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Monica, Tess, and Andrew
celebrate Monica’s one-hundredth assignment with a cake in a park. In
the same park Audrey, a single mother who writes commercial jingles,
celebrates her son Petey’s birthday. Petey tries to blow out his
candles but is racked with coughing, an effect of his disease, Cystic
Fibrosis. Monica arrives at Petey and Audrey’s home as a prospective
border and she meets Celine, Petey’s best friend who is Celine Dion’s
number one fan. Celine introduces Monica to Audrey and Monica moves
into their home. Petey plays a song for Monica on tape that Audrey
began to write when Petey was born but has since been unable to
finish. When he collapses on his way home from school, Petey is
rushed to the hospital where, upon his release, he and Celine overhear
some nurses saying he doesn’t have much time left to live. Petey
tells Audrey, who is having trouble accepting the fate of her little
boy, that when he dies, he wants to die at home. Petey, with Monica’s
help, begins to compile a list of the things he wants to do before he
dies. His items include: Learn to play the piano, find a home for
Fluffy (his pet iguana), find someone to sing with Mom, find someone
to shovel the snow. With Tess and Andrew’s help these things come to
pass (Tess agrees to take care of the iguana). Petey and the angels
move on to the more tricky items on the list, including introducing
Celine to the real Celine Dion. Celine is blindfolded and taken to a
concert hall to meet Celine Dion in her dressing room before the
show. Celine Dion tells Petey and Celine, who is in shock, that she
will sing a special song for them. Later during the concert she sings
“Love Can Move Mountains” to the children. At the end of the concert
Petey becomes very sick and, at the hospital, Audrey comes to the
realization that Petey will soon die. Celine, with Tess’ help,
resolves to help make it possible for Petey to die at home, another
item on his list, and they visit the HMO in hopes of getting a medical
waiver allowing this. When they are denied Tess demands to see the
manager, who happens to be Celine’s father. When he says he cannot
make an exception to a rule, even for Petey, Celine returns to his
office in a gown and pearls, and sings “Love Can Move Mountains.” She
pleads with her father to prove he loves Petey and he pulls some
strings. Petey is brought home and, while he sleeps, Audrey discovers
his list, including the wish that Audrey would finish her song.
Audrey tries to finish the song, but breaks down in tears when she
can’t get past the first verse. Monica reveals herself to Audrey,
comforts her, and asks her to tell the whole world about Petey’s love
with her song. Audrey works all night to finish the song, and in the
morning wakes Petey, telling him to cross that item off his list.
Petey is taken outside to find many neighbors gathered to perform
Audrey’s finished song, “The 151st Psalm,” the main chorus of which
proclaims, “For as long as I shall live I will testify to love!”
Petey tells Andrew, “It is finished,” and the young boy dies as the
crowd continues to sing his song. Monica crosses the final item off
of Petey’s list: “Go to Heaven.”
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