Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 8, Episode 15 - Secrets and Lies - full transcript

Okay, come on, come on.

That all you got? Come on.

Come on. Let's see.

Show me some of
them, uh, varsity moves.

I'm already up 12-two, Dad.

Okay, I'll make you a bet.

Uh, a hot dog says you
can't drive the lane on me.

One hot dog.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Go 5...

Oh.



Oh, oh.

Attagirl, Erica.

You show him who's boss.

If I make this... Uh-huh.

You buy the dogs, all right?

- Oh, whatever.
- Come on.

Dad, are you okay?

Oh, my back.

Hey, that doesn't count.

Oh, boo.

Cheater.

That's real classy, Dad.

You're in. Come on.

I've read all about
how James Naismith



invented basketball,

but I don't recall deception

being a part of the game plan,

unless this is what is
meant by "faking to the left"?

No, this strategy is all purely
from the mind of Allen Lowry.

Hmm, seems to work for him.

It's your shot.

Allen Lowry is very
good at deception,

but it is not a good thing.

What are you doing?

Come on.

Whoa.

Oh, I'm feeling dizzy.

Oh, come on, you
can't con a con.

Come on.

No, I'm serious.

Oh, I'm not feeling...
Hey, come on.

Hey, hey, come on.

Come on, Erica,
quit messing around.

Get up.

Come on.

- What happened?
- What's this?

Look at this.

- What's...?
- Oh, my God.

Look at these bruises.

I'll call somebody.

Call 911.

Honey?

Honey?

Oh, my God.

What happened? She
was fine a minute ago.

Oh, no.

I... I don't know yet.

Something is
missing in this family.

Not something.

Someone.

And finding the right someone

is gonna make the difference
between life and death.

♪ 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. I'm Dr. Nathans.

Hi, Doctor.

I'm-I'm, uh, I'm Allen Lowry.

- This is my wife, Janice.
- Hi. -Hi, Janice.

- And my daughter, Erica.
- Hi, Erica.

- Hi.
- This is Monica

from our organ donor
counseling department.

Hello.

Organ donor?

Erica, you're 17, so
I'm gonna level with you.

I was called in because
I'm an oncologist,

and the tests we've been running

show an anomaly in your blood.

Those bruises on your back

are because your bone
marrow has stopped working.

You have leukemia.

Leukemia? Oh, my God.

I know it's a scary word,
and I won't mislead you.

What we're dealing with is AML,

acute myelocytic leukemia.

It's-it's the worst kind to get.

But it's treatable, right?

Yes, yes, but it
requires starting her

on heavy
chemotherapy right away.

Now that'll destroy the
defective bone marrow,

but I'm afraid it's
only half the battle.

Why? What do you mean?

Erica needs to have a
bone marrow transplant

to stimulate her system

to create its own
red blood cells again.

That's really gonna be our
only hope of beating this.

Well, Monica will explain

the process to you while
I make arrangements

for Erica to be transferred
onto the oncology floor.

Thank you.

You're welcome. I'll
check in on you later.

I, um,

I know this must be
very difficult for you, but...

I... can't believe
this is happening.

Hey, we have to
stay strong, sweetie.

You heard the doctor.

We can beat this.

In-in fact, your-your
dad and I can be tested

for a bone marrow
transplant right away, right?

Yes, I've already arranged
it, and Erica has been listed

with the National
Bone Marrow Registry.

Well, so much for college.

Hey, hey, don't think that way.

We're gonna focus
on getting you well,

and you will get well.

Right, Allen?

Right?

What?

Right. Yes, yes,
absolutely right.

You need to know
that it may be difficult

to find a perfect match,
but it's not impossible.

And, uh, if I don't
get a transplant,

how long do I have?

Well, every case is
different, of course.

On average, you would
have a few months.

But let's really focus
on finding a donor.

- I'll be at extension 1148.
- Wh...

If you have any
questions, and you will,

please don't
hesitate to call me.

Daddy, I'm scared.

I know, sweetie, I know.

I know, sweetie.

I know.

You're gonna get better.

There you go. All done.

Okay.

You know, I don't understand

why we have to go
through all this trouble.

We're her parents.

Can't we just give her
some of our bone marrow?

I was just reading
about that this morning.

Basically, it's just very rare

for two non-blood related people

to have the same
human leukocyte antigens,

or HLAs, present in their blood,

and since HLAs are

the major histocompatibility
antigens for tissue reception...

Uh, Gloria, Gloria,

I'm an apple a day kind of guy.

Can you just... can you
explain that in layman's terms?

Oh, okay. Um... What
if you were an orange,

and your wife was a tangerine.

What would that make Erica?

I don't know.

A tangelo.

Her tissue type is part you

and part your wife,

and that combines to
make a truly unique fruit,

or person in this case.

If it's so unique, how are
we gonna find a match?

Well, the best case would be

if you could find
another tangelo

with the same
tissue combination.

Like a brother or a sister.

Yeah, right.

One in four odds,

as opposed to one in 20,000.

She's a beautiful young lady.

Oh, Monica, she's
everything to me.

She's my baby.

Do you have any
children of your own?

No.

When you do, you'll understand.

The more that you
know, the less frightening

this will all be.

That's why I'm here,
and the first thing

that you need to
know is that Erica

is really counting
on you to be strong.

I know. We'll try.

Believe me, we'll try, but, um,

Courage under fire

isn't exactly
Allen's strong suit.

When the going gets tough,
he tends to lock himself

in his workshop for days on end.

He doesn't talk to me,
he doesn't talk to anybody.

What kind of work does he do?

He works for a real
estate developer,

but he's always had this dream

of developing his own projects.

He's working on
this little model

of a utopian city

which he'd like
to build some day.

I got the tissue types back.

Neither one of us is a match.

What are we gonna do?

Come on, we knew the odds.

I mean, Gloria told us

that the parents are a
one in 20,000 chance.

Or how about that family,

that family that
had another child?

You know that thing that
Gloria said about a sibling

having a much better
chance at being a match?

We could have another child.

I'm gonna go home

and see if I can get
some work done.

Oh, please, not tonight.

She needs us here.

What Erica needs is a miracle,

and I still need to
earn a paycheck,

especially now.

So... I'll see you
in the morning.

Ow!

♪♪

What's on the piece
of paper, Tess?

The truth, angel girl.

The whole truth.

Hi.

Can I help you with something?

I was just looking
for Debbie Stonelake.

Well, she's not here right now.

Well, when she gets back,

can you just tell her
that Allen came by?

Thanks.

Allen?

Are you Allen Lowry?

You know who I am?

Yeah. You're my father.

Yes.

Can I talk to you?

Wow. Looks like you and
Mom are doing pretty good.

Yeah. She just made
partner with her law firm.

No kidding? That's good.

She was always a
very smart woman.

So, what do you
like to be called?

Robbie.

Robbie, hmm.

Just so we're straight,
me letting you in here

doesn't make us, like,
friends or anything.

Oh, I understand.

So your mom told
you all about me, huh?

Yeah. I grew up
hearing your name.

She said it kinda like
she was swearing.

I think it motivated her
to get through law school.

It's good for something.

So what do you want?

Well, actually, I'm
kind of ashamed

to say why I'm here, Robbie.

I'm here because
I need your help.

Oh, my God.

Robbie, go for a drive.

- Mom, you don't...
- Go now!

No, no, no, look,
it's not his fault.

Don't take it out on him.
It's my fault for coming.

I want you out of this house.

Look, Debbie, I, I don't
blame you for wanting me

a million miles away, but
hear me out first, okay?

Why should I?

Because I have a daughter.

She has leukemia
and she's dying.

She's at the Memorial Hospital.

She's... she was just diagnosed.

They're, they're, they're
giving her six months to live.

Her name's Erica.

She needs a bone
marrow transplant,

and there's a very good chance
that Robbie could be a match.

How dare you?

- Debbie!
- No.

What right do you have
to come into my home

and ask one damn
thing of me, or my son?!

Debbie, I don't have any choice.

I have a daughter who's dying.

Allen, you have had
choices your entire life!

You just didn't like them!

Debbie, I was married.

Oh, right. So happily married

that you were having
an affair with me.

Janice got pregnant!

So did I, Allen!

I'm sorry. I made a mistake.
I know. I screwed up.

You got that right.

You know, there's a part of me

that just always knew you
would show up one day.

I guess that's why I kept these.

Stupid money orders.
75 bucks a month, Allen.

Did that make you feel better?

Did that make
everything all right?

No, I just thought
it might help.

Well, it did. I
never cashed one,

but every month that I got
one of these, it reminded me

to never let someone like
you be a part of my life again.

Now get out of my house.

And don't ever come back.

Mom?

Robbie.

Oh, honey, I'm so sorry.

You shouldn't have had to...

Mom, I have a sister.

She's not your sister!

She's his daughter!

We have the same father.

You can't change that.

Mom, if it was
me in that hospital,

wouldn't you have gone to him?

Robbie, it's not the same thing.

I never abandoned his daughter.

Nursing supervisor to the OR.

Nursing supervisor
to OR, please.

Hey, Dad.

Hey, rookie.

Come here. I thought you
were gonna be here earlier.

Well, I was, but I, um...

What, you were
working, lost track of time?

Yeah. Did something happen
that I don't know about?

Well, she got her first
dose of chemotherapy.

It would've been nice
if you'd been here.

My God, I had no idea

that things were gonna
happen so quickly.

Yeah, well, Dr. Nathans
wanted to get started right away.

Well, hey, I brought
your boom box

and there's some tunes,
you know, I got your bathrobe.

Here, let me, let
me wipe this down.

How come you have to do that?

Well, the chemo is gonna
deplete your immune system

and we just don't
want to bring in

any germs that
don't belong here.

Janice?
- Mm-hmm?

- Get some rest.
- Oh.

When's the last time you slept?

I don't remember.

Okay.

There you go.

Thanks.

WOMAN Cleanup in Room 420.

Why don't you go
home? I'll stay tonight.

Okay.

See you in the morning,
okay, sweetheart?

- Okay.
- I love you.

Love you, too.

Dr. Gardner to Isolation.

Hey, I, uh, I brought
you something.

Remember this?

The Little House.

You want me to read it to
you like when you were little?

Will you do the funny voices?

I don't know how funny
they're gonna be now.

Okay.

"The Little House,
by Virginia Lee Burton.

To Borgia.“

- Remember that?
- Uh-huh.

Okay. "Once upon a time
there was a little house

"way out in the country.

"She was a pretty little house,

"and she was
strong and well-built.

The man who built her so
well said, 'This little house...”

- Allen.
- What?

- Honey, wake up.
- Where's Erica?

Andrew took her down
for some more tests.

Oh.

Excuse me. There's
somebody I'd like you to meet.

Robbie?

Hello, Mr. Lowry. My,
my name's Robbie.

Robbie Stonelake.

How do you do?

Uh, Robbie tells me that
he goes to school with Erica.

I-I don't think she
knows who I am,

but I heard what's
going on, and I know

it's a long shot, but I'd like

to be tested, see
if I can help out.

Isn't that wonderful?

It's a miracle.

Where do I go
for this blood test?

It's on the first floor,
but since you're a minor,

I'm going to need
to have a parent

sign this consent form first.

I'm not sure I can get that.

My mom's, um, away,
away on business.

It's a very serious procedure

that you volunteered
for, Robbie.

Now we can't move forward...

The form's confidential, right?

Yes.

Then I'll sign it.

I'm his father.

I'm his biological father.

Okay.

This is your copy.

The elevators are over there.

Cool.

Mr. Hirsh to Dental Records.

Mr. Hush to Dante“ Records.

- Did you ask Robbie to lie for you?
- No.

I'm not in the business of
keeping secrets, Mr. Lowry.

Well, you are if that
form is confidential.

My daughter has leukemia,
and my wife is falling apart.

They don't need anything
else to deal with right now.

Dr. Keebler to CCU, stat.

Dr. Keebler to CCU, stat.

He's deceiving his family, Tess.

But there's a part of
me... that thinks he's right.

The truth can be painful,

but it doesn't cause
nearly the damage

that a lie does.

Allen Lowry signed this.

Yeah. Um... he's my father.

So, you're here to help Erica?

It's a little complicated.

Have a seat.

So, uh, is this gonna hurt?

Just a pinch and a sting.
Over before you know it.

Uh, but the bone marrow
thing is probably painful, right?

You know, in case I'm a match?

Well, it's uncomfortable.

They extract the bone marrow

from your hip
bone with a needle,

and then give it to Erica
in a blood transfusion.

I just thought it'd be a
bigger deal than that.

Well, I'm sure it's a
very big deal to her.

Roll up your sleeve, please.

What's Erica like?

Well, I only took her blood,
but she seemed very nice.

I think you'll like her a lot.

You have the same smile.

No!

Please, just get it away.

Sweetie, please, you have
to try to eat a little something.

It's the chemo.

Hey, I'm gonna talk
to the doctor about

increasing your anti-nausea
medication, all right?

I don't want it. I
don't want anything.

I just want to die.

Shh.

Not today.

Not on my watch.

Doctor.

Hey, Andrew.

Well, good. I'm glad
everyone is here.

We have some news.

We found a donor. It's a
very good tissue match.

Oh, my God.

- That's...
- Erica,

I know it's hard
with all this chemo,

but if you can
just hang in there,

we're gonna be able to give you
some brand-new bone marrow.

Really?

Oh...

I can't believe it.

Daddy.

That's right.

Oh, I can't believe it.

Oh, yeah.

Wonderful.

Who is it, Monica? Was it
someone from the registry?

I'm not at liberty to say.

Thank you.

You better get a move on.

You're gonna be late for school.

Want more?

No.

Aren't you going to work today?

In a little while.

I'm waiting for a
couple of client calls.

Hey, I got a pretty
light day today.

How about if we go out
to dinner, you and me?

Oh, um...

I'm having dinner
over at Jamie's tonight.

Really?

Yeah.

I told you last night, remember?

No.

Well, I did.

Robbie?

I love you.

Me, too, Mom.

Dr. Reno to Coronary Pathology.

Dr. Reno to Coronary Pathology.

Robbie?

Robbie, what are
you doing here today?

I skipped school.

Well, you shouldn't do that.

Don't get all parental on me.

No, I'm... I'm glad you're here.

I've got good news
that you were a match.

I mean, a very good match.

I-I can't tell you, Robbie,
what it means to me

for you to come
forward like this.

Well, I'm not doing it for
you. I'm doing it for Erica.

I understand.

I want to meet her.

What?

She's my sister. I
want to meet her.

It's not a good
idea. Not right now.

She's too sick.

Look, I won't tell her who I am.

Or is my mom right?

The only thing you care
about is my bone marrow.

Wait.

Hi.

Erica, I want you
to meet somebody.

This is Robbie Stonelake.

He's the one that's going to
be giving you his bone marrow.

Thank you.

I can't thank you
enough. I can't.

It's no problem.

Well... we'll be
out in the hall.

- Hi.
- Hi.

And thank you for
doing this for me.

It really means a lot.

I was getting kind of scared.

Yeah. Um...

It's kind of weird to
think about it, you know?

I mean, after this, we're
gonna be related in some way.

Kind of.

Yeah, that is weird.

So... do you have any,
um, brothers or real sisters?

Um... one.

A... a sister, actually.

Yeah.

I'm sorry. I've
been a little tense.

Me, too.

I'm glad you're here.

We both need you.

I know. I know.

Allen, where is my son?

Mom.

Robbie, we are
leaving right now.

- What are you doing?
- No, wait. Please.

Please don't do
this! Wait. No...

I don't understand.
Is there a problem?

It's a big problem.

Since Allen doesn't have
the guts to tell you, I will.

Tell me what?

Allen, what is
she talking about?

Uh, she... It-it's nothing.

She's just upset because
I didn't tell her about...

Robbie, don't do
that. Don't lie for him.

No. Robbie, your mother's right.

Janice, Robbie...

Robbie is my son.

What?

He's my son.

Let's go.

You had an affair
with that woman?

Janice, it was a long time ago.

My God... who are you?

You had this-this secret,
this son all this time,

and I had no idea? I-I...

I-I just... I-I can't.

Mom?

- Janice, if we could just talk. Jan...
- Mom?

Yes, honey?

Mom, what happened?
Where's Robbie?

It's okay, honey.
Everything's fine.

Scrub nurse to OR three.

Scrub nurse to OR three.

Come on, it didn't
mean anything.

- It was a mistake that...
- Just lower your voice.

I'm sorry.

You have to believe me
when I tell you that I'm sorry.

Sorry you got caught?

No.

When was this exactly?

Here, in town?

Do you love her?

No. No, no, okay?

It was very early
on in our marriage,

and I was scared, I
guess, and I ended it.

Now I didn't even know
Robbie until a few days ago.

I wouldn't have even
gone looking for him

if Erica hadn't...

That's good to know, Allen.

Janice?

-Go home. «Janice...

Lock yourself in your workshop.

I have to go take
care of my daughter.

Oh. Oh, God.

God help me, please.

Please.

Allen?

What are you doing
here? How'd you get in?

What are you doing?

What, are you
following me around?

Everything follows
you... your joy and pain,

your triumphs
and transgressions,

your choices.

When the past catches up
with you, angels follow, too.

Angels?!

I am an angel, and God
has a message for you.

What are you telling
me? You're an angel?

You're an angel,
like from Heaven?

Yes.

Look at me.

Feel this room.

Listen to the still
small voice in your spirit

telling you that it is true.

I don't have a spirit
to listen with anymore.

Yes, you do.

It's just bruised and
been broken down

by guilt and fear
and lies, but it's there,

and it cried out of
the depth to its maker,

"God, help me, please.

Help me."

This is a beautiful model of
utopia that you made, Allen.

That's a very commendable dream,

but a perfect world
requires perfect people,

and... they don't
exist on this earth.

And I'm one of those people

that's a little less
than perfect, right?

God didn't send me
here to condemn you.

Well, why not?

I mean, come on.

My daughter's dying, my
marriage is breaking up.

He would never use
your daughter's illness

to punish you.

And if you are feeling guilt

and pain, it is coming
from your own heart,

not from His.

You know, I'm not sorry

that I lied about Robbie.

I, uh, you know, I think

there's such a
thing as a good lie.

I think sometimes that

you have to lie
to protect people.

I truly believe that you...

thought you were
doing the right thing

to save your
family and yourself.

But how many good
lies did you have to tell

in order to protect

that first terrible lie?

He wants...

to make a miracle in your heart.

You have been
carrying this secret

for so many years.

But at what cost to yourself?

To your family?

Isn't it time to
hand this burden

over to God?

He will take it from
you if you will just

ask Him for His
healing, for His mercy,

and He will give you
and those that you love

a peace greater than
you would ever know.

Why?

Why would God help me?

Why does a father love a child?

Why does a father
do anything, anything...

to save his child's life?

To save his soul?

Oh, God.

Oh, God, thank you.

Thank you, God.

Whew.

It's 103...

but it means the
chemo's doing its job.

Is it?

Seems to me like
she's sicker than ever.

Just the way it works.

All the old bone marrow
has to be destroyed

before the new bone
marrow can work and grow.

You know, healing only

begins once you clear away

everything that's
diseased and damaged.

Sounds like life.

Yes, it does.

I don't want to talk
right now, Allen.

Well, then let me.

Let me talk.

Please.

Janice, 16 years ago I
broke our marriage vows.

And you were right:

I was more sorry
that I got caught.

But now I'm glad
that I got caught.

I needed to get caught,

because the cover-up

was... was killing our marriage,

it was hurting you.

It was worse
than the lie itself.

You have a son.

Allen, I'm not gonna
be able to forget that.

I'm not asking
you to forget that.

Do you think that you could
ever forgive me for this?

Give me a chance...
to be a good husband.

The husband that you deserve.

Oh, give me a chance to be
the father that she deserves.

Please, Janice,
that's all I'm asking.

And I can't do that without you.

I can't do that without
your forgiveness.

Please forgive me.

It hurts.

A lot.

But I'm willing to try.

Thank you.

Erica.

Robbie's my brother?

Yes, Erica.

Many years ago,
I made a mistake.

I already heard what you said.

I don't get why you did it,

but I do know one thing.

I know that Robbie
is not a mistake.

God, to me he's a miracle.

Hi, baby. My name is Tess.

- I'm not interested, thanks.
- Oh, just

give me two
minutes of your time,

and I promise it'll
change your life.

Two minutes.

You don't strike me
as the kind of lady

that likes to sit in the
house by the fireplace

when it's cold outside.

True.

But when you go
outside and your lips

get chapped and dry,
who do you blame?

Well, usually the weather.

But you knew it was
gonna be cold out there.

Is this going somewhere, Tess?

Yes.

When you know you're
getting into something,

you have to be prepared
for the consequences

of your choice.

And if the
consequences are painful,

you have to be ready
to start the healing.

Now...

this little miracle

is called Everyday Forgiveness.

And this is called
Sweet Amazing Grace.

Kind of strange
names for lipstick.

What company do you work for?

Oh, I don't work for a company.

I'm more like a
door-to-door angel.

Angel.

Right.

Well, at least you're listening.

Keep listening, baby.

You might hear some
very surprising things.

Allen?

Where did that lady go?

What lady?

I must be losing my mind.

I didn't see anybody.

What are you doing here?

I just came by to talk to you.

Just to talk and...

I just want you to listen.

Just listen.

Robbie, uh... ALLEN:
No, no, let him stay.

What I have to say, I
have to say to both of you.

First of all, I'd be lying

if I told you that the...

well, that the most
important thing

on my mind right now
wasn't my daughter, Erica.

It is. But...

You know, whether you
choose to have anything more

to do with me or her,

there's still something
I need to say.

Okay.

I know that I hurt
you very, very deeply

when I just...
I just left and...

I went back to my wife.

But, I don't know, I
thought at the time,

at least, that that was
the right thing for me to do.

I know that it was
pathetic for me

to send those money orders
in the mail every month...

but I just wanted you to know

that those were the money orders

of a father who thought
about you every day.

I mean, there wasn't a day

that went by that I
didn't wonder what you

looked like or what
you were good at...

that I wouldn't have loved
to go out in the backyard

and toss the ball
around with you,

or sit in the stands
and watch you

play one of your games.

And I'll tell you,

I'd have given anything
if there was one night

I could've tucked you into bed,

just one night.

But I didn't.

And, you know, somehow...

there's something that I'm

still grateful for, Robbie.

You want to know what it is?

It's simple.

It's that God put
you on this earth.

This is good news.

All the chemo you've
had has wiped out

the AML cells in your blood.

This has, however,

left you with none of
your own bone marrow,

so we're gonna have to
do something about that.

Are you ready to
take the next step?

I am if he is.

- I'm ready.
- Good.

We'll do the procedure
first thing tomorrow morning.

Cool.

Well, Robbie, let's get you
checked in and prepped.

Hey... I'm so gonna
beat your butt in hoops

when I get out of here.

Yeah, right. Whatever.

Dad.

It's okay, you can go.

I understand.

Mind if I come in?

No.

You didn't have to, though.

I'm just in here for one night.

I know.

Where's your mom?

She went to fill out
all the paperwork.

Good.

So, I guess this is
like tucking me in.

Yeah, I guess it is.

Okay, so...

I'll go and let you
get some sleep.

Yeah.

Thanks for coming... Dad.

You bet, son.