After I Do

Lauren rummages through her paperwork in search of her social security card. She has agreed to co-sign Rachel’s bakery loan. While sifting through the documents, she finds her legal name-change document. After her dad left, Leslie changed her children’s last names from Prewett to her maiden name, Spencer. Now, Lauren wonders if her life would have been different if she had never been Lauren Spencer. She also finds Lois’s printed Ask Allie stories and spends the rest of the night reading them.

At work, Lauren tells Mila about Ask Allie. Mila scoffs, insisting that advice columnists are silly. Lauren dismisses Mila’s criticism and drafts an email to Ryan, saying that she might write to Ask Allie. She then tells him about the ways in which her feelings have changed over the past months. She describes everything that she has been doing and lists the ways she has grown. She also admits that she thinks it’s all right that their marriage isn’t fixed yet.

After saving the draft, Lauren goes for a run, thinking about Ryan and her marriage. Afterward, she checks Ryan’s email and finds several new drafts. Ryan describes the relationships that he has been in since they separated and expresses his confused feelings about Lauren. When he recently made Lauren’s favorite dinner to celebrate the birthday of his current girlfriend, he couldn’t help remembering how special Lauren is to him.

In a few other drafts, Ryan admits that he stopped by Lauren’s house one night. He also saw David inside and got upset until he inwardly admitted to himself that he was also seeing someone new. He then writes about Charlie’s news and says he wishes they could discuss these things together.

Lauren falls to the floor, overcome by emotion. Ryan’s emails suggest that they have a chance of resuming their marriage, but Lauren doesn’t know what she wants to do and fears that she might hurt him.

Lauren goes to Charlie’s and confronts him about communicating with Ryan. Charlie insists that Ryan is like a brother to him and admits that he needs another man in his life as he approaches fatherhood. He reveals that his baby is going to be a boy and says he wants Ryan’s support. He also argues that Ryan is a part of their family, and he wants to invite Ryan to the wedding. Lauren resists but finally gives in and agrees to let Ryan be Charlie’s best man. The wedding date is set for a few weeks before the end of the separation, but she understands how much Ryan’s presence at the wedding will mean to Charlie.

Lauren checks Ryan’s email again. She finds another draft to her, in which Ryan thanks her for letting him participate in Charlie’s wedding celebration.

Lauren, Rachel, and Leslie throw Natalie a baby shower. Rachel takes care of the baked goods. Natalie thanks Lauren for letting Ryan attend the wedding. She also invites Lauren and Rachel to be her maids of honor, calling them her new sisters. Lauren is excited to have Natalie in the family. Afterward, Lauren and Leslie talk about getting to know Natalie.

Lauren and David have sex at Lauren’s house. Afterward, they lie in bed, drinking and talking. Then Lauren admits that Ryan wants to get back together with her, but she confesses that she doesn’t know what she wants. David wishes that he and Ashley could reconcile but insists that he can never resume a relationship with someone who cheated on him. Lauren suggests that he try to work through his issues with Ashley.

Lauren writes to Ask Allie, explaining her situation with Ryan, and asks if she should give her marriage another chance.

At work, Lauren tells Mila about her Ask Allie letter. Mila starts reading the column and crying over the stories.

Lauren and Rachel go out for brunch. When they arrive at Waffle Time, they are shocked to see that the business is closed and the building is for lease. They wonder if Rachel should try renting the building for her business. Lauren realizes that she doesn’t know what will happen with Rachel’s future, but she appreciates that Rachel is the kind of person who keeps trying and doesn’t give up.

Lauren and David go to a Lakers/Clippers game together. After the game, they lose the car in the parking lot. The situation reminds Lauren of when she and Ryan lost the car at Dodger Stadium. She realizes that if these situations are inevitable, she would rather be having them with Ryan.

Later, Lauren finds another draft from Ryan. He reveals that he broke up with his girlfriend, Emily, and wants to be with her again. He can’t stop thinking about their future.

Lauren and Rachel discuss Rachel’s new business on the phone. They make plans to meet up that weekend. Lauren schedules Rachel around her plans with David, as she is planning to end their relationship.

Lauren tells David that she thinks they should stop seeing each other because she needs space to understand her feelings for Ryan. David is understanding.

Rachel calls Lauren that night to say that Lois is in the hospital and has leukemia. The family makes plans to go and see her. Then Lauren drops Thumper off at Mila’s. In the car, she cries and thinks about Ryan. She then drafts an email on her phone to him. In the email, she tells Ryan about Lois and admits how much she misses him and needs him.

Lauren and her family convene in the San Jose hospital where Lois is staying. At Lois’s bedside, Lauren tells Lois that she wrote to Ask Allie. Lois is weak but encourages Lauren to repair her relationship with Ryan, saying that Lauren’s life is better with him. Lauren is overcome by emotion. She takes the elevator downstairs so that she can call Ryan outside. On the sidewalk, she is shocked to see Ryan himself getting out of a cab. They run into each other’s arms, professing their love. Then they reveal that they have been reading each other’s email drafts and burst out laughing.

Lauren and Ryan rejoin Lauren’s family inside. Everyone is thrilled to see Ryan again. Then Natalie goes into labor. Leslie is upset that she can’t be with Charlie and Lois at the same time. Lauren, Rachel, and Ryan promise to support her.

Lauren and Ryan catch up with one another as they support Lauren’s family. They both reveal that they’re single again. Then they start joking about their relationship. Shortly thereafter, they learn that Lois has died. Lauren is devastated but is grateful that Ryan is with her.

Natalie gives birth to Jonathan Louis Spencer at one in the morning. The family celebrates his birth together. Seeing Charlie, Natalie, and Jonathan together, Lauren realizes how happy they are and how much they love each other.

Lauren’s family holds a funeral for Lois. Afterward, Lauren realizes how close Ryan and Charlie are when she sees them chatting at the repast.

Lauren and Ryan return to LA and have dinner with Mila and Christina. The next morning, Lauren digs out her wedding ring and puts it back on.

In July, Charlie and Natalie get married in Malibu. Before the ceremony, Charlie asks everyone for advice. They assure him that all he has “to do is never give up” (328).

Lauren enjoys herself throughout the rest of the wedding. During the reception, she watches everyone dance and reflects on the beauty and fragility of love, then thinks about everything she has learned in recent months.

A few months later, Ask Allie writes back to Lauren. Lauren prints out the letter and puts it in her memento box.