  
|
|
When Andrew arrives in the court
of Judge Dorrie Chapin to notify her that she is the governor's first
choice to fill a vacant Supreme Court seat, Dorrie and her
ever-dependable mother, Emma, are overjoyed. Having met Tess while
sitting in the gallery of her daughter's courtroom, Emma invites Tess
and Dorrie's new assistant, Monica over for dinner to celebrate.
Later that afternoon, Emma is the subject of show and tell in the
classroom of Dorrie's daughter, Jenny, and tells of her days as one of
the only female pilots, the Lady Tigerettes, during World War II.
When Emma and Jenny get lost on the way home after leaving Jenny's
school, it is apparent that Emma is beginning to show the first signs
of aging. The angels attempt to tell Dorrie that her mother is simply
getting older but Dorrie is unwilling to accept that her steadfast
mother is faltering. Dorrie tries to rationalize the situation,
suggesting that her mother will be fine with lifestyle changes and
vitamins until Emma falls asleep in the courtroom, waking to not
recognize her own daughter. Tess again appeals to Dorrie, telling her
that her mother still has important work to do. Dorrie then goes to
her mother's house to find her affairs in shambles; bills are unpaid,
important prescriptions are unfilled and the insurance has lapsed.
When Emma catches Dorrie snooping through her things, the issue comes
out into the open and Emma reiterates what the angels had said
earlier, she is getting older and simply can't keep up anymore. Still
confused as to how she will cope without the support of her mother,
Dorrie hears a custody case involving the welfare of an elderly man,
Mr. Miller. After hearing his children argue over whether or not to
put him in a nursing home, Mr. Miller appeals to them both to live
their own lives and to visit him often. Dorrie then breaks down in
her chambers as Andrew arrives to tell her that the governor needs to
know if she will accept her appointment to the supreme court. Dorrie
initially refuses the appointment, fearing that she simply cannot go
on without her mother's support. Emma is also resigned to give up all
of her duties rather than just limiting her schedule. The angels then
reveal to both Emma and Dorrie, telling them to give up their fears of
being alone, of growing old, of losing each other, because God will
never leave either of them. Monica tells Emma that God has another
task for her; together with the other surviving Flying Tigerettes, she
is commissioned to share her wartime experiences so as to ensure
against future wars. As Emma departs on her nationwide Tigerettes bus
tour, Dorrie enters the Supreme Court where she will now serve proudly
as a State Supreme Court Justice. |
