Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 5, Episode 19 - Jagged Edges - full transcript

Sure do appreciate
your help, Andrew.

Sometimes it just seems
like there's not enough hours

in the day to do
everything that needs doing.

Doug, it's no problem.

Look like it's not even
gonna need a second coat.

What did you call
that color again?

Eggshell.

Just what the world needs,
different shades of white.

It's a very subtle difference.

It's been a long time since
this house was a real home.

Anybody else out
there have a father



who's a do-it-yourselfer?

You know the kind.

You ask him to do something,
he says, "Do it yourself."

Well, that was my dad.

Not that I don't understand
where he was coming from.

He had his hands full
raising the demure flower

you see before you.

Okay, what's next on the list?

Come with me.

Yeah, my life
wasn't exactly normal

growing up with my father.

Most girls had Barbie dolls.

I had a pipe wrench.

Her name was Susan.



Her stories are very funny.

It's a trick she discovered
a long time ago, baby girl;

how to use humor to
take the edge off the truth.

Well, everyone has to face
the truth head-on eventually.

Is WD-40!

You offered.

Isn't this kind of a big
project to be starting this late?

We don't sit around
very well in this family.

You know, someplace in here is
a box with my daughter's things:

clothes, pictures, memories.

I need to find it, Andrew.

It's important.

I've got to find it.

It's all right, Doug.

Easy.

Yeah, not much
good at tea parties,

but she could change
out a toilet in 12 minutes.

Susan lived in the
Malibu toolbox alone.

Yeah, she was adjustable.
She could take care of herself.

She didn't need a pair of
pliers breathing down her stem.

What's happening?

You're having a heart attack.

I know that you're
in a lot of pain,

but it's not gonna last long.

911 has been called...

but they're not gonna
make it here in time.

You're the angel of death?

Yeah.

But you've been with
me for a while. Why?

You prayed... for help...

to bring your family home again.

And God answered your prayer...

with angels.

Thank you!

Muh! Muh! You've
been a great audience.

Thank you!

Natalie Billings,
ladies and gentlemen.

Hey. That wasn't that bad.

You were great.

Thank goodness. From
the look on your face,

I thought somebody died.

Natalie, your husband just got
a call from someone in Chicago.

Your father suffered
a massive heart attack.

He's gone.

What?

I'm sorry.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Oh...! Okay... Oh, my God!

Oh, my God!

♪ 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. ♪

Hi.

Hi. You must be Andrew.

Yeah. You're Natalie, right?

You want me to give you a hand?

Yeah.

All right, all right.

Seatbelt's stuck.

That's it. Next rental
car I get, I'm definitely

saying no to the
mechanical-problems option.

You want me to give it a try?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

Hey! Hey, what's up, little one?

Here we go. Come here.

There we go. Big girl.

That's Lilly.

Hey, Lilly.

It's been a long day, huh?

She doesn't talk yet, but
she's got a banshee scream

that'll knock your socks off.

So you want me to
help you with the bags?

Yeah.

Come on.

Do you play?

No, neither did my dad.

My mom played a lot, but she
died when I was really young.

I always wanted
to sell this thing

and put in a table saw instead,

but my dad
wouldn't part with it.

Well, some people
just don't like

to part with their memories.

Mommy! Mommy!

Mommy...! Mommy!

Mom!

Mommy!

Mom...!

Natalie, are you okay?

Natalie, you okay?

Yeah.

Uh, better put her
down for her nap.

Okay, okay.

There you go.

I, uh, I found a
crib in the garage,

and I set it up for you upstairs

in your old bedroom.

Okay, thanks.

Mommy!

Mommy!

Mommy!

Shh, shh, shh.

Have you given much thought

as to what you're going
to do about the house?

Sell it as quickly as possible.

I got a career to get back to.

And a family.

Maybe.

My husband and I
have been thinking about

a trial separation.

Whoa.

That's rough timing.

It's all right.

I do fine on my own.

Maybe better, even.

Brian deserves to have somebody

who's a little more... hands-on.

We'll see.

Time will tell.

Que sera, sera and all that.

You know, it's going
to take you a while

to go through everything.

There's probably a
lot of stuff around here

with sentimental value.

Not really.

It's mostly junk.

My dad held on to everything.

His mantra was,

"You never know when
this will come in handy."

My dad was part... pack rat

and... part fortune cookie.

Natalie.

I was with your
dad when he died,

and I don't know
if this helps or not,

but his last
thoughts were of you.

Yeah?

Yeah.

He was looking for
a box of your things.

What kind of things?

I don't know.

He just said that it
was really important

that-that he find it.

You know, that, um,

that garage is pretty crowded,

but I'd be glad to help you
go through it, if you want.

No.

I'm not going into that garage.

I'll get the door.

I'll check the baby.

Hello.

I'm Monica.

And I'm Natalie.

Let me save you some time here.

I don't need any cleaning
supplies, greeting cards

or vacuum cleaners.

I'm not much on makeup and
I've already heard "the truth."

But what I do need
is to be left alone

so I can get a little
peace and quiet,

so whatever you're selling,
thanks, but no thanks.

Actually, I'm here
to see Andrew.

Oh... I'm sorry.
Uh... come on in.

He-he's upstairs with the baby.

Thank you.

Well, she's definitely not

the "Let's take a little stroll
down memory lane" type.

When do you think
she'll be ready?

I think... I think it's
going to take some time.

A few more pots and pans,

and that's one room done.

What's after this?

There's always the garage.

You know what, I think
I've had enough for today.

You have any plans tonight?

Big date with Monica, maybe?

Oh, no. No, uh,
Monica's a... just a friend.

- Lilly, what are you doing?!
- Oh, it's okay, Lilly.

Yes.

Um, I'm sorry.

I don't mean to
yell, it's just, uh...

she just... she seems to be
into everything these days.

I-I don't know how a mother's
supposed to handle this stuff.

Well, just try to imagine
being this age again.

I mean, this whole world is new,

and it's very interesting,

and you just want to
go explore everything.

Who wouldn't?

You know what I need, I think.

I need to just get
away from this.

Maybe, uh...

go into town, see if I
can get a workout in.

You want to bundle up Chuckles
there and come with me, maybe?

You... you want Lilly and
me to go with you to the gym?

Not that kind of workout.

Anybody here have kids?

Come on, surrender.

I'm a new mother.

Thank you.

It's nice to hear a loud noise

that doesn't sound like a
fire truck coming at you.

I don't know if any
of you have kids,

but if you do, I think you
know the sound I mean.

Now, parents,
back me up on this,

if you listen to this
sound for too long,

it can really mess you up bad.

Now... I'm not saying
kids are a bad idea.

They should just come
with a mute button!

Dr. Marks, call Admitting.

Dr. Marks, please
call Admitting.

It's all over now, you know.

No, it's not.

Did you take your medication?

What for?

You're supposed to put them
in your mouth and swallow them.

What's the point?

Do it for Tess, baby.

Come on, do it Tess.

I got you a new puzzle.

You want to work on it
until the medication kicks in?

No more kitties.

No, this is a landscape.

It's got trees and flowers.

And shouldn't there be some
kind of instruction manual...

that explains how this whole
thing is supposed to work?

You know?

There are only three
reasons a baby cries.

They're hungry, they're dirty,

or you're stepping
on their foot.

How's she doing?

Not so good, baby.

How do you think she'll
react to seeing Natalie?

I don't even know how
Natalie is going to react

finding out her mother's alive.

♪ Cradle will fall ♪

♪ Down will come baby ♪

♪ Cradle ♪

♪ And all. ♪

Just playing through?

That-that's good. That's funny.

- It's a living.
- You know, I got to admit,

I was, um, kind of
surprised last night,

you being a comedienne and
all, because Doug was so...

Not funny?

Yeah. My dad wasn't
much of a jokester.

He took life pretty seriously.

But, hey,

we all deal with life
differently, don't we?

- True.
- I make a few jokes,

and my dad used to golf.

He used to lug those
things out every Sunday,

rain or shine.

He was more regular
than a mail carrier

- on a bran muffin diet.
- Natalie...

we need to talk.

Uh-oh. Am I grounded?

Your father was getting
ready to tell you something.

And it's something that
you still need to know.

Saved by the bell.

It's, um... it's
probably Monica.

I asked her to come over here.

Excuse me.

Hello.

Natalie, did I mention
to you that Monica

is a patient advocate over
at Riverwood Hospital?

Does this have something
to do with my father's death?

No. This is about your mother.

My mother...

died in a car crash
a long time ago

when I was just a kid.

Natalie... your mother is alive.

What?

That's what your father

was getting ready to tell you.

No.

It... it doesn't make any sense.

I mean... where's she
been for over 20 years?

She's been at
Riverwood Hospital.

For 20 years?

I mean, come on, even an HMO

can get you in and
out quicker than that.

Natalie,

there are lots of different
wards at Riverwood,

and some are designed

to treat people and
get them home, and...

others are for more, um...

more permanent residents.

Natalie, this is Tess.

Nice to meet you, Tess.

Your mother has suffered
severe depression,

and she's kept herself
buried in her own delusions

for a long time.

Mm-hmm.

The medication

has evened out
her emotional state,

but the doctors still haven't
been able to break through

her traumatic amnesia.

She's making a
lot of progress...

but as Monica said,
there's still a gap.

Such as?

You know she
won't recognize you.

Well, I have done a
little growing in 20 years.

Uh, it's not that, baby.

Uh... she thinks you're dead.

Guess that makes us even, then.

It's a joke.

See? My dad told
me she was dead.

Never mind.

Well, seeing you might
bring some new awareness,

but, you know, it could
be traumatic for you, too.

Oh. Oh, really?

You mean finding out my
mother is alive and insane

is gonna be a walk in the park

compared to what you
have in mind for me next.

Yes.

♪♪

You've got a visitor, Amanda.

A friend.

You're very pretty.

Thanks.

Perhaps she could help
you finish your puzzle.

Mm, uh... Do you
like to do puzzles?

It's... it's been a long
time since I did one.

Doug and I used to do
them all the time together.

You have to start with
the corner pieces first, hm?

Then the...
- the side pieces.
- Yeah?

Oh.

You know how to do it.

My dad taught me.

What's your name?

Tell her.

It's Natalie.

Mommy!

Mommy!

Mommy! Don't!

Mommy! Don't!

Mommy! Mommy!

I... I have to go.

- Natalie...
- Natalie?

You all right?

She was... putting
that puzzle together

just like my dad
and I used to do it.

And then...

when I told her my
name, she got... upset

and went to the piano.

Just like she used to.

She always went to the piano.

And that song.

She's come a long way, Natalie,

but she still has a
long road to travel.

I know. I know.

Nothing's ever easy, is it?

Wow... you've actually

made some progress in here.

I keep looking for that
box of stuff of yours

your dad was talking
about, but so far I really

haven't found
anything that fits the bill.

Don't sweat it, Andrew.

I-I think I already got what
my dad wanted me to know.

Aren't you even
a little curious?

I don't know.

Well, come on, give me a hand.

It'll be like a treasure hunt.

Come on.

Hey.

Don't worry about it, I'll...

I'll go check on Lilly...
Just keep looking.

Mommy?

Where are we going?

'Kay, we're going bye-bye. 'Kay?

Why isn't Daddy coming?

'Kay, we're going bye-bye. 'Kay?

No, Mommy!

No!

We're going bye-bye.

♪♪

- No, Mommy!
- Honey, don't.

Just sit like a good girl.

Mommy! Mommy!

No, Mommy! No!

♪♪

Natalie! Natalie! Natalie!

Natalie, open the door! Natalie,

open the door for me!

Natalie, open the door!

Mommy, no!

Daddy!

Natalie!

Shh, shh, shh, it's okay.

It's okay, it's okay.

Shh, shh.

It's not okay!

It's never gonna be okay!

- Now I understand.
- What?

She tried to kill me, Andrew.

She tried to kill me.

Natalie!

Hello, Natalie.

Did Andrew send you?

Are you all right?

I still haven't picked
out the headstone.

They said it takes six
months to get it made

and engraved and everything.

Guess I ought to get it going,

but I just can't think
of what to put on it.

How about the truth?

"Douglas Randolph,

devoted husband and father."

Why didn't he tell me?

He wanted to protect you.

He wanted all your memories
of your mother to be good ones.

It wasn't a good decision,

but it was a loving one.

He knew he would have to tell
you before he brought her home,

and the time was coming.

Why didn't you tell me?

Telling you would not have
been the same as remembering.

Well... I remembered, all right.

I could never... piece
it together before.

I was so young.

I just... I couldn't help her.

That's... why she's been in
a hospital all this time, hm?

She was found guilty
of child endangerment

and sentenced to
a medical facility.

For 20 years?

For an undetermined
amount of time,

until she was capable
of returning to her family.

But... she didn't
just wake up one day

and decide to pile the
family into the garage

and turn on the
carbon monoxide, right?

I mean, this woman
had some problems.

Yes.

Probably going back
to her own childhood.

And then... she lost
a baby in childbirth.

A boy.

Would have been
your little brother.

Look.

I... I never knew.

I don't remember that.

It wasn't her fault
that the baby died.

But nevertheless, she
tormented herself with guilt.

She fell into a deep well of
sorrow and self-recrimination

that was so overwhelming
it became an illness.

And the only way to kill
the illness, she believed,

was to kill herself.

And in her tragically
disturbed mind,

she couldn't leave without you.

And... she remembers all this?

She remembers everything
except that you're alive.

Somewhere she knows that's true,

but she doesn't
want to believe it.

What do you remember?

Not much. Uh...

the car, the...

smell of the fumes, the cold.

I was scared and confused.

I... saw some things in a box
that my father saved for me,

and they... triggered
what little I do remember.

Oh, and-and there was this...

metronome, you know,
those time keepers

that piano players use.

That's what I really
remember about her.

I mean... she was always
turning that thing on

and playing the
piano... I mean, always.

Like... like she had to.

Didn't matter how much I
cried or how much I tried

to crawl into her lap
and get her attention,

she just kept playing.

Like... if she stopped,
something terrible would happen.

I guess... maybe
that day she stopped.

It's important that
you remember that.

I mean, that could help Amanda,
knowing that she tried to fight

and her daughter
remembers the struggle.

No.

No, I... I'm not going
back there again.

She tried to kill me.

I've... I've lived this long
without knowing about that,

without knowing her. I...

I'd just as soon... leave...

leave that alone.

You can't.

Natalie, you can't put back
what you found in that box.

Your father wasn't
saving it for you.

Do you remember this lady?

- Yes, she came to visit me.
- That's right.

And she's brought you
some things to look at.

Things from your old house.

Oh.

Do you live there now?

I'm... I'm visiting there.

Uh, uh, what do
you got in the box?

Well... I found some
things in the garage.

Oh.

I haven't seen this in years.

Oh, look at this!

This is beautiful. Look at this.

Did you make this, Amanda?

Uh... yeah, I like to keep busy.

What about this? Did
you make this, too?

Yes. She made it for me.

No!

There's no need to
be afraid, Amanda.

Go on, baby, go ahead.

I... I found some other
things at the house, Amanda.

Here are some
pictures of Natalie

when she was five,
six and seven years old.

Your daughter grew up, Amanda.

And here I am in seventh grade.

And... and in 12th grade,

I... I graduated
from high school.

Your daughter didn't die
in the garage, Amanda.

And it's all right
for you to know that.

- Go on, baby, go on.
- I won this

in the talent show in college.

I'm a comedienne now.

I... I do standup in clubs.

And you're married...

and you have a family.

Yes.

Your little girl
grew up, Amanda.

She didn't die.

Natalie.

Hi, Mama.

Oh, God, my baby!

It's all right to hug her.

I'm not really big on hugs.

Look, I-I've really
got to be somewhere.

Natalie...

No, really, I'm
glad I could help.

I really... I've got
to do something.

Don't go back to the club.

Stay here and feel
what's happening.

- I can't.
- I know it's frightening,

but you're running away, just
like your mother always ran

to the piano to
avoid really feeling,

but in the end, playing
the piano didn't work for her,

and someday telling
jokes won't work for you,

and then what will you do?

I'm not like her!

- Oh...
- I'm so proud of you, baby.

I know it's scary,

but from now on, things are
just gonna get better and better.

Now...

Speaking of dogs,
have you ever noticed,

if you blow on a dog's nose,

you know, like...

right on his snout, you know?

Oh, he hates that,
it drives him crazy...

- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine. Just get me on.

Roll down the window and
drive, like, 90 miles an hour,

what's the first thing he does?

He stick his head
out the window.

Oh, life is confusing.
Thank you!

Thank you very much.

Ladies and
gentlemen, Tony Melbo!

Yeah!

Ladies and gentlemen,
we've got another

terrific surprise
for you tonight.

Another terrific performer,

very funny, from New York City.

Please give a big
hand to Natalie Billings.

Give her a big hand! Natalie!

♪♪

Thank you!

I'm not really a
visitor to Chicago.

I was born here.

I moved to New
York a few years ago,

because, frankly, New
York has better songs!

Oh, come on, come on,

you know what I'm saying.

♪ Chicago ♪

♪ Chicago, that toddling town ♪

♪ That toddling town. ♪

What is that?!

You, sir! Were you
born in Chicago?

Have you ever toddled once?

I've got my own theories, but I
want to hear from you people.

Have you ever been
arrested for toddling?

Have you ever been
accused of toddling?

Actually, it must be a good
thing if it's a song, right?

Whoa!

Baby alert.

When were you due, last month?

Here, we may have
our answer here.

Toddling... is the
verb form of the noun.

Toddling... leads to toddlers!

Now, seriously, congratulations.

Uh... you got any more at home
like that, only on the outside?

I have a four-year-old.

Four-year-old.

Okay.

Uh... um... that's, uh...

Let's see, where were we? Uh...

Uh, I'm not... from Chicago.

I left... I mean, I am from...

You know... if you've got a...

if you've got a
four-year-old at home,

she's... she's wondering
where you are right now.

I mean...

I mean, wha... what
are you doing here?

I mean...

little kids are
really sensitive.

I... I was a kid once.

I... I know... I
mean, I mean, she...

she could get the wrong idea.

I mean, what are you doing here?

Do you want to...
do you want to...

Everybody ought
to just... go home.

Everybody ought
to just: go home.

You all should just go home.

I didn't want to get

the paramedics involved.

She's a nice lady, you know?

- I'm glad you called.
- Yeah.

♪♪

Just take all the time you want.

I'll... be in my office
if you need anything.

- Thank you.
- Yeah.

Natalie?

Where's my baby?

Lilly's with Tess.

She likes you;
she doesn't like me.

No, that's not true.

Lilly loves you, and
she needs you...

just like you loved and
needed your mother.

And just like your
mother, you can't...

be there for Lilly right now,

until you get through
all the pain inside.

Natalie... I need
for you to listen

to what Monica
and I have to say.

Am I having a nervous breakdown?

In a way, yes.

For so long

you've worked so hard to keep
from remembering the truth,

that when you finally
had to face it all at once,

you've been
overwhelmed by emotions

you haven't allowed
yourself to feel for 25 years.

It's... it's just a
lot to process.

Did I inherit my
mother's insanity?

No. You did not
inherit her illness.

But you have inherited
the consequences of it.

My mother tried to kill me.

Your mother tried
to end her pain.

You were just too young
then to understand that,

so you developed a way
to survive such a rejection.

You stopped feeling
anything altogether.

But God gave you
a talent, Natalie...

A great humor.

Although He never
intended for you to use it

to keep yourself
from your own heart

or your own child.

I'm having a breakdown
and you're talking about God?

Breakdowns don't have
to be complete, Natalie.

Now, tomorrow... and
in the weeks to come,

there'll be doctors
and nurses there

to support you and
help you climb back up.

But right now, you've
got two angels here,

and we're here to
help you grab on

to the first rung
of that ladder.

It's called hope.

And it's a gift... from God.

Do you know...

that before you came tonight...

I sat here and I... prayed

for the first time in my life?

Yes.

God truly loves you, Natalie.

God gave you a sound mind,

and he knows everything in it.

But sometimes the
tragedies of this world

twist minds and hearts.

And sometimes you have
to break down the false life

that you've built to survive

before you can...

build a new way to truly live.

It's gonna be hard...

but you get to choose...

what to keep and
what to break down.

Don't let it break you down.

It... it hurts... so
much to remember.

All the times...

I tried to get her to hold me,

and... and all the
nights I missed her.

I was... I was so
afraid to love my baby,

and... and I never knew why.

But now I do, and I'm so scared.

You're not alone.

Oh...

Thank you so much for coming.

We have some...
very entertaining...

entertainment, and, um,

the best part of
all is that it's free.

Free? It's $700 a day
here just for aspirin!

Ladies and gentlemen,

here for her final performance,
the comedy stylings

of Natalie Billings.

Well...

Been a long time since
they let me go this far.

I've got something
I want you to see.

Is it something good?

Have I ever led you wrong?

- How would I know, Tess?
- Oh.

Touché, touché.

Whoo-hoo! I just flew
in from the psych ward!

Uh, I didn't actually fly in.

I just wanted to make
sure you knew I knew that.

I'm scheduled to go home today.

I wouldn't want anything
to get in the way.

You're a good-looking crowd.

I haven't seen so many slippers

since the After-Father's
Day Sale at Wal-Mart

But how embarrassing
is it for me

to come in and seeing 30
other people wearing my outfit?

I asked for something
a little fancier.

I tried on some jackets,

- but...
- The sleeves were too long.

Hey... no fair
upstaging the headliner.

Oh.

Actually, I'm getting used

to being upstaged...
I'm a new mother.

I have a beautiful daughter.

Her name is Lilly, she's
with her father right now,

and... what's most amazing to me

is... how much I miss
having her around.

Everything's a
reminder... the...

crying, the
screaming, the yelling,

spitting up.

And that was just my
roommate in the ward.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.
You've been a great audience.

♪♪

- Where's Andrew?
- He'll be right back.

You were wonderful.

Some things are inherited.

Mom, I didn't tell
you this before, but...

I was scared to death
that I had what you had.

Turns out that's not
what I got from you.

But I did get something.

I got your sense of
humor, and it saved my life.

You want to see your mama?

Here's something
else I wouldn't have

if it weren't for you.

Lilly, want to say
hi to your grandma?

You want to hold her?

Yeah. It's all right.

Beautiful. What a sweetheart.

Brian's waiting
for you in the car.

We've been talking, and I...
I think we're gonna be okay.

What a cute little girl.

- What a sweet little girl.
- Mommy...

Oh... yes.

Oh, yes, Mama is here.

Can you say "mom"?

Oh, yes.