Chasing Life (2014) s01e08 Episode Script

Previously on "Chasing Life" - Who is this? - That girl is our half-sister.
- Her name is Natalie Ortiz.
- Does this mean that dad - Had an affair.
- It's my body and if I wanna have a baby - April you are my baby.
- I am an adult.
- Your payment was already processed.
- But I haven't paid yet.
Well, someone else did.
They asked to remain anonymous.
Your gonna love me.
What are you doing? I have a boyfriend! So you wanna take a break? I have a lot of stuff to figure out right now, and I think it's probably better that I do that on my own.
How do you like that trick, ladies? We really do make a great team.
I am not sure what you just did, but yeah, we do.
I never win this much when pearl's here.
Let's hope she needs a new hip every week.
- Emma! - Thanks for inviting me.
If I wasn't down here, I'd be up in my room Facebook-stalking Dominic.
April's been seeing a boy who left to follow a band around Europe.
Show them his picture.
That'll excite them.
My God, - those dimples whew.
- I know.
Oh, he reminds me of Willie.
My late husband.
Oh, I'm sorry, Gertie.
Oh, thank you, Bubbeleh.
But he was old.
It happens.
You girls hear about Bonnie? - Croaked in her sleep last week.
- That's the way it go.
It's much better than a stroke.
Especially if you have someone lying next to you.
Emma, I think I'm offending your granddaughter.
- Actually, I don't think it's the best - You know, it's okay.
It's just you guys are so casual, talking about death.
Oh, honey, when you get to be our age you're just used to it.
You've said goodbye to so many people, it's just a part of the mishegas of life.
I know, as a religious woman, I'll be going to a better place.
Religious? Since when? God knows not in '57 when you were sleeping with all the Boston Celtics.
It wasn't all the Celtics.
Just a couple of forwards.
I have no regrets for having fun in my life.
And if he, or she, doesn't want let people like me into heaven, then I don't want to go there anyway.
I'd rather go down there.
Maybe that's where the party is.
Namaste.
You never come to yoga nights.
Yeah well, I used to have plans on Thursday nights.
Dominic and I would go to Trivia at the pour house.
Oh, so dimples left.
Can you stop calling him that? Sorry.
Look, I get it.
Break-ups suck.
So if you ever need to talk I'm good.
But thanks.
Where is Jackson? He's the one that kept telling me to come to this.
- You haven't heard? - Heard what? Jackson's back in the hospital.
Chemo's not working.
Sounds like it's only a matter of time.
How is that possible? Look around you.
You're in a cancer support group.
People don't always stick around.
Sometimes we die.
S01E08 Death Becomes Her You going somewhere? Yeah, Miami with the Eco Club.
We leave super early tomorrow.
Since when are you in the eco club? Since whatever.
Is that girl in it or something? The one you loo-ve? I don't love her.
But yeah, she's in it.
I can't believe your school's taking you to Miami.
The only field trip we took in high school was to Fenway.
Hey, Ape? Did you know when you search Natalie Ortiz on the Internet there are like a thousand results that come up? I did know that, actually.
What else do you know about her? Not much.
Just that she lives near - where dad had his writing retreat.
- In Florida? Guess writing wasn't the only thing he was doing there.
Morning, girls.
Hey, Brenna, are you packed for your trip? I'll finish when I get home from school.
Don't forget you have to be at the hospital by 3:00 - to get your cheek swabbed.
- Hey, thanks for doing that.
Yeah, of course.
I'll swab my cheek for you anytime, girl.
So how are you feeling? Okay.
I mean, for a person gearing up for chemo.
And a fertility treatment before that.
Which apparently someone already paid for.
Wait, what? Someone paid for it? Oh, I'm sorry.
I thought maybe you had never mind, no.
April, it's not like I wouldn't have paid for it.
You know what, mom? You don't have to lie.
I know you're not supportive of this.
- I am.
- I have to go.
I'll see you later.
So once you've checked into mass medical, Dr.
Hamburg will become your primary doctor.
And you're in very good hands.
She's the top A.
M.
L.
Specialist in all of new England.
It's true, I am.
I hate cancer.
I hate cancer so much I made it my life's work to destroy it.
And I know that our greatest chance of beating this is to deal with it head-on.
Just look it straight in the eye and kill the bastard.
Let's do it.
Um So what's the plan? I do chemo, and then stay in the hospital for a month.
And then get a bone marrow transplant? You may not need a transplant, but we prefer to have a donor on standby, ready to go.
So we're gonna test your family.
Siblings are usually the best choice for a full match.
But if I do need the transplant, it's really risky, right? Why don't we cross that bridge when we come to it.
I just found out a friend might die soon and I don't want that to happen.
Okay, patient would like to not die.
I got it.
April, I am always gonna shoot straight with you.
Yes, there are risks if you have a transplant.
There could be organ damage, threats of infections some people don't survive it.
And if I don't do it? Well, there are gonna be risks whatever choice you make.
But I promise you, I will do everything I possibly can to keep you alive.
I am not a quitter.
I hope you're not either.
All right, you really need to pack.
In a minute.
I'm not putting out till that bag is packed.
Isn't weird that I'm going to Florida like right after I find out that I have a sister there? - Where does she live? - Key Largo.
It's like an hour away from where we're gonna be.
I found her address after April told me where she lives.
I could totally take a cab there.
Brenna Maybe I need to go find her.
Maybe this is why the universe wanted me to join Eco Club.
No The universe wanted you to join the Eco Club because its president is really hot.
Seriously.
Maybe this is why I'm just finding out about her now.
If April needs a bone marrow transplant and I'm not a match, maybe this girl could be one.
They say siblings are the best chance.
All right, well, if you're gonna go find her - I'll go with you.
- I can go alone.
You, like, love ecology.
It sounds so nerdy when you call it ecology.
Yeah well you're a nerd.
Not so much of a nerd that I won't break the rules every once in a while.
- Hey, Raquel, how are you? - Yeah, you too, Donny.
How's that summation coming along? Last time I checked you weren't my supervisor anymore.
Last time I checked I'm still your superior.
So? In summation it's really tedious.
Well Hang in there.
If you need me, I'll be in my office.
- Man, I'd love to be in her - Danny, no.
I was just gonna say office.
What does it feel like? Do you actually see light? Or does everything just go dark? Maybe it's neither.
Maybe you just kind of fade away.
I don't know.
Jackson's here.
I guess he got better.
Um, did you just see that? Wait, Meg, where are you Dominic? What are you doing here? Leo, where is everyone going? Don't be naive, April.
You know the answer already.
I'm glad you're getting away.
It'll take your mind off the stress around here - for a little while.
- Yeah, you too.
Have a fun sailing trip.
It's not really a trip, just a couple hours on the boat with the caregivers group.
It doesn't exactly sound like a break from the stress.
Sitting around crying with other parents about your sick kids? Believe me, that's the last thing this group does.
I'm getting the sense their meetups are mostly about drinking.
Now you're talking.
I'm kidding.
There's your van.
Have a great time in Florida and be safe.
Hey, what do you think it was about that place that dad loved so much? I don't know.
Maybe you'll get an idea when you're down there.
Bye.
Ring ring.
"Hey, Dominic, it's April.
What's up? I have cancer.
" He'll be back in Boston in five hours, done and done.
- I can't do that to him, Beth.
- Can't you though? All you do is talk about how much you miss him.
I do, but It just wouldn't be right.
He's doing his dream job, while I am doing a nightmare assignment.
Dude, play hooky.
You've only got a few more days till you start chemo.
Exactly.
I only have a few more days until my entire life changes.
I have to keep things as normal as I can until then.
Oh, but that's so much less fun for me.
Oh, you want something fun to do in the next two days? Find out who paid for me to freeze my eggs.
Do you think it could be George? Mmm.
My Uncle paid for my fertility treatment? Sounds like a reality show.
A reality show I'd totally watch.
Look, whoever it is is a saint.
It's like they're giving you free babies or something.
Speaking of babies, how many are you planning to have with your new lover Graham? Oh my God.
Stop it.
I still never got the details.
Let's just say there's an upside to sleeping with a perfectionist.
But, no There are a lot of downsides like the fact that he smells like kombucha, and I'll always have to use tissues instead of toilet paper in that bathroom.
Those guys are always running out of toilet paper.
What is going on? Pipe burst last night, bullpen is flooded.
Luckily my office escaped the mess.
It's a little higher up than everyone else's.
Hm, I don't think so.
Everyone Meet in front of the Hansen ballroom at 6:00 P.
M.
sharp for the conference.
You'll sign in with Annie, our club secretary.
How's the keynote address coming, Mr.
Ostrowsky? When I was running for class president, it really helped to rehearse my speech in front of the mirror.
Well, clearly it worked for you, Ms.
President.
Good good advice.
Okay, Annie said she'll sign us in later.
Let's get a cab.
You really think Mr.
Ostrowsky's not going to notice? He can barely speak in front of 20 students in environmental science, he's gonna be a mess tonight.
You ready? - Hey.
- Hey Join the party.
Oh, April There's no plants or flowers in the cancer ward, 'cause the bacteria can mess with the patient's immune systems.
Oh, um I'm sorry, I had no idea.
I'm way past the point where some plant will do me in.
How are you feeling? Good.
I'm dying a little, but good.
I'm sorry, that wasn't the right thing No no, it's me.
Being blunt is just my coping mechanism.
So it's a beautiful day out, huh? I wish people had told me how much I was gonna miss being outside before I checked in.
It's like you're trapped indoors, breathing this hospital air.
Never feeling the wind or smelling the rain or anything.
It's just sad.
I should have gotten out more first.
- Cannolis, anyone? - Oh, hell yeah.
Mmm, God.
Will you please make sure they serve these at my funeral? Actually, don't.
If I can't be there to enjoy this, I need everyone else to suffer.
Oh, you've always been so selfless.
Hey, man, it's my funeral.
Doesn't it suck that you can't go to your own funeral? I mean, it's basically a party in your honor and you don't even get to go.
I mean, you don't even get to pick the playlist.
Oh, F.
Y.
I.
guys, please make sure they play Daniel Powter's "Bad Day.
" Way to be literal, Jackson.
Well, I should head back to the office.
Hey, you wanna hang out later, April? Leo and I have some fun stuff planned.
- Rude.
- Sorry.
Um, I can't really skip work, but thanks.
I'll see you later, Jackson.
Mmm maybe.
If I haven't died from a fatal plant infection first.
- Dude.
- Sorry.
Coping mechanism.
How's the boring article coming? What? Sorry, I can't hear you over the soul-sucking sounds of vacuums.
This would never happen at "The New York Times.
" So how's the boring article coming? Speaking of soul-sucking What am I doing here? Yeah, exactly.
I know excuse me.
- I'm on the phone.
- I'm sick, I'm leaving.
You look healthy to me.
Well, I'm not.
And I have a ton of sick days I haven't used yet.
So I'm going to take one of them right now.
Enjoy your dry office.
You are such a badass.
I've never taken a sick day in my life.
Well, as someone who basically takes a sick day every day, I'm used to this feeling.
It's liberating, right? And it's also one of your last days of freedom.
So what should we do? Hmm I have an idea.
Hey, Leo? Where are you? Meg said you had some fun stuff planned.
This is the right address? I'm sure it is.
Welcome to the Velvet Lounge.
Take a seat, absorb the deluxe decor.
Oh, I don't think we'll be staying.
Think again, cancer friend, because something really awesome is about to happen.
Uh, Mindy, can we get another round of wings for my friends here? Thank you.
Of course Leo Hendrie eats lunch at strip clubs and is on a first-name basis with the strippers.
Actually, April, you're on a first-name basis with one of 'em.
What are you talking about? And now, the Velvet Lounge presents first-time dancer Meg.
I told you something really awesome was about to happen.
Come on, you got it, girl! What are you waiting for? When's she gonna get naked? Go, Meg! Woo! Yeah! Go, Meg! Here you go, if you want this but now, you've gotta work for it.
Hey! Now that's what I call taking it all off.
Woo-oo! Thank you so much for including me.
Of course.
I'm glad we didn't scare you off after last time.
Dr.
Carver mentioned that you were expecting a more traditional support group.
And traditional we are not.
Well, I'm grateful for that actually.
This is exactly what I need, outing reckon not thinking about cancer for one day.
Hey, Liz, where do you keep the ice? George? Sara? What are you doing here? Well, isn't this for the support group? I didn't think the group was your thing, after last time.
I'm sorry.
I assumed you knew the other was coming.
Aren't you brother and sister-in-law? Well, I'm just glad we convinced you to join us.
So many of us owe our children's lives to him.
Oh, come on.
It's true.
Well Here's to taking the day off from everything.
Okay, come on.
That stage will never be the same.
Thank you so much, Leo.
Wait, you planned all this? Let's just say my dad has a few connections to this place.
And so when Meg said it was a lifelong dream of hers Not lifelong.
Just since "showgirls.
" I blame Nomi Malone.
Right there with you.
Although I'm more of a Cristal Connors myself.
Ever since I lost my hair, I've just felt so Invisible to guys.
And now, i definitely don't.
I feel hot and kind of slutty.
You'll always be a slut to me, Meg.
Leo is like the patron Saint of the group.
Stop, please.
You never got to meet Chris, but he took Chris to Iceland because he wanted to see the northern lights before he died.
Just a few weeks ago he took Alan out on his dad's boat.
- Leo? - Hmm? Did you pay for my fertility treatment? Eww, fertility? Gross.
Eggs, ugh.
Thank you.
Now I have one more mission for us.
But I gotta say it first, this mission involves possibly getting into trouble and maybe breaking a law or two.
Let's do it.
Let's go.
Who is this person? - I know, wow.
- All right.
You can do this, Brenna.
Well, I guess she's not home so Hi, I'm Brenna.
Carver? So, um You probably already know this, but it turns out we have the same dad.
I know.
And I'm sorry that you came all the way down here for me to tell you that I want nothing to do with you.
Or your family.
You probably should have called first.
Hey, go ahead.
We'll meet you at Meg's car.
Okay.
Hey, where are you going? - Patients can't just leave.
- Don't worry, Marion.
I'll have him back in a couple hours.
Love you! Okay, how long is the wait for a cab? We can't give up so easily.
What are we supposed to do? I can't force her to talk to me.
Hi, yes, I'm here.
Two hours? Yeah, we're forcing her to talk to you.
- Will you just talk to us for a minute? - I thought I told you that I - Natalie, please.
- Who do you think you are, just showing up at my house out of nowhere like this? I'm sorry if it sucked finding out your dad had a secret kid.
Did you think for a second what it must have been like for me, being the secret kid? - I'm sorry, I hadn't thought - Well, maybe you should have, before you flew all the way down here.
Look, coming here might have been a really impulsive thing to do.
But I came with good intentions, I swear.
Things have been really crazy with my family lately.
- Mostly with my older sister April.
- Oh, right.
That freak who chased me through the cemetery.
I recognized her.
It's not like I hadn't looked you guys up years ago.
Seems like you lead pretty perfect lives.
Actually April has cancer.
Oh.
Uh, I'm sorry.
That must be hard.
That's kind of why I came down here.
I wanted to meet my other sister.
Aren't you curious too? Fine, let's get to know each other.
You guys coming or what? What are we doing here? Having a funeral.
If everyone can please make their way inside, - we'll begin shortly.
- You heard him.
Dude wanted to see his funeral.
Okay, this is weird.
Do you want to leave? Come on, gals.
Let's funeral down.
Another round, please? Thank you.
Hey, yo.
I saw you trying to move in there for a while, - so here you go.
- Thank you.
It's been a long time since I waited in line - at a crowded bar.
- That's probably a good thing.
- That was fun on the boat - George? - I thought that was you.
- Carrie - Hi.
- Hi.
Carrie Rosen, this is Sara Carver.
You got married? Wow.
No, I'm his sister-in-law.
Oh, I was gonna say, did hell freeze over? - George carver a married man? - So how's M.
I.
T.
? I just got tenure.
Wow, congratulations.
That's fantastic.
Carrie's a professor astrophysics.
And I should get back to my colleagues.
- It was nice meeting you, Sara.
- Nice meeting you.
- And good to see you, George.
- You too.
She seems nice, how do you know her? Carrie and I used to date.
Oh She's pretty and smart, what happened? She was the woman I was seeing when Thomas died, so I'm really gonna miss you, man.
That's all you got? I'm dead, you're literally never gonna see me again.
Can you at least try to dig a little deeper? I don't know how deep this is, but I love watching "Vanderpump Rules" with you.
I mean, every single week I look forward to doing that.
I never laugh that hard with anyone else ever.
And when I think about how we won't have that time together again it sucks.
It really really sucks.
I just wish we could rewind life or something, so that we could keep having those Monday nights together, over and over, forever.
Now that's what I'm talking about.
I love you, Adam.
Okay, um Who's next? Grandma? No, this can't happen yet.
It's too soon.
Please please Did somebody say Mai Tais? - Thanks, Natalie.
- It's on my mom.
I figured she wouldn't mind me using her card for a little family reunion.
My mom would, she doesn't even know that I'm here.
Really? You're hardcore.
Yeah, she'd freak out if she knew.
She's pretty uptight.
So are you and your mom close? Very.
I mean, we kind of had to be since it was just the two of us.
Why are we talking about our moms, when we have delicious drinks in front of us? Cheers, bitches.
- Are you two lesbians? - I am.
Let's dance.
Come on.
As some of us partake in Jackson's complimentary medicinal marijuana, it's time for the man of the hour to say a few words.
Thank you all so much for coming today.
As weird as it sounds, this has seriously been the best day of my life.
Getting to see all of you for what could be You know what? I'm not gonna say the last time.
Because I believe that we'll all meet up again, somewhere sometime.
Maybe in heaven, maybe in another life, I don't know for sure.
But what I do know, is I've loved the time that I had with all of you in this life.
You made it fun.
You made it worth living.
Especially after I got sick and all I wanted to do was give up because this cancer was kicking my ass.
You guys made me fight.
And I did.
And even though it looks like I'm probably gonna lose, I think it's fair to say that I played the game the whole time.
And the best part is I got to play with all of you.
I might need a hit of that joint.
I'm not sure what happens next for me.
But after today, I'm at peace with whatever that might be.
We love you, Jackson.
And to conclude a surprise performance by Jackson's Boston University a capella group, Nothing But Treble.
Where is the moment we needed the most You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost They tell me your blue skies fade to grey Tell me your passion's gone away and I don't need no carrying on 'cause you had a bad day, you're taking one down How are you? Strangely I'm okay.
you work at a smile and you go for a ride You had a bad day, the camera don't lie You're coming back down and you really don't mind You had a bad day You had a bad day You had a bad day You had a bad day - Greer, what's wrong? - I do not feel well.
Hey, can we get some water, please? Here.
Greer can barely stand.
She was fine a second ago and now she's, like, wasted.
That sucks, maybe you should dump the lightweight.
I don't think she's drunk.
Did you put something in her drink? You think I drugged her? Wow.
I should have known you rich new-England girls would have found some way to look down on us.
I don't think coming here was a good idea.
What, did you think it was gonna be some heartfelt, tearful reunion? You and me, we've got nothing in common except the fact that we share a dad.
Not that he was even in my life that much.
I was a part-time kid.
You and April were always gonna be the only daughters who really got him.
Look, I didn't come here to find a new best friend.
I already have one my sister April.
I was gonna ask if you would get tested to be a possible bone marrow donor for her.
But now that I've met you, I realize you are way too selfish to ever do anything like that.
Well, you got one thing right.
How's Sara doing, by the way? I haven't seen her in a while.
Oh, you didn't know your mom knew about me? Well, we've met.
Guess your family's not as perfect as you thought.
One point for the bastard.
I mean, Carrie understood where I was coming from, but I wasn't I wasn't in a place to start a new relationship.
You know, after what had happened.
These past couple of years have been Believe me, I know.
I'm so sorry, Sara.
For what? Well, I mean, I was driving.
George, it was an accident.
I know, but I you always blamed me.
No, I didn't.
Not for that.
It's just I find out about the affair and Natalie and I was hurt.
And the fact that you had both kept it from me Especially I mean, you and I go way back, even before I met Thomas.
Yeah.
I don't blame you.
I mean that sincerely.
I appreciate that.
Still doesn't change the fact that I blame myself.
Don't do that, George.
You cannot keep carrying that weight around.
It'll crush you.
Some fries and a milkshake! There's a diner down the street.
Sweet.
You guys coming? Uh, no, I've got to stay and clean up.
I promised the guy who runs the place.
Uh, I'm gonna help.
All right.
So tonight ended up being nice.
Good, I'm glad you were able to enjoy yourself.
Enjoy is a strong word, but it was amazing to see Jackson so happy.
And everyone else.
It's like, everyone can be comfortable saying goodbye to him now.
- That was the plan.
- Hey You're not as much of an ass as you pretend to be.
Damn it.
The secret's out.
Thank you for helping me with everything.
Helping people like this It's the best thing that could have happened to me.
It gives me something, you know? A legacy.
When I die I won't just be Bruce Hendrie's dead rich-kid son.
I'll be the guy that got to make people happy before the time ran out.
And a guy that helped people realizing the most important thing in life.
To leave this world with no regrets.
So I have a question.
Who's gonna grant your last wish? Oooh.
Who's to say it wasn't just you? You know, it's been really hard for me to accept people being so casual and direct about death.
How do you I mean You're terminal.
Wait, what? Are you scared? If I let myself go to that place, I It's just not a place I like to go to.
I hadn't let myself go there till recently.
And now I just feel like death is everywhere, it's inescapable.
It's like the cancer might kill me or the bone marrow transplant might kill me.
Everything just feels so risky.
It's like I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't.
I totally get that.
It's the reason why I'm not getting the surgery.
Surgery? Yeah, to try and remove the tumor.
You can do that? Well, it's not 100% effective.
I mean, there's some major risks involved.
What could be more major than dying from it? Well, um Waking up a vegetable, not being myself for the next 40 years, lying in a coma forever.
So Mr.
You-gotta-live is just giving up? April, you know me by now.
Do you really think I would do well as a brain-dead hospital patient whose fate gets decided by doctors or my parents or some court? I'm sorry, I'm not gonna let that happen.
I'm gonna die on my own terms with dignity and with this fully intact.
What you're doing is quitting.
And I'm not gonna quit.
I'm gonna fight.
Well, that's good for you.
How are you feeling? I've been better.
But thanks for taking such good care of me last night.
Yeah, of course.
It's the least I could do.
I feel terrible that that happened.
Greer, Brenna, how'd you two like my keynote address last night? It was phenomenal, Mr.
Ostrowsky.
I had no idea how harmful ocean acidification was on marine life.
You were very Jacques Cousteau-like.
Thanks, Greer.
Practicing in front of a mirror definitely helped.
Okay, everyone, let's get moving.
These dolphins aren't gonna swim with themselves.
How did you Annie recorded it on her phone and sent it to me.
I knew I had to cover all my bases.
Thanks for going with me to meet Natalie.
I would have regretted it if I hadn't.
- Even though - She sucked.
Kinda, yeah.
Hey, honey.
Okay, so dinner's in the oven, and Brenna's on her way home.
Mom I've been thinking a lot about death.
Oh, April, that's not No, it's okay, I want to talk about it for a minute.
If I were to die tomorrow, you know what I would regret the most? What? Having this tension between us, or whatever it is.
I just - Can we go back to normal? - Honey, yes, of course.
Brenna.
She's here! Brenna's home! Yay.
Oh, good, everyone's finally home.
How about a little bridge before dinner? - Yes.
- Oh, mother Grandma, you know we suck.
Oh good.
I'll take all your money then.
Anyway, no one could be worse than this one.
So, Brenna, tell us everything.
How was your trip to Florida? It was informational, to say the least.
All right, ladies, enough chitchat.
I'm gonna kick some butt here.
I will keep score.
Funny? It's not funny, no.
You remember how to play this game? I remember how to play the game, mother, barely.
Four suits, does your mother know about the suits? I'm terrible.
It's really not that hard.