Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010): Season 1, Episode 7 - Hope and Mercy - full transcript

(BELL TOLLING)

MELINDA: My name
is Melinda Gordon.

(CAMERA CLICKING) I just got
married, just moved to a small town,

just opened up an antique shop.

I might be just like you.

Except from the time
that I was a little girl,

I knew that I could
talk to the dead.

GRANDMA: It's all right, honey.

Earthbound spirits, my
grandmother called them,

the ones who have
not crossed over

because they have unfinished
business with the living.



And they come to me for help.

To tell you my story, I
have to tell you theirs.

(GASPING)

(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)

(SIREN WAILING)

JIM: Guys, can
you give us a hand?

MAN: You got it, Jim.

BOTH: One, two, three. Go.

Bobby, I'll be right
back. BOBBY: Okay.

(SIREN WAILING)

En route with a 25
to 30 year-old male.

John Doe. Victim of
a motorcycle accident.

Arrived on scene and
found the following.

Obvious right femur fracture.



No deformity. Puncture
from the broken bone.

Distinguishing marks,

tattooed from head to toe.

Bobby, what's our
ETA? We're 15 out.

ETA 15 minutes.

(TIRE BLOWING)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

BOBBY: Jim?

FEMALE OPERATOR: 911 operator.

My name is Brad Paulson.
I'm on Forest Road,

about 2 miles north
of Stoneybrook.

I just witnessed an accident.

Jimmy?

Are you injured? What? No, no.

There's an ambulance
upside down in a ditch.

I don't know how
bad anybody's hurt.

Stay put. We'll send EMT as soon as
possible. BOBBY: Jim? Come on, Jim.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

MELINDA: Hello? WOMAN:
Melinda Gordon, please.

Yes? This is Mercy Hospital.

Your husband's
been in an accident

and we need you to come
down as soon as possible.

Do you know where we're located?

(TIRES SCREECHING)

MELINDA: Jim.

Okay. Thanks.

Okay. Ready? Cinnamon.

MELINDA: Oh! Oh, wow.

I'm sorry. That's fine.

Would you hold?

Oh. Sorry. JIM: Sorry.

(LAUGHING)

More?

(CAR HORN BLARING)

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

MAN 1: That's it. Right here.
MAN 2: Tell me what happened?

Melinda. Bobby.

Jim's okay. He's gonna be okay.

I was so afraid. I thought he...

I know. I know. He's okay.

He's gonna be fine.
He's gonna be just fine.

Wait a minute. Can you see me?

I need your help. Please.

My husband needs your help.

BRAD: Is your
partner gonna be okay?

Yes. He'll be fine. This is
Jim Clancy's wife, Melinda.

This is Brad Paulson.

He came across the
accident, called 911, thank God.

Thank you. BRAD: No problem.

Okay, see. My
husband helped yours,

now you have to
help him. Please.

I'm desperate.

CHILD: Can you see us?

BOBBY: I was driving.
Where are you going?

We had a blowout.
I couldn't hold it.

Hey!

We were transporting.
Patient didn't make it.

Oh, my God. Does Jim know?

No. Guy had a broken
leg, ruptured femoral artery.

Doc said he
might've died anyway.

Hello? I need your help!

I need to be with my
husband right now.

Hey, no problem.

If it wasn't for mine, you may
not have a husband right now.

Tell Jim I'm sorry.

(MONITOR BEEPING)

Oh, am I dead?

(LAUGHS)

No.

Hmm. You never know with you.

Bobby?

MELINDA: Walked
away without a scratch.

The... The patient?

Jim...

(SIGHING)

Hey.

Ow.

Oh, sorry.

(TOILET FLUSHING)

Nobody can see me except you.

Why?

Um, it's a gift I have.

Can I just tell you,
you're a little pushy.

If you were in my position, you
would be, too, don't you think?

Sorry.

It's been a long
night. Who are you?

My name is Hope.

Paulson.

How long have you been dead?

Since July 4th. They said
everything was gonna be fine.

They told me I had
an ectopic pregnancy.

I didn't even know
I was pregnant.

I'm only 26 years old.

This wasn't supposed
to happen to me.

Not now.

I was gonna be a mommy.

How is that fair?

It isn't.

Sometimes in situations like this
after people have passed away,

I help them cross over.

Do you know what that means?

Yes. Is that what you want?

No, no.

My husband hasn't
been the same since I...

He blames himself
for what happened.

That's why you have to help him.

Have you been with him since...

Yes. He hasn't been sleeping

or all he does is sleep.

He doesn't see his friends
or his parents or mine.

He hasn't read a
book or gone camping.

See, I know him.
He's a wallower.

He could wallow in
this for the rest of his life.

And... And I don't want that.

You have to make him see that.

Please.

I'll try.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

(BELLS TOLLING)

(IN AUSTRALIAN ACCENT) Oh,
hey, whoa, whoa. I'm sorry, love.

That's okay. I gotta
go. Call you back.

I didn't hurt you, did I?
No bumps? No bruises?

I'm fine. Really.

'Cause I would hate to
have to buy you lunch.

Oh, you're too late. Oh.

Love the accent, though.

ANTHONY: Good luck in
there. She drives a hard bargain.

Morning.

Hey, how's Jim?

Coming home today. Sexy,
sensitive, and indestructible.

I've gotta get me
a man like that.

Oh, I think you just did.

Tall, Australian, hot.

Oh, yeah, mate.

The previous owner of
this 14-karat yellow gold,

oyster perpetual
with matte dial,

luminous Mercedes
hands, center second sweep,

and screwdown crown.

Oh. Screwdown
crown, my favorite part.

Guess how much I
paid for it. Can I see it?

$1,100.

And he was happy to get it.

Oh! I think that's worth a little
shrimp on the barbie, don't you?

Hmm. What?

Hmm. What?

It's a fake.

No. No. No way!

Vietnamese, probably.

If it was real, you'd see
the model number. Sorry.

(GROANS) God, I can't
believe a guy that cute is a crook!

Oh, and I bet his stupid
accent was fake, too.

Yeah, it is possible that he did
not know that the watch was fake.

I have a feeling he'll be back.

Okay. And why do you think that?

He found a sucker
he could sell to.

Huh. A sucker, huh?

When he comes back, we'll
tell him we want our money

or we call the cops.

Gee, thank you.

I just wanna thank you again

for being such a Good Samaritan.

Oh, I... I didn't do
anything. Anybody would've.

No. Not anybody.

Thank you.

How long have you been married?

Seven months.

Three years next March for me.

My wife Hope, she,
uh, died last summer,

so I know what you were
going through last night.

You want to talk about it? I
mean, you don't have to. Just...

Sometimes it helps.

It was the Fourth of July.

We were at a barbecue.

We were having a fight.

I don't even
remember about what.

Something stupid.

She was complaining
about having a stomach ache.

She wanted to go home.

I was having too
much fun to go home.

I thought she doesn't
wanna be here,

so she's making
it difficult for me.

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

Typical, huh?

So we stayed.

Played softball like
we did every year.

She just fell over.

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

I thought she was
messing with me, you know.

She wasn't.

She was really hurting.

Someone said to call 911.

So we did.

She was really hurting.

(AMBULANCE RADIO CHATTERING)

BRAD: When we got to the
hospital, she was in shock.

Then they told us
she was pregnant.

I thought this would be a
good story to tell the kid.

There'll be no
problem whatsoever.

The doctor told us the
fallopian tube had ruptured.

She was hemorrhaging.

That's why she had
the stomach ache.

They were gonna
have to do surgery.

BRAD: Afterwards,
everything seemed fine.

The doctor said
everything went smoothly.

Fine, just a little
minor loss of blood.

So I sat with
her for a little bit.

She was still so out of it.

So I... I thought it'd
be okay to go home,

take a shower,
change my clothes.

And that's when I got the call.

There was a nurse
there when I got back.

He had been in
the surgery with her.

He was crying.

When I saw that, I knew.

I just didn't expect that.

But it wasn't your fault.

It was my fault.

I just left her there,
and now she's dead.

(SOBBING)

(SIREN WAILING)

(WOMAN CHATTERING
ON P.A. SYSTEM)

Uh, I'm looking for my
husband, Jim Clancy?

CAT scan. Room 133.

Thank you.

(GASPING)

Do you have to do that?

Sorry. Have you talked to Brad?

Yes. And?

You two really loved
each other, didn't you?

Yeah. Yes, very much.

Did he tell you we
met in high school? No.

Detention. I got caught...

Yeah. There are
a lot of us here.

How's Jim?

Fine.

Yeah. I get to take
him home today.

(SOBBING)

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a cryer.

I cry at the drop of a
hat, just like my mother.

I lied to you before.

When I told you I didn't
know I was pregnant,

I did.

I just hadn't told Brad.

I knew the moment
we conceived her.

And I just knew it was a girl.

He wanted a girl.

I had such big plans.

We had so many plans.

JIM: Where were you?

Oh, I, uh...

I know. I figured,
the hospital...

You must be in hog heaven.

You know, sometimes it's
not all it's cracked up to be.

Who was it this time?

A young woman about my age.

Oh, yeah? What's her deal?

What's her deal?

Her deal. I'd say she

will never get to
enjoy with her husband

all the things I love about you

and will never, ever
take for granted.

Good answer.

Hey.

I'm happy that it's
not you I'm helping.

Me, too.

Oh, door, sorry.

Oh.

I don't have any money. I
mean, I can't tip you. Yeah, right.

Don't get used to it.

Hey, Jim get home okay?

Safe and sound.

And why aren't
you there with him?

As soon as I finish this, I'm
going back, making him dinner.

And he likes this special Parmesan
that you can only get at Bianchi's.

What?

Well, well, well. Speaking
of foreign cheese.

All right. Wait.
Wait. Let me do it.

What, you think
I can't handle it?

Well, I just think maybe we
should keep the emotion out of it.

Fine.

MELINDA: Hi.

Oh, it's you.

Can I help you?
So, how lucky am I?

Yeah. I don't get out much.

Pity. 'Tisn't it?

Look, I was wondering if I
might interest you in something.

Antique, art deco platinum,
European-cut diamond and pearl necklace.

May I?

Elegant lustrous spheres

strung between diamond clusters

with a perfectly
formed teardrop pearl

just hanging from the strand.

It's lovely.

Now I can let it
go for, say, $2,800.

Suppose I sell you something

for, let's say, $1,100

and nobody, but you
and I know the truth?

What are you suggesting,
I sold you a bad watch?

Oh, I'm... I'm not
saying it's bad.

I mean, it keeps very
good time for a fake.

So you say. So I say.

Now, how do I know that you didn't
replace my watch with that piece of junk?

How do I know you're
not trying to hijack me?

This is a small town, you know.

One should take that into
account when casting aspersions.

And how'd that go, then?

Mmm-hmm.

(DOG BARKING)

MELINDA: It's
better with cheese.

I got the kind you
like from Bianchi's.

Do you believe in fate?

Or do you believe we've
got some kind of control

over our destiny?

Is that a trick question? Nope.

Serious. Okay.

I guess I'd say I
believe in free will.

What do you mean?

I don't have to love you.

I want to.

I choose to, and however
that affects my destiny,

or whatever God, or the
gods have in store for me,

so be it.

What about, um, accidents?

Hey.

Do you wanna talk
about what happened?

I should've checked
the tires on the rig.

Yes. Today you know that.

I knew it yesterday. It's what I
do before every shift, you know.

I check the meds, I
check the supplies,

I check the gas, the oil.

I check the tires, but I didn't
yesterday because I was late for work.

Because I made
you late, you mean.

No, no. I didn't mean that.

I didn't mean that at all.

I love that you, uh,

wanted to make me French toast

for breakfast.

I love that you wanted
to do that for me.

Jim, it was an accident.

It cost someone his life.

Yes, it did. You didn't.

Accidents happen. They're
a necessary part of life.

(SIGHING)

So this happened
to me for a reason.

Now a person is dead.

What kind of reason is that?

You don't have to
be in for two hours.

Yeah, I know.

But I should get there.

Two hours early?

What are you working on?

"Hope Paulson." Related to Brad?

His wife.

Aw, man.

He saved me. You save her.

Well, she's already dead.

I don't know if you can call
what I'm doing "saving her."

It's weird how things
work sometimes.

True.

What are you gonna do?

Brad mentioned a nurse.

His name is Derrik Lee. He
was there during Hope's surgery.

And if I can get him to tell
Brad exactly why his wife died,

specifically that
he's not responsible,

then maybe I can help
get him some closure.

Hmm.

What?

You realize this
all started with you

making me French toast?

Yeah. Track it. It led to the
accident, which led to Brad,

which led to the hospital,
which led to Hope.

I mean, are we
the puppet masters

or are we just the puppets?

You know, I learned
a long time ago,

never question the
cosmic law of French toast.

Gotta go. All right.

The what?

HOPE: He does this every day,

hammers the sign
into the ground,

pulls it up before
he goes to work.

Hi. Hi.

Wanna buy a house?
Got one. Thanks.

You moving? Yeah.

I hate this house.

BOTH: It's nice.

That's what she used to say.

Can I ask you something
about Hope's surgery?

Put me in a good mood.

I know it's none of my business.

It's just you were so
helpful to Jim and me,

and I'd... I'd like
to return the favor.

You wanna set me
up with someone?

No. Good.

I have this ability to help
people during emotional crises.

I'm... I'm not a shrink
or anything or a kook.

It's just something I've always
been able to do, and I would love to...

You know what? I
don't need any help.

I don't deserve any help.

Brad, wait.

You know how many houses
I've sold since my wife died?

Exactly none.

I just think it would be helpful
for you to maybe talk to someone

who was actually
there when Hope died.

What's the point?

Because I think what's
causing you so much pain

is the guilt you're feeling
because you weren't there.

I already talked to the surgeon

and the hospital administrator.

I even hired a lawyer who
charged me 5,500 bucks

to tell me that whatever we
accomplished wouldn't bring my wife back.

So you just wanna
be like everyone else

who tells me to get on
with my life. Well, fine.

How about you
get on with my life?

I'll take yours any day.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

There. That's Derrik Lee.

May I? Mmm, please.

Thanks. No problem.

Melinda Gordon.

Derrik Lee.

I haven't seen you around.

What department do you work in?

Oh, I'm not with the hospital.

Oh. I, um...

Um, how should I say this?

I represent a former
patient of yours.

Hmm, former, as in discharged?

Former as in dearly departed.

Hope Paulson.

You were her
surgical nurse, right?

Are you her lawyer?

No, no, no, um...

I'm her advocate.

Actually, I'm here about her
husband Brad. I think you met him.

I have a favor to ask.

I'm sorry, but I,
uh, I can't help you.

Oh, um, Mr. Lee.

Mr. Lee? Mr. Lee, please.

Derrik, how are you?

I'm good, Doctor.

That's the doctor
who operated on me.

Hi, I'm Melinda Gordon.

Oh, how you doing?
I'm Dr. Devine.

You know, Derrik was just telling
me what a wonderful surgeon you are.

Really? Well, you
know, without his help,

I'd probably be bagging
groceries down at the supermarket.

That's what happens when they
put old codgers like me out to pasture.

Uh, I doubt that
very much, Doctor.

Hope to see soon
again there, Ms. Gordon.

MELINDA: Nice to meet you.

(SIGHS)

What do you want?

Your help.

Really, that's all.

Brad Paulson hasn't been doing
so well since his wife's death.

He blames himself.
You were there.

I thought maybe you
could just talk to him.

It won't do any good. Why not?

It's not like I'm
asking you to...

Hey! You don't know
what you're asking.

I am asking you to have a little
empathy for someone whose wife died

in your care.

(SIGHING)

Okay.

Okay. You wanna
know what happened?

I'll be in the hospital
archives after my shift, 4:00.

I'll show you.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Long time no see.

You stalking me, sweetheart?

Hardly. It's a small town.

Perhaps we were just
fated to meet again.

Hmm.

Allow me.

Seven bucks. Fate is cheap.

You're quite funny.

You're easy. Have
dinner with me.

I said you were easy.
Why not? Are you married?

No. Boyfriend?

Not at present.

I'll let you choose
the restaurant then.

Come on, I'm not the bad
guy your partner thinks I am.

I'll think about it.

Okay, then. Lovely.

(SIREN WAILING)

Hello?

(DOOR OPENING)

(DOOR CLOSING)

(SCREAMING)

What in the... Whoa!

Are you crazy? DERRIK: What?

I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to scare you.

Well, I just about
had a heart attack.

Okay, well, you
weren't in the archives,

so I came looking for you.

I got lost, okay.

You know, they, uh,
say this place is haunted.

I've got news for
you. They're right.

Now let's go.

I don't know where I'm going.

MELINDA: What's this?

You'll see.

DEVINE: Suction. Suction.

Doctor, the back of the tube.

DERRIK: Dr. Devine closed without suturing
the backside of the fallopian tube.

That's what I think
killed Hope Paulson.

What? How is that possible?

Ego, incompetence, an accident.

Things happen. But
if you've got it on tape,

why hasn't anybody
done anything about it?

Because Dr. Devine has
been here for 30 years.

He's respected and beloved,

so he's damn near untouchable.

So nobody did
anything? You didn't?

I tried, okay?

I filed a complaint
with the review board.

It was investigated
and dismissed.

It was my word against his, and
nobody's gonna take my word.

I can't believe it.

Look, Melinda, I'm sorry,
but that's just the way it is.

Can I keep this? Yeah, why not?

This case is dead and buried.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

So how did a nice girl like you
end up in a small town like this?

Shouldn't you be off running
the world somewhere?

(LAUGHING)

Uh, actually, I already did.

I was an assistant
DA in New York.

Fraud cases, mostly. Tough guys.

You sold me a counterfeit
watch, didn't you, Anthony?

Hi, uh, would you like
to hear the specials?

Hold on, junior.

You're gonna do the
right thing here, Anthony,

starting with paying me back.

And if you don't,

I'm gonna make it my singular
ambition to put your ass in jail.

I can just come back.
That's no problem.

Don't bother.

You know where to find me.

Thanks.

Uh, just the check, then?

Sure. Okay.

(SIGHING)

I love you.

Drive carefully.

See you tonight.

MRS. DEVINE: Come in.

Mrs. Devine?

Yes.

Hi. I'm Melinda Gordon.

Yes?

I was just wondering if I could
talk to you about your husband.

MRS. DEVINE: My
husband has an illness.

Early onset dementia.

I was in denial for years.

On any given day, he still is.

He's this bad?

Not yet.

But he will be.

I made those cards for him.

It'll help here in the house.

But I can't protect
him out there.

At work, for example.

It must be so devastating to see
your husband going through this.

I've been praying for
somebody to help me help him.

I don't know where you came
from, but you are a blessing.

I think my husband
might say it's fate.

Fate or not, mine
won't go gently.

No.

But you'll be right
there to hold his hand.

Yes, I will.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Dr. Devine's losing his mind?

Losing his mind
would be a blessing.

It's deteriorating slowly.

Sometimes people know what's
happening to them and are able to hide it

until they can't, and then...

Sometimes people get hurt.

You mean like me.

Yes, like you.

Because of his illness,

Dr. Devine forgot to properly
suture your fallopian tube,

something he's done
a thousand times.

He made a mistake?

Is that what you're telling me?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

BRAD: Am I supposed to feel good

that my wife was the victim
of a doctor's stupid mistake?

No.

But if you'll allow
yourself, maybe relieved.

At least now you know
you weren't to blame.

Brad, if you could talk to Hope
right now, what would you say?

I can't, so what's the point?

Why can't you?

She's dead.

Can you talk to the dead?

He always was a know-it-all.

Brad, if you could
say anything at all,

anything, what would it be?

I'd say...

I'd say...

Goodbye.

MELINDA: Brad, you should
read her note. I found it in her chart.

I can't.

You read it.

"Brad,

"I know you feel
like this is your fault,

"but I want you to know
that I don't blame you.

"You've always taken better
care of me than I have myself.

"From the day I
first laid eyes..."

HOPE: on you in detention.

And that hasn't changed today.

I never felt more
in love with you

than when I watched you

all worried and
sweaty and care-worn

running beside the gurney
when they wheeled me in here.

So, please, please,

don't wallow.

Oh, and if I'm not awake
when you get back,

don't forget to feed
Daisy and walk her.

See you tomorrow.

(SOBBING) I love you.

"Hope."

Well...

I guess we're even.

(WHISPERING) Thank you.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Oh.

Can I help you? Um, do
you have an appointment?

No. No, but I'd like to
help you if you'll let me.

What do you mean? I don't, uh...

I know about your condition.

What condition?

I talked to your wife.

Margaret?

Yes. I've been to your
house. I've seen the cards.

She told me everything.

I don't believe you.
She would never...

Y-Your wife has been
dead for two years.

Margaret?

For God's sake.

You have to stop practicing
medicine, Matthew.

That's why I stayed.

That's the only reason I
stayed, to help you do that.

She says you have to
stop practicing medicine.

She stayed to help you.

You've had such
a wonderful career.

You've achieved everything you
ever wanted to. It's time to let go.

I'm calling security.

Wait. W-Wait.

There was a proverb he
used to quote. He'll remember.

She says that you
used to quote a proverb.

MRS. DEVINE: Who is the skilled
physician, but he who prevents illness?

She says, "Who is
the skilled physician

"but he..." DEVINE:
"But," uh, "he

"who can prevent

"illness." Yeah.

You're not that man
anymore, my love.

I think you know that.

But how?

How could you
possibly have known?

She says it breaks her heart,

but you're not that
doctor anymore.

You don't have to
go on pretending.

She's giving you
permission not to.

ANDREA: Hey! Guess what
miracle happened while you were out?

Can't imagine.

The watch guy showed up.

Apparently, he just
couldn't live with himself

knowing he'd ripped us off. Huh.

I guess the glass
really is half full today.

Thanks, Bobby.

BOBBY: Hey, no problem.

That was Bobby.

You told him no
softball tonight, right?

(SIGHING)

The police ID'd my John Doe.

Turns out he was, uh, released
from prison last week in Ohio.

Seven years for
attempted murder.

God.

Told his cellmate
that when he got out,

he was gonna find his old
lady and "fix her for good."

He was two miles from her house

when he crashed the motorcycle.

So if I hadn't picked him up

or if he'd recovered...

He might have gone
back and killed his wife.

Well...

Once again.

Cosmic law of French toast.

(SIGHING)

(LAUGHING)

Come in.