Lost is the second episode of the first season of Virgin River and the second episode overall.
Summary []
After finding an abandoned baby on Doc Mullins's doorstep, Mel and her boss argue over whether to call Social Services or find the newborn's mother.
Plot Summary[]
After finding an abandoned baby on the porch of Dr Mullins’ surgery, Jack and Mel bring the baby inside for Mel to check if it is healthy. She surmises that the baby is a little girl and perfectly fine, but a little underweight. Jack finds a note explaining that the mother left her because she loves her and wants a better life for her.
Vernon arrives back at the surgery, and Mel suggests that they call Social Services, but Vernon is strongly against the idea, citing that they will try to find the parents themselves. Vernon enlists the help of Connie — the owner of Virgin River's convenience store — who brings diapers and formula for the baby. She remarks that she will activate the "Virgin River Phone Tree" to increase their efforts of finding the mother of the abandoned baby. Hope arrives and she and Vernon talk, with Hope revealing that Mel intends to leave Virgin River and has given in her notice, a revelation that Vernon welcomes despite Hope's anger. Jack talks with Hope and agrees to begin fixing the McCrea cabin up in an effort to make Virgin River more attractive to Mel and convince her to stay.
Mel talks with her sister, Joey, revealing that she has given in her notice and will be leaving Virgin River momentarily. Joey, who falsely assumes that Mel will be returning to Los Angeles, is overjoyed. Mel quickly informs her otherwise, which leads to a disagreement between the sisters. Mel has a memory from her childhood where Joey tells her about their sister, Chloe, who died before Mel was born. She decides to call the child Chloe until her parents are found.
Back at the cabin, Ricky and Jack are clearing it out and discussing Ricky’s plans for after college. Ricky tells Jack of his plans to enlist after graduation, to which Jack is reluctant, saying that the world has changed a lot since he enlisted. Ricky himself is worried about telling his grandmother of his plans, and asks Jack to help him tell her, to which he agrees. As they are throwing away the things outside the cabin, Ricky drops a glass vase, which shatters, triggering Jack’s PTSD. He has a flashback of his time in the Marines when he was caught up in gunfire inside a building. Ricky asks him if everything is okay, but Jack brushes it off, stating he had too much coffee.
Lilly Anderson, another local, comes to the practice to drop off baby supplies that she no longer needs as her children have grown up. Shortly afterwards, Connie arrives, angry that Mel would suggest calling Social Services to give the baby away, remarking that those in Virgin River take care of their own. Mel is quick to remark that the State of California is clear in their procedures and laws, but the former still disagrees with her.
Jack returns to the bar where he finds Preacher angry due to Brady’s presence, which he deems useless. Jack says that he is determined to give Brady a reason to stay and keep him out of trouble but Preacher dismisses him, saying he is in denial.
Mel is at the clinic when a patient, Charlie, appears, looking for the doctor. Mel offers to help him but he prefers to return later to see a male healthcare provider. However, before leaving, he shares his experience of being adopted and tells Mel that he agrees with what she did, giving her some comfort.
Jack decides to get Mel a latte to help her out as she is finding it difficult managing the issues at the clinic and watching the abandoned baby. Whilst at the bakery truck, the two get talking about why the mother of the baby may have done what she did. Paige states that people do crazy things when they’re desperate and she herself would do anything to protect her son. She also mentions her dislike for child welfare agencies, believing they do more damage than good. Paige’s son, Christopher, appears, and Jack invites him to the bar to cook with Preacher later, before walking away. Jack heads to the clinic to give Mel a much needed break and the coffee. The two talk about the situation between Doc and Mel, with Mel remarking that he doesn’t understand how things in the city work since he’s never lived there. Jack reveals some information about Doc’s past as a high powered doctor in Seattle and his decision to quit and practice small town medicine, shocking Mel. Jack takes Chloe and puts her to bed. Mel gets caught up in a memory of her with Mark that she doesn’t notice at first, but is soon snatched into reality.
Doc arrives at one of the pot camps outside of Virgin River in hopes of finding a woman who he saw recently that was heavily pregnant and may be the mother. He first talks to Jimmy, who gives him a rundown of everybody’s health at the camp. He then directs Doc to Spencer, who knows more about Maxine, the woman in question. For a price, Spencer tells Doc that last he saw of Maxine, she was working at a gas station in Clear River and he hasn’t seen her since. Doc thanks him and proceeds to examine the people at the camp.
Mel arrives at the bar in the evening with Chloe where she encounters Preacher, who offers to make her dinner, which she accepts. Mayor McCrea, having noticed how exhausted Mel looks, tries to convince her to take a much needed break with Jack whilst she herself watches the baby, but Mel is initially reluctant. Mel agrees on the premise that they call her if anything is amiss, to which they agree. Jack takes her to play baseball ant a makeshift batting cage in the woods and the two have an enjoyable evening together, seemingly growing the connection shared between the two and the affinity Mel has for Virgin River. On the walk back, they talk about their relationships with their parents, with Mel revealing that her mother’s death due to cancer when she was a child was the reason she became a nurse.
Mel returns to take care of the baby, when Lilly unexpectedly arrives, bringing more onesies. Mel thanks her but Lilly reveals that it was an excuse for her to come here. apologises for not saying anything during the unpleasant encounter with Connie earlier. Mel accepts the apology but says that it is no problem as she is used to it. Lilly offers to help with feeding the baby whilst Mel goes to take a shower and whilst initially hesitant, she ends up taking Lilly up on the offer. As she leaves the practice, with no mother in sight, Mel makes the decision to call Social Services.
At the bar, Brady, feeling that he does not fit in here and not wanting to waiter, thanks Jack for the job but says that he has decided to leave once again. Preacher mocks his decision to once again leave and supposedly start over. Jack tells Brady to sleep on it and they will discuss it tomorrow. He reprimands Preacher for his attitude, stating that Brady is here now and that is all that matters. Preacher questions how often people can start over again. Jack calls an unspecified person, planning to meet later.
At the B&B, Mel runs into Doc, who shares his unsuccessful findings from today. However, both realise that the baby being from the camps is unlikely as it was clean, which the camps are not. Doc suggests keeping the baby overnight and continuing to look tomorrow but Mel reveals that she called the number and Social Services will arrive tomorrow. Doc is angry that Mel went against his wishes whilst she argues that it is her duty, which she forwent out of respect for him. In retaliation, Doc officially fires Mel despite her already established resignation.
Jack arrives at the home of a woman with whom he had been speaking earlier. The two kiss and spend the night together.
Mel returns to the clinic to take over the care of Chloe. However, she is shocked to find Lilly breastfeeding the baby, and it becomes clear that Lilly is the mother of the baby.
Cast []
Main Cast[]
- Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda Monroe
- Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
- Colin Lawrence as John Middleton
- Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes
- Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts
- Annette O'Toole as Hope McCrea
- Tim Matheson as Vernon Mullins
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady
- Daniel Gillies as Mark Monroe
- Grayson Gurnsey as Ricky
Guest Cast[]
- Lynda Boyd as Lilly Anderson
- Nicola Davendish as Connie
- Lexa Doig as Paige Lassiter
- Ian Tracey as Jimmy
- Chase Petriw as Christopher Lassiter
- Chad Rook as Spencer
- Patrick Keating as Charlie
- Julien Bruce as Barista
- Emma Oliver as Young Mel
- Alexandra Perry as Younger Joey