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On their 35th wedding anniversary, Ben and
Sylvia Mangione, owners of a car dealership, host a huge sale.
Monica and Tess are on hand to help the Mangione family, and Phil,
the angel of reconciliation, will assist them, if the perennially
late angel ever arrives. Mangione Auto World is a family business,
with daughters Ellen and Dee Dee and Ellen's husband Frankie all
working there. But one of the children, Buddy, moved to California
several years ago, refusing to take over the family business, much
to Ben's chagrin. During the sale, Buddy calls to say he is
returning for the anniversary with a big announcement to make.
Frank is upset that Buddy is returning because he thinks it may
spoil his chances for taking over the dealership. Indeed, Ben
hopes Buddy is returning to take over the dealership. At the
anniversary party Tess plays with the band, filling in for the
still tardy Phil, while Monica caters the event. Soon, however,
the police show up to let the family know that Buddy has been
killed in a car crash. Ben and Frank are called to identify
Buddy's remains but, since the corpse has been badly burned, they
identify his personal effects. Rather than grieve, the family
argues over Buddy's funeral arrangements. Ben insists on returning
to work, where he meets Sharon, a young woman claiming to be
Buddy's wife. The family thinks this must be Buddy's big surprise,
but is upset when Sharon wants to have the body cremated. Monica
helps them strike a bargain -- Buddy will be buried if Sharon
performs the eulogy at the service. Meanwhile, Andrew finds Phil
and offers to give him a lift into town. They are further detained
when the car overheats, but are offered help by a hitchhiker who
is eagerly trying to get to town. They offer him a lift. At the
funeral, Sharon delivers the eulogy, recalling a touching memory
about how Buddy saved the life of a beached whale. Before she can
finish, though, the hitchhiker arrives. It's Buddy! The family is
shocked to see him alive and he explains how his car was stolen
and he had to hitchhike into town. Rather than rejoice that his
son is alive, Ben wants to know if Buddy is ready to take over the
business. Buddy says 'no,' and a furious Ben returns to the
dealership where Monica is waiting for him. Monica reveals that
she is an angel and takes him back to the funeral parlor where she
finishes the eulogy. The eulogy reveals the big surprise, that
Buddy has cancer and will soon die. Phil finally arrives to tell a
shocked Ben that God wants him to stop keeping such a tight hold
on his family. Phil points out that many fathers wish they could
have the gift that Ben has: the chance to spend one more hour with
his son, to tell him all of the things he wished he had said when
he was alive. Buddy arrives at the funeral parlor, and Ben
embraces his son, asking for forgiveness and expressing his love.
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