Now We Are Getting Somewhere!

I've decided not to wait till 24 hours after the episode airs to write my recap. So, I'll warn *Spoilers* down below for "The Secret Life of the American Teenager."

The show starts relatively early in the morning as Molly Ringwald makes herself some coffee. Watching her from the shadows is Amy, looking quite melancholy. Molly finally sees her daughter, jumping a bit. She asks what's up and Amy sobs out "I'm pregnant." Molly makes her repeat this three times and then is convinced that Amy and Ashley are doing this so Molly won't be so upset by Amy's Dad leaving them. Amy swears that it isn't like that. Molly asks who told Amy she was pregnant. Amy says Aunt Julie told her six weeks ago (so, six weeks have past and no one is getting ready to celebrate Halloween yet?), which causes Molly to freak out. She wonders why Aunt Julie didn't call her (Doctor-Patient confidentialty?) and then realizes that the Bowmans now know (so, Doctor-Patient confidentialty doesn't exist in this practice. Great).

Molly calls Amy and Ashley out of school, claiming they had a death in the family and will be in Chicago. She tells her pregnant daughter that she'll try to get her in to see the Ob/Gyn soon and that she left a message for Amy's Dad. Amy isn't too thrilled. Molly and Amy debate over what to do. First, Molly says she isn't going to send Amy away but then a little later, she suggests sending Amy to her grandmother's until the birth is over. Amy doesn't like that and says she's thinking about abortion. Molly doesn't like this idea, saying that it isn't a religious thing but a personal thing.

Molly also learns that Ashley knew (let's face everyone but Molly and Amy's Dad knew) and freaks out on her. Ashley argues back, saying she wants out of the house. She's bitter about Molly and Amy's Dad's breakup, blaming Molly for it (though Dad's the one stepping out). She also says that if Amy goes away, she'll lose the one person she likes in the house. Ouch. Molly looks like she's in over her head. Meanwhile, Amy's Dad calls and talks with Amy, who begins crying. After some beating around the bush, Molly tells Amy's Dad that she's pregnant. Dad quickly hangs up as if he was just caught eavesdropping. Molly confiscates Amy's phone, but she later gets a hold of Ashley's phone and asks for a clinic.

At school, Amy's friends are worried for her. Madison wants to check on her friend since they can't reach Amy on her phone and Ashley tells them off for telling everyone about Amy's pregnancy. Lauren is having none of it as she's told her parents, who have forbidden her from seeing Amy. Madison is determined anyway and when Lauren asks how she's going to get there, Madison is awesome for the first time this season: "It's a large thing with wheels called a bus." Meanwhile, Adrian and Ricky are fighting--again--and Adrian points out that Amy isn't there. Ricky tries to play it off like it isn't his kid, but Adrian knows better but says she's heard "Amy's taking care of it." This is the message Ricky conveys to Grace, whom he has convinced that Amy seduced him at band camp, and she goes uber-Pro-Life on him. Ben pays Adrian to take him to Amy, which is where she is going as Amy has called for a ride.

Back at home, Molly is unsuccessful in getting Amy an appointment. Ashley tells her sister this and Amy tells Ashley is "taking care of it." The show then switches to Ben's dad, the Sausage King, talking with Amy's Dad about the nuptials of their children. Amy's Dad is understandably against it. "She's my baby!" he cries as the Sausage King assures him that Amy will be well-off in his house. You know, this is probably how marriages back in the 18th century were made though the bride-to-be's dad was probably more receptive to the offer. Amy's Dad's assistant busts in to announce that Molly is on the phone and it is an emergency. "Emergency!" he yells again as he leaves and Dad picks up the phone. He learns Ben isn't the father and asks the Sausage King incredulously why he's pushing marriage when it isn't Ben's. The Sausage King just replies they are in love.

While Molly is distracted by Amy's Dad, Ashley helps her sister escape out the window. Amy runs to Adrian's car, while Ashley unsuccessfully tries to convince her mom that her sister is in the bathroom. In Adrian's car, Adrian is all for trying to get Amy to have an abortion while Ben encourages her to think about it some more. Adrian tells Amy that Ricky is never going to marry her, which Amy's face clearly registers "That's not what I was thinking." Ben shoots back that Ricky's not going to ever marry Adrian and that he'll pay her more if she would just shut up. He turns back to Amy, who tells him this is her choice and orders Adrian to drive. Was it just me or was Adrian the ONLY one wearing a seatbelt in that car?

Dad finally comes home as Madison drops off Amy's work in a pretense of seeing her. Dad lies that Amy's sick and possibly contagious. Madison leaves, yelling a "Bye, Amy" into the house. Somewhere, Ashley is rolling her eyes. Dad blames Amy's friendship with Madison and Lauren for her pregnancy, which Molly waves off. I definitely agree that they are NOT the cause of Amy's lack of judgment.

At the clinic, Grace busts in and gets belligerent with the receptionist, who's clearly been through this before. She refuses to confirm if Amy's there (though Adrian and Ben are sitting right there), offers help with family planning and then has the guard escort Grace and Ricky out. Adrian and Ben step in and Adrian says they're there for the free condoms. Ben more wisely suggests they all step outside. Ricky and Adrian start fighting over his relationship with Grace as the receptionist calls Ben over. Someone (Amy) wants to see him, she says and then returns back to the drama in front of her. The argument goes outside, where Ricky definitely has this smug and skeevy feeling as Adrian tries to tell Grace he's only using her to get some sex. And judging by his face, she's absolutely right.

Inside the clinic, Amy cries and hugs Ben. He comforts her and lets her call her mom. At home, Dad and Ashley talk before he leaves. Ben goes back to school where my favorite character on this show, the guidance counselor, tries to talk Ben out of getting married at 15. Ben asks him who broke his heart. The guidance counselor says nobody and it's not his business anyway. The Sausage King comes in and counselor tries to talk some sense into dad. The King asks who broke his heart and the guidance counselor suddenly had new insight into Ben.

The episode ends with Molly's confession that she understands what Amy's going through and the warning not to let marriage be a safety net. She reveals she was pregnant and young once and Amy realizes that she was the result of that pregnancy. Molly admits she and Amy's Dad eloped six months before Amy's birth but they told everyone that it was eighteen months before. So, I don't know why she is so hung up about the Bowmans if Josie Bisset was already a mom by the time Molly married Amy's Dad. Perhaps it's because the Bowmans have a strong marriage and Amy's Dad is cheating with Adrian's Mom. But Molly says she doesn't regret the marriage because it gave her Amy and Ashley. They fade out as Molly asks Amy what she's most afraid of and Amy replies the pain.

I think this is the series' best episode yet. Honestly, the only weak spot was any writing for Grace (who by the by, Jack asks back out but she refuses), Ricky and Adrian. Molly's starting to let her acting chops show and everything just seemed really good this time around. I just wish someone would teach the actress playing Ashley proper inflection, everything sounds one-tone when she delivers it. It works when she's being petulant but feel flat when she was yelling at Molly today.