Three episodes into Ever Year After, and we are no closer to Percy’s closure for her mistakes. But we are unraveling her history with Sam and Charlie. Delilah and Jordie are on the sidelines trying to make sure the three main friendships don’t explode.
Despite all the heartbreak and secrets, they seem like they were once a tight-knit group. Every group has issues at some point. Sometimes only the strong survive. So it is shocking to me that this group of strong individuals was broken apart so easily. Percy’s mistake must have been awful.
If we thought the endings of episodes 1 and 2 were out of the blue, episode 3 blew our minds to pieces. Not only does Percy have to stay in Barry’s Bay longer, but she’s also in Sue’s will. After the moment she had with Sam, Sue’s will reading is going to be awkward. The word "awkward" is the best word for their interactions throughout this reconnection.
Sue’s will reading
Sam and Charlie dread going to their mom’s will reading. I agree with Sam that this day makes her passing much more real. Not even a supportive text from Taylor can ease this unending dread. Charlie tries to joke and compare their day to a movie, but the joke falls flat as they leave the house. They meet with the estate holder and are shocked to learn they’re still waiting for one more.
Chantal decides to go with Percy as a lawyer, friend, and moral support. She mistakenly introduces herself to Sam, who doesn’t know her yet, as just Percy’s lawyer. This sends Sam and Charlie into an alarming rage about what the heck is going on. Percy calms them down and reintroduces Chantal as her friend and moral support. Chantal insists that she can switch to a lawyer at any time. Unfortunately, that side of Chantal is needed quickly when Sue’s will reveals something shocking. All of Sue’s assets are to be split between her two sons, except for the Tavern, which goes to Percy.
Everyone in the room is shocked by Sue updating her will in 2021 to include this detail. All this time, Charlie and Deliah were talking about selling the Tavern behind Sam’s back. Sam doesn’t know that yet, so he’s mad at Percy, his mom, and maybe even the estate holder who knew.
Charlie is pissed that their mom blindsided them from the grave. Sam counters that he’s been talking nonstop about selling their family business. It only matters if they have the choice of who it goes to, not their mom’s will. Finally, Charlie lets Sam in on how he’s been trying to line up a buyer. Sam is shocked that Deliah wants to buy the Tavern and that they were hiding it because of his reaction. At least he was going to clear the final decision with Sam. The secrets are still wrong, especially about a family-owned business.
Despite the circumstances, Charlie and Sam remember all the memories they’ve made in the Tavern. From first beers to the Charlie ex-girlfriend table, so much has happened to them. Now, in 48 hours, the property goes to Percy. In turn, Sam is coming around to the idea that it may be the right move to sell it. I can see why it’s so hard to let go when the letting go isn’t your choice.
Charlie reveals the Tavern decision tracks because of her bad decisions. Sam was unaware of their mom’s depression after their dad passed. Charlie kept the house running at only 14, while Sam was 11. Their mom got better, but it was hard, and Charlie is still pissed. I love how this leads to a brotherly moment that they needed after a hard emotional day.
The Tavern's future
Percy hadn’t spoken to Sue since things blew up with Sam, so she was confused why Sue would leave her something so significant. To make things worse, Delilah crashes Percy and Chantal’s lunch and congratulates her on being the new owner. Then she asks if she wants to sell the Tavern, and finally admits she wants to buy the Tavern from Percy.
After Deliah goes into a deep dive of what she wants to turn the Tarven into, Percy decides that can’t happen. She won’t let one more beloved Barry’s Bay spot be turned into something it's not. Then, Delilah spills the beans on what Perry’s old house is being demolished and turned into, leading Percy to do something crazy. Standing in Chantal and Deliah’s hands, Percy opens the window to her old house.
With pure dumb luck, they get her into the house. Chantal and Deliah bang at the door for Percy to let them in. Finally, Deliah gives Percy grief about what she walked in on last night. Percy admits she doesn’t know what would have happened. Delilah wishes she had had fun in her 20s and not gotten married. Percy counters that by saying she hasn’t been in a real relationship since Sam. She may still be in love with him or at least the idea of him.
This leads Deliah to share what she only told Jordie in the previous episode: she and Witt are separated for the summer to figure out whether they should stay together. She needs the Tavern so she has a focus and something to call her own. Her woes make Chantal freak out about her impending marriage and workaholic lifestyle. It is heartwarming how each of them realizes they are more than the men they attach themselves to. They’re good people, friends, and Percy really is a good writer. They may be struggling, but they aren’t broken.
The cops end up busting them for trespassing. Percy is left standing alone with her old stories as the cops take her in. Sam bails Percy out because the deputy, his buddy, called him. She begrudgingly tells him thank you, but she didn’t need her. She confronts him about all the mixed signals. I feel so bad that she feels like she’s wanted and then not. Sam agrees with her and apologizes for being confused about seeing her again.
She ends up at the Tavern alone and calls her dad. Her dad tells her about Sue making sure Percy didn’t give up on her writing. This shocks Percy because her mom ran from Barry’s Bay after what happened, but her dad kept in touch with Sue. They agree the lake is painful, but it was a place Perry was always inspired by. She lost the joy of writing because she lost the lake. It doesn’t surprise her dad that Sue changed her will shortly after they talked. Essentially, Sue brought Percy back to where she feels most like herself, most inspired to write.
The big question is, does she stay in Barry’s Bay while the guys go back to their lives? Following Sue’s funeral, is there more for her at the lake? After all this time, can she call this place her home? That dream may be made for her when Sam decides that Percy being in Barry’s Bay is bad for him. Although Sue may have thought it would help Percy, it doesn’t help her son. Charlie decides they have to contest the will, meaning they’re going to fight against their mom’s wishes.
Summer 2014
The summer of improvement starts with a bang as Percy and Sam attempt to run. Sam is an excellent runner, while Percy ends up with a foot cramp. Is it because of her converse or her bad technique? No telling, but at least she’s determined to learn despite ignoring proper footwear. The moment I love the most comes after they finish running and share three life updates from the school year. Percy convinces Sam to jump into the lake even though they didn’t bring their swimsuits. It is adorable how he tries to be a gentleman yet sneaks a few peaks as she strips to her underwear and jumps off the dock. Finally, after some hesitation, he takes his shirt and shoes off and jumps in after her.
Percy concludes that even though her running cramp kept her from obsessing over her writing. She also realizes running isn’t for her, but she understands why Sam loves it. Still needing something to focus her mind on, she decides she wants to swim across the lake. Sam agrees to help her train.
In turn, she finished writing her story, and everyone came out to watch her swim. With Sam in a canoe, Percy swam across the lake. She did it, accomplishing her goal. Although they weren’t together at this point, that bond was stronger than ever. Their flirting is hilarious because she uses his doctor studies as a way to do it.
They finally cross the friend line and kiss. Immediately, Sue sits them down and has a serious talk with them. It seems to scare Sam a bit, while Percy seems confident. I agree with Sue that romance can get tough, and dreams can escape us. I love how she encourages them to remember what they want out of life. They’re only 16 with so much ahead of them, which causes Sam to ruin things as Percy leaves for junior year.
Stream all episodes of Every Year After on Prime Video now.
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