In the fourth episode of The Madison, we're once again transported back in time with a vivid flashback. Paul wakes Preston in the wee hours of the morning, eager to embark on a fishing expedition. He whispers of the Caddis hatching, leading Preston to the river's center where the catches are bound to be bountiful. Laughter fills the air as Preston reels in fish after fish.
As the sun begins to paint the sky with its golden hues, they sit at the river's edge, sipping on steaming cups of coffee. Paul shares that today is Melissa's birthday, and he's a widower. Preston expresses his concern that one day Paul might wake up and find life on the ranch mundane. However, Paul counters that it's been 20 years, and life has never felt ordinary. When he said "till death do us part," he meant his own demise. Preston echoes the sentiment, assuring that he feels the same way.
In the present, Stacy ventures to the river to fetch water and encounters Lilian. Lilian quickly settles in, and Stacy consults Preston's journal for guidance on brewing coffee. Lilian then delves into the will, and Stacy breathes a sigh of relief to learn that Preston wanted to be buried on the ranch. According to the will, Stacy is both the executor and beneficiary, and in case of her demise, the estate will be divided equally among Abby, Macy, Bridget, and Paige.
Stacy leads Lilian to the designated spot where Preston will be buried. She explains that if she sells the ranch, the new owners can exhume the body and cremate it. She's struggling to navigate a day without him. Stacy believes that staying at the ranch is where she feels most connected to Preston. Lilian assures Stacy that she'll be there to help.
Meanwhile, Paige and Russell grapple with their new reality. Paige feels that their relationship has lost its spark of mystery and wonders if it's all starting to fade. Thankfully, Russell feels differently.
Kyla arrives at the ranch, and Paige assumes she's Indian but is corrected by the girls who inform her that she's Native American. She picks up Bridgett on her horse, Shorty, and rides away into the sunset.
Abigail contacts Kestrel, requesting her to keep an eye on Bridgett. Macy expresses her desire to return home, which Russell promptly agrees to. As they stroll through the field, learning new things, Macy laments that she has already forgotten what Preston looked like. Russell shows her the picture, and she sadly realizes that from now on, they will only see him in photographs.
Meanwhile, Stacy, Lilian, Abby, and Paige visit the sheriff to listen to the last flight data recorder. Van advises the daughters not to listen to it, but Stacy insists. Abby and Paige are determined to hear it, so Van plays the recorder, revealing that Preston's last thought was of Stacy. They drive back home in a somber mood. Stacy goes to the river and screams, lamenting that Preston chose that life. Van consoles her with his life experience after losing his wife, saying she's better because she knows what Preston's last thought was. Van asks Lil to go to Stacy, who is clearly in the denial stage of grief. Lil encourages her, noting that Preston loved her to the very end.
Meanwhile, Abby tells Van that he could have warned her, and he says he did. His job is to give bad news to good people, and he hates it. Abby suggests a date and asks what people do on dates there. Van shrugs and admits it depends on the time of the year. For now, he suggests floating a river or riding horses on the mountain. They finally agree to float a river and kiss while Russell distracts Macy. They agree to meet at 4:00pm.
Later, Russell finds Paige crying from hearing about her father's death. Abby walks in and tells them to get ready; they're going on a field trip. Abby goes to Stacy's cabin to inform her about the field trip but Stacy says she'll remain and asks Abby to leave Macy with her. She also says she'll find Bridgett and encourages Abby to engage more deeply with Van by continuing to read the journal and learn more about fishing.
Elsewhere, Liliana visits the Madison County Courthouse to seek a burial permit. The receptionist informs her that it will take 90 days since the residents have to contest. Lil doesn't have 90 days, but there's not much else they can do. Meanwhile, Stacy and Macy go fishing, and the receptionist also points out that they can still proceed with the burial and offers her condolences.
The scene shifts to the river, where Paige, Russell, Abby, and Van are floating leisurely. Van narrates how his friend killed a mountain lion with a knife, which seems to excite Paige, but she keeps asking silly questions. Once they cross the river, Abby talks to Van about her expectations when it comes to relationships. She is not eager to find the perfect love. On the other hand, Van confesses that he still loves his wife but is willing to move on with Abby. They decide to take it slow and see how it goes.
Meanwhile, Stacy finally catches a fish, and she celebrates with Macy, gushing with excitement. Back at the river, Russell is staring at Paige and tells her that she’s beautiful. She teases him to get into the river and woo her. They have fun, and he carries her out of the water with a smile. Elsewhere, Kyla and Bridgett are having fun riding horses. Shortly afterwards, Kestrel tells Bridgett that she’s needed back home.
Back on the ranch, the family shares a meal amid laughter and jokes. Liliana starts weeping, telling them that Preston would be happy seeing them like this. Stacy pours more wine and asks them to start thinking about tomorrow. That’s when they’ll hold the burial. The setting is serene, and the laughter and chatter fill the air as they all come together to mourn and celebrate life.
