The Road to Tender Hearts

“Day Four: Friday”

The next morning, the children wake Sophie and tell her that PJ is gone. She finds PJ passed out in the Volvo next to a bottle of liquor, with Pancakes asleep on his chest. PJ wakes up, and Sophie scolds him for his behavior. PJ defends himself, saying that he’s “off the wagon” but can get back on. Sophie claims he can’t keep going in circles and insists he get over his grief. PJ fights back, arguing that Sophie is still sad too and that he has the right to continue grieving not only the loss of his daughter but his marriage as well. PJ agrees with Sophie that he must do better so he can be a good caregiver for Ollie and Luna.

Sophie is used to finding her father passed out from excessive alcohol consumption. Ivy always calls Sophie to check on him because she doesn’t want to be the one to find him dead. Sophie sees her father as “hopeless” and has resolved that she’ll never have to reconcile with his substance use because a fourth heart attack will kill him first. As they are preparing to leave, PJ says Gregor is dead.