Debbie arrives at the Hingham Household office for an urgent meeting with Garrett Meers. The unusually quiet office, Sierra's guarded behavior, and Bernice's empty desk immediately make Debbie suspect something is wrong.

Garrett confronts Debbie about a recent Dear Debbie column in which Debbie advised a woman experiencing financial control by her husband to speak with a divorce lawyer. Debbie defends the advice as necessary because the husband's behavior was abusive, but Garrett argues that a family-oriented local paper cannot tell readers to leave their spouses.

Garrett reveals that the husband threatened to sue the paper unless Debbie and Bernice were fired. Debbie is distressed that Bernice, a single mother, lost her job for approving the column, but Garrett insists Bernice made the decision to print it and that the paper must protect itself and its advertisers.

Garrett formally fires Debbie and has Sierra escort Debbie out. Debbie gathers her few belongings, including a legal pad, pens, and a photograph of Cooper with the girls, then surrenders her office key while noticing how worried the office is about the wrong thing.

As Debbie leaves, Sierra awkwardly says she liked the column but repeats the paper's stance about protecting marriage and advertiser expectations. Debbie feels genuine sadness over losing a job she enjoyed, then concludes that although her own life is messy, she knows what others should do—and it is time to take her own advice.