07x06 - The Empty Chair

[bunniefuu]

What time is it?

It's 5:00.

Why didn't the
alarm clock go off?

Shh.

I-I'm trying to remember
my dream before I wake up.

- You are awake.
- Shh, shh. Don't say anything.

It was something...
- awful.
- Good.

I like to hear something awful

before I get out of
bed and start the day.

Since when did you start
writing down your dreams?

We have that dream interpreter
coming on the show tomorrow.

I don't know.

I don't read the
schedule that far ahead.

Oh, God forbid
you should do that.

What?

Nothing.

You just don't do your
homework, that's all.

What homework?

We sit, we talk, we
go to commercial.

See? I forgot my dream.

You've engaged
me in conversation,

and my dream just slipped away.

I have that effect on women.

Do you want coffee?

Yeah.

They seem to get along.

Oh, they get along just fine.

No, something's missing.

Yes.

No. Actually, there's
something there,

and that's the problem.

It's something that's
never discussed,

it's something
that's never resolved,

so it never really goes away.

That's the way marriage ends...

One unspoken word at a time.

And those words
just pile up inside,

and one day they
come spilling out,

because a plate was broken,

or a... a fender smashed.

And today's the day?

Yep.

What do we do?

Just be there.

Sometimes people
need to hear the truth

spoken by an angel.

And then sometimes people
need to speak the truth to an angel.

Your assignment

is to be there when
the dam breaks,

and listen.

The children raised over
$7,000 for the new gym,

and according to their
principal, raised a lot

- of school spirit as well.
- You know, Harvey,

- that's my old high school.
- No, I didn't know that.

Yes, you did, Harvey, you moron.

She says it once a
month... You never listen.

We'll be back in just a minute
with a look at the weather

and a look at the
mayor's new report

on crime after this.

Today on Breakfast
with the Baxter's,

- Oh, thanks.
- We'll be talking with a psychologist

who says you can save your
marriage by playing games.

And a fashion
expert from New York

drops by to give Bud a
brand-new look for winter.

That's today at 10:00
on WZPZ, Channel 14,

the one for Omaha.

What kind of games
could save your marriage?

We're late.

Yep. It's showtime.

Don't miss Breakfast
with the Baxter's...

It's showtime.

WZPZ, Channel 14,
the one for Omaha.

♪ 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. ♪

Did you turn the coffee off?

Yeah, just now.

The coffee's still hot.

Who's at the front door
at 5:30 in the morning?

- Hello.
- Hello. Mr. Baxter?

- Yes.
- My name is Tess.

I'll be your driver today.

Well, I-I didn't know that
we had a driver today.

- Honey, did you order a limo?
- I didn't.

Well, I have here: 5:30 pickup.

6:00 a.m., deliver
to Station WZPZ.

12:30 p.m., personal appearance
at the Super Food World.

And at 1:30 p.m., Omaha
Children's Hospital.

Hello.

- Hello.
- That was Arnie.

He ordered the limo
because of our big day.

I didn't know that we
had such a big day.

Yes, you did.

This is really a big day.

Big.

Let's talk about Pillow Talk.

Sheila.

Well, Bud, it's a fun way to
open avenues of discussion

just when married couples
start thinking they know

everything there is to
know about each other.

You mean I don't?

Are you kidding?

I'm the soul of mystery.

- A Sphinx.
- A Sphinx?

A Sphinx.

Okay, let's play the game.

"It's a snowy
Saturday afternoon.

"Would your mate
rather sit "by a cozy fire

or go outside and
make a snowman?"

Go outside.

Betsy's a deer.

I've never seen
her sit by the fire.

Well, actually we've never
had a fire in our fireplace.

I don't know why.

See? That's good.

You're talking.

And it stopped being a game
and become a conversation.

Sheila, thank you for coming.

Tomorrow we'll be talking

about dreams...
How to interpret them

and how to learn from them.

So we'll see you then.

Have a great day.

And we're out.

Nice show, guys.

Hey, listen, could you come
up to my office just for a minute?

Oh, Arnie, we got to be
at that supermarket thing

- in half an hour.
- Yeah, well...

Thanks for the limo, by the way.

Yeah, it'll only
just take a second.

What's up?

Well, I-I'd really rather
discuss it in my office.

Oh, man. This is hard.

Come on, Arnie.
What's the matter?

You guys have been hearing about
this SonicMedia Communications?

That company that just bought
the station in Kansas City?

- Yeah.
- They bought us.

The deal closed last night.

They, uh... want to
make some changes.

Changes?

The, uh... your show's canceled.

What?

You're kidding.

Guys, I wish I were.

But they're saying
no more local stuff.

Just syndicated talk.

Starting tomorrow.

Are you saying we
just did our last show?

This really stinks, Arnie.

We've been doing
the show for 15 years.

You can't just throw us away.

I'm not throwing you away.

- They are.
- Just forget it.

Let's get out of here.

Look, I fought
for you guys. I did.

But-but I lost.

And I... I think, once
the shock wears off,

you're going to see
the other side of this.

You can sleep in now.

Relax a little bit,
start having a life.

You don't get it, Arnie.

This was our life.

My, my, my, this
is really something.

A year's supply of meat.

They must really like
you at that supermarket.

Uh-huh, it's one of the perks
of being a local celebrity.

Well, let's hope they like
us enough to give us a job.

Paper or plastic?

We need a checker
up at the front, please.

I look wonderful in an apron.

Well...

you people have had
a rough day today.

And I've seen you keep smiling

at the supermarket,
and keep smiling

at the hospital, and keep
smiling with all those kids.

But you're home now.

And you probably got a
lot of talking you want to do.

- So I'll just run along.
- Oh, oh, no.

No, please, won't
you stay for dinner?

I mean, obviously
we have a lot of food.

Yeah, you were so
terrific today. I mean,

don't let us send you
off without a good meal.

Well, thank you very
much, but I've got to go.

Oh, it might freeze tonight.

Now, you listen to me.

It's all right to cry.

Because you've lost
something very special.

That show was our baby.

I know.

Well?

I think I'll cover the roses.

She said it might freeze.

I want out of these clothes.

♪♪

Oh, Tess.

I was hoping that you
would change your mind.

Hi. Uh, I'm Andrew.

This is... this is Monica,

and we hope we're
not bothering you,

but our, uh... our
car broke down.

- Oh, oh, of course.
- We're wondering if we...

Yes, come in. Come on in.

Great.

I hope we're not
interrupting anything.

No, we were just sitting around

wondering what we
were going to do tonight.

Honey, we have guests.

This is Andrew and Monica.

Their car broke down.

Great! Great.

The party was just starting.

- Come on.
- Come on in.

Thanks.

Our guests tonight
are Monica and Andrew.

And we'll be discussing
the dangers of inviting

complete strangers
into your home.

Stay with us.
We'll be right back.

This is a marvelous old Scotch.

I thought I'd break it out

in honor of our change
in circumstances.

Will you have some, uh...?

Monica.

No, thank you, but perhaps
if you have some coffee.

The coffee that we drink
right here on the show.

The show?

Breakfast with the Baxter's.

We're the Baxters.

It's going to be a while
before the tow truck gets here,

so we can wait in the car if...

We don't want to be in the way.

Nonsense.

So you've never seen the show?

What show?

You're not from
around here, are you?

- No.
- You've never watched

WZPZ Channel 14,
the one for Omaha?

You don't know who we are.

Uh, be accurate, darling.

Who we were.

Are you hungry?

Let me see what I have here.

Strangers on a train, ships

passing through the night.

Meat, meat, meat.

I'm gonna make
myself another drink.

You, uh, Andrew?

I'll have one.

A ginger ale, please.

Uh, can I help you
with something?

Well, I suppose you
could chop something.

There's a Kn*fe in that drawer.

I mean, whatever we eat,

we'll have to chop
something, right?

We're celebrating, Monica.

Really?

Oh, well, in that case,
make that two ginger ales.

We're not celebrating in
the strict sense, of course.

We got fired from
our jobs today.

Canned.

Unceremoniously dumped.

I don't think it could have
been any more humiliating

unless they had
done it right on camera

while I was getting
my new winter look.

Of course, these things
can be blessings in disguise.

I mean, whoever thought

we'd still be in
Omaha after 15 years?

Right, darling?

That wasn't the plan, was it?

Honey, I don't think
Monica and Andrew

want to hear about our problems.

You're probably right,
honey, but this is the door

they knocked on for
shelter from the storm,

and this is the shelter
they're going to get.

And, well, besides that,

it'd probably, uh, be
good practice for us

explaining what happened,
working out the story,

refining the humiliating aspects

in front of people
that don't matter.

Well... well, you
know what I mean.

Yeah, yeah, we... we
know what you mean.

What he means is...
And-and I'm not bragging here;

I'm just trying to be
honest... See, we are...

- Were.
- A fixture in this town.

Like a sink or a toilet.

Like a tradition.

Like a traditional toilet.

It's there. You can count on it.

You don't use it all the time,

but when it's not
there, you miss it.

May I please
explain to our guests?

Oh.

I'm sorry, I don't
think we've ever had

guests over for dinner before.

Really? I would have thought...

Oh, well, see, we
have to get up early,

so we go to bed early,

and there's just
no time to entertain.

Early to bed, early to rise,

makes a man healthy,

somewhat wealthy
by Omaha standards,

and ultimately very, very wise.

And here is the wisdom
in a nutshell, Andrew.

Stay up late, sleep in,
and never trust anybody.

What do you mean by that?

I mean, never trust anybody...

Anyone, my friend... Or
you might find yourself

in Omaha someday
without a traditional pot to...

Porterhouse,
T-bone, fillet mignon.

You know what I would like?

Meat loaf.

I can't tell you
how long it's been

since I've had meat loaf.

Meat loaf—- the Scotch
of the modern housewife.

It's like cream of
wheat or tomato soup.

It's comfort food.

My mom made the best meat loaf.

You can't make meat loaf.

You don't even know how to cook.

Well, what do you
think I was doing

on our show for 15
years in an apron?

You watched people cook
and asked pertinent questions.

How hot? How long?

Is it always
necessary to preheat?

A grand legacy of broadcasting.

I'm going down to the basement.

To cook?

Somewhere down there is a box

with my mother's
meat loaf recipe in it.

She gave it to me
when we got married.

Can you please leave
your mother out of this?

So, how long have
you been married?

15 glorious years.

And the show?

A talk show, a Kaffeeklatsch
with the folks next door.

15 years, too.

The marriage, the show.

Hard to imagine
one without the other.

Uh, can I, uh, put a little
bourbon in that for you?

Oh, no, no, thank you.

So, what happened
to your chairs?

Chairs?

Yeah, you have
a... the dining table,

but you don't have any chairs.

Ah, yes, well, there
were chairs once,

but Betsy didn't like them.

I haven't missed them, really.

We're microwavers mostly.

Early to bed, early to rise.

Exactly.

What is she doing down there?

What are you doing down there?

I'm looking for the box!

Oh, basements are
marvelous inventions.

A great place to give
things a decent burial

without actually having
to say they're dead.

You have a lot of stuff, Monica?

No, not even a basement.

Oh, everybody needs a basement.

I suppose there will be
a box down there soon

with Breakfast with
the Baxter's written on it.

You're taking this
loss very calmly.

Well, no use crying
over spilled milk.

Actually, I think
that grieving is a...

- is a very necessary process.
- I disagree.

What's done is done,
and you carry on.

Do you?

Of course.

If I'd stopped to
cry for everything

that happened to me, well...

I don't believe you can carry
on until you have stopped to cry.

Ah.

Carrying on is an art,

and art requires sacrifice,

but I don't expect someone
without a basement

to understand that.

Here it is... 1985.

I got that.

1985!

The Berlin Wall was still up.

Dallas was still on.

We were in love.

The lilacs were in bloom.

My mother made
the best meat loaf.

It was tomatoes and
onions and eggs and...

"When lilacs last in
the dooryard bloom'd."

Who was that... Carl Sandburg?

Whitman.

It was a poem written about
the assassination of Lincoln.

Monica, uh, would you like
to help saute the vegetables?

Um, the pan's over
here somewhere.

I'd be happy to.

Lincoln... now, there

was something to grieve for.

And Kennedy.

I cried for Kennedy.

We were Republicans
and I was ten,

but I still cried on
general principle.

Does that count?

Does what count?

We were discussing grief.

Andrew's for; I'm against.

"Only the fireborn
understand blue."

Darling, you have to share
the non sequitur with everybody.

Otherwise it's rude.

I just thought of it.

Carl Sandburg wrote it.

"Only the fireborn
understand blue."

Only Carl Sandburg
understands that line.

No, I do.

When children draw fire, they
use yellow and red crayons,

but fire... real fire, the
hottest part of the fire...

Is at the center,
where it's blue.

And only someone
who has survived fire

can understand how
dangerous blue can be.

That's why they never
go near fire again.

Yes, exactly.

Sounds terribly
metaphorical, Monica.

Metaphorical Monica,
Abstaining Andrew,

Blue Betsy.

Is that why we never
have a fire in the fireplace?

I don't know.

Monica, you talk like a poet.

Betsy was going to be a poet.

And I was going to
be... Gosh, I forgot.

Do we have that in a box
downstairs, too, honey?

Um... there's an
old manila envelope

over there with some
of my poetry in it,

Monica, if you're interested.

It's probably very
sophomoric and silly.

See if you can
find an old recipe.

What was that secret ingredient?

Oregano?

So, Andrew, are
you guys married?

- No.
- Oh, there's plenty of time,

- plenty of time.
- You know, you remind me

of a Sunday school
teacher I used to have.

But don't wait too long,
because it's a wonderful thing that

- you don't want to miss out on.
- I rather admire people who have

-And you know that
-some form of spirituality,

-single men don't live as long
-some meaning to their lives,

- as married men?
- Beyond themselves,

-And people with pets,
-someone, some standard of

- they live longer.
- Living that you can aspire to.

So I often ask myself, if
you're married with a pet,

does that double your
chances of extending your days

on this earth?

Someone to be
accountable to, some greater

being that I suppose would
understand you and actually

-Or do they simply -know
what you're going through

- cancel each other out?!
- Without judging you!

Oh, I'm so sorry.

I didn't know that was in there.

Uh... I... I forgot
it was there.

What is that?

What does it look like?

Um...

just before we
started doing our show,

we were expecting a baby.

But, um... we lost it.

I'm so sorry.

I bought that the day I
found out I was pregnant,

but I didn't stay
pregnant very long.

Betsy, why don't you put the
box back downstairs, hmm?

No, no. I want
to find that poem,

and I want to
find those recipes.

There's stuff in
here I need now.

No, you don't.

Leave it alone!

Don't touch it! It's my stuff!

Well, it's my stuff, too.

Well, Bud, now you care.

No, actually, I don't.

I just want to put the box away.

Of course you do.

God forbid we should
even think about it.

Why don't you go outside
and prune your stupid roses?

You don't know.

You don't know.

Want to bet?

Only the fireborn
understand blue, huh?

You think I haven't felt
the heat all these years?

You think I haven't
been b*rned, too?

Do you actually think I'm
stupid enough to believe

for 15 years that
we lost that baby?

We lost that baby the same way

we lost Breakfast
with the Baxter's.

We didn't lose it.

That baby just got
canceled, didn't it?

Didn't it?

You canceled it, didn't you?

Yes.

They're not supposed
to live this long

in this kind of
weather, but there it is...

holding on.

I bet they're
beautiful in the spring.

So, uh, what kind of
work do you do, Andrew?

Nonprofit.

Long-term planning,
short-term troubleshooting.

Well, how does that work?

It works just fine, actually.

Speaking of long-term planning,

how long were you
planning on staying out here?

Oh, till I figure
it all out, I guess.

Have you had 15
years to do that?

Well, I didn't know
the truth before.

Really?

That's not what it
sounded like in there.

Short-term troubleshooter, huh?

Strangers on a train, right?

Ships passing in the night.

I'll be gone in a few hours.

I put the meat loaf in the oven.

I used my own recipe.

I hope you don't mind.

No.

I can't remember how
the end of this goes.

The Valse Triste, isn't it?

Mm-hmm, by Sibelius.

It's hard to imagine
a couple dancing

to something called
"The Sad Waltz."

It's so beautiful, though.

Uh, there's a story behind it.

It's, uh... I can't
quite remember it.

It's, uh...

The composer falling
asleep at his piano

and dreaming of his dead mother,

and she comes to him in spirit,

and at that moment,

she is so real and so alive.

And then the dawn comes,
and he has to wake up, and...

she has to go back to
wherever it is they go, and...

Who?

The ones you lose.

They have to go
somewhere, don't they?

Yes.

And that's the part
I can't remember.

The end.

When he wakes up and...

he can't hold on to the dream.

That's why you should stay
asleep as long as you can.

We were engaged,
living in Boston.

Two very ambitious wannabes

looking for TV news
jobs somewhere,

anywhere, just as long
as we were together.

But jobs like that are
practically impossible

to find for one person,
you know, let alone two.

And then we get this dream offer

to go to Omaha,
and it's perfect.

I mean, it was the big
break that we needed.

So we're packing,

getting ourselves
ready to come out here,

and all of a
sudden, she looks up

and tells me she's pregnant.

Not part of the plan.

A hydrogen b*mb
dropped directly on the plan.

So I guess I didn't
handle it very well.

I-I didn't want to deal with it.

I wasn't very
sensitive. She got hurt.

Uh, it was just...

Anyway, I-I ended up going alone

to this wedding on the Vineyard

that we were both supposed
to go to over the weekend.

Then, when I got back...

That's when she
told you that she...

lost the baby.

Yeah, she... lost it.

At some clinic, I guess.

I figured, one day,
when she was ready

to talk about it, she would,

but she never
mentioned it again.

And neither did you?

No.

It was just such a relief.

I put it behind me.

And carried on.

Yeah.

I think it saved our marriage.

Bud and I have never
really talked about the...

baby thing.

And tonight of all nights.

I mean, our show falls
apart, and this has to come up.

It makes perfect sense.

It does?

You experienced
a terrible loss today.

You worked together
for 15 years on something

that was taken away
from you in a moment.

You need to grieve
over that together.

But how can you

when you haven't even
finished grieving the loss

that happened before?

I don't feel... like I
deserve to grieve.

I know what I did,
and I know why I did it.

Sometimes you do things
you think you'll never do.

My life started falling apart.

I just wanted to make it stop.

I just didn't know then
what it would feel like now.

We had a plan, you know?

Do the show a couple years,

get our careers going, the
babies would come later.

It's later.

You know, Monica, they
can talk all they want to

about politics and
rights and choices.

And I did.

But when you're
in that little room...

and you're putting
your clothes back on...

you know that when
you walk out that door,

you're leaving a little
piece of your soul behind,

and you will never
ever get it back.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

No... not for me.

Not for me.

I would have talked about it

if she'd just brought
it up, you know?

But she never did.

Yeah, but neither did you.

She didn't want me to!

Well, how would you know
that if-if you never talked to her?

It was understood!

- Then why are you so angry?
- I don't know!

Maybe because she made
the decision in the first place

without talking to me.

Bud, it sounds
like that you weren't

even there for her to talk to.

Hey, she didn't want me there.

Did she say that?

Or was it something that
was, what, understood?

What difference does it
make? It was a long time ago.

You know, I have stood at
this window and imagined

what life would have been like

if there had been a
swing set out there

instead of a rose garden.

Jackie Kennedy had a
rose garden and a swing set,

and life still didn't turn out
the way she wanted it to.

She was a hero of
mine when I was little.

All that pain, and she
never let them see her cry.

Good girls don't cry, you mean?

Good girls don't
do a lot of things...

until they do.

There he goes again,

back and forth,
and back and forth.

What has he got
to be angry about?

It's hard to lose the lie

that you've grown
comfortable with.

But I didn't
actually lie to him.

I didn't actually tell him
the truth, either, but...

he knew all along, didn't he?

He knew, and he
didn't say anything.

He just let me carry it
around inside me for 15 years,

and he never said anything.

He wasn't there for
me when I needed him.

He hasn't been there since.

He's been here in Omaha.

God, will we ever
get out of Omaha?

I'm going out.

Of course you are.
Don't forget your coat.

What is that supposed to mean?

That means that you
always forget your coat

when you make one
of your little escapes.

I am not escaping.

Now, you got something
you want to say, say it.

You went to the
wedding, you came back,

you never asked
me what happened.

You didn't want me to.

Bull! You didn't want to know

because you didn't want
to share the responsibility.

It wasn't my body!

It was your child.

Oh, right.

That is so typical.

It's your body and
it's your decision

until you want
somebody to blame!

I'm not trying to blame anybody.

I'm just trying
to deal with this.

15 years later, and
you're still dealing with it?

Come on!

You didn't want that baby
any more than I do! Did!

Do you hear yourself?

What? Are you analyzing me now?

I'm the bad guy, right?

It's all about me?

Well, let me make
it easier for you!

I'm taking me
out of the picture!

The show's over, and so are we!

Now, where are the suitcases?

The basement.

Figures.

You know, that may
well be the first fire

that's ever been in there.

There's something about a fire

that changes the
room, don't you think?

Mm-hmm. It adds a certain life.

Meat loaf smells good.

Oh, I hope it tastes good.

I'm not a very good cook.

Well, you'd have
to try pretty hard

to mess up a meat loaf.

That's what my mother
always said anyway.

Oh, I found it.

- The recipe?
- Mm-hmm.

So, what was the
secret ingredient?

You know, I looked,

but I don't see
anything special in there.

Maybe it just tasted better
because it was my mom's.

I'm sure you're right.

And I'm a packrat
just like she was.

I have saved everything:

recipes and clippings, poetry...

little souvenirs to pass
on to someone someday.

Aren't you tired
of listening to me?

Not at all.

Well, I am.

Betsy, what are you doing?

What does it look like?

Does this make you feel better?

Monica, I can't
feel anything at all.

Betsy, please don't.

I never was much of a poet.

Would you like to do the honors?

Have you heard of
post-abortion syndrome?

Difficulty sleeping,

difficulty with
intimacy, workaholism,

inability to relax,

inability to bond with
children and husbands,

difficulty feeling
anything at all.

And it can go on
for years, Betsy.

Five, ten, even 15.

But that's the price you pay.

No, it's a consequence
of a choice that you make.

It's not a punishment from God.

That's not how He works.

You believe in God, don't you?

Yes, I do.

And if you were me
and you prayed to God,

what would He tell you to do?

I believe that he would ask
you to open your heart to Him,

to tell Him how you feel and
to ask Him to help you heal.

That means you
have to talk, Betsy.

Really talk... to God
and to your husband.

Losing your job today
may have been a blessing.

Now you're both back
where you started,

with a chance of
a new beginning,

only it needs forgiveness.

You ask for it, and you give it.

I tried to talk to
Bud about it once,

but I didn't know how to start,

so I wrote him a poem,

but I couldn't give it to him.

Well, you can
give it to him now.

I can't.

I just b*rned it.

Is this it?

How did you...?

It wasn't too late.

You found them?

Yeah.

Off to the bedroom to
pack your new winter look?

Seems sort of
appropriate that we do this

in front of an
audience, doesn't it?

Before we leave, may
I... may I ask a question?

What?

Well, it's just that I
still don't understand

why you never had any chairs
around your dining room table.

Well, for God sakes,
we'd better get that settled

before I leave this marriage.

- Anybody want to take that?
- Yes.

We did have chairs once.

It was our first dinner
together in our new home,

and I lit the candles
and we sat down,

and there was
this terrible silence.

We just didn't have
anything to say.

No, we had everything to say.

We were just afraid to start.

And Bud stood up in
the middle of dinner,

and he announced that the chairs

just weren't too comfortable.

And he walked into the kitchen
and he finished his dinner

right at the kitchen counter.

And I... I sat there

all by myself at the table...

and I knew we would never
ever find the right chairs.

I can't do this.

I just don't see
the point in it.

The point is that I love
you and you love me.

I know it!

Oh, Buddy, there is
something to fight for.

We have to yell and scream
and cry if that's what it takes.

But... but, Buddy, listen.

Just... just listen to this.

I wrote this years ago for
you, but I just could never...

Just listen!

Monica, please.

"Let me break it in half
and give some to you.

"I cannot eat it
all day after day.

"I swallow our sin, gagging
on pieces of my grief,

"conceived without hunger,
delivered without grace.

"It is never enough
to fill this empty belly.

"Come, sit at the table

"and share this terrible
communion we have prepared.

"This is my body,
this is your wine,

"say the words, taste the blood,

"and let's finish this meal.

"May I please be
excused to sit by the fire

"and rock the invisible
sorrow to sleep,

"until the flames die

and the faces in
the blue go away?"

I'm sorry, Bets.

I am.

I'm so sorry.

Don't you understand
why I can't talk about it?

I'm afraid, Bets.

I'm so afraid,
if I start to talk,

I'll start to cry.

I'll cry about who we were...

and who we lost,

and then I'll just lose
it and I'll just go crazy.

So I go outside
and I grab a shovel

and I plant another
rosebush instead.

My God.

I can't start crying or
I'll go someplace crazy,

and I won't find my way back.

Yes, you will.

The journey back
has already begun.

You've been entertaining angels.

We are angels.

Messengers from God.

Why?

Because God loves you.

He knows everything,
and He still loves you.

God could have
made a very different

kind of world, you know,

with people who
never made mistakes,

never thought for themselves

and did only what God
wanted them to do all the time,

but then there wouldn't
have been any free will.

And without the freedom
to love, love is not a choice,

and that is a choice that
God gives you every day.

But I didn't take it, did I?

Betsy, 15 years ago,
you made a choice.

And, Bud, one way or another,

you helped her to
make that choice,

and God did not send us here

to judge you and
punish you for that.

God wants you to
know that He is life itself,

and that He holds all
the life there was and is

and is to be in
His hand already.

And yes, there was a
future that might have been

that you chose to change.

And for whatever reason,

you chose not to include
God in that decision.

But He asks you
now to include Him

in the next one that you make,

because He
understands your pain,

because no one knows
better the invisible sorrow

that you still carry
in your hearts,

and no one wants
to heal you more.

All you have to do is sit
down at your table together

and invite Him to join you.

Are you ready to go?

Yes.

Something tells me that
car is going to start right up.

Good night.

Good-bye.

Thank you.