In the midst of negotiating the education bill's reforms with the teachers' unions, Frank must visit his hometown of Gaffney, South Carolina when his main local opponent stirs trouble. A young woman has been killed in a car accident after texting while driving, apparently distracted by a peach water tower which Frank had advocated to keep standing. (The tower is provocatively similar to the female bottom, which was the subject of the driver's text.) His rival encourages the parents to sue, forcing Frank into a difficult negotiation. Claire meets and hires a hesitant Gillian Cole, an activist for WorldWell (another environmental water NPO), to employ her international expertise. Peter Russo makes an effort to clean up his life, in order to maintain his relationship with his girlfriend, Christina Gallagher, who is also his chief of staff. Zoe gets into trouble for talking on national TV about the Herald and her editor, Tom Hammerschmidt, after being told not to.