Switched At Birth - Episode 26 - Recap - The Tree of Forgiveness

In Switched At Birth Episode 26, “The Tree of Forgiveness,” Angelo tries to reconcile his father-daughter relationship with Daphne, new girls are interested in Toby & Emmett, Kathryn helps Toby find himself again, Simone confides in Regina, and Bay & Zarra’s friendship grows tremendously over their love of street art.

Read the recap here:

Angelo (Gilles Marini) stopped by Regina (Constance Marie) & Daphne’s home to make friends with his daughter, Daphne (Katie Leclerc). He gifted Daphne with a plant (which had the letters in her name attached to the leaves).

Angelo: “Now that I’m living here, I hope we can spend some time together... get to know each other again.”

Daphne was considerably uncomfortable with this offer, so she quickly rushed off to school.

Angelo gifting Daphne with a plant

John (D.W. Moffett)—Bay and Daphne’s father—was hosting an event for motorcyclists at his car washing business.

John saw graffiti on one of the walls at his business. (This is the second time that somebody had tagged his wall). Bay (Vanessa Marano) secretly tagged the wall the first time, but Zarra (Bay’s new best friend) tagged the word, “Hater,” onto the wall the second time. Unaware that Bay tagged the wall the first time, John said:

John: “It’s all just graffiti. If it’s done without my consent, it’s a crime.”

Thereafter, Bay and John argued over what was considered “art” and what wasn’t.

John: “i will paint over this (street art) again, again, and again! I will not let them (the taggers) win.”

Bay and Daphne’s mother, Kathryn (Lea Thompson), confronted Angelo about the nurse from the hospital—Leanne. This is the woman that Angelo slept with after he found out that his daughters were switched at birth. Leanne is also the same nurse that Kathryn & Regina ran into at the hospital (in the previous episode). Leanne told Angelo about the nurse (Brizia) who accidentally switched Daphne & Bay at birth.

Concerned about her son Toby (Lucas Grabeel), Kathryn tried her best to make small talk with him. She asked him about his schoolwork and about his music. (She interrupted him while he was playing video games). Ever since his band, Guitar Face, broke up... Toby’s been feeling lonely. His bassist, Wilke (Austin Butler), skipped town for boarding school and his drummer, Emmett (Sean Berdy), slept with his girlfriend, Simone (Maiara Walsh). Kathryn asked Toby to play at John’s motorcyclist event, but he declined.

Toby: “I played a bunch of gigs and it never goes anywhere. Now I’m just playing for myself. And I’m awesome. Love you (mom)!”

Toby talking to Kathryn

At the motorcyclist event, Daphne & Emmett met a fellow deaf girl named Robin. She mentioned that she’s from Odessa. Robin seemed to be developing a slight crush on Emmett.

Daphne: “She’s cute, she’s deaf, and she’s into motorcycles.”

Emmett: “I’ve already found my perfect girl (Bay).”

Daphne: “So you’re just going to wait for her (Bay) forever?”

Robin

The next scene took place at Regina’s home. Kathryn told Regina about Leanne. Regina wasn’t very surprised: when she and Angelo were dating, she felt like she was dating a celebrity since so many women would hit on Angelo.

A random guy went into the liquor store to purchase alcohol for Simone. (She couldn’t buy it herself because she was underage). Regina caught Simone at the liquor store.

In the “bad part of town,” Bay asked Zarra why she adds octopus tentacles to all of her street art. When she was a little girl, Zarra’s peers picked on her for her hair... so they named her “Octopus.” While they were spray painting another wall, the cops showed up. They checked Bay’s I.D. and gave her a warning. Zarra thought Bay’s last name was Vasquez, and asked Bay why she “lied” about her last name.

Zarra

Kathryn tricked Toby into attending the motorcyclist event. She stated that she needed help with her “rummage sale.” She secretly put Toby’s guitar in the trunk of her car, and told him (at the last minute) that she had scheduled his performance on stage.

Bay ran into Emmett at the motorcyclist event. Bay informed Emmett that she and John got into a huge argument over the graffiti. Emmett advised Bay to tell John the truth (that she was the individual who tagged the wall). They also avoided talking about the incident again—the day that Emmett hooked up with Simone.

Regina asked Simone to come sit in her car. Regina told Simone that she was aware of the fact that she slept with Emmett. Regina also advised Simone to start attending the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings again.

Simone: “Everyone at school hates me... which they should. I mean, I hate me.”

Regina: “You need to go back to your meetings, okay?”

Regina talking to Simone

Back at the Kennish’s home, Angelo injured his left hand with a nail gun. Daphne walked into the house just in time to take Angelo to the hospital. At the hospital, there was certainly tension in the air between Daphne and Angelo.... but Daphne lightened the mood a bit.

Daphne: “You need to groan. Make a lot of noise. Sound like you’re in a lot of pain. You have to sound like you’re about to die (so the nurses can notice you).”

After one of the nurses heard Angelo’s (fake) groans, the nurse assisted Angelo:

Nurse: “Is she your daughter?”

Daphne: “No.”

Things got even more tense, thereafter.

Angelo and Daphne at the hospital

There was a girl named Nikki performing at the motorcyclist event. Kathryn hinted to Toby that she wanted him to make a move on Nikki. Then, Toby explained to Kathryn that Simone had sex with Emmett... Kathryn was obviously shocked at the fact.

When Toby refused to get up on the stage, Kathryn got up on stage and sung a Christian song (for Toby). Toby finally decided join Kathryn on stage, thereafter. This was the moment in which Nikki developed a slight crush on Toby.

Bay confessed to John that she was the one who graffiti’ed on the wall.

John: “You defaced my wall. Why would you do that?”

Bay: “Thought you would like it.”

John: “I feel like I don’t know you.”

Bay: “I’m sorry.”

When Bay confesses to John...

Bay ran over to Emmett to let him know that her confession didn’t go well... that John was upset with her. Robin (Emmett’s fellow deaf friend) interrupted Bay & Emmett’s conversation. Robin invited Emmett to her motorcycle racing show. (She was unaware that Bay & Emmett used to be in a relationship). Bay excused herself because she sensed something developing between Emmett and Robin.

Nikki flirted with Toby, and secretly left a note in his guitar case (which he found when he got home).

Nikki

Back at the hospital, Angelo begged Daphne for forgiveness:

Angelo: “At some point, you’re going to have to forgive me. Leaving you and Regina was wrong. But I’m here now trying to make up for it!”

At the Kennish’s home, Regina confronted Angelo about Leanne. However, they both agreed to move on. Whatever happened in the past will now stay in the past.

Daphne gifted Angelo with a set of gloves. This was a turning point in her and Angelo’s father-daughter relationship. She is now beginning to forgive Angelo (for leaving her when she was only 3 years old). Angelo thanked her.

In the final scene, Bay dropped by Zarra’s work to mend their friendship. Bay said that she was glad to have Zarra as a friend since Zarra is the only person she knows of that shares her love of street art. Then, Zarra gave her a new nickname: “BKV,” which stands for Bay Kennish-Vasquez.

The next episode airs Monday, 10/1, at 8pm ET on ABC Family. Tune in then.