"My name is Melinda Gordon." "I just got married, just moved to a small town, just opened up an antique shop." "I might be just like you." "Except from the time that I was a little girl," "I knew that I could talk to the dead." "It's all right, honey." "Earthbound spirits, my grandmother called them, the ones who have not crossed over because they have unfinished business with the living." "And they come to me for help." "To tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs." "Guys, can you give us a hand?" "You got it, Jim." "One, two, three." "Go." " Bobby, I'll be right back." " Okay." "En route with a 25 to 30 year-old male." "John Doe." "Victim of a motorcycle accident." "Arrived on scene and found the following." "Obvious right femur fracture." "No deformities." "Puncture from the broken bone." "Distinguishing marks, tattooed from head to toe." " Bobby, what's our ETA?" " We're 15 out." "ETA 15 minutes." "Bobby, whoa!" "Jim?" "911 operator." "My name is Brad Paulson." "I'm on Forest Road, about 2 miles north of Stoneybrook." "I just witnessed an accident." "Jimmy?" " Are you injured?" " What?" "No, no." "There's an ambulance upside down in a ditch." "I don't know how bad anybody's hurt." " Stay put." " Jim?" " We'll send EMT as soon as possible." " Come on, Jim." " Hello?" " Melinda Gordon, please." " Yes?" " This is Mercy Hospital." "Your husband's been in an accident and we need you to come down as soon as possible." "Do you Know where we're located?" "Jim." " Okay." " Thanks." " Okay." "Ready?" " Cinnamon." "Oh, wow." " I'm sorry." " That's fine." "Would you hold?" " Sorry." " Sorry." "More?" " That's it." "Right here." " Tell me what happened." " Melinda." " Bobby." "Jim's okay." "He's gonna be okay." "I was so afraid." "I thought he..." "I know." "I know." "He's okay." "He's gonna be fine." "He's gonna be just fine." "Wait a minute." "Can you see me?" "I need your help." "Please." "My husband needs your help." "Is your partner gonna be okay?" "Yes." "He'll be fine." "This is Jim Clancy's wife, Melinda." "This is Brad Paulson." "He came across the accident, called 911, thank God." " Thank you." " No problem." "Okay, see." "My husband helped yours, now you have to help him." "Please." "I'm desperate." "Can you see us?" " I was driving." " Where are you going?" "We had a blowout." "I couldn't hold it." "Hey!" "We were transporting." "Patient didn't make it." "Oh, my God." "Does Jim know?" "No." "Guy had a broken leg, ruptured femoral artery." "Doc said he might've died anyway." "Hello?" "I need your help!" "I need to be with my husband right now." "Hey, no problem." "If it wasn't for mine, you may not have a husband right now." "Tell Jim I'm sorry." "Oh, am I dead?" "No." "I never know with you." "Bobby?" "Walked away without a scratch." "The patient?" "Jim..." "Hey." "Oh, sorry." "Nobody can see me except you." "Why?" "It's a gift I have." "Can I just tell you, you're a little pushy." "If you were in my position, you would be, too, don't you think?" "Sorry." "It's been a long night." "Who are you?" "My name is Hope." "Paulson." "How long have you been dead?" "Since July 4th." "They said everything was gonna be fine." "They told me I had an ectopic pregnancy." "I didn't even know I was pregnant." "I'm only 26 years old." "This wasn't supposed to happen to me." "Not now." "I was gonna be a mommy." " How is that fair?" " It isn't." "Sometimes, in situations like this after people have passed away," "I help them cross over." " Do you know what that means?" " Yes." " Is that what you want?" " No, no." "My husband hasn't been the same since I..." "He blames himself for what happened." "That's why you have to help him." "Have you been with him since..." "Yes." "He hasn't been sleeping or all he does is sleep." "He doesn't see his friends or his parents or mine." "He hasn't read a book or gone camping." "See, I know him." "He's a wallower." "He could wallow in this for the rest of his life." "And I don't want that." "You have to make him see that." "Please." "I'll try." "Oh, hey, whoa, whoa." "I'm sorry, love." " That's okay." " I gotta go." "Call you back." "I didn't hurt you, did I?" "No bumps?" "No bruises?" "I'm fine." "Really." "'Cause I would hate to have to buy you lunch." "Oh, you're too late." "Love the accent, though." "Good luck in there." "She drives a hard bargain." "Morning." "Hey, how's Jim?" " Coming home today." " Sexy, sensitive, and indestructible." "I've gotta get me a man like that." "Oh, I think you just did." " Tall, Australian, hot." " Oh, yeah, mate." "The previous owner of this 14-carat yellow gold, oyster perpetual with matte dial, luminous Mercedes hands, centre second sweep, and screwdown crown." "Screwdown crown, my favourite part." " Guess how much I paid for it." " Can I see it?" "$ 1,100." "And he was happy to get it." "I think that's worth a little shrimp on the barbie, don't you?" "What?" "What?" " It's a fake." " No." "No." "No way!" "Vietnamese, probably." "If it was real, you'd see the model number." "Sorry." "God, I can't believe a guy that cute is a crook!" "Oh, and I bet his stupid accent was fake, too." "Yeah, it is possible that he did not know that the watch was fake." "I have a feeling he'll be back." "Okay." "And why do you think that?" " He found a sucker he could sell to." " A sucker, huh?" "When he comes back, we'll tell him we want our money or we call the cops." "Gee, thank you." "I just wanna thank you again for being such a Good Samaritan." "Oh, I didn't do anything." "Anybody would've." "No." "Not anybody." "Thank you." " How long have you been married?" " Seven months." "Three years next March for me." "My wife Hope, she died last summer, so I know what you were going through last night." "You want to talk about it?" "I mean, you don't have to." "Just..." "Sometimes it helps." "It was the Fourth of July." "We were at a barbecue." "We were having a fight." "I don't even remember about what." "Something stupid." "She was complaining about having a stomach ache." "She wanted to go home." "I was having too much fun to go home." "I thought she doesn't wanna be here, so she's making it difficult for me." "Typical, huh?" "So we stayed." "Played softball like we did every year." "She just fell over." "I thought she was messing with me, you Know." "She wasn't." "She was really hurting." "Someone said to call 911." "So we did." "She was really hurting." "When we got to the hospital, she was in shock." "Then they told us she was pregnant." "I thought this would be a good story to tell the Kid." "There'll be no problem whatsoever." "The doctor told us the fallopian tube had ruptured." "She was haemorrhaging." "That's why she had the stomach ache." "They were gonna have to do surgery." "Afterwards, everything seemed fine." "The doctor said everything went smoothly." "Fine, just a little minor loss of blood." "So I sat with her for a little bit." "She was still so out of it." "So I thought it'd be okay to go home, take a shower, change my clothes." "And that's when I got the call." "There was a nurse there when I got back." "He had been in the surgery with her." "He was crying." "When I saw that, I knew." "I just didn't expect that." " But it wasn't your fault." " It was my fault." "I just left her there, and now she's dead." "I'm looking for my husband, Jim Clancy?" " CAT scan." "Room 133." " Thank you." " Do you have to do that?" " Sorry." "Have you talked to Brad?" " Yes." " And?" "You two really loved each other, didn't you?" "Yeah." "Yes, very much." " Did he tell you we met in high school?" " No." "Detention." "I got caught..." "Yeah." "There are a lot of us here." " How's Jim?" " Fine." "Yeah." "I get to take him home today." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm a cryer." "I cry at the drop of a hat, just like my mother." "I lied to you before." "When I told you I didn't know I was pregnant," "I did." "I just hadn't told Brad." "I knew the moment we conceived her." "And I just knew it was a girl." "He wanted a girl." "I had such big plans." "We had so many plans." " Where were you?" " Oh, I..." "I know." "I figured, the hospital..." "You must be in hog heaven." "You know, sometimes it's not all it's cracked up to be." " Who was it this time?" " A young woman about my age." " Oh, yeah?" "What's her deal?" " What's her deal?" "Her deal." "I'd say she will never get to enjoy with her husband all the things I love about you and will never, ever take for granted." " Good answer." " Hey." "I'm happy that it's not you I'm helping." "Me, too." "Oh, door, sorry." "I don't have any money." "I mean, I can't tip you." "Yeah, right." "Don't get used to it." "Hey, Jim get home okay?" "Safe and sound." "And why aren't you there with him?" "As soon as I finish this, I'm going back, making him dinner." "And he likes this special Parmesan that you can only get at Bianchi's." "What?" "Well, well, well." "Speaking of foreign cheese." " All right." " Wait." "Wait." "Let me do it." "What, you think I can't handle it?" "Well, I just think maybe we should keep the emotion out of it." "Fine." " Hi." " Oh, it's you." " Can I help you?" " So, how lucky am I?" "Yeah." "I don't get out much." " Pity." " 'Tisn't it?" "Look, I was wondering if I might interest you in something." "Antique, art deco platinum," "European-cut diamond and pearl necklace." "May I?" "Elegant lustrous spheres strung between diamond clusters with a perfectly formed teardrop pearl just hanging from the strand." "It's lovely." "Now I can let it go for, say, $2,800." "Suppose I sell you something for, let's say, $ 1,100 and nobody, but you and I know the truth?" "What are you suggesting, I sold you a bad watch?" "Oh, I'm not saying it's bad." "I mean, it keeps very good time for a fake." " So you say." " So I say." "Now, how do I know that you didn't replace my watch with that piece of junk?" "How do I know you're not trying to hijack me?" "This is a small town, you know." "One should take that into account when casting aspersions." "And how'd that go, then?" "It's better with cheese." "I got the kind you like from Bianchi's." "Do you believe in fate?" "Or do you believe we've got some kind of control over our destiny?" " Is that a trick question?" " Nope." " Serious." " Okay." "I guess I'd say I believe in free will." "What do you mean?" "I don't have to love you." "I want to." "I choose to, and however that affects my destiny, or whatever God, or the gods have in store for me, so be it." "What about accidents?" "Hey." "Do you wanna talk about what happened?" "I should've checked the tyres on the rig." "Yes." "Today you know that." "I knew it yesterday." "It's what I do before every shift, you know." "I check the meds, I check the supplies," "I check the gas, the oil." "I check the tyres, but I didn't yesterday because I was late for work." " Because I made you late, you mean." " No, no." "I didn't mean that." "I didn't mean that at all." "I love that you wanted to make me French toast for breakfast." "I love that you wanted to do that for me." "Jim, it was an accident." " It cost someone his life." " Yes, it did." "You didn't." "Accidents happen." "They're a necessary part of life." "So this happened to me for a reason." "Now a person is dead." "What kind of reason is that?" "You don't have to be in for two hours." "Yeah, I know." "But I should get there." "Two hours early?" "What are you working on?" " 'Hope Paulson.' Related to Brad?" " His wife." "Man." " He saved me." "You save her." " Well, she's already dead." "I don't know if you can call what I'm doing 'saving her.'" " It's weird how things work sometimes." " True." " What are you gonna do?" " Brad mentioned a nurse." "His name is Derrik Lee." "He was there during Hope's surgery." "And if I can get him to tell Brad exactly why his wife died, specifically that he's not responsible, then maybe I can help get him some closure." "What?" "You realise this all started with you making me French toast?" "Yeah." "Track it." "It led to the accident, which led to Brad, which led to the hospital, which led to Hope." "I mean, are we the puppet masters or are we just the puppets?" "You know, I learnt a long time ago, never question the cosmic law of French toast." " Gotta go." " All right." "The what?" "He does this every day, hammers the sign into the ground, pulls it up before he goes to work." " Hi." " Hi." " Wanna buy a house?" " Got one." "Thanks." " You moving?" " Yeah." "I hate this house." " It's nice." " It's nice." "That's what she used to say." "Can I ask you something about Hope's surgery?" "Put me in a good mood." "I know it's none of my business." "It's just you were so helpful to Jim and me, and I'd like to return the favour." "You wanna set me up with someone?" " No." " Good." "I have this ability to help people during emotional crises." "I'm not a shrink or anything or a kook." "It's just something I've always been able to do, and I would love to..." "You know what?" "I don't need any help." "I don't deserve any help." "Brad, wait." "You know how many houses I've sold since my wife died?" "Exactly none." "I just think it would be helpful for you to maybe talk to someone who was actually there when Hope died." "What's the point?" "Because I think what's causing you so much pain is the guilt you're feeling because you weren't there." "I already talked to the surgeon and the hospital administrator." "I even hired a lawyer who charged me 5,500 bucks to tell me that whatever we accomplished wouldn't bring my wife back." "So you just wanna be like everyone else who tells me to get on with my life." "Well, fine." "How about you get on with my life?" "I'll take yours any day." "There." "That's Derrik Lee." " May I?" " Please." " Thanks." " No problem." " Melinda Gordon." " Derrik Lee." "I haven't seen you around." "What department do you work in?" "Oh, I'm not with the hospital." "I..." "How should I say this?" "I represent a former patient of yours." " Former, as in discharged?" " Former as in dearly departed." "Hope Paulson." "You were her surgical nurse, right?" " Are you her lawyer?" " No, no, no..." "I'm her advocate." "Actually, I'm here about her husband, Brad." "I think you met him." "I have a favour to ask." "I'm sorry, but I can't help you." "Oh, Mr Lee." "Mr Lee?" "Mr Lee, please." " Derrik, how are you?" " I'm good, Doctor." "That's the doctor who operated on me." "Hi, I'm Melinda Gordon." "Oh, how you doing?" "I'm Dr Devine." "You know, Derrik was just telling me what a wonderful surgeon you are." "Really?" "Well, you know, without his help," "I'd probably be bagging groceries down at the supermarket." "That's what happens when they put old codgers like me out to pasture." "I doubt that very much, Doctor." "Hope to see you soon again there, Ms Gordon." "Nice to meet you." " What do you want?" " Your help." "Really, that's all." "Brad Paulson hasn't been doing so well since his wife's death." "He blames himself." "You were there." "I thought maybe you could just talk to him." " It won't do any good." " Why not?" "It's not like I'm asking you to..." "Hey!" "You don't know what you're asking." "I am asking you to have a little empathy for someone whose wife died in your care." "Okay." "Okay." "You wanna know what happened?" "I'll be in the hospital archives after my shift, 4:00." "I'll show you." "Long time no see." " You stalking me, sweetheart?" " Hardly." "It's a small town." "Perhaps we were just fated to meet again." "Allow me." "Seven bucks." "Fate is cheap." "You're quite funny." " You're easy." " Have dinner with me." " I said you were easy." " Why not?" "Are you married?" " No." " Boyfriend?" "Not at present." "I'll let you choose the restaurant then." "Come on, I'm not the bad guy your partner thinks I am." "I'll think about it." "Okay, then." "Lovely." "Hello?" "What in the..." "Whoa!" " Are you crazy?" " What?" "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to scare you." "Well, I just about had a heart attack." "Okay, well, you weren't in the archives, so I came looking for you." "I got lost, okay?" "You know, they say this place is haunted." "I've got news for you." "They're right." "Now let's go." "I don't know where I'm going." " What's this?" " You'll see." "Suction." "Suction." "Doctor, the back of the tube." "Dr Devine closed without suturing the backside of the fallopian tube." "That's what I think killed Hope Paulson." "What?" "How is that possible?" "Ego, incompetence, an accident." " Things happen." " But if you've got it on tape, why hasn't anybody done anything about it?" "Because Dr Devine has been here for 30 years." "He's respected and beloved, so he's damn near untouchable." " So nobody did anything?" "You didn't?" " I tried, okay?" "I filed a complaint with the review board." "It was investigated and dismissed." "It was my word against his," " and nobody's gonna take my word." " I can't believe it." "Look, Melinda, I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is." " Can I keep this?" " Yeah, why not?" "This case is dead and buried." "So how did a nice girl like you end up in a small town like this?" "Shouldn't you be off running the world somewhere?" "Actually, I already did." "I was an assistant DA in New York." "Fraud cases, mostly." "Tough guys." "You sold me a counterfeit watch, didn't you, Anthony?" "Hi, would you like to hear the specials?" "Hold on, junior." "You're gonna do the right thing here, Anthony, starting with paying me back." "And if you don't," "I'm gonna make it my singular ambition to put your ass in jail." "I can just come back." "That's no problem." "Don't bother." "You know where to find me." "Thanks." "Just the cheque, then?" " Sure." " Okay." "I love you." "Drive carefully." "See you tonight." "Come in." " Mrs Devine?" " Yes." "Hi." "I'm Melinda Gordon." "Yes?" "I was just wondering if I could talk to you about your husband." "My husband has an illness." "Early onset dementia." "I was in denial for years." "On any given day, he still is." "He's this bad?" "Not yet." "But he will be." "I made those cards for him." "It'll help here in the house." "But I can't protect him out there." "At work, for example." "It must be so devastating to see your husband going through this." "I've been praying for somebody to help me help him." "I don't know where you came from, but you are a blessing." "I think my husband might say it's fate." "Fate or not, mine won't go gently." "No." "But you'll be right there to hold his hand." "Yes, I will." "Dr Devine's losing his mind?" "Losing his mind would be a blessing." "It's deteriorating slowly." "Sometimes people know what's happening to them and are able to hide it until they can't, and then..." "Sometimes people get hurt." "You mean like me." "Yes, like you." "Because of his illness," "Dr Devine forgot to properly suture your fallopian tube, something he's done a thousand times." "He made a mistake?" "Is that what you're telling me?" "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "Am I supposed to feel good that my wife was the victim of a doctor's stupid mistake?" "No." "But, if you'll allow yourself, maybe relieved." "At least now you know that you weren't to blame." "Brad, if you could talk to Hope right now, what would you say?" "I can't, so what's the point?" " Why can't you?" " She's dead." "Can you talk to the dead?" "He always was a know-it-all." "Brad, if you could say anything at all, anything, what would it be?" "I'd say..." "I'd say..." "Goodbye." "Brad, you should read her note." "I found it in her chart." "I can't." "You read it." "'Brad," "'I know you feel like this is your fault, 'but I want you to know that I don't blame you." "'You've always taken better care of me than I have myself." "'From the day I first laid eyes" " 'on you in detention." "...on you in detention." " 'And that hasn't changed today.'" " And that hasn't changed today." "I never felt more in love with you than when I watched you all worried and sweaty and care-worn running beside the gurney when they wheeled me in here." "So, please, please, don't wallow." "Oh, and if I'm not awake when you get back, don't forget to feed Daisy and walk her." "See you tomorrow." "I love you." "'Hope.'" "Well..." "I guess we're even." "Thank you." "Can I help you?" "Do you have an appointment?" "No." "No, but I'd like to help you if you'll let me." " What do you mean?" "I don't..." " I know about your condition." "What condition?" " I talked to your wife." " Margaret?" "Yes." "I've been to your house." "I've seen the cards." "She told me everything." "I don't believe you." "She would never..." "Your wife has been dead for two years." "Margaret?" "For God's sake." "You have to stop practising medicine, Matthew." "That's why I stayed." "That's the only reason I stayed, to help you do that." "She says you have to stop practising medicine." "She stayed to help you." "You've had such a wonderful career." "You've achieved everything you ever wanted to." "It's time to let go." "I'm calling security." " Wait." " Wait." "There was a proverb he used to quote." "He'll remember." "She says that you used to quote a proverb." "Who is the skilled physician, but he who prevents illness?" "She says, 'Who is the skilled physician" " 'but he...' - 'But he 'who can prevent 'illness.' Yeah." "You're not that man any more, my love." "I think you know that." "But how?" "How could you possibly have known?" "She says it breaks her heart, but you're not that doctor any more." "You don't have to go on pretending." "She's giving you permissión not to." "Hey!" "Guess what miracle happened while you were out?" "Can't imagine." "The watch guy showed up." "Apparently, he just couldn't live with himself knowing he'd ripped us off." "I guess the glass really is half full today." " Thanks, Bobby." " Hey, no problem." "That was Bobby." "You told him no softball tonight, right?" "The police ID'd my John Doe." "Turns out he was released from prison last week in Ohio." "Seven years for attempted murder." "God." "Told his cellmate that when he got out, he was gonna find his old lady and 'fix her for good.'" "He was two miles from her house when he crashed the motorcycle." "So if I hadn't picked him up or if he'd recovered..." "He might have gone back and killed his wife." "Well..." "Once again." "Cosmic law of French toast." "Come in."