 Michael John Piper dies, depressed and delirious, after a long battle with cancer, and his "psychic" widow sticks around Fisher & Sons to discuss his funeral arrangements with him. She also predicts that one of the brothers will soon become a father, and perplexedly tells Nate she doesn t sense his father - though only because the funeral home is crowded so not everyone can be sensed. Nate is also baffled by Brenda s so-called ebb in sexual activity, especially when learning even Rico, with a family of four, has an extremely strong one. He does get some good news, though - at his first funeral-directors  meeting he enthusiastically declares war on Kroehner s and is well-received by all present. Ruth begins attending The Plan seminar at Robbie s urging, and alternates between resisting their hate-the-world policy and taking a hard look at her actual family relationships, meaning she mostly insults her kids. Claire soon has more to worry about than cutting remarks, though, when she s questioned by and lies to the police about any knowledge of Babe s store-robbery and theft of her, then later gets a phone call begging her to pick him up and take him somewhere safe...until he shoots an insulting driver and she s forced to desert him again. As she tries to tell Nate, he s distracted by bad news of his own - an apparently devoted independent funeral-director has sold. Later Keith, looking after Taylor in his sister s absence and trying to convince his mother to handle the situation more effectively, is forced to come in to help.