Life Sentence (2018) s01e01 Episode Script
Pilot
1 STELLA: Aww! Look at these two.
She's been dreaming about this day since she was a sapling.
He's got a tiny stick up his butt.
But you can't deny they were made for each other.
Stella? - Hmm? - âWho are you talking to? Oh.
- Thought I was talking to you.
- Oh, let me guess.
You two need a wedding cake.
Actually, we need a funeral cake.
- That's not a thing.
- Right.
But I love cake, and it's my funeral.
My living funeral.
- I'm dying.
- Wow.
I'm so sorry.
Oh, no, don't be.
My life has been pretty amazing.
I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing.
STELLA: From the minute I was diagnosed with cancer, my mom and dad were there for me no matter what.
- We're here for you.
- No matter what.
I've been thinking Over the next few years, my brother Aiden encouraged me to live like I was dying.
Just waiting Because I was.
Yeah! My sister Elizabeth never let me miss a beat even when I was at my absolute worst.
My family always helped me face my fears.
So that dying would seem like the next great adventure.
[SCREAMS.]
WOMAN: Would you do something for me? Six years in, I thought I had done it all.
Would you get me out of here? But then I was watching this sappy cancer movie with my sister and her husband, Diego, and I realized that there was still one thing left for me to do find true love.
So after I stopped chemo, my dad scraped together the money to send me to the birthplace of love Paris.
Waiting on a song Where I dressed up like a sexy mime and waited for my soul mate to appear.
BOTH: Oh! I'm so sorry.
He was lost literally.
- Can you help me? - But he was also figuratively lost.
See, he was afraid to live WES: And she was afraid to die.
Oh, baby, you've gotta stop adding that part.
I was not afraid to die.
We'll just tell it your way.
So there we were, âtwo strangers in Paris falling in love the way only two people with nothing else to do truly can.
Running through the heat, heartbeat You shine like silver in the sunlight You light up my whole heart It feels like in the sun You know what happens next.
Love like this won't last forever I know that love like this won't last forever But I I don't really mind Stella? Will you spend âthe rest of your life with me? I love you.
I love you, too.
Forever, but I Yeah So I got my godmother Poppy to marry us.
Sure, getting married was a rash decision, but it was only a six-to eight-month commitment, tops.
- I love you.
- Not yet! "Husband and wife," I have to say that part.
And so began the sexiest marriage ever.
You I know what you're thinking.
Nobody has Sara Bareilles candle sex every night.
But we do.
Because we never know if it will be my last night on earth.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
That was a beautiful story.
A little longer than I expected, but a beautiful story.
You're life is like one of those romantic cancer movies.
I want to give you a free cake.
Thank you so much.
Okay.
I played the cancer card, but you have to play the hand you're dealt.
After all, I am dying.
You're not dying.
I'm sorry.
What did you just say? The oncolytic virotherapy worked.
Stella you're cured.
Oh, my God! That's amazing! That's amazing! Thank you so much! Your yelling's getting loud Keep it down now Keep it down now There's talk going 'round this town Keep it down now Needless to say, my living funeral took on a whole new meaning.
Noises closing in from all sides Warning all the ways to die STELLA: I know that we've been down this road before Dr.
Chang said that I'm not in remission I'm cured.
[CHUCKLES EXCITEDLY.]
MAN: I don't believe it.
Oh, Daddy, stop crying.
You're making me cry.
Your mom's not gonna stop.
I'm so glad you're okay.
Thank you.
Who are you? Oh, I'm Aiden's friend Marlene.
She's here for emotional support.
C'est la vie We got rowdy that night.
Even Dad danced.
C'est la vie It's unforgettable DIEGO: All right, hey, guys! Why are we still holding these eulogies for someone who's not dying? Why don't we just burn this thing, huh? Who's with me? Come on! This thing is not lighting.
Okay, just give me a second.
All right, okay.
Okay, fine, fine, fine.
- Okay.
- [LAUGHTER.]
Oh, Stel, you should have invited Dr.
Chang so we could have thanked her in person.
- Mmm.
- âOh, this was just for family.
- And apparently, Marlene.
- Aww! Plus, I was thinking that I could I could throw Dr.
Chang her own party next week - instead of family dinner.
- Of course, yes! So what are you gonna do with the first day of the rest of your life? I don't know.
âMaybe I'll apply to college.
I know a professor who could write me a good recommendation.
[CHUCKLES.]
Everything okay, Daddy? Yep.
Never been better, Stel-belle.
Hey, did my dad seem weird to you? No, you're dad's âjust not a very emotional guy.
Yeah.
It's probably nothing.
Okay, time for our private celebration.
Play Sara Bareilles.
[MUSIC PLAYS.]
Mmm.
- Mmm.
Actually - âMm-hmm? Um would you mind âif we took the night off? - I'm I'm exhausted, and - âYes.
Absolutely fine.
No problem.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
Today's just been a lot.
And I don't want to be up for hours.
Babe, it doesn't have to take hours.
I mean, maybe we can just ditch the 600 candles and the indie-rock soundtrack and, you know, just get 'er done.
Oh.
Ow.
Am I the "'er" in that crude proposition? Oh, no.
I mean, yes, you are, but I Do you not like the way we have sex? I love it.
It's not that, I'm just saying that this isn't gonna be your last night on earth, so maybe we could change it up.
I don't want anything to change.
- You know what? Never mind.
- Let's just go to bed.
[SIGHS.]
What are you doing? I always fall asleep with my head on your chest.
Unless you don't like being my pillow anymore, either.
No, I I love being your pillow.
Get in there.
Yeah.
As I lay there, I could feel things were already changing, I just didn't know how much.
- [IN DISTANCE.]
What? - Hi, Daddy.
Oh.
â-Just came to see how you were doing.
Can't talk, Stel-belle, late for my lecture.
- Oh.
- Rent's on the counter.
Love you.
What's going on? Mom just left Dad.
Do you Do you want a waffle? AIDEN: âThese waffles are amazing.
- You should try it.
- Can you just stop with the waffle? You're right, this is serious.
A waffle isn't the answer.
Oh, I also have three flavors of Tasty Strudel Will someone just tell me what happened? Lizzie, you take it.
Oh, okay.
The way Mom and Dad act around you is a show.
They've got problems.
They just kept them from you because Dr.
Chang told us not to dump in, because creating a positive emotional environment would give you a better shot at beating cancer.
So we all kept stuff from you.
You all have secrets you've been hiding from me for the last eight years? - [MUFFLED.]
Oh, uh - No, no secrets.
I'm good.
Are you lying? - Obviously.
- Aiden is stress-eating.
So what are you're problems? Uh, Aiden is a grown man who still lives at home, sells his ADD medication to soccer moms, and uses your cancer to guilt them into sleeping with him.
- Well, Elizabeth hates her children.
- âI do not! Please, you said that you would trade them for a massage chair.
I said that once.
Okay, okay.
I will admit I made sacrifices in my career so that I could have children early to give Mom and Dad something positive to focus on.
And I may regret that.
And I may regret selling drugs and sleeping with soccer moms.
- You do? - No! It's so fun! Guys, I do what I have to.
Dad gives handouts to his dying daughter, but all he gives his loser son is grief.
- And a place to live.
- Reluctantly.
He gives that reluctantly.
Okay, you might be beyond help.
But, Lizzie if you need to focus on work, I can babysit.
- You know nothing about kids.
- That's not true.
I know a lot.
I believe the children are our future.
That sounds about right.
I do have a stupid client dinner tomorrow night and - Done! - âOh.
I probably should have run that by Wes, but I figured he'd be cool with it.
He loves to make me happy.
I mean, the past six months, I did whatever it took to make her happy, even when it didn't always make me happy.
Now I'm starting to worry if I can keep it up for the rest of our lives.
Uh, you see, Wes, this is a support group for the spouses of the terminally ill, which you no longer are.
That's why we ordered you this celebratory pizza.
Ah, you guy! You're the best.
Just before we dig into it, though, can I ask you No.
No.
Wes, this pizza is a it's a gesture of good-bye.
It's a good-bye pizza.
Yeah.
Let's eat.
I knew that my dad wasn't the type of guy that was gonna tell me what was going on, so I went to him.
- Hey, Daddy.
- âStel-belle.
What are you doing here? Can we talk about you and Mom? - We're fine.
â- She left you.
We've been better.
I know you want to protect me.
Lizzie told me about the whole dumping in thing while Aiden claimed you thought he was a loser.
He is a loser.
He spent an entire week hiding our garden gnomes in places - that would scare me in the dark.
- â[CHUCKLES.]
That's not funny.
Dad, you don't have to protect me anymore.
Just tell me what happened.
Why did Mom leave? She's just staying at Poppy's for a while while she processes the fact we may have to sell the house.
Why? I can't afford the mortgage.
Or the second mortgage.
Well, if you were hurting, why didn't you say something? You didn't have to pay for Paris or my wedding.
Or my rent.
No, I don't regret âhelping you for one second.
But I should have been more responsible with how much I helped.
I should have told your mother sooner.
For the first time in my life, my dad needed my help more than I needed his.
Here's what we're gonna do.
I'll talk to Mom, and you are gonna figure out how to save the house.
And to help, I am cutting myself off financially, starting right now.
Rent check What about college? - College is for dorks.
- I'm a college professor.
I'll get a job.
So I did the same thing every desperate millennial with a funky haircut does, I became a barista.
Never show up without the hat.
Yes! My first job ever! Was it my dream job? No.
But it was a start.
And now that I was pulling my own weight, I thought it would be a good time for me to go by my godmother's house and talk to my mom.
I thought wrong.
As I watched my mother make up for missing 30 years of Lilith Fair, I realized why she loved her Subaru so much.
I also realize that I knew lots of lesbian cliches.
What the hell?! - Oh! Oh, my gosh! - What is going on? Honey, honey, this this doesn't mean âwhat you think it means.
- It doesn't? - Oh, I don't know.
I mean, we have - we should talk about this.
- Maybe later? Yeah, this is between you and your mom.
- I will be inside.
If you need me - She doesn't.
She's married to my dad who you know.
- I should go.
- Yeah.
- Right? - Yeah.
Okay, ok, okay, okay.
Don't attack Poppy.
This isn't her fault.
Okay, then whose fault is it? Probably mine.
Wait, so this isn't about the house? The hous no.
No, your father lying about money is just part of the problem, honey.
He closed himself off.
So you're having an affair with Poppy? No.
No, this is the first time anything has gotten physical with us.
- Well, second third.
- âOh.
Our connection is mainly emotional.
So you're having an emotional affair.
Oh.
You're making it sound so tacky.
Well, it is tacky.
You still have her lip gloss on your chin.
Ew.
What? Oh, God, look, I'm just okay, look, I am just trying to explain that I am I'm very confused.
Look, honey I have always put our family first.
But now it's my turn to start thinking about my needs.
You have to talk to Dad.
And give him a chance to fix this.
I do.
I will.
âI will talk to him, I promise.
But until I do, can we please keep this between the two of us? [SIGHS.]
Of course.
But everyone knows telling the person you're married to doesn't count.
- Oh.
- Morning.
Good morning.
I still can't believe about your mum and Poppy.
Oh, it's nothing.
âJust having a midlife crisis.
Well, maybe it's a good thing that she's taking some time to sort stuff out, you know? You can't really have a happy marriage without being honest about who you are.
Whose side are you on? Your side, babe.
I'm always on your side.
You know, unless we were on a boat and being the same side as you is gonna make the boat tip.
I mean then I would obviously move to the other side, for your safety.
But, no, I would I would still be on your side metaphorically.
Okay.
I just feel like âyou're acting weird around me since we found out I was cured.
Hmm.
Uh, no.
No, not doing that.
He was doing that, but I couldn't deal with it.
I had to go to work, where I learned a fun new way to spell "Julie.
" J-O-O-L-I-E.
Adorable.
- I'll go get that ready.
- Thank you.
I'm having a lot of difficulty with these names.
Oh, yeah, I just draw little pictures.
Hottie incoming.
- Ew, that's my brother.
- I call dibs.
Yeah, you don't have to, 'cause that's my brother.
- Aiden, what are you doing here? - Do you remember Marlene? Yeah, you brought her to my funeral.
Oh, my God.
You died? Okay, can you just go be dumb over there? Whatever.
Well, she just called me to tell me that her husband was coming by the house to, you know, kill me, âso I had to get out of there.
- Marlene's married? - Totally.
What is wrong with our family? I don't have the time necessary to answer that question.
Shh, shh, that's him! Aiden! [SIGHS.]
Okay, Aiden, this is crazy.
You cannot be dating married women.
We're not dating.
Why are you talking to this man instead of working? Oh.
I I don't know if I'd call him a man.
Ouch.
Do you have a back door? Okay, uh I'll find it.
Sorry.
Back to the grind.
Uh, coffee grind.
- Where's your hat? - Where's your hat? No hat, no shift.
Clearly, I was failing at work.
But I hoped babysitting Lizzie's kids would go better.
I want to wear your shiny ring.
No.
No, I don't think that's a good idea.
- I want it.
- âOkay.
Ah! Oh! [DEEP VOICE.]
Frank, I am your father.
- You are?! - [NORMALLY.]
No.
No, that's just from the movie.
Okay? Wow, I can't believe you've never seen "Star Wars.
" - I'm five.
- Right.
Well, by the time Auntie Stelly and my kids are five, they are gonna know every word.
You said you didn't want kids.
Did I? Well, that was because you said you didn't want kids, you know? Well, that's an issue.
It's an even bigger issue that you lied to me.
[GULPS.]
âWe should talk about this later.
Why can't we just talk about it right now? Because Fiona swallowed your ring.
My bad.
So there's the ring.
And there's what appears to be a small toy car.
Okay.
Well, this, too, shall pass.
Just tell your sister to keep an eye on her stool.
Okay, I I can't ask my sister to see if her kid's crapping diamonds without an explanation.
Crap's a bad word.
Don't you judge me, you ate my ring.
You okay? Yes.
Sorry.
I'm just just trying to adjust to a post-cancer world.
Tell me about it.
Thought I'd spend my whole life trying to find a cure, but it didn't take that long.
So now I have no idea what to do with myself.
I feel like you should probably keep curing people.
What I meant was my whole life's been so focused on one thing that I haven't had time to do anything else, like date.
[GASPS.]
Oh, my God.
Yes! You should date my brother.
I can't date my patient's brother.
God, no matter how sexy he is.
Yeah, but I'm not your patient anymore.
So, I mean, come on, what do you have to lose? My virginity.
- Oh.
- I'm kidding.
Sort of.
Okay, you're right, maybe you can set us up at my thank you party tomorrow night.
Oh, no! I forgot all about her party.
Totally.
Yes, that's perfect.
I I am so excited for your party.
You know, I even wrote you a speech.
Nope.
No, I didn't.
Why did I say that? WES: I'm sorry.
ELIZABETH: Well, she was crying.
Was anybody watching her? - Lizzie? - She just How did you know we were here? Wes called me.
The question is why didn't you? Because I I had the situation under control.
Clearly.
Have they eaten? - I ate fancy jewelry.
- Honey.
Okay, you guys, let's just let's go.
Sorry, Lizzie! Please keep an eye on her stool! Nice work, narc.
Wait, so it's not okay for your family to lie to you, but fine for you to lie to them.
Of course not, that's why I needed you to do it.
Well, I'm sorry, but I thought Fiona was in danger.
Well, you were wrong.
Stella? We're parked this way.
The next morning was the first time in six months of marriage that Wes and I didn't speak a word, other than Don't forget, we have the party for Dr.
Chang at my parents' house tonight.
- You sure that's still a good idea? - âNope.
But that didn't stop me from going to decorate the back yard.
[TWIG SNAPS, LEAVES RUSTLE.]
Mom? Stel-belle! Hi, honey! What are you âWhat are you doing here, honey? What are you doing here? Oh, um I came to see your dad.
But first I stopped and got some some vodka for courage and a Slim Jim for protein.
For some reason, I can't seem to make it past the yard, so you know what, âI think I'm just gonna spend the rest of the day in this bush.
Oh, hey, look.
No, it's a vodka bush.
- I haven't seen you yet.
- No, no.
No.
Okay, uh - I'm gonna take you inside.
- âOkay.
- You and Dad have to fix this.
- âYeah.
All right, and that starts with you telling him the truth.
Yeah.
Okay.
[GASPS.]
Aiden! [SIGHS.]
Okay, time to heal.
I'm in love with Poppy.
Wait, what? Mom, I thought we agreed that you were gonna give Dad a chance to fix this? I I, um, I thought I was, too.
But when I pounded those mini bottles and I snapped into the Slim Jim, something in me snapped.
Mom, what are you doing? I'm coming out.
As a bi sexual person.
Is that how you say it? I'm new, so I don't know the lingo yet.
You can't be bi.
You're almost 50! Sexuality doesn't have a statute of limitations, Peter.
Sexuality is fluid.
Oh, really? Where did you hear that? Shouldn't I be able to do what makes me happy? I thought I made you happy.
You did, Peter, a long time ago.
Really, Ida? This is coming out of nowhere! Coming out of nowhere? This is happening right now! As I watched my parents' marriage fall apart, all I could think was Guys, what about the party tonight? I'll be there.
âMe, too, sweetie.
We're still a family.
Sure, we're a family when it suits you I know that seems selfish, but I didn't want to let down Dr.
Chang.
Tonight should be fun.
I cannot believe we're going through this with party.
I cannot believe mom is a bi.
- What are we gonna do? - [EXHALES.]
You can get lost in the music forever Are you asking me or yourself? - I'm not sure.
- [SIGHS.]
I used to have all the answers, but now I don't.
I don't know anything at all.
- Hmm.
- â The world's still spinning That's called growing up, kid.
What do you know about growing up? You still mix chocolate milk in your mouth.
Because that's the right way to do it.
Look, I know enough âabout growing up to know it's not for me.
I also know that it doesn't happen overnight.
It takes decades.
So you can't give up.
You beat certain death.
I think you can figure out how to handle uncertain life.
You're right.
Hey, can I use that line for my speech tonight? What did I just say? Are you serious? You just said it.
Like, we just had an entire conversation.
- We did? â- Yeah.
You give me really good advice.
And as a thank you, I said that I was gonna hook you up with Dr.
Chang tonight at her party.
- Cool! Oh.
- You said you'd wear a tie.
You said you'd even decorate the bark yard so I could go change and write my speech.
Really? I don't think I'm the sort of guy who decorates and I'm pretty sure I don't own a tie.
No, you got this.
This a chandelier? Hey.
What are you up to? I just finished writing my speech for Dr.
Chang.
I think it's really bad-ass, and I wrote it on cocktail napkins, which is great because then we can just repurpose them for cocktails.
They're actually made from bamboo, which I thought it was just used for panda food, but it turns out you can use it for a lot of reusable stuff, like plates and napkins and even diapers.
Are you doing that thing where you over-talk to avoid having a real conversation? I think so.
- It's just that I - Look, I'm sorry.
You go.
Stella, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I wanted to have kids.
I really am.
âIt's just at the time we didn't have a a future.
But now we do, âand I'm so happy about that.
I want to be honest about who we are.
- You go first.
- Why do I have to go first? - Because I won the coin toss.
- When was there a coin toss? It happened earlier.
You missed it, unfortunately.
Okay.
Okay, I'll go first.
"Love Actually" âisn't my favorite movie.
[GASPS.]
Oh.
Okay, go on.
I don't love hard-boiled eggs.
I mean, they're your favorite, but they're not mine.
I don't love the music of Sara Bareilles, either.
I mean, I'm British.
I can't allow myself to be that happy.
Also, I'd like you to spank me, maybe not all the time, just maybe during sex or if we're playing a team sport and I do a really good job.
Um, I don't love the I don't love the way that, um I can't keep going outside every time I have to fart.
I mean, winter's coming, I'm not gonna be able to spend that kind of time outdoors.
[SIGHS.]
Also I don't love being your pillow.
It is nice for a minute, but then my arm falls asleep and there's a real chance I'm developing permanent nerve damage.
If I can't lift my hands above my head, how am I ever gonna wash my hair? Well, you know what, it's not important.
What is important is I love you.
And I'm so sorry that I have lied to you.
Can you ever forgive me? I couldn't answer because I didn't know.
- Stella? - I didn't know him.
Hey, little sis, back yard is all done.
Apparently, I do decorate.
Marlene is finishing up some fabulous little centerpiece.
- Why is Marlene here? - You invited her at your funeral.
I told you I was setting you up with Dr.
Chang tonight.
Does Dr.
Chang know that? - Yes.
- Yikes! Uh, well, this is awkward.
Good evening, party people.
Oh.
Oh! This is a bag of poop! - Yep.
- I tried to stop her.
It's a little thank you for your wonderful work babysitting.
Leaving that dinner cost my firm the client, so happy ring hunting.
Could tonight get any worse? - Hello, family.
- âReally? Poppy, âwhat are you doing here? You invited me at your funeral.
You invited everyone.
And she's my date.
Your date? Did I miss something? Uh, I I definitely did.
Oh, Mom has decided to be a bi with Poppy.
We don't have to put labels on it, but we recently upped the level of physical intimacy.
Uh.
That was an over-share.
No, please, regale us all with tales of your progressive lesbianism.
Oh, good.
Dad's here.
Peter, you smell like a bar.
That makes sense.
We have to sell the house and work until we're 80.
Wait, if we sell the house, where are we going to have family dinners? That's what you're worried about? I think we can let go of family dinners at this point.
No one ever really appreciated all the work I put in.
So I, for one, would like to be done.
You can't be done, Ida.
That's now how family works.
Wait! If we sell our house, where am I going to live? - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- DR.
CHANG: You guys?! You guys, this is so awesome! [GASPS.]
âAnd you even got me a banner.
Whoa! Sexy doctor alert! Hey, I'm here with someone, she's outside.
Not serious.
But she does exist.
Okay! Everybody outside now! You shut me down You like the control Try to hold it down, I know the answer I can shake it off and you feel threatened by me I tried to play it nice but Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh Don't kill my vibe As I watch my cocktail napkin speech blow in the wind, it dawned on me this could be one of those epic movie moments where the heroine's speech brings her entire family back together.
Don't you Don't kill my vibe I tried to play it nice but Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh Don't kill my vibe Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh Don't break my stride Don't kill my vibe Most people think death is the opposite of life.
But it's not.
Death is the opposite of something.
Life is a circle, and if that's true, why are we so obsessed with making progress? This was not a movie moment.
Thank you, Dr.
Chang.
[CLAPPING.]
Whoo! [DISJOINTED APPLAUSE.]
Thank you, Stella.
That was, uh a speech.
Stella, what was that? Are you on drugs? No.
Well yes, I was âwhen I wrote this, but Relax, Mom, it's just weed.
No, that is a gateway drug.
Who are you to lecture anybody on acceptable behavior, Ida? Peter, I know how you must feel, but Do you, Poppy? You have any idea how hard it is to watch the love of your life leave you? Or what it feels like to think at least if she was with a man, I could beat the crap out of him? Oh, that is mature.
As usual, you will do anything other than be vulnerable.
What do you want to hear, Ida?! That I've been scared every day for the last eights years because I thought we were gonna lose our little girl? Because I was.
You didn't have a monopoly on grief.
But unlike you, I didn't have the luxury of wearing my heart on my sleeve because someone had to be strong for our kids! And you may not want to admit it, but you needed me to be strong for you, too.
I wanted to feel like we were in it together.
You want to be in it together? Stop getting naked with family friends! Okay, guys! You both did the best you could to get through an impossible situation you all did.
That's That's what I was trying to say in my speech.
That's what you were going for? 'Cause that did not come across at all.
The point is our problems are fixable.
Mom, Dad deep down, you still really love each other, and you can work this out.
Aiden, you deserve to be in a relationship with someone who is not married.
I-I seriously think it will help you get your life on track.
I'm sorry, Marlene.
And, Lizzie, what happened to you? You used to be so fun, but now you're so stressed about your kids and your job.
So you lost a client? I mean, who cares, so what? I bet you don't even know what your firm does.
- Of course I do.
- Of course you do.
I just don't because I know that this career of yours is not your real passion.
You used to want to be a writer, remember? Writing made you so happy.
So you need to go do that, because you are not happy, Lizzie.
Well, how could I be? Your cancer always came before my happiness.
Yes, writing used to make me happy, but I gave that up when I gave up a scholarship to Columbia to stay here and help take care of you.
Sweetheart.
What? - I didn't know about that.
- Of course you didn't.
Because it was our job to make your life beautiful.
But behind the scenes, we were a mess.
Look at Aiden.
The thought of losing somebody he cared about made him stop caring about anything at all.
I feel like you're psychoanalyzing me unnecessarily, and I'm good, guys.
- I'm great.
- â[SCOFFS.]
- In fact, I've never been better.
- Man: Stay away from Marlene! - What? - [ALL GASP.]
[INDISTINCT TALKING.]
Oh, God, Aiden! - What did he hit me with?! - Aiden! It's starting to happen.
I don't care.
Nelson, if you leave now, everything we had will be perfect forever.
Sara, life isn't perfect.
It can be beautiful.
Don't you see? Um, I don't think patients are allowed to drink wine.
Good thing I'm not a patient then.
So why are you here? I like the views of the city from this window.
And also, when I was sick, this was my room.
Rough day? Turns out my family's a disaster, and I can't seem to be able to fix anything.
My cancer has ruined my family's lives and Oh, my God, I'm complaining to a cancer patient about how hard my life is.
You sound like a dying girl from one âof these sappy cancer movies.
Trying to fix everybody else's problems just so you can avoid facing your own fears.
That is not what I'm doing.
That is exactly what I was doing.
I'm Sadie, by the way.
Hi, Sadie.
I'm Stella.
Look, if you ever want to talk about anything, I would be happy to just listen.
Just listen.
No, if cancer taught me one thing it's that you can get through anything as long as someone has your back.
Also, an old guy died in that bed today, and I don't think it's been cleaned.
If you need to keep As I walked down the hall, wishing I had another bottle of wine, I couldn't help but wonder, now that I wasn't sick, did anyone have my back? Hey.
Thought I might find you here.
And that you might want this.
And then I realized he did.
[LAUGHTER.]
You're the fire and the flood And I'll always feel you in my blood - Yeah, you like that? - I do.
I don't love the Q&A afterwards.
Everything is fine When your hand is resting next to mine Wow.
Whoa.
I had no idea we could get so much done in such a short window.
- It that too short? - âNo.
- No, it was hot.
- âOkay.
You really know how to get 'er done.
Well [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
[EXHALES.]
[GRUNTS.]
Listen I'm sorry, too.
Sorry, what for? Not getting to know the real you.
But I do want to.
And [EXHALES.]
I want you to know the real me.
And the real me is terrified.
What are you terrified of? The future.
That I'll screw it up or waste it.
What I'm really scared of is that you might not be okay with all this.
Our forever just got a whole lot longer than you were expecting.
Stella I know I promised you that I would love you for the rest of your life I was always gonna love you for the rest of mine.
You just weren't gonna be around to see it.
If you really don't want kids I do want kids.
I used to picture myself with a little girl.
I was just I was scared to let myself want something that I couldn't have.
But, baby, you can have that now.
What if she gets sick? Oh, babe, no, no, no.
You can't think like that.
You're not sick anymore.
I promise you whatever comes our way, whatever tomorrow holds we'll get through it together.
- Really? - âAlways.
And I love you so much.
I love you.
So there it was the end of my cancer movie but the beginning of my life sentence which was full of promise.
When I was six years old You sure we can afford for me to stay at home and write? - Yes.
â- Yes? - We can't afford for you not to.
- Come on.
I was running from my [CHILDREN LAUGHING.]
- Okay! - Okay, guys.
I'm gonna get this one.
Give me this one! You take that one.
And tasted the sweet perfume Of the mountain grass I rolled down And, sure, none of us knew what would happen next.
Take me back to when I I really gotta figure out what I'm gonna do with my life.
So do I.
Through the years And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long Marlene's pregnant.
- I'm on my way - [LAUGHS.]
Oh.
One thing I did know was that from now on, it would be up to me to host family dinners.
Don't get me wrong, one awkward evening where my dad got drunk and called my mom and Poppy scissor sisters three times doesn't mean everything's okay.
That's what they call 'em.
Scissor sisters.
Still for the first time since I found out I wasn't dying I was truly happy to be alive.
Over the castle on the hill
She's been dreaming about this day since she was a sapling.
He's got a tiny stick up his butt.
But you can't deny they were made for each other.
Stella? - Hmm? - âWho are you talking to? Oh.
- Thought I was talking to you.
- Oh, let me guess.
You two need a wedding cake.
Actually, we need a funeral cake.
- That's not a thing.
- Right.
But I love cake, and it's my funeral.
My living funeral.
- I'm dying.
- Wow.
I'm so sorry.
Oh, no, don't be.
My life has been pretty amazing.
I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing.
STELLA: From the minute I was diagnosed with cancer, my mom and dad were there for me no matter what.
- We're here for you.
- No matter what.
I've been thinking Over the next few years, my brother Aiden encouraged me to live like I was dying.
Just waiting Because I was.
Yeah! My sister Elizabeth never let me miss a beat even when I was at my absolute worst.
My family always helped me face my fears.
So that dying would seem like the next great adventure.
[SCREAMS.]
WOMAN: Would you do something for me? Six years in, I thought I had done it all.
Would you get me out of here? But then I was watching this sappy cancer movie with my sister and her husband, Diego, and I realized that there was still one thing left for me to do find true love.
So after I stopped chemo, my dad scraped together the money to send me to the birthplace of love Paris.
Waiting on a song Where I dressed up like a sexy mime and waited for my soul mate to appear.
BOTH: Oh! I'm so sorry.
He was lost literally.
- Can you help me? - But he was also figuratively lost.
See, he was afraid to live WES: And she was afraid to die.
Oh, baby, you've gotta stop adding that part.
I was not afraid to die.
We'll just tell it your way.
So there we were, âtwo strangers in Paris falling in love the way only two people with nothing else to do truly can.
Running through the heat, heartbeat You shine like silver in the sunlight You light up my whole heart It feels like in the sun You know what happens next.
Love like this won't last forever I know that love like this won't last forever But I I don't really mind Stella? Will you spend âthe rest of your life with me? I love you.
I love you, too.
Forever, but I Yeah So I got my godmother Poppy to marry us.
Sure, getting married was a rash decision, but it was only a six-to eight-month commitment, tops.
- I love you.
- Not yet! "Husband and wife," I have to say that part.
And so began the sexiest marriage ever.
You I know what you're thinking.
Nobody has Sara Bareilles candle sex every night.
But we do.
Because we never know if it will be my last night on earth.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
That was a beautiful story.
A little longer than I expected, but a beautiful story.
You're life is like one of those romantic cancer movies.
I want to give you a free cake.
Thank you so much.
Okay.
I played the cancer card, but you have to play the hand you're dealt.
After all, I am dying.
You're not dying.
I'm sorry.
What did you just say? The oncolytic virotherapy worked.
Stella you're cured.
Oh, my God! That's amazing! That's amazing! Thank you so much! Your yelling's getting loud Keep it down now Keep it down now There's talk going 'round this town Keep it down now Needless to say, my living funeral took on a whole new meaning.
Noises closing in from all sides Warning all the ways to die STELLA: I know that we've been down this road before Dr.
Chang said that I'm not in remission I'm cured.
[CHUCKLES EXCITEDLY.]
MAN: I don't believe it.
Oh, Daddy, stop crying.
You're making me cry.
Your mom's not gonna stop.
I'm so glad you're okay.
Thank you.
Who are you? Oh, I'm Aiden's friend Marlene.
She's here for emotional support.
C'est la vie We got rowdy that night.
Even Dad danced.
C'est la vie It's unforgettable DIEGO: All right, hey, guys! Why are we still holding these eulogies for someone who's not dying? Why don't we just burn this thing, huh? Who's with me? Come on! This thing is not lighting.
Okay, just give me a second.
All right, okay.
Okay, fine, fine, fine.
- Okay.
- [LAUGHTER.]
Oh, Stel, you should have invited Dr.
Chang so we could have thanked her in person.
- Mmm.
- âOh, this was just for family.
- And apparently, Marlene.
- Aww! Plus, I was thinking that I could I could throw Dr.
Chang her own party next week - instead of family dinner.
- Of course, yes! So what are you gonna do with the first day of the rest of your life? I don't know.
âMaybe I'll apply to college.
I know a professor who could write me a good recommendation.
[CHUCKLES.]
Everything okay, Daddy? Yep.
Never been better, Stel-belle.
Hey, did my dad seem weird to you? No, you're dad's âjust not a very emotional guy.
Yeah.
It's probably nothing.
Okay, time for our private celebration.
Play Sara Bareilles.
[MUSIC PLAYS.]
Mmm.
- Mmm.
Actually - âMm-hmm? Um would you mind âif we took the night off? - I'm I'm exhausted, and - âYes.
Absolutely fine.
No problem.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
Today's just been a lot.
And I don't want to be up for hours.
Babe, it doesn't have to take hours.
I mean, maybe we can just ditch the 600 candles and the indie-rock soundtrack and, you know, just get 'er done.
Oh.
Ow.
Am I the "'er" in that crude proposition? Oh, no.
I mean, yes, you are, but I Do you not like the way we have sex? I love it.
It's not that, I'm just saying that this isn't gonna be your last night on earth, so maybe we could change it up.
I don't want anything to change.
- You know what? Never mind.
- Let's just go to bed.
[SIGHS.]
What are you doing? I always fall asleep with my head on your chest.
Unless you don't like being my pillow anymore, either.
No, I I love being your pillow.
Get in there.
Yeah.
As I lay there, I could feel things were already changing, I just didn't know how much.
- [IN DISTANCE.]
What? - Hi, Daddy.
Oh.
â-Just came to see how you were doing.
Can't talk, Stel-belle, late for my lecture.
- Oh.
- Rent's on the counter.
Love you.
What's going on? Mom just left Dad.
Do you Do you want a waffle? AIDEN: âThese waffles are amazing.
- You should try it.
- Can you just stop with the waffle? You're right, this is serious.
A waffle isn't the answer.
Oh, I also have three flavors of Tasty Strudel Will someone just tell me what happened? Lizzie, you take it.
Oh, okay.
The way Mom and Dad act around you is a show.
They've got problems.
They just kept them from you because Dr.
Chang told us not to dump in, because creating a positive emotional environment would give you a better shot at beating cancer.
So we all kept stuff from you.
You all have secrets you've been hiding from me for the last eight years? - [MUFFLED.]
Oh, uh - No, no secrets.
I'm good.
Are you lying? - Obviously.
- Aiden is stress-eating.
So what are you're problems? Uh, Aiden is a grown man who still lives at home, sells his ADD medication to soccer moms, and uses your cancer to guilt them into sleeping with him.
- Well, Elizabeth hates her children.
- âI do not! Please, you said that you would trade them for a massage chair.
I said that once.
Okay, okay.
I will admit I made sacrifices in my career so that I could have children early to give Mom and Dad something positive to focus on.
And I may regret that.
And I may regret selling drugs and sleeping with soccer moms.
- You do? - No! It's so fun! Guys, I do what I have to.
Dad gives handouts to his dying daughter, but all he gives his loser son is grief.
- And a place to live.
- Reluctantly.
He gives that reluctantly.
Okay, you might be beyond help.
But, Lizzie if you need to focus on work, I can babysit.
- You know nothing about kids.
- That's not true.
I know a lot.
I believe the children are our future.
That sounds about right.
I do have a stupid client dinner tomorrow night and - Done! - âOh.
I probably should have run that by Wes, but I figured he'd be cool with it.
He loves to make me happy.
I mean, the past six months, I did whatever it took to make her happy, even when it didn't always make me happy.
Now I'm starting to worry if I can keep it up for the rest of our lives.
Uh, you see, Wes, this is a support group for the spouses of the terminally ill, which you no longer are.
That's why we ordered you this celebratory pizza.
Ah, you guy! You're the best.
Just before we dig into it, though, can I ask you No.
No.
Wes, this pizza is a it's a gesture of good-bye.
It's a good-bye pizza.
Yeah.
Let's eat.
I knew that my dad wasn't the type of guy that was gonna tell me what was going on, so I went to him.
- Hey, Daddy.
- âStel-belle.
What are you doing here? Can we talk about you and Mom? - We're fine.
â- She left you.
We've been better.
I know you want to protect me.
Lizzie told me about the whole dumping in thing while Aiden claimed you thought he was a loser.
He is a loser.
He spent an entire week hiding our garden gnomes in places - that would scare me in the dark.
- â[CHUCKLES.]
That's not funny.
Dad, you don't have to protect me anymore.
Just tell me what happened.
Why did Mom leave? She's just staying at Poppy's for a while while she processes the fact we may have to sell the house.
Why? I can't afford the mortgage.
Or the second mortgage.
Well, if you were hurting, why didn't you say something? You didn't have to pay for Paris or my wedding.
Or my rent.
No, I don't regret âhelping you for one second.
But I should have been more responsible with how much I helped.
I should have told your mother sooner.
For the first time in my life, my dad needed my help more than I needed his.
Here's what we're gonna do.
I'll talk to Mom, and you are gonna figure out how to save the house.
And to help, I am cutting myself off financially, starting right now.
Rent check What about college? - College is for dorks.
- I'm a college professor.
I'll get a job.
So I did the same thing every desperate millennial with a funky haircut does, I became a barista.
Never show up without the hat.
Yes! My first job ever! Was it my dream job? No.
But it was a start.
And now that I was pulling my own weight, I thought it would be a good time for me to go by my godmother's house and talk to my mom.
I thought wrong.
As I watched my mother make up for missing 30 years of Lilith Fair, I realized why she loved her Subaru so much.
I also realize that I knew lots of lesbian cliches.
What the hell?! - Oh! Oh, my gosh! - What is going on? Honey, honey, this this doesn't mean âwhat you think it means.
- It doesn't? - Oh, I don't know.
I mean, we have - we should talk about this.
- Maybe later? Yeah, this is between you and your mom.
- I will be inside.
If you need me - She doesn't.
She's married to my dad who you know.
- I should go.
- Yeah.
- Right? - Yeah.
Okay, ok, okay, okay.
Don't attack Poppy.
This isn't her fault.
Okay, then whose fault is it? Probably mine.
Wait, so this isn't about the house? The hous no.
No, your father lying about money is just part of the problem, honey.
He closed himself off.
So you're having an affair with Poppy? No.
No, this is the first time anything has gotten physical with us.
- Well, second third.
- âOh.
Our connection is mainly emotional.
So you're having an emotional affair.
Oh.
You're making it sound so tacky.
Well, it is tacky.
You still have her lip gloss on your chin.
Ew.
What? Oh, God, look, I'm just okay, look, I am just trying to explain that I am I'm very confused.
Look, honey I have always put our family first.
But now it's my turn to start thinking about my needs.
You have to talk to Dad.
And give him a chance to fix this.
I do.
I will.
âI will talk to him, I promise.
But until I do, can we please keep this between the two of us? [SIGHS.]
Of course.
But everyone knows telling the person you're married to doesn't count.
- Oh.
- Morning.
Good morning.
I still can't believe about your mum and Poppy.
Oh, it's nothing.
âJust having a midlife crisis.
Well, maybe it's a good thing that she's taking some time to sort stuff out, you know? You can't really have a happy marriage without being honest about who you are.
Whose side are you on? Your side, babe.
I'm always on your side.
You know, unless we were on a boat and being the same side as you is gonna make the boat tip.
I mean then I would obviously move to the other side, for your safety.
But, no, I would I would still be on your side metaphorically.
Okay.
I just feel like âyou're acting weird around me since we found out I was cured.
Hmm.
Uh, no.
No, not doing that.
He was doing that, but I couldn't deal with it.
I had to go to work, where I learned a fun new way to spell "Julie.
" J-O-O-L-I-E.
Adorable.
- I'll go get that ready.
- Thank you.
I'm having a lot of difficulty with these names.
Oh, yeah, I just draw little pictures.
Hottie incoming.
- Ew, that's my brother.
- I call dibs.
Yeah, you don't have to, 'cause that's my brother.
- Aiden, what are you doing here? - Do you remember Marlene? Yeah, you brought her to my funeral.
Oh, my God.
You died? Okay, can you just go be dumb over there? Whatever.
Well, she just called me to tell me that her husband was coming by the house to, you know, kill me, âso I had to get out of there.
- Marlene's married? - Totally.
What is wrong with our family? I don't have the time necessary to answer that question.
Shh, shh, that's him! Aiden! [SIGHS.]
Okay, Aiden, this is crazy.
You cannot be dating married women.
We're not dating.
Why are you talking to this man instead of working? Oh.
I I don't know if I'd call him a man.
Ouch.
Do you have a back door? Okay, uh I'll find it.
Sorry.
Back to the grind.
Uh, coffee grind.
- Where's your hat? - Where's your hat? No hat, no shift.
Clearly, I was failing at work.
But I hoped babysitting Lizzie's kids would go better.
I want to wear your shiny ring.
No.
No, I don't think that's a good idea.
- I want it.
- âOkay.
Ah! Oh! [DEEP VOICE.]
Frank, I am your father.
- You are?! - [NORMALLY.]
No.
No, that's just from the movie.
Okay? Wow, I can't believe you've never seen "Star Wars.
" - I'm five.
- Right.
Well, by the time Auntie Stelly and my kids are five, they are gonna know every word.
You said you didn't want kids.
Did I? Well, that was because you said you didn't want kids, you know? Well, that's an issue.
It's an even bigger issue that you lied to me.
[GULPS.]
âWe should talk about this later.
Why can't we just talk about it right now? Because Fiona swallowed your ring.
My bad.
So there's the ring.
And there's what appears to be a small toy car.
Okay.
Well, this, too, shall pass.
Just tell your sister to keep an eye on her stool.
Okay, I I can't ask my sister to see if her kid's crapping diamonds without an explanation.
Crap's a bad word.
Don't you judge me, you ate my ring.
You okay? Yes.
Sorry.
I'm just just trying to adjust to a post-cancer world.
Tell me about it.
Thought I'd spend my whole life trying to find a cure, but it didn't take that long.
So now I have no idea what to do with myself.
I feel like you should probably keep curing people.
What I meant was my whole life's been so focused on one thing that I haven't had time to do anything else, like date.
[GASPS.]
Oh, my God.
Yes! You should date my brother.
I can't date my patient's brother.
God, no matter how sexy he is.
Yeah, but I'm not your patient anymore.
So, I mean, come on, what do you have to lose? My virginity.
- Oh.
- I'm kidding.
Sort of.
Okay, you're right, maybe you can set us up at my thank you party tomorrow night.
Oh, no! I forgot all about her party.
Totally.
Yes, that's perfect.
I I am so excited for your party.
You know, I even wrote you a speech.
Nope.
No, I didn't.
Why did I say that? WES: I'm sorry.
ELIZABETH: Well, she was crying.
Was anybody watching her? - Lizzie? - She just How did you know we were here? Wes called me.
The question is why didn't you? Because I I had the situation under control.
Clearly.
Have they eaten? - I ate fancy jewelry.
- Honey.
Okay, you guys, let's just let's go.
Sorry, Lizzie! Please keep an eye on her stool! Nice work, narc.
Wait, so it's not okay for your family to lie to you, but fine for you to lie to them.
Of course not, that's why I needed you to do it.
Well, I'm sorry, but I thought Fiona was in danger.
Well, you were wrong.
Stella? We're parked this way.
The next morning was the first time in six months of marriage that Wes and I didn't speak a word, other than Don't forget, we have the party for Dr.
Chang at my parents' house tonight.
- You sure that's still a good idea? - âNope.
But that didn't stop me from going to decorate the back yard.
[TWIG SNAPS, LEAVES RUSTLE.]
Mom? Stel-belle! Hi, honey! What are you âWhat are you doing here, honey? What are you doing here? Oh, um I came to see your dad.
But first I stopped and got some some vodka for courage and a Slim Jim for protein.
For some reason, I can't seem to make it past the yard, so you know what, âI think I'm just gonna spend the rest of the day in this bush.
Oh, hey, look.
No, it's a vodka bush.
- I haven't seen you yet.
- No, no.
No.
Okay, uh - I'm gonna take you inside.
- âOkay.
- You and Dad have to fix this.
- âYeah.
All right, and that starts with you telling him the truth.
Yeah.
Okay.
[GASPS.]
Aiden! [SIGHS.]
Okay, time to heal.
I'm in love with Poppy.
Wait, what? Mom, I thought we agreed that you were gonna give Dad a chance to fix this? I I, um, I thought I was, too.
But when I pounded those mini bottles and I snapped into the Slim Jim, something in me snapped.
Mom, what are you doing? I'm coming out.
As a bi sexual person.
Is that how you say it? I'm new, so I don't know the lingo yet.
You can't be bi.
You're almost 50! Sexuality doesn't have a statute of limitations, Peter.
Sexuality is fluid.
Oh, really? Where did you hear that? Shouldn't I be able to do what makes me happy? I thought I made you happy.
You did, Peter, a long time ago.
Really, Ida? This is coming out of nowhere! Coming out of nowhere? This is happening right now! As I watched my parents' marriage fall apart, all I could think was Guys, what about the party tonight? I'll be there.
âMe, too, sweetie.
We're still a family.
Sure, we're a family when it suits you I know that seems selfish, but I didn't want to let down Dr.
Chang.
Tonight should be fun.
I cannot believe we're going through this with party.
I cannot believe mom is a bi.
- What are we gonna do? - [EXHALES.]
You can get lost in the music forever Are you asking me or yourself? - I'm not sure.
- [SIGHS.]
I used to have all the answers, but now I don't.
I don't know anything at all.
- Hmm.
- â The world's still spinning That's called growing up, kid.
What do you know about growing up? You still mix chocolate milk in your mouth.
Because that's the right way to do it.
Look, I know enough âabout growing up to know it's not for me.
I also know that it doesn't happen overnight.
It takes decades.
So you can't give up.
You beat certain death.
I think you can figure out how to handle uncertain life.
You're right.
Hey, can I use that line for my speech tonight? What did I just say? Are you serious? You just said it.
Like, we just had an entire conversation.
- We did? â- Yeah.
You give me really good advice.
And as a thank you, I said that I was gonna hook you up with Dr.
Chang tonight at her party.
- Cool! Oh.
- You said you'd wear a tie.
You said you'd even decorate the bark yard so I could go change and write my speech.
Really? I don't think I'm the sort of guy who decorates and I'm pretty sure I don't own a tie.
No, you got this.
This a chandelier? Hey.
What are you up to? I just finished writing my speech for Dr.
Chang.
I think it's really bad-ass, and I wrote it on cocktail napkins, which is great because then we can just repurpose them for cocktails.
They're actually made from bamboo, which I thought it was just used for panda food, but it turns out you can use it for a lot of reusable stuff, like plates and napkins and even diapers.
Are you doing that thing where you over-talk to avoid having a real conversation? I think so.
- It's just that I - Look, I'm sorry.
You go.
Stella, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I wanted to have kids.
I really am.
âIt's just at the time we didn't have a a future.
But now we do, âand I'm so happy about that.
I want to be honest about who we are.
- You go first.
- Why do I have to go first? - Because I won the coin toss.
- When was there a coin toss? It happened earlier.
You missed it, unfortunately.
Okay.
Okay, I'll go first.
"Love Actually" âisn't my favorite movie.
[GASPS.]
Oh.
Okay, go on.
I don't love hard-boiled eggs.
I mean, they're your favorite, but they're not mine.
I don't love the music of Sara Bareilles, either.
I mean, I'm British.
I can't allow myself to be that happy.
Also, I'd like you to spank me, maybe not all the time, just maybe during sex or if we're playing a team sport and I do a really good job.
Um, I don't love the I don't love the way that, um I can't keep going outside every time I have to fart.
I mean, winter's coming, I'm not gonna be able to spend that kind of time outdoors.
[SIGHS.]
Also I don't love being your pillow.
It is nice for a minute, but then my arm falls asleep and there's a real chance I'm developing permanent nerve damage.
If I can't lift my hands above my head, how am I ever gonna wash my hair? Well, you know what, it's not important.
What is important is I love you.
And I'm so sorry that I have lied to you.
Can you ever forgive me? I couldn't answer because I didn't know.
- Stella? - I didn't know him.
Hey, little sis, back yard is all done.
Apparently, I do decorate.
Marlene is finishing up some fabulous little centerpiece.
- Why is Marlene here? - You invited her at your funeral.
I told you I was setting you up with Dr.
Chang tonight.
Does Dr.
Chang know that? - Yes.
- Yikes! Uh, well, this is awkward.
Good evening, party people.
Oh.
Oh! This is a bag of poop! - Yep.
- I tried to stop her.
It's a little thank you for your wonderful work babysitting.
Leaving that dinner cost my firm the client, so happy ring hunting.
Could tonight get any worse? - Hello, family.
- âReally? Poppy, âwhat are you doing here? You invited me at your funeral.
You invited everyone.
And she's my date.
Your date? Did I miss something? Uh, I I definitely did.
Oh, Mom has decided to be a bi with Poppy.
We don't have to put labels on it, but we recently upped the level of physical intimacy.
Uh.
That was an over-share.
No, please, regale us all with tales of your progressive lesbianism.
Oh, good.
Dad's here.
Peter, you smell like a bar.
That makes sense.
We have to sell the house and work until we're 80.
Wait, if we sell the house, where are we going to have family dinners? That's what you're worried about? I think we can let go of family dinners at this point.
No one ever really appreciated all the work I put in.
So I, for one, would like to be done.
You can't be done, Ida.
That's now how family works.
Wait! If we sell our house, where am I going to live? - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- DR.
CHANG: You guys?! You guys, this is so awesome! [GASPS.]
âAnd you even got me a banner.
Whoa! Sexy doctor alert! Hey, I'm here with someone, she's outside.
Not serious.
But she does exist.
Okay! Everybody outside now! You shut me down You like the control Try to hold it down, I know the answer I can shake it off and you feel threatened by me I tried to play it nice but Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh Don't kill my vibe As I watch my cocktail napkin speech blow in the wind, it dawned on me this could be one of those epic movie moments where the heroine's speech brings her entire family back together.
Don't you Don't kill my vibe I tried to play it nice but Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh Don't kill my vibe Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh Don't break my stride Don't kill my vibe Most people think death is the opposite of life.
But it's not.
Death is the opposite of something.
Life is a circle, and if that's true, why are we so obsessed with making progress? This was not a movie moment.
Thank you, Dr.
Chang.
[CLAPPING.]
Whoo! [DISJOINTED APPLAUSE.]
Thank you, Stella.
That was, uh a speech.
Stella, what was that? Are you on drugs? No.
Well yes, I was âwhen I wrote this, but Relax, Mom, it's just weed.
No, that is a gateway drug.
Who are you to lecture anybody on acceptable behavior, Ida? Peter, I know how you must feel, but Do you, Poppy? You have any idea how hard it is to watch the love of your life leave you? Or what it feels like to think at least if she was with a man, I could beat the crap out of him? Oh, that is mature.
As usual, you will do anything other than be vulnerable.
What do you want to hear, Ida?! That I've been scared every day for the last eights years because I thought we were gonna lose our little girl? Because I was.
You didn't have a monopoly on grief.
But unlike you, I didn't have the luxury of wearing my heart on my sleeve because someone had to be strong for our kids! And you may not want to admit it, but you needed me to be strong for you, too.
I wanted to feel like we were in it together.
You want to be in it together? Stop getting naked with family friends! Okay, guys! You both did the best you could to get through an impossible situation you all did.
That's That's what I was trying to say in my speech.
That's what you were going for? 'Cause that did not come across at all.
The point is our problems are fixable.
Mom, Dad deep down, you still really love each other, and you can work this out.
Aiden, you deserve to be in a relationship with someone who is not married.
I-I seriously think it will help you get your life on track.
I'm sorry, Marlene.
And, Lizzie, what happened to you? You used to be so fun, but now you're so stressed about your kids and your job.
So you lost a client? I mean, who cares, so what? I bet you don't even know what your firm does.
- Of course I do.
- Of course you do.
I just don't because I know that this career of yours is not your real passion.
You used to want to be a writer, remember? Writing made you so happy.
So you need to go do that, because you are not happy, Lizzie.
Well, how could I be? Your cancer always came before my happiness.
Yes, writing used to make me happy, but I gave that up when I gave up a scholarship to Columbia to stay here and help take care of you.
Sweetheart.
What? - I didn't know about that.
- Of course you didn't.
Because it was our job to make your life beautiful.
But behind the scenes, we were a mess.
Look at Aiden.
The thought of losing somebody he cared about made him stop caring about anything at all.
I feel like you're psychoanalyzing me unnecessarily, and I'm good, guys.
- I'm great.
- â[SCOFFS.]
- In fact, I've never been better.
- Man: Stay away from Marlene! - What? - [ALL GASP.]
[INDISTINCT TALKING.]
Oh, God, Aiden! - What did he hit me with?! - Aiden! It's starting to happen.
I don't care.
Nelson, if you leave now, everything we had will be perfect forever.
Sara, life isn't perfect.
It can be beautiful.
Don't you see? Um, I don't think patients are allowed to drink wine.
Good thing I'm not a patient then.
So why are you here? I like the views of the city from this window.
And also, when I was sick, this was my room.
Rough day? Turns out my family's a disaster, and I can't seem to be able to fix anything.
My cancer has ruined my family's lives and Oh, my God, I'm complaining to a cancer patient about how hard my life is.
You sound like a dying girl from one âof these sappy cancer movies.
Trying to fix everybody else's problems just so you can avoid facing your own fears.
That is not what I'm doing.
That is exactly what I was doing.
I'm Sadie, by the way.
Hi, Sadie.
I'm Stella.
Look, if you ever want to talk about anything, I would be happy to just listen.
Just listen.
No, if cancer taught me one thing it's that you can get through anything as long as someone has your back.
Also, an old guy died in that bed today, and I don't think it's been cleaned.
If you need to keep As I walked down the hall, wishing I had another bottle of wine, I couldn't help but wonder, now that I wasn't sick, did anyone have my back? Hey.
Thought I might find you here.
And that you might want this.
And then I realized he did.
[LAUGHTER.]
You're the fire and the flood And I'll always feel you in my blood - Yeah, you like that? - I do.
I don't love the Q&A afterwards.
Everything is fine When your hand is resting next to mine Wow.
Whoa.
I had no idea we could get so much done in such a short window.
- It that too short? - âNo.
- No, it was hot.
- âOkay.
You really know how to get 'er done.
Well [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
[EXHALES.]
[GRUNTS.]
Listen I'm sorry, too.
Sorry, what for? Not getting to know the real you.
But I do want to.
And [EXHALES.]
I want you to know the real me.
And the real me is terrified.
What are you terrified of? The future.
That I'll screw it up or waste it.
What I'm really scared of is that you might not be okay with all this.
Our forever just got a whole lot longer than you were expecting.
Stella I know I promised you that I would love you for the rest of your life I was always gonna love you for the rest of mine.
You just weren't gonna be around to see it.
If you really don't want kids I do want kids.
I used to picture myself with a little girl.
I was just I was scared to let myself want something that I couldn't have.
But, baby, you can have that now.
What if she gets sick? Oh, babe, no, no, no.
You can't think like that.
You're not sick anymore.
I promise you whatever comes our way, whatever tomorrow holds we'll get through it together.
- Really? - âAlways.
And I love you so much.
I love you.
So there it was the end of my cancer movie but the beginning of my life sentence which was full of promise.
When I was six years old You sure we can afford for me to stay at home and write? - Yes.
â- Yes? - We can't afford for you not to.
- Come on.
I was running from my [CHILDREN LAUGHING.]
- Okay! - Okay, guys.
I'm gonna get this one.
Give me this one! You take that one.
And tasted the sweet perfume Of the mountain grass I rolled down And, sure, none of us knew what would happen next.
Take me back to when I I really gotta figure out what I'm gonna do with my life.
So do I.
Through the years And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long Marlene's pregnant.
- I'm on my way - [LAUGHS.]
Oh.
One thing I did know was that from now on, it would be up to me to host family dinners.
Don't get me wrong, one awkward evening where my dad got drunk and called my mom and Poppy scissor sisters three times doesn't mean everything's okay.
That's what they call 'em.
Scissor sisters.
Still for the first time since I found out I wasn't dying I was truly happy to be alive.
Over the castle on the hill