Everwood s01e21 Episode Script
Episode 20
We're late.
The call sounds in two minutes.
Well we wouldn't wanna miss the call.
Would we? Stay with me.
Brothers.
Oh my God.
Hey where are we? Istanbul? - It's a bit of felt and a tassel.
Get over it.
- What are we doing here again? - Jim Morris forced me to bring you.
- How? When Jim Morris Brotherhood of the Bighorn chapter president possessor of sole discretionary authority over appointments to the financial planning committee asks a favor you don't question it.
- Why does he want me? I mean there's so many other more worthy candidates.
I have no idea.
I don't really see you as fitting the Bighorn profile.
- Hurry up.
The pledge.
- The pledge? What is that? Horns.
As in "bighorn sheep.
" Our state animal.
I sure am glad you could join us tonight Andy.
And I'll tell you candidly I want your membership in the lodge.
Well I'm just so flattered that you would think of me as Bighorn material.
Lovely stables.
Very Poe.
Katie.
I didn't know you were in here.
You remember Dr.
Brown don't you at the recital? - Hi.
- Hi.
Better go inside.
I don't want you to catch cold.
- I just have to bring Maple in.
- All right.
- Okay.
Bye.
- Bye.
She's very beautiful.
And gifted too.
Ephram was envious of the way she played in the recital.
Yeah she's a great talent if she doesn't waste it.
- And rides too huh? - Oh yeah.
She's loved horses ever since she could talk.
I promised my daughter one when we moved here.
- I'm hoping she'll forget.
- Katie used to spend all her time here.
Now of course boys have come into the picture.
Well I'm not there yet.
- My daughter still thinks she is a boy.
- I'll tell you the amount of hate you can feel for these guys I didn't know that I had it in me.
Well they can't all be that bad.
Once upon a time we were those guys.
I wouldn't feel comfortable just telling anybody this but she took up with that piano teacher Matt.
You know how romantic a young girl is.
This guy broke her heart.
Well she's young.
I'm sure she's distraught but in time In time? This bastard he didn't just leave her.
He left her pregnant.
I had no idea.
I'm sorry.
I need your help Andy.
I need someone to take care of this quickly and quietly.
- Listen Joe I'm - You're outside the community.
You don't share these people's backwards idealism.
You're a pragmatist like myself.
And Kate's mother is not to be involved.
Can't be involved.
Her faith is very important to her.
This kind of thing would kill her.
This is between you and me.
Bring her into my office tomorrow.
I'll talk to her.
Thank you.
I really do hope you'll join.
The lodge.
Guys pancakes! The pancakes look like an ad.
- Your domesticity is starting to scare me.
- You and me both.
Delia? I can't do my braid.
Will you do it? Guys can't do it.
It's a genetic thing.
You gotta talk me through this.
- Divide into three parts.
- Three equal parts? Horizontally or vertically? Put the right over the center then the left over right.
The one that was right or the now-right one that used to be center? - I'll just do a ponytail.
- Just sit down and eat.
- Bus! - Sorry.
After school you have to buy a present for Arnie's birthday before you pick me up from Nina's.
I was doing so well.
Were you Were you using birth control? I wanted to get birth control pills but I didn't want my mom to find out.
Matt said it'd be all right so I thought it would be.
Have you talked to Matt at all? My dad never liked him.
And when he found out about us he did everything he could to get him to leave town.
And it worked.
So Matt doesn't know anything about this.
No.
He didn't leave me a number.
I don't know how to find him.
Your father told me that you want an abortion.
Is that what you've decided? Yeah I guess.
And your mother doesn't know? She would never understand.
Are you sure about that? When she found out about us she almost kicked me out of the house.
Stuff like this does not happen to her.
Well you're 18 Kate.
You're an adult.
You know you could have the baby and put it up for adoption.
There are thousands of couples who are desperate to have a child.
Or you could keep it.
In some instances when a girl is as young as you are the family will raise the child.
I know you have reservations about your mom but sometimes people can surprise us.
I have to do this.
Why? Because Matt's gone and he's not coming back.
I'm too young to have a baby.
And What? I always thought I always thought I was old for my age.
I don't wanna be this old.
How soon can I do this? I know this is very difficult for you Kate and you're being very brave.
I want you to take a couple of days - No.
and think about it.
I think it would help if you talk to someone.
I'm gonna give you a number to call.
I want you to talk to a counselor.
Beverly Getchell is her name.
She specializes in talking to young women like yourself about all kinds of issues.
And she's very kind.
What is that gonna help? This procedure can be traumatic emotionally.
You need to talk to someone who knows this stuff and can work through it with you okay? You know Kate whatever choice you make is gonna be the right one.
As long as it's your own.
Delia have you seen Sam? He's asleep behind the lawn chairs in the corner.
Well I guess there are more exciting ways to spend an afternoon.
I really appreciate your helping me.
Can I look through the junk jewelry box before I go home? Don't worry I haven't forgotten.
You can take any necklace you want.
- Even - Even the one with the big glass turtle.
- Finding anything good over there? - Just dust.
- Nina? - What is it? Hidden treasure? That girl's naked.
Well you've seen naked ladies in paintings before right? Artists have been painting women for hundreds of years.
Those are really big.
Did you ever hear of artistic license? - Is this magazine for artists? - No it's for men mostly because they like looking at women.
Why do they like looking at women? Because women's bodies are beautiful.
- They are? - Sure.
The way they curve like a flower stem or a musical instrument.
See here the way her back is like a violin? So men look at them to think about how beautiful they are? Yeah something like that.
To appreciate their natural loveliness.
- Do I have natural loveliness? - Yes.
But I'm not a woman.
I'm a girl.
Well girls have it too.
You're right.
This magazine's neat.
We can't throw it away.
We could put it in the hope chest with the keepsakes right? Right.
She's a flute and she's a guitar and she's a bongos.
- Oh God.
Are you talking to yourself? Ephram hey.
You know the spring formal coming up? - It's kind of hard to miss.
- Do you wanna go? - With you? - No dude.
I'm going with Jemma.
But she's got this cousin Sherri.
Her dad says she can't go unless Sherri goes.
- Sherri doesn't have a date.
- What's this Sherri like? She's cute.
You've never met her.
She's related to Jemma.
She's gotta be hot.
You're related to Amy.
You're not hot.
Besides if she's so cute why doesn't she have a date? I don't know.
- Is this like a test or something? - Why me? Because ever since that whole Colin thing l'm like a leopard with those guys.
"Leper" Bright.
Whatever.
Look you owe it to me okay? I took a punch for you.
All right but if I do this this is it right? Even-steven.
You can really increase the productivity in one of these things just by being thoughtful about your dish placement.
Thanks honey.
Oh I forgot.
Arnie's present.
- I'm gonna have - I found one myself at Nina's.
Well score another point for Super Neighbor.
- Will you help me wrap it? - Sure.
- Can I see what it is? - It's a surprise.
Well maybe I can guess what it is.
It is animal vegetable or mineral? - I don't know.
- Is it bigger than a breadbox? - You can see how big it is.
- Is it a puppy? Not a puppy.
- Is it an aardvark? - No.
- Lemming? - No.
- Texel? - No.
Hey Joe.
Everything okay? I send my daughter to you and you send her back to think about her decision.
Wait a minute.
Hold on a second.
There's a protocol to be followed here.
And what is that? Scaring the daylights out of a frightened young girl? No Kate has to be given time to consider all of her options.
What makes you think she's been doing anything other than considering her options? What do you imagine her options are? Matt? I tried to find him to get him to accept responsibility.
But he's long gone because he didn't care about her.
And she is terrified.
I took a risk sending her to you.
I can't afford for anybody to find out about this and neither can Katie.
We had an understanding.
Look I can appreciate how difficult this is for you.
No you can't! Not until you stand where I'm standing with your daughter destroyed by some predator! You told me you would do this.
No I didn't.
I said that I would talk to her.
This is a complicated decision and one that Kate's gonna have to live with the rest of her life.
I wanna make sure she's comfortable with it before we proceed down an irrevocable path.
The question isn't whether Katie is gonna do this thing.
The question is are you gonna help her or not? Can I get you anything Kate? No thanks.
I'm fine.
Dr.
Brown will be with you in a minute.
He doesn't have another patient in there.
He's just finishing up a call from a hospital out of state.
You guys still live out on Sawyer Road don't you? - Yeah.
- My first husband and I were out there once for an egg hunt your Grandma Mae had back in the day.
She was quite the entertainer.
I remember those egg hunts.
It seemed like every kid in the county was there.
Every year there'd be an egg left over.
And you'd find it like a week later and it smelled.
So did you come here straight from school today? No from home.
Did your dad drive you into town? You guys are quite a ways out there.
Yeah he dropped me off.
Will he be bringing you by tomorrow for your procedure? Mr.
Randolph's dropping me in his cab.
My dad has a meeting.
I'm supposed to go over to his office after.
Well it's good he works so close.
Hi Kate.
Come on in.
- Give me! - I don't got any! Everybody everybody! Presents! Come on.
A glider.
Thanks Bobby.
Sky Cooper! I'm jealous.
- I wanna get it now.
- Yeah.
- Interesting paper Delia.
- Thanks.
My dad helped me.
What's that? Arnie! - What? It's mine.
- Not anymore it's not.
- Ephram.
- Is Bright here? Yeah hold on a second.
Bright Ephram's here! - He should be down in a second.
- Okay.
Come in.
So you boys are going shopping? - Yeah something like that.
- Your piano recital was great.
I know you didn't want me to go but your dad said that You know you don't have to wait.
- Are you trying to get rid of me? - Yes.
You know Ephram I know that a lot of this is my fault and things with Colin are weird.
But given all the stuff that we've been through I thought things would be better than this.
Yeah me too.
But they're not so Check it out dude.
One-handed for easy access.
My suit pants got Velcro in them.
Hey kiddo.
Did you have fun? Sort of.
What were you thinking? You give my daughter for reasons completely inexplicable - Let me explain.
a copy of Penthouse and then you what? Tell her it'd make a great gift? - Could I explain? - Be my guest.
- I would love to hear this.
- I didn't give her anything.
She found it in the junk in my attic.
Even better.
You just happen to have porn around.
It's one of Carl's from a million years ago.
She asked me about it.
I told her it was nothing to be ashamed of.
Convenient for you since you were the one she caught with it.
- What am I supposed to do now? - I didn't tell her that for me.
Kids need to know it's okay to look at their bodies to think about it.
She doesn't need to think about that! - She's only 9 years old! - She asked me.
And you couldn't have deflected it in some way? She's young for her age.
She doesn't need to be dealing with this.
You mean growing up that kind of stuff? Okay all right.
Let's just agree to disagree okay? But please don't do that again.
You have a lot of nerve.
It's easy to tell me to just deflect her questions it's all you ever do.
Convenient? You leave her here all day and you never have to answer a damn thing.
And here you are judging me? But you'd never even think to thank me.
For making her the Larry Flynt of the fourth grade? For covering your ass! You think Delia's not ready for this? Guess again.
You're not.
You better find a way to deal with it because kids don't raise themselves.
- Doctor.
- Sorry to bother you this late.
It's as decent a time as any for you to bother me.
Rose and the kids are still out.
Come on in.
Have a seat.
I just made some popcorn.
I was watching the game.
I got a case I'd like your opinion about.
Got you stumped has it? Well ask away.
A young girl came to see me.
She's pregnant and she asked me if I'd perform an abortion.
I didn't know what to tell her so Tell her she needs to go to Denver to the clinic there and you give her that number.
- But she came to see me.
- Yes.
But you have no obligation to treat her.
Simply inform her that this is a procedure that you don't perform and you send her to where they do.
But this is her town and I'm her doctor.
Don't I - Don't we have a responsibility to - No.
No we do not.
There is a perfectly serviceable clinic in Denver.
But if every kid who finds himself in this predicament has to travel four hours to some anonymous sterile clinic isn't it likely some of them won't? That isn't your problem.
That's their parents'.
We're parents.
This procedure should be available to women It is.
In Denver.
Look Andy this is a small town.
People know what they believe.
Secrets are hard to keep.
Stay out of it.
Give the girl a number and a name and leave it at that.
This can't be the first time this happened.
Have you or your father Certainly not.
For the safety of your family take my advice: Doing this type of thing in this town could get a man killed.
- This girl came to me for help.
- And she will get help elsewhere.
You're probably wondering why I've gathered you here.
I thought that we should talk.
- You're mad about the magazine.
- No I'm not mad.
- You're not? - No.
I just wanted to explain to you why your gift didn't go over well at the birthday party and help you understand that certain things are best left in a private place or should have their own time and place if you're going to look at them.
Not that you should look at them or even that you shouldn't.
Just - Am I making a modicum of sense? - What's a modicum? Look sweetheart I understand why you wanted to look at the magazine.
Everybody's curious.
But people don't like it when you bring these things out into the public eye.
Why not? Because most people are embarrassed about the fact that they wanna look at them.
If everybody's curious then why are they embarrassed? Well people are embarrassed because these kinds of things are embarrassing.
I for instance am feeling a little bit embarrassed myself right now and perhaps you are too because we've been conditioned to respond that way to these kinds of stimuli.
Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Can I go watch Cinderella with Sam now? Sure.
Oh and Nina said to tell you you can't come.
I think my cousin really likes you.
What makes you think that? She likes you all right.
As a coat rack.
Well you know Sherri has always been like super friendly.
I need a drink.
- Hey Ephram.
- Hey.
Sorry.
- Thanks.
You look nice.
- Thank you.
So do you.
- Don't I look nice? - You look ravishing.
Your date's making out with somebody else.
- Don't be a jerk.
- It's been a pleasure.
Love to stick around for a punch in the jaw but I've got a date to be blown off by.
Let's dance.
- See your supplies arrived? - Yes.
Would you unpack it and set up in my exam room? I've got some reading to do.
I really appreciate it.
I've just been swamped.
Par for the course.
- Pardon? - It seems to be way things always go in this community.
Men make the mess women clean it up.
I beg your pardon? It's like this: See a man got that girl pregnant.
Then another man sends her in here tells a third man what's supposed to happen to her.
Now this box shows up you don't want anything to do with it.
- Strike you as ironic? - No it doesn't.
I have journals to catch up on.
I've been busy.
You got busy when this thing arrived just like Kate's dad got busy when she needed a ride to the doctor's office to get an abortion.
Suddenly he just couldn't seem to make time to give her a lift.
It's not like I'm blowing this girl off Edna.
- I did order the equipment.
- I ordered the equipment.
And I'm unpacking it.
And that's fine.
It's my job.
But let's not pretend I'm doing it for any other reason than the fact that it makes you sick to your stomach to even contemplate it.
This is just something men don't wanna get close to.
Who does? The difference is men have the luxury of walking away.
- Are you through? - Not by a long shot but I've got work to do.
You're right.
You're absolutely right.
- I've been stalling on this for three days.
- Why? - You've performed this procedure before.
- Only once.
Years ago while I was still in training.
You didn't have to you could opt out if your beliefs so compelled you.
But I didn't.
I've always believed that women have the right to choose.
Julia and I sat on a board together in New York.
She thought it was the most important thing a woman owned and I agreed with her.
Then about eight years ago I did a surgery in utero.
It was a spina bifida baby.
I was trying to prevent paralysis get the best-case scenario.
The mother wanted to carry to term.
It was a success.
And then it was a she.
A patient.
With a file a history and a name.
Emily.
Do you know that you can take a picture of a fetus that's 54 days old? All the organs are visible.
Not a person not able to live outside of the womb.
But a perfect possibility of a person.
Kate Morris has been pregnant for 62 days.
I don't know when life begins.
I don't even know if for a scientist that question is answerable.
But I do know when it ends.
And after this year after losing Julia I just don't think I can be the one to end it.
I can't help this girl.
Did you talk to Junior? Yes.
He advised me to send Kate to Denver.
Talk to him again.
Isn't that pathetic? Sherri has been going out with Eric forever like six months.
But since he got caught smoking pot in the girls' bathroom at St.
Sebastian's her parents won't let her see him.
So she totally went with Ephram as a Trojan horse.
I had no idea she was that smart.
- I'm gonna go talk to him.
- Why? Because he's all alone and the whole Sherri thing sucks.
- You gonna rescue him every time? - Every time what? He's my friend.
- I'm your boyfriend.
- Why are you being like this? I don't want you with some other guy whether out of pity or not.
If you were there alone everyone laughing at you I'd leave! The guy's a glutton for punishment.
- Whatever I'm going over there.
- Don't.
- Or what? - Or don't come back.
Are you serious? If you go over there Amy don't come back.
I can't believe you.
I'll get another ride home.
Is this seat taken? I'm afraid you can't sit here.
This is a very exclusive outcast table.
You have to have a special pass.
- I think I have one.
- Well there have been a lot of fakes going around.
- Who gave you yours? - Colin Hart.
Well you're probably okay then.
What are you doing? Proving a point I guess.
What kind of point? Something about I have no idea.
Since it appears the three people that weren't already laughing at me have now joined the mocking hordes do you think we could maybe prove this point on the dance floor instead? Well if it's not the last thing you'd expect it's pretty close.
Andy Brown left-wing reactionary picked a fine time to become a conservative.
Well I've always had great timing.
So it was my mother who told you to call me again? I guess she wanted you to lend me moral support while I sent this girl off to the clinic.
I see.
I'm not like you Harold.
I don't have religious beliefs to fall back on or any kind of moral stance.
I just have this feeling in my gut that this is beyond me.
Well it's an impossible dilemma.
No right answer.
My father lived through the times when women either couldn't get abortions or had to go out of state out of the country get some botched attempt try to do it themselves.
Oh he would tell me stories of women coming to him cut bruised infected traumatized sterile worse.
He said that every town had a secret life that there was someone in every community who people knew would help.
And in this town that person was my father.
So when I came here to join his practice he told me that it would be on one condition: That he never wanted those horrific things to happen to women again.
Not on his watch and not on mine.
But you were so adamant when I came to you.
I don't do this when I don't have to.
It's hard enough when I do.
And I'm terrified every time I think of what could happen to my kids and to my wife.
That's why I was trying to protect you.
Your children they only have one parent left.
Anyway l I felt sure that in the end you would do it commie pinko that you are.
Who would've thought? I have known a lot of good doctors in my life but Don't.
Don't.
Don't ascribe some altruistic grand political motives to me doctor.
I'm not that kind of man.
I made an oath.
Not to some political cause but to my father.
Have her come to my office tomorrow after business hours.
Before we go any further I have to ask you one last time Kate are you comfortable with your decision? This all happened so fast.
I found out and I was afraid to tell my dad and then I did and this avalanche started.
He told me that I had to do this and he made me come here.
There was all this pressure before I even had time to think about it.
I felt like someone was pushing me to do something I didn't wanna do.
And then you told me that I didn't have to do this.
That there were other choices.
So I started to think about the possibility of doing something else.
And that's when I realized this is the best thing for everyone.
This is the best thing for me.
Okay.
- Let's go then.
- Where are we going? Across the street.
So.
So.
- Are you going to apologize? - For what? You know what I'm talking about.
I've chosen you over Ephram about a thousand times Colin.
I've chosen you over everyone else.
There are all of these people in my life who I care about who I've just treated badly or stepped all over because all I cared about was you.
They stuck by me.
Ephram stuck by me.
He sent me to you when I was discouraged about us about you never remembering me or caring.
He told me to keep going.
You're right Colin.
I was wrong to be mad at you.
It's me I should be mad at.
For not being a better friend to Ephram because he hasn't just been a good friend to me he's been a good friend to us.
Kids in the other room? Watching a movie or something? Finishing Cinderella.
Where'd they leave off? The part where the wicked stepsisters make fools of themselves.
You were right about everything.
I shouldn't have yelled at you.
I'm sorry.
You knew I'd come back? To apologize? Yep.
I'm that predictable? Yeah pretty much.
I can't tell you what's been going on the last couple of days because it's work and it's confidential but it's made me think a lot about Delia.
She's growing up so fast.
It's not like I'm not here for it obviously but sometimes it just seems so confusing and out of control.
Welcome to parenthood.
And the amount I don't know about cooking and tying hair ribbons and everything else that happens in a family's daily life is nothing compared to what I don't know about helping a girl become a woman.
Well she's gonna do it with or without you and you're all she's got so the best you can do is better than the alternative.
- I guess.
- You know and she's She's got me too.
If you really wanna make it up to me l've got this vacancy in my porn collection Mom I'm home! Mom? Hey Mom when's dinner? Colin? Colin? Colin! Colin! Colin! Oh my God.
Colin.
Honey? Baby? Baby! - Hey.
- Hi.
How are you feeling? Okay.
The doctors and I thought maybe instead of waiting at your dad's office I could give you a ride home.
If you want.
- Okay.
- Good.
Here you take my coat.
It's cold out there and we wanna keep you warm.
- I'll take that.
- Thank you.
Are you okay? I don't know.
I don't think so.
Oh sweetheart here.
Come on let's get you home.
You're reading already? I thought maybe I could read you a story.
- I'm right at the good part.
- Oh I understand.
But you can read over my shoulder if you want.
That's okay if you're in the thick of it.
I just like it when we read together sometimes.
You know Delia lately I've been wishing that you had an older sister because you're coming to an age where there are so many things you're gonna want to know and I'm probably not the person you're gonna want to ask.
I know it's hard because sometimes you feel more comfortable telling things to a mom than you would feel telling them to a dad.
But I want you to try and tell me.
Okay? And I'll do my best to help you the way that Mom would have.
And who knows maybe it'll get easier for both of us.
You're doing okay Dad.
Except for the braids.
Good night sweetie.
I love you.
Wait Dad.
We could read this book.
We've read that a million times already.
But you've only read it to me.
What if I read it to you this time? "The unicorn lived in a lilac wood and she lived all alone.
She was very old though she did not know it.
And she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on the moonlit night.
But her eyes were still clear and unwearied.
And she still moved like a shadow on the sea.
" Bless me Father for I have sinned.
The call sounds in two minutes.
Well we wouldn't wanna miss the call.
Would we? Stay with me.
Brothers.
Oh my God.
Hey where are we? Istanbul? - It's a bit of felt and a tassel.
Get over it.
- What are we doing here again? - Jim Morris forced me to bring you.
- How? When Jim Morris Brotherhood of the Bighorn chapter president possessor of sole discretionary authority over appointments to the financial planning committee asks a favor you don't question it.
- Why does he want me? I mean there's so many other more worthy candidates.
I have no idea.
I don't really see you as fitting the Bighorn profile.
- Hurry up.
The pledge.
- The pledge? What is that? Horns.
As in "bighorn sheep.
" Our state animal.
I sure am glad you could join us tonight Andy.
And I'll tell you candidly I want your membership in the lodge.
Well I'm just so flattered that you would think of me as Bighorn material.
Lovely stables.
Very Poe.
Katie.
I didn't know you were in here.
You remember Dr.
Brown don't you at the recital? - Hi.
- Hi.
Better go inside.
I don't want you to catch cold.
- I just have to bring Maple in.
- All right.
- Okay.
Bye.
- Bye.
She's very beautiful.
And gifted too.
Ephram was envious of the way she played in the recital.
Yeah she's a great talent if she doesn't waste it.
- And rides too huh? - Oh yeah.
She's loved horses ever since she could talk.
I promised my daughter one when we moved here.
- I'm hoping she'll forget.
- Katie used to spend all her time here.
Now of course boys have come into the picture.
Well I'm not there yet.
- My daughter still thinks she is a boy.
- I'll tell you the amount of hate you can feel for these guys I didn't know that I had it in me.
Well they can't all be that bad.
Once upon a time we were those guys.
I wouldn't feel comfortable just telling anybody this but she took up with that piano teacher Matt.
You know how romantic a young girl is.
This guy broke her heart.
Well she's young.
I'm sure she's distraught but in time In time? This bastard he didn't just leave her.
He left her pregnant.
I had no idea.
I'm sorry.
I need your help Andy.
I need someone to take care of this quickly and quietly.
- Listen Joe I'm - You're outside the community.
You don't share these people's backwards idealism.
You're a pragmatist like myself.
And Kate's mother is not to be involved.
Can't be involved.
Her faith is very important to her.
This kind of thing would kill her.
This is between you and me.
Bring her into my office tomorrow.
I'll talk to her.
Thank you.
I really do hope you'll join.
The lodge.
Guys pancakes! The pancakes look like an ad.
- Your domesticity is starting to scare me.
- You and me both.
Delia? I can't do my braid.
Will you do it? Guys can't do it.
It's a genetic thing.
You gotta talk me through this.
- Divide into three parts.
- Three equal parts? Horizontally or vertically? Put the right over the center then the left over right.
The one that was right or the now-right one that used to be center? - I'll just do a ponytail.
- Just sit down and eat.
- Bus! - Sorry.
After school you have to buy a present for Arnie's birthday before you pick me up from Nina's.
I was doing so well.
Were you Were you using birth control? I wanted to get birth control pills but I didn't want my mom to find out.
Matt said it'd be all right so I thought it would be.
Have you talked to Matt at all? My dad never liked him.
And when he found out about us he did everything he could to get him to leave town.
And it worked.
So Matt doesn't know anything about this.
No.
He didn't leave me a number.
I don't know how to find him.
Your father told me that you want an abortion.
Is that what you've decided? Yeah I guess.
And your mother doesn't know? She would never understand.
Are you sure about that? When she found out about us she almost kicked me out of the house.
Stuff like this does not happen to her.
Well you're 18 Kate.
You're an adult.
You know you could have the baby and put it up for adoption.
There are thousands of couples who are desperate to have a child.
Or you could keep it.
In some instances when a girl is as young as you are the family will raise the child.
I know you have reservations about your mom but sometimes people can surprise us.
I have to do this.
Why? Because Matt's gone and he's not coming back.
I'm too young to have a baby.
And What? I always thought I always thought I was old for my age.
I don't wanna be this old.
How soon can I do this? I know this is very difficult for you Kate and you're being very brave.
I want you to take a couple of days - No.
and think about it.
I think it would help if you talk to someone.
I'm gonna give you a number to call.
I want you to talk to a counselor.
Beverly Getchell is her name.
She specializes in talking to young women like yourself about all kinds of issues.
And she's very kind.
What is that gonna help? This procedure can be traumatic emotionally.
You need to talk to someone who knows this stuff and can work through it with you okay? You know Kate whatever choice you make is gonna be the right one.
As long as it's your own.
Delia have you seen Sam? He's asleep behind the lawn chairs in the corner.
Well I guess there are more exciting ways to spend an afternoon.
I really appreciate your helping me.
Can I look through the junk jewelry box before I go home? Don't worry I haven't forgotten.
You can take any necklace you want.
- Even - Even the one with the big glass turtle.
- Finding anything good over there? - Just dust.
- Nina? - What is it? Hidden treasure? That girl's naked.
Well you've seen naked ladies in paintings before right? Artists have been painting women for hundreds of years.
Those are really big.
Did you ever hear of artistic license? - Is this magazine for artists? - No it's for men mostly because they like looking at women.
Why do they like looking at women? Because women's bodies are beautiful.
- They are? - Sure.
The way they curve like a flower stem or a musical instrument.
See here the way her back is like a violin? So men look at them to think about how beautiful they are? Yeah something like that.
To appreciate their natural loveliness.
- Do I have natural loveliness? - Yes.
But I'm not a woman.
I'm a girl.
Well girls have it too.
You're right.
This magazine's neat.
We can't throw it away.
We could put it in the hope chest with the keepsakes right? Right.
She's a flute and she's a guitar and she's a bongos.
- Oh God.
Are you talking to yourself? Ephram hey.
You know the spring formal coming up? - It's kind of hard to miss.
- Do you wanna go? - With you? - No dude.
I'm going with Jemma.
But she's got this cousin Sherri.
Her dad says she can't go unless Sherri goes.
- Sherri doesn't have a date.
- What's this Sherri like? She's cute.
You've never met her.
She's related to Jemma.
She's gotta be hot.
You're related to Amy.
You're not hot.
Besides if she's so cute why doesn't she have a date? I don't know.
- Is this like a test or something? - Why me? Because ever since that whole Colin thing l'm like a leopard with those guys.
"Leper" Bright.
Whatever.
Look you owe it to me okay? I took a punch for you.
All right but if I do this this is it right? Even-steven.
You can really increase the productivity in one of these things just by being thoughtful about your dish placement.
Thanks honey.
Oh I forgot.
Arnie's present.
- I'm gonna have - I found one myself at Nina's.
Well score another point for Super Neighbor.
- Will you help me wrap it? - Sure.
- Can I see what it is? - It's a surprise.
Well maybe I can guess what it is.
It is animal vegetable or mineral? - I don't know.
- Is it bigger than a breadbox? - You can see how big it is.
- Is it a puppy? Not a puppy.
- Is it an aardvark? - No.
- Lemming? - No.
- Texel? - No.
Hey Joe.
Everything okay? I send my daughter to you and you send her back to think about her decision.
Wait a minute.
Hold on a second.
There's a protocol to be followed here.
And what is that? Scaring the daylights out of a frightened young girl? No Kate has to be given time to consider all of her options.
What makes you think she's been doing anything other than considering her options? What do you imagine her options are? Matt? I tried to find him to get him to accept responsibility.
But he's long gone because he didn't care about her.
And she is terrified.
I took a risk sending her to you.
I can't afford for anybody to find out about this and neither can Katie.
We had an understanding.
Look I can appreciate how difficult this is for you.
No you can't! Not until you stand where I'm standing with your daughter destroyed by some predator! You told me you would do this.
No I didn't.
I said that I would talk to her.
This is a complicated decision and one that Kate's gonna have to live with the rest of her life.
I wanna make sure she's comfortable with it before we proceed down an irrevocable path.
The question isn't whether Katie is gonna do this thing.
The question is are you gonna help her or not? Can I get you anything Kate? No thanks.
I'm fine.
Dr.
Brown will be with you in a minute.
He doesn't have another patient in there.
He's just finishing up a call from a hospital out of state.
You guys still live out on Sawyer Road don't you? - Yeah.
- My first husband and I were out there once for an egg hunt your Grandma Mae had back in the day.
She was quite the entertainer.
I remember those egg hunts.
It seemed like every kid in the county was there.
Every year there'd be an egg left over.
And you'd find it like a week later and it smelled.
So did you come here straight from school today? No from home.
Did your dad drive you into town? You guys are quite a ways out there.
Yeah he dropped me off.
Will he be bringing you by tomorrow for your procedure? Mr.
Randolph's dropping me in his cab.
My dad has a meeting.
I'm supposed to go over to his office after.
Well it's good he works so close.
Hi Kate.
Come on in.
- Give me! - I don't got any! Everybody everybody! Presents! Come on.
A glider.
Thanks Bobby.
Sky Cooper! I'm jealous.
- I wanna get it now.
- Yeah.
- Interesting paper Delia.
- Thanks.
My dad helped me.
What's that? Arnie! - What? It's mine.
- Not anymore it's not.
- Ephram.
- Is Bright here? Yeah hold on a second.
Bright Ephram's here! - He should be down in a second.
- Okay.
Come in.
So you boys are going shopping? - Yeah something like that.
- Your piano recital was great.
I know you didn't want me to go but your dad said that You know you don't have to wait.
- Are you trying to get rid of me? - Yes.
You know Ephram I know that a lot of this is my fault and things with Colin are weird.
But given all the stuff that we've been through I thought things would be better than this.
Yeah me too.
But they're not so Check it out dude.
One-handed for easy access.
My suit pants got Velcro in them.
Hey kiddo.
Did you have fun? Sort of.
What were you thinking? You give my daughter for reasons completely inexplicable - Let me explain.
a copy of Penthouse and then you what? Tell her it'd make a great gift? - Could I explain? - Be my guest.
- I would love to hear this.
- I didn't give her anything.
She found it in the junk in my attic.
Even better.
You just happen to have porn around.
It's one of Carl's from a million years ago.
She asked me about it.
I told her it was nothing to be ashamed of.
Convenient for you since you were the one she caught with it.
- What am I supposed to do now? - I didn't tell her that for me.
Kids need to know it's okay to look at their bodies to think about it.
She doesn't need to think about that! - She's only 9 years old! - She asked me.
And you couldn't have deflected it in some way? She's young for her age.
She doesn't need to be dealing with this.
You mean growing up that kind of stuff? Okay all right.
Let's just agree to disagree okay? But please don't do that again.
You have a lot of nerve.
It's easy to tell me to just deflect her questions it's all you ever do.
Convenient? You leave her here all day and you never have to answer a damn thing.
And here you are judging me? But you'd never even think to thank me.
For making her the Larry Flynt of the fourth grade? For covering your ass! You think Delia's not ready for this? Guess again.
You're not.
You better find a way to deal with it because kids don't raise themselves.
- Doctor.
- Sorry to bother you this late.
It's as decent a time as any for you to bother me.
Rose and the kids are still out.
Come on in.
Have a seat.
I just made some popcorn.
I was watching the game.
I got a case I'd like your opinion about.
Got you stumped has it? Well ask away.
A young girl came to see me.
She's pregnant and she asked me if I'd perform an abortion.
I didn't know what to tell her so Tell her she needs to go to Denver to the clinic there and you give her that number.
- But she came to see me.
- Yes.
But you have no obligation to treat her.
Simply inform her that this is a procedure that you don't perform and you send her to where they do.
But this is her town and I'm her doctor.
Don't I - Don't we have a responsibility to - No.
No we do not.
There is a perfectly serviceable clinic in Denver.
But if every kid who finds himself in this predicament has to travel four hours to some anonymous sterile clinic isn't it likely some of them won't? That isn't your problem.
That's their parents'.
We're parents.
This procedure should be available to women It is.
In Denver.
Look Andy this is a small town.
People know what they believe.
Secrets are hard to keep.
Stay out of it.
Give the girl a number and a name and leave it at that.
This can't be the first time this happened.
Have you or your father Certainly not.
For the safety of your family take my advice: Doing this type of thing in this town could get a man killed.
- This girl came to me for help.
- And she will get help elsewhere.
You're probably wondering why I've gathered you here.
I thought that we should talk.
- You're mad about the magazine.
- No I'm not mad.
- You're not? - No.
I just wanted to explain to you why your gift didn't go over well at the birthday party and help you understand that certain things are best left in a private place or should have their own time and place if you're going to look at them.
Not that you should look at them or even that you shouldn't.
Just - Am I making a modicum of sense? - What's a modicum? Look sweetheart I understand why you wanted to look at the magazine.
Everybody's curious.
But people don't like it when you bring these things out into the public eye.
Why not? Because most people are embarrassed about the fact that they wanna look at them.
If everybody's curious then why are they embarrassed? Well people are embarrassed because these kinds of things are embarrassing.
I for instance am feeling a little bit embarrassed myself right now and perhaps you are too because we've been conditioned to respond that way to these kinds of stimuli.
Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Can I go watch Cinderella with Sam now? Sure.
Oh and Nina said to tell you you can't come.
I think my cousin really likes you.
What makes you think that? She likes you all right.
As a coat rack.
Well you know Sherri has always been like super friendly.
I need a drink.
- Hey Ephram.
- Hey.
Sorry.
- Thanks.
You look nice.
- Thank you.
So do you.
- Don't I look nice? - You look ravishing.
Your date's making out with somebody else.
- Don't be a jerk.
- It's been a pleasure.
Love to stick around for a punch in the jaw but I've got a date to be blown off by.
Let's dance.
- See your supplies arrived? - Yes.
Would you unpack it and set up in my exam room? I've got some reading to do.
I really appreciate it.
I've just been swamped.
Par for the course.
- Pardon? - It seems to be way things always go in this community.
Men make the mess women clean it up.
I beg your pardon? It's like this: See a man got that girl pregnant.
Then another man sends her in here tells a third man what's supposed to happen to her.
Now this box shows up you don't want anything to do with it.
- Strike you as ironic? - No it doesn't.
I have journals to catch up on.
I've been busy.
You got busy when this thing arrived just like Kate's dad got busy when she needed a ride to the doctor's office to get an abortion.
Suddenly he just couldn't seem to make time to give her a lift.
It's not like I'm blowing this girl off Edna.
- I did order the equipment.
- I ordered the equipment.
And I'm unpacking it.
And that's fine.
It's my job.
But let's not pretend I'm doing it for any other reason than the fact that it makes you sick to your stomach to even contemplate it.
This is just something men don't wanna get close to.
Who does? The difference is men have the luxury of walking away.
- Are you through? - Not by a long shot but I've got work to do.
You're right.
You're absolutely right.
- I've been stalling on this for three days.
- Why? - You've performed this procedure before.
- Only once.
Years ago while I was still in training.
You didn't have to you could opt out if your beliefs so compelled you.
But I didn't.
I've always believed that women have the right to choose.
Julia and I sat on a board together in New York.
She thought it was the most important thing a woman owned and I agreed with her.
Then about eight years ago I did a surgery in utero.
It was a spina bifida baby.
I was trying to prevent paralysis get the best-case scenario.
The mother wanted to carry to term.
It was a success.
And then it was a she.
A patient.
With a file a history and a name.
Emily.
Do you know that you can take a picture of a fetus that's 54 days old? All the organs are visible.
Not a person not able to live outside of the womb.
But a perfect possibility of a person.
Kate Morris has been pregnant for 62 days.
I don't know when life begins.
I don't even know if for a scientist that question is answerable.
But I do know when it ends.
And after this year after losing Julia I just don't think I can be the one to end it.
I can't help this girl.
Did you talk to Junior? Yes.
He advised me to send Kate to Denver.
Talk to him again.
Isn't that pathetic? Sherri has been going out with Eric forever like six months.
But since he got caught smoking pot in the girls' bathroom at St.
Sebastian's her parents won't let her see him.
So she totally went with Ephram as a Trojan horse.
I had no idea she was that smart.
- I'm gonna go talk to him.
- Why? Because he's all alone and the whole Sherri thing sucks.
- You gonna rescue him every time? - Every time what? He's my friend.
- I'm your boyfriend.
- Why are you being like this? I don't want you with some other guy whether out of pity or not.
If you were there alone everyone laughing at you I'd leave! The guy's a glutton for punishment.
- Whatever I'm going over there.
- Don't.
- Or what? - Or don't come back.
Are you serious? If you go over there Amy don't come back.
I can't believe you.
I'll get another ride home.
Is this seat taken? I'm afraid you can't sit here.
This is a very exclusive outcast table.
You have to have a special pass.
- I think I have one.
- Well there have been a lot of fakes going around.
- Who gave you yours? - Colin Hart.
Well you're probably okay then.
What are you doing? Proving a point I guess.
What kind of point? Something about I have no idea.
Since it appears the three people that weren't already laughing at me have now joined the mocking hordes do you think we could maybe prove this point on the dance floor instead? Well if it's not the last thing you'd expect it's pretty close.
Andy Brown left-wing reactionary picked a fine time to become a conservative.
Well I've always had great timing.
So it was my mother who told you to call me again? I guess she wanted you to lend me moral support while I sent this girl off to the clinic.
I see.
I'm not like you Harold.
I don't have religious beliefs to fall back on or any kind of moral stance.
I just have this feeling in my gut that this is beyond me.
Well it's an impossible dilemma.
No right answer.
My father lived through the times when women either couldn't get abortions or had to go out of state out of the country get some botched attempt try to do it themselves.
Oh he would tell me stories of women coming to him cut bruised infected traumatized sterile worse.
He said that every town had a secret life that there was someone in every community who people knew would help.
And in this town that person was my father.
So when I came here to join his practice he told me that it would be on one condition: That he never wanted those horrific things to happen to women again.
Not on his watch and not on mine.
But you were so adamant when I came to you.
I don't do this when I don't have to.
It's hard enough when I do.
And I'm terrified every time I think of what could happen to my kids and to my wife.
That's why I was trying to protect you.
Your children they only have one parent left.
Anyway l I felt sure that in the end you would do it commie pinko that you are.
Who would've thought? I have known a lot of good doctors in my life but Don't.
Don't.
Don't ascribe some altruistic grand political motives to me doctor.
I'm not that kind of man.
I made an oath.
Not to some political cause but to my father.
Have her come to my office tomorrow after business hours.
Before we go any further I have to ask you one last time Kate are you comfortable with your decision? This all happened so fast.
I found out and I was afraid to tell my dad and then I did and this avalanche started.
He told me that I had to do this and he made me come here.
There was all this pressure before I even had time to think about it.
I felt like someone was pushing me to do something I didn't wanna do.
And then you told me that I didn't have to do this.
That there were other choices.
So I started to think about the possibility of doing something else.
And that's when I realized this is the best thing for everyone.
This is the best thing for me.
Okay.
- Let's go then.
- Where are we going? Across the street.
So.
So.
- Are you going to apologize? - For what? You know what I'm talking about.
I've chosen you over Ephram about a thousand times Colin.
I've chosen you over everyone else.
There are all of these people in my life who I care about who I've just treated badly or stepped all over because all I cared about was you.
They stuck by me.
Ephram stuck by me.
He sent me to you when I was discouraged about us about you never remembering me or caring.
He told me to keep going.
You're right Colin.
I was wrong to be mad at you.
It's me I should be mad at.
For not being a better friend to Ephram because he hasn't just been a good friend to me he's been a good friend to us.
Kids in the other room? Watching a movie or something? Finishing Cinderella.
Where'd they leave off? The part where the wicked stepsisters make fools of themselves.
You were right about everything.
I shouldn't have yelled at you.
I'm sorry.
You knew I'd come back? To apologize? Yep.
I'm that predictable? Yeah pretty much.
I can't tell you what's been going on the last couple of days because it's work and it's confidential but it's made me think a lot about Delia.
She's growing up so fast.
It's not like I'm not here for it obviously but sometimes it just seems so confusing and out of control.
Welcome to parenthood.
And the amount I don't know about cooking and tying hair ribbons and everything else that happens in a family's daily life is nothing compared to what I don't know about helping a girl become a woman.
Well she's gonna do it with or without you and you're all she's got so the best you can do is better than the alternative.
- I guess.
- You know and she's She's got me too.
If you really wanna make it up to me l've got this vacancy in my porn collection Mom I'm home! Mom? Hey Mom when's dinner? Colin? Colin? Colin! Colin! Colin! Oh my God.
Colin.
Honey? Baby? Baby! - Hey.
- Hi.
How are you feeling? Okay.
The doctors and I thought maybe instead of waiting at your dad's office I could give you a ride home.
If you want.
- Okay.
- Good.
Here you take my coat.
It's cold out there and we wanna keep you warm.
- I'll take that.
- Thank you.
Are you okay? I don't know.
I don't think so.
Oh sweetheart here.
Come on let's get you home.
You're reading already? I thought maybe I could read you a story.
- I'm right at the good part.
- Oh I understand.
But you can read over my shoulder if you want.
That's okay if you're in the thick of it.
I just like it when we read together sometimes.
You know Delia lately I've been wishing that you had an older sister because you're coming to an age where there are so many things you're gonna want to know and I'm probably not the person you're gonna want to ask.
I know it's hard because sometimes you feel more comfortable telling things to a mom than you would feel telling them to a dad.
But I want you to try and tell me.
Okay? And I'll do my best to help you the way that Mom would have.
And who knows maybe it'll get easier for both of us.
You're doing okay Dad.
Except for the braids.
Good night sweetie.
I love you.
Wait Dad.
We could read this book.
We've read that a million times already.
But you've only read it to me.
What if I read it to you this time? "The unicorn lived in a lilac wood and she lived all alone.
She was very old though she did not know it.
And she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on the moonlit night.
But her eyes were still clear and unwearied.
And she still moved like a shadow on the sea.
" Bless me Father for I have sinned.