Marietta and her team are on her campaign plane.
Karen: I still don’t understand why we have to fly back to New Orleans.
Marietta: My niece needs me.
Karen: Does she?
Marietta: What are you insinuating?
Karen: She’s an adult, she can go off to college without you. The rest of your family’s down there, they can help her..
Marietta: Milton’s not there, he’s stuck in confirmation hearings for the new nominee for Secretary of Labor.
Karen: We have one of those? Why would a Republican ever appoint a Secretary of Labor?
Tammy: Mostly to dismantle labor unions.
Karen: So why can’t your parents take her?
Marietta: Karen, I’ve been campaigning nonstop for months. I can take a weekend off to go back home for a moment with my family.
Karen: Of course you can, I’m just saying that you didn’t have to.
Amy: See what I’m saying, Marietta? Annoying.
Karen: Hey, toots, you’re no treat yourself.
Marietta: Ladies, ladies! You’re both irritating egomaniacs!
Tammy: Very true.
Amy: Even if Sarah weren’t heading off to college on Monday, we do need to spend some time in New Orleans. She’s still mayor.
Henrietta: Is she? Or is Marissa basically mayor now?
Amy: Don’t even say that! Marissa can wait her turn, I’m next after Marietta’s done!
Marietta: If I win, I’ll have to resign. City Council President becomes mayor in that case…
Amy: Guess you can’t win then!
Tammy: I thought you were gunning for a cabinet position?
Amy: Marietta has indicated that that’s an unlikely place for me to wind up, so I’m recalibrating my goal.
Karen: It’s good to be realistic.
Amy: Shove off!
Henrietta: Sometimes I still wonder how I got so lucky to wind up involved in… whatever this is.
Karen: A winning presidential campaign is what it is!
Henrietta: It does not appear that way to me.
Marietta: Karen, I promise you we’ll be back on the campaign trail Tuesday. A little family time the next two days will do me well, recharge my batter a bit. Then, we can hit the ground running.
Karen: We need to be on the trail Tuesday, we have a rally in Connecticut that day.
Marietta: Connecticut? That’s Baum’s home state! We’re barely bothering with New Hampshire because of her, why would we ever waste time in Connecticut?
Karen: Because we need to kill some time before our big interview on Wednesday morning with a very special woman who just announced her retirement.
Marietta: Hoda? No frickin’ way!
Karen: You will be the headlining guest on Hoda & Jenna.
Marietta: Oh my god!
Amy: This is so sad. She’s freaking out over getting to meet Kathie Lee Gifford’s drinking buddy.
Marietta: She’s an American institution!
Tammy: Amy, we all witnessed her sobbing right before that Iowa campaign event when the news came out about Hoda leaving. Let her have this moment.
Henrietta: Let’s just make sure she wipes up those tears and her eyes don’t look red before we get off the plane. We don’t need the media getting pictures of you crying.
Tammy: Wednesday’s gonna be a challenge for us.
Marietta: I’ll manage. I’ll be just the right amount of emotional.
Karen: Then on Thursday, we’re back to South Carolina.
Marietta: We’re just coming from there now!
Karen: Would you rather go back to Iowa?
Amy: Who would ever want to go to Iowa?
Karen: Exactly!
Marietta: I hate that we have opponents from New England and Nevada, we never get to visit them. It’s all-in on two states, it’s quite derivative.
Karen: I’m sorry that running for president isn’t as fun as you were hoping it’d be.
Marietta: Thank you, I appreciate the sympathy.
Five hours later, at Marietta’s office…
Marietta: Ah! Good to be home!
Marissa: Marietta!
Marietta: Marissa, what are you doing here?
Marissa: Someone’s gotta keep the office running! You take all your staff with you whenever you go!
Marietta: They’re like lice, I just can’t get rid of them no matter how hard I try!
Marissa: They’re loyal, though.
Marietta: Well… they’re loyal now. If I lost that last election, I’m sure Amy would’ve been groveling at Kent Egerton’s feet.
Marissa: I’m not so sure about that. Amy’s been a strong advocate for you with the council. You got a lot done because you had her support, and the members trust her judgment.
Marietta: Trusting Amy’s judgment, now that’s a scary thought!
Marissa: So, a better question than what I’m doing here… what are you doing here, future madam president?
Marietta: I can’t entirely abandon my duties just for a presidential run. I have to come check in on whether things are still going smoothly here.
Marissa: At seven o’clock?
Marietta: Well, the city never sleeps.
Marissa: That’s New York.
Marietta: Can’t get nothin’ past you.
Marissa: Why are you really here? I know it’s not because you miss working as mayor so much.
Marietta: I’m avoiding going home.
Marissa: There it is! What’s wrong?
Marietta: Sarah’s going off to college on Monday. I can’t bear to go back to the mayor’s residence and see her room cleared out, it’ll be so empty.
Marissa: Oh? I thought she was taking a gap year?
Marietta: That was last year.
Marissa: Wow, time flies.
Marietta: It does, that’s the problem. She’s not my daughter, but we’ve bonded so much. We’re so close. Now she’s going off to school, she’ll be doing her own things. I’m going to miss her. She won’t have time for me!
Marissa: Family always has time.
Marietta: I barely have time to see her now, and she’s not in school. Imagine how busy things will be with her in school and me on the campaign trail even more.
Marissa: You’re still family! You’ll always be there for each other.
Marietta: It’s just hard coping with everyone growing older.
Marissa: I believe Stevie Nicks wrote a song about that.
Marietta: It was bad enough with Kyle, but now Sarah’s grown and leaving, too. I’m really an empty nester now. In fact, I’m a grandma. That generation’s grown, it’s onto a new one.
Marissa: I didn’t know you back when your son moved out, but you’ve always spoken about his family with such pride. I know you’re proud of what he’s built, and you’re happy he’s had such a good life. It’ll be the same for Sarah. But, you do have a bit of time before she goes off to college, so go enjoy that instead of moping here!
Marietta: But I really do have a lot to catch up on!
Marissa: Go to your family, I’ll bug Tammy and Amy about this. You’re good.
Marietta: You’re the best!
Marissa: I know.
Later, at Patty Lynn and Martin’s…
Marietta: Anyone home?
Patty Lynn: Marietta! Welcome home!
Kathleen: We haven’t seen you home in weeks!
Marietta: I’m exhausted.
Sarah: You should be me! I’ve been working on packing my room up and getting it ready to move into my dorm!
Marietta: Ah! Don’t say that!
Sarah: Say what?
Marietta: You moving! I’m not ready!
Sarah: It’s not like you get to see me that much anymore anyway.
Marietta: That’s not the point! You’re growing up!
Sarah: Grandma, she’s getting weird!
Marietta: I’m sorry, I’m just emotional. So much is changing.
Sarah: You’re the one who decided to run for president!
Marietta: Yeah, that was a mistake.
Martin: No it wasn’t! You’re going to win, and you’re going to turn this country around!
Marietta: I’m in third.
Martin: Not for long!
Marietta: I’ve been in third for long.
Kathleen: The debate will fix it!
Marietta: Since when are you positive?
Kathleen: I have to believe in you, because it’s the only source of joy I have. Look what I live with.
Marietta: Aww, that was sweet at first. Then it got a bit mean.
Patty Lynn: It’s no meaner than I usually have to deal with.
Kathleen: That is true.
Sarah: Have we moved on from me going to college? Am I old news?
Marietta: Nope! Still heartbroken!
Sarah: It’ll be okay. You’ll be busy as president while I’ll be getting an education. In four to eight years, we’ll both be done and then we can hang out as much as you want!
Martin: Four to eight? She’s getting two terms.
Marietta: Let’s not get cocky. Although, I’d like to think I’d get two terms.
Patty Lynn: So what time are we leaving tomorrow?
Marietta: Tomorrow?
Patty Lynn: Oh, yeah, Sarah has so much stuff to haul that she decided it’d be best if we just started moving it all tomorrow. She wants to have Monday to unpack and decorate her room.
Marietta: I thought I had another day! This is ridiculous!
Sarah: Aunt Marietta, I’m going to Tulane. You can drive there whenever, it’s not like I’m going to Harvard.
Martin: Oh, but you could’ve!
Sarah: Your positivity is delightful, but no, I could not have.
Martin: If you really put your mind to it, you could’ve!
Sarah: I respectfully disagree.
Patty Lynn: Besides, Louisiana schools are in our blood!
Marietta: Yeah, no one wants to be a traitor like Amy! She went to Clemson, ugh!
Sarah: So, are you okay with me going to college now?
Marietta: I’m okay with it, and I always have been. Won’t make me miss you any less! So much is changing!
Kathleen: You keep saying that.
Marietta: I’m trying to convince myself to be less horrified by it! If I say it enough, it’ll be normalized.
Kathleen: That’s not gonna work.
Patty Lynn: Well, you’re here now and we have today. We’ve been waiting to eat until you got here!
Kathleen: And we’re starving because of it!
Patty Lynn: Ah, stop whinin’! Nothing worse for the psyche than whinin’!
Kathleen: There’s a “g” at the end of that word.
Patty Lynn: Nah!
Later that day, Marietta calls Milton.
Milton: What’s going on? It’s late, is everything all right? Is it mom? Did she finally snap?
Marietta: What? No!
Milton: Well it’s after ten! I was in bed!
Marietta: Are you ninety?
Milton: I’m on the campaign trail. I figured you, if anyone, would understand the exhaustion of the trail.
Marietta: I stay awake late, you know that.
Milton: I don’t. I keep an early schedule.
Marietta: Anyway, I need advice.
Milton: You called for advice now?
Marietta: Is there a better time for it?
Milton: Sometime during the day, perhaps?
Marietta: Boring!
Milton: Just spit it out.
Moira: Honey, what’s wrong?
Milton: It’d be nice if I could know, she won’t spit it out.
Marietta: Hi, Moira!
Moira: Hi, Marietta!
Marietta: Am I on speaker?
Milton: No, you’re just so loud.
Marietta: Fair.
Milton: So what is it?
Marietta: Sarah. How did you come to terms with her growing up and spreading her wings and going off to college?
Milton: Come to terms with it? I’m thrilled! I’m finally getting to see my daughter exploring her full potential.
Marietta: You’re not at all sad about how quickly this happened?
Milton: Well, it is upsetting how quickly the years pass, but I’m mostly proud.
Marietta: I’m very proud of her, too! But I’m going to miss the heck out of her!
Milton: She’s down the road.
Marietta: But she used to be down the hallway!
Milton: I know you two were arguably closer than she and I were, but this isn’t a crisis. It’s a good thing! She’s going to go off and make something of herself.
Marietta: Hasn’t she done that already?
Milton: She’s a great kid, but she’s not exactly changing the world during her gap year. Once she gets done, she’ll take on the world! Look at it that way! Now, can I get to bed?
Marietta: I guess.
Milton: You still sound sad.
Marietta: You make a good point, really. It’s just hard to imagine the house without her.
Milton: I mean, if all goes well, you’ll be moving into a new house.
Marietta: Milton, come on.
Milton: What?
Marietta: Odds are, I’m not going to win.
Milton: You have momentum.
Marietta: I’m down a bit in the polls from last week, actually.
Milton: You have a general sense of momentum.
Marietta: Nice save.
Milton: The point is, Sarah going to college isn’t the only change. Life is full of change, and you’ve coped with that well. I trust you’ll deal with this as well. Any time you miss her, she’s just a short drive or a phone call away.
Marietta: I still cry myself to sleep at night sometimes about losing re-election to the senate.
Milton: That’s… actually quite sad.
Marietta: I’m quite aware.
The next day…
Marietta: You ready, kid?
Sarah: You look chipper! What happened?
Marietta: I’m excited for you. I got a little wake up call, I realized that change is good and remembered you need to live your life for you. I want that for you, a life of adventure and fun and innovation. So, I’m ready for you to take this step.
Sarah: I’m proud of you.
Marietta: I’m going to cry a lot, I just need you to know that.
Sarah: I know.
Marietta: And, uh… if you can’t stay in your dorm one night for whatever reason, you know where to come.
Sarah: Grandma’s?
Marietta: Stop it!
Sarah: I’m just messing with you!
Marietta: Kid, this has been so much fun, and I’m so proud of you.
Sarah: Don’t make me cry!
Marietta: You came into my home when I needed that company and that comfort more than ever. I thought I was done being a mom, but sometimes your niece needs a bit of motherly love. Thank you for bearing with me through all the crazy.
Sarah: I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Marietta: You wouldn’t even want me to be saner?
Sarah: Your insanity is what makes you you!
Marietta: Thank you, I appreciate it. Now, let’s get the car packed.
Sarah: Grandpa said he’d help with that.
Marietta: Ah, good. I didn’t want to do it anyway.
What did you think of this episode of Marietta? Let us know in the comments and make sure to read the new episode next week!