08x12 - The Last Chapter

[bunniefuu]

Good morning.

Good morning.

You remember this house?

Oh, yes.

It's almost the same.

Does she still live here?

Oh, yes.

How do you get yourself
stuck in something like this?

Oh, get out.

Hello.

What?

Are you Elizabeth Jessup?

Who wants to know?

Can I help you?

No, I don't need any help.

Damn.

What do you want?

My name is Monica.

I understand that you're
writing your memoirs,

and I've been sent to
help you finish them.

Well, Monica, I have
never had a deadline

in my entire life
that I didn't make.

Once I turned in
a story in Saigon

on the back of my last
clean T-shirt, hmm?

So you can go back and tell

those pathetic publishers

that Elizabeth Jessup has
never missed a deadline.

But your manuscript
was due two months ago.

Yeah, well, that
was their deadline.

As far as I'm concerned,
I'm right on schedule.

Before you leave, you see
a newspaper around here?

See?

Kids... they don't care.

They don't care where
they throw the thing.

Up, down, on the porch,
through the window.

Most of the time it ends
right up here on the roof.

Can I help you?

What is this, your big
break or something, hmm?

You sit at the feet of
a legendary journalist,

and one day you
write your own book

and you call
yourself my protégé?

Is that what this is?

You're not that
legendary, you know.

I'm "not that
legendary, you know."

Oh, brother, did you hear that?!

Aah!

Would you still
like me to leave,

or should I stay?

Hmm.

My, she was quite something.

She still is.

Why am I back here, Tess?

I'm not sure.

I just know somebody
prayed a prayer,

and you're the answer to it.

Well, I need a little bit
more to go on than that.

No, you don't.

You just go up there
and ring the doorbell

and let things
take their course,

and remember, you're
visiting an old friend.

And old friends have a
way of picking things up

right where they
left off, don't they?

Yes, they do.

Yes?

Elizabeth?

Yes?

It's me, Monica,

your old friend, the angel.

It's so good to see you again.

Oh, no, no, absolutely not.

Now, listen, now,
you just... you-you...

You go back home to your cloud.

Good-bye.

I really mean it!

I thought you said I was
the answer to her prayers.

I said you were the answer
to somebody's prayer.

But not hers?

Definitely not hers.

♪ When you walk ♪

♪ Down the road ♪

♪ Heavy burden ♪

♪ Heavy load ♪

♪ I will rise ♪

♪ And I will walk with you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Every time, I tell you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪

What did I say?

Go away!

Look... Oh, Sydney, it's you.

Who were you expecting, Mom?

Just some pest.

Some, uh, door-to-door nuisance.

You know, one of those
happy religious people

who won't take no for
an answer; never mind.

What do you say we
take my car today, huh?

Yeah, that's fine,
but I'm driving.

You must?

Yes, I must.

Hello.

My name is Elizabeth.

Hi.

And I'm an alcoholic.

Today I am celebrating

seven years of sobriety.

These last seven years have
been the best years of my life,

and that's not to say
that they've all been easy,

but, well, it certainly beats

the decades of inebriation,
humiliation, isolation,

and all the other
"ations" I went through

before I stopped drinking.

It's hard to believe
it's been seven years.

And so, on this, the
hundredth anniversary

of our city, it is only fitting

that the best of the best be
placed in our time capsule

to represent us for eternity.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Elizabeth Jessup.

Yeah.

Legendary.

I can't tell you what a thrill it
is to be here with you today,

and the reason I can't tell you

is because I forgot
to write my speech.

But I am touched that
you're including me

in your time capsule,

or my writings, rather.

I can't imagine
I'd be comfortable

inside that thing,
but it would be

a great honor to be
interred with, um...

What'd you say
is in there, mayor?

A pound of wheat,

a picture of our new library.

Boy,

that ought to set their
hair on fire in .

How about a nude
picture of me instead?

Of the times... I'm-I'm sorry.

Uh, she's on antibiotics,

and she shouldn't
be drinking right now.

- I'm not finished.
- Mom, let's go.

You never like to see me
in the spotlight, do you?

It's not something
I like to remember,

but I suppose it's
more dangerous

to forget it.

Oh, for heaven's sakes, Bethie.

Aren't you tired of
that damn thing by...?

Give it to me.

I can't stand it another minute.

That's it.

That's it. Come on, Bethie,

- we're gonna go.
- She wants some cake, Sydney.

What she wants is
a sober grandmother.

- Come on, sweetie.
- I used to tell myself

that I needed to
drink to do my job.

There were cocktails
with the ambassador,

champagne with
the prime minister,

tequila sh*ts with the
leader of the resistance,

Scotch with the boys
in the press room,

but finally, um,
there was just me

and the bottle in the kitchen,

and it took my family...

and a very pushy
friend to pull me out.

This is Anita.

She's a counselor at
the New Hope Center.

Hello, Elizabeth.

I've spoken with your family,

and they've expressed

to me their love for you.

They also feel that

your drinking is
getting in the way

of your relationship with them.

They also agree

that unless you get some
help for your problem,

you can no longer
be part of their lives.

They've written you
letters about their feelings

and how your drinking
has affected them.

I drew mine with pictures.

Elizabeth,

after you hear their
letters, Sydney and I
: : , --] : : ,
have arranged to take
you to the New Hope Center

for our rehab program.

This is the single
most asinine thing

you've ever done
in your entire life.

Mom, we want to help you.

Help me, my ass.

You're trying to control me,

and I won't have
it, do you hear?

I won't.

Now, what I do in the
privacy of my own home

is none of your business.

That's just the point,

Elizabeth, it has
become their business.

To try to use my granddaughter
to get back at me for a problem

that you have had with
me ever since you could talk

is reprehensible.

Mom, your drinking
is hurting her, too.

Get out of my house.

You realize, Elizabeth,

your family will not
have any contact with you

- until you're ready to make a change.
- I said

get out of my house!

Elizabeth, please.

Get out, all of you!

Get out, and don't
you ever come back!

You, too, get out!

Get out.

I was very grateful

for my family's intervention,
and I told them so.

It-it was like the sun

had finally come out.

Oh, it-it took a while

to process things, of course.

It's, you know, there's always
a few bumps in the road,

but finally I surprised myself

and I walked into
my first meeting,

and, well, I thought

that was the
hardest thing to do,

but the best.

Well, no, it-it...
The-the worst.

Well, maybe it was the best.

The best was yet to come

because you will never
guess who was celebrating.

You will... Who was...

My daughter Sydney was...

Um... I have a...

I have a bit of a headache,
I'm sorry. It's just...

I haven't been drinking,
I promise. Just...

it's just, just a bit of
a headache, and...

There's a lot
more to this story,

but you're gonna
have to read about it

in my memoirs,
which I promise you,

I will... finish someday.

Let's go home, Mom. Okay?

- Let's go home.
- Thank you.

Thank you, everybody, thanks.

Let's go.

Well, I do admire
your persistence.

Sydney, you remember Monica.

She was my secretary for
a brief but crucial period.

Of course I do.

- It's nice to see you again.
- You, too.

It's so wonderful
that you came today.

My words exactly.

Are you all right, Elizabeth?

I'm a bit tired.

I spent the morning
answering the door,

shooing away undesirables.

And I've developed
a recent tendency

for transient cognitive episodes
of an undetermined origin.

Transient cognitive episodes?

She's not doing well, Monica.

The doctors think that she
could have a brain tumor.

It is not going to
ruin your life, Beth.

No. What did I say?

It is going to take you

five minutes, and
Grandma really wants to see

you in your costume.

Whatever it's called.

Just hop on your bike
and ride over here, please.

- I can't.
- Beth, you can do it.

- How about tomorrow?
- No.

- How long will it take?
- Five minutes.

- Okay.
- Thank you.

She's a teenager now, isn't she?

teenage years of
horror and humiliation

at having cruel me for a mother.

What?

You could have been
your own mother just now.

Ouch.

I guess... we've always
had more in common

than I've wanted to admit.

My name is Sydney,
and I'm an alcoholic.

- Hi, Sydney.
- Hi.

And... as of today,

I have been sober for one year.

Thank you.

I used to say that
I was an alcoholic

because my mother
didn't love me.

But nothing changed until I
admitted that I was an alcoholic

because I didn't love myself.

Uh... I used to think

my mother was so glamorous.

She would go to the
most exotic places.

She would meet the
most famous people and...

and drink champagne in
crystal glasses from Paris.

I adored her.

But... I always knew that
she was sorry that she had me.

I guess I-I cramped her style.

So I... I tried to make
her happy that I was born.

I drew her pictures, I-I
sent her letters on the road.

I tried so hard to be
somebody that she could love.

But I couldn't compete
with the champagne.

And the harder I tried,
the more I saw myself

through my mother's eyes.

Which was dull,
unexciting, and stupid.

And then one day I'm
pouring a drink for myself

in the afternoon,

and my little girl
comes in the house

and... she looks at
me and she says...

"Mommy... I'm so glad
that you were born."

And finally, finally...

for the first time in
my life... so was I.

Mom.

Sydney.

I'm so sorry.

And I'm so glad you were born.

You should have
been there that day.

She was extraordinary.

I'm making you some coffee.

I know you'd like it.

Thank you.

You know, I was there
that day at the meeting.

You were extraordinary, too.

You saw that?

Really? I...

It seemed like you just
dropped out of sight.

Well, I'd come to help your
mother finish her memoirs.

Right, the elusive memoirs.

And then, after the
fire, I knew that she had

more important
things to deal with.

Yeah... yeah.

I was surprised that
she didn't mention the fire

at the meeting today.

Well, we've been
really trying to...

get past that.

- You know, it's, um...
- Sydney.

We just... we've really got

a lot more things to
handle right now, and, um...

These are for her headaches.

Just so you know,
she's in complete denial

about what's going on.

She's, uh... doesn't want
to get help from anybody.

- Sydney.
- I'm coming.

You know, it's like
you showing up today

is a... an answer to my prayers.

Mom.

Why is she still here?

I came to finish what I started.

Listen.

I will finish my memoirs when
I get damn good and ready.

Understand?

Mom? Grandma?

Bethie.

Oh, that's my precious, oh.

You remember Monica.

No.

It was a long time ago, Beth.

But I remember you.

So, Beth, how was school?

- Good.
- Well, tell us.

Well, Mom, she...

Mom, she has her
cheerleader tryouts today

and she just wants to
show you her new outfit.

A cheerleader? Dear
God, is this by choice?

If I can't be a famous,

Pulitzer prize-winning
journalist,

I'll just settle for being
incredibly popular.

You can be whatever
you want to be, sweetheart.

I'm probably not
gonna make it anyway.

Good.

Now go cover up that butt.

First rule in
journalism, I do believe,

is covering one's butt.

- We got to go, Mom.
- Okay.

Monica's gonna
stay with you, Mom.

And I will be back tonight.

Bye, Grandma. Bye, Monica.

Have fun.

So, how are you feeling?

Marvelous, just marvelous.

Sydney believes that
you have a brain tumor.

Well, Sydney believes doctors,

Sydney believes in the
basic goodness of all mankind,

and she also believes
that the swallows

will be returning to
Capistrano this year

because they did last year.

What do the doctors say?

You're the angel, you tell me.

They suspect a tumor.

But they won't know for
certain unless you have

an MRI... and you refuse to go.

That's right.

It's a waste of time.

I'm the one inside this
brain and I'm telling you

I have migraines.

I've always had migraines.

Would you please stop fussing?

What are you doing?

Honestly.

I don't need you.

So, what do you think?

It's very inspiring.

But... you never
mention the fire.

You never mention an angel.

It's as if one day
you saw the light

and that was that.

Well, that's close enough.

But it's not true.

Listen, Monica, this
story is supposed to be

a view of the world as
seen through the eyes

of a hardened reporter.

Now, if I write about
meeting an angel one day,

they're gonna laugh me
right out of the business.

You make it sound
as if that's something

to be ashamed of.

Regular people don't have
angel visitations, Monica.

You know, uh, an, an epiphany...

Many people have been
visited by angels, Elizabeth.

A lot of them well-known.

Well, name one, besides me.

Billie Holiday.

Oh, give me a break.

Mark Twain, Charles
Lindbergh, Abraham Lincoln.

You're not kidding.

If you remember your history,

Mr. Lincoln even spoke
about being visited by an angel.

He wasn't ashamed.

So that's why you've come?

To tell me I'm going to die?

Well, let me tell you, I
have no intentions of dying.

I got to sell a lot of books
and make a lot of money

so I can get my granddaughter
to the best college I can afford.

Elizabeth, if you want to give
your granddaughter anything,

give her the truth.

The absolute certainty from
someone she loves and trusts

that God exists, that you
have personally experienced

the miracle of God's love.

How could any responsible
reporter keep news

like that to herself?

I can't do that, okay?

I can't do that.

If I do that, I'm gonna
have to tell the whole story.

I'm gonna have to tell how

this house almost
b*rned to the ground.

I'm gonna have to tell how my
granddaughter could have d*ed

in that fire, and worst of
all, I am gonna have to admit

that I was responsible for it.

And that's something that
Bethie will never, never know.

You mean you've never told her?

Well, Sydney and I agreed

that it-it-it could jeopardize
our family relationship.

Sydney doesn't know
the whole story either.

If she knew that I'm an angel...

Look, Monica, I just
got over one headache.

Please don't give
me another one.

Maybe... sometime...

when the time is right...

I'll tell Sydney about you.

And when Bethie's older
and she can understand,

I'll tell her about the fire.

But for right now it's just...

Ah.

Oh!

Timothy, I've been
waiting for you.

Well, I had a little
trouble with the GPS,

but, uh, we got it in and,
uh, you're ready to roll.

So just sign here and
here, and she's all yours.

All right.

And plates should come in
the mail in about two weeks.

These are yours.

This is yours.

Have fun.

Oh, I will. Thank you.

Ha. Speaking of Lincoln, how
would you like to take a ride?

Perhaps you shouldn't be
driving until you have a diagnosis.

Oh, Monica, Monica,

you are not the
perky little angle I...

you are not the perky
little angel I used to know.

People who are dying
do not buy new cars.

They do if they're afraid.

I have never been afraid
of anything in my life.

Oh!

Elizabeth.

Dr. Clark to Radiology.

Mom, they want
to run some tests.

- Absolutely not.
- Mom, you have no choice.

- The doctors need you to sit!
- Shh!

The doctors said
you have to stay.

Mom, get back in the
bed. This is not a game.

So, how, um, how did the
cheerleading tryouts go today?

I don't know. Not very well.

I'm not exactly one
of the popular girls.

I'm not really anything.

I think that's what it
feels like to be a teenager.

Nah. It's just what
being me is like,

and I'm gonna be
this way forever.

Some people are smart and
special like my grandmother,

and some people just... exist.

She is impossible.

She's just frightened, Sydney.

No, my mother does
not get frightened.

She is more like, like a
carrier, like Typhoid Mary.

Is Grandma gonna be okay?

I don't know, sweetheart.

That's what the doctors
are trying to find out.

Excuse me.

It's getting late.

If you'd like to stay, I
could arrange for a cot.

Uh, no, no, thank you.

I, uh, I've got to
get Beth home.

She's got school in the morning.

I can skip.

I can stay the night.

Oh, thank you,
Monica. You are a saint.

They said that they would call
me as soon as they know more,

and then I'll, I'll just come
back first thing in the morning.

Okay.

Night, Monica.

Night-night. Sleep tight.

Don't let the grandmothers bite.

Traitor.

God's own Benedict Arnold.

And don't tell me
you met him, too.

I'm not leaving, no
matter how hard you try.

We'll just see about that.

She's not leaving.

Oh, no, don't tell me.

Yes. My name is Tess, and
I'm the angel on the floor tonight

and I'm not leaving either.

Well, if you think I'm getting

any sleep tonight,
you can forget it.

Well, I came
prepared for that, too.

♪♪

♪♪

That was you in ?!

Pretty good.

So what was your
favorite assignment?

Tell me yours,
I'll tell you mine.

Oh, well, let's see.

I don't know that I could
narrow it down to just one.

But the ones I can't forget...

They were the hardest of all.

♪♪

No!

My God, you were there?

In World w*r ♪♪?

Yes.

I never get over how
God uses everyday people

to change the world.

So... I told you.

Now, what have your favorite
assignments been so far?

Well, once I got to
interview Rosa Parks.

She was a very impressive woman.

I know. I met Mrs. Parks.

Oh, don't tell me.

You were on the bus?

No.

You won't believe... I was...

I was, um... What?

I was a black person for a day.

Oh, I see.

And this was God's idea?

Yes.

Come on, go back the other way.

Cut her off to the side.

Hey, I found her!

Oh, God, oh, Father,
please, please, please.

I'm so afraid.

Oh, dear God in
Heaven, I'm so afraid.

Please, please,
make me white again.

Please, please,
oh, please don't, no.

Relax, lady.

You seen a n*gg*r
woman come through here?

No.

Sorry if I scared you.

I was so ashamed.

Monica, I'm shocked
that an angel...

I know, but Mrs. Parks...

She helped me to understand.

God is good, Monica.

He forgives and heals.

He heals angels, too.

It is my greatest regret.

Oh, Monica, everybody
gets frightened.

Your daughter says
that you never do.

Oh, I'm exceptional.

Listen, if you think
I'm sitting here,

worrying about some
results from some stupid test...

This is such a waste.

I should not be
lying in this bed.

There's someone else
who could really use it.

Well, what's up, Doc?

Elizabeth.

How you doing?

I thought you
were gonna tell me.

Oh, don't worry about Monica.

Just give me the headlines.

You have a brain tumor.

So?

It could be benign.

Absolutely.

And if it's not?

Well, then, we'll
do the best we can.

Oh, doctors' talk.

Sew you up, send you home.

No, no, not necessarily.

Okay, we'll do this.

Good.

Then, I'll schedule
the OR. For : am.

And get some rest.

Tell that to your surgeon.

Doctors are such idiots.

Andrew's not an idiot.

How would you know that?

Oh, no.

Oh, please.

This is a conspiracy.
Oh, my... Excuse me.

Is someone still awake in here?

I need you to sign
this consent form.

I called your daughter and

I told her and Beth to
come at : in the morning

- and get some rest now.
- No, no, no,

I didn't ask you to call.

Did I ask you to call her?

No, but I don't take
orders from you

if you know what I mean.

And I'll be back
soon to prep you.

Soon, as in not a lot of time.

That woman... angel...

whatever she is, is annoying.

She's just doing her job.

Really?

And what is that?

The same as mine.

To prepare you for surgery,

to remind you that it is God

who sustains and
supports all life.

Elizabeth...

I don't know what the
outcome of your surgery will be,

but I do know that you
don't want to go in there

without sharing the
truth of God's love

to those who really
need to hear it.

Don't deny them the
truth, the whole truth,

and don't deny yourself
the blessing and joy

of sharing it with them.

No one knows how
many days or hours

they have left in this life.

Use the hours that you have.

Please... write
the last chapter.

Well, longhand is
out of the question.

And I left my computer at home.

That's not a problem.

Hello, Elizabeth.

Oh, Lord, not another one.

Now I know I'm going.

This is Gloria.

It's such an honor to meet you.

I've read your other chapters,

and you've had such
a fascinating life...

I can't wait to see how it ends.

The book, I-I-I mean.

The book.

Okeydokey. So, um...

Chapter . Here we go?

Okay, here we go.

The last drink I ever took...

I don't even remember pouring.

I was lying on the couch.

I had a headache, and, uh...

of course, when
you're an alcoholic

you grow accustomed
to gaps in your memory...

They're about to
take her to prep.

She's waiting for you.

I know.

I just, uh...

what do you say to your mother

when you know it
could be the last time?

Don't think that way, Mama.

Oh, God, Monica, I'm
not ready to lose her yet.

Hey, you guys. Wait.

Hi.

Hi. Mom.

Oh, Sydney, you were right.

It's okay. It's all right.

It's gonna be fine.

They're gonna go in
there, take this tumor out,

and I'll back out here,

making you crazy
again in no time.

But, listen, there's something

I need the two of you to do
for me while I'm upstairs, okay?

Monica's got this...
funny little friend

who's holding a stack of papers.

It's the last chapter
of my memoirs...

the one I didn't want to
write because I was afraid.

Oh, I know you
think I'm perfect,

and in most regards I am...

but I've been holding
onto a couple of secrets

that are getting a
little too heavy to carry,

so I want you to
read about 'em. Okay?

And maybe, hopefully,
if I make it through this,

you'll forgive me.

And if I don't...

- Mom, don't, please.
- No, you listen

to me. If I don't...

I'll know that you've
forgiven me anyway.

Just know that
every word is true...

and that I love you
both very much.

I love you, too, Grandma.

We're gonna be
waiting out here for you.

I'm counting on that.

Okay, gentlemen, please,
let's get this show on the road.

The meter is running.

Come on.

Let's sit down.

"The last drink I ever took,

I don't even remember pouring.“

A % chance of showers...

Grandma? Grandma!

Help me, Grandma, please.

Help me.

Grandma!

Grandma?

Grandma!

Grandma!

Grandma! Grandma, please...

Is this what you're looking for?

"Did I actually meet an angel?

"Yes.

"Is God real?

Yes."

"Will every self-respecting
colleague of mine..."

decide I've finally
lost my mind?

Probably, but tonight,
as I write what could be

the last chapter of my life,

I do not seek the
approval of the world.

I ask only the
forgiveness of my family,

from whom I've kept the
wonderful news of God's love

a secret for seven years.

Bethie, an angel carried
you through that fire.

"You remember that

"whenever you start to
doubt just how special you are.

Sydney, thank you
for being strong..."

“...when I couldn't love myself

"and thank you for
believing me now

when I say that you were
God's greatest gift to me."

"It's been a wonderful life.

"I have seen so much
and survived so much.

"Only now can I admit

"that it has all been
by the grace of God.

"I hope that it's not too late.

Love, Mom."

Andrew?

The operation's over.

I got it.

Oh, great.

Mom?

Mom... You're gonna be okay.

It's benign.