16x08 - A Heartbreaking Valentine's Day

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

-[Wes] This is the true story...
-[Lacey] Yee-haw!

-[Lacey] ...of seven strangers...
-[Rachel] ...picked to live in a house...

[Nehemiah] ...work together,
and have their lives taped...

[Johanna] ...to find out what happens...

-[Danny] ...when people stop being polite...
-Shut up.

-[Melinda] ...and start getting real.
-[all laughing]

-[all] The Real World: Austin.
-[theme music concludes]

[somber acoustic music playing]

[sniffles]

[crying]

[Danny's father] It's okay, Danny.

[Danny] Flying home from Texas,

and being thrown into the mix of this,
it's just so mind-boggling.

-[Danny exhales] I'm sorry, Dad.
-[Danny's father] Oh.

It's so hard to prepare for something
that you don't wanna have to deal with.

-[Danny's father]
-[Danny sobbing]

-[Danny's father] Come on.
-[Danny sniffles, inhales]

I'll get that. [exhales]

[breathes deeply]

[Danny] My sisters were close to my mom,
and I was too.

But at the same time,
I feel like I have to hold

everything together for her
and be there for my sisters.

[exhales, sniffles]

[music concludes]

[uplifting music playing]

[Nehemiah] Are you close to your parents?

[Wes] Sometimes. It depends
whether I'm in the doghouse or not, right?

[Nehemiah chuckles]

-Did you say you never met your dad?
-[Nehemiah] Nope.

-[Wes] What's your mom doing?
-[Nehemiah exhales] Nothing.

She's in rehab now. [sniffles]
She was a drug addict.

I never really had, like,
a mother-son relationship with her.

That's why I'm so independent now.

-[Wes] It's made you a strong person.
-Yeah.

[Wes] When Danny's mom passed away,
the first thing I thought about was,

"What was the last thing
I said to my mom?" You know?

And it makes me really,
really appreciate my parents and my family

when I see how fast

they can be just taken away from you,
you know?

[Nehemiah] I tried to call my mother.
I could barely get in touch with her.

She can only use the phone I think
for ten minutes a week, if even that.

I am not able to reach her
which is a problem.

[inhales] And I do just wanna call her,
just to let her know that I love her.

Even though we don't have
that type of relationship,

I do want all of my family,
just in case they do pass,

I wanna be able to know that
the last words I do

say to them was, like, "I love you."

How often do we tell our family
that we really do love 'em?

[somber music playing]

[Danny] There is a picture in that hutch
that ma has

-of me and her that I want.
-[Janie] I got it.

[smooches, inhales]

I feel selfish.
I just feel like I left her,

and I feel like I could've done something
if I was back here.

She died by herself, and, you know,
I feel like I should've been there

to at least hold her hand through it.

I should've called her. [inhales]
I should've called her on Valentine's Day.

[Janie] She wasn't there.
She died at ten in the morning or 11.

I should've called her. I was too busy
gettin' drunk the night before,

and I was too hungover. [sobs]

It's not... Danny...

I feel like such a disappointment.

[cries softly]

-[sniffles]
-[music concludes]

-[indistinct chatter]
-I'm sorry. I really miss Danny.

-[chuckles]
-Aw.

[Lacey] Well, I know. It sucks.

I really was like,
"Okay, he's leaving. I'll be all right."

And it's just, like, I'm not all right.

Also, I was like, I have no control
over this situation whatsoever,

and that's so hard.

[Lacey] Melinda is so used to catering
to what Danny needs,

it's like she almost feels
inadequate in that way

because she can't be there for Danny.

[Lacey] When's he coming back?

I don't know. He might not even come back.

There is a possibility
that he might not come back,

and that definitely scares me,

because the only thing that I wanna do
is spend time with Danny.

I hope to God he comes back.

-I think that...
-Yeah, but he's...

[Rachel] Once he gets home,
he's gonna realize,

"Okay, I took care of my business here."

He's gonna miss you.

Yeah, but he has a million reasons
not to come back, though,

you know what I'm saying?

My own selfish reasons want him back here,

-but I would be very understanding...
-["Acoustic Song" playing]

...of every reason
that he would have not come back,

so he could stay with his family
and be a support system for them.

♪ I could say ♪

♪ A thousand words for those memories
Of mine ♪

♪ I'm seeing this one to ease my mind ♪

♪ And I think it's all right ♪

♪ It's all right to say good-bye... ♪

[Danny] I think the biggest thing
a lot of people take for granted

is their family, and waking up
and seeing your mom,

and giving her a hug or giving her a kiss
instead of walking out the door.

If I could go back and do things over,
I would do everything different.

♪ ...Love is when you can't forget
Your past ♪

-♪ But you learn along the way... ♪
-[Danny crying]

I know. I know, it's tough,
but we got you.

♪ ...Everyone is calling out
Your name... ♪

[Danny] I should've been here. [crying]
I should've stayed here and never left.

You couldn't have prevented it.

[Danny] I'm never gonna
forgive myself. [crying]

-I don't know how I'm gonna bury my mom.
-[Danny's friend] None of us do.

But we're doing it together now.

[Danny] I don't know
how to do it. [crying]

[Danny's friend]
We're all doing it together.

♪ ...It's all right to say good-bye ♪

[song concludes]

[soft music playing]

[Ryan on the phone] Just think, stop.

-[Lacey] Yay.
-[Ryan] I cannot wait.

Ryan, my boyfriend, is coming to visit.
I'm very excited.

It's his Valentine's gift for me.

[Ryan] I'm gonna get going
and finish packing all this stuff up.

-I love you.
-I love you, too.

-[Ryan] Bye-bye.
-Bye.

[Nehemiah] How did you meet Ryan?

[Lacey] He goes to my salon
to get his hair cut.

[Nehemiah] How long
has he been paralyzed?

-I think since he was 17.
-Seventeen?

Ryan is in a wheelchair
because he was in a car accident

back when he was in high school.

Basically, it broke his back,
so he can't feel his legs.

[Nehemiah] You guys have been together
for three months?

-Uh-huh.
-[Nehemiah] You already think

-he's the one?
-Yep.

So, what makes you think Ryan
is the one?

I have no doubt. I just don't.

My friends think I'm crazy.
They're like, "You're a virgin."

"If you don't date anyone else,
you could not have sex your whole life."

We do nothing but benefit from each other.

I think the people you're supposed
to be with are people

that lift you up and make you better,
and you do the same for them.

When somebody blesses you that much,

if it keeps going on,
I don't see any reason to stop.

[soft music playing]

[Melinda] I just got an email
from Danny... [sobs]

...and... [exhales] ...he says
that he's trying to be really strong,

and that it's really hard for him.

And that he doesn't think
he's gonna come back.

[keys clacking]

[Melinda] And I don't know
what to write back to him.

I don't... have the right words
to say to him to make him feel better.

He says that, like,
thinking about me, and... [sniffles]

[exhales] ...it like... [inhales]
...makes him feel a little bit better,

but he just doesn't think that... [exhales]

[inhales, sniffles] ...coming back
would be the right thing to do.

I'm trying not to be selfish,
but I like him so much. [exhales]

And like, the only thing
I can think about right now

is how badly I wanna be with him.

It's so hard that knowing... [sniffles]

...the closest thing to my perfection is...

so far out of reach.

[music concludes]

[lively music playing]

[Lacey] Today is the day
that Ryan's coming to visit.

I'm very happy.

-[indistinct chatter]
-[Lacey] Hi. How are you?

Don't throw it!
You're gonna knock that little kid over!

I'm just really excited to see Ryan.
I feel like it's been a long time.

We're used to spending
all of our time together.

-Hey, your hair looks good.
-Thank you.

[smooches]

-It's good to see you. [smooches]
-It's good to see you, too.

Welcome to Austin. Mm-hmm.

I think the loss of your legs
would be amazingly depressing,

but my boyfriend has the most
amazing insight into things.

-[driver] Do you need assistance?
-He can grab the hands...

No, he can do it.

He was like, "So, I can't run a marathon,

but my life is just as capable
of having amazing things happen

in it as yours is."

"I just can't walk, and who cares?
I'm alive."

[music concludes]

-[Ryan] Very nice place.
-[Lacey] Thanks.

Hello!

-[Melinda] Sorry, my hands are wet.
-[Ryan] It's all right.

-I'm Melinda.
-[Ryan] Ryan.

[Melinda] Nice to meet you.

-Wow.
-[Ryan] Geez.

-[laughing]
-I'm putting on a face mask!

-I'd shake it with this one.
-[Ryan] It's all right.

[Lacey] Ryan's one of those people
where he comes in the room,

and you see that he's disabled.

And then Ryan speaks
and you don't even notice anymore.

You guys gonna go out tonight,
or are you gonna have a romantic date?

I don't know.
What do you wanna do? [chuckles]

This is the happiest I've seen Lacey ever.

She just has this giddy,
little girl-like smile on her face.

[Melinda] So, what is your guys'
plan for tonight?

[Lacey] We don't have a plan.
I'm a bad hostess.

[Melinda] Probably from Danny.

-[Ryan] Have you talked to him lately?
-[Melinda whistling]

[Lacey] She has. He only talks to her.

[Ryan] How's it going?

-[Lacey] The funeral's today.
-[Ryan] Poor guy.

[Lacey] I feel bad that we can't be there,

but I know Danny knows
we're all thinking about him.

[somber music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[music concludes]

[Rachel] Did you get an email
from him today?

No. I didn't think I would though.

-Oh, today's the funeral.
-[Melinda] Today's the bad day.

But maybe he'll get some closure today.
Do you know what I mean?

No, I... I think... I think the next, like,

four days is gonna be
the toughest days of all.

I'm not there with Danny,

and it's constantly
in the back of my head.

What's he doing? Is he okay?
Is he even able to stand up?

[somber music playing]

[Danny] I think the hardest thing
that I have dealt with

since I have been here
is knocking on my mom's door

repeatedly, thinking
that she was gonna answer,

and her not answering.
And me realizing then that she was gone.

I think that's the reality in all of it.
I think everything else is so surreal.

The only comfort that I have now

is knowing that she's not here
in pain anymore.

[music concludes]

[house music playing]

What do we want shots of?

Melinda!

To Ryan being here!

[Lacey] To Ryan!

Wait! To Lacey not using the phone!

[all] Yay!

Ryan seems very nice,
and he seems very easy to get along with.

He makes you feel like
he's been friends with you forever.

And I can see why Lacey loves him
and feels so comfortable around him.

[man]

[Lacey] He wishes
he could do things still,

like, surf and all different things,

but he's not one of those people
that lived to walk again.

It's just one of those things
that happened, and life goes on.

Lap dance!

[shrieks]

[cheers]

[Melinda] I think Lacey
and Ryan's relationship

is actually really deep
for being together for four months

and it's really nice to see that Lacey has
a guy that cares a lot about her.

[music concludes]

[somber piano music playing]

[Danny] I miss Melinda a lot,
I think about her often.

It makes me feel better
to think about her,

but right now,
I have to take care of my family,

and I have to be here with them.

I have no idea of what I'm gonna do yet.

A big part of me
wants to return and see my roommates

and finish the experience.

And I know my mom would like that,
but I'm so full of emotion.

I just don't know
what's best for me right now.

[music concludes]

-[telephone ringing]
-[uplifting music playing]

-[Rachel] It's Danny!
-[Melinda gasps]

[panting]

Hello?

-[Danny on the phone] Hey, you.
-Hey, how are you?

[Danny] I'm good. How are you?

I miss you.

-[Danny] I miss you, too.
-How was your day today?

[Danny]
Pretty rough, actually.

I'd give anything
to be with you right now.

[Danny] I wish I could see you.
How are you?

I'm not okay.
Like, I'm trying to be okay, but I'm not.

-[Danny] Why?
-Because I miss you.

And I wanna be there for you,
and it's really hard.

It hurts me to know that you're hurting.

-[Danny] Don't be upset.
-Oh, I'm not upset.

It's just hard.

[Danny] Yeah.

Because in my heart,
I don't think you're coming back.

[Danny] I just don't know
what to do, Mel.

I feel like if I do leave again,
I'm just gonna abandon everything again.

[emotional music playing]

[Melinda] I don't think you abandoned
anybody in the first place though, baby.

[Danny] I just feel like I did.

I don't think that your mom
would feel that way either.

[Danny] Burying her today, I just know
there's more that I could've done.

I don't think there's anything
you could've done, Danny.

I don't think there's anything
anyone could've done.

[Danny] I just don't even know

if I'm supposed to be there.
You know what I mean?

[Melinda] I understand how you feel.

I want you here. [chuckles]
Probably doesn't count for a lot, but...

[Danny] It does count for a lot.

-I miss you, Mel.
-I miss you too.

[Danny] All right, go get some sleep.
I'll talk to you soon. Okay, babe?

All right, baby.

-[Danny] Good night.
-Bye.

[line disconnects]

[exhales]

[Melinda] Yeah, he's not okay.

I just don't want him
to keep blaming himself.

[Nehemiah]

-[Melinda] Yeah.
-[Nehemiah] Yeah? Why?

'Cause he feels like a failure
'cause he wasn't there.

[Nehemiah] Yeah?

Truthfully, that's how I would feel
if my mom passed away

-'cause I've not been there for her.
-[sniffles]

I have not been there for my mom.

Maybe I could've helped her out.
Maybe if I would've pushed more

to help get her clean instead of like,
turning my back,

maybe she wouldn't be in this situation
that she's in now.

-All she ever wanted was...
-[Melinda sniffling]

...that mother-son relationship
that we've never, ever had.

[Melinda] Have you talked
to your mom about it?

-Yeah, I've talked to her.
-[Melinda sniffling]

I kinda feel like that's how
it has gone her whole life.

It was, like,
drugs were number one for her.

And then, I came second.

I don't know what it's like
to have a good mother.

She's missed a lot of things in my life.

I'm not holding it against her.
It's just that I'm used to it.

This whole time,
I've never seen my mother sober. Never.

But maybe,

it'll be a fresh new start
for you guys once she gets out.

I can definitely forgive and forget,
but always in the back of my mind,

I'm gonna remember
all those instances

when I needed you,
and you weren't there.

[music concludes]

[soft music playing]

-You okay?
-[Lacey] Yeah.

I think I'm just upset, so it hurts.

Don't be upset.

I know. I can't help it.

The past three days that he was here,

I've enjoyed more than anything
because I've enjoyed my roommates.

I've enjoyed this experience,
and I've enjoyed him.

-And it's like I had everything I wanted.
-[smooches]

And I realize that
it can't be that way the whole time.

But I just wish it could be.

-You got it? Okay.
-[Lacey] Yeah.

[music concludes]

[indistinct chatter]

-You okay?
-[Lacey] No. [smooches]

Don't ask me. I'll cry. [smooches]

[both chuckle]

-[Ryan] Hey, none of that now.
-["Days, They Came And Went" playing]

-Stop. [chuckles] I know.
-I'm trying.

I hate saying goodbye to Ryan.
I cry every time,

-like I'm never gonna see him again.
-[smooches]

I just don't want you to be sad.

[Lacey] It's just this horrible,

uneasy feeling to say goodbye
to someone you care about that much.

♪ The days that came and went ♪

♪ Away when this ♪

♪ Content for this... ♪

[Ryan] It's about that time, baby.

-I love you.
-I love you too.

-[smooches]
-I'll get up.

See you later.

[sniffles]

Hi. [chuckles] Thank you.

-[worker] You looked so sad doing your...
-I am.

[worker] So, we give you a monkey
and a hug.

-Thanks.
-[worker] Sure.

♪ ...I walk away ♪

[song concludes]

[soft music playing]

[line ringing]

-[Nehemiah's mother on the phone] Hello?
-Hello.

-[Nehemiah's mother] Hi!
-Hey.

-[Nehemiah's mother] Hi, baby.
-What's up?

[Nehemiah's mother] Is this
your first time trying to call me?

Uh... second.

[Nehemiah's mother]
How are your roommates?

They all right.

[Nehemiah's mother]
You get along with everybody?

-Yeah. Yeah.
-[Nehemiah's mother] You've been praying?

-[Nehemiah's mother] Every night?
-Yep.

[Nehemiah's mother] Nehemiah, please,
don't be drinking.

-I'm worried about you.
-Don't... just trust me. Don't be worried.

[Nehemiah's mother] Why not?
I'm your mother.

I know.

-[Nehemiah's mother] Okay.
-But I've been looking

after myself for quite some time now, so...

[Nehemiah's mother]
You know what, Nehemiah?

-What's up?
-[Nehemiah's mother] I'm not gonna get

on you no more.
You make good decisions.

Me and my mother's relationship
is stronger than it was before.

Her rehab program is actually
working very well.

I do pray every night
that this is the last rehab program

that she'll ever have to go through.

[Nehemiah's mother] I love you,
and make all your dreams come true.

-Okay, baby? Bye-bye.
-All right.

-Mother?
-[Nehemiah's mother] What?

-I love you too.
-[music concludes]

[Nehemiah's mother]
All right, baby. Bye-bye.

[Nehemiah] Bye.

["Hollow Heart" playing]

♪ So you're up all night ♪

♪ I can't find the right words to say ♪

♪ How things trouble you ♪

♪ All the time these days ♪

♪ Can't you see I can't take this time ♪

♪ Without you ♪

♪ Don't say you won't be there, no ♪

[song concludes]

[Nehemiah's mother]
You sleep in a room with other guys?

I sleep everywhere else but my room,
but, yeah.

[Nehemiah's mother] You don't sleep
in a room with girls, do you?

-Sometimes.
-[Nehemiah's mother] Nehemiah,

that is inappropriate.

Look, Mother. I will be doing some things

that you are gonna find
very inappropriate.

-Let me just let you know.
-[Nehemiah's mother] Is it X-rated?

Not yet, Mother,

but, yes, there will be some X-rated
events taking place here.

-[Nehemiah's mother] Oh, my God.
-Yes. [chuckles]

I'm warning you right now. Yes.

-Yes
-[Nehemiah's mother] Nehemiah...

Nehemiah, you're only 19 years old.

[Nehemiah]
That means I can't do X-rated stuff?

-[Nehemiah's mother] I'm coming to Texas.
-[Nehemiah laughing]