is in the kitchen with Laura and Albert. Charles tells Albert to close the blind in his bedroom so Caroline wouldn't get disturbed by the sunrise. While doing so, Laura asked "why pa" Charles replied he didnt know . But added he knew what caused it. He told her it was a pipe. Overhearing it, Albert was shocked. He just stood there. Charles asked if he was alright. Albert replied that he was tired and was going to sleep.
Throughout the rest of the episode, Albert became more and more depressed. He got to the point where he just couldn't bring himself to go to the baby's funeral. So Charles let him stay home.
In the last scene of the episode, Albert offered to watch over Mary as Caroline went to run an errand. Albert sat and began reading a book by 1 of Mary's favorite authors. Soon after he began reading, Mary began humming a lullaby. Albert just stared at Mary, as his eyes began to tear up. The episode ends.
Scene jumped to the evening, were blind kids were bedding down and Mary, Adam, Alice and Hester-Sue were in the kitchen having tea. Adam smelt smoke. Hester-Sue first thought it was the tea kettle, then notice smoke coming from underneath the basement door. She opened the door and there were flames everywhere. In their haste, they all went upstairs to get all the blind kids up and out of there. They past Mary's baby's crib and Alice told them to get out and that she would grab the baby. Most people are saying this is a flaw in the writing. But think about it. Would you trust a blind woman with a baby in a burning house? I wouldnt. Anyway, Mary and Adam got out and Alice went to grab the baby, then heard a cry for help by James who was trapped in the bathroom behind a stuck door. Alice set the baby down in the crib, then went to the bathroom to help James get out. After freeing him and sending him out, Alice proceeded to the crib, at which point there were flames everywhere. Alice rapped the baby up in blankets and frantically started running and screaming for help, trying to avoid the flames. The door was engulfed in flames, so she ran to the window. But they were on the 2nd floor, way above the ground. Alice broke the window, just as the flames engulfed her and the baby. Everyone was looking up in horror.
It jumps to the next scene, where Charles has the baby's remains, Mary insists on holding and Andy and Jonathan Garvey are with Alice's remains. Dr. Baker is rummaging through the debris and finds the pipe Albert dropped. Charles walked up and Dr. Baker told Charles he found what caused the fire. Dr Baker told him that they just threw it away.
Next scene, Charles is in the kitchen with Laura and Albert. Charles tells Albert to close the blind in his bedroom so Caroline wouldn't get disturbed by the sunrise. While doing so, Laura asked "why pa" Charles replied he didnt know . But added he knew what caused it. He told her it was a pipe. Overhearing it, Albert was shocked. He just stood there. Charles asked if he was alright. Albert replied that he was tired and was going to sleep.
Throughout the rest of the episode, Albert became more and more depressed. He got to the point where he just couldn't bring himself to go to the baby's funeral. So Charles let him stay home.
In the last scene of the episode, Albert offered to watch over Mary as Caroline went to run an errand. Albert sat and began reading a book by 1 of Mary's favorite authors. Soon after he began reading, Mary began humming a lullaby. Albert just stared at Mary, as his eyes began to tear up. The episode ends.