Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 4, Episode 16 - Redeeming Love - full transcript

Tess, I think I'm changing
my mind about winter.

It's so cold, and
everything around here

looks barren, like...
like that dead tree.

That tree is not dead, baby.

It's still got
plenty of life in it,

just like that pile of trash

you just stepped over.

Go back.

Take a closer look.

Tess... it's a human being.

Lydia is her name, poor soul.



Bare trees, bare souls...

They need nurturing and love.

Their souls are bare.

They're like trees
without leaves.

They don't know if they're
willow trees to give shade,

or if they're fruit trees

to bear fruit in the fall.

They don't know

what kind of trees
they are anymore.

Hey, lady, want
to buy a blanket?

No.

Nine bucks.

She doesn't look
as though she'll

make it through spring.



That's why you're here, baby.

Now, I know you
don't like the cold,

but that nice little thing

is going to go
through a hard winter

before she can flower again.

And I'm going to go
through it with her, right?

♪ As we have done before ♪

♪ Go in and out the window ♪

♪ Go in and out the window ♪

♪ Go in and out the window ♪

♪ As we have done before ♪

♪ Go in and out the window ♪

♪ Go in and out the window... ♪

Lydia!

♪ When you walk down the road ♪

♪ Heavy burden, heavy load ♪

♪ I will rise and I
will walk with you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Every time, I tell
you I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪

♪ ...in and out the window. ♪
Lydia!

Okay. There, now.

I have you. Careful.

Even if you jump,
you still owe me rent!

Is there a problem?

She owes me for
the last three months!

Oh, dear.

That is a problem.

Come on up.

You know, you... you're sick.

You should see a doctor.

Get away.

I feel okay.

That's it.

No more warnings.

You are evicted.

Look, just a couple more days.

I got a friend wiring me
money from Cleveland.

Yeah, just like you had a friend

wiring you money
from Philadelphia?

This might be a flophouse

but, girl, you are
floppier than most.

Look what you've
done to my walls!

Both of you, out of here now.

Is that absolutely necessary?

I'm her new roommate.

Would this cover it?

It'll do... for now.

But the first of the
month's only a week away.

No problem.

I got a new job.

Yeah, right.

We'll take care of it.

Did you paint this?

Yeah.

It's marvelous.

You know, there
are parts of heaven

that look just like this.

What happened over here?

Who in the hell are you?

I'm sorry. I'm Monica.

I'm new around here.

And I was looking
for a roommate.

Great timing, huh?

But, you know,

if you and I are
going to live together,

we're going to have to
spritz this place up a bit.

What?

You know.

Fix it up. Spritz it.

'Cause this place could
do with a good spritzing.

That's sprucing up.

And don't touch anything.

What's this?

Food stamps.

If you're hungry,
you can have them.

Why don't you use them yourself?

I'm not into eating.

You're not into
picking things up either.

This place could do
with some elbow grease.

I don't know who you are

or where you came from,

but I don't need your charity.

Don't worry about it.
You see this wee rug?

You know, it could
be very pretty, if it was

cleaned up a bit. I
mean, all it needs

is some fresh air...

a good shaking out.

Relocate the wee bugs.

Gosh, it'll be as good as new.

Lydia?

Lydia?

Hey, lady,

anybody in your
family need a coat?

I got a coat here...
it's brand-new.

It's never been worn before.

Lydia, I know we're new friends,

but I'd appreciate it if
you wouldn't sell my coat.

You want to live with me here,

you got to know what
it's like to make a living.

We could make a lot
of money off of this coat.

You all right?

Yeah. I'm feeling
a little queasy.

It'll pass. It always does.

How long has this been going on?

I don't know.

I don't think about it.

You want to go inside

and have a nice,
warm cup of tea?

No, no. They don't
want me in there.

Do you know them?

Nah. Not anymore.

I know what I need.

Come on.

I want to get something.

What are you looking for?

The key.

It's got to be around
here somewhere.

Lydia, I don't think that...

Just shut up and wait.

Lydia.

Get in here.

Go, uh, get that
radio in the kitchen.

Lydia, let's go, please.

We forgot to get the gas.

It's going to need oil.

Yeah, I know.

Lydia.

Honey.

"Honey"?

We were so worried about you.

Yeah. Where you been?

Can't you at least call,

tell us you're alive?

I been busy working.

I got a job at...
at the cleaners.

I got a new job.

This is Monica.

She works with me.

Don't you?

Well, actually...

We just came by to
pick up some stuff,

but we'll be back.

I thought you
said you had a job.

Hi, Jim.

Oh, come on in.

Is there a problem, Officer?

I'm sorry to bother you, sir.

Yeah, Mr. Colter
here reported seeing

a young woman breaking
into your residence.

That's her.

That's Lydia.

Lydia?

Is that you?

Uh, she wasn't breaking
in, she's our daughter.

She forgot her key, that's all.

I'm sorry about that.

You can send me the bill.

I got to get back to work.

Bye.

Thank you.

Good day, ma'am.

Will you

stop making such
a big deal about it.

I was just gonna
borrow some money.

You stole from your parents.

Get off my back.

You don't know what it was like

growing up with them.

They seem like very nice people.

Everyone's nice
until you need them.

Who's your friend?

My roommate. She's cool.

Who's this?

I'm gonna go talk
to Carla inside.

You wait here.

It's a wee bit
cool today, isn't it?

You want to watch TV with us?

I'd love to.

Do you know where Lydia is?

In the back room with my Mommy.

They're busy cooking.

Andrew.

Hi.

Hi.

What are you doing here?

Well, I spend a lot
of time in this house.

More time than I'd like to.

What do you mean?

You'll see.

You know, Lydia, she's
a slippery character.

She tells me something and
then it turns out not to be true.

Well, the truth is actually
just right down that hall.

Maybe... maybe you better
go back and take a look.

What about the wee ones?

They've all got angels

and right now, you're Lydia's.

Lydia.

Monica, what the hell
are you doing here?

Lydia, please don't do this.

Let me take you home.

You need this to cool you out.

40 bucks a rock.

Come on.

Let's get out of here.

I don't want to!

Can't you hear? She
doesn't want to go.

Mama... the TV's broken.

Get outta here!

Let me go!

Get out of here!

You're messing with my business.

You're making me crazy.

You and your crazy
friend, you get out of here!

Lydia! Wait!

Ruined my high.

Get away from me!

Lady! Get out of the way!

Lydia!

Dr. Cameron to ER, stat.

Dr. Cameron to ER, stat.

Heart rate?

110. Blood pressure?

Uh, 96/67.

No visual signs of trauma
to physical extremities.

I want a CBC, chemistry
panel, a dex stick

and let's do a CT scan.

Doctor.

I'm feeling tightening
in the abdominal wall.

Oh, man.

Uh, excuse me.

I'm Bill Evans. This
is my wife, Margaret.

We got a call from a
woman named Tess.

That's me.

Oh, aren't you Lydia's friend?

Yes, and this is Tess.

She's a counselor from
the Drug Treatment Center.

She's here to help Lydia.

What happened?

She was hit by a car.

Oh, my God.

All right, all right.

Is she okay?

They're working on her now.

May I have a word
with you alone, please?

Well, you might as
well say it to them.

They're the parents.

How is she?

Well, it's a miracle.

She has a few scrapes,
nothing's broken,

but the trauma from the accident

has caused her to go into labor.

Lydia's pregnant?

Almost full-term.

We just saw her.

She didn't look pregnant.

Your daughter's
severely underweight.

I don't even think she
knew she was expecting.

That's impossible.

Every woman knows
if she's pregnant.

Well, in cases like this...

May I speak frankly?

I think you should.

Your daughter is
addicted to cocaine.

And we also found traces

of methamphetamine
in her system.

Look, she had a little bit

of a problem in the past,

but she has it under control.

Mr. Evans... if
you'll forgive me,

I don't think she has
anything under control.

Can we see her?

This way.

Breathe in, two, three, out.

Two, three... Lydia,
you're doing good.

Breathe through it.

Don't push. Ma. Ma.

My God.

Lydia, why did you
hide this from us?

They told me I was...
I'm gonna have a baby.

Can you believe that?

How could you not know?

I did. I was hoping
it would go away!

In, two, three.

Out, two, three.

She's dilating.

Get an OB cart in here.

It's coming fast.

She's not stable enough
to make it to delivery.

There's not enough time.

I can't handle this.

Ma!

She's, uh...

She's having a baby.

Stay with me.

Almost there.

Yes.

You did it.

She's cyanotic.

Why isn't she crying?

She's not breathing.

We need to intubate.

Get blood ready.

Where are they taking her?

I want a CBC with a diff,

blood X-ray and
chest X-ray, stat.

Transport to NICU.

Let's get a suture kit.

The baby didn't cry at all?

How are they doing?

We're admitting Lydia.

She should be up in
her room pretty soon.

You can go up and see her.

What about the baby?

Pretty much as we suspected.

We found cocaine
in the baby's blood.

Is she going to be all right?

Well, right now, we're
treating the baby with Narcan

to reverse the effects of
the narcotic in her system.

Without this medication,

the baby would
go into withdrawal.

Beyond that, I
really don't know.

You don't know?
What does that mean?

It means that when
this baby starts crying,

she won't be crying for milk.

She'll be crying for crack.

We'll be moving you up
to your room right away.

I just need your paperwork.

Social Services is on the way,

and as soon as the
baby's well enough,

it can be released
from the hospital.

They'll arrange for foster care.

Foster care?!

We'll take care of the baby.

She's the baby's mother.

The baby belongs with her.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans,

Lydia's blood shows
traces of cocaine,

and so does her baby's.

By law, I'm required

to report the mother
to the authorities.

This is incredible.

I'm sorry.

I don't have any choice.

Please excuse me.

Nobody is arresting

my daughter, and nobody's

taking that baby away.

I don't want my
grandchild in foster care.

What's going to happen to Lydia?

Well, Lydia is all right
in the hospital now,

but we have to
find a rehab clinic

as soon as possible,
because they're not

prepared to handle drug
addicts in withdrawal.

Will you please stop calling

my daughter a drug addict?

In a few hours,

your daughter's body is
gonna crave cocaine so badly

that she would do anything,
and I mean anything,

to get it.

She would sell her
soul... or your soul...

just for one more
hit on that crack pipe.

When you see this happen

to your little girl, Mr. Evans,

there will be no doubt in
your mind she is an addict.

Why can't we just stay here

and help her through it?

There's nothing
you can really do.

She has got to ride it out.

I-I want you both to know

that even though I'm a
fairly new friend to Lydia,

I want to be a good one.

And I'm hoping that
I can encourage her

to check herself into
the treatment center.

She has to check herself in?

Yes.

That's a decision that
she has to make for herself.

Here we go.

Looks like we're
going up to the third...

Technician Roberts

to Pathology on One West.

How did she manage
to get by a doctor,

three nurses and two angels?

Drug addicts are
very clever, baby.

They lie, they
cheat, they steal...

What are you looking at?

She's an artist, Tess.

She looks at mountains

and she paints more than
trees and rocks and snow.

She paints with her heart.

And I was thinking...
Praying, actually...

I was asking God to forgive me.

For what, baby?

Well, sometimes I forget

that even though I may
have the spirit of an angel,

I still have the
eyes of a human,

and I was beginning to see
Lydia the way the world does...

A wholly unredeemable creature.

Well, that's just the kind of
creature God loves to save.

What's the matter
with you people?

You threatened my daughter.

No wonder she ran away.

You'd better get on her trail,

baby; I'll handle this.

Okay.

If you'd let us handle
our own problem,

she'd still be here.

I'm checking on this...

Blaming somebody else will
not get your daughter back.

It's not our fault she's...
so vulnerable right now.

Just how long have you
been making excuses

for your daughter?

I don't have to stand here

and listen to some holier-
than-thou stranger tell me

how to raise my daughter!

Your daughter is
already raised, sir.

And yet, at this time, she's
lower than she's ever been.

And I believe that
a good, hard look

at what brought her to
this point is the only way

that anyone can
help lift her up.

Now, when was the last time
you said no to your little girl?

What?

I don't understand.

"No!"

"No, you cannot have that toy."

"No, you cannot watch
television as long as you want to."

"No, you cannot stay out
as late as you want to."

"No, I will not tolerate
your drug habit."

"No! No!"

She had a happy childhood.

I planned it that way.

I wanted her to have
everything I didn't.

Did you ever have
a cocaine habit? No.

Well, it worked,
then, didn't it?

A child who never hears no

never learns to say no,

and that's a part
of Lydia's problem.

She knows you'll
always be there for her.

Are you asking us to turn our
backs on our own daughter?

I'm asking you to turn her
over to herself and to God,

because as long as she knows

that you're her safety net,

she's never gonna
hit the bottom.

That's the point.

I don't think I could bear
to see her hit bottom.

I know, Mr. Evans,
but right now,

the bottom is the
best place for her.

That's where an addict
has no place to look but up.

I don't know.

Well, let me put it this way.

If you keep justifying
everything your daughter does,

one day, you're going to
have to justify why she's dead.

And if that happens,
you're gonna have to do a lot

of explaining to
your grandchild...

If she lives, too.

Now, do you want
me to help you or not?

Hey, Lyd!

Are you on the wrong
side of the street, girl?

Come on home.

You... take food stamps?

You crazy, girl?

Come back with the flash
and we'll have some fun.

Lydia.

Jaxon, I need a place to stay.

I told you not to come around
here unless you were clean.

But I am clean, I'm different.

Different? Yeah, right,
I heard that before.

How can I trust you,
strung out as you are?

Hey, Lydia!

Good to see you!

Where have you been hiding?

Come in here, girl.

We missed you.

Thanks.

See ya.

Come on.

I just had a baby.

I want to get it some stuff,
so I can take my baby home.

That's the worst one yet, girl.

I saw you, what, yesterday?

You didn't have no baby.

Come on, man, I did.

Now, I don't care
what you think.

Just give me a
little work, then.

Can I have my old job back?!

I'll do whatever I have to do.

I'll wash those dishes
over there, then.

Give her a break, man.

Okay.

I'll give you one more chance.

Don't take anything.

I never stole anything from you.

Yeah.

Would you like
some help with that?

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here?

You should be in the hospital.

I'm not going back.

What about your baby?

I'll take care of it as soon
as I make a little money.

Lydia, all your
money goes to drugs.

No, not this time.

You didn't tell
the cops, did you?

No. It's not my job.

And what was it?

What was what?

My baby, what was it?

A little girl.

You had a little girl, Lydia.

Lydia?

I'll take care of this.

You go tell him it's okay.

What's going on in there?

Just a little
accident; no big deal.

You already owe me enough.

Now I got to put broken
glasses on your list.

Come on, Jaxon,
I'll pay you back.

Yeah, that's what you
always say, but you never do.

You're a junkie.

You know, you used to
really be worth something.

Look at that.

Who could believe
that you painted it?

You can't even hold a glass

in your hand, let
alone a paintbrush.

You told me you were clean.

You're never gonna
be clean, Lydia.

You need a fix so
bad, you can taste it.

Lydia... Lydia, get in here!

Lydia...

Who are you?

It's her.

Take a deep breath.

Lydia... TESS: Hello, Lydia.

Who's this?

My name is Tess.

I'm a counselor from

the hospital drug rehab clinic.

I'm here to help you
decide on treatment.

What?

We want you to go into
a drug treatment program.

For the sake of
you and your baby.

That's right... she's my baby,

and I can take care of her.

I'm working at the
Wa-Ha again, and I could...

I could use just a little money.

It's not for me,
it's for my baby.

We know you're lying, Lydia.

You just want to buy drugs.

Ma, I'm trying here.

I'm changing.

And I just... Help me out.

No. No, until you
go for treatment,

there isn't anything
more we can do for you.

It's not for me.

It's for my baby.

Your baby is
being taken care of,

and when it's time for
her to leave the hospital,

your parents are going
to file with the court

to become her legal guardians.

You leave my baby alone!

Lydia, Lydia!

We love you very much,

but we want you to get out.

Get out and don't come back

until you can admit
you have a problem!

Don't worry!

I'll never be back!

Ever!

Never coming... back again!

What did we just do?

You just did the right thing.

You just did the right thing.

Oh, thanks.

Dr. Saltzman to
Labor and Delivery.

Dr. Saltzman to
Labor and Delivery.

I need a hit.

That's good enough.

You know, you really
didn't have to do this.

Lydia started the job.

She's my friend.

I couldn't leave
till it's finished.

Well, thanks for the help.

She told me she had a baby.

She did have a baby.

You better hurry.

Why? What's happened?

The baby's missing
from the hospital.

Oh, no. Lydia.

If the baby doesn't get
her medication soon,

she could go into
seizure... or worse...

She could die from
lack of oxygen, nutrition.

We'd better find the baby.

Where could Lydia be?

I don't know now,
but I'll know soon.

Shh.

It's my baby.

This is... my baby.

Lydia... Shh.

You're going to wake the baby.

Where is the baby?

She's... right here.

Can't you see her?

She's right here.

There is no baby, Lydia.

Yes, she is, she's here.

Yes, she is, she's here.

Can't you see her?

Lydia, what did you
do with the baby?

She's... right here.

Isn't she beautiful?

No. No.

She's not here.

Where did you put her?

Oh... God... I put... I put...

Where?! Where?!

I... I can't... I
can't remember.

I can't remember. Oh!

Oh, God.

I can't remember.

I can't remember.

Hold on a minute.

Please help me.

I'm looking for a baby.

Close the door!

Have you seen a baby?

Oh, Father, help me, please.

Oh, Tess, the wee
one has gone missing

and Lydia is so high she
doesn't know where the baby is.

I'll find Lydia's child.

You've got another
child to take care of.

I want to, but I don't know how.

She seems so lost.

She is lost.

She's lost her hope,

but this is the moment that
God made angels for, baby.

Now I want you to go
back in that apartment

and take that child in your arms

and rock her and feed her
hope like it was mother's milk.

Tess, I want to, but
she can't hear me.

She can't listen to me.

Her body wants crack,
her mind wants crack,

I think even her
soul wants crack.

Because she sold
her soul to it already.

But there's one
thing she hasn't lost

because it doesn't
belong to her...

It belongs to God.

Her spirit.

Speak to that, baby.

Lydia.

Oh, my baby, my baby!

I lost my baby!

Yes, you lost your baby,

but God has not lost
her or forgotten her.

And He has not forgotten you.

Who are you?

I am an angel

and I've been sent
here to help you heal.

What... am I hallucinating?

No.

God is not a hallucination.

He's very real.

He wants to help you.

Oh, God, I need a hit.

No, Lydia, you don't.

God wants you to clean your
body and to clean your soul

and he'll help you go
through that cleansing,

if only you'll ask Him.

I can't do it.

I have to have it.

It makes me feel good.

It's the best thing
about my life.

No, your life is the best
thing about your life.

It is God's gift to you.

It is your gift to your baby.

But this is the moment,
Lydia, right now,

when you could lose it all...

Or get it all back.

If you can just get
through these next few days

without drugs,
then you'll be free.

I've tried it. It's too hard.

God will be with
you this time...

and so will I.

I don't trust you.

Will you trust Him?

I'm afraid... I'll die.

Sometimes you have to lose
your life before you can find it.

I don't know what to do.

It's like...

it's like food stamps.

"This coupon is
redeemable for $5 worth..."

Don't you see?

This is just

a useless piece of paper, Lydia,

unless you redeem it for
the promise on the back.

It's like your life.

You can't find its full value
until you hand it over to God

and ask Him to redeem it...

Trade it in for a new Lydia.

The Lydia you were
always meant to be.

Redeem it, Lydia.

Ask him for it back, and more.

He wants to give
it to you so much.

It will be a long night,

but the morning will
come, I promise you.

Just keep your eye
on the mountaintop.

He's there, waiting for you.

I am speaking to Lydia's spirit.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Help me.

I'm ready.

God... it hurts.

God!

Save me!

Hold on, Lydia, hold on.

What's... that... song?

Don't know.

I never heard it.

It happens to angels
sometimes, though.

It sounds like

something I used to s-s-s-sing

in Sunday school.

Then I think I know what to do.

♪ God is my redeemer ♪

♪ And He heals me
with reassuring love... ♪

That... sounds pretty.

I'm one of the few
angels that can't sing.

If there's anyone
in the choir listening,

I really could use some help.

You should... hear...
how it sounds to me.

♪ Oh, and He heals me ♪

♪ With reassuring love ♪

♪ And I love my ♪

♪ Redeemer ♪

♪ Overwhelming, overcoming... ♪

Hello. I'm looking for a youn...

♪ Redeemer... ♪

Excuse me.

I'm looking for a
lady with a little baby.

Did she happen to...?

Oh, baby.

Oh, sweetest baby.

Oh, baby, oh, don't worry.

Tess is here, Tess is here.

Tess is here, Tess is here.

Don't worry.

I will lift mine
eyes unto the hills,

from whence comes my help.

♪ My heart soars like an eagle
in the presence of the Lord ♪

♪ As I sit at the throne of
God and behold His glory ♪

♪ And I behold the
living creatures ♪

♪ Singing holy, holy, holy ♪

♪ And I see a host of angels
bringing glory to the Lord ♪

♪ And multitudes of angels,
rejoicing in His presence ♪

♪ And I'm coming home ♪

♪ I'm coming home ♪

♪ Oh, God is my redeemer ♪

♪ And He heals me
with reassuring love ♪

♪ And I love my ♪

♪ Redeemer ♪

♪ Overwhelming, overcoming ♪

♪ Redeeming love. ♪

Oh, I love a day where
I don't have to work.

Hey, baby.

Look at you.

You should see your child.

Seven days old and a rose.

Seven days.

Yes. I told you it
would be a long night.

We're on our way there now,

and then we're going to go
next door to the rehab clinic.

Lydia is going to
check herself in.

Well, hop in,
I'll give you a lift.

No thanks. I'll walk.

It's such a beautiful day.

♪ Overwhelming, overcoming ♪

♪ Overwhelming, overcoming ♪

♪ Overwhelming, overcoming ♪

♪ Redeeming love. ♪