The second installment of Season 1 of "Good American Family" kicks off with a nostalgic flashback to the autumn of 2019. During this time, Michael was still married to another woman when Detective Drysdale unexpectedly paid him a visit, seeking his perspective on recent events. It came as no surprise that Michael had nothing but negative things to say about Kristine. His revelations to the detective were sufficient to warrant Kristine's arrest and subsequent interrogation. Despite this, Kristine steadfastly clung to her innocence.
The narrative then seamlessly transitions back to where the previous episode left off. Kristine awakens from her slumber and makes her way to Natalia's room, her mission clear: to locate the elusive knife hidden amidst the young girl's beddings. Natalia plays the part of the innocent sleeper, feigning ignorance as Kristine attempts to inspect the doll, suspecting it might be the hiding spot for the knife. Natalia objects, leading to a brief scuffle, which awakens Michael. Ultimately, Kristine's search proves futile, and Michael gently tucks Natalia back into bed, ensuring she drifts off to sleep.
Kristine then ventures into the kitchen, her heart sinking as she realizes that no knife is missing. Michael tries to reassure her, suggesting that her ordeal was merely a vivid stress-induced dream, and vows to improve their situation. Kristine's mind, however, is plagued with worries about Natalia's apparent dislike for her and her dwindling ability to connect with the child. Michael, sensing her distress, offers comforting words, assuring her that everything will eventually fall into place.
The following morning, the couple prepares their children for the day ahead. It's Natalia's first day at school, and excitement fills the air. Jake, too, has an interview lined up at Princeton, while Ethan frantically searches for his beloved cow doll, adding a touch of chaos to the morning routine.
On the flip side, Natalia digs her heels in, refusing to prepare, citing exhaustion and her dislike for the dress Kristine had selected. She opts instead to don Ethan's attire, amidst Michael's attempts to lift her spirits. However, his efforts are derailed when he stumbles upon a grim sight – a cow doll, its head cruelly severed. Natalia breaks into tears, pleading with him not to inform Kristine. He urges her to summon the courage to confess to Kristine herself.
After an arduous and drawn-out morning, the duo finally gets everyone prepped for school. Natalia, naturally, is far from pleased that Kristine will be the one escorting them. Matters worsen when the school insists on reviewing Natalia's records. Unfortunately, the copies she possesses are heavily redacted, and crucial documents are missing.
Fortunately, Kristine steps in to defuse the situation, requesting additional time to procure the papers. She clarifies that the adoption was a sudden, emergency affair. She then dials Michael, but he urges her to contact the adoption agency directly for the necessary documents.
Later, Kristine concludes her session with Valika's daughter, engaging in a discussion about the impending newspaper coverage of the daycare. Kristine harbors hopes that the coverage will attract more parents. Following their chat, Kristine dials the adoption agency, only to find the line disconnected. A quick internet search reveals a startling truth – the agency has shut down permanently. She promptly leaves a voicemail for Sandy.
In the afternoon, she accompanies Jake to his Princeton interview, which proceeds smoothly despite Kristine's frequent excursions to take calls. The first call is from Sandy, who cautions her to cease calling and warns that, though Kristine is fortunate, she might still get entangled in the mess.
Kristine is left utterly perplexed by the revelation, her heart pounding in confusion as Sandy remains silent, offering no clarification. The subsequent phone call, emanating from Natalia's school, brings forth an unexpected dilemma concerning Natalia. By the conversation's conclusion, Kristine hesitantly informs the school authorities of her uncertainty regarding Jake's dormitory accommodation, given his tender age of twelve.
In a rush to Natalia's school, Kristine confronts a stern principal who insists on suspending Natalia for an incident where she allegedly struck fellow students with her walker. Kristine pleads a potential case of bullying, suggesting that Natalia might have been the victim rather than the aggressor. However, the principal corrects her, clarifying that Natalia was indeed the bully.
Switching her approach, Kristine denies any behavioral issues on Natalia's part and accuses the school of bias against Natalia due to her disability. She volunteers to educate the school on inclusive practices for children with disabilities. The principal reluctantly agrees to reconsider Natalia's suspension once Kristine provides all necessary documentation.
On the ride home, Kristine attempts to engage Natalia in conversation, eager to hear her side of the story. But Natalia remains locked lips, abruptly opening the car door while Kristine is still driving, shocking her to the core. Kristine halts the car abruptly, her anger boiling over as she scolds Natalia, warning her never to repeat such a dangerous act.
That evening, Kristine delves into her research on the adoption agency, uncovering alarming revelations of lawsuits stemming from fraudulent adoptions and other misconduct. She discovers a support group formed by individuals who have been scammed by the same agency and reaches out to a nearby victim, who promptly responds.
They decided to convene in person to delve into the unfolding situation. Meanwhile, Kristine conceals the truth from Michael, entrusting him with the task of escorting Natalia to work the subsequent day. As dawn broke the next morning, Michael accompanied Natalia to her workplace, while Kristine discreetly convened with a fellow member from the support group. To her astonishment, the lawsuit unveiled a deeper conspiracy; the agency was entwined in the deplorable act of human trafficking.
In a bid to clarify the situation, Kristine reached out to a former colleague at a different adoption agency with whom she had previously collaborated. The agent alleviated her fears, assuring her that Natalia had not been a victim of trafficking. He further extended his assistance by facilitating the procurement of the requisite documents needed for Natalia's school enrollment. Nonetheless, he insisted on the redaction of sensitive personal information from these documents.
Elsewhere, at Natalia's workplace, she inadvertently overhears a conversation revealing that Michael's job is on the verge of termination due to the impending closure of the store. On their journey home, Michael pleads with Natalia to keep his impending redundancy a closely guarded secret for the time being.
Upon their return home, Kristine eagerly awaited to unveil her new school attire to Natalia, her face beams with excitement. However, Natalia's reaction was far from what Kristine anticipated; she threw a fit upon hearing that she would soon resume school. Instead, she insisted on accompanying Michael to work, citing his recent promotion as her reason. Kristine, of course, felt overjoyed for her husband's achievement.
The following morning, Valika gently nudged Kristine awake to inform her that the newspaper article had finally been published. To Kristine's disappointment, the reporter had dwelled extensively on Jacob's genius, leaving the daycare's contribution barely mentioned. Despite this, Valika and Michael reassured Kristine, urging her to view it as beneficial publicity. She then sent Ethan downstairs to fetch the newspaper, unaware of the peril lurking near the door—Natalia had placed tacks there, resulting in Ethan getting hurt.
Natalia, as expected, denied any involvement, while Michael and her grandmother rallied to her defense. They dismissed it as a mere prank and persuaded Kristine to be lenient with her.
Kristine's suspicions grew when she noticed one of the knives missing from the kitchen. Driven by curiosity, she searched Natalia's room and stumbled upon a harrowing sight—a doll with its head severed and the missing knife lying beside it. She hurriedly called out for Natalia, confronting her in the bathroom. But what awaited her inside left her utterly shocked—Natalia, with the telltale signs of puberty.
The episode culminated in Kristine hastily shutting the door after Natalia forcefully ejected her from the bathroom. Kristine, now deeply concerned, relayed her findings to Michael, voicing her suspicions that Natalia might not be the little girl she had always believed her to be.
