In Los Angeles, Andy and Liz, only having recently met and fallen in love, are hosting a small engagement announcement party at an Italian restaurant to which a small group of close mutual friends of Andy's have been invited. As Liz reminisces about the unusual way she and Andy met while they wait for their guests, Andy begins to tell Liz about whose meeting he believes is the most unusual, that of his best friend Mickey, who Liz has yet to meet, and Ellen, the telling of Mickey and Ellen's complete relationship story to Liz which is picked up upon the arrival of other couples, first Craig and Lucy, then Jack and Lois. That meeting was in Paris as Mickey, one of the premiere NBA referees teamed along with Jack who are more often on the road than at home during the season, was taking his deceased father, from who he had long been estranged, to be buried alongside his fellow WWII servicemen as was his wish. Mickey's plan to be in and out of Paris hit a multi-day snag in the airline having lost the coffin with Mickey's father, Ellen the airline representative who took up his case, and the only one among her colleagues who seemed to have any empathy and care for the situation. Because of Ellen, Mickey decided to extend his stay in Paris, where he had never been, and spend what ended up being a memorable week with her doing things he never would have done if he was in town by himself or regularly in his life back in the States. Mickey and Ellen's relationship story has a number of highs and just as many if not more lows following that week, with all six now, but especially Liz who has become invested in having a Mickey/Ellen happy ending, waiting to see if Mickey, the last to arrive, will be solo or with Ellen.
—Huggo
