Colonel John Camden and his wife Ruth are staying over on their way to Hawaii, unannounced. Fearing they will spill the beans, Lucy wants to skip town with Kevin supposedly to help Simon, asking Sandy to cover church service, so she stays in their place with baby Aaron; she's warm to boy-friend Dr. Jonathan Sanderson, chilly to Martin. T-Bone needs help for his first Valentine's day with a girl-friend, Ruthie insists they get matching tattoos, despite his and Margaret's reluctance for permanent markings, having to hide them for the Camdens and a serious needle-phobia. Mac is happy moving into the trio's apartment means 'adult' independence, the girls see domestic misery. When Jane gets her divorce papers from soldier Jack, she wants to wait till after Valentine's day. The grandparents overhear the twins with their parents, and suggest they may soon move for good. Lucy changes her minds and turns up with Kevin.

When a frantic Ruthie loses the tiny diamond from the promise ring that T-Bone gave her, she takes it as a sign that maybe they shouldn't be together and enlists the entire household to search for the missing stone. Meanwhile, Eric and Lucy independently come across a mysterious black bird and interpret it as a sign of bad things to come. Jonathan tells Sandy that he has strong feelings for her.

Eric tries to reassure T-Bone there is no reason to move out, Ruthie doesn't hate him and her spending much time with Martin doesn't have to mean anything. Then a surprise takes priority: dentist Theodore Alan 'Al' Bonaducci rides on by Harley and assures T-bone 'junior' that was his nickname as a youngster, his ma just told him in Vegas he's the kid's father, alas 17 years too late... Dr. Jonathan Sanderson proposes to elated Sandy for marriage after her graduation in a year; she promises Lucy she can delay that now Kevin and she have decided to accept the Crossroads parish. Mac is in Margaret's kissing grace. Jane assures T-Bone that Martin is not into Ruthie but with her, yet Martin also accepts a serious talk with Sandy. Only when Ruthie hears T-Bone accepts to go away a whole summer with his dad, she tells her dad she hates their break-up...