Left Neglected

Sarah learns more about her mother and is surprised to find how much alike they are. She wonders what Helen thinks about her. Sarah also wonders about her childhood, why she was not enough for her mother after Nate died.

Helen encourages Sarah to read something easier than the Sunday Times, like People magazine. Sarah thinks that Helen does not understand that reading the Times is about getting her life back.

Helen takes some pills, which she smilingly calls her “vitamins,” as they call Charlie’s Concerta. She explains that they are antidepressants, which she needs to be “herself.” It had never occurred to Sarah that her mother was clinically depressed.

Helen shares that once she started her medication, it was like a dark cloud lifted and she wanted to do things again. Before that, she had thought she did not deserve to be Sarah’s mother, did not deserve to live.

Sarah asks why Helen did not call after feeling better. Helen replies that she was afraid that Sarah hated her. Sarah impulsively says that she does not hate her. Helen apologizes and says that she has so many regrets.

Sarah knows that the key to lifting her mother’s regrets is her own forgiveness. She says that she has regrets too and misses Nate. Helen replies that she sees Nate in Sarah and her children, which heals her soul.

Sarah sees that Helen is taking more pills than she would solely for depression, and wonders what other conditions she may have.

Sarah is happy that the children have had a great week. Charlie’s behavior has improved greatly, which Helen attributes to lots of outside play time.

Helen takes Charlie and Lucy to the mountain for lessons. Charlie has switched from skis to snowboard, which he takes to naturally. Sarah has begun to paint for the first time in years and finds it enjoyable.

Sarah decides to give People magazine a try. Helen returns with Linus and notices. She “quizzes” Sarah on who is in the pictures as an exercise and says that she is proud of her when she finds the people on the left.

Helen compliments Sarah’s painting and tells her that she is truly talented. She likes how things on the left side of the canvas fade off. Sarah sighs, ready to fill in the missing pieces, but Helen tells her to leave it that way. Sarah tries to see the omissions as something good, rather than flaws.

Sarah, Helen, and Linus sit in the ski lodge while Charlie and Lucy have their lessons. Sarah works on a word search book that Helen bought her.

Sarah feels the urge to be out skiing. Her pre-accident self insists that she will be, but post-accident Sarah is not sure.

Helen points out a disabled person on a sled, with a ski attached to the back. A skier steers them both down the mountain. Helen suggest Sarah try that, but Sarah insists that she does not want to ski in a “handicapped” way. She also does not have the equipment.

Helen stops a lodge staffer and asks about the special equipment. The staffer replies that the New England Handicapped Sports Association rents the equipment and offers to show them the office in the next building. Sarah quickly declines.

Helen thinks they should check out the organization, but Sarah refuses. Throughout the afternoon, Sarah remembers the smile on the “skier’s” face.

Sarah and Bob meet with Ms. Gavin to discuss Charlie’s progress. Ms. Gavin tells them that she has seen a definite improvement in Charlie’s behavior and work habits. Sarah is relieved. She has seen an improvement in Charlie’s homework and in his ability to follow directions at home, and delights that these have translated to the classroom.

Ms. Gavin shares that Charlie has suffered some teasing because he must stand to work, so now he chooses to sit, to be like everyone else. Sarah understands this and asks if Ms. Gavin thinks Charlie will ever be “normal.” Ms. Gavin carefully answers.

With the combination of medication and behavioral and dietary adjustments, Ms. Gavin believes Charlie’s ADHD should not prevent him from reaching his academic potential, and that the concept of “normal” can be problematic (and overrated). She praises Sarah and Bob for taking action to help Charlie.

Sarah releases her fear, for Charlie and herself, though she worries about his future and his outsider status due to his differences. She wishes he had more affinity for sports as a way of belonging, or that they had a snowboard team nearby.

As Sarah and Bob exit out to the playground, they see that Charlie has just been in a fight. Sarah discovers that another boy had called her a “dumb cripple.” She lovingly tells Charlie that he should not fight and that that kid does not know what he is talking about, since she is the smartest cripple he has ever seen.