The past has uncovered many questions over the last few episodes, but our favorite Port Haven time-travelers never expected the response. One tiny clue from the Goodwin estate connected back to Kat’s time in the 1920s and blew everything wide open. We all know one mystery leads to 50 more, and that little crown-crested bullet did just that for Kat. Between Alice’s time in the 1970s and Kat’s in the 1920s, they pieced together Fern and Tessa’s connection through generations of Port Haven’s history.
The Way Home episode 4 revealed that Tessa not only wrote Jacob’s death date in the Landry Family Almanac, but she also wrote Fern’s birth date. Fern’s reaction to seeing Tessa in her house in the 1970s makes much more sense. Fern has known Tessa her entire life, but 1970s Tessa hasn’t time traveled yet. It’s all so mind-bending but incredible all the same.
Not only did we uncover Fern and Tessa’s connection, but Nick also volunteered to time-travel. We ended the episode with him and Kat jumping into the pond. I’ve never been more mad about a cliffhanger than not knowing if Nick made it to the 1920s or ended up stuck in time like Tessa. Meanwhile, in the present, no one knows Del is unconscious. Hopefully, episode 5 gives us some much-needed answers.
Trespassing
Nick and Kat emerge from the pond together. I have never been more thankful to see someone make it where they need to go, as Kat finds the stash of clothes. Kat is wound up about connecting Fern with Tessa, while Nick begs to be shown around a bit. She puts her foot down that they need to find the Family Almanac in this time and prove that Tessa has connections to the 1800s and beyond. Checking that no one is home, they enter the house.
Kat finds the almanac as Nick fits into his 1920s outfit like a glove. Just as they are talking about how the house has changed yet feels the same, Cliff walks in, laughing at how Kat must miss her jail cell. Can we punch him in his smug face? By the skin of their teeth, they play off their trespassing as picking up the almanac for Fern.
Kat warns Nick not to drink anything the Auggie boys give them as they part ways. With Fern not being at her usual haunt, Kat is on a mission to track her down and confront her while Nick keeps the Auggie boys off Kat’s trail.
Goodwin isn’t good
Kat finds the Alice in Wonderland book addressed to little Fern from Auntie Coop at Fern’s place/the Herald. She encounters Grayson Goodwin, who accuses her of being behind the raids at his places since she arrived. He’s immediately suspicious about all the family secrets Fern has been telling this so-called “distant family friend.”
While having a drink with Grayson, Kat learns that Fern had a brother who went missing in the war, and her mother and father have both passed away. The farmhouse was full of sad memories for Fern, making it hard for her to stay in one place. It all makes sense why she would give the house to Cliff in the 1920s.
Grayson thinks it’s funny that Fern told Kat basically everything except who Auntie Coop was. She wasn’t a blood aunt but a close family friend who travels a lot now. A phone call ends their conversation. As soon as Kat steps out of the office, Grayson’s cool demandor disappears as he says he’s already dealt with Fern and slams the phone down.
Auntie Coop revealed
Kat emerges into the bar to see Nick arm in arm with the Auggie boys, singing a tune. They wish him a good journey, wishing he’d stay for the long haul. Kat drags him out of there. As she finishes getting on him and snatches his flask from him, Cliff pops up and throws them in jail.
She’d thought Nick had made friends with the enemy until he gave her the directions to their hideaway. Turns out he was playing the enemy the entire time. What a sneaky man!
I definitely think Cliff has taken a liking to Fern especially given the way he reacts to her maybe being in danger. Cliff and Kat agree that Grayson Goodwin has to be up to no good, and they need to take him down together. Cliff lets them out and warns them about bootleggers and their alcohol. Plus, Cliff knowing Nick is wearing his clothes after playing it off is hilarious.
Nick’s fun facts about history come in handy as they find the Auggie boys at their hideaway. His sneeze blows their cover, and Kat’s presence sends them on the run. Luckily, they find Fern at the farm as she scolds Kat for moving the family almanac from the farm. Kat scolds her right back about Auntie Coop and knowing where Tessa was the entire time. Technically she doesn’t know where she is right now since she has left Port Haven, but she would ask if someone had come yet to get her. She wanted to come home and go back to Elliot!
They run from the Auggie boys and into the pond. Kat almost gets taken down without Nick as he fights the brothers off. They yell and threaten Fern as Nick finally falls into the pond and grabs onto Kat in the last seconds. Fern explains it away by saying she tried to tell the brothers the pond was a sinkhole.
Del’s accident
Looks like The Way Home isn’t wasting any time as Alice wonders where Del is when Stormy arrives back without her. Alice runs into a dazed Del at the edge of the woods to take her the rest of the way home. As Del looks over her shoulder, Colton’s ghostly memory smiles at her, and my heart breaks. Alice frets over Del, who promises she is fine. She unfortunately called Sam and Nick’s bio dad shows up as well, sending Alice on her way. The adults try to get Del to relax, but she wants to be alone since neither of them is who she needs. She sees ghostly Colton again, but this time she knows he’s not real.
Alice rushes into Elliot’s house after receiving his arrival home text. He admits he failed to bring Jacob home because he doesn’t want to come back. Alice warns him not to tell Del because of her accident, and then Kat and Nick are in the pond. Once she tells him why they went back to the 1920s, Elliot wants to go get his mom himself. I can’t blame him, but I’m also worried about him. We have enough to worry about with Kat talking to Goodwin and Nick cozying up to the Auggie boys to worry about Elliot time-traveling, too. Yet, I know it’ll happen one way or another.
Julian (Nick’s bio dad) and Del seem to have some sparks flying, but Del isn’t sure about his offer to spend more time with him. She ends the conversation, needing to go check on her horse, Lightning (that’s not his name). Is Del okay? She’s seeing ghostly Colton as she struggles to get her horse to come to her and not be afraid after their accident. Once Julian tells Sam that Del called her horse Lightning, he runs into the cornfield after her. She’s playing tag with ghostly Colton and Jacob when she faints. Sam carries her home and checks in on her after the doctor confirms she has a concussion.
Del fades in and out of consciousness as she spends time in her mind with memories of Colton and Jacob. Alice returns, broken up about not being there for Del and seeing a young Del grieving the loss of her first baby. Del promises to talk about the difficult history when she’s better.
Jacob returns home
Alice leaves Jacob a voicemail as she cries about being alone with Del in bad shape. They need him to come home; Del most importantly needs him. Del goes back into her memories, and she doesn’t like that Colton wants her to go back to her life without them. Alice tries to wake up Del as Jacob rushes in and starts talking through his younger self. Colton tells Del that Jakey is home and her son needs her. She wakes up to her baby boy being home. Kat returns to hug Alice, and all is well.
Del turns down Julian and promises to follow the doctor's orders to rest. She has to stay home and be with her family. Nick closed on his house and will be back in a month with Claire in tow. He says goodbye as Kat joins the family in the farmhouse.
It is revealed that Elliot did get through to Jacob. Jacob got Alice’s message after he had landed and was on his way back home. Elliot and Kat agree to spend time with family, and the pond can wait. While Elliot gives the Landrys space, he goes to the Herald to look at old newspapers written by Fern.
Elliot talks to young Vic
Elliot and Alice end up in the 1970s when they were hoping for the 1920s. But the pond still brought them to Tessa as she plays the white witch with Evelyn and Lewis in the woods. Elliot doesn’t care that they are in the wrong time when his mom is five feet away from him, talking to Evelyn and Colton. Evelyn requests Del’s company, but Colton says it’s not a good time for Del.
Alice and Elliot split up to keep an eye on the 1970s Port Haven residents. Elliot learns that Tessa isn’t sure she wants kids, but Evelyn encourages her to not fear it. She should embrace it, which gives her hope. Elliot climbs over the fence as Tessa follows Evelyn into the house, and he comes face-to-face with his dad, Vic. A happier dad, a man before the pain of losing Tessa. In turn, it is right after their engagement, and he’s happily in love. He wants kids and to make his family house a real home of their own. Seeing Elliot learn about his parents' happiness as they wish for a family is beautiful. They want the future, and he more than wishes they would have had that forever life.
Alice listens to Colton try to comfort Del after losing their baby. We discover that he built the swing because they were starting a family. The meaning of their home is wrapped in the warmth of all their dreams; no wonder it is hard to grasp losing those dreams.
The next episode of The Way Home airs on Hallmark Channel on May 24 at 9/8c.
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