Original subtitles

Tess, what do you believe to be the greatest gift God has given to humans?

I think it's a tie between fun set and jelly donut.

Seriously, I was thinking it's marriage.

The wedding of a man and a woman joined together as one in the sight of God. Oh,

wait a minute, baby.

There's a lot of difference between a wedding and a marriage. A marriage is

between two people, that's right. But a wedding is a convertible of an entirely

different color. Well, little brother, you've done it again.

Hurry up. We've just got to get in and out of there before she gets home. I

can't believe he forgot to die.

We're going to miss the flight. No, we won't.

I'll just run in.

We'll be right back.

Hurry!

Stephanie will make a beautiful bride.

Yes, she will. But remember, angel girl, wherever there's a will, there's

usually somebody in the way.

Who's this now?

The reason they're eloping in the first place.

Stephanie?

Mrs. Williams.

Hello. You taking a trip?

A trip?

Uh... Mom, we thought you were at Garden Club.

That's Mondays. It's always been Mondays.

Is that your father's wedding tie?

What is going on around here?

Oh, uh, didn't we tell you? We're all, uh, we're going on a cruise.

Now, if you told me you were taking one of your cocktail waitresses to Las

Vegas, I would have believed you. Mom, Stephanie and I are getting married.

Today. Oh, no.

Oh, no.

There will be no eloping.

You are going to have a real wedding.

I told you I would pay for it.

Mom, Stephanie and I want to do this.

It's okay for Stephanie to run off and get married. She doesn't have any

But you do.

Stephanie, honey.

I would have expected something like this from you.

But not you.

Stephanie.

I just want you to go about this in the right way.

You see, my Norm and I, we never had a real wedding.

And we always felt that we missed out.

Please, let me do this for you.

Maybe we should have a real wedding.

Since when?

Michael, I love you.

But all I want is to be your wife.

Your mom wants a wedding.

Either way, I get what I want. So why don't we just make her happy?

What just happened here, Tess? Three people had a plan and then one woman

along and changed everything.

Well, some families are a democracy and some are a dictatorship.

That one's not a democracy?

No, it's not. But there's a revolution in the air.

And the battle for control of this family is about to begin.

And the casualties could be very heavy, baby.

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.

My, don't you look like something.

Thank you.

If I had had more time, I would have made one myself, but this isn't so bad,

it? You're a dress designer?

Well, someday.

Will you just hold on to that someday? It could turn into today before you know

it. You sound like my Michael.

I like him already.

Oh, sorry I'm late.

Hello. Welcome to Tess's dresses.

What happened to Millie?

Millie moved.

She said to say goodbye.

I'm Tess. May I help you?

That bow has to go.

I like the bow. I think it's adorable.

I'm afraid it is.

I have the invoice. It doesn't say anything about a bow.

Is she having a bad day, or are they all bad?

She's not that bad.

Once we get married, it'll all be different.

It says... a bow.

Isn't that interesting?

Then I guess we got a bow, huh?

Well, would you show me the veil, please?

I'll show you the veil that Stephanie has chosen and is going to get.

I'm showing, not negotiating.

There.

Is this why you brought me here?

Uh -huh.

Just because you're wearing a tux doesn't mean you can't wear a dad's tie.

I've had a little altering.

Old man will be proud of you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on, Mike.

Enough mush, huh? Come on.

Let me beat you to a game of darts.

That's funny.

I assumed I'd be covering the bride, not the groom.

Oh, you're not covering either one.

It's the brother you're responsible for.

He will be the key to everything.

Eddie?

He doesn't seem like he could be a key to anything.

Well, unfortunately, there's some truth in that.

Eddie is going to have to change his life, which is why God sent him an

But you're going to have to get his attention first.

And how am I supposed to do that?

Back to the party, yeah.

Hey, this is a train.

Oh, man.

Whoops! Down goes Eddie and Michael picks him up. Yeah, well, some things

change.

Booze, whichever bottle's closest.

Weddings can be tough sometimes.

Hmm? Oh, yeah.

Tell me about it.

It ought to be a time of great happiness, but sometimes it can be a

great sadness as well.

Well, there's a lot of expectation, and when there's expectation, there's

pressure.

I don't do pressure.

Pressure isn't always a bad thing. For example, I mean, when coal is under

enough pressure, it can become a diamond.

Diamonds. Don't girls think about anything else besides getting married?

Oh, I'm not thinking about getting married.

You're not?

Heavens no.

I'm not the marrying type.

Are you busy tomorrow?

I'm very glad you could make it.

Welcome.

Hi, I'm Nancy Williams. Hello, I'm Monica.

Eddie's date.

Oh, that's impossible.

You're not chewing gum.

Do you have a job?

Yes, a very good job.

You might say I'm in public relations. I get to travel a lot.

Really?

Eddie is bringing his brother from the hotel last night with the bachelor

They should be here any minute.

You're sure?

You're Eddie Williams' date?

Yes. You are beautiful.

Simply beautiful.

Oh, yes, you are.

You about ready?

Almost. Is Michael nervous?

They're not even here yet.

But he promised he'd get Michael here on time.

And he promised.

Now, there are two words that should never be in the same sentence.

Hello? Yes, it is.

Yes, I do.

What happened?

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

There's been an accident.

My sons are here.

Williams.

Right over here.

Michael!

Michael!

Where's Michael?

They won't tell me anything.

Oh, no.

Calm yourself, baby. Calm yourself.

Mom.

What happened, Edward?

We were on our way to the house.

Who was driving?

And there was a stop sign. Who was driving?

There were all these bushes and you couldn't see it. Who was driving?

I was.

Of course you are.

I want to know what's happening with my other son, Michael.

They're trying to stabilize him right now, ma 'am. I don't want them to try.

I want them to do it.

They're doing everything that they can.

Why don't you take a seat?

I don't want a seat.

I want the best doctor in the hospital.

I can't even remember the last conversation we had.

I don't even know if I told him that I loved him.

Oh, baby, you've said it a thousand times.

That boy is surrounded with love now.

I promised to help you get through this day.

I'd like to keep my promise.

I wasn't even supposed to drive.

Mike said he was nervous.

He said he couldn't concentrate on the road.

He said the last thing I need is to get into an accident on the way to my own

wedding.

He didn't want to crush his tux.

So he didn't wear a seatbelt.

It's a ten -minute drive.

What can happen in ten minutes?

It's all my fault.

You can't blame yourself, Eddie.

Yeah, that's right.

It's my mother's job, isn't it?

Only problem is, I don't know what else to do.

As usual.

I think the best thing to do at times like this is to pray.

anybody. Listen to me.

What do we got?

He appears to have an open wound into the peritoneum. He's shocky and has

rebound. I think we're looking at a surgical abdomen.

I'll find the family. All right.

We need to prep for abdominal surgery fast.

Michael, they're going to take you into surgery now, and I'm going to go with

you.

I'm an angel, Michael.

And I know that's a lot to take in now on top of everything else.

So just know that you're in God's hands.

And that is the very best place to be.

I don't know if Williams can sit for me.

Where are they? Right over here.

Mrs.

Williams?

Michael has a severely lacerated abdomen. He's lost a lot of blood. We

get him into surgery.

So I need someone to sign the consent form.

I'm his mother.

We'll keep you posted.

Nice going, Mom.

Mom. I thought we could have at least discussed it.

There's nothing to discuss.

Michael needs an operation. I'm the closest relative.

Case closed.

See, that's how things happen in this family, Steph.

It doesn't matter what should happen.

All that counts is what mother wants to have happen.

We've closed a lot of cases that way, haven't we, Mom?

Be quiet, Eddie.

You know, if Michael dies, how are you going to close this case?

Same way you closed Dad's?

What about your dad?

Didn't Michael tell you how he died?

A brain embolism.

Oh, yeah.

A .32 caliber brain embolism.

Your father committed suicide?

Mike and I found him.

He was barely breathing.

I froze.

Mike called 911.

That was the last day that we were considered equals.

After that, he was the good son and I was, uh, just Eddie.

You were just a child.

Yeah.

But it was a turning point.

My dad was dying and I couldn't do anything about it.

I've felt pretty useless ever since.

I wonder why Michael never told me.

After the funeral, she said, today we buried your father and we buried the

along with him.

We will never discuss this again.

And we never have.

Never.

Well, that explains it.

What? Why the three of you never seem to talk much about anything?

Tess, why do people take their own life?

Because today seems so dark.

They can't even imagine tomorrow.

It must be a terrible feeling being the ones left behind and tomorrow.

Can I talk to you for a minute, please?

I know that I've only known Michael for a year.

And that you've known him forever.

And I'm sure that it is hard for you to imagine that anybody could love him as

much as you do.

But?

But Michael would like me to be a part of any decision that affects the rest of

his life.

Well, we never know how long the rest of anybody's life is, do we?

And he told me about your husband.

I knew he would.

If there's anything I can count on him for, it's that I can't count on him.

I don't expect you to understand.

But right now...

Michael needs someone strong making decisions for him.

I'm sorry.

Neither of you fits that description.

Come

on,

baby, let's go downstairs to the store and get you a dress and save this

gown.

I don't get it.

Why are you still here?

I don't want to leave someone alone and in trouble.

Michael's not alone.

I was talking about you.

Michael,

I want you to listen to my voice and don't be afraid.

We're going someplace else while they do this.

I know this place.

My dad used to bring me here.

What kind of dream is this?

Oh, you're not dreaming.

Oh, yeah.

I'm really in a forest with an angel named Andrew.

The most important part of you is here with me. Yeah.

Am I dead?

No.

But you're close.

I can't die. Everybody needs me.

Michael, if you live, you can't live out of obligation. You live because of the

joy of it.

And even after something like this happens, you can still live a very full,

productive life.

You mean I could come out of this handicapped or something?

It was a very serious accident.

And the surgery is not going well.

I could be a vegetable. Is that it?

You don't know that.

I can't do that, Andrew.

That's not a life. That's a life sentence for me and my family.

Michael, they loved you.

You love them.

Yes. And I love them so much that I would rather die than put them through

Tell God to let me die.

I can't do that.

That'll be 50 cents.

Haven't you heard?

I'm the narrator, well, brother.

Just being myself.

There's a story in there you should read. It's on page six.

At the top.

Studies show prayer makes difference.

You're not going to get off this, are you?

It says that people who are prayed for recover faster from illness and injury

than those who are not prayed for.

I'm not the praying type.

Have you ever tried?

Do you know how?

It's there to know. You just ask for what you want.

A prayer is not a letter to Santa Claus.

I mean, this is the first paper of the day. How did you know this was...

I'm

afraid I have bad news.

What?

Michael's heart stopped in the middle of the operation.

We performed CPR, but his...

Brain may have gone two or three minutes without oxygen.

I'm sorry to say, Michael's prognosis is not good.

But he's young, and no one here has given up on him.

Why would God listen to me?

I don't go to church.

When I'm out there doing the right thing all the time, I screw up everything I

touch.

You're one of his children. He'll always be there for you.

Do you know how hard it is for a guy like me to believe in a father that

leave?

Why don't you give him a chance?

Two nights ago, you were jumping out of a cake, and now you got me praying.

Crazy world.

So, God, if you help my brother Mike get better,

I'm going to change my whole life around.

Really, I'm going to work harder and I'm going to try and be nicer to people.

I promise.

Matt, how was that?

You can't make bargains with God, Eddie.

Prayer is not a negotiation.

You're right.

What have I got to offer anyway?

Eddie.

I've been thinking about what you said.

I'll go get some coffee.

When the boys were little, my Norm was in this very hospital.

I sat right here while they tried to keep him alive.

He was on life support for three months.

And I waited for a miracle.

I guess they were out of season.

The good news was, keeping him alive gave me hope.

The bad news was, keeping him alive gave me hope.

It took three months, but he died anyway.

Michael is not.

Going to die.

He's already gone.

There's a machine breathing for him.

What's lying there is just an empty shell.

I'm sorry, but I don't believe that.

True.

Whitney, I should never have put Norm through that.

He was in a coma. He was brain dead.

But I let them keep him alive.

Not for him.

For me.

And that's wrong.

I don't want you to make the same mistake.

Your life begins again.

When he then...

Michael,

honey.

But I don't want you to suffer.

And if you have to go, I understand.

I really do.

But first, Tony, I have to do this.

I, Stephanie, take you, Michael, to be my

husband. To love and to honor from this day forward.

For richer or poorer.

In sickness and in health.

Till... Till...

You're right,

Andrew.

I can't leave her.

I've changed my mind.

I want to live.

I do.

Oh, my God.

Somebody help me, please.

What? He moved.

Michael moved.

He grabbed my pinky, see, like this.

This is what we used to do. This is our sign.

Don't you see?

He understands.

He's in there.

He's going to be okay.

No, he's not.

The doctor said they make involuntary movements.

What are you doing?

Disconnecting Michael's life support.

But why?

Because I asked him to.

I'm letting him go.

No, he's in here. He wants to live.

No.

I know you're in there, Michael.

Stay with me, Michael. Please, hold on.

It's only a matter of time now. Once the life support is off, it's usually only

a few hours.

How could you be so cruel?

Now, I am sorry, Mrs. Williams, that you lost your husband.

But I am not going to lose mine just because you don't have the guts to save

him.

You can't fight her, Stephanie.

Trust me.

Lawyers just make it worse.

For once in your life, would you do something?

Where are you going?

If I could speak to thou, I mean, if I could tell thee...

Just be yourself.

He knows you're not perfect.

He made you.

Monica, I don't know what it is about you, but it's like you're some kind of

angel that was sent from heaven to help me get through this.

That's exactly what I am.

An angel sent by God.

He's very proud of you, Eddie.

Why? Because you keep trying to find him.

Because deep in your heart, you know that no matter what happens to Michael

you want God to be part of it.

Because the real Eddie, the one who keeps hiding behind the girls and the

parties and the rounds of beer, desperately wants to know that God loves

forgives him.

And he does, Eddie.

He loves you so very much.

And he really wants to hear your prayer.

God sent me an angel and a cake.

Do you see how well he knows you?

God.

Father.

My brother.

My brother is dying.

And my family is falling apart.

And I want to pray for a miracle.

But I'm afraid to.

Because what if I don't get it?

God will perform a miracle, Eddie.

But you must leave it to him to decide what that miracle will be.

Goodbye, Michael.

I will always love you.

What are you doing?

His mother took him off life support.

She took him off life support created by man.

But that's not the life support.

That comes from God.

That's who you've got to trust now.

I'm not very spiritual, Tess.

If you would get down on your knees and talk to the creator from the bottom of

your soul, you would be surprised just how spiritual you really are.

But he is going to die.

Maybe so and maybe not.

But God wants you to fight for your man.

Prayers are going up for Michael right now and it's time you added your voice.

Okay.

I'm not through with you yet.

You cannot go to God with all that hate in you.

You've got to get rid of that first.

And you know who I'm talking about.

I used to think that you didn't like me, and I took it personally.

And Michael said it wasn't personal, and he was right.

Will you please leave me alone?

I want you to know that I forgive you.

I must have been terrible wondering how you could have helped your husband.

And then trying to raise two little boys.

Well, I believe that all the tough things that you became was just your way

trying to keep from going crazy.

And I couldn't understand that before.

Now, believe me, I understand.

I hear that someone is praying for all of us in the chapel.

So I think I'll go.

I heard somebody was down here praying for us.

Yeah.

You?

Need a haircut.

I'm not very good at saying goodbye.

I guess you know that.

I remember after the funeral.

He looked up at me.

Such a serious little boy.

And you promised you'd never leave me.

Michael, you kept that promise.

You have taken very good care of me.

And I won't hold you to that promise any longer.

I want you to go now.

It's not up to you to decide whether Michael lives or dies.

But to God.

Do you believe in God, Michael?

I prayed for your father, you know.

I asked God to give him back to me.

He never really belonged to you.

But I guess he never really belonged to me.

When your father was dying, I was right here beside him, too.

Funny, for weeks it was...

Him and me in this room.

Just breathing day after day.

Then one night there was... I think...

There was an awareness that someone else had walked in

the room.

There was another person in the room.

Death had come.

And for a while, we sat together, the

three of us.

I never saw another soul in this room, but I could feel it.

Then it was over.

Death was gone.

And so was your father.

And the only one left breathing was me.

You're here, aren't you?

Yes.

Are you from God?

Yes.

Nancy, you don't.

Oh, yes, I do, and you can tell him.

Nancy, you hate what's happened to Michael.

You hate what happened to your husband. You hate what happened to your life, but

you don't hate God. God loves you. He is the one who will never forsake you. He

will never leave you. He loves you.

Oh, God, I am so angry at you.

What does God want from me?

What is there left to sacrifice to this God?

Nancy, you sacrifice to God your broken spirit and

your broken heart.

That is all he wants from you. He wants you to give him everything that hurts

and then let him restore you.

And your family.

And his way.

Don't try to take Michael's life back from God.

Just give him yours.

I'm not

a very nice person, you know.

Woo!

private vigil or can anybody pray?

Uh, yeah.

Sure, Mom.

You're right, Stephanie.

I have kept good people like you at arm's length.

To keep them from getting too close to the pain.

And the guilt.

I'm sorry.

And you.

My crazy, sweet, forgotten son.

I let that terrible day become the bitter.

for the rest of our lives.

And now it's taken another terrible day for me to discover what a strong man you

are.

It's been a long time.

I've been making peace with my family.

I'd like to make peace with you.

I'm offering up my son Michael to you.

Whatever happens, please.

Hold him in the palm of your hand.

And love him as much as I have.

I give you his life.

And I give you my own.

Excuse me.

If I could have your attention for just one moment.

I know you're all here praying for Michael Williams.

And I have an announcement to make.

Michael, do you take Stephanie to be your beloved wife for better or for

Well, a man shall leave his mother.

And a woman leave her home.

They shall travel on to where? The two shall be as one.

As it was in the beginning, is now and till the end.

He said, I do.

Stephanie,

do you take Michael to be your beloved husband?

The better or the worse?

In good times and in bad times.

For richer and poorer.

In sickness and in health.

Still death to you part?

I do.

I now pronounce you man and wife.