7th Heaven (1996–2007): Season 5, Episode 7 - Bye - full transcript

It's not easy.

If it were easy, there would be
no troubled teenagers.

But there are
troubled teenagers,

and unfortunately
yours is one of them.

Just admitting that helps,

but admitting it isn't enough--
I mean, you have to take action,

and more than that, you
have to take the right action,

and then you have to continue
to take the right action.

How do you know
if it's the right action?

It works.

And if it doesn't work,
you try again.



And again. Because
no matter how much experience

you have as a parent, and no
matter what all the books say,

no matter what
all the experts say,

sometimes, in spite of all
your informed decisions,

in spite of all
your best efforts

and all your love and support,

that kid that you love
will still continue

to go down the very path that
you know is leading to trouble.

Because that kid is a person,
and every person

has a certain amount
of free will.

Ar-Are you saying it's my job
to straighten this kid out?

Or are you saying it's her job
to be responsible for herself?

What I'm saying is...

you have to quit
talking to yourself



and go home and have dinner.

One, two, three, four...

What's for dinner?

Oh, just another chicken.

Is that okay?

Oh. "Just another
chicken" is perfect.

Are you still
depressed about Mary?

Yes. I am.

And if I don't figure out
where Mary got the money

to pay her bills, I'm
going to stay depressed.

I know. The more I cleaned
today, the nuttier I got.

I thought by now, the source of
Mary's money would be revealed,

so I just kept trying to let
it go until that revelation.

Unfortunately, the more I
tried, the nuttier I got.

I-I can't let it go.

Neither can I.

I have a feeling that...

wherever that money
came from will...

will give us some huge
insight about Mary.

Or I hope that,
but I hope I'm not

just, you know,
hoping against all hope.

I don't even know when
all of this started.

What's worrying me is
where it's all gonna end.

And yet, you know,

I'm tired of worrying.

I'm tired of being nuts.

I'm tired of
being depressed.

We should lift our
moods up, both of us.

Why don't I call the Hamiltons
and ask them over

for, you know,
coffee and dessert?

We could talk to them.
That always helps.

Yes. Talking will help.

Yup. As well as figuring out
where that money came from.

Can't let it go.

Ugh.
Mm!

Can't. Just can't.

Is Mary home?

No, she went out
at lunchtime.

She hasn't been back.

Where, where do you
think she goes?

I mean, she can't possibly be
looking for a job all the time.

You'll be happy to know
we changed movies today.

Yeah. Thrilled.

You need some help?

I didn't mean to stay
at the library so long.

I didn't realize
what time it was.

I'm just so anxious
to get my midterm done.

I thought you had another week?

I do have another week.

I just think I write better
when I let something sit

for a couple of days and then
go back for a final polish.

It's like when we
finish a house.

Me and my Habitat friends
just sit there in awe

that we've done it again.

The next day, we go back

and add a few things
that make it special.

I just want to do my best
work. It's my senior year.

Thank you.

I forgot to ask.

Is Mary home for dinner?

Oh, I haven't
heard from her yet.

Mom, I'm sure

she's just out there
looking for a job.

Yeah, you sure?

I hope. I hope she's just
out there looking for a job.

And not doing what?

I don't know.

And none of you know
where she got the money

to catch up with her bills?

The answer is still no.

She said someone owed
her a pay check.

And the new job at the
bookstore, what happened there?

It fell through, I guess.
I'm not sure.

I don't know where
she got the money,

but I'm pretty sure
she didn't rob a bank.

Only, pretty sure?

Dad, come on.

I just, you know,
find it strange

that, uh, she
hasn't tried to borrow

from "The Bank of Simon."

Well... she may have
approached me.

And?

And I didn't give her
any of my money.

What about you guys?

Did you loan your
big sister any money?

What was that?

Ruthie. Did Ruthie
loan her any money?

Dad, you'd have to ask Ruthie.

I'm asking you!

I'm sorry. I, uh, I'm just
worried about Mary.

We're all worried about Mary.

Hello.

Matt, it's Mom. How are you?

Uh, I'm fine. I was, uh,
just going out the door.

I've been calling you all week.

Well, I-I've been
working and studying,

an-and studying and working.

I'm on my way out to study now.

I won't keep you. I just want
to ask you a question.

Last week it looked like Mary
was behind with all her bills

and then suddenly she had cash.

Did you loan her any money?

Where would I get any money?

Well, you work.

Yes. I work to pay bills.

And I pay my bills.

Do you think Simon
loaned her the money?

Simon says he didn't
loan her the money.

Where could she
have gotten it?

Could she be
telling the truth?

Could someone have owed
her a check from work?

I doubt it. I've already asked
her former employers,

and... no one owed her money.

Well, it's not Matt.
It's not Lucy.

Or Simon. You don't think

she hit your dad up
for money, do you?

Hello?

Dad, are you okay?

I don't know. I forget.

What?!

Just a little Alzheimer's joke.

Honey, I'm fine.

I just jogged a couple of miles.

Really?

Yes, really.

How are you?

I'm fine.

You don't sound fine.

I can hear it in your voice.

Is everything okay
with Eric and the kids?

Uh...

It's Mary, isn't it?

It seems like she suddenly
came into some money--

not a lot of money, but enough
money to pay her bills,

and I was just wondering
if you... loaned her any money.

Not that I can remember.

Dad, I'm serious.

Ginger is controlling
all the finances.

So, don't you worry about
my doing anything crazy

like bailing Mary,
Mary, quite contrary

out of whatever debt she's in.

You know I'd love to help
her, but... not like that.

Thanks, Dad.

Let me know if there's anyth...

Well, it wasn't him.

You do realize
you hung up on him?

Oh, no, I told
you I'm nuts.

Hello.

Dad, I'm sorry I hung up on you.

Who is this?

Dad, it's me. It's Annie.

I just talked to you.

Did you?

Dad, yes!

I know. I know.

I just couldn't resist.

If you're going
to have a diagnosis,

you might as well
use it for something.

Good-bye. I love you.

Good-bye.

Love you.

I called my Dad, too.

She hit him up for money
while he was here,

but he didn't give it to her.

You don't think her little
buddies, Frankie or Johnnie,

gave it to her, do you?

Nah, they can't afford it.

You know what pot
costs these days?

What about John?

That's good.

Hello?

I thought you were
going to the library?

Uh, I-I am.

Did you call to check?

No. I want to talk to John.

Well, he's not home, but I'll

be happy to tell him
that my mother called.

What?

Do you think he could
have loaned Mary the money?

No.

Are you sure?

Look, I-I'm sure

John wouldn't do that.

Well, could you just
ask him anyway?

I will ask him anyway...

...when he gets home.

It wasn't John.

Heather. Maybe it was Heather.

No, I talked to her at class.

She hasn't even heard from Mary.

I want to confess.

I loaned Mary the money.

I gave her $20
and she paid me back.

Mary needed more than $20,

and she would have gone
to Ruthie last, not first.

Which means she did
hit up the other kids.

I did it.
Satisfied?

Good job, but this isn't
gonna hold them for long.

They're gonna keep digging
until they find out.

We were all
stupid to think

we could get
away with this.
Calm down.

They're not gonna find out.

Have you noticed anything
missing from the house?

No.

And I think it's totally creepy

to think that she might steal
something from the house.

On the other hand,
you know,

it's nice to think
that we have

anything that's
worth any money.

Aha.

How about Hank and Julie?

Maybe they loaned her money.

Hello?

Hi, uh, Julie. It's
Annie. How are you?

Oh, I'm fine. Good
to hear from you.

How's Hank?

Oh, Hank is fine.

Just getting ready
to have dinner.

It's Annie.

Hank says hello.

No, I didn't.

Um, Erica?

Oh, the baby's fine.

Did you guys loan
Mary any money?

No. No. No, we didn't.

What didn't we do?

We didn't loan Mary any money.

No.

No.

They didn't.
I didn't think they did.

Annie?

Did we get cut off?

No, no, um...

you haven't noticed
anything valuable

missing from your house,
have you?

No, we haven't.

She hung up again?

Are we missing anything
valuable?

The only thing we have of value
is our daughter.

And I can hear her breathing.

Let's eat.

Has it really
come to this?

Interrogating family
and friends to find out

where our daughter
is getting money?

I tell you it's making me
nuttier than a fruitcake.

Robbie.

He works, he has a job.
He has money.

He loaned her the money.

I don't think so.

Why don't you think so?

Well, I paid him a visit

and he's back with
his old girlfriend

and as Robbie says,
"You've seen my girlfriend.

I want to live."

But he lies.

We know he lies.

Yeah, I hate to say it,

but I think
he's telling the truth.

And I think that it's our
lovely bunch of coconuts,

here, who are lying.

All of them.

Matt, Lucy, Simon, Ruthie...

Sam and David would jump in
if they could.

You think they're all lying,
all of them?

Yes, I do.

But Ruthie just ran in here
and confessed.

That was a smoke screen.

That's what that was.

You're right,
they're onto us.

We've only got 24 hours
to get the money back

in the banks.
Mom always puts it in

on the same day every month.

We have to move quickly.

You really think
they're that devious?

I think they're
that protective.

And they love Mary.

They don't want to see
her in any trouble.

I love Mary, too.
As do I.

We don't want to see her
in any trouble.

But, truth is,
she is in trouble.

And we have to do something
about it.

The question is what
are we going to do?

And how soon
are we going to do it?

Thanks for coming over.

Sorry we never got
together this summer.

We kept meaning to...

Hey, hey, we were busy
all summer, too.

So good to see you guys.

You, too.
How are the kids?

Well, Lynn's
doing great.

She's practically
a grown woman.

She's the easiest
kid we have.

Ruthie?

Oh, she's not easy,

but she's doing well
in school.

We just transferred her
to Eleanor Roosevelt.

Yeah, she seems

to really love school and
she's challenged by it, so...

It is such a joy
when a kid loves to learn.

Keisha, she's taking courses
at a junior college

while she's finishing up
her requirements

for senior year of high school.

Oh, well, Lucy is determined

to make her senior year
the best year ever.

Yeah, she and a friend are, um,

they're doing like
a buddy system

for applying to colleges early.

She did well on her SATs.

She's got an excellent
grade point average.

And John?

Well, sending him away

to college that first year

was the best thing
we ever did.

Well, no, we didn't
send him away,

he maneuvered
that one on his own.

Yeah, yeah, and he
slipped up on his own, too.

But he came back
with a vengeance.

He made up his mind

he wasn't going to fail again
and he hasn't.

He's been good for Matt.

And we're not really sure
that Matt

will actually
get into med school,

but we love
that he's taking up

the challenge.
And he finally
has a goal.

And a job that he's held
for more than a year.

Who would have thought?

How's Nigel?

Fine.
He's fine.

And Mary?

Oh.

Yeah, she's...

Well, you know...
Yeah.

She's...

Mary.

Hello?

Matt?

Luce?

Why did you answer the phone
like that?

No, I keep forgetting
and picking up the phone

and every time I do, it's Mom.

What's going on
and why haven't you called me?

You know I couldn't call there.

You could if you use
your girly voice.

Really?

Really.

No.

This is the first opportunity
I've had.

Mom and Dad are downstairs
with the Hamiltons.

Why are they with the Hamiltons?

I don't know,

but they never have company
on a school night.

Mom made a cake, a chocolate
cake, on a Monday night.

Whatever they called them for,
it's something big.

Where's Mary?

That's the million-dollar
question.

No one knows where she is.

No one ever knows where she is.

And whenever she comes home,

she just claims that she's been
out looking for a job.

I thought she'd have a job
by now.

In fact, I thought
she'd have a paycheck by now,

and I thought she would have
put the money back

in the baby banks by now.

At least some of it.

Look, I think they're onto us.

I don't think they know
where we got the money,

but I think they're onto us.

And we have to get some cash
into those piggy banks

and we have to do it ASAP.

Look, I don't have any cash

and I'm in the middle
of studying for a test.

I don't have time for this.

I don't have time
for this either.

I have a paper to write!

I don't know why
we're yelling at each other

when we should
be yelling at Mary.

We can't yell at Mary.

We can't find her.

Right.

One.

You're going to
see that again?

Yeah, it was funny.

Do you have a problem with that?

No, I was just thinking that if
you're planning to see this one

every day this week
like the last one,

you might want to give yourself
24 hours between screenings.

Just give me the ticket.

I can't.
It's five bucks.

But I just saw it for a buck.

Yeah, that's the day rate.

At night, it's five bucks.

If it's already started,
I'm going to want a refund.

I'll just put some coffee on

and then we can take
a peek at the boys.

I hate I've been so busy

I haven't spent any
time with those boys.

Doesn't it seem like time
speeds up as you get older?

I'm so sorry Mary's
giving you such a hard time.

Eh.

Oh, honey.

Well, it helps to talk about it.

I feel better.
I really do.

I'm sure you don't want
to hear this,

but you know it's the truth.

You shouldn't wait
to do something.

Do it now.

I know, I've said it
to parents myself.

But when it comes to my own
kids, it's just so hard to act

because it's so unbelievable.

My girl who excelled

in school for 12 years and
was a champion basketball player

is falling completely apart.

She may be coming undone,
but she's not undone yet.

Where could she have
gotten that money?

I have no idea.

Oh...

Ooh.

Eric!

Oops.

Think I just found out
where Mary got the money.

You know what, we're going
to let ourselves out.

This has nothing to do
with Mary.

I've been taking money
out of their banks

for practically
their whole lives.

Go on, we're listening.

I was just filling the bank up
with rice,

so you wouldn't notice
it was empty.

And so is the other one.

I'll pay them back, I promise.

You stole $500 from your
own brothers, from babies?

I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry.

Punish me any way you want.

And just what did you do
with the money?

Uh...

I bought a horse.

What's going on?

What does it look like?

You're ten-year-old sister
is lying about stealing money,

so the four of you
can cover up for Mary.

Is that it?

Is that the truth?!

No, you're wrong.
I took it.

I'm very bad.

I'm a very bad girl.

No, you're not, Ruthie.

I'm a very bad big brother
for letting this happen.

Mary asked us all for money.

No one had as much
as she needed,

so we took it
from Sam and David's banks.

Gave it to her.

She was supposed to
get a job this week

and start paying it back.

She's broke.

They were going to take her car.

They cancelled her insurance.
And we felt sorry for her.

Go downstairs and take a
seat in the living room.

We'll be down in a minute.

This is pathetic...

really pathetic.

What are we going to do?

We're going to talk
to our children.

We're going to ask them what
they know and how they feel.

And then we're all going to

confront Mary
when she comes home.

And then?

I don't know,

but I have an idea.

I think I heard a car.

Why is everyone
in the living room?

We're waiting on you.

Sit down. We all have something
to say to you.

And what if I don't
want to sit down?

What is this?

One of your creepy
interventions?

No.

Nope,

it's not an intervention.

In fact, we may be inventing
something new here.

It's kind of a "prevention."

We just want you to hear
what we have to say.

No, I'm going to my room.
Mary, if you go to your room,
we're all going to your room.

Because we all feel
you're too close

to getting into real trouble
here, not to hear us out.

We're your family.

We love you.

Look, if this is
about the money...

Sit down.

I was taught that life
was a school.

And some lessons are
harder than others.

What I've learned over
this past year

is that you aren't as strong
and determined to succeed

at this school of
life as I thought.

And so, I haven't given
you as much help as I
now realize you need.

I talked to the manager
of the Pool Hall.

You must have
known I would.

He told me that you quit.

He told me that you
were consistently late,

had a bad attitude

and were on the phone too much,
so he had to let you go.

I talked to Pete
at Pete's Pizza.

You told me business fell off
and he had to let you go.

He told me...

that he let you go
because he knew

you were hanging out after work
with Frankie and Johnnie,

drinking beer with them.

He was afraid they were
a bad influence on you

and he was worried

about your drinking
and then driving home.

Oh, please.

I talked to
Sergeant Michaels.

He told me that you
were pulled over

for not stopping at a stop sign.

And he said that the officer

who issued you
that warning ticket...

was worried
that you'd been drinking.

He was afraid that he hadn't
done you any favor.

I'm afraid he didn't do
you any favor either.

None of us has.

We just kept looking
the other way

because I don't think we wanted
to see the truth.

And the truth
is, Mary, that

we just
love you so much.

You're a wonderful,
young woman,

and you have a lot
to offer to the world.

You're really special.

You're really kind.

And I love the way
you just love life.

But, again, life has
some hard lessons to learn.

And I think
I'd rather confront you tonight

then continue to let you learn
those lessons on your own.

Now, I know that you know
your two new friends,

Frankie and Johnnie
smoke pot and drink.

And that they're irresponsible.

Do you also know
that he hits her?

They have
serious problems.

And we don't want
their serious problems

to become your serious problems.

I'm sure you haven't forgotten
that you're still on probation.

If you get arrested
for drunk driving

or possession of marijuana,

you could go to jail.

I can't let you go
to jail, Mary.

I can't, especially not

because you're just mixed up

about what you want
to do in life.

You know, I thought
if we gave you some time

to figure that out,
maybe you would, but...

I'm afraid time's up.

I think in trying
to find yourself,

you've actually
lost yourself.

You're not the first person
that's had that happen,

but before you get too lost
and confused, we want to help.

I was hoping that you
would ask for our help,

but maybe that's just too hard
for you to do right now.

You must know how much
I love you Mary, I really do.

I love you.

I'm, I'm sorry I haven't
been around much.

You're important to me.

What happens to you
is important to me.

What happens to you is important
to everyone in the family.

But I've been
watching you,

and I really haven't been
interested in being a part

of what's going on in your life.

So, I've pretty much avoided you

and maybe I should have
cornered you

and given you my take on what
you're doing a lot sooner.

I see so many young
women who are losers.

Mostly in the emergency rooms

or checking in to the drug
rehab at the hospital.

I don't want you to be a loser.

It's too easy
to be the bad girl.

You're better than that.

I know I'm
not perfect.

I know I don't have
all the answers,

but I can tell you this.

The most powerful thing
I ever did for myself,

was to make up my mind to become
a responsible person.

And I still haven't built up
to being responsible

24 hours a day,
but I'm getting better at it.

And I'm hoping sharing
this with you

will help you to just make up
your mind

to become a responsible person.

If you can't do
it for yourself,

maybe you could consider
the rest of us,

and how much we need you
to be responsible.

Whatever you do affects us all.

I know you know that,
yet you act like you don't care.

All of us have
to strive to be the
best we can be.

Not because anything less
is unacceptable,

but because anything less
is pure misery.

I can see you're miserable.

You are.

This is not the best you can be.
You can do better.

I want you to do better.

I'll do anything I can
to help you do better.

You just have
to make up your mind

that's what you want to do,
and I'm there for you.

We all are.

We love you.

I love you.

I love you, too.

This is hard.

I want to do this...

You're my big sister.

And I look up to you...

or I did.

You've always been better
at school than I am.

You've always been better
at everything than I am.

And that at times
has made me feel inferior.

Yet most of the time it's given
me something to work toward,

because I wanted to be like you.

But I don't want to be
like you anymore.

And I can only
say that

because I know that you
don't want to be like you.

You don't want to get fired
from one bad job after another.

You don't want to lie to Mom
and Dad and the rest of us.

You don't want to have
bill collectors

calling trying to find you.

That's not you.

You're that tall, beautiful,
smart woman

with a basketball in her hands
and a brain in her head.

I know you don't play
basketball anymore,
but maybe you could.

Or maybe you could
play some other sport.

Because it seems that
when the team went down,

you went down with it.

Basketball has always
been your identity.

And maybe having
the team fall apart

may have caused you to lose
your identity for a while,

but come on,
you're more

than a former high school
basketball player.

You're an athlete.

And that's an identity
you can use your whole life.

You need to compete.
You need to be physical.

You... you need the discipline
of training.

You thrive on all that stuff.

No one's locking you out of
every sport in the community.

You have to get back out there,

and I'm willing to help you
in any way that I can.

But I think this is something
you have to do on your own.

You can do it.

You've come from behind
to win before.

And you still got what
it takes to be a winner,

ifthat's what you want, I mean.

Okay, I think that's
all I wanted to say.

Wait...

I did say I love you, didn't I?

I know I'm known as
"The Bank of Simon"

and you all laugh at that,
but...

...here's what
I like about money.

It tells you right
who you are in numbers.

Not words that can hurt your
feelings or make you mad.

Numbers are
undisputed facts.

And the fact is,
your numbers say trouble.

It's simple, you don't make
as much as you spend,

and you don't make enough
to meet your obligations.

You'd see that if you looked
at the numbers.

But I know you don't
like to do that.

But you have to.

I can help you
set up a budget

and a payment schedule,
if you want.

But even if you don't want,
take my advice--

don't spend anything else
until you pay off your debt,

and then don't get
into debt again.

And the first thing you have to
pay off is your personal debt.

The money you owe Sam and David.

Now, I know a lot
of people would put
that off till last,

and maybe a
professional
finance guy

would tell you to pay your
institutional lenders first,

but I'm your brother,
and I'm telling you that morally

the right thing to do
is to pay people first,

especially relatives.

And when you see that
little column of debt marks

for Sam and David reaches
a zero balance,

that zero is going to
say right who you are.

Just like I said, it's going to
say that you, Mary Camden,

care more about your family
than anything else.

It's going to say that you keep
your promises to your family

more than anyone else.

And when you start seeing the
rest of those little columns

of debt go down week after week,

the pages are going to tell
the facts of your debt recovery.

It's a beautiful thing.

And I want you to have
a beautiful thing,

because I love you.

I must be at the wrong meeting.

I don't know where

all this chummy advice
and gushy stuff is coming from,

because I thought we were
all suppose to tell you

how mad we are.
'cause I'm mad, really mad.

You're selfish.

You don't care anything
about the rest of us.

So, I don't know why

we're all supposed to care
so much about you.

You act like you're the center
of the entire Camden universe.

I'm tired of eating
a cold dinner every night,

because we're all hoping you'll
come home and eat with us.

I'm tired of you waking me up
every night

when you clump up those stairs.

I'm tired of Mom and Dad
fighting about you.

I'm tired of covering for you,

and I'm not doing it anymore.

You made me lie to Mom and Dad.

You never came home to have
pizza with me like you promised.

All you care about is you.

Matt... Lucy, Simon,

would you go upstairs
with Ruthie?

I can't take much more of this.

Yeah. That's exactly
how your father and I feel.

Look, I get it, all right?

I'll do better.

No, Mary. I don't
think you do get it.

See, that was
the portion of the
program I would rate

"G" for General Audiences.

Now we're moving on
to the adult stuff

that your mother and I want
to talk about with you alone.

I searched your room.
Found this.

Okay, so you found a joint.

But it hasn't been lit.
I haven't smoked any of it.

But why else would you have it,
except to smoke it?

And where did you get it?

From Frankie and Johnnie?

You're not supposed
to be hanging out

with Frankie and Johnnie.

And how long have you had it?

Too many questions
too fast?

Can't think of a lie?

How about Frankie must
have borrowed your jacket

and left it in there?

Oh, but then life
gets so complicated

when you don't tell the truth.

I can't believe
you searched my room!

What, are you Communists?

I have rights, you know.

I guess I just can't
explain this often enough.

A right is something that can
never be taken away from you.

For example, you
have the right
to be indignant now,

and I can't
take that away.

But privacy?
Well, privacy is a privilege

when you live with your parents.

And privileges get taken away.

Now, we knew
you were headed for trouble,

but we had no idea that
you were this far down the road.

I'm not in trouble.

It depends on your definition
of trouble, I suppose.

When Hank and Julie told us
about your babysitting fiasco,

they told us you had your
friend's baby at their house,

and there was a beer
sitting on the table.

I don't know. That
sounds like trouble.

I think having
a joint is trouble.

Have you tried
smoking marijuana?

Well, even if I did,

what is so wrong
with just experimenting?

I mean,
what's the harm

in just trying it?

Everyone is going
to try it sometime.

First of all, not everyone.

For example, not me.

Secondly,

let me see if I can answer
the "What's the harm?" question.

I suppose, for some people,

nothing ever comes from the fact
that they tried smoking pot.

But, for other people,

plenty comes from the fact
that they tried smoking pot.

Lifelong,
illegal habit.

The need to try
other harder drugs.

Addiction to those drugs.

Arrest, conviction, jail time--
those kinds of things.

The question really is, to
which people do you belong?

There's no way of knowing.

But experimenting to find out?

That's quite a risk,
don't you think?

I think it is.

Especially for someone
who's on probation.

Mary,

we've given this
a lot of thought.

We see that you don't know
what to do for yourself.

And we're
not surprised.

It took us a long time to come
up with a plan ourselves.

A plan?

I know that the Colonel offered
to help you,

and you turned him down.

We have decided to accept.

What are you talking about?

We're talking about winter
in Buffalo.

That's what we're talking about.

Your grandparents are finding
that George's real father

is taking up a lot of his time,

and they now have enough
free time to focus on you.

What?
I don't know if
you've noticed lately,

but you have six brothers
and sisters.

You've gotten more
than our fair share

of attention and energy.

We have to do
what's best for everyone.

So what is best for everybody

is to ship me off to Siberia
to live with old people?!

Yep. That's basically it.

You'll live
with your grandparents.

George will move
into the guesthouse

with his dad for the time being.

You'll work at the
Community Center
for the Homeless,

with your first couple
of paychecks

going to Sam and David.

Then, starting in January,

you and Grandma Ruth
will take a course together

at the community college there.

Okay, what are my other choices?

You don't have
any other choices.

We're taking you to the airport.

You're catching the red-eye
to New York tonight.

What about my car?

As of today,
the car is in my name.

We'll keep making the payments

until we decide
to do something else.

And what am I going to drive
in Buffalo?

Well, that is the least
of my worries.

Once he feels
he can trust you,

I'm sure the Colonel
will make you a deal

on driving his Impala.

It's a classic.

Yeah, and what if I say no?

What if I don't want to do this?

What if I am not going
to do this?

You tell us. I mean,
you come up with a better plan

before it's time to leave
for the airport,

and we'll consider it.

I put two suitcases
in your room.

We're pulling out
of the driveway at 9:00.

I thought I told you
to stay out of here.

Look, I'm going to
be out soon enough,

and then you can
have the whole
place to yourself.

Please don't leave like this.

How did you think
I was going to leave?

I am being sent off

to live with the Colonel
and Grandma Ruth in Buffalo!

You know what
Buffalo is like!

And you know
what they're like!

What made you think I was going
to be happy. Huh? What?

I didn't know anything about it,
okay?

And maybe Mom and Dad
are more concerned

with your safety
than your happiness.

Get out!

Is that how you're going
to say good-bye?

Yeah. Yeah, this is how
I'm going to say good-bye.

And you can tell the rest
of them to stay out of here

because I don't want
to talk to any of you!

Mary's really,
really angry at us.

I know, and I don't care.

I'd rather have an angry kid
than a dead kid.

Just tell me that
we're doing the
right thing again.

We're doing the right thing.

She needs to be somewhere safe.

She'll be somewhere safe.

The Colonel and Ruth
can provide a safe environment.

And we can't?

Evidently, we live close
to her new friends.

And her friends work
in our community.

So, it's not that safe
around here.

Besides,
sometimes it's easier

to start fresh in a new place.

And it's not really Siberia.

You know, and they have
a beautiful home

with a security system.

George's dad was in the CIA,

so he's probably much better
at espionage than we are.

She loved going there as a kid.

But should we really push our
problems off on someone else?

Shouldn't we try
to do this ourselves?
Do what?

What are we going to try
that we haven't already tried?

I don't know,
but there must be something.

Maybe, but...
I feel like a surgeon

who's been asked to invent
a lifesaving surgery

for his own daughter.

You know, it's best

if someone more objective
gives it a shot.

My dad
is really great

at working
with undisciplined kids

who need a stern, loving force
in their lives.

Despite the fact that Mary
is his own granddaughter,

believe me,
he can be a lot more objective

than either one of us.

I know, I just needed to hear
you say all of this again,

and you may have to
say it one more time

as we drive away
from the airport.

I'll say it as many times
as you need to hear it.

I really do think
that this is the best thing

for Mary and for our family
right now.

And I feel
very fortunate

that my parents
are willing to
do this, you know?

Mom feels it'll be good
for them, too.

They've been kind of weaning
themselves off George

because George and his dad
are doing so well.

And the Colonel and Ruth
are feeling

a little less needed right now.

Well, they won't be feeling
that way for long.

I'll meet you
at the car!

Mary wouldn't just leave
without saying good-bye

to her brothers and sisters,
would she?

Don't be surprised
if she gets on the plane

without even saying good-bye
to us.

I hate this.

I have to say I don't.

I feel relieved
that we're doing something.

And it's the right thing, Annie.

Now, in my heart of hearts,
I know this is the right thing.

Then I'm with you.

Okay.

Let's go.

She's a real piece of work.

I can't believe
she didn't say good-bye.

We should be back
in about an hour.

Ruthie, you
should go to bed.

I'll come in
and check on you

when we get home.

Good luck.

Yeah. Good luck.

I'll stick around
until you get back.

Okay.
Thanks.

A real piece of work.

It feels so weird.

It's like there's this
big empty space in the house,

and she's not
even gone yet.

She might not
have said good-bye,
but she's gone.

It's hard to believe.

It's sad.

Really sad.

Who wants cake?

You were right.

I didn't know how to get
myself out of trouble.

I actually tried
praying for some way

to get out of the
mess I was in.

If this is the
answer to my prayers,

then I'm never praying
about anything again.

Final boarding call
for flight 1326,

departing for Buffalo
at Gate 10.

Don't blame your father.

He didn't do this alone.
I did it, too.'

Forget it. I know
it was his idea.

It's time to go.

I love you.

Just remember what
you always said.

It's better to have
an angry kid than a dead kid.

This is the right thing to do.

And I know you know,
in your heart of hearts,

this is the right thing to do.