Previously on This Is Us...
-(chuckles) -STANLEY: Jack! Where the hell are you?
Hello, Mrs. Pearson.
Oh. I'm such a klutz.
You know what? Go pack your things, okay?
-We're leaving. -MARILYN: Jack, stop.
JACK: You deserve more than what's in that house.
Do you have a dream?
I just want to make sure my mom is okay.
Get her settled at her friend's place,
and then...
A decent job. A wife.
A family.
Okay. Um...
Okay. Thank you.
Who was that?
My mom died.
♪ ♪
REBECCA: What about this gray one?
It's light gray.
I can't wear a gray suit. It has to be black.
Um, well, maybe we can get a deal at Gimbels.
-Suits are just so expensive. -Doesn't matter what it costs.
It's my mother's funeral. It's got to be black.
Of course.
-Of course. -(Jack sighs)
I just-- it doesn't seem real.
I feel like the phone's gonna ring on Sunday.
She'll ask about the kids.
After a few minutes of catching up,
she'll say what she always says...
BOTH: "Don't let me keep you."
It doesn't seem real.
♪ ♪
WEATHERMAN (on radio): With a cold front coming across Lake Erie from Ontario,
we're looking at eight to ten inches of snow
and icy conditions on the roadways
for at least the next 48 hours.
We have a high of 33...
You know, I'm-a... I'm gonna hit the road
before the snow gets too heavy.
I really feel like we should go with you, babe.
I mean, I could run upstairs
and pack a quick bag for me and the kids.
Bec, come on. We talked about this, all right?
I've done the math.
Three six-year-olds on a four-hour car ride?
(scoffs) It ain't worth it.
But you're our guy, Jack.
You're worth ten hours in the car, in a blizzard.
Only ten?
Yeah, ten is the maximum,
but in a blizzard, in a torrential blizzard.
Can blizzards be torrential?
You know, I-I think that's just rainstorms.
Jack, I'm serious.
Hey, Bec, it ain't worth it, all right?
I mean, the kids, they... they barely knew her.
I mean, when was the last time she visited?
They were, what, like a year old?
Yeah, but they talked to her on the phone.
And that's all she's been for years,
just a voice on the other end of the telephone.
Lookit, Bec, knowing my mom,
I've got a funeral to plan
and a lifetime of loose ends to tie up.
Look, it's just-- it's better if I do this alone.
(footsteps approaching)
Which grandma died?
KATE: Daddy's mommy died.
Daddy's mommy is dead.
RANDALL: Stop saying she's dead.
But she is dead.
Right, Daddy?
Yeah, that's right, Katie girl.
Uh, Grandma Marilyn passed away,
and we're gonna miss her very much.
Yes.
Can we play in the snow?
Uh... sure.
REBECCA: Maybe after breakfast.
Yeah, uh...
why-why don't you guys wear the mittens
-that Grandma made for you last Christmas? -REBECCA: Yeah.
But they're so scratchy.
Yeah, they feel like there's, like, bugs crawling on my hands.
KEVIN: Yeah, they're too warm. I don't like them.
REBECCA: Okay, well, we'll figure out the mittens situation.
♪ ♪
You didn't have to drive me. I could have taken the bus.
It was nice of Cheryl to put me up for the past few weeks,
but moving in with Debby will be good.
She's family.
And I need to get further away.
From Dad. Yeah.
Ohio looks nice.
Looks the same as Pennsylvania.
I'll miss you, Jackie.
I don't like being this far away from you.
Yeah, I know, Ma, but you can call anytime.
No, I don't want to be a bother.
The last thing you need is to sit around
wondering when I'm gonna call.
God knows I've already caused you enough trouble lately.
No, it's no trouble, Ma.
Sunday nights.
Every Sunday, 6:00,
I'll be by the phone.
You want to call, I'll be there to pick it up.
-6:00, Sunday. -Mm-hmm.
And I'll visit, okay? I promise.
♪ ♪
(clicks tongue) Look who finally showed up.
Only took you 13 years.
♪ ♪
(footsteps approaching)
(Debby sighs)
Well, it's been a while.
I thought we'd see more of you over the years.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Yeah, I just, um...
It's tough-- the triplets and work.
Um...
I mean, my mom and I, we spoke once a week.
Oh, I know.
Every Sunday, 6:00, world stopped spinning.
Look, Cousin Debby...
You don't have to call me that.
I'm not your cousin. I was her cousin.
I think that still makes us cousins.
Debby's fine.
Debby, I'm here to help, so...
if you want to just point me in the direction
of the nearest funeral parlor, I'll...
buy the casket, organize the plot,
-the service... -Yeah. It's all been taken care of.
The flowers?
I own a flower shop, Jack.
Right.
Yeah.
The funeral is the day after tomorrow.
2:00 p.m.-- that way we don't have to serve a meal.
Well, my mom was lucky to have you,
figure all this out for her.
I didn't do anything.
Marilyn planned it all out herself ages ago.
I guess she just didn't want to be a burden to anyone.
(takes deep breath)
Is there anything that I can do?
The eulogy.
I'm not really good with giving speeches.
Oh.
Look, if you can't handle it,
-I'm-I'm happy to do it. -No, no, no.
No. I got it.
I was thinking maybe I could read one of my poems.
You write poems?
Yeah, I do, a little.
I mean, mostly just for myself.
Your mom loved poetry.
She was always encouraging me to write more, so...
My mom loved poetry?
I'm gonna do the flowers, obviously.
Maybe you could find a dress for the burial.
Whatever you think she'd like.
No problem.
(sets book down)
(sighs)
(phone rings)
Hey, Ma. How's Ohio?
It's fine.
Yeah?
And you?
You good? You...
You settling in a little bit more?
Jackie, I made a mistake.
Wh-- What kind of mistake?
I just wanted him to send me a few things.
My mother's china teapot.
Some pictures.
You called Dad?
I realized as soon as he answered
that it was a bad idea.
Does he know where you are?
No. No. I don't think so.
I'm sorry.
You don't need to be sorry, Ma.
How's Rebecca?
Are you two still...?
She's great.
Yeah, no, we're-we're doing great.
Good.
That's good.
Well...
Don't let me keep you.
Okay, Ma. I'll-I'll talk to you next Sunday. I love you.
♪ ♪
(cat meows)
Nope. We're not serving a meal.
Okay.
All right. I'll see you there. 2:00.
Okay.
-(receiver clicks) -Have you been in touch with my father?
To tell him about my mom?
Stanley?
No way I'm calling that bastard.
-(meowing) -Whoa.
Hey, do you want to maybe feed your cat?
-(chuckles) -That's not my cat.
That's your mom's cat.
My mom had a cat?
My dad hated cats.
Exactly.
Hey, cat, why don't you go back to Mike's?
Who's Mike?
Uh, he is your mom's boyfriend.
Mike McCreary.
Cat's living with him now.
(scribbling on paper)
Look, if you want to make yourself useful,
maybe you can just bring the cat back to Mike's.
His place is just up the road.
Look out for his van.
Yeah, sure.
(grunts): Come on, cat.
(sighs)
Uh, you must be Jack.
You must be Mike.
I was hoping you'd come by.
-(meows) -(chuckles)
Well, come on in.
Hey, there, Cat.
Uh, here.
(chuckles)
Cat got a name?
Yep. Cat Benatar.
You know Marilyn's sense of humor.
Yeah, keeps getting out and running back to Marilyn's.
Just doesn't understand that, um...
that, you know, that... that she's gone.
JACK: Okay.
Your mom was a good woman.
Thanks.
Um, how are, uh,
Rebecca and the, and the kids holding up?
-Okay. -Triplets, man, that's...
-That's-- I don't know how you do it. -Yeah.
Yeah. Hey, you and, uh,
you and your kids watch, uh, WWF?
You know, uh, Hulk Hogan,
uh, André the Giant, King Kong Bundy?
No, I-I think they're a little young for that.
Oh, no, but they're not. (stammers)
I know a lot of folks complain that it's fake,
but these guys, these guys are athletes,
I mean, real athletes. The...
(exhales) What am I...
(chuckles)
Sorry, man, um...
I'm-I'm nervous.
It's just that your mom
talked about you and the, and the kids all the time,
and it's, uh... this isn't how I pictured us meeting.
Yeah.
So, um... want a beer?
Sure.
Take whatever's cold.
I was, um,
going through some photos of, uh, me and Marilyn.
-Thought you might like to see 'em. -Yeah.
Will you look at that smile?
Now, that, that is Marilyn through and through.
She looks happy.
She was. We were.
Can I ask how you two met?
Well, um, I was...
-I was always a night owl. -Mm-hmm.
But, uh, one morning, I wake up real early, no reason,
but I can't fall back asleep, so I figure
get a cup of coffee at the place down the way.
So, I sit down at my favorite table by the window,
and this woman comes over and says, "You're at my table."
Well, it turns out, we had the same favorite table.
She always sat there early and I sat there late.
So, I offer to share the table.
The next morning, I got there when the place opened,
so did she.
And that was the end of the night owl.
You know, it took, um...
took some time to earn her trust, but...
but I always knew how to make her laugh.
(chuckles) She...
she had a great laugh.
JACK: Can't remember the last time
I heard my mother laugh.
I guess she was...
she was always on high alert with my dad.
Yeah.
Well... (clears throat)
...let me tell you this.
Nothing was more important to her than your Sunday calls.
She looked forward to 'em all week.
You were her hero, Jack.
You're the one that got her out of that house.
Not a hero, Mike.
I mean, I...
knew nothing about her life.
I mean, I missed the whole damn thing, so...
Thanks for showing me the photos, and for the beer.
(door opens)
♪ ♪
(shouts)
(birds chirping)
(grunts)
(exhales)
(grunts)
(phone ringing)
Hey, Jack, it's 6:00!
(sighs)
Hi, Marilyn. Right on time. (chuckles)
Oh, um, thank you so much for the-the scarf you sent.
-It's so great. -Oh, you like it?
I do, I love it. Thank you.
Hold on, let me get Jack for you. Jack?
Jack?
-Here. -(whispers): I got-- I got it.
Hi, buddy.
Hey, Ma. Hey, how, uh...
How's it going?
Oh, everything's fine.
Tell me about the little ones.
Uh, they're-they're good.
Good-- You know, ev-everyone's good.
-Jack. -Oh, no. Oh...
-He spit up. Here. -Yeah.
JACK: Get that. Okay.
Hey, when, uh,
when are you gonna come meet your grandkids?
Oh, I'll come once things settle down.
Mom, we got triplets, all right? It's never gonna settle down.
I'll come soon, Jackie.
Well, it's a big city, Mom.
I haven't seen the man in a decade.
So I-I think it's safe to say you can visit your family
-without running into Dad. -No, I know.
But Debby needs help at the flower shop and...
I-- Look, I'll plan a trip soon.
Okay.
There's this pond by the house.
It freezes over in the winter,
and everyone in the neighborhood goes ice-skating.
You should bring the kids.
Kids can't really walk yet, Mom.
No, of course not.
I know that. I'm just...
saying, one day.
-Yeah, no, we'll... -(distant crying)
(shushes) ...we'll-we'll get the kids on skates
as soon as we can.
Well, don't let me keep you.
Okay, Mom, I'll, uh,
I'll talk to you next Sunday, okay? I love you.
-I lo... -(phone crackles)
(dial tone)
(meows)
Hi, sweetie.
♪ ♪
(horn honks in distance)
Hi. Can I, uh...
I-I'll have a coffee, please. Thanks.
(overlapping chatter)
-Hey, Jack. Come on over. -Mike.
-(thumps seat) -Right there.
We are having a round of 7 and 7s
in honor of our Marilyn.
Okay. All right.
-Hi. -Hey. -MIKE: All right.
-Everything good? -Yeah, things are all right.
It's a nice, a nice town.
All right, here we go, here we go.
Thank you, Shanice.
-Nicely done. -Thank you. -Mm-hmm.
-WENDY: Thank you. -MIKE: All right, guys,
let's raise 'em up. Raise 'em up.
To our Marilyn.
-DEBBY: To our Marilyn. -Yeah, baby.
-(exhales) -WENDY: Oh, that tastes...
MIKE: Let me tell you something about your mom.
You don't know this. She would make up terms.
-DEBBY: Oh, no, oh, here we go. -A whole thing. A whole fictitious...
-DEBBY: Her bad knitting. -MIKE: She was a volume knitter.
Not precision.
(Mike speaking indistinctly)
DEBBY: ...bridge term called "the Jacoby transfer."
MIKE (laughs): This is made up.
This is not real, right? This is not real.
(Wendy laughs)
It's the Jacoby transfer.
See, they don't even know. They don't even know.
-I'm telling you... -It's totally made up. It's a totally made-up thing.
Okay, okay, maybe, maybe...
-You looked it up... -You made that up...
♪ ♪
(sniffles)
(exhales)
(sniffles)
(buttons clicking)
(line ringing)
-STANLEY (over phone): Yeah? -She's dead.
Three days ago, Mom had an aneurysm and she died.
(TV playing indistinctly)
Aren't you gonna say anything?
Ah, Jackie, I'm so sorry.
That's terrible news. I-It's terrible news.
When's the funeral? I-I mean,
I should pay my respects.
I wasn't inviting you.
You know,
even after she left you, you were always there.
Just hanging over us, keeping us apart.
My whole life, I never really knew her.
I mean, she had a real life out here,
and I never saw it and now she's dead.
And I missed the whole thing because of you.
Look, I don't, I-I don't want to fight with you.
I never stopped loving her. She was my wife.
When she left me, it was the worst day of my life.
You listen to me.
Do not show up at that funeral.
You hear me?
She was my wife, Jack.
I'll do what I damn well please.
(phone clatters)
♪ ♪
(birds chirping)
(grunts)
(liquid pouring)
How's the eulogy coming along?
I made a mistake, Debby.
I, uh...
called my dad.
Is he coming?
I told him not to, but I don't know.
(exhales)
♪ ♪
(baby babbling)
It's so great finally having you here.
I hope the, uh, sofa bed was comfortable enough.
(running footsteps)
Ma.
Rebecca asked you a question.
No, no, it's okay, Jack.
MARILYN (laughs): I-I'm sorry.
It's just...
...do you think he knows I'm here?
Of course not.
I mean, I haven't talked to him in years.
Why don't I start on lunch?
Mom, listen.
How about I make your favorite, Jackie?
What's my favorite?
Hot dogs and tomato soup.
Since when?
Since always. You loved hot dogs and tomato soup.
Maybe Nicky. I-I don't remember...
No, it wasn't Nicky, it was you.
You'd go out and you'd play in the snow,
and when you came home,
I'd make you hot dogs and tomato soup.
We'd sit at the kitchen table and we'd watch snow fall.
It's one of my favorite memories.
I know it's not much, but...
it wasn't all bad, your childhood.
I know.
Next time, you'll come visit me.
And we can take the kids skating on the pond.
It's so pretty in the winter.
Okay.
(skate clatters)
(phone ringing)
-Hello? -JACK: We never took 'em to the pond
by my mom's house.
To ice-skate.
It was just such a long drive,
and we could never really find the time.
I know.
I got to write a eulogy.
-What are you gonna say? -I don't know.
Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know what to say.
I've never lost a parent.
But... I'm here for you.
And I love you very much.
Yeah, I love you, too.
♪ ♪
Wish me luck.
(sighs)
♪ ♪
(knocking on door)
It's okay. We'll hide it away.
I'll put aside some money to get you a new one.
Your father will never know.
(quiet chatter)
(organ playing)
-The flowers are nice. -Yeah, don't start.
-I know it's too much. -Nah.
She would've loved it.
(chatter continues)
DEBBY: Do you think he's gonna show?
-I don't know. -(organ stops)
PASTOR: If we can all take our seats.
We'll begin with a reading
by Marilyn's beloved cousin Debra.
(door closes)
DEBBY: Um... (clears throat)
I wrote, I wrote a poem.
She always told me I should write more poems, so...
"Five o'clock, six o'clock,
"seven, eight.
"Tell the morning, night's running late.
"Nine o'clock, ten o'clock,
"eleven, noon.
"That's not the sun up high, but the moon.
"Wake the stars for a double shift.
"It's dark, this night,
"and it won't lift.
"Because if I stay right here in bed...
...I can still believe she isn't dead."
(paper shuffles)
Rest in peace.
PASTOR: And now I'd like to invite up
Marilyn's beloved son Jack.
My mother was...
...she was a good mother.
She did her best...
...and I loved her.
W-What I want to say...
What I want to say about her is...
(door opens)
The house I grew up in
wasn't an easy place to be a son.
But it wasn't an easy place to be a mother, either.
We did our best, the both of us,
and we were lucky because we got out.
But when you live in a house like that,
there's a part of you that never gets out.
So you build a new house.
A better house for a better life.
And you try as hard as you can
to make sure that part of you that still lives
in that old house is as small as possible.
I did my best to forget everything about that house.
But there...
there were so many little details.
Uh...
Heavy footsteps.
Cracking of a beer.
The creak of an armchair.
I don't know if she was ever able to forget
any of the details of that house, but I do know
she filled up her life with new ones.
Ones worth remembering.
A dish of chocolates.
A... basket of yarn.
(laughs softly)
A cat that keeps coming back.
There are four people here today.
My wife. My children.
Her grandchildren.
They gave me a new home.
And Debby, Mike...
...and everyone here today.
You gave that to her.
As her son,
I am very grateful to you all.
Thank you.
Okay, Ma.
Don't let me keep you.
(whispers): Let's scoot you over, honey.
All right, guys, now, this is very important. It's probably
the most important invention in human history.
It is called the skull crusher.
Kate, do not do this to your brothers.
Unless they really deserve it.
The skull crusher, the skull crusher!
-(laughter) -Skull crusher! This guy's too heavy!
He's too heavy. (shouts) I'm down!
The champ is down. Oh, three on one!
Three on one! Ref!
You know, I keep thinking she never got to find out
how the book ended.
Clan of the Cave Bear. I mean, she was only halfway through.
That's what you're worried about?
She read that stupid thing three times already.
REBECCA: I've read Clan of the Cave Bear.
It's got some... pretty sexy parts.
Between us, I think Marilyn went for Mike because, around here,
he's the closest thing she could find to a Neanderthal.
Hey, hey, I heard that. And it's accurate.
(laughter)
Didn't need to know that.
I might have to reread this book.
MIKE: Give 'em the bottle opener! Bottle opener!
Hey, do you think the cat's gonna be okay?
No, Jack. I think the cat is 100% gonna get hit by a car.
(laughter)
Ah...
(Mike shouting playfully)
♪ ♪
MIKE: Just like that. That's the move. That's the move.
Get back on your feet. Just like that.
Like a champ. There you go.
All right, zoom back down. Nicely done.
♪ ♪
All right. Who's hungry?
KIDS: Me.
Eh, I could eat.
Okay, I'll get something started.
No, no, that's okay. I got it.
♪ ♪
I made your favorite, Jackie.
This should warm you up.
JACK: All right, so my mom...
...used to make this for me.
Are these hot dogs?
-Where's the bun? -Just try it. Try it.
How is it?
It's so good.
Here, let me have one of these.
Mmm. It's not bad.
(sniffles)
(footsteps approach)
I don't have a mom anymore.
(crying)
♪ ♪
(Jack sniffling)
He dipped his hot dog in the soup.
She did it, too.
That's okay. You know, tomato soup is...
(voice fading)
♪ ♪
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