Mom – Cheddar Cheese and a Squirrel Circus

By: Gladys Luna

The episode opens with a brief recap of episode 11 where Tammy’s (Kristen Johnston) long-lost aunt Cookie (Kathleen Turner) shows up for the very first time in years asking for her help since she needs a kidney transplant and the woman could be the only one able to save her. Even though they had a rough start, Tammy finally decides to help. Now, Tammy is more than ready to get the surgery done and close the chapter with her aunt for once and for all. Christy (Anna Faris) arrives to the hospital asking for her friend’s room but is caught up in the middle of an argument between a couple of nurses. While she is waiting for them to end their discussion, she sees a handsome man (Francesco Bauco) being carried in a stretcher who suddenly starts smiling at her making her blush and smile back at him. They get caught up in the moment until she is interrupted by Nurse Lorraine (Tracy Vilar) announcing Tammy’s room number. Christy enters the room in a haste and sees her mother Bonnie (Allison Janney) trying to dissuade her friend from doing the surgery and donating her kidney to a woman who had only lied to her, but Tammy remains firm about her decision. On the other hand, Jill (Jaime Pressly) seems to be very scared about all of the different kinds of bacterias that they might be surrounded with. Christy tells them she had just met a guy and had one of those moments when somebody knows that they are meant to be and when she is asked why she didn’t talk to him she says that she wanted to see Tammy before her surgery just in case it does not go as expected. Wendy (Beth Hall) walks in carrying a bunch of flowers that Cookie has sent as a thank you to her niece, something that makes Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy) express that in case one of them dies they had at least end with a good note. Wendy takes Tammy to the OR and while they wait to enter she kisses her forehead and tells her she loves her. She then leaves. Right that moment Cookie shows up in another stretcher and thanks her niece again for doing such a noble thing for her, but Tammy remains stoic before her aunt’s compliments until the woman mentions that she just looks a lot like her mother.

Tammy has been released from the hospital, but before she leaves she decides to make a stop and see her aunt for the last time before parting ways forever. Cookie, on the other side, seems to be recovering very well as she is caught up flirting shamelessly with Dr. Bernson (Ted McGinley) while he gives her some indications to follow. Tammy shows up and tells her aunt that she just wants to make sure that everything is working well for her before she leaves and wishes her to have a good life. However, Cookie stop hers and tells her that she would like to be granted with the chance to start with a clean slate with her. After a while she realizes that her speech has been based only on her wishes and asks Tammy what is that she actually wants. The woman asks her if it was true when she told her that she just looked like her mother, so suddenly it seems they have found a common ground for themselves. In the meantime, Wendy walks in the room where Tammy had stayed and sees Bonnie laying there. The woman says that she’s waiting for Tammy and Christy (who had suddenly disappeared in an attempt to find the good looking guy room but with no success whatsoever) and asks her friend to let her rest while the other two come back.

The girls gather for their usual meeting and Christy tries to persuade Wendy into telling her the name of her mysterious guy, but the woman is not willing to speak at all. So, the blonde threatens her by saying that there might be a day she would need something and she won’t give it to her, but Wendy doesn’t seem to care at all. Bonnie walks in the room with Tammy in tow and everyone is really happy to see her back in her feet again. Tammy announces that her aunt wants to invite them all for dinner on Saturday and everyone seems to accept the invitation except for Bonnie who still does not trust in her friend’s aunt. Tammy tries to convince her to join them by saying they will go to a steakhouse and Bonnie says that she just might consider it. Also, Tammy tells her that spending time with Cookie has helped her to learn more details about her mother and that makes her happy. Jill says that she would’ve wanted her father to tell her stories about her mother as well but after her funeral he decided not to speak about her at all. On the other hand, Christy says that she would wish for a way to make her forget all of the stories about her mother instead.

Saturday night has arrived so the gang and Cookie are all gathered celebrating. The women thank her for the invitation and Cookie tells them to order something expensive even if they don’t like it at all. Bonnie seems concerned that the woman is already out so soon after her surgery and gets even more concerned when the waiter (David Chan) shows up with a glass of wine for her. So, she asks Wendy to support her with her medical experience about what would happen but the nurse says that a few sips won’t hurt her. Cookie propose a toast and thanks Tammy for giving her the chance to have a future that she didn’t think she could have. Then, she proudly stands and announces that she is heading to the little girls’ room because now she can pee. Tammy is really happy to have her in her life, but Bonnie is still far from liking her. She decides to go to the restroom as well and sees Cookie smoking a cigarette outside. Bonnie runs back to the table and tells the others about it. She asks Tammy to say something to her, but the woman has decided to forgive her and won’t do anything about it. Bonnie says that she believes the woman is still being manipulative, selfish and ungrateful.

Christy shows up at the hospital again and tells Nurse Lorraine that she had been there a week ago and had share an intense eye-contact with one of their patients but she doesn’t know his name or if he is still alive. Lorraine responds that they are not allowed to share any information of the patients. In a desperate attempt, Christy tries to bribe her with an omelette but the nurse does not fall for it and leaves. Then, Nurse Wanda (Patricia Bethune) arrives and Christy tries to do the same with her but with no success.

At Bonnie’s house Tammy walks into her kitchen and tells her that Cookie would like some cream and sugar in her coffee. Bonnie is not happy with the request, but tells her friend that she is trying hard to accept her aunt just because of the love she has for her. She follows Tammy into the living room and meets with Cookie. She asks her about her plans from now on. Cookie says that she will stay around as much as she can to be with Tammy and that they have even planned a trip to Bakersfield to the town where she and her sister had grown up. Cookie’s alarm rings telling her is time for her medicine, but she dismisses it – something that doesn’t go unnoticed by any of the other two women. Cookie says that Tammy has told her that she and Christy have been all over the world. While Bonnie is telling her one of their stories, Tammy interrupts her asking her aunt to take her medicine ending with Bonnie getting involved as well and making Cookie feel offended with her comments. She stands up and says that she has been under a lot of doctor’s appointments and dialysis since she has been sick for a long time and all she truly wants now is to enjoy her life just a bit. While speaking she starts to feel a lot of pain, making Bonnie and Tammy take her to the hospital. While Bonnie is waiting for her friend she sees Christy passing by the corridor, but she believes is just part of her imagination. Tammy joins her and says that Cookie’s body has been rejecting the kidney because she didn’t take care of herself and she feels really mad at her for such behavior. She also feels stupid for trusting her again. Right that moment Tammy also sees Christy passing by and tells Bonnie, but the woman has decided to deny it. Tammy goes to talk to Cookie and tells her that she is mad at her for being so reckless with the kidney she gave her. She just wanted to give her a second chance to be her aunt, but she’s ruined it. Cookie tells her that she cares about her and promises that will do better this time. She is not used to think about anyone else, but she wants to stick around and do the things they have planned.

Christy is walking in the hallway when she finally finds her mysterious man on a wheelchair. He smiles and waves and she does the same. She is taken out of her dream when a couple of kids run towards him and hug him followed by another man (Michael Collins) who kisses him in the lips. Sadly, Christy realizes she has been chasing a dream all along.

Tammy arrives to the hospital and meets with Wendy and asks her if her aunt is ready to go, but Wendy tells her that the woman left the night before and mentioned that she will return to Santa Fe. Tammy is heartbroken by the news. Bonnie walks in telling her that she needs to hurry up since she has doubled parked in front of an ambulance and Tammy hugs her while crying.

The next day at the meeting Christy says that she had learned that she will not fall for anyone she hasn’t even spoken with unless she is really clear they are meant to be together. Wendy asks Tammy if she wants to share something, but she refuses so Bonnie decides to take the chance and say that she had made many promises that she broke though it was not because she didn’t mean what she said at the time. She says it was because she didn’t even realize of the pain she was causing to others and she wanted to make clear that it has nothing to do with the other person. She looks at Tammy and the other woman nods in gratitude at her.