The Choice Page #5

Weird.

- Whew.

- Uh-oh.

- I don't know.

- I don't know.

The couple that

used to live here,

they used to have

music playing all day and all night.

You'd see them out in the grass

dancing together

on their anniversary.

[Gabby]

Oh, my God. That is so lovely.

What happened to them?

They're still around.

They just got old and fragile

and moved into the home

over on Cedar and Marsh.

- Together?

- Yeah.

I love that story.

[music playing on stereo]

You're from Charleston, right?

Yeah.

I miss it so much.

It's a terrible love

And I'm walking

with spiders

All she needs now

is a silver spoon.

Scratch that.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Did you just spin?

No.

I know a spin when I see one.

I'm pretty sure

I just saw you spin.

You know, I...

maybe there was a twirl.

Twirl, hmm'?

- Yeah.

- Oh!

You wash, I'll dry.

No. Here.

I will get it.

- Come on.

- No, I'm good.

All right, well...

...you want to dance with me

out on the grass?

No.

Why do you make it so hard for me

to flirt with you?

Because if I made it easy,

you wouldn't flirt anymore.

I shouldn't have said that.

It's quiet company

What are you doing?

I'm walking

towards you real slow.

Why?

Because if I ran, I'd scare you.

[chuckling]

You're so smug.

Sometimes I just want

to stomp on your foot.

I knew from the moment I saw you

that you're trouble.

And don't think

I haven't seen you watching me

from your stupid ch...

It takes an ocean

not to break

Why did you do that?

'Cause you bother me.

It takes an ocean

not to break

Company

But I won't follow you

Into the rabbit hole

I said I would

But then I saw

The ship of woes

They didn't want me to

It's a terrible love

And I 'm walking

with spiders

It's a terrible love

that I'm walking here

It's a terrible love

And I 'm walking

with spiders

It's a terrible love

that I'm walking here

it takes an ocean

not to break

it takes an ocean

not to break

it takes an ocean

not to break

[Molly barks]

Hey.

[whines]

[Travis]

"Didn't want to wake you.

Had to get

my exhausted butt to work.

Don't go far, Gabby.

This is just starting

to get good.

This is Travis, by the way...

Your neighbor."

Come on.

[Ryan]

Hey, babe, it's me.

Sorry for calling so late,

but the opening is going great.

These guys keep dragging me out

to dinner and drinks.

Listen, I'm trying to get back

as soon as I can,

but I still have

a lot of work to do.

I'm hoping that

your studying is going okay.

Love you.

Maybe you should send him

to bed a little early.

- He's just fine.

- No limp, then?

No, no, no. He's...

I don't know what he's doing.

- He's not limping.

- Thank you so much.

- All right, okay.

- Bye-bye.

Bye.

What?

You don't think

it's slightly strange

that John Cougar Mellencamp

is in here three times a week?

Well, you know

what some folks are like.

Their pets are their children.

That dog has got to be

the healthiest animal

this side of

the Mason-Dixon.

That woman's got

something else on her mind.

Who? Mrs. Vandy?

Now, Daddy,

you know her name's Alice.

She's been divorced from Mr. Vandy

for the last three years.

What are you getting at?

- She's crushing on you!

- That's hogwash.

And frankly, you're crushing on her.

There ain't no other patient

you walk all the way

to the door every time

just giggling like a schoolgirl.

I walk her to the door because

I'm a professional and I'm a gentleman,

and we're not giggling.

Stop being such a stubborn mule

and ask the pretty lady out

on a proper date already...

...doctor.

[upbeat music playing]

What are you gonna do?

I've been waiting a while

to take you

Your friends,

will they understand

When I leave

holding your hand?

Driving fate at night

I let you listen

to the music you like

- [Gabby laughs]

- [engine stops]

- [Ryan] Son of a...

- What now, slick?

Well, I guess

we could just hang here.

It shouldn't last very long.

There you go spinning again.

I am swinging, not spinning.

You sure do like

to argue, don't you?

It's because

I'm really good at it.

- Are you now?

- Yep.

[gospel choir singing]

Do you hear that?

Come on!

- Gabby...

- Come on! Hurry up!

- Gabby!

- Come on!

You got something better to do?

Ain't no way

I'm stepping foot in that church.

I'd rather roll in poison ivy,

- stab rusty nails in my eyes...

- What is your deal?

I rode on your motorcycle, pal.

I went in your boat.

Time to do something I want.

There's a church

closer to town that's less packed.

Hurry UP!

[vocalizing]

Feeling all right,

all right, uh-huh

I'm not feeling

too good myself, uh-huh

I think I'm going to

burst into flames.

Hush. Shh, shh, shh.

- Uh-huh

- Hallelujah

I'm not feeling

too good myself

Hey, hey, hey, hey,

oh, Lord

Feeling all right.

Oh, my God, it's your dad!

[Shep]

How about that?

Special thanks

to the Wrightsville Beats

for that rousing rendition

of Traffic's 1969 classic,

my personal favorite,

and a real birthday treat.

Well, thanks for coming.

It was great to see you.

Dr. Shep!

That was amazing!

I had no idea that you did that.

Well, thank you,

but you're a miracle worker.

It takes real guile to get that ingrate

son of mine through those doors.

All right, go ahead,

Your Holiness.

Go ahead?

I'm sure you got

some self-righteous barb

you want to stick me with,

so get it over with.

I don't know what you mean.

Gabby and I are just

talking about the weather.

Yeah.

I mean, look,

isn't it beautiful?

After all this time,

the sun hath returned.

- There it is.

- There it is.

- That feel better?

- Yeah.

[Stephanie]

I got the cake.

I may have taken a few bites

for safety purposes.

- Where's Dad?

- Yonder.

Hope you don't mind

me inviting Gabby.

I know it's always been a tradition,

just us and Dad.

I hate tradition.

Don't burn my steak.

I'm not burning your steak.

We were lucky.

The sheriff's retriever

was a patient of mine,

or Travis would have spent

the weekend in jail.

But I never got

the truck out of the bog.

It's there to this day,

Bullfrogs' Motel.

No.

You know, I feel bad, Shep.

If I had known it was your birthday,

I would have gotten you a present.

Oh, no, it's not my birthday.

Travis didn't tell you?

No, it's Catherine's.

My wife. Their mom.

She'd be 57 today.

She had cancer, you know?

First in her breasts,

and then in her bones,

and then... then everywhere.

Travis was 14, mad at the world.

And I... I kind of...

kind of fell into the Bible.

He wanted to burn it, you know?

I kind of figured

that I'd lose him

if I tried to make him

see it from my side, so I didn't.

Maybe...

Maybe I should've.

I think he turned out all right.

Yeah.

Y'all quit talking

about me and come eat!

Okay, here it comes.

- Mmm!

- All righty.

That looks amazing.

A good-looking

piece of cake there.

- Yeah.

- I know there is.

- Yeah, what is...

- Shut up.

...what you're looking for.

- Yeah, okay.

- Oh, my gosh.

All right.

Happy birthday.

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