7th Heaven · Season 5
What's that pizza lady's baby doing here?
You've seen this baby?
Yeah, at Pete's Pizza.
Frankie and Johnny.
Yeah, that's her name. Frankie. She works at Pete's and brings the baby in with her sometimes.
Are you sure this is her?
No offense, I know all babies are beautiful, but I'd recognize that head anywhere.
I still can't believe I forgot my birthday!
You're old. Old people forget stuff.
You were doing so well.
I still am doing well.
You know. I'm really happy to see you, but you're in a lot of trouble.
Trouble?
Running away from the Colonel and Ruth's to sneak off and see Robbie? Yeah, I think I'd qualify that as trouble.
What? Dad, I didn't come here to see Robbie. I came here to see you. It was supposed to be a surprise. I mean, Mom thought we could get Robbie here and back to pick me up without you ever noticing.
Wait a minute. Your MOTHER knew about this??
Everyone knew.
[as Eric opens Lucy's acceptance letter to seminary school] Happy birthday, Dad. I know what I want to be. I'm going to study theology and become a minister. Just like you. Well, I hope I'll be as good as you--I'm gonna try. I found out a while ago, but I wanted to save it and give it to you for your birthday. It was either that or a tie.
So basically, this is about your pride. Pride is not a luxury that you can afford if you want to keep your baby. You have to talk to your parents.
I can't. They said they would never forgive me. They won't talk to me.
Yes, they will. I spoke with them earlier on the phone. They want to talk with you, they want to help. So now, all you have left to do is swallow your pride, get up off that bench, and go and call them. We can go back to Pete's and call them.
It's not going to be easy.
Being a parent never is. Let's go.
Your mother spoke to me.
What? That's great! She spoke? That's unbelievable!
She told me she wants you to put her in an institution. It's not great!
Why would my mom want that?
I think the reason she hasn't been talking is because she thought that not talking to you would drive you away or make you put her away.
I don't understand.
I think your mom blames herself for your suicide attempt and your father's death.
She said that?
She didn't have to. A couple years ago, a friend of mine died in a car accident. She was on her way to pick me up, and the next thing I knew, she was dead, and her sister was in the hospital. I was convinced that the accident was all my fault. I was so sure that the accident was all my fault, I couldn't even bring myself to go to her funeral. I kept thinking that if she hadn't been on her way to pick me up, she'd still be alive. I felt so guilty. To be honest, even today, I still feel a little guilty.
What are you getting at?
If my friend were alive, the one thing I would want her to hear from her is forgiveness. I would want her to tell me that it was not my fault. Maybe that's selfish, I don't know. And I know that my experience is nothing compared to what you and your mom have been through, but guilt is guilt, and guilt is a very powerful thing.
[to his mother] I need to talk to you, and I need for you to really hear me. I'm not putting you in a hospital. Not now, not ever. If you won't talk to me for the rest of my life, I still won't ever do that. I love you unconditionally, forever, and nothing you do will ever change that. [long pause] Mom, Dad did what Dad did. He killed himself. He did it. Not me, not you. He made the decision and just did it. It wasn't your fault. He had problems, and he chose death as a solution. It was a bad solution. Actually, it's no solution. Death solves nothing. It only leaves pain and torment for everyone you leave behind. Dad was selfish, and it was wrong. I know this because I was selfish. I was wrong. I tried death myself. I tried it. I tried to end my life. Me, not you. Me. I took the pills. I drank the vodka. I locked the door, and I waited to die. I gave up on life. Me. Not you! I failed. I, I, I! Not Dad, not you, not anyone. I thought giving up would be easier than getting over Dad. I was wrong, and it was not in your power to stop me. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. I have free will. I just exercised it in the wrong direction. I want to see you embrace life and stop feeling badly. You've done nothing but be a great mom. I'm so lucky to have you in my life.
[long pause] So…you forgive me?
There's nothing to forgive. You didn't do anything but love me and Dad!
I got all this fun senior stuff coming up: Valentine's, Senior Prom, Graduation. I want a guy for all that.
What are you going to do while you wait for the guy?
Well, I got classes, friends, family, Habitat for Humanity...
Right. Luce, you got a life with or without a guy. When you do get a guy, he'll be the luckiest guy in the world because he's got you.
Thanks.
What's wrong with you?
Nothing. My own children won't call me Mama.
Mama.
Did I mention they're calling Ruthie "Mama"? But Sam and David said "Mama" first. And now they won't say it to me. It was a gift and now they've taken it back. It's just not fair.
I wonder who Robbie could be going out with.
Whoever it is, it's not Mary.
But this is a good thing, right?
I think it was a good thing until we started liking him, now I'm not so sure.
So what are we going to do?
There's nothing I think we can do.
There's plenty we can do. We're Camdens.
So who did you go with out with?
Who do you think I went out with?
Cheryl? Really that's who it was?
It's not going to work for us. But I thought I should give it a try.
Well, why didn't it work out?
Because I'm hopelessly in love with your sister.
I'm comfortable with you. I can be who I am with you.
And what about Mary? You're not comfortable with Mary because you have to be a better person to be with Mary? [Robbie lets out a deep sigh] Be a better person, Robbie. Be the person you want to be. Be the person I know you can be. I love you for who you are, but I can see that you're changing. And if Mary Camden keeps you changing for the better, then love her, not me because I want someone who feels about me the way you feel about Mary. So I understand, I really do. I don't want comfortable, I want thrilled. I deserve thrilled. And I'm going to get thrilled, just not this Valentine's Day.
Thanks for dumping me again.
Anytime. Happy Valentine's Day, Robbie.
Hey Mary. Um...how's it going?
How's it going? How's it going!? What is wrong with you people? Isn't anyone happy to see me?
Of course I am.
Then how about showing it?
Okay. [kisses her cheek]
[An angry and frustrated Mary grabs Robbie and gives him a long kiss on the lips]
That says "happy to see you." And that is what I came home for!
Is this your wallet?
Yeah it's my wallet.
And just where did you get a condom?
I rather not say.
Me. I gave it to him.
Simon, haven't we always talked about sex?
In the abstract.
Well that's why we talk about it in the abstract so that one day where it becomes personal, you'll feel free talking about it.
I know what you'd say. I knew you say I was too young.
Well, you are too young.
But Dad, being too young has nothing to do with this?
How's that?
The opportunity was there. Too young or not, it made me feel like a man just to have the opportunity. That's what men do. They have sex.
Well men say no to sex when they have the opportunity, but it's not the right thing to do.
Dad, I know. I said no.
Thank you for being responsible.
I didn't have what you had growing up. I didn't have someone who set boundaries or showed me what is clearly right and what is clearly wrong. They thought I'd learn that from TV or something, but I didn't. My parents did the best they could for who they are, but who they are is two people who were no more capable of creating a functional family than their parents were. My mom always wanted to be my best friend. I didn't need a best friend. I needed a mother! And my father, he was never around, but when he was, he was a real jerk.
You and I are not your parents.
We're not your parents, either. While you may have a shot at having the kind of relationship your parents have, I'm not so sure I do. It takes more than wanting. It takes doing and I've got a lot to do.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's 7th Heaven pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
