Ephram étant parti à l'étranger, Andy ne sait plus si sa place est à Everwood. Il projette de partir avec Délia vers Chicago où un hôpital lui a proposé un prestigieux poste. 
{TEASER}
[Fade in – Scene from Act Two of “He Who Hesitates” – Delia and Dr. Brown are talking on the couch in the living room.]
DR. ABBOTT (VOICE-OVER): Previously on Everwood…
DELIA (CONT’D): Anyways, I don’t think it’s dumb if you like Nina. I kinda always wanted you to like her.
DR. BROWN: You have?
DELIA: She’s perfect for you. Plus, she’s nice to everyone – the way mom was.
[Cut to Scene from Act Four from “He Who Hesitates” – Nina is hugging Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
[Cut to Scene from Act Four from “He Who Hesitates” – Bright talks with Hannah while she is making soup.]
[Cut to Scene from Act Two from “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” – Bright and Ephram are walking toward his truck after picking up Rose’s prescriptions.]
BRIGHT: I can’t even look at the girl without my upstairs talking to my downstairs. It’s not natural.
EPHRAM: Meaning, you like her and you’d like to make out with her.
BRIGHT: Yeah.
[Cut to Scene from Act Two from “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” – Dr. Chao, Dr. Abbott, Dr. Brown, and Rose are in Dr. Abbott’s office looking at Rose’s X-Ray.]
DR. CHAO: So our first order of business should be finding the best surgeon we can.
ROSE: Well, what about Dr. Brown?
DR. ABBOTT: Not a good idea.
DR. BROWN: No, Rose, I don’t think that’s a possibility.
DR. ABBOTT: You had said something about specialists.
[Cut to Scene from Act Three from “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” – Dr. Brown is talking with Rose, who is in a hospital bed.]
[Cut to Scene from Act Four from “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” – Rose is talking to Dr. Brown in his office about performing her surgery.]
ROSE: I don’t have any idea about what’s gonna happen to me. Maybe Dr. Valledor is the right surgeon for the job, but I truly believe that you’re the right surgeon for me.
{End of Previously on Everwood}
[Fade in – Hospital Operating Room – Rose is being put to sleep and Dr. Brown is preparing for surgery.]
NURSE: Is there a certain CD you’d like to start with, Doctor?
DR. BROWN: It’s already in. Just press play and we’re good to go.
[Dr. Brown turns and looks at Rose laying on the operating table.]
[Lyrics from “Beloved Wife” by Natalie Merchant – [I]You were the love/ for certain of my life/ you were simply my beloved wife/ I don't know for certain/ how I'll live my life/ now alone without my beloved wife/ my beloved wife/ I can't believe/ I've lost the very best of me/ you were the love/ for certain of my life/ you were simply my beloved wife/ I don't know for certain/ how I'll live my life/ now alone without my beloved wife/ my beloved wife/ I can't believe/ I've lost the very best of me/ you were the love/ for certain of my life/ for 50 years simply my beloved wife/ with another love I'll never lye again/ it's you I can't deny/ it's you I can't defy
a depth so deep/ into my grief/ without my beloved soul/ I renounce my life/ as my right/ now alone without my beloved wife/ my beloved wife[/I]]
[Cut to Hospital Waiting Room – Dr. Abbott looks exhausted sitting there. Bright is sitting two chairs down from him.]
[Cut back to Dr. Brown in the operating room – Dr. Brown is just starting the surgery.]
DR. BROWN (CONT’D): You, my friend, are just about to have a very bad day.
[Cut back to the waiting room – Bright looks at Dr. Abbott and they smile at one another. Amy walks up and sits between Bright and Dr. Abbott.]
AMY: Do you need anything?
DR. ABBOTT: Just, uh… Just a moment alone.
[Dr. Abbott gets up from his chair and walks around trying to find some alone space. He walks down a crowded hall and gets bumped by a man and then finds a deserted bathroom and goes in. He walks into the handicap stall with a baby changing station in it. He sits down on the toilet and releases the baby changing station board and rests his arms on it for a moment of solitude to talk with God.]
DR. ABBOTT (CONT’D): If you don’t mind, Lord, a word. I know you’re boundless and infinite and problems of individual souls are quite beyond your purview, but try to see it from my side.
[Cut to Operating Room – Dr. Brown is operating on Rose.]
DR. ABBOTT (VOICE-OVER) (CONT’D): When I pray to you, I am fair. I don’t ask for favors, intervention, I only ask you for the strength to do right on my own.
[Cut back to Dr. Abbott in the bathroom stall.]
DR. ABBOTT (CONT’D): Or the wisdom to make good choices. I never ask you for anything for myself. Well, I am today.
[Cut back to the operating room – Dr. Brown is looking through a scope to better perform the surgery.]
DR. BROWN: Okay, let me have suction.
DR. ABBOTT (VOICE-OVER): I want you to guide his hands. I want you to guide whatever cells in her body have to fight or die or do whatever they must so that this cancer dies. Taking nothing with it. I am asking you, God.
[Cut back to Dr. Abbott in the bathroom stall.]
DR. ABBOTT (CONT’D): Fix this. Make her better. I offer you no promises or trades, bartering my ears for hers. I’m just asking. Go ahead cast stones at me for my impudence, cast a boulder, I don’t care. You fix this.
{END OF TEASER / OPENING CREDITS / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT ONE}
[Fade in – Nina’s house – Sam is jumping on the couch and Dr. Hartman is working on connecting the big screen TV. There are boxes all over the den when Nina comes in with bags of grocery.]
DR. HARTMAN: Babe?
NINA: Hey.
Dr. HARTMAN: Hey.
NINA: Did UPS stop delivering to other people and just dump everything here or…?
[Dr. Hartman comes from behind the TV and takes the groceries out of her hands.]
DR. HARTMAN: Nine Feeney, welcome to my stuff.
[Dr. Hartman kisses Nina and takes the groceries to the kitchen. Sam is still bouncing on the couch.]
SAM: Hey, mom.
NINA: Uh, ah…
SAM: Since the TV’s bigger than my bed, can I sleep on it?
NINA: Sure. Make yourself a nice little radiation blanket. It’d be loads of fun.
[Nina walks over to Dr. Hartman.]
DR. HARTMAN: We don’t have to use this TV, by the way. I was just testing it out to see if it made the move okay.
NINA: I don’t remember seeing that at your old place.
DR. HARTMAN: Well, that’s because this is my L.A. stuff. I finally had it shipped out here. I’m gonna get all the rest of the stuff from my other place myself.
NINA: Oh, so there’s-there’s more stuff.
DR. HARTMAN: Anything you hate – gone. Seriously, I have no attachments. None whatsoever.
NINA: Is that umm?
[Nina points at a nice blender. Dr. Hartman picks it up and hugs it.]
DR. HARTMAN: So small. So very little. I’ll hide it away in a cupboard, you’d never even know it’s here. But in fact it will be. Only to emerge when I make you the world’s most amazing margarita and then you’ll love like I do. As if it were your very own child.
[Dr. Hartman starts to walk off with the blender.]
NINA: Jake…
[Dr. Hartman walks back over to Nina holding onto the blender fondly.]
NINA (CONT’D): I’m only gonna say this once. So listen very carefully. Your stuff’s a billion times nicer than my stuff, which means that everything of your’s stays. If I have to lose my Cuisinart from 1982, well, so be it.
[Dr. Hartman puts down the blender and wraps his arms around Nina.]
DR. HARTMAN: Who’s cooler than you?
NINA: Uh, no one.
SAM: Uh, me.
NINA: Okay, Sam, but I’m a close second. I’m gonna put away groceries before the ice cream melts.
DR. HARTMAN: No. No. No. No. You leave that to me. You go upstairs. Take a bath. Chill out. By the time you come back down, there will be at least 5 feet of walking space in the living room. Okay.
[Nina and Dr. Hartman kiss. Nina heads upstairs. Sam is still on the couch but has a rug wrapped around his head. Dr. Hartman notices Sam.]
DR. HARTMAN: You like that rug, do ya?
SAM: Yeah, I’m naming him Franz.
DR. HARTMAN: Franz, that’s a good name for him.
[Dr. Hartman pushes Sam back on the couch making him fall down playfully.]
[Cut to Nina entering her bathroom upstairs – She goes to the medicine cabinet and looks in a box sitting on the counter. She pulls out a prescription bottle.]
[Cut to Hospital Cafeteria – Hannah, Topher, Amy, and Bright are eating lunch at a table.]
HANNAH: Bright, want my pudding top?
[Hannah hands Bright her pudding top.]
BRIGHT: Awesome!!
[Bright licks the top.]
BRIGHT (CONT’D): Butterscotch – interesting choice.
HANNAH: Thought you might like it.
TOPHER: Oh, here, you can have my vanilla. I’m not much of a licker.
[Topher slings the top off of his pudding and it splatters on Bright.]
TOPHER (CONT’D): Oh. Sorry. Here, this part’s still good.
BRIGHT: Nah, I’m okay.
HANNAH: So, Amy, how’s the whole Princeton housing thing going? Did you pick a dorm yet?
AMY: Umm, not yet actually. I mean, I have all the brochures, umm, but it just all seems, uh…
TOPHER: Totally…
[Bright looks at Topher weird and then gets up. He can’t Topher being here.]
AMY: Where are you going?
BRIGHT: Too much Arnold in my Arnold Palmer, I got to fix the ratio.
AMY: I will be right back.
[Amy follows Bright to the soda machine.]
AMY (CONT’D): Are you okay?
BRIGHT: Yeah, I’m fine.
AMY: Is it Mom?
BRIGHT: Yep, it’s Mom.
AMY: It’s not Mom, you’re being weird.
BRIGHT: It’s nothing. It’s just… Y’know, this hospital stuff is intense and I think that the guest list should be limited to family and best friends of family not boyfriends of best friends of family.
AMY: You don’t like Topher.
BRIGHT: Shasta mack spastic. Uhh, no.
AMY: Why? He’s completely harmless.
[Bright rolls his eyes. Amy looks at Bright.]
AMY (CONT’D): Unless… (stares at him and nods her head toward the table) Do you…?
BRIGHT: No.
AMY: Omigod!!!
BRIGHT: I’m going back upstairs.
AMY (softly and amazed): You like Hannah!!!
BRIGHT (whispering): I will smother you with my bare ass cheeks if you say a word about this.
AMY: You have to tell her. This is amazing.
BRIGHT: I can’t. She has a boyfriend already, in case you haven’t noticed.
AMY: Yeah, but…
BRIGHT: She’s finally happy and stuff. Cool with her life, y’know. I can’t mess that up. I mean I could, but it wouldn’t be fair.
AMY: I can’t believe this. You’re finally a good enough person to actually deserve Hannah and now you can’t have her. It’s like the ultimate revenge for women everywhere.
[Bright just nods his head.]
AMY (CONT’D): Which is sad. Really sad.
[Amy rubs Bright’s arm being sarcastically sincere and walks back to the table leaving Bright there.]
[Cut to Hospital Parking lot – Dr. Abbott is getting out of his car when he sees Dr. Brown on the sidewalk.]
DR. BROWN: Seems like old times. Pulling up at the same time. I didn’t give you enough space pretending it was accidental. You’d make some disparaging remarks about my lineage.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, no, you don’t get to be cute with me. Not any more.
DR. BROWN: I was hoping we wouldn’t have to do this.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, I think we do.
DR. BROWN: She came to me and asked me to perform the surgery. She gave me that look of hers. What did you want me to do?
DR. ABBOTT: I wanted you to say no. I wanted you to tell her the truth. In why you’d like to help you haven’t scrubbed in a year. The risk of spinal cord damage was too great for you to step in.
DR. BROWN: I tried to talk her into…
DR. ABBOTT: You didn’t try hard enough. She had enough to overcome without adding you to the balance.
DR. BROWN: You’re angry. I understand that. But I need to go check on a patient not so if you’ll excuse me.
[Dr. Brown walks toward the building and Dr. Abbott starts to follow, because he is not done yelling at Dr. Brown.]
DR. ABBOTT: Shouldn’t’ve even been your patient. You should have let that other doctor with the Andy Brown size chip on his shoulder do what he came to do, but you couldn’t could you?
[Dr. Brown turns to face Dr. Abbott once again.]
DR. ABBOTT (CONT’D): Had to play the hero. Feed that volcano god of an ego. You don’t care whose life you take as long as it’s sacrificed to your self-satisfaction.
DR. BROWN: Harold, I never would’ve done this if I didn’t think I could do the job. I did the best that I could.
DR. ABBOTT: She needed more than that. She needed the best anyone could do. You just couldn’t bear that that wasn’t you any more.
DR. BROWN: Look, why don’t we go inside and see if her condition’s changed today.
[Dr. Brown walks toward the building and Dr. Abbott just watches him walk away.]
DR. ABBOTT: What are you even doing here? In Everwood? I thought you came here to give up all that, turn your back on all the false glory or surgery and find meaning. You came here – the quaintest town your money could find, swaddled yourself in flannel and denim, professed yourself a changed man. So explain to me how you keep winding up with a scalpel in your hand. See everything you’ve set out to do by moving here – you’ve failed at. You have no family. You haven’t quit surgery. You drove your son away. You-you thought this magic little town would save you. Well, it hasn’t.
[Dr. Brown’s cell phone rings.]
DR. ABBOTT (CONT’D): No town could.
[Dr. Abbott walks past Dr. Brown toward the Hospital. Dr. Brown answers his cell phone.]
DR. BROWN: Yes, this is Dr. Brown. (listens) Are you certain? (listens) We’ll be right there. (hangs up the phone) Harold?
[Dr. Abbott turns back to look at Dr. Brown.]
DR. BROWN (CONT’D): That was Dr. Chao. Rose is awake.
[Dr. Brown walks past Dr. Abbott toward the hospital.]
{END OF ACT ONE/ COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT TWO}
[Fade in – Abbott master bedroom – Amy is packing some things up for her mom and Hannah is sitting on the bed.]
AMY: I wonder if they’ll let us sit in the room with her today. I mean they should right?
[Hannah nods in agreement.]
AMY (CONT’D): Oh and did I tell you that she moved her big toe. Apparently that is really big.
HANNAH: Oh, it’s huge. It means the worst is over, right?
AMY: Well, it’s still gonna take forever for her to get back to normal and the second round of chemo’s supposedly worse than the first, but today was better than yesterday so I’ll take it. And you really don’t have to come to the hospital with us today. You only have a small amount of time until you go home for the summer, you really should spend it with Topher.
HANNAH: It’s okay, I’d rather come with you.
AMY: You would rather spend a day in the hospital with my family then make out with Topher.
HANNAH: I would rather spend a day getting my under arms waxed than make out with Topher.
[Amy looks at Hannah after the comment and Hannah realizes what she just said/.]
HANNAH (CONT’D): I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.
AMY: No,but you did, what is going on.
[Amy sits down on the bed so she can listen.]
HANNAH: No, it’s nothing, it—we’re great. It’s great. It’s just… I’m not sure if there’s suppose to be more stuff.
AMY: What do you mean – more stuff?
HANNAH: Well, like – like I love talking to him on the phone and his emails always make me laugh but when we hang out in person, I just never wanna…
AMY: There’s no heat.
HANNAH: Well, there’s warmth.
AMY: But you don’t feel the urge to get all sweaty with him.
HANNAH: Are you suppose to wanna get sweaty? See I-I don’t know these things.
AMY: Hannah, you’re suppose to at least miss him every moment that you’re not with him. At least in this stage in the relationship.
HANNAH: Well, maybe we’re not that kind of couple. Y’know, maybe we’re just milder than that.
AMY: So you’re crappy salsa couple.
HANNAH: Mild salsa is not crappy. It’s a lot easier on the digestive system for one thing.
AMY: But it’s not as fun to eat. I mean you want a little fear mixed in with every bite. A little something spicy to get it all going.
HANNAH: Okay, now I’m really starting to think of us as salsa so we should stop.
AMY: You need to break up with him.
HANNAH: What? No.
AMY: No, absolutely. You need to break up with him, Hannah. This is not how relationships are suppose to be. Kissing is suppose to be the greatest thing in your life right now. Not something that you dread.
HANNAH: I don’t dread it.
[Amy does not buy Hannah’s comment.]
HANNAH (CONT’D): (sighs) Look, Amy, it’s taken me 16 years to find someone. I’m not just throw him away because we’re not sweaty or spicy or whatever. Y’know, it might not be perfect but it’s nice.
AMY: I know, but what if there is somebody out there who’s better than just nice.
HANNAH: Trust me, there isn’t.
[Hannah grabs Rose’s bag.]
HANNAH: Uh, we should go, uh, your mom is probably waiting for us.
[Hannah gets up and runs out of the bedroom.]
[Cut to Brown kitchen – Dr. Brown walks into the kitchen and notices Nina looking out the kitchen window toward her house.]
DR. BROWN: Hey, you.
[Nina turns around looking caught. She is hiding something behind her back.]
DR. BROWN (CONT’D): What are you, uh,…?
NINA: Nothing. Just hiding in your kitchen.
[Dr. Brown looks confused.]
NINA (CONT’D): Forget me, how is she?
DR. BROWN: Rose, oh, she’s doing well actually.
NINA: Well, of course, she is. You were driving. You always get your man, don’t ya?
DR. BROWN: You want to tell me what you’re hiding from?
NINA: Nothing. There’s just a man in my house. Strange man. Think a lot of men.
DR. BROWN: I thought Jake moving in was a good thing. Wasn’t it your idea?
NINA: Oh, it was. It’s great.
[Dr. Brown still doesn’t look convinced.]
NINA (CONT’D): Got any scotch?
DR. BROWN: Yeah, I think I got a little left.
[They walk into the dining room and sit down at the dining room table.]
NINA: Do you know anything about percocet?
DR. BROWN: Well, I know you shouldn’t be mixin’ ‘em with scotch?
[Nina brings the bottle out from behind her back and shows them to Dr. Brown.]
NINA: I found them in Jake’s stuff. I wasn’t looking. They were just… They were out.
DR. BROWN: What’s he taking them for?
NINA: Well, that’s the thing, I don’t know.
DR. BROWN: Oh, I see. A lady who’s boozing in the middle of the day is worried about the guy taking the low dose painkillers.
NINA: Yes, well, in case you forgot, let me remind you about the condom I found in Carl’s stuff, which led to the discovery of the big gay affair.
[Dr. Brown laughs.]
NINA (CONT’D): I’m not a huge fan of finding stuff.
DR. BROWN: Look, there could be dozens of reasons why he’s taking these. He could have fallen off a chairlift and herniated a disc. OR maybe he got hit in traffic while he was in L.A. and somebody gave him whiplash.
NINA: Or maybe he has a problem with prescription medication.
DR. BROWN: And you don’t wanna just, oh, I don’t know, ask him?
NINA: It’s a very touchy subject.
DR. BROWN: What are you talkin’ about? You ask people personal stuff all the time. I can’t get you not to ask me about personal stuff.
NINA: Yeah, it’s not the same. I mean, I come over here and blab about anything, but with him, I mean, we talk, but still we just don’t have this.
DR. BROWN: Nina, the guy is moving in with you. You gotta be able to ask him about everything. And look, in the interest of umm, this, I think I should tell ya that, umm, I might be getting a job offer. I’ve gotten a few calls in surgery.
NINA: Where?
DR. BROWN: In Chicago.
NINA: Hell of a commute from Everwood.
DR. BROWN: Well, it might not even happen, but, uh… Look, Nina, I-I-I don’t even know what I’m still doing here. I know what I’m suppose to be doing here, but somehow everything I came here for is, uh…
NINA: A disaster.
DR. BROWN: Yeah, thank you. Harold practically has a lynch mob out after me. I have no idea what country my son is in. My dating prospects are down to Mrs. Tolliver, who patted my butt while I was removing a mole hair. So the truth is that there’s really nothing left for me here, is there?
NINA: Well, I can’t answer that.
[Dr. Brown raises his glass of scotch.]
DR. BROWN: Salut!!
NINA: Salut!!
[Cut to sidewalk outside a restaurant – Hannah and Topher walk out of a restaurant and stand on the sidewalk.]
HANNAH: Thanks for dinner.
TOPHER: No thank you.
HANNAH: Topher, you paid.
TOPHER: Yeah, but you came. I mean you can’t just pay people to eat dinner with you. Well, I guess you can, but I don’t think I’d enjoy hookers. (laughs) Anyway…
[Topher gives Hannah a kiss and starts to walk away and Hannah reaches for him.]
HANNAH: Uh, out of curiosity, uh, how would you rate that kiss? I-I know that I didn’t offer much. In retrospect, I can see that tilting my head slightly more to the left might have helped. I’d give my performance in that case a 2. Three tops.
TOPHER: You’re-You’re crazy.
[Topher tries to walk away again yet Hannah wants to finish the conversation.]
HANNAH: No. No. Really, umm, I think we should be able to be honest with each other about this stuff. Otherwise, we’ll never improve.
TOPHER: How can we improve on perfection?
HANNAH: Topher, uh, I don’t think we’ve reached the perfection stage yet – of anything.
TOPHER: You don’t? Gosh, I don’t-don’t see how we could get better. We laugh all the time. We make great fish tacos together. And when we kiss, it’s-it’s like time stops.
HANNAH: Are you sure it doesn’t just slow down?
[Topher laughs.]
HANNAH (CONT’D): Topher, umm, I don’t think I feel the same way as you do.
TOPHER: What do you mean?
HANNAH: I mean about us. I thought that we were on the same page which was what so great, but now I’m thinking maybe we’re not.
TOPHER: Oh, uh, so where are you?
HANNAH: I’m in chapter one. I’ve definitely read the forward and I enjoyed it. But I don’t know if I’m ever gonna to finish the whole book. You know what I mean?
TOPHER: Oh.
HANNAH: I’m so sorry, Topher.
TOPHER: Should we get back to the car now?
HANNAH: Yeah, yeah, okay.
[Topher walks toward the car shell-shocked leaving Hannah on the sidewalk feeling like she disappointed Topher.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s office – Dr. Brown is sitting at his desk, when there is a knock at his door. Dr. Abbott walks in cautiously.]
DR. ABBOTT: May I come in?
DR. BROWN: I don’t know. Are you gonna hit me?
DR. ABBOTT: I want to apologize. I said some awful things last week. Well, I said every awful thing. Those words were said carelessly under a great deal of stress not that that’s any excuse. Well, it is, but I’m not going to hide behind it.
DR. BROWN: Listen, what you said was right. Maybe not all of it, but more than you think. I shouldn’t be here, Harold.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, luckily for me, you are.
DR. BROWN: I’ve been offered a job in Chicago and I’m considering taking it. If I do, the practice will transfer to your name, the lease will be transferred over to you.
DR. ABBOTT: Andy, wait…
DR. BROWN: The thing is I miss being a surgeon. I really do. I’m good at. It’s the only time in my life that makes sense. I gave it up and I’m just as alone as I was when Julia died, so…
DR. ABBOTT: No you’re not, I mean forget everything that I said, forget everything you’ve heard issued from my mouth before right now.
[Dr. Abbott sits down in front of Dr. Brown’s desk.]
DR. BROWN: Why? You’ve seen my resume for the last three years. I’ve ruined your life a dozen times over, lost Colin, shattered the hearts, destroyed my relationship with my son, blinded a reverend, drove your sister back to Africa, had an affair with a stroke victim’s wife.
DR. ABBOTT: Yes, well…. Are you sure?
DR. BROWN: Well, there’s one more person that I have to talk to, but yes, I’m sure.
DR. ABBOTT: Is there anything I can do?
DR. BROWN: Let it go.
[Dr. Brown smiles.]
{END OF ACT TWO/ COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT THREE}
[Fade in – Abbott kitchen – Dr. Abbott is sitting at the kitchen table on the phone and Amy walks in.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, that sounds like quite a predicament, but I-I can count on you to be there, Dean. (listens) Yeah, 9am sharp. Wonderful, I will see you then. Yes. (hangs up phone) (to Amy) You, not so fast.
AMY: Whatever it is, I don’t do 9am, I’m on summer hours.
DR. ABBOTT: I need you to fill this housing application for Princeton. I realize these last few days have been taxing on all of us, but I have not forgotten this deadline nor should you. If we don’t get this in on time, your first dorm could wind up being your car.
AMY: I haven’t forgotten, I just…
DR. ABBOTT: Just what?
AMY: Dad, please don’t be upset.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, no. No. No.
AMY: Dad, you have to at least let me finish my sentence.
DR. ABBOTT: I most certainly do not, I can see where the sentence is going. And I intend to thwart it on its path to utter foolishness.
AMY: I’m talking about deferring. Just for a year.
[Amy sits across the table from Dr. Abbott.]
DR. ABBOTT: Out of the question.
AMY: Dad, think about it, Mom’s surgery went well, but it’s not over yet. And you’re going to need help. And it’s not fair to ask Bright to wait another year.
DR. ABBOTT: You’re right, it’s not. I would never ask either of my children to put off their promising futures to assist me with something that I can handle perfectly well on my own. Children are the responsible of the parents, not the other way around.
AMY: I’ll remember that when you’re 90.
DR. ABBOTT: You, my dear, are going to Princeton this fall. I want this application completed and on my desk by tomorrow morning.
AMY: Fine. Don’t get all Officer Bad Ass on me, I’m going.
[Amy gets ups. Dr. Abbott starts dialing the phone again]
DR. ABBOTT (on the phone): Thurman, Harold Abbott, here…
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s upstairs – Dr. Brown walks down the hall and looks in Ephram’s room. It is quiet and neat. He closes the door to the room and then walks to Delia’s room. Delia is on the computer when Dr. Brown knocks on her door.]
DR. BROWN: Hey, you got a minute.
DELIA: Ethan thinks I should bring bug spray with me to camp.
DR. BROWN: Okay.
DELIA: He also thinks I should bring 20 packs of gum. He says gum in camp is like cigarettes in prison. Isn’t he funny?
DR. BROWN: Hilarious. Listen, honey, I’ve been thinkin’ about something, and, uh, I wanted to see how you felt about it. You may have already noticed that I haven’t been too happy lately.
DELIA: You don’t have a lot going for you.
DR. BROWN: That’s true. I don’t.
[Dr. Brown sits on a chair at the end of Delia’s bed.]
DR. BROWN (CONT’D): But I think I figured out a way to fix it. I’m not sure that this is the best place for me right now. Everwood, I mean.
DELIA: You wanna move?
DR. BROWN: Part of me does. Yeah.
DELIA: Well-well, what would we do?
DR. BROWN: Well, if I wanted, if-if we wanted, I’ve been offered a job running surgery at a hospital in Chicago.
DELIA: What do I get if I say yes?
DR. BROWN: No, I’m sorry, honey, it’s-it’s not gonna work like that this time. There aren’t gonna be any horse bribes or any deals. You’re a lot bigger than you were when we first moved here, and you’re getting bigger by the second, so I am going to treat you that way. We’re going to talk about this, we’re gonna take a vote and then that will be it.
DELIA: There’s only two of us. What if I say no and it’s one to one?
DR. BROWN: Then we stay right here, because your vote is bigger.
DELIA: That’s not fair.
DR. BROWN: It is in light of a missing horse.
[Delia sighs.]
DR. BROWN: What is it?
DELIA: Well, what if Ephram comes back?
DR. BROWN: If Ephram comes back, he can live with us in our new house. There’ll be room for him too. But you don’t have to decide this right now, I know it’s a big deal so we can talk about it more and then when you’re ready…
[Dr. Brown gets up and starts to leave the room.]
DELIA: No, I think I’ve decided.
DR. BROWN: Already?
DELIA: I think you should pick.
DR. BROWN: Me?
DELIA: Yeah. I trust you.
DR. BROWN: You sure about this? ‘Cause I’m not known around this house for making good calls.
DELIA: Ephram trusts you more than he says. He may not say it to you, but he does. Just lemme know as soon as you can, because if we’re leaving, I should tell Ethan I like, I was gonna wait ‘til next year, but…
DR. BROWN: Don’t… Those things should never wait.
[Dr. Brown leaves her room.]
[Cut to Amy’s bedroom – Hannah is hugging a pillow and Amy is listening intently.]
HANNAH: His face was just so sad.
AMY: Like you shot his puppy.
HANNAH: Yes. Yes. That’s exactly it. It-it was so horrible.
[Bright walks in.]
BRIGHT: What was so horrible?
AMY: Hannah and Topher broke up.
HANNAH: I’m a puppy killer.
[Hannah falls to the bed upset. Amy looks at Bright and motions with her eyes for Bright to comfort Hannah. Bright just looks at Amy and Amy gives him a “good grief” look and Bright leaves the room quickly. Amy turns back to Hannah.]
AMY: I’m gonna go get you some ice cream.
HANNAH: Oh, I’m not really hungry.
AMY: It’s a thing. Breakups and ice creams – you can’t miss with tradition.
[Amy leaves the room.]
[Cut to Bright being followed down the stairs by Amy. They practically are running into the kitchen.]
AMY: Where are you going?
BRIGHT: I’m going to the kitchen.
AMY: Why aren’t you in my bedroom making Hannah feel better and telling her how much you love?
BRIGHT: Because first of all, I’m not in love with her. Okay, don’t get all extreme. And second, I-I…
AMY: You want?
BRIGHT: I don’t know how I feel at all.
AMY: What are you talking about?
BRIGHT: I’m not sure any more. Okay, I mean, it’s like maybe I like her. Maybe it’s gas. I sure hope you didn’t have her break up with that kid just because of me. Because if you did…
AMY: You are so lame?
[Amy hits him.]
BRIGHT: Oww, don’t smack me.
[Bright goes to the other side of the island.]
AMY: Now you don’t know how you feel. Now that it’s actually possible, she’s free and you can do something about it, and you don’t know.
BRIGHT: What do you want me to do? Okay. A heart’s a complicated little organ. I’m sure she’ll bounce back. She’ll probably have another boyfriend in no time.
AMY: Oh, I’m not worried about Hannah. She’s gonna have a million boyfriends, because unlike you, her heart is actually open. And she’s one of the bravest people I know. It’s you that I worry about, Bright. Gaa, I never knew what a coward you were.
BRIGHT: Oh, would you bite me?
AMY: No, really, you are so freaked out by the possibility of something real, that you are actually gonna ruin the best thing that ever happened to you. I feel sad for you, Bright. I really do.
[Amy finishes grabbing bowls and the ice cream and leaves the kitchen for Bright to contemplate what Amy said.]
[Cut to Nina’s house – Dr. Hartman is working a remote control. The remote is not working with the TV.]
DR. HARTMAN: Dammit. What the hell?
[Nina walks into the den.]
NINA: Did you just throw that?
DR. HARTMAN: I pushed every friggin’ button on that thing and I still can’t the DVD player to work.
NINA: Well, do you have it all plugged in right?
DR. HARTMAN: Nina!!! Give me a break. Just… I’ll figure it out.
[Dr. Hartman grabs some empty boxes and goes out back to the patio. Nina follows him.]
NINA: Hey… What is wrong with you?
DR. HARTMAN: No, you know what, what is wrong with you?
NINA: What?
DR. HARTMAN: Something’s bugging you, I know it is. I don’t have time to pull the old song and dance routine and charm it out of you because I gotta go pick up the damn truck in 20 minutes and I’m trying to get these boxes unpacked before more boxes come. And the whole thing is pretty stressful.
NINA: I know it is.
DR. HARTMAN: But what’s adding to my stress level is knowing that I’m moving in with someone who can’t be honest with me. Or maybe she can, but only through really passive aggressive behavior, so why don’t you just tell me, whatever it is and we’ll deal with it.
NINA: I found your Percocet. I freaked me out.
DR. HARTMAN: You found my what?
NINA: Percocet?
[Dr. Hartman thinks about it.]
DR. HARTMAN: You mean my prescription?
NINA: Yes.
[Dr. Hartman half laughs.]
DR. HARTMAN: I was in Big Bear last winter. I twisted my ankle and my partner prescribed me some pain killers. Happy?
NINA: You took Percocet for a twisted ankle.
DR. HARTMAN: Yep. The secret’s out, I’m a baby when it comes to pain. You should’ve seen me when I had my wisdom teeth pulled.
[Dr. Hartman walks over to Nina to relieve her.]
DR. HARTMAN (CONT’D): Babe, you should have just asked me.
NINA: I know, I just… ‘Cause of everything you told me before.
DR. HARTMAN: Well, just because I was dolling out prescriptions to other people doesn’t mean I was taking them myself.
NINA: No, I know.
DR. HARTMAN: But that’s why you gotta talk to me. Otherwise look at how much time we waste. All right, I’m off.
[Dr. Hartman kisses Nina, then looks at her and smiles, and then kisses her again. He walks off the patio and turns back to Nina.]
DR. HARTMAN (CONT’D): You need anything while I’m out?
NINA: Nope, I’m good.
DR. HARTMAN: Okay. I’ll see you later, Babe.
[Dr. Hartman leaves and Nina waves goodbye. Nina shakes her head like how could she doubt him.]
[Cut to street outside of Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott’s office – Dr. Brown pulls up in his SUV. Dr. Abbott jumps out of his car. He had been waiting on Dr. Brown to get there. They walk across the street together.]
DR. BROWN: You planned that one.
DR. ABBOTT: Me?
DR. BROWN: I saw you waiting.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, I know how much you’ve always enjoyed our morning repartee. I’ve prepared a few insults if you’d like to hear one.
DR. BROWN: I’m not dying, Harold. We can always email.
[Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott walk into their office and there are dozens of people waiting on them. They all yell and clap and throw confetti. Dr. Brown is shocked. Dr. Brown looks stunned and then walks out of the office and Dr. Abbott runs after him. All the people look confused.]
{END OF ACT THREE/ COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT FOUR}
[Fade in – Dr. Brown walking back across the street to his car and Dr. Abbott following him.]
DR. ABBOTT: Just…
DR. BROWN: You told the whole town I was leaving.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, absolutely, I wanted to give them a chance to stop you or at the very least to say thank you before you go.
DR. BROWN: Well, consider it said, Harold. You shouldn’t have wasted your time.
DR. ABBOTT: It didn’t. It took nothing. All I had to do was ask, they came on their own, near and far to let you know how much they appreciate you. And don’t think they came. They hate me.
DR. BROWN: Well, I can’t imagine why.
[Dr. Brown tries to open his SUV door and Dr. Abbott shuts it back.]
DR. ABBOTT: Come on. Those people owe you their lives. Let them say so. They wrote speeches. You know how hard it is for those invertebrates to sign their own names.
DR. BROWN: Thanks so much, Harold.
[Dr. Brown opens his SUV door and tries to get in. Dr. Abbott shuts the door again.]
DR. ABBOTT: As stubborn as he is unappreciative. Fine. Leave. Just don’t. Don’t leave. ‘Til you to hear the truth.
[Dr. Brown does not respond.]
DR. ABBOTT: You’re suppose to say what truth?
DR. BROWN: What truth?
DR. ABBOTT: That you are hardly the failure you make yourself out to be. You think that you have harmed more than you’ve healed. Well, I’ve got a train station full of people waiting to disagree with you. Truth be told, I owe for more than what you did for Rose. For better, for worse – probably the latter. You’re my best friend. I’m better a person for having you in my life and ruining it. Andy, just hear them out.
[Cut back inside Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott’s office – Some of Dr. Brown’s patients are talking to one another.]
DEAN: Oh, yeah, Andy’s the best.
DEBBIE WEST: Oh, he really helped my son.
DEAN: With what?
DEBBIE WEST: He was having sex at the age of 12.
DEAN: Nice.
[Debbie walks away. Dean tries to counter his comment.]
DEAN (CONT’D): I mean that’s rough. So you wanna go get a drink after this. I’m buying as many as you can swallow.
[She walks away again. Thurman overheard Dean talking.]
THURMAN: Does that ever work?
DEAN: You’d be surprised.
[Dean follows her.]
DEAN (CONT’D): Hey…
[Cut over to Ellie and Justin are talking.]
ELLIE BEALS: Had a four inch metal rail stuck through my gut.
[Justin tries to talk but can’t get it out.]
ELLIE BEALS: Okay, never mind.
[Ellie walks away from Justin. Dr. Abbott and Dr. Brown walk back in.]
DR. ABBOTT: And we’re back. Just needed a little air, too much excitement overwhelmed the sensitive doctor’s soul. Hello?
[Louise walks up to Dr. Brown and throws confetti on him.]
LOUISE: Surprise!!!
[Dr. Brown brushes the confetti out of his hair.]
DR. ABBOTT: Uh, he’s already seen everyone, Louise. Uh, focus, people, we’re here for a very special purpose are we not? Someone step up and speak your peace. Ah, Mr. Jensen, be the first of a multitude.
MR. JENSEN: Proud to be here. Happy Birthday, Doc.
[Mr. Jensen shakes Dr. Brown’s hand.]
DR. ABBOTT: It-It isn’t his birthday, Jenson. It’s an appreciation party.
MR. JENSEN: Ah, but there’s still sheetcake, isn’t it?
DR. ABBOTT: Someone else. Please, someone… Let the good doctor hear just how much you appreciate all he’s done. Uh, go ahead, Daniel. Don’t be shy.
[Daniel walks toward Dr. Brown cautiously.]
DANIEL: Uh, I’d, uh, never given my brother a kidney if you hadn’t forced me. And-and-and you fixed Tank. You-you may think that she’s just a bear, but she’s my best friend. So thanks.
[Dean walks up to Dr. Brown next.]
DEAN: Hey, Doc, just wanted to say that was awesome the way that you lied to my wife for me. She took off after that stripper showed up pregnant, but you bought us like 6 months.
DR. BROWN: Great, Dean. Great.
IRV: Give ‘em hell, in the Windy, Doc. Don’t forget us.
DR. ABBOTT: This need ant be goodbye, Irv.
EDNA: Well, we know this lug. He gets a bad idea in his head, he’s seeing it through.
DR. BROWN: Harold, I’m gonna take a little breather, I’ll, uh, be in my office.
DR. ABBOTT: But-but there’s so many more people.
DANIEL: Oh, I wouldn’t do that.
[Dr. Brown walks toward his office and opens the door. He sees Tank playing with papers on his desk. She growls at him. Dr. Brown closes the door to his office really fast.]
DR. BROWN: Okay. All right. That’s it. I appreciate all of you coming. And I promise I will take all this into account through the decision-making process, but I think it’s time for this lovefest to come to an end.
[Justin walks up to Dr. Brown.]
JUSTIN: I-I…didn’t get a chance to… read my speech.
DR. BROWN: Well, you can-you can fax it, Justin.
[Justin pulls Dr. Brown into a hug. Dr. Brown tries to walk backward out of the lovefest.]
EDNA: Doc, you might want to wait a second.
[Bright rolls Rose into the office in her wheelchair.]
ROSE: Am I too late?
DR. BROWN: Rose, you shouldn’t be out of bed.
ROSE: I think I’ve had enough of doctors telling me what to do.
[Rose extends her hand to Dr. Brown. Dr. Brown leans into Rose to listen to her.]
ROSE (CONT’D): You are not going anywhere. Is that understood?
[Dr. Brown nods in agreement and smiles.]
ROSE (CONT’D): Good. (to Bright) Now take me home, dear.
[Bright wheels Rose out of the office and everyone in the office stands quietly.]
[Cut to Nina’s house – Topher is getting out of his car. Hannah is putting her bags on the sidewalk.]
HANNAH: Topher?
TOPHER: Hey, you ready to go?
HANNAH: Go where. What are you doing?
[Topher tries to pick up one of her bags. She stops him.]
TOPHER: I’m taking you to the airport. Am-Am I too early? I thought your flight was at noon.
HANNAH: It is, but Nina’s taking me. I-I didn’t think you’d still want to, since we broke up and all.
TOPHER: We what?
HANNAH: We broke up. Did you knocked unconscious recently?
TOPHER: I’m-I’m sorry. Uh, when did we break up?
HANNAH: Umm, the night we broke up.
[Topher looks confused.]
HANNAH (CONT’D): We were on different pages. I was in chapter one. Do you not remember any of this?
TOPHER: I remember that. I just thought that was like, you know, one of those talks that take you to the next level. Progress report type of thing.
HANNAH: Oh, no, it wasn’t.
TOPHER: So you broke up with me?
HANNAH: Yeah.
[Bright drives up in the background. He gets out of the car and waits.]
TOPHER: Well, this is awkward. Uh, O-okay. Uh, wow, uh…
HANNAH: I’m really sorry.
TOPHER: Yeah, me too. Have a safe flight, Hannah.
[Topher walks away and Bright walks up to Hannah with a sweatshirt.]
BRIGHT: (to Topher) What’s up? (to Hannah) What’s up with him?
HANNAH: We broke up again. Although…
BRIGHT: Although, what?
HANNAH: Although, I maybe made a mistake. I don’t know. What are you doing here?
BRIGHT: Oh, uh, this sweater, you-you left it at my house, so… I knew you were leaving today, and I figured you might uh…
HANNAH: You don’t have to make up an excuse, Bright. It’s okay, if you just wanna come over and say goodbye to me.
BRIGHT: Umm, hey, ride to the airport?
[Bright picks up a bag.]
HANNAH: Uh, Nina’s taking me, but thanks.
[Hannah puts the sweater in a bag.]
BRIGHT: Okay, so I guess, I’ll-I’ll see later, whenever like next fall or somethin’.
[Hannah nods in agreement.]
BRIGHT (CONT’D): And, uh, goodbye, Hannah.
[Bright shakes Hannah’s hand.]
HANNAH: Bye, Bright.
BRIGHT: All right.
[Bright starts to walk away. Hannah starts to go up to the porch.]
BRIGHT (CONT’D): Wait, no, wait. I didn’t come here just to say goodbye to you. Remember at first, when we first met, and you said you liked me, it was-it was really weird, y’know, and it wasn’t, y’know, but then we started hanging out and we became friends and you got hot.
[Hannah laughs at Bright.]
BRIGHT (CONT’D): Okay. And I’m not talking about the take your glasses kind of way. I’m talking really… Oh, man,… Just…
[Bright pulls Hannah into a kiss. Hannah wraps her arms around Bright. Bright picks her up and turns her around places her on the sidewalk.]
HANNAH: I feel sweaty.
[Bright laughs and kisses Hannah again.]
[Cut to Abbott master bedroom – Rose is lying in bed. Amy is taking her tray away from her.]
AMY: Now, you can either take a nap or I can put a DVD in for you.
ROSE: I think I’ll rest for now. It’s been quite a day.
AMY: Okay.
ROSE: Thank you, sweetheart.
AMY: Any time.
[Amy gives Rose a kiss and leaves the bedroom and closes the door. Amy walks down the hallway and sees the Princeton housing folder on the table in the hallway. She takes it and throws it in the trash. Dr. Abbott sees her do it.]
AMY: I can’t go.
DR. ABBOTT: Amy…
AMY: Dad, hear me out please. I think it’s fair to say that I’ve had pretty much the worst high school anyone could ever have.
DR. ABBOTT: Which is why you deserve to go away and have a magnificent college experience.
AMY: And I will. When the time is right. Do you know what got me through the past few years, through Colin and Tommy and everything?
DR. ABBOTT: Zoloft, if I recall.
AMY: It was you, and Mom, and Bright. It was my family. I needed you guys and you were there for me. You know what, Mom needs me now. And I don’t think I could forgive myself if I wasn’t there every step of the way. It’s a good thing, I promise.
DR. ABBOTT: You know what, I trust you.
[Cut to Camp – Counselor comes out with a telephone in hand.]
COUNSELOR: Delia? Phone. It’s your father.
[Delia runs up and grabs the phone.]
DELIA: Dad…
[Cut to Brown kitchen – Dr. Brown is having a cup of coffee.]
DR. BROWN: Hey, honey, how’s camp?
[Cut back to camp – Delia is sitting on a picnic table.]
DELIA: I haven’t even showered yet. We’re having this contest to see who can go the longest.
[Cut back to Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
DR. BROWN: Oh, that’s great. I’m really proud of you. Listen, just out of curiosity, how would you feel if we didn’t Everwood after all?
[Cut back to camp -Delia screeches into the telephone.]
[Cut back to Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
DR. BROWN (CONT’D): Y’know, if you felt so strongly about it, you should’ve said somethin’.
[Cut back to Delia at camp.]
DELIA: Yeah, but I know, you never want to do anything unless you think it’s your idea. But it’s even better now.
[Cut back to Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
DR. BROWN: Why is it better?
DELIA: Because I told Ethan I like him and he likes me back. Now we can actually go out next year.
[Cut back to Delia at camp.]
DELIA (CONT’D): We were gonna be long distance, but now we don’t have to.
[Cut back to Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
DR. BROWN: You told him, well that was very brave of you.
[Dr. Brown turns toward Nina’s house and sees Nina through the window taking boxes out.]
DELIA: I know, bravery rocks. You should definitely try it sometime.
DR. BROWN: Yeah, maybe I will.
[Cut back to Delia at camp.]
DELIA: Oh, gotta go. We’re going canoeing. I’ll send you letters, Dad.
[Cut back to Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
DR. BROWN: Real ones. No emails.
[Dr. Brown hangs up the phone.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown rushing out his front door to catch Nina out front of her house.]
Dr. BROWN (CONT’D): Hey.
NINA: You’re home. I can’t believe I missed the great intervention. I wanted to come, but Jake and I were having this thing and then I had to Hannah to the airport. Plus, you don’t know how much I want you to stay anyway already. I mean how many cookies can a girl bake? So, uh, what’s the verdict? Did the good people convince you or not?
DR. BROWN: Not exactly. But I’ve decided to stay.
[Nina jumps into Dr. Brown’s arms and hugs him.]
NINA: Oh, thank you. I was going to pretend to be supportive if I had to, but I’m so glad I don’t have to. So what did it? Price of living, mountain air, Harold’s ties.
DR. BROWN: Oh, a little bit of everything. Let’s just say I’m not done with Everwood yet.
NINA: No.
DR. BROWN: No. No. Y’know, when I first got here, I-I thought it was just for my family – for my kids, but over the last few years, this town and the people in it, have become like an extended family to me. Some more so than others. And, uh, because old habits die hard, I-I’ve taken the ones I cared about most for granted. I’ve taken you for granted, Nina.
NINA: No you haven’t.
DR. BROWN: Yes. Yes. I have. And in the process, I missed it. I missed our moment. We had one, didn’t we?
NINA: I don’t know what you mean?
DR. BROWN: This thing that we have. This-this, uh, this back and forth, it’s-it’s more than just a friendship, it’s a connection. It’s a force that’s-that’s carried me through the past three years and I didn’t even realize it. I didn’t even… I didn’t even know it until now.
NINA: Didn’t know what?
DR. BROWN: That it’s you. It’s always been you.
NINA: Andy…
DR. BROWN: You were the one who’s always been there for me, for my kids. When I first came here, you took me into your home. You took me into your heart. You helped me to heal mine. You did that. I’m not done with Everwood, because that life that I want, the one that you told me that I deserve to have… I can’t have it without you, Nina.
NINA: Andy, I don’t what to say. I mean, you’re a little late.
DR. BROWN: Yes.
NINA: Jake is here.
DR. BROWN: Yes, I know. And I know that you have feelings for him. And I know that those feelings may be stronger than the ones that you had for me. Are they?
NINA: I don’t know. How did you know that I had…
[Dr. Brown kisses her passionately.]
DR. BROWN: I don’t if what I’m doing right now is brave or just selfish, I honestly can’t tell any more. But one thing I know for certain is that - you would be the greatest choice I could ever make. And if you choose me back, I know I can make you happy. If you let me.
[Dr. Hartman drives up with the rest of his boxes in the back of the truck. Nina backs away from Dr. Brown and they look at Dr. Hartman getting out of the truck.]
DR. HARTMAN: Honey, I’m home.
NINA: Hey.
[Dr. Hartman walks up to Nina and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Dr. Hartman heads back to the truck to start unloading. Dr. Brown and Nina just stare at one another.]
{END OF ACT FOUR}
