Mom – One Tiny Incision and a Coffin Dress

By: Gladys Luna

Bonnie (Allison Janney) is reading a magazine and asking Miley Cyrus when is she going to finally settle down. At that moment Christy (Anna Faris) yells at her from the other side of the room and, again, Bonnie speaks to the magazine suggesting Miley not to have children at all. Christy walks in complaining to Bonnie for using her shampoo and returning the empty bottle to her shower forcing her to wash her hair with dish soap. The doorbell rings and Bonnie heads to open it. When she does she finds Tammy (Kristen Johnston) waiting there looking nervous and excited. The woman starts to explain that she has great news to announce, but she doesn’t even know where to start. So, she makes a quick recap of her life before saying that even though she thought she had no family at all it turned out that she actually has an aunt named Cookie (Kathleen Turner) that has managed to found her and wants to meet her.

The day to meet Aunt Cookie has arrived so Tammy has gathered all of the gang there to support her. She only had given them a brief heads up about her aunt like she is from Santa Fe and works as an interior decorator. Jill (Jaime Pressly) suggests to Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy) that since Cookie is an interior decorator she can offer some ideas to make her place more alive. Marjorie doesn’t find the comment appropriate or funny at all. Christy reveals that when she was a kid she always wished for a secret relative to show up at her bedroom window and take her to a place where the rent was already paid. Bonnie tells her that not all secret relatives are good news since some of them might just show up, sleep on her couch, eat her food and steal her credit cards. Christy lets her know that she has just described herself.

Tammy shows up looking all pretty, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by the gang. She expresses how afraid she is that her aunt won’t like her if she finds out that she is a convicted felon. So, the girls try to ease her concerns but Tammy is still uncertain about that. Right on cue there’s a knock on the door and before Tammy attends she begs the women not to speak about her past in front of her aunt. When she finally opens the door she sees her Aunt Cookie standing there looking so happy to meet her and asking her for a hug. Tammy looks as excited as a kid when introducing her to her friends. Cookie compliments all of them and Christy excuses herself saying that her hair usually looks better, but she had recently switched to Lemon Joy. Cookie doesn’t seem to understand the comment, but decides to let it pass. Next, she asks everyone how is that they know Tammy and Bonnie replies that they don’t know. With all honesty and nervousness Tammy explains that she and Bonnie had met in foster care. She was kicked out, became a drug addict, went to prison, did her time and now she lives with Marjorie and her cats. Cookie seems to be moved by hearing about her niece’s rough past and tells her that if she had known she existed she would have taken her and Bonnie in as well. She then ends up inviting everyone who had a difficult childhood to join the hug.

Later on Cookie has used her talent and found a new layout for Marjorie’s living room saying that now she has an open flow for her entertainment area. Christy asks her if she can do the same to her house, but Bonnie tells her that the woman is only an interior decorator not a wizard. Tammy says that maybe when she gets her contractor’s license they can work together and their business name could be “Cookie and Milk.” Cookie tells her that she doesn’t know how long she will be able to work and states that the real reason why she decided to search for her is because she needs a kidney. Her doctor told her that a family member would be the best match, so she started to look on social media trying to find Tammy’s mother. Then she was told she had passed and notified about Tammy’s existence. Tammy looks shocked and asks her if she wants her kidney. Cookie replies that more than wanting her kidney that she needs it.

The next day Christy and Bonnie are drinking some tea in their kitchen and discussing Tammy’s situation. Christy believes that she finds it complicated for her friend to make the right decision since she has just met her aunt, but also she is her only family. Bonnie looks at her and asks if she would do the same for her. Christy tries all her best not to answer and focuses on her tea instead, but then explains that she doesn’t think that her tiny kidney would last a day in her. Bonnie tells her that if the case was different she would give any organ she has for her. Tammy responds that after everything her organs have gone through she would rather take one form Gus. Bonnie is afraid that Cookie wants to take advantage of Tammy and believes that her best choice is to register herself on the waiting list. However, Christy explains that it may take her years to get a kidney and Bonnie considers that maybe if she had enlisted sooner she would have a kidney now. It is something that makes her think that they should enlist in it but Christy tells her that it is not possible to do that if they are not sick.

The gang is gathered at the bistro still discussing Cookie’s situation. Wendy (Beth Hall) says that the surgery is not that scary and that it is just one tiny incision and then they take out the kidney. Tammy asks if she would be able to have a normal life after and Wendy assures her she can. Christy feels inspired and says that she will go to the DMV and register to be an organ donor. She also  manages to convince Jill to do the same. Bonnie is offended to know that her daughter is willing to donate an organ to a stranger but not her. Tammy says that she doesn’t want to lose her aunt so she decides to get tested and see if she’s a match.

Cookie, Tammy and Bonnie are on the waiting room of the hospital. Cookie promises Tammy that once they are healed she will take her to Paris so they can show their kidneys the time of their lives. Bonnie interrupts her and tells her that before they start buying any berets they should wait for Tammy to get tested to be sure that she is actually a match. Tammy is called to the doctor’s office so the other two women are left alone. Cookie tells Bonnie that it is amazing that she is supporting her friend and the woman explains that Tammy is like a sister for her. They have been through a lot together. Cookie expresses how she never managed to get along with her own sister. She left home at an early age and when her sister found out she was pregnant she wanted her to return home, but she was not willing to. Bonnie is a little surprised to find out that there was a missing piece in the woman’s story since she recalls her saying when they met that she didn’t know about her niece’s existence. So, she confronts her about it forcing Cookie to find a way to avoid the subject but without success. Bonnie runs straight to Tammy and tells her that she is not giving her kidney to a liar and says that her aunt knew about her existence all along but pretended that she didn’t just because she wanted her kidney. Cookie is left with no choice but to tell the truth. She confesses that she was too young and had a dream to pursue and having to take care of her after her sister died would had gotten in the middle of it. Bonnie feels hurt and cannot believe that her aunt let her go through the system, going from one house to another, without anyone to care about her, Cookie tries to convince her to bury the hatchet, but Tammy is not willing to and leaves the place in a haste followed by Bonnie. While driving to Marjorie’s house Bonnie apologizes to her for throwing such news like that in her face, but Tammy tells her that she did the right thing. Once they arrive to Marjorie’s house Tammy decides to move the furniture back to its original place in an attempt to erase the trace of her aunt. The two women sit on the couch while Tammy says how much she hates Cookie for playing her, but Bonnie tells her that she is allowed to feel that way and more.

Jill and Christy are filling out their organ donor form. Jill finishes hers first and then is suddenly assaulted by a thought: what if gets in a car crash with someone who’s not a donor and the paramedics decide not to save her because they can fill up their organ cooler? Christy laughs and convinces her that won’t happen, but after Jill leaves she gives it a thought and throws her form away then departs.

Tammy meets with Cookie and tells her that if she is a match, she will donate her kidney to her. Cookie seems surprised by Tammy’s decision and tries to make plans for her after their recovery. However, Tammy says that she doesn’t want her to be part of her life. She does not want to go anywhere with her and definitely she doesn’t want them to be family because she already has one. Cookie asks her why she has decided to do such a thing for her then and Tammy replies that she’s not doing anything for her – she’s just saving a life.

The gang is gathered for their usual meeting and Jill is proudly showing everyone her organ donor card. Christy walks in and when Jill sees her she asks her to do the same, but the woman ignores her. Lucky for her, Tammy gets a call from the hospital and is notified that she is a match for her aunt.