Original subtitles

I know you're concerned, but fortunately we caught the tumor early, and that's a

big positive.

That's good.

So, when? As soon as Dr. Winslow can schedule a surgery.

Get you in there.

How's Wednesday morning?

6 a .m.

Wow, so soon?

Doing a bit better.

Listen to me, Kyle.

You're strong. I know you can do this.

All right? I'll be with you every step of the way.

You guys have my cell phone number. You can call me whenever you need.

Okay. All right?

Thank you. Hang in there.

We better

get going. Your mother's making brunch for

us at the condo.

Wonderful.

I just got to log this in.

They seem like two very dedicated doctors.

Well, they are very dedicated doctors.

But sometimes when you believe so much in what you do, it's hard to find

anything left for your loved ones.

That's Maggie.

That's Maggie.

50 milligrams every two hours.

Yeah.

Well, are you in a lot of pain?

Hi, dear.

Hi. Good. Okay.

How'd it go with Kyle and Janet?

Well, they took it pretty well, considering.

They're such sweet people.

And you have wonderful kids to go see them on a Sunday. Sunday, Monday, what

difference does it make? If you never turn off your cell phone... You got it.

If I promise someone I'll be there, then I'll be there, whenever it is. Well, my

patients need me too, but I still manage to take some time off.

I need a poppy seed.

What's that?

That is a very famous painting, The Liberation of St.

Peter from Prison.

We're going to see the original when we go to Europe next month.

Oh, God willing.

Where is it, Paris?

Rome, the Vatican.

We're going to be there for Easter.

I cannot wait to hear the bells ringing at St. Peter's.

They say it's very inspiring.

Maybe it'll inspire you two to finally start a family.

Stop.

I don't know about this trip, Mom.

It's a very busy time for me.

It's always a busy time.

Dr. DeSanto.

Yeah.

Annie, what's wrong?

Well, do you have a fever?

Well, is your sister there with you?

Maggie can't go on like this, and neither can her marriage.

And Rose is praying for a miracle.

Yes, and she might get one, but not the one she's praying for.

When you walk down the road,

heavy burden, heavy load, I

will ride 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.

Hello. Any pigeons out here?

Pigeons?

Pigeons.

Pigeone.

Pigeone. Pigeone.

Pigeone. Pigeone.

I'm Monica. I'm here about the job interview.

Oh, that's wonderful.

You're so prompt.

The doctor will like that.

The doctor's my daughter. Did you know that?

Yes, I had heard.

And she's a stickler for getting things done on time.

Didn't come from my side.

I'm a case that I said I'll kind of girl myself.

Have a seat, honey.

Frankly.

Between her private practice and the work she does in the hospital here?

It's between you and me and the lamppost.

It's her marriage that needs some quality time.

That's why you're here.

I thought I was filling in for you.

Oh, yeah, you are.

I just told her that if I didn't go to Europe now, I never would.

So I went out and bought a ticket.

And, of course, she said I couldn't go by myself.

And her husband said, she can't go without him. So, voila, we have a family

vacation. Now we just have to keep our fingers crossed that he doesn't back

Look.

They seem like a lovely couple.

They are.

But very progressive, too.

Maggie's kept her last name.

And Brian's a neurologist, a doctor of the brain.

Not to be confused with a urologist.

which is the kind that killed my Freddy.

May he rest in peace.

Twenty years ago, he went to some fancy -schmancy specialist who told him he had

a lazy kidney.

By the time we found out it was prostate cancer, it was too late.

I'm so sorry.

Thank you, dear.

You know, there's always a silver lining if you look hard enough.

Because of what happened to her father, Maggie decided to become a doctor.

I hear she's a very good woman. Of course she is.

She's your daughter.

Have a bagel.

You're hired.

Stay calm, Annie.

I'm calling for an ambulance.

I'll page Dr. Michael. She and I will be waiting for you at the ER.

No. The baby is not going to die.

We're not going to let that happen.

Excuse me, Mom.

Rose, are you all right?

Never felt better.

Maggie, the insurance company's got me on hold again.

But I am putting Annie in the hospital whether they like it or not.

I'll send up one of my rose specials.

She's going to need more than a prayer, Mom.

We've got to get the baby out.

She's got to let me treat the leukemia.

She never let me do the chemo.

Well, if there's a chance it can affect the baby, I don't blame her.

There is such a thing as acceptable risk.

Not to Annie.

When you're a mother, you'll understand.

And I may never understand.

It bites your tongue.

Right now, marriage is enough for me to handle.

Last night, we got in this big thing over where to put that damn painting you

gave us.

Well, marriage is about compromise.

And watch your mouth.

I am not having this conversation right now.

Excuse me, Rose. Your travel agent's here.

Maggie, this is Monica.

She's going to take care of our office while we're gone. It's a pleasure to

you. Mom.

We have to talk about this trip.

Your passport came this morning.

I'll hold on to it for safekeeping.

Mom.

Oh. Oh, no, no, no, no. You're not going to get away with that.

Anytime the conversation doesn't go her way, she has a dizzy spell.

Tanya, please come. Can I help you?

Hi, Tanya. This is Dr. DeSanto again.

Yes, Doctor. Listen, I'm really tired of getting the runaround from you people.

No, don't you dare put me on hold again. I have an emergency here.

Yes.

773 -444 -30.

Right.

I have your plane ticket, your airport shuttle information, your hotel

reservations for London and Paris, but there's a few options in Rome that I

think we should go over. It doesn't matter.

Whatever's closest to St. Peter's.

Okay.

Brian!

Hey, Ron.

This is our travel agent, Gloria.

It's Brian.

Don't tell me.

Winslow, Dr. Brian. Seat 27A. I've got your plane tickets right here.

Hold on. Didn't Maggie tell you we're not going?

What?

Nonsense.

Would you excuse us, Gloria?

Last night we had a fight.

Yeah, I know.

What about the painting?

It started with that and ended with Maggie announcing she wasn't going on

trip because her patients need her. And now I'm getting the... Silent treatment?

Oh, don't worry about that.

I can fix that.

Rosa, are you okay? You don't look so good.

I just... I feel worn down.

I think I get anemic.

Anemia is a symptom, not a diagnosis.

Why don't we have you stopped by the lab and do a blood workup? No, I'm fine.

You know what? Maybe you're right.

I hate going down there by myself.

Would you mind taking me, Brian?

Now? Yeah.

Sure. Let me go to my office.

Is everything all right? Everything's fine.

I just remembered that Maggie ought to be down there right about now.

God works in mysterious ways, and so does Rose.

You hold on to those tickets, because we are going on this trip.

Not everybody gets their blood drawn from such a big shot. Well, for you,

anything.

There you are, Rose.

Are you all right? Oh, fine.

Oh, Brian, this is Monica. She's going to cover the office for me while we're

our trip. I'm telling you, Rose, it's not going to happen.

It is, too. I'm going to talk her into it. No, you won't.

I'm looking for Annie's file.

Oh, right here.

Thank you.

Excuse me, we're going to need to repeat these lab stats.

Yes, ma 'am.

What are you doing down here?

She's feeling a little tired. I figured I'd do some blood work.

Just a touch of anemia.

Thank God Brian's here to help.

Sounds more like a case of meddling, Mom.

I've about had it with you.

Dr. DeSanto.

Monica, will you go to ER and page Dr. Michaels again? She's a neonatal. She

should have been here ten minutes ago.

Aren't you being a little harsh?

Harsh? I have a woman coming in who won't follow protocol because she says

baby comes first.

and an insurance company who won't let me keep her in the hospital where we

might be able to save both their lives.

Honey, you do the best you can. After that, it's a case that I've set up.

No.

Maggie, she's just trying to help.

Dr. Michael?

Doctor, the ambulance is here.

Coming through.

How you doing?

Not too good. Well, let's see what we can do about that.

Dr. Michaels is scrubbing up for a C -section.

At seven months, this baby has a really good chance. I can't feel the baby.

Do I have a Doppler?

Sorry,

I'm a little cold.

What's that?

He's been strong.

Okay.

You gonna let me start this chemo as soon as they get her delivered?

Whatever you say, John.

Okay.

Let's get you moving.

Hey, my baby.

No news yet, Monica.

Do you like them coffee rolls?

No. I've been drinking it all day and it hasn't done a darn thing.

I'm so tired.

I guess we all are.

What are you knitting?

Oh, it's a christening blanket for Annie's baby.

I made one of these for Maggie.

She was such a sensitive child and so temperamental.

She wouldn't go to sleep unless I wrapped her in that blanket and sang her

favorite song.

When I was a little girl, I asked my

mother, what will I be?

Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?

Here's what she said to me.

She said, I said, whatever will be, will be.

The future's not ours to see.

The

neonatal

team just took the baby to the intensive care unit.

She's on a ventilator.

She's touching goal right now.

It's a girl?

I bet she's a fighter just like Annie.

Annie didn't make it.

No.

Peggy, I'm sorry.

Once she went septic, she was hypotensive. We just could not get her

back up after that.

Annie asked you to save her baby, and you did.

As far as I'm concerned, that's a miracle.

Don't, okay?

You're not helping.

You have to believe that. Believe what, Mom?

What do you want me to believe, Annie?

believe in K, hurrah, hurrah.

You want me to believe in God? You want me to believe in crossing my fingers?

What? You don't really believe in anything.

It doesn't matter to you. You just pick whatever works out best.

God, faith, luck, it's all the same.

I believe in science.

Something real.

Something that works. And if it doesn't work, I have to take responsibility for

it.

I don't go around giving God credit when things go right, and I don't go around

blaming faith when things go wrong.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

You know what, Mom?

This work situation is not good for us.

I'm sorry, Mom.

Monica, I'm going to need you to work full time from now on.

But, Maggie... First thing tomorrow morning, 9 o 'clock. I'm sorry, Mom.

It was the right thing to do.

Been coming for a long time.

Maybe.

But it was nice to have your mother around there.

Somebody who actually believed in things like angels and miracles.

Oh, yeah.

She's the Kmart shopper of positive thinking.

She goes up and down the aisle, tossing every feel -good philosophy into her

cart.

What's wrong with that?

It's dangerous, Brian.

And it doesn't make sense.

Either you believe in something or you don't.

Can't have it both ways.

Where are you going?

I gotta get out of here for a while.

Well... I guess I shouldn't have expected you to understand

what I'm going through right now.

What are you going through that I don't go through?

You can't be serious.

You're a neurosurgeon, Brian.

You don't treat patients, you treat brains.

That is beyond insulting.

They're under sedation when you see them.

They can't argue with you, or cry, or fall apart.

You have office hours where you examine CAT scans and lab reports, and you

schedule your surgeries around your golf games.

You think you're a more dedicated doctor than I am? No.

You just don't have to deal with the real world as much as I do.

You don't have to fight with insurance companies.

Or generate a ridiculous amount of paperwork to justify a treatment plan.

You don't have to convince someone to have chemo when you know it's a form of

poison. Because until a real cure comes along, it's the only chance they've got.

I mean... Show a little compassion here.

You're going to talk to me about compassion after the way you treated

mother?

Why do you always stick up for her?

No, the real question is, Maggie, why does she always stick up for you?

She's your biggest fan.

She devoted her whole life to making you happy. And that's supposed to make me

feel better?

When I know there's a little baby sitting in an incubator fighting for her

who's going to be an orphan because I failed.

You did everything medically possible for Annie. No, I didn't. She wouldn't

me. That was her choice.

Maggie, you're great with your patience.

You make them feel loved and like there's nothing you wouldn't do for

That's what a doctor does.

It's also what married people are supposed to do.

You're a good person.

You're a great doctor.

I just wish you'd fight for us as hard as you fight for your patients.

Yes, you should receive that tomorrow.

My pleasure.

Pardon me?

Of course I'll tell Rose you said hello.

Bye.

Good morning.

Oh, good morning.

I have a few messages for you.

There's someone from the hospital board waiting in your office.

Internal auditing.

Great. Just what I need this morning.

My name is Tess. Tess, I have a problem with internal auditing.

I'm a good doctor, and I resent having to defend my actions.

Well, whenever there's an unexpected death, we must investigate.

For insurance purposes.

Yes, and for humanitarian purposes just as well.

Here we go.

Do you think you should have brought the patient in earlier? How could I?

The insurance company would not approve the hospital stay.

If I hadn't stuck my neck out, who knows if that baby would even be alive right

now. Dr.

DeSanto, we're well aware of what a fine doctor you are.

But even the best sometimes suffer burnout.

I'm not suffering and I do not burn out. And there is no evidence to suggest

otherwise. Well, that's not what I heard from some of the members of the

hospital staff.

I may have had a problem with my office manager yesterday, but it's been taken

care of. You took care of it in front of your staff and other patients.

What do you want me to say?

Nothing. Yet.

But there's something I want you to think about.

You're in a very stressful field.

One where losing a patient is a part of the landscape.

And I don't believe you've given yourself an outlet to deal with the loss

frustration. I don't have time to deal with my loss and frustration.

All I can do is just push through and keep on going.

But it's getting harder to push through, isn't it?

You want to know why?

Turn around, Doctor.

You're dragging that loss and frustration around behind you.

How are you feeling?

I'll tell the truth.

I've been better.

I just came by to get this stuff out of your way.

I always have fresh flowers for the waiting room. It makes it nice and

Maggie made this for me in Girl Scout for

Mother's Day.

Maybe I'll leave it here.

You know, patients seem to like it.

Oh.

Rose?

Rose.

You all right?

Your mother's not doing well.

You think I picked up the flu?

I can't deal with you right now.

Brian walked out on me last night, and I just don't think I can handle another

one of your dramas.

Oh, Maggie.

I had my fingers crossed for you, too.

I even lit a candle.

Stop.

Stop.

Hello?

Dr. DeSanto's office?

It's Brian.

Yes?

What?

There's got to be a mistake.

Take a look at the slide.

Oh, my God. Look at all the black.

I wonder if she's tired.

Mom, I didn't want to wake her.

Mom, wake up.

Do it.

I must have dozed off.

I was like, no way.

Mom, listen. Listen to me.

We got your blood work back. And there's a reason why you've been so tired.

Your white blood count is through the roof. I'm going to check you into the

hospital right now.

Oh, no.

I've just run down.

Will you get a wheelchair for me?

No, I can walk.

No, you can't, Mom.

You can't.

Don't worry Monica.

I've got the best doctor in the world.

You

need

to eat, Rose.

I'm not hungry.

I try to give the pigeons some of my food.

It looks like they don't eat on this side of the hospital either.

Oh, well. Que sera, sera.

Do you mean that?

What? Que sera, sera.

Whatever will be, will be.

Oh, I just say that all the time.

But do you mean it?

Well, yeah, sure.

You can't go crazy worrying about what's going to happen.

The future's not ours to see.

So you've got to leave it up to fate.

But you also say that God moves in mysterious ways.

You believe in miracles, but you also cross your fingers and you throw salt

your shoulder.

You've got to cover the bases, honey, you know.

What's wrong with that?

Faith is not about covering your bases. Faith is about trusting God above all

else when you're in trouble.

You think this is serious, don't you?

Yes, I do.

When you get to be my age, death always seems so close anyway that you do

whatever you can not to think about it.

You tell jokes, you plan trips, even try to convince your kids to give you some

grandchildren.

Anything to keep your mind from the inevitable.

But it still comes.

That's why you need to have faith.

I have all kinds of faith.

I know.

I'm talking about one kind.

In these times when storms come up quickly and you need a lamppost to cling

you don't want to waste your time deciding which lamppost that's going to

That's not a time to put your faith in luck.

Our fate, Rose, only in God.

Hey, Monica.

Hey, Mom.

How you doing?

I have a feeling you're about to tell me.

I'll see you later, Rose.

Okay, honey.

Give it to me straight.

Okay, here's the deal.

That test you took was a flow cytometry.

Annie had that when she first came into the hospital.

Right.

And the test results are the same.

Isn't that strange?

How many times have I typed the word leukemia on somebody else's phone?

I'm much too busy to die.

That's a good attitude, Mom.

Okay, let's talk about what we're going to do.

First, we drill a tiny hole in the skull.

Then we insert a plastic bubble about the size of a quarter.

You okay?

Fine.

Go ahead, Brian.

We thread a tube into the ventricle from the bubble, which delivers chemo

straight into the spinal fluid.

And this bubbly thingy, where does that go?

Right here.

Oh, no, I don't think so.

I've got a lovely hat, and I'm not going to show up in Rome with something

sticking out of my head.

Mom, you're not going anywhere except back to the oncology ward to start your

treatment. Europe is not going to happen right now.

Oh, but it is.

I'm going to get through this, honey.

I'm going to do what I have to do.

And it's going to work.

Because God's going to make it work.

I believe that now.

And I've made a decision.

No more que sera, sera.

Or knocking on wood or crossing my fingers.

It's times like this when the rubber meets the road.

You've got to make a decision on who's driving.

If you don't want the cranial, your other option is a lumbar puncture.

I don't want to lie to you.

It's painful, and you'll be awake.

And either way, you're going to have to deal with nausea, and you're probably

going to lose your hair.

I can afford to shed a few pounds.

And if I lose my hair, I'll cover it with my hat.

Well, let's get going, because we've got a plane to catch.

What day is today?

Thursday?

It's Good Friday.

But I don't know what's so good about it.

She hasn't called you at all?

No. We don't talk much these days.

But don't you worry about us Rose you just concentrate on getting better

Good afternoon, Doctor.

What are you doing in my office?

I'm just checking in with you.

Well, I haven't killed anybody in five weeks, if that's what you're asking.

Maggie, you haven't had a vacation in ten years.

Your mother has leukemia, and your husband has left you. Don't you think,

just maybe, you need a break?

No, I need to be here with my mom.

Maggie, your mom's not in her room.

Rose, where are you going?

Oh, Gloria, I'm going to the airport.

This Sunday is Easter, and I'm going to be in Rome.

You're not well enough to travel.

Nonsense, honey.

I'm definitely on the mend.

And if I get to Europe, then Maggie and Brian will have to come over together

just to bring me back.

You still have the ticket?

Yeah. Oh, good.

Oh, there he is.

Sorry to JFK.

I don't think that's a good idea, Rose.

How did you know my name was Rose?

Maggie. Hi.

We're here, Rose.

It's going to be okay, Mom.

You made it.

I think Gloria gave you your tickets and your passport.

Here's my hat.

I've got it, Rose.

Oh, thank you, Monica.

I want to wear it on the plane.

Oh, Monica.

You were so sweet to come and see us all.

Where am I?

Help me, Monica.

That's why I'm here, Ruth.

I've got to get to the airport.

Mom, stay calm. No, wait, wait. Don't let them take off without me.

Maggie, it's almost these two.

Mom, it's okay.

It's okay.

Who are you?

My name's Andrew.

You look familiar.

That beautiful glow.

You look like the angel in the painting.

I'm a different kind of angel.

An angel?

Monica was right.

I made the right decision.

I chose the right lamppost, right?

Yes, you did, Rose.

Monica, I thought... Yes, I know, Andrew.

But I have a message for Rose.

Could you give us a few minutes, please?

Of course.

You know him?

I thought it was the medication.

Because I thought he said he was an angel.

He is an angel, Rose.

An angel of death.

What? I am an angel, too.

I knew it.

I knew it.

There was something about you not normal.

No offense.

Well, now you know.

Well, isn't there something?

Two angels.

I mean, I prayed for a miracle, but nothing like this.

Not for me, but for my daughter.

Yes, you prayed for a miracle for Maggie.

But then you didn't trust God to make it happen.

You took matters into your own hands.

I wanted to hear the bells of St.

Peter's. I thought that would give her some faith.

Rose, you don't have to go around the world to find God.

And you can't schedule him to appear to someone else.

God works on each heart individually.

And he speaks when someone is ready to listen.

Well, it's going to take more than a wild story by her crazy mother about two

angels to make an impression on her.

I mean, no offense to God, but she's a tough cookie.

Well, he must know that. He made her, right?

Yes, he did.

And he made you, too.

And he loves you, Rose.

He loves you so very much.

Yeah.

Yes.

And he has heard your prayers, all of them.

Give him time to answer them in his own way.

Okay.

Okay. And Rose, he didn't forget your Easter dream.

Oh.

They're so beautiful.

I hear them.

Oh.

Happy Easter, Rose.

It's not too late.

It's never too late to tell someone what you feel in your heart.

What are you doing here?

I'm here to help you understand that you've got to love and appreciate the

people in your life while they're still around and not just take their love for

granted. I don't have time to learn.

You don't have time for a miracle.

What miracle?

Mom believed in miracles. What good is it to her?

Look at her face.

You know what that is?

Peace.

The peace that comes when you put your life wholly and completely in God's

hands. Peace?

She's dying.

She's not going to get school on her dream trip.

God didn't cure her.

Let me ask you a question, Maggie.

Have you ever seen a miracle?

No. Are you sure?

Yes.

Why? Because miracles happen around you every day.

Name one.

Annie's baby.

That wasn't a miracle. That was skill.

Doctors saved that baby, not God.

Who guides the doctor's hand, Maggie?

Don't you know that God works through you?

Who are you to speak for God?

I'm an angel.

God wants you to know he's very proud of the way you've dedicated your life to

healing the sick and caring for those you can't heal.

And he wants to work with you today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of

your life, if you'll just let him.

You're crazy.

And I work alone.

There's been a new development, angel boy.

You've been reassigned.

Yes, ma 'am.

I'm glad to hear that.

Dr. DeSanto?

You gotta look at this.

Doesn't make sense. Run it again.

I did. Several times. And I checked to make sure it was the right smear.

Maggie, what's going on?

I don't know.

According to these results, Mom's white count is back to normal.

Brian, that doesn't just happen.

People don't spontaneously cure themselves.

Well, it happens sometimes.

Yeah, but rarely.

Oh, my God.

It's really true.

Maggie, what is it?

Do you see an angel?

What?

Thank you.