Synopsis: After her sister's tragic accident, blackjack dealer Zoe Busiek leaves Las Vegas to care for her dead sister's three children. Her personal investigation of her sister's car accident lead her to the truth and landed her a job at an insurance company as a fraud investigator.Episode Summary: Zoe Busiek (Joely Fisher), a blackjack dealer leaves Las Vegas to take care of her dead sister ‘s children. She leaves behind her work, boyfriend and a life free from serious commitment. Seeing the house she grew up in, she remembers a memory of her sister Sue fixing their mother’s favorite figurine that Zoe broke. Melancholy and anxious, an old friend and neighbor Jeannie, finds her standing in front of the house. She gives her a warm welcome and an assurance that everything’s going to be all right. Hannah, the youngest of the three children, greets her and seems sincerely excited to see her aunt. Cliff, the middle child, appears to be forlorn at the mention of his recently deceased mother. The oldest on the other hand, couldn’t care less and immediately deceives Zoe. Continue reading...
The first day of her new life starts off track. New to the role of mother, she forgets about her responsibilities and wakes up late. Good thing Cliff has some sense of maturity that he had already prepared breakfast and helped her younger sister get ready for school. Zoe goes around the city looking for a job. Unfortunately, her history of taking in odd jobs turned out to be a hindrance. Her day proves to be completely awry when she learns that the insurance company refused to pay her sister’s life insurance, since the car accident investigation found her sister at fault. Knowing her sister as one of the most cautious drivers, she argues that there must have been a mistake. Dan Lennox (Chris Potter), the company’s fraud investigator, takes over and explains that witnesses have testified that Sue ran the red light. He shows her the police report. At once she senses things are amiss and takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of it. One by one she visits the witnesses asking them to recall the accident.
At dinner, Zoe and her niece argue when Taylor attempts to once again fool her aunt. Completely assuming her role as the adult, Zoe puts her foot down and imposes rules on the children. At this time, the siblings’ attitude toward her has gone for the worst. Even the jovial Hannah snubbed her with a remark that only parents can attend the Heroes Day pageant.
Fortunately, morning has brought new light to the household and everything is back to normal. However, she remains out of luck with her job search. In an attempt to save money, she goes to the garage to try and salvage her sister’s wrecked car. Seeing its irreparable condition not only did it disappoint her plan, it also brought up painful emotions. However, the trip to the garage gave her an opportunity to check on the accident as the other party’s car was also brought there. She finds an invitation on the car seat and learns who the other driver was. Zoe visits the woman Eileen to find more answers. Regrettably, nothing was gained from the visit plus she forgets to fetch Cliff. Realizing her mistake, she rushes to bring her nephew to the game and discovers that the poor kid has been blaming himself for his mother’s death. He explains that his mother raced out to purchase him the protractor she forgot to buy. Zoe tries her best to unburden Cliff of guilt.
Being thirty minutes late, coach Marcos Morales had sent Cliff to sit out the first half. Knowing very well that the tardiness is entirely her fault, Zoe tries to convince Marcos to make an exemption. Realizing that the pleading woman is her old friend Zoe, Marcos changes his mind and allows Cliff to play. He also asks her to the dance and become one of the adult chaperones.
The following day, Zoe returns to the insurance company and discloses to Dan’s partner, Sophia (Rae Dawn Chong), her findings. She had observed that the other driver had no serious injuries despite the car wreckage. The absence of skid marks despite functioning brakes invalidates the other party’s testimony. Aside from these, all witnesses seem to share scripted answers to her questions. Taken with Zoe’s perseverance, Sophia does her a favor and runs a background check on Eileen Draper. However, her good record only shows that the woman has no motive to commit fraud.
Being a source of moral support, Jeannie comforts the troubled Zoe and points out that she has done her very best to get the insurance money for the kids. Nevertheless, Zoe is convinced that Sue did not cause the accident and explains that she does not want the children to think their mother brought the bad fortune upon herself. Zoe also points out that the children are well aware that she is a failure. Jeannie ends her ranting by bringing out the figurine Zoe broke as a kid. Confused on how her clumsiness can be an indicator of good character, the old lady informs her that Sue had always associated her with the broken figurine telling the children that their aunt is the kind of person that picks up the broken pieces and goes on with her life. Hannah and the arrival of Taylor’s date for the dance interrupts their conversation. The guy turns out to be a responsible kid, which makes her pleased and relieved.
Still convinced that her sister could not have caused the accident, she manages to avail the unedited version of the wedding Eileen Draper attended before the accident. There she learns that Eileen and the other witness, Tony, knew each other and immediately shows it to Dan and Sophia. However like Eileen, Tony’s background check showed that his record is clean. As a consolation Dan asks Zoe out for coffee, but she politely refuses, as she has to accompany Marcos in the high school dance.
At the dance, she finds Ted with another girl and discovers that Taylor only used him as an excuse. The troublesome niece is actually in a frat party. She rushes to the party and drags her home, but the teen falls ill. Calling home to check on the kids, Jeannie informs her that Dan Lennox called. She returns the call to learn that the other witness is also a friend of Eileen’s and with that new information the insurance company has re-opened the case. Dan asks her again for coffee, but they were interrupted when the doctor comes to inform her and Marcos, who rushed to her aide, of Taylor’s blood test. They find out that the teen had ingested a date rape drug and that Zoe’s timing could not have been any better. Finally, Zoe had done something right and opens up to Marcos.
Dan and Sophia interrogate Eileen who suddenly becomes unaccommodating after being under the suspicion. Back home, a conversation with Taylor gave Zoe an idea that might solve her sister’s case. She rushes to Dan and Sophia to inform them that Tony and Eileen are lovers. She explains that the wedding reception ended at six in the evening, but the accident happened at nine. As it turns out, the two had stayed in a hotel around the area. However, afraid of a lawsuit from Eileen the investigators are still apprehensive. Zoe promises them to bring more concrete evidence and accosts Ray who confesses that he was not even at the scene of the accident when it happened. Dan and Zoe confront Eileen Draper who later breaks down when the two make it clear of their conviction that she had committed multiple felonies by lying to the police and filing a fraudulent claim.
Triumphant, Zoe informs the children of their mother’s innocence and reiterates that nobody in their family is to blame for the tragic accident. Cliff tries to hide his emotions by running to his room. Seeing that he still finds himself at fault, Zoe comforts him at his time of need and again tells the child that he should be free from guilt.
With the matter settled, Zoe visits the insurance company to receive the claim. She is greeted by applause from the employees. Dan and Sophia update her of the case saying that she was right all along. The drunk Tony was the one driving the car and not the unscathed Eileen. In fact he suffered a head injury, which he covered up with his hair. Eileen went along for fear that her wealthy husband would file for divorce upon learning of her affair. Apparently, she had signed a pre-nuptial agreement with a clause that states that no compensation will be given if the wife commits adultery. Later, another employee notifies Zoe that the head of the department whom they call The Intimidator would like to award the check herself. Panic stricken, Dan and Sophia rush her to the office. Impressed with her investigation she offers Zoe a job in the fraud department. Immediately she accepts the offer, but negotiated the start of employment since she already has a prior engagement. Being a mother herself, the boss guessed that Zoe is to attend a school activity and was considerate. Ecstatic with how things finally fell into place, Zoe comes home to bring a prop for Hannah’s Heroes Day costume. Taylor informs her that the little girl yet again changed her mind. The kid surprises her aunt with a blackjack dealer uniform and invites her to the school activity even though she is not her real mother.
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