Following his heated exchange with Bonnie at the end of the previous episode of Sweet Magnolias season 4, Ty has not yet come home so the guys all head out to try to find him. Cal ultimately finds him at the baseball field and the two share a really sweet conversation as Ty shares his regrets about not fixing things with Bill before it was too late.
Ty says he wants to be a man who takes on responsibilities like Cal, which really touches Cal who has been struggling to adjust to his new role as stepdad. The pair head home and Ty apologizes to Maddie for increasing her pain by going off on Bonnie. He tells them he’s not going to go on the road with Olivia as he should stick around and Maddie encourages him not to make a decision while everything is still fresh and emotions are high. After Ty heads to bed, Cal assures Maddie that he understands why she kept Isaac’s secret but asks for her to no longer keep any secrets from him as they begin their married life together.
As we jump ahead to the next day, Kathy and Tripp bring the kids gifts from Bill that he had bought for Christmas: A dinosaur tooth for Katie, a gift certificate to buy two tickets of his choosing for a play of his choice for Kyte, and for Ty a compass like the one Bill had when he was Scouts. Kathy also leaves a gift for Bex and Isaac with Maddie before they prepare to head out of town and back to Texas.
Before leaving town, Bonnie and Maddie get the chance to patch things up as she reflects on how she wishes she had more time with Bill who came home to Texas, a version of him that was finally happy. As Bonnie and Maddie patch things up, Kathy goes to see Ronnie and Dana Sue to say goodbye and pay them back for the money they loaned her when she left town which Dana Sue ensures her they’ll use through the Magnolias Foundation to help honor Bill’s memory.
After taking to think things through, Ty decides to follow his dream of going out on tour. Following a really sweet conversation with Helen, who makes a promise to be his safe space as he processes everything and embarks on this new journey, Ty heads home to begin packing before hitting the road with Olivia and leaving town.
Sweet Magnolias season 4 episode 5 ending explained: Does Helen survive the hurricane?
After surviving a metaphorical storm in the form of Bonnie and the fallout of Bill’s death, the town of Serenity must brace for an actual tropical storm, which eventually turns into a hurricane.
With the storm coming, they discuss postponing the reopening of Sullivan’s and Friends. Erik lets it slip while speaking with Dana Sue and Cal that he broke up with Genevieve, and Dana Sue returns the spilling of tea as she informs the pair Alex has left town.
As the storm intensifies and grows closer to hitting Serenity, Dana Sue commandeers the kitchen at Sullivan’s and Friends to whip up a batch of her famous chili for the firefighters… which doesn’t sit well with Erik who point blank makes it clear the kitchen is no longer hers as she makes a quick exit. She eventually catches up with Maddie and Helen to help prepare Helen’s home for the store which is when Dana Sue lets it slip that Erik is newly single as well.
As the Magnolias and their families begin making it to Sullivan’s and Friends to weather the storm, Ronnie heads out with Skeeter to help check on people in the storm after boarding Sullivan's windows. In the midst of the chaos, Annie tells Erik she started dreaming big after their conversation and is looking at a school in California that requires a special recommendation and she’d like him to write because he’s been a big inspiration. By now, almost everyone has made it to Sullivan’s except for Helen who is still boxing up some files in her office.
Dana Sue eventually gets the chance to speak with Erik between the chaos around them and apologizes for getting in the way earlier. As she tells him, she’s still getting the hang of the new dynamics and falling back into old habits, to which he assures her they’ll find a balance eventually.
Everyone (well, almost everyone) eventually makes it to Sullivan’s and Erik opens with a toast as he declares that tonight is the official opening of Sullivan’s and Friends, after all the hope is for the restaurant to be a place for people to gather as they have in this moment to weather the storm.
The storm begins to intensify and Helen has still not made it to Sullivan’s and now no one is able to reach her. As the group begins to worry, Ronnie and Skeeter return and inform everyone that the conditions are getting worse with flooding on the roads and falling debris. Now fearing for Helen more than ever before, Erik takes Ronnie’s truck and heads out to make sure nothing has happened to her.
As he drives along, he notices Helen’s car in the middle of the road with a tree smashed upon it and immediately races to check on Helen. She’s trapped in the car, but Erik is able to help her out safely as they then share a passionate kiss in the rain as the episode comes to a close.